Lakshman Rao U
The sage Ugraśravasa, seated amidst the serene hermitage of Naimisha, narrated to Sounaka and the assembled sages the grand tale of the Mahabharata. When the discourse reached the deeds of the sage Agastya, Dharmaja entreated the venerable Romasa to recount further the marvels wrought by that seer through his penance. Romasa thus spoke: In the…
The king of Vidarbha, Nagnagit, and his queen, Mithravaruni, were at length relieved from the tormenting anxiety that had long clouded their hearts when their daughter Lopamudra, in serene devotion, declared her willingness to accept the sage Agastya as her lord. Yet, even as they yielded to her resolve, faint shadows of doubt lingered. They…
The saintly Dhoumya once discoursed upon the sacred journey ordained by the Gods and sages to sanctify the hearts of men and restore balance to the world. The celestial assembly deemed it essential that each soul be cleansed of inner impurities before undertaking the greater charge of universal harmony. As divine fortune entered the realm…
The sage Nārada, in his instruction on the pursuit of spiritual perfection to the sons of Pāṇḍu, expounded in detail the sanctity of the sacred waters and holy shrines spread over the earth. Among these, he said, there is a revered place known as Gaṅgādvāra, where the celestial and the terrestrial worlds seem to meet,…
The sage Nārada, in the manner of one preserving the sacred balance of worlds, narrated to the sons of Pandu the discourse once delivered by the sage Pulastya to Bhīṣma, wherein were contained the glories of pilgrimages and the immeasurable worth of the tirthas. His intent was not merely to recount old tales but to…
After the sage Bruhadaśva departed, having imparted to Yudhishthira the grand and sacred mystery of the Akṣahṛdaya, with its manifold virtues and advantages, the sons of Pāṇḍu awaited the return of Arjuna with anxious hearts. Meanwhile, auspicious omens adorned the sky — gentle radiance gleamed upon the firmament, and celestial harmonies whispered of divine approach….
King Rituparna, as he entered the quiet precincts of Vidarbha, marvelled at the calm air that gently moved about him. The people went about in a tranquil manner, free from the usual bustle and excitement of a royal gathering. Nowhere did he perceive the noise or haste that generally marks a swayamvara. The silence puzzled…
The Brahmin scholars sent by Damayanti wandered through many kingdoms, yet none could answer her test of words, and most returned without result. At last, one scholar named Parnada came before her and said, “When I journeyed to Ayodhya, ruled by King Rituparna, I spoke the words you had instructed. There I met a man—short…
In the court of Rituparna, the man once known as King Nala now lived under the name Bahuka. His strange appearance—a short, dark, and deformed form—hid the splendour of a once-glorious monarch. Yet despite his outward change, his heart was fixed upon Damayanti, whose memory dwelt unceasingly in his soul. One night, as he lay…
Through the dreary wilderness, Damayanthi moved, her heart sustained by a frail yet steady hope of finding her husband. Her lotus-like eyes shone once more with faith and confidence when, amid the vast desolation, she beheld a hermitage. Such hermitages were, in those days, living streams of faith—bridges between the mortal and the divine. There…
