Ka is the first consonant in the Sanskrit alphabet, although, since Sanskrit is a syllabic language, one should say that it is the first consonantal-syllabic. Ka is also the ordinary word for who. It was used in an agnostic hymn of the Rigveda that asked “who” created all this, and when it had become inconceivable that a Vedic hymn should be agnostic, it became a symbol of and word for the creator: Prajapati according to the Mahabharata and Brahma according to Agni Purana.
One day a group of hermits led by Sanaka came to Vaikuntha to see Vishnu. They were stopped by Vishnu’s doorkeepers, Jaya and Vijaya. But the sages took offense and cursed the doorkeepers to be reborn three times as demons (asuras). The frightened doorkeepers begged the angry brahmins for forgiveness, but they only slightly lessened the punishment: after their three rebirths they would be redeemed by the weapon of Mahavishnu. In the first birth they were born as Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakasipu. In the second birth they were born as Ravana … Continue reading
Jatila was the name assumed by (Siva when he was disguised as a brahmin. Siva sought to test Parvati because she was doing tapas (austerities) in order to obtain him as her husband.
Jatayu was one of two sons born to Aruna, chariot driver of Surya (the sun god), and Shyeni, a divine bird. In his youth Jatayu was saved by his brother Sampati as they raced toward the sun, Sampati allowing his wings to be burned as he shielded Jatayu from the sun. It was Jatayu’s role to inform Rama that Sita had been abducted by Ravana. Jatayu saw Ravana escaping with Sita through the air in his celestial chariot. Jatayu intercepted Ravana, and a great air battle ensued. Ravana eventually cut … Continue reading
Jarasandha, mighty king of Magadha, was born by double magic, first from a brahmin and second from a giant demoness (rakshasi). His parents had been childless. They enlisted the sage Kakshivan (some texts say Candakaushika) to help. As the sage meditated, a mango fell in his lap. He gave the mango to the king, who in turn gave half to each of his wives. They became pregnant. But when they delivered, each gave birth to half a child. They threw these misshapen globs of flesh outside the palace, where the … Continue reading
According to one version in the Bhagavata Purana Jara was hunting and shot an arrow through a bush at the sound of an animal. But the blind shot hit (Sri Krishna in the foot, that only area of his body not protected by the magical potion from the sage Durvasa. (For more details of this version, see the entries for Durvasa and Krishna.) There is a completely different version. The hunter, Jara, was the demon Bali, who had been killed by Rama and in this rebirth killed Krishna in revenge.
According to the Devi Bhagavata Janamejaya was but an infant when his father King Parikshit died from the poisonous bite of Takshaka, king of the serpents. At an appropriate age Janamejaya was crowned king of Hastinapura. When he learned exactly how his father had died, Janamejaya sought a way to rid the world of snakes. Many great priests came to his kingdom to help perform a ritual called Sarpasatra. Soon their mantras and oblations, given to the sacred fire pit, called snakes of all kinds into the fire where they … Continue reading
Janaka’s father, Nimi, king of Mithila, was childless and asked the venerable brahmin Vasishtha to preside over a ritual (yajna) for a son. Vasishtha was preoccupied with another ritual and asked the king to wait. King Nimi left without making any commitment and then found another priest named Gautama to perform the yajna. When Vasishtha finished his other business, he went to King Nimi, who told the priest that the ritual had already been performed. Vasishtha became so angry that he pronounced a death curse on the king, dooming him … Continue reading
Jambuka’s ascetic practices threatened the very foundations of Rama’s perfect rule as king (ramarajya). Jambuka was a Sudra who had adopted spiritual exercises (tapas) that he was not entitled to practice. Rama had returned from twelve years of exile, and his rule in Ayodhya seemed to fulfill dharma (righteousness) in every possible way. Then one day a brahmin and his wife brought their dead child to the king’s court. It did not seem possible that there could be a child-death during a ramarajya. The know-it-all sage Narada pointed to a … Continue reading
This tree bore fruit throughout the year, fruit the size of elephants. The branches of the Jambu tree reached to heaven. The juice of the fruit flowed as a river. According to the Bhagavata Purana the Jambu tree was watered by devas (gods) called Siddhacaranas. Near the tree lived the goddess of the tree, who was called Jambvadini or Aruna. She blessed everybody, even people who merely thought about her, and cured them of all diseases. The juice of the fruit mixed with soil and water turned into gold that … Continue reading
