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After acquiring the earrings Utanka proceeded to his master's home. On the way he stopped to drink water. He briefly put down the packet containing the earrings to draw water from the well. A beggar who had been following him took this opportunity to snatch away the earrings. Utanka gave hot pursuit. But no sooner did he seize the beggar, the latter transformed into Takshaka, the king of serpents. Takshaka slipped out of Utanka's grasp and slithered down a hole to his kingdom.
While he was pondering what to do next, Utanka had a vision of two women weaving a cloth on a loom with black and white threads. There was a wheel with twelve spokes that was being rotated by six boys. Next to them was a man with a handsome horse. Utanka addressed the man, "You who are in charge of the loom and the wheel and the horse please come to my help." The man asked Utanka to blow into the horse. When Utanka did so, fiery flames emerged from every aperture in the horse's body and the kingdom of the serpents was filled with smoke. Takshaka was frightened that his realm would be destroyed. He quickly gave the earrings to Utanka and pleaded that the horse stop spewing fire. Utanka now had the earrings, but he was far from his destination and this was the day his preceptor's wife wanted to wear the earrings. Once again the man came to his rescue. He offered the services of his horse. Utanka mounted the steed and reached his master's home in no time. His mistress was ready and waiting for the earrings. She was about to pronounce a curse on Utanka, when he appeared. She was overjoyed to receive the earrings and blessed Utanka with every success he desired. Utanka then recounted the strange events he had experienced to Veda, his teacher. He requested Veda to explain the significance of the events. Veda replied, "The man you first met riding the huge bull was Indra, the king of the demi-Gods and the bull was in reality the elephant Airavata, Indra's mount. The bull's excreta were amrita, the elixir of life. It was because you had partaken of the excreta you were able to survive in the poisonous atmosphere of Takshaka's realm. The women operating the loom were Dhata and Vidhata. The black and white threads are night and day. The wheel's twelve spokes are the twelve lunar months and the six boys are the six seasons. The man who helped you is Parjanya, the deity of rain and the horse is Uchchaisravas, who had emerged from the oceans, and is a manifestation of fire. Go To Page: 1 2
The copyright of the article Utanka - II in Indian Mythology is owned by . Permission to republish Utanka - II in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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