Story of Sukeśa

(SUKEŚĪ).

General information

A rākṣasa (giant) who was the son of Vidyutkeśa and Sālakaṭaṅkā. When Brahmā asked the Subjects to look after his creation those who said 'Rakṣāmahe' became Rākṣasas (giants) and those who said 'Yakṣāmahe', the Yakṣas (a clan of semi gods). Once two brothers named Heti and Praheti were born in the clan of Rākṣasas. Praheti remained unmarried and entered the life of penance. Heti married Bhayā the sister of Kāla. A son named Vidyutkeśa was born to the couple. Vidyutkeśa married Sālakaṭaṅkā, the daughter of Sandhyā. Sālakaṭaṅkā delivered a son. But wishing to enjoy the company of her husband, she abandoned the son and lived with her husband. The child which was as bright as the rising Sun, putting its folded fist in its mouth, cried aloud. Paramaśiva and Pārvatī who were travelling along the sky mounted on the bull, heard the cry of the infant and looked at the spot from which the cry arose. On seeing the infant, Pārvatī took pity on it. Śiva blessed the child, which instantly grew as old as its mother. Śiva gave the Rākṣasa prince immortality and a city which could travel through the sky. Pārvatī said that Rākṣasa women would, in future deliver the moment they became pregnant and that the child would grow equal to its mother in age, as soon as it was born. Sukeśa was the son of Vidyutkeśa and Sālakaṭaṅkā. Sukeśa was delighted at the boons he got, and travelled wherever he pleased, in his city.

Sukeśa married Devavatī the daughter of Grāmaṇī a Gandharva. Mālī, Sumālī and Mālyavān were the sons of this couple. (Uttara Rāmāyaṇa).

The city of Sukeśa fell on the ground.

Sukeśa pleased Śiva by penance. Śiva made him invincible and gave him a city which travelled through the sky. Because of these boons, the Rākṣasa became righteous and pious. He lived in the city with other Rākṣasas. Once Sukeśa went to the forest Māgadha and visited the hermits there. He asked them about the means to attain prosperity in this world and the other worlds. The hermits gave him long exhortations. They told him about the various hells given to sinners. Thus Sukeśa became righteous-minded and saintly. He returned to his city and called together all the other Rākṣasas and spoke to them about what he had learned from the hermits. He said: "The hermits taught me the means to attain heaven. They are Non-killing, Truth, not stealing, cleanliness, control of all outward going energies, liberality, kindness, forgiveness, abstinence, good usages etc. So it is my order that all of you observe these good things." The Rākṣasas were pleased at the words of Sukeśa. They began to lead a righteous life. In this way they got wealth and prosperity. Their radiance increased to such an extent that the Sun and the moon and the stars found it difficult to continue their travels.

Thus the city of the Rākṣasa shone as the sun in the day and as the moon in the night. The progress of the Sun in the day became indiscernible. Due to its brightness the Rākṣasa city seemed to be the moon and thinking that it was night, the lotus flowers folded in the day and bloomed in the night. Havoc was caused in the earth as well as in the world of the gods. The sun became unpopular. So he tried to find out the cause. At last he found out the cause. He became angry. He looked with fury at the city of the Rākṣasas. Hit by the look, the city lost its merits and began to sink down to the earth.

When the city fell down Sukeśa called Śiva and cried aloud. Śiva looked round to see what happened to his devotee. He understood that the sun was the culprit. Śiva looked at the sun with furious eyes. Instantly the sun was dropped from the Solar region to the air. The hermits saw the Sun coming slowly to the earth. They called out loudly. "If you want to be well in falling, go and fall in Harikṣetra." The sun called out, "What is Harikṣetra?" "Harikṣetra is Vārāṇasī from Yogaśāyī to Keśavadarśana", the hermits replied. Hearing this the Sun fell in Vārāṇasī. Then to lessen the heat the sun dipped and splashed in Asi tīrtha and Varuṇā tīrtha.

Brahmā knew this, and informed Śiva of it. Śiva came to Vārāṇasī and took the sun by his hands and gave him the name 'Lola' and sent him back in the chariot. After that Brahmā went to Sukeśa and sent his city with the Rākṣasas in it, back to the sky, and the Sun was fixed in the sky as before. (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 15)