Chapter 5 - Protection of Durvāsas—The story of Ambarīṣa Concluded

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Śuka said:

1. Being thus commanded by the glorious Lord, Durvāsas who was afflicted by the discus Sudarśana, returned to Ambarīṣa, and sought protection at his feet (by touching them) remorsefully.

2. Observing the act (of supplication and touching his feet) by Durvāsas, Ambarīṣa felt ashamed at the touch of his feet (by the sage), and being overwhelmed with deep compassion, prayed to the missile of Lord Hari.

Ambarīṣa prayed:

3. You are the glorious Fire-god, the Sun-god, Soma (or Deity presiding over the moon), the Lord of luminaries (constellations of stars, planets). You are (the elements like) water, the earth, the sky, the air. You are the subtle elements and the senses (or the objects of the senses and fire etc. function due to your power).

4. Oh Sudarśana! I pay my respects to you who are of thousand spokesand so dear to The Imperishable Lord. You are the destroyer of all missiles, and protector of the earth. May you be propitious to the Brāhmaṇa.

5. You are the righteousness (dharma) itself, the Divine Law (ṛta) and the Truth (incarnate). You are the sacrifice, and you are the presiding Deity of the Sacrifice who enjoys the oblations. You are the protector of regions, the soul (the Inner Controller) of all; you are the splendour and energy of the Supreme Person.

6. Oh beautifully centred discus! (Nobody being able to glorify you adequately) I simply utter the word “Bow” to you who are the defender of the injunctions of the Divine Law (ominous and destructive like) a comet unto the unrighteous and the Asuras, the Protector of the three worlds, endowed with purest splendour, of quick speed like the flight of thought and of miraculous deeds.

7. Oh Lord of speech! By your splendour (constituted) of righteousness, darkness of ignorance obscuring the vision (or the knowledge of the Deity) has been dispelled, and the light (of god-realization) has been flashed and preserved, for the noble-souled righteous people. This entire universe, gross or subtle, high or low has been lighted by you (through the sun, the moon and other luminaries). Your greatness is simply unfathomable.

8. Oh Invincible one!^[1] when discharged by the blemishless Lord, you enter the army of the Daityas and Dānavas and severing (incessantly) their arms, bowels, thighs and feet and necks, you shine irresistible in battles.

9. Oh protector of the world! You who overcome all (enemies in battle), have been commissioned by the wielder of the mace (Lord Viṣṇu) for the annihilation of the wicked. Therefore, for the sake of the prosperity of our family, be pleased to grant welfare (protection) to the Brāhmaṇa (Durvāsas). That will be your grace unto us (otherwise we shall be responsible for committing the sin of killing a Brāhmaṇa)

10. If a charitable gift has been donated (by us), or a sacrifice has been performed, or our righteous duty has been properly executed, or if our family regards Brāhmaṇas as our gods, may this Brāhmaṇa be free from his distress.

11. If the glorious lord, the sole abode of all excellent qualities be pleased with us due to our looking upon (regarding) all beings as possessing souls like us (or his Spirit), may this Brāhmaṇa get rid of his distress and anxiety.

Śrī Śuka said:

12. While the king was thus praying to Viṣṇu’s discus Sudarśana, which was scorching the Brāhmaṇa on all sides, it subsided at the request of the king.

13. Being relieved of the scorching heat of the fire of the missile (Sudarśana), Durvāsas felt comfortable. Bestowing on him the highest blessings, he praised the king.

Durvāsas said:

14. “Oh! How wonderful! I have witnessed today the magnanimity of servants of the Infinite Lord in that you wish for the well-being of a person who has offended you, Oh king.

15. What is difficult to be achieved for those righteous persons or what is impossible to give up in the case of those noble-souled persons, who have treasured up (and made their own) the glorious Lord Hari, the leader of the Sātvatas.

16. Gan there be any deficiency or unfulfilment in the case of the servants of the Lord of the hallowing feet (to which even holy rivers resort for purification) by listening to the name of whom a man is absolved of all sins and impurities.,

17. Oh King! I am highly favoured by you in that, exceedingly merciful as you are, you ignored the wrong done by me, and have completely saved my life.”

18. The king who,did not take any food but waited in expectation of the sage’s return, clasped his feet, conciliated him, and made him accept the meal.

19. Having enjoyed the hospitality and the food that was suitable to all tastes and (thus) gratifying all desires) and was served with respect and care, he felt himself thoroughly gratified, and courteously requested the king to take his meals.

20. “I am thoroughly pleased with you, and have been laid under great obligations by the sight, touch, conversation as well as by the hospitality-offered with full devotion to the Lord—of a great votary of the Lord (like you).

21. The celestial damsels will often sing of this noble behaviour (act) of yours (in heaven), and this earth (the whole world) will extol this highly hallowing glory of yours.”

Śrī Śuka said:

22. Having thus praised the king, Durvāsas who was highly satisfied, took his leave of him and through ethereal space went to the region of Brahmā^[2] which lasts for two Parārdha years.^[2]

23. A complete year elapsed since the departed sage Durvāsas did not return. It is reported that during this period, the king who longed to see him returned, subsisted simply on water.

24. After the departure of Durvāsas, Ambarīṣa ate the (remnant of the) food that was rendered extremely holy by being partaken of by the Brāhmaṇa (Durvāsas). Pondering over the calamity on Durvāsas and his final release and his own fortitude, he considered all that being due to the power of the Supreme Person.

25. The king Ambarīṣa who was thus endowed with such ennumerable [innumerable?] excellent qualities, continued in his devotion of the Lord by dedicating all his acts suitable to his own caste and stage of life to the Supreme Soul, Brahman designated as Vāsudeva. By virtue of such (firm) devotion, he came to regard all positions upto the part of god Brahmā as hellish.

26. In course of time, Ambarīṣa entrusted his kingdom to his sons whose disposition and character were similar to him, and entered the forest. Concentrating his mind wholly on Vāsudeva, his own soul, he destroyed (became free from) the current of guṇas viz. Saṃsāra or transmigration of the soul.

27. He who glorifies this sacred story of king Ambarīṣa or ponders over it, becomes a devotee of Lord Viṣṇu.

27(A). Those who listen to the story of the noble-souled Ambarīṣa, all of them attain to Liberation from Sarñsāra through the devotion to and by the Grace of Lord Viṣṇu.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

v.l. ūrjita: the (army) of mighty Daityas and Dānavas.

[2]:

ahaitukam [ahaituka]—where dry rationalists have no place—Anvitārthaprakāśikā.