A Bone to Pick

A Bone to Pick

In the Ancient times, there was always arch enmity between God and demons. On one occasion when the Gods had performed a Yajna or fire sacrifice, the demons demanded a share of the sacrifice.

The laws of �atithi Sewa� or hospitality, bound the Gods and they had to abide by the demand. Gods offered Saraswati the Goddess of knowledge and learning to the demons. Alas! Demons were meant always to be ignorant and they refused to accept her. Demons felt that knowledge had no positive aspects and that it only increased sorrow. They were not so concerned with speech and the art of communication. According to them speech only led to disputes and quarrels.

Enraged Saraswati was happy to decree the Gods as always higher and wiser while stated that the demons would always remain fools of ignorance.

Gods are not always serious and somber and ritualistic. They are also witty, cunning and diplomatic. A tale of such a wit is also associated with Saraswati.

A certain demon had practiced meditation over years together and had appeased Brahma. Brahma in such events always blessed the devotee. This would normally be a boon which may make him invincible.

The heavenly kingdom was alert as the demon continued with his austerities and reached a stage when getting a boon from Brahma was looming large. They all in a group appealed to Saraswati to find a way where Brahma's boon will not make the demon at par with the Gods.

Saraswati the symbol of intelligence transformed herself into a little speck and perched at the tip of the demon's tongue. When the time came and Brahma was pleased and asked the demon what he wanted as a boon, the demon's tongue was in control of Goddess Saraswati; the poor demon could only say � I want to be asleep forever�.

This way Brahma's boon was diverted towards making the demon ineffective, ignorant and always asleep.