Śarabha, Merchant of Hastināpura

Śarabha was a rich and dharmic merchant (vaṇija) of Hastināpura in the Uttara Khaṇḍa of the Padma Mahā Purāṇa. For years he had no son. By the grace of Devala Maharshi and by going to the Nigamodbodhaka tīrtha at Indraprastha, his wife had a child. The child was Śivaśarman, who was born a devoted Vaishṇava.

Background

Śarabha lived in Hastināpura. He was a devoted Vaishṇava and lived by the rules of dharma. Although he was rich and pious, he and his wife had no child for many years, and this was a deep sorrow for them. The Padma Purāṇa tells this in Uttara Khaṇḍa, chapter 201.

Seeking a son

In his distress, Śarabha went to the ṛshi Devala for advice. Devala looked into the matter and saw, by his divine insight, that the childlessness came from a lack of puṇya (merit). It could be set right by worship at the holy tīrthas of Indraprastha.

Devala told Śarabha to go on a tīrtha-yātrā (pilgrimage) to Indraprastha, and in particular to the Nigamodbodhaka tīrtha. This is a supremely sacred place, where by the power of the place even the Vedas rise in a person’s mind of their own accord. Chapters 202 to 204 tell this.

The birth of Śivaśarman

Śarabha and his wife went to Indraprastha and worshipped at the Nigamodbodhaka tīrtha with full devotion. By the grace of that tīrtha and the blessing of Bhagavān Vishṇu, Śarabha’s wife conceived. In time she gave birth to a son, who was named Śivaśarman. He was born with a Vaishṇava nature and grew up as a devoted worshipper of Bhagavān Vishṇu. Chapter 205 tells this.

What followed

Śivaśarman was later cursed by Durvāsa and was reborn as the king Dilīpa of the solar line. In this way Śarabha is the earthly father of the one who later received the whole teaching of the Uttara Khaṇḍa from the ṛshi Vasishṭha. Śarabha’s devotion and his sincere search for blessings at the holy tīrtha started the chain of events that led to Dilīpa receiving this teaching. Chapter 205 gives this.

Sources

• Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Uttara Khaṇḍa, chapters 201–205