Story of Dilīpa

(Khaṭvāṅga). A mighty king of the Ikṣvāku dynasty.

Genealogy.

See Daśaratha’s Genealogy.

Reign and Birth of Son.

Dilīpa is counted as one of the noblest kings. His reign was extremely popular. But even after a long period of married life, he had no issue. His queen was Sudakṣiṇā, the princess of Magadha. In order to get Vasiṣṭha’s advice, Dilīpa and Sudakṣiṇā went to the sage’s āśrama. After hearing about their grievance, Vasiṣṭha meditated for a little while and described why the royal couple were not blessed with children:—"Long ago, Dilīpa had paid a visit to Indra. While returning after the visit, he passed by Kāmadhenu who was lying under the shade of Kalpavṛkṣa. He paid no heed to her, as he did not see her. The divine cow (Kāmadhenu) took this as a personal slight to her and cursed the King that he would not have children until he served and propitiated her daughter, Nandinī. Neither the King nor his charioteer was aware of the curse. Kāmadhenu has now gone to Pātāla (underworld) to attend a sacrifice of Varuṇa. Therefore Dilīpa and his queen should attend on and propitiate her daughter, Nandinī."

From the next morning the King and queen began to offer their services to Nandinī. The King followed her as her shadow. After twentyone days, one morning Nandinī went to graze in a dense forest. As usual, the King also followed her. As they reached the middle of the woods, the King was enchanted for a moment by the charm of the Sylvan scenery. Just then, on turning round he saw a lion springing towards Nandinī to prey upon her. Suddenly he took up his bow and aimed an arrow at the lion, but to his great amazement, his hands were paralysed. The lion spoke to him as follows:—"O King, you need not exert yourself in vain. I am the servant of Lord Śiva. This holy deodar tree which you see in front of us, was planted and tended by Pārvatī. My task is to protect this tree. Pārvatī and lord Śiva have authorized me to kill and eat the animals which come this way. Therefore this cow is my food."

The king was in a fix. He begged the lion to spare Nandinī and to eat his (king's) body instead. The lion agreed. The King put down his arms and stood bowing down in front of the lion. Hearing the words, "Beloved child, arise" he looked up, and the lion had vanished. Just then Nandinī told him that it was she herself who had done this to test him. The King and Nandinī then returned to the Āśrama. As a result of Nandinī’s blessing, the King’s wife bore a son who later became the celebrated emperor Raghu. (Padma Purāṇa, Uttara Khaṇḍa, Chapter 198).

Killing of the Asura, Vīrasena.

Once a powerful Asura named Vīrasena attacked Vaiśravaṇa. When lord Śiva came to know of it he tried to defeat Vīrasena, but in vain. At Śiva’s request, Mahāviṣṇu entered the scene. He was also unable to subdue the Asura. Viṣṇu advised Vaiśravaṇa to seek the help of Dilīpa. Dilīpa went to Alakāpurī and encountered Vīrasena. Under the shower of arrows fram Dilīpa, blood began to flow from the body of Vīrasena. But each drop of his blood came to life as a new Vīrasena and all those Vīrasenas continued a ceaseless battle with Dilīpa. At last Dilīpa prayed to Rakteśvarī who suddenly appeared and drank all the blood. In this way the king managed to kill Vīrasena. (Kampa Rāmāyaṇa, Yuddha Kāṇḍa).

Dilīpa and the Holy Waters.

Once king Dilīpa led a saintly life on the bank of Gaṅgā, the sacred place worshipped by Devas, Ṛṣis and Gandharvas. With religious practices and offering pūjā to Devas, Ṛṣis and Pitṛs, he spent time in prayer and meditation. One day he happened to meet Vasiṣṭha, and paid homage to him. The sage Vasiṣṭha described to him all the places of sacred waters and explained the greatness of each. (See under Khaṭvāṅga). (Padma Purāṇa, Chapter 10).