The Hunter's Guest

A hut near Mount Arbuda

Near Mount Arbuda lived a Bhil hunter named Āhuka and his wife Āhukā. They were poor forest people, and both were devoted to Śiva; every day they worshipped him together.

One day Āhuka went far into the forest to find food for the two of them. While he was away, as evening fell, Śiva came to the hut to test them, in the form of a wandering ascetic, a yati.

Āhuka returned at the same moment and, delighted, honoured the guest. Then the ascetic spoke, humbly, almost fearfully: give me a place to stay tonight, hunter. I will be gone at first light. May all go well with you.

Room for two

Āhuka said: what you ask is right, sir. But look — my hut is very small. How can you stay here?

The ascetic turned to go. Then Āhukā spoke to her husband: think of the duty of a householder. Give him shelter; don't send a guest away disappointed, or your dharma will be lost. You stay inside with the ascetic, and I will stay outside, with all your weapons beside me.

Āhuka thought: to sleep inside while my wife stays out in the forest night is not right. To send the ascetic away is not right either. Neither is fit for a householder. Let what must happen, happen — I will stay outside. And he settled the ascetic and his wife in the hut, took up his bow and weapons, and went out gladly into the dark.

The night

In the night wild beasts came. Āhuka fought them with all his strength. But, as fate had written it, they overcame him — and killed him.

At dawn the ascetic came out and saw what had happened, and was stricken with grief. Āhukā grieved too, but she held her grief back and spoke steadily: why do you mourn, sir? He has been blessed. He has done what he was born to do. It is a fortunate death.

Then she said she would follow her husband into the fire, and asked the ascetic to build the pyre. He built it.

Śiva appears

As she stepped towards it, Śiva stood before her in his own form. Blessed, blessed! he said. I am pleased with how you have lived. Ask for anything; there is nothing I would not give you. Today I am yours to command.

Āhukā was so overwhelmed with joy that she could not think of anything to ask. Seeing her like this, Śiva was pleased all the more, and gave the boon himself:

This ascetic, who is my own form, will be born as a swan and will bring the two of you together again. Your husband will be born as Nala, the mighty son of King Vīrasena of Niṣadha. And you will be born as Damayantī, the gifted daughter of King Bhīma of Vidarbha. You will enjoy your kingdom for many years, and then reach the liberation that even great yogis find hard.

Then Śiva took the form of a liṅga there. Because the hunter did not waver from his dharma even when tested, that liṅga is called Acaleśa, “the Lord who does not waver”.

The swan

And so it was. Āhuka was born as Nala, king of Niṣadha, and Āhukā as Damayantī of Vidarbha. The ascetic — Śiva himself — was born as a swan: the swan, skilled in every kind of talk, who flew between them carrying word of each to the other, and brought about their marriage. For the shelter they gave a stranger on one dark night, Śiva gave them their great happiness in the next life.