Dhātṛśarman

Dhātṛśarman · dhātṛ-śarman

Dhātṛśarman was a brāhmaṇa of the city of Barhishmatī. The Pratisarga Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa tells that by the worship of Bhagavān Sūrya he attained sāyujya moksha, and was later born as Īśvarapurī. Bṛhaspati tells this to the devas, and Sūta to the ṛshis.

His life

Desiring a son, Dhātṛśarman did tapas and pleased Prajāpati Brahmā, who in five years granted him three children in order: a son, a daughter and again a son. They were born one year apart, and he had great joy in raising them. For their marriages he pleased Tumburu, Gandharvapati, with havana and other rites, and Tumburu granted his wish. At sixty, anxious to obtain ornaments, wealth and clothes for his daughters-in-law and son-in-law, he duly worshipped Kubera, who gave him much wealth and a vidyā (mantra) that yields gold.

In time he fell ill and came near death. He pleased Bhagavān Śaṅkara with stutis, and Bhagavān Śaṅkara gave him jñāna within one month.

The vara of Bhagavān Sūrya

Then Dhātṛśarman worshipped Bhāskara, the destroyer of moha, through the Sunday vrata. In five years, pleased by his bhakti, Bhagavān Sūrya asked what vara he wanted, and he asked for moksha. Bhagavān Sūrya taught him the four kinds of moksha: sālokya, born of tapas; sāmīpya, born of bhakti; sārūpya, born of dhyāna; and sāyujya, born of jñāna. The presiding one of all four is the supreme Parameśvara, and on reaching that supreme state of Bhagavān Vishṇu there is no coming back. Bhagavān Sūrya said, “Viprendra, you will attain sāyujya moksha, and that moksha of yours will last till the end of the manvantara.” Saying this he withdrew.

Born as Īśvarapurī

In the month of Caitra, Divākara gave darśana of his form and said that he would take birth in Vaṅgadeśa from his own aṃśa to accomplish the devas’ work. He gave tejas from his mouth to his devotee Sukanyā, the wife of a dvija. Endowed with that tejas, Dhātṛśarman was born in the house of Kāvyakartā under the name Īśvarapurī. He defeated the Vedic brāhmaṇas in śāstrārtha and won great fame.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Pratisarga Parva, Khaṇḍa 4, Chapter 7

Sources

• Bhavishya Purāṇa, Pratisarga Parva, Khaṇḍa 4, Chapter 7