4.2 Story of Shree Varadvinayak - Mahad

Part 1

Once there lived a great king named Bhima. He ruled the Kingdom of Vidarbha whose capital city was Koudinyapur.

King Bhima had no children. One day he left the stately matters, renounced hs throne and receded to the forests with his wife. They reached the hermitage of Sage Vishwamitra and pleaded the enlightened sage to show them a way to please Gods for blessing them with progeny. The Sage gave him Ekashar (Monosyllabic) Gajanan Mantra. He asked the king to meditate upon the name of Ganesha by reciting the said mantra.

The king and his wife began reciting the Mantra to please Lord Ganesha. After years of penance, King Bhima was eventually blessed with a son. The king named the boy as Rukmaganda.

Rukmaganda was very virtuous and beautiful. He had an appealing disposition and pious character. He received the Ganesh Mantra from his father, King Bhima.

One day Rukmanganda went for hunting in the forest. It was a very hot day and by noon he was tired and wrecked. He began looking for water to quench his thirst and for a place to rest, when he happened to see the hermitage of Sage Vachaknavi.

Sage Vachaknavi invited Rukmanganda. He asked the prince to wait for him in the hermitage until he returned from bathing. Rukmanganda gratified the sage for the gesture and went inside where the sage’s wife Mukunda was resting.

Mukunda was pleased to see the grace of Rukmanganda. She was deeply enchanted and asked Rukmanganda to please her. However, Rukmanganda refused. This refusal came as an insult for Mukunda. She became fiery and spelled a curse on the innocent Rukmanganda – ‘You are too proud of your appearance. I curse you that you will be diseased with leprosy’.

Rukmanganda was helpless. Soon his body became white and diseased. Rukmanganda became unappealing and distressed. This friends and family failed to recognize him. 

Rukmanganda became very lonely and abandoned. It occured to him that the only way to end his misery was to meditate upon the name of Lord Ganesha. Thus he began entreating Lord Ganesh with the mantra he received from his father. 

Once the celestial sage Narad, the son of lord Brahma appeared before Rukmangada. The divine sage advised Rukmangada to take a dip in Chintamani Lake and invoke Lord Ganesha. Rukmangada followed the sage’s words and was cured.

Part 2

Mukunda was lovesick and kept thinking about Rukmangada. King Indra knew her plight and took the chance to play upon her.

One day when Mukunda was alone, King Indra disguised as Rukmangada and immorally had pleasure with her. Mukunda gave birth to a son. Unaware of the child's real father, Sage Vachaknavi accepted him as his son and named him as Gritsamada.

Gritsamada was graceful and intelligent. He received Vedic knowledge from Sage Vachaknavi, whom he considered as his father. He grew up ti be a scholarly figure. 

One day Gritsamada went to attend the council of scholars in Magadha. The council was attended by many renowned sages like Aatri, Vishwamitra.

The council began discussions. Various scholars and sages propagated and countered theories, statements. There were stiff arguments. 

On one of the intellectual discussions, Gritsamada reinforced his conviction cogently. To subtle him, Sage Atri alleged, “Gritsamada you are not our equal. We are sage of moral standing and ethical descend. You should know that you are not Vachaknavi’s son. You belong to Rukmangada’s clan’.

Gritasamada was in state of stock hearing this. He felt deeply insulted. He retuned home where he asked his mother to reveal the truth of his birth. Filled with acute shame, Mukunda related the story of his birth. 

Gritsamada was enraged to hear the immoral act of his mother. He pronounced a curse on her, “You not deserve a respectful living. I curse that you become a thorny plant bearing petty bhor fruits. You will bear thorns, because of which no one will touch these fruits”.

(bhor fruits are small round  reddish brown fruits commonly known as ber, Chinee apple, jujube, Indian plum, Indian jujube and masau)

Hearing her son, Mukunda also became angry. She retaliated, “Gritsamada, it is true my actions were unethical. But you have forgotten that I am your mother and I gave birth to you. You donot reserve the right to insult me thisxwa. I curse you that your ill thoughts shall pronounce further and you will give birth to a malicious demon”.

Suddenly there was an oracle. There was amorphous divine flashing in the sky and the a heavenly voice revealed, “Gritsamada is son of Indra”.

Hearing the voice both Mukunda and Gritsamada were shocked. Before Mukunda could say anything, the voice faded away and she was reduced to a Bher plant. 

Gritsamada was filled with shame and guilt. He decided to propitiate Ganesha to get rid of the sins of his birth. He receded to the lonely Puspak forest where he began remembering Ganesha by reciting the mantra taught to him by Sage Vachaknavi – ‘Om Gananamtva Ganapathim Havamahe Kavim Kavinaam Upamasra – Vasthamam’.

Gritsamada performed severe penance for over six thousand years. During this period, he ate just leaves. Pleased by his commitment Lord Ganesha appeared before him and blessed him.

Gritsamada sought the following boon from Lord Ganesha, ”O pious Ganesha, I wish that this place becomes consecrated by your eternal presence. O Ganesha, I pray that you stay here and bless your devotees, and let your seekers attain Siddhi here. I also wish that you grant me the divine knowledge of Lord Brahma”.

Lord Ganaesha blessed Gristsamada saying, “Gristsamada, I shall stay in this forest. This forest will be known as Bhadraka in future and my devotees who come here shall be blessed. They shall have their desires fulfilled. You shall acquire the divine knowledge and will be counted as one of the most learned vedic scholars. You will be elevated to status of drashta rishi of the mantra sukta and be the founder of the Ganapatya Sampradaya. You son will be gallant and unconquerable by anyone other than Lord Shiva”.

Following this, Lord Ganesha disappeared. Gritsamada erected a temple in the forest and installed an idol of Ganesha here. This idol is called Varadavinayaka.