King Ambrish was known for his piety. Rishi Durvasa took it upon himself to test the king for his adherence to the rituals. Ambrish had set up a practice to go on a fast with his queen on ekadashi (the eleventh day of the lunar calendar) and break the fast the following day. The royal couple did not take even a sip of water on their fast.
Ancients Speak
Suman K Sharma
Being aware of the king’s routine, Rishi Durvasa went to the palace and told him that he too would be fasting on the coming ekadashi and break the fast with the king and the queen on dwadishi, the following morning. But on the morning after the fast, the rishi intentionally delayed coming to the palace for breaking the fast. Meanwhile, the drained out king and his queen had a sip of water each at an hour worked out by the court astrologers.
Rishi Durvasa finally appeared at the king’s palace and demanded sternly whether Ambrish and his wife had broken their fast without waiting for him. On being told that they had taken only some water to quench their thirst, the rishi flew into a seething rage. He pulled a lock from his head and threw it on the ground in token of placing a curse on the king. Instantly, Kritya, an armed woman with appearance so frighten- ing that it sent a cold shiver down the spine of brave Arnbrish, emerged from the ground and ran after him to kill him. Poor Ambrish had nowhere to hide. Eventually, Narayana released his Sudarshan Chakra to defend the king whom Durvasa had cursed for no reason. The deadly Kritya ran away from the terrible heat of the chakra.Durvasa too ran away for dear life but the chakra pursued him relentlessly.
The sage found no quarter in Indra Loka, Brahm Loka, and even the abode of Shiva. When at last he went to Narayana, He advised him to go back to his bhakta, Ambrish, and seek his pardon. The crestfallen rishi, who was known for his arrogance, ate his humble pie and went to King Ambrish beseeching him to intercede on his behalf.lt was on the intervention of Ambrish that Bhagwan Narayana withdrew his disk and spared Rishi Durvasa from a painful end.
The story of King Ambrish and Rishi Durvasa is a rare instance when the Deity not only contravened the whimsical diktat of a prominent sage like Rishi Durvasa, but went on to subdue him to utter humiliation.
In the Sanatan’ universe, even Godhead subjects Himself to fair dealing with His devotees. If a bhakta feels that he has been unduly wronged by Godhead, he is free to curse Him, and Godhead would respect that curse. The piningof Shri Ram for His abducted wife Sita was the aftermath of a curse placed on Narayan by Rishi Narda.
A sinner may get reprieve by the divine grace. But the Deity would not permit anyone, be he a god, gandharva or an evolved mortal, to punish a fellow creature without a sufficient cause. That is the law of karma – justice tempered with mercy.
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