The Ganesha Purana (abridged)

Gaṇeśa Purāṇa

by Gregory Baily | 11,149 words

The Ganesha Purana is a Hindu religious text dedicated to the Hindu deity Ganesha (Gaṇeśa). It is an upapurāṇa that includes many stories and ritualistic elements relating to Ganesha. Ganesha Purana – Translated by Prof. Gregory Baily and Edited by C. Devadas...

Chapter 2 - The Renouncing of Somakanta

Suta Gosvami said, Sages, now you must all hear about Somakanta’s past sinful life. As a consequence of his past karma, that virtuous king suddenly began to ooze with leprosy, which was very painful. Whether it is good or bad, karma always accompanies the living being. Whatever works a man does become karma which he experiences in future lives.

As if he was a boat in the ocean, he became immersed in an ocean of sorrow. And he felt so much pain as if bitten by a snake. The distressed king’s body was completely covered with many sores dripping with purulent blood and worms. Seemingly filled with consumption, the king became very thin and deranged with anxiety. He experienced pain in all of his senses. Then having controlled his mind, with great effort, the king spoke to his ministers.

The king said, Curse my kingdom and my body. Curse my strength, my life and wealth! What has caused this disastrous karma to manifest? I have surpassed Soma in splendor, hence I am called Somakanta. And I have protected the good, the wretched, those who are versed in the Vedas, their hermitages as well as all the nations and every being as though they were my very own sons. And with my arrows I have defeated ferocious enemies. I have conquered the entire earth. And with a subdued mind and no false attachments, I correctly worshipped Sadasiva as the Supreme Self.

My body was previously scented fragrantly, but because I now emit a foul smell, my life is useless. For that reason and with your permission, I am going to the forest. For the sake of my kingdom, you must consecrate my son, Hemakanta, who possesses valor and intelligence, as king, and protect him courageously. I will never be able to show my face in this world. For me, there is no point in having a kingdom, nor wives, nor life, nor regal splendor. Prime Ministers, I will go the forest and practice austerities for my own liberation.

Suta said, Excellent Brahmins, after the king spoke he fell to the ground, like a tree blown over by the wind, with his body covered in warm purulent blood. The ministers and young women cried out loudly and the rest of his subjects made dreadful cries of distress. But by the minister’s use of healing herbs and sacred medicines, and by fanning him and wiping his body with soft clothes, they revived the king. When the king started to feel better they spoke to him as follows.

The Ministers said, Because of you, O king, we have enjoyed happiness equal to that of Indra. How are we going to live without you? We will all become as evil as the killers of mother cow. Your worthy son will now rule the kingdom. He is a strong leader, a subduer of his enemies and possesses great wealth. But leaving behind all happiness, we will now accompany you to the forest.

Suta said, Then his chief wife and heroine, Sudharma, declared that she would accompany the king to the forest and serve him. I will stay with him until the end. But you ministers should stay. You must help my son rule the kingdom as I would. When one is joined with another person, they must suffer or enjoy the results of their previous karma together. At the same time, an individual suffers or enjoys the results of their own deeds, and that is uniquely experienced by them alone. So the king enjoyed the pleasures of the kingdom and I too enjoyed various kinds of pleasurable experiences. The satras prescribe that a woman should accompany their husband in this world and the next.

The refined Hemakanta, grief stricken, spoke the following words to his father, Somakanta.

Hemakanta said, O tiger amongst men, I cannot rule the kingdom, wives or riches. Just as a lamp without oil or a body without breath is useless, so too is this kingdom without you, O upholder of dharma.

Suta said, After he had drunk the ambrosial words of his ministers, wife and son, the king, delighted at heart, addressed his son concerning dharma.

The king said, A son who always obeys his father and faithfully performs the funeral ceremony, and who offers oblations to the ancestors is indeed a good son. A son like this will also bear a son. And he also knows the true meaning of the dharma sastras and of correct political conduct. Therefore my son, knowing this, I give my command for you to rule the kingdom. In cooperation with my ministers, rule these subjects as though they were your own children. Oozing with leprosy and beyond contempt, I will go to the forest with my wife Sudharma. Consent to this my strong vowed son.

Thus ends the second chapter of the Ganesha Purana Upasanakhanda called “The Renouncing of Somakanta”

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