Story of Durvasa

Nandishvara said

Great sage, hear another account of Shambhu's deeds. For the sake of dharma Shankara was born as Durvasa. Brahma's son Atri was a great ascetic, who knew brahman, husband of Anasuya, and followed Brahma's commands. Instructed by Brahma and wanting a son, he went with his wife to the mountain called Rikshakula to practise austerities. On the banks of the Nirvindhya river he did pranayama in the proper way and, free of the pairs of opposites, plunged into deep austerity for a hundred years, resolving that the single Ishvara, the great lord free of faults, should firmly decide to grant him a son as a boon. A long time passed as he tormented himself in these excellent austerities. A great pure blaze came from his head and almost burned all the worlds, and all the gods and rishis, Vasava and the others, suffered. Greatly troubled by the flames they went quickly to Brahma's abode, bowed properly, praised him and reported their miseries. Brahma took them to Vishnu's excellent world, where they bowed to Rama's lord and praised him and told Vishnu, who lay on Ananta, of their miseries. Then Vishnu with Brahma and the gods quickly went to Rudra's abode, bowed to Hara and praised Parameshvara in many ways, and told Sharva of the blaze that had arisen from Atri's supreme austerities. Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshvara gathered and conferred about the welfare of the universe, and then the three divinities, bulls among givers of boons, quickly went to the rishi's hermitage to grant him a boon.

Atri, best of sages, saw them marked with their own distinctive signs, bowed and lovingly praised them in eloquent words, and, a brahmana and Brahma's son, in surprise folded his hands humbly and spoke. He said the three worlds should worship Brahma, Hari and Rudra, powerful Ishvaras who cause creation, preservation and destruction. For a son, he and his wife had meditated on only one Ishvara, whoever was the Ishvara famous in the universe. Why had the three come, bulls among the givers of boons? He asked them to dispel his doubt and then grant the boon he wanted. Hearing him, the three divinities said it would happen as he had resolved. The three were equals as Isha and as bulls among givers of boons, so from their portions he would have three sons, all famous in the world and extending their father's fame. Saying this, the three cheerfully went back, and the sage, with the boon, happily returned to his hermitage. With Anasuya he was delighted and enjoyed the bliss of brahman. Brahma, Hari and Shambhu took avataras as sons of his wife and, pleased, showed many kinds of play. Through the sage and Anasuya, Brahma's portion was born as Chandra, whom the gods threw into the ocean as soon as he was born. Vishnu's portion was born through Atri and his wife as Datta, that supreme sage who extended the path of sannyasa. Shiva's portion was born through them as Durvasa, tiger among sages, an excellent sage who taught the path of supreme dharma.

Rudra was born as Durvasa, who extended brahman's energy and, full of compassion, tested the dharma of many. There was a king named Ambarisha, of the solar dynasty, whom he tested. Ambarisha, supreme among kings, was lord of the seven dvipas and steady in keeping the ekadashi vow. He was resolved to observe ekadashi and break his fast on dvadashi. Learning of this rule, Durvasa, supreme among sages and born of Shankara's portion, went to him with many disciples. At that time very little of dvadashi was left. Knowing it, the king was about to eat and invited the sage as well, but Durvasa went with his disciples to bathe and, to test the king, tarried there a long time. The king knew that dharma as laid down in the texts would be broken if the dvadashi passed. Wishing to wait for him, he took a little water. Meanwhile Durvasa returned. Knowing the king had already eaten, he decided to test him and grew angry, speaking harshly: the king was wicked, had invited them but taken water without waiting, and he, chastiser of the wicked, would show him the result. His eyes coppery with rage, he prepared to burn the king down. To protect him Ishvara's discus swiftly came, the blazing Sudarshana, about to burn the sage, not knowing he was Shiva's form, deluded too by Shiva's maya. Meanwhile an unseen voice from the sky spoke to great-souled Ambarisha, devotee of Brahma and Vishnu. It said this Sudarshana was given to Hari by Shambhu and was now blazing against Durvasa; the king should pacify it. Durvasa was a direct portion of Shiva, who gave the discus to Hari. The king did not know he was no ordinary sage, who wished to test his keeping of dharma, so he should quickly take refuge with him or there would be dissolution. Saying this the voice stopped. Ambarisha lovingly praised Hara's portion and said: if I have made the desired gifts, kept my own dharma, and my line honours brahmanas as gods, let this weapon be pacified; Bhagavan is kind to devotees, and if I have been devoted to him let him especially pacify the Sudarshana. Praised thus before Rudra, Shiva's Sudarshana was pacified in every way. King Ambarisha gained understanding and knew he was Shiva's portion, so he bowed to the sage, realising Shiva's avatara had come to test him. The sage, Shankara's portion, was greatly pleased, ate, gave the king the boon he wished and went to his own abode.

Nandi said he had told of Durvasa's testing of Ambarisha, and now another account. Durvasa again wished to test the rules kept by Dasharatha's son. Kala set a rule in the form of a sage, and the sage rashly sent Lakshmana in. Following the pledge he had made, Rama at once gave up his relative. That account is famous in the world and many sages have told it, so all the learned know it. The sage was delighted to see the firmness in keeping the rule, and, pleased, granted Rama boons.

The sage tested Krishna's keeping of rules too. Because of Brahma's prayer Vishnu was born as Vasudeva's son to lighten the earth's burden and protect the virtuous, killing the great wicked sinners, the deceitful who harmed brahmanas. As Krishna he protected brahmanas and the virtuous. Vasudeva's son was devoted to brahmanas and every day fed many of them with rich food. When news spread that Krishna was especially devoted to brahmanas, the sage came to see it for himself. He tied Rukmini and Krishna to a chariot and yoked them, and Krishna bore the chariot happily. Seeing his supreme firmness the sage got down, was pleased with him and granted that his body would be tough as vajra.

Once Durvasa, best of sages, was bathing in the divine river, naked, and became an object of curiosity and was ashamed. Droupadi, who was bathing there too, learning of this tore a piece from the end of her garment and lovingly gave it to cover his shame. It floated down with the current to near the sage, who used it to cover himself and was pleased with her, and granted Droupadi that her garments would multiply. With this boon Droupadi made the Pandavas happy.

Two crooked kings, Hamsa and Dimbhaka, showed him disrespect, and he told Hari to deal with them, and the lord destroyed them. In particular, by brahman's energy, he followed the ordinances of the texts and established the mode of sannyasa on earth. By his instruction he enlightened many and raised them up, and in particular gave knowledge and brought about the liberation of many. Such was the wonderful, varied conduct of Durvasa. A person who hears it gets wealth, fame, long life and all he desires, and one who listens devotedly and gladly, or has it heard, gains great happiness in this world and the next.