Mada

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Mada is a gigantic Asura (demon or monster by the time) from the Hindu text, Mahabharata. It is created by sage Chyavana in return for the Aswins' deed to return his youth and vision. Mada's name means the intoxicator, his strength is being feared by the king of gods, Indra. It has the ability to change its size to swallow the entire universe in one gulp.

When the twin deities, the Aswins, wished to become complete immortals by drinking the elixir of immortality known as Soma they were insulted to discover that the king of the devas Indra had not invited them to his party at Baikunth. Feeling insulted, the twins rushed to speak with Indra on the matter. Indra refused to allow them access to Baikunth or the elixir and said that as they associated with mortals so freely and took any form they pleased, they should not be granted full immortality or receive any offerings as devas. Angry at Indra's words and the insult to their pride, the twins saught the aid of the great sage Chyavana.

Chyavana started preparations to perform a sacrifice in the name of the Aswins, but this enraged Indra who refused to acknowledge them as devas worthy of sacrificial offerings, and rushed out to attack Chyavana with a mountain in one hand and a thunderbolt in the other. However when Chyavana discovered Indra was coming to attack him, he did not panic. Instead he retaliated by creating the monster Mada who had two sets of gigantic teeth and jaws so huge that one could engulf the earth while the other swallowed the heavens. Seeing that Mada was going to swallow the entire universe with the gods still in it, Indra surrendered and asked that the sage call off the beast. Chyavana agreed to under the condition that the devas allowed the Aswins to participate in his feast at Baikunth, and so gain their rightful place among the devas.

See also

• Indra's major adversaries:
  • Vritra
  • Indrajit

References

• MahaBharata in Sacred Text.com Book 3 section 124 & book 14 section 9.

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