Dadheechi-Naabhaaga - Epic Characters of Vedas & Upanishads - E-book - ePub

Dadheechi was a sage who donated his own body to the devas for making weapons to kill the rakshasas. He was sage Agnivesha's grandson. Devendra initiated him into two valuable arts called Pravarga and Madhu. In order to perform a yajna which was to last several years, the devas deposited their weapons with Dadheechi who reluctantly agreed to take care of them. Finding that the devas did not return to take them back, he reduced them all to liquid and drank it up.
This gave a new strength to his bones and body. When the devas were in need of their weapons and came to know what had happened, they took Vishnu's advice. Bowing down to Vishnu's request, Dadheechi entered into a state of trance and left his body. Indra and the other devas now used his bones to create many weapons including Vajrayudha and Brahmasira. Naabhaaga belonged to the lineage of sage Marichi.
Taking advantage of his thirst for knowledge, his brothers wronged him by not giving him his share of their father's property. Naabhaga approached his father who gave him confidence by saying that as a scholar, he would be revered everywhere and it would be better if he lived away from his selfish brothers. He also asked him to help sage Angirasa at his yajna. At the end of the yajna, the sage gave Naabhagaa all that was remaining - money and things.
As luck would have it, Naabhagaa met Rudradeva on the way who reminded him that whatever he was carrying belonged rightfully to him as per Brahmadeva's wish. Naabhaaga promptly apologized to Rudradeva who was so pleased with his righteous behavior that he not only restored everything to him but also initiated him into the knowledge of the Ultimate.