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Line 18: − − [[File:Ambarisha and Durvasa.jpg|thumb|250px|The Sudarshana Chakra(centre) between Durvasa(immediate left) and Ambarisha(immediate right).]] Line 42:
Line 40: − − ==Durvasa & Swaminarayan== − − [[File:Durvasa curse.jpg|thumb|250px|Durvasa curses Narayana]] − − According to the followers of [[Swaminarayan Hinduism]], Narayana took birth as the saint [[Swaminarayan]] due to a curse by Durvasa. The story goes that shortly after [[Krishna#Later life|Krishna's passing]], [[Uddhava]] proceeded to [[Badrinath]], the abode of [[Nara-Narayana]]. He joined the many divine sages and saints who were there listening to Nara-Nayana's discourses. As Nara was speaking, Durvasa arrived at the assembly from [[Mount Kailash]], but no one noticed him because they were all so engrossed in the discourse. He waited for one [[Hindu units of measurement|ghadi]](about half an hour), for someone to welcome him with the respect he felt he was entitled to, but still no one realised he was there. Seeing no one rise to receive him, he took this as an insult and cursed the entire assembly, saying that they would all be born as humans and suffer insults and agony from the wicked. Purna Purushottam Nar-Nayan parents, the god Dharma and goddess [[Bhakti]], pacified Durvasa, who then softened his curse saying that Narayana Himself(again, represented here as the Supreme Being) would be born as Dharma and Bhakti's son, and His birth would relieve them all from the clutches of evil. So saying, Durvasa made his way back to Kailash. − − Dharma and Bhakti were eventually born as Hariprasad Pande(a.k.a. Dharmadev) and Premvati Pande(a.k.a. Bhaktidevi). Narayana was born as their son, named Ghanshyam, who is now known as Swaminarayan. The story is limited to Swaminarayan Hinduism and no other Hindu scriptures support the tale.
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==Meeting With Ambarisha==
==Meeting With Ambarisha==
In the Bhagavata Purana, [[Ambarisha]] was a great devotee of [[Vishnu]] who adhered firmly to the truth. He performed a [[yajna]] with such great devotional fervour that [[Narayana]] was pleased to bless him with his [[Sudarshana Chakra]]("Sudarshana" meaning "good-looking" or "beautiful"), as a shield of protection over him. Once, Ambarisha performed a religious rite known as the [[Ekadashi]] and Dvadashi [[vrata]], for 1 year(i.e. the king would fast on the 11th day of every [[lunar month]] and break his fast the next day). After observing this practice for a year, he took up a final fast of 3 days and nights to conclude the rite. As the moment for breaking this fast drew near, sage Durvasa arrived where Ambarisha was and the king received him with due respect. Durvasa agreed to the king's request to be his honoured guest and asked the king to wait until he had finished his bath in the river [[Yamuna]]. The auspicious moment soon arrived when the king had to break his fast to fulfill his vow, but Durvasa had not yet returned from his bath. Ambarisha was in a dilemma, as, on the one hand, it was impolite to take food before serving a guest, but on the other, the time had come for the fast to be broken. After consulting his priests, the king broke his fast by taking a sip of water and awaited Durvasa's arrival to offer him food.
In the Bhagavata Purana, [[Ambarisha]] was a great devotee of [[Vishnu]] who adhered firmly to the truth. He performed a [[yajna]] with such great devotional fervour that [[Narayana]] was pleased to bless him with his [[Sudarshana Chakra]]("Sudarshana" meaning "good-looking" or "beautiful"), as a shield of protection over him. Once, Ambarisha performed a religious rite known as the [[Ekadashi]] and Dvadashi [[vrata]], for 1 year(i.e. the king would fast on the 11th day of every [[lunar month]] and break his fast the next day). After observing this practice for a year, he took up a final fast of 3 days and nights to conclude the rite. As the moment for breaking this fast drew near, sage Durvasa arrived where Ambarisha was and the king received him with due respect. Durvasa agreed to the king's request to be his honoured guest and asked the king to wait until he had finished his bath in the river [[Yamuna]]. The auspicious moment soon arrived when the king had to break his fast to fulfill his vow, but Durvasa had not yet returned from his bath. Ambarisha was in a dilemma, as, on the one hand, it was impolite to take food before serving a guest, but on the other, the time had come for the fast to be broken. After consulting his priests, the king broke his fast by taking a sip of water and awaited Durvasa's arrival to offer him food.
So Durvasa and his disciples visited the Pandavas in their hermitage in the forest, as per Duryodhana's request. During this period of exile, the Pandavas would obtain their food by means of the [[Akshaya Patra]], which would become exhausted each day once [[Draupadi]] finished her meal. Because Draupadi had already eaten by the time Durvasa arrived that day, there was no food left to serve him and the Pandavas were very anxious as to their fate should they fail to feed such a venerable sage. While Durvasa and his disciples were away bathing at the river, Draupadi prayed to [[Krishna]] for help. Krishna immediately appeared before Draupadi saying he was extremely hungry and asked her for food. Draupadi grew exasperated and said she had prayed to Krishna precisely because she had no food left to give. Krishna then told her to bring the Akshaya Patra to him. When she did, he partook of the lone grain of rice and piece of vegetable that he found stuck to the vessel and announced that he was satisfied by the "meal". This satiated the hunger of Durvasa and his disciples, as the satisfaction of Krishna(portrayed here as the Supreme Being who pervades the entire universe) meant the satiation of the hunger of all living things. The sage Durvasa and his disciples then quietly left after their bath, without returning to the Pandavas' hermitage, for they were afraid of facing what they thought would be the Pandavas' wrathful reaction at their impolite behaviour of refusing the food that would be served to them.
So Durvasa and his disciples visited the Pandavas in their hermitage in the forest, as per Duryodhana's request. During this period of exile, the Pandavas would obtain their food by means of the [[Akshaya Patra]], which would become exhausted each day once [[Draupadi]] finished her meal. Because Draupadi had already eaten by the time Durvasa arrived that day, there was no food left to serve him and the Pandavas were very anxious as to their fate should they fail to feed such a venerable sage. While Durvasa and his disciples were away bathing at the river, Draupadi prayed to [[Krishna]] for help. Krishna immediately appeared before Draupadi saying he was extremely hungry and asked her for food. Draupadi grew exasperated and said she had prayed to Krishna precisely because she had no food left to give. Krishna then told her to bring the Akshaya Patra to him. When she did, he partook of the lone grain of rice and piece of vegetable that he found stuck to the vessel and announced that he was satisfied by the "meal". This satiated the hunger of Durvasa and his disciples, as the satisfaction of Krishna(portrayed here as the Supreme Being who pervades the entire universe) meant the satiation of the hunger of all living things. The sage Durvasa and his disciples then quietly left after their bath, without returning to the Pandavas' hermitage, for they were afraid of facing what they thought would be the Pandavas' wrathful reaction at their impolite behaviour of refusing the food that would be served to them.
==References==
==References==