Chapter 52 - The Glorification of Śiprā

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Sanatkumāra said:

1. Listen further, O illustrious one, to the excellent greatness of Śiprā. The mere listening (to it) yields the merit of a horse-sacrifice.

2. Everywhere Śiprā is meritorious (in all respects). It is sacred and destructive of sins, especially so in Avantī where it flows northwards.

3. Still listen even as I explain in details how the auspicious river became the daughter of Varāha, arising from Viṣṇu’s body.^[1] Listen, O Vyāsa to the highly meritorious story, the auspicious legendary tale (about its birth).

4-8. Formerly there was a great Asura, the highly powerful Hiraṇyākṣa. He brought under his control the entire earth with the help of the wicked-souled Dānavas and established an imperial kingdom.

He conquered all the worlds and the Suras with Indra as their leader. He set aside the guardians of the quarters and Vasupālas (the guardian-deities of riches). He became the Lord of Asuras.

He dominates all the worlds. Ousted from the heaven by him, all the groups of the Devas, having been defeated and deprived of their kingdoms, wandered over the earth like (ordinary) human beings. Unable to get refuge (elsewhere), all of them sought refuge in Brahmā.

9-12. After going there and bowing down to him, they reported the activities of the Daitya: “O holy Sir, what is this? (Something) should be done by you, the great Lord Parameṣṭhin. The heaven devoid of thorns (opponents) has been forcibly taken away by Hiraṇyākṣa, the Daitya, whereby all the groups of the Devas have become practically extinct instantly. He partakes of (our) shares of Yajñas. By what means can we remain alive? How can we continue to stay on the earth?”

On hearing these piteous and despondent words of the Devas, Pitāmaha spoke charming words befitting that occasion.

Brahmā said:

13-21. O excellent Suras, listen ye all with attention. Formerly this fellow was a most excellent attendant, the doorkeeper of Viṣṇu of incomparable radiance, in the beautiful mansion of Vaikuṇṭha. His name was Jaya and this mighty one was accompanied by Vijaya. Both these ministerial officers were in the guise of Viṣṇu himself. They had perfect control over their sense-organs. Holding their batons, the heroic ones always used to stand at attention at the portals, O excellent Suras.

Once the mental sons of Brahmā, the illustrious Sanaka and others, came to the abode of Viṣṇu while they were roaming freely. They expressed their desire to see the Lord but were prevented by these two (gatekeepers); all of them fell down on the ground. O Vyāsa, these Kumāras swooned due to their extreme misery. Thereupon the mighty lotus-eyed Lord came there. Viṣṇu suddenly espied the Kumāras lying miserably on the ground. Madhusūdana raised them up, kept them on his lap and embraced them. Sniffing on the crown of their heads and embracing them with both the hands, he asked: “Whence is this dejection in you? You have been made miserable by someone. O children, well-versed in piety and the most excellent of all those conversant with righteousness, tell us the reason therefore.”

The Kumāras said:

22-24. O great king, may this be listened to. Our misery is of this sort. Listen, O great Lord, hc.v we have been brought to this plight. We, the four brothers, have been wandering over the worlds. O Lord of Ramā, we were desirous of seeing you but now we are afflicted with grief. We were suddenly forbidden by the two doorkeepers. Hence we were in this plight, but now we have been saved by you.

Bhagavān said:

25-30. From now onwards these two have no permanent stay in this region. Since they are inimical to me, they will attain birth in a demonic species.

O Vyāsa, they suddenly attained Asuraic birth—those two of wicked nature named Jaya and Vijaya. If men expiate their sins by means of penance, charity and meditation, they will obtain the devotion to Kṛṣṇa in the course of ā thousand births. If with wicked intention they pass off three births, then in future great devotion to Viṣṇu is generated in them. They attained the rebirth in the womb of Tāmasa nature as extremely powerful Hiraṇyakaśipu and Hiraṇyākṣa, as Daityas Kumbhakarṇa and Ṛāvaṇa who made the world cry and as Dantavaktra and Śiśupāla. These are the three births known (to people).

31-40. The Daitya of great power known as Hiraṇyākṣa became evil-minded. He censured Brāhmaṇas and Devas. He conquered all the Devas and occupied heaven himself. All of them were driven out of Svarga. Defeated and deprived of their kingdom, they began to roam over the earth like mortal beings. Nowhere is seen (heard) the utterance of Svadhā, Svāhā and Vaṣaṭ. There is no adoration of Devas nor respect for Brāhmaṇas in particular. No Tīrtha shone nor (did) sacred holy spots and shrines in the Āśramas of noble-souled sages. The wicked Daityas struck and committed heinous crimes. The pious activities of the people in different castes and stages of life, and the chastity of women stopped while he was ruling as a despot. Wicked in mind and activities, indulging in devilish magic and witchcraft, extremely arrogant, heretic in their way of life, all of them were averse to righteousness. Brutish in behaviour, all of them could be only mentioned as Brāhmaṇa in name. (They professed to be Brāhmaṇas.) The entire earth became full of barbarians, painful and overwhelmed by many torments. What is Veda? What is Smṛti? What is Yajña? What is Dakṣiṇā? (People were indifferent towards all these.) The entire earth became dark and ignorant. Thus, O Vyāsa, all the three worlds became defective and defiled.

41-47. “O descendant of Bharata, whenever there is decline and decay of righteousness and unrighteousness gets respectability, I create myself.”^[2] Mahāviṣṇu recalled this and incarnated as a Boar.^[3] He was divine and auspicious comparable to Śvetadvīpa (‘White continent’). In this physical form of a Boar sportingly adopted by the Lord, the curved teeth served the purpose of the Yūpa (sacrificial post); his natural odour is the Havis; the hairs over the body are the seeds and medicinal herbs; the feet are the Vedas; the staff the sun; the tongue is fire; the palate the ghee offering. This Yajñakāya (embodiment of Yajña) was highly skilful, firm and mighty with the lustrous interior mouth. His grunting gruff sound is the Udgāna (chant of Sāman hymns); his sporting about is the activity of the Ṛtviks. His breath is the activity of the Ṛgveda priest Hotṛ. The intelligent members of the assembly are represented by his limbs. His eating was the Pucchakarman (valedictory rites in a Yajña). The Yajamāna (sacrificer) was highly honoured. The puddle was the extension of the altar; Brahmā was the Adhvaryu; the forest was his abode. He was the witness of the Loka, having the manifestation of the world. He bore the greater and the lesser and was pure. The primordial Puruṣa, Īśāna (Lord), Puruhuta (oft-invoked), Puruṣṭuta (oft-eulogized). By him (i.e. Yajña-Varāha), Hiraṇyākṣa, the Daitya, unapproachable to many, was killed.

48-49. After fighting many battles with great difficulty, he was killed by Viṣṇu.

Previously afflicted by Daitya, the earth had caved into the bottom of Rasātala. It was raised up by the Varāha by means of his curved teeth (tusks) resembling the crescent moon. All the Dānavas were killed. All those who remained went to Pātāla.

50. Auspicious, sacred winds blow. The sun became brighter. The quiescent fires blazed; the sounds arising in the quarters became calm.

51. The rivers flowed along their proper beds. The oceans attained normal state. On seeing everything, O Vyāsa, the Lord became pleased within himself.

52. The Lord in the physical form of the boar bestowed all desired benefits. The Lord who killed the Daitya, became highly blissful and became bestower of boons.

53. This eternal river flowed out of his heart filled with the waters of bliss (and became) the bestower of all bliss as boons.

54. It extended over many Yojanas. With profuse water it flowed as it pleased. It is full of lotuses and aquatic birds such as Haṃsa (swans) and Kāraṇḍava (ruddy goose).

55. It was straight in its flow, with sparkling beauty. It is resorted to by Yakṣas and Gandharvas. It is being sung about by Kinnarīs and flocks of birds.

56. The Apsaras danced in its honour, the great sages eulogized it. Persons performing Havana into the fire invoked it. It is resorted to by saintly kings.

57. Young women with protruding breasts sported in it. It shone charmingly in certain places where lordly elephants stirred up its waters.

58. It is worthy of being served by Brāhmaṇas conversant with the Vedas. It is resorted to always by Siddhas and sages of praise-worthy souls. It is the bestower of spiritual fulfilments on

men.

59-62. The beautiful city of Padmāvatī is in the enjoyable Mahākālavana. There is an ancient splendid and beautiful Kuṇḍa. People who bathe there go to the eternal Śivaloka and it was here, O Vyāsa, that the great Śiprā that sanctifies the worlds became merged (Līnā). Everything conducive to the annihilation of the wicked Daityas was done by the Varāha. Hence the Devas had been rendered free from agony and anguish by the Lord in the form of the boar. All the Devas with Indra as their leader with the palms joined in reverence stood in front of Mahāviṣṇu and eulogized perpetually.

63-64. “O Lord of the universe! O Lord of Devas! O one listening to whose name and glorification of whom is meritorious! What is the rite (to be performed by us)—making of gifts, penance, (visiting) holy places, (viewing) the deity etc. on our part—by the holy efficacy whereof, the heaven will be regained by us? Considering all these, O Lord, tell us all this secret.”

Viṣṇu said:

65. O Suras, listen ye all to the means of your fulfilment. The splendid Mahākālavana is holy, meritorious and the greatest secret of all secrets.

66-67. There Śiprā of holy waters arising out of my body has merged itself. (It is called) Nīlagaṅgā (v.l. Līnagaṅgā), the excellent river and the eastern Sarasvatī. It also is there. There are Puṣkara, Gayā Tīrtha and the splendid Puruṣottamasaras. Go there quickly. You will regain your worlds.

68-71. On hearing this great speech of the Lord of Devas, the Lord of the universe, all the groups of the Devas with Brahmā and Śakra as their leaders went there in the charming Mahākālavana where there is the excellent river Śiprā. They performed the holy rites such as Snāna, Dāna etc., and performed Śrāddha in the proper manner. By the meritorious power thereof, the Suras went back to their own worlds.

Thus, O Vyāsa, Śiprā, the sanctifier of the worlds, has been extolled. (From it) was born the lake of Varāha, of Viṣṇu of incomparable brilliance. Merely by seeing it one can quell the sin of (even) Brāhmaṇa’s slaughter.

72. By taking the holy bath here, drinking the water, performing the requisite Śrāddha and by gifting a milch cow one is honoured in Viṣṇuloka.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

This legend is a new contribution of the SkP for the glorification of Siprā. The Mbh and other Purāṇas do not connect the Varāha-incarnation of Viṣṇu with Śiprā, though they regard the fall of Viṣṇu’s doorkeepers (Jaya and Vijaya) into demonhood as a result of the curse of Kumāras.

[2]:

Cf. BG IV. 7

[3]:

The description Yajña-varāha is common in Purāṇas such as the Matsya and others.