Chapter 69 - Narrative of Sage Kaṇḍu

Vyāsa said:

1-4, O excellent sages, there was a great sage, Kaṇḍu in that holy centre Puruṣottama which is conducive to the happiness of all living beings and which bestows the benefit of virtue, wealth, love and liberation. The sage was extremely virtuous. He had great refulgence. He was truthful in speech, pure and engaged in the welfare of all living beings. He had control over his sense-organs. He had conquered wealth. He was a master of the Vedas and Vedāṅgas. By propitiating Puruṣottama he attained great Siddhi. There were other great sages too who had achieved much. They used to perform great holy rites. They were engaged in the welfare of the people. They had subdued their sense-organs and conquered anger. They were rid of rivalry and malice.

The sages said:

5. Who was this Kaṇḍu? How did he attain the greatest salvation? O excellent one, we wish to hear his story. Please narrate.

Vyāsa said:

6. O leading sages, listen to his interesting story. I shall mention in brief the activities of that sage.

7-9. O excellent sages, the hermitage of Kaṇḍu was on the holy banks of Gomatī^[1] river. It was a secluded and charming spot, full of fruits, roots and bulbous roots. It abounded in sacrificial twigs, Kuśa grass and flowers. Many trees and creepers grew there. It was beautified by different kinds of flowers. It was a charming place resonant with the chirping sounds of various birds and those of different kinds of animals. The hermitage was adorned by a grove of plantain trees. It abounded in fruits and flowers in all seasons.

10. The sage performed a great penance. It was extremely wonderful on account of rites, fasts and observances, ablutions, vows of silence and restraint of senses.

11. During the summer he practised fivefold penance with four fires on the four sides and the sun overhead; during the rainy season he slept on the bare ground; during winter he stood in neck-deep water—thus he performed a great penance.

12. On seeing the power of penance of that sage, Devas, Gandharvas, Siddhas and Vidyādharas were struck with wonder.

13. O excellent sages, with the force of his strength Kaṇḍu scorched the three worlds, Earth, firmament and heaven.

14. On seeing him engaged in penance Devas said thus “Wonderful is his great courage! Wonderful is his great penance!’

15. Without excitement they consulted one another. Including Indra they were bewildered and frightened. Hence, they wanted an obstacle to be put in the way of his penance.

16-17. Havṃg come to know their intention, Indra, the destroyer of Bala, the lord of the three worlds, spoke to the beautiful celestial damsel Pramlocā. She was proud of her beauty and youth. She had slender waist and attractive breasts plump and beautiful. She was endowed with all characteristics.

Indra said:

18. O Pramlocā, go quickly to the place where this sage is performing penance. O splendid lady, in order to impede his penance make his mind agitated.

Pramlocā said:

19. O most excellent Deva, O my lord, I always carry out your behests. But in this matter, I have some doubts. My life has to be risked.

20. I am afraid of that excellent sage, who is steadfast in the vow of celibacy. He is very fierce and refulgent as fire and sun. His penance is brilliant.

21. When he comes to know that I have approached him to create impediment in his penance, sage Kaṇḍu of excessive splendour will curse me angrily. It will be unbearable.

22-24. There are many celestial damsels proud of their beauty and blooming youth such as Urvaśī, Menakā, Rambhā, Ghṛtācī, Puñjikā, Sthalā, Viśvācī, Sahajanyā, Pūrvacitti, Tilottamā, Alambuṣā, Miśrakeśī, Śaśilekhā,Vāmanā and others. They are slender-waisted. Their faces are attractive. Their breasts are plump and lifted up. They are experts in the extensive amorous dalliances. Employ them there.

Brahmā said:

25. On hearing her words the consort of Śacī said again;—Let others stay by. O splendid lady, you are very clever in this affair.

26. O lady of fine buttocks, I shall send Kāma, Vasanta (Spring) and the gentle breeze to assist you. Go with them to the place where this great sage lives.

27. On hearing the words of Indra that excellent lady of attractive eyes went with them by the aerial path.

28. After going there she saw the excellent and charming forest. She saw the pious sage, seated in the hermitage performing his brilliant penance.

29. Along with them, she surveyed the beautiful forest comparable to the Nandana forest. It contained excellent flowers of all seasons. It was agitated by groups of monkeys.

30-31. The forest was holy. It was endowed with clusters of lotuses. It was filled with trees with abundant sprouts. She heard sweet songs of birds pleasing to the ears. She saw trees laden with fruits and flowers of all seasons. They were resonant with the songs of birds.

32-37. The lady of wide eyes saw many trees there:—Āmra (Mango), Āmrātaka, coconut, palm, Tinduka, Bilva, Jīva, Dāḍima, Bījapūraka (pomegranate), Panasa (jack tree), Lakuca, Nīpa, beautiful Śirīṣa, Pārāvata, Kola, Arimeda, Amlavetasa, Bhallātaka, Amalaka (Embylic myrobalans), Śataparṇa, Kiṃśuka, Iṅguda, Karavīra, Harītaki (Harītakī?), Vibhītaka, Aśoka, Punnāga, Ketaki, Bakula, Pārijāta, Kovidāra, Mandara, Indīvara, Pāṭala in full bloom, Devadāru, Śāla, Tāla, Tamāla, Nicula and Lomaka. These and other trees laden with fruits and flowers she saw there.

38-39. The forest was accompanied by many birds that chirped sweetly such as Cakora, Śatapatra, Bhṛṅgarāja, parrots, cuckoos, sparrows, Hārītas, Jīvajīvakas, Priyaputra, Cātaka and various other birds.

40-42. She saw beautiful lakes with crystal clear waters and full of waterborn flowers such as lilies, lotuses, splendid blue lotuses, Kalhāra etc. The lakes were beautified by these flowers. There were aquatic birds such as Kadambas, Cakravākas (ruddy geese), waterfowls, Kāraṇḍavas cranes, swans, tortoises, porpoises. The lakes were filled with these aquatic beings.

43-45. Along with Kama and others Pramlocā wandered all round the forest. After surveying the beautiful and wonderful forest in their company that excellent lady was extremely wonderstruck. Her eyes beamed with pleasant surprise. O excellent brahmins, she said to Cupid, Spring and the gentle breeze.

Pramlocā said:

Assist me. Ye all severally be prepared.

Brahmā said:

46-49. After saying this, she who was proud of her ability to agitate the passion of everyone said thus:—I shall now go to the place where this sage is present. The sage is like a charioteer with the body as the chariot and the sense-organs as horses. I shall convert him into a bad charioteer with the reins, dropped by the weapons of Kāma. Whether he be a Viṣṇu, a Brahmā or a Śiva, I shall get him split up by the arrows of Kāma”.

After saying this she came to the place where the sage was seated. Such was the power of the penance of the sage; the beast of prey in the penance-grove had become quiescent.

50. Standing on the banks of the river, only a very short distance from him, that excellent celestial damsel with the sweetness of the cuckoo in her voice began to sing songs merrily.

51. An untimely but sweet and charming note of the cuckoo was heard and Vasanta exerted his full force.

52. A gentle breeze with his abode in the Malaya mountain blew there making the excellent flowers fall down gently into small or big heaps.

53. Holding the flowery arrows, Kama went near that sage and made his mind agitated.

54. On hearing the sweet sound of the song the sage was surprised and his mind was afflicted by the arrows of Kāma. He went to the place where the lady of beautiful eyebrows was standing.

55. On seeing her he was delighted with wonder; his eyes beamed. He experienced horripilation all over his body. His upper garment dropped down. He was completely upset.

The sage said:

56. O lady of good buttocks, who are you? Whom do you belong to? O fortunate blessed lady of atrractive smiles, you have captivated my mind. O lady of fine eyebrows and slender waist, tell me the truth.

Pramlocā said:

57. I have come here to collect flowers. I am your servant-maid. Command me quickly? What shall ī do at your bidding?

Brahmā said:

58. On hearing her words the sage lost his courage. He was dubed. Taking that damsel by her hand he entered his hermitage.

59. O excellent brahmins, then Cupid, Spring, Breeze became satisfied. They returned to heaven.

60. After going there they spoke to Indra of their activities, on hearing which Indra and Devas became delighted.

61. Immediately after entering the hermitage sage Kaṇḍu assumed a very beautiful form like that of a Cupid.

62. It was richly endowed with handsome features and blooming youth. It was very charming. It was bedecked in divine ornaments. It was the physical form of a blooming youth of sixteen years.

63. Suddenly, due to the power of his penance he assumed a form clad in divine garments, and beautified with divine garlands and unguents. It was lovely and capable of enjoying all pleasures.

64. On seeing his vim and vigour she was excessively surprised saying—“Wonderful, indeed, is the power of penance.” She rejoiced much.

65-66. O excellent sages, eschewing his rites of holy bath, prayer during dusk and dawn, repetition of holy names, sacrifices, study of the Vedas, worship of deities, observances of holy rites, fasts, and meditation he sported with her day and night with great joy. With cupid penetrating into heart he did not know that his penance was getting reduced.

67-68. With his mind drawn to sexual pleasures he was not aware of the passing time. Twilights, nights, days, fortnights, months, seasons and years sped on.

O brahmins, clever in secret amorons dalliance, that lady of fine buttocks, skilled in engaging conversation diverted his mind with various lustful emotions.

69. The sage Kaṇḍu engaged himself in vulgar sexual intercourse with her. Many hundreds of years he stayed with her in the valley of the Mandara mountain.

70. Once she said to that highly blessed sage—“O brahmin, I wish to go to heaven. It behoves you to permit me with a pleasant face.”

71. Thus requested by her that sage whose mind was fondly attached to her said—“O gentle lady, please stay for a few days more.”

72. Thus requested by him that slender-framed lady enjoyed sexual pleasures in the company of that noble sage for a further period of a hundred and odd years.

73. When requested by her thus—“O holy sir, please grant me permission. I am going back to heaven,” he once again replied—“Stay for some days more.”

74. When a further period of more than a hundred years elapsed, that splendid-faced lady said with a lovely smile of great endearment—“O brahmin I am going to heaven”.

75. When urged by her thus, the sage said to that lady of large eyes—“O lady of beautiful eyebrows, stay with me for a long time more: you will go later to heaven.”

76. Frightened of being cursed by that sage, the lady of fine buttocks stayed with him for a further period of slightly less than two hundred years.

77. Repeatedly requested by that lady for permission to go to heaven that highly blessed sage merely said—“Stay further”.

78. The timid lady was afraid of his curse. Amiably submissive she was aware of the agony of frustration in love. So, when requested by him, she did not part from the sage.

79. The great sage sported and diverted himself with her, day and night, with his mind overwhelmed by cupid. The more he indulged himself the fresher became the ways of expressing his affection.

80. Once the sage went out of his hut in a great hurry. As he rushed out the splendid lady said—“Pray, where do you go?”

81. When asked by her thus he said—“O auspicious lady, the day is coming to a close. I shall say my prayers for the dusk. Otherwise, it will be a great omission of my holy rites.”

82. The delighted lady then laughed and said to the sage—“is it only now, O sage conversant with all holy rites, that the day is coming to a close? Has it not passed of many times before?”

The sage said:

83-84. “O gentle lady, you came to this splendid bank of the river this morning. O lady of fine buttocks, you were seen by me and you entered my hermitage, Now it is the dusktime. The day has come to a close. Why do you laugh at me now? Let it be mentioned to me in real feeling of earnestness”.

Pramlocā said:

85. “O brahmin, this is true that I came here in a morning. It is not false. But hundreds of years have passed by, since I came to you.”

86. Thereupon, the brahmin asked the lady of large eyes in great perturbation—“O timid lady, even as I was engaged in dalliance with you, what period of time did pass by?”

Pramlocā said:

87. “Nine hundred, seven years, six months and three days have passed off till date.”

The sage said:

88. “O timid lady, are you telling me the truth or are you jesting with me? I think I have stayed here with you only for a day.”

Pramlocā said:

89. “O brahmin, how will I utter a lie in your presence? Particularly when asked by you as you proceed ahead along your path?”

Vyāsa said:

90. O excellent brahmins, on hearing her words that sage censured himself saying—“Fie upon me who have not adhered to disciplined good conduct”.

The sage said:

91. My austerities have perished. The spiritual wealth of the knowers of Brahman is doomed. Sense of discrimination has been taken away. A woman has been created by someone only for delusion.

92. The Brahman that is beyond six Ūrmis (billows of worldly entanglement) should have been realized by me by the conquest of self. Fie upon this great evil element of Kāma by whom this adverse goal has been effected.

93. The vedas, and holy rites, all causes of welfare have been damned today by Kāma, the pathway leading to the hell.”

94. After censuring himself thus, that sage conversant with piety spoke these words to that celestial damsel who was seated there.

The sage said:

95. O sinful lady, go away as you please. The task of the king of Devas has been duly accomplished by you by causing perturbation in me through your amorous gestures.

96-97. I am not reducing you to ashes by the fire of dreadful anger. Friendship is generated in good people through seven words or seven steps.^[2] I have stayed with you for long. Or, what is your fault? What can I do to you? This is exclusively my own fault for I could not conquer my sense-organs.

98. Wastage of my austerities has been brought about by you who seek the favour of Indra. Fie upon you the despicable one, the cause of great delusion.

Vyāsa said:

99. When that brahminical sage said this to that lady of fine waist, she trembled excessively and perspired profusely.

100. To that chaste lady who was quaking with fear and whose tender creeperlike body was drenched in sweat, the excellent sage said furiously—“Go. Go away”.

101. Rebuked by him she went out of his hermitage and traversing the path of firmament she mopped off her sweat drops by the sprouts of trees.

102. The young damsel moved from tree to tree. She wiped off her body from which perspiration flowed in profuse drops. With the pink sprouts she mopped off the sweat drops.

103. The foetus that had been implanted in her body by sage came out of her limbs in the form of sweat drops and the sense of horripilation.

104. Trees took up that foetus and unified it in a body. Developed through his rays by the moon that child in the womb grew up by and by.

105. She became the lovely-eyed daughter of trees, Māriṣā by name. O brahmins, it was she who became the wife of Pracetas and the mother of Dakṣa.

106. When his power of penance was exhausted, the excellent and holy sage Kaṇḍu went to the holy shrine of Viṣṇu named Puruṣottama, O brahmins.

107-111. He saw the rarest of holy centres on Earth that bestows salvation on the shore of the southern sea. It had plenty of flowers in all seasons. It was the bestower of happiness unto all men. It was the receptacle of all good qualities. It was conducive to wealth. Formerly, it had been frequented by Bhṛgu and other great sages and Siddhas. It was the bestower of all cherished desires. It appeared very beautiful with sands scattered all round. Clusters of Ketaki plants enhanced its beauty. Trees and creepers grew there in abundance. The auspicious chirping sound of various birds was heard everywhere. Everywhere the holy spot could be traversed comfortably. It was always resorted to by Gandharvas, Kinnaras, Yakṣas and other persons seeking salvation. There, he saw Hari adorned by all Devas. He was resorted to by the people of brahmin and other castes in the various stages of their lives,

112. As soon as he saw the holy centre and lord Puruṣottama, the excellent sage considered himself contented as one who had fulfilled his duties.

113. There he sat with fully concentrated mind and propitiated Hari. The excellent sage, a great Yogin stood with his arms lifted up. With a single-minded attention he performed Japa (repetition of holy names) of Brahmapāra (Brahman the great redeemer).

The sages said:

114. O sage, we wish to hear about the excellent and great Brahmapāra whereby lord Keśava was propitiated by Kaṇḍu who performed this Japa.

Vyāsa said:

115. Viṣṇu is the greatest Pāra (the other shore—the destination after crossing the ocean of world by existence). He is Apāra-pāra (It is difficult to cross him—to comprehend him). He is greater than the greatest Beings. He is of the form of the greatest Ātman. He alone is known as Brahmapāra (Brahman the great redeemer). He is the greatest Pāra (the other shore). He is greater than the greatest. He is Pārapāra (the redeemer of those who redeem).

116. He is the cause and also one who has resorted to the cause, the cause of that too, the greatest cause of cause. Thus, in the effects, it protects all by means of its manifold forms such as Karman (object) and Kartṛ (the Agent).

117. The lord is Brahman, he is identical with every thing; Brahman is the lord of subjects. He is Acyuta (the unswerving). Viṣṇu is the unchanging, unborn, permanent Brahman. He is not contaminated by depreciation and other defects.

118. Just as Puruṣottama is the imperishable, unborn, permanent Brahman so also may the defects of passionate attachment subside.

Vyāsa said:

119-121. O excellent brahmins, on hearing the repetitions of the holy Mantra viz Brahmapāra by the sage and on realizing his great and steadfast devotion, lord Puruṣottama, favourably disposed towards his devotees, approached him with great pleasure riding on his vehicle Garuḍa the son of Vinatā. The slayer of Madhu (=Viṣṇu) spoke to him in a voice as majestic as the rumbling sound of the cloud. He seemed to make the quarters resonant.

The lord said:

122. O sage, mention to me the greatest task that is thought of by you in your mind. I have come to you as the bestower of boons. O sage of good holy rites, choose the boon.

123-125. On hearing these words of the discus-bearing lord of Devas (the sage) opened his eyes and saw Hari in front of him. He resembled the blue Atasi flower in complexion. His eyes were as large as the petals of a lotus. He held conch, discus and iron club in his hands. He wore the crown and shoulderlets. He had four arms and elegant limbs. The lord was clad in yellow robes. He had the Scar Śrīvatsa. He was bedecked in garlands of sylvan flowers.

(Extra Verse)

He was endowed with all the characteristic marks. He was bedecked in all jewels. He had smeared his limbs with divine sandal paste. He was embellished with divine garlands.

126. Then the sage was struck with great wonder. His hairs stood on end due to delight. He prostrated himself on Earth like a long staff and made obeisance.

127. After saying—“My birth is fruitful today. My penance is fruitful today,” the leading sage began to eulogise the lord.

Kaṇḍu said:

128. O Nārāyaṇa, O Hari O Kṛṣṇa, O lord of the universe with the Śrīvatsa scar, O seed of the universe, O abode of the universe, O witness of the universe, obeisance be to you.

129. O unmanifest one, O victorious one, O source of origin, O chief Puruṣottama, O lotus-eyed one, O Govinda, O lord of the worlds, obeisance be to you.

130. O golden-wombed one, O abode of Śrī, O deity with the umbilical lotus, O eternal one, O deity with the Earth in the womb, O steadfast one, O Īśāna, O Hṛṣīkeśa, obeisance be to you.

131. O deity without beginning and end, O immortal and unconquerable one, be victorious, O most excellent one among those who conquer; O unconquered one, O Indra, O Kṛṣṇa, O resident abode of Śrī, obeisance be to you.

132. O deity with the Yogic Ātman, O incomprehensible Ātman; O soul of the world, you are eternal. O deity difficult to be realised, O deity as immovable and steady as the mountain peak. Obeisance be to you, the lord of Kuśa.

133. O excellent one, O bestower of boons, O infinite one, O source of origin of Brahma, O mine of good qualities, O lord of dissolution, origin and contact, O Vāsudeva, obeisance be to you.

134. O Parjanya (Lord of Rain), O maker of holy rites, O Duṣpāra (one who cannot be easily comprehended), O Duradhiṣṭhita (one inadequately supported?); O dispeller of misery and agony, O Hari lying down in the waters, obeisance be to you.

135. O Bhūtapa (lord of Elements), O unmanifest one, O deity not agitated by the elements and principles, O abode of living beings, O soul of living beings. O deity containing living beings in the womb, obeisance be to you.

136. O performer of Yajñas, O upholder of Yajñas, O creator of Yajñas; O bestower of fearlessness; O deity with the Yajña in the womb (?), O golden-limbed one, O deity born of Devakī, obeisance be to you.

137. You are the knower of Kṣetra (Physical form, holy centre) you are the holder Kṣetra; you possess Kṣetra; you are the destroyer of Kṣetra; you are the maker of Kṣetra; you have selfcontrol; O soul of Kṣetra, O deity devoid of Kṣetra, obeisance be to you, the creator of Kṣetra.

138. O abode of good qualities, O receptacle of good qualities, O support of good qualities; O deity who are conducive to good qualities; O enjoyer of good qualities; O garden of good qualities; O deity who abandon good qualities (i.e. attributes), obeisance be to you.

139. You are Viṣṇu; you are Hari; you are the discus-bearing lord; you are Jiṣṇu (victorious); you are Janārdana; you are the Element; and the Vaṣaṭkāra; you are the future one, the lord of the present one.

140. You are the creator of the Bhūtas (living beings); you are the unmanifest one; You are Bhava (source of origin); you are the holder of Bhūtas. You are lord conceiver and creator of Bhūtas. They call you the unborn overlord.

141. You are infinite; you are (deity) conversant with what is done; you are Prakṛti; you are Vṛṣākapi (Viṣṇu). You are Rudra; you are unthwartable; you are never futile; you are the supreme lord.

142. You are identical with Viśvakarman, you are Jiṣṇu. You are Śambhu riding on a bull (?); you are Śaṅkara (benefactor); you are Uśanas, you are the Satya (world); you are the Tapas (world), you are the Jana (world).

143. You are the conqueror of universe, you are welfare; you are one worthy of being sought refuge in. You are the imperishable one; you are the self born Śambhu; you are the eldest; you are the greatest resort.

144. You are the sun; you are the Oṃkāra, you are the vital breath; you are the dispellcr of darkness; you are Parjanya (god of Rain); you are well reputed; you are Brahmā; you are Indra, lord of Devas.

145. You are Ṛk. Yajus and Sāman; you are Ātman; you are the honoured and approved one, you are fire and wind; you are Kubera; you are Havis (ghee offering).

146. You are the creator; you are the enjoyer; you are the Hotṛ (one who performs Homa offerings), you are Havis (oblation) Kratu (sacrifice); you are the poet, you are Hari; you are the most excellent lord of worlds; you are Acyuta.

147. You are the glorious deity with the vision of everything; you are the destroyer of enemies suppressing everyone; you are the day; similarly, you are the night; learned men call you Vatsara (year).

148. You are the units of time such as Kāla; Kāṣṭhā, Muhūrta, Kṣaṇa and Lava; you are a boy; you are an old man; you are man, woman and eunuch.

149-150. You are the source of origin of the universe, you are the eye, you are Sthāṇu (Śiva, stump); you are the deity of pure ears; you are permanent; you are unconquered; you are Upendra (younger brother of Indra); you are an excellent one.

151. You are Ātman the support of all (?) You are not perceptible to sense-organs.

152. You are Agraṇī (leader); you are Grāmaṇi (leader of groups); you are Suparṇa (Garuḍa); you are one without a beginning, you are the collection; you are very great, you are one who held the Ātman; you are Acyuta (unswerving).

153. You are Yama; (Restraint); you are Niyama (observance of regulations); you are lofty; you are four-armed; you alone are the cooked rice and the immanent soul; you are mentioned as the greatest Ātman.

154. You are the preceptor and the weighty one; you are the weightier being; you are the left one (adverse one); you are the right one (the favourable one, clever one); you are Pippala (a variety of medicinal plant), you are one who do not go, you are the manifest one; you are the Prajāpati (patriarch).

155. You are one with golden umbilicus; you are the lord; you are the moon; you are one whose physical form cannot be specifically pointed out; you are Yama; you are the destroyer of the enemies of Devas.

156. You are lord Saṃkarṣaṇa; you are the eternal maker; you are Vāsudeva of unmeasurable soul; you alone are one devoid of attributes.

157. You are the eldest; you are the most excellent; you are one who endure; you are Mādhava; you are thousand-headed lord; you are unmanifest one with thousand Visions.

158. You are the thousand-footed lord, you are Virāṭ (Immense Being); you are the lord of Devas; O lord of Devas; you alone stand ten Aṅgulas beyond all.

159. You alone are mentioned as that which is past; you are the excellent Puruṣa; Indra; you are Īśāna and that which is going to occur in future; you are the Ṛta Divine law, you are Amṛta (Nectar).

160. It is from you that this world grows up; you art the great being without anyone to excel you; you are the elderly Puruṣa; O lord, you stay in ten forms.

161. A fourth part of yours constitutes the Universe; your nine parts are immortal in heaven; nine parts are stationed in the firmament; this part is the eternal manly being.

162. Two of your parts are stationed on the Earth; four parts were also here. (?) Yajñas originate from you, the cause of rain in the world.

163. The Virāṭ (Immense Being) originated from you; it is the Man who is in the heart of the universe; he excelled the elements by splendour, fame and glory.

164. It is from you that Pṛṣadājya (ghee mixed with coagulated milk), the diet of Devas originated. The medicinal plants of the village of the forests and the animals etc originated from you.

165. You are devoted to what should be meditated upon and the meditation; you created the medicinal herbs. O lord of Devas, having seven faces you are named Kāla; you have an illuminated physical form.

166. The whole universe mobile and immobile is born of you and established in you.

167. O lord, the most excellent one among Devas, the greatest refuge of the worlds you are Aniruddha, you are Mādhava, you are Pradyumna the destroyer of the enemies of Devas.

168. O lotus-eyed deity, save me O Nārāyaṇa, obeisance to you. O Puruṣottama, obeisance to you.

169. Obeisance to you, O lord of worlds, obeisance to you the abode of Lakṣmī; obeisance to you, O abode of attributes; obeisance be to you; O mine of good qualities.

170. O Vāsudeva, obeisance be to you. O most excellent Deva, obeisance be to you. O Janārdana, obeisance be to you; O eternal one, obeisance be to you.

171. Obeisance to you O deity comprehensible to the Yogins; O abode of Yoga, obeisance be to you. O lord of Lakṣmī; O lord of universe, obeisance be to you.

172. O lord of the universe, O source of origin of the universe, O lord of the men of perfect knowledge, obeisance to you. O lord of heaven, obeisance be to you. O lord of Earth, obeisance be to you.

173. Obeisance to you, to the slayer of Madhu; O lotuseyed one, obeisance to you; O destroyer of Kaiṭabha, obeisance be to you; O Subrahmaṇya (Excessively favourable to the brahmins). Obeisance be to you.

174. O great Fish, obeisance be to you. O Acyuta, holding up Śrutis on your back. Obeisance to you who agitated the oceanic water and delighted the lotus-born lady.

175. O Horse-headed deity of great snout, O deity, having the great manly frame, O Horse-faced deity, obeisance to you the annihilator of Madhu and Kaiṭabha.

176. Obeisance to you, to the great tortoise, to the deity with the great body of a tortoise, to the deity who lifted up the Earth, to that form that held the mountain aloft.

177. Obeisance to the great Varāha (Boar), to (the deity) who lifted up the Earth. Obeisance to the Primordial Varāha, to the creator of the form of the universe.

178. Obeisance to the infinite one, to the subtle one, to the chief one, to the most excellent one. Obeisance to you of the form of the atom, to one comprehensible to the yogins.

179. Obeisance to the greatest cause of causes; to the abode of the circle of leading Yogins; to the being very difficult to be known. Obeisance to you who lie down on the couch of the great serpent stationed in the milky ocean; obeisance to the deity with fine ear rings made of gold and studded with jewels.

Vyāsa said:

180. Eulogised thus by him Mādhava was delighted and he said—“O excellent sage, tell me quickly what you wish from me.

Kaṇḍu said:

181-185. O lord of the universe, I am deluded by your Māyā. I wander about in the ocean of worldly existence which is very difficult to be crossed, which causes hairs to stand on end, which is impermanent, full of miseries and restless like the plantain leaf. It has no support. It has no base. It is a support. It is as fickle as bubbles in water, it is full of all calamities; it is difficult to be crossed; it is terrible to behold. My mind is drawn to and afflicted by sensual objects. I do not find any end to this worldly Existence, O lord of Devas. I am afflicted by the fear of worldly existence. I seek refuge in you O Kṛṣṇa. Redeem me from the ocean of worldly existence. O lord of Daityas, Dānavas and Devas, I wish to go to that eternal great region of yours from which it is difficult to return.

The lord said:

186. O excellent sage, you are my devotee. Propitiate me continuously. Due to my favour you will certainly attain the desired liberation.

187. Even Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, women folk, Śūdras and the lowcaste people attain great Siddhis if they are my devotees. What doubt then about you, O excellent brahmin.

188. Even a caṇḍāla, if he is my devotee and if he is endowed with perfect faith, attains the desired end. What doubt then about others?

Vyāsa said:

189. O brahmins, after saying thus to him, Viṣṇu the lord favourably disposed to his devotees, the lord whose movement is very difficult to comprehend vanished there itself.

190. After he had gone, O excellent sages, Kaṇḍu eschewed all lustful desires. He became delighted in his mind and he attained a proper mental quietude.

191-92. He restrained all his sense-organs. He was rid of the feelings of “my-ness”. He was free from egotism. With single-minded devotion he perfectly meditated on Puruṣottama who is free from smearing attachment, who is devoid of attributes, who is quiescent and who is established in his sole existence. He attained the greatest of liberation that is difficult of access even unto Devas.

193. He who reads or listens to the story of the noble Kaṇḍu shall be liberated from sins. He goes to the heavenly world.

194-195. Thus, O excellent sages, the land of holy rites has been cited by me. So also the greatest holy centre for liberation named Puruṣottama has been recounted. It pertains to Lord Puruṣottama.

Those men devoid of impurities who visit the omnipresent lord, who eulogise the lord who grants boons, and devoutly meditate upon the deity named Śrīpuruṣottama who bestows salvation, who dispels worldly miseries and who is devoid of old age, enjoy the pleasures of a king. Later they enjoy divine pleasures in heaven. Freed of all defects they later go to the unchanging abode of Hari.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Gomatī: a celebrated river of Puranic fame which flowed through Naimiśa-forest where several sacrifices had been performed by the sages. The word ‘Gomatī’ means ‘abounding in water’.

[2]:

One can befriend a person by speaking seven words or by footing seven steps together.