Hindu Mythological story of Ambarish and Lord Vishnu
Once upon a time their lived a king named Ambrish. He always meditated and prayed to Lord Vishnu. But this time he continued for three days and for those three days, he kept a fast, neither eating a grain of rice nor drinking a drop of water. After three days, he invited all the priests. Soon all of them had gathered and King Ambrish was busy serving food, gifts and alms.
But suddenly Rishi Durvasa came to the spot, he was very learned but very short tempered. King Ambrish welcomed the great ascetic.
“I am indeed blessed by your presence,” King Ambrish said. “Please partake of the lunch to be served and give your blessing to me.” Rishi Durvasa said, “First I must go and wash myself in the river before I take any food.” Rishi Durvasa left for the river to have a dip. Everyone waited for his return. Hours went by and time was passing by.
One of the old priests said, “But king you must break your fast before noon.“
“Respected priest how can I do so?” King Ambrish asked. “Rishi Durvasa is my guest and everyone knows of his foul temper. If I don’t wait till his return and eat before that, he will surely be very annoyed.”
One of the priests suggested “You can drink water to break the fast before noon and you can eat something on Rishi Durvasa return. This way you won’t sin and you won’t insult the Rishi either.“
King Ambrish agreed and took a glass of water and was about to drink it when Rishi Durvasa came back. He was red in the face with anger. “Ambrish, how dare you eat before serving me?” He exclaimed in anger. “Respected Rishi, I have not broken the fast. We may begin our lunch together,” King Ambrish explained.
“You’ll be punished for your doing. You don’t even know how to treat a guest,” Saying so, Rishi Durvasa plucked some hair from his beard and made a chakra from it.
The chakra raced towards king Ambrish to cut off his neck. King Ambrish prayed to Lord Vishnu for help. Lord Vishnu heard his devotee’s cry for help and sent his own chakra in defence. Rishi Durvasa’s chakra got destroyed and the Lord Vishnu’s chakra started chasing Rishi Durvasa. He started running to save himself. He crossed river and hills and ran through caves but the chakra kept following him.
Rishi Durvasa ran to Lord Shiva and said, “Lord Shiva please save my life from the Vishnu chakra.”
“Go away from here. You have insulted Lord Vishnu’s devotee so the Lord is angry. I cannot help you at all,” Lord Shiva replied.
Helpless Rishi Durvasa went to Lord Brahma for help. Lord Brahma said, “It’s Lord Vishnu’s chakra. Go to him for help. I have nothing to do with all this.”
So Durvasa went to Lord Vishnu and bowed before him saying, “O Lord, please save me from your chakra.”
Lord Vishnu Said”You have been rude to my devotee. You have no control over your anger. Don’t come to me to apologies. You have been rude to Ambrish, go to him. You have insulted him and only his forgiveness will save you from my chakra.”
At last Rishi Durvasa ran to King Ambrish. Reaching King Ambrish, he said. “Ambrish, I am sorry for my rude behaviour. Please save my life it is in your hands. Please forgive me and stop the Vishnu chakra.”
King Ambrish prayed to Lord Vishnu to take back his chakra. Instantly, the Vishnu chakra vanished.
Rishi Durvasa heaved a sigh of relief. Then he asked King Ambrish, “I went to Lord Shiva Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu but no one could stop the Vishnu chakra from chasing me. What power did you have to stop it?”I had the power of Lord Vishnu’s love for me. That’s what helped me to rid you of the chasing Vishnu chakra.”
Hearing this, the Rishi Durvasa promised that in future he would always control his anger and praised king Ambrish for his true faith in Lord Vishnu.
