Maharshi Durvasa: The Grandmaster of Saiva Tantra

श्री गणेशाय नमः

This is a continuation of my previous post. 

The mighty Bramharishi Atri along with his chaste and pious wife Anusuya were granted the boon to be the parents of Trimurti. Consequently, they gave birth to three children, Soma (Chandratreya), Datta (Dattatreya) and Durvasa (Krishnatreya). This post is dedicated to Rudra-avatar Maharshi Durvasa, highlighting his lesser-known contributions to Saiva Darsana. 

In the previous post, we learnt about Swacchandanatha giving the knowledge of 92 Shaivite Agamas for the benefit of humanity. In the first three yugas, i.e., satya, treta and dwapara, people easily retained the knowledge of Agamas by virtue of their discipline and bramhacharya. But in  kaliyuga, the knowledge was subsequently lost for various reasons. Consequently, the masters of the parampara retired to solitude to avoid impious people drained in the ocean of samsara. Shiva in his infinite grace, reappeared in kaliyuga in the form of Srikantha-natha and initiated Maharishi Durvasa in the Agamas on Mount Kailasa. He asked him to spread the knowledge throughout the world without discrimination of caste, creed, gender, etc. 

After this initiation, Maharshi Durvasa scanned the entire world with his yoga-bala and found no one appropriate to be initiated. As a result he created 3 mind born sons and 1 mind born daughter from his tapas to propagate knowledge of Agamas, namely:

•  Tryambakanath: Maharishi initated him in the monistic Bhairava tantras. It is from this son that lineage of Bhairava Agamas started, today known as Kashmiri Shaivism. 
• Amardakantha: This son was initiated in the dualistic Siva Tantras. 
• Srinath: He was initiated in the monodualistic Rudra Tantras. 
• Ardhatryambaka: She was also initiated by her father in the monistic Bhairava tantras. Her lineage is therefore called the Ardhatryambaka school of Bhairava Tantras. This school continued/continues in secrecy, from one woman to another. No historical trace can be found. 

Apart from the vast knowledge of Agamas, Maharshi Durvasa has to his credit composed various stavas and stotras, which like his previous contributions are only known in closed circles. To name a few, some of them are:

• Parasambhu Mahimna Stava
• Lalita Stava Ratna
• Rudra Kavacha

and the list goes on.

A very devotional hymn dedicated to the Maharshi was composed by Saivacharya Aṃṛta Vāgbhāva, who lived in the early 20th century. He is said to have been taught a special Sambhava Yoga by Rishi Durvasa in his vision-encounter with him. 

I hope this post brings some light to the immense contributions of Maharishi Durvasa, and clears the general infamous image of the Rishi who’s just known for giving shrapa (curse) among the masses. He is extremely benevolent just like any other Rishi, and his contributions are equally immense. 

सदसदनुग्रह-निग्रह-गृहित-मुनिविग्रहो भगवान्। सर्वासामुपनिषदां दुर्वासा देशिकः प्रथमः ||

The God of gods (Siva) who has taken the form to punish (nigraha) and grace (anugraha), the good as well as the bad, who is in the form of a sage as the primeval teacher of all sastras, let he in the form of Sage Durvasa, be victorious. 

I hope through this platform, we make an effort to rejuvenate and recover the lost glory of Shaivite Tantras. This shall be a small way to pay obeisance to Bhagwan Durvasa and his divine lineage. 

Salutations to the Para-Parameshti Guru of the Shaivite Tantras.

 Om Durvasa Bramhane Namah!

Thank you, and see you soon.