THE MAHABHARATA AND THE SPHINX-PURUSHAMRIGA
The story of the
challenge between Bhima and the purushamriga
is not a acknowledged part of what is now considered the
classical Mahabharata. But this great epic is known through many versions all
across India, and with many local variations and traditions. I have found
depictions of episodes of this story in many temples around Tamil Nadu, and
also in other parts of southern India. Some of these narrative sculptures are not
more than two to three hundred years old. This shows the story of Bhima and
the sphinx was widely known, and also popular and significant till just a
relatively short time ago.
I have found that this story has several local variations. The following
is based on the sthala-purana, or temple Mythology of the Shiva temple in the
village of Tiruvatavur, near Madurai.
This is about the five sons of king Pandu, called the Pancha Pandavas,
who were the descendants of the lunar dynasty. They lived in the era of the
Dvapara Yuga. Their capital city was Indraprastha. Narada Maharishi (a divine saint),
who travels in the 3 worlds as he wishes, came to see them.
The Pandavas worshipped his
feet and praised him in various forms. Narada said to them
“Who performs the
Rajasuya Yajna on earth is honored with
the white umbrella in Indra’s world after he dies and goes to heaven.
O Dharmaputra, your father Pandu, in Indraloka is not given this respectable
honor.”
The Pandavas shivered. “O Lord, to gain that honor what must be
performed? Tell us!” the eldest son named Yushistira or Dharmaraja
humbly requested.
“ O Dharma, you must perform that glorious yajna. You will
offer the virtue of that offer to your father, then he will receive that honor”,
Narada announced.
They cleared up their minds. The Pandavas planned to perform the yajna,
and they needed immeasurable wealth to accomplish this. For that aim they
went in all directions. They gained victory over whoever hated them and
rebelled against them. They gathered great wealth.
Bhima went to the northern direction and conquered the opponents and
also won victory over Kubera, the divine guardian of the North, and the
possessor of great treasures. He gained a lot of wealth. Now the need
required was to work fast and to be valiant to perform the yajna. While he
was thinking, he realized Kubera’s garden was before him. “Is it that?” Human form (purusha rupa), animal figure (Tamil=uruvam) the
purushamriga who possesses that figure pleasantly resides there.
My wish is achieved Bhima thought.
With shivering he approached the purushamriga. He praised it from his
heart and mouth. “Salute, my prostration. To be able to successfully perform
the Rajasuya Yajna you we invite your divine presence in our
Indraprastha.” “I will come” the purushamriga answered. But he made a
condition to Bhima.
“You must go before me and direct me. You should not
be an obstacle for my pace and speed. You must advance beyond
my reach always. Otherwise I will kill you. Do you know why?
The reason is that I always keep Shiva in my thought, word and in my mind.
‘What is this? Why the guiding person is blocking me?’ my mind will ask.
That thought will disturb my Shiva Dhyana (meditation). I warn you”
said the purushamriga. Bhima wondered and accepted.
The dignified purushamriga exists in Kubera’s world. One
cannot see it with mortal eyes. One who is able to see it becomes
pious. Bringing it will enable us to accomplish and perform
the great yajna appropriately.
Lord Krishna gave a suggestion to Bhima,
accept this condition if the
purushamriga agrees to come. Bhima, with that support of Lord Krishna, ran
swift but his legs were like pudding. However far he moved, it still
kept him almost within its reach. He took one stone, pronounced the
mantra and threw it behind him. In the place where the stone fell it turned
into a temple with a
temple pond. Seeing this miracle the purushamriga
took a bath in the holy water. He performed the ritual. He reached the bank
of the temple pond. He collected the flowers, and worshipped Lord Shiva.
Bhima continued to run. As soon as it finished the worship of Lord Shiva, the
purushamriga followed Bhima again. Within an instant it approached him. Seeing this
again Bhima threw a stone. The stone again turned into a Shiva temple.
Again the purushamriga sincerely worshipped Shiva. In the same way Bhima
threw one stone after the other. As soon
it finished the ritual it started following him. In that way he did it again and
again. He finished all the magical stones. At that moment Bhima stepped into
the territory of Indraprastha.
The purushamriga said, “son of the Wind, you have one leg there
and one
leg in my territory”. It stretched out and captured the leg.
“My justice is justice”,
Bhima said. It said “I also have my justice”.
Yudhistira, the eldest brother
who was also called Dharmaraja, the Just King, understood what was going
on and rushed there. Dharmaraja realized the debate. “O Dharma,
am I doing injustice? You tell me?” said the purushamriga. “The foot that is in
Indraprastha belongs to Bhima, according to the agreement. The other leg
belongs to you,” said Dharma.
The purushamriga was overwhelmed in its heart.
“Dharmaraja, your name
befits you. Long may you live! May your reign grow! You achieve rare justice.
I am trembling. Bhima does not have to give any leg to me. He made it
possible I could worship Lord Shiva continuously. This is the
argument. I only did it as a test.”
the purushamriga said and smiled.
Then it praised and prostrated to Lord Krishna, who had arrived there.
“Purushamriga, the Pandavas are performing the Rajasuya.
Extend all your
help to let it be pleasantly performed. Kindly stay here. Don’t
forget,” said Krishna. From the beginning to the end of the yajna the help of
the purushamriga was immeasurable. Dharma received the title of Samrath.
After that Mahavishnu thought to invoke the purushamriga at
Tiruvatavur.
He asked the opinion of Vaisampaayanar, Telamiyar, Uroomcanmar,
Pirukuccar, Kauntinyaritam. They answered “Lord Kannar, your idea is
great.”
Lord Parantaman proceeded with the purushamriga and arrived at
Tiruvatavur. He worshipped Lord Shiva in the temple there.
“Vedanatha! Bhima brought it to earth.
Where there is the bliss of Shiva sthala it will
reside. It can’t reside anywhere else. This place is in all aspects
appropriate."
Lord Krishna humbly prayed and asked Lord Shiva’s permission.
The Lord appeared before him.
“Achyuta, in this time period [garbha kalam]
it will reside here in a formless form and guard this place, O Lord.”
Lord Shiva blessed. With an eye full of bliss the Lord looked at it.
The purushamriga asked “I and Lord Vishnu have a great affection for you.”
Then Shiva]disappeared in the Linga in the sanctum.
From that day onwards the purushamriga resides on the north side of the
lake and on the temple wall and enjoys the bliss. And whoever comes under
his sight the sins that surround him on all four sides and the fear of death will
not exist for him anymore.
SHIVALAYA OTTAM
A unique pilgrimage takes place once
a year in the most southern tip of the Indian subcontinent. On the night of
New Moon in the Tamil month of Maasi (mid-February till mid- March) the
festival of Shiva Ratri is celebrated
all over India. During this day and night, devotees perform a running, visiting
and worshipping at twelve special Shiva shrines around Padmanabhapuram.
This is called Shivalaya Ottam. The total
length of the run is 75 kilometer. And the
whole ritual is in commemoration of the chase of Bhima by the purushamriga.
The runners prepare themselves with a fast for a week before the run. The
Mythology recounted as the origin of this tradition gives a different version of
the Mahabharata legend recounted above. I have found two slight variations
of this particular episode. In this one the stones are Shivalingas. In the other
variation Krishna gives Bhima 12 rudrakshas. Rudrakshas are the seeds of a
tree from the Himalayas which are sacred to Shiva and are used to make rosaries.
For the yajña they were going to perform,
Yudhistira (the eldest Pandava) required the milk of the purushamriga. The mighty
human-beast was deeply devoted to Lord Shiva. And held a deep
dislike towards Lord Vishnu,
and all Vishnu devotees. Bhima took upon
himself to bring the milk for the yajña, Lord Krishna (the avatara of Vishnu)
wished to show that Shiva and Vishnu are One,
and also restrain the overconfidence of Bhima. Krishna therefore gave Bhima
12 Shivalinga images, and told him he should
drop one whenever he needed help.
Bhima traveled to the jungle where the purushamriga was in deep
meditation, he uttered the words “Govinda, Gopala” , (names of Lord Krishna often chanted by his devotees as a form
of worship), while he tried to get milk from the purushamriga. Hearing the
names of Vishnu disturbed its mediation on Shiva, and it saw Vishnu appearing
in the Shiva Linga it was worshipping. The purushamriga was enraged, and
grabbed Bhima. To escape
from its claws, Bhima dropped one
Shivalinga, which turned into a Shiva shrine. The purushamriga let go of Bhima
in order to worship Shiva. A little later Bhima once again tried to obtain the milk, and again called “Govinda,
Gopala”. Again the human-beast chased Bhima and caught him. Once again
he dropped one of the Shivalingas Krishna had given him, and another Shiva
shrine appeared. In this way the 12 stones created
the 12 temples that are known as the Shivalayas.
In the end Bhima was again caught by the purushamriga, when he still had
one foot in the territory of the sphinx-purushamriga. Because of this Bhima disputed that he
was rightfully free. But Yudhistira judged
that the half of Bhima’s body that
was still within the territory of the purushamriga belonged to it. Much
impressed with Yudhistira’s great justice, the purushamriga
gave the milk for the completing of the yajña. And Bhima’s pride was
thus subdued.
