51 - Shattering of the Pride of Dhanvantari

Sri Krishna said- Lord Dhanvantari himself is a great personality and represents the amsha of Narayana. In earlier times, he emerged from the churning of the ocean. He was well-versed in all the Vedas beside the mantras and the tantras. He happened to be the pupil of Garuda and the small pupil of Shiva,

О goddess, he went to Kailasa once together with thousands of his pupils. On the way he met with the terrific Taksaka serpent who was taking out its tongue again and again. It was filled with terrific poison. That horrible serpent was surrounded by many other serpents and rushed towards Dhanvantari in order to bite him. At the sight of this, the proud pupils of Dhanvantari started laughing, he with the use of the terrific mantra made the serpent Taksaka motionless and deprived it of the poison. He took out the gem-studded in its hoods and holding it in his hand he moved it round and round and then threw it far away.

The serpent Taksaka lay there motionless. The servants of Taksaka went to Vasuki and narrated the happenings to him. 

On hearing this Vasuki started burning with anger and he dispatched innumerable serpents with horrible, poison at that place. There were five chief commanders known as Drona, Kaliya, Karkotaka, Pundarika and Dhananjaya. 

All the Nagas arrived at the place of Dhanvantari. Finding the innumerable snakes there, the pupil of Dhanvantari were frightened. 

With the simple breathing of the Nagas, all the pupils of Dhanvantari fell down on earth and could not move. 

Thereafter lord Dhanvantari reciting the name of his teacher showered the nectar pronouncing mantras, as a result of which all of them got back their lives.

Dhanvantari the teacher of the universe, brought his pupils back to life and made the serpents motionless. 

All the serpents lay there like the dead snakes. О goddess, not a single serpent was there who could convey the news of the misfortune of the serpent. But Vasuki who himself knew well the happening everywhere, realised the teacher ahead and he summoned his sister named Jagadgauri who was the embodiment of knowledge. 

Vasuki said- О Manasa you go and relieve the Nagas of the danger. О virtuous one, you will be adored the. world over by doing this. On hearing the words of Vasuki, the girl stood there smilingly and humbly spoke to him the wards which were as sweet as the nectar. 

Manasa said- О lord of the Nagas, you kindly listen to my words. I shall go to the battle-field. The good and bad or the victory or defeat rest with the destiny. But still I shall perform my appropriate duty. 

I shall destroy the enemies in the battle-field in no time. Who can protect the person who is killed at my hands?

In case the gods like Brahma and others also arrive in the battle-field, in spite of that, I shall be able to defeat your enemies. There is no doubt about it. 

Lord Sesha happens to be my teacher who has Bestowed the Siddhamantra to me, I wear the kavacha of Vishnu, around my neck, who provides welfare to the entire universe. With the influence of that kavacha I can be in a position to destroy the entire universe. 

In the scriptures on mantras I am the pupil of Shiva. In the earlier times lord Shiva having been filled with compassion bestowed the great knowledge on me. 

Garuda too happens to be the pupil of Shiva, but when I do not care for Garuda the least than why should I bother about his pupils and Dhanvantari is quite insignificant a person. 

Thus, speaking she delightfully bowed in reverence to lord Hari, Shiva and Sesha. Thereafter leaving aside the Nagas, she herself proceeded to the place in great anger. 

There she found Dhanvantari seated quite delightfully. The goddess Manasa reached there with her eyes burning in anger. 

With the simple casting of a glance she brought the serpents back to life and with her poison's look she made all the pupils of Dhanvantari motionless. 

Thereafter lord Dhanvantari tried revive his pupils back to life with the application of mantra but he could not be successful. О goddess, Manasa then spoke to Dhanvantari the words which were filled with pride.

Manasa said- О siddha, tell me whether you are aware of the meaning of Mantrashilpa, Mantrabheda and the great medicine? You happen to be the pupil of Garuda. О Dhanvantari, listen both myself and Garuda are the famous pupils of Shiva and have received education from him for a kalpa. 

After thus speaking, the mother of the universe took out all the lotus flowers from the lake sanctified them with mantras and in anger threw them on Dhanvantari.

Thereafter finding the lotus flowers coming like burning flames to him, Dhanvantari took a deep sigh and with the discharge of the air from his mouth, he reduces all of them to ashes. Thereafter he started laughing carelessly.

The goddess then attacked the enemies with the sanctified shakti which illumined the universe like the sun of the summer season. 

Finding that flaming shakti approaching him, Dhanvantari shot the trident given to him by Vishnu, which destroyed the same. 

Finding her shakti having been rendered infructuous, the goddess started burning in rage. She then took in her hand, the indestructible Nagapasha having in lakh of Nagas and muttering the mantras she sanctified the same which was quite illustrious and she shot it in anger. 

Dhanvantari finding the Nagapasha there, smiled for a while and remembered Garuda who arrived there at once. 

Finding the weapon of serpent shot by mantra Garuda who was quite himgry for a long time cut into the pieces all the snakes and ate them up.

О dear, when the Nagapasha was found infructous the eyes of goddess Manasa became red. She took out a handful of ashes which were given to her by Shiva in earlier times. She threw away the ashes given to her by Shiva after muttering the mantras. Garuda finding the ashes having been thrown over at by Dhanvantari he covered him with the spread of his wings and shattered the entire ashes. At the sight of this the goddess Manasa started burning in rage. She then took up the infallible trident given to her by Shiva, in her hand for the purpose of killing Dhanvantari. The infallible trident had the lustre of hundreds of suns and was illumining like the fire of the dissolution. 

Thereafter for the protection of Dhanvantari and in pacifying Garuda Brahma and Shiva also arrived in the battle-field. 

Manias was standing fearlessly holding the trident in her hand and finding Brahma and Shiva there, she bowed in reverence to both of them. 

Dhanvantari and Garuda on the other hand also offered their salutation to them and with their mind filled with devotion offered prayers to them. Both of them showered their blessing on them. 

For the welfare of the people and for the adoration of goddess Manasa Brahma spoke very sweet and beneficial words to Dhanvantari. 

Brahma said- О virtuous one, О Dhanvantari, you are well-verged in all the scriptures. According to our opinion, it is not proper for you to fight with goddess Manasa.

She is the great goddess and can destroy the three worlds with the use of the trident given to her by Shiva, with a devoted mind you adore her according to the method prescribed in the Kauthuma-shakha which sixteen types of offerings. You should adore her by reciting the stotra composed by Astika. The goddess Manasa would pronounce a boon on you after getting pleased with your devotion.

Listening to the words of Brahma, Shiva also supported him and tried to convince Dhanvantari speaking loving words.

On listening to the words of all of them, Dhanvantari took his bath and getting purified, making Brahma to serve as a priest, he started adoring goddess Manasa. 

Dhanvantari said- О Jagadgauri, you arrive here and accept my adoration. О daughter of Kashyapa, you are already adored in all the three worlds. 

О goddess, you have won the entire universe with the form of Vishnu, that is why you have not used the weapon in the battle-field. 

Thus, sneaking with apt attention and., the mind filled with devotion, bowing before her, he offered white flowers to her and started meditating. 

She had the complexion of white champaka flowers having all the beautiful limbs, wearing a smile on the face, clad in fine garments, having the beautiful tuft of hair, adorned with all the gem-studded ornaments, She provides protection to all, having divine form, being compassionate on the devotees, bestower of the knowledge, having the peaceful mind possessing all the knowledge, using the Nagas as the vehicle the mistress of the Nagas. I adore you.

О dear one, Dhanvantari adored goddess Manasa offering flowers and besides sixteen types of articles. 

Thereafter getting filled with emotions he bowed in reverence to her with folded hands and offered prayers to her. 

Dhanvantari said- О offer my salutation to goddess Manasa who is the form of success and bestows success, I offer my Salutation to her again and again. I offer my salutation to the daughter of Kashyapa, she bestows the boon, I bow in reverence to her again and again. 

I bow in reverence to the daughter of Shiva, the form of Shiva and the one who uses Nagas as the vehicle, I bow in reverence to the goddess of the Nagas. 

I bow in reverence to the mother of Astika and the mother of the universe. You are the cause of the universe; I offer my salutation to you. You are the wife of Jaratkaru, I offer my salutation to you. 

You are the sister of Nagas, I offer my salutation to you. О yogini, I offer my salutation to you again and again. I offer my salutation to the one who performed tapas for a long time. I offer my salutation to the one who provides all the pleasures.

I offer my salutation to the one who is the form of tapas and provides the result of the same. I offer my salutation to her again and again. The one who is immensely noble, chaste and peaceful, I bow in reverence to her again and again. 

Thus, speaking he bowed in reverence to her with his mind filled with devotion. The goddess on her part was pleased with him and pronouncing a boon on him went back to her abode. 

Thereafter Brahma, Shiva and Garuda also went back to their respective abodes. The lord Dhanvantari also left for his abode. The Nagas having the hoods also delightfully went back to their abodes. Thus, I have narrated to you the best of the stories. 

The sage Astika adored his mother with devotion. Thereafter, Jagadgauri was pleased with her son. 

Whoever recites this stotra which is quite an auspicious one, with devotions all the people of his race are freed from the danger of the serpent. There is no doubt about it.