Story of Dharmagupta

Dharmagupta (1).—A prince who obtained blessings from Śiva by observing the Pradoṣavrata. (For detailed story see Aṃśumatī).

Dharmagupta (2).—A Nandarājakumāra belonging to the Lunar dynasty. Chapters 1, 2 and 13 of Skanda Purāṇa gives the following story about him.

Once Dharmagupta went to the forests, hunting. Deeply interested in the game he never knew when it became dusk. It was late to go back to the palace and so deciding to stay in the forest for the night he climbed upon a tree and made a seat there to rest. After some time a bear followed by a lion came running and took refuge on the top of the same tree. The lion stood growling below. Seeing a man on the same tree the bear said "Oh, Prince, we are both in the same sad plight now. Believe me as a friend. We can spend the night on this tree safe. Therefore, go to sleep till midnight and I will keep watch over. After that I will go to sleep and you keep watch". Gladly accepting the proposal the prince went to sleep and the bear kept vigil. Then the lion suggested to the bear to push down the prince. The bear replied that he would never cheat a friend and that it was a great sin also to do so. After midnight the bear slept and the prince kept watchover. The lion then suggested to the prince to push down the bear. Thinking that he would be saved if the bear is given to the lion the unfaithful prince pushed the bear down. But the bear escaped catching hold of the branches lower down. Embittered at this the bear cursed Dharmagupta and made him mad.

Then addressing Dharmagupta first and the lion next the bear said thus: "I am Dhyānakāṣṭha a sage of the Bhṛgu family. I can take any form I like. I cursed you, Dharmagupta, because you cheated a friend. This lion is Bhadra, one of the ministers of Kubera. Once he entered into sexual act with a bear in front of the āśrama of Gautama at midday and the sage cursed him and made him into a lion. The sage as a relief from the curse had further decreed that he would get his original form when he entered into a conversation with me." When Dhyānakā{??}ha finished speaking the lion changed itself into the form of Bhadra.

Dharmagupta remained mad and his father, the King, approached Jaimini for help. The sage said that the prince would be cured of his madness if he bathed in the Puṣkariṇī tīrtha. The king did as was suggested and Dharmagupta was cured.