The Gautami Mahatmya

by G. P. Bhatt | 1955 | 127,137 words

This is the English translation of the Gautami-Mahatmya, which forms the fourth part of the Brahma-purana. The Gautamimahatmya narrates the legends and merits of the various holy places (tirthas) situated around the bank of the Godavari river in 105 chapters. It can be seen as distinct work by itself, and was declared as a “highly meritorious puran...

Chapter 10 - Kapotatīrtha

(description of Kapota-tirtha)

1. I am not competent to recount to you the greatness of Kusāvarta. Merely by remembering it one’s purpose is accomplished.

2. The holy centre well known as Kuśāvarta is the bestower of all desired things unto men. It has been stirred up by Kuśa[1] by the noble Gautama.

3. The sage brought the river after stirring it with Kuśa. Performing ablution and offering charitable gifts there bestows satisfaction to the manes.

4-7. Nīlagaṅgā which is the most excellent of all rivers comes out of the Nīlaparvata (Blue mountain).

If a man of mental and physical purity performs ablution etc., whatever holy rite he performs, know that all those are everlasting. They bestow satisfaction to the ancestors.

The excellent holy centre Kapotatīrtha is well known in the three worlds.

O sage, listen. I shall tell you about its form and features, which will do you great good.

On Brahmagiri there was an extremely terrible hunter.

He used to harass brahmins, ascetics and other decent men as well as cows, birds and animals. That sinning soul of this nature was inclined to become furious and was a speaker of untruth.

8-10. He was of a terrible shape and size. He was very fierce. His eyes were blue. His arms were short. He had deformed teeth. He had lost his nose and eyes. His legs were short but his belly was huge in girth and he was short in height. His arms were small. He was utterly deformed and his voice resembled the braying of a donkey. He had a noose in his hand. He was evil-minded and sinful. He wielded the bow ever and anon.

O Nārada, his wife and children too were like him. Urged by his wife, he entered the dense forest.

11. That sinner killed animals and birds of many forms. Some of them, both living and dead, he put inside a cage.

12. He returned home scorched and distressed due to hunger and thirst after wandering through many places.

13-14. After the months of spring season on an afternoon, the sky was suddenly overcast with clouds. There was a rumbling sound of thunder. A violent gust of wind blew, showering hailstones. It was extremely terrible due to heavy downpour. As he went ahead, the tired hunter could not even know his path.

15. As the sinful fellow was too tired, he could not know, where it was water and where it was land, where was a deep pit and where the path was right, where to take shelter and in which direction he should move.

16-17. He thought thus.‘“Where am I going? Where should I stay? What shall I do? Like the god of death I am the extractor of vital airs of all living beings. The spirit that causes even my death has come, viz. the shower of hailstones. I do not see anyone who can save me. No rock, no tree nearby.”

18-20. After thinking thus in diverse ways the hunter saw a tree nearby in the forest. It was like the lord of the forest, like the moon among the stars, like a lion among animals, Like a householder among the persons of various stages and like mind among sense-organs. It was the saviour of living beings. The tree was splendid and excellent, embellished with branches and tender sprouts and leaves. With his clothes drenched in water, that hunter resorted to that tree and sat beneath it.

21. He thought of his wife and children wondering whether they were alive or not. In the meantime the sun also set.

22. There was a pigeon on that excellent tree. He was surrounded by his wife, sons and grandsons. He had resorted to the same tree.

23. He lived there happily well-contented, delighted and free from fear. Many years passed by since that bird began to live there.

24-28. His wife who was chaste was highly pleased with him. His hollow cavity in that excellent tree was not at all affected by water or wind. That pigeon lived there along with his wife and children. On that particular day both of them, the he-pigeon and the she-pigeon had, by chance gone out in search of prey. The he-pigeon returned to the tree. As ill luck would have it, dear son, the she-pigeon was caught alive by the hunter. The he-pigeon looked at the children separated from their mother. On observing that a terrible downpour was going on, that the sun had set and that his hollow was a void he began to lament.

29. The king of pigeons was not aware that the she-pigeon was bound and kept in the cage. The he-pigeon began to sing in praise of his beloved.

30. “Even now my beloved wife, the source of my welfare, who increases my joy, the mother of my virtue and the controlling mistress of my body, has not come back.

31. It is she alone who assists me in the acquisition of virtue, wealth, love and liberation. When I am pleased she laughs; when I am angry she tries to wipe off my misery.

32. She is a comrade unto me; she helps me by her counsels. She abides by my words and suggestions. Even after the sun has set, my beloved wife, the source of my welfare, has not come back.

33. She does not know any holy rite, mantra, god, virtue or asset other than me, her husband. Her husband is her holy rite; her husband is her life; her husband is her Mantra. She is fond of her husband.

34. Even now my beloved, the source of my welfare has not come back. What shall I do? Where shall I go? Is this my house? Without her it appears to be a forest.

35. In her company my house is full of splendour and glory. Even if it is terrible, it is splendid. Even now she does not come back. By her presence alone this place is a home.

36-37. Without her I cannot remain alive. For her I shall even forsake my body. But what will my children do? I will be deprived of my religious rites now.”

Even as he was lamenting thus, the she-pigeon who was in the cage heard his lamentation. On hearing it she spoke thus to her husband from within the cage.

The she-pigeon said:

38. O bird of great intellect, I am here imprisoned (and) helpless. I have been brought here by the hunter bound by ropes and nooses.

39-40. I am gratified and blessed. My husband recounts my qualities. Undoubtedly I am contented.

When my husband is satisfied the deities are pleased with me. They are extremely pleased. Otherwise I would perish.

41. You are my deity. You are my lord. You are my friend. You are my ultimate resort. You are my holy rite. You are the great Brahman. You are my heaven. You are my salvation.

42. O my beloved husband, the cause of my welfare, do not be worried. Make your intellect steady and stable in virtue and piety. It is by your favour that different kinds of worldly pleasures have been enjoyed by me.

43. Do not have any grief or worry due to me. Keep your intellect steady and stable in virtue and piety.

Brahmā said:

44. On hearing these words of his beloved the he-pigeon got down from the tree and went hurriedly to the place where the she-pigeon was in her cage.

45. On approaching, he saw his beloved, and the hunter as though dead. He said, “Now the hunter is motionless. I shall release you.”

The she-pigeon said:

46-49. O extremely fortunate one, do not release me. Know that (the worldly) relationship is unstable. (The birds) that move about constitute the food of the hunters. One living being is the prey of another. I do not think that this hunter is guilty in any manner. Keep your consciousness of virtue steady.

To the twice-born, the fìre-god is a preceptor. The brahmin is a preceptor unto all castes. Husband alone is the preceptor of women. The guest is a preceptor unto all. Certainly the goddess of speech becomes pleased with the people who propitiate the guest by means of delightful words. If food is given to him Indra will be pleased.

50. If his feet are washed the manes are pleased. If he is given food to eat, Prajāpati is pleased. By rendering service to him Lakṣmī can be propitiated along with Viṣṇu.

51-55. If he is offered a bed, the gods are pleased. Hence, let my guest be worshipped. If a guest is scorched by the glare of the sun and is tired and if he comes to one’s house one should view him like a god. Indeed he is the bestower of benefits of all sacrifices.

Gods, manes and fires follow the exhausted guest. If he is pleased they also rejoice. If he is disappointed they are also disappointed.

Hence, O beloved husband, forsake misery in every respect and attain calmness. Keep your intellect auspicious and practise virtuous activities.

It is considered by all that rendering help or harassing persons is of great consequence. People render help to those who help them. But he who befriends those who harass him is a virtuous person.

The he-pigeon said:

56. O lady of excellent face, what has been said by you is befitting us both. What you think is excellent. But I have something to be said. Listen to it.

57. There are some who fill their belly with thousands; others with hundreds and still others with tens. Some fill themselves with happiness. But we fill our belly with great difficulty.

58. Some hoard their wealth and grain in deep pits. Others hoard their wealth in big barns. Some keep their wealth in pots. But we keep our wealth in our beaks.

59. O splendid lady, how shall I honour and propitiate this exhausted guest?

The she-pigeon said:

60. Fire, water, splendid speech etc., can be offered to the guest. Grass, wood etc. should also be given to the suppliant. This hunter is distressed due to chillness.

Brahmā said:

61. On hearing these words of his beloved the king of birds ascended the tree and saw a fire burning far off.

62. He went to the place where the fire was burning and brought a burning splinter in his beak. He lit a fire in front of the hunter.

63. During the mid-night he dropped dry twigs, leaves and grass into that fire.

64. On seeing the fire blazing, that hunter who was distressed by cold warmed his exhausted limbs and attained happiness.

65. On seeing the hunter consumed by the fire of hunger, the she-pigeon said to her husband, “O highly fortunate one, release me.

66. I shall propitiate the distressed hunter with my own body. O dear one of good holy rites, attain the worlds belonging to those who have worshipped their guests”.

The he-pigeon said:

67. O splendid lady, when I stand (i.e. when I am alive) this duty is not laid down for you. I shall be the one who propitiates the guest, permit me to be so.

Brahmā said:

68-69. After saying these words he circumambulated the fire three times remembering the four-armed lord Mahāviṣṇu who is the soul of the Universe, who is worthy of being sought refuge in and who is favourably disposed to his devotees. Saying “Eat as you please” he entered the fire. On seeing him cast off his life in the fire the hunter spoke these words.

The hunter said:

70. Fie upon this life of mine with a human body, for, this daring act has been undertaken for my sake by this king of birds.

Brahmā said:

73- 72. The she-bird spoke to the hunter who said thus.

The she-pigeon said:

O highly fortunate one, release me. This, my husband is going far off.

Brahmā said:

73. On hearing her words the hunter released the she-pigeon from the cage hurriedly as though he was afraid.

74- 78. After circumambulating the fire she sang to her dead husband.

The she-pigeon said:

Dying immediately after the husband is the greatest duty of women. This is the path laid down in the Vedas. It is honoured in the world.

Just as the snake-charmer forcibly takes out the snake from its hole, so also the woman who is accompanied by her husband shall go to heaven.

The woman who follows her husband shall stay in heaven for as many years as there are hairs in a man’s body, viz. three and a half crores of years.

After bowing down to the Earth, gods, Gaṅgā, and trees and after consoling her children, she said to the hunter:

The she-pigeon said:

79. The woman who follows her husband shall stay in heaven for as many years as there are hairs on a man’s body, viz. three and a half crores of years.

80. O highly fortunate one, it is due to your grace that such a thing has happened to me. Pardon my guilt for leaving my children. I shall go to heaven along with my husband.

Brahmā said:

81, After saying thus, the good mannered she-bird entered the fire. As soon as she entered the fire there was a cry of victory.

82. Then the pair were seen in the sky seated on an aerial chariot resembling the sun and extremely splendid. They were like gods themselves.

83-85. With great delight both of them spoke to the hunter who was surprised much.

The Couple said:

We are going to the abode of gods. We are taking leave of you, O highly intelligent one. The staircase leading to heaven for both of us is the guest in you. Obeisance to you.

Brahmā said:

On seeing them seated on the excellent aerial chariot, the hunter cast away his cage along with his bow. With palms joined in reverence he spoke.

The hunter said:

86. O highly fortunate ones, I am not to be abandoned by you. Something should be given to me who do not know anything. I am your guest here and thus should be honoured. It behoves you to recount to me the manner of my expiation.

The Couple said:

87. Go to Gautamī river, welfare be to you. Taking bath there for a fortnight you will be liberated from your sins.

88. After being liberated from your sins if you plunge into Gaṅgā again you will acquire the merit of a horse-sacrifice. You will become sanctified.

89-90. If you take a holy ablution in the excellent river Gautamī, you will abandon this defiled body. Mounting on an excellent aerial chariot, you will go to heaven.

Brahmā said:

91-94. On hearing their words the hunter did so. He became seated on an extellent aerial chariot. He assumed a divine form. He wore divine garlands and garments. He was eulogized by celestial damsels. The he-pigeon, the she-pigeon and the hunter proceeded to heaven. Such is the power of Gaṅgā.

Thenceforward that holy centre is well known by the name Kapota (pigeon). All the holy rites performed there, viz. bathing, distributing charitable gifts, worshipping the manes and all other holy rites such as Japa, Yajña, etc. are capable of giving everlasting benefit.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

A sacred grass used in religious rites; also known as darbha in older texts.

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