Ambarish and Durvasa – when the hunter became hunted

Lord Durvasa is known for his curses. But there were times, when he was helpless before the power of a humble of follower of Lord Vishnu. One such instance was of Ambarisha. The full story goes as:

Ambarisha was a king and he was deeply into following Lord Vishnu. He and his queen used to observe various fasts over the year. On second day of Ekadashi, Ambarish had to end his fast. On that very day, Sage Durvasa paid a visit to Ambarisha.

That day was Ekadashi. Ambarish was very excited and felt privileged to service Durvasa and he invited him for the lunch. Sage Durvasa, along with his hundred disciples set off to wash themselves.

They took a long time to return and meanwhile the auspicious time of ending the fast was about to be breached. So, though he did not want to, but forced by his priests, Ambarish had to end his fast with a leaf of tulsi in absence of Sage Durvasa.

This opened a whole can of worms. This was discovered by Sage Durvasa and his disciples. Durvasa, who was the second name of anger, said to Ambarish that he will have to suffer for his misdeed and he directed a demoness to kill Ambarish.

Ambarish resigned to his fate with folded hands. But nothing happens to a person, who is helped by the Lord himself. Lord Vishnu sends his sudarshan chakra to safeguard Ambarish.

Durvasa curse to Ambarish

Durvasa curse to Ambarish

Soon, Sudarshan chakra burns the demoness. Now it was turn of Sage Durvasa as the chakra started to move towards Durvasa while spinning furiously. Durvasa realized that something unexpected was happening and his life was in peril. The hunter has become the hunted.

He ran for his dear life, but Sudarshan chakra was equal to the task. Durvasa approached Lord Shiva for a reprieve, but it was beyond his powers to stop the Sudarshan chakra. Durvasa kept running for a year and reached Lord Vishnu. He requested Lord Vishnu to stop the chakra. God replied that Sudarshan chakra returns after doing the assigned job. Durvasa started weeping.

Sudarshan Chakra chasing Durvasa

Sudarshan Chakra chasing Durvasa

Lord Vishnu said that he can be saved only if he is forgiven by Ambarish. Sage Durvasa immediately went to him fell to his feet asking for forgiveness. Here Ambarish was waiting for him without taking food for a year.

He said, ”King of Sages, your falling at my feet is not right.” Durvasa replied, ”Ambarish, you are a true devotee of the Lord. I have insulted you. Please forgive me. Save me from the Sudarshan Chakra.” King Ambarish prayed to the Sudarshan Chakra and said, ”If the love and respect I have for Durvasa at this moment are the same as they were when he first came to my palace, then, Oh Sudarshan Chakra! Please return to the Lord.

After this, Sudarshan chakra returned to Vishnu and Durvasa’s life was saved.

 

Weapon catalogue – Indian mythology (3)

Weapon catalogue from Indian mythology

In this article, details of Vaishnava astra, Gandharva astra, Manava, Maheshwar, Kuber weapons are given.

Name of the weapon

Effect and usage

Associated with

Vaishnava astra

destroys target completely, irrespective of target’s nature. Would Infallible. This weapon had to be obtained from Vishnu directly.

Vishnu, the Preserver

Gandharvastra

Used by Lord Rama against Ravana’s army. Also used by Abhimanyu in Mahabharat against kauravas.

Manava

Used by Lord Rama to kill Maricha.

Manu

Maheshwar

Used by Laskhman against Meghnaad.

Yamastra

Has been used by Meghnaad against Lakshman and Shishupala against Shri Krishna.

Shakti

Used by Meghnaad against Lakshman this caused his unconsciousness. Due to this weapon, Hanuman had to bring the whole mountain of sanjeevani booti. The physician who cured Lakshman was Sushena.

Pinaka

was the divine bow of Lord Shiva gifted to King Janaka by Sage Parashurama for safe-keeping while the sage performed penances. It was gifted to Parashurama by Shiva for being a great disciple.

Lord Shiva

Sammohanastra

Used by Arjuna in Mahabharat against Kauravas.

Samvarta

Rama passed on to Bharat. Three crores gandharvas were killed instantly by this.

Vishamitra taught Rama

Kuber astra

Shishupala and Shri Krishna used this during their battle in Mahabharat

Kuber, the god of wealth

Rudra astra

Used in the dual of Shishupal and Shri Krishna in mahabharat

Shiva

Sudarshan Chakra

Sudarshana Chakra: The magical chakra, a spinning disc with sharp outer spears. The Sudarshan flies at the command of Vishnu, spinning away to tear off the heads of His opponents, or to perform any function desired by Vishnu. It was most famously used by His Avatar Krishna in the Mahabharata. Shri Krishna cut Shishupala’s head with this weapon.

Sudarshan chakra

Sudarshan chakra

Krishna, one of the Dashavtar’s of Vishnu.

 

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Weapons used in the time of Mahabharata – 2

Mahabharata – Important weapons from Indian Mythology

Karna’s weapons

Karna had the knowledge of Brahmastra, but his teacher Parshurama has cursed him that he could not use it when he requires it most. He had kavach and kundal from Sun, which would made him invulnerable, but Indra asked those in alms.

Karna born with Kavach and Kundal

Karna born with Kavach and Kundal

But he had given him Vasavi Shakti or Amoghastra, which could be used only once, to him. Karna saved that for Arjuna,  but upon the insistence of Duryodhana, he had to use this on Ghatotkacha. Ghatotkacha was Bheema’s son, who was single handedly decimating the kaurava’s army. He was called by Shri Krishna to fight from his father’s side. Another master stroke from the seventh avatar of lord Vishnu.

Karna - Mahabharat

Karna – Mahabharat

Arjuna’s weapons

Arjuna seems to have the blessings of gods when it came to astras and shastras. You name the weapon and he had it. He has done severe penance to obtain divyastras for the battle of Mahabharat. Shiva has bestowed his blessings on Arjuna that his quivers will be inexhaustible. Shiva has also given him the Pashupata, which had the powers to destroy anything. Arjuna also had Yamaraj’s mace, Naagpashas from varuna and Antardhana from Kuber at his disposal. Indra also presented him a weapon before Mahabharat war.  Gandiva was also given to him Lord Shiva. These gods have armed Arjuna to fight the evil forces. Arjuna and Shri Krishna are also known  as Nara(Arjuna) and Narayana (Shri Krishna).

Lord Shiva giving astra and shastras to Arjuna

Lord Shiva giving weapons to Arjuna

Lord Shiva giving Pashupata astra to Arjuna - Mahabharat

Lord Shiva giving Pashupata astra to Arjuna – Mahabharat

Shri Krishna’s weapons

Shri Krishna’s bow was Sharngadhanu, with which he has once countered Shiva’s weapons. He also used Brahmastra to counter a Brahmastra invoked by Shiva. Shri Krishna also had Narayanastra with which he has counterd pashupatastraWhen fighting Banasura and Lord Shiva, Shri Krishna used his weapon Narayanjvara to counter Shivajara. No discussion is complete on weapons of Shri Krishna, if we do not mention the Sudarshan Chakra. He used this in the war of Mahabharat for a different purpose – to make sun disappear. This led to killing of Jayadrath.

Another notable use of this Sudarshan Chakra was in killing of Shishupala, the king of Chedi, who was also a relative of Shri Krishna.

sudarshan-chakra-indian-mythology-mahabharat

Sudarshan Chakra – Vishnu – Dashavatar – Shri – Krishna’s weapon

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