Manasa
In an age beyond Time, the earth is full of deadly serpents. So potent is the venom of these serpents that it can kill all the rishis of Bharatvarsha. The rishis are unable to perform their penance or conduct yagnas.
So Rishi Kashyapa composes a powerful mantra and meditates on the Devi Bhagavati fervently. A golden-hued damsel who looks like a snake materializes before him. She can transform venom into Amrita. And since she is born from Kashyapa’s immaculate mind, she is called Manasa Devi, the goddess of dhyana. The rishis are pleased for they know that if they meditate on Manasa Devi she will protect them from the serpents.
Manasa Devi is an ardent devotee of Krishna, Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma too. She becomes a Siddha Yogini with their blessings and they say, “You are Vasuki’s sister. And you shall live with the Nagas till you get married. Your son, Astika will protect the clan of the serpents from perishing.” They then disappear.
Jarat Karu
In another forest, far far away, lives a celibate rishi called Jarat Karu. He is a man of peace and does not wish to marry. One day while he is foraging for food, he sees his ancestors hanging upside down in a mysterious cave. His Pitrs say, “O son, you must marry and sire a son else we will remain suspended between the land of the living and the dead forever.” Jarat Karu says, “I yearn for nothing but Krishna’s grace. I do not wish to be fettered by any kind of bonds. But I will marry a woman for you O Pitrs if she comes in search of me and promises to obey me at all times. And I will leave her the minute she disobeys me.”
Vinata and Kadru
Meanwhile, rishi Kashyapa’s two wives Vinata and Kadru are busy outwitting each other. Vinata, who is jealous of Kadru, says, “What is the colour of Surya’s horse?” Kadru says, “Why, white of course.” Vinata says, “No. At least one of Surya’s horses is black.” Kadru says, “No. All are white. There is no doubt about it.” Vinata then slyly says, “Will you be my slave if one of the Sun’s horses is black in colour?” Kadru naively says, “Of course. And will you be my slave if all are white?” Vinata agrees.
Vinata then goes to her Naga children and says, “Go and cover one of the Sun’s horses with your bodies right away. When the Sun rises tomorrow one of Surya’s horses must look completely black.” Vasuki and some other snakes refuse to do so because they do not want to be scorched by the Surya’s radiance. So Vinata curses them and says, “May you all fall into Janamejeya’s fire one day.” Her other children follow her orders.
And Kadru is shocked when she sees that one of the Sun’s horses is black. She has no choice. She becomes Vinata’s slave. Garuda, Kadru’s son, however, repairs the damage by fulfilling Vinata’s desires. He brings the chalice of Amrita for Vinata’s serpent sons as promised but smartly tricks them out of drinking it. Her serpent sons, in desperation, try licking the drops of Amrita that they think may have fallen on the sharp kusa grass and end up with forked tongues instead.
Vasuki and the other serpents seek refuge in Brahma who says, “Vasuki, your sister Manasa will marry a hermit called Jarat Karu. Her son Astika will save you all from Janamajeya’s sarpa yagna.”
Rishi Kashyapa knows Manasa’s wait is over. He goes to the forest in which Jarat Karu lives along with Manasa and asks him if he will marry Manasa.
Manasa and Jarat Karu
Jarat Karu insists that the woman he marries must obey him at all times. Manasa agrees to do so after which they get married. Manasa is a perfect wife. Jarat Karu is also satisfied with her.
One afternoon, however, Jarat Karu falls asleep on Manasa’s lap and does not wake up till late in the evening. Manasa knows that Jarat Karu will lose all his punya if he does not perform the evening Sandhya. But Manasa knows that if a woman disturbs her husband when he is sleeping, praying or eating she will find herself in Kalasutra Naraka.
Manasa knows, intuitively, that her life is going to change forever with the decision she is about to take. But she knows that Jarat Karu’s punya is more important than the consequences she may have to face for disobeying him. So she takes a deep breath and gently shakes Jarat Karu awake.
Surya Deva & Sandhya Devi
Manasa asks him for forgiveness and explains her predicament to him. But Jarat Karu is furious, so beyond reason. He is about to curse Manasa and leave her forever when Surya Deva appears there with Sandhya Devi. Surya Deva says, “Do curb our wrath O Jarat Karu. Anger lasts but for a Nimisha but can burn the very earth to a cinder. Manasa woke you up because I was going to set. So before you curse her you must curse me. And if you refuse to curse me, you will have to forgive us both.” Jarat Karu has no choice. He assures Surya that he will not curse Manasa. But Jarat Karu realizes that though he cannot curse Manasa he cannot forgive her for breaking her promise either. So Jarat Karu decides to leave Manasa.
Astika
Manasa prays fervently to Krishna who appears before them and says, “If you abandon Manasa without blessing her with your child you will lose all your punya.” So Jarat Karu touches Manasa’s navel and says, “You will have a bright son with mystic powers and he will protect the race of the Nagas.” Jarat Karu then goes off to Pushkara to meditate upon Krishna.
Manasa is heartbroken. She goes to Kailasha and finds solace when Shiva and Uma bless her with Atma Gyan. Manasa lives with them in Kailash and delivers her child, Astika, who is an amsa of Vishnu and learns the Vedas and the Mrityunjaya Mantra from Sankara.
Janamejaya’s Sarpa Yagna
Generations later, Janamejaya performs a Sarpa Yagna to liberate the soul of his father, Parikshita. All the serpents are drawn to the Yagna’s fire by the occult mantras and perish. That is when Takshaka remembers Brahma’s words and seeks Astika’s help.
Janamejaya is busy performing the yagna when he hears of Astika’s arrival. Janamejaya is spellbound by his radiance and offers him a boon of his choice. Astika asks him to stop the Sarpa Yagna immediately. Janamejaya has no choice. He has given his word. So he keeps it. The Sarpa Yagna comes to a halt. And that is how Manasa’s son, Astika, protects the race of the Nagas from being exterminated.
Does Jarat Karu compromise on his stance of wanting to remain celibate because he does not want to incur the wrath of his Pitrs? Can we live through our lives doing the things we believe in – always? Don’t we give up on some of our dreams for shared progress and growth? Isn’t that what a family is all about? Where the collective is more important than the individual? The story sobers us to the reality that- within a family – for every Jarat Karu who pursues his goal to the exclusion of all else, a Manasa is punished for no fault of hers.
Manasa Devi is the goddess of dhyana and snakes. She protects us from snakes and snakebites and ushers in fertility/prosperity.
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