Q. 1 Mara is a common man with an uncommon determination. Justify
Mara was a common rustic man. The people called him a fool. This they send him away whenever they find him. He was often scolded by all. At one point, the village headman even referred to him as a lunatic and wretched dog. But he was a man of good logic.
In his dream, the river goddess ordered the king to construct a tank across the Vedha River. Mara attempted to persuade the local headman of this. But he did not believe his words. Mara was firm in his decision. He desired to speak with the king and share the words of the river goddess. He was kept in the cellar when he tried to express it.
But Mara convinced Bhima the jailor about his dream. He hid in a tree and jumped suddenly before the king. It created confusion. The king asked Mara the reason for his deed. Mara begged excuse for the disturbance caused and revealed the message of the river goddess about the lake.
The king believed his words and built the lake. Even on hot summer days, the lake supplied water. But the goddess’s mood changed. She considered stone piling as a hurdle. She threatened to break the lake as she considered it as her plaything. Mara tactfully stopped the goddess from smashing the bounds on a condition. The condition was that she would break the lake when he returned from the capital. But he did not return. He boldly asked the king to kill him and make him not to return to the lake. Thus, he saved the lake.

Q.2 Mara’s attitudes toward a man from the farthest village and the fisherman were entirely different in watchman of the lake. Why?
One day a man was found catching the fish in the lake. Ganga Mara’s son informed him about it. Mara rushed to the spot and asked the man to stop fishing. He lied that he was not fishing. He added that Mara was just a watchman and not the master and he was not supposed to order him to stop fishing.
Mara declared to him that he was the master of the lake. The goddess had ordered him not to allow any man to hunt any living being on the Bank of the Lake. He said that even the village headman had to seek permission from him to touch theh water of the lake. Mara threatened him to punish if he was seen there again. He wants his son Ganga to be aware of such people.
After some days a visitor from a faraway village came to meet Mara. He walked in the night taking no rest. The man had come to ask her for help. He said that there was a drought-like condition in his village. The crops had tried and the cattle were dying due to a shortage of water. He so requested that Mara supply his village with water.
Mara was a man of rule. He told the man that water would be provided per the rules of the king. He also told him that he would come along with him to his village to study where the channels could be laid. He assured him that their share of water would be released immediately after the channels were laid.

Q.3 Mara saves the lake with his selfless deed as watchman of the Lake. Prove
Mara sent a man from a distant village assuring him that the village would get their share of water. He said there would be a lot of rain in the evening. It rained heavily as predicted. Water was about to pass the bounds of the lake. The lake was about to break. Mara prayed to the river goddess to save the lake. She appeared. She was furious. She said that her actions were based on her mood. She considered whether has her plaything. She could do anything she liked. No human being could question her. Mara tried to fail to pacify her.
Mara was a man of quick decision. He thought of a plan inorder to save the lake. He prayed for her to wait till he returned from the capital. She agreed to the condition. Mara hurried to see the king in the capital. He informed the king about the fury of the river goddess. He also informed him about the position of the lake. King felt worried. He felt as if the end of the world had arrived.
But Mara suggested a plan to save the lake. He asked the king to kill him so that he wouldn’t return to the river goddess. She had to act according to the agreement that took place between the two of them. She would not break the lake until he returned to the lake. Thus, mara saved the lake.