Chapter 121 - The End of Vihuṇḍa

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Kāmodā said:

1-3. He is said to be soul, whose limit or form (even) all deities do not know, and in which all this is merged; and the expansion of whose illusion is this worldly existence. Listen, O Nārada. For what reason does my lord, the master of the world go to the worldly existence? A man, who is bound by sinful and even meritorious acts, moves to the worldly existence. O brāhmaṇa, tell (me) why Viṣṇu would go to worldly existence?

Nārada said:

4. O respectable lady, listen, listen to what the disc-holder (i.e. Viṣṇu) did. In front of Bhṛgu he took a pledge: “I shall protect the sacrifice.”

5-8. But at the words of Indra, Govinda (i.e. Viṣṇu) suddenly left the best sacrifice and went to fight with demons. When the god left the sacrifice and went (to fight with the demons), then the best wicked-minded demons came and destroyed the entire sacrifice. That Bhṛgu, the best among the meditating saints, cursed him: “Censured by my curse, haveten existences. Janār-dana (i.e. Viṣṇu) will take the fruit of his own act.” For that reason, O respectable lady, you saw the bad dream.

9-21. Saying so, that brāhmaṇa, Nārada, went to Brahma’s heaven. Due to the great misery of Kṛṣṇa (i.e. Viṣṇu) she was afflicted at that time. The young lady wept piteously and repeatedly (expressed her grief by) uttering words like ‘alas’. O son, listen, she sat on the bank of the Ganges near the water; and due to grief she shed tears from her beautiful eyes. Those tears shed by her fell into the water of the Ganges; and her tears sank just into the water, and they again sprang up in the form of lotuses. Drifted in (the stream of) the water of the Ganges, they flowed. The best demon, deluded by Viṣṇu’s Māyā, saw them. Though told by the sage (viz. Nārada) he did not realize that they were due to grief. The demon being full of great joy, took them. That lord of demons, deluded by Viṣṇu’s Māyā, would worship (i.e. worshipped) Girijā’s husband (i.e. Śiva) with those seven crores of blooming lotuses. Then the mother of the world got angry, and said (these) words to Śiva: “O you highly intelligent one, see the impious act of this demon. With his mind overpowered by the passion of love, he is taking the lotuses, sprung from grief, and gone to (i.e. found in) the water of the Ganges. With those flowers, sprung from grief and sorrow, and causing distress and tormentation, the wicked-minded one would worship (you). How would great felicity be possible for him?” “He will succeed in the same manner as he would worship me. He is bereft of truth and meditation. He has set his mind on Kāmodā. He has been (a demon) of a bad behaviour. O goddess. kill him with your lustre.” Hearing these words of the noble Śiva, (she said:) “O Śiva, by your order, I shall destroy him only.”

22-29. Saying so, the goddess (Pārvatī) remained (there) desiring to kill that Vihuṇḍa. She thought of a means to kill him. Taking up an illusory form of a magnanimous brāhmaṇa, she would worship (i.e. worshipped) lord Śiva with good flowers of Pārijāta. That wicked demon, overpowered by passion of love, very much afflicted, thinking about her, and his mind set upon her would come (there) and destroy that divine worship. The sinful demon, tormented by Cupid’s arrows remembered that great Illusion of Viṣṇu, seen before. Merely by remembering her, he (tormented) by strong Cupid (i.e. feeling of love), and afflicted by the grief due to separation (from her), he wept again and again. Overpowered by Death, the wicked-minded one took those (lotuses) sprung from grief, came there, desiring to worship the great lord (Śiva). Having destroyed the worship offered by goddess (Pārvatī), he would worship (i.e. worshipped Śiva) with (the lotuses) sprung from grief, through great greed. Tears fell continuously from the eyes of the wicked one on the top of the Phallus.

30. The goddess (i.e. Pārvatī) with (i.e. who had taken up) the form of a brāhmaṇa said to him, O you very intelligent one: “Who are you that worship the god with your mind always full of grief.

31. Your tears, impure, due to grief, are falling on the head of the god. Tell me the meaning of this.”

Vihuṇḍa said:

32-36a. Formerly I saw a lady, the wealth of all blissful things, endowed with all (good) marks, and a great abode of Cupid. Through attraction for her, being parched by Cupid, I became distressed. She said (to me): “For union (with you) give me an excellent share (of your wealth). Worship the great lord with flowers springing from Kāmodā and difficult to be obtained. Throw round my neck the garland made of those flowers. Worship the great lord with flowers numbering seven crores.” For her I am worshipping the lord who gives the fruit (of one’s act) with the flowers of Kāmodā, difficult to be obtained by gods and demons.”

Śrīdevī (i.e. Pārvatī) spoke:

36b-38a. Where is the devotion, where is the meditation, where is the knowledge of you, the wicked-minded one? God has absolutely no connection with you. Tell me now as to how the excellent form of Kāmodā is. Where did you get the good flowers sprung from her laughter?

Vihuṇḍa said:

38b-41a. I do not know devotion or meditation. I have never seen her. I have been everyday collecting them from the water of the Ganges. With those I worship Śiva alone. (This is what) I (have to) say. Magnanimous Śukra also told it to me. On his word I am everyday worshipping the lord of gods. I have now told you all that you asked me about.

Śrīdevī said:

41b-51. O wicked one, every morning you are worshipping the Phallus with flowers sprung from the weeping of Kāmodā due to grief. Obtain the fruit in the same way as you have worshipped the lord of lords with flowers. Having destroyed the divine worship you are worshipping (the lord) with flowers sprung from grief. This very terrible sin has arisen in your case. Therefore I will give you punishment. Enjoy the fruit of your deed!

Hearing her words he, dragged by Death, said to her: “O you wicked one, O you of a bad conduct, O you who are spoiling my undertaking, I shall undoubtedly kill you with this sword only.” Speaking thus to the brāhmaṇa, he took the sharp sword and the wicked-minded demon, desiring to kill him, ran to him. That goddess, the spouse of the lord, who was in the form of a brāhmaṇa, got angry. Seeing Vihuṇḍa to have come to her seat, she sent out a 'hum’ sound. Due to that ‘hum’ sound, the mean demon fell down unconscious, like a mountain struck with the thunderbolt by (Indra) taking many forms. When that demon, destroying all people, fell down, people obtained peace, free from all misery and tormentation. For this reason, O child, that beautiful lady, with her mind full of grief, is lamenting on the bank of the Ganges. I have told you all this that you had asked.

Viṣṇu said:

52. O king, speaking thus to his good son, very intelligent Kuñjala, the lord of birds, ceased (speaking). He did not say anything more.