Chapter 94 - The Means of Destroying Sins

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Ambarīṣa said:

1-5. O lord, I desire to hear that hymn which destroys sins (and) by merely hearing which the heap of sins melts away. I am lucky; I am favoured, that I was made to hear the auspicious rite by merely hearing which the (fruit of) bad deeds that is earned is lost; then what is wonderful there if (greater merit is earned) by auspicious ablutions in the month ofVaiśākha sacred to god Viṣṇu? By ablutions which are laid down as compulsory the heap of sins perishes. Even by the recital of his name, there would be (i.e. one would reach) his heaven. O sage, I think that which is called Viṣṇu’s name is alone meritorious, great, pure, charming, to be attained in the world by good deeds only, and is present in the month of Vaiśākha. Oh! they are blessed who remember the name of Viṣṇu in the month of Vaiśākha. O (sage), tell me again his account which is pure and which is the friend of all.

Sūta said:

6. Hearing the words of the best king to whom Viṣṇu was dear, the sage was pleased, and though he was eager for having the bath in Vaiśakha, he said so because of his interest in the account of Viṣṇu.

Nārada said:

7-8. O king, it is true that this rite of sweet talk about the account of Viṣṇu between ourselves is pure; and it is superior to the holy bath in the month of Vaiśākha, as (the talk is) with you whose deity is Viṣṇu. On the earth I look upon him as the devotee of Viṣṇu, whose life is for Dharma, whose Dharma is for Viṣṇu, and whose days and nights are (spent in doing) virtuous deeds.

9-10. O king, I shall tell you a little about the fruit due to the bath in Vaiśakha. Even my father would not be able to tell in detail the entire (account of the importance of Vaiśākha), by merely bathing in which the dead got emancipation. Sinners bathed in the superior water of Narmada in the month of Vaiśākha.

11-17a. Formerly a brāhmaṇa who was known as Muniśarman, who was religious-minded, who was truthful, who was pure, who possessed tranquillity and restraint, so also forgiveness and contentment, who was engaged in rites in honour of the dead ancestors, who followed the injunct ions of the sacred texts and the codes of laws, who was engaged in (speaking) sweet words, who was diligent in worshipping Viṣṇu, who was intent on the company of the devotees of Viṣṇu, who knew (what happens in) the three times, who was engrossed in his own duty, who was wise, tender-hearted, to whom his wife was dear, who was kind, very intelligent, who knew the essential nature of things, who was learned and dear to brāhmaṇas, while wandering for pilgrimage to the holy places went to Revā for bathing in the month of Vaiśākha and saw before him five men who were very much afflicted, who did not touch one another, whose bodies were dark, who were seated after having resorted to the shade of a bunyan tree, who, with their hearts dejected, were looking in all directions.

17b-20. Seeing them the best brāhmaṇa, being thought: ‘Who are these men here in the forest, who are frightened, and whose movements are timid? They appear to be thieves, with their forms changed, and sharing one another’s company. These, having dark, lustrous bodies are talking to one another’. While the best and wise brāhmaṇa was thinking like this, all (the men) came there, and remaining away (i.e. at a distance) from him, and respectfully joining the palms of their hands and saluting him, spoke clearly thus:

The five men said:

21-30a. We are looking upon you as the best, bright man, venerable due to your behaviour, chief among the kind, O brāhmaṇa. Listen to our words. You are our friend. The good are the prop of the helpless who have become sinful due to fate. The good remove the suffering of the oppressed merely by their sight. I am a kṣatriya, named Vīravāhana, and a resident of the Pāñcāla country. Through folly I killed a brāhmaṇa with an arrow hit ting an invisible mark, the sound of which was only heard. I was bereft of the lock of hair on the crown of my head and of the sacred thread, and was without a mark. I roamed on the earth saying, “I am the killer of a brāhmaṇa. Give alms to me who am a killer of a brāhmaṇa and who am very sinful.” Thus wandering at all holy places, I have come here. O best sage, my (sin due to the) killing of a brāhmaṇa does not go away even today. O lord, doing like this I who am being burnt by sin, and whose heart is full of grief, have passed a year. O brāhmaṇa, this other one that is seen here, is a brāhmaṇa (named) Candraśarman. O brāhmaṇa, with his mind full of folly he killed his preceptor. He is said to be the killer of his preceptor due to his mind being full of folly. He lived in the country of Māgadha. He was abandoned by his kinsmen. Since then wandering due to (ill) luck, he has come here, O sage. He is without a lock of hair on the crown of his head and without a sacred thread. He is (also) bereft of the marks of a brāhmaṇa.

30b-32. I asked him his account; and the brāhmaṇa told me the truth that by him, staying in his preceptor’s house, with his mind full of anger and being greatly deluded, was killed his preceptor. Burnt, by that sin he lives oppressed by grief. O brāhmaṇa, this third one again is the composed Vedaśarman.

33-35a. Due to folly, and as a result of his attachment to a prostitute this brāhmaṇa became a drunkard. I asked him (his account), and he too told me everything that had taken place; (he) oppressed by mental torment told me all his acts. All people, his wife and relatives, drove him away. Smeared with that sin and wandering, he has come here.

35b-37a. The fourth one is a vaiśya, Vidhura by name, who violated the bed (i.e. the wife) of his teacher. Through ignorance he enjoyed his mother who had become a prostitute and who lived in Videha for three months. Then, having come to know the truth, he, being afflicted, moved from there and has come to this land, O sage.

37b-43a. This fifth one is a great sinner, keeping the company of sinners. Every day through greed for money he committed a sin like theft. This vaiśya filled with many sins, was abandoned by his (own) people. With his mind dejected, he, named Nanda, has come to one place. O best brāhmaṇa, none of us touches one another by means of (having) food (together) or having the same covering, except talking to one another, O glorious best brāhmaṇa. We do not sit on the same seat; do not sleep on the same bed. Thus overpowered by grief, we went to various holy places; (but) O best sage, our formidable sin does not leave us. Seeing you, the bright one, our pleased minds say: ‘Due to the auspicious sight of a good man like you, our sins have come to an end.’

43b-45a. O lord, tell us a remedy, by which our sins will perish. O brāhmaṇa, O lord, we know you to be kind and to be one who knows the meaning of the Vedas. You are certainly the emancipator of those that are oppressed and are seeking (refuge), that are repenting, and that have got (i.e. committed) sins through folly.

Nārada said:

45b-46a. Hearing these words of them, the sage Muniśarman, the ocean of compassion, said these words after thinking:

Muniśarman said:

46b-48. You have committed sins through ignorance. You are telling the truth. You are repenting. Therefore, now you deserve to' be favoured by me. Listen to my true words. With my hands raised I am speaking. (Listen to) what I formerly heard from Aṅgiras in a conclave of sages. It is found in the Vedas, and is also heard from the mouth of the teacher.

49-57. Firstly you did not propitiate Viṣṇu. You have truly told it. There is no other satisfaction than eating. There is no other teacher than (one’s) father. There is no other worthy recipient than brāhmaṇas. There is no god higher than Viṣṇu. There is no holy place like Gaṅgā. There is no gift like that of a cow. There is no prayer like the Gāyatrī. There is no vow like that of the twelfth day. There is no friend like the wife. There is no virtue like compassion. There is no happiness like freedom. There is no excellent stage of a man like that of a householder. There is no better conduct than truthfulness. There is no greater pleasure than contentment. There is no better month than Vaiśākha which destroys sins when resorted to according to (proper) rites and through devotion, and which is dear to Viṣṇu. It is especially very difficult to be secured at holy places like Gaṅgā (i.e. visiting holy places like Gaṅgā is very difficult in Vaiśākha). All expiations like (sacrifices) lasting for twelve years (are easier). Sins roar till the month of Vaiśākha has not arrived. He, of a pure heart, solely devoted to Viṣṇu, who bathes in the water (of Gaṅgā) that has sprung from Viṣṇu’s feet during, the entire month of Vaiśākha, alone destroys all his sins. The sinners have met him for the atonement of their sins. What should people say about him?

58-60. That man who now bathes in the water of Narmadā, which gives happiness and removes sins, in this month called Mādhava, when (the Sun) is in Aries, is freed from all sins. In the month of Vaiśākha big rivers are difficult to be found everywhere. Yet more difficult (to get) is Gaṅgā, so also Revā, so also Yamunā. He who, having gone respectfully at least to one of these three, bathes there in the month of Vaiśākha, becomes sinless and would go to Viṣṇu.

61. Therefore, you who have committed sins, should, along with me, go to Revā, and bathe there in the water of Revā, the only essence of religious merit, resorted to by hosts of sages, in the month of Vaiśākha, to remove your entire fear of sins.

62. Thus addressed, all the sinners, being delighted, went with the sage to Revā, praising her (power of) working wonders.

63-66. Muniśarman who was going from there, and who was followed like that by (those) men, saw on his way eight frightened (but) fearful goblins who were making various sounds, who were moving here and there, whose hair was raised and red, whose teeth were black and who were thin-waisted. Seeing them running towards him in the forest filled with thorns and without trees and water, he, with his mind disturbed by fear, said: “Salutation to Nārāyaṇa. (O Nārāyaṇa) protect (me), protect (me).”

67-69. Hearing the words, “Salutation to Nārāyaṇa” which are the great abode of piety, they who had obtained the condition of goblins, mentally went back to their previous existence. Seeing them of a modest mind, Muniśarman speaking sweetly, said: “Who are you, O deformed men? Who has done which deed due which this deformation has been obtained (i.e. has taken place)? How is it that all of you are afflicted like this and are fearful?”

The ghosts said:

70-77a. We are always oppressed by hunger and thirst; we are overcome with a heap of griefs. O wise one, we are cruel of heart, we have lost our power of understanding and are confounded. We who are fools and kill human beings, do not know the directions anywhere. We have told (one) grief. This is again the absence of happiness. On hearing your loud (but) delicate utterance ‘Nārāyaṇa’, it appears as if the morning has dawned due to the sight of sunrise. Having seen you, O brāhmaṇa, we have attained purity of nature. O brāhmaṇa, on seeing you and having heard Viṣṇu’s name, we have reached another existence, we have become kind. Generally the sight of a devotee of Viṣṇu removes disgrace, purifies the minds of men, and gives them courage. I am Paryuṣita by name. This sacred one is Sūcaka. The next is Śīghraga; then is Rodhaka. This fifth one is Lekhaka. This sixth one is Vāgduṣṭa; this seventh is Vidaivata. This eighth one, giving trouble, is Nityayācaka.

Muniśarman said:

77b-78a. How do you who are goblins, have names which are due to deeds (performed by individuals)? What is that reason for which you have names?

The ghosts said:

78b. I always ate sweet (articles of food) and gave stale (food) to a brāhmaṇa, (and that too) without ghee, though there was ghee (in my house).

79-88a. This impure and overanxious one by nature looked for and reported real or unreal weak points and failings of others. Therefore, he is called Sūcaka. O best brāhmaṇa, this one, when requested by a hungry brāhmaṇa, would quickly disappear. For this reason, O best brāhmaṇa, he is (called) Śīghraga. This sinful and bad-hearted one, sitting upon the top of the house, has always eaten all alone. Therefore, he is known as Rodhaka. This one has always resorted to silence and scratches the earth with (the toes of) his foot. He is the greatest sinner among us. He is (called) Lekhaka, accompanied by (other) people. This one hates the virtues of the virtuous; (has) appreciation of virtues in one who does not have them; he attributes knowledge to one who does not have it. Therefore, he is called Vāgduṣṭa. This sinful one due to heresy does never care for manes, deities and men and for good deeds. Therefore, he is (called) Vidaivata. This one is always a suppliant; always shows real or unreal poverty; tortures beings; and is greedy. Therefore, he is (called) Yācanaka. These goblins—i.e. we—having formerly experienced torments inflicted in hells, have again become well-settled on seeing (you.) I have told you all this account about ourselves. If you believe, then ask a question. I shall tell you (something) else.

The brāhmaṇa said:

88b. All the beings that are there on the earth, are all dependent upon the food (they eat). I desire to hear about your actual food.

The ghosts said:

89-97. Listen to the food of (i.e. taken by) us, which is condemned by all beings, and on hearing about which you will always repeatedly censure us. (We subsist on) phlegm, urine, excrement, and the dirt from the bodies of women. We enjoy at those houses where purity is abandoned, and enjoy there things like burnt utensils etc. thrown out by women, and which are censurable due to dirt. The goblins enjoy in those houses where they do not worship Viṣṇu, which are controlled by women, which are without kindness and forgiveness. Goblins enjoy at that house where indecent language is used, where the women are impure, and where struggle is constantly going on. We enjoy there where the daughters (and sisters) are not honoured, so also excellent women (are not honoured), and where contact with bad people is frequent. The goblins enjoy there where no service is (offered) to Viṣṇu; where no story about Viṣṇu is (told); where there is no love for Viṣṇu. Those also in whose house goblins, being delighted enjoy, become goblins, and due to that sin become the destroyers of their own family. (Thus) O brāhmaṇa, I who am talking, get my food.

98-99a. Nothing more sinful than this can be told. Being dejected due to the condition of a ghost (i.e. due to my being turned into a ghost), I am asking you of a firm vow so that I should not continue to be a ghost, and I would be free from this existence as a ghost.

The brāhmaṇa said:

99b-105a. By means of auspicious vows like Ekādaśī etc., by means of narrations of (the tales about) Viṣṇu, by means of worshipping deities and guests, so also by means of worshipping the teacher (or the elders) etc., by means of practices followed by good people, (by observing vows on auspicious) days as told in the sacred texts and codes of laws, so also by means of performing śrāddha rites and giving gifts: as performed according to the wise by practices like these there would be no ghosts in the family. He who being polite to his kinsmen, repeatedly salutes a cow, a brāhmaṇa, a holy place, the top of the Amara mountain, a river, a big river, and the aśvattha tree, does not become a ghost in the world. That man also who, being controlled, worships (these) in this order at the holy places on (the bank of) Gaṅgā etc., has inexhaustible religious merit. Even a powerful person like me would not be able to describe it even in thousands of years. He would be free from his existence as a goblin merely on seeing (these).

108b-109. The month of Kārtika is great and is dear to Viṣṇu. The best month for austerities is Phālguna, dear to Viṣṇu. The month of Vaiśākha is Viṣṇu’s month, and has Viṣṇu as its deity. The deities knew it to be the best of all months, in which all rites are accomplished. The esteemed knowledge of Brahman comes (then). (Thus Brahmavidyā) is Lakṣmī, the cause of everything, since she stays there in this month. Therefore, this month is known as Mādhava. As it is certain that among gods there is no god like Viṣṇu, similarly among all months there is no month like (Vaiśākha) dear to Viṣṇu.

110-118. Even by devoutly listening to the greatness of that month of Mādhava (i.e. Vaiśākha) one becomes free from the existence as a goblin; then what (would happen) by performing rites (in this month)! A man who is solely devoted (to Viṣṇu) is freed from all sins merely by means of conversing with the good resorting to a holy place, reciting (the name) Nārāyaṇa, or even by means of hearing that name. O goblins, I shall try for your freedom (from this existence as goblins), since religious merit due to doing good turns to others could not be had even by means of sacrifices. O goblins, I go to bathe in the water of Revā in the month of Vaiśākha when the Sun is in Aries. I am followed by these five men. Those five only had become the heaps of sins through folly. They will come forbath by my words, who am kind. Till then, by my order, stay there in this forest, (and be) free from grief. Going (there) and after bathing in the water of Narmada, having fashioned men of darbha, I, bound by kindness, shall merge the helpless ones according to proper rites into the water of Narmadā in the month of Vaiśākha. Thus, there is no doubt that merely by bathing the lads made of darbha, you will be free from your existence as goblins in three days only.

Nārada said:

119-122. Having spoken like this, and being honoured by them who were firmly resolved, Muniśarman followed by these five (men) went (to Narmadā). Having gone there in the morning and having bathed there, he gave bath according to proper rites to the goblins fashioned from darbhas and by pronouncing the name (of each one of them). The goblins, remembered and bathed at the holy place by the sage pronouncing their names, became pious thereby, and being instantly free, went to heaven. When those five sinners of pale bodies, plunged by his word (i.e. on being told by him) in the water of Revā in the glorious month ofVaiśākha, they instantly became (men) of the lustre of gold only.

123-129. In the presence of all people Muniśarman made them hear (i.e. recited to them) the hymn destroying sins (and) they became men of great brilliance. But the men there did not touch them, though they were free from dust merely on bathing, due to the fear of the contact of sinners. Due to consideration for Muniśarman, and due to his religious authority, there was heard all of a sudden a divine voice: “These (men) are free from sins. What wonder is there that freedom from a heap of sins takes place in the case of those who, having Mukundy (only) as their heart and soul, have bathed in the month of Vaiśākha, and have been here respectfully hearing the hymn removing sins? For all sinners this is a great hymn removing sins. For all sinners this is a great expiation, viz. to plunge in the morning into (the water at) a sacred place with devotion in the month of Vaiśākha, since, even those sinful goblins who were bathed (i.e. whose darbha-representations were bathed) by merely pronouncing their names, were remembered and made free by that pious Muniśarman.”

130-133. Having heard these very wonderful words being (produced) in the sky, the men there instantly praised those five holy men, the month of Vaiśākha and the sage(Muniśarman) and (river) Revā. Then the king heard the hymn of praise which destroyed sins, devoutly hearing which a man is free from heaps of sins, and by merely hearing which sinners attained purity. Many others also became free from the sin caused by ignorance. When the mind of men is occupied with (copulating with) another man’s wife, (snatching) another’s wealth, and harming a being etc., then the expiation is eulogy (of Viṣṇu).

134-150. (One should say:) “I am always saluting Viṣṇu, Viṣṇu, Viṣṇu and Viṣṇu (only). I salute Viṣṇu who is in my mind, who is the controller, who is manifest, who is endless, who is undefeated, who is fit to be praised of all, who is without beginning or death, and who is powerful. Since Viṣṇu is in my heart, since Viṣṇu is in my mind, since Viṣṇu is the cause of (my) ego, since it is Viṣṇu, the author of the immovable and movable, who remains in me, therefore a sin perishes when he alone is reflected upon. Since, when reflected upon, or seen devoutly in a dream, he removes the sin, I salute that Upendra, that Viṣṇu, to whom a salutation is dear. In this propless world, I salute this eternal Viṣṇu, Madhusūda na, Acyuta, who supports my hand. My salutation to you, O lord of all, O controller, O powerful one, O supreme being, O Viṣṇu, O Hṛṣīkeśa, Hṛṣīkeśa, Hṛṣīkeśa, O Nṛsiṃha, O Govinda, O Bhūtabhāvana (i.e. cause of the beings), O Keśava. Bring to an end bad words, bad deeds and sins. Salutation to you. O Keśava, appease that very severe sin which ought not to have been done, which bad (deed) I, being under the sway of my heart, thought of. O Brahmaṇya, O god Govinda, O you who are solely devoted to the highest truth, O Jagannātha (i.e. the lord of the world), O Creator of the world, O Acyuta, put an end to my sin. O Hṛṣīkeśa, O Puṇḍarīkākṣa, O Mādhava, let all my sins—committed in the afternoon, in the evening, in the mid-day or at night, through body, mind or words knowingly or unknowingly, perish by means of the utterance of the three names. O Hṛṣīkeśa, O Puṇḍarīkākṣa, may my sin committed through body, mind and words come to an end, O Mādhava. Let that sin which I committed while eating, drinking, standing, sleeping, keeping awake or seated, for getting money through body, mind or words, whether it is small or big, and which leads to a bad birth or to hell, be appeased by means of the narration of (the virtues of) Vāsudeva. When that Viṣṇu who is the highest Brahman, who is the highest abode and is pure, is praised, let the sin that there is, perish. That is Viṣṇu’s position, having reached which the wise, free from (the sensations of) odour, touch etc. never return (to this world). Let him put an end to all that”.

151-159. That man who would recite or listen to the eulogy putting an end to sins, is freed from sins due to body, mind and speech. Freed from (the influence of) evil planets, he goes to the highest position of Viṣṇu. Therefore, when a sin is committed, the eulogy crushing all sins should be muttered. Best men should recite (the eulogy)—the expiation for the streams (i.e. heaps) of sins. By means of expiations, excellent hymns of praise and vows the sin perishes. Then the deeds should be performed for excellent success, enjoyment and salutation. O lord of men, the sin committed during former existences, so also the sin committed in this world, melts away (i.e. disappears) instantly on hearing this eulogy. This is an axe for the trees in the form of sins. This is a wild fire for the fuel in the form of sins. O king, this eulogy is the sun for (i.e. dispelling) the darkness in the form of the heap of sins. I have disclosed this hymn—this secret—which I respectfully received from my father (i.e. Brahmā) to you and also due to compassion for the world. Even Viṣṇu himself is not able to describe the greatness of the religious merit of him who, O king, hears this auspicious account. Well-being to you, O great king, I am quickly going to Gaṅgā to bathe (in her water, as) this great month of Vaiśākha has arrived.