Story of Akūpāra

General information.

There is a lake in the Himālayas called Indradyumna. Akūpāra is a tortoise living in it. There is also a statement that this is the Ādi-Kūrma (second of the ten incarnations of God). A description of Akūpāra is found in Chapter 199 of Vana Parva in Mahābhārata.

Cirañjīvī (One who has no death).

When the Pāṇḍavas were in exile in the forests sage Mārkaṇḍeya tells many stories to Dharmaputra to console him in his sad plight. The Pāṇḍavas asked Mārkaṇḍeya whether he knew of anybody living before him. Then the sage said, "In times of old Indradyumna an ascetic King (Rājarṣi) fell down from heaven when he fell short of his accumulated 'Puṇya'. Sorrowfully he came to me and asked me whether I knew him. I replied in the negative adding that perhaps Prāvīrakarṇa an owl living on the top of the Himālayas might know him since he was older than me. At once Indradyumna became a horse and taking me on its back approached the owl living in the Himālayas. The owl also could not remember Indradyumna but directed him to a stork named Nāḍījaṃgha who was older than the owl. The Ascetic king took me then to the Indradyumna lake where the stork lived. The stork also could not find the identity of Indradyumna. Perhaps he said that a tortoise of name Akūpāra living in that same lake might know him. We then approached the tortoise and enquired whether he knew Indradyumna. The tortoise sat in meditation for some time and then weeping profusely and shaking like a leaf stood bowing respectfully and said, "How can I remain without knowing him? There are several monuments of the useful work done by him here. This very lake is of his making. This came into existence by the march of the cows he gave away to the people". The moment the tortoise finished speaking a chariot appeared from heaven to take the King away. The King after leaving me and the owl in their proper places ascended to heaven in the chariot.