So they prepared themselves to help the gods, uprooted Mount Mandara and carried it together into the ocean of milk, Ksiranarwa. The moon mountain was placed in the middle of the ocean. Sang Hyang Akupa, the god of tortoises and turtles, was used as its support. Sang Hyang Basuki, the demon dragon provided his tail and head as a handle for the gods and demons to turn Mount Mandara as they stirred the ocean of milk. In order to prevent Mount Mandara from swaying to the right and to the left, Lord Indra sat on top of the mountain. For a long time, the gods and demons stirred the ocean of Ksiranarwa, but could not find tirta amerta (water of life, for immortality). They were exhausted. Fortunately, the demons summoned the moon. Moonlight emerged, reflecting off the ocean of milk. Its light radiated, making the surroundings beautiful. In this beautiful gleam, Sang Hyang Laksmi was unable to remain silent anymore. The Goddess of Beauty suddenly emerged, adding to the charm of the nature that had been filled with the glow of the moonlight. "Don't stir the Ksiranarwa ocean with force, stir it with the beauty of the moon," said Sang Hyang Laksmi.
The gods and demons obeyed her order. They no longer relied on their own strength, but depended on the beauty of the moon. At that moment, the heads of the demons transformed into the moon. Thousands of moons circled in the ocean of milk. Everything became light, as though strength was no longer needed, only the willingness to believe in the beauty of the moon. The ocean of milk slowly melted, and its liquid gathered into one. The gods quickly put the liquid into the cupu (small ceramic jar). They had succeeded in finding and obtaining tirta amerta, the water of life. But they took it and controlled it themselves, unwilling to share it with the demons.
Also read:
> The Bajang Child Swinging the Moon (51)
> The Bajang Child Swinging the Moon (50)
The demons of Mount Mandara were angry. Their efforts were in vain. They did not want to give up, so they attacked the gods. There was a great war in Ksiranarwa, which by now had dried up of its milk. No one won or lost, until Batara Vishnu came down, and engaged in tiwikrama (transforming into a giant). The God of the Universe became an incomparably gigantic demon. The demons of Mount Mandara finally had to admit defeat, and with the defeat of the demons, Mount Mandara disappeared before their eyes.
“Mount Mandara has gone, wandering together with the moon. The gods have finally punished us. We have to continue to follow the moon, wherever it goes, until we find and enter into the white-blooded edict, a person of creation who is honest and sincere. You're the one we've been waiting for to release our punishment," says the demon, ending his story.
"I don't know whether I'm sincere and honest. How can you be sure about me?” Sukrosono asks in astonishment.
"Because, the same as us, there is the moon on you," said Candrabhairawa. The demon continues, “We regret taking part in the fight over tirta amerta. If we believed in the moon, there was no need for us to be greedy for the water of life that the gods wanted, to enable them to live forever. We have lived from the moon, on the moon we may rely on our lives forever. Why did we have to leave the moon, and then be tempted to fight over the water of life, as if we couldn't live forever? Possibly it was not the gods but the moon that punished us, until we had to leave our eternal place, the beloved Mount Mandara. We have to wait a long time, until we find a place where we can live. We have to be patient and careful in choosing the residence. Don't let us make the wrong choice, and then live in a self with an evil command, which can abuse our power. Because once we have settled in our chosen one, we just have to obey its orders. If the place we live in is evil, we can also be used as weapons for its evil. Now the time has come for us to make our choice. You will be our residence.”
"You are a thousand demons, which is immeasurably large, while I am only a tiny demon. Simply for just one demon, it's impossible for me to bear it all, how is it possible for me to bear a thousand demons?" says Sukrosono, rejecting Candrabhairawa's request.
"Indeed you are only a tiny demon, but your heart is as wide as the moon. You remind us of where we used to live. Believe me, we can enter and inhabit in you," replies Candrabhairawa.
"All right, I'm ready. But remember, my willingness is not because I want to increase my strength, but rather to help you. Who knows, by doing this, you may be able to pay off your punishment.” Sukrosono finally agrees.
“Your willingness alone is enough for us. But believe me, one day we will be useful to you. Whenever you need help, call on us from within. Now close your eyes, and we will enter into you," says Candrabhairawa.
Also read:
> The Bajang Child Swinging the Moon (49)
> The Bajang Child Swinging the Moon (48)
> The Bajang Child Swinging the Moon (47)
"Wait a moment. You know, it is impossible for me to live forever. One day I will die. What if I die later?” Sukrosono asks.
“Hopefully, if you really die later, we will also be released from our punishment. But if not, it's none of our business. We will look for a place to live again, until our punishment is over. Come on, now prepare yourself to receive us.” These were Candrabhairawa's final words.
Sukrosono no longer refuses. He surrenders, closing his eyes. What will enter him are a thousand demons, amazingly big and awesome. Sukrosono thinks there will be a tremendous roar when they enter, but it turns out there is no noise whatsoever. The moment is even more silent. It seems it is not a demon, but the moon sneaking into him quietly. Sukrosono feels that his body is as soft and light as cloud, which the moon can easily cover. He swings together with the moon. For a moment, Sukrosono becomes a body with a thousand moons. From him radiates a beautiful, shimmering light. This is the full moon of a thousand moons on Mount Taranggana Sekar. There, Sukrosono becomes a child playing with the moon. The moon becomes a very light ball. Sukrosono feels he has rediscovered his lost childhood. He is so happy, when he can easily swing on the moon.
The night creeps slowly, reluctantly, towards dawn. In the sky Lintang Waluku begins to tell the time. To the west there appears a bright blue star. Slowly the reddish star approaches him. And between these two stars, three other stars appear in a hurry, as if they are chasing time. The stars arrange themselves into luku, which tells them not to be late, this is the planting season provided by time. The stars then descend, like fallen leaves. Falling gently like dancing celestial angels, accompanying the sky goddess descending to the earth. Then Lintang Panjer Enjing, the female star, appears slowly. Its light is mesmerizingly red, and at that very moment a beautiful dawn breaks. The dawn that casts a faint light over Mount Taranggana Sekar. At that moment, a creature stands in front of Sukrosono who is immersed in his meditation.
This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.
