Vishnu Puran (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Vishnu Puran is an Indian television series directed by B.R. Chopra
. It aired in 2003. It is based on the Vishnu Purana
, an ancient collection of stories and scripture. Vishnu Puran tells of 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu
, as well as other stories, such as the Legend of Dhruva
.
The chief roles are played by Nitish Bharadwaj
as Vishnu
and Vaidehi as Lakshmi
. Nitish Bharadwaj previously played the role of Vishnu's eighth incarnation, Lord Krishna
, in Chopra's television adaptation of the epic Mahabharat
. The music is composed by Rajkamal who also worked on Mahabharat. Even though Vishnu Puran did not prove to be as successful as Mahabharat, it did become popular among Shri Vishnu devotees and Nitish Bharadwaj fans.
and god Shiv the destroyer
. On Vishnu's orders, Brahma creates the world and the first humans, [Nitin Rajak (Hinduism)|Monu]and Niharika
, who wander in the pristine nature and fall in love.----
. Surichi throws Dhruv off his father's lap and Uttanpad fails to intervene. Surichi tells the unhappy boy that no one but Lord Vishnu the supreme god can grant him the power to sit on his father's lap now.
Episode 3: Dhruv leaves the palace in search of Vishnu. Lakshmi pleads with Vishnu to protect Dhruv, and takes matters into her own hands by manifesting as a snake to save the child from a gang of dacoits. Manu gives Uttanpad a talking to and Uttanpad and Suniti reconcile and search for their son. Sage Narada
, sent by Vishnu, guides Dhruv to the forest and gives him a mantra
to chant.
Episode 4: The Goddess Parvati
, at Lakshmi's request, protects Dhruv by sending her tiger to guard the child from wild beasts. Dhruv asks Narada for further guidance and on his advice, gives up eating and drinking. Lord Vishnu tells Lakshmi, however, that he cannot come down to the world for just one person. Meanwhile, the king of the devas
, Indra
, fears Dhruv may ask Vishnu for Indra's throne. Indra sends the apsara
Rakshita disguised as Dhruv's mother, but Dhruv does not even notice her.
Episode 5: Uttanpad is miserable and Indra's attempts to frustrate Dhruv's penance fail. Dhruv begs Narada for further advice and, obeying his guru's instructions, stops breathing. The entire universe stands still. Now that just more than one person is affected, Vishnu appears before Dhruv.
Episode 6: Dhruv asks Vishnu why his father didn't let him sit on his lap. Vishnu takes Dhruv on his own lap and heals his burns and hunger. Dhruv's questions disappear; he feels completely blissful. Lord Vishnu instructs Dhruv to return to his people and be an example of an enlightened king. Dhruv returns home and forgives Surichi, because if not for her he would never have found Vishnu. Dharti Ma narrates that sage Kashyapa had three wives, Diti
, Aditi
and Danu
, the mothers of the asuras (demons), devas
(gods) and danavas (monsters or giants or demons), respectively.
, to Brahma, to be passed on to mankind. Hayagriva
, a son of Danu, feels this is unfair to demons and determines to keep the Vedas away from humanity. Brahma is worried that mankind is too evil to receive the Vedas, and goes to consult Shiva about purifying the earth first. While Brahma is away, Hayagriva kidnaps the Vedas (who are in the form of four small boys) and imprisons them in his underwater lair.
Episode 8: Shiva agrees to flood the earth to destroy all evil life and purify it; Brahma can then create humanity anew and give them the Vedas. While Manu is bathing, a tiny fish swims into his hands and begs for protection. Manu takes it home, but it grows to giant size in a single night and he releases it into the ocean, where he realizes the fish is none other than Lord Vishnu. As Matsya
, the fish, Vishnu warns Manu of the coming flood and asks him to save anything important in a boat.
Episode 9: Hayagriva decides to destroy the Vedas but Matsya appears first and kills Hayagriva. Manu and Shatarupa gather plants and animals, deciding to save everything rather than having the pride to think they know what is valuable and what is not. At the last minute, Manu thinks of bringing the seven primordial sages, the Saptarishis
. The deluge. Manu's boat is tossed by the storm but Matsya tows it to safety. After the flood, Vishnu gives the Vedas again to the nine survivors.
Episode 11: Shukracharya, the danava guru, chides his followers for attacking without a plan. He forms a plan of his own: to ask Lord Shiva for the Sanjeevani Mantra
- a mantra that enables one to bring the dead back to life. Indra goes to Shiva to prevent this, but Shukracharya attracts Shiva's attention first and earns the right to attempt Shiva's penance to obtain the mantra: to hang upside down from a tree, without eating, drinking or speaking, and breathing only the smoke of burning leaves, for one year.
Episode 12: Indra is worried when it appears that Shukracharya will succeed. When the apsaras are afraid to try and interrupt the penance, Indra's daughter Jayanti determines to go, against Indra's will.
Episode 13: Jayanti throws chili peppers into the leaf fire and Shukracharya is in agony. However, he does not break his penance. Angry at the sabotage, Shiva ends the trial and grants Shukracharya the Sanjeevani Mantra on the spot. Guilt-stricken, Jayanti offers to marry Shukracharya and serve him to atone for causing him such suffering. He accepts.
Episode 14: The danavas attack the devas and with Shukracharya bringing each dead danava back to life, the devas can't win. They flee and ask Vishnu to help them. Vishnu Bhagwan tells Indra he must churn the ocean
to extract amrita
, the nectar of immortality. This will make the devas and danava even. The catch is, the devas are not strong enough alone to churn the ocean. Indra must obtain the cooperation of the danava.
Episode 15: Indra points out to Shukracharya that when he dies, he won't be able to use the Sanjeevani Mantra on himself and the danava advantage will be lost. Concerned, Shukracharya agrees to help churn the ocean. Both sides agree to share equally whatever they obtain from the ocean, but Shukracharya privately asks the danava Swarbhanu
to make sure the danavas get the amrita. The churning rope will be the serpent Vasuki
; Sage Narada tricks the danavas into getting the head end while the devas grasp the tail.
Episode 16: Vishnu incarnates as Kurma
, the divine turtle, and supports the churn - Mount Mandara
- on his back. The first thing to emerge from the ocean is a lethal poison. Lord Shiva drinks it to save the world, earning the nickname Nilkanth
. Second, goddess Lakshmi emerges from the ocean. The danavas and devas fight over her until Brahma protects her and decrees the eternal right for a woman to choose her own husband.
Episode 17: Brahma holds a Swayamvara
ceremony for Lakshmi to choose her husband. She chooses Vishnu. The churning of the ocean continues and the amrita emerges and is promptly stolen by Swarbhanu. Vishnu appears as Mohini
, a beautiful woman, and dazzles the danavas into inviting the devas to watch them drink the amrita. She gives it to the devas first, however, and there is none left for the danavas. Swarbhanu disguises himself as a deva and receives some amrita, but Vishnu then cuts off his head.
visit Vishnu but are prevented from entering by the gatekeepers Jaya and Vijaya. The saints curse Jaya and Vijaya to be born three times as asuras and to be killed by Vishnu each time. Jaya and Vijaya are born as Hiranyaksha
and Hiranyakashipu
. Hiranyaksha steals the earth and hides it. Vishnu incarnates as Varaha
and kills Hiranyaksha. Hiranyakashipu vows revenge.
Episode 19: To obtain his revenge, Hiranyakashipu does a penance to obtain a boon from Brahma. Indra tries to help Vishnu by disrupting the penance, but every attempt is thwarted by Shukracharya. In desperation, Indra decides to kidnap Hiranyakashipu's wife Kayadhu and kill her unborn son. However, Sage Narada stops Indra and rescues Kayadhu. In his ashram
, Narada chants Vishnu's name to Kayadhu and her unborn son hears it.
Episode 20: Brahma puts off answering Hiranyakashipu's prayers, but is finally forced to do so. Hiranyakashipu asks for immortality, but Brahma says no being can have that. Hiranyakashipu must ask for something else. Hiranyakashipu asks Brahma to make it that he, Hiranyakashipu, cannot be killed by day or by night, inside a building or outside a building, on earth or in heaven, by god or man or animal, or by any weapon. Brahma grants all the boons. Narada tells Hiranyakashipu about the whereabouts of his wife.
Episode 21: Kayadhu says she has never been so happy and asks to stay with Narada until her son is born. Hiranyakashipu agrees and celebrates his boon by declaring himself God and banning the worship of Vishnu. Swarbhanu joins Hiranyakashipu's court. Kayadhu gives birth to a son, Prahlad
, and receives permission to stay with Narada until Prahlad is a little older. Hiranyakashipu makes Narada promise not to say the name "Vishnu" in front of Prahlad.
Narada has taught him. Kayadhu and Prahlad return to the asura kingdom and Hiranyakashipu sends Prahlad to school. At school, Prahlad is shocked to see an idol of his father and refuses to worship it.
Episode 23: Prahlad teaches his classmates about Vishnu. When Prahlad returns to the palace, Hiranyakashipu asks what he has learnt. Prahlad says the school taught false knowledge and Vishnu is the only God. Hiranyakashipu is furious and orders the teachers, Shukracharya's sons Amark and Shund, to correct Prahlad's thinking.
Episode 24: Kayadhu goes to the school and begs Prahlad to say that his father is the only God. Prahlad refuses. He is not afraid. When Prahlad returns to court and again affirms his faith, Hiranyakashipu orders Prahlad to be killed. But the soldier's swords do him no harm. Hiranyakashipu sends Prahlad into exile in the wilderness instead. Swarbhanu follows Prahlad and prevents him from getting any food or drink.
Episode 25: Vishnu releases his Sudarshana Chakra
and chases Swarbhanu away. Prahlad's fellow students find him and bring him food. Hiranyakashipu sends soldiers who throw Prahlad off a mountain. Vishnu catches Prahlad and lays him gently in a grain cart.
Episode 26: The grain cart was making a delivery to Hiranyakashipu's court. Furious at Prahlad's survival, Hiranyakashipu has his son thrown in jail. Swarbhanu attempts to poison Prahlad, but Shiva manifests and drinks the poison.
Episode 27: Hiranyakashipu's sister Singhika
and her husband Viprachitti come for a visit. Singhika demonstrates how she cannot be hurt by fire, thanks to a boon granted to her by Agni
the fire god. Hiranyakashipu enlists Singhika and Viprachitti's help in killing Prahlad. They suggest sending Prahlad to their kingdom, Kamarupa, with a letter. The letter will tell their son Aahlad to throw Prahlad into a snake pit. Aahlad tells Prahlad he will be taken to visit a temple of Vishnu.
Episode 28: Prahlad is locked in the snake pit, where he prays to Vishnu. Kayadhu also prays to Vishnu to protect her son. The Sudarshana Chakra appears in the snake pit and the snakes vanish. Prahlad opens his eyes and sees the idol of Vishnu. Meanwhile, a escaped snake bites Aahlad and he dies. Prahlad is devastated; he prays to Vishnu for his brother's life and Vishnu brings Aahlad back to life.
Episode 29: Hiranyakashipu, Singhika and Viprachitti hear of Aahlad's death and all vow revenge. Prahlad and Aahlad go to the palace together, but Singhika only pretends to be happy and persuades Prahlad to enter the fire with her. Aahlad becomes a Vishnu devotee. Hiranyakashipu declares a festival for the fire trial.
Episode 30: Singhika and Prahlad enter the fire. Sinhika burns, Prahlad is protected. Viprachitti in revenge puts Prahlad in an enchanted sleep and throws him into the ocean, but the ocean god protects Prahlad at Lakshmi's behest. Kayadhu goes to the seashore and pleads with the ocean to return her son.
Episode 31: Lakshmi asks the ocean god to return Prahlad to Kayadhu; he does so. Shukracharya offers to arrange for Prahlad's demise. He wants to invoke the demoness Kritya and orders his sons Shand and Amark to do so.
Episode 32: Shand and Amark perform the Kritya ceremony. The demoness appears but the Sudarshana Chakra again protects Prahlad, so Kritya kills Shand and Amark instead. Shukracharya is devastated. Prahlad chides Shukracharya for being a bad guru and guiding his father Hiranyakashipu into the path of egotism. Prahlad selflessly prays for Vishnu to revive Shand and Amark and they become his disciples.
Episode 33: Hiranyakashipu decides to kill Prahlad himself. He orders his son to embrace a red hot pillar of iron. Brahma begs Vishnu to do something to overcome the boon. Vishnu appears as Narasimha
who is both god and man and animal, and kills Hiranyakashipu at twilight, on the threshold of the palace, suspended in air on his lap, with his bare hands. Brahma, Shiva, Narada and Lakshmi all fail to calm Narasimha down, but it is Prahlad who succeeds.
Episode 34: Prahlad performs his father's last rites after Aahlad refuses. Prahlad will not let Kayadhu commit sati
. Lakshmi loves Prahlad, but Vishnu loves all his children, even the wicked ones such as Shukracharya.
.
Episode 36: Shukracharya sends Virochan hunting, although Prahlad does not approve. During a storm, Virochan saves Sudhanva, son of Sage Angira, from a falling tree. Both are hurt and together they seek shelter at the cottage of Sage Vatsa. Both fall in love with the sage's daughter Deepavali.
Episode 37: Prahlad searches the forest and finds his son. Later, both Virochan and Sudhanva return to the hermitage and propose to Deepavali. When she cannot choose, Virochan draws his sword on Sudhanva and abducts Deepavali, taking her to Shukracharya's ashram.
Episode 38: The Saptarishis inform Prahlad of his sons' actions and Prahlad at once rescues Deepavali, standing up to Shukracharya. When neither Deepavali nor her father can decide between the two boys, her father asks Prahlad to make the decision.
Episode 39: Prahlad asks Sudhanva if he minds Prahlad being the judge. Sudhanva accepts. Kayadhu and Prahlad's wife try to convince Prahlad to decide in Virochan's favour, but Prahlad says Virochan was wrong to have used force and that he decides Deepavali should marry Sudhanva. Virochan humbly admits his wrongs. Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi appear and praise Prahlad.
.
Episode 41: Virochan completes the penance for his safety suggested by Sage Bhrigu and receives from Surya
, the sun god, a protective crown. Bali goes to school. Virochan announces that no gods other than Vishnu may be worshipped, angering Indra. Indra's anger worries Lord Vishnu.
Episode 42: While Virochan is travelling alone, Indra tricks him, drugs him, steals his crown and kills him. Bali, now grown, vows revenge on Indra and attacks heaven alone - and is brutally killed by Indra and the devas. Vishnu is furious with Indra and after making him return Bali's body, washes his hands of the devas forever.
Episode 43: Shukracharya brings Bali back to life with the Sanjeevani mantra and requests that in return, Bali bring him Indra's crown. Bali attacks heaven, captures Indra and the other devas, bans their worship and exiles them to earth.
Episode 44: Aditi appeals to her sister Dhiti in vain for forgiveness for the devas. Lakshmi showers Bali with wealth after he worships her. When Bali hears that the devas are being worshipped on earth, he resolves to conquer earth; Shukracharya is thrilled. At Narada's request, Prahlad tries to convince Bali not to attack earth. Lakshmi also appeals to Bali in vain.
Episode 45: Bali invades earth. Aditi begs Lord Vishnu to forgive her sons and fulfill his promise to be born from her womb. Vishnu incarnates as Vamana
, a little person. Lord Brahma, Saraswati, Lord Shiva, Kashyap, Brihaspati
and the devas attend the birth and bring gifts.
Episode 46: Lord Vishnu explains to Indra that he has incarnated to be a beggar. Shukracharya tries to counter Vishnu's birth by ordering Bali to perform the Ashvamedha
sacrifice. Vamana interrupts the yagna and asks Bali for three steps' worth of land. Bali grants the boon. Vamana grows and covers all three worlds in his steps, with the third one stepping on Bali's head and pushing him deep under the world.
strikes Saint Jamdagni
's son and is summoned to the sage's court.
Episode 48: The Brahmins make Saharsraarjun apologize. Embarrassed, Saharsraarjun gets together with other kings and forms a plan to steal Sage Jamdagni's cows and stop the state grants to the Brahmins. Lord Vishnu promises Lakshmi that he will protect the weak.
Episode 49: The people provide for the Brahmins. The sages court accuse king Saharsraarjun of the theft of the cows. Angry, Saharsraarjun burns Sage Jamdagni's ashram.... over and over again. Lord Vishnu is born as Parshuram
, son of Saint Jamdagni and his wife Renuka.
Episode 50: Saint Jamdagni does not want young Parshuram to learn martial arts, as this is not appropriate for a Brahmin. But Parshuram practices anyway. Parshuram kills four soldiers who chase him into a Shiva temple.
Episode 51: Shiva appears and offers to teach Parshuram for ten years. Saharsraarjun turns on his allies and seizes their kingdoms. Parshuram renounces his caste and sets out for Mount Kailash
, where Shiva accepts him as his pupil. Saharsraarjun meets Ravan, fights him, and takes him prisoner.
Episode 52: Saharsraarjun imprisons Ravan after discovering that Ravan can't be killed. Parshuram undergoes ten years of training. At the end, Shiva gifts him an axe. Renuka goes to reason with Saharsraarjun and he traps her in the palace.
Episode 54: Parshuram obeys his father and beheads Renuka. Jamdagni offers him any boon; Parshuram asks for Renuka to be restored to life. Jamdagni asks Renuka for forgiveness. Parshuram confronts Saharsraarjun but does not kill him after Saharsraarjun's wife asks for mercy. Sage Vaishishnath
visits Jamdagni with the gift-giving cow
, Sushila, and Anamika, her caregiver.
Episode 55: Saharsraarjun's army attacks the hermitage. Parshuram kills them all and Jamdagni tells him to leave. Saharsraarjun offers Ravan his freedom in exchange for defeating Parshuram; Ravan refuses. Shiva instructs Parshuram to free his devotee Ravan.
Episode 56: Parshuram frees Ravan. Saharsraarjun's army search for Parshurarm without success. Sage Jamdagni forbids the ashram students from joining Parshuram's guerilla army. Anamika offers to spread the word and recruit army members from other ashrams.
Episode 57: In order to be free to go out on her mission, Anamika lies and tells Jamdagni and Renuka that she has married Parshuram. Parshuram is angry. Saharsraarjun's four sons in disguise spy on the ashram and covet Sushila. When they try to take her by force, Jamdagni is finally roused and fights them off. Sage Jamdagni apologizes to Parshuram.
Episode 59: Saharsraarjun's queen dies after failing to convince her husband to apologize and end the war. Twenty-one Kshatryia kings joing Saharsraarjun; the Brahmins rally to Parshuram. Saharsraarjun's sons plot to kidnap Anamika. Parshuram gives his army a pep talk.
Episode 60: Saharsraarjun's sons attack Renuka and Anamika. Anamika kills herself rather than be used as a hostage. Saharsraarjun sends his sons away for their protection but Parshuram tracks down and kills them one by one.
Episode 61: Lord Shiva directs Parshuram to kill Saharsraarjun. In a bloodbath, Parshuram kills Saharsraarjun, his sons and his Kshatriya allies.
perpetuates atrocities. Lord Vishnu decides to incarnate as Ram
. There was a King, Dasharatha, who had three wives: Kaushalya, Kaikeyi
and Sumitra
. Dasharatha goes hunting and accidentally kills Shravan.
Episode 62: Parshuram gives his mother Saharsraarjun's sons's heads. She dies unhappy that her son is so vengeful. Saharsraarjun swears vengeance for his sons.
Episode 63: Saharsraarjun tries to draw Parshuram into a trap. Parshuram offers peace in exchange for an apology from Saharsraarjun. Saharsraarjun refuses, Parshuram kills him. Parshuram visits Lord Shiva to return his bow. Shiva asks him to give to either Ravan or Janak
- both are his devotees.
Episode 64: Displeased by Ravan's behaviour, Parshuram leaves without giving him the bow. Pleased by his reception at Janak's court, Parshuram gives the bow to Janak.
Episode 65: Ravan rapes a girl who refuses to marry him. Dasharatha accidentally kills Shravan while hunting and is cursed by Shravan's blind parents.
Episode 66: Dasharatha goes to help Kaipaya beat off an attack by Ravan. When his charioteer is killed, a young man takes the job. The young man turns out to be the king's daughter, Kaikeyi
, in disguise.
Episode 67: Dasharatha defeats Ravan in battle. Kaikeyi saves Dasharatha's life twice, and he offers her two boons that she may have fulfilled any time in the future. Kaikeyi wants to marry Dasharatha and he asks his two queens if they agree.
Episode 68: Dasharatha's guru Sage Vashist arranges the marriage, which takes place. Meanwhile, Ravan continues to persecute sages and Lord Vishnu decides he must incarnate to stop Ravan.
Episode 70: Sage Narada learns a lesson from Lord Vishnu.
Episode 71: Ravan stops his youngest brother Vibhishan from worshipping.
Episode 72: On the advice of his younger brother Kumbhakarna
, Ravan performs penance and asks for a boon.
Episode 73: Lord Vishnu asks Lakshmi to incarnate with him.
Episode 74: Lord Vishnu is born as Ram
. Ravan prepares to attack the devas.
Episode 75: Ravan's son Meghanath
defeats the devas. Laksmi is born as Sita
and is found by Janak as he ploughs the field to stop the famine.
Episode 76: Manthara
, Kaikeyi's servant, makes a failed attempt to kill the child Ram. Ravan taunts the captive devas. Dasharatha asks Sage Vashist to undertake the education of his four sons, Ram
, Lakshman
, Bharat
and Shatrughna
.
Episode 77: Ram asks Sage Vashista for instruction on religion. Janak invites Sage Gautam
to be Sita's teacher.
Episode 78: Sita refuses to be taught by Gautam, because Gautam had unjustly turned his wife Ahalya
to stone.
Episode 79: The narrator, Dharti Ma, recaps Vishnu's incarnations so far.
, a yaksha
demon.
Episode 81: Dasharatha offers to send his army against Tataka, but Sage Vishwamitra asks for Ram alone. But Lakshman, who is inseparable from Ram, goes too.
Episode 82: Tataka attacks Ram with magic; he has to use celestial weapons
to kill her and her sons Subahu and Mareechack.
Episode 83: Janak invites Sage Vishwamitra to Sita's swayamvara
. Vishwamitra brings Ram and Lakshman along. Ram releases Ahalya from Gautam's curse.
Episode 84: Janak imposes a condition on the swayamvara; only those who can lift Shiva's bow will be eligible. Bharat and Shatrughana join Sage Vishvamitra, Ram and Lakshman at the swayamvara.
Episode 85: Ram and Sita meet in a flower meadow and are smitten. Sita prays to Goddess Gauri
. Gauri promises Sita that Ram will be her husband.
Episode 86: Ravan goes to the swayamvara and fails to lift the bow. Ram lifts it easily.
Episode 87: Parshuram is aware of the bow being moved and comes to confront Ram. He is appeased by Lakshman who explains Ram respects Lord Shiva. Wedding preparations begin.
Episode 89: The quadruple wedding takes place and the couples return to Dasharatha's capital, Ayodhya.
Episode 90: Keikeyi is thrilled to see her son Bharat with his wife Mandavi
. Manthara opposes Keikeyi's plan to gift her own jewellery to Sita. Dasharatha wants to retire and crown Ram king. Ram thinks Bharat would be a better choice.
Episode 91: Bharat is summoned to visit Keikeyi's parents, who are ill. The court decides Ram should be king.
Episode 92: Manthara tells Keikeyi that if Ram is crowned instead of Bharat, Keikeyi will be badly treated.
Episode 93: Manthara urges Keikeyi to use her two unfulfilled boons to prevent Ram's coronation.
Episode 94: Keikeyi asks Dasharatha to fulfill her two boons by (1) crowning Bharat and (2) sending Ram into exile for 14 years.
Dasharatha is devastated.
Episode 95: Dasharatha begs Ram to seize the crown anyway, but Ram says as a dutiful son he must help his father keep his promises. Ram asks Keikeyi to bless him.
Episode 96: Sita resolves to accompany Ram into exile. Queen Sumitra wants to persuade Keikeyi to take back her requests, but queen Kaushalya agrees that it is vital to keep a promise.
Episode 97: Lakshman also resolves to accompany Ram into exile. Ram, Sita and Lakshman change into renunciant's clothes.
Episode 98: Lakshman asks his wife Urmila to stay behind so that Lakshman can wholly devote himself to serving Ram. It is a sorrowful parting.
Episode 99: Dasharatha tries to convince Sita and Lakshman to stay behind. Ram promises Keikeyi that he will prevent anyone from rebelling against Bharat as king. Dasharatha never wants to see Keikeyi again.
Episode 101: Ram refuses Sumant's pleas to return. Lord Shiva explains Ram and Dasharatha's actions to Parvati.
Episode 102: Dasharatha dies of grief. Bharat and Shatrughan arrive home and are devastated to hear of their brothers' exile and their father's death. Bharat refuses the crown and decides to bring Ram back.
Episode 103: Bharat finds out his mother and Manthara engineered the whole plot and is devastated. At Sage Vashishth's request, Bharat conducts his father's funeral.
Episode 104: Sita has a bad dream about Ayodhaya. Keikeyi feels guilty for Dasharatha's death. Sumant obeys Dasharatha's last wish and bars Keikeyi from the funeral.
Episode 105: Keikeyi mourns. Ram, Sita and Lakshman visit Sage Bhardwaj
at Prayag, the confluence of the three sacred rivers: Ganges, Yamuna
and Saraswati
.
Episode 106: Bharat asks Keikeyi to come with him in search of Ram. Sita's father Janak hears all the news, including that Bharat has gone after Ram and taken the army. Janak heads after them.
Episode 107: Ram, Sita and Lakshman visit Sage Valmiki
, who is writing Ram's life story
, in Chitrakoot. Lakshman sees Bharat's army and fears at attack. Ram has perfect faith in Bharat's good intentions.
Episode 108: Bharat tells Ram that Dasharatha has died. But Ram insists on keeping his father's promise and refuses to return. Bharat promises to rule as regent only and takes Ram's sandals to place on the throne.
directs Ram to a dwelling place at Panchavati. Ravan's sister Surpanakha
visits her brothers Khar, Dhushan
and Trishira
who live in a nearby forest. Ram kills some rakshasa
demons when he finds them harassing some sages. Curious about this powerful human, Surpanakha visits Panchavati and is smitten with Ram.
Episode 110: A jealous Surpanakha attacks Sita and an angry Lakshman cuts off Surpanakha's nose. Surpanakha returns with her brothers Khar, Dhushan and Trishira and Ram and Lakshman kill all three. Surpanakha tells Ravan who vows revenge and is furious and decides to attack Ram. Ravan asks the magical rakshasa Maricha
to help.
Episode 111: Maricha turns into a golden deer and lures Ram far away, trying to catch it for Sita. Maricha then calls for help and Sita, hearing, sends Lakshman. Sita is now alone and Ravan abducts her, killing Jatayu. As Ravan flies through the air, Sita throw down her jewellery.
Episode 112: At Ravan's island kingdom, Lanka
, Sita is kept prisoner by Trijita and other demons in a grove. Surpanakha is thrilled, but Ravan's mother and others warn Ravan this will cause trouble. Ram and Lakshman search for Sita.
Episode 113: Ram blesses Shabari
, an untouchable saint. Sugreev, a prince of the monkey kingdom
, and Hanuman
, a very strong monkey who is an incarnation of Lord Shiva, find Sita's jewellery and show it to Ram.
Episode 114: Sugreev tells his story: he left his brother king Bali
in a cave, truly thinking that Bali was dead, and took the throne as regent until Bali's son Angad grew up. However, Bali was not dead, and returned angry, beating up Sugreev. Ram kills Bali for his wrong actions. A grateful Sugreev orders his army to find Sita.
Episode 115: Angad, Hanuman and their friend the bear king Jambavantha
meet Jatayu's brother Sampaati, who tells them Sita is across the sea in Lanka. Hanuman leaps over the ocean and locates Sita and befriends Vibhishan. Ravan gives Sita a deadline: marry him in one month or die.
Episode 116: Ravan's youngest son Aksh
attacks Hanuman and is killed. Meghnad takes Hanuman prisoner. Ravan sets Hanuman's tail on fire. Hanuman burns the city of Lanka to the ground.
Episode 117: Hanuman tells Ram about Ravan's deadline. Ram, Lakshman and Sugreev's army reach the seashore. Vibhishan advises Ravan to return Sita, and Ravan throws Vibhishan out. Vibhishan joins Ram and tells him how to cross the sea. The monkey brothers Neel and Nal build a bridge Ram sends Angad as an ambassador to Ravan, in case there is a way to avert war.
Episode 119: The war begins. Meghnad injures Lakshman with a celestial weapon and Hanuman fetches the Sanjeevni herb - along with the entire mountain that it's growing on - to cure Lakshman. Kumbhakarna advises Ravan to return Sita, but goes out to fight when Ravan refuses. Ram kills Kumbhakarna.
Episode 119: Meghnad prays to Lord Shiva for a boon, but does not receive it as Hanuman interrupts him. Lakshman kills Meghnad.
Episode 120: Ram treats Meghnad's body with honour and returns it to Lanka.
Episode 121: Ravan and Ram have their ultimate confrontation. Ram reveals he incarnated to stop Ravan's atrocities. Vibhishan tells Ram the secret of killing Ravan, who can regrow new heads - shoot his navel instead. Ram kills Ravan.
Episode 122: The 14 years are up and Vibhishan, now king of Lanka, lends Ram, Sita and Lakshman his flying chariot so they can return to Ayodhya on the correct day and not worry Bharat.
Episode 123: The exiles joyously return to Ayodhya and Bharat.
, Jaya has spread terror in Mathura. The tyrant Kans had fixed his sister Devaki
's marriage with his friend Vasudeva
. He is informed that God of Death was waiting for this union as Devaki's eighth son will kill him. He imprisons his sister and brother-in-law so that he could kill their sons. Kans kills Devaki's six sons, but Vasudev's first wife Rohini
took away their seventh son. Lord Krishna is born as the eighth son. Kans sends Demon queen Putana
to kill Krishna. Child Krishna sucks out her life. Lord Krishna as child performs Leelas with cowherd friends. Kans goes through nightmares. Krishna kills Kans' elephant Kuwaliyapeed. Krishna appears in various forms in Rangshala. Krishna kills Kans.
Episode 122: Using the scenes from previous volumes, this episode summarizes Lord Vishnu's Ten Incarnations. The first incarnation was as a fish to protect Manu and to punish the demon Hayagriva who had stolen the four Vedas that Brahma had created for the welfare of mankind. Angered with the slaying of Hayagriva, demon Hiranyaksha kidnapped Mother Earth thus endangering the entire human race. This necessitated Vishnu's third incarnation as a Boar. He killed Hiranyaksha and rescued Mother Earth. The menace of demons was increasing specially after their Guru Shukracharya had gained the precious mantra from Shiva for giving new life to dead demons. To grant immortality to gods, it was decided to derive Elixir by churning the ocean. To raise a mountain from the sea for churning, the Lord Vishnu took the incarnation of a Turtle. To avenge the death of his brother, demon Hiranyakashipu gained a boon from Brahma which made his death almost impossible. He banned the devotion of Vishnu on earth and compelled people, including his son, to worship him. To end his atrocities Lord Vishnu made his son Prahlad as his ardent devotee. Hiranyakashipu used various methods to get his son killed. Lord Vishnu took the incarnation of Narasimha to destroy him. To end the arrogance of King Bali, Lord Vishnu took the Vaman Avtar - His fifth incarnation. When Kings began forgetting their duty as administrator and were closing down hermitages and schools then Lord Vishnu incarnated Himself as Parshuram and then the seventh incarnation as Rama. To relieve the world from the injustice of Kans and Kauravas Lord Vishnu took the eighth incarnation as Lord Krishna. And in recent times, when deception was at its zenith when the priests had spread the evils of superstitions in the society, the Lord Vishnu took the ninth incarnation - of Lord Gautama Buddha
- to give a new direction of non-violence to the world. The present era is called Kalyug. In Srimad Bhagvad
the great Sage Vyasa
has said that in the final phase of Kalyug Lord Vishnu shall reincarnate Himself as Kalki
. Thus concludes the sacred Vishnupuran.
Episode 123: This episode uses several important scenes from Dr. B.R. Chopra's Mahabharat
tv serial to depict the importance of women in the Indian mythology. It deals with Rukmini
's marriage to Krishna which highlights a woman's right to have a major say in the selection of her life partner. It also covers the story of Subhadra
's abduction by Arjuna
with the help of Lord Krishna. (This episode is without English subtitles)
Episode 124: This last episode also uses material from Mahabharat tv serial. Krishna drives Arjuna to the middle of the battlefield in his chariot. Arjuna sees the men on the battlefield and tells Krishna, "Winning a kingdom after killing one's own kin is too heavy a price to pay. I prefer to be a beggar if this is the price I have to pay for our throne." Krishna's teaching to Arjuna at the battlefield forms the basis of the Bhagavad Gita
. Unable to satisfy Arjuna's hopeless conscience, Krishna grants divine eyesight to Arjuna and stuns him with his Viśvarūpa
(divine manifestation). Arjuna is consoled and enlightened. He understands that the pure seek the spirit while the impure are trapped in Prakriti (Matter). He agrees to do his duty selflessly, lifts his Gandiva
bow and prepares to fight the Kauravas. (This episode is without English subtitles)
Baldev Raj Chopra
Baldev Raj Chopra was an Indian director and producer of Bollywood movies and television serials...
. It aired in 2003. It is based on the Vishnu Purana
Vishnu Purana
The Vishnu Purana is a religious Hindu text and one of the eighteen Mahapuranas. It is considered one of the most important Puranas and has been given the name Puranaratna...
, an ancient collection of stories and scripture. Vishnu Puran tells of 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
, as well as other stories, such as the Legend of Dhruva
Dhruva
In the Hindu mythology, Dhruva is a devotee of the god Vishnu, who blessed to attain the position of the polar star, also known as Dhruva in Sanskrit. Dhruva was the son of Uttānapāda...
.
The chief roles are played by Nitish Bharadwaj
Nitish Bharadwaj
Nitish Bharadwaj is an Indian actor and former member of the Lok Sabha. He is best known for his portrayal of Lord Krishna in B. R...
as Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
and Vaidehi as Lakshmi
Lakshmi
Lakshmi or Lakumi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity , light, wisdom, fortune, fertility, generosity and courage; and the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm. Representations of Lakshmi are also found in Jain monuments...
. Nitish Bharadwaj previously played the role of Vishnu's eighth incarnation, Lord Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
, in Chopra's television adaptation of the epic Mahabharat
Mahabharat (TV series)
Mahabharat is a successful Indian television series based on the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata. The 94-episode series originally ran from 2 October 1988 to 24 June 1990. It was produced by B. R. Chopra and directed by his son, Ravi Chopra. The music was composed by critically acclaimed music...
. The music is composed by Rajkamal who also worked on Mahabharat. Even though Vishnu Puran did not prove to be as successful as Mahabharat, it did become popular among Shri Vishnu devotees and Nitish Bharadwaj fans.
Vishnu Form on Earth
- Matsya Avatara
- Kurma Avatara
- Narasimha Avatara
- Vamana Avatara
- Parashurama Avatara
- Rama Avatara
- Krishna Avatara
Vishnu creates the universe (episode 1)
Episode 1: The narrator Mother Earth, Dharti Ma, introduces herself to the viewers. After the world ended in fire and flood, only the supreme God Vishnu was left alive. Vishnu recreates the universe, beginning by creating Brahma the creatorBrahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
and god Shiv the destroyer
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
. On Vishnu's orders, Brahma creates the world and the first humans, [Nitin Rajak (Hinduism)|Monu]and Niharika
Niharika
Niharika is female Indian name.Niharika may refer to*Niharika Acharya - TV News Reporter*Niharika Desai - MTV Desi VJ*Niharika Singh - Femina Miss India Earth*Special:Allpages/Niharika all pages beginning with "Niharika"...
, who wander in the pristine nature and fall in love.----
The story of Dhruv (episodes 2-6)
Episode 2: King Uttanpad, Manu and Shatarupa's son, becomes beguiled by his ambitious younger wife Surichi and neglects his elder queen Suniti and her five-year-old son DhruvDhruva
In the Hindu mythology, Dhruva is a devotee of the god Vishnu, who blessed to attain the position of the polar star, also known as Dhruva in Sanskrit. Dhruva was the son of Uttānapāda...
. Surichi throws Dhruv off his father's lap and Uttanpad fails to intervene. Surichi tells the unhappy boy that no one but Lord Vishnu the supreme god can grant him the power to sit on his father's lap now.
Episode 3: Dhruv leaves the palace in search of Vishnu. Lakshmi pleads with Vishnu to protect Dhruv, and takes matters into her own hands by manifesting as a snake to save the child from a gang of dacoits. Manu gives Uttanpad a talking to and Uttanpad and Suniti reconcile and search for their son. Sage Narada
Narada
Narada or Narada Muni is a divine sage from the Vaisnava tradition, who plays a prominent role in a number of the Puranic texts, especially in the Bhagavata Purana, and in the Ramayana...
, sent by Vishnu, guides Dhruv to the forest and gives him a mantra
Mantra
A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation"...
to chant.
Episode 4: The Goddess Parvati
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
, at Lakshmi's request, protects Dhruv by sending her tiger to guard the child from wild beasts. Dhruv asks Narada for further guidance and on his advice, gives up eating and drinking. Lord Vishnu tells Lakshmi, however, that he cannot come down to the world for just one person. Meanwhile, the king of the devas
Deva (Hinduism)
' is the Sanskrit word for god or deity, its related feminine term is devi. In modern Hinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devs in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devs are also the maintainers of...
, Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
, fears Dhruv may ask Vishnu for Indra's throne. Indra sends the apsara
Apsara
An Apsara , also known as Vidhya Dhari or Tep Apsar in Khmer, Accharā or A Bố Sa La Tư , Bidadari , Biradali , Widodari and Apson , is a female spirit of the clouds and waters in...
Rakshita disguised as Dhruv's mother, but Dhruv does not even notice her.
Episode 5: Uttanpad is miserable and Indra's attempts to frustrate Dhruv's penance fail. Dhruv begs Narada for further advice and, obeying his guru's instructions, stops breathing. The entire universe stands still. Now that just more than one person is affected, Vishnu appears before Dhruv.
Episode 6: Dhruv asks Vishnu why his father didn't let him sit on his lap. Vishnu takes Dhruv on his own lap and heals his burns and hunger. Dhruv's questions disappear; he feels completely blissful. Lord Vishnu instructs Dhruv to return to his people and be an example of an enlightened king. Dhruv returns home and forgives Surichi, because if not for her he would never have found Vishnu. Dharti Ma narrates that sage Kashyapa had three wives, Diti
Diti
In Hinduism, Diti is an earth goddess and mother of the Maruts with Rudra. She is also the mother of the Daityas with the sage Kashyapa. She wanted to have a son who would be more powerful than Indra and so she practiced magic and kept herself pregnant for one year. Indra used a thunderbolt to...
, Aditi
Aditi
Aditi in Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language. In the Vedas Aditi is mother of the gods from whose cosmic matrix the heavenly bodies were born...
and Danu
Danu (Asura)
Dānu, a Hindu primordial goddess, is mentioned in the Rigveda, mother of the Danavas. The word Danu described the primeval waters which this deity perhaps embodied. In the Rigveda , she is identified as the mother of Vrtra, the demonic serpent slain by Indra...
, the mothers of the asuras (demons), devas
Deva (Hinduism)
' is the Sanskrit word for god or deity, its related feminine term is devi. In modern Hinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devs in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devs are also the maintainers of...
(gods) and danavas (monsters or giants or demons), respectively.
Matsya Avatara and the theft of the Vedas (episodes 7-9)
Episode 7: Vishnu entrusts the four scriptures, the VedasVedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
, to Brahma, to be passed on to mankind. Hayagriva
Hayagriva
Hayagriva is a horse-headed deity that appears in both Hinduism and Buddhism.-Hinduism:...
, a son of Danu, feels this is unfair to demons and determines to keep the Vedas away from humanity. Brahma is worried that mankind is too evil to receive the Vedas, and goes to consult Shiva about purifying the earth first. While Brahma is away, Hayagriva kidnaps the Vedas (who are in the form of four small boys) and imprisons them in his underwater lair.
Episode 8: Shiva agrees to flood the earth to destroy all evil life and purify it; Brahma can then create humanity anew and give them the Vedas. While Manu is bathing, a tiny fish swims into his hands and begs for protection. Manu takes it home, but it grows to giant size in a single night and he releases it into the ocean, where he realizes the fish is none other than Lord Vishnu. As Matsya
Matsya
Matsya was the first Avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism. The great flood finds mention in Hindu mythology texts like the Satapatha Brahmana, where in the Matsya Avatar takes place to save the pious and the first man, Manu and advices him to build a giant boat.-The Legend:According to the Matsya...
, the fish, Vishnu warns Manu of the coming flood and asks him to save anything important in a boat.
Episode 9: Hayagriva decides to destroy the Vedas but Matsya appears first and kills Hayagriva. Manu and Shatarupa gather plants and animals, deciding to save everything rather than having the pride to think they know what is valuable and what is not. At the last minute, Manu thinks of bringing the seven primordial sages, the Saptarishis
Saptarshi
The Saptarishi are the seven rishis who are extolled at many places in the Vedas and Hindu literature. The Vedic Samhitas never actually enumerate these rishis by name, though later Vedic texts such as the Brahmanas and Upanisads do so. They are regarded in the Vedas as the patriarchs of the...
. The deluge. Manu's boat is tossed by the storm but Matsya tows it to safety. After the flood, Vishnu gives the Vedas again to the nine survivors.
Kurma Avatara and the churning of the ocean (episodes 10-17)
Episode 10: At Hayagriva's funeral, a danava named Kaal Ketu defeats another danava, Harshad, for the kingship. The danavas at once attack the devas in revenge for Hayagriva's death, but Indra easily defeats them. Indra boasts about his victory.Episode 11: Shukracharya, the danava guru, chides his followers for attacking without a plan. He forms a plan of his own: to ask Lord Shiva for the Sanjeevani Mantra
Sanjeevani
Sanjeevani may refer to:*Sanjivani , a Hindi television serial*Selaginella bryopteris, a lithophytic plant commonly known as sanjeevani*Sanjivani , Zee TV voice talent hunt reality show SaReGaMa 1995 winner and playback singer...
- a mantra that enables one to bring the dead back to life. Indra goes to Shiva to prevent this, but Shukracharya attracts Shiva's attention first and earns the right to attempt Shiva's penance to obtain the mantra: to hang upside down from a tree, without eating, drinking or speaking, and breathing only the smoke of burning leaves, for one year.
Episode 12: Indra is worried when it appears that Shukracharya will succeed. When the apsaras are afraid to try and interrupt the penance, Indra's daughter Jayanti determines to go, against Indra's will.
Episode 13: Jayanti throws chili peppers into the leaf fire and Shukracharya is in agony. However, he does not break his penance. Angry at the sabotage, Shiva ends the trial and grants Shukracharya the Sanjeevani Mantra on the spot. Guilt-stricken, Jayanti offers to marry Shukracharya and serve him to atone for causing him such suffering. He accepts.
Episode 14: The danavas attack the devas and with Shukracharya bringing each dead danava back to life, the devas can't win. They flee and ask Vishnu to help them. Vishnu Bhagwan tells Indra he must churn the ocean
Samudra manthan
In Hinduism, Samudra manthan or Ksheera Sagara Mathanam, Churning of the Ocean of Milk is one of the most famous episodes in the Puranas...
to extract amrita
Amrita
Amrit is a Sanskrit word that literally means "immortality", and is often referred to in texts as nectar. The word's earliest occurrence is in the Rigveda where it is one of several synonyms of soma, the drink which confers immortality upon the gods. It is related etymologically to the Greek...
, the nectar of immortality. This will make the devas and danava even. The catch is, the devas are not strong enough alone to churn the ocean. Indra must obtain the cooperation of the danava.
Episode 15: Indra points out to Shukracharya that when he dies, he won't be able to use the Sanjeevani Mantra on himself and the danava advantage will be lost. Concerned, Shukracharya agrees to help churn the ocean. Both sides agree to share equally whatever they obtain from the ocean, but Shukracharya privately asks the danava Swarbhanu
Rahu
In Hindu mythology, Rahu is a cut-off head of an asura, that swallows the sun or the moon causing eclipses. He is depicted in art as a serpent with no body riding a chariot drawn by eight black horses. Rahu is one of the navagrahas in Vedic astrology...
to make sure the danavas get the amrita. The churning rope will be the serpent Vasuki
Vasuki
Vasuki is a Sanskrit name for a naga, one of the serpents of Buddhist and Hindu mythology. He is a great King of the nagas and has a gem on his head. Manasa, another naga, is his sister...
; Sage Narada tricks the danavas into getting the head end while the devas grasp the tail.
Episode 16: Vishnu incarnates as Kurma
Kurma
In Hinduism, Kurma was the second Avatar of Vishnu. Like the Matsya Avatar also belongs to the Satya yuga.-Samudra manthan :...
, the divine turtle, and supports the churn - Mount Mandara
Mount Mandara
Mandara is the name of a mountain which appears in the Samudra manthan episode in the Hindu Puranas, where it was used as a churning rod to churn the ocean of milk. The serpent, Vasuki offered to serve as the rope...
- on his back. The first thing to emerge from the ocean is a lethal poison. Lord Shiva drinks it to save the world, earning the nickname Nilkanth
Nilkanth
Nilkanth is a name used to refer to Shiva, one of the Hindu trinity of Creator , Preserver , and Destroyer .According to the Purnas, Shiva received this name as he drank the poison that emerged from the oceans after it was churned for getting 'amrut' - the nectar of immortality...
. Second, goddess Lakshmi emerges from the ocean. The danavas and devas fight over her until Brahma protects her and decrees the eternal right for a woman to choose her own husband.
Episode 17: Brahma holds a Swayamvara
Swayamvara
Swayamvara , in ancient India, was a practice of choosing a husband, from among a list of suitors, by a girl of marriageable age. Swayam in Sanskrit means self and vara means choice or desire ....
ceremony for Lakshmi to choose her husband. She chooses Vishnu. The churning of the ocean continues and the amrita emerges and is promptly stolen by Swarbhanu. Vishnu appears as Mohini
Mohini
Mohini , in Hindu mythology, is the name of the only female Avatar of the god Vishnu. She is portrayed as a femme fatale, an enchantress, who maddens lovers, sometimes leading them to their doom. Mohini is introduced into the Hindu mythos in the narrative epic of the Mahabharata...
, a beautiful woman, and dazzles the danavas into inviting the devas to watch them drink the amrita. She gives it to the devas first, however, and there is none left for the danavas. Swarbhanu disguises himself as a deva and receives some amrita, but Vishnu then cuts off his head.
Hiranyakashipu's boon (episodes 18-21)
Episode 18: Brahma's four saintly sonsFour Kumaras
The Four Kumāras or Catursana are the four sons of Brahma from the Puranic texts of Hinduism named Sanaka, Sanatana, Sanandana and Sanatkumara....
visit Vishnu but are prevented from entering by the gatekeepers Jaya and Vijaya. The saints curse Jaya and Vijaya to be born three times as asuras and to be killed by Vishnu each time. Jaya and Vijaya are born as Hiranyaksha
Hiranyaksha
In Hinduism, Hiranyaksha [golden-eyed] was an Asura of pre-ancient India and the son of Diti and Kashyapa. He was slain by the god Vishnu after he took the Earth to the bottom of what has been described as the "Cosmic Ocean". His name in Sanskrit literally means "Goldeneye"...
and Hiranyakashipu
Hiranyakashipu
Hiranyakashipu [golden-haired] is an Asura from the Puranic scriptures of Hinduism. The Puranas describe Hiranyakashipu as an Asura. His younger brother, Hiranyaksha was slain by Varaha, one of the Avatars of Vishnu and angered by this, Hiranyakashipu decided to gain magical powers by performing...
. Hiranyaksha steals the earth and hides it. Vishnu incarnates as Varaha
Varaha
Varaha is the third Avatar of the Hindu Godhead Vishnu, in the form of a Boar. He appeared in order to defeat Hiranyaksha, a demon who had taken the Earth and carried it to the bottom of what is described as the cosmic ocean in the story. The battle between Varaha and Hiranyaksha is believed to...
and kills Hiranyaksha. Hiranyakashipu vows revenge.
Episode 19: To obtain his revenge, Hiranyakashipu does a penance to obtain a boon from Brahma. Indra tries to help Vishnu by disrupting the penance, but every attempt is thwarted by Shukracharya. In desperation, Indra decides to kidnap Hiranyakashipu's wife Kayadhu and kill her unborn son. However, Sage Narada stops Indra and rescues Kayadhu. In his ashram
Ashram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
, Narada chants Vishnu's name to Kayadhu and her unborn son hears it.
Episode 20: Brahma puts off answering Hiranyakashipu's prayers, but is finally forced to do so. Hiranyakashipu asks for immortality, but Brahma says no being can have that. Hiranyakashipu must ask for something else. Hiranyakashipu asks Brahma to make it that he, Hiranyakashipu, cannot be killed by day or by night, inside a building or outside a building, on earth or in heaven, by god or man or animal, or by any weapon. Brahma grants all the boons. Narada tells Hiranyakashipu about the whereabouts of his wife.
Episode 21: Kayadhu says she has never been so happy and asks to stay with Narada until her son is born. Hiranyakashipu agrees and celebrates his boon by declaring himself God and banning the worship of Vishnu. Swarbhanu joins Hiranyakashipu's court. Kayadhu gives birth to a son, Prahlad
Prahlada
Prahlada is a character from the Puranic texts of Hinduism, wherein he is famed for his exclusive devotion to Vishnu, despite attempts in the story by his father, Hiranyakashipu, to turn him to the contrary...
, and receives permission to stay with Narada until Prahlad is a little older. Hiranyakashipu makes Narada promise not to say the name "Vishnu" in front of Prahlad.
Story of Prahlad (episodes 22-34)
Episode 22: Prahlad has grown into a sweet little boy who is utterly devoted to Vishnu (whom he knows by his 999 other names) and has mastered all the yogaYoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
Narada has taught him. Kayadhu and Prahlad return to the asura kingdom and Hiranyakashipu sends Prahlad to school. At school, Prahlad is shocked to see an idol of his father and refuses to worship it.
Episode 23: Prahlad teaches his classmates about Vishnu. When Prahlad returns to the palace, Hiranyakashipu asks what he has learnt. Prahlad says the school taught false knowledge and Vishnu is the only God. Hiranyakashipu is furious and orders the teachers, Shukracharya's sons Amark and Shund, to correct Prahlad's thinking.
Episode 24: Kayadhu goes to the school and begs Prahlad to say that his father is the only God. Prahlad refuses. He is not afraid. When Prahlad returns to court and again affirms his faith, Hiranyakashipu orders Prahlad to be killed. But the soldier's swords do him no harm. Hiranyakashipu sends Prahlad into exile in the wilderness instead. Swarbhanu follows Prahlad and prevents him from getting any food or drink.
Episode 25: Vishnu releases his Sudarshana Chakra
Sudarshana Chakra
The Sudarshana Chakra is a spinning, disk-like super weapon with 108 serrated edges used by Lord Vishnu. The Sudarshana Chakra is portrayed on the right rear hand of the four hands of Vishnu, who also holds a Shankha in his left rear hand, a Gada in his right fore hand, and a Padma in his left...
and chases Swarbhanu away. Prahlad's fellow students find him and bring him food. Hiranyakashipu sends soldiers who throw Prahlad off a mountain. Vishnu catches Prahlad and lays him gently in a grain cart.
Episode 26: The grain cart was making a delivery to Hiranyakashipu's court. Furious at Prahlad's survival, Hiranyakashipu has his son thrown in jail. Swarbhanu attempts to poison Prahlad, but Shiva manifests and drinks the poison.
Episode 27: Hiranyakashipu's sister Singhika
Holika
Holika was a demoness in Hindu mythology who was burnt to death with help of God Brahma by Prahlad. She was the sister of King Hiranyakashipu.The story of Holika's conflict signifies the triumph of good over evil, and death of Holika is celebrated as Holi....
and her husband Viprachitti come for a visit. Singhika demonstrates how she cannot be hurt by fire, thanks to a boon granted to her by Agni
Agni
Agni is a Hindu deity, one of the most important of the Vedic gods. He is the god of fire and the acceptor of sacrifices. The sacrifices made to Agni go to the deities because Agni is a messenger from and to the other gods...
the fire god. Hiranyakashipu enlists Singhika and Viprachitti's help in killing Prahlad. They suggest sending Prahlad to their kingdom, Kamarupa, with a letter. The letter will tell their son Aahlad to throw Prahlad into a snake pit. Aahlad tells Prahlad he will be taken to visit a temple of Vishnu.
Episode 28: Prahlad is locked in the snake pit, where he prays to Vishnu. Kayadhu also prays to Vishnu to protect her son. The Sudarshana Chakra appears in the snake pit and the snakes vanish. Prahlad opens his eyes and sees the idol of Vishnu. Meanwhile, a escaped snake bites Aahlad and he dies. Prahlad is devastated; he prays to Vishnu for his brother's life and Vishnu brings Aahlad back to life.
Episode 29: Hiranyakashipu, Singhika and Viprachitti hear of Aahlad's death and all vow revenge. Prahlad and Aahlad go to the palace together, but Singhika only pretends to be happy and persuades Prahlad to enter the fire with her. Aahlad becomes a Vishnu devotee. Hiranyakashipu declares a festival for the fire trial.
Episode 30: Singhika and Prahlad enter the fire. Sinhika burns, Prahlad is protected. Viprachitti in revenge puts Prahlad in an enchanted sleep and throws him into the ocean, but the ocean god protects Prahlad at Lakshmi's behest. Kayadhu goes to the seashore and pleads with the ocean to return her son.
Episode 31: Lakshmi asks the ocean god to return Prahlad to Kayadhu; he does so. Shukracharya offers to arrange for Prahlad's demise. He wants to invoke the demoness Kritya and orders his sons Shand and Amark to do so.
Episode 32: Shand and Amark perform the Kritya ceremony. The demoness appears but the Sudarshana Chakra again protects Prahlad, so Kritya kills Shand and Amark instead. Shukracharya is devastated. Prahlad chides Shukracharya for being a bad guru and guiding his father Hiranyakashipu into the path of egotism. Prahlad selflessly prays for Vishnu to revive Shand and Amark and they become his disciples.
Episode 33: Hiranyakashipu decides to kill Prahlad himself. He orders his son to embrace a red hot pillar of iron. Brahma begs Vishnu to do something to overcome the boon. Vishnu appears as Narasimha
Narasimha
Narasimha or Nrusimha , also spelt as Narasingh and Narasingha, whose name literally translates from Sanskrit as "Man-lion", is an avatar of Vishnu described in the Puranas, Upanishads and other ancient religious texts of Hinduism...
who is both god and man and animal, and kills Hiranyakashipu at twilight, on the threshold of the palace, suspended in air on his lap, with his bare hands. Brahma, Shiva, Narada and Lakshmi all fail to calm Narasimha down, but it is Prahlad who succeeds.
Episode 34: Prahlad performs his father's last rites after Aahlad refuses. Prahlad will not let Kayadhu commit sati
Sati (practice)
For other uses, see Sati .Satī was a religious funeral practice among some Indian communities in which a recently widowed woman either voluntarily or by use of force and coercion would have immolated herself on her husband’s funeral pyre...
. Lakshmi loves Prahlad, but Vishnu loves all his children, even the wicked ones such as Shukracharya.
Prahlad and Virochan (episodes 35-39)
Episode 35: Aahlad refuses the throne. Prahlad, now grown and king, dispenses justice. Shukracharya plans to control Prahlad’s son VirochanVirochana
Virochana , in Hindu mythology, was an asura, son of Prahlada and father of Bali. In the Atharvaveda he was mentioned as the son of Prahlada. According to the Chandogya Upanishad , he and Indra went to Prajapati to learn about the atman and lived there, practising brahmacharya for thirty-two...
.
Episode 36: Shukracharya sends Virochan hunting, although Prahlad does not approve. During a storm, Virochan saves Sudhanva, son of Sage Angira, from a falling tree. Both are hurt and together they seek shelter at the cottage of Sage Vatsa. Both fall in love with the sage's daughter Deepavali.
Episode 37: Prahlad searches the forest and finds his son. Later, both Virochan and Sudhanva return to the hermitage and propose to Deepavali. When she cannot choose, Virochan draws his sword on Sudhanva and abducts Deepavali, taking her to Shukracharya's ashram.
Episode 38: The Saptarishis inform Prahlad of his sons' actions and Prahlad at once rescues Deepavali, standing up to Shukracharya. When neither Deepavali nor her father can decide between the two boys, her father asks Prahlad to make the decision.
Episode 39: Prahlad asks Sudhanva if he minds Prahlad being the judge. Sudhanva accepts. Kayadhu and Prahlad's wife try to convince Prahlad to decide in Virochan's favour, but Prahlad says Virochan was wrong to have used force and that he decides Deepavali should marry Sudhanva. Virochan humbly admits his wrongs. Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi appear and praise Prahlad.
Vamana Avatara and Mahabali (episodes 40-47)
Episode 40: Kayadhu dies. Prahlad renounces the world and crowns Virochan. Virochan marries Vishalaakshi of the danavas. Shukracharya's father Sage Bhrigu foresees a danger to Virochan. Vishalaakshi gives birth to a son, BaliMahabali
Mahabali , also known as Bali or Māveli was a benevolent Asura King, and the grandson of Prahlada. The festival of Onam commemorates his yearly homecoming after being sent down to the underworld by Vamana, the fifth avatar of Vishnu.-Conquest of the Universe and banishment:Bali, an asura, was the...
.
Episode 41: Virochan completes the penance for his safety suggested by Sage Bhrigu and receives from Surya
Surya
Surya Suraya or Phra Athit is the chief solar deity in Hinduism, one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wives, Aditi; of Indra; or of Dyaus Pitar . The term Surya also refers to the Sun, in general. Surya has hair and arms of gold...
, the sun god, a protective crown. Bali goes to school. Virochan announces that no gods other than Vishnu may be worshipped, angering Indra. Indra's anger worries Lord Vishnu.
Episode 42: While Virochan is travelling alone, Indra tricks him, drugs him, steals his crown and kills him. Bali, now grown, vows revenge on Indra and attacks heaven alone - and is brutally killed by Indra and the devas. Vishnu is furious with Indra and after making him return Bali's body, washes his hands of the devas forever.
Episode 43: Shukracharya brings Bali back to life with the Sanjeevani mantra and requests that in return, Bali bring him Indra's crown. Bali attacks heaven, captures Indra and the other devas, bans their worship and exiles them to earth.
Episode 44: Aditi appeals to her sister Dhiti in vain for forgiveness for the devas. Lakshmi showers Bali with wealth after he worships her. When Bali hears that the devas are being worshipped on earth, he resolves to conquer earth; Shukracharya is thrilled. At Narada's request, Prahlad tries to convince Bali not to attack earth. Lakshmi also appeals to Bali in vain.
Episode 45: Bali invades earth. Aditi begs Lord Vishnu to forgive her sons and fulfill his promise to be born from her womb. Vishnu incarnates as Vamana
Vamana
Vamana is described in the Puranic texts of Hinduism as the Fifth Avatar of Vishnu, and the first incarnation of the Second Age, or the Treta yuga. Also he is the first Avatar of Vishnu which appears with a completely human form, though it was that of a dwarf brahmin. He is also sometimes known as...
, a little person. Lord Brahma, Saraswati, Lord Shiva, Kashyap, Brihaspati
Brihaspati
Bṛhaspati also known as Brahmanaspati and Deva-guru , is the name of a Vedic deity...
and the devas attend the birth and bring gifts.
Episode 46: Lord Vishnu explains to Indra that he has incarnated to be a beggar. Shukracharya tries to counter Vishnu's birth by ordering Bali to perform the Ashvamedha
Ashvamedha
The Ashvamedha was one of the most important royal rituals of Vedic religion, described in detail in the Yajurveda...
sacrifice. Vamana interrupts the yagna and asks Bali for three steps' worth of land. Bali grants the boon. Vamana grows and covers all three worlds in his steps, with the third one stepping on Bali's head and pushing him deep under the world.
Young Parshuram's determination (episodes 47-52)
Episode 47: Lord Vishnu forgives and blesses Bali. A new story begins. The Brahmins (priests) were supreme in this age and the Kshatriyas (warriors) began to resent this. King SaharsraarjunKartavirya Arjuna
Kartavirya Arjuna , was a legendary king of an ancient kingdom during the Ramayana period with capital at Mahishamati which is on the banks of Narmada River in the current state of Madhya Pradesh. Kartavirya was son of Kritavirya, king of the Haihayas. This is his patronymic, by which he is best...
strikes Saint Jamdagni
Jamadagni
Jamadagni is one of the Saptarishis in the seventh, i.e. the present Manvantara. He was a descendant of the sage Bhrigu, one of the Prajapatis created by Brahma, the God of Creation...
's son and is summoned to the sage's court.
Episode 48: The Brahmins make Saharsraarjun apologize. Embarrassed, Saharsraarjun gets together with other kings and forms a plan to steal Sage Jamdagni's cows and stop the state grants to the Brahmins. Lord Vishnu promises Lakshmi that he will protect the weak.
Episode 49: The people provide for the Brahmins. The sages court accuse king Saharsraarjun of the theft of the cows. Angry, Saharsraarjun burns Sage Jamdagni's ashram.... over and over again. Lord Vishnu is born as Parshuram
Parashurama
Parashurama , is the sixth avatar of Vishnu and belongs to the treta yuga, and is the son of a Brahmin father Jamadagni and mother Renuka. He is considered one of the seven immortal human. He received an axe after undertaking a terrible penance to please Shiva, from whom he learned the methods of...
, son of Saint Jamdagni and his wife Renuka.
Episode 50: Saint Jamdagni does not want young Parshuram to learn martial arts, as this is not appropriate for a Brahmin. But Parshuram practices anyway. Parshuram kills four soldiers who chase him into a Shiva temple.
Episode 51: Shiva appears and offers to teach Parshuram for ten years. Saharsraarjun turns on his allies and seizes their kingdoms. Parshuram renounces his caste and sets out for Mount Kailash
Mount Kailash
Mount Kailash is a peak in the Gangdisê Mountains, which are part of the Himalayas in Tibet...
, where Shiva accepts him as his pupil. Saharsraarjun meets Ravan, fights him, and takes him prisoner.
Episode 52: Saharsraarjun imprisons Ravan after discovering that Ravan can't be killed. Parshuram undergoes ten years of training. At the end, Shiva gifts him an axe. Renuka goes to reason with Saharsraarjun and he traps her in the palace.
Sage Jamdagni's family troubles (episodes 53-57)
Episode 53: Renuka fights off Saharsraarjun, wounding and cursing him. Saharsraarjun's wife wishes she was dead. Jamdagni accuses Renuka of being unfaithful. Renuka's four sons refuse their father's order to kill their mother, but Parshuram, arriving home, promises to obey the order before knowing what it is.Episode 54: Parshuram obeys his father and beheads Renuka. Jamdagni offers him any boon; Parshuram asks for Renuka to be restored to life. Jamdagni asks Renuka for forgiveness. Parshuram confronts Saharsraarjun but does not kill him after Saharsraarjun's wife asks for mercy. Sage Vaishishnath
Vasistha
Vashist in the seventh, i.e the present Manvantara, and the Rajpurohit / Rajguru of the Suryavansha or Solar Dynasty. He was the mānasaputra of Brahma. He had in his possession the divine cow Kamadhenu, and Nandini her child, who could grant anything to their owners...
visits Jamdagni with the gift-giving cow
Kamadhenu
Kamadhenu , also known as Surabhi , is a divine bovine-goddess described in Hindu mythology as the mother of all cows. She is a miraculous "cow of plenty" who provides her owner whatever he desires and is often portrayed as the mother of other cattle as well as the eleven Rudras...
, Sushila, and Anamika, her caregiver.
Episode 55: Saharsraarjun's army attacks the hermitage. Parshuram kills them all and Jamdagni tells him to leave. Saharsraarjun offers Ravan his freedom in exchange for defeating Parshuram; Ravan refuses. Shiva instructs Parshuram to free his devotee Ravan.
Episode 56: Parshuram frees Ravan. Saharsraarjun's army search for Parshurarm without success. Sage Jamdagni forbids the ashram students from joining Parshuram's guerilla army. Anamika offers to spread the word and recruit army members from other ashrams.
Episode 57: In order to be free to go out on her mission, Anamika lies and tells Jamdagni and Renuka that she has married Parshuram. Parshuram is angry. Saharsraarjun's four sons in disguise spy on the ashram and covet Sushila. When they try to take her by force, Jamdagni is finally roused and fights them off. Sage Jamdagni apologizes to Parshuram.
Parshuram's revenge (episodes 58-61)
Episode 58: Saharsraarjun attacks Sage Jamdagni, injuring him and stealing Sushila. Parshuram takes her back from the palace, but Saharsraarjun's sons reach the ashram first and kill Jamdagni. Saharsraarjun asks Sage Vishvamitra to take the Kshatriya side, and is sternly rejected.Episode 59: Saharsraarjun's queen dies after failing to convince her husband to apologize and end the war. Twenty-one Kshatryia kings joing Saharsraarjun; the Brahmins rally to Parshuram. Saharsraarjun's sons plot to kidnap Anamika. Parshuram gives his army a pep talk.
Episode 60: Saharsraarjun's sons attack Renuka and Anamika. Anamika kills herself rather than be used as a hostage. Saharsraarjun sends his sons away for their protection but Parshuram tracks down and kills them one by one.
Episode 61: Lord Shiva directs Parshuram to kill Saharsraarjun. In a bloodbath, Parshuram kills Saharsraarjun, his sons and his Kshatriya allies.
Dasharatha (episodes 61-68)
Episode 61: RavanRavana
' is the primary antagonist character of the Hindu legend, the Ramayana; who is the great king of Lanka. In the classic text, he is mainly depicted negatively, kidnapping Rama's wife Sita, to claim vengeance on Rama and his brother Lakshmana for having cut off the nose of his sister...
perpetuates atrocities. Lord Vishnu decides to incarnate as Ram
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
. There was a King, Dasharatha, who had three wives: Kaushalya, Kaikeyi
Kaikeyi
Kaikeyi , in the Hindu epic Rāmāyaṇa, was the second of King Daśaratha's three wives and a queen of Ayodhyā. She was the mother of Bharata...
and Sumitra
Sumitra
Sumitra in the Indian Ramayana epic, was the third of King Dasaratha's three wives and a queen of Ayodhyā. She was the mother of twins Lakshmana and Shatrughna. She came from the ancient kingdom of Kashi. She was supposed to be the wisest of the wives of Dasaratha. She was the one to first...
. Dasharatha goes hunting and accidentally kills Shravan.
Episode 62: Parshuram gives his mother Saharsraarjun's sons's heads. She dies unhappy that her son is so vengeful. Saharsraarjun swears vengeance for his sons.
Episode 63: Saharsraarjun tries to draw Parshuram into a trap. Parshuram offers peace in exchange for an apology from Saharsraarjun. Saharsraarjun refuses, Parshuram kills him. Parshuram visits Lord Shiva to return his bow. Shiva asks him to give to either Ravan or Janak
Janaka
Janaka or Raja Janaka were the kings of Videha Kingdom. Their capital was Mithila, which is believed to be present day Janakpur, Nepal...
- both are his devotees.
Episode 64: Displeased by Ravan's behaviour, Parshuram leaves without giving him the bow. Pleased by his reception at Janak's court, Parshuram gives the bow to Janak.
Episode 65: Ravan rapes a girl who refuses to marry him. Dasharatha accidentally kills Shravan while hunting and is cursed by Shravan's blind parents.
Episode 66: Dasharatha goes to help Kaipaya beat off an attack by Ravan. When his charioteer is killed, a young man takes the job. The young man turns out to be the king's daughter, Kaikeyi
Kaikeyi
Kaikeyi , in the Hindu epic Rāmāyaṇa, was the second of King Daśaratha's three wives and a queen of Ayodhyā. She was the mother of Bharata...
, in disguise.
Episode 67: Dasharatha defeats Ravan in battle. Kaikeyi saves Dasharatha's life twice, and he offers her two boons that she may have fulfilled any time in the future. Kaikeyi wants to marry Dasharatha and he asks his two queens if they agree.
Episode 68: Dasharatha's guru Sage Vashist arranges the marriage, which takes place. Meanwhile, Ravan continues to persecute sages and Lord Vishnu decides he must incarnate to stop Ravan.
Birth of Ram and Sita (episodes 69-79)
Episode 69: Dasharatha asks Vashisht for help in performing a yagna (sacrifice) to obtain children. Ravan's hordes kill a sage and the blood falls in a field in Janak's kingdom. This causes a famine.Episode 70: Sage Narada learns a lesson from Lord Vishnu.
Episode 71: Ravan stops his youngest brother Vibhishan from worshipping.
Episode 72: On the advice of his younger brother Kumbhakarna
Kumbhakarna
Kumbhakarna , is a rakshasa and brother of Ravana in the Indian Ramayana epic...
, Ravan performs penance and asks for a boon.
Episode 73: Lord Vishnu asks Lakshmi to incarnate with him.
Episode 74: Lord Vishnu is born as Ram
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
. Ravan prepares to attack the devas.
Episode 75: Ravan's son Meghanath
Indrajit
Indrajit or Meghanatha , a warrior mentioned in the Indian epic Ramayana, was the son of the Lankan king Ravana. The word 'Indrajit' literally means the 'conqueror of Indra '....
defeats the devas. Laksmi is born as Sita
SITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
and is found by Janak as he ploughs the field to stop the famine.
Episode 76: Manthara
Manthara
Manthara , in the Hindu epic Ramayana, is a servant who convinced Kaikeyi that the throne of Ayodhya belonged to her son Bharata and that Rama should be exiled from the kingdom....
, Kaikeyi's servant, makes a failed attempt to kill the child Ram. Ravan taunts the captive devas. Dasharatha asks Sage Vashist to undertake the education of his four sons, Ram
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
, Lakshman
Lakshmana
Lakshmana was the brother and close companion of Rama, and himself a hero in the famous epic Ramayana...
, Bharat
Bharata (Ramayana)
In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Bharata was the second brother of the main protagonist Rama, and the son of Dasaratha and Kaikeyi. Dasaratha was the Emperor of Ayodhya and belonged to the Suryavansha or Solar Dynasty...
and Shatrughna
Shatrughna
Shatrughna was the youngest brother of Lord Rama in the Hindu epic Ramayana . He is the twin brother of Lakshmana.-Birth and family:...
.
Episode 77: Ram asks Sage Vashista for instruction on religion. Janak invites Sage Gautam
Gautama Maharishi
Gautama Maharishi is one of the Saptarishis Gautama Maharishi is one of the Saptarishis Gautama Maharishi is one of the Saptarishis (Seven Great Sages Rishi of the current Manvantara (seventh). He was one of the Maharishis of Vedic times, known to have been the discoverer of Mantras --...
to be Sita's teacher.
Episode 78: Sita refuses to be taught by Gautam, because Gautam had unjustly turned his wife Ahalya
Ahalya
In Hinduism, Ahalya , also known as Ahilya, is the wife of the sage Gautama, primarily known for her sexual encounter with the god-king Indra, the resultant curse by her husband and her subsequent liberation by Rama – an avatar of the god Vishnu...
to stone.
Episode 79: The narrator, Dharti Ma, recaps Vishnu's incarnations so far.
Ram wins Sita (episodes 80-87)
Episode 80: The four brothers finish their education. Sage Vishwamitra's sacrifices are being disturbed by TatakaTataka
Tatakā or Tadaka was a yakshasi in Indian mythology. Her father Suketu, a yaksha king performed tapasya for an offspring...
, a yaksha
Yaksha
Yaksha is the name of a broad class of nature-spirits, usually benevolent, who are caretakers of the natural treasures hidden in the earth and tree roots. They appear in Hindu, Jain and Buddhist mythology. The feminine form of the word is ' or Yakshini .In Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist mythology,...
demon.
Episode 81: Dasharatha offers to send his army against Tataka, but Sage Vishwamitra asks for Ram alone. But Lakshman, who is inseparable from Ram, goes too.
Episode 82: Tataka attacks Ram with magic; he has to use celestial weapons
Astra (weapon)
In Hindu mythology, an ' was a supernatural weapon, presided over by a specific deity. To summon or use an astra required knowledge of a specific incantation/invocation, when armed. The deity invoked would then endow the weapon, making it impossible to counter through regular means. Specific...
to kill her and her sons Subahu and Mareechack.
Episode 83: Janak invites Sage Vishwamitra to Sita's swayamvara
Swayamvara
Swayamvara , in ancient India, was a practice of choosing a husband, from among a list of suitors, by a girl of marriageable age. Swayam in Sanskrit means self and vara means choice or desire ....
. Vishwamitra brings Ram and Lakshman along. Ram releases Ahalya from Gautam's curse.
Episode 84: Janak imposes a condition on the swayamvara; only those who can lift Shiva's bow will be eligible. Bharat and Shatrughana join Sage Vishvamitra, Ram and Lakshman at the swayamvara.
Episode 85: Ram and Sita meet in a flower meadow and are smitten. Sita prays to Goddess Gauri
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
. Gauri promises Sita that Ram will be her husband.
Episode 86: Ravan goes to the swayamvara and fails to lift the bow. Ram lifts it easily.
Episode 87: Parshuram is aware of the bow being moved and comes to confront Ram. He is appeased by Lakshman who explains Ram respects Lord Shiva. Wedding preparations begin.
The plot against Ram (episodes 88-99)
Episode 88: Keikeyi is thrilled about the wedding but Manthara is not. Sage Vishwamitra proposes that Sita's three sisters marry Ram's three brothers.Episode 89: The quadruple wedding takes place and the couples return to Dasharatha's capital, Ayodhya.
Episode 90: Keikeyi is thrilled to see her son Bharat with his wife Mandavi
Mandavi
In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Mandavi was the daughter of Kushadhwaja, a brother of King Janaka of Mithila and hence a cousin of Sita. She was the wife of Bharata, the younger brother of Lord Rama. They had two sons, Taksha and Pushkara. The Pushkara mentioned here is not related to Nala in Nala...
. Manthara opposes Keikeyi's plan to gift her own jewellery to Sita. Dasharatha wants to retire and crown Ram king. Ram thinks Bharat would be a better choice.
Episode 91: Bharat is summoned to visit Keikeyi's parents, who are ill. The court decides Ram should be king.
Episode 92: Manthara tells Keikeyi that if Ram is crowned instead of Bharat, Keikeyi will be badly treated.
Episode 93: Manthara urges Keikeyi to use her two unfulfilled boons to prevent Ram's coronation.
Episode 94: Keikeyi asks Dasharatha to fulfill her two boons by (1) crowning Bharat and (2) sending Ram into exile for 14 years.
Dasharatha is devastated.
Episode 95: Dasharatha begs Ram to seize the crown anyway, but Ram says as a dutiful son he must help his father keep his promises. Ram asks Keikeyi to bless him.
Episode 96: Sita resolves to accompany Ram into exile. Queen Sumitra wants to persuade Keikeyi to take back her requests, but queen Kaushalya agrees that it is vital to keep a promise.
Episode 97: Lakshman also resolves to accompany Ram into exile. Ram, Sita and Lakshman change into renunciant's clothes.
Episode 98: Lakshman asks his wife Urmila to stay behind so that Lakshman can wholly devote himself to serving Ram. It is a sorrowful parting.
Episode 99: Dasharatha tries to convince Sita and Lakshman to stay behind. Ram promises Keikeyi that he will prevent anyone from rebelling against Bharat as king. Dasharatha never wants to see Keikeyi again.
Ram goes into exile; Bharat's grief (episodes 100-108)
Episode 100: Ram leaves and meets a friend, Vishadraj, who helps the three cross the river. Bharat and Shatraghun start for home from the palace of Keikeyi's parents. Dasharatha sends his prime minister Sumant to bring Ram back.Episode 101: Ram refuses Sumant's pleas to return. Lord Shiva explains Ram and Dasharatha's actions to Parvati.
Episode 102: Dasharatha dies of grief. Bharat and Shatrughan arrive home and are devastated to hear of their brothers' exile and their father's death. Bharat refuses the crown and decides to bring Ram back.
Episode 103: Bharat finds out his mother and Manthara engineered the whole plot and is devastated. At Sage Vashishth's request, Bharat conducts his father's funeral.
Episode 104: Sita has a bad dream about Ayodhaya. Keikeyi feels guilty for Dasharatha's death. Sumant obeys Dasharatha's last wish and bars Keikeyi from the funeral.
Episode 105: Keikeyi mourns. Ram, Sita and Lakshman visit Sage Bhardwaj
Bhardwaj
Bhardwaj is a Punjabi Brahmin surname belonging to one of the great rishis named Rishi Bharadwaja....
at Prayag, the confluence of the three sacred rivers: Ganges, Yamuna
Yamuna
The Yamuna is the largest tributary river of the Ganges in northern India...
and Saraswati
Saraswati
In Hinduism Saraswati , is the goddess of knowledge, music, arts, science and technology. She is the consort of Brahma, also revered as His Shakti....
.
Episode 106: Bharat asks Keikeyi to come with him in search of Ram. Sita's father Janak hears all the news, including that Bharat has gone after Ram and taken the army. Janak heads after them.
Episode 107: Ram, Sita and Lakshman visit Sage Valmiki
Valmiki
Valmiki is celebrated as the poet harbinger in Sanskrit literature. He is the author of the epic Ramayana, based on the attribution in the text of the epic itself. He is revered as the Adi Kavi, which means First Poet, for he discovered the first śloka i.e...
, who is writing Ram's life story
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
, in Chitrakoot. Lakshman sees Bharat's army and fears at attack. Ram has perfect faith in Bharat's good intentions.
Episode 108: Bharat tells Ram that Dasharatha has died. But Ram insists on keeping his father's promise and refuses to return. Bharat promises to rule as regent only and takes Ram's sandals to place on the throne.
Sita is abducted; Hanuman finds her (episodes 109-117)
Episode 109: The demi-god vulture JatayuJatayu (Ramayana)
In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Jatayu is the son of Aruṇa and nephew of Garuda. A demi-god who has the form of a vulture, he was an old friend of Dasharatha . He tries to rescue Sita from Ravana when Ravana is on his way to Lanka after kidnapping Sita...
directs Ram to a dwelling place at Panchavati. Ravan's sister Surpanakha
Surpanakha
Surpanakha or Shurpanakha is one of the most important characters in the Ramayana. Indeed, Valmiki comes close to claiming that if there had been no Kaikeyi and no Surpanakha, then there would have been no Ramayana and no war with Ravana...
visits her brothers Khar, Dhushan
Khara (Ramayana)
Khara was a man-eating rakshasa in the Indian Ramayana epic. He was a younger brother of Ravana, and was killed by Rama when he attacked Rama after Shurpanakha's humiliation.-References:...
and Trishira
Trishira
Trishira or Trisiras ไทย : ตรีเศียร, that is, one having three heads, was an asura , and reference to him is found in the Ramayana. He was one of the seven sons of Ravana, and his other brothers were Indrajit, Prahasta, Atikaya, Akshayakumara, Devantaka and Narantaka.He engaged Rama in a fight and...
who live in a nearby forest. Ram kills some rakshasa
Rakshasa
A Rakshasa or alternatively rakshas, is a race of mythological humanoid beings or unrighteous spirit in Hindu and Buddhist religion...
demons when he finds them harassing some sages. Curious about this powerful human, Surpanakha visits Panchavati and is smitten with Ram.
Episode 110: A jealous Surpanakha attacks Sita and an angry Lakshman cuts off Surpanakha's nose. Surpanakha returns with her brothers Khar, Dhushan and Trishira and Ram and Lakshman kill all three. Surpanakha tells Ravan who vows revenge and is furious and decides to attack Ram. Ravan asks the magical rakshasa Maricha
Maricha
Maricha or Mareecha was a rakshasa who played a small but important part in the Indian Ramayana epic. He was thrown into a remote island by the arrow of Lord Rama when he tried to interrupt Sage Vishwamitra's yagna. After that he became very afraid of the very mention of the name Rama...
to help.
Episode 111: Maricha turns into a golden deer and lures Ram far away, trying to catch it for Sita. Maricha then calls for help and Sita, hearing, sends Lakshman. Sita is now alone and Ravan abducts her, killing Jatayu. As Ravan flies through the air, Sita throw down her jewellery.
Episode 112: At Ravan's island kingdom, Lanka
Lanka
Sri Lanka is the name given in Hindu mythology to the island fortress capital of the legendary king Ravana in the great Hindu epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata...
, Sita is kept prisoner by Trijita and other demons in a grove. Surpanakha is thrilled, but Ravan's mother and others warn Ravan this will cause trouble. Ram and Lakshman search for Sita.
Episode 113: Ram blesses Shabari
Shabari
Shabari is an elderly woman ascetic in the Hindu epic Ramayana. According to the Ramayana, she was an ardently devoted woman who received Rama's darshan and blessing due to her Bhakti to Him.- Story :...
, an untouchable saint. Sugreev, a prince of the monkey kingdom
Vanara
Vānara popularly refers to a group of ape-like humanoids in the Hindu epic Ramayana who were brave and inquisitive by nature. They possessed supernatural powers and could change their shapes...
, and Hanuman
Hanuman
Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
, a very strong monkey who is an incarnation of Lord Shiva, find Sita's jewellery and show it to Ram.
Episode 114: Sugreev tells his story: he left his brother king Bali
Vali (Ramayana)
In the Hindu epic Ramayana, the vanara Vali , also known as Bali , , , Yuan: Bari, , Lao: Palichan) was king of Kishkindha, a son of Indra and the elder brother of Sugriva...
in a cave, truly thinking that Bali was dead, and took the throne as regent until Bali's son Angad grew up. However, Bali was not dead, and returned angry, beating up Sugreev. Ram kills Bali for his wrong actions. A grateful Sugreev orders his army to find Sita.
Episode 115: Angad, Hanuman and their friend the bear king Jambavantha
Jambavantha
Jambavan also known as Jamvanta, Jambavantha, Jambavat, or Jambuvan the King of the Bears, is a sloth bear in Indian epic tradition , immortal to all but his father Vishnu. In the Valmiki Ramayana however, he is described as being a Vanara or monkey...
meet Jatayu's brother Sampaati, who tells them Sita is across the sea in Lanka. Hanuman leaps over the ocean and locates Sita and befriends Vibhishan. Ravan gives Sita a deadline: marry him in one month or die.
Episode 116: Ravan's youngest son Aksh
Akshayakumara
Akshayakumara was the youngest son of Ravana and the brother of Indrajit. In the Ramayana, When Hanuman started destroying the Ashoka Vatika after talking to Sita, Ravana sent him at the head of a Rakshasa army to take care of it....
attacks Hanuman and is killed. Meghnad takes Hanuman prisoner. Ravan sets Hanuman's tail on fire. Hanuman burns the city of Lanka to the ground.
Episode 117: Hanuman tells Ram about Ravan's deadline. Ram, Lakshman and Sugreev's army reach the seashore. Vibhishan advises Ravan to return Sita, and Ravan throws Vibhishan out. Vibhishan joins Ram and tells him how to cross the sea. The monkey brothers Neel and Nal build a bridge Ram sends Angad as an ambassador to Ravan, in case there is a way to avert war.
Battle with Ravan (episodes 118-123)
Episode 118: Angad successfully stands up to Ravan but Ravan will not make peace.Episode 119: The war begins. Meghnad injures Lakshman with a celestial weapon and Hanuman fetches the Sanjeevni herb - along with the entire mountain that it's growing on - to cure Lakshman. Kumbhakarna advises Ravan to return Sita, but goes out to fight when Ravan refuses. Ram kills Kumbhakarna.
Episode 119: Meghnad prays to Lord Shiva for a boon, but does not receive it as Hanuman interrupts him. Lakshman kills Meghnad.
Episode 120: Ram treats Meghnad's body with honour and returns it to Lanka.
Episode 121: Ravan and Ram have their ultimate confrontation. Ram reveals he incarnated to stop Ravan's atrocities. Vibhishan tells Ram the secret of killing Ravan, who can regrow new heads - shoot his navel instead. Ram kills Ravan.
Episode 122: The 14 years are up and Vibhishan, now king of Lanka, lends Ram, Sita and Lakshman his flying chariot so they can return to Ayodhya on the correct day and not worry Bharat.
Episode 123: The exiles joyously return to Ayodhya and Bharat.
Krishna Avatara (episodes 121-124)
Episode 121: Mother Earth concludes that whenever she was riddled with sinners, whenever the human race was endangered - the Creator of the Universe, the God incarnated Himself. She summarizes the 10 incarnation of Vishnu beginning with the incident of Jaya and Vijaya, who due to a curse were born twice as demons and became enemies of the God. and the God had incarnated Himself as Varaha, Narasimha and Sri Ram to slay Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu, Kumbhakarna and Ravan. In the form of KansKANS
KANS is a radio station broadcasting a Adult Contemporary format. Licensed to Emporia, Kansas, USA. The station is currently owned by Kansas Radio, Inc. and features programing from Jones Radio Network.-History:...
, Jaya has spread terror in Mathura. The tyrant Kans had fixed his sister Devaki
Devaki
In Hinduism, Devaki is the wife of Vasudeva and biological mother of Krishna.She was the daughter of Devaka, the younger brother of King Ugrasena of Mathura. She was a partial incarnation of Aditi, the mother of the Devas.-Imprisonment :...
's marriage with his friend Vasudeva
Vasudeva
In Hindu itihasa , Vasudeva is the father of Krishna, the son of Shoorsen, of the Yadu and Vrishni dynasties. His sister Kunti was married to Pandu. He was a partial incarnation of Rishi Kashyap....
. He is informed that God of Death was waiting for this union as Devaki's eighth son will kill him. He imprisons his sister and brother-in-law so that he could kill their sons. Kans kills Devaki's six sons, but Vasudev's first wife Rohini
Rohini Devi
In Hinduism, Rohini Devi is a consort of Vasudeva. She is the mother of Balarama and Subhadra, and played a prominent role in the nurture of Krishna. She was a partial incarnation of Kadru, the mother of the snakes.-Vasudeva's imprisonment:...
took away their seventh son. Lord Krishna is born as the eighth son. Kans sends Demon queen Putana
Putana
In Hindu mythology, Putana is a Rakshasi , who is killed by the infant-god Krishna. Putana is also considered as a foster-mother of Krishna as she breast-fed him, though it was with the motive of killing Krishna by poisoned milk...
to kill Krishna. Child Krishna sucks out her life. Lord Krishna as child performs Leelas with cowherd friends. Kans goes through nightmares. Krishna kills Kans' elephant Kuwaliyapeed. Krishna appears in various forms in Rangshala. Krishna kills Kans.
Episode 122: Using the scenes from previous volumes, this episode summarizes Lord Vishnu's Ten Incarnations. The first incarnation was as a fish to protect Manu and to punish the demon Hayagriva who had stolen the four Vedas that Brahma had created for the welfare of mankind. Angered with the slaying of Hayagriva, demon Hiranyaksha kidnapped Mother Earth thus endangering the entire human race. This necessitated Vishnu's third incarnation as a Boar. He killed Hiranyaksha and rescued Mother Earth. The menace of demons was increasing specially after their Guru Shukracharya had gained the precious mantra from Shiva for giving new life to dead demons. To grant immortality to gods, it was decided to derive Elixir by churning the ocean. To raise a mountain from the sea for churning, the Lord Vishnu took the incarnation of a Turtle. To avenge the death of his brother, demon Hiranyakashipu gained a boon from Brahma which made his death almost impossible. He banned the devotion of Vishnu on earth and compelled people, including his son, to worship him. To end his atrocities Lord Vishnu made his son Prahlad as his ardent devotee. Hiranyakashipu used various methods to get his son killed. Lord Vishnu took the incarnation of Narasimha to destroy him. To end the arrogance of King Bali, Lord Vishnu took the Vaman Avtar - His fifth incarnation. When Kings began forgetting their duty as administrator and were closing down hermitages and schools then Lord Vishnu incarnated Himself as Parshuram and then the seventh incarnation as Rama. To relieve the world from the injustice of Kans and Kauravas Lord Vishnu took the eighth incarnation as Lord Krishna. And in recent times, when deception was at its zenith when the priests had spread the evils of superstitions in the society, the Lord Vishnu took the ninth incarnation - of Lord Gautama Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
- to give a new direction of non-violence to the world. The present era is called Kalyug. In Srimad Bhagvad
Bhagavad Gita
The ' , also more simply known as Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata, but is frequently treated as a freestanding text, and in particular, as an Upanishad in its own right, one of the several books that constitute general Vedic tradition...
the great Sage Vyasa
Vyasa
Vyasa is a central and revered figure in most Hindu traditions. He is also sometimes called Veda Vyasa , or Krishna Dvaipayana...
has said that in the final phase of Kalyug Lord Vishnu shall reincarnate Himself as Kalki
Kalki
In Hinduism, Kalki is the tenth and final Maha Avatar of Vishnu who will come to end the present age of darkness and destruction known as Kali Yuga. The name Kalki is often a metaphor for eternity or time...
. Thus concludes the sacred Vishnupuran.
Episode 123: This episode uses several important scenes from Dr. B.R. Chopra's Mahabharat
Mahabharat (TV series)
Mahabharat is a successful Indian television series based on the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata. The 94-episode series originally ran from 2 October 1988 to 24 June 1990. It was produced by B. R. Chopra and directed by his son, Ravi Chopra. The music was composed by critically acclaimed music...
tv serial to depict the importance of women in the Indian mythology. It deals with Rukmini
Rukmini
In Hinduism, Rukmini is the principal wife and queen of Krishna at his city of Dwarka. Krishna heroically kidnaps her from an un-wanted marriage at her request . Of Krishna's 16,108 queens, Rukmini is the first and most prominent...
's marriage to Krishna which highlights a woman's right to have a major say in the selection of her life partner. It also covers the story of Subhadra
Subhadra
Image:Jagannath, Baladev and Subadra in Radhadesh.jpg|thumb|right|250px|alt=|Subhadra, flanked by her brothers Balarama and Jagannatha . Deities of the Radhadesh temple in Belgium...
's abduction by Arjuna
Arjuna
Arjuna in Indian mythology is the greatest warrior on earth and is one of the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. Arjuna, whose name means 'bright', 'shining', 'white' or 'silver' Arjuna (Devanagari: अर्जुन, Thai: อรชุน, Orachun, Tamil: Arjunan, Indonesian and Javanese: Harjuna,...
with the help of Lord Krishna. (This episode is without English subtitles)
Episode 124: This last episode also uses material from Mahabharat tv serial. Krishna drives Arjuna to the middle of the battlefield in his chariot. Arjuna sees the men on the battlefield and tells Krishna, "Winning a kingdom after killing one's own kin is too heavy a price to pay. I prefer to be a beggar if this is the price I have to pay for our throne." Krishna's teaching to Arjuna at the battlefield forms the basis of the Bhagavad Gita
Bhagavad Gita
The ' , also more simply known as Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata, but is frequently treated as a freestanding text, and in particular, as an Upanishad in its own right, one of the several books that constitute general Vedic tradition...
. Unable to satisfy Arjuna's hopeless conscience, Krishna grants divine eyesight to Arjuna and stuns him with his Viśvarūpa
Vishvarupa
Vishvarupa or Vishwaroop is a term used within Hinduism to refer to:*The Universal form revealed by Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita*A name of the deity, Shiva...
(divine manifestation). Arjuna is consoled and enlightened. He understands that the pure seek the spirit while the impure are trapped in Prakriti (Matter). He agrees to do his duty selflessly, lifts his Gandiva
Gandiva
The Gandiva is the bow of Arjuna, the hero of the Hindu epic Mahabharata.The bow was created by Brahman of old , the supreme God in Hindu theology. Brahma held it first for a thousand years. Afterwards, Prajapati held it for five hundred and three years. After that Indra, for five and eighty years...
bow and prepares to fight the Kauravas. (This episode is without English subtitles)