I eat grass only: DURVASA

Durvasa, a  God- realised soul, is depicted in the wrong vein in Hindu Purans and  Epics. The major theme is his easily aroused anger and the sufferings of unfortunate ones by his curse  [शाप].The fact that he obtained liberation while still in the body [जीवनमुक्त ] is lost sight of. A case where major virtues are eclipsed by a minor shortcoming.

When Durvasa was in the womb in the 7th month, he, presuming that Kartveerya [ कार्तवीर्य] was insulting his father, jumped out of the womb and became bent on turning Kartveerya to ashes.---Markandeya Purana 17.8 --10[ मार्कंडेय पुराण 17 वां अध्याय श्लोक 8 से 10 तक]. Some prominent personalities, cursed by him Include Indra, God of heaven, Shakuntala, Bhanumathi, Tilottama and Sahassic [देवताओं के राजा इंद्र, शकुंतला, भानुमती, तिलोत्तमा व साहसिक ]. When he was praying to god Dharma, he felt that the latter was delaying his blessings, so he cursed Dharma.  Consequently, Dharma had to be born on earth and take three forms ; first a king, Yudishthir [युधिष्ठिर] , a character from Mahabharat महाभारत, second a slave- son, Vidur [विदुर], again a character from Mahabharat and third a chandal [ डूम जाति ]- a character from the life-history of Raja [king] Harishchandra. It is said that once he, even became adamant upon cursing the city of Kashi for Durvasa was not getting quick fruits of his Tapasya there.    

Story of Indra, king of heaven, in a little detail. It is from Devi Bhagwat [देवी भागवत] book 9 chapter 39. Long long ago  Durvasa was travelling from Vaikunth to Kailash [वैकुण्ठ से कैलाश].   He met the ruler of heaven, Indra. Pleased with him Durvasa gave him an abhijit flower[अभिजीत  फूल.] Indira did not give proper respect to the sage which he expected and instead of accepting the flower for himself, Indra touched the head of his elephant, Aeravat, [एरावत हाथी ] with the flower. This touch made the elephant like Lord Vishnu. At this supercilious attitude of the god of heaven, Durvasa became infuriated and cursed Indra who, as a result,  lost his kingdom, that is rule over heaven.

In the episode of Shakuntala and Dushyant, he played the role of a villain. Shakuntala was lost in the thoughts of her beloved Dushyant and could not “see’’ Durvasa in front of her. Durvasa took this is an insult and put a curse on Shakuntala, because of which her beloved forgot her and as a consequence, she had to suffer a great deal; all this because of uncontrollable and quick temper of rishi Durvasa.

Now let us see some positive aspects of this character.  He chained demons and handed them over to God Varun [वरुण ]---- this from Mahabharat Udyog Parva[महाभारत उद्योग पर्व  ] chapter 128 and vs 4 5and 46.  Chapter 84 that is Van Parv of Mahabharat [महाभारत का वन पर्व   ] informs us that he was a great tapasvi [तपस्वी] ascetic and the place, Dharam prasth [ धर्मप्रस्थ], is named after him. He also performed yajna {yag} [यज्ञ]  on the banks of river vaitarni [वैतरणी नदी]---- chapter 114 of Mahabharat. He was a teacher guru [गुरु ] to Lord Krishna Himself,  but did not hesitate to harness Him and his wife queen Rukmani to his chariot [रथ], in place of horses, whipping them indiscriminately. This Durvasa did only to test their obedience and tolerance.


His father is Rishi Atri [ ऋषि अत्रि ] mother Sati Ansuya [ सती अनसूया ] and his brothers are Dattatriya [दत्तात्रेय ], an avatar of Vishnu and Moon [चंद्रमा ]. He got his name because he ate only grass that is druva [ दूब, दूर्वा  ]. He was a saint of the highest kind, having attained liberation while still in the body, that is Jeevan Muk t[ जीवन मुक्त ]. He was above worldly desires. He ate that food only which was offered to him and that, too, only to please the devotees who offered him. Now about his wisdom, from Gopal Utter Tapni Upanishad  [ गोपाल उत्तर तापनी उपनिषद ].   He advised the gopis that Lord Krishna is God Almighty. About his own self, he informed them that he is one with the Almighty Brahm [परमब्रह्म]. The incident runs thus: Once the gopis asked Lord Krishna whom to offer food after their fast. Bhagwan Krishna mentioned rishi Durvasa, who according to him was the person most befitting to get offerings from the gopis. But the sage lived on the other side of river Yamuna which was in full spate; how to cross it, was the problem. Krishna solved it. Krishna asked the gopis to tell river Yamuna that Krishna is a Brahmachari [ ब्रह्मचारी], celebate, and then the river would make way for them. To their surprise it was so---- river give them way.   Reaching the other side, they offered all their sweets made of milk and ghee to Durvasa rishi who ate them all. Now, while returning, the gopis faced the same problem of crossing Yamuna. Again the same type of Idea from Durvasa rishi also, “Tell the river that Durvasa has never eaten anything except grass that is “ Durva’’ and it will give you passage.’’  Mystified the chief Gopi amongst them, Gandhari or Radha, [गांधारी अथवा राधा] as a spokesperson for the gopis asked the sage, “We know Krishna is not Brahmachari [ब्रह्मचारी] for he is with us as a playmate, you too have eaten all the food, how can we believe you two?’’ Then Durvasa gave them a  long and exhaustive discourse on spiritualism. It was the wisdom he had received from Brahma’s, sons Sanak, Sanand, Sanatan, Sanatkumar and Narad.  The gist is :-  a person of desire [कामी] wishes for enjoyment of various wishes, he is a desireful person. But the one who takes the things offered by loving devotees without desire,  only to please such devotees is desireless [ कामना रहित  ]. Such knowledge imparted by  Durvasa to the gopis is found in Gopal Uttar Tapnee Upanishad [ गोपाल उतरतापनी  उपनिषद ]. Krishna is the only presence and power in the world. [gita 7.7 teaches same wisdom]  Durvasa also taught the gopis how to attain liberation.  “I am that  which God Gopal is.’’  Thus deciding one should feel Him in his own soul atma[आत्मा].       
           
Now we will look at the incident where Durvasa was belittled by a devotee of God namely king Amrish---Bhagwat canto 9 chapter 5 [भागवत स्कंध 9 अध्याय 5]. King Ambarish was on fast of Ekadashi. [11th day of waxing moon] Durvasa was there, he asked the king to wait till he returned. However, before Durvasa came back the king in order to honour all the procedures and rules [कर्मकाण्ड ] of the year long fast took a little water, not food. On his return Durvasa learning this became angry; he summoned the demon kritya [  कृता ]  to kill the king. But this royal one was a  true devotee of the Lord.  Lord is always careful in protecting his loved ones; to fulfill this task of the Lord, his weapon the disc, Sudarshan Chakra, [प्रभु का सुदर्शन चक्र] is always on duty, ready to eliminate anybody who tries to harm His devotee. Sudarshan killed the demon and started chasing Durvasa who ran and ran but could not find protection anywhere in the universe. Finally, Durvasa reached God Himself, who clarified to him that the Lord could do nothing in the matter for He was fully devoted to His devotees, being their slave [अहम भक्ताधीनं ].   Only  Amrish could forgive him. Being kind hearted the king readily did so. The time for which the chakra chased him was a full year. During this period Amrish waited for him, drinking only water, took no food. Durvasa travelled to far off places -- Brahmlok, kailash and vaikunth. This he could not cover in a year even at the speed of light, for these are far flung places, no human with a material body can enter these abodes. Therefore, it implies he had yogic siddhis [सिद्धियाँ ] like Naradji[नारदजी ] and Sankadik Kumars [चार कुमारगण ] and could travel anywhere in the universe as he pleased .  Durvasa was put into this predicament by the curse of his father- in- law for Durvasa had burnt his wife Kadli, [कदली]] to ashes, who herself was a virago---having a temper hotter than even Durvasa.

While infamous for his curses, he granted boons also. He taught  Kunti[ कुंती   ] how to summon Gods [देवता] and how to take their blessings to beget children [ संतान प्राप्ति]  Were it not for Durvasa there would have been no Pandavas [ पांडव  ], and for that matter no Karn [कर्ण ].  He is perhaps one of the few persons to behold God of Dharma [धर्म]]  in his material form, along with brothers, sisters and mother of Dharma.

This is the true account of Durvasa, grass- eating [दूर्वा खानेवाला] sage.

Because of the above reasons, whenever we think of this sage we should remember we are thinking of a liberated soul --- Jeevan Mukt [जीवन्मुक्त].

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