LORD VISHNU KILLS MURA

Mura was the Aurasputra of sage Kashyapa and Danu. When he saw the demons being vanquished by the deities, he went to do penance with the objective of getting boons from Lord Brahma. When Lord Brahma appeared before him, he said- “O lord! Bless me with a boon, which enables me to kill anybody merely by the touch of my hand.” Lord Brahma blessed him and said- “So be it.”

 

Getting this boon made Mura very arrogant. He challenged the deities, Yakshas and Kinnars to fight him but nobody accepted his challenge as they were scared of his power. He then entered Amravati- Indra’s capital and challenged Indra for a duel. Indra became terrified and abandoned his abode- heaven. Now, Mura became the lord of heaven and very soon, he invited the other demons to join him in heaven.

 

Once, Mura challenged a king named Raghu who was proficient in rituals for a duel. At that time, Raghu was busy performing his Yagya. He admonished Mura by saying- “What is the great deal in fighting with the mortals? If you are really that brave then you should defeat Yamaraj.” The arrogant Mura then went to Yama loka and challenged Yama. Yama was aware of Lord Brahma’s boon given to Mura. So, he went to take Lord Vishnu’s help. Lord Vishnu advised him to send Mura to Vishnu loka by any means.

 

Yama returned to his abode where he found Mura waiting for him. He said- “I am ready to accept your authority on the condition that you protect me from the wrath of my former master.” Mura curiously asked Yama as to who his former master was. Yama then told him that his former master was none other than Lord Vishnu and he lived in Ksheersagar. Mura then went to Ksheersagar to fight Lord Vishnu.

 

When Mura reached Ksheersagar, Lord Vishnu asked him the reason for his arrival. Mura confidently said that he had come to fight him. Lord Vishnu had worked out an excellent plan to kill Mura and the time had now arrived for its implementation. Lord Vishnu said- “If you have

come to fight me then why are you trembling with fear and why is your heart beating so fast? I do not fight cowards.” Furious at Lord Vishnu’s words, Mura put his hand on his own chest to convince Lord Vishnu that his heartbeat was normal. The moment he put his hand on his chest, he fell down and finding the moment opportune, Lord Vishnu killed him with the chakra.

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