Tweet
Narayaneeyam - Dasakam 89Slaying of Vrkasura and Testing of Bhrigu
Slaying of Vrkasura and Testing of Bhrigu
Lord Brahma, Lord Visnu, Lord Siva and others are able to curse or bless one. Lord Siva and Lord Brahma are very quick to curse or bestow benedictions, my dear King, but the infallible Supreme Lord is not. n this connection, an ancient historical account is related concerning how the Lord of Kailasa Mountain was put into danger by offering a choice of benedictions to the demon Vrka. The demon named Vrka, a son of Sakuni's, once met Narada on the road. The wicked fellow asked him which of the three chief gods could be pleased most quickly. Narada told him: Worship Lord Siva and you will soon achieve success. He quickly becomes pleased by seeing his worshiper's slightest good qualities -- and quickly angered by seeing his slightest fault. He became pleased with ten-headed Ravana, and also with Bana, when they each chanted his glories, like bards in a royal court. Lord Siva then bestowed unprecedented power upon each of them, but in both cases he was consequently beset with great difficulty. Thus advised, the demon proceeded to worship Lord Siva at Kedaranatha by taking pieces of flesh from his own body and offering them as oblations into the sacred fire, which is Lord Siva's mouth.
Vrkasura became frustrated aher failing to obtain a vision of the lord. Finally, on the seventh day, after dipping his hair into the holy waters at Kedaranatha and leaving it wet, he took up a hatchet and prepared to cut off his head. But at that very moment the supremely merciful Lord Siva rose up out of the sacrificial fire, looking like the god of fire himself, and grabbed both arms of the demon to stop him from killing himself, just as we would do. By Lord Siva's touch, Vrkasura once again became whole. Lord Siva said to him: My friend, please stop, stop! Ask from me whatever you want, and I will bestow that boon upon you. Alas, you have subjected your body to great torment for no reason, since I am pleased with a simple offering of water from those who approach me for shelter. The benediction sinful Vrka chose from the lord would terrify all living beings. Vrka said, "May death come to whomever I touch upon the head with my hand."
Upon hearing this, Lord Rudra seemed somewhat disturbed. Nonetheless, O descendant of Bharata, he vibrated om to signify his assent, granting Vrka the benediction with an ironic smile, as if giving milk to a poisonous snake.: To test Lord Siva’s benediction, the demon then tried to put his hand on the Lord's head. Thus Siva was frightened because of what he himself had done. As the demon pursued him, Lord Siva fled swiftly from his abode in the north, shaking with terror. He ran as far as the limits of the earth, the sky and the corners of the universe. The great demigods could only remain silent, not knowing how to counteract the benediction. Then Lord Siva reached the luminous realm of Vaikuntha, beyond all darkness, where the Supreme Lord Narayana is manifest. That realm is the destination of renunciants who have attained peace and given up all violence against other creatures. Going there, one never returns.
Like a lion who rushes towards the rescuer, Vrikaasura rushed towards Shiva. Lord Shiva ran about in all directions in panic of the Asura, and kept looking backwards. Everyone in the whole world kept quiet. Then from far Thou saw Shiva as he was about to reach Thy abode. Then, in the guise of a clever Brahmachaari Thou stood waiting for the Asura.
Hail to you O son of Shakuni! Why are you needlessly running about, placing your faith in this ghost? If you doubt my words, O dear One! Test for yourself by placing your fingers on your own head.' Be fooled by these words of Thine, he placed his hand on his head and immediately fell down dead as an uprooted tree. Such is the fate of the people who worship other deities. What more, Thou are the ultimate refuge of even Shiva.
Some saints who were doing penance in the banks of river Saraswathi,Wanting to know who has maximum sathva qualities among the trinity,Deputed, sage Brugu to find it out and when he approached Brahma, He first went to Satyalokam, the abode of the three-headed Brahma (who is also attributed to have four heads) and found him busily chanting the Vedas with one face, uttering the name of Narayana with another and looking at Goddess Saraswati with the third. He took no notice of Bhrigu. Bhrigu resented the want of courtesy on the part of Brahma. Bhrigu then went to Siva's abode (Kailasam). Here too, he found Siva absorbed in sporting with his consort. Siva even became indignant at Bhrigu’s intrusion. Finally, Bhrigu went to Vaikuntam, the abode of Vishnu and found Vishnu and Sri Maha Lakshmi reclining on Adisesha. Disgusted, Bhrigu kicked Vishnu on the chest, where Sri Maha Lakshmi was reclining. Vishnu immediately got up, massaged the rishi's foot and enquired if he had been injured. Pleased with Vishnu’s attention, Bhrigu returned to the rishis and advised them to dedicate the fruit of their sacrifice to Vishnu.
And showed disrespect to him, he got extremely angry but controlled his temper, But in case of Lord Shiva, he was so irked that he rushed to kill the saint,But was prevented by Goddess Parvathi from doing it and then he came to you. When Bhrigu went to Thee, O Lotus eyed! Thou were sleeping on Laxmi's lap. He hit Thee on the chest with his foot. Thou got up in good humour and asked for pardon for everything and told him that the mark of his foot would always remain as a decoration on his chest. The great ascetics residing near the Saraswati river decided that Thou were the most Saatvic of the Trinity. They firmly anchored their devotion into Thee and attained union with Lord Narayana.