Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.1918

c9.1918

How did Dharmadhvaja and Kuśadhvaja lose their prosperity? Their grandfather Vṛṣadhvaja was a devotee of Śiva. He performed penance before Śiva for a long time. Śiva became pleased with Vṛṣadhvaja and lived in his hermitage for the period of three Devayugas. This king Vṛṣadhvaja made a proclamation that none other than Śiva should be worshipped. As all the other gods were despised, the Sun got angry and cursed Vṛṣadhvaja. "Let the prosperity of yours and your posterity be destroyed." Śiva did not like the action taken by the Sun against his favourite. Śiva took his trident and went against the Sun, who took refuge near his father Prajāpati Kaśyapa. Kaśyapa complained to Brahmā. Brahmā ran to Vaikuṇṭha. Śiva also came there with his trident. Viṣṇu looked at them and said "You gods, hear this. What is the need of all this hurry? Within the short time you have taken to run up to this place so many years have elapsed in the world. It is a long time since Vṛṣadhvaja died. His son Rathadhvaja also is dead. Rathadhvaja has two sons named Dharmadhvaja and Kuśadhvaja. They both have become Kings. But because of the curse of the Sun, they are devoid of any radiance. They are now worshipping Mahālakṣmī for radiance." Hearing this talk of Mahāviṣṇu all of them returned to their places.