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When Devas and Asuras faught with each other, the King of the devas Indra often invited the kings of the earth to help them. The kings also consented and went to the heavens to fight the demons to render the devas victorious.

Purãnas say that kings from the lineage of Surya Vamsa have also have also gone to the heavens for the wars. One such king was invited by Indra, when the king put forth a condition that only if Indra transformed himself into an ox can he mount on him and fight the war to victory. Indra also consented and transformed himself into an ox for the war and finally they emerged victorious. Because he mounted on Indra as an ox, he came to be called "Kakutsa" and "Indravãhana".

All the descendents of that lineage came to be called "Kãkutsas". Sri Rama was also a Kãkutsa.

Dasaratha also went to the heavens to thus help Indra in the war, whence Kaikeyi was the charioteer. Sri Ramayana says that Kaikeyi helped Dasaratha in a difficult situation and pleased, Dasaratha granted two boons to her.

Srimad Bhãgavatam says that the king Katvãnga had also been to the heavens to help out in the wars. Pradhardanan, son of Divodasan ruled the earth. Once Indra summoned him to help out in the war against the demons and eventually they turned victorious. Pleased, Indra granted him boons. The king asked him to be granted whatever would be beneficial to humanity.

"Hitatara" is the comparative and "hitatama" is the superlative degree for the term "Hita" meaning beneficial. If one follows the Karmas as prescribed in the Vedas, that is 'hita' or beneficial. The path of 'Upãsana' is 'hitatara' while verily Moksha is 'hitatama'. The Vedas also specify 'Karma' 'Upãsana' and 'Jnãna' as the three most beneficial in growing degree of benefit. Thus Indra gave Pradhardana an upadesa of Jnãna.

With the experience of Jnãna, our merits or sins do not affect us. Sri Krishna also says in the Gita, "Jnãnãgni: sarva karmãni basmasãt kuruthe tathã". Indra explains to Pradhardana the sins that he had committed and how that does not affect him -- "Once I killed the son of the three-headed Viswaroopa. He was my teacher at one point of time, and yet I killed him because he wronged. One who embraces an ascetic life has to do 'tatva vichãra'. That is the very reason for taking up an ascetic life. Once, a few sages were wasting their time without performing 'tatva vichãra'. I butchered them and fed them to the dogs. Having done such actions, I still remain unaffected. This is the state of non-duality."

Thus Indra advised the supreme Advaita experience to Pradhardana and the latter attained utmost non-dualistic bliss.

This story is narrated in the Kaushitat Upanishad.

To be continued……….

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