Nagananda

Image courtesy Amar chitra katha 

The famous Jīmūtavāhana , a Vidyadhara ( demi god) was the son of Jimutaketu who ruled over Kanchanpura in a valley in the Himalayas. 

The fame of Jīmūtavāhana spread throughout the three worlds, and all the Vidyādharas grew jealous of him. And they thought it the most propitious time and arrayed their army against Jīmūtavāhana.

 His father Jīmūtaketu was ready to meet the enemy. But Jīmūtavāhana told him, "Father ! I am perfectly sure that no body could defeat you in battle. But see how mean it is to destroy so many lives and win the country merely for the pleasures of this fragile body. So let us go away from here. Leave the kingdom to them."

Jīmūtaketu, who was pleased at this generous nature of his son, respected his wish and went with his family to the Malaya mountain and lived there. 

Mitrāvasu, the son of Viśvāvasu, the King of the Siddhas and Jīmūtavāhana became close friends. One day Jīmūtavāhana was wandering about in the forest when he saw in the middle of a garden a temple dedicated to Devī and a young woman of exquisite beauty, surrounded by her maids, singing hymns and worshipping Devī.

 Jīmūtavāhana was attracted by her. Love budded in her heart also. On enquiry it was understood that she was Malayavatī, the sister of Mitrāvasu. After that both of them engaged in a little talk of love. Hearing her mother calling, Malayavatī instantly went home. Being fallen head-long in love, Jīmūtavāhana spent the night somehow or other and at dawn reached the temple with a hermit boy. While the hermit boy was consoling Jīmūtavāhana , Malayavatī also came there. Jīmūtavāhana and his friend hid behind a tree. She was alone, and since she could not bear separation from her lover she decided to commit suicide and standing at the steps, she said "Devi ! If it is impossible to get that Jīmūtavāhana as my husband in this birth, let it be so. But bless me that I may have my wish granted in the next birth at least". Saying this she tied one end of her upper garment on the tree and tried to commit suicide. Instantly there was an ethereal voice which said, "Daughter, don't do such rash things. Jīmūtavāhana will become your husband. He will also become the emperor of the Vidyādharas ." Jīmūtavāhana-came and saved her from death. Her maid appeared and said with delight. "Friend! you are very lucky. Today I heard what prince Mitrāvasu said to his father Viśvāvasu. Thus he said 'Father! Jīmūtavāhana who gave away his own Kalpaka tree for the welfare of others has come to this place. It will bring prosperity to us, if we show our hospitality to this noble guest by giving our Malayavatī to him. It is very difficult to get such a noble man for my sister anywhere else." The father consented.

 

Their marriage took place. Delightful days of married life passed one by one. One day Jīmūtavāhana and Mitrāvasu went for a walk. They reached a forest on the seashore. Seeing some bones there Jīmūtavāhana asked Mitrāvasu about them. Mitrāvasu said: "In ancient days Kadrū, the mother of Nāgas (serpents) made Vinatā, the mother of Garuḍa, her slave by some trick. Garuḍa liberated his mother from slavery. But the hatred increased day by day and Garuḍa began to eat serpents, the children of Kadrū. Seeing this, Vāsuki the King of Nāgas entered into a contract with Garuḍa, so as to prevent the nāgas from being destroyed altogether. The arrangement was that Vāsuki would send a serpent everyday to Garuḍa. Garuḍa ate all those serpents sent by Vāsuki in this place. These are the bones of those poor snakes."

When Jīmūtavāhana heard this story his heart was filled with pity. He decided to save the life of at least one serpent by giving his body instead. But the presence of Mitrāvasu was an obstacle to carry out his wish. At that particular moment a minister of Viśvāvasu appeared there and took away Mitrāvasu saying that he was wanted by his father. Left alone, Jīmūtavāhana stood there when he saw a young man coming with an old woman who was crying bitterly. On enquiry Jtmūtavāhana learned that in accordance with the agreement with Garuḍa, the old woman was bringing her only son Śaṅkhacūḍa to give him as food to Garuḍa. Jīmūtavāhana told them that he would take the place of Śaṅkhacūḍa that day. The mother and the son reluctantly agreed to his desire. The old woman went away crying and Śaṅkhacūḍa went to the temple.

Hearing the sound of Garuḍa’s wings Jīmūtavāhana laid himself on a stone and Garuḍa took him in his beak and flew to the top of the Malaya Mountain. On the way the jewel of Jīmūtavāhana known as 'Chuḍāratna', which was soaked in blood fell down, in front of Malayavatī. Knowing that it was the jewel of her husband, with a terrible cry she ran to her father. Because of his knowledge of arts and sciences, Jīmūtaketu also knew everything and with his wife and daughter he went to the top of the Malaya mountain.

In the meanwhile, Śaṅkhachuḍa, having done obeisance to 'Gokarṇanātha' (God), came back to the stone where he had left Jīmūtavāhana and seeing a pool of fresh blood, became sad and silent. Then determining that he would save Jīmūtavāhana at any cost, he went up the mountain following the track of the blood drops.

Garuḍa took Jīmūtavāhana to the peak of the mountain and began to peck at him. Jīmūtavāhana grew more and more delightful as the pecking became harder. Garuḍa looked at him with wonder and thought, "Surely, this is not a nāga. It must be a Gandharva or somebody else." Not knowing what to do he sat looking at his prey, who invited him to finish off his meal. By this time Śaṅkhacūḍa had reached the spot. Soon Jīmūtaketu with his wife and Malayavatī also arrived. They all cried aloud. Garuḍa was in great confusion.

 When he knew that he was about to eat the famous Jīmūtavāhana, who had given away even the Kalpaka tree for the good of others, Garuḍa was filled with remorse. Instantly Jīmūtavāhana died. The parents and Śaṅkhachda cried out. Malayavatī fell on the ground and cried. Then looking up she called out with tears. "Ha ! Devi ! Jagadambikā ! you have told me that my husband would become the emperor of the Vidyādharas. Has your boon become futile because of my misfortune?" Devī appeared and said "Daughter ! My words will not become futile." Then Devī sprinkled Amṛta (ambrosia) on Jīmūtavāhana and brought him to life. He sprang up more radiant than before, and was anointed as emperor of the Vidyādharas by Devī. When Devī disappeared Garuḍa who was much pleased, told Jīmūtavāhana to ask for any boon.

Jīmūtavāhana requested for the boon that Garuḍa should stop eating the Nāgas and that all the serpents who had been reduced to bones should be brought to life again. Garuḍa granted him that boon. All the serpents which had been killed by Garuḍa came to life again. All the gods and hermits came there with joy. After all had gone, Jīmūtavāhana went with his relatives to the Himālayas as the emperor of Vidyādharas.