Dīvodāsa
Dīvodāsa was a famous king of Vārāṇasī, also called Kāśī. He came from the Candra vaṃśa (the Moon dynasty) and was a descendant of Bhagavān Dhanvantari through Ketumant and Bhīmaratha. His reign is remembered for just rule and great military power, and for two śāpa (curses) that shaped the sacred history of Kāśī.
In the Brahmāṇḍa account, Bhagavān Śiva and Devī Pārvatī chose Kāśī as their eternal home during these events. This made the city the supreme tīrtha (pilgrimage place).
Lineage
Dīvodāsa comes from the Candra vaṃśa through the Kāśī branch. The line runs Āyu, Nahusha, Kshatravṛddha, Saunahotra, Kāśu, and the kings after him down to Dhanvantari. Then come Ketumant, Bhīmaratha and Dīvodāsa. He was therefore a descendant of Bhagavān Dhanvantari himself, the master of Āyurveda (the science of life and health). This tied his dynasty closely to Bhagavān Dhanvantari. The Brahmāṇḍa Mahā Purāṇa, Madhyama Bhāga, Chapter 67, gives this lineage.
Nikuṃbha’s śāpa and the empty city
Dīvodāsa was zealous to purify Vārāṇasī. He destroyed the shrine of Nikuṃbha, a yaksha who was enshrined within the city. Nikuṃbha was furious at this. He placed a śāpa (a curse) on the city: all its people would have to leave and the city would stand empty.
The śāpa took effect, and Vārāṇasī was left without people. In this empty state Dīvodāsa was installed as its new king. He was given the task of filling the city again and restoring it. (Brahmāṇḍa Mahā Purāṇa, Madhyama Bhāga, Chapter 67)
Reign and the shrine of Gaṇeśa
Dīvodāsa ruled the restored Vārāṇasī with great energy and righteousness. The Purāṇa then records a second act of destruction. Dīvodāsa had the shrine of Gaṇeśa at the city gate pulled down. This shrine had guarded Kāśī since ancient times.
Gaṇeśa was angry. He and Nikuṃbha together placed śāpas on the line of Dīvodāsa. (Brahmāṇḍa Mahā Purāṇa, Madhyama Bhāga, Chapter 67)
Avimukta, the eternal home of Bhagavān Śiva
The disturbances and the śāpas did not lessen the holiness of Kāśī. Bhagavān Śiva and Devī Pārvatī chose this city as their eternal home. They settled in Vārāṇasī and named it Avimukta, which means “the never-forsaken place”.
The Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa says that Bhagavān Śiva will never leave Kāśī, even at the time of pralaya (the dissolution of the world). Whoever dies within the bounds of Avimukta receives moksha (liberation). Bhagavān Śiva himself whispers the tārakā-mantra (the mantra that carries across) into the ear of the dying. The settling of Bhagavān Śiva and Devī Pārvatī in Kāśī is one of the great sacred landmarks in the history of the city. (Brahmāṇḍa Mahā Purāṇa, Madhyama Bhāga, Chapter 67)
Son
Dīvodāsa’s son was Pratardana, who carried on the Kāśī line. The line of Dīvodāsa and Pratardana stayed closely tied to the religious and cultural standing of Vārāṇasī throughout the Purāṇic age. (Brahmāṇḍa Mahā Purāṇa, Madhyama Bhāga, Chapter 67)
Dīvodāsa in the Kāśī Khaṇḍa
The Kāśī Khaṇḍa of the Skanda Mahā Purāṇa (Chapters 43 to 50) gives the fullest account of Dīvodāsa’s rule. In this account, Bhagavān Śiva left Kāśī at the request of Brahmā and went to Mount Mandara. All the devas followed him.
With Bhagavān Śiva away, Dīvodāsa took sole rule over Kāśī. He ruled it for eighty thousand years in perfect righteousness. His qualities are compared in turn to those of Sūrya, Indra, Yama, Agni, Varuṇa, Nirṛti and Kubera. His realm had these marks:
- There was no drought, no disease and no abuse by the king.
- Every citizen was learned and prosperous.
- Asuras served him in human form, and he outdid the Gandharvas in singing.
At Mandara, Bhagavān Śiva suffered greatly from the pain of being away from Kāśī. The Purāṇa describes how the sandal-paste dried to ash on his limbs from the fire of viraha (separation).
Bhagavān Śiva sent one after another to find a way to remove Dīvodāsa. He sent Gaṇeśa, Skanda, the sixty-four Yoginīs, and Sūrya. Each of them found the king and his people without fault, and each chose to stay in Kāśī as a permanent resident. The Sūrya who stayed became the famous shrine of Lolārka, at the meeting of the Asī and the Gaṅgā. (Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Chapters 43–50)
Dīvodāsa in the Gaṇeśa Purāṇa
The Krīḍā Khaṇḍa of the Gaṇeśa Purāṇa (Chapters 44 to 48) gives its own account of Dīvodāsa.
Brahmā gives Kāśī. Dīvodāsa performed tapas (austerity) aimed at Brahmā. Brahmā gave him rule over Kāśī. For this, Bhagavān Śiva had to leave the city for a time, and he went to Mount Mandara. All the devas followed Bhagavān Śiva out of Kāśī.
The agents sent in turn. Bhagavān Śiva longed to return to his eternal home. He sent his agents one after another to bring about the conditions for Dīvodāsa to leave. Each agent found the king’s conduct and the city’s government perfectly righteous and could find no fault. The agents were Gaṇeśa, Skanda, the sixty-four Yoginīs, and finally Bhagavān Vishṇu. Each stayed in Kāśī as a permanent resident instead of finishing the task of removing the king.
Bhagavān Vishṇu as a Bauddha teacher. The Krīḍā Khaṇḍa records that Bhagavān Vishṇu took the form of a Bauddha-bhikshu (a Buddhist monk and teacher) in his effort to remove Dīvodāsa. He taught Buddhist teachings in Kāśī. The presence of this teacher slowly weakened the Vedic order of the city and began to prepare the way for change.
Ḍhuṇḍhirāja as the astrologer. Gaṇeśa, as Ḍhuṇḍhirāja, came into Kāśī disguised as a brāhmaṇa astrologer. Through his predictions and his readings of dreams, he caused unease among the citizens and in the palace. His work prepared the ground for Dīvodāsa to be willing to leave.
The Dīvodāseśvara liṅga. On the advice of the visiting “brāhmaṇa”, Dīvodāsa set up a Śiva-liṅga called Dīvodāseśvara as an act of atonement. This last act of devotion earned him puṇya (merit) that lifted him above worldly kingship. On the seventh day after it, a divine aerial vehicle arrived. Bhagavān Śiva’s own attendants marked Dīvodāsa with the signs of Bhagavān Śiva, and he rose to Śivaloka. Kāśī was returned to Bhagavān Śiva as its eternal divine ruler. (Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapters 44–48)
Sources
- Brahmāṇḍa Mahā Purāṇa, Madhyama Bhāga, Chapter 67
- Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Chapters 43–50
- Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapters 44–48