While Durvasa and his followers were having a bath in the river, they were chanting Aghamarshana Sukta. They hada dip in the water. To their great great surprise they got the feeling that they had a big feast. They started belching. when they came out of the river to dry themselves they began to look at each other enquiringly. Theywere feeling very heavy as if they had a sumptuous feast. They went to durvasa and told him about their plight.
Krishna thushte sarve thushtah ( When Sri Krishna is satisfied every one is satisfied)
"O great sage, we have asked Yudhishtira to prepare food at his odd hour. Now we feel that we cannot eat even amorsel of food. We are feeling very heavy. We are sure the Pandavas must have got the food ready. Everything isa waste. What should we do now. Please let us know what to do" the followes pleaded.
"we have made a terrible mistake. The righteous Pandavas would get angry with us and they might burn us to ashesif we do not eat what they have prepared. I am always frightened of those who have the grace of Lord Sri Hari.The Pandavas are righteous. They are great warriors, deft in the use of arms, committed to a cause, they haveacquired great power by pleasing the gods with their severe tapas. To crown all these, they are the devotees of LordKrishna. If they get angry, they will reduce us to ashes. Therefore, take to your heels before they see you" saida greatly distraught Durvasa. No sooner did Durvasa complete his speech than all the ten thousand followers ofDurvasa ran away helter skelter. When sahadeva reached for them everywhere, but there was no trace of any. TheTapasvis living there said that the sages ran away in all directions.
Sri Krishna revealed to the Pandavas how they were saved from Durvasa. They were filled with gratitude for theirsaviour, Sri Krishna.
Sri Krishna narrates the story of Durvasa to Pradyumna
One day Pradyumna, Sri Krishna's son asked him to tell him how brahmins came to be respected. While narratingthe story of brahmanas, he made a reference to the story of Durvasa.
Long ago there was a brahmin in his house in Dwaraka. He was brownish yellow. He wore cloth of hemp. He held astick(danda) of bilva. He had long beard and moustache. He looked very thin and tall. He would travel on the earthand in heaven. As he walked along, he would stop in a place where four roads meet and chant the following hymn.Durvasam vasaychyo brahmanam salkritam grihe "Who is there who can play host to Durvasa and keep him in his house?" "If anyone does any in justice to me, I will get angry with everyone including animals. Even after listeningto these words, if anyone is ready to give me shelter, such a person should not give me any cause to get angry"
No one came forward to give him shelter I brought him home and give him shelter.
Strange behaviour
Sometimes Durvasa wold eat food sufficient for one thousand people. Sometimes he would eat very little. Sometimeswhen he left the house he would not return for days.Sometimes he would laugh until his sides burst, yet some other times he would cry loudly. On such occasions therewould be none of his age to console him.
The sage who was away for a long number of days came back one day, went straight to the room got ready for his stayburnt every object in it including the maidens appointed to wait on him. On another occasion he was performingsevere tapas, and said,
Krishna, Payasamichami bhoktumityeva satvaraha I krishna I desire I desire eat payasam right now. As everyoneknew his ways, all types of dishes woud be ready as I had given orders to the cooks to that effect. I offered Durvasahot and tasty payasam.
Sri krishna put the test
After eating payasam he asked me to smear whatever was left all over my body. Without a thought I smeared herbody with the remaining payasam. Then he tied Rukmini to a chariot and he sat in it. He asked her to pull thechariot. He would beat Rukmini with a whip. Even seeing that I kept my cool. When the Yadavas saw Rukminidrawing the chariot, they became angry.
Rukmini could not pull the chariot and she began to stagger. The sage was angry. He got out of the chariot andbegan to run bare footed. I followed him and implored. "O Bhagavan cool down and bless us. The radiant lookingDurvasa looked at me and said,
Boon conferred
"Dear Krishna, you have conquered anger by nature. I have not seen any fault in you. I am really very happy. Askfor anything and it will be granted. My dear child, as I pleased do you know what you can get from me?So long as man loves food, people will response their faith and love in you. So long as you are loved in this world, your fame will spread in all three worlds and you will be the most loved person in the world.
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