The great Kushika Maharaja

Once the great Chyavana maharshi went to Kushika maharaja. Kushika did ghana-puuja to Chyavana maharshi. “Muniindra! Please give us aagnya what to do” said Kushika with great Vinayam. Chyavana maharshi replied “Raja! You and your arthaangi do seva to me”. “Ok. Svaami!” replied Kushika. Kushika arranged for Chyavana maharshi Hamsa-tuulikaa-talpam (bed) and a Manipeetham. “Maharaja! Now I will take rest. Dont disturb me until, I by myself, wake up. Till then do my paada-seva” said Chyavana maharshi. For 42 days, Kushika and his arthaangi did paada-seva of Chyavana maharshi, forgetting Nidra-aahaaram.

The next day Chyavana maharshi woke up and said “get me a Ratham. You both must pull it. I will go on it, giving Suvarana (gold), Ratna, Go (cow), Ashva daanams to the poor”. Immediately Kushika arranged for it. The King and Queen started pulling the ratham. Chyavana maharshi started to hit them with the horse-wip until they were bleeding and kept travelling. Finally they reached the end of the Raajyam.

He saw that the King and Queen have a smiling face, even though their bodies were bleeding! Chyavana maharshi said “Raaja! Now you both got extremely exhausted. Please go back. I will stay here a do Tapas. Come again tomorrow”. Saying thus, Chyavana maharshi, the Aayurveda-nipuna, just touched them on their wounds and the wounds just disappeared. “Muniindra! Just by your Kara-sparsha we got new shakti in us and all our wounds have disappeared. How do we praise your greatness”, saying this, Kushika returned to his Raajyam. When they came back the next day, Chyavana maharshi was not there, but a Vishaala-sundara-divya Bhavanam was there. “Devi! did you see. Because of Maharshi, we are able to see such unbelievably beautiful Bhavanam, that resembles Svargam”. They went in and saw that Chyavana maharshi was lying down on a Mani-maya-paryankam (bed). But as soon as they came near him, everything disappeared. They saw that Chyavana maharshi was doing Tapas.

“Raani! Did you see this Maharshi’s Tapobalam? We can rule many Raajyams. But getting this Tapas is very difficult” said the King. Then Chyavana maharshi called them and said “Maharaja! You have great Indriya-nigraham. You are great. You both didnt even get slightest Krodham even if I inflicted great pain. You always served me with great Vinayam. Please ask me what Varam you want”. “Swaami! Your paada-seva is only what I want. I dont need anything else. But please tell me why did you do all this?”

“Kushika! I heard about you from Brahmadeva. I tested you very much and would have given you shaapam if you didnt keep up your word. But you are an Uttama. I was impressed by you and hence showed you both Svargam. But even then you didnt get attracted and said ‘Tapas is great’. Your Pautra (grandson) will be a great Brahmarshi. He will be the Mantra-drashta of the great Gaayatri mantram. There has been no King who attained the Brahmarshi-padavi. Your pautra will achieve with his will power, Satya-nishtha and parishrama.

Kushika’s putra was Gaadhii-raaja and his putra was the great Vishvaamitra maharshi.

Morals in the story:

1. The sadgunams Vinayam and Atithi-Seva-bhaavam of Kushika are well shown in the story. Kushika and his Raani, did paada-seva of Chyavana maharshi for 42 days continuously without even taking food and sleep.
2. Kushika and his arthaangi had full control of their Indriyas (Indriya Nigraham). Even when their bodies were bleeding, they didnt get Krodham on Chyavana maharshi. Svargam will be at the will of such people.
3. Story shows how doing seva to great sat-purushas like Chyavana Maharshi will give Shubhams. Doing seva to Chyavana maharshi, they got the great Vishvaamitra maharshi as their Pautra.