Let me regale you with a tale of the most epic yagna that was being
performed by a group of wise sages on the bank of the mighty Saraswati
River. As they sat around discussing the age-old controversy of who was
the supreme deity among the three chief deities—Brahma, Vishnu, and
Shiva—sage Bhṛigu decided to put them to the test.
Bhṛigu went to Lord Brahma and failed to bow
down or sing his praises, causing the lord to become inflamed with fury.
But Brahma, being the wise deity that he is, subdued his anger with his
intelligence.
Next, Bhṛigu went to Mount Kailāsa, where Lord
Siva joyfully embraced him, but Bhṛigu insulted him and called him a
deviant heretic. This caused Siva's eyes to burn with fury, and he
raised his trident to strike Bhṛigu down. However, Siva's consort, Devi,
fell at his feet and spoke words of pacification, saving Bhṛigu's life.
Finally, Bhṛigu went to Vaikuṇṭha, the abode
of Lord Vishnu. In an audacious display of disrespect, Bhṛigu kicked
Vishnu on the chest where Sri, his consort, resided. But to Bhṛigu's
surprise, Vishnu did not react with anger or violence. Instead, he
welcomed Bhṛigu with open arms and begged for his forgiveness.
Vishnu even offered to purify himself, his
realm, and the realms of the universal rulers devoted to him by using
the water that had washed Bhṛigu's feet. And, as a sign of respect,
Vishnu bowed his head to the floor before the sage and declared that he
had become the exclusive shelter of the goddess of fortune, Sri.
Overwhelmed with devotional ecstasy, Bhṛigu
returned to the sages and described his entire experience. They
ultimately declared Lord Vishnu as the supreme deity due to his ability
to forgive and remain composed under trying circumstances.
The story teaches us the importance of
forgiveness, respect, and tolerance. It shows that true knowledge and
understanding come from a deep spiritual connection with the divine, and
that qualities like forgiveness and compassion are essential for a
harmonious existence in the cosmos.
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