Dadhichi

SAGE DADICHI 1.1 Birth of sage Dadichi Sage Chyavana was highly pleased with his wife Sukanya and one day he told her that he was pleased with her devotion and he would bless her with three sons. They would be named as Dadeechi, Pramathi and Apravan. After a few years after their birth Sage Chyavana left the house for Teertha Yatra.There is also another version that sage Dadichi was the son of sage Atharva. 1.2 Vritrasura threaten Gods According to the Rig Veda, Vritra kept the waters of the world captive until Indra killed him before liberating the imprisoned rivers. Vritra, a Brahmin became the head of the Asuras. He renounced his dharma to do well unto others and turned to violence, battling with the Devas. Vritrasura appeared from the altar of sage Tvashta. As soon as the demon appeared, he captured the heaven. He appeared invincible for he also swallowed the weapons that Indra and other gods attacked him with. Thus, the unarmed and frightened gods went straight to Lord Brahma. Brahma then prayed to Lord Vishnu. 1.2Lord Vishnu directed Indra to approach sage Dadichi. Hearing his prayers, Lord Vishnu appeared before Brahma and said: Vritra could not be destroyed by ordinary means. Only a weapon made from the bones of a sage could slay him. When the deities revealed their doubts about the likelihood of any ascetic donating his body, Vishnu directed them to approach the sage Dadichi and told them: – “Because of his severe penance, the bones of sage Dadichi have become extremely hard and potent. If a Vajra (a blunt weapon having combined features of a sword, spear and mace) is made of Dadichi’s bones, only then Indra could kill Vitrasur with that weapon. But sage Dadichi is a dedicated devotee of mine; hence nobody can kill him forcibly. You can go to him and beg for his bones”. 1.3 Sage Dadichi gives back bone At that time Sage Dadichi was living in his hermitage at the confluence of Sabarmati and Chandrabhaga rivers. All the gods reached his hermitage and intimating the purpose of their coming, they prayed to the sage for his bones. Sage Dadichi then told the gods of his desire to perform a pilgrimage. Indra then invoked all the pilgrimage places at Namisharanya. Taking holy dips in all those holy places, sage Dadichi took a meditating position on his seat. Thus, the sage did not feel any hitch to give up his life for Indra who had once wished to behead him for a petty reason. The sage had no attachment for his ephemeral body. He felt that one day it has to be left. Hence nothing would be more fruitful if that body is given up for a pious cause, benefiting someone. Thus, the sage concentrated his mind in God. Slowly, he began to concentrate on his breath and finally he annihilated into the supreme power. Immediately wild animals devoured his flesh and skin. 1.4 Indra makes vajrayudha Indra collected his bones and handed them to Vishwakarma. Vishwakarma made a Vajra from these bones. Using that Vajra then Indra killed the demon Vitrasur. When they engaged Vritra again, the battle lasted for 360 days before the Brahmin breathed his last. Thus, by the supreme sacrifice of a hermit, Devaloka (the abode of the Devas) could be saved from the onslaught of the demon Vritrasur. Brāhmanahatya chased Indra and forced him into hiding for his sin, and Nahusha was invited to take his place. In another version of the story, three Asuras – Varuna, Soma and Agni – were also coaxed by Indra into aiding him in the fight against Vritra. 1.5 Dadichi story in Eakadasi Mahamyam In the Narada purana detailing the divinity of Ekadasi fasting King Rugmangada tell the story of sage Dadichi who gave his own bones in charity when asked by the Gods to Mohini the charm created by Brahma (Who became another Menaka- Viswamithra). The story of Yamadharma visiting Lord Brahma and explaining the condition of Yamaloka having no occupants and every body going to Vishnu loka by performing Ekadasi vrata at the instance of King Rugmangada and Brahma creating a Mohini and her efforts for preventing King Rugmangada from Ekadashi fast is a very exciting story. Since it will take pages we will see it later. 1.3 Sage Dadichi gives back bone At that time Sage Dadichi was living in his hermitage at the confluence of Sabarmati and Chandrabhaga rivers. All the gods reached his hermitage and intimating the purpose of their coming, they prayed to the sage for his bones. Sage Dadichi then told the gods of his desire to perform a pilgrimage. Indra then invoked all the pilgrimage places at Namisharanya. Taking holy dips in all those holy places, sage Dadichi took a meditating position on his seat. Thus, the sage did not feel any hitch to give up his life for Indra who had once wished to behead him for a petty reason. The sage had no attachment for his ephemeral body. He felt that one day it has to be left. Hence nothing would be more fruitful if that body is given up for a pious cause, benefiting someone. Thus, the sage concentrated his mind in God. Slowly, he began to concentrate on his breath and finally he annihilated into the supreme power. Immediately wild animals devoured his flesh and skin. 1.4 Indra makes vajrayudha Indra collected his bones and handed them to Vishwakarma. Vishwakarma made a Vajra from these bones. Using that Vajra then Indra killed the demon Vitrasur. When they engaged Vritra again, the battle lasted for 360 days before the Brahmin breathed his last. Thus, by the supreme sacrifice of a hermit, Devaloka (the abode of the Devas) could be saved from the onslaught of the demon Vritrasur. Brāhmanahatya chased Indra and forced him into hiding for his sin, and Nahusha was invited to take his place. In another version of the story, three Asuras – Varuna, Soma and Agni – were also coaxed by Indra into aiding him in the fight against Vritra. 1.5 Dadichi story in Eakadasi Mahamyam In the Narada purana detailing the divinity of Ekadasi fasting King Rugmangada tell the story of sage Dadichi who gave his own bones in charity when asked by the Gods to Mohini the charm created by Brahma (Who became another Menaka- Viswamithra). The story of Yamadharma visiting Lord Brahma and explaining the condition of Yamaloka having no occupants and every body going to Vishnu loka by performing Ekadasi vrata at the instance of King Rugmangada and Brahma creating a Mohini and her efforts for preventing King Rugmangada from Ekadashi fast is a very exciting story. Since it will take pages we will see it later. 1.6 Aswini Kumars learn Brahmavidya from sage Dadichi Indra had enmity with Aswini kumars. He had sworn that he would behead anybody who dared to preach Brahmavidya to Ashwinikumaras. Ashwinikumaras were the physicians hence; Indra used to see them with humiliation and regarded them as inferior. Ahwinikumaras however had prayed to sage Dadichi to preach them Brahmavidya. It was actually offence not to teach someone curious and willing to learn. So, sage Dadichi agreed to preach them. 1.7Aswinikumars fix horse head on sage Dadichi Ashwini kumaras who were great physicians had an idea in mind to learn Brahma vidya, but saving sage Dadichi. So they cut his head and kept it aside and fixed a horse’s head on his torso. Thus with a horse’s head sage Dadichi preached them Brahmavidya to them. 1.8 Indra cut sage Dadichi’s horse head When Indra came to know about it, he beheaded Dadichi with his sword. Ashwinikumaras then refixed Dadichi’s original head on his torso. Having preached Ashwinikumaras with a horse’s head, the sage is also known as Ashvashira (One having a horse’s head). 1.9 Dadichi kund Naimisaranya (Tirunaimisaranyam) is one of the 108 Temples & Celestial Abodes of Vishnu revered by the Tamil hymns of the Alwars of the 1st millennium CELocation: Naimisaranya (Uttar Pradesh) Naimisaranyam is located at the junction of the roads from Sitapur and Khairabad, about 15 KMs from Sitapur and 18 KMs from the Sandila railway station. The place is also about 70 KMs north of Lucknow. Naimisaranya is mentioned frequently in both the Mahabharat and the Ramayana. The Mahabharat was recited here. The chakratheertha here is considered very holy, and a dip here on Somavati Amavasya isconsidered to be sacred. The chief temple here is that ofLalita Devi. Large crowds collect here on new moon days. The parikrama fair, begins at Nimkhar and ends at Misraka; Misrikh houses the Dadichi Kund. Legend has it that sage Dadichi gave up his material body, so that his bones could be used in the preparation of a missile to destroy demons here. The Hatyaharana Thirtham here at Misraka is of great importance; where Rama is believed to have bathed to purify himself of the sin of having killed Ravana. 1.10 Sarovar tank in Kurukshethra Another version is that sageDadichi used to pray to Shiva on the banks of theholy tank Sarovarand offered the bones of his horse’s head to Lord Indra for making a vajra to kill Vritasura . 1.11 Statues of Horse headed human in Kambodia It has been discovered a broken handed idol of a Human with Horse head from Kambodia on excavation. Similar seals also have been discovered from Harappa escavations. 1.12 Saraswathamuni-son of sage Dadichi The Saraswat Brahmins are mentioned in the Vedas, the Ramayana, theMahabharata, the Bhagavata and inthe Bhavisyottara Purana. They accepted the Sage Saraswat (son of Rishi Dadichi), livingon the banks of Saraswati as their Guru. There were about 60,000 (Shatsahasara) Brahmins who were his disciples. When a severe famine which lasted for about 12 years, hit the region and the crops were not enough to feed everyone, the survival of the Saraswats was at stake. At the advice of theirGuru who was pragmatic, they started to feed on fish from the Saraswati river for survival. Thus they became the only fish-eating Brahmins ever known (I could get no details about the wife of sage Dadichi). SUMMARY Story of sage Dadichi is told in many puranams. He was the son of sage Chyavana with Sukanya. Sage Saraswatha, Guru of Saraswatha Brahmins washis son. With out hesitation sage Dadichi gave to Indra his backbone to make Vajrayudha, for killing Vritasura.