Raksha Bandhan is known as a festival celebrating the strong bond between brothers and sisters. On this day, brothers promise to protect their sisters forever. But, surprisingly, the first Rakhi was not tied by a sister to her brother. Instead, it was tied by a wife to her husband. Sounds surprising, right?
This story is about Lord Indra and his wife, Indrani. During Vedic times, a fierce battle took place between the deities and the demons on a full moon night in the month of Shravana. The demons were powerful, and the deities were losing the war. Lord Indra, the king of gods, feared that if they lost, the world would fall into darkness. Indrani, his wife, shared his concern.
Indrani, being very religious, prepared an amulet and tied it around Indra’s wrist to protect him. With this amulet, Indra not only won the battle but also remained unharmed. Since then, this amulet has been known as Raksha Sutra, and that’s why Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the full moon of the Shravana month.
Though the first Rakhi was tied by a wife to her husband, the tradition soon evolved. Another story from the Vedic period is about Yama, the god of death, and his sister Yamuna. They were the children of Lord Surya (the Sun) and his wife, Samjna. When Samjna left due to the intense heat of Surya, she left her shadow, Chhaya, in her place.
Chhaya was harsh towards Yama and Yamuna. When Yama discovered Chhaya’s true identity, she cursed him with death and mutilation. Terrified by this curse, Yamuna tied a Raksha Sutra around Yama’s wrist to protect him. While Yama did suffer mutilation due to Chhaya’s curse, the Raksha Sutra saved him from death, which is why Yama is known as the god of death.
There are many more stories about Raksha Sutra and Raksha Bandhan, such as those involving Maharani Karnavati and Humayun, Laxmi and Bali, and Porus and Alexander. Each story highlights the deep significance and true essence of Raksha Bandhan.
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