Bhādraśīla
Bhādraśīla
Bhādraśīla was the son of Gālava Maharshi. He was born on the banks of the Narmadā. From birth he had pūrvajanma-jñāna (memory of past lives) and unusual devotion to Bhagavān Vishṇu.
As a child he made clay images of Bhagavān Vishṇu and taught his playmates to keep the Ekādaśī vrata (the fast on the eleventh day of the lunar fortnight). He told his father that in his past life he had been Dharmakīrti, a king of the Soma-vaṃśa who fell from righteousness. Dharmakīrti once kept the Ekādaśī fast by chance during a hunt, and so went straight to Vishṇu-loka. His story is the main example of the greatness of the Ekādaśī vrata (Ekādaśī-vrata-māhātmya) in the Nārada Purāṇa.
Birth and character
Bhādraśīla was born to Gālava Maharshi, who lived on the bank of the Narmadā in a forest often visited by siddhas, gandharvas, yakshas and vidyādharas. From his earliest age he showed qualities that amazed his father. He was jitendriya (master of his senses). He had memory of his past life. He was a steady devotee of Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa.
In his childhood play he made clay images of Śrī Hari and did pūjā to them. He urged all his companions to worship Bhagavān Vishṇu and to keep Ekādaśī. Even while playing, he would make a saṅkalpa (a solemn resolve): “This is Ekādaśī. I offer this vrata to Śrī Hari.”
Previous life as Dharmakīrti
In his past life Bhādraśīla was Dharmakīrti, a king of the Soma-vaṃśa. His guru was the great ṛshi Dattātreya. He ruled for nine thousand years. He began as a pious king but slowly fell into adharma (unrighteousness) through the company of pāshaṇḍas (those who reject the Veda). He left the Veda-mārga (the path of the Veda) and broke up yajñas, and his people followed his example in vice.
Once, on a hunting trip, he was separated from his army. He was tormented by hunger and thirst on the banks of the Revā. There he came upon people keeping the Ekādaśī vrata. He did not know what day it was. He joined them and stayed without food through the night. He did this not out of devotion but because of his situation. He was worn out from walking all day, and he kept an unplanned jāgaraṇa (night vigil). At dawn he died.
He was brought before Yamadharmarāja. Citragupta certified that the Ekādaśī fast had destroyed all his pāpa (sin). Yama rose and bowed to him. Then Yama gave his famous instructions to his dūtas (messengers), listing whom to bring and whom not to bring.
Dharmakīrti was sent to Vishṇu-loka for countless kalpas (ages of the world), and then to Indra-loka. At last he was born again in Gālava’s noble line, with full memory of his past life.
Teaching
Bhādraśīla concluded: “An Ekādaśī fast kept without knowing saved me. Imagine what careful, devoted observance achieves.”
His father Gālava heard this and was filled with joy. He taught his son the complete method of Hari-pūjā, the pūjā of Bhagavān Vishṇu.
Sources
- Nārada Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 83