Chapter 92 - Citrās Story

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Sūta said:

1. Hearing these words of that Nārada, that king, being amazed, saluted him, and thinking of Viṣṇu in his mind, said (to him):

Ambarīṣa said:

2-6. How should we err about it, since by means of little exertion a śūdra behaving sinfully obtained excellent brāhmaṇa-hood? O dear one, to obtain brāhmaṇa-hood, even by means of various acts of religious merit, is difficult. (Then) how is it that the mean one obtained it (merely) by bathing (daily) during the month of Vaiśākha? O lord, even rich kings like me do not obtain the lordship of the earth by (performing) sacrifices, (giving) gifts, (practising) severe austerities, and other acts called (acts of) religious merit. That (Viśvāmitra, the) son of Gādhi obtained it after a long time and with great difficulty by practising continuously for full hundred years various kinds of severe austerities and with many efforts. How is it (then) that that sinful one belonging to the lowest caste, bereft of his own duties, poor and non-giver obtained through this small religious merit done without exertion the essential nature of Rāma?

Nārada said:

7-12a. O king, you have told the truth. Brāhmaṇa-hood is very difficult to get. The ways of Dharma are subtle and difficult to understand. Strange are the deeds; strange is the thought of a being; strange are the beings; and strange are the powers of deeds. O king, at some time a good deed, done in secret, thrives due to some auspicious act. It gives great fruit even in the same existence. This is mysterious and subtle Dharma. It cannot be carried in any manner. No certainty about the time when it would give fruit is known. Whatever good deed concealed by other sins, comes from somewhere and at some place and gives a good fruit.

12b-18. In this world (the fruit of) a good or bad deed does not perish. Yet due to many auspicious acts (even) a formidable sin perishes. O king, you said that the fruit of a deed would be obtained there due to greater exertion; in that matter listen to what I say. If smallness and greatness of a deed depended on little exertion and much exertion (respectively), then there are men observing great vows and constantly doing deeds. There is great exertion to obtain the urine of a lion, a tiger etc. Therefore, in a rite the products of a cow are recommended. Thus if repetition of a deed would-mean its greatness, then entering water, fire etc. would be smaller than (any) other vow. There is no rule which says this is small or that is great. The fruit of it that is laid down in sacred texts is alone its great produce, as a great thing destroys a small one or a small thing destroys a great one. The destruction of grass (i.e. hay) is seen (to take place) even due to a small spark.

19-24. O king, Ajāmila was known to be the husband of a maid servant. He had forsaken his religiously wedded wife; he constantly remained in (i.e. committed) sins. At the time of his death he called his son by his name Nārāyaṇa. And due to uttering the name (of Viṣṇu) he obtained a very difficult position (i.e. salvation). As fire though touched unwillingly (i.e. unknowingly) burns, in the same way, the name of Viṣṇu, even though it is uttered under some pretext, burns (sins). (Sins due to) myriads of killings, thousands of swearings, all thefts, crores of violations of the teacher’s wife are instantly destroyed by (uttering) the name ‘Govinda’ dear to Viṣṇu. O hero, whatever small good deed full of devotion to Viṣṇu is done by a learned man, would have an inexhaustible fruit. No doubt should be entertained about this.

25-33. A man having devoutly worshipped Viṣṇu in the month of Vaiśākha, would obtain whatever is desired by him. Due to devotion to Viṣṇu, children, wealth, wife, land, mansion, horses, elephants, pleasures, heaven and salvation are not away (i.e. are easy to obtain). Thus by means of a small act laid down in the sacred texts, if it is done according to the proper rites, even a great sin would perish. There is no doubt about this. O learned one, due to the excellence of the devotion and the act, there would be greater fruit. The ways of Dharma are subtle, and are difficult to be known even by the wise. This month of Vaiśākha is dear to glorious Viṣṇu. Even all alone it gives all the desired objects in the three worlds. In my view a wise one who gives gifts without sincerity even from his birth, and one who somehow bathes with the holy water of Gaṅgā at the proper place and time, is not purified. A man of wicked thoughts, though at the time of death enters fire, blazing by the sprinkling of ghee and oil with its flames turning all round, and is burnt, yet he does not obtain heaven or any other (similar) fruit. Gods live at the holy places on (the bank of) Gaṅgā etc., so also hosts of yakṣas live in temples. They, being bereft of devotion, observe fast and perish, (but) do not get the (desired) fruit. Therefore, we are not able to describe the religious merit of him who intent upon bathing (daily) and purified, would, having kept devotion in the lotus of his heart, devoutly worship Viṣṇu in the month of Vaiśākha. O king, in this context also listen to an old account.

34-44a. I shall tell you about a certain queer fruit due to the favour of the month ofVaiśākha and of Viṣṇu, viz. that a certain brāhmṇa woman obtained. Formerly there was the lord of Kānti well-known as Divodāsa. His daughter, a great gem, always best among females endowed with virtues and beauty, of a good character and charming and auspicious, and matchless in beauty on the earth, was known as Divyādevī. Her father saw her endowed with form and beauty. Seeing his daughter Divyādevī, the king became anxious as to which good, glorious bride-groom this daughter should be given. (Thus) thinking and properly knowing the king of Rūpadeśa the king called the magnanimous Citrasena and gave his daughter to that intelligent Citrasena. O king, when the time of his marriage came, that Citrasena died due to the perversity of destiny. The religious-minded king Divodāsa thought and, O king, having called brāhmaṇas, he asked them: “At the time of her marriage Citrasena died. (Please) tell me what kind of fate she will have.”

A brāhmaṇa said:

44b-58. O king, the marriage of a daughter is performed according to sacred injunctions. Another husband is enjoined by the scriptures in the case of a woman, when her husband dies, or when he forsakes her, or when afraid of a great disease he abandons her and goes away, or, O king, if he would renounce the world. Mainly it is the father who would get (his daughter) married. There is no doubt about this. This is, O king, what is ordained by the good people in law books.

The best brāhmaṇas said: “Get her married.” The religious-minded Divodāsa was urged by the brāhmaṇas. The king made up his mind to get her married. O king, again he gave Divyādevī away in marriage to the meritorious, magnanimous king Puṣpasena. That king too died at the time of marriage. Whenever the glorious father (king Divodāsa), extremely afflicted, made an effort at getting her married, at the auspicious moment (of marriage) the husband died. Then twenty-one husbands died at different times. Then the king, of a known valour, being firm along with the minister, called him, and the lord of the earth decided upon her self-choice marriage. Then he invited many kings and chiefs devoted to religion for her self-choice marriage. Those foolish kings disturbed by her beauty and pounded by death fought among themselves. Thus, O lord, men, those kṣatriyas perished. Divyādevī, afflicted with grief, then wept piteously. Then king Divodāsa, seeing that girl very much afflicted and weeping, saluted, with his neck (bent) politely, his family-priest knowing law, having sacred knowledge, and practising penance (and said to him).

Divodāsa said:

59. Favour me and tell me what the great sin of my daughter Divyādevī is, that has done this (mis-)deed.

Jātukarṇa said:

60-76. O hero, I shall tell you the deeds of Divyādevī done in her former existence. Listen while I am telling them. There is a holy city called Vārāṇasī that destroys sins. In it there was a very wise man named Suvīra. He was born in the vaiśya caste and was endowed with wealth and grains. His wife, O very wise one, was quite well-known as Citrā. Abandoning the family-practices, she behaved badly. She did not care for her husband, and remained in (doing) fearful deeds. She, of a wicked mind, gave up auspicious acts, and acted sinfully. She, a wanton woman, loving quarrels, always censured her husband. Always given to staying in another man’s house, she wandered much. The wicked' one would always find the weak point of others among the beings. She was engaged in condemning the good; she always laughed very much. She was addicted to bad company; due to her speech she was dear to people of bad conduct. She was. cunning; she hated religious people; she was a liar. Knowing her to be like this, Suvīra married another (woman). That pious Vīra (i.e. Suvīra) always given to truly holy thoughts constantly enjoyed, according to pious ways, objects of senses dear to his heart and happily along with that new wife. He was honoured by that unlimitedly truthful chaste lady of a good mind. That strange Citrā, of an excellent complexion, a wanton woman, hating piety in company of (i.e. with) virtues, was driven out by him. Moving freely and being shameless she moved with her paramour. She joined those who were engaged in (committing) sins; she was attached to the job of a messenger. She was skilled in the art of a go-between of other women. She broke families and had a crooked heart. Having called a chaste woman she would urge her by words generating conviction in stories about the desire for diversion and sports. The sinful one would stir the minds of good men and women. She would cause good women to be offered to other men (than their own husbands). Thus she caused fraud, bereft of the host of pious (acts), to be done (by others). Having thus enjoyed for a hundred years. She lived like a prostitute. Always given to sinful acts she died in course of time. She was born as your daughter Divyādevī in your house. She was (born) as a beautiful girl endowed with a (good) form, as she was urged by her destiny in the former (existences).

Nārada said:

77. Hearing these words of him (i.e. Jātukarṇa), Divodāsa was extremely amazed. The king spoke sweet words to the sage Jātukarṇa.

Divodāsa said:

78-79. When she who was of such a bad behaviour and engaged in bad acts, died, how is it that she was born as a worthy daughter of mine, whose deity is Lakṣmī’s hushand (i.e. Viṣṇu) and who am born in a very noble family? And, O sage, due to which strange religious act, she doing (such) acts has obtained a lucky birth, difficult to get, in a large, royal, rich family?

Nārada said:

80. Having heard these words of enquiry of that king, the wise sage then spoke a few true and pleasant words.

Jātukarṇa spoke:

81-86. Citrā, deceiving covert, lustful paramours, bereft of wealth and intelligence, by means of strange sexual unions, and drinking poisonous drinks, went from here and became a prostitute in the very famous city (called) ‘Nāga’. A certain brāhmaṇa, afflicted and troubled, (but) of a pure heart, one evening came to that city named Nāga. Not seeing any other place (for camping), the ignorant one went to the house of Citrā. (Merely) by looking at him, the prostitute very much deluded him. He was pleased by her with shampooing his feet, bathing him, offering him a tāmbūla, a seat and food, and diversions. Then he was free from dejection. Then with strange sexual unions, she, absolutely without having any purpose in view, served him well. The brāhmaṇa who was attached (to her) due to her peculiar devotion, passed the entire night with her. When, in the morning, he was about to leave, he whose mind was somehow attached to Citrā and who was pleased by her being solely devoted (to him), with her acts and deeds (said):

The brāhmaṇa said:

87-98. O dear one, I who am pleased (by you) must do a good turn in return. I shall without any discrimination tell you my strong affliction. Listen with respect to that auspicious (act) which destroys all sins, a description of (i.e. told by) the brāhmaṇas, formerly telling a tale on the bank of Narmadā. He who in the month ofVaiśākha, when the Sun enters Aries, carefully bathes even for three days just before sunrise, is freed from heaps of sins. He who for the entire month of Vaiśākha would bathe outside (his house), and would worship Viṣṇu with due rites, also destroys his sins. A man is freed from great sins especially by such acts as bathing at a holy place and giving gifts (there) during the month of Vaiśākha. The heap of great sins freely remains in the body of a man till he gladly, at dawn, before sunrise, bathes (at a holy place), when the Sun has entered the Zodiacal sign Aries. Thus I heard from the brāhmaṇas that were talking, about the excellent boat (useful) in crossing the ocean of many sins. Nearby is the excellent river Śivadehā. To destroy that stream of sins I am going to bathe there. O dear one, if you like, or if your mind is detached (from the worldly existence) then come with me for the bath in Vaiśākha. This life, so also this extremely charming youth are transitory. They are the cause of the stay in hell, and it would be difficult for us to avoid it. You pleased me and caused me to fall into the ocean of sins, which is true even of the great who live with the wicked. What is the use of talking much in this matter? Delay for (even) a moment is not proper. I shall emancipate you also, if you have special attachment to Viṣṇu.

Citrā said:

99-100. O lord, due to luck I am having your company as a result of (my) religious merit. My mind is certainly detached. It has a dislike for the worldly existence. Indeed I have learnt in (i.e. from) the sacred texts about the company of the good. My salutation to him who is inconceivable and uncontrolled.

Jātukarṇa said:

101-109. Speaking like this and urged by the sage that Citrā, after having taken a little wealth that was there with her, then went with him. Then that brāhmaṇa also reached the body (i.e. the stream) of Śivadehā in the month of Vaiśākha, bathed (there), and the kind one gave her the joy of bathing on that day. Then the kind-hearted brāhmaṇa made that Citrā, talking beautifully, bathe according to the proper rite. When the brāhmaṇas were separately reading the Purāṇas, she gladly heard there the greatness of the bath in Vaiśākha, by merely hearing which the darkness of sins gets exhausted, as at the sunrise the stream (i.e. the heap) of darkness perishes. She, due to the bath in that holy water causing cessation of birth, of Śivatanu (i.e. Śivadehā), had her mind pure and she became spotless like the sun’s lustre. There in the Revā various people longing for the end of (the visits to) the worlds and engrossed in the service to Viṣṇu plunged in Vaiśākha. The men who clean their impure bodies in (the water of) Narmadā, giving happiness here (only), especially in the month of Vaiśākha, become those who enjoy the sports of the kings of mortals. (Merely) by (one’s) remembering Revā she destroys the sin (committed) from birth. When seen, she (destroys the sin) of ten existences. If somehow (someone) bathes in her, she (destroys) the sins of a hundred births. When she is resorted to, she gives (residence in) Rudra’s heaven.

110-123. During the entire month of Vaiśākha that Citrā bathed in the water of Narmadā, and every day, according to her capacity, gave something to brāhmaṇas. Due to the company of the brāhmaṇa she devoutly listened to the prayer to Viṣṇu,. when the brāhmaṇas there recited it. Having bathed there in the water of Revā for the entire month of Vaiśākha, and having received, according to the proper rite, (a blessing) about absence of defect from the brāhmaṇas, she lived there for a month. That brāhmaṇa named Sudeva also made a new hut there, lived in the hut due to compassion for Citrā and favouring her incessantly bathed in the water of Revā. Then after some time the brāhmaṇa died. After him, O king, Citrā also died. Due to the religious merit of (i.e. collected during) the month of Vaiśākha she, without seeing (i.e. experiencing) the torments inflicted by Yama, became your daughter at that time only. It is the result of the acts of (i.e. done during) that (month), that she obtained (birth) in a king’s family which is devoted to Viṣṇu, which is pure, and which cannot be obtained by sinners, O hero; and O best among men, her excellent name was (fixed as) Divyādevī She is enjoying the fruit of the food, enjoyments, pleasures and happiness that she formerly gave to the brāhmaṇa, though she was associated with him as a prostitute and of that little that she gave after having bathed in the month of Vaiśākha. She is drinking cold water and incessantly eating sweet food; and, enjoying divine enjoyments, lives in the house of the lord (i.e. you); and, being tormented by pain, grief etc. enjoys whatever is given by destiny. A little of the fruit of her act, viz. that she was engaged in breaking the houses (i.e. families of men and women), has (now) come up. O hero, that beautiful woman, though a great sinner, was born as your daughter without going through the torments inflicted by Yama due to the efficacy of the bath in the month of Vaiśākha. O hero, I have thus told you the behaviour of your daughter which was due to bad acts during her entire (former) existence.