Long ago, there was a boy named Pippalada who grew up in a forest. The trees, animals, and herbs were like his family. The trees gave him fruits, the birds brought him grains, and the deer provided him with fresh green plants. They all took care of him like loving guardians.

One day, as Pippalada grew older, he noticed something strange. He asked the trees, 'How is it that people are born from their parents, and plants come from seeds, but I, who am surrounded by plants and animals, have become a human?'

The trees gently replied, 'Dear Pippalada, we must tell you a secret about your birth. You are not just the son of plants. Your real parents were humans. Your father was the great sage Dadhichi, and your mother was Sati Gabhastini. They were very wise and kind people. They loved us, the plants, so much that they treated us like their own children. So, after they were gone, we looked after you as if you were our own.'

The trees then told Pippalada his true story. 'Your mother loved you so much that she cut open her stomach to give birth to you. After she gave you to us, she entered the sacred fire to join your father. When they both left this world, the whole forest cried for many days because they loved us, and we loved them too.'

Pippalada’s father, Sage Dadhichi, sacrificed his life to help the gods. The gods had left their powerful weapons in his hermitage for safekeeping because they believed that the hermitage was a safe place, protected from demons by Dadhichi's intense penance. Over time, Dadhichi realized that the demons would attack and he would not be able to protect the weapons. To save the weapons, he sanctified them with holy water and drank the energy of the weapons into his own body. As a result, the weapons lost their power.

Later, when the gods came back for their weapons, Dadhichi explained that the power of the weapons was now in his bones. He offered his bones to the gods so they could use them to create new weapons. Sage Dadhichi then gave up his life through yogic meditation, and Vishwakarma, the divine architect, created powerful weapons from his bones. These weapons helped the gods defeat the demons.

Pippalada’s mother, Gabhastini was pregnant with Pippalada at the time. When she returned to the hermitage and learned what had happened, she praised her husband's sacrifice. She then performed a ritual, cut open her stomach to deliver Pippalada, entrusted him to the forest plants for protection, and entered the fire to join her husband in the afterlife.

Thus, both of Pippalada's parents gave up their lives for the greater good, to protect the world and help the gods in their battle against evil forces.

Pippalada was shocked and saddened by this story. He felt bad that his mother had to go through so much pain because of him. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he cried, 'I am so unlucky! I caused my mother’s death, and I couldn’t even serve her or take care of her.'

As he thought more about it, Pippalada became angry with the gods. He blamed them for his father's death and said, 'I will take revenge on the gods! They are responsible for my father’s death, and I will destroy them.'

The plants tried to calm him down. They said, 'Revenge is not the way, Pippalada. Your parents sacrificed their lives for the good of the world. They gave up everything to protect others. You should follow their example.'

But Pippalada’s heart was filled with anger, and he couldn’t let go of his desire for revenge. He prayed to Lord Shiva for the power to destroy the gods. Lord Shiva answered his prayers and gave him a powerful magical being called Kritya.

Pippalada sent Kritya after the gods, telling it to destroy them. The gods were terrified and ran to Lord Shiva for help. They begged him to save them from Pippalada’s anger.

Lord Shiva went to Pippalada and gently explained, 'Your father gave up his life not because of the gods but for the good of the world. He was the most kind and compassionate person. Your mother, too, followed him with great love and sacrifice. They didn’t act out of anger or revenge. They gave their lives for peace.'

'You should be like them,' Lord Shiva continued. 'The gods are in danger because of you, and it is your duty to save them. Revenge only brings more harm.'

Pippalada listened to Lord Shiva’s wise words and finally let go of his anger. He realized that revenge was not the right path. He apologized and accepted Lord Shiva’s advice.

Then, the gods and Lord Shiva asked Pippalada to ask for a blessing. Pippalada said, 'I only want one thing: to see my parents.'

In an instant, from the divine realm, his parents appeared in a shining chariot. They looked at Pippalada with love and pride. They said, 'Son, you are truly blessed. Your name is known even in the heavens. You have been able to meet Lord Shiva himself.'

As they finished speaking, flowers rained down from the sky, and the gods cheered with joy. Pippalada felt at peace, knowing that his parents were proud of him, and he had followed the path of kindness and wisdom.

Learnings

1. Pippalada’s parents, Sage Dadhichi and Gabhastini, sacrificed their lives for the greater good. They gave up their lives to protect others and help the gods in their fight against evil. This teaches the importance of selfless actions and putting the welfare of others before oneself.
2. Pippalada initially seeks revenge against the gods, blaming them for his parents’ death. However, Lord Shiva explains that revenge only brings more harm and that his parents acted out of love and sacrifice, not anger. This highlights that revenge leads to destruction, while forgiveness and understanding bring peace.
3. Pippalada learns to let go of his anger and accept that his parents' sacrifices were for the greater good. This teaches the value of wisdom, the importance of controlling emotions, and following a path of peace rather than destruction.
4. Pippalada, fueled by anger but ultimately guided toward forgiveness, mirrors the internal conflict many face when grappling with personal loss and their faith. His transformation by Lord Shiva suggests the healing power of spirituality and divine guidance in human lives.
5. Through the intervention of Lord Shiva, Pippalada learns that actions based on anger and revenge have destructive consequences. This illustrates how guidance, learning from role models (like his parents), and reflection can modify behavior, promoting empathy and prosocial conduct.
6. Society (or nature in this case) provides care and guidance, and we must contribute to the greater good.
7. True moral action lies in serving the greater good, not personal desires. Pippalada’s eventual realization highlights the importance of wisdom over impulsive emotions, demonstrating the value of balance between personal loss and universal responsibility.
8. Pippalada’s anger is a response to unresolved feelings about his parents' deaths, which leads him to project his pain onto the gods. The story reflects how individuals cope with trauma and the importance of emotional regulation, as Pippalada is guided toward understanding, forgiveness, and peace through intervention by Lord Shiva.
9. The strong emphasis on sacrifice for the greater good reflects our cultural norms of selflessness, loyalty to tradition, and service to both gods and humanity.

Knowledge Bank

On the banks of which river is Ayodhya?

Ayodhya is on the banks of the famous Sarayu river. Sarayu is also known as Ghaghara.

What is the difference between Salasar Balaji and Mehandipur Balaji?

Devotees come to Salasar Balaji seeking all kinds of blessings. Mehandipur Balaji is famous for curing mental illness and possession by negative energies.