Curse of Janamejaya brothers

SARAMA'S CURSE AND SHE NARADA

Dear Friends,

Two small legends are edited and updated and told in this Re posting. One is about DOG SARAMA and another is about SHE NARADA both read from internet. Hope the reading could be enjoyable. 

Sincerely,

Gopala Krishnan 15-9-2020

THE  BITCH SARAMA 

Orginally posted on 19-3-2020

1. Background

We know King Parikshith was son of Abhimanyu, and grandson of Arjuna. We also know King Parikshith was killed when a venomous snake bit him. So Parikshith's son Janmejaya organized a Yajna in which he vowed to burn all the snakes. The Yanja was organized with the help of his three brothers in the fields of Kurukshetra. Janmejaya's three brothers were Shrutsen, Ugrasen and Bhimsen. These brothers got a curse for mistreating a dog during a yanja. This story not much known is from Mahabharathasuitably edited and presented here. 

2. Stray dog enter Yanja area

While they were performing the rituals (Puja) a stray dog wandered into the sacred area where the holy offerings were kept. 

The brothers hit the dog with sticks to drive it away and the dog ran squealing to its mother Sarama.  The Sarama consoled her puppy and said that he must have done something to provoke the anger of the brothers. 

The puppy defended itself by saying that it was not at fault and that it had neither licked any of the offerings, nor even looked at them. 

3. Sarama curses brothers of Jnanamejaya

The dog's mother was Sarama who belonged to the Gods. She felt very angry and hurt at the brother's treatment of her son. She went to the Yajna place and asked the brothers of Janmejaya why they had thrashed her son without any fault. 

When no one answered her, she became really angry and cursed them, "You have punished my son without any reason, therefore I curse you that there shall be some sudden fear that will engulf you."

Thus cursing she went away from there. Janmejaya's brothers were saddened by this unexpected turn of events. 

4. Brothers meet saint Shrutshrava.

After the rites of the Yajna were performed, they went to Hastinapuram and looked for a priest who would rid them of the curse.

 One day they went hunting. While wandering in the forest they came across a hermitage belonging to a saint named Shrutshrava. The saint had a son called Somshrava.

Janmejaya decided to appoint Somshrava as his personal priest and requested Shrutshrava to allow Somshrava to accompany them and get them rid of their curse. 

Shrutshrava said, "My son is a great ascetic and scholar. He will help you get rid of the curse, but he cannot undo any curse given by Shiva (Sarama) .If you can get him to agree to accompany you then you are welcome to appoint him as your priest." 

5. Somashrava consent to accompany 

Jnamejaya requested Somshrava to accompany him to Hastinapuram. When they reached Hastinapuram he told his brothers to do exactly as the priest asked them to do and never disobey him. 

6. Brothers got rid of the curse 

The brothers did as they were asked to and the priest helped them get rid of their curse.