In the previous episode, we had digressed into Snake Vasuki’s background, wherein we had witnessed some details about Kadru, who is his mother. In fact, Kadru is the mother of all the snakes, and is the wife of Sage Kashyapa. Like Kadru, Sage Kashyapa had many other wives, notably, Diti, Aditi, Kadru and Vinata. As we know, Diti is the mother of all Raakshasas, Aditi is the mother of all Devas, Kadru is the mother of all snakes including Aadisesha and Vinata is the mother of all eagles, including Aruna and Garuda. In due course, we’ve also witnessed some significance of the Puri-Jagannatha Kshetra, where the “Aruna-Sthamba” is located. Aruna is the charioteer to Surya Bhagawan (Sun God). It is this Aruna who protects the world from the harmful rays of the sun, which today we refer to as the “Ozone Layer”.
We might have a doubt here – On one hand we’re witnessing that Aadisesha, Aruna, Garuda, etc. were all born to Sage Kashyapa and their respective mothers. Whereas, on the other hand, we’re witnessing that these people are “Nityasooli” in nature, which means that they do not have a birth or death, and they exist permanently like Bhagawan Vishnu. In other words, we can even ask a question here – Before Aadisesha was born, where did Bhagawan Vishnu lie down? Before Garuda was born, how did Bhagawan Vishnu commute? All these are valid questions, and these might arise in all of us as we read through. It is important for us to clarify this doubt before we move on further.
Now let us understand something important here – The answer to the question whether these people were born or whether these people permanently exist is that, “Yes!” These people permanently exist. There is no birth or death for these people and that is why they are referred to as “Nityasooli”. Then, why do we witness here that they’re born to Sage Kashyapa? This is just like how Bhagawan Vishnu incarnates everytime. When Bhagawan Rama took birth in this world to King Dasharata and Mother Kaushalya, didn’t Bhagawan Vishnu exist before this? Similarly, when Bhagawan Krishna was bron to Vasudeva and Devaki, didn’t Bhagawan Vishnu exist before this? He did, isn’t it? Even today we say that Bhagawan Vishnu exists and He’s going to incarnate as Kalki Bhagawan at the end of this Kali Yuga. So what does this mean? Bhagawan Vishnu is someone who is permanently existing, but at certain critical times, He would take birth in this world as “divine incarnations” for serving a definite purpose. Similarly, Aadisesha too incarnated as Lakshmana during the Rama-Avatara, Balarama during the Krishna-Avatara and also as Bhagawan Ramanujaachaarya in the beginning of the Kali Yuga.
Thus, these people like Aadisesha, Aruna, Garuda, etc. are incarnations when they are born to Sage Kashyapa, to serve some definite purpose in this world. However, these people permanently exist in the Vaikunta along with Bhagawan Vishnu and Goddess Mahalakshmi. Bhagawan Vishnu permanently resides at Vaikunta and permanently lies over the serpent bed of Aadisesha. Bhagawan Vishnu’s permanent vehicle is Bhagawan Garuda and there is no change in all this! So for today, let us understand this important point and let us wait for the next episode to continue further to witness what conspired between the wives of Sage Kashyapa! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 