* Arrival of Durvasa Muni and description of his curse. * Sympathy of Durvasa Muni.
Durvasa curses the assembly of divinities at Badrikashrama
In this way, while sages and Dharma were listening to the speech of the Lord, keeping their eyes and mental faculty steady on His lotus-like face, with full concentration, and while Narayan also had concentrated His mind on His speech, sage Durvasa, arrived there over, as directed at heart by Him. 1-2.
He came from Kailasa and performed his daily rites on the banks of Ganga and then that sage, the master of wealth of penance, reached Badri, the seat of Lord Narayan. 3.
There over, he saw Nar and Narayan, amidst the circle of sages, and also Dharma with his wife Murti and Uddhava in his divine form. 4.
On account of their minds absorbed in dialogue, no one noticed him, and no respect was paid to him, whatsoever, even though he deserved respect. 5.
He stood staring at the members of the assembly for an hour or so; Durvasa, the son of Atri took it as an insult. 6.
Instantly, he got angry with all of them, and his eyes turned red with wrath and with his body trembling, addressed them, fearlessly raising his arm to curse them. 7.
‘What a distortion of time! By which, those who are following righ- teous path, are now on the wrong path, and have become reckless, having over- ruled the religion. 8.
Let the Brahmins insult me on account of pride of their learning. But, since Dharma also insults me, it has become Adharma. 9.
Now I shall trample their haughty pride. So that they will not dare to do so again’ having said so, he cursed them aloud. 10.
‘O Vrush (Dharma)! All of you would get the birth of human beings. You would suffer great torture at the hands of demons. 11.
You have insulted me; hence you would get similar insult from them and also, beating, expulsion from villages and towns.’ 12.
Dharma appeases Durvasa
Suvrat said:-
Thus having cursed all those members of the divine assembly, he became quiet after almost setting the entire universe on fire all of a sudden. 13.
Then, O king! Narayan, Dharma, the sages and Uddhava, having heard that high-pitch shouting, saw Durvasa, blazing like fire. 14.
Displaying trembling body while burning with flames of fire of intense wrath, biting his lower lip, with teeth gnawing, and having his eyes with intolerable sight. 15.
All of them suddenly rose up and saluted him. And they tried to pacify him, after offering him a high-seat. 16.
O king! Despite of being appeased in a softening way, like fire profusely blazed; as fire being fed with ghee and oblations by sages; it was not extinguished at all. Then Dharmadeva, seeing that Durvasa was unnecessarily cursing all the sages, prostrated on the ground with humility, and saluted him with folded hands; that Dharma Deva being large-hearted, ever-compromising, and dear to Brahmins. 17-18.
Dharma said : ‘O great seer, when people commit fault, the disciplinary fine on the part of saints like you is justified, it is entirely for (people’s) own benefit. 19.
However, we have not committed this fault intentionally or due to deceit. Being absorbed in narration of Shri Hari, we did not come to know about your arrival. 20.
For your sake we would at once lay down our entire belongings and our lives too. Sir, when such a great sage has arrived, how shall we fail to worship unless there is some just reason? 21.
Truly being absorbed in some topic, we failed to honour you. Hence, pardon our fault and absolve all of us from the impact of your curse. 22.
The heart of Brahmins, who are born to confer grace on others, is said to be like butter, having momentary (anger). 23.
Suvrat said:-
In this way, the sage was beseeched by Dharma innocently, who was an expert in ethics. And when intensity of his anger was slightly pacified, he addressed him with folded hands. 24.
Durvasa’s grace to Dharma and the Divinities
Durvasa said:-
‘Neither I am known to bear momentary anger, nor do I redeem any one from my curse, anywhere in three worlds. This is my reputation. 25.
‘Even then, O perfect one! My personality appears to be little soft ened today, on account of god’s wish, in your case. 26.
O embodiment of righteousness, O Dharma! However my curse will never be diffused still I shall do a favour to you. Listen to it. 27.
In your human birth, Murti will become your righteous wife. And this Narayan sage, will become your son. 28.
And He will protect you both and all the sages, of the torture arising from irreligious demons and He will nourish you on the earth. 29.
‘When the Lord becomes your son, and when you both will have fixed your attention on Him on account of extreme affection, I shall release you from my curse then. 30.
‘O Dharma! Thereafter, you both will regain your divine status, which is cherished by you. This is what will certainly happen. My verdict will not be in vain. 31.
‘O sages! You, along with Uddhava get Brahmin hood amongst human race on the earth, and Shri Hari will make friendship with you. 32.
Thereafter, released from my curse, You would return to your divine status.’ Having said thus, and having bowed to them, he went back to Kailasa. 33.
The sages stayed over awaiting new incarnations. In fact, they were capable of cursing back Durvasa but they did not do so, as they were noble minded. 34.
In fact the wish of god is the cause of the curse to Dharma and also to the sages, and is to be understood as to promote true spirit of religion. 35.
Therefore, they did not blame Durvasa for cursing them out of anger, for no reason; as they also did not make the curse ineffective. 36.
Lord’s assurance to Dharma and the sages
Then Dharma spoke to Shri Hari, ‘O Narayan, you have to give protec- tion to me and also to sages from the irreligious acts of demons.’ 37.
On that Lord replied, ‘Father, do not be worried. Keep it in mind that this curse emerged out of my desire alone.’ 38.
‘Presently, great amount of unrighteousness has been out of control on earth, having gained strength from Kali. Human beings are harassed by it.’ 39.
‘Hence, being your son again by the name of Shri Hari, I shall destroy all that and protect saintly persons.’ 40.
‘I shall promote devotion, enriched with Dharma, knowledge and non-attachment, while moving along with you on earth as I have done before.’ 41.
‘Hence, without anxiety, you may get birth on earth, amongst human beings. Where ever you have wish, there you may be born to Brahmins.’ 42.
When he told them thus, they returned to their hermitages, after saluting Him - Nar-Narayan, remembering Him at heart. 43.
Then Dharma took birth along with his wife in the region of Kausala, Uddhava also thought over as to whom he should choose as his parents. 44.
The great sages went down to earth with a desire to get birth amongst human race, in various regions, O king, and in due course they all took
birth in Brahmin families. 45.
Thus ends the ninth chapter entitled ‘Narration of Curse and Grace done to Dharma and Others’ in the first Prakarana of Satsangi Jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct). 9