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In episode 138, host Trix/Psyche tells the ancient Hindu story of King Sarata's fall from power and his encounter with the sage Medas, who explains the cosmic power of the goddess Mahammaya. The story explores the theme of attachment and delusion, and how Mahammaya's power affects even the wisest beings.
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The episode begins with Psyche telling the story of King Sarata, who was a just ruler but was defeated by his enemies and betrayed by his own ministers ▶ 0:41. He meets a merchant named Samadi in the forest, who has been cast out by his own family ▶ 2:30. Together, they visit the sage Medas, who explains that their attachment and sorrow are caused by the power of Mahammaya ▶ 4:19. The sage tells the story of how Mahammaya was praised by Brahma, which led to her appearance and the awakening of Lord Vishnu ▶ 6:50. Lord Vishnu then battles and slays the demons Madhu and Kataba, who were born from the dirt in his ears ▶ 8:42. The story highlights the power of Mahammaya and her role in creating and sustaining the universe ▶ 5:23. At ▶ 9:14, the demons are bewitched by Mahammaya and ultimately slain by Lord Vishnu. The episode ends with Psyche thanking the listeners and inviting them to subscribe to the channel for more stories of divine wisdom and power ▶ 9:55.
The episode appears to explore the theme of attachment and delusion, suggesting that even the wisest beings can be affected by Mahammaya's power. The story also touches on the idea of the cosmic cycle of creation, preservation, and destruction, and the role of Mahammaya in this process. The episode continues the pattern of exploring Hindu mythology and the power of the divine feminine, as seen in previous episodes.
◈●●●HIGH AI-generated · summarizes on-stream discussion, not verified claims · methodology
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Explore the ideas at the heart of this episode
Listen as I tell you the ancient story of the origins of Savani, the son of the sun god Surya who would become the eighth great ruler of humanity, the eighth Manu. It is a tale of how by the grace of the divine mother Mahammaya, he attained this magnificent destiny. Long ago during the age of the second Manu,
there was a king named Sarata. He was a just ruler descended from a noble dynasty and he reigned over the entire world protecting his subjects as if they were his own children. But his power attracted enemies and soon a rival group of kings, the Kohus, rose up against him. King Sarata, a mighty warrior,
fought bravely, but he was defeated by this smaller yet formidable force. He retreated to his capital city, but his troubles were far from over. The victorious enemies pursued him and even worse his own ministers, men he trusted, turned against him. They were greedy and vicious and they stole his treasury and usurped his army. Powerless and
betrayed, King Sarata found himself stripped of his kingdom. Under the pretense of going on a hunt, he mounted his horse and fled alone into the depths of a dense forest. There in the wilderness, he discovered the peaceful air of a great sage named Medas. The ashram was a sanctuary where even wild
animals lived in harmony and the sage's disciples studied in tranquility. The sage welcomed the fallen king and Sarata spent some time there wandering through the serene surroundings. But his mind could find no peace. He was consumed by worry and attachment. He thought, "My capital, so carefully protected by my
ancestors, is now in the hands of my corrupt servants. Are they ruling justly or are they destroying it? My favorite war elephant, so heroic and proud, is now with my enemies. What fate has befallen him? The people who once followed me, who relied on me for money and food, are now surely serving other
kings. And the vast treasure I worked so hard to accumulate is being squandered by those wasteful, reckless men. As Sarata wrestled with these agonizing thoughts, he noticed another man near the amatage. This man also looked griefstricken and lost. The king approached him with a friendly spirit and asked, "Who are you, friend? Why
have you come to this forest and why do you look so troubled?" The man bowed respectfully and replied, "I am a merchant named Samadi. I come from a wealthy family, but I have been cast out by my own wife and sons." In their greed for my wealth, they took everything from me and threw me out. Abandoned by those
I trusted most, I came to this forest in sorrow. Now I have no idea if my family is doing well or not. Are they happy? Are my sons living good lives or have they fallen into wicked ways? The king listened, then asked a pointed question. If your wife and sons were so greedy and heartless as to take your wealth and
cast you out. Why is your mind still so attached to them? The merchant sighed deeply. That is the very question that plagues me, he said. I know they wronged me. I know they abandoned their love for a father. But what can I do? My mind refuses to become hard against them. I feel such deep affection for the very
people who drove me out. I don't understand it. How can my mind be so prone to love those who are so unworthy of it? I sigh and feel dejected because of them. But I cannot harden my heart. Hearing this, King Sarata and the merchant Samadi realized they shared a similar affliction. Together they went
to the wise sage met us. After paying their respects, the king spoke, "Sir, I must ask you something. My mind is filled with sorrow and I feel I have no control over it. Even though I know my kingdom is gone, I am still deeply attached to it like an ignorant man. And this merchant, disowned and abandoned by
his own family, still feels overwhelming affection for them. We both know the flaws of the things we are attached to, yet we are both so unhappy. Why is this? How can this delusion take hold of us even when we are aware of it? The rishimeda smiled gently. My dear king, he began, knowledge of the world is not
unique to humans. Every living being perceives the world through its senses. Some are blind by day, others by night, and some see equally in both. Humans are indeed gifted with knowledge, but so are cattle, birds, and every other creature. The knowledge you have, they also have. Things like eating, sleeping, and fear
are common to all. Look at those birds. They are hungry themselves. Yet out of a powerful delusion, they are driven to drop grains into the beaks of their young. Humans are attached to their children, hoping for support in their old age. Don't you see? This is the whirlpool of attachment, the pit of delusion. And it is all caused by the
power of Mahammaya, the great illusion who makes the entire existence of the world possible. Do not be surprised by this. This Mahammaya is the cosmic sleep, the yoga nidra of Lord Vishnu himself. It is through her that the whole world is deluded. She is so powerful that she can forcibly draw the minds of even the wisest beings and
throw them into this delusion. She is the one who creates this entire universe. When she is pleased, she grants the ultimate liberation. She is supreme knowledge, the cause of our freedom, but she is also the cause of our bondage in the cycle of life and death. She is the sovereign over all lords. The king was intrigued. Venerable
sir, he asked, who is this great goddess you call Mahammaya? How did she come to be? What is her nature, her form, and where did she come from? I wish to hear everything about her. The Rishi replied, she is eternal. The entire universe is her body. By her, all of this is
pervaded. Yet, she appears in many forms to accomplish the work of the gods. Let me tell you her story. At the end of a great cosmic cycle, the universe was nothing but a single vast ocean. The great Lord Vishnu was asleep on the serpent Shisha, lost in his mystic slumber. It was then that two terrible demons, Madhu and Kataba, were born from
the dirt in Vishnu's ears. They were fierce and powerful, and they immediately sought to destroy Brahma, the creator god, who was sitting on a lotus flower that grew from Vishnu's navl. Seeing these two terrifying demons and seeing that Vishnu was deep in sleep, Brahma knew he had to act to awaken the great preserver, Brahma began
to praise Yoganidra, the goddess who resided in Vishnu's very eyes. He extolled the queen of the cosmos, the supporter of the worlds, the cause of creation, preservation and destruction. Brahma praised her saying, "You are the sacred chance, the nectar of the gods, the eternal and imperishable truth. You
are the supreme mother of all divine beings. You bear the universe. You create the world and you protect it, O Davi, and you are the one who consumes it at the end of time. At the time of creation, you are the creative force. During sustainment, you are the protective power. And at the time of
dissolution, you are the destructive power. You are supreme knowledge and great ignorance, great intellect and great delusion. You are the primordial cause of everything. You are the goddess of good fortune, the ruler of all modesty, intelligence, contentment, and peace. Armed with every weapon, you are
both terrible and pleasing, more beautiful than all beautiful things. You are the supreme Ivari beyond all high and low. Whatever and wherever anything exists, real or unreal, all of its power is you who is capable of truly praising you. When you have caused Vishnu, Shiva
and myself to take our embodied forms. Oh Davi, I beg you, bewitched these two powerful demons, Madu and Katavia, let Lord Vishnu be awakened from his sleep and rise to slay these great usheras. Hearing Brahma's heartfelt praise, the goddess of delusion drew herself out from Vishnu's eyes, mouth, nostrils,
arms and heart. She appeared in all her glory before Brahma. Freed from her influence, Lord Vishnu, the master of the universe, awoke. He saw the two evil demons, their eyes red with rage, ready to devour Brahma. Immediately, Lord Vishnu rose and fought them. For 5,000
years, the battle raged. Then the two demons, their minds deluded by the power of Mahammaya, arrogantly said to Vishnu, "We are impressed by your strength. Ask a boon from us." Lord Vishnu replied, "If you are satisfied with me, then my boon is this. You must both be slain by
me now. I need no other boon." Bewitched by Mahammaya, the two demons looked around and saw that the entire world was covered by a single ocean. Thinking they were clever, they told Vishnu, "Slay us at a spot where the earth is not flooded with water." Saying, "So be it." Lord
Vishnu, the wielder of the conchk, discus, and mace, expanded his own thighs to create a vast dry place above the waters. He took them upon his loins, and there with his mighty discus, he severed their hedge. Thus the great goddess Mahammaya appeared when praised by Brahma. And this is just the
beginning of her glory. Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this story, please like this video and subscribe to our channel for more tailies of divine wisdom and power.
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