Chapter 97 - Subāhu Eats His Own Flesh

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Kuñjala said:

1. The king, having heard all the result of good and bad conduct as told by the sage at that time, said to the sage:

Subāhu said:

2. O best brāhmaṇa, that I (who am thus advised by you) will practise righteousness; I shall (do) meritorious (acts); O sage, I shall very much worship Vāsudeva (i.e. Viṣṇu), the source of the world.

3-6. The king would worship (i.e. worshipped) Madhusūdana (i.e. Viṣṇu) by performing sacrifices and muttering prayers. He, having performed a sacrifice, and having practised penance, and being endowed with all desired objects gladly and quickly reached Viṣṇu’s heaven (along with the queen). Having gone there he did not (i.e. could not) see the lord of gods in that great world. Great hunger arose in them, and great thirst proceeded (i.e. they felt extremely hungry and thirsty) which very much troubled their soul. The king too oppressed by hunger and thirst along with his wife and full of great grief did not see Viṣṇu.

Sūta said:

7-14. O best one, the king, along with his wife, was thus very much grieved, was perturbed and perplexed and was very much oppressed by hunger. That lord of the earth, speedily ran hither and thither. That king, with his entire body adorned with ornaments, decorated with garments and sandal (-paste applied to his body), with his body (looking) lovely on account of garlands of flowers, and with necklaces, earrings, and bracelets, and with his limbs (looking) elegant due to the lustre of jewels, moved. Thus, proceeding unhappily, being praised by bards, and full of sorrow and affliction he said (these) words to his wife: “O you very auspicious one, O you beautiful lady, being praised by the sages, I have, along with you, reached Viṣṇu’s heaven in an aeroplane. Due to which act (of mine) great hunger springs (in me); and (even) after having reached Viṣṇu’s world I have not seen (i.e. I have not been able to see) Madhusūdana (i.e. Viṣṇu). O good one, what (then) is the cause due to which I am not enjoying the great fruit(of my good deeds)? This unhappiness has arisen due to (my) own deeds.” Having thus heard his words, she said to the king:

The wife said:

15-19a. O king, you have said the truth. There is no fruit of good conduct, (though) the meritorious and noble brāhmaṇas declare in the Vedas, sacred texts and Purāṇas that a man merely by the utterance of the names of Viṣṇu, the holder of the good (i.e. powerful) disc, casts off his grief and affliction, and becomes free from all blemishes. You did propitiate the god, the holder of the conch, disc, and mace; but you did not give food to brāhm aṇas, as told by them. I understand that its fruit is that you have not seen (i.e. you could not see) Viṣṇu. O king, hunger is troubling me; thirst also would dry me up.

Kuñjala said:

19b-26a. Thus addressed by his wife, the king had his senses confounded due to anxiety. Then he saw a holy hermitage, which removed fatigue, which was crowded with divine trees, which looked beautiful with lakes, and with wells, pools and tanks full of holy water,which was crowded with swans and ducks and which looked charming with white lotuses. O son, the hermitage was splendid by the presence of philosopher-sages. (He saw) the hermitage, which was crowdel with divine trees and which looked beautiful with herds of deer. It was abounding in various flowers; it was full of agreeable fragrance; it was crowded with brāhmaṇas and siddhas; it was full of the disciples of sages; it was adorned with hosts of gods; it looked beautiful with throngs of the clusters of plantain trees having abundant fruits. It was full of many kinds of trees and was endowed with all desired objects; it was always beautiful with sandal (trees) having pleasing fragrance and with fruits.

26b-33. That king Subāhu entered with his wife that very meritorious forest satisfying desires, which was thus full of merit and had the characteristics of austerity. There was the best sage Vāmadeva, the best among the devotees of Viṣṇu, brightening all the directions like the sun, shining like the sun with very great lustre, sitting in a posture suited to profound and abstract meditation and covered with a cloth used at the time of profound and abstract meditation, and meditating upon Viṣṇu, the giver of enjoyments and salvation. Having seen that noble Vāmadeva, the best of the sages, he quickly went with his wife to him, and saluted him. Then Vāmadeva having seen the best king bent before him, having greeted the king accompanied by his wife with blessings, seated the best Subāhu on an auspicious seat and the sage (thus) honoured the king that had arrived with his wife, with a seat etc., (honoured him) by giving him water for washing his feet and respectful offerings. Then the great devotee of Viṣṇu asked the king:

Vāmadeva said:

34-35a. O lord of kings, by means of my divine knowledge I know you to be knowing the Vaiṣṇava practices, to be a devotee of Viṣṇu and to be the best man, and to be the lord of Cola. You, the guileless one, have come here with your wife Tārkṣyā.

The king said:

35b-39a. I, the guileless one, have come here, and have reached the highest place of Viṣṇu. With great devotion I have propitiated Viṣṇu, the god of gods, the lord of the world, who is pleased with devotion. O father, why do I not see the lord of gods, the husband of Kamalā (i.e. Lakṣmī)? Hunger is troubling me, so also very poignant thirst (is troubling me), O father. Due to them we two (i.e. my wife and I) are not obtaining peace and are not at all having happiness. O best sage, this is the cause of my unhappiness. Do me a favour and be well disposed (and) tell me the cause (of this).

Vāmadeva said:

39b-51 a. O lord of kings, you are always devoted to Śrīkṛṣṇa. With great devotion you have propitiated Viṣṇu by means of devoted service, by bathing (his idol) and by means of sandal, flowers etc. also. (But) you have not honoured the lord of the worlds with offerings of eatables and fruits. When you reached the tenth day (of the month, i.e. when the tenth day arrived) you have always done (this viz.) you have not given identical good food to brāhmaṇas. Having reached the eleventh day (i.e. when the eleventh day came), you did not take food. You did not give food to a brāhmaṇa, dedicating it to Viṣṇu. Food always remains in the form of nectar on the earth. Especially you have never made a present of food. O king, herbs are of various kinds. Listen to them: (They are) bitter, pungent, astringent, sweet, sour and saline; there are condiments like Asafoetida, and they are of various forms, O king. All herbs causing nourishment have sprung up from nectar. Food alone, after consecrating it with Vedic hymns, and accompanied by herbal sauces is given with an intention of dedicating it to gods in the form of Viṣṇu and the manes in the form of Viṣṇu, into the hand of a brāhmaṇa. Then after giving it to the guests one should feed his attendants. Mter that he himself eats the food resembling nectar. O king, he has no grief after death, but has happiness. O king, brāhmaṇas are manes, and gods have the form of kṣatriyas. O king, as a farmer always carries on good agriculture, in the same way a man should do agriculture in the field of the mouth of a brāhmaṇa. He should cleave it with the plough of his innate disposition and with the weapon of faith.

51b-54. Similarly intellect and penance are always looked upon as the bulls. His truthfulness, knowledge and prowess are the controller and his pure soul is the whip. He should give it up with salutations into the great field in the form of a brāhmaṇa, O king, as a farmer, engaged in an assiduous effort in farming, cleaves, dirt, in the same way, one who desires (to reach) Viṣṇu should propitiate (him). Similarly with good, meritorious words he should please brāhmaṇas also.

55-60. O king, as a farmer desiring to sow (seeds) when the cloud showers would sow (seeds), in the same way on a parvan day or at a holy place (a present) is given to a brāhmaṇa who is pleased. O great king, as a farmer enjoys the fruit of the seed sown by him, similarly a giver enjoys the fruit (of the gift given by him). He always becomes satisfied after death (i.e. in the next world) and here (i.e. in this world) (by giving a gift and) not in any other way. Brāhmaṇas are manes and gods are of the nature of fields; there is no doubt about this. So when presents are offered to them in a sacrifice, they certainly give fruits of that nature. There is no doubt about this. O king, sweet things would not spring from bitter ones; in the same way bitter things would not be produced from the ones that are known as sweet. One gets the fruit as one sows the seed. He who does not sow (seeds in) the field, does not get its fruit.

61-65. Similarly, O king, brāhmaṇas, gods and manes of the nature of a field, present the fruit of what is given. There is no doubt about it. O king, enjoy (the fruit of) your good or bad deeds in the same manner as you have done them. That cannot be otherwise. Formerly you never gave with a good mind (i.e. sincerely) sweet food and drink. You yourself enjoyed good purified eatables, food, articles of food that are sucked and drinks and (other) articles of food; but you never gave these (to brāhmaṇas etc.). You nourished your own body with food resembling nectar. O great king, since you did (this), therefore hunger has been produced (in you).

66-72a. O king, (one’s) deeds are the cause of (one’s) happiness and unhappiness, (so also) of one’s birth and death. O illustrious one, enjoy the fruit of those deeds. Formerly also noble souls reached heaven due to their deeds. After the exhaustion of (the fruit of) the deeds according to their destiny, they have again gone to (i.e. born on) the earth. Nala, Bhagīratha, so also Viśvāmitra and Yudhiṣṭhira obtained (i.e. reached) heaven by means of their deeds according to their destiny. The former deeds are destined to bear fruit; and due to them one would get happiness or unhappiness. O king, which lord (even) is able to resist it? Therefore, O greatest king, you had the affliction due to hunger and thirst, even though you have come to heaven. Therefore, (it is presumed that) your deeds were bad. If, O best king, you desire to satisfy your hunger, then go and eat your own body lying in the Ānanda forest. This your great queen also seems to be very much emaciated due to hunger.

Subāhu said:

72b-74a. O glorious one, how long have I to do that act along with my wife? (Please) tell me that. When will the grace of (Viṣṇu) be perceived? O best sage, which religious merit would be obtained by giving which gift? O you highly intelligent one, tell me that if you are pleased now.

Vāmadeva said:

74b-87a. O you very intelligent one, great happiness is obtained by the gift of food (and) of water. Mortals enjoy heaven and are not at all harassed by their sins. When men might not have given gifts (during their life-time), all (men) give gifts at the time of death. (Therefore) right from the first (a man) should give food with water. He who would offer (these) eight (kinds of) gifts (like) a good umbrella, shoes, a good vessel for (storing) water, land, pure gold, does not feel hungry or thirsty etc. in heaven. O king, by giving food hunger does not oppress (the giver, since) he is satisfied. His thirst is not acute, (since) he is fully satisfied. O king, the giver by giving the gifts of sandals and an umbrella obtains shade, and by giving shoes he obtains a vehicle, O best king. Thus I am telling something else. O noble one, by giving the gift of land he would obtain all his desired objects. O great king, by giving a cow one would always prosper with desires (i.e. desired objects). The man enjoying all pleasures would live in heaven. There is no doubt that the giver (of a cow) becomes satisfied by giving a cow. He is free from diseases, is endowed with pleasures, is content, and possesses wealth. Due to the gift of gold he becomes (a man) of good complexion; there is no doubt about it. A man would become rich, handsome, heroic, and enjoyer of gems. He who gives sesamum seeds when the time of death has come, becomes the lord of all enjoyments and goes to Viṣṇu’s world. Thus by special gifts great happiness in obtained. O lord of kings, when you were alive, you did not give a cow (or) land (or) food and water to a brāhmaṇa. You did not give (any of these objects) even at the time of death. Therefore hunger has arisen in you.

87b-88a. Thus I have told you the cause that arose due to your deeds. As a deed is done so it (i.e. its fruit) is enjoyed.

Subāhu said:

88b-90a. O best sage, how will my hunger be satiated? My body, parched up with it is extremely afflicted. O best brāhmaṇa, tell us too about our hunger and about the atonement for our terrible deeds, so that I shall have peace.

Vāmadeva said:

90b-93a. O best king, there is no other atonement than eating (your own bodies). Relying on your own exertions you will enjoy all the fruit of these deeds. O king, from here you should go (there) where your body fell, so also of your wife. There is no doubt about it. O king, both of you, you and your wife, should eat up your own inexhaustible body. There is no doubt about this.

The king said:

93b-94a. O noble one, advise me about the measure (i.e. the length of) time as to how long I, with my wife, have to eat (up our own bodies).

Vāmadeva said:

94b-95. When you will hear the great hymn (in honour) of Vāsudeva, destroying great sins, you will obtain meritorious salvation. O king, I have told you all this. Go and eat up (your own body).

96-113. Hearing (the words) like this, the king, along with his wife ate up the flesh of his own body. Everyday like that (i.e. as already told) the body again would become (i.e. became) full, O very intelligent one. O son, the king and the queen ate up (the flesh) of their (own bodies). As the king went on eating (his own) body, the two ladies laughed. I shall tell you about their temperament. With (Śraddhā) very chaste Prajñā laughed at the behaviour of the king. The imperishable Śraddhā (also) always laughed at him. Being urged by Prajñā, you did not give with reverence food to brāhmaṇas after dedicating it to Viṣṇu. In this way (the king) everyday ate up the flesh of his own body. His wife also ate up her own body with nectar-like taste. O you of a good vow, then at the end of a hundred years, he, remembering the great sage Vāmadeva, condemned himself. (He said to himself:) ‘I never gave (food) to manes and deities and to brāhmaṇas. I did not give (food) to guests, especially to old ones. I did not, through pity, give (food) to the poor and the weak.’ Thus condemning his deeds, he ate his own flesh. Then seeing Subāhu, along with his wife, eating (their) own flesh, the two ladies—Prājñā and Śraddhā laughed (at them). His pure soul laughed at the fruit of those deeds. (The soul said:) ‘O you of a sinful heart, (even) due to my company and close contact, you did not give (gifts).’ Prajñā also with the words, ‘O king, where has the great folly, by which you were deluded, gone?’ laughed (at him). (A man) is thrown into the ditch of darkness due to greed along with delusion. Having fallen there, you threw me into a painful peril. O king, having left the path of giving gifts you went to the path of greed. Being very much afflicted by hunger eat along with your wife (the flesh of your own body).’ Thus that Prajñā laughed at that Subāhu accompanied by his wife. O son, this is the reason ol their laughing. When, O you very wise one, the king was eating (the flesh), the two, viz. hunger and thirst being pained always begged of him and said: ‘Give (us), give (us the flesh).’ The two asked the lord of kings for food mixed with milk (or water). I have told you all that you had asked me. O you very intelligent one, what else I shall (i.e. should) narrate to you?

Vijvala said:

114. O father, tell me that hymn called (the hymn in honour of) Vāsudeva, by (reciting) which the king would reach salvation—that highest place of Viṣṇu.