Once upon a time, in the ancient kingdom of Usheerabeeja, ruled a wise and benevolent king named Marutta. Known for his devotion to the gods, King Marutta decided to perform a grand Mahesvarayajna, a sacred ritual to honor the deities and seek their blessings for his kingdom and people.
As the yajna commenced, the atmosphere was charged with
divine presence. The mighty gods, including Indra, the king of heavens, Yama,
the lord of death, Varuna, the deity of water, and Kubera, the god of wealth,
graced the occasion with their celestial aura.
However, amidst the splendor of the yajna, an unexpected
guest arrived - Ravana, the formidable king of Lanka. Ravana, blessed with
near-invulnerability by Brahma Dev, cast a shadow of fear upon the gathering
with his imposing presence. Fearing the wrath of Ravana, the gods decided to
conceal themselves by transforming into various animals and birds.
Indra, the king of gods, morphed into a resplendent peacock,
its iridescent feathers shimmering in the sunlight. Yama, the lord of death,
assumed the form of a crow, its sleek black plumage blending seamlessly with
the shadows. Varuna, the deity of water, transformed into an elegant swan,
gliding gracefully across the sky. Kubera, the god of wealth, took on the guise
of a chameleon, its colors shifting to match its surroundings.
In their animal forms, the gods managed to evade Ravana's
notice and escape unscathed. Grateful for their salvation, each deity bestowed
a blessing upon the creature they had become. Yama, in his form as a crow,
granted a special privilege to his avian counterpart - the right to partake in
the ritual of Pitru Bali Rice, also known as Pinda, an offering made to appease
the departed souls and honor Yama during the Shradh ceremony.
From that day forth, it was decreed that crows alone would
have the sacred right to consume the rice offered during the Pitru Bali ritual,
symbolizing the gratitude of the gods for their selfless sacrifice and
protection. And so, the tradition endured, passed down through generations, as
a testament to the bond between gods and animals, and the importance of
honoring the divine in all its forms.