King Dridhavrata of the kingdom of Travancore (southern half of modern Kerala province, in South West India) did not have any child. Intense prayers were made to propitiate Lord Narayana, who is said to have been pleased and thus blessed the King with a saintly son. The child was named as Kulashekhara.
The prince was educated in all the arts of war and government. Besides this, he was also provided with the learning from the Vedas and other sacred texts. When the prince grew up to the right age, Dridhavrata enthroned him as the King and he himself retired to the forest to pursue a life of renunciation.
Kulashekhara was a mighty King, whose internal administration was an exemplary model of justice and righteousness. Peace and happiness prevailed in his kingdom. However, besides all these traits which were worth admiration, the King considered himself to be self-dependent and all-powerful, thus denying the need of any God in life. He had a worldly mindset, and remained surrounded by the illusions and delusions of materialism.
But, the Lord, on the other hand, had different plans for Kulashekhara. He showered His bountiful grace and thus began to sprout devotional feelings in the otherwise materialistic heart of the King. Gradually, Kulashekhara started realising that the worldly attractions are trifle and ephemeral. His mind now entertained the thoughts of striving towards the ultimate truth behind one's existence. It was during these moments that the Lord inspired His Commander-in-Chief, Vishvaksena, to go as His representative and initiate Kulashekhara into the true Spiritual Knowledge. Thereafter, Kulashekhara used to revel in the ecstasies of the spiritual visions and felt his inner being deluged with divinity and serenity. Immersed in the blissful oasis of the inner world, he would compose devotional songs and hymns, which were later compiled and recorded in the form of a book named 'Divya-prabandha'. With each passing day, the spiritual intoxication deepened and he developed a strong feeling of detachment. He cherished a deep yearning in his heart to visit the holy abode of Srirangam and settle down there forever, deluged in the devotion of his beloved Lord.
This story is from the February 2017 edition of Akhand Gyan - English.
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This story is from the February 2017 edition of Akhand Gyan - English.
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