AvantiUjjain: 2022

Lord Sreepada replied, 'Once a king by name Chandrasena ruled the country with Ujjain as

his capital. His friend, one Manibhadra, obtained the Chintamani or the wishfulfilling jem by the

grace of Lord Shiva. Knowing how invaluable the jem was, several kings planned to grab it and

invaded the country. Then king Chandrasena and his friend Manibhadra meditated on Lord Shiva

and worshipped Him at the proper hour. Seeing their Saturday worship, several urchins of the village

gathered in front of their houses and commenced worshipping Shiva in a like manner. They were so

absorbed in worshipping the Shiva Lingas with bel leaves and flowers that their mothers had to drag

them into their houses for lunch. One such cowherd boy opened his eyes in the middle of his

meditation and he was very sorry that his worship of Lord Shiva was interrupted by his mother. In

order to expiate the sin of it, he was ready to commit suicide! Then the all-seeing Lord Parmeswara

(Shiva) appeared before him and offered to grant him a boon as a reward for his intense devotion.

But all that the boy asked for was that he should be pardoned for his sin. The Lord said, 'My child,

owing to your devotion, you shall attain my eternal proximity. Your mother, out of ignorance, has

committed the folly. Still, as she had witnessed my worship, she shall have the good fortune of giving

birth to the avatar of Lord Vishnu in her next life'. So saying, Lord Shiva disappeared. The Shiva Linga

there was shining with a divine splendour. The kings who invaded the country saw that and realised

what a pious soul the ruler of the country was. They realised how unholy it was to think of waging a

war against such a one. Completely converted, they paid a friendly visit to his palace and all of

them together proceeded to have a look at that splendid Shiva Linga. They were happy at its sight

Guru Charitra and honoured the cowherd boy with plenty of wealth. The mother of that cowherd boy

was later reborn as Yesoda of puranic fame and came to be known as the mother of Lord Sree Krishna,

avatar of Lord Vishnu. You too shall obtain like merit by worshipping Lord Shiva'.

Tuesday, December 13, 2022