Parijat tree.

Parijat tree..

Indra, the king of heaven, had the most wonderful garden you can imagine. It had all the beautiful and sweet-scented flowers that grow on earth and many more that were celestial. The pride of place belonged to parijat, a tree that bore flowers with the most exquisite fragrance. Its aroma filled up the entire place. It was the special favourite of Indrani, Indra’s wife. Indrani loved to wear the parijat in her hair each evening and enjoyed hearing everyone tell her how well the flower suited her charming personality. In fact Indrani came to regard the parijat as her especial property and never shared the flowers with anyone else.

One bright and sunny morning Lord Krishna decided to visit Indra with his wife Satyabhama. Indra came to receive them as soon as he heard the news and took them to his palace after greeting them respectfully. After Krishna and Satyabhama  had rested Indra requested them to take a walk in his famous garden, the Nandan Kanan.

Satyabhama was delighted with the place, especially the flowers that bloomed in all the colours of the rainbow. She walked among them, admiring one flower after another. Finally her eyes fell on the parijat.

“What is this wonderful flower?” she asked Krishna.

“It is the parijat” replied Krishna.

“I haven’t seen the flower before” remarked Satyabhama, “where did Indra get it from?”

“The parijat came up along with many other things when the great ocean was churned by the devas and the asuras for obtaining the elixir of life” replied Krishna, “that’s when Indra  took it and brought it for his garden.”

Satyabhama was lost in thoughts for a while. Finally she looked up and said, “But that was not right of Indra. If the parijat came up at the time of the churning of the ocean then it is common property and should belong to everyone, not just one person. In any case, I fail to see why it should belong to Indra. He hasn’t done anything special to deserve it. Has he?”

“Perhaps you are right” agreed Krishna, “The parijat ought to be enjoyed by all. As you put it, it is not Indra’s personal property.”

“Then let us take it away to the earth” said Satyabhama at once, “I shall plant it in my garden and share the flowers with everyone in Dwaraka.”

“Very well, if that’s what you wish” said Krishna.

“I do wish it” said Satyabhama. “I shall wear the flowers in my hair and give them to the people of Dwaraka. If others outside Dwaraka ask for it they shall have it too.”

Krishna smiled and pulled up the parijat tree from its roots. Then he laid it on Garuda’s back who was waiting to carry them back to the earth. Just as they were about to start they were stopped by the guards at the door of Indra’s Nandan Kanan.

“Stop!” they cried at the sight of the parijat on Garuda’s back, “where are you taking away our parijat? It belongs to Indrani, our queen. You cannot steal it.”

“Why talk of stealing?” cried Satyabhama, “This tree had come up at the time of churning the ocean and is not your queen’s personal property. We have every right to take it back to earth and let everyone enjoy its flowers. Your queen is selfish to keep it to herself.”

“You cannot steal the parijat. Indra will fight you and you simply cannot stand up to him” said the guards contemptuously, “all the devas are going to back him up as well. What can a single person like you do against our heavenly force? Better give up the tree and get back to the earth before anyone realizes what you were about to do.”

“How dare you!” cried Satyabhama, her eyes flashing. “Go and tell Indra that we are taking away the parijat. Let him fight Krishna if he dares.”

The guards rushed to inform Indra. They also repeated Satyabhama’s words to Indrani who was livid with rage. “How dare Satyabhama, a mere human being, criticize the queen of heaven and steal her property? Indra, you must teach them a lesson! Krishna also needs to learn it. He may be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, but at the moment he is the prince of Dwarka and belongs to the human race. He has no business to annoy the inmates of heaven.” Indra picked up the lightning, his chief weapon, and prepared to fightKrishna. He was backed by all the devas and all the stars in heaven. Holding on to the parijat was now a prestige issue and they could not possibly allow Krishna to take it away.

Indra faced Krishna with his entire army while Krishna stood alone, Garuda by his side. Thirty-three crores of devas shot their arrows towards Krishna along with Indra. They covered the entire sky shutting out the light completely. But Krishna destroyed all their weapons single-handed and with the greatest of ease! Varuna arrived with his own special missile but Garuda instantly broke it to pieces. Yama, the king of death threw his mace atKrishna which turned to powder the moment it touched Krishna’s own mace. When Kuvera dashed in to attack Krishna the latter shattered his chariot to pieces. The sun and the moon came next but a mere glance from Krishna cooled their fire and put out their light completely. Agni, the god of fire also froze at a glance from Krishna. Finally no one survived from the celestial army except Indra himself and it was his turn to face Krishnaalone. Indra held his main weapon, the lightning, while Krishna took up his Sudarshan chakra. Indra’s lightning was said to be invincible and he shuddered with fear as he threw it at Krishna. But Krishna grabbed it in his empty hand and the lightning turned to a handful of frost. Now Indra was completely weaponless. There was no need for Krishna to fight him. Defeated and defenseless, Indra tried to run away, crimson with shame and humiliation. Who could have imagined that a mere prince from the earth could defeat the king of heaven and his entire army?

Satyabhama burst out laughing as she saw Indra running away. “Well, King of heaven, don’t you feel ashamed to run away like a coward?” she asked him. “Don’t worry, I am not going to take away your precious parijat. You can take it back to your wife. I was a guest in your house but your Indrani is so proud that she didn’t even bother to come and greet me. That’s why I was angry and wanted to teach her a lesson. I felt she should realize that even the queen of heaven cannot do without basic courtesy. But I have no wish to take anything which she considers her personal property.”

Indra came back and begged Satyabhama’s pardon. “It was very wrong of my wife to ignore a guest of honour. Please forgive us both and take the parijat with you. And please don’t be angry with us any more.”

“Are you saying this because Krishna defeated you and put you to shame?” asked Satyabhama.

“No. I am not ashamed to be defeated by Krishna who is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu himself. I am saying it because I would really like you to have the parijat.”

“But it belongs to your Nandan Kanan” said Krishna. “I had picked it up at the request of Satyabhama because I too felt that the queen of heaven deserves a lesson in basic politeness and the duties of a hostess. But I think I have succeeded. So, say no more. The parijat shall remain where it has been all this time. Here it is.”

“Please Krishna, take it to Dwarka now” begged Indra. “When your days on earth are done the original tree may return to heaven once more”.

“So be it” said Krishna with a smile as he took his place on Garuda’s back with Satyabhama, holding the parijat carefully between them.