Interesting Puzzles in Puranas

Our Puranas and Ithihasas are a treasure trove of interesting stories. Not only do they impart moral values, they also have interesting riddles that tickle our brains. This post looks at some of the intricate puzzle like situations that are depicted in our scriptures and the ways by which they were resolved.

1. The predicament of Shukharachara

Puzzle: How to get a person out of your body without killing either?

This story is mentioned in Mahabharatha. In the war between Asuras (demons) and Devas (Gods), Asuras kept on winning thanks to their Guru Shukracharya who could invoke a hymn (Sanjeevani mantra) to bring the dead Asuras to life. Devas wanted to get hold of this hymn and they sent Kacha, the son of their teacher God Bruhaspathi, to learn it from Shukracharya. When a qualified disciple asks a teacher to teach him, the teacher can’t refuse. So Shukracharya took Kacha as his disciple. This angered the Asuras who tried to kill Kacha in many ways. Each time, Shukracharya brought him back to life.
Finally, the Asuras killed Kacha, burnt his body and mixed the ashes in the drink of their Guru. Unaware of this, Shukracharya drank it. When he came to know that Kacha was missing again, he attempted to invoke the Sanjeevani Mantra. This time however, Kacha’s voice was heard from his own body explaining that he is inside him. If he were to come alive, it will killl his Guru!

The Solution

Shukracharya then taught the Sanjeevani mantra to Kacha who was inside him . Once Kacha learnt it, Shukracharya invoked the mantra which caused Kacha to fully form and emerge from his Guru’s body killing him. Once out, Kacha invoked the mantra and brought his Guru back to life. So it was a happy ending for all, except perhaps for the Asuras!

2. Vruthrasura and the emergence of a new weapon

Puzzle: What is neither dry nor wet?

As per Shrimad Bhagavata purana, there was once a great sage called Thvashta to whom a pious son by name Vishwarupa was born. Vishwarupa, was very famous due to his spiritual prowess and was well-respected by all. This caused insecurity and fear in the mind of Lord Indra. During an altercation, Indra killed Vishwarupa in a fit of rage. When Thvashta came to know of this, he became furious and created a being from the sacrificial fire for the sole purpose of avenging his son. Vruthrasura was born.

Vruthrasura then performed a severe penance and received a supreme boon. As per this boon no known weapon made of wood or metal could kill him. The weapon can also neither be dry or wet. Thus blessed, Vruthra waged a battle against Indra who was delivered a crushing blow and had to flee from the battle.

The Solution

Indra prayed to Lord Vishnu and based on his guidance, requested Sage Dadhichi to help him. The sage, gave away his own backbone for the noble cause which was then fashioned as a weapon. Thus Indra got his most potent weapon Vajrayudha (‘the weapon made of bone’) that day. Thus energized, he beckoned Vruthra for a fight. This time, he fought with his Vajrayudha. He dipped his weapon in the sea and collected sea-foam (lather) in his weapon. Sea-foam as you know, is neither dry or wet and with that he managed to kill Vruthrasura innovatively.

3. Hiranyakashipu – Boons gone bad

Puzzle: What time is not day or night? What is not in or out? Who is not created by Brahma? And what is not up or down? 

Most of us know the story of Lord Narasimha. The demon King Hiranyakashibu wanted to avenge the death of his brother Hiranyaaksha who was killed by Lord Varaha. He started performing a severe penance and when Lord Brahma manifested he promptly asked for immortality. When it was refused, he asked for the second best boon.

He thought he factored in all conditions when he asked for the below boon. “My Lord, my death should not be from any of the living entities created by you. I should not die within or outside any residence, during the day time or at night, nor on the ground or in the sky, nor by any weapon, nor by any human being, God, demon or animal”. When the boon was granted, he felt he had cheated death and began to torment the whole world.

The Solution

Hiranyakashipu’s own son Prahlada turned out be an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu. The demon became enraged on learning this and he subjected Prahlada to several hardships. Due to Lord’s grace, Prahlada emerged unscathed from all of them . Finally, in a fit of rage, his father broke open a pillar to check for the presence of God.

That’s when Lord Narasimha emerged his majestic man-lion form and fought him. He was not a creation of Lord Brahma and he emerged during twilight which was neither day nor night. He pulled the demon to the entrance step of the palace which was neither inside nor outside. He then placed him on this thigh which was neither up nor down and used his own fingernails as a weapon, to pull the entrails of Hirankashipu and killed him. Hiranyakashipu’s tale is a lesson to those who don’t realize that for every wise man in the world, there exists another who is wiser.

4. Jayadratha, the accidental warrior

Puzzle: How to escape the ‘killer be killed’ curse?

In Mahabharatha, Abhimanyu’s death was brought upon by Jayadratha who was the brother-in-law of Dhuryodhana. When Jayadradha was born, his father Vrudha Kshatra wanted him to be the greatest warrior. He performed a penance and his wish was granted. However, he was told that finally he will be killed by a famous warrior and will enjoy a soldier’s death.

Not able to digest the fact that he will be killed in war, Vrudha Kshatra invoked a terrible curse that, whoever knocks his son’s head down will also die and his head will explode into a thousand pieces. During the war, Arjuna found out that Jayadratha was the reason for the death of his son and waged a terrible war against him. His charioteer, Lord Krishna realized that Jayadratha’s end was near and in the process Arjuna might lose his life as well.

The Solution

When Arjuna was about to shoot the fatal arrow, Lord Krishna advised him to make the arrow carry the severed head to some distance. Arjuna was puzzled, but obeyed the order. The arrow took the head and deposited it on the lap of Vrudha Kshatra who was in deep meditation. He opened his eyes and was horrified at the sight of a human head. He attempted to stand up and that caused the head to fall to the ground. At once, as per his curse (whoever causes his son’s head to fall to the ground will die) he died with his head exploding to a thousand pieces. Goes on to show that even certain death can be avoided, if God is on one’s side.

Hope you found the above episodes interesting. If you have similar stories from our Puranas that stimulate the brain, please share in the comments section for the benefit of our readers.