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[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

艢r墨 厂奴迟补 said:

1. After taking the holy bath in 础驳补蝉迟测补迟墨谤迟丑补, one (pilgrim) should go to the meritorious 搁腻尘补ku峁囜笉a for liberation from sins.

2-6. O 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, the lake Raghun膩thasaras is meritorious and destructive of sins. A 驰补箩帽补 performed on the banks of Raghun膩thasaras bestows full benefit even if the monetary gifts be meagre. Similarly study of the Vedas and Japa (of Mantras) shall also bestow merit.

O 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, even if only a handful is offered to a 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 well-versed in the Vedas on the banks of Raghun膩thasaras, it shall have infinite benefit. O eminent sages, I shall recount to you an extremely meritorious story about 搁腻尘补迟墨谤迟丑补. It is destructive of all sins.

There was a great 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 named 厂耻迟墨办峁ａ箛补.^[1] He was a sage who had restrained his mind. He was a disciple of Agastya. He always meditated upon the lotus-like feet of 搁腻尘补. He performed a very severe penance on the banks of the lake called 搁腻尘补candrasaras.

7-9. He performed Japa of the six-syllabled Mantra with 搁腻尘补candra as its presiding deity. He repeated this excellent Mantra with full concentration five thousand times everyday. He regularly bathed in the waters of Raghun膩thasaras. He ate only what he got as alms after begging. He had restricted his diet very much. He had conquered anger and his passions. Thus 厂耻迟墨办峁ａ箛补 continued for a long time, O eminent 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉. He always meditated upon 搁腻尘补 in his heart. With great devotion, he eulogized 搁腻尘补candra accompanied by 厂墨迟腻.

厂耻迟墨办峁ａ箛补 said:

10-14. Obeisance to you, O Lord of 闯腻苍补办墨; salute to you, O Lord fond of 贬补苍耻尘腻苍. Bow to you, O Lord actively engaged in guarding the sacrifice of sage 碍补耻艣颈办补 (痴颈艣惫腻尘颈迟谤补). Hail to you, O son of 碍补耻蝉补濒测腻; to the prince dear to 痴颈艣惫腻尘颈迟谤补. Obeisance to the Lord who broke the bow of Hara, O Lord served by the immortal ones. O great king, O slayer of 惭腻谤墨肠补. O destroyer of the life of 罢腻岣峚办腻. O enemy of (demon) Kabandha, O Hari, O son of 顿补艣补谤补迟丑补, obeisance to you. Hail to you, to the conqueror of the son of Jamadagni. Salute to the destroyer of Khara. Obeisance to the lord of 厂耻驳谤墨惫补. Bow to you, the slayer of 痴腻濒颈; to the lord who removed the fear and the distress of 痴颈产丑墨峁�a峁嘺 and the destroyer of sins.

15-20a. Obeisance to you, to the destroyer of the misery of 础丑补濒测腻, O elder brother of Bharata. Hail to the dispeller of the pride of the Ocean; salute to the builder of Setu thereon.

Obeisance to the Brahman that redeems; to you, O elder brother of 尝补办峁�m补峁嘺. Hail to you, the destroyer of the 搁腻办峁�a蝉补蝉; obeisance to the suppressor of 搁腻惫补峁嘺; salute to you, the wielder of a bow; to the lord who accords protection to all.

Thus the sage 厂耻迟墨办峁ａ箛补 eulogized 搁腻尘补 everyday. With his mind fixed on 搁腻尘补candra he always spent his time (joyously). As he repeatedly performed Japa of the six-syllabled Mantra of 搁腻尘补, as he eulogized 搁腻尘补candra by means of this prayer, as he took his daily bath in the lake Raghun膩thasaras, O sages of righteous conduct, his devotion to 搁腻尘补candra became steady and free from impurities.

20b-26. He had perfect knowledge of non-duality characterised by the one-ness of soul. Without study he had the knowledge of the Vedas; he could understand even that which was not heard. O 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, he had the ability to enter the body of another person, ability to go through the sky, skill in the arts; without a preceptor he could understand the scriptures not heard before. He could go to all the worlds without any obstacle. He could see those objects which are beyond the ken of the sense-organs. He could converse with Devas. He had the knowledge of the activities of ants and other creatures, O 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉. He could travel to the worlds of 叠谤补丑尘腻, 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 and 惭补丑腻诲别惫补. He had the ability to traverse at his will to all the fourteen worlds. These and all other skilful activities usually attributed to Yogins alone, O excellent 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, 厂耻迟墨办峁ａ箛补 achieved by resorting to 搁腻尘补迟墨谤迟丑补.

That 罢墨谤迟丑补 has such a power. It is destructive of great sins.

27-30. It confers great Siddhis. It is meritorious. It prevents premature and accidental deaths. It gives worldly pleasures and salvation to men. It destroys the tortures of hells. It grants constant devotion to 搁腻尘补. It causes destruction of worldly existence. The scion of the family of Raghu installed the great 尝颈峁単补 on its banks and worshipped it with a desire to bless the worlds. By taking holy bath in the extremely meritorious 搁腻尘补迟墨谤迟丑补 and by visiting that 尝颈峁単补, men will achieve even liberation. What to speak about other achievements! Formerly, O 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, Dharmaputra (驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补) took his bath there and visited 艢颈惫补. Instantaneously he became liberated from the evils arising from the utterance of falsehood.

The sages said:

31. O son of 厂奴迟补, why was a He uttered by Dharmaputra? (What was that lie) to suppress the evils of which he took his holy bath in the extremely sacred 搁腻尘补迟墨谤迟丑补?

艢r墨 厂奴迟补 said:

32. O sages, I shall recount to you how a lie was fraudulently uttered by Dharmaputra and how it perished (by bath) in 搁腻尘补迟墨谤迟丑补.

33-35. Formerly, O 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, the sons of 笔腻峁囜笉耻 including Dharmaputra and the sons of 顿丑峁泃补谤腻峁ａ弓谤补 headed by Duryodhana, had great enmity mutually on account of the kingdom.^[2] O excellent 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, they gathered together at 碍耻谤耻办峁�e迟谤补 with a vast army. They were great warriors who never retreated from battles. They fought with one another. After fighting for ten days the son of 骋补峁単腻 (i.e. 叠丑墨峁�m补) fell down on the ground.

36. Then for five days, the preceptor 顿谤辞峁嘺 of great strength and valour, fought with 顿丑峁涐梗峁璦诲测耻尘苍补.

37. Discharging many missiles and weapons, the exceedingly powerful 顿谤辞峁嚹乧腻谤测补 harassed the army of 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉.

38. The highly powerful 顿丑峁涐梗峁璦诲测耻尘苍补 who was a hero expert in the use of divine weapons harassed the army of 顿谤辞峁嘺 in diverse ways by means of volleys of arrows.

39-40. At that time, 顿谤辞峁嘺 showered Dh峁�峁ａ弓adyumna by means of many arrows. Then the army of the sons of 碍耻苍迟墨 became excessively afflicted by 顿谤辞峁嘺鈥檚 arrows. In their great fight, O excellent 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, they fled in all direction. Thereupon, Arjuna, the most excellent one among great fighters in chariots, fought with 顿谤辞峁嘺.

41. The sky was completely filled with the Devas who had come to witness the battle between Arjuna and 顿谤辞峁嘺 who were equally efficient in fighting.

42. There is nothing on the earth, O 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, with which the fight between 顿谤辞峁嘺 and Arjuna could be compared. At that time the fight was between a preceptor and his disciple who were equally furious.

43. The fight between 顿谤辞峁嘺 and Arjuna was comparable (only) to the fight between 顿谤辞峁嘺 and Arjunad^[3]. 顿谤辞峁嘺 appreciated and honoured mentally the great valour of Arjuna.

44. Thereupon 顿谤辞峁嘺 avoided Arjuna, his dear disciple of great vigour, and fought with 笔腻帽肠腻濒补鈥檚 army.

45. There in the battle, 顿谤辞峁嚹乧腻谤测补 killed two lacs and ten thousands of kings along with their elephants and horses.

46. 顿丑峁涐梗峁璦诲测耻尘苍补 became furious and struck 顿谤辞峁嘺 with arrows. 顿谤辞峁嘺 seized a sharp-edged spear and hit 顿丑峁涐梗峁璦诲测耻尘苍补.

47. With sharp arrows comparable to the flames of fire, he pierced him in the course of that fight. Struck with the arrows, 顿丑峁涐梗峁璦诲测耻尘苍补 began to retreat.

48-53. Then 叠丑墨尘补 approached 顿丑峁涐梗峁璦诲测耻尘苍补 who was without a chariot. He placed him in his own chariot and spoke thus to 顿谤辞峁嚹乧腻谤测补:

鈥淭here are some base 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉. They are not contented with their own duties (specific to their caste) and they have trained themselves in the use of weapons. If those ruthless ones had not fought, many kings would not have been killed in the battle. It has been declared in 厂尘峁泃颈蝉 that non-violence is the greatest virtue of 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉. It is the tribes like hunters who protect (i.e. maintain) their wives and children by means of violence and injuries to others. For the sake of your only son you stood firm in the battlefield and killed many kings. O 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, that son of yours too is lying killed in the battlefield. Still you are not ashamed, nor are you grief-stricken.鈥�

Hearing from 驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补 that these words of 叠丑墨尘补 were true, he cast off his weapons and fell down in his chariot. Then, O 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, 顿谤辞峁嚹乧腻谤测补 who was conversant with Yoga, resorted to fast unto death.

54-56. Having understood that it was a good opportunity (顿丑峁涐梗峁璦诲测耻尘苍补) who had a sword in his hand, came to the side of 顿谤辞峁嚹乧腻谤测补 and rushed at him in order to cut off his head. Though he was prevented from it by Arjuna and others, he rushed to cut off his head. Because he (顿谤辞峁嘺) was conversant with Yoga, a fiery flame went up to heaven through the head of 顿谤辞峁嘺. It was seen by 碍峁涐梗峁嘺, Arjuna, 碍峁沺补, Dharmaputra and others in the battlefield. (He) cut off the head from the body of 顿谤辞峁嘺 which was thus bereft of life.

57. When 叠丑腻谤补诲惫腻箩补 (i.e. 顿谤辞峁嘺) was killed in the battle, Kauravas fled out of fear, O 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, and 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉, 顿丑峁涐梗峁璦诲测耻尘苍补 and others became delighted.

58-59. On seeing the army fleeing, the son of 顿谤辞峁嘺 asked Suyodhana, 鈥淥 king, why does the army flee thus? Why has it cast off the weapons?鈥�

Then King Duryodhana was unable to tell it himself. He urged 碍峁沺腻肠腻谤测补 to announce the death of 顿谤辞峁嘺 in the battle. At that time 碍峁沺腻肠腻谤测补 intimated the death of his preceptor to the son of 顿谤辞峁嘺.

碍峁沺补 said:

60-64. O 础艣惫补迟迟丑腻尘补苍, your powerful father despatched to the abode of Yama hundreds of the enemies in the battlefield killing them by means of his 叠谤腻丑尘补 missile.

On seeing his valour unassailable, O great 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, 碍别艣补惫补, an expert in (logical) speech, spoke these words to 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉:

碍别艣补惫补 said:

O 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉, there is an expedient to defeat the invincible 顿谤辞峁嘺 in the battle. If an authoritative and truthful person were to say thus, 鈥淥 顿谤辞峁嘺, your son 础艣惫补迟迟丑腻尘腻 has been killed in the battle鈥�, 顿谤辞峁嘺 may instantaneously cast off his weapons ana desist from fighting. Hence 顿丑补谤尘补谤腻箩补 should make now this false announcement.

65-67. Otherwise 顿谤辞峁嘺, an expert in battle, cannot be defeated. If it is not possible to vanquish an enemy by righteous means, one may resort even to non-righteous means and conquer the enemy.

On hearing these words of 碍别艣补惫补, 叠丑墨尘补, the son of 碍耻苍迟墨, approached your father and uttered these false words. 鈥淥 顿谤辞峁嘺, 础艣惫补迟迟丑腻尘腻 has been killed in this battle. He has fallen down now.鈥�

顿谤辞峁嚹乧腻谤测补 thought these words to be truthful.

68-73. Not being convinced, he came to Dharmaputra and spoke thus: 鈥淥 son of Dharma, is my son 础艣惫补迟迟丑腻尘腻 killed in the battle? You do tell me. You are considered to be truthful in speech.鈥� Dharmaputra was afraid of speaking a lie. (At the same time) he was eager to have victory over the enemy. His mind began to waver 鈥榃hat should be done by me now?鈥� (He thought.) On seeing an elephant named 础艣惫补迟迟丑腻尘补苍, killed by 叠丑墨尘补, Dharmaputra spoke these deceitful words to 顿谤辞峁嘺: 鈥淭he great 础艣惫补迟迟丑腻尘补苍 was killed today in the battle by 叠丑墨尘补.鈥� On hearing it, your father cast off his weapon and desisted from fighting. Of course thereafter Dharmaputra had said the word 鈥渆lephant鈥� too.^[4] But, O dear one, 顿谤辞峁嘺, your powerful father again declared, 鈥淚 will not again take up in the (same) battle the weapon that had been set aside once.鈥�

74-77. Hence he did not take up the weapon again, because he was afraid of breaking his vow. On seeing 顿丑峁涐梗峁璦诲测耻尘苍补 your father thought about his death (to be brought about) by fasting unto Death. He was conversant with Yogic exercises. He stayed within the chariot and entered into ecstatic meditation. He restrained his breath and controlled his speech. Then instantaneously his vital airs came out piercing the crown of his head. After 顿谤辞峁嘺 had died thus in the battlefield, O dear one, 顿丑峁涐梗峁璦诲测耻尘苍补 caught hold of his hair with his hand and cut off his head with his sword. All the sons of 碍耻苍迟墨 and other warriors cried out to him, 鈥淒o not strike.鈥� Though he was prevented by all of them he struck (your father thus from the sides).

艢r墨 厂奴迟补 said:

78-83. On hearing that his father had been killed, O 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, the son of 顿谤辞峁嘺 lamented for a long time. He blazed with great fury and spoke these words: 鈥淓re long I will kill that son of 碍耻苍迟墨 who made my father set aside the weapons by telling him a lie. I will kill the other 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉 also. I will kill 顿丑峁涐梗峁璦诲测耻尘苍补 too who caught hold of the hair (of my father) and by deceitful means cut off his head after he had cast off his weapons. Let the 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉 along with 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 see my valour.鈥� Thus, O 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, the son of 顿谤辞峁嘺 took a dreadful vow. Then the sun set. All the kings of both the sides entered their respective tents after the death of 顿谤辞峁嘺. Thus in eighteen days the battle came to a close.

84-85. After killing 艢补濒测补, 碍补谤峁嘺 and sons of 顿丑峁泃补谤腻峁ａ弓谤补 of whom Duryodhana was prominent (or the eldest), 顿丑补谤尘补谤腻箩补 驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补 performed as per injunctions the obsequies of the dead of his own and the enemy side, along with (his family preceptor) Dhaumya and other 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, O 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉.

86-88. All the sons of 笔腻峁囜笉耻 joined together and paid their respects to 顿丑峁泃补谤腻峁ａ弓谤补. After being permitted by him they all went to 贬补蝉迟颈苍腻辫耻谤补 accompanied by the people who had survived. They entered their palace.

It is reported that after a few days had passed by, O eminent sages, the citizens along with Dhaumya and other sages, began the preparations for the coronation of the noble-souled Dharmaputra.

89-93. When the rites of coronation of Dharmaputra started, an unembodied speech addressed Dharmaputra.^[5]

鈥淥 illustrious Dharmaputra who are kind even to the enemies, do not celebrate your coronation. You do not deserve to take up the administration of the kingdom because you told a lie to the preceptor, an excellent 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, and deceitfully made him cast off his weapons and shamelessly brought about his death, O king. Hence, O Dharmaputra, you have incurred plenty of sins. You shall not be entitled to take up the administration of the kingdom without the requisite expiation. Hence perform the expiatory rites.鈥�

After saying this, that unembodied speech ceased.

94-99. At that utterance, King Dharmaputra became extremely frightened. He thought: 鈥業 have been deluded. I have been ruthlessly foolhardy. I have been harsh and treacherous. I have been deluded by greed. I have committed such a sin on account of my desire for a worthless kingdom. What shall I do for purification from this sin? What is my wayout? What charitable gift shall I make? Where shall I go?鈥�

While King Dharmaputra was grief-stricken thus, 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 Dvaip膩yana 痴测腻蝉补 came to him. He saluted 痴测腻蝉补 and received him duly with palms joined in reverence. With the mind full of devotion, O 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, he honoured him with Arghya, etc. Extremely dejected in spirit, Dharmaputra recounted to 痴测腻蝉补 everything that had been declared by the unembodied speech. After hearing the whole of the speech of Dharmaputra, the sage meditated for a long time and began to speak thus:

痴测腻蝉补 said:

100. O king, do not be afraid. I shall tell you the proper means for suppressing this sin. Let it be listened to and acted upon by you.

驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补 said:

101. Tell me, what is that, O son of 笔补谤腻艣补谤补, O great Yogin, O storehouse of mercy. What is that whereby my sin can perish in no time? Tell it to me.

痴测腻蝉补 said:

102-107. In the southern ocean, on 搁腻尘补setu, on the 骋补苍诲丑补尘腻诲补苍补 mountain, O great king, there is a meritorious lake well-known as 搁腻尘补迟墨谤迟丑补. It has been proved to be destructive of great sins. Merely by viewing it crores of great sins perish immediately like darkness at sunrise.

When one sees 搁腻尘补迟墨谤迟丑补 created by 搁腻尘补 himself, one is absolved of 叠谤补丑尘补丑补迟测腻 (sin of 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺鈥檚 slaughter). There is no doubt about it.

After going to 搁腻尘补迟墨谤迟丑补 which bestows salvation, O great king, take your holy bath; you will get purified of the sin and you will become entitled to protect the kingdom (as a king).

Make charitable gifts on its banks, of cows, plots of lands, gingelly seeds and clothes. O 驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补, make gifts of gold and silver; certainly before long, all your sins will be purified.

艢r墨 厂奴迟补 said:

108-110. On being told thus by 痴测腻蝉补, O excellent 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, Dharmaputra installed Sahadeva on the kingdom and immediately started for 搁腻尘补setu, accompanied by his brothers and Dhaumya. He did not use any vehicle for the journey. Within a few days he reached 搁腻尘补setu.

111-114a. The son of 笔腻峁囜笉耻 reached 搁腻尘补迟墨谤迟丑补 along with Dhaumya. He duly performed the 厂补峁僰补濒辫补 rite in the manner laid down by the priest. He took his holy bath in the 罢墨谤迟丑补 called 搁腻尘补saras, which is meritorious and destructive of sins. Having become pure after the bath, he offered the 碍峁�e迟谤补 笔颈峁囜笉补. 驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补 made all the gifts as suggested by 痴测腻蝉补. Dharmaputra observed fast for a full month and took his holy baths. O 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, without any covetousness for money, he made charitable gifts everyday.

114b-120a. When a month elapsed, one day, the unembodied voice said once again to Dharmaputra on a certain day:

鈥淥 king, O 驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补, all your sins have perished. The sin that you committed formerly by speaking deceitful words causing the death of the preceptor has perished, O scorcher of enemies. Go back to your city, O king, and protect the earth. Get yourself crowned. There is no doubt about it that you are now entitled to the kingdom.鈥�

After saying thus the unembodied voice ceased. Dharmaputra became delighted and bowed down to that direction from where the unembodied speech had come. With his mind fully delighted, he went to 贬补蝉迟颈苍腻辫耻谤补 along with his younger brothers.

120b-123. Having been coronated in the kingdom he ruled the earth. Thus Dharmaputra became rid of sins, O 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, by resorting to 搁腻尘补迟墨谤迟丑补 and taking his holy bath therein. He became purified in his soul. He became entitled to rule the kingdom.

Thus the wonderful glory of 搁腻尘补迟墨谤迟丑补 has been recounted to you all. It is destructive of all sins. It bestows devotion, worldly pleasures and salvation. It is by taking his holy bath there that Dharmaputra became absolved of the sin of uttering a lie.

O excellent 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, those who read this chapter, the men who listen to this become rid of sins. They will go to 碍补颈濒腻蝉补 which cannot be attained by anyone else. After going there, they do not have to undergo rebirth.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

According to VR this sage was a kind host of 搁腻尘补 during his sojourn in Da峁囜笉ak膩ra峁噛a (VR III.7). He guided 搁腻尘补 to the hermitage of Agastya (VR 111.11). This Pur膩峁嘺 represents him to be a devotee of 搁腻尘补 staying near 搁腻尘补ku峁囜笉a an 骋补苍诲丑补尘腻诲补苍补.

[2]:

VV 35-83 give a summary of the Bharata War up to 顿谤辞峁嘺鈥檚 death.

[3]:

An example of a figure of speech Ananvaya.

[4]:

This refers to an equivocation on the part of 驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补: 鈥湸∨洷共钩俪俪竽宄灸�, a man or an elephant, is killed鈥� (Mbh, 顿谤辞峁嘺 190.55).

[5]:

This onwards is the continuation of SkP glorifying 搁腻尘补迟墨谤迟丑补.