After all, who was Kakabhushundi and what is his story? Who cursed him and why, how did Kakabhushundi help Lord Ram in freeing Mother Sita from the clutches of Ravana? After all, why did he have to give birth 1000 times? Why was Lord Shiva angry at Kakabhushundi?
Kakabhushundi Garuda Samvad
Saint Tulsidas has written in Uttarkand of Ramcharan Manas that Kakabhushandi is a devotee of Paramgyani Ram. When Lord Ram came to Lanka to save Mother Ram from Ravana. Then he fought with Ravana’s son Meghnath. There came a time during the war when Meghnath had tied Lord Ram with a snake. At the behest of Devarshi Narad, Garuda, was an omnivorous creature who freed Lord Ram from the bondage of snakes by torturing all the snakes of Nagpash. But due to Lord Rama being tied to the snake’s noose, Garuda became suspicious of Lord Rama being the Supreme Being.
To remove this doubt of Garuda, Devarshi Narad sent Garuda to Lord Brahma. Brahma ji said that Lord Shiva can remove your doubts. Lord Shiva also sent Garuda to Kakbhushandi to clear his doubts. At last Kakabhushundi ji narrated the holy story of Lord Ram ji’s character to Garuda and removed Garuda’s doubts. After ending his doubt towards Lord Rama, Kakbhushundi ji narrated his own story to Garuda.
Story of Kakabhushundi
Kakbhushundi ji was first born in Ayodhyapuri in the family of a small person. In that birth, he was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. But he arrogantly criticized other gods. Once there was a famine in Ayodhya. At that time Kakbhushundi ji left Ayodhya and went to Ujjain. There he started serving a kind-hearted Brahmin and started living with him. He gave the mantra of Lord Shiva to Kakabhushundi. His pride increased further after receiving the mantra of Lord Shiva.
He started betraying Lord Vishnu. Saddened by this, his Guru Brahman preached devotion to Lord Shri Ram to Kakabhushundi. Once that petty insulted his teacher in the temple of Lord Shiva. After which, Lord Shiva cursed him by speaking from the sky and said O sinner, you have insulted your Guru, hence you go into the unrighteous life of a snake. After the life of a snake, you will have to take birth in other lives a thousand times.
Curse to Kakabhushundi
The Guru was very kind and therefore prayed to Lord Shiva for forgiveness for his disciple. When the Guru had to seek forgiveness, Lord Shiva spoke from the sky and said, O Brahmin, my curse will not go in vain. This small man will have to give birth a thousand times. But he will not suffer the pain he experiences during birth and death. Knowledge will also not be lost. It will remember each of its births. Nothing will be rarer than this in the world.
By my grace, he will also get devotion towards the feet of Shri Ram. After this, that little boy went to Vidhyachal and attained the form of a snake. After some time passed, he left that body without any pain. Whenever he left anybody, he could leave it without any pain. He used to remember each of his births and devotion towards Lord Shri Ram was also developed in him. He took the last birth of Brahma. After becoming a Brahman, he went to Lomas to gain knowledge. When Lomas Rishi used to give him knowledge, he used to have many types of arguments with him. Angered by his behavior, Sage Lomas cursed him to become a Chandal bird, a crow.
He became a crow
Then he immediately became a crow and flew away. After giving the curse, Sage Lomas repented of his curse. And he called this crow back and gave him the mantra of Ram. Along with this he also gave the boon of freedom from desires. On getting the body of a crow and on getting the mantra of Lord Shri Ram, he fell in love with his crow’s body, and he in the form of a crow started living here. With this, he became famous by the name of Kakabhushundi.
Seen 11 Ramayanas and 16 Mahabharatas
According to Vedas and Puranas, Kakabhushundi has seen 11 Ramayanas and 16 Mahabharatas. He will remain alive in his eternal form till the end of the Kalpa. It was Lord Ram who made Kakabhushundi immortal. During one of her births as a crow, Kakabhushundi met the child Ram. Prabhu was playing and tried to catch him. When the time came, Kakabhushundi saw the face of God. After seeing the galaxies and the universe in his mouth, Kakabhushundi stopped flying away from Lord Rama and returned to him.
Kakabhushundi apologized for not recognizing Jagatnath, Lord Rama. The Lord gave him a divine smile and asked Kakabhushundi for his wish. Kakabhushundi said that he wanted to pay his devotion towards Lord Rama forever. Pleased with Kakabhushundi’s love and devotion, Lord Rama blessed him that Kaal (time) cannot kill Kakabhushundi and he would live till the end of this Kalpa. The eternal bliss attained by the saint is called “Kakabhushundi time travel.