There lived as asura called Dambhodbhava and a devotee of Surya, the Sun God. Dambhodbhava wanted to be powerful. So he performed a penance for thousand years and prayed to Surya, the Sun God.
Surya appeared before him, 'Open your eyes son! I am pleased with your devotion!'
Dambhodbhava bowed before him, 'Lord! I am blessed to see you!'
Surya smiled, 'I wish to grant you a boon! Ask anything from me!'
Dambhodbhava hid a smile, 'My Lord! Please make me immortal!'
Surya frowned, 'That is not possible! Everything that is born has to die! Immortality is out of question!'
Dambhodbhava's shoulder drooped. He knew that no matter how much he asked, Surya would never grant him the boon of immortality. All the time he had spent meditating were a waste....
Surya stood there patiently waiting for Dambhodbhava to ask him, when he suddenly saw a glint in Dambhodbhava's eyes. Surya's eye narrowed. Dambhodbhava bowed to him, 'My Lord! If you cannot make me immortal atleast grant me this boon!' Surya looked suspiciously as Dambhodbhava continued, 'I want to be protected by a thousand armours!'
Surya looked at Dambhodbhava with surprise as the asura continued, 'The thousand armours can be broken only by someone who performs penance for a thousand years! And that is not all...' Surya looked at Dambhodbhava with horror as he continued, 'Whoever breaks my armour should die immediately!'
Surya was horribly worried. He knew that Dambhodbhava had performed a very powerful penance and that he could get the entire boon he had asked for. And Surya had a feeling that Dambhodbhava was not going to use his powers for good.
However having no choice in the matter, Surya granted Dambhodbhava the boon. But deep down Surya still admired Dambhodbhava for the devotion with which he prayed to him.
Surya's worries were however correct.
Immediately after getting the boon from Surya, Dambhodbhava started wrecking havoc on people. People were scared of fighting with him. There was no way of defeating him. Anybody who stood in his way was crushed by him. People started calling him 'Sahasrakavacha' [meaning one who has a thousand armors]
Surya appeared before him, 'Open your eyes son! I am pleased with your devotion!'
Dambhodbhava bowed before him, 'Lord! I am blessed to see you!'
Surya smiled, 'I wish to grant you a boon! Ask anything from me!'
Dambhodbhava hid a smile, 'My Lord! Please make me immortal!'
Surya frowned, 'That is not possible! Everything that is born has to die! Immortality is out of question!'
Dambhodbhava's shoulder drooped. He knew that no matter how much he asked, Surya would never grant him the boon of immortality. All the time he had spent meditating were a waste....
Surya stood there patiently waiting for Dambhodbhava to ask him, when he suddenly saw a glint in Dambhodbhava's eyes. Surya's eye narrowed. Dambhodbhava bowed to him, 'My Lord! If you cannot make me immortal atleast grant me this boon!' Surya looked suspiciously as Dambhodbhava continued, 'I want to be protected by a thousand armours!'
Surya looked at Dambhodbhava with surprise as the asura continued, 'The thousand armours can be broken only by someone who performs penance for a thousand years! And that is not all...' Surya looked at Dambhodbhava with horror as he continued, 'Whoever breaks my armour should die immediately!'
Surya was horribly worried. He knew that Dambhodbhava had performed a very powerful penance and that he could get the entire boon he had asked for. And Surya had a feeling that Dambhodbhava was not going to use his powers for good.
However having no choice in the matter, Surya granted Dambhodbhava the boon. But deep down Surya still admired Dambhodbhava for the devotion with which he prayed to him.
Surya's worries were however correct.
Immediately after getting the boon from Surya, Dambhodbhava started wrecking havoc on people. People were scared of fighting with him. There was no way of defeating him. Anybody who stood in his way was crushed by him. People started calling him 'Sahasrakavacha' [meaning one who has a thousand armors]