Five Powerful Curses That Changed Destiny

In the Puranas and great epics of Sanatana Dharma the word is called Brahman. In ancient times speech was not merely a medium of communication but it was such an infallible consciousness that possessed the potential to alter the direction and condition of the entire universe. When a word emerged from the mouth of an ascetic sage, a chaste woman or a mother immersed in deep depression it was not just a sound wave but it became such an unyielding decree of destiny that was impossible to evade even for the gods themselves. Curses were actually not instantaneous expressions of anger but they were living documents of the principle of karma and cosmic justice. When unrighteousness, betrayal, arrogance and tyranny reached their climax in the world, nature established balance through these curses. Due to these curses the grandeur of sovereign kings turned to dust, the knowledge of the finest archers vanished at the crucial moment and even the complete incarnations of Lord Vishnu had to face unbearable pain and separation on this earth like ordinary mortals. The purpose of these stories is not to frighten but to explain to human consciousness that every action in this world has an inevitable reaction and what is sown must be reaped.

Ashwatthama Condemned To Wander Till Eternal Time

When the war of Mahabharata was in its final stage smoke of destruction and revenge was rising all around. After the death of Duryodhana such a terrible fire of revenge ignited inside Ashwatthama the son of Guru Dronacharya that it completely destroyed his wisdom. Completely forgetting the rules of war, he attacked the camp of the Pandavas in the deep darkness of night and brutally murdered the five sleeping sons of Draupadi. Not only this he also used the infallible Brahmastra on the unborn child Parikshit growing in the womb of Uttara for the complete destruction of the Pandava lineage.

Seeing this highly detestable and sinful act of Ashwatthama the entire creation trembled. The patience of Lord Krishna also ended at this limit. He protected the Pandava lineage and instead of giving the death penalty to Ashwatthama gave such a terrible curse which was many times more painful than death. Krishna extracted that divine gem shining on the forehead of Ashwatthama which kept him free from all fear and disease. Krishna cursed him that he would wander alone in an extremely miserable condition in the deserted forests, deserts and cremation grounds of this earth for more than three thousand years.

Blood and pus would constantly flow from his body and no person in society would talk to him nor give him shelter. He would desire death but death would not embrace him. This curse teaches us that some sins are so terrible that they have no atonement. Unrighteousness committed in the course of time pushes man into such a labyrinth of endless pain from where there is no way out.

The Curse Of Devarshi Narada That Made The Almighty Weep

The power of a curse was not limited only to humans or demons but even the master of the three worlds Lord Vishnu himself could not remain untouched by its impact. An extremely interesting story comes in mythological texts when Devarshi Narada became excessively arrogant about his difficult penance. To destroy his illusion and arrogance Lord Vishnu through his Yogamaya constructed an extremely magnificent and illusory city in which the swayamvara of princess Vishwamohini Narada entered. Narada became so fascinated by the beauty of that princess that he asked Lord Vishnu for his own appearance so that the princess would choose him alone.

Lord Vishnu gave Narada the Hari form for his welfare but one meaning of Hari is also a monkey therefore his face became like a monkey. When the princess mocked him in the swayamvara and Narada saw his face in the water his arrogance turned into the fire of deep anger and insult. He immediately went to Vaikuntha and gave an extremely harsh curse to Lord Vishnu. Narada said that the way you have made me suffer today in the separation of a woman and mocked me in the same way you will also have to bear the unbearable sorrow of the separation of a woman by taking birth in human form and the monkeys due to whose face my insult happened those very monkeys will help you in times of crisis.

Giver of Curse	Receiver of Curse	Spiritual and Practical Outcomes
Lord Krishna	Guru's Son Ashwatthama	Continuous pain till the end of Kali Yuga, wandering with wounds and the bane of immortality
Devarshi Narada	Lord Vishnu (Lord Rama)	Separation from Mata Sita in Treta Yuga, weeping like an ordinary human and help from monkey army
Mother Gandhari	Dwarakadhish Krishna	Complete destruction of Yaduvansha in mutual civil war and leaving body by a hunter in Prabhas

Lord Vishnu accepted this curse gracefully without any counterargument because he knew that through this very curse the background of Ramavatara would be prepared in the Treta Yuga. When Lord Vishnu incarnated in the form of King Rama he had to wander from forest to forest with Mother Sita and take the help of the monkey army at the time of the Lanka war. This episode clarifies that when a devotee or a sage says some words out of pure intent but deep perturbation the Almighty himself becomes subject to the laws of the world to protect the honor of that speech.

The Anger Of Mother Gandhari And Ultimate Destruction Of Yaduvansha

The war of Mahabharata had ended. The mutilated bodies of crores of warriors were lying on the holy land of Kurukshetra. When Queen Gandhari of Hastinapur reached the battlefield her heart was shattered upon seeing the bodies of her hundred sons. Her lamentation turned into deep anger and detachment. She knew that if Dwarakadhish Krishna wanted he could have easily stopped this mass destruction with his diplomacy and supernatural powers but he did not do so.

When Krishna reached to console Gandhari, immersed in grief considered Krishna to be the main architect of this slaughter of the Kuru clan and converted the entire energy of her tears and ascetic power into a terrible curse. Gandhari said that if I have followed the duty of chastity with full devotion in my life and performed true worship of God then exactly thirty six years from today your own Yaduvansha will also be completely destroyed by fighting among themselves in the same manner. Your city of Dwarka will sink into the ocean and you yourself will also attain death while suffering alone in the forest like an ordinary and helpless creature.

Krishna listening to this extremely terrible curse only spread a gentle smile and said that mother this curse of yours will definitely fructify because the potential to destroy the Yaduvansha was not in any other warrior of the world and their end had now become mandatory. History is witness that due to the curse of Gandhari the Yaduvanshis began to slaughter each other being intoxicated with wine and ultimately Krishna rested his divine play by the arrow of an ordinary hunter in the Prabhas region. This event shows how merciless and impartial the justice of nature is where even the clan of God is burnt to ashes in the offering of karma.

The Wrath Of Maharishi Durvasa And Shakuntala's Oblivion

The name of Maharishi Durvasa comes at the top in the history of curses because he was renowned for his excessive anger and momentary impulse. An extremely touching episode comes in the immortal text Abhigyanashakuntalam of Kalidasa when Shakuntala completely lost in the love of King Dushyanta was sitting in the ashram of Maharishi Kanva. Her attention was completely focused on the thoughts of her husband. At this very time Rishi Durvasa of extremely angry nature arrived at the gate of the ashram and called out for alms.

Being completely lost in her thoughts Shakuntala could not know the presence of the sage and failed to welcome him properly. Considering this as his gross insult the third eye of Maharishi Durvasa turned red with anger. He cursed Shakuntala saying that the person in whose thoughts you have disrespected an ascetic like me will be the very person who will forget you completely and will not recognize you even after repeated reminders.

This curse fell like a thunderbolt on the happy life of Shakuntala. Although later upon the persuasion of Priyamvada and Anasuya the anger of the sage calmed down a bit and he said that if some royal ornament or ring is shown the king will remember everything. But this curse of a single moment pushed the life of Shakuntala into the quagmire of an extremely difficult test, social insult and long separation. This story teaches us how much importance awareness has in life. A single moment of inadvertence or carelessness can completely alter the direction of our smiling life.

The Curse Of Vashishtha That Turned Vasus Into Humans

This story is connected with the birth of Ganga's son Bhishma the greatest figure of the Mahabharata. In ancient times the eight Vasus were considered extremely powerful and holy deities of heaven. Once along with their wives they were passing near the ashram of Maharishi Vashishtha. There they saw Nandini, the divine and wish fulfilling cow of the sage. Among the eight Vasus one named Dyau due to the obstinacy of his wife stole that cow forcefully without the permission of the sage.

When Maharishi Vashishtha returned to his hut and saw through meditation he came to know of this highly low act of the deities. Enraged, Maharishi cursed those eight Vasus that the work you deities have done is like humans therefore all of you will have to fall from heaven and take birth as ordinary humans on the earth and bear human miseries.

• When forgiveness was sought by the deities the sage reduced the impact of his curse a bit.
• The first seven Vasus would get liberation from the human body immediately upon taking birth.
• But Dyau, who had primarily committed the theft, would have to bear great hardships by staying on earth for a long time.
• This very Dyau later incarnated as Bhishma the son of Ganga who despite the vow of celibacy and the boon of wishful death spent an extremely painful and lonely life.

This curse is proof that no matter how big one is in position or prestige when he violates his boundaries and usurps the rights of others he has to become a partner in the punishment of nature.

Invaluable Practical Lessons Derived From These Mythological Curses

These stories of five great and powerful curses are not merely fables of ancient times but within them are hidden many extremely deep philosophical and practical messages to bring modern human society to the right path.

• One should always use speech and words extremely carefully because spoken words never come back.
• Anger and arrogance are the greatest enemies of man which destroy the penance and merits of centuries in a moment.
• One should avoid insulting any helpless woman, elderly or ascetic because their internal torment turning into a curse can destroy life.
• The Almighty himself fully respects the laws of karma and destiny made by nature therefore we should also focus on the purity of actions.
• Sudden disasters coming in life are many times the debt of the karma of our past lives which is wise to accept gracefully.

When modern man understands the subtle meanings of these episodes deeply an extraordinary restraint, sensitivity and true devotion toward righteousness awaken within him which helps him to emerge from the labyrinth of life.

FAQ

Can the curses of ancient times be effective in today's Kali Yuga also

According to Vedic beliefs some specific curses like Ashwatthama wandering till eternal time are considered effective till the end of Kali Yuga. But in Kali Yuga the ascetic power and strength of speech of humans is not so intense therefore in the present time immediate curses do not fructify in that manner.

What is the relationship between a curse and the principle of karma

A curse is actually an intense and visible form of the principle of karma itself. When a person commits a huge injustice against someone the energy emerging from the soul of the suffering person takes the form of a curse which immediately activates the fruit of the bad actions of the guilty person.

Can a given curse be eliminated completely

According to Sanatana scriptures a curse once emerged from the mouth can never be taken back completely. Yes, by the grace of the sage or great personality who gave the curse its impact can be reduced a bit or some protective condition can be added to it.

Why did Lord Vishnu accept the curse of Devarshi Narada

Lord Vishnu respects the speech of his devotees and sages highly. In addition to this he knew that this curse of Narada was actually a major part of the divine plan of the destruction of the wicked and re-establishment of righteousness through Ramavatara on earth.

Due to which curse did Bhishma Pitamah have to lie on the bed of arrows

Bhishma Pitamah in his past life was the Vasu named Dyau who had stolen the cow of Rishi Vashishtha. Due to the curse of the sage he had to live a long life on earth and to pay off the debt of his past karma he had to sleep on a painful bed of arrows in the war of Kurukshetra.