Sunday, November 8, 2015

Riksh Raj and Birth of Vanar Brothers - Baali Sugreeva

Bali and Sugreev were Vanaras brothers. Bali was elder to Sugreev. They were born to Riksh Raaj.

However celestially, Baali was Lord Indra's son, while Sugreev was son of Sun God.

Here is an interesting story relating to birth of Baali and Sugreev -

Once Lord Brahma was in his court on Mount Sumeru, seated observed in deep meditation.

Years passed by. One day two drops of tears fell from the eyes of Lord Brahma while he was seated in meditation and he came out of the meditative state. While Lord Brahma took one of the tears and wiped it on his body, the other tear happened to fell on the ground. The tear was endowed with mystic celestial powers and took form of super ape human - called the Vanaras.

The Vanara was blessed by Lord Brahma to reside in the forests of Mount Sumeru and was named as Riksh Raaj (meaning one who rules the trees).

The Vanara came to inhabit Mount Sumeru. He lived on forest fruits and worshipped his progenitor Lord Brahma ardently each day.

Years passed by.

One day Riksh Raaj came wandering in the forests of Mount Sumeru. He was thirsty and went to a pond to quench his thirst. However, when he reached to drink the water from the pond, he saw a strange shadow reflecting in the pond water. Riksh Raaj was agitated seeing the shadow and thought to himself, "There is someone hiding under this water. May be its my enemy who has been following me. I shall find and kill him". Thinking this, he jumped into the water. He attempted to locate the mystic creature, however found nothing. He came out hurriedly only to find himself changed into a lustrous beautiful woman.

It happened by chance that Lord Indra and the Sun God were passing through the forest on Mount Sumeru. When they saw the beautiful woman, they desired to please her.

Seeing the woman, Indra's vital fluid fell on the woman's head and a Vanara was born from it. He was named Baali (trailing his genesis from 'baal' the Hindi word for hair). In a parallel instance, the Sun God's vital fluid fell on the woman's neck and a Vanara was born from it. He was named Sugreev (Su means good, and Greev means neck in Hindi).

When Indra and Sun God saw their Vanara sons, they blessed them. Indra gave a brilliant gold necklace to Baali, while Sun God appointed Hanumaan in the service of Sugreev. Following this mystical sequence of events, the woman reagained her form as Riksh Raaj. Thus,  Riksh Raaj happened to be both mother and father of Baali and Sugreev.

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