Raksha bandhan: Legends and history
Raksha bandhan, celebrated on the full moon day in the Hindu month of Sravana, honours the love of a brother for his sister, signifies the bond of love. Raksha bandhan has its roots both in historical as well as mythological stories.
RAKSHA BANDHAN is the celebration of the bond of love between brothers and sisters. But there are numerous legends associated with the origin of Rakhi. The festival of raksha bandhan has its roots both in historical as well as mythological stories. There is no confirmed date and time available about the history of the rakhi festival. It began with the tradition of tying the thread with the husband, over time it has evolved to sisters tying the thread with brothers. The origin of the festival is mostly attributed to the following mythological incidents:
1. War between demons and gods
One of the main legends surrounding rakhi relates to a war between the king of the gods, Indra and the demon Vritra. The gods were very close to defeat and Lord Indra approached Lord Brihaspati for a solution. The latter asked him to tie a sacred thread on his wrist, powered by the mantras, on the day of Shravan Purnima. Lord Indra's wife Sachi then empowered a thread and tied it on her husband’s wrist on the said day. The gods won a battle that was almost lost. Since then, the sacred thread has been associated with protection and a long life.
One of the main legends surrounding rakhi relates to a war between the king of the gods, Indra and the demon Vritra. The gods were very close to defeat and Lord Indra approached Lord Brihaspati for a solution. The latter asked him to tie a sacred thread on his wrist, powered by the mantras, on the day of Shravan Purnima. Lord Indra's wife Sachi then empowered a thread and tied it on her husband’s wrist on the said day. The gods won a battle that was almost lost. Since then, the sacred thread has been associated with protection and a long life.
2. Krishna and Draupadi
One myth involves the tying of a strip of silk by Draupadi, wife of the Pandavas, to Krishna’s bleeding finger. Touched by this gesture of concern, Krishna declared himself bound to her by a brother’s love and in her debt. Years later, Draupadi called on Krishna for help and Krishna kept his promise and helped her against her evil brother-in-law Duryodhana.
3.King Bali and goddess Laxmi
According to another legend the demon King Bali was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu had taken up the task to guard his kingdom leaving his own abode in Vaikunth. Goddess Lakshmi wished to be with her lord back in her abode. She went to Bali disguised as a Brahmin woman to seek refuge till her husband returned.
Soon, during the Shravan Purnima celebrations, she tied a sacred thread on Bali’s wrist. When Bali asked her to take a gift from him, she revealed her true identity and purpose (of taking Lord Vishnu back to Vaikunth) of coming there. Bali fulfilled her wish and asked the Lord to return to his abode.
4. Yama and the Yamuna
According to another legend, raksha bandhan was a ritual followed by Lord Yama (the lord of death) and his sister Yamuna. Yamuna tied rakhi on Yama in order to bestow him with immortality. Yama was so moved by the serenity of the occasion that he declared that whoever had a rakhi tied by his sister and promised her protection, would become immortal.
Raksha Bandhan has a long historical background too; some of its highlights include:
1. The Aryans
The history of raksha bandhan goes back to the early days of the arrival of the Aryans in India. The Aryans performed yajnas before going to war. This was done to invoke the blessings of the gods. Before the men departed for the battlefield, their womenfolk tied sacred threads or amulets to protect them and also to remind them of their duties to uphold the honour of their tribe. This is how the custom of raksha bandhan seems to have originated.
2. Alexander The Great and King Porus
In the pages of history, we have seen that rakhi has played an important and significant role in building strong relations and bonds among rulers and kingdoms. It is said that when Alexander invaded India in 326BC, his wife tied a rakhi to King Porus. In return, Porus is believed to have promised to protect her and her husband. Thus in the battlefields, Porus had to restrain himself from attacking Alexander inspite of bring presented with numerous opportunities.
3. Rani Karnawati and Emperor Humayun
Rajput queens used to send rakhis to Mughal Kings during wars and in return the kings promised to protect them. The history of Rajputna is full of several such examples of rakhi-like traditions. The most famous of them is the story of the Queen Karnavati of Chittor, who sent a rakhi to the Mughal Emperor Humayun to save her kingdom from the invasion of Bahadur Shah of Gujarat. That particular day of Purnima was celebrated as raksha bandhan in Marwar and then all over Rajasthan and finally throughout India.
The festival of raksha bandhan falls on the Shravan Purnima which is the full moon day in the Shravan month and which generally falls in the month of August. 'Raksha' means protection. 'Bandhan' is the bond. So it signifies the bond of protection. The protection is from all perils. It is believed that if a chord, made according to the prescriptions of the holy texts, is tied by the sister around the wrist of her brother on the full moon day in the month of Shravana, it will ensure him good health, success and happiness for the year that follows.
One myth involves the tying of a strip of silk by Draupadi, wife of the Pandavas, to Krishna’s bleeding finger. Touched by this gesture of concern, Krishna declared himself bound to her by a brother’s love and in her debt. Years later, Draupadi called on Krishna for help and Krishna kept his promise and helped her against her evil brother-in-law Duryodhana.
3.King Bali and goddess Laxmi
According to another legend the demon King Bali was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu had taken up the task to guard his kingdom leaving his own abode in Vaikunth. Goddess Lakshmi wished to be with her lord back in her abode. She went to Bali disguised as a Brahmin woman to seek refuge till her husband returned.
Soon, during the Shravan Purnima celebrations, she tied a sacred thread on Bali’s wrist. When Bali asked her to take a gift from him, she revealed her true identity and purpose (of taking Lord Vishnu back to Vaikunth) of coming there. Bali fulfilled her wish and asked the Lord to return to his abode.
4. Yama and the Yamuna
According to another legend, raksha bandhan was a ritual followed by Lord Yama (the lord of death) and his sister Yamuna. Yamuna tied rakhi on Yama in order to bestow him with immortality. Yama was so moved by the serenity of the occasion that he declared that whoever had a rakhi tied by his sister and promised her protection, would become immortal.
Raksha Bandhan has a long historical background too; some of its highlights include:
1. The Aryans
The history of raksha bandhan goes back to the early days of the arrival of the Aryans in India. The Aryans performed yajnas before going to war. This was done to invoke the blessings of the gods. Before the men departed for the battlefield, their womenfolk tied sacred threads or amulets to protect them and also to remind them of their duties to uphold the honour of their tribe. This is how the custom of raksha bandhan seems to have originated.
2. Alexander The Great and King Porus
In the pages of history, we have seen that rakhi has played an important and significant role in building strong relations and bonds among rulers and kingdoms. It is said that when Alexander invaded India in 326BC, his wife tied a rakhi to King Porus. In return, Porus is believed to have promised to protect her and her husband. Thus in the battlefields, Porus had to restrain himself from attacking Alexander inspite of bring presented with numerous opportunities.
3. Rani Karnawati and Emperor Humayun
Rajput queens used to send rakhis to Mughal Kings during wars and in return the kings promised to protect them. The history of Rajputna is full of several such examples of rakhi-like traditions. The most famous of them is the story of the Queen Karnavati of Chittor, who sent a rakhi to the Mughal Emperor Humayun to save her kingdom from the invasion of Bahadur Shah of Gujarat. That particular day of Purnima was celebrated as raksha bandhan in Marwar and then all over Rajasthan and finally throughout India.
The festival of raksha bandhan falls on the Shravan Purnima which is the full moon day in the Shravan month and which generally falls in the month of August. 'Raksha' means protection. 'Bandhan' is the bond. So it signifies the bond of protection. The protection is from all perils. It is believed that if a chord, made according to the prescriptions of the holy texts, is tied by the sister around the wrist of her brother on the full moon day in the month of Shravana, it will ensure him good health, success and happiness for the year that follows.
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