THE MAHARSHI 5-6/2002

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THE MAHARSHI

May/June 2002Vol. 12 - No. 3

Produced & Edited byDennis HartelDr. Anil K. Sharma

Sivabhaktavilasam

Upamanyu's Sivabhaktavilasam is one of the ancient Sanskrit texts that

the Maharshi often quoted or referred to when describing the lives of

the sixty-three Nayanar saints. It is well known how the reading of

the Periapuranam, the Tamil rendering of these stories, awoke within

the heart of the boy Venkataraman the sleeping giant of spiritual

awareness. This culminated in his permanent realization of the Self

in 1896. The stories of Siva bhaktas, narrated in greater detail in

the Sivabhaktavilasam, remained a storehouse of inspiration from

which the Sage of Arunachala readily gathered nourishment to appease

the spiritual hunger of his devotees.

Abraham of the Old Testament was told by God to sacrifice his only

son, in the same manner that a sacrificial lamb would have been

offered. Following the Lord's command, Abraham bound the boy, placed

him on a heap of firewood and raised his arm to plunge a dagger into

his chest when an angel of the Most High stopped him. In the case of

Dabhra, this same command from God was taken a step further; yet

Dabhra didn't flinch.

The following story is from the new English translation of the

Sivabhaktavilasam that will soon be published by Sri Ramanasramam.

narapasuniman ahami tadayan | parasivaudanau vitanute pacan || 32 ||

For, Thou dost cut off the egos of human beings steeped in ignorance,

season them and make them over to Siva for food. Forty Verses in

Praise of Sri Ramana, by Ganapati Muni

The Story of Dabhra

Sri Agastya:

Once in Kailasa, Parvati curiously enquired of Lord Paramesvara, who

was resting with His head placed in her lap: "Lord! Tell me, if you

please, who is your favourite among Nandi, Bhrngi and Chandi."

Pasupati, the Lord of beings, combing through her locks with His

fingers, replied: "More than anyone else, including you, Dabhra

Bhakta pleases me the most. I must say, I cannot bless him enough."

Shocked at this revelation, Uma demanded an explanation. Siva got up,

smeared His body with ashes, tied his matted locks into the familiar

kaparda and said, "Follow me and see for yourself." He proceeded to

Arunaranyam.

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Meanwhile, in his own town, Dabhra was preparing to feed Mahesvaras

(devotees of Siva), as it was the auspicious day of Bharani in the

month of Chaitra. As no devotees approached him for food, he went out

to find them. At this instance, Siva appeared as a Bhairava (staunch

Siva bhakta) at his house and cried aloud, "Is it Dabhra's house? Can

I get some food here?" Chandana, the maid servant came out and

reverentially replied: "Please come in. The master of the house will

be here soon." The response was: "We do not enter a house when the

master is away. I shall take leave." At this, Svetavananayika, the

wife of Dabhra Bhakta, rushed to the door and pleaded with him to

stay. Repeating the same words as before, he added: "We shall rest in

the Ganapatisvara Temple."

Shortly after, Dabhra returned despondent at not finding any

Mahesvaras to feed. His wife narrated to him what had happened in his

absence and asked him to bring the devotee, who shone like Siva, from

the nearby temple. Hearing these words, which were like nectar,

Dabhra sped to the temple and found the Bhairava seated in virasana

beneath the kovidara (fig) tree. His left elbow was supported by yoga

danda, the yogi's staff. Brahma kapala, the skull which served as the

begging bowl, was by his right hand, which was engaged in counting

the sacred beads. A small pouch full of the sacred ashes, wreathed by

a chain of rudraktas, lay before him. His effulgence outshone the

sunlight itself. The great yogi looked aged, rugged, and somewhat

tired.

Dabhra fell at his feet and clasped them tightly. The Bhairava, with a

considerate glance, inquired, "Who is it?" Charmed by the enquiry,

Dabhra replied, "Though I consider myself a slave of the devotees,

people call me Dabhra Bhakta. I take refuge in you. Bless my home

with the dust of your feet and partake of the food we serve." The

Bhairava rejoined, "Your fame is spreading to regions afar. You are a

symbol of the adage 'charity begins at home'. Today is Chaitra

Bharani, a day as auspicious as Mother Girija herself. What a great

fortune is it to be served dinner by a true devotee! Nevertheless, I

need to caution you about a certain matter that might sound

unpleasant. Well, let me not cause distress to your household. I

shall approach another." So saying, he rose to leave.

Dabhra's Dialogue with the Bhairava

Sri Agastya:

As the Bhairava stood up, Dabhra held fast to his feet, and trying to

stop him pleaded, "Have no doubt my lord. Try me! By your grace I

shall be able to meet your requirements." The Lord interrupted

saying, "Wait, wait, I do not eat the regular items like milk, curds,

ghee, rice, vegetables, etc. Even fruits plucked from the celestial

Kalpa tree do not suit me. Now listen to my food habits. I eat only

once in six months - and that is flesh! Surely it is beyond your

scope." Dabhra quickly replied, "We have young animals at home. Tell

me your choice."

The Bhairava paused awhile and said, "Well, what I consume is human

flesh - that of a five- or six-year-old boy, the only child of his

parents, faultless and perfect in body and in all respects. While the

mother holds him fast in her lap, the father should chop him to

pieces, both without the least sorrow in heart. After the father

washes the meat free of hair, nails and bones, the mother should

mince and cook it happily, using spices and condiments. Such food I

relish and nothing else. Now, hasten to your wife and obtain her

wholehearted approval."

The Liberation of Dabhra

Dabhra, relieved to hear the consent of the guest, rushed to his

house. He calmly approached his anxiously-waiting wife, and placing

his arm around her, explained at length the codes and subtleties of

Saiva Dharma - the practice of service to devotees. Somewhat

perplexed at the unsolicited explanation, she remarked to him, "Lord!

What is all this preamble for? Do not my actions reflect your mind? Do

not make me feel ashamed. Speak out what is on your mind." At this

Dabhra pulled himself together and narrated the Bhairava's

requirements. Sveta closed her eyes in contemplation of the Lord and

replied, "If that is the Lord's will, go and bring our darling son

whose life we shall consecrate to the Lord himself."

Dabhra sped like the wind to the gurukula school where the boy Sripati

was presently meditating on the Panchaktari. At the arrival of his

father, Sripati was prompted by his Guru to recite a hymn on Umapati.

Its import was, "Siva alone is worthy of worship. Sivabhaktas are

worthy of service ever." Immensely pleased with his rendering,

overflowing with feeling, the Guru blessed him with long life and

prosperity. Dabhra, obtaining permission from the Guru, brought the

boy home and handed him over to his mother.

Sveta bathed the boy in perfumed lukewarm water, dried him with a

towel and, holding him in her lap, beckoned to her husband. Dabhra

brought with him a sharp knife and cautioned his wife, "Do not let

your heart give in to pity, lest this offering should be soiled." He

watched the boy for the last time, shining with fresh stripes of the

sacred ashes. Unperturbed, he chopped asunder the boy at his neck in

one stroke. Siva! Siva! The boy's head flung to a distance from the

mother's lap. Wasting no time, the blood was collected into a vessel,

the trunk cut into pieces and the edible parts carefully removed and

washed. Dabhra handed the minced meat to his wife, who dressed it

with select spices such as cloves, pepper, coriander, cardamom,

fenugreek, white mustard, asafoetida, and cooked it in fresh butter.

As the head portion was

unsuitable for cooking, it was laid aside, which was preserved by the

handmaid Chandana. Then, Sveta informed her husband that food was

ready and the Bhairava should be brought without delay.

Dabhra ran again to the temple and informed the Bhairava who was

sitting in contemplation in the same spot. At this, the Bhairava rose

majestically in his awe-inspiring grandeur. Enthusiastically drawing

handfuls of ashes from the pouch, he smeared them all over himself.

He held the kapalam, the skull bowl, in one hand and with the other

played his damaru (hand-held drum) which echoed terrifically

throughout the land. He had a waistband of skulls that rubbed against

one another when moving. His thick silver tresses were tightly tied

into a crown of jatamukutam, held fast by a garland of smaller

skulls. His forehead, smeared with red gorochana, seemed like the

fiery third eye, while his two eyes spread terror as well as

compassion. As he walked with the support of Dabhra, his oversized

anklets tinkled manifesting the primeval

nada - cosmic vibration.

Once they reached his house, Dabhra made the old Bhairava sit and

washed his feet in a golden plate and accorded him ceremonial

worship. Later, placing two broad banana leaves before him, the lady

of the house, Sveta, served the cooked meat in a separate bowl, and

rice on the leaves. When she sprinkled the ghee on the rice in the

traditional manner, Dabhra handed him a vessel of fragrant, sweetened

water. The Bhairava examined the contents on the leaf plate and

remarked, "I can see that you have omitted cooking the head." While

the couple looked at each other anxiously, the maid Chandana appeared

there with a bowl and said, "Expecting this, I cooked the head portion

separately." Feeling greatly relieved, the couple requested the

extraordinary guest, "Revered one, what is sought by you is served to

you. Eat to your heart's

content." Then the Bhairava rejoined, "Do not rush me. I never eat

without company." At this Dabhra went out for a second guest and

returned without finding one. When the Bhairava suggested that Dabhra

himself could accompany him, he replied, "It is a practice for me to

wait on the guest while serving him." On being pressed further, he

sat beside the guest.

As they were about to start, the elderly guest remarked, "Normally the

parents feed their children first, and even take delight to sacrifice

their own meal for their sake. Now fetch your son at once and let him

eat with us." In reply to these agonising words, Dabhra said, "He is

not available any more, so kindly proceed with the fare before the

food turns cold." Nevertheless, the Bhairava ordered him to call his

son by name. Dabhra, still remaining calm, bade his wife to do so.

Then Sveta, controlling herself from choking with emotion, went out

and shouted:

"Sripati, my darling son! Come at once, will you?" Lo, this call

wrought a miracle! As if appearing from nowhere, Sripati tottered

towards her and threw himself in her arms. She could not believe her

eyes. Could this boy be someone else? She kissed him. His body

smelled like all those spices she had dressed him with! She stopped

to reason, but then left her mind bare in gratitude to the Lord of

inscrutable ways. The boy asked her innocently, "Mother! Where did I

go from your lap?" She pressed him to her heart and replied, "Nowhere

dear!"

To find out the cause for the delay, Dabhra came out and was dumb

struck at the sight. He shared the embrace of his son with his wife.

When they went inside, they saw no trace of the Bhairava or the food

items. Then the Lord appeared there with all His paraphernalia.

Celestials rained sweet-scented flowers and the quarters resounded

with the resonating sounds of their instruments.

The blessed family praised the Lord in unison. The all-compassionate

Paramesvara blessed them with sarupya mukti. He also blessed their

kith and kin, and the maid servant too.

 

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