History says that the cast system was prevailing in India
and it led to many social evils such as untouchability, ostracizing, etc. It is
a truth that no one can deny, but even on those days, some people dreamt about a world where all the people, irrespective of their caste, creed,
race, etc live together in harmony. Those dreams may be behind the legend of ‘Parayi
Petta Panthirukulam’ or the woman who belongs to a lower cast giving birth to
twelve children who belong to different casts. It can be a real incident too.
However, it is always better to enjoy the beauty of the story than wasting your
time in finding the truth behind that.
Vararuchi, a Brahmin and a great scholar was a regular in
the durbar of King Bhoja. He had attained in-depth knowledge in different
subjects ranging from Vedas to astrology to political science. He always had a
convincing answer for any doubts raised by the king. Hence he had been revered
by the king. One day the king asked a question in the durbar. King asked about
the most important verse in Ramayana and the most important line in that verse.
Although everybody including Vararuchi came out with different answers none was
convincing. Taking this as an opportunity, some of Vararuchi’s rivals convinced
the king that only Vararuchi can give the right answer and if he is not giving
he is not eligible to be present in the durbar. Falling prey to those
sycophants, the king ordered Vararuchi to go out of the palace and to come
within forty-one days with a convincing answer. King also reminded him that he
need not come back if he cannot find the right answer.
Feeling sad about King’s attitude, he went to his home and he
decided to leave the country and to go for a travel. He traveled to different
places and met many scholars whom he asked the same question. The answer was
different from one another and no two persons told the same answer. Leaving all
his hopes he continued his journey and reached inside a forest. After a long
journey, he felt tired and went asleep beneath a huge tree. After some time he
woke up hearing someone talking. He listened to it and understood that it is
dryads talking to one another. Vararuchi was an expert in Dryads’ language too so
he understood what they were talking about.
Two or three dryads were on their way to a nearby village
where a woman belongs to a lower cast gave birth to a baby. Those dryads were
inviting the one who is living on the tree beneath which Vararuchi was
sleeping. The major attraction for dryads on such occasions is the availability
of blood which will come out along with the baby. They enjoy that drink.
However, the dryad on the tree rejected their invitation stating that a Brahmin scholar is sleeping behind the tree and it is her responsibility to
protect him from the wild animals. Those, who were on their way to the village,
continued their journey.
After quite some time Vararuchi again heard the chitchatting
of dryads. Those who went to the village has returned and they were exchanging the
news. The woman gave birth to a baby child and there was enough blood for all
the dryads who went there. Then the dryad on the tree asked them about the
future of the child. Then they said that one Vararuchi who does not know ‘Mam
Viddhi’ will marry her.
As Vararuchi understands their language, their words brought
both pleasure and shock to him. He was quite happy that he could find out an
answer to the question of King Bhoja. ‘Maam Viddhi’ is the most important line
in Ramayana and the Verse, ‘Ramam dasharatham viddi, Maam viddhi
janakaathmajam, Ayodhyam adavim viddhi, gacha thanaya yathaa sukham’ is the
most important verse in the book. Now he can return with pride to the king and
convince him with the right answer in front of his rivals who played the dirty games
to oust him from the king’s durbar.
At the same time, he was shocked too knowing that he will
have to marry a girl from a lower cast. According to the social system that prevailed on those days a Brahmin marrying a woman belongs to a lower cast will
end in his ostracizing. With mixed feelings in mind, he returned to the palace
and he reached there on the forty-first day morning. He directly went inside
the durbar and answered the king’s question. This time he could convince him as
he could define the verses in eighteen different ways.
Pleased with it the King invited Vararuchi to accompany him
for the lunch. When they were having lunch, Vararuchi told the king that a
woman belongs to a lower cast has given birth to a baby girl on the previous
night and she should become a bad omen for the entire nation. King should
destroy her immediately.
Being confident in the knowledge of Vararuchi in astrology,
the King had no doubt that it will happen, but he was hesitant to kill a child
fearing the wrath of gods. Then Vararuchi found a solution. He asked the king
to float the child in a small boat with a burning lamp placed on her head.
Since the king has great regards for Vararuchi, he agreed and his soldiers
executed his orders immediately.
Years have passed and Vararuchi left the durbar of King
Bhoja. He started his journey without any aim. On the way, he reached a tiny
village in Kerala and went directly to the house of a Brahmin and requested him
to provide some food. The Brahmin at the house welcomed him with pleasure and
requested him to take bath and come. He assured that by that time the lunch
will be ready. However, Vararuchi put a condition to have food from that house.
He told that he needs 1008 varieties of dishes for the lunch and he needs to
chew four persons after the meal and there should be four persons to carry him
while he sleeps a while after lunch. Hearing these conditions, the other
Brahmin got worried, but his young daughter asked him to say yes to all. He did
the same.
When Vararuchi came for lunch he saw the ginger curd is
being served. It is regarded as equal to 1008 varieties of dishes. After the
meals, the Brahmin gave him beetle nuts, beetle leaves, tobacco, and lime, which
was a practice among people of Kerala to chew these four articles together
after heavy meals. Then he arranged a coat for Vararuchi and the four posts of
the coat will carry him when he sleeps. Quite happy with the intelligence of
the Brahmin he congratulated him. Then the Brahmin told that everything is his
daughter’s idea.
Pleased with the intelligence of that young girl Vararuchi expressed
his ambition to marry her. Brahmin was quite happy to get a scholar like
Vararuchi as a son in law and the marriage has been conducted with grand fanfare.
Days after the marriage, Vararuchi, and his wife Panchami were
sitting in the courtyard of their house indulging in simple chat. At that time
Panchami was lying on the laps of Vararuchi and he was caressing her hairs.
Suddenly he saw a black mark in the middle of her head and asked what it is.
Her reply was really a shock to him. She told that she is not the biological
daughter of that Brahmin; instead, he got her from a river where she was kept
afloat with a lamp on her head. Suddenly, Vararuchi understood that nobody can
evade fate. He told the entire episode to her. He also told her that as he
got ostracized, he did not want to stay back at home and planning to go for the pilgrimage which will continue till his death. Being a loving wife she too
agreed to accompany him.
They started their journey and on the way, she got pregnant
eleven times. Every time she used to take shelter in some wayside bushes to
deliver the children. Each time When he hears the news that she delivered a
child, he used to ask a single question, whether the child has a mouth or not.
Naturally, she used to tell yes. Then Vararuchi used to ask her to leave the
child there are continue the journey. According to him, the God who gave mouth
to the child will certainly provide food also.
Panchami became so sad. Although she gave birth to eleven
children none are with her. So, she decided to tell a lie when she got pregnant
next time and delivered the child. When Vararuchi asked, she told that the
child did not have a mouth. To her shock her words became true and the child
did not have a mouth. Scared with this, she told the truth. Vararuchi take the twelfth
son to a nearby hillock and placed him there. Soon the boy turned to an idol and
it is the present day ‘Vayilla kunnilappan’ or the god without a mouth who sits
on a hillock who has been worshipped widely in northern Kerala.
All other eleven children have been adopted by different
people belonging to different casts and brought up as persons belonging to the
respective cast. Just after passing their teenage, they all came to understand
the truth and used to assemble at the house of their eldest brother Agnihotri,
who is a Brahmin to do annual rituals for their dead father.
Where did Vararuchi first meet Panchami? do you know the name of the place?
ReplyDeletevillage in kerala
ReplyDeleteVararuchi when he born
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