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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 9: Chapter 4: Verses 28-42
The stories of Nabhaga and King Ambarisa
Pleased with his exclusive devotion and love, Sri Hari delivered tohim His own discus (Sudarsana), the terror of His adversaries and the protector of his servants.
Intending to please ( the all-enchanting) Lord Visnu, the heroic king (Ambarisa) undertook (in right earnest) alongwith his wife, who had a similar disposition, a vow to fast on every Dwadasi (the twelfth day of either fortnight of a lunar month) for a whole year. On one Dwadasi day (the day following the fast) during the month of Kartika, the king, who had duly fasted for three (previous) nights and bathed in the river Kalindi (Yamuna), worshipped Sri Hari in the (sacred) forest of Madhuvana (on the site of which was built the city of Mathura later on). Having bathed Lord Visnu (the Ruler even of Brahma and Siva) according to the procedure (laid down in the scriptures) for a royal bath, requiring a rich variety of accessories (such as sandal-paste and flowers for scenting the water with), he worshipped Him with his mind absorbed in Him by offering raiment and ornaments as well as sandal-paste, flowers, water for washing the hands with and other articles of worship, and (similarly) honoured with reverence the highly blessed (devoted) Brahmanas even though they had (all) their objects accomplished (and thus did not seek any honour). He (then) gifted so pious Brahmanas and sent to their houses sixty crores of cows endowed with (abundant) milk, good disposition, young age and a good appearance and accompanied by their calves and (necessary) appendages (which are usually given alongwith a cow, such as a vessel for holding milk while milking a cow) and which had their horns plated with gold and hoofs with silver and were covered with excellent pieces of cloth. He first gave the Brahmanas delicious and most excellent food to eat and, permitted by them, when they had received all their desired objects (such as presents of money), he set about concluding the fast (by taking his meal). That very moment there appeared before him an unexpected guest in the person of no less a personage than the glorious sage Durvasa. [1]
(Putting off his meal,) the king honoured the newcomer by rising from his seat, offering a (high) seat and other articles of worship and, approaching (bowing at) the soles of his feet, prayed him to dine. Having gladly accepted his prayer, the sage went (out) to finish his routine work (for midday, viz., bathing and devotions) and, fixing his mind on the Infinite, plunged into the sacred water of the Kalindi (for a bath). Since (only) half a Muhurta (or twenty-four minutes) was left of the twelfth day (and it was necessary to conclude the fast during the hours of the 'Dwadasi itself), Ambarisa (who knew what was right) began to deliberate with the Brahmanas on the question of concluding the fast in the face of such a moral crisis (conflict of duties). (He said:) "Since there is sin in showing disrespect to a Brahmana (by inviting him to a dinner in the first instance and then taking one's meal before feeding him) and there is (also) sin in not concluding one's fast (for the Ekadasi day) within (the hours of) the (following) Dwadasi, pray, tell me a course of action consequent upon which good may betide me and sin may not touch me. (Then, arriving at a conclusion in consultation with the Brahmanas, he said to himself,) Since to take water-so declare the Brahmanas-that is as good as taking food (for the purpose of breaking one's fast) and at the same time it is no eating, hence I shall break my fast with water. alone."* Having thus taken water and contemplating on the immortal Lord with his mind, that royal sage (Ambarisa) only awaited, 0 jewel of the Kurus, the return of the Brahmana (the sage Durvasa). Having gone through his (midday) routine, the sage Durvasa (too) returned (in the meanwhile) from the bank of the Yamuna and, (even when) greeted by the king, came to know his act (of drinking water) by intuition.
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