Animal plays a very significant role in Sanatan Dharma. We have already discussed elephants, horses, and lions in our previous videos. You will get the links to those videos in the description box below. In this episode, we are going to tell you about the significance of dogs. But before this, you are requested to subscribe to our channel.
The story of the mother of Dog Saraama
The beginning of Sanatan Dharma is believed to be from Rigveda. There is a description of a bitch named Saraama in Rigveda that is considered the mother of all dogs. Saraama is a female dog living with Indra. According to the Rigveda, when the cows of sage Angira’s son were abducted by the Pani, it was Saraama searched them. With the help of Saraama only, Indra got those divine cows back from the wicked Panis.
Many good things for Saraama have been mentioned in Rigveda. Saraama has been praised by saying Subhagaa means who is loved by all and fortunate; Devashuni means the holy bitch of the gods and Supadi means whose feet are auspicious.
Dogs’ Story in Ramayana
The dogs have been described primarily in two places in Balmiki Ramayana. The first time it is mentioned when Bharat’s maternal uncle, gave him two thousand dogs as a gift to take them to Ayodhya in Ayodhya Kand.
The second time, it is mentioned in the Prakshipta saga of the Uttarkand of Balmiki Ramayana. The story goes that a dog comes into the court of Ram to get justice. The dog alleges that a Brahmin monk has ripped off its head in anger without any reason. As the Brahmins have been considered Avadhyaa(not able to kill) and exempted from the penal law, Shriram asks the dog what punishment should be given to that Brahmin. Then dog requests Shriram that he should make this Brahmana an abbot of a monastery. It is because the post of an abbot is full of sins. Since the abbots kill the rights of Brahmins and abduct the wealth of women and men. After this, the abbots will get their new birth as a dog due to their sins.
A dog becomes the Gana of Shiva
One more story is famous in the folktales. Once upon a time, a dog remembered Lord Shiva to get salvation. Then compassionate Shiva immediately showered his compassion on him and gave a boon to that dog, if you listened to the holy hymns of the Vedas by going to a place of sacrifice, then your soul would get salvation.
At that time, a yagya of Daksh Prajapati was going on. The black dog chose a corner place for himself and started listening to Veda’s mantras. Seeing this, the soldiers threw him away. Then Sadashiva explained to Daksh and said that Brahma has made you Prajapati. You were not only the creator of some creatures but also the nurturer of the entire universe and nurturing the universe is your duty. Then Shiva gave a boon to that god of being his Gana.
The dog is a live example of this. Even today, its idols are made in many places. It is also worshiped as the vehicle of Bhairav. On offering bhog to a black dog on Saturday, the condition of the planet also changes.
Significance of a dog in Mahabharata
We get about four stories of dogs in Mahabharata as well. Saraama bitch comes into the fore once again in Aadiparva of Mahabharata. The story is like this when the son of Saraama is beaten due to entering the yagya of King Janmejaya. Saraama gets angry and curses King Janmejaya for this.
The second reference to the dog is found in the context of the Mahabharata when Yudhishthira and Draupadi were walking in solitude. Suddenly, a dog comes to break their seclusion. Then Yuddhishthira curses it that the way it has seen Yuddhishthira and Draupadi during sexual intercourse, in the same way, the world will see the sexual intercourse of the dogs too.
The third reference to a dog is found in Swargaarohan Parva. When Yuddhishthira along with his four brothers and Draupadi go to the Himalayas with their bodies for attaining heaven, a dog follows him too. Everyone loses his life besides Yuddhishthira, but the dog is left.
When Indra puts a proposal before Yuddhishthira to take him only with the body, Yuddhishthira rejects this. Yuddhishthira says that this dog also will come with him to heaven. Later, Indra accepts this proposal and gets ready to take the dog to heaven. Then, that dog appears in the form of Dharma and says that he wanted to know the reality of the righteousness of Yuddhishthira. In Mahabharata, Saraama has been linked to Skand in one place and has been given a place in the matrices of Skanda’s army. Saraama has been shown in this form as one who eats the flesh of children.
Apart from all these stories, Bhagwan Dattatreya also tells about a dog as his Guru in his total twenty-four gurus. Apart from India, dogs are also worshiped in other countries like Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Mexico, and among the Navagrahas, Shani, and Ketu are also considered to be a dog. In our Sanatan Dharma, every living being has been described as respectable and worshipable. That’s why we should respect every living being. Hope you must have liked this video of ours, we will continue to provide you the information about the animals of Sanatan Dharma in the same way.
