Bhadrasheel and Dhanurdwaj

Bhishma said - There was once a sage called Bhadrasheel in the land of Ayodhya. he was learned in the Vedas. He hired a boy called Dhanurdwaj to look after the cows. Dhanurdwaj was a brahmin in the previous birth who had been cursed by his brother to be born as a low caste person.
Yudhistira said - Why was he cursed?
Bhishma said - In the Ikshvaku dynasty, there was a brahmin who had two sons Suvanti and Avanti. While Suvanti was a person who followed the right path, Avanti always followed the wrong. He was a jealous person, who took pleasure in theft. His brother tried to correct him and when he did, he was cursed to be born as a Chandala.
This angered Avanti who went to the forests and started meditating. He gave up his body and this was was the person who was looking after the cows of Bhadrasheel. He looked after the cows well and the cows were happy too in his care. One day he died of a snake bite.
Bhadrasheel was devastated. He cried like a parent cries for a dead child.
After dying, Dhanurdwaj became a servant of Yama and at his bidding used to go and fetch the people from earth.
One day he came to get a person when he was spotted by Bhadrasheel. Bhadrasheel said People do not come alive after dying. How did you come alive?
Dhanurdwaj said Due to curse in his previous birth he had been cursed to serve Yama.
Bhadrasheel said I am intrigued. Please tell me about the cycle of birth and death.
Dhanurdwaj said Its a vast thing but I will tell you in brief.
When a female makes love to a male, from the union is created a child. In the womb the child is size of a grain of sand, which slowly grows and become the size of a thumb. Its a lump of flesh. From the second month the head forms. On the third month the limbs form and on the fourth, hair. In the fifth month it grows slightly and in the sixth month it moves in the womb. In the seventh month it starts sensing. In the eighth month it knows about the cycles it has lived through till now and the sins and virtues it has gained. It cries wondering why it did not take the name of Krishna all the time. And the moment it is born, it forgets everything.
It cries and feeds on milk from the breasts of the mother,
They come with a fixed life span. If their actions are heinous, their life span decreases and many die in childhood. Some die in their middle age and some in the old age.
Death cannot be avoided. It is a reality and strikes all.
Bhadrasheel was pleased. He said I want to see the abode of Yama. Will you show me that?
Dhanurdwaj said If you have any tasks pending complete those. If you any loans, repay those. Finish that and then come with me. I will take you to the abode of Yama.
Bhadrasheel said I will repay all. How will I see you again?
Dhanurdwaj said - Go home. After finishing your pending tasks, take leave of your family. You will give them good advise before leaving. You will then lock yourself in your room for tree days. You will tell them that if they try to open the door, you will die. Be in your room, I will come for you.
Bhadrasheel went back home. He went to his parents and took leave of them after paying any debts that he had. He then went out and repaid all loans that he had ever taken. To his wife and children he said he was going to lock himself in the room for three days. They were not to open the door or peep inside, else he would die.
He then locked himself up in the room.
Here, Dhanurdwaj was disturbed after having promised Bhadrasheel. He took another person to Yama.
Here, Yudhistira asked What was Yama's reaction. Bhishma said -
Kirtimanta was a son of a merchant. His son was Sushil. Sushil was rich and good natured. He had donated a lot to the poor and needy. Anger is a grave enemy. When a brahmin came to Sushil for alms, Sushil looked at him with angry eyes. This displeased the brahmin who refused what was given to him. He cursed Sushil to die untimely. One day when he was bathing in a river, the servants of Yama came and took him away.
Yama looked at him and said You have given a lot and have performed good deeds but have not been able to control your anger. Sushil said he was willing to pay for his sin. Yama said Go back to the river live there like a crocodile. You will meet a sage called Deval, seeing whom you will be relieved.
He went back and a ferocious crocodile, devoured all that came to the water. One day the sage Deval came there. The moment the crocodile bit the sage, he was relieved from his curse.
Yudhistira asked What happened to Bhadrasheel?
Bhishma said Bhadrasheel was taken to the abode of Yama. He saw a lovely place full of people. Some place had eternal summer and some winter and rain. At one place the attendants were beating the sinners.
Travelling thus he came across a woman. She asked him to pay her. Bhadrasheel said he had nothing to pay with and could go back to earth and get her something.
At this moment Dhanurdwaj said You have some debt pending. You said you had repaid everything. Bhadrasheel said He had really repaid everything.
At this Dhanurdwaj asked the woman to leave him. The woman said she would if the brahman gave her the skin from his chest.
Scared Bhadrasheel closed his eyes and started calling out to Krishna.
Unable to stay in his place, Vishnu appeared before Bhadrasheel. Vishnu said I am pleased, ask for something.
Bhadrasheel said I do not need anything but if you want to give me something, then let me take your name for ages to come. He also said he wanted to be relieved from the woman.
Vishnu asked Bhadrasheel not to worry. He himself took the form of Bhadrasheel and went with Dhanurdwaj to the woman. He then cut off his flesh and gave it to the woman. Taking this own form, he left.
The woman was amazed. Why did Vishnu do this? The woman then realized that the Brahmin had prayed to Vishnu in the form of a Pipal tree.
A divine chariot then came and took Bhadrasheel away.
After three days Bhadrasheel woke up in his hut. He came out and saw Vishnu's skin on the Pipal tree.
He then went worshiped the tree with full devotion.