Raksha Bandhan : Nine Stories from Mythology
Like all Indian festivals, the festival of Rakhi has numerous tales associated with it. Here are some you may or may not have heard of the famous brothers and sisters from Hindu Mythology.
In Indian Mythology there have been brothers who stood by for their sisters against all odds and there are brothers who made their sisters life miserable. So here are the few stores from Inidan Mythology for Raksha Bandhan.
Goddess Lakshmi and Bali
According to mythology Lord Vishnu as part of a promise has been protecting his devotee and the demon King Bali, disguising himself as his doorman. And in Vaikunth Goddess Laxmi was missing Lord Vishnu.
Then Goddess Lakshmi disguising herself as a woman, seeking shelter approaches Bali. The generous king opens the doors of his palaces for the lady in distress. As Laxmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity enters the household Bali begins to prosper. On the full moon day in the holy month of Shravana, Laxmi ties a thread of coloured cotton on Bali’s wrist and wishes for protection and happiness. Bali asks her what she desires and promises to fulfil it.
Laxmi simply points to the gatekeeper who now reveals his real identity. The goddess follows suit. Bali keeps his promise and requests Vishnu to return to his home with his consort. In return, Vishnu promises to return and be with Bali for four months of each year.
Ravana-Surpanakha
Ravana, the king of Lanka and the most knowledgeable of all, loved his sister a lot. The entire Ramayana happened because of his brotherly love for Surpanakha. Ravana abducted Sita to take revenge for his sister Surpanakha. According to the legend, Surpanakha lost her heart to Rama at first sight, and when he politely refuses she turns her affection towards Laxmana, who not only rejects her but also cuts her nose and ears. Surpanakha with bleeding nose and ears goes to her brother King Ravana and complains about them. Ravana in a rage abducts Sita and the saga of Ramayana is born. It is said that when Ravana was leaving Lanka to take revenge on Rama, Surpanakha has tied a sacred thread, which even now is said to symbolize the love of siblings called “Raksha bandhan”.
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Kansa – Devaki
Kansa in the Indian Mythology is known to be the cruelest uncle. He was the brother of Lord Krishna’s mother Devaki. He was a loving brother to Devaki till “Akashavani” prophecies his doom with the child of Devaki. Kansa Immediately imprisoned his sister and brother in law for their entire life. During his lifetime, Kansa indulged in all sorts of heinous and unholy acts which also included beating up and enslaving his sister Devaki and her husband Vasudev when it was prophesied that the eighth child born to the couple would bring him death. Although Kansa tried all tricks in the book to change his fate but ultimately, and he died in the hands of the eighth child of Devaki, Krishna.
Krishna – Subhadra
Subhadra was born as Krishna and Balarama’s affectionate sister. When Subhadra’s wanted to marry Arjuna, Krishna going against his elder brother Balarama’s wishes Krishna made her marry the great warrior Arjuna. Subhadra later gave birth to the warrior son Abhimanyu.
The bond between the brother and sister is so strong that in Puri, Subadhra is worshipped alongwith her brothers Krishna and Balarama.
Lord Vishnu – Parvathi
Parvati grew up with the hope of marrying Shiva but as Shiva refused to marry her due to the loss of his love Sati. Parvati works hard to make herself eligible to marry Shiva and Lord Vishnu helps her reach her goal. It is said that Lord Vishnu asked her to tie a rakhi on his wrist, so that as her brother he could remove all obstacles coming her way. Legend has it, that for Shiva and Parvati’s celestial marriage, Lord Vishnu performed all the ceremonies that are supposed to be done by the bride’s brother.
Krishna and Draupadi
Perhaps the most popular of the Rakhi stories in our mythology is that of Lord Krishna and Draupadi.
It is said that once Krishna cut his little finger while handling sugarcane on SAnkranthi. Rukmini, his queen immediately sent her help to get a bandage cloth while Sathyabama, his other consort rushed to bring some cloth herself.
Draupadi who was watching all of this rather simply tore off a part of her sari and bandaged his finger. In return for this deed, Krishna promised to protect her in time of distress.The word he is said to have uttered is ‘Akshyam’ which was a boon: ‘May it be unending’. And that was how Draupadi’s sari became endless and saved her embarrassment on the day she was disrobed in full public view in king Dritarashtra’s court.
Yama and Yamuna
It is said that the ritual of Raksha Bandhan would be followed by Yama, the Lord of Death and Yamuna, the river that flows in India.
The mythological story goes that when Yamuna tied a rakhi to Yama, the lord of death granted her immortality. And it is also said that Yama has declared that any brother who was tied a rakhi and offered to protect his sister would also become immortal.
Indra and Indrani
Turns out, Raksha Bandhan wasn’t just meant as a symbol of sibling love, as the story of Indra and Indrani tells us.
During a war between Gods and demons, wherein Indra was losing the battle to King Bali, the scared Indra’s wife Indrani prays to Lord Vishnu for the protection of her husband. And it is said that Lord Vishnu gave her a holy thread which she ties around Indra’s wrist. Blessed with its powers, Indra wins the war and the thread became his protection against any evil.
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