Horses

KRSNA’s HORSES

He asked His driver, Däruka, to harness the horses for His chariot and prepare to go to the kingdom of Vidarbha. After hearing this order, the driver brought Kåñëa’s four special horses.

The names and descriptions of these horses are mentioned in the Padma Puräëa.

1. The first one, Sabiya, was greenish;

2. the second, Sugriva, was grayish like ice;

3. the third, Meghapuspa, was the color of a new cloud;

4. and the last, Balahaka, was of ashen color.

• Legend of Ucchashrava -

  • The bet between Kadru and Vinta

  • One day, the two sisters Kadru and Vinta were taking a stroll together when they saw a magnificient, seven-headed horse called Ucchashrava. The horse was one of the 14 jewels that came out when gods and demons churned the ocean of milkto obtain the nectar of immortality.

  • Ucchashrava was the mightiest, swiftest, and the most handsome horse in the world. The sisters gazed at the horse in wonder. Kadru exclaimed, “Sister! Look and tell me the color of the horse.”

  • Vinta replied, “I think it is white. What do you think?”

  • Kadru contented, “Yes, its body is white but its tail is black. Come, let us bet on it. If you win, then I will be your slave; otherwise, you have to become my slave.”

  • Having made this bet, the sisters decided to wait till the next morning when they would observe the horse from a close distance to decide who won. Now, Kadru wanted to win the bet at any cost. She called her one thousand serpent-sons and told them, “Children, go immediately and cover Ucchashrava’s tail so that it appears to have black hair. I will then win the bet and do not have to become a slave.” Some serpents were reluctant to participate in this trickery and refused. Kadru was furious and cursed them, “Go, I curse that you will be burned to ashes in Janmayjay’s Yajna.” As soon as Kadru said these words, all the gods and heavenly bodies started praised her courage. It is a rare event in nature when a mother curses her own children to die. During that time, vicious and poisonous snakes were ruling the world and harming innocent living beings. So this curse turned out to be a blessing for other creatures. Even the creator of the world, Lord Brahma, praised Kadru’s courage with these words, “People who intentionally harm others are severely punished by the nature that created them.”

  • Kadru and Vinta spent a restless night and woke up early in the morning. They decided to go by the sky route to the place where Ucchashrava was grazing. Meanwhile, the serpents were a worried lot. Afraid of their mother's curse, they decided among themselves, “We should do as our mother has asked us to. If her wish is not granted, then she will blaze us with her anger. However, if we do as she pleases, then she may even free us from this curse. Come, let us turn the horse’s tail black.” Thus decided, they wrapped themselves over Ucchashrava’s tail, so that it looked black in color.

  • When Kadru and Vinta reached the horse, they saw that the horse’s body was as white as moonlight but its tail was black. As soon as Vinta saw this, she turned pale as she had lost the bet. From that moment, she accepted to be Kadru's slave.

  • Posted by Vedasbuff at 11:47 AM

  • Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to Facebook

  • 1 comments:

• • Vedasbuff said...

  • Beautiful story of rivalry between two sisters. Both had a kind of love-hate relationship. Born from the same father, they were married to the same man. So the sense of rivalry was stronger than normal. If Vinta could not be patient for her egg to break naturally when Kadru's eggs had hatched, then Kadru would leave no stone unturned to win her bet. The story also gives a message on how a mother could curse her sons to die if her wish is not fulfilled. I guess at that time, women had a sense of oneness. Their world was much more than their husbands or children. They were powerful and they knew how to use the power. Power inspires respect and sometimes fear as evidenced when her serpent-sons decided to play a role in the trickery.

Other horse carriers

Surya - 7 horses

Sukrava - Venus - 8 horses

Maruts - In chariots with ruddy coloured horses

AGNI - Ram/chariot and number of horses

Ram/chariot and number of horses

CHANDRA - Antelope, 7/10 horses or rams

ASHVINKUMAR - ride a golden carriage, formed by Ribhus, drawn by either horses or birds. Their car is sun-like and is golden. It is swifter than thought and was fashioned by the three divine artificers, the Rbhus. It is either drawn by horses or by winged steeds or by buffaloes, or by a Rishabha (ox).