Chatra-Upānaha Utpatti
Chatra-Upānaha Utpatti tells how the umbrella (chatra) and the sandals (upānaha) came into the world. It is told by Bhīshma to Yudhishṭhira in the Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapters 95 and 96.
The ṛshi Jamadagni was practising with his bow, and his wife Reṇukā kept fetching his arrows. The noon heat of Bhagavān Sūrya made her stop in the shade, and she came back late. Jamadagni was angry that Sūrya had made his wife suffer, and he said he would shoot Sūrya down. Sūrya came to him as a brāhmaṇa and spoke of how the world needs his heat for rain and grain. Jamadagni did not give way, even when he was ready to strike. Then Sūrya came to him as a śaraṇāgata (one who seeks refuge). Jamadagni relented, because to kill one who has sought refuge is among the gravest wrongs. He asked Sūrya what could be done to make the hot path easier to walk. Sūrya then gave him the umbrella to protect the head and the sandals to protect the feet. Sūrya made giving them a dāna of imperishable puṇya (merit) for all time.
Yudhishṭhira’s question
Yudhishṭhira asked Bhīshma who first began the dāna of the umbrella and sandals at śrāddha rites. This dāna is also given on other puṇyakarmas (meritorious acts), such as women’s vratas and festivals. How did it begin, and why is it given? (Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 95)
Jamadagni at archery practice
Bhīshma answered by telling the saṃvāda between Jamadagni Maharshi and Sūrya. Jamadagni was once amusing himself with his bow, fitting and loosing arrow after arrow. Reṇukā fetched the spent arrows and brought them back to him again and again. The twang of the bowstring and the whistle of the flying arrows pleased him so much that he kept on shooting, and she kept on fetching. (Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 95)
Reṇukā’s delay
The sun reached Jyeshṭhāmūla at noon, and Jamadagni called to Reṇukā to fetch more arrows. On her way, wide-eyed Reṇukā stopped for a moment in the shade of a tree, because the sun’s heat was burning her head and feet. She feared her husband’s śāpa (curse) for the delay. After this short rest she went on with her errand and came back with the arrows, her feet still aching. She held back her distress out of fear. (Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 95)
When the ṛshi saw her, he grew angry and asked again and again why she was late. Reṇukā explained: “Tapodhana (rich in tapas)! My head and feet are burning. I could not bear Sūrya’s heat, so I rested a while in the shade of a tree. For this reason alone I was late in this task. O Prabhu Jamadagni! Please do not be angry with me for this.” (Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 95)
Jamadagni’s threat
Jamadagni answered: “Reṇukā! If that is so, I shall bring down that very Sūrya, whose scorching rays have made you suffer, with my blazing arrows that are like fire.” He drew his divine bow fully, took up many arrows, and stood facing the way of Sūrya’s course, ready to shoot. (Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 95)
Sūrya’s plea
As Jamadagni stood ready to shoot, Sūrya came to him in the form of a brāhmaṇa and asked: “Sir! What wrong has Sūrya done to you?”
Sūrya then explained what he does for the world. Standing in the sky, he draws up rasa (moisture) with his rays and gives it back as plenty of rain in the rainy season. From that rain comes the food that supports the happiness of all beings, for the Vedas themselves say that food is prāṇa. Hidden behind clouds and behind his own rays, Sūrya waters the seven dvīpas without rest. By this rain the sprouting grain, the flowering vines and the leaves are all fed, and food is made. Every jātakarma, every vrata, the upanayana, the godāna, the vivāha, every yajña-karma, every śāstra, all dāna, every gathering of people and every gathering of wealth goes on only because of food. Sūrya said that the Bhārgava already knew this, though he said it again. He asked what gain Jamadagni could have from striking Sūrya down. (Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 95)
Jamadagni stays firm
Yudhishṭhira then asked what the tejasvin (radiant) Jamadagni decided to do while Bhāskara pleaded with him. Bhīshma answered that even as Sūrya begged him, Jamadagni, blazing like Agni, found no peace. Sūrya, in the form of a brāhmaṇa, joined his palms, bowed and asked in sweet words: “The sun’s motion has gone on since time beyond memory. How will you now cut down one who moves like this?” (Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 96)
Jamadagni answered: “Whether you are sthira (still) or cala (moving), I see with the eye of knowledge. I must surely show you respect. Divākara! For half a muhūrta at midday you stay motionless. Sūrya! At that moment I shall strike you with my arrow. In this I have no doubt.” Sūrya replied: “O great archer among brāhmaṇas! You can indeed strike me, there is no doubt of that. But know this: I have erred, and I have come to you as a śaraṇāgata.” (Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 96)
Sūrya seeks refuge and Jamadagni relents
Bhīshma then tells that Bhagavān Jamadagni laughed loudly and said: “Sūrya! Do not fear. You have indeed sought my refuge.” Then he stated the principle that guided his answer. Whoever goes against uprightness (ṛjutā) in brāhmaṇas, steadiness (sthiratva) in the earth, gentleness (saumyatva) in the moon, depth (gāmbhīrya) in Varuṇa, heat in Agni, radiance in Meru, or power (pratāpa) in Sūrya, and then kills one who has sought refuge, becomes equal to one who has violated a guru’s wife, committed brahmahatyā (the killing of a brāhmaṇa), or drunk surā (liquor). “But, my child,” he said, “think what recompense should be made for the wrong done by this one who has sought refuge, and how the hot path may be made easy to walk on.”
Having said only this much, the best of the Bhārgavas fell silent. At once Sūrya gave him the chatra (umbrella) and the upānahas (sandals). (Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 96)
Sūrya’s gift
Sūrya said: “Maharshi! This chatra, which will hold back my rays, will protect the head. These leather pādukas (sandals) will protect the feet. Accept them. From this day on they will be of use to all people in the world. They will become the finest of dāna-objects, giving imperishable puṇya in every vrata.” (Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 96)
Bhīshma’s teaching on the merit of this dāna
Bhīshma tells Yudhishṭhira that this is how Sūrya brought the umbrella and the sandals into being, and that this store of meritorious things became famous in all three worlds. He tells Yudhishṭhira to give the finest umbrellas and sandals to brāhmaṇas, for great dharma lives in them without doubt.
One who gives a clean umbrella with a hundred ribs (śata-nābhi) to a worthy brāhmaṇa is happy after death. He lives in Indra’s realm, honoured among brāhmaṇas, apsarasas and devas. One who gives pādukas to a brāhmaṇa whose feet are burned by the sun, who has finished his studies and who keeps strict vratas, goes to worlds greatly honoured by the devas. After death he lives joyfully in Goloka. (Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 96)
Sources
- Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 95: Yudhishṭhira’s question, Jamadagni’s archery, Reṇukā’s delay, the threat and Sūrya’s plea
- Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 96: Jamadagni stays firm, Sūrya seeks refuge, the gift of the umbrella and sandals, and the merit of this dāna