Jaye Māheśvarī Mahālakṣmī 🔱
Nowadays, many people, influenced by Vaisnavas, say that Lord Viṣṇu takes incarnations on Earth out of His own will. However, this is not so—He takes incarnations due to the curse of Sage Bhṛgu and by the orders of Śiva. This is beautifully explained in the Śaṅkarasaṃhitā of the Skanda Mahāpurāṇa:
भृगुशापविमोचनम् –
पुनश्चाप्यकारोद्विष्णुरेकदासुरनिग्रहम् । पराजये तु देवानां देवासुरमहाहवे ॥ १६ तदानीं तुमुले युद्धे विष्णुना सूदिता भृशम् ।
Once again, Viṣṇu undertook the suppression of demons. In the great battle between gods and demons, when the gods were defeated. Then, in that fierce battle, the demons were severely slain by Viṣṇu.
भृग्वाश्रमं समासाद्य भृगुपत्नीं तपस्विनीम् ॥ १७ ख्यातिं च शरणं प्रापुरसुरा हरितर्जिताः । तदाश्रममपि प्राप विष्णुश्चक्रधरः स्वयम् ॥ १८
Reaching Bhṛgu's āśram and his ascetic wife, The demons, threatened by Hari (Viṣṇu), sought refuge with Khyāti (Bhṛgu's wife). Then Viṣṇu himself, bearing his discus, reached that āśrama.
संहरन्नसुरांस्तत्र भृगुपत्न्या निवारितः । नैवाश्रमः प्रवेष्टव्यस्त्वयाऽसन्निहिते मुनौ ॥ १९ न हन्तव्या न हन्तव्या दितिजा मदुपासकाः । मया दत्ताभयाः सर्वे मा मा हिंसीर्जनार्दन ॥ २०
As he was destroying the demons there, he was stopped by Bhṛgu's wife: “You should not enter the āśrama in the sage's absence. Do not kill, do not kill the sons of Diti who are my devotees. I have given them all protection. Do not harm them, O Janārdana.”
दृष्ट्वैनां संभ्रमाविष्टो जगतामिति हि क्रुधा । चक्रेण संहरन् दैत्यांश्चिच्छेद च शिरस्तदा ॥ २१ तेषामभयदात्र्याश्च भृगुपत्न्या जनार्दनः ।
Seeing her, confused and enraged, thinking of the worlds, He cut off her head with his discus while slaying the demons. Janārdana (Viṣṇu) did this to Bhṛgu's wife, who had given protection to the demons.
निर्गते च ततस्तस्मादाश्रमान्मधुसूदने ॥ २२ ददर्श भृगुरभ्येत्य दैत्यैः सह निजां प्रियाम् । निकृत्तशिरसं ज्ञानदृष्ट्या विज्ञाय माधवम् ॥ २३
When Madhusūdana (Viṣṇu) had left that āśrama, Bhṛgu, upon returning, saw his beloved wife along with the demons, With her head cut off. Through his divine vision, he recognized Mādhava (Viṣṇu) as the culprit.
चुक्रोध हरयेऽत्यर्थं हन्त्रे दैत्यैः स्त्रिया अपि । अशपद्विष्णुमवनौ जन्मान्यस्यास्तु कोटिशः ॥ २४
He became extremely angry at Hari (Viṣṇu) for killing his wife along with the demons. He cursed Viṣṇu to take crores of births on earth.
तत्र तत्र स्त्रिया चापि वियोगोऽस्त्वतिदुःखदः । जगत्यस्यैव ये भक्ताः सन्तु पाषण्डिनस्तु ते ॥ २५
“In each birth, may you experience painful separation from your wife. And may your devotees (i.e. vaiṣṇavas) in this world become heretics.”
शप्त्वैवमात्मनः पत्नीं सन्धायोज्जीव्य विद्यया ।मृतसंजीविनीत्येव सिद्धया परमेश्वरात् ॥ २६
After cursing thus, he revived his wife by joining her head using the knowledge Of the life-restoring science, obtained from the Supreme Lord (Śiva).
ततो विष्णुः समाकर्ण्य भीतभीतोऽसुरार्दनः ।तच्छापविन्निवृत्त्यर्थं काञ्चीमभ्येत्य कामदाम् ॥ २७
Then Viṣṇu, the tormentor of demons, hearing this, became very frightened. To be released from that curse, he went to Kāñcī, the fulfiller of desires.
संपूज्य देवदेवेशं दृष्ट्वा देवं वृषोपरि । प्रणम्य प्रार्थयच्छापमोक्षं भीतेन चेतसा ॥ २८
Worshipping the Lord of lords, seeing the god on his bull, He bowed and prayed for release from the curse with a fearful heart.
मद्भक्तैर्यत्कृतं विष्णो तैः कर्तव्यं तदन्यथा । अहं न पारयाम्येव प्रतिज्ञैषा मया कृता ॥ २९
“O Viṣṇu, what is done by my devotees cannot be undone (viz. it must be undone by them alone). I cannot undo it. This is my vow.”
इति केशवमाभाष्य हरिकेशः स्मयन्निव । भृगुमाह महादेवः स्मृतिमात्रागतं मुनिम् ॥ ३०
Saying this to Keśava (Viṣṇu), Harikeśa (Śiva) smiled and The great god spoke to Bhṛgu, the sage who had come there by (his) mere thought:
विमोचय हरिं शापाद्भृगो बहुजनिप्रदात् । मदर्चनारतं विद्धि भक्तं च मुनिसत्तम ॥ ३१
“O Bhṛgu, release Hari from the curse of many births. Know him to be devoted to my worship, O best of sages.
दशास्तु जन्म तद्विष्णोरेकस्मिंस्तत्र जन्मनि । स्त्रिया वियुक्तोऽतिचिरं दुःखी भवतु नान्यतः ॥ ३२ मदाज्ञया कुरुष्वैवं मद्भक्तानां त्वमग्रणीः ।
Let Viṣṇu have ten births, and in one of those births, May he be separated from his wife for a long time and be sorrowful, but not in others. Do this by my command, for you are foremost among my devotees.”
तथास्त्त्विति मुनिः प्राह प्रणम्य परमेश्वरम् ॥ ३३ तदा पुनरुमाकान्तं रमाकान्तः प्रणम्य तम् ।
“So be it,” said the sage, bowing to the Supreme Lord. Then again, the lord of Ramā (Viṣṇu) bowed to the lord of Umā (Śiva),
प्रार्थयामास भगवन् दशस्वपि च जन्मसु ॥ ३४ ममाज्ञाननिवृत्यर्थं निग्रहानुग्रहौ कुरु । त्वमेव देवदेवेश दयालो भक्तवत्सल ॥ ३५
And prayed, “O Lord, in all ten births, For the removal of my ignorance, please bestow both punishment and grace. You alone, O Lord of lords, are compassionate and devoted to your devotees.”
तदुपश्रुत्य भगवानस्त्वित्यन्तर्धिमाययौ । नारायणोऽपि भगवान् स्वमेवाश्रममाश्रयत् ॥ ३६
Hearing this, the Lord said “So be it” and disappeared. And Lord Nārāyaṇa also returned to his own abode.
~ Śrī Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, Śankarasaṃhitā, Śivarahasyakhaṇḍa, Upadeśakhaṇḍa, Adhyāya-64 quoted by श्रीनीलकण्ठशिवाचार्य in his Kriyāsāra
