About Maharaja Agrasen ji
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Genealogy
The Great King Agrasen Maharaj is recognised as the 34th descendant of the Great Emperor Kush Maharaj, son of Lord Rama. This relates him directly to the Bharat and Suryavansh descent. After Lord Rama left His abode on earth, His Kingdom Ayodhya was divided into two parts – Kingdom of the Northern Kaushal and Kingdom of the Eastern Kaushal. The Great Emperor Lav was enthroned to the Kingdom of the Eastern Kaushal and declared his capital Lavnagri which is known as Lahore today. The Great Emperor Kusha was enthroned to the Kingdom of the Eastern Kaushal and declared his capital Kushawati, which is known today as Kushinagar (near Gorakhpur, UP, India). The Suryavansh descent of Lord Rama and the Great Emperor Kush had great religious, righteous, and powerful Emperors such as Atithi, Nishadha, Nala, Nabha, Pundreek, Dhruvansen, Sudarshan, etc.
Samrat Vallabhsen Maharaj, who was the father of Samrat Agrasen Maharaj, was also born in the same descent. According to the great Hindi literator Shri Bhartendu Harishchandra (1850-85), who also belonged to the Agrawal community, the Genealogy of Samrat Agrasen Maharaj is as following.
1. Atithi -> 2. Nishadh-> 3. Nala -> 4. Nabha -> 5. Pundarika -> 6. Kshemandhava -> 7. Dewaneek ->
8. Ahinagu -> 9. Ruru -> 10. Paripatra -> 11. Bala -> 12. Uktha -> 13. Vajranabh -> 14. Shankh ->
15. Vyusitasva I -> 16. Vyusitasya II -> 17. Hiranyabha -> 18. Pusya -> 19. Dhruvasandhi -> 20. Sudarshan -> 21. Agnivarna -> 22. Shighra -> 23. Maru -> 24. Prasusurita -> 25. Susandhi -> 26. Amarsa ->
27. Mahashwat -> 28. Vishok -> 29. Vishrutavant -> 30. Vishwsaha -> 31. Presnjit -> 32. Vrahtsen ->
33. Vallabhsen -> 34. Agrasen
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Parents of Maharaja Agrasen
Samrat Agrasen Maharaj was born at the beginning of ‘Kaliyug’, nearly 5,200 years ago to Samrat Vallabhsen Maharaj and Queen Bhagwati Devi. The Kingdom of Samrat Vallabhsen in those days was regarded as ‘Ram Rajya’. He was immensely popular in his Kingdom and was greatly loved by his Subjects. There was no family/ person in his Kingdom which may be considered miserable or poor. He was deeply religious, peace-loving, kind, charitable, animal lover, and affectionate to his Subjects.
Samrat Vallabhsen had a younger brother named Prince Kundsen. His army chief was a great warrior Keshi, who was a disciple of Lord Balram. His Kingdom was very powerful and safe. No one could dare to have evil eyes on the Kingdom of Samrat Vallabhsen because of his greatness and great warrior Keshi as his army chief.
Unfortunately, Samrat Vallabhsen and Queen Bhagwati did not have any progeny for long. The Ministers of his Court requested him to marry again as this was the custom among kings of that era to have many queens. Samrat Vallabhsen declined saying that he is the descendent of Suryavansi Lord Rama, who had given us an example of having only one wife. Samrat Vallabhsen and Queen Bhagwati then approached their Spiritual Master, Maharishi Garg Acharya Ji, to guide them appropriately so they may be blessed with child/ children.
Maharishi Garg, also called as Gargacharya, was known as the Spiritual Master of Lord Krishna. The scripture narrates that Maharishi Garg (Priest of Lord Shiva) incarnated on earth on behest of Lord Shiva who told Him that Lord Vishnu would soon incarnate as Lord Krishna, and He is needed to be in Brajbhumi to guide Him in his initial formative days and also arrange eventually His education through the Great Guru Sandipani Ji Maharaj. The father of Samrat Vallabhsen, Samrat Vrahatsen, met Maharishi Garg once in Hastinapur when he was invited to participate in a religious ceremony organised by the Great Bhishma Pitamah of Hastinapur.
Samrat Varahatsen was so impressed by the divine personality of Maharishi Garg that he fell at His feet and requested Him with folded hands to accept him as his disciple and guide him and his Kingdom to a righteous and religious path. On his humble request, Maharishi Garg accepted him as his disciple and became his Spiritual Master. On the advice of Maharishi Garg, after ruling the Kingdom of Pratapnagar for many decades when Samrat Vrahatsen accepted Sanyas, Maharishi Garg enthroned Prince Vallabhsen to the Kingdom of Pratapnagar. Thus, Maharishi Garg continued to be the Spiritual Master of now enthroned Samrat Vallabhsen. Under the guidance of Maharishi Garg, Samrat Vallabhsen united many small Kingdoms and became Emperor of all those Kingdoms including Ballabhgarh.
When Samrat Vallabhsen and Queen Bhagwati approached Maharishi Garg for progeny, He instructed them to worship Lord Shiva together. After several years of penance, Lord Shiva was pleased with Samrat Vallabhsen and Queen Bhagwati Devi and appeared before them. Lord Shiva, being omniscient, understood the desire of Samrat Vallabhsen and Queen Bhagwati Devi, and granted a boon to have two sons. Eventually, the Samrat was blessed with two sons – Prince Agrasen and Prince Sursen.
Maharishi Jaimini narrated to the Great Emperor Janamejaya Ji Maharaj, the son of the Great Emperor Parikshit, as below.
“Queen Bhagawati Devi begot a son from the great human soul Vallabhasen. The son was radiant like moon.”
Due to the closeness of Samrat Vrahatsen with the Great Bhishma Pitamah of Hastinapur, his son Samrat Vallabhsen became a good 14 friend of the Pandavas of Hastinapur. The Great Bhishma Pitamah loved King Vallabhsen like his own grandsons. This close friendship with Pandavas also brought Samrat Vallabhsen close to another Maharishi of that era, Maharishi Ved Vyas. Once the demon king Sahashtrarjun destroyed the hermitage of Maharishi Parashar, father of the Maharishi Ved Vyas. Then, on the request of the Great Bhishma Pitamah, Samrat Vallabhsen led the army to defeat Sahshtrarjun and establish the hermitage of Maharishi Parasar. The Scripture narrates that it was a fierce fight between these two which led Sahashtrarjun to flee from the battlefield, and then allowed Samrat Vallabhsen to reestablish the hermit of Maharishi Parasar.
During the reign of Samrat Vallabhsen, the fierce Great War Mahabharata started between two cousins – Pandavas and Kauravas. Both sides sent invitations to all the kings all over the world to participate in this Great War, on their respective sides. Samrat Vallabhsen was the close friend of Pandava Emperor Yudhisthir, so Pandavas sent an emissary to invite him to participate in this Great War Mahabharat on their side, which Samrat Vallabhsen accepted. Samrat Vallabhsen came to Kurukshetra with his army and his son Prince Agrasen to fight on the side of Pandavas.
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Birth & Education of Maharaja Agrasenji
According to the historians, Samrat Agrasen was born in 4250 BC on the first day of Ashwin Shukla Paksha to Samrat Vallabhsen and Queen Bhagwati Devi. This day was the first day of the Navratree, hence Samrat Agrasen Jayanti (Birthday) is celebrated every year on the first day of Navratri. When eleven days passed after birth, the name-giving ceremony was performed. The Chief Brahmin (Purohit) named the child ‘Agrasen’. The word in the name ‘Agra’ was decisively chosen by the Purohit so that the child in his life would cross all the limits of Shastras (Science and Philosophy) and the education of weapons. The word ‘Agra’ denotes the quality as surpassing.
In ancient India, in the interest of true education, it was the practice to send prince/ princess away from home to a Gurukula where everyone, prince/ princess, and ordinary people stayed as equals in the Guru’s Ashram. Keeping the custom, Prince Agrasen, at the age of six, was sent to the hermitage of Guru Maharishi Tandavya. This Ashram was situated near the holy city of Ujjain. During the formative years, Prince Agrasen excelled in physical prowess and intellectual acumen. He was very humble and obedient, tread the path of truthfulness and religiousness under the Guru’s guidance, and completed his education at the age of fourteen. Prince Agrasen learnt about humility and obedience during his education with Guru Tandavya. The Scripture describes that education teaches humility; humility grants deservedness; and deservedness bestows wealth. The wealth should be used to facilitate acts of religiousness (Dharma), which then grants fulfilment. Prince Agrasen was taught means to establish peace and security in his Kingdom and the world to aspire for the welfare of all.
Guru Maharishi Tandavya gave him the education on many aspects of the life of a Kshatriya King. According to Maharishi Jaimini, Prince Agrasen was given the following types of education by Maharishi Tandavya. Advaita Vedanta: This education allowed Prince Agrasen to understand the aim of life and gave him the ability to attain liberation from the cycle of births and deaths (Moksha). Brahma Vidyā: Prince Agrasen learnt the whole ‘Veda Vidya’, together with the Rahasyas, as per Scripture. Prince Agrasen himself stated to the Great Sage Jaimini Ji that he learnt all the six treatises mentioned in the Muņdaka Upanishad, that is - Śikshā (Phonetics), Kalpa (Ritual), Vyākarana (Grammar), Nirukta (Etymology) Chandas (Metrics) and Jyotisha (Astrology). By ‘Rahasyas’, he meant the esoteric treatises, the Upanishads, and the secret explanations of the Vedas. God-Realization: Prince Agrasen described this as ‘Aparā-Vidyā’ and spiritual knowledge as ‘Parā-Vidyā’. Astra (Weapons) Vidya: Prince Agrasen became proficient in all types of weaponry education during his stay at Gurukul. Prince Agrasen said, “I understood through my Great Guru Maharishi Tandavya Ji that the Vedic Sanatan Dharma is the oldest culture and true religion. I understood the importance of Gurukul education and the parampara (Guru Lineage) of the Guru and Disciple relationship. As a student in the Gurukul, I paid full attention to the teachings of my Revered Guru.”
According to Maharishi Jaimini, Samrat Agrasen Ji Maharaj told that Guru Maharishi Tandavya gave him the knowledge of the following celestial weapons based on the ‘Rig Veda’, on how to defend self from their attack, and how to use them.
1. Hiranyastra: Astra of Indra's Vajra. Hiranyastra is the metallic thunderbolt golden Astra. Effulgent with strong teeth, it has the power to destroy enemies with its golden rage.
2. Marutastra: Weapon of the Maruts. This is armed with daggers of wisdom, spears, quivers, arrows, and auspicious bows.
3. Vidyastra: Weapon of Intellect. This gives wisdom as a father gives wisdom to his sons.
4. Agni Astra: The weapon of Fire. This consumes the wisdom of enemies and takes away all troubles and difficulties. This has the power to destroy enemies and take through all difficult situations - material, spiritual, physical, and astral.
5. Brahma-astra: The Weapon of Self-Wisdom. This is as powerful as Surya, the Sun God.
6. Vira Jayastra: Weapon of Heroes for Victory over Enemies - Demonic, Human, and Animate. This weapon is the conqueror of the Universe, the conqueror of the Self, the winner of wealth and conqueror in battlefields, etc.
7. Indrastra: Weapon of Indra. This is astra of Lord Indra. There is no equal to this Astra.
8. Asurastra: Weapon to Destroy Demons. This destroys the demonic enemies.
9. Pramohana-astra: Weapon to Induce Sleep. This induces sleep to the enemies on the battlefield.
10. Ghoradevi-astra: Wrathful Weapon of the Goddess. This is the celestial Ghora (Frightening) astra. This is the destroyer of the obstruction.
11. Pashupata-astra: Weapon of Pashupati or Rudra. By worshipping the Lord of the three worlds (Tryambakeshwar), this Astra brings prosperity.
12. Shakti-astra: Weapon of Power or Indra's Shakti. This destroys the impregnable cities of the devils.
13. Chakrastra: The Chakra Weapon. This is a chakra weapon radiated from the God Sun and can kill all enemies.
14. Ashwini-shakti-astra: Weapon with Mystical Powers (or Siddhis). This gives a high spirit on the battlefield.
15. Kavacha mantra: Mantra of Armoury (Kavacha). This ‘Brihaspati Astra’ protects from fear and harm.
After completing his education at the age of 14, he returned to his Kingdom Pratapnagar and was declared as ‘Crown Prince’ by Samrat Vallabhsen. In his role as heir to the throne of Pratapnagar Kingdom, he supported the daily royal duties of Samrat Vallabhsen, his father. He focused on the national pride, unity, and allegiance and bringing people together across all sections of society, representing stability and continuity, highlighting achievement, and emphasising the importance of service by encouragement and example.
In addition to the other important royal duties of the Kingdom, he was appointed as in charge of the army by the King. His great knowledge of weaponry during his education at Gurukul of Maharishi Tandavya was highly beneficial in strengthening his army and introducing new weaponry systems. When the Crown Prince Agrasen attained the age of 16, the Great Mahabharata War was declared between two cousins – the Pandavas and Kauravas, for the throne of Hastinapur. As stated above, Maharaja Yudhisthira, the Pandava Emperor, invited Samrat Vallabshsen to fight on his side as he was his close friend. King Vallabhsen accepted the invitation and got ready to go to the Kurukshetra battlefield with his Crown Prince Agrsen and his army led by the great warrior and chief of the army (Senapati) Kesi. Samrat Vallabhsen though agreed to take Crown Prince Agrasen with him to the battlefield but did not want him to participate in the War.
Maharaja Vallabhsen said, “Dear son Agrasen, it is against the religion and rules of the Court for you to fight as you are only 16 year old and too young to fight.” However, Queen Bhagawati embraced her son and permitted to participate in this Great War Mahabharata which was being fought between two cousins - the Pandavas and Kauravas, for the protection of religion and truth. Mother, Queen Bhagwati (Vidarbhanandini), spoke as following on seeing the desire of the Crown Prince Agrasen to actively participate in this Great War.
The Crown Prince Agrasen then went to Kurukshetra, the battlefield of the Great War Mahabharta, with his father and the army. As the history narrates, he fought very bravely on each day of the Great War alongside with Abhimanyu, the son of Great Pandava Arjun.
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10th Day of Mahabharata
On the tenth day of the Mahabharata War, the Pandavas placed Shikhandi as the head of a division of the army to fight with Great Bhishma Pitamah, protected by Arjuna, Bhima and Vallabhsen. Behind them were the five sons of Draupadi, Abhimanyu, and Agrasen. The other great warriors (Maharathis) that were supporting them were Satyaki, Chekitana, Dhristadyumna, Virata, Drupada, the five Kaikeya brothers, Dhrishtaketu, and Uttamaujas. The Kauravas, placing Great Bhishma Pitamah in their forefront, prepared for the battle. Behind Great Bhishma Pitamah were Dhritarashtra's sons and supporting them were Dronacharya, Ashvatthama, Bhagadatta, Kripa, Kritavarman, Sudakshina, Jayatsena, Shakuni and Brihadvala. These were followed by millions of soldiers eager for battle.
The two armies rushed at each other, and the clash of weapons and armor was uproarious. Shikhandi assaulted the Grandsire and released three arrows that pierced Great Bhishma's chest. Grandfather Bhishma did not return any weapon but destroyed Shikhandi's supporting troops like a forest fire consuming trees. Great Bhishma Pitamah refused to fight with Shikhandi. Even though Shikhandi deluged Great Bhishma with arrows, the Grandsire would not fight with the son of Drupada. He addressed Shikhandi, "Whether you chose to strike me first or not, I will never fight with you. You are a woman by birth, and I will never challenge the one who was born as a woman and later changed the sex."
"I know that you can decimate the Kshatriya race," Shikhandi replied, "and that you have even defeated the mighty Parashurama. Despite this fact, I will fight with you and slay you. Whether you choose to strike me or not, you will not escape with your life. O Great Bhishma, prepare yourself for the next world." Ignoring Shikhandi, Great Bhishma began to rout the Somakas and the Shrinjayas. Fighting with all his energy, he killed ten thousand elephants and ten thousand horsemen as well. On this day, the Grandsire killed two hundred thousand foot soldiers. Even though this slaughter was going on, the Pandavas however, did not waver in the battle. They came forward with upraised weapons desiring to kill Great Bhishma.
Beholding Great Bhishma's prowess, Arjuna requested Vallabhsen, "Fight with Great Bhishma. Do not feel the slightest fear for your life. I am behind you". Following Arjuna's request, Vallabhsen, followed by Dhristadyumna, Abhimanyu, and Agrasen, rushed at the Grandsire releasing their powerful weapons. On this day, Great Bhishma was causing a slaughter of the Somakas and the Shrinjayas. Vallabshsen and Arjuna, both were taking away the lives of hundreds and thousands of chariot fighters, horsemen and infantry. So great was the bloodbath on both sides that it was hard to tell which side would become victorious. Great Bhishma was scorching Vallabhsen and the Pandava army.
The Great Bhishma fixed his attention on slaying the Somakas, the Shrinjayas, and Vallabhsen. He single-handedly killed ten thousand elephants and seven great rathas amongst the Panchalas and the Matsyas. He then sent to Yamaraja's abode ten thousand horsemen and five thousand foot soldiers. Having thinned the ranks of the Pandava army, Great Bhishma then killed Sahtanika, the brother of Virata. Whoever followed Partha, was sent by Great Bhishma to the other world.
The Great Bhishma was achieving the most glorious feats on this tenth day of the Kurukshetra war. No one could stand before the Grandsire as he released his weapons. The King of the Panchalas, Drupada, Dhristadyumna, Nakula, Sahadeva, Virata, Abhimanyu, Agrasen, Satyaki, the sons of Draupadi, Ghatotkacha, Bhima and Kuntibhoja were sinking in the ocean of the Grandsire. Coming to save them was then Vallabhsen. He encouraged them and, in their presence, he killed hundreds of Great Bhishma's supporting soldiers. Then all together the great adhirathas and the maharathis of the Pandava army attacked Great Bhishma hoping to kill him. Keeping Shikhandi in front of them, they pierced Great Bhishma with hundreds of arrows. Shikhandi continued piercing Great Bhishma, but the Grandsire ignored him and penetrated through the enemy ranks. Vallabhsen attacked Ganga's son. The Great Bhishma was furious and took up a dart, and with all his might hurled it at Vallabhsen. Vallabhsen was seriously wounded by the attack of Great Bhishma Pitamah.
On hearing the death of his beloved father Vallabhsen, the Crown Prince Agrasen was deeply hurt. Then Lord Krishna consoled him and narrated his great courageous fight with the Grandsire. Lord Krishna told Agrasen that Maharaj Vallabhsen should be remembered as a great martyr and he should not be lamented. He died for the cause of religion and truth, and will be remembered till the earth exists. That Great War Mahabharata was finished ultimately in eight more days. Prince Agrasen continued to fight on the side of Pandavas for the next eight days after the death of his father.
After the Great War Mahabharata was over and the Emperor Pandava Yudhishthira was enthroned to the Kingdom of Hastinapur, he specially called Prince Agrasen to his court (Darbar) and honoured Prince Agrasen saying: “I have seen the war skills of Agrasen on the battlefield of the Great War Mahabharata. I have observed his strength, fighting skills, and morals. Even when the wrath was ruling his mind due to the death of his father, then also he spared the life of those warriors praying for mercy and did not attack hundreds of unarmed soldiers. Agrasen is a true Dharmaveer (a true follower of justified war face) in real sense.”
With Lord Shri Krishna’s good wishes and blessings, and love of the Pandavas, the teenager Crown Prince prepared himself to return to his Kingdom. Then Lord Krishna requested Maharishi Garg to look after him and provide him all spiritual and materialistic guidance for his great success in his future.
Maharishi Garg spoke,” Agrasen is very dear to me. His grandfather became my disciple. I guided both his grandfather and father to great glory. Sure, I will guide him now to attain the best in his life, both spiritually and materialistically. Now he should return to his Kingdom. Unfortunately, he may have to face the worst on his return to the Kingdom. He is a Kshatriya and disciple of Maharishi Tandavya. I bless him that he would not be disappointed, and sure come out from this misery. I will wait for him to come to my Ashram for further guidance.”
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Return, Imprisonment and the Escape
As stated above, when Samrat Vallabhsen with his Crown Prince Agrasen and army led by the chief of army Kesi went to participate in the Great War Mahabharat in favour of Pandavas, Samrat Vallabhsen trusting his younger brother prince Kundsen, asked him to take care of the Kingdom in his absence. When Kundsen heard that Samrat and army chief Kesi both had attained martyrdom on the tenth day of the Great War Mahabharata, he declared himself as the king of Pratapnagar. King Kundsen and his sons were very wicked, irreligious, cruel, and selfish. King Kundsen became a tyrant and dictator of the Kingdom. He did not care about his Ministers and Subjects' emotions and feelings and started treating them as objects to realise his selfish means. He started killing all the people who opposed him and who were faithful to Samrat Vallabhsen. He imprisoned the Queen Bhagwati Devi, and when the Crown Prince Agrasen returned to the Kingdom after being victorious in the Great Mahabharata War, he ordered his newly appointed army chief to imprison him.
The Scripture says that the great warrior Prince Agrasen was very capable of defending himself from this imprisonment and kill the soldiers imprisoning him. He knew the use of great powerful Celestial weaponry systems, but he did not fight because he thought that his misadventure might harm his mother. Both mother and son were having a difficult time in prison. Then unfortunately mother Bhagwati Devi, who was already in shock after the death of her husband, fell seriously sick in the prison. The Rajvaidya (Royal Physician) begged the king Kundsen to kindly transfer her to his Vaidyshala (Ayurvedic hospital) where he could look after her well for her recovery. Somehow king Kundsen allowed this and also allowed Prince Agrasen to accompany her to Vaidyshala to serve his mother. He heavily guarded Vaidyshala by his trusted 10 strong soldiers so that neither the mother nor the son might escape. A trusted army officer, faithful to the late great king Vallabasen, Shri Sumit then came to their rescue.
Maharishi Jaimini described the condition of the room of Vaidyshala to the great Emperor Janamejaya Ji where both the mother Bhagwati Devi and Prince Agrasen were kept by the wicked uncle, King Kundsen. They were held in a windowless room that held little promise for penetration. When the winter season approached, however, he allowed the door of the room to remain open so that heat generated by the wood fire in the adjacent hall may enter this tiny room to keep both mother, Bhagwati Devi and her son Prince Agrasen warm and alive.
Sumit ji prepared an escape plan. First, he organised a chariot with strong and fast running horses. For several weeks prior to the day of escape, every afternoon this chariot driven by a coachman visited the Vaidyshala. It carried a Minister and his wife who were faithful to the late Great Emperor Vallabhsen, but apparently also gained the trust of king Kundsen. They used to alight and enter the Vaidyashala as if to enquire if the prisoners were well guarded and no chance of their escape existed, and would then return and depart about fifteen minutes or so later. As the weeks passed, the soldiers guarding grew accustomed to the presence of the handsome carriage and ceased to notice it.
Under the guidance and plan of Sumit Ji, several faithful Subjects of the late Emperor Vallabhsen occupied houses close to the Vaidyshala to maintain a clear view of the escape route. It was agreed that if all would go well, one of them would play harmonium near the house’s open window on the day of escape. If trouble were afoot, however, the music would cease.
On one afternoon the escape unfolded with precision. First, Sumit Ji and his friends hired all the chariots nearby the Vaidyshala on the pretext of attending a wedding party to deprive the soldiers guarding or authorities of a means of any speedy pursuit. Then, the chariot with the Minister and his wife arrived as usual. Both the Minister and his wife went to the room where the mother Queen Bhagwati Devi and Prince Agrasen were kept as prisoners. They brought with them new clothes similar to them hidden in a bag and asked mother Queen Bhagwati Devi and Prince Agrasen to quickly dress like them.
As this was occurring another faithful person, dressed like a peasant, sat down on the curb and began to eat berries from his bag to observe the disarming of the soldiers and communicate progress to those in the houses near the Vaidyshala. It was planned that if he threw his berry stones to the right, the army men had been disarmed, if to the left, the attempt was still in progress.
Concurrently, a young man faithful to the Emperor Vallabhsen, dressed as high official approached the soldiers and asked whether he knew of a particular named resident living somewhere in the nearby area. The soldiers could not deny his request as he appeared to be a high official of the Administration, so a couple of them accompanied him to find out the residence of the desired person asked by the high official. After reaching a bit far, at a safe distance, these two army men were killed by this disguised officer.
Then another faithful disguised as an intoxicated peasant entered the stable of the horses of the Vaidyshala and gave horses an intoxicating herb with fodder. This was to make horses sleep and inactive during the escape. He also started shouting that the horses are looking sick. Hearing his loud voice, a couple of the soldiers rushed to the stable to see what is going on. Hidden at a place, this faithful killed both of these soldiers.
Mother Queen Bhagwati Devi and Prince Agrasen then left the room hurriedly and came to the Vaidyshala gate where Chariot was waiting for them. In a house near the street, a harmonium began to play then indicating all is going well as per plan.
Now both the mother Queen Bhagwati Devi and Prince Agrasen quickly drove into the carriage with Sumit Ji with a club in their hands, in case they might need to fight with other soldiers or faithful of the king Kundsen. The chariot then ran with fast speed.
Eventually, the chariot reached the Ashram of Maharishi Garg near Ishtwati River. Thus, mother Queen Bhagwati Devi and Crown Prince Agrasen escaped from the imprisonment of the cruel uncle king Kundsen. Maharishi Garg welcomed both of them and assured that the Crown Prince Agrasen will get back his Kingdom soon and will be enthroned as the King of Pratapnagar. Prince Agrasen worshipped the holy feet of the Spiritual Master Maharishi Garg.
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Prayer to Goddess Lakshmi and New Kingdom
Maharishi Garg instructed Prince Agrasen to meditate and invoke Mother Goddess Lakshmi. Maharishi Garg instructed Prince Agrasen to meditate and invoke Mother Goddess Lakshmi.
Pleased with the prayer and devotion of the Prince Agrasen, Mother Goddess Lakshmi appeared before the Prince and gave him a boon that She will always be present in his descent. She told the prince that at the place of his meditation there was a hidden treasure of gold. She said, “This is the treasure of the great Emperor Maru, 23rd descent of great Emperor Kush and your ancestor, who performed great Ashwmedh Yagya. During his reign, there was a great earthquake, and his treasure was buried here. You may dig it now and use it to establish a new Kingdom according to the instructions of your Spiritual Master Maharishi Garg.”
With the guidance of the Guru Maharishi Garg and the help of disciples of Maharishi, the Prince Agrasen established a new city Agranagar and established his new Kingdom.
This was a city of dreams, Maharishi Jaimini narrates to the great Emperor Janamejaya. The buildings were made of sandstone with dark wooden linings. The charming city was enclosed by a fortification wall with precious stones of various kinds, and contained many beautiful houses, crossroads, bazaars, lovely streets, and lanes, and was decorated in every way. The city had multitudes of elephants, horses and mules, chariots, and the troops of soldiers. Groves and orchards, gardens and parks, lakes, and wells looked charming. There roared mighty wrestlers endowed with huge mountain-like forms. They grappled with one another in many ways, in different courts, and challenged one another to a duel.
After being enthroned on this new beautiful Kingdom of Agranagar by Maharishi Garg Acharya ji, the expansion of the Kingdom of Samrat Agrasen did not stop here. He conquered many small states/ kingdoms and granted democratic rights to their citizens. These small kingdoms included Hisar, Hansi, Tosam, Sirsa, Narnol, Rohtak, Panipat, Jind, Kathal, Meerut, Saharanpur, Jagadhari, Nabha, Amritsar, Alwar, Udaipur, etc. He also invaded his parental Kingdom Pratapnagar and defeated king Kundsen.
Samrat Agarsen established a democratic system of the Kingdom. He formed a government in which the people had an important role in the appointment of Ministers and choosing their governing legislation. He allowed freedom of speech to each of his citizens, gave equality to them, and looked after the welfare of his citizens by himself. The political system of his Kingdom granted democratic rights to the citizens and there were no slaves in his Kingdom. The women were also included in political participation.
He continued to invite new migrants to his Kingdom from nearby states/ kingdoms. Maharishi Garg gave a new title ‘Vaishya’ to the new migrants arriving in this new Kingdom. The word ‘Vaishya’ is derived from the Sanskrit language, which means ‘Migrant”. He commenced a custom to provide one brick and one gold coin to each migrant family by himself and from each household of his Kingdom. It is estimated that there were one hundred thousand households in his Kingdom. So when any new migrant family arrived, in his Kingdom, the family was greeted by the King himself, and given one brick and one gold coin by each family of his Kingdom, thus having a hundred thousand bricks to build their own home, and one hundred thousand gold coins to commence their livelihood
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Marriage
The Spiritual Master Maharishi Garg advised Samrat Agrasen to marry Princess Madhavi, daughter of the King Nagraj Mahidhar of Manipur. Once Maharishi Garg on his usual visit to Eastern India, came to the Kingdom of Samrat Nagraj Mahidhar of Manipur.
The King Nagraj Mahidhar welcomed Maharishi from his heart and worshipped him. The young Princess Madhavi bowed to His lotus feet. The King Nagraj Mahidhar, with his folded hands, requested Maharishi,“O Maharishi, you are omniscient and travel all the world to various kingdoms. Sure, you know which one is the right groom for my beautiful daughter. Please advise me.”
Maharishi then spoke to the King Nagraj Mahidhar, “Oh great King, though there may be numerous princes/ grooms seeking hand of your beautiful daughter all over the world, but none can match Samrat of Agroha, King Agrasen. He is blessed by the Goddess of Wealth, Mother Lakshmi Herself who appeared before him and has now established great Kingdom Agroha in Northern India by Her blessings. He also pleased Lord Shiva by his prayers and got boon of being victorious.”
On hearing these sweet words from the Maharishi Garg, the beautiful Princess Madhavi fell in love with Samrat Agrasen Maharaj. Maharishi Garg advised King Nagraj Mahidhar to organise a ‘Swayamvar’ for his daughter and invite all the kings all over the world to participate including Samrat Agrasen from Agroha. Let Princess Madhavi choose her husband and garland Samrat Agasen in front of all the kings.
On the advice of the Maharishi Garg, Samrat Nagraj Mahidhar organised ‘Swayamvar’ for her daughter and invited all the kings from all over the world including Samrat Agrasen. Samrat Agrasen, as instructed by his Spiritual Master Maharishi Garg, participated in the ‘Swayamvar’ of the most beautiful Princess Madhavi. Many kings from all around the world attended the same including Indra, the King of the Devas. In the Swayamvar, Princess Madhavi chose King Agrasen by garlanding him. This marriage merged two different family cultures because King Agrasen was a Suryavanshi and Princess Madhavi was a Naagavanshi.
Indra, the King of the Devas, was smitten by the beauty of the Princess Madhavi and had planned to marry her. Hence, he became very jealous and angry with King Agrasen for ruining his plans. To take revenge Indra, also known as the ‘Lord of Rain’, made sure that the Agroha Kingdom did not receive any rainfall. Thus famine struck the Kingdom of Agroha. Samrat Agrasen then waged war against Indra and forced him to flee the battlefield. Maharishi Garg described that since Samrat Agrasen was representing Dharma, and Lord Shiv and mother Goddess Lakshmi were on his side, his army was able to vanquish the forces of mightly Indra and forced them to flee the battlefield. Faced with this embarrassing situation, Indra approached Devarishi Narada (the Celestial Sage) for mediation between him and Samrat Agrasen. Devarishi Narada then negotiated peace between them.
Samrat Agrasen became concerned with maintaining a long-lasting peace to end the enmity. So the King Agrasen went to the city of Kashi with his Queen Madhavi and started penance to propitiate Lord Shiva. Pleased with the severe penance of Samrat Agrasen, Lord Shiva appeared before him and gave a boon of long-lasting peace.
It is worth noting the kindness of Samrat Agrasen and Queen Madhavi. During the famine, they opened the doors of their store of food to the public. Once Queen Madhavi came to know that the chief royal cook had saved some store of food for the royal family. She called the chief royal cook and asked him to release all the food. She told the chief royal cook that the King and the Queen of the Kingdom are like parents to the Subjects of the Kingdom. The parents feed their children even at the cost of their own hunger. So, you should not save any food for the royal family. The historians have noted that the King and the Queen also did fasting for several days during the famine.
It is described in the history that when the Great Emperor Dharmaraj Yudhisthira of Hastinapur came to know about famine in Agroha, he instructed his brother Bhimsen to take 1,000 carts full of grains to the Kingdom of Agroha as a goodwill gesture. The great Bhimsen was welcomed in the Agroha Kingdom with open arms by Samrat Agrasen, as he used to call him uncle.
With the blessings of Lord Shiva, Samrat Agrasen toured all of Bharat (India). During his travels, at one place in the forest, he found few tigers and wolf cubs playing together. King Agrasen and Queen Madhavi considered this an auspicious indication for peace and returned to their Kingdom Agroha.
In due course, Agroha became one of the most prosperous and powerful Kingdom. The influence of Samrat Agrasen was felt in all neighbouring kingdoms as well. The trade, agriculture, and industry flourished and the fame of King Agrasen spread far and wide.
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Family Life and Eighteen Yagnas
Samrat Agrasen lived with his righteous and religious Queen Madhavi in the capital city of the Agroha Kingdom, Agranagar. It is described that Queen Madhavi was actively participating in the royal duties of the Kingdom with Samrat on all occasions.
On the advice of the Spritual Master Maharishi Garg, Maharaja Agrasen started worshiping Lord Shiva again to get a boon from Him to provide an unended prosperity to his Kingdom. Seeing his great devotion, the pleased Lord Shiva appeared and suggested King Agrasen to worship Goddess Mahalakshmi to bring an unended prosperity to his Kingdom. Maharaja Agrasen followed the advice and meditated and worshipped Goddess Mahalakshmi again.
It is described in the Scripture that the Goddess Mahalakshmi, pleased by his devotion, appeared to bless him and granted a boon that there will not be any scarcity of food, wealth and prosperity in his Kingdom and among his Subjects. It is described in the Scripture that the Goddess Mahalakshmi, pleased by his devotion, appeared to bless him and granted a boon that there will not be any scarcity of food, wealth and prosperity in his Kingdom and among his Subjects. During 18th Yagna, when Samrat Agrasen saw a horse struggling to go to the sacrificial altar, his heart was filled with pity and he felt very bad for the sacrificial system of horses in the Yagna.
Thinking that there is no rationale of such prosperity in which the innocent and mute animals need to be sacrificed, he got stuck with the idea of non-violence. Samrat Agrasen shared his thought with his Ministers. His Ministers, however raised a vital point that since Yagna was the symbol of prosperity, the neighbouring kings could take his decision of non-violence as a sign of his weakness and may attack his Kingdom. But Samrat Agrasen convinced them and firmly stuck to his point of non-violence. He proclaimed that his Kingdom would no more witness any kind of cruelty against the animals and no animal sacrifices would be carried out in his Kingdom.
According to Bharatendu Harishchandra, the 17 Yagnas by Samrat Agrasen, each performed by a Maharishi, gave seventeen clans (Gotras) and eighteenth Yagna, which was performed with nonsacrifice of the animal gave half Gotra (as this was considered half completed. The following is the list of 18 Gotras and the Maharishis conducting each Yagna.
1. Garg – Maharishi Garg Acharya
2. Goyal – Maharishi Gobhil
3. Bansal – Maharishi Vatsa
4. Kansal – Maharishi Kaushik
5. Singhal – Maharishi Shandilya
6. Mangal – Maharishi Mangal
7. Jindal – Maharishi Jaimini
8. Tingal – Maharishi Tandavya
9. Eran – Maharishi Orvya
10. Dharan – Maharishi Dhomya
11. Tayal – Maharishi Mudgal
12. Bindal – Maharishi Vashishtha
13. Mittal – Maharishi Maitreya
14. Kutchal – Maharishi Kashyap
15. Bhandal – Maharishi Katyayan
16. Nangal – Maharishi Nagendra
17. Madhukul – Maharishi Shakalya
18. Goyan – Maharishi Gautam
Samrat Agrasen ruled Agroha for 108 years. After that, with the blessings of Spiritual Master Maharishi Garg Acharya, he took Sanyas. It is described in the Scripture that he was given a boon of immortality by the Spiritual Master Maharishi Garg. He is still considered to be alive and lives in Kailash Parvat with the Lord Shiva and his Spiritual Master Maharishi Garg.
Whenever there is qualm in the life, if you pray and hear sacred life stories of Samrat Agrasen, you will get peace. Maharishi Jaimini said, “The life stories of Samrat Agrasen provides peace and relieve from all the spiritual and materialistic problems.”
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Teachings of Maharaja Agrasen
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Basis of Universal Peace and Blissful life
Samrat Agrasen taught us the aim of human life. He emphasised that the birth in human life is obtained after millions of births and deaths in different Yonis. Once one gets the human life, the aim is the perfection to acquire Satchitanand (the great heavenly pleasure) and become part and parcel of God. In each phase of his life, Samrat Agrasen has presented a rightful way of behaviour, physical and mental to acquire temporal and celestial bliss.
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Founder of Equality
The concept of “Equality” was taught to us by Samrat Agrasen. According to Maharishi Ramgopal Bedil Ji, he gave the message of equality and humanity to the whole world. Samrat Agrasen taught us to be kind and charitable to everyone, especially those who are poor. Samrat Agrasen emphasised that a charitable person is very much liked by God. Samrat Agrasen emphasised that the well-to-do people of the society should look after the welfare of those people of the society who are intelligent but because of bad luck or lack of opportunities cannot earn sufficient money for the family. They may not ask for your help because of their self-respect, but it is your duty to help such people of society. To set this example, Samrat Agrasen asked his sons to help such needy persons without any distinction of race, caste, and status, etc.
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A proponent of Women Dignity