Since
you are a 'Kshatriya' or a "warrior', you should use
your strength, that is you should use your might which you
can get by seeking the blessings of 'Sureshwari Bhavani Bhagvati.'
Therefore you should first worship the goddess. Barbareek
again asked the Lord to which place he should go to meditate
upon the goddess and seek her blessings. Then the Bhaktvatsal
Lord Krishna told Barbareek to go to the meeting place of
the oceans the meditate upon the 'Durgas' brought by Narada.
Then heeding the venerable command of Shri Krishna, Barbareek
proceeded. Reaching the meeting place of the oceans, he gained
his perception and began to meditate upon the goddess. The
goddess saw his intense meditation and determination and were
so pleased that they granted him a boon that could not be
accessed by anyone else in all the three worlds. The goddess
said, "Son, we grant you unparalleled strength. Nobody
will be able to defeat you in this world. But you stay here
for a few more years because a Brahmin named Vijay will come
here and you will receive even more blessings as a result
of his company.
Barbareek
stayed there following the goddess' command. The Brahmin named
Vijay came there from Megadha and worshipping seven Shivlings,
he became immersed in the meditation of the same goddess.
The goddess came in the Brahmin's dream and blessed him and
also asked him to meditate before the Sidha Mother to practice
all his skills and learning. They told him that my devotee
Barbareek would help him. Then that Brahmin named Vijay said
to Barbareek, "Oh Brother! Please take care that my meditation
is not disturbed till I practice all my skills." Therefore,
Barbareek killed Replindu demon, and Dhruv-Dhruva demoness
etc., who were obstructing in the Brahmin's meditation. He
also killed the demons called Palasi who had been troubling
Nagas from the Patal lok. On the killing of those demons,
the king of the Nags, Vasuki came there and told Barbareek
to ask for a boon. Barbareek humbly asked for a boon that
the Brahmin Vijay's meditation may be completed uninterrupted.
At
that time many Nag maidens seeing Barbareek's looks and bravery,
were eager to marry him. But Barbareek told all of them that
he had taken the vow of bachelorhood. Those Nag maidens were
very pleased with his bahaviour and gave him the boon of being
ever victorious. Thereafter the goddess granted Brahmin Vijay
the boon of wealth and fortune and the Lord Shiva gave Barbareek
three infallible arrows and blessing him, said that by using
these arrows he would always be victorious in the three worlds.Devotees!
These are the same three arrows which we worship as Lord Shyam's
weapons. These are kept in every Shri Shyam's temple and are
worshipped with great devoutness.
In
gaining Sindh fortune and glory, that Brahmin became famous
by the name of Sindhsen. After a long time of his leaving
that area, the Pandava brothers also reached the Sindh pilgrimage
after losing everything in gambling. All the Pandavas worshipped
the goddess and then sat a little away to take some rest.
Then according to God's will, Bhim stood up and without washing
his hand and feet, entered the sacred pond and began rinsing
and gargling his mouth. Barbareek became very angry on seeing
this. He went to Bhim and asked him what kind of a pilgrim
he was. He said, "You know the water from this pond is
used for the worship of the goddess and you have entered the
pond without even washing your hands and feet and you are
also gargling and rinsing your mouth." At this, the strong
Bhim also got very angry and both started fighting. Bhim was
very proud of his might and even after applying all his strength
he couldn't defeat Barbareek. Seeing this, Bhim became very
depressed and at the same time, Lord Shiva appeared at that
place with all the goddess. Lord Shiva told Bhim not to feel
depressed as Barbareek was from his own family and was indeed
his descendent. He is Barbareek, the son of your son Ghatotkachch.
Now Barbareek was very sad at what he had done. He felt sad
at having fought with his grandfather. He felt disdain for
his life and he went ahead to end his life. Then the goddess,
who had granted Barbareek the might and Lord Bholenath, advised
Barbareek that this is not the time for him to end his life.
On everybody's advice, Barbareek calmed down and reunited
with his family. Even after meeting the Pandavas, the flame
of devoutness and meditation was there in Barbareek's mind.
The Pandavas also after completing their one-year of hidden
identity stay in the forest began demanding their kingdom
back. But then Duryodhan refused them even five villages,
what to say of their Kingdom and finally the destructive war
of Mahabharata was decided on. The battle of truth and the
falsehood was sure to take place.
Barbareek
also completed his meditation at the meeting place of the
oceans, returned to his mother, and touched her feet. When
Barbareek got the news of the battle of Mahabharata, he also
wished to see the same and told his mother about his desire.
Then his mother told him, "If you want to see the battle,
then go. But you are so brave and courageous that if you feel
the urge to participate in the war, what will you do?
Then
Barbareek said, "Mother, I will first watch the battle
and then afterwards I will join the side of the party which
is losing." Then taking his mother's permission and blessing,
the strong and mighty, courageous, friend of the loser, Barbareek
rode a blue horse at the speed of wind and proceeded towards
the battlefield of Mahabharata, Kurukshetra.
There,
the hero of the Mahabharata, the omnipresent Lord Krishna
saw through his divine foresight that a brave man astride
on a blue horse was proceeding towards the battlefield with
the speed of wind. Shri Krishna thought in his mind. "Let
me examine this brave youth." And the playful God disguising
himself as a Brahmin sat under a peepal tree, a little distance
away from the battlefield. When Barbareek reached there, he
saw the Brahmin sitting under the peepal tree and alighting
from the horse; he bowed humbly to the Brahmin and stopped
there. Then the Lord, in the guise of a Brahmin, asked him
who he was and where he was going? Barbareek replied, "Oh
Brahmin! My name is Barbareek and I am going towards the battlefield
of Mahabharata." on this, the Lord said, "brave
man, you are going towards a battlefield and that too with
only three arrows." Barbareek replied, "Oh Brahmin!
Let alone three arrows, of these only one arrow is enough
to destroy the entire armies taking part in this war in one
second and then it will return back to my quiver. If I use
all the three arrows then there will be havoc in the three
worlds. Everything will be destroyed and after completing
their task, the arrows will return to my quiver." Then
the Brahmin said, "Oh brave youth, why are you so arrogant
about your courage and your arrows?" Barbareek answered,"
Oh Brahmin! This is not arrogance; this is the strength of
my meditation, my worship. That is why I am proud of them.
The Lord in the guise of the Brahmin said, "If you are
so proud of your bravery, then tie all the leaves of the peepal
tree under which I am sitting, with one arrow."
The
brave Barbareek agreed to fulfill his wish. He removed one
arrow from his quiver and concentrating on his meditation,
he released the arrow after bringing it near him. Within moments,
the arrow tied all the leaves of the peepal tree together.
But Lord Krishna had one leaf under his foot. After tying
the leaves on the tree the arrow started revolving around
the Brahmin's foot. At this the Brahmin asked, "Oh Brave
man, why is this arrow revolving around my foot." Barbareek
told him that there must be a leaf under his foot and the
arrow was revolving to tie the leaf. Then the Brahmin said,
"If there is a leaf why is the arrow not tying it?"
Barbareek told him that the arrow had been released to tide
the leaves and not his foot. Hearing this, the Brahmin removed
his foot and the arrow tied that leaf too and then returned
to Barbareek's quiver.
Lord
Shri Krishna said, "There is no doubt that you are brave,
very brave. But tell me which side you will fight for in the
battle." Barbareek told him, "Brahmin, actually
I have come to see the battle. But then whichever side loses,
I will fight for that side." Lord Krishna knew that Kauravas
would definitely lose the battle. And if this brave man joins
the losing side, then the scene of the whole battlefield would
change. If this happened, then righteousness and religion
would be destroyed and unrighteousness would emerge victorious."
The
Lord in the guise of the Brahmin said, "you are surely
very brave. But just being brave or courageous doesn't constitute
the meaning of being of Kshatriya. A Kshatriya should be a
philanthropist, as well. At this Barbareek said, "Today,
anything you want from me. If it is under my control, I will
surely fulfill your wish." Then the playful Lord Krishna
said. "First you promise me and then I will ask for a
boon", Barbareek promised and gave him his words and
told him to ask for whatever he wants.
Then the playful Krishna said, "Oh brave man! Give me
your head in charity."
Barbareek
became speechless with astonishment. He said, "Oh Brahmin!
I have given you my words and so I will surely give you my
head. But first you tell me who you are and why do you want
my head? Please disclose me your identity?
At
this, Lord Krishna showed Barbareek his divine form and said,
"Look Barbareek, before the battle in order to worship
the battle field it is necessary to sacrifice a full, brave
Kshatriya's head that is the bravest on this earth and no
one is braver than you in this world. That's why I had asked
for you head in charity."
Barbareek
said, "Oh Lord, I have been your devotee since my childhood.
It is my good fortune that you have asked for my head. But
Oh Lord! I too have a wish. I wish to see this battle till
its end. If you fulfill this wish of mine then my life will
be a success and will have a new meaning to it." Lord
Krishna said. "So be it! Oh brave Barbareek your wish
will surely be fulfilled."
Previous....
/Next.....
|