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Vana was the king of Daityas, a class of demons. Because of his earnest prayers and tapasya he had won a boon from Lord Shiva that he would remain invincible to all, both on heaven and earth. What’s more, Lord Shiva promised to protect Vana himself, should the need ever arise. Totally secure and sure of his safety, Vana gradually grew wild and started misusing his powers to trouble others.
Everyone knew about the boon Lord Shiva had granted him. Some were wary of him and tried to avoid him since it was impossible to conquer him. The others accepted his supremacy. So Vana was left with no one to fight with. He soon began to feel that life was flat and dull since there was no one left to conquer.
Vana had a beautiful daughter named Usha. Her great friend and constant companion was Chitralekha, the daughter of her father’s minister. Chitralekha was a very talented artist and could draw anyone’s portrait most accurately. As Usha grew up she began to wonder who her husband would be. She did not like any of the Daitya princes or her father’s young friends.
Then one night something strange happened, something that changed Usha’s life for ever. She dreamed of a wonderfully handsome prince who sat beside her and smiled at her, looking deep into her eyes. Usha fell in love with him instantly and woke up to find that it was only a dream. But something deep within her told her that this dream meant something significant and that such a prince must exist somewhere.
Usha was no longer her old self. Her love for the dream prince was so real and so all pervasive that she could think of nothing and no one else. She went around in a kind of trance, longing for him and missing him with all her heart. Her friends teased her about it. More so, when they realized that she had no idea who he was and had merely seen him in her dream.
Usha asked Chithralekha to draw the man who she dreamt. Chitralekha got busy from the very next day, drawing portraits of one king after another. At night she would take the entire lot to Usha. Usha looked at them eagerly but turned them all down with a heavy heart. Again Chitralakha got busy drawing the next lot. Then one night, as Chitralekha took up the portraits she had been drawing all day, Usha picked up the first portrait listlessly. Chithralekha drew Lord Krishna and Anirudha, grandson of Krishna.
Everyone knew about the boon Lord Shiva had granted him. Some were wary of him and tried to avoid him since it was impossible to conquer him. The others accepted his supremacy. So Vana was left with no one to fight with. He soon began to feel that life was flat and dull since there was no one left to conquer.
Vana had a beautiful daughter named Usha. Her great friend and constant companion was Chitralekha, the daughter of her father’s minister. Chitralekha was a very talented artist and could draw anyone’s portrait most accurately. As Usha grew up she began to wonder who her husband would be. She did not like any of the Daitya princes or her father’s young friends.
Then one night something strange happened, something that changed Usha’s life for ever. She dreamed of a wonderfully handsome prince who sat beside her and smiled at her, looking deep into her eyes. Usha fell in love with him instantly and woke up to find that it was only a dream. But something deep within her told her that this dream meant something significant and that such a prince must exist somewhere.
Usha was no longer her old self. Her love for the dream prince was so real and so all pervasive that she could think of nothing and no one else. She went around in a kind of trance, longing for him and missing him with all her heart. Her friends teased her about it. More so, when they realized that she had no idea who he was and had merely seen him in her dream.
Usha asked Chithralekha to draw the man who she dreamt. Chitralekha got busy from the very next day, drawing portraits of one king after another. At night she would take the entire lot to Usha. Usha looked at them eagerly but turned them all down with a heavy heart. Again Chitralakha got busy drawing the next lot. Then one night, as Chitralekha took up the portraits she had been drawing all day, Usha picked up the first portrait listlessly. Chithralekha drew Lord Krishna and Anirudha, grandson of Krishna.
