The legend of Tampaksiring and Tirta Empul

More than a thousand years ago a powerful King named Mayadenawa ruled over a vast area which included Bali. Mayadenawa possessed the spiritual power to transform himself into anything he desired. Unfortunately he misused his powers and became a cruel, black magician.

One example of Mayadenawa's cruelty was that he destroyed all of Bali's temples in order to prevent the Balinese from worshipping their gods. When also the crops failed after his destructive actions, followed by an outbreak of the plague, the people of Bali got desperate.

Mpu Kulputih, a priest gifted with highly evolved spiritual powers who lived during Mayadenawa's reign, decided to do something about the situation. He went to the Besakih temple to pray to Mahadewa, god of the Earth and meditate for guidance and inspiration.

Forces from the multi-dimension (or Heaven if you like) led by the god Indra were sent to destroy King Mayadenawa. Because he had many spies, Mayadenawa learned in time about the upcoming attack and so he managed to organize his defense. However an astral war with many casualties, in which the forces of Indra would to be superieur, was unavoidable. Most of his troops fled, leaving King Mayadenawa almost without defense.

Then the war was interrupted by the falling of the night. When Indra's forces slept, Mayadenawa stealed into Indra's camp, walking on the side of his feet as to leave no foot prints, and created a pool of poisoned water. This way of walking gave Tampaksiring its name, for tampak siring is Balinese for 'without imprints'. He left as he came and when Indra's forces woke up the next morning and discovered the water pool, they drank from it and became violently sick. 

When Indra found out what happened, he created Tirta Empul, a well of water that would cure his forces. The water flow running from this well later became known as the river Pakerisan. Mayadenawa fled, chased by the forces of Indra. During his flight he transformed himself a number of times, but he couldn't trick Indra with his transformations. When he had transformed himself into a stone, he was shot by Indra with an arrow. A stream of blood flowed from the stone, forming the river Petanu. And for a thousand years long this river would be cursed. Rice fields irrigated with its water would make the rice grow fast, but once harvested blood would come out of it and it would smell bad.

The death of King Mayadenawa is symbolic for the victory of good (dharma) over evil (adharma). The day of Mayadenawa's death is still celebrated, every 210 days according to the Balinese Pawukon calendar, and this day is generally known as Galungan Day.
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