Table of Contents
Introduction to Alarka and Ritadhvaja's Birth
The birds continued telling Jaimini what Sumati was narrating to his father. "Sumati said, 'I have told you so far about Dattatreya. As I said earlier, I will now tell you about Alarka. Before I talk about Alarka, you need to know about the birth of Alarka. For that, I will start and tell you about Alarka’s father – Ritadhvaja.'"
The Kingdom and Prince Ritadhvaja
"Near the banks of River Karnavati was a magnificent kingdom. The kingdom was known all over for being a peaceful place. Here, disputes were rare. The people of the kingdom loved and respected each other. At the heart of this kingdom was its capital, known for its beautiful and well-crafted buildings. The kingdom was a haven for sages. They lived in the forests near the kingdom and were under the protection of the king of the land, Shatrujit, a man of intellect and spiritual depth. True to his name, the king had gotten rid of his enemies—anger, greed, ego, and attachment. Such was his fame that whenever he held any sacrifice, he was guaranteed a blessing by the gods. The king and his wife had been blessed by the gods to have a son.
From the moment he was born, the family and the citizens of the land realized that this boy was no ordinary prince. He was named Ritadhvaja, meaning 'Bearer of Truth.' He studied the Vedas. He trained with warriors, learning the art of sword and bow. He was heroic. His voice was commanding but never harsh. He was wise and possessed no pride or ego. He did everything with complete responsibility. He never considered any task a burden. He did what was right even if it was not easy. He was never afraid to choose the harder path if that was in line with dharma. He was very intelligent, very brave, and his looks were comparable with the twin gods, the Ashvins, the most charming and youthful of the deities. The people used to say that Ritadhvaja would make an ideal king.
He was never alone. He had other royal men as companions around him. They were all of his age and possessed qualities similar to his. They would train together, study scriptures together, and play games together. Sometimes they composed poetry and sang songs or lost themselves in debates on various topics. Sometimes they would play games of dice, in jest and friendly rivalry. Sometimes other young men—Brahmins and others of the same age—would join the prince."
The Naga Princes and Their Friendship
"Beneath the earth, there existed a world unknown to humans. This was a wonderful place. In this world lived the Nagas, a semi-divine race. They were masters of disguise and were known for their spiritual knowledge. The Naga kingdom was ruled by two brothers—Kambala and his younger brother, Ashvatara. Ashvatara had two twin sons, Susharma and Devsharma. Once the two Naga princes decided to visit the earth, they disguised themselves as two Brahmins and came to the kingdom where Ritadhvaja lived. They were of the same age as the prince. They saw the prince playing around with young men, the same age as the princes.
Ritadhvaja saw Susharma and Devsharma. Knowing them as Brahmins, he asked them to join him. They were initially a bit reluctant, but when the prince insisted, Susharma and Devsharma joined Ritadhvaja.
They soon became a part of the prince's world. They trained together, played together. It was as if they had always belonged. Ritadhvaja shared a deep, unspoken bond with the two brothers. From that day forward, the prince would not do anything without them. Whether it was studying, learning, or playing, the two brothers needed to be there. The three became inseparable. The only time the prince was alone was at night, when Ritadhvaja went to his place and the two brothers returned back to their kingdom. While being with the prince, the two brothers noticed something which everyone had missed. The prince laughed with all, but it seemed forced. He would, at times, stare at the horizon.
One day, the three were sitting alone on the banks of the river. The others were not there. The prince seemed to be lost, looking at the waters of the river. Susharma asked the prince, 'Friend, there is something bothering you. Please share what it is. Why are you lost in thought?' The prince smiled faintly and said, 'You are imagining things. I am as I have always been.' Devsharma said, 'Something is bothering you. Do tell us. We will try to help you. We will not tell any other human about this.' The prince closed his eyes for a breath. He then told them what was troubling him."
Ashvatara's Advice and the Sons' Dilemma
"Ashvatara had noticed that his sons were not there the whole day in the Naga world. He was hoping everything was fine. One evening, when the sons had come home, Ashvatara called them and said he wanted to speak to them. Susharma and Devsharma came to their father. Their father asked them to sit comfortably. He just wanted to talk to them. Ashvatara said to his sons, 'My sons, I hope all is fine with you. I see that you are spending the complete day in the world above us. I hope everything is fine there.' The sons said to their father, 'We had gone to the world above to explore it. We came across the prince there called Ritadhvaja. He invited us to join him. He did, and now we have become best of friends. He is unlike anyone we have known. He is a brave prince who is gracious and a master of words. He never says anything that is unworthy or unkind. He is learned and wise, and even then, he is not arrogant. He treats everyone with dignity. We know about the world and the wonders it holds. Still, we feel it is nothing compared to the bond we share with Ritadhvaja. We miss being with him and always want the nights to end quickly so we can go back to our friend.' Ashvatara was very proud of his sons. He said to them, 'My sons, you are noble Naga princes, and here in the land of Nagas, you are known to have the same qualities that you described. For someone having these qualities and yet praising another, this is not flattery. The person must be truly worth what you said. You have not praised him in his presence to gain favours. That is the mark of sincerity. You must have something in this person, and that is why you are praising him. Friendship is not a feeling; it fulfils the person. You say he has given you happiness and treats you like his own brothers; then tell me, what have you done for him in return? My gold, precious stones, chariots, and noble beasts—whatever your friend might desire. Without hesitation, offer him anything that will make him happy. Let generosity speak. A person who harms their friend is a shameful person. Do not let the love for your friends just stay only in your hearts. Do something for him.'"
Susharma and Devsharma stood there looking at each other. They wanted to say something but were hesitant. Ashvatara understood. "Why do you hesitate, my sons? What is that you want to say? Do not hide anything from me." The sons said, "We made a promise. We told our friend that we would disclose his problems to any other human. While we want to help him, we do not want to break our promise." Ashvatara smiled. "We are not humans. Come closer. Tell me. What is that you want to do for your friend?" The sons said, "Father, the prince has all the wealth he needs. He has gems, ornaments, chariots, garments. He may even have more than what we have. There is one thing that needs to be done for him. That we cannot accomplish. The task is an impossible task. It needs divine favour. We need the blessings of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva to accomplish that. Only then can we give our friend what he needs." Ashvatara looked at his sons and said, "Sons, you are saying this task needs divine intervention. I want to hear what this task is that my great sons cannot do. Why do you say it needs divinity? Never forget one thing: the impossible itself bows down before those who are determined. What you call unattainable may simply be waiting to be attained. Nothing is attained by those who only dream and never move. A person who has made up their mind must not fear the path. Do not speak of incapacity. Why do you still hesitate? You have seen the birds fly in the sky. They cannot fly if they do not make up their mind. Dhruva had been cast aside by his father and his stepmother. He did not cry. He meditated, and by the grace of Vishnu, he became a star in the sky. Tell me what this task is. Maybe I can help you."
Sage Galava and the Horse Kuvalaya
The sons said, "It is a long story. We will tell you what Ritadhvaja told us. This is a story that had happened some time back. The court was in session. Shatrujit, the king, was talking to his courtiers, busy in the affairs of the court and the kingdom. At that moment he was told that a sage had come to meet him. The sage had brought a horse along with him. Hearing that a sage had come, the king came outside. He saw the sage there. Like other sages, he had a flowing beard, matted hair, and wore a cloth that had been dyed ochre using the bark of the Arjuna trees. In one hand he held a rein. On the other end was a majestic horse. Its coat was black in colour with tiny white hairs spread around, which gave the impression that the horse was blue in colour. It was patiently standing there with the sage, waiting for a command. The king came and greeted the sage. The sage introduced himself. 'I have come to you for your help, Shatrujit. My name is Galava. I live in the forests on the border of your kingdom. It is said that your enemies fear your name. Come with me; accompany me to my hermitage. A Daitya is disturbing my meditation. He takes forms of huge wild animals, forms that one would not see on earth. He comes to my hermitage, and there he makes a lot of noise and disturbs my meditation. He disturbs the place, destroying plants and overturning the soil and the rocks. I want my peace restored. I want you to take care of this demon for me. It is not that I cannot do it myself. I can. I just do not want to waste my energy and kill a demon. It is your duty to protect the needy. Which is why I have come to you. Once, when he had destroyed my hermitage, I was distraught. Frustrated, I looked skywards, expecting help from the gods. The air seemed to become dense, and in front of me, it began taking shape. Soon, in front of me, stood this horse. Then a voice spoke, "This is not an ordinary horse. It can circumnavigate the globe multiple times without getting tired. This horse was born in the heavens. It can climb the steepest mountain and dive into oceans and swim without any hesitation. Because it can travel all over freely and tirelessly, the horse is called Kuvalaya."'" The sage patted the horse and continued, "The voice continued and said, 'In the house of Shatrujit is a prince called Ritadhvaja. That prince is destined to be the one who will be able to ride this horse and will kill the Daitya.' This is why I have come to you. Come with your son and help me." Hearing the words of the sage, the king sent for his son. Ritadhvaja left aside his practice and came where his father and the sage were talking. He saw Kuvalaya and was impressed. He came close and bowed down before the sage. He saw the horse there, and his eyes, usually sharp, became gentle. The horse fixed its gaze on the prince. It lowered its head. The king told his son, "My son, sage Galava wants me to come with you and kill a Daitya. I feel you are capable of doing that yourself. You do not need me. Accompany the sage. Go with him. Obey him. Live with him, learn from him, and kill the Daitya that troubles him, and help him." The prince nodded. He then went inside to get ready for his journey. He would need to carry his weapons. He came out, wearing his armour and carrying his weapons. The king bid the prince farewell and then helped his son climb up on the horse, which stood still. With Galava leading the horse, Ritadhvaja took leave of all at home and left with the sage, riding Kuvalaya. The sage walked for some distance, and then the prince helped him on the horse, and they swiftly rode towards the sage's ashram.'"
Relevance in Today’s World
- Ritadhvaja embodies what modern leadership lacks: humility, courage, and truthfulness.
- The friendship between a human prince and two Naga beings speaks to the importance of inclusion—a teaching essential in today’s polarized societies.
- Ashvatara’s advice to his sons—"Do not let the love for your friends remain only in your hearts. Do something for them."—is a clarion call to act on empathy, not just feel it.
- The tale teaches us that even the impossible becomes achievable when there is integrity, purpose, and divine alignment.
Ritadhvaja’s journey is not just an adventure—it is the soul’s path in search of dharma. We need those who have courage, are wise, and are devoted to helping others. Be that hero. Be that friend. Let the impossible bow to your intention.
Because the world may change—but dharma remains eternal.
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