Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami
From the book “Sri Vraja-maṇḍala-parikramā”:
On the right hand side, near the confluence of the Sarasvatī and Yamunā, is Ambarīṣa–ṭīlā. In Satya–yuga, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa was the sole emperor of this world, which consists of seven islands. He was an unalloyed devotee of the Supreme Lord and engaged all his senses in following the various limbs of bhakti. With his mind, he would meditate upon Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. With his voice, he would chant the names of the Lord and glorify His various pastimes. With his hands, he would clean the temple of Bhagavān. He would engage his ears in hearing about the pastimes of the Lord. He would engage his eyes in taking darśana of Śrī Mukunda’s temples. He would engage his nose in smelling the garlands, sandalwood paste and other articles that had been offered at the lotus feet of Bhagavān. He would honour the prasāda offered to the Supreme Lord by tasting it with his tongue, and with his legs he would circumambulate the Supreme Lord’s dhāma, the tulasī plant, His temples and so on. He would also observe Ekādaśī and other fasts on days related to Hari.
Once, while residing at this place in Mathurā, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa observed the vow of Ekādaśī for one year by fasting without water (nirjala). On Dvādaśī, there was only a short time after sunrise in which it was auspicious to break his fast. Mahārāja Ambarīṣa worshipped Bhagavān and was just about to take grains that had been offered to the Supreme Lord, when Maharṣi Durvāsā arrived. With great respect, the king invited the sage to join him. The maharṣi said, “I accept your invitation, but I first need to finish my daily duties. I will go to the bank of the Yamunā; please wait until I return.” Saying this, the sage went to the Yamunā. However, Maharṣi Durvāsā’s return was slightly delayed, and the auspicious time was about to pass. After consulting with the brāhmaṇas and his ministers, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa took a drop of the water that washed the Supreme Lord’s feet in order to protect his fast.
When Maharṣi Durvāsā returned, he was furious, knowing well that Mahārāja Ambarīṣa had broken the fast without him. He pulled a matted lock of hair from his head and transformed it into a fiery demoness called Kṛtyā, who was ready to burn Ambarīṣa to ashes. However, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa simply stood there fearlessly with folded hands. The Sudarśana cakra, the protector of the devotees, immediately appeared and burnt Kṛtyā to ashes. Sudarśana cakra then leapt towards Maharṣi Durvāsā, who swiftly ran everywhere to save his life. He fled to Bhuḥ, Bhuvaḥ, Svaḥ and other planetary systems. He even went to Brahmaloka and Śivaloka, but no one in those places could save him. Wherever he went, he saw the frightening Sudarśana cakra pursuing him. Finally, Maharṣi Durvāsā came to Nārāyaṇa in Vaikuṇṭhaloka and desperately cried out: “Help, save me, protect me!” Bhagavān Śrī Nārāyaṇa said, “I am under the control of My devotees. I am their heart and they are My heart. How can I forsake those who have taken My shelter, having left everything – their home, wife, sons, family and wealth? You should at once return to Ambarīṣa and plead for forgiveness. Sudarśana cakra can be pacified by his prayer only, and not by any other means.”
For one full year, the great devotee Ambarīṣa Mahārāja remained standing there, waiting for Durvāsā and praying for the sage’s welfare. Upon returning from Vaikuṇṭha, the perturbed Durvāsā begged Mahārāja Ambarīṣa for his life. Ambarīṣa Mahārāja pacified Sudarśana cakra by offering prayers to him and then satisfied the sage by respectfully presenting him an array of delicious preparations. Durvāsā became astonished to witness the glories of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa and said, “Aah, today I have realised the unprecedented glories of Bhagavān Anantadeva’s devotees. I greatly offended Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, but still he always desires nothing but my welfare. This is only possible for the devotees of the Supreme Lord.”
This pastime took place here. To this day, Ambarīṣa–ṭīlā stands as witness to the glories of the devotee Ambarīṣa. Nearby, towards the Yamunā, is Cakra–tīrtha, where Mahārāja Ambarīṣa pacified the cakra by offering various prayers.
Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
Chakra-tirtha is the spot near the bank of the Yamuna River where Lord Vishnu’s chased Durvasa Muni all over the universe. This Sudarshana-chakra came to rest after having place is also known as Chakra-tirtha Ghata and nearby is Ambarisha-tila, the hill (tila) where Ambarisha Maharaja performed a year-long Ekadashi-vrata. When Ambarisha was about to break his fast, Durvasa Muni suddenly arrived there. Ambarisha invited Durvasa to take prasada and join him in breaking the Ekadashi fast. Durvasa agreed but first wanted to complete his daily rituals by bathing in the Yamuna River. However, Durvasa did not return immediately and the proper time to break the fast was almost over. Therefore, after consulting his priests, Ambarisha took a little water in order to break his Ekadashi fast. As soon as Durvasa returned, he could understand that Ambarisha Maharaja had taken some water to break the fast. He became furious due to feeling insulted by the king. Durvasa then cursed Ambarisha to die and pulling a hair from his locks, he created a
demon that blazed like fire and was ready to kill the king. Suddenly the Sudarshana-chakra of Lord Vishnu appeared there and killed the demon. The Sudarshana-chakra then turned towards Durvasa who was forced to run for his life. Durvasa spent one year running from the Sudarshana-chakra but could not find shelter anywhere in the three worlds and no one could sav him; not even Lord Shiva or Lord Vishnu could save him. However, on the advice of Lord Vishnu, Durvasa Muni returned to Ambarisha-tila and begged forgiveness from Ambarisha Maharaja in order to be saved from the Sudarshana-chakra. Durvasa declared that the pure bhaktas of Lord Vishnu are even more powerful than the Lord Himself, as only Ambarisha had the power to save him. Ambarisha Maharaja immediately forgave Durvasa Mini and thus he was saved from being burned to death by the Sudarshana-chakra.
