Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 9 Chapter 4:1-14

Book 9: Chapter 4

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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 9: Chapter 4: Verses 1-14
The stories of Nabhaga and King Ambarisa

Sri Suka resumed : A son of Nabhaga (another son of Vaivaswata Manu) was Nabhaga, to whom, the youngest (of his brothers) and (most) learned-Oust) returned (from the house of his preceptor after an unusually long period) as a religious student-his (elder) brothers assigned (the maintenance of their (aged) father (Nabhaga) for his share of the ancestral property (which they had already divided among themselves, leaving nothing for Nabhaga, who they thought would remain a lifelong celibate). "Brothers, what have you set apart for me ?" (he said.) "We (hereby) allot our father to you," (they replied). (Nabhaga then approached his father and said,) "The elder brothers have given you as my share, 0 dear father !" "Pay no heed to their word, dear child 1" (he replied). "These (neighbouring) Brahmanas, scions of the sage Angira, are performing at present a (big) sacrifice. Coming (however) to the ritualistic course for every sixth day, the wise ones commit errors in that course, my learned son 1 Teach those noble souls a couple of Suktas (hymns) in propitiation of (the gods called) the Viswedevas•. While ascending to heaven (on the completion of the sacrifice) they will bestow on you (all) their wealth that may be left after the sacrifice. Therefore, approach them." Then he did in the same way as he was told and the (said) Brahmanas rose to heaven having bestowed on him whatever was left after the sacrifice. Coming up from the north, a certain dark-looking person (who was no other than Rudra, the god of destruction) said to Nabhaga while he was about to appropriate that wealth, "(All) this wealth left on the sacrificial grounds is mine." Nabhaga (the scion of Vaivaswata Manu) thereupon returned:-"This is mine, (inasmuch as it has been) vouchsafed to me by the sages (who performed this sacrifice)." "Let our question be referred to your father !" (Rudra rejoined.) Nabhaga (approached and) asked his father (Nabhaga) accordingly. (Nabhaga said,) "At some sacrifice (performed of yore by Daksa a lord of created beings) the sages determined everything left on the sacrificial grounds as a share meant for Rudra; hence that god deserves all that wealth." (Returning and) bowing low to Rudra, Nabhaga said, "The wealth left on the sacrificial grounds is undoubtedly yours, 0 lord: so says my father, 0 holy one ! With my head bent low (therefore) I pray for Your grace (apologize to You). "Since your father", (replied Rudra), "has spoken what is right and you too have uttered the truth, I (hereby) impart to you, the seer of Vedic Mantras, knowledge which is the same as the eternal Brahma (the Absolute). (Please also) accept (for your subsistence) the wealth left after the sacrifice as a gift from Me." Saying so, Lord Rudra, who is (so) fond of truth, disappeared. He who with a fully concentrated mind reverently remembers (mentally repeats) this story (both) morning and evening becomes a learned man as well as a knower of (the meaning of) Vedic Mantras and attains his goal (in the shape of final beatitude or God-Realization). From (the loins of) Nabhaga sprang up Ambarisa, an eminent devotee of the Lord and (highly) virtuous (too), on whom even the punishment (in the form of the magical fire known as the Krtya) inflicted by a Brahmana (the sage Durvasa)--- a punishment that was not frustrated anywhere before-had no effect. The king (Pariksit) submitted : I long to hear the story of that royal sage, (so) full of wisdom, against whom the scourge fully released by a Brahmana-which is (so) difficult to avert-did not prove effectual.

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