Chapter 61 - Pippala’s Penance

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Vena said:

1. You have described the holy place in the form of wife, the best of all holy places. Now tell about the sacred place in the form of dead ancestors, which is a great emancipater of sons.

Viṣṇu said:

2-7. In the great sacred region (called) Kurukṣetra (there lived) a brāhmaṇa named Kuṇḍala. That noble Kuṇḍala had a good son by name Sukarman. His parents were very old, knew religious practices, and were proficient in sacred precepts. Both the noble ones were afflicted with old age. He, who knew piety, and who was full of sincerity, devotedly and continuously served them night and day. He, intent on (following) all (good) practices, knowing piety and a lover of knowledge, learnt from that (i.e. his) father, many sacred treatises; and he himself massaged the bodies of the two. He also washed their feet, bathed and fed them with devotion and naturally became thoughtful about them. O best king, he (thus) served his mother and father.

Sūta said:

8-11. At the time he lived there was a brāhmaṇa, (a descendent) of the noble Kaśyapa, O best king. He, void of passion, free from jealousy, endowed with pity, charity and restraint, having subdued lust and anger, practised penance without eating food. The intelligent one, solely devoted to knowledge and tranquility, went to Daśāraṇya, and the high-souled one having controlled his senses performed penance (there). Due to the power of his penance, the beings, free from fighting (with one another) lived there, in that age, as it were remaining in one (and the same) womb.

12-28. Seeing that (severe) penance of him, the sages were amazed. (They said:) ‘None else has practised penance as this one is doing.’ So gods led by Indra, were highly amazed. (They said:) ‘Oh what severe penance he is practising? How great is his tranquility and restraint over senses?’ Being free from emotion and agitation, and enduring cold, wind and heat, he remained (there) like a mountain. The best brāhmaṇa, disinclined to pleasures of senses, patient at heart, did not hoard anything and did not hear the sound of anyone. Having taken up a position like that, he, with a concentrated mind, meditating upon Brahman, remained there with his lotus-like face full of joy. Resembling stone and wood, he remained motionless like a mountain. Very firm and loving piety he appeared like a post. His body was afflicted with penance. He was full of faith, and was free from jealousy. (Practising penance) in this way, the intelligent one passed a thousand years. Many ants constructed on this body a huge ant-hill with a heap of clay, as his abode. In the interior of the ant-hill he remained motionless. In this way that brāhmaṇa (named) Pippala practised very great (i.e. severe) penance. The best brāhmaṇa (Pippala) was surrounded on all sides by black serpents. (The serpents) of a strong poison bit that brāhmaṇa of an intense penance. Poison (even) after reaching the vulnerable points of his body did not harm it. Due to the brāhmaṇa’s lustre the serpents became peaceful. From his body rose many flames of blazing lustre. They appeared separately. O best man (i.e. O king), they were just like the more (i.e. very) hot (flames) of fire. As the sun, having entered the interior of clouds, shines with his rays, in the same way the brāhmaṇa remaining in the ant-hill shone with his lustre. O best king, angry serpents bit the brāhmaṇa with their teeth, but even after piercing his skin, they did (i.e. could) not cleave (his body), with the tips of their teeth. O lord of kings, in this way the noble sage passed a thousand years in practising penance. The period, attended by cold, rain and heat was thus passed by the noble Pippala who subdued the three times, O great king. In the same way the noble one also ate (i.e. lived on) air.

29-31. He passed three thousand years in practising penance. Then soon the gods showered flowers on his head. (They said to him:) “O you noble one, you know Brahman, you know piety, there is no doubt about it. You have become full of all knowledge (i.e. omniscient) due to your deeds. You will certainly get (i.e. fulfil) whatever desire you have. You, on your own, will have all your desires accomplished (i.e. satisfied).”

32-37. Hearing (these) great words, that large-hearted Pippala, with his neck (i.e. head) devoutly bent down, and full of great joy, spoke (these) words: “O best gods, do that by which this entire world would be under my control. May I be a Vidyādhara.” O best king, speaking like this, the intelligent one ceased (to speak). The gods then said to the best brāhmaṇa: “Let it be so.” O noble one, having given the boon to that magnanimous (Pippala) they left. When the gods had left, that best brāhmaṇa Pippala was everyday devoted to sacred knowledge, and thought (as to how he would) control everything. O best king, since then Pippala, the best brāhmaṇa, obtained the status of a Vidyādhara, and was honoured as one moving according to his own desire.

38-41. In this way that brāhmaṇa Pippala attained the status of a Vidyādhara, and became well-versed in all branches of knowledge and the lord of gods. Once that Pippala of great lustre thought: ‘I shall have everything under my control. I have been granted the best boon.’ The best brāhmaṇa (Pippala) was eager to ascertain it. He would bring (i.e. brought) under control whatever he wanted to. When he thus became confident, he thought: ‘In the world there is no other best brāhmaṇa like me.’

Sūta said:

42-46. O king, knowing the thought of that noble Pippala who was thinking like this, the crane which was on the bank of a lake said to Pippala in a melodious tone, charming and full of charity: “Why do you have this great pride? I do not think you have the power to bring everything under your control. This act of subjugating everything is recent (or is on this side). O Pippala, you, whose intellect is confounded, do not know what is ancient (or is on the other side). O brāhmaṇa, why do you in vain entertain pride when you have practised penance for three thousand years?

47-53a. That wise and very intelligent Sukarman, who was the son of Kuṇḍala had all the world under his control. Now listen. That intelligent one knew the recent (or on this side) and the ancient (or on the other side). O Pippala, listen, there is no one so very wise as he was. You are not like (that) Sukarman, the son of Kuṇḍala. He did not give gifts. He did not reflect on knowledge. He never performed acts like offering oblations or sacrifices. He never went on a pilgrimage, nor did he ever offer excellent service to fire for resorting to (i.e. obtaining) religious merit. He moved at will, he was ever a friend of (i.e. always loved) his father and mother. He was endowed with the knowledge of the Vedas, and was well-versed in the meaning of all branches of knowledge. You do not have that knowledge which even that child (i.e. even as a child) Sukarman had. In vain you are proud.”

Pippala said:

53b-60. Who are you in the form of a bird, that are thus censuring me? Why do you condemn my knowledge? Of what kind is the ancient knowledge? Explain that to me in detail. How do you have knowledge (i.e. How have you come to possess knowledge)? Now tell me the scope of the recent (or inferior) as well as of the ancient (or superior knowledge), in detail and accompanied by learning, O best bird; and (tell me) whether you are Brahma, or Viṣṇ U, or Rudra.

The crane spoke:

Your penance does not exist; (therefore) you will not have its fruit. Hear now about the penance which you have not practised. You do not have the virtue which the child of Kuṇḍala had. Nor do you have the knowledge (which he had). Nor have you known the (highest) place (as he knew). O best brāhmaṇa, having gone from here you ask (him) about my form. He, the religious-minded one, will explain to you all knowledge.

Víṣṇu said:

Having heard all that which the crane said, he speedily went to the great hermitage in Daśāraṇya.