Uccaiśśravas (उच्चैश्श्रवस्).—*Birth.* A horse which emerged from water
during the churning of the sea of Milk.. Devendra grabbed it the moment he
saw it, and thenceforth it became his vehicle. (Mahābhārata Ādi Parva,
Chapter 23, Verses 33-37).
*Colour of the horse.* Once, during a controversy, Vinatā, wife of Kaśyapa,
contended that the colour of Uccaiśśravas was white, while another wife of
Kaśyapa, Kadrū said that its tail was black in colour. It was decided to
bet that she who got defeated in this controversy should become the slave
of the winner. Because the serpents, the sons of Kadrū, cheated Vinatā, she
had to become Kadrū’s slave. . (Mahābhārata Ādi Parva, Chapter 20).
*Lakṣmīdevī became mare.* Devī Bhāgavata relates a story of Mahālakṣmī
becoming a mare on account of Uccaiś ravas. King Revanta, son of Sūrya and
friend of Indra, once went to Vaikuṇṭha to pay his respects to Bhagavān
Viṣṇu, riding on Uccaiśśravas. Mahālakṣmī, who was then with Viṣṇu was
surprised at the arrival of Revanta. Seeing the scintillating form of
Uccaiśśravas, her brother, Mahālakṣmi sat looking at the horse unmindful of
all other things. (Mahālakṣmī and the horse were both born from the Sea of
Milk and hence were sister and brother). Thus occupied Mahālakṣmī did not
hear Mahāviṣṇu asking, "Who is this one who comes like a second Cupid?"
Angry at this Viṣṇu said—
"So much attracted by the horse, you have not answered me. Because you
enjoy (Ramasi) so much your name in future will be Ramā. You will also
become frivolous like an uncultured woman. You have never been constant.
Because you felt so much attracted to this horse in my very presence, you
will be born as a mare in the world of men."
According to this curse Mahālakṣmī had to be born as a mare in the world;
the Hehaya dynasty had its origin from her. . (Devī Bhāgavata, Skandha 6).
Indra, the King of Heaven and the gods, keeps the King of Horses,
Uchchaihshravas always nearby in the heavens. Their love for each other is
infinite and there is nothing they would not do for one another. Indra is
the only “master” Uchchaihshravas has ever known, and at the beginning of
their companionship, Uchchaihshravas often approached Indra with curiosity.
On one of these occasions, Indra was strolling through the heavenly gardens
when the seven-headed white horse perked his ears up and nickered, eagerly
jogging up to Indra from the patch of blue clovers and grasses he had been
eating.
“Oh greatest Deva of all, I have been reflecting on my life and I
have many questions about myself that only a parent could answer to a
child. You are all I have–my father, my brother and my master. Why is this
so? Why have I no sire or dam like the horses we see on Earth?”
Indra stopped and stroked his beloved friend’s seven milky white
forelocks, then climbed up onto Uchchaihshravas’ back.
“Take me for a ride down the path I was strolling, and I’ll tell you.”
They drifted along a path laid with platinum and smoothed crystals,
past translucent glowing trees in varying shades of purple, blue and pink.
Uchchaihshravas turned all fourteen of his ears back towards Indra, and the
Lord of Heaven began the story.
“In ancient times, before the memory of man, the sea was pure milk made
from the breast of Mother Earth. There was no sweeter milk in existence,
and this milk would never spoil.
My only mount at this time, Airawat the elephant, carried me across its
shores often and at one point we came across Sage Durvasa, who presented me
with a fortune garland made by Shiva. I draped the garland over Airawat’s
trunk as a sign of putting the Ego aside, but Airawat stubbornly cast the
garland to the ground, knowing that my Ego was far from aside. Airawat does
not enable me to mislead others in his presence, and for that I am
grateful. Durvasa was angered by this display, as Sri (fortune)–who lived
on that garland–was not to be cast down carelessly nor used as a symbol of
false reverence. Thus Durvasa cast a curse on myself and all the other
gods, that we would be without fortune, energy and strength. Truly, he was
right to do this; I have learned my lesson.
Asuras fought us and conquered the universe as a result of Durvasa’s curse,
and out of desperation Vishnu came up with a plan to form an alliance with
the Asuras; agree to jointly churn the milk ocean, thus producing the
amrita, and share the elixir of immortality among each other; but take the
elixir for the Devas once it was produced.
Vasuki, king of serpents, volunteered himself to be the churning rope, and
we tied him to the tall and sturdy Mount Mandura. The Asuras gathered at
his head, thinking this an advantage somehow, and the gods took the
tail-end of the great amber-scaled serpent. Churning the ocean was a
painfully long process, and at first it seemed hopeless when Mount Mandura
began to sink to the bottom. Vishnu, our blessed preserver, made himself
into a giant sea turtle and dove beneath the mountain, propping the
mountain so that it was half above and half below the sea. We churned
vehemently, forming a whirlpool that sent tidal waves of the ocean’s milk
splashing and crashing every which way against the shores.
Many of us gods were still having our doubts when the Asuras began freezing
up and dropping unconscious one by one, sucked out into the milky
whirlpool. Vasuki, as instructed by ever-clever Vishnu, had been emitting
toxic fumes from his nostrils, putting the Asuras into a catalytic stupor.
All of the gods rejoiced at this sight and we were inspired to continue on
churning more strenuously than ever. The milk ocean bubbled and sizzled,
then began losing its frothy nature as forms appeared before us out of the
milk. As the Ratnas (treasures) solidified, the ocean no longer shone pure
white, but was clear and sparkling with salt as it is now.
You, our beloved friend Airavata the elephant, the Goddess Lakshmi of
fortune and wealth, the amrita, and many other treasures and heavenly
beings were born from the churning of the milk ocean. You and Airavata glow
with the essence of the milk ocean, and the joys and efforts of the Devas
pump through your veins. Mother Earth bore you for us, and you are divine.
I chose you and Airavata as my mounts, because I was entranced by the glare
of your shine–like that of supernovae. I loved and admired you both when
you first crossed my vision, and it is an honor and a blessing to be your
master.”
Uchchaihshravas was pleased and pervaded with glory. He laughed and
whinnied and sat back partly on his thick, stout haunches, throwing his
powerful forelegs out before him in a display of celebratory reverence.
Indra smiled and Airavata, who had seen the two during their ride and
walked side-by-side with them from the middle of the story, sounded his
trunk like a trumpet, rearing up as Uchchaishravas did.
Indra dismounted Uchchaihshravas, and as he turned to look at the horse,
Uchchaihshravas gracefully bowed his seven heads and vowed, “I will carry
you until the end of Time, and if it never ends, I will carry you forever.
I am your faithful servant and friend and I will never disobey you.”
“So too will I, so too am I!” Airavata shouted.
And so it is, and so they are.
KR IRS 7226
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