Durvasa asram in Lohavan across Yamuna river in front of Vishram ghat
Sri Sri Radha Vinod Bihari ji
2 Stories about Durvasa's birth
1-
Once a quarrel arose between Brahma and
Siva which was so violent the other demigods became afraid, so much
so that they ran off, frightened to see Lord Siva seething in rage.
Lord Siva's consort said to Siva: "durvasam bhavati me."
"Because of this, it has become impossible for me to live
happily with you." Knowing that it was his anger which had
caused this, Lord Siva decided to deposit his anger which had caused
so much unhappiness for his consort Parvati into the body of
Anasurya, the wife of Atri Muni. From this a child was born out of
the same fiery, angry aspect, and was called Durvasa, due to his
nature of making life miserable for Lord Siva's consort. (Brahmananda
Purana, Chapter 44.)
2-
Durvasa muni was an incarnation of Lord
Shiva. He was the son of Sage Atri and Anusuya. Sage Atri was the son
of Lord Brahma and her wife was a loyal and a faithful women. One day
Goddess Saraswati, Lakshami and Parvati decided to challenge
Anusuya’s loyalty towards her husband. All the three goddesses
compels their husbands Lord Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva to test her
loyalty.
Anusaya’s maintained her loyalty. As
a result, all the three gods starts to live with her as her sons.
After some time, on request of all the gods and goddesses she
releases them. The trinity gods before leaving blesses her that
portions of themselves would be born as her sons. Later on, she gave
birth to Soma as an incarnation of Lord Brahma, Dattatreya as
Vishnu’s incarnation and Durvasa as Shiva’s incarnation.
As per other legends, it is believed
that Sage Atri performed severe penance along with his wife Anusaya
on Trishkul mountain to obtain a son. Pleased with his penance,
Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva blessed the sage that all the three gods
would be born to him as his sons.
After some time, Sage Atri was blessed
with three sons. Lord Brahma incarnated in the form of Soma, Lord
Vishnu’s incarnation was Dattatreya and Durvasa was born as an
incarnation of Lord Shiva.
General Character of Saint Durvasa
Tri guna avatara testing loyalty of Anasuya
Triguna avatar as her sons
Laksmi, Saraswati, Parvati devi as Brahmanis begging for their husbands
There are many incidents in the
Puranas and Mahabharat involving the anger of Durvasa some are with
Ambarisha Maharaja, Kunti and Indra, to name a few. Even though
Durvasa had this fiery nature, still he had his part to play. He is
also in the 'guru parampara' that the Madhwa line lists, and he lived
his life very austerely, travelling the three worlds as a sannyasi.
Everywhere that he travelled his 10,000 disciples travelled with him,
so there was always 10,001. The following preaching of Durvasa Muni's
is the essence of Sripad Madhwacarya's Dwaita philosophy which is
transcendentally echoed in the Aitareya Upanishad, Sripad
Madhwacarya's favourite Upanishad. Surely Durvasa Muni is a
transcendentally unusual person.
This incident is taken from the Gopal
Tapani Upanishad: "In his eating habits Durvasa Muni completely
fasted from everything except he ate only Durva grass. Once he was
asked by Srimati Radharani (Gandharvi): 'How is it that you eat only
sacred Durva grass?'
"Durvasa Muni replied: "As
sound is contained in the element of ether, and although sound and
ether are different, this ether does not know I am spirit; How can I
be a materialistic sense enjoyer? Touch is contained within the
element of air, although touch and air are different. Touch is
contained within the air. This air does not know I am spirit. How can
I be a materialistic sense enjoyer? Form is contained within the
element of fire. Although form and fire are different, form is
contained in fire. This fire does not know I am spirit. How can I be
a materialistic sense enjoyer? Taste is contained within the element
of water, although taste and water are different. Taste is contained
within water. This water does not know I am spirit. How can I be a
materialistic sense enjoyer? Aroma is contained within the element of
earth, although aroma and earth are different. Aroma is contained
within earth. This earth does not know I am spirit. How can I be a
materialistic sense enjoyer? It is the mind that remains among the
senses and accepts them. When spirit is everything, how does one
think? Where does one go? I am spirit. How can I be a materialistic
sense enjoyer?
"Your beloved Krsna is the
original creator of the two kinds of bodies. On the tree of the body
are two birds. One is an expansion of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. He is a witness. The other is an enjoyer. They are an
enjoyer and a non-enjoyer. The first enjoys and the second is Krsna
(Paramatma), the witness in the heart. In Him we do not find material
so-called knowledge and ignorance. This ignorance and real knowledge
are different. How can Krsna who is full of real knowledge, become a
material enjoyer. He who lusts after pleasure is lusty. He who does
not lust after pleasures is not lusty. Krsna, Who is free from birth
and death, Who is unchanging, Who cannot be cut, Who stays by the
Yamuna, Who stays among the surabhi cows, Who stays among the cowherd
boys, Who stays in all the Vedas, Who is glorified by all the Vedas,
Who has entered all living entities and Who controls all living
entities, is Your consort."
"Gandharvi (Sri Radha) said: "Why
has the Supreme Personality of Godhead taken birth among us as a
cowherd boy? O sage, how do you know this about Krsna? What is His
mantra? What is His abode? Why has He taken birth in Devaki's womb.
Who is His elder brother Balarama? How is He worshipped? Why has
the Supreme Personality of Godhead Who is far above this world of
matter descended to this earth?" etc, etc.
"Durvasa said: "In the
beginning only Lord Narayana existed. In Him the material worlds are
woven as thread on a loom. From His lotus navel the demigod Brahma
was born. When Brahma performed severe austerities, Lord Narayana
granted him a boon. Brahma chose a question. Lord Narayana granted
his request. Brahma asked about incarnations and why Krsna, Govinda
was best. Lord Narayana then describes His creation and His holy
dhamas, etc."(Gopal Tapani Upanishad)
There is more but to include it here
would make this chapter even more lengthy. One should read Gopal
Tapani Upanishad for the complete reply of Durvasa but here we can at
least see that he was of our parampara's conclusion. Srimati
Radharani received a boon from Durvasa Muni that whatever she cooked
would be better than nectar. (Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Antya Lila
2:6:116.).
The full story of Durvasa Muni's
blessing Srimati Radharani is told in a wonderful book by H.H.
Narayana Maharaja entitled "Sri Vraja Mandala Parikrama."
The incident happened at Jawat. Some Gaudiya Vaisnavas do not accept
that the incident with Srimati Radharani was with the same Durvasa,
they see all the arguments and anger he displayed in other
situations, consequently and unfortunately they do not see where he
fits in, always and only stressing his angry attributes. In "Sri
Vrndavana Dhama Ki Jaya" the author also substantiates that the
Durvasa Muni who is the plenary incarnation of Lord Siva is the same
who met with Srimati Radharani (Gandhavika). He also states that
Durvasa used to perform austerities on the bank of the Yamuna
opposite the Visrama Ghat.
Sripad Durvasa is one of the much miss
understood characters of the Vedic literary library. There are many
examples of how Durvasas was used by the Lord to emphasize a
particular attribute of this unlimitedly faceted philosophy. We see
the same situation arising with Sri Narad Muni also, sometimes he is
seen as a trouble maker, and sometimes as spiritual master of the
universe. This is the difference between a pure soul and one who is
very much self interested, for one who has his own prestige, or cool
in mind, to be seen as rude or offensive harms one's profile, and so
is not palatable for the false ego. However for the great sage
Durvasa Muni he simply did as he was requested to do, so sometimes he
is famous, and sometimes infamous, he didn't mind being used as an
example by the Lord, so long that points could be made.
In the story of Durvasa Muni and
Ambarisha Maharaja, Durvasa Muni was chased by the Sudarsana Disc of
Lord Visnu after offending the Lord's pure devotee Ambarisha.
Throughout the universe Durvasa was chased. He tried, out of fear for
his life, to approach various demigods and finally Lord Visnu
Himself, but due to the cause being that he had offended the Lord's
devotee, everyone told Durvasa that the only one who could help him
was the devotee he offended. After this, Durvasa approached Ambarisha
Maharaja and begged forgiveness, and only then did the Sudarsana Disc
stop following Durvasa Muni. What an example, what devotion, that he
would go along with the Lord's plan even if his life was threatened,
and his reputation destroyed.
Practically there are unlimited stories
- the pastimes of Durvasa Muni and his being made an example, and
little tests of tolerance and humility that he had to undergo. Even
once he came to test Lord Sri Krsna and Rukmini Devi in Dwaraka. This
kind of drama can only be performed by one who is very close to the
Lord.
Lord Krsna, showing Himself to be the
perfect householder, invited the great muni in, sat him down, and
washed his feet. However, the unpredictable guest had a plan, and
"accidentally on purpose" broke precious and beautiful
objects around his palace to see how far Krsna would go with his
elevated brahmin guest. "Oh, such a nice vase, oops."
Smash! "Oh, such an opulent couch. Rip! Oops, sorry." Like
that, then he made many demands for food, I want this and that like
this with that, and Rukmini Devi personally served their respected
guest. Finally Durvasa called for some payasam, sweet pudding, but
when it arrived he said he was now full. Still Krsna and Rukmini
tolerated everything and continued their mood of treating Durvasa as
a welcomed guest. Durvasa then said to Krsna, "Here You take
this, and instead of me eating it, You take this 'payasam' and smear
it all over Your body, everywhere. Now do the same to Rukmini,
starting with the face." Krsna did like this in all humility.
Now Durvasa said, "Give me one chariot." The chariot came.
"Now give me Your beautiful wife Rukmini." Lord Krsna
ascended another chariot and came up close behind Durvasa. Durvasa
stopped his chariot and enquired as to what Krsna was doing there,
following him. Krsna, still not wanting to offend his guest said, "I
was just accompanying you to see if you needed any assistance."
Durvasa Muni then relented saying, "You, Krsna and Rukmini, are
the perfect householders. I give you all benedictions. Rukmini, you
will always be known as the principal Queen of Krsna. I offer my
respectful obeisances unto you both."
There is a similar story, "Sometimes
the gopis would go to the great sage Durvasa Muni and ask for his
blessings to always have the association of Lord Krsna. On one such
journey to reach his ashram, the 'gopis' approached Yamuna devi, and
on the banks of her pure flowing waters, they addressed her, "On
the strength of Krsna being a strict 'brahmacari', kindly allow us to
cross." Upon hearing their words, Yamuna parted her waters and
allowed the 'gopis' to cross. Upon reaching Durvasa Muni's 'ashram',
the 'gopis' presented him with all the sumptuous foodstuffs they had
brought with them after offering due respects. Durvasa was very
pleased with them and blessed them all, but especially he gave his
special blessings to Srimati Radharani, saying that whatever she
would cook would taste just like nectar. Not only that, but anyone
who had the great good fortune of tasting that cooking would achieve
a long and healthy life, free from all disease. To again gain Yamuna
Devi's mercy to cross her wide waters, Durvasa Muni advised the
'gopis' to tell Yamuna devi that as true as Krsna is a 'brahmacari',
Durvasa is always fasting, living only on sacred Durva grass, and
thus on the strength of this she will give all the 'gopis' safe
passage again. On Radharani's return from Durvasa Muni's 'ashram'
with all the other 'gopis', Mother Yasoda (Krsna's mother) invited
Radharani to come and cook for Krsna daily, hearing of the boon she
had received there from Durvasa."(Padmalocana Prabhu, 1985.
"Yamuna the Personification of Prema Bhakti", Page 20.).
Due to the incident mentioned earlier,
with Ambarish Maharaj, Durvasa has practically become infamous
throughout the Vedic literatures as the fiery mendicant, who cursed
many and also gave many boons.
But above all things, he was a great
Vaisnava follower of the Lord. Because of his ill rupute in the
Gaudiya line he is not included. Although tracing back some of the
firey mendicants life it is interesting to see that Durvasa Muni took
'sannyasa' from Sanaka Kumara and received many transcendental
instructions from him. These same four Kumaras are considered the
originators of 'sannyasa' in the Madhwa line, though they themselves
are the heads of another Sampradaya named the Kumara or Sanaka Adi
Sampradaya which later became known as the Nimbarka Sampradaya.
Nimbarka was a Vaisnavacarya in the line of Sanaka Kumara. Actually
all the Vaisnava Sampradayas are directly the family of the Lord, His
descendants, and as stressed before, and which cannot be stressed
enough, one can only approach Krsna through the 'guru'. 'Guru' means
'guru parampara'.
