Chapter 45 - The Story of Nandabhadra

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Nārada said:

1-5. Listen to the wonderful story about the holy spot Bahūdaka.

This holy spot is called Bahūdaka because the Bahūdaka Kuṇḍa^[1] which is in Kāmarūpa has been transplanted here.

After performing penance for many years here, a splendid Liṅga has been installed here by Kapila. It is named Kapileśvara. O son of Pṛthā, a merchant known as Nandabhadra worshipped that Liṅga three times a day with great respect. He was conversant with the special features of all holy rites. He was like another Dharma (virtue) himself. Nothing whatsoever proclaimed as Dharma was unknown to him. He was a friend unto all for ever. He engaged in the welfare of everyone.

6-8. Mentally, physically and verbally, he resorted to Dharma. He decided like this “There never is, was or will be a Dharma which is free from defects in every respect.” Dharma is like an ocean. It has increased and it spreads everywhere. It was (as if) churned by Nandabhadra and (the essence) was brought out by him. Listen to that. He considers Vāṇijya (Trade, Merchant’s Profession) as the most excellent for the sake of sustenance. He resorted to it for that purpose.

9-11. A shelter (abode) was made by him with wood and grass. He carried on trade with only a moderate profit and avoided liquor. He did not deceive anyone. He did not treat anyone with difference and was impartial towards all living beings.

Without any deception, he purchased articles of trade from others and sold them to everyone without (practising) deception. This was his holy vow. Some persons praise Yajña, but Nandabhadra does not think so.

12-18. It is because of the definite decision regarding involvement of the following defects in performing sacrifice. Listen to it, O son of Pāṇḍu. If a greedy, lying, hypocritical and boastful person performs a Yajña, he destroys the universe and leads himself to blinding darkness (hell).

The Āhuti duly oblated into the fire reaches the Sun-god. Rain originates from the Sun, food-grains from rain and progeny therefrom. (Defective text)

If and when the performer of a sacrifice (performs it at will?) the sacrificial priests and the material (get spoiled). If the sacrificer performs a sacrifice without (giving) the due monetary fees of the same or performs it contravening the injunctions, he will have a birth due to that sin like that of a thief(?)

The sacrificial animals killed (during sacrifice) will strike the Yajamāna (performer of the Yajña) when dead by means of sticks(?). Hence it is ordained that the performance of Yajña by means of pure barley seeds as the materials, is splendid.^[2]

He thought thus and came to the conclusion about the essence of Yajña. Worship of the Lord with sincerity and faith, obeisance, eulogy and offerings of Havis—all these are auspicious. This Yajña is devoid of sins. This alone is called (genuine) Yajña whereby deities become pleased.

19-20. Some persons praise renunciation but Nandabhadra does not think so. If a person renounces worldly objects (physically) but mentally grasps (covets) them, he is fallen from both (i.e. this world and the other one) and with the ground split (under him) he perishes. (What constitutes) the essence of renunciation—the excellence of it—has been suppressed (i.e. missed) by him.

21. A true recluse should be like this:

He does not censure or praise anyone’s actions. Like the moon (merging all with its light) he merges (treats as equal?) people following different paths in the world.

22. He neither hates nor loves (anyone). He is not antagonistic (to anyone) nor does he follow and obey (anyone). He is self-possessed. He considers a piece of stone and a lump of gold alike. If anyone censures him or praises him, he views it in the same (indifferent) manner.

23-25a. He grants freedom from fear to all living beings. He has the features of the blind and the deaf (not-seeing evil, not hearing evil). He docs not yearn for the fruits of (religious) acts. That is the way of propitiating Śiva. He seeks Dharma for this reason. He is not covetous. With great discernment and discrimination, Nandabhadra understood its essence in regard to salvation.

25b-31. Some persons praise agriculture. Nandabhadra does not think so. In the course of their agricultural activities people castrate bulls and pierce their nostrils. They make them pull great weights and carry heavy loads. They bind and tame and repress them. They take the cattle through muddy marshy places full of flies and other biting insects in plenty. Other animals are afflicted by drawing vehicles. They think that the destruction of the foetus is not at all different from this act. In the Vedas the name of cows is Aghnyā (‘that which should not be killed’). How can one afflict such (cows)?

The ploughshare destroys the ground and those (creatures, worms etc.) that live in the clay. In the living beings with five sense-organs reside all the deities like the Sun-god, the Moon-god and the Wind-god etc. What shall one think about that highly stupid fellow who sells them? Goat is the Fire-god; ram is Varuṇa; the Earth is the Sun; cow is Virāṭ (the Cosmic Being) and calf is Soma (the Moon). By selling these, one does not achieve siddhi(salvation).

32-33. (Partially defective Text) Agriculture always involves thousands of defects like these. The plough shall have eight bullocks (four pairs) (yoked to it). One should give a thirtieth part of agricultural produce in charity. One must get rid of old animals. Whence shall such agriculture flourish? This essence was drawn (understood) about agricultural profession by that Nandabhadra.

34. Food should be utilized (dedicated) for the sake of deities and manes, in accordance with one’s ability. One should consume it always after distributing it among Brāhmaṇas, common people and other living beings.

35-41 a. Some persons praise plenty of wealth and prosperity. Nandabhadra does not agree with it. Men use men as their slaves for their pleasure. Day and night they harass (other men) by killing (beating), binding or obstructing them. Whose property is this body? Creator’s, mother’s or father’s? (Defective Text) Is it the property of mother or father, of a powerful buyer, of fire or of dog? Thinking thus, rich people behave like immortal beings.

Sinners with arrogance due to prosperity and wealth (are like) persons intoxicated with strong liquor. A man haughty on account of his affluence, becomes maddened and fails. The rich who treats all servants like himself does not err. But where is such an embodied soul endowed with the knowledge of the soul in this maimer?

He extracted (thus) the essence of supremacy and affluence. Listen to it. The rich shall not be averse to any living being. He (must help everyone) in accordance with his capacity.

41b-44a. Some persons praise Tīrthas (holy places and waters). Nandabhadra does not think so for various reasons. It is tiresome (to go on a pilgrimage). There is (the possibility of) mixture of castes. Heat, chillness, winds, hunger and thirst as well as bad temper spoil the atmosphere(?) of a holy spot. Even the man (pilgrim) may face ruin.

If there is faith, even a man with only a few cows as wealth, can have the enjoyment associated with wealth. He is capable of acquiring great merit. Where is that man who is always pure and who always worships deities? The essence of Tīrthas is in every house.

44b-47. Neither waters, nor mountains nor great stress and strain sanctify (men) and dispel their sins. It is the soul (of oneself) that sanctifies and dispels sins if a man refrains from committing sins further. Thus this intelligent Nandabhadra learnt the excellent conduct from different spheres and assimilated it. As this saintly man continued his (pious) activities thus, Devas, the chief of whom was Vāsava, liked him much and they were even surprised much.

In the very same place, there was a Śūdra neighbour of (Nandabhadra) too.

48-50. He envied the virtuous Nandabhadra frequently. He was an atheist of a very bad conduct and character but was known by the name Satyavrata. He was always on the lookout for (finding out) the weak and vulnerable points of Nandabhadra thinking, ‘If 1 am able to find out his weakness, I shall make him deviate from piety.’

This is the nature of the cruel and wicked-minded atheists. They cause not only their own downfall, but they also make others fall.

51. Nandabhadra, the intelligent one who continued to be like this, had (only) one son. Unfortunately, when Nandabhadra was old, the son died.

52. The highly intelligent (Nandabhadra) considered that as brought about by fate and so did not grieve over it. “Is there any god or man who can escape from fate?”

53-55. Thereafter, his beloved wife whose name was Kanakā, who was endowed with all the good qualities of a chaste wife, who was the personified form (as it were) of the virtue of a householder and who was Arundhatī herself, passed away, O son of Pṛthā. Thereupon, although he was one who had curbed all his sense-organs, he bewailed thus on account of the disruption in his domestic life: “Alas! Iam a sinner.” He bewailed thus very frequently. On seeing this loophole after a long time, Satyavrata felt very happy.

56-57. Like Dadhikarṇa (the proverbially deceitful cat in the Pañcatantra) he approached Nandabhadraka and said to him thus:

“Alas! Nandabhadra, if you too have such a fate, then I think in my mind that this Dharma (righteousness) is futile.”

58. After saying these and similar words, Satyavrata (apparently) endowed with sympathy, said to Nandabhadra:

59-60. “Nandabhadra, I have been always desirous of saying something to you. Since there was no relevant context (occasion), it has not been said at any time. A person making any statement out of proper occasion, even if he be Bṛhaspati (Guru of the Devas), meets with dishonour like a base man. His intellect will be disregarded.”

Nandabhadra said:

61. Speak (out), speak. There is nothing good and exceedingly pleasing that should be kept as a secret by me. Even salvation cannot be compared with the words of persons endowed with pure Sattva quality.

Satyavrata said:

62. I shall make a statement^[3] free from defects, devoid of the nine and nine (i.e. eighteen) defects of speech as well as the nine defects of intellect.

63. That is called a statement which possesses the following five characteristics: Saukṣmya (subtlety), Saṃkhyā (reckoning, deliberation), Krama (order), Nirṇaya (decision or conclusion) and Prayojana (purpose).

64. The first characteristic of a statement which is called Prayojana (purpose) pertains to Dharma, Artha, Kāma and Mokṣa.

65. After declaring solemnly the purpose (which is one) among Dharma, Artha, Kāma and Mokṣa, if the speaker says specifically “thus is that (purpose)”, it is called Nirṇaya (decision).

66. The order in which things are to be spoken such as “This is to be said first”, “This is to be said afterwards”, is called Kramayoga by the knowers of the essence of statement.

67. The proportion of defects and merits is specifically and separately noticed. Let this (notice) be understood as Saṃkhyā.

68. If there is apparent difference in the purport to be understood through statements but identity is also seen, the most excellent reason thereof is to be pointed out as Saukṣmya.

69-72a. Thus the characteristics of Vākya (statement) (have been mentioned). Listen to the eighteen defects in words. They are:

(1) Apetārtha (meaning not clear in spite of the utterance)
(2) Abhinnārtha (difference of the meaning is not clearly understood)
(3) Apravṛtta (spoken in obsolete words which are not current)
(4) Adhika (redundant)
(5) Aślakṣṇa (unpolished)
(6) Sandigdha (doubtful)
(7) Elongated pronunciation of the last syllable of a word)
(8) Parāṅmukha (words conveying meaning contrary to the intended purport)
(9) Untrue
(10) Ungrammatical (with inaccurate forms)
(11) Contrary and antagonistic to Dharma, Artha and Kāma
(12) Nyūna (deficient in words to convey the intended meaning)
(13) Kaṣṭa (painful or difficult to express)
(14) Exaggerated
(15) Words reversed or misarranged (as in spoonerism)
(16) Saśeṣa (message or purport remains incomplete despite the completion of the sentence)
(17) Ahetuka (absence of proper reasoning to convince)
(18) Niṣkāraṇa (unnecessary or irrelevant to the purpose)

(Now) you listen to those defects caused by (defective) intelligence.

72b-78. I will not speak anything out of lust, anger, fear, greed, wretchedness, crookedness (ignobility), baseness, pitilessness and pride.

When the speaker, the hearer and the statement are not impaired or defective and they come to the same level in regard to the desire to speak or express themselves, the meaning is revealed clearly. When the speaker insults the listener or when the listener ignores the speaker, the statement does not get on, i.e. become understandable.

Or, if the speaker abandons all truthfulness and speaks only what is pleasing to the listener, the latter begins to suspect him. (Hence) That statement is also defective.

Hence the speaker who abandons what is pleasing to him and what is pleasing to the listener and utters nothing but the truth is genuine speaker and not any other person on the earth. I avoid false arguments not originating from the collections of scriptures. Since I adhere to the vow (observance) of speaking only the truth I am Satyavrata. I shall speak only the truth unto you. It behoves you to consider it like that.

79-80. O gentle Sir, since the time you became engaged in worshipping a stone (an idol of god) I see that nothing auspicious has taken place. You had only one son who also passed away. Your noble virtuous wife too died. O good man, false acts bear fruit like this.

81. Where are the Devas?^[4] his is utterly false. If they exist they could have been seen. All these fictitious ideals have been evolved by deceitful Brāhmaṇas for the sake of money.

82. They give food intending it for the ancestors and the manes. This provokes laughter in me. It would cause famine if dead men were to eat anything.

83. Listen to the truth in regard to what these stupid and base Brāhmaṇas variously describe as the (process of the) creation of the universe.

84. The origin as well as the destruction of the universe—both these (concepts) are unreal and false, as this universe has (always) been in existence as it is (now).

85. This entire universe exists (and functions) by its nature. All these (Planets), the chief of whom is the Sun, rotate and revolve due to their nature. The winds (continue to) blow for ever due to their nature and the cloud showers rain by nature.

86. It is by nature that grains grow. Rain, chillness and bright sunshine, everything occurs by nature. The earth remains (stable like this) naturally. Rivers (too) flow by nature.

87. It is by nature that mountains appear (like this) and this ocean remains (like this) by nature. A pregnant woman delivers a child naturally. It is due to nature. These many living beings (exist and function) by nature.

88. Just as by (its inherent) nature, as a natural result of the change of season, the thorns in the jujube tree become crooked, so also all these changes appear (become manifest) due to (their) nature. No (other) maker can be seen (herein).

89-90. When things stand like this, a deluded person is like a mad and intoxicated man. Some knaves praise human birth as the most excellent one. Listen (to my opinion) in regard to this. There is no greater distress than human birth. Let it not befall even our enemies. There are thousands of causes of grief occurring every moment in a human life.

91-94. Human birth is known as toll (Tax?). It is only the fortunate man who escapes from this. Animals, birds, worms and insects sport about as they please unbound. It is very difficult to attain their species. The immobile beings are carefree. Their happiness on the earth is very great. Of what use is much (talk)? All the other species of living beings are far more blessed than human beings.

Realize that all this is due to nature. The idea that some are (born as) immobile beings, some as insects, birds, human beings etc. due to (their) merit, demerit etc. is false.

Hence, O Nandabhadra, forsake all unreal things. Drink happily. Play with toys. Enjoy the pleasures. This is the truth on the earth.

Nārada said:

95-96. By means of these unimpressive, improper and irrelevant words of Satyavrata, the lofty-minded Nandabhadra was not moved. Like an ocean that cannot be agitated, he laughingly said:

97. “What you say that (only) virtuous men are always the victims of unhappiness is not true. We see a series of miseries befalling sinners too.

98. The distresses of bondage and capital punishment or death, death of wives and children—these are seen even in the case of sinners. Hence Dharma (virtue) is considered to be weighty and important.

99. Great men say thus about a good man, ‘This gentleman is very good. Oh! this distress of his is very great.’ This is rarely said iṇ the case of sinners.

100. If a sinner were to enter your house greedy of getting your money, wife etc., you too will be afraid of him. You may hate him, and may get angry with him. That is futile.

101. Your statement that there is no Maheśvara as the cause of the universe is a puerile utterance of yours. Can there be subjects without a king?

102. You say that the stone idol and Liṅga are false and that my worship of the same is futile; that is because you do not know the greatness of Liṅga, like a blind man who does not know the Sun.

103. All the Suras beginning with Brahmā, kings of great prosperity, all men and sages worship the Liṅga.

104. There are Liṅgas with their names and symbols. Are all these fools and you Satyavrata alone wise and learned?

105. Formerly Lord Brahmā installed god Nīlalohita (Śiva) at Puṣkara. Thereby, he attained great Siddhi. (Being thus competent) the Lord created these beings.

106. After killing Rāvaṇa in battle, the Rāmeśvara Liṅga was installed on the seashore by Viṣṇu. Is this in vain?

107. After killing Vṛtra formerly, Śakra installed Śaṅkara on Mahendra. Freed of his sins (of Brahmahatyā) he rejoices even now in heaven.

108. By installing Śiva in the Gaṅgā-Sāgara-Saṅgama, the Sun became free from illness. The Moon-god installed Śiva at Prabhāsa on the Western Ocean.

109. Yama and Dhanada (Kubera) installed Liṅga at Kāśī, Garuḍa and Kaśyapa on Sahya and Vayu and Varuṇa in Naimiṣa. They rejoice well.

110. Did not Lord Guha install in this very same Stambhatīrtha, the Kumāreśa Liṅga that dispels all sins?

111. I do not endeavour to enumerate the Liṅgas installed thus by other Suras, kings and sages.

112. All the residents of the earth, all the dwellers of heaven and all the residents of Pātāla become satisfied by the worship of the Liṅga.

113. I am very much surprised at what you said, viz. ‘The Devas do not exist. If they exist, why are they not seen anywhere?’

114-115. Are the Devas to beg horse-grams of you like wretched beggars? O highly intelligent one, indeed a Sādhaka (one who is not a siddha) is your preceptor. But if in your opinion all things are achieved by nature, tell me how cooked meal can be got without a maker (cook).

116. Are not thorns seen without jujube? Then whose is that creation which is already present there in that manner?

1Ī7. You say that animals etc. are very happy and that they are blessed. Excepting you, no one has said or heard this.

118. Those who are of Tāmasa nature, those who are maimed and mutilated, need not have any strain or pain. Let them be praised(?) Excellent men are endowed with all sense organs. How is it that they are not blessed?

119-120. I think that your vow of abiding by truthfulness is only conducive to your fall into hell and it has been accepted by you for that purpose. (In this) You need not entertain any fear of a great calamity. This desire will be fulfilled ere long. (Defective Text) You were expounding with a great show of arrogance which was definitely ignorance. Thus the absence of anything substantial is clear from the very pompous show at the outset.

121. The words of deceitful persons are always concluded in arrogance and show. They are extra-brilliant like a bad counterfeit coin. This is a perpetual test unto the good people.

122. The words of good people are free from defects in the beginning, middle and the end. Just as gold becomes more and more lustrous on being heated or rubbed on a touchstone so also they will be splendid and auspicious (if tested).

123. What was intended by you was different and the statement was different. This fault is not yours but of ours who listen to your words.

124. This is the good point in the atheists, serpents and poison that it is not their fault that they delude or stupefy others but is the fault of the others.

125. Water, cloth, gingelly seeds, oil or scent are rendered fragrant by the scent of flowers. These qualities are produced by contact.

126. Association with foolish ones is the cause of a series of stupefaction and ignorance. Association with good men is the cause of righteousness everyday.

127. Hence those who are intent on and devoted to peace and quiescence should always associate with the intelligent, elderly, saintly, pious persons and ascetics of pure feelings.

128-130. They must not associate with the base and the mean-minded, the illiterate ones, particularly those who have not realized their souls.

One should serve and specially associate with those persons who have the following three white things (i.e. things free from blemishes): family, learning and deeds and especially with those who have acquired scriptural knowledge.

By visiting, touching, talking to, sitting alone and taking food with bad people, men deviate and fall off from the path of righteousness and good conduct. They do not achieve beatitude. On account of association with the base and the mean-minded, the intellect of men becomes vitiated.

131-133. Association with the middling makes one a middling and one becomes very excellent by coming into contact with the most excellent ones.

I remember this dharma and hence I am not seeking any association with you once again. You censure Brāhmaṇas by whom the ocean has been made unfit for drinking.^[5] The Vedas are authoritative: the Smṛtis are authoritative; words full of righteousness and meaning are authoritative. Who will look upon his words as authoritative, who does not consider the above mentioned three authoritative?”

After speaking these word the noble-souled Nandabhadra suddenly went out of his house at that very time. He went to the Kuṇḍa of Bhaṭṭaravi that was holy and was Bahūdaka itself.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

‘A Kuṇḍa of plentiful water’—so called, as the plentifulness of water is due to heavy rainfall in that region.

[2]:

The Purāṇa recommends every now and then a sacrifice wherein no hiṃsā is involved.

[3]:

There have been differences of opinion as to what constitutes a sentence or a statement. Mīmāṃsā requires three elements to constitute a sentence, viz. Ākāṅkṣā (expectancy), Yogyatā (compatibility), and Sannidhi (proximity) (See Tantravārtika, p. 455). Skt. Grammarians regard the following four elements essential: (1) Ākāṅkṣā (‘inter-dependance of the words uttered’) 2. Āsatti (proximity), 3. Tātparya (definite import or significance of words), 4. Yogyatā (acceptability)—Paramalaghu-mañjūṣā, Chowkhamba, Varanasi, 1946, p. 33. Our author has given an allied but different list of the five constituents of a statement herein, and explained them in vv 64-69.

[4]:

VV 81-94 state the Lokāyata Philosophy.

[5]:

VV 97-118 give the Purāṇic refutation of Lokāyata view.

[6]:

This refers to Agastya’s drinking up of the ocean.