Tansen was a great musician in the court of Emperor Akbar in Delhi. He was blessed by the Divine mother and his Guru.

One day Tansen sang in the court of Akbar. Akbar was charmed by his music and he said, "there is none who can equal you in music".

Tansen replied, "No my lord, there is one person"

Akbar got curious. Tansen explained, "He is no ordinary person. His name is Haridas and he is a saint. He lives in Vrindaban and he is my guru."

Akbar wanted to invite Saint Haridas to the court to listen to his singing. Tansen replied, "he will not stir out of Vrindaban. Many have tried to persuade him but failed".

Akbar asked, "Can I hear his music? Can you take me there?"

Tansen replied, "If you are willing to come disguised as my disciple, I can take you there and I will try to make him sing when we are there" Akbar immediately agreed.

So, a disguised Akbar and Tansen left for Vrindaban. On reaching the place of the Saint Tansen and Akbar paid their respects to the Saint. The saint did not sing at all.

In the evening, Tansen started singing. While singing, he deliberately made a mistake. Immediately the Saint corrected him and to explain the correction started singing. Akbar and Tansen sat spellbound listening to his singing. It was the most divine music that Akbar had ever heard.

After sometime, the saint absorbed in meditation fell unconscious.

Akbar said "You should be blessed to have such a teacher. How does he sing so well?"

Tansen replied, "He does not sing for mere mortals like me. He sings for God. That is why his music is so good"

Akbar was happy that he had a chance to listen to such divine music later returned to Delhi.

Saint Haridas's compositions are sung even today at Vrindavan.

Once, Ilvala the demon King of Badami once requested a sage to bless him with a son with the power and status of Indra. Knowing his demoniac nature, the sage refuesed to give such a boon. Since then he and his brother Vatapi employed their occult powers deceitfully to murder ascetics and hermits.

To accomplish their, they would assume the form of devout human beings and approach a hermit, and invite him for meals at their humble dwelling so that they will be blessed by their holiness. When the hermit came to their house, Ilvala would welcome them and turn his brother Vatapi into a goat. Then he would kill that goat prepare various dishes with the goat and serve the hermit. The innocent hermit would partake of the meal. After the hermit had the meal, the demon Ilvala would chant mantras and call his brother Vatapi out. Cutting open the stomach of the hermit, Vatapi would come out alive as a goat by his magical power and the hermit would die. Then demon Vatapi would resume his real form.

In this way they murdered hermits and ate their flesh in glee.

Sage Agasthya, by his spiritual insight came to know of the cruel trick of the two demons and wanted to put an end to them. Hence he came to Badami.

The demon brothers were pleased to see a hermit, who was none other than Agasthya, coming even without their invitation. The Sage Agasthya was duly welcomed and invited for a meal. The sage Agasthya went to the river for a bath. Meanwhile Ilvala turned Vatapi into a goat and cooked dishes after killing it. After Agasthya returned from the bath, he enquired about the other brother. Ilvala replied that he has gone on an important errand. After Agasthya finished his meal, the demon Ilvala chanted the mantra and called Vatapi. There was an uncomfortable feeling in Agasthya's stomach. He immediately came to know the cause by his insight and countered the mantra of the demon by quietly saying to himself, "Let Vatapi be digested in my stomach". The sage thanked Ilvala for the hearty meal he had served and for his hospitality. The demon Ilvala started calling to his Vatapi to come out. Agasthya started laughing when Ilvala's repeated calls proved in vain. The sage then disclosed to the demon that his brother has already digested in his stomach and he can never come back. The demon Ilvala grew angry and wanted to kill the sage Agasthya for killing his brother. But the sage took a few drops of holy water from his kamandalu and sprinkled on the demon saying, " O demon! Just as your brother died you also die. That only will bring good to the world". Thus the Sage Agasthya got rid of the two demons Ilvala and Vatapi.

The evil minded Duryodhana built a lac palace and invited the Pandava brothers with their mother Kunti to stay there. Duryodhana had planned to set the whole palace on fire to kill them.

With the help of Vidura, Bhima came to know of that plan and he escaped carrying his brothers and Kunti.They reached a town called Ekachakrapura and they lived in a Brahmin's house disguised as brahmins.

One day as usual Yudhisthira and others went out for Bhiksha. Bhima and Kunti stayed back at home. They suddenly heard someone crying. They saw that the brahmin and his wife wee crying. Bhima and Kunti were shocked. On asking for the reason the brahmin's wife said, "What shall I say about our misfortunes? Just outside this town lives a rakshasa called bakaasura. He was killing people indiscriminately. The village people joined together and requested bakaasura that he stop the indiscriminate killing. In return they promised that they would send one person with cartload of food and 2 bullocks from each household in that village by turns.

Tomorrow is our son's turn. You know that we have only one son and if he is killed we do not know how we will live." sobbed the lady.

On hearing this story Kunti felt very sad and she said immediately, "See, you have only one son but I have five sons I can send one of them. So, tomorrow your son need not go but Bhima will go instead" she suggested.

The brahmin was horrified and said, "I will never agree to such a proposal. You are guests in our house and guests have to be treated as Gods. How can I ever send out an athithi (guest) to die?"

Kunti persuaded them and said, " We are your guests and it is our duty to share your sorrow. Bhima is strong. He will be a good match to Bakaasura. He may kill him and free the villagers of this menace forever. Even if he is killed I will have four sons. You do not have to worry."

Bhima also persuaded the brahmin couple to agree to Kunti's suggestion. He was very confident that he would kill the bakaasura and he was very excited at the prospect of getting cartload of delicacies to eat while going to Bakaasura.

Accordingly the next day Bhima went with a cartload of food. A terrible fight took place between him and the Bakaasura and the Bakaasura was killed.

The villagers were very happy and they praised Bhima and Kunti. To repay the hospitality and love of the brahmin couple Kunti was ready to sacrifice her own son.

Jayadeva was a great saint who hailed form Orissa. He was a great lover of Sri Krishna and wrote a number of hymns of which the 'Gita Govinda' has become an immortal piece of devotional literature.

Once Jayadeva was sitting and meditating on the banks of a holy river. A wealthy merchant happened to pass by that side. The merchant was highly captivated by the saintly appearance of Jayadeva. Then and there he decided to get Mantradiksha form Jayadeva. He ordered for a chariot and waited for the saint to complete his meditation. When Jayadeva came down to the normal plane, the merchant fell flat at his feet and requested him humbly to come to his house and initiate him with mantra. Jayadeva agreed and both started towards the merchant's house in the chariot. His house was far away and was situated on the other side of a thick forest. Initiation over, the merchant presented one thousand gold coins and very costly clothes and sent back Jayadeva to his house in the chariot.

When the chariot was passing half way through the forest, there was a sudden commotion. The breading of twigs from huge trees could be clearly heard. The two horses drawing the chariot began to run hither and thither. Suddenly there appeared four dacoits with weapons and stopped the chariot. The charioteer ran away in fear, Jayadeva was caught alone unawares. He was completely absorbed in the repetition of the sweet name of Sri Krishna. The dacoits approached Jayadeva and asked him to handover the gold coins and the clothes. Unhesitatlngly he gave away everything and started walking towards his village with the Lord's name on his lips.

But one of the dacoits became suspicious. He thought Jayadeva may reach the village fast and bring some people to attack the dacoits. So he ran towards Jayadeva, cut off his hands and legs and threw him into a nearby well.

The well was dry without a single drop of water. Jayadeva was absorbed in the joyous meditation of Sri Krishna, oblivious of his physical condition. At that time, the King of the State came to the forest for hunting wild animals. After many hours of hunting he became very thirsty and started searching for water. He saw this well and approached it with the hope of getting some drinking water. But as he neared the well, he heard beautiful singing of Bhajan from inside it. He leapt forward and saw a man singing praises of Sri Krishna. The man's hands and legs had been cut off and blood was oozing from his body.

The king was stunned. Who could this great man be? Who has done harm to such a great man? How can such a thing happen in his regime?

The king asked his servants to get down the well and bring the saint out. Jayadeva was then taken to the palace and given treatment. When asked by the King who the culprits were, Jayadeva simply said that everything happens by God's will. There is no point in finding fault with any one in the world.

The King was much impressed. He was a great devotee of Lord Siva. He thought Jayadeva could be his guide and guru and help him in his path of God-realisation. He seated Jayadeva in the palace on par with him and took his advice on all matters relating to the administration of the state.

Days passed. The dacoits heard that the King was very pious and gives away lot of riches to anyone who chants the name of God. So they hit upon an idea. They dressed like holy men and entered the palace chanting the glories of God. The King welcomed them with the honour due to holy men. He directed his servants to give gold and silver as much as they wished.

In the meantime, the dacoits noticed Jayadeva sitting by the side of the King with his hands and legs cut off. They were afraid that Jayadeva may expose them and give them severe punishment. They started shivering in their shoes. The King noticed this and make a sign to Jayadeva. But Jayadeva behaved as if he did not observe anything. He asked the servants to escort them and leave them safely upto their State boundary.

The dacoits heaved a sigh of relief. They walked fast to reach their house before anything unforeseen happened. Noticing their fear while in the court and now, the servants of the palace asked them why they were so much afraid of Jayadeva. The dacoits replied: "That fellow Jayadeva was a thief. We were the inhabitants of the neighboring kingdom. Our king once ordered us to kill him of his thefts. But we took sympathy on him, cut off his legs and hands and threw him into a well. He is now posing as a wise man in your king's court. Since he is afraid we may tell the truth, he has given us lot of gold and silver and servants to escort us. Your Jayadeva is alive only because of your mercy. That is why we felt uneasy in his presence

As soon as they spoke thus, Sri Krishna could not bear the words. The earth broke into two and all the four dacoits fell into a deep abyss in between the earth. The servants returned to the palace and narrated what had happened. The king was happy that the liars were rightly punished by the merciful Lord. But Jayadeva was miserable. Was it not because of him that the dacoits fell into the Patala? He must go and save them. He promptly started to go. The King was worried as to what would happen to Jayadeva. So he also accompanied him. Both of them reached the place, Jayadeva chanting the praises of Sri Krishna and the King singing the glories of Lord Siva.

Reaching the spot, Jayadeva became overwhelmed with sorrow. Because of him, the dacoits have died. This was wrong. The only way to atonement was to immolate by himself falling into the Patala. He was prepared for this last act of sacrifice.

The king was annoyed and afraid. How can he live without his Guru? He decided that if Jayadeva died, he would also follow the suit. He expressed his wishes clearly to his Guru Jayadeva. Jayadeva was confused. If the king dies, who will look after the kingdom? Unable to take any decision, Jayadeva fell down unconscious. The king thought that Jayadeva gad given up his body. Not knowing what to do, he started imploring to the Lord Siva in pathetic tone in various ways for a long time. The Lord was merciful to the king. Siva appeared there with Parvathi and a trident in hand. At his wish, Jayadeva regained his consciousness. Both the King and the Saint were ecstatic at the vision of the Lord.

Siva asked Jayadeva for any boon that he may choose. Pat cause the reply without the least hesitation. "May the four dacoits who harmed me be liberated. May they suffer no more in their future lives."

What example of mercy! Jayadeva did not think of asking the Lord for restoration of his own hands and legs. He did not think of acquiring any riches, material or spiritual, for his own comfort or spiritual progress. All the same, he was thinking only of the happiness and welfare of the dacoits who were his sworn enemies. Can there be a better example than this for us to emulate?

Needless to say, the merciful Lord granted the boon and also restored hands and legs to Jayadeva. From then on the saint lived a long and happy life praising the glories of the Lord.

Dadhichi's Sacrifice

Once the Aswini Kumaras wanted to learn the Brahma Vidya. They already had the power to revive the dead. Indra did not like their desire to learn Brahma Vidya. He thought that they would be a threat to his post and so he ordered that none should teach Brahma Vidya to the Aswini Kumaras.

Aswini Kumaras approached sage DaDhichi to learn the Brahma Vidya. They also informed the sage about the Indra's orders but begged the sage to take them as his disciples.

The sage replied, "When a teacher is approached by a sincere seeker he should not refuse out of fear or greed. I accept you as my disciples"

To avoid Indra's curse, they outlined their plan to sage DaDhichi. The sage agreed to their plan.

They cut off the sage's head and replaced it with the horse's head. They preserved his head carefully. The sage taught them Brahma Vidya through the horse's head. Hearing this Indra threw an axe to kill the sage. The next moment the Aswini Kumaras revived the sage.

They took the sage's blessings and departed.

Sometime after this Indra's position was shaken. A sage performed sacrifice to take revenge on Indra. From the flames of his sacrificial altar came a demon Vritrasura. He chased Indra out of devaloka.

Indra ran to Brahma helplessly. Brahma told Indra, "If you can procure the bones of Sage Dadhichi and make a weapon out of them you can kill Vritrasura with it.

Indra now approached sage Dadhichi and begged his pardon for his mistakes. The sage enquired his need, Indra explained somehow that he needed the sage's bones.

Indra was so desperate to safeguard his position that he had no qualms about trying to kill him when he perceived the sage to be a threat. Now that he wanted his position back he did not hesitate to approach the sage. What levels does one stoop to, in a single-minded selfish pursuit of one's own transitory interests!

Reflecting thus the sage thought, "this body will anyway wither away one day. If this will serve Indra some useful purpose, so be it." The sage gave up life.

The wild animals ate his flesh and Viswakarma made a thunderbolt out of the sage's bones.

Using this weapon, Indra killed Vritrasura and regained his loka.

How great is this sage's sacrifice who did not hesitate to impart knowledge at a risk of his own life and later, gave up his life for his enemy.