Pauloma Parva
Summary
This is the fourth of the 100 Upa Parvas (Sections), situated in Adi Parva, the first of the 18 Maha Parvas (Books) of Vyasa Mahabharata. This Section is a prelude to the Snake Sacrifice of King Janamejaya where the Mahabharata was narrated. This Upa Parva contains 9 Chapters and 139 Shlokas. According to the Nilakantha’s Bombay recension, there are 171 Shlokas in this Upa Parva.
In this is the story of how Rishi Ruru developed enemity towards the snakes and vowed to kill them whenever he saw one. The Upa Parva begins with the description of the Bhrigu lineage up to Shaunaka to whom Suta Ugrashrava narrates the story of Mahabharata in Naimisharanya. The two important episodes described in this Upa Parva are: the birth of Chyavana wherein the Bhrigu curses Agni and the love between Ruru and Pramadvara, where Ruru gives half his life span to his wife Pramadvara to return alive from death due to a snake bite. In here also is the wise saying that “non-violence is the greatest virtue” – in the form of a conversation between Rishi Sahasrapada and Ruru.
Bhrigu Lineage
Bhrigu was begotten by self-existing Brahma from the fire at Varuna's sacrifice. Bhrigu had a beloved son, named Chyavana. Chyavana had a virtuous son, named Pramati. He had a son, named Ruru by Ghritachi. Ruru had a son – Shunaka - by his wife Pramadvara. Shaunaka is Shunaka’s grandson.
The birth of Chyavana
This Upa Parva tells us that the fetus growing inside Puloma angrily fell out of the mother, and that child later came to be known as Chyavana. There is a wonderful description of a Rakshasa in the form of boar lifting off a fully pregnant woman and flying in the sky, and the fully grown fetus falling off the mother, casting an angry look at the demon who is instantly burnt into ashes. The child of Brighu in the womb, enraged by this action, came out of the mother’s body. Because of this he came to be known as Chyavana (Chyuta means fallen; hence the name Chyavana).
In the Critical Edition, Chapter seems to end abruptly, without mentioning what Agni told the Rakshasa. This part of the text, however, is available in the Nilakantha Recension, which is given as a footnote, in this Kannada Translation.
Bhrigu’s curse to Agni
Rishi Brighu soon learnt from his wife all that had happened. Enraged that it was Agni who revealed his wife to the Rákshasha, Brighu cursed Agni thus “May you become an eater of all things”
Agni, enraged at Brighu’s curse, asked, “O Brahmana, why this rashness against me who only spoke the truth? A witness who misrepresents facts will have ruined his ancestors and descendants up to seven generations on either side. Even if one remains silent when questioned, the effects are the same. The butter that is poured on me during rituals appeases the Devas and Pitris. The rites of Darsha (performed on Amavasya, on new moon day) and Paurnamása (performed on full-moon day) respectively feed the Pitris and Devas. As the ghee poured on me is consumed by them, I am considered their mouth. How can I, who feed them, become an eater of all things?” Saying thus, Agni subsequently withdrew himself from all places, causing discomfort to all living beings because of the loss of sacrificial fire.
And the Rishis and Devas went to Brahma and requested for a timely resolution. Brahma summoned Agni and said, “This decision of yours to abstain from sacrifices does not befit your stature. You will remain eternally pure, and will not be reduced to someone who eats all promiscuously. Only the flame from your viler parts of the body will be a consumer of all things. Everything burnt by your flames will become pure. Make the words of the Rishi come true, while continuing to receive the offerings on behalf of the Devas and Pitris”
Agni replied “so I will”. And everyone rejoiced as from then on the Rishis were able to continue the rituals as before.
Ruru and Pramadvara
We all know the popular story of Savitri who along with Yama to bring her deceased husband back to life. The story is so popular in the households of India that we assume that only a woman is capable of such a sacrifice. Little is known about the sacrifice of Ruru as told in the Mahabharata. A lovely story of undying love is told in the Pauloma Parva of the Mahabharata.
Cyavana (Bhrugu‘s son) and his wife Sukanya (Saryati’s daughter) had a son called Pramati. Pramati’s son Ruru fell in love with the beautiful Pramadvara, the daughter abandoned by Menaka, the Apsara and Viswavasu, the Gandharva King. Pramadvara was raised by Rishi Sthulakesa, much as Sakuntala was raised by Kanva.
Their wedding was fixed on the day of the Varga Daivata Nakshatra (Purva Phalguni). It is interesting to note that the marriage was fixed by Nakshatra alone and not by horoscopes. Rama and Sita were married in the Uttara Phalguni Nakshatra and Ruru Pramadvara in the Poorva Phalguni Nakshatra.
Days before the marriage, Pramadvara stepped on a snake (Naga) and turned hideous and died of snake-bite. Ruru went off by himself and lamented uncontrollably. Then a messenger from heaven appeared and gave him a solution. He said that if Ruru gave up half his life-duration (Ayu) to Pramadvara, then she would live! Ruru did this so happily and the messenger talked to Yama Dharmaraja and arranged the transfer of half his Ayu to Pramadvara and brought her back to life. Ruru's lifespan was reduced by half. They were married and led a life of sincerity and happiness. Marriage is but the shedding of a part of oneself to accommodate the other.
Dundubha
Ruru was very angry with the Nagas thenceforth and killed one whenever he saw one. Once he meets an nonpoisonous snake – Dundubha – who, when attacked by Ruru, resumed his human form.
Dundubha was a rishi named Sahasrapat previously who had a friend named Khagama. Khagama was a great ascetic. One day when Khagama was in his meditation, Sahasrapat has playful prepared a grass snake and put it around the neck of Khagama, at which Khagama curses Sahasrapat to become a useless, venom-less snake like Dundubha. When Sahasrapat apologizes to Khagama, saying that he has only done that in playful mood, and as a friend, Khagama says "when Ruru , son of Pramati visits you, you should be delivered of my curse".
Rishi Sahasrapat tells Ruru:
"O Brahmana, non-violence is the highest virtue. Hence, the Vedas proclaim that Brahmana should be mild and considerate and should never take a life. A Brahmana should study Veda, Vedangas, and inspire people to be righteous. It is not for a Brahmana to wield a weapon and punish others like a Kshatriya."