Table of Contents
Context and Birth
<p>Viśvāmitra Maharṣi began his narration by revealing that seven generations prior to , there was a king named Vallabha in his lineage. Vallabha was renowned for his beauty and virtues. After a long period, a son was born to this wealthy king.This infant was born blind, mute, and deaf. His entire body was covered in sores, emitting a foul odor, and he was stunted like a dwarf. The baby’s mother, Queen Kamalā (meaning lotus), was overwhelmed with sorrow.
Kamalā lamented that being childless would have been preferable to having such a flawed son. She cried, distraught over the shame and the lifelong grief the deformed child would bring.
Parental Response
Hearing her cries, Vallabha Mahārāja rushed to the delivery room and consoled her, explaining that happiness and sorrow are attained only according to one’s past Karma. He reassured her that the child’s misfortunes were temporary, and upon the exhaustion of his bad deeds, he would regain perfect health.
Vallabha instructed her not to grieve and promised to spare no effort in performing all necessary deity worship, pilgrimages, mantra practice, and medical treatment. Kamalā, thus comforted, suppressed her sorrow and had her friends clean and bathe the child. The King duly performed the birth rites and offered grand charitable gifts to the Brāhmaṇas (scholarly priests), seeking their blessings.
Naming and Exile
Naming and Failed Austerities
Vallabha Mahārāja summoned astrologers and experts in Vedas and their auxiliaries. He honored and satisfied these learned Brāhmaṇas with invaluable gems, wealth, and grains, and with their permission, ceremoniously named the boy Dakṣa (meaning skillfull).
Following the naming, the King initiated intense efforts for his son’s healing, including incantation and ritual application, medicinal fire rituals, and medical treatment. Furthermore, the King himself undertook severe austerity for a full twelve-year period, observing strict vows (dīkṣā).
When all efforts proved futile, the King became frustrated, eventually turning irate and resentful towards his wife and son. In a fit of rage, he banished them from the palace, forbidding them to ever show their faces to him again.
Exile and Hardship
Rejected by her husband, Queen Kamalā had no choice but to travel to the forests. She carried her son Dakṣa fastened to her back, weeping profusely. To survive, she traveled from village to village, begging for food, weakened by hunger and thirst. Along the way, thieves stole all her valuable ābharaṇas and fine silks.
In each village, she would often leave her son in a temple to beg, though sometimes she took him with her.
The Miraculous Healing
While begging in a certain village, Kamalā encountered a highly pure Śrotīya Brāhmaṇa (a highly learned priest), who was a great devotee of and had attained divine grace.
As the wind blew across the body of this supreme Brāhmaṇa and touched Dakṣa, the boy miraculously regained sight, hearing, and speech. Furthermore, his afflicted body was completely cured, transforming into a divinely beautiful body.
Kamalā was overjoyed when her son began to speak softly and sweetly. She recognized that the cure which could not be achieved through Maṇi (gems), Mantra (incantations), Auṣadha (medicine), or Homa (fire rituals) had been instantaneously granted by the mere touch of the wind from the Brāhmaṇa’s body. She embraced her son, acknowledging the immense power of the great man who had destroyed such severe Duṣkarma.
Later, an astonished citizen questioned Dakṣa about his parentage. The boy inquired about his family from his mother and relayed the full story: his father was Vallabha, the King of Bhānunagāra in Karṇāṭaka region; his mother was Kamalā; and his name was Dakṣa. He recounted his birth with deformities, his father’s failed tapas (austerity) over a twelve-year period, their banishment, their journey of hardship, and his ultimate healing upon arriving in the village by the grace of a great being.
Gaṇeśa’s Vision and Command
Following the miraculous healing, Kamalā and Dakṣa sought out the supremely glorious Brāhmaṇa and received instruction on the worship method. With intense dedication and devotion, they began to practice the Gaṇeśa Aṣṭākṣarī Mantra (eight-syllable Gaṇeśa mantra), fasting and focusing with singular intent. Despite their bodies being reduced to a mere skeleton, they continued their practice. Pleased by their unwavering devotion, Gaṇeśa granted them a direct vision.
Appearance of Gaṇeśa
Gaṇeśa first appeared in his glorious divine and auspicious form:
- He had a large body and the head of an elephant.
- He radiated the brilliance of ten million suns.
- He wore red garments and adorned himself with golden shoulder ornaments and armlets.
- His head was crowned with a jeweled crown.
- He possessed Ekadanta (one tusk).
- He wore a golden waistband and had Śeṣa (the divine serpent) wrapped around his abdomen.
- He sat on a throne, resting one foot on the footstool and the other on his knee.
- His eyes, filled with compassion, bestowed a gracious look.
Immediately afterward, Gaṇeśa transformed back into the form of a supreme Brāhmaṇa. This Brāhmaṇa addressed the mother and son, expressing satisfaction with their dedication to austerity and offering them any boon they desired.
Dakṣa’s Praise and Command to See Mudgala
The mother and son prostrated before the feet of Gaṇeśa. Dakṣa offered a glorious praise. Pleased with Dakṣa’s stuti, Gaṇeśa said he could grant any wish, but would not give a direct boon at that moment, lest it disrespect his beloved devotee through whose wind-touch Dakṣa had been cured.
Vināyaka revealed the name of that beloved devotee as Mudgala (meaning, one who rejoices) and commanded Dakṣa to remember him. Mudgala, upon being remembered, would immediately stand before him and fulfill all his desires. Having said this, Vināyaka instantly vanished. Dakṣa was so stunned by the sudden disappearance of the fruit of his austerity that he fainted.
Guidance by Mudgala Maharṣi
After regaining consciousness, Dakṣa lamented the loss of Vināyaka’s form. By divine providence, he experienced an auspicious dream in which a radiant Brāhmaṇa appeared and declared: “I have granted you the desired boons! All the boons you wished to ask of Gaṇeśa who manifested before you, I have given!”
Waking up, Dakṣa was filled with joy to see a Brāhmaṇa standing before him. He requested the Brāhmaṇa to show him the path to the hermitage of Mudgala.
The Āśrama of Mudgala
Following the Brāhmaṇa, Dakṣa reached Mudgala’s Āśrama, which surpassed Kubera’s Alakāpurī (Kubera’s capital) and Indra’s pleasure garden in beauty. It was an exceptionally enchanting place filled with all types of fruit and flower trees.
Inside, Dakṣa saw Mudgala Maharṣi, a supreme devotee of Gaṇeśa who was surrounded by many disciples, filled with compassion for all beings, and an expert in the Vedas and scriptures. Mudgala was worshipping a golden Vināyaka idol inlaid with gems. This Vināyaka idol possessed four arms and three eyes, shining with divine auspiciousness. Mudgala was worshipping the idol with sixteen forms of reverence.
Dakṣa offered a prostration, his eyes shedding tears of joy and devotion, and Mudgala lovingly raised him.
The Final Instruction
Mudgala Maharṣi gently inquired about Dakṣa’s identity, his purpose, and his sorrow. Dakṣa, heartened, recounted his full history: his royal birth, his deformities, his father’s thirteen years of fruitless efforts, their expulsion, their struggle as beggars, and the miraculous healing caused by the wind touch of the Brāhmaṇa’s body.
Dakṣa compared his healing to the moment when dust of Raghūrāma’s feet freed Ahalya from her stone form. He explained that upon searching for the benefactor, he was granted the vision of Gaṇeśa, who, after appearing in both the Brāhmaṇa form and the Elephant-faced form, confirmed that Mudgala himself was the embodiment of his grace, and instructed Dakṣa to seek his boons from the Maharṣi. Dakṣa concluded by stating his belief that the one who has attained the complete grace of Gaṇeśa must be Gaṇeśa himself.
Mudgala praised Dakṣa’s exceptional fortune and pure unwavering devotion, emphasizing that the God of Gods is pleased only by sincere devotion, not by external austerity. He lovingly embraced Dakṣa and formally imparted the Ekākṣara Mahāmantra (one-syllable great mantra) of Gaṇeśa along with all its subsidiary practices.
Mudgala blessed the young prince: “O Prince! Chant this Mantra diligently every day. All your desires will be fulfilled by the grace of Gaṇeśa. By this devotion to Gaṇeśa, even the guardians of the directions like Indra will be subservient. If you meditate on that supreme being with an unfragmented mind, you will enjoy all prosperity in this life and attain liberation in the end.”
Dakṣa’s previous life and Bhallāla
King Bhīma’s Inquiry
Having heard the entire history of his ancestor Dakṣa as narrated by Viśvāmitra Maharṣi, addressed the sage with reverence. He articulated several persistent doubts regarding the seemingly contradictory events in his ancestor’s life and his lineage’s spiritual attainment.
Bhīma Rāja questioned the source of Dakṣa’s recovery: “By what merit from a previous life was Dakṣa, who was born with muteness, deafness, and blindness and whose body was filled with defects, cured?” He further sought clarification on the miracle, asking how the mere touch of the wind that blew over the body of a Maharṣi could make him healthy.
Furthermore, he questioned the nature of direct divine vision, noting: “Why was Mudgala unable to achieve Sākṣātkāra even after performing severe penance for many years, while the son of Vallabha received this divine vision easily, without much effort?” Lastly, he requested the complete revelation of his ancestor’s previous birth details.
In response, Viśvāmitra was highly pleased, deeming the inquiry appropriate for the alleviation of spiritual doubts, and promised to narrate the entire account with historical precision.
The Historical Account of Bhallāla
Viśvāmitra began by narrating the history of Bhallāla. Formerly, in the Sindhu country, there was a renowned city called Vallī. In this city lived a wealthy Vaiśya (merchant) named Kalyāṇa Saṃjñika (also referred as Kalyāṇa Vaiśya in the scriptures), celebrated for his generosity in performing charity and his exceptional devotion to Devas (Deities) and Brāhmins (Scholarly Priests). His wife was Indumatī, a woman of great beauty and a devout Pativratā.
The couple was blessed with a virtuous and handsome son, whom they named Bhallāla after consulting the astrologers. The child grew rapidly, and from his early childhood, devotion to God was natural to him, possessing a deep affection for Gaṇeśa due to special merit.
The Devotion and Destruction
One day, Bhallāla and his young companions went to the forest, where they installed a stone idol and performed consecration. They diligently worshipped Gaṇeśa with dūrvāṅkuras (holy grass) and flowers. So intense was their bhakti that the children forgot about food and drink for several days. They constructed a proper temple, pavilion, and compound with sticks and garlands, engaging in devotional acts like chanting Gaṇeśa’s name, dancing, and singing.
The parents of the other children, angered by the disruption to their children’s routine, complained fiercely to Kalyāṇa Saṃjñika. They demanded he restrain his son, threatening to beat Bhallāla or have the Vaiśya expelled from the village.
The Curse and Divine Appearance
Driven by fury and maddened by anger, Kalyāṇa Vaiśya stormed into the forest. He used a large stick to smash the temple and compound. While the other children fled, Bhallāla remained steadfast. The father mercilessly beat his son until his body streamed blood, then uprooted the saffron-colored idol of Gaṇeśa and threw it away. He tied the bleeding boy to a tree with vines and ropes, demanding that his God save him, and then returned home.
Left tied, Bhallāla meditated on Gaṇeśa and lamented the God’s seeming indifference, but held firm to his belief that the Śrutis (Vedas) proclaim that the Bhagavan never abandons His devotees. He then pronounced a powerful curse upon his father for committing a grievous sin against God:
“May the wicked one, my father, become blind, hunchbacked, deaf, and speechless! If I am a true Gaṇeśa bhakta, may my śāpa (curse) come true!”
As Bhallāla firmly resolved to leave his body in the forest, Gaṇeśa appeared before him in the form of a Brāhmaṇa. Immediately, the bonds fell away, the wounds vanished, and Bhallāla’s body was transformed into a divine form.
The Establishment of Bhallālavināyaka
Bhallāla offered full prostrations and hymned the Lord, recognizing Him as the Vighneśvara and the Supreme Doer of the universe, proclaiming that he attained the divine auspicious sight solely through grace.
Gaṇeśa, known as Lover of His Devotees, embraced Bhallāla and confirmed the boy’s curse, stating the father would face Naraka (hell) and be driven out of his own home. He offered Bhallāla a boon.
Bhallāla requested two boons:
- Endless and firm firm devotion toward the Lord’s lotus feet.
- That the Lord reside permanently in that holy place, removing all obstacles for all people.
Gaṇeśa granted the boons, declaring: “Your name shall precede Mine, and I shall be renowned in the world as Bhallālavināyaka, residing permanently in this Kṣetra! I shall fulfill the desires of all who make a pilgrimage to this place called Vallī and visit Me on Bhādrapada Śukla Chaturthī.” Having granted these varas, Varada Gaṇeśa vanished.
Bhallāla subsequently consecrated the Vaināyaka mūrti and constructed a magnificent temple. Viśvāmitra concluded by emphasizing that listening to this “supremely pure and auspicious history with faith and devotion” leads to freedom from all sins and the attainment of heart’s desires.
The Manifestation of the Śāpa (Curse)
As a direct consequence of Bhallāla’s curse, Kalyāṇa Vaiśya’s physical condition rapidly deteriorated. His body became disease-ridden, suffering from numerous wounds that constantly bled. He was afflicted with a devastating foul odor, coupled with muteness and deafness.
Indumatī, his wife, was overcome with sorrow at her husband’s plight. She contemplated the nature of fruit of sinful action that had befallen her husband, considering him naturally virtuous and devoted to Dēva-Brāhmaṇa worship. Her grief was compounded when she learned the true extent of the violence inflicted upon her son, Bhallāla, at the hands of his father.
Indumatī Meets the Transformed Bhallāla
Unable to bear the situation, Indumatī travelled to the forest where Bhallāla had been bound. Upon reaching the site, she was astonished to see a youth with a golden-colored body and perfect health, having attained new youthfulness. He was single-mindedly worshipping Gaṇeśa in the newly consecrated temple, meditating upon the Lord’s four arms, three eyes, and sindhūravarṇa form.
Relieved that her son was well, Indumatī embraced him and pleaded for his return home: “Your father is suffering from a great illness, his body covered with wounds, and he is unable to speak or hear. It is your duty as a son to alleviate his suffering.” She argued that the father’s actions were born of passion/impulse and not a deliberate intent to harm.
Bhallāla’s Philosophical Refusal
Bhallāla responded with a detachment reflecting his newly attained ātma jñānaṁ (knowledge of The Self). His words were a philosophical discourse on the supremacy of Karma and God:
“Who’s mother? Who’s father and who’s son? All intentions and doubts arising from Nature occur solely according to the will of Gaṇeśa. The attachments and aversions between beings are governed by their respective karmic law, and one must experience the fruit of their deeds.”
He affirmed that the destruction of the Gaṇēśa ālaya and the physical assault on a devotee constituted a terrible daivāparādha, for which the ensuing suffering was the just pratiphala retribution. Bhallāla declared that his entire devotion was now surrendered at the divine feet of Vināyaka, who was his true Tallī, Taṇḍri, Guru, and Daivam. He refused to look upon his father, describing him as a great sinner whose mere sight could bring defects.
Indumatī finally requested, out of compassion and relationship, that he simply withdraw the śāpa. Bhallāla remained steadfast, advising her to abandon attachment for him and faithfully perform her wifely duty by diligently serving her husband.
Ascent to Vaināyakaloka and Rebirth
With his mother’s heart a mixture of sorrow and joy as she departed, Bhallāla prepared for his final journey. A celestial and beautiful chariot arrived, and Bhallāla ascended, reaching the Vaināyakaloka (the abode of Gaṇeśa).
Viśvāmitra concluded the account of Kalyāṇa Vaiśya’s current birth by confirming that the śāpa unfolded exactly as Bhallāla had foretold. In their next birth, Kalyāṇa Vaiśya was reborn as Dakṣa, the son of the king named Vallabha, and Indumatī was reborn as Kamalā. Kamalā married King Vallabha and gave birth to Dakṣa, thereby setting the stage for the fulfillment of the karmic cycle.
Sources and References
Gaṇeśa Purāṇa Upāsanā Khaṇḍa: Chapters 18 – 24