The Story on the life of Ambareesha
वैवस्वताख्यमनुपुत्रनभागजात-
नाभागनामकनरेन्द्रसुतोऽम्बरीष: ।
सप्तार्णवावृतमहीदयितोऽपि रेमे
त्वत्सङ्गिषु त्वयि च मग्नमनास्सदैव ॥१॥
vaivasvataakhya manuputra nabhaaga jaatanaabhaaganaamaka
narendra sutO(a)mbariiShaH |
saptaarNavaavR^ita mahiidayitO(a)pi reme
tvatsangiShu tvayi cha magnamanaassadaiva || 1||
This verse highlights King Ambarisha’s complete devotion to God despite his great wealth and influence in this world. In spite of all these material possessions, he was detached and genuinely focused on God within. It serves as a reminder that the joy of loving devotion from an eternal reality surpasses the happiness we seek through our material belongings. This sloka teaches us that we can better navigate our distractions and losses with peace, purpose, and equanimity when we dedicate ourselves to spiritual practice and practice meaningfully with courageous and wise people.
त्वत्प्रीतये सकलमेव वितन्वतोऽस्य
भक्त्यैव देव नचिरादभृथा: प्रसादम् ।
येनास्य याचनमृतेऽप्यभिरक्षणार्थं
चक्रं भवान् प्रविततार सहस्रधारम् ॥२॥
tvatpriitaye sakalameva vitanvatO(a)sya
bhaktyaiva deva nachiraadabhR^itaaH prasaadam |
yenaasya yaachanamR^ite(a)pyabhirakshaNaarthaM
chakraM bhavaan pravitataara sahasradhaaram || 2||
O Lord Mukunda! King Ambarisha served his duties with unwavering devotion and dedicated all of his efforts to making You happy. He remained faithful to You, so You bestowed Your blessings upon him. Without Ambarisha asking for your protection, the Sudarshana Chakra appeared before him.
The verse reveals that people who perform devotion without looking for personal gain automatically receive divine grace. Because the king fully committed himself to God, the Lord provided Ambarisha with protection without being asked. The unseen protection that comes naturally to us is the result of our diligent efforts for a divine purpose.
स द्वादशीव्रतमथो भवदर्चनार्थं
वर्षं दधौ मधुवने यमुनोपकण्ठे ।
पत्न्या समं सुमनसा महतीं वितन्वन्
पूजां द्विजेषु विसृजन् पशुषष्टिकोटिम् ॥३॥
sa dvaadashiivratamathO bhavadarchanaarthaM
varShaM dadhau madhuvane yamunOpakaNThe |
patnyaa samaM sumanasaa mahatiiM vitanvan
puujaaM dvijeShu visR^ijan pashuShaShTikOTim || 3||
For a full year, King Ambarisha fasted for the entire Dvādaśī Vratam (a fast that ends on the twelfth lunar day) in order to devote himself fully to devotional patĥ. With equal devotion, King Ambarisha and his wife performed complex rituals from the Madhuvana forest near the banks of the Yamunā River. His devotion and respect for spirituality were demonstrated by the vast number of cows he gave away to Brahmins. Rituals paired with acts of compassion, an unending willingness to serve, and dedication are all signs of true devotion. Individuals who engage in prayer, service, and charitable giving while working in the world gain both spiritual strength and inner peace. Ambareesha found a full spiritual path through his fasting, his time in the holy Madhuvana forest, and his selfless gift of cows.
तत्राथ पारणदिने भवदर्चनान्ते
दुर्वाससाऽस्य मुनिना भवनं प्रपेदे ।
भोक्तुं वृतश्चस नृपेण परार्तिशीलो
मन्दं जगाम यमुनां नियमान्विधास्यन् ॥४॥
tatraatha paaraNadine bhavadarchanaante
durvaasasaa(a)sya muninaa bhavanaM prapede |
bhOktuM vR^itashcha sa nR^ipeNa paraarti shiilO
mandaM jagaama yamunaaM niyamaanvidhaasyan ||4 ||
Sage Durvāsā showed up at Ambarīṣha’s palace on the day that Ambarisha was supposed to break his year-long Dvādaśī fast. Being very respectful of guests, the king invited the sage to join him for the meal. Renowned for his strict religious observance and agitated personality, Durvāsā went to Yamunā River to complete his niyamas (rituals) before he ate.
राज्ञाऽथ पारणमुहूर्तसमाप्तिखेदा-
द्वारैव पारणमकारि भवत्परेण ।
प्राप्तो मुनिस्तदथ दिव्यदृशा विजानन्
क्षिप्यन् क्रुधोद्धृतजटो विततान कृत्याम् ॥५॥
raaj~naa(a)tha paaraNamuhuurta samaapti khedaadvaaraiva
paaraNamakaari bhavatpareNa |
praaptO munistadatha divya dR^ishaa vijaanan
kshipyan krudhOddhR^itajaTO vitataana kR^ityaam || 5 ||
Fearing that Pāraṇa muhūrta was about to end, King Ambarīṣha drank water in devotion to Lord Vishnu, even though it was the bare minimum needed to break the fast. Without eating, the act was carried out in the Lord’s name. The king’s intent was discerned by Sage Durvāsā using his divine sight, but his rage led him to conjure a fearsome demon (kṛtyā) out of his matted hair. This sloka explains us that even wise sages can lose self-control due to ego and anger. Sincere actions frequently result in negative reactions or misunderstandings from others. We should refrain from judging other people’s actions until we fully understand their motivations.
कृत्यां च तामसिधरां भुवनं दहन्ती-
मग्रेऽभिवीक्ष्यनृपतिर्न पदाच्चकम्पे ।
त्वद्भक्तबाधमभिवीक्ष्य सुदर्शनं ते
कृत्यानलं शलभयन् मुनिमन्वधावीत् ॥६॥
kR^ityaaM cha taamasidharaaM bhuvanaM dahantiimagre(
a)bhiviikshya nR^ipatirna padaachchakampe |
tvadbhaktabaadhamabhiviikshya sudarshanaM te
kR^ityaanalaM shalabhayan munimanvadhaaviit || 6 ||
Sage Durvāsā summoned the frightful kṛtyā to destroy the world, but King Ambarīṣha was unfazed by her appearance with a sword. O Ĺord Hari, Your devotee was instantly shielded from the danger by Your Sudarshana Chakra, which first burned the attacking demon before turning to punish the sage who had ordered the attack. King Ambarīṣha stood his ground without fear because he had a strong faith in the Lord. The Lord uses divine power to keep His followers safe when they put their faith in Him. The verse teaches us to uphold our integrity and faith because righteousness is protected by truth and divine power. We must resist the urges of anger and ego when wisdom directs our behavior, as even the most intelligent people can suffer unexpected consequences from these emotions.
धावन्नशेषभुवनेषु भिया स पश्यन्
विश्वत्र चक्रमपि ते गतवान् विरिञ्चम् ।
क: कालचक्रमतिलङ्घयतीत्यपास्त:
शर्वं ययौ स च भवन्तमवन्दतैव ॥७॥
dhaavannasheSha bhuvaneShu bhiyaa sa pashyan
vishvatra chakramapi te gatavaan viri~ncham |
kaH kaalachakramatilanghayatiityapaastaH
sharvaM yayau sa cha bhavantamavandataiva || 7||
Your Sudarshana Chakra pursued him relentlessly, causing Sage Durvāsā to run through all of existence. Brahmā (Viriñchi) informed the sage that time’s unstoppable power could not be contested. When Brahma was unable to protect him, the sage turned to Lord Śiva for protection, but he also turned him down. He came to You, O Lord, in a state of bowed humility and submission, desperate to find refuge. The verse conveys a fundamental spiritual truth. The invincible power of divine justice functions similarly to your Sudarshana Chakra. No matter their influence, no one has the ability to escape responsibility. Unavoidable consequences will always result from our unfair actions and harm to loyal and innocent people. Divine forgiveness for our grave sins can be obtained through humility and sincere repentance.
भूयो भवन्निलयमेत्य मुनिं नमन्तं
प्रोचे भवानहमृषे ननु भक्तदास: ।
ज्ञानं तपश्च विनयान्वितमेव मान्यं
याह्यम्बरीषपदमेव भजेति भूमन् ॥८॥
bhuuyO bhavannilayametya muniM namantaM
prOche bhavaanahamR^iShe nanu bhaktadaasaH |
j~naanaM tapashcha vinayaanvitameva maanyaM
yaahyambariiSha padameva bhajeti bhuuman ||8||
You spoke to him gently when Sage Durvāsā came back to Your divine dwelling to bow in humility. “O sage,” you said to him, “I serve those who worship me. Only by practicing humility can austerity and true knowledge become meaningful. The sage was told by the Supreme Lord to seek refuge at Ambarīṣha’s feet. This text highlights the importance of humility in spiritual endeavors as well as interpersonal relationships. The lesson teaches us that true power comes from respecting others and being humble while helping those who do good deeds. This is important in today’s society, where people frequently take pride in their knowledge and status. It is through His proclamation of “bhakta-dāsa” that the Lord exemplifies the high order of pure devotion among His disciples.
तावत्समेत्य मुनिना स गृहीतपादो
राजाऽपसृत्य भवदस्त्रमसावनौषीत् ।
चक्रे गते मुनिरदादखिलाशिषोऽस्मै
त्वद्भक्तिमागसि कृतेऽपि कृपां च शंसन् ॥९॥
taavatsametya muninaa sa gR^ihiitapaadO
raajaa(a)pasR^itya bhavadastramasaavanauShiit |
chakre gate muniradaadakhilaashiShO(a)smai
tvadbhaktimaagasi kR^ite(a)pi kR^ipaaM cha shamsan || 9||
Sage Durvāsā went to King Ambarīṣha and touched his royal feet in an act of contrition. The king removed his feet and took a respectful step back before praising the Lord’s weapon, the Sudarshana Chakra. Following the Chakra’s departure, the sage lavished the king with blessings, recognizing his loyal service and the Lord’s boundless forgiveness of those who misbehaved. In this verse, we witness the Lord’s strong defense of His people while learning how humility and forgiveness can have a life-changing impact. Despite the wrongs done to him, Ambarīṣha did not feel resentment. His compassion and unwavering devotion won him divine approval, and the sage’s transformation showed how sincere repentance leads to purification.
राजा प्रतीक्ष्य मुनिमेकसमामनाश्वान्
सम्भोज्य साधु तमृषिं विसृजन् प्रसन्नम् ।
भुक्त्वा स्वयं त्वयि ततोऽपि दृढं रतोऽभू-
त्सायुज्यमाप च स मां पवनेश पाया: ॥१०॥
raajaa pratiikshya munimekasamaa-manaashvaan
sambhOjya saadhu tamR^iShiM visR^ijan prasannam |
bhuktvaa svayaM tvayi tatO(a)pi dR^iDhaM ratO(a)bhuutsaayujyamaapa
cha sa maaM pavanesha paayaaH॥10॥
For a full year, King Ambarīṣha waited fervently for the return of Sage Durvāsā. In order to honor the sage, King Ambarīṣha fed him before he ate anything and then cheerfully sent him on his way. After the sage was fed, he eventually consumed his own food. Throughout his ordeal, his devotional thoughts about Lord Vishnu remained strong. Sāyujya mukti, or total union with the Lord, was attained by his unwavering devotion. Since he also worships the Lord in a pure manner, Bhattathiri begs Lord Guruvayoorappa to grant him protection.