WHO WAS NARAKASURA ?

During the incarnation of Lord Vishnu as Sri Varaha, a drop of his sweat fell on the ground. Narakasura was born from Mother Earth with the drop of blood of Lord Vishnu that had fallen on ground. According to Sabha Parva in Mahabharata, Narakasura was also known as Bhaumasura. Goddess Earth then requested Lord Vishnu to give her son the Vaishnavastra. Narakasura, who was the ruler of Pragjyotisha City, gradually imbibed all the negative qualities and grew into a tormentor of the people. He stole the Shwetachchatra of Lord Indra, the Karnakundalas of Indra's mother Aditi and the top most tower of Mount Meru. Unable to tolerate the evil deeds of Narakasura, Lord Indra requested Lord Krishna to help. Lord Krishna went to Pragjyotisha City and blew his Panchajanya. Hearing the sound of the conch, Murasura, who was sleeping in water launched a war with Lord Krishna, along with his seven sons and his commander Peethasura. After they were all killed by Lord Krishna, Narakasura also confronts Lord Krishna and gets killed. Later, Goddess Earth took the Shwetachchatra of Indra, the Ear Wares of Aditi and Mount Maniparvat, along with Narakasura's son Bhagadatta and made him prostrate before Lord Krishna.She also surrendered all the three things to Lord Krishna. She appealed to Lord Krishna to protect Bhagadatta.
This is the background of Narakasura, who was also an ardent devotee of the Lord. That is why, the Ashwayuja Krishna Chaturdashi is celebrated as Naraka Chaturdashi. VERY HAPPY DEEPAVALI TO ALL. SHARE THIS STORY IF YOU LIKE.

Origin of Jarasandha

A rugged demon called Viprachitti, who was born to Kashyapa from a wife named Danu, was killed by Mukhyaprana during the Devasura war. This Viprachitta was born again during Dwaparayuga as Jarasandha, son of Bruhadratha, the king of Magadha. The twin daughters of the then king of Kashi, who was the son of Uparicharavasu, were the wives of Bruhadratha. As Bruhadratha did not have children, he appealed to Chanda Kaushika Muni to bless him with a son. The Muni gave him a fruit, which Bruhadratha cut into two pieces and gave one piece each to his two wives. Both of them consumed the fruit and got pregnant. However, they delivered half portion each of a baby boy. Each part was vertically half of human body. Frightened by that unshaped, ugly and horrible semi body, the two wives of Bruhadratha got the body thrown away into garbage. Grama Devata and a female demon called Jara tried to consume the two parts. When tried to bring them together, they joined together and there emerged a baby boy. Immediately, that female demon handed over the child to Bruhadratha. Since the body had been joined, although by accident, by female demon called Jara, the boy was named as Jarasandha, where Jara is the name of the female demon and Sandha is 'joined'. That is how Jarasandha was born.

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WHY DID SHALYA DESERT KARNA?

The war between Karna and Arjuna had assumed importance since great warriors Bheeshma and Drona had come and gone. Moreover, Karna had promised his mother Kunti that he would only try to kill Arjuna and none else among Pandavas. Karna had also given away his Kundala to Indra despite being cautioned by his father Surya (Sun). Karna had the curse of Parashurama to make him forget the hymns at the most critical point of the war. Even this curse was the courtesy of Indra's son. After all this, Karna had promised his mother that he will reuse any Astra during the war. Shalya was highly self-centered, proud and not in support of Duryodhana. Actually, Shalya wanted to join Pandavas, when Duryodhana stealthily appeases and felicitates him on the way to Pandava camp. Shalya was an established Maharathi and Karna had not been established or identified as Maharathi. 

At a critical moment, the Sarpastra was set by Karna and he had aimed at the neck of Arjuna. Shalya knew the trick that Lord Krishna might definitely play. He advised Karna to aim at the chest so that any sinking that Lord Krishna might effect would ultimately slit the neck of Arjuna. Karna said: "I will not change the target once set." The arrow missed Arjuna's neck and removed the crown as Lord Krishna pressed the ground along with the chariot. Now, the arrow, which had a vengeance against Arjuna, returned to Karna and begged him to reuse it. Karna was unprepared. Shalya too forces Karna to reuse the arrow. When Karna refuses, Shalya, who was short-tempered, deserts Karna. That was the inescapable destiny.

SPLIT PERSONALITY OF KARNA (ii PART)

Sri Mdhwacharya  clarifies this point thus: 

When Kunti wanted to test the power of Mantras that Rudramshasambhoota Durvas had taught her, she first recited the Mantra to invoke and propitiate Sun God. She took bath during her periods and invoked the Sun casually. The Shloka in this regard is:

Rutau tu sA samAplutA pareekShaNAya tanmanOho|

SamAhwayad DivAkaram sa chAjagAm tatkShaNAt||

After she invoked the Sun, he appeared in front of her and she could not send him away without sensuously satisfying him. 

Sa tatra jajnivAn swayam dwiteeyarUpakO viBhuhu|
SavarmadivyakunDalO jwalanniva swatEjasA(Mahabharata Nirnaya- Canto 11 Shloka 155)||
Adorned with divine Kundalas and sparkling with his natural rdiation, Sun entered Kunti in his alternate form. The real clarification is this:
PurA sa VAlimAraNapraBhUtadOShakANAt|
SahasravarmanAminAsrENa vEShTitO(a)jani||

Earlier (during Tretayuga), since he (Sun) had prompted Srirama as Sugreeva to kill Vali (Indramsha), he (Sugreeva or Sun) had attracted a sin. Therefore, he (Sun) was born in Kunti with the traits of a demon called Sahasravarma.
TaThApi RAmasEvanAddarEshcha sanniDhAnayuk|
SudarshaneeyakarNataha sa KarNanAmakO(a)Bhavat||

However, since the Sun had greatly served and revered (as Sugreeva) Srirama, he had the good fortune of being very close to the Lord. Since he had very beautiful ears, he came to be called as Karna. 

Whenever his mind was being afflicted by the traits of Sahasravarma (demon), Karna used to be uncultured, uncivic, amoral, unjust and cunning.

SPLIT PERSONALITY OF KARNA

Karna is known for loyalty, modesty, kindness, stoicism, steadfast mind, gifting, love, affection and so on. His loyalty to Dluryodhana is unquestionable. After being made the head of Anga Desha by Duryodhana at a very critical juncture, Karna's foster father was hesitating to meet him. But, Karna goes to his foster father and hugs him. When he was approached by Kunti and Lord Krishna and was told to shift to Pandavas' camp, Karna exhibits utmost loyalty to Duryodhana and a very high degree of stoicism. Despite being cautioned by his father Sun, Karna gives away his Kundala. He was known gift away anything to anyone at an point of time, even if such gifting was detrimental to his very existence. 

However, Karna's attitude at the time of Rape of Draupadi and the killing of Abhimanyu smack of sheer lack of reasoning, culture or morality. As Duryodhana was very intimate to him, Karna could have asked Duryodhana to abstain from all his evil deeds, ill-motivated acts etc. But, Karna never even opposed Duryodhana. On the contrary, he supported and encouraged Duryodhana in all his mischievous acts and thoughts. What was the reason for this split personality? Read tomorrow for the justification.

How did Vishnu repay Vali in Dwapara yuga?

When Srirama hit Vali with an arrow from behind a tree to kill him during Tretayuga, Vali questions Srirama's action. Srirama explains to Vali: "First of all, Sugreeva had surrendered to me and in turn, I had promised to protect him from you and make him the King of Kishkindha. If I had appeared in front of you now, you too would have surrendered to me and I would not have been able to keep the promise made to Sugreeva. Secondly, I have a mission to save this Earth rom Ravana. If you would have killed, which you might not have succeeded in doing, my mission would have failed. Why you could not have killed Ravana is because you cannot forego the boons bestowed upon Ravana by Lord Brahma. Thirdly, I had to punish for banishing a sincere and honest brother and for living with his wife as it is amoral and illegal. Fourthly, you are a powerful Vanara and hunting animals from behind a tree is quite a common practice. However, if you still want, I will make you alive again. Choice is yours." Vali concedes and says: "I am quite happy to die at your hands Rama and if you make me alive now, I will not get another opportunity to get killed by you, the Lord. Please take proper care of Angada, my son." In spite of this conversation, Lord Vishnu did not want to leave the matter there. Vali was the Amsha of Indra and he was again born during Dwapara as Arjuna. Lord Kirshna, an incarnation of Maha Vishnu, serves Arjuna as a charioteer, friend, philosopher (by preaching Geeta) and guide to him till the very end. That is the conviction which is beyond explanation. Lord is always gracious, kind, compassionate and considerate to his devotees. Om Sri VishnuvE Namaha. 

Another side of Kamsa!

In one of the Pravachanas I have heard through an audio, without knowing who he is, I was surprised and to a great extent convinced about another angle from which Kmsa can be understood. The narration goes like this....

When Kamsa tries to summon Krishna from Gokul to his palace, he had a clear understanding of his fate. He just wanted Krishna to come and kill him as he had foreseen that he had enough of this world and that the time had come for his departure from this world. He eagerly waited for Lord Krishna to get killed. But, his action, words and messages were all misunderstood by the world that in reality, Kamsa wanted to kill Krishna. This reminds me of another instance where even Duryodhana had realised the power of Krishna better than any of the Pandavas. When Krishna was coming to Hastinavati, Duryodhana actually planned to arrest Krishna. However, Krishna pressed his toe on the threshold while entering the royal hall making Duryodhana fall from his seat at the feet of the Lord. While Krishna tried to lift him up saying "Why should a great King like you fall at my feet?" Duryodhana whispered in the Lord's ear "I know, you prompted me to think of arresting you and then you have made me fall at your feet. Now, you are addressing me as the King, whereas you are the real king of this whole universe. I am just a puppet and you are playing with me as you do with all the beings." This sort of thought never crossed the minds of anyone and only other exceptions were, perhaps, Bheeshma and Karna. Duryodhana surprises everyone in this instance.