Mahi is a river that rises in Madhya Pradesh and flows through Rajasthan and Gujarat before emptying into the Arabian Sea. Legend has it that the river was born from the sweat of Indradyumna, the King of Ujjain. Indradyumna frequently performed yajnas. He donated wealth to the needy and arranged marriages for young women. Due to such meritorious deeds, he attained Brahmaloka along with his physical body. After living there for 100 kalpas (a lengthy period of time), he was once summoned by Lord Brahma and instructed to return to earth. King Indradyumna’s fame there had ended. He was told that if he could return to earth and restore his fame, he could return to Brahmaloka.
Indradyumna travelled to his capital city of Kampilya and inquired of the citizens about himself. They all responded that they did not know King Indradyumna and advised him to consult Sage Markandeya in the Naimish Forest, who was believed to be the oldest living being. The sage replied that he was unaware of any king named Indradyumna in the last seven kalpas. The king felt deeply disappointed and began gathering wood to make a fire into which he could leap. Markandeya intervened and proposed that they visit his old friend—a crane named Nandijangha—who resided in the Himalayas. Once they were warmly received by Nandijangha, Markandeya asked if he had knowledge of King Indradyumna. The crane replied that he recalled events from the last 14 kalpas, but there had been no king by that name.
The crane said that there was someone who had lived even longer than him. He took them to Kailasha Parvata and introduced them to an owl called Prakarakarna. When asked about Indradyumna, the owl replied that he had lived for 28 kalpas but had never heard of King Indradyumna. Everyone became very sad at this. The owl said, ‘I have a friend on Gandhamadana Mountain. He is a vulture who has lived longer than I. Let us go to him.’ The vulture, too, mentioned that although he had lived for 56 kalpas, he had not heard of King Indradyumna. He suggested they visit a tortoise in Manasa Lake who had lived even longer than him. Upon their arrival, the tortoise hid deep inside the water as soon as he spotted them. He said, ‘I always welcome guests, but I am afraid of this King Indradyumna who is with you. This king had performed a sacrifice where my back was burnt due to the sacrificial fire.’ As soon as the past sacrifices of King Indradyumna were recounted, an aerial chariot arrived to take him back to Brahmaloka!
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