Srimad Bhagavatam – day 503
Fully satisfied, the Vedic Brahmins blessed the king. They permitted the King to break his fast as his vow had satisfactorily concluded.
Just as Ambarīṣa was about to break his fast the venerable Maharishi Durvasa unexpectedly arrived as a guest. Ambarīṣa, who noticed the arrival of the great sage, immediately stood up and went forward to welcome him reverentially. He welcomed the sage and offered him an appropriate seat. He then worshipped the sage with the necessary ingredients. He prostrated at the sage’s feet and requested him to eat.
Maharishi Durvasa agreed to the king’s request. However as it was time for offering the mid-day water oblations and other stipulated obligatory duties, the sage proceeded to River Yamuna. He bathed in the river and meditated upon the Lord.
By then only half an hour of the auspicious period of Dwadasi remained. Before the end of this stipulated period Ambarīṣa had to conclude the ritual by breaking the fast. However one could not eat unless the guest had eaten. Ambariṣa was in a dilemma. Even though he himself was an erudite scholar, he consulted other Vedic learned scholars and sought their opinion to handle this precarious situation.
Breaking the fast before the arrival of the Brahmins and thereby insulting them is unlawful. Yet, at the same time, not breaking the fast before the end of the stipulated Dwadasi period amounts to transgressing the vow and hence it is also wrong. Eating before the Brahmin guest arrives will incur his curse. By not eating before the end of the stipulated period, the entire year’s vow would be rendered fruitless. What a conflicting situation! How was he to safely cross through this?
Even though Ambarīṣa was an erudite scholar, large-hearted by nature and an epitome of devotion, he had no permission to transgress the dictates of the Vedas and Shastras. Dharmas, Vedas and Shastras originate from the Lord’s speech. Even the Lord abides by these dictates diligently.
Ambarīṣa said, “O learned scholars! Please suggest to me a remedy by which I can exit from this predicament? I will drink a little water and with that conclude my ritual. Drinking water is not equivalent of eating, isn’t it? Yet at the same time, after drinking water it cannot be said that I am completely fasting.”
All of them agreed to the proposal. With their permission Ambarīṣa thought of Lord Srihari and drank water. With this he concluded his ritual”.
Swamiji explains: Ambarīṣa had no choice. He had to conclude his ritual urgently before the stipulated time by breaking the fast else the entire year’s ritual would be a sheer waste. He did not eat but drank water. He had to wait for Maharishi Durvasa to eat before he could eat anything.
“He then awaited the arrival of Maharishi Durvasa. After completing all his daily obligatory duties on the banks of River Yamuna, Maharishi Durvasa arrived. Emperor Ambarīṣa offered obeisance to him. Nevertheless, Maharishi Durvasa using his mystical powers realized that the king had drunk water.
Emperor Ambarīṣa continued to stand before the sage with folded hands. Maharishi Durvasa on the other hand was seized with uncontrollable anger. With his crooked eyebrows his angry face looked ugly. To add to it he was hungry”.
It is often said that we should never trust a hungry Brahmin. Driven by hunger they are prone to hurl curses easily. After feeding them sumptuous meal they will be more understanding and logical. Entering into debates with them when they are hungry will only make matters worse.
“Addressing the King, Maharishi Durvasa angrily said, “this king is proud due to his opulence. Considering himself to be the sole Lord he has transgressed the rules of righteousness. Look at him! He is not even a devotee of Lord Vishnu. I arrived here as a guest. This king too welcomed me warmly and offered to honour me as a guest. However he had the audacity to eat even before I have eaten. O King! I am now going to punish you for your wrongful actions”. Screaming and trembling violently due to anger, the sage plucked a few strands of hair from his head. From those strands he created a ferocious ghost for the purposes of killing Ambarīṣa.
That ferocious ghost resembled the raging fire during time of devastation. Burning fiercely, holding a sharp sword in its hand, pushing the earth with its heavy, gigantic footsteps the ghostly creature raced towards Ambarīṣa.
King Ambarīṣa observed the ghostly creature rushing towards him. But he remained unperturbed. He was neither agitated nor frightened. He remained calm very well aware that the Lord would protect him.
Previously the Supreme Lord had gifted a discus to Ambarīṣa with the instruction to the discus to eternally protect his devotee. Now that discus rushed forward and burnt down the ghost that was rushing towards Ambarīṣa. Having killed the ghost the discus now chased the sage. Maharishi Durvasa realised that his attempt had been foiled and that now the discus was instead chasing him. He was frightened.
Keshavaya namah