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The Story Of King Chitrabhanu
In the Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata, Bhishma, whilst resting on the bed of arrows and discoursing on Dharma, refers
to the observance of Maha Shivaratri by King Chitrabhanu. The story goes as follows - Once upon a time King Chitrabhanu was
observing a fast with his wife on Maha Shivaratri. The sage Ashtavakra came on a visit to the court of the king. The sage
asked the king the purpose of his observing the past. King Chitrabhanu explained that he had the gift of remembering the incidents
of his previous birth. The king said to the sage that in his previous life he was a hunter in Varanasi and his name was Suswara.
His only livelihood was to kill and sell birds and animals. One day while roaming through forests in search of animals he
was overtaken by the darkness of night. Unable to return home, he climbed a tree for shelter. It happened to be a Bael tree.
He had shot a deer that day but had no time to take it home. So he bundled it up and tied it to a branch on the tree. As hunger
and thirst tormented him, he was kept awake throughout the night. He shed profuse tears when he thought of his poor wife and
children who were starving and anxiously waiting for his return. To pass away the time that night he engaged himself in plucking
the Bael leaves and dropping them down onto the ground. The next day he returned home and sold the deer and then bought some
food for himself and his family. As he was about to break his fast a stranger came to him, begging for food. He served the
food first to stranger and then had his own. At the time of his death, he saw two messengers of Lord Shiva. They were sent
down to conduct his soul to the abode of Lord Shiva. He learnt then for the first time of the great merit he had earned by
the unconscious worship of Lord Shiva during the night of Shivaratri. The messengers told him that there was a Lingam at the
bottom of the tree. The leaves I dropped fell on the Lingam. His tears shed out of pure sorrow for his family, fell onto the
Lingam and washed it. He had fasted all day and all night. Thus, unconsciously he worshiped the Lord. At the conclusion of
the tale the King said that he lived in the abode of the Lord and enjoyed divine bliss for long ages and now he has reborn
as Chitrabhanu.
According to a legend in the Ramayana, King Bhagirath once left his kingdom to meditate for the salvation of the souls of
his ancestors. He observed a penance to Brahma for a thousand years, requesting Ganga to come down to earth from heaven. He
wanted her to wash over his ancestors ashes to release them from a curse and allow them to go to heaven. Brahma granted his
wish but told him to first pray to Lord Shiva, who alone could sustain the weight of her descent. He then prayed to Lord Shiva
who agreed to allow Ganga to descend on his head. After meandering through Lord Shiva's thick matted locks Ganga reached
the earth. According to a modified version, what reached the earth was just sprinkles from his hair. This story is re-enacted
by bathing the linga. The love of water, the primary element of life, is also remembered in this ritualistic action.
According to another legend in the Shiva Purana, once Brahma and Vishnu fought over who was the superior of the two. Horrified
at the intensity of the battle, the other gods asked Lord Shiva to intervene. To make them realize the futility of their fight,
Lord Shiva assumed the form of a huge column of fire in between Brahma and Vishnu. Unable to cross it, they decided to find
one end each to establish supremacy over the other. Brahma assumed the form of a swan and went upwards. Vishnu as Varaha went
into the earth. Though they searched for thousands of miles, neither could find the end. On his journey upwards, Brahma came
across a Ketaki flower wafting down slowly. When asked where she had come from, the Ketaki flower replied that she had been
placed at the top of the fiery column as an offering. Unable to find the uppermost limit, Brahma decided to end his search
and take the flower as a witness. At this, the angry Shiva revealed his true form. He punished Brahma for telling a lie, and
cursed him that no one would ever pray to him. The Ketaki flower too was banned from being used as an offering for any worship,
as she had testified falsely.
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