Find out how King Dambhodbhava was defeated by Nara and Narayana.
Yudhistira asked Krishna to visit Hastinapura with a peace message as one last attempt before the war. Krishna agreed, saying he would rather try everything he could so that no one would blame him (yet, Gandhari did).
When Krishna was at the sabha in Hastinapura, various rishis, namely Narada, Parasurama, etc., arrived to witness the peace talks. They did their best to make Duryodhana understand why the war with the Pandavas was not advisable.
Parasurama narrated the story of King Dambhodbhava to explain that Krishna and Arjuna were none other than Narayana and Nara and that the lust for war would eventually lead to defeat and destruction.
A long time ago, there lived a mighty king named Dambhodbhava. He was a powerful ruler who enjoyed conquering other kingdoms. Thanks to his massive and capable army, he became an emperor. However, King Dambhodbhava wasn’t satisfied and craved more. He would wake up every day and ask if there was anyone more valorous and mighty than him so that he could defeat that person.
Over time, the Brahmins, his ministers, and other noblemen cautioned him to rein in his arrogance. They advised that he shouldn’t be so proud of his strength. However, Dambhodbhava continued to be haughty. So, one day, the Brahmins told him about two ascetics, Nara and Narayana, living in Gandhamadana. They said the two ascetics had fought many wars and defeated everyone and were currently residing in the Himalayan region in their hermitage and doing tapasya.
Dambhodbhava immediately gathered his army with six divisions and marched to Gandhamadana. He wanted to fight with the ascetics and prove himself as an unequalled warrior on earth. When he reached the ashram, the king left his army outside and went to meet the ascetics.
Nara and Narayana welcomed him respectfully and gave him water and fruits. They honored him like an esteemed guest and inquired about his kingdom’s and citizens’ welfare. Dambhodbhava looked at their thin and frail bodies and thought it would be an easy fight. He told them about his intention to face them in a duel. The ascetics didn’t like it. They replied that the hermitage was a place devoid of anger, pride, hatred, and other such feelings.
No matter how much they tried to convince him, Dambhodbhava didn’t budge. He was determined to fight them. He loved a good fight more than anything else since he was never defeated.
The two ascetics agreed at last and said they would cure him of his war lust once and for all. Dambhodbhava was elated when they accepted his challenge. He ordered his army to be ready, but wondered how the two ascetics would fight him when they had no weapons. Nara and Narayana told him not to worry about it. They didn’t need weapons. Nor would any of the king’s weapons harm them.
The king ordered his army to launch an attack by raining arrows on them. He too joined them by quickly firing multiple arrows at the ascetics. Nara took a blade of grass, charged it with a powerful mantra, and flung it at the king. The single blade of grass became an endless shower of sharp arrows that killed his army and injured the king. No matter how much Dambhodbhava tried, he couldn’t face the onslaught or defeat the ascetics.
At last, he gave up and sought mercy by accepting defeat. He fell at Nara’s feet to seek his forgiveness. Nara blessed the king and warned him to cultivate humility. He told Dambhodbhava that a good king was someone who knew when to fight a war and when to keep peace and focus on his kingdom.
Taking their advice, King Dambhodbhava returned to his kingdom and corrected his ways. He discarded his arrogance and became a competent ruler loved by his subjects.
Parasurama told Duryodhana that he, too, should discard his arrogance and realize that he was eager to fight a losing war with Nara and Narayana.