Chapter 24 - The Glory of Śivatīrtha

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

[Full title: The Glory of Śivatīrtha: Bhairava Absolved of the Sin of Brāhmaṇa-Slaughter.]

Note: This Śiva-Tīrtha is in the Temple premises of Rāmanātha. It is close to the Nandi Maṇḍapam.

Śrī Sūta said:

1-2. After taking the holy bath in Cakratīrtha, the man should go to Śivatīrtha.^[1] By taking the holy bath therein crores of great sins and the sins of associating with the great-sinners, perish instantaneously, O ascetics. It was by taking his bath here that Kālabhairava got rid of the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter.

The sages asked:

3. How did Rudra, Kālabhairava, incur the sin of a Brāhmaṇa’s slaughter, O great sage, Sūta? It behoves you to recount it to us.

Śrī Sūta narrated:

4. I shall tell ye all, O sages, the ancient legend that yields salvation. One is liberated from all sins by listening to it.

5-7. Formerly, there was a quarrel between Prajāpati (Brahmā) and Viṣṇu^[2] in the presence of all the people, for some reason.

Brahmā thought thus: ‘I alone am the maker of the universe. No one else is its creator. I am the bestower of blessings and controller of all the worlds. There is no one superior to me or equal to me among the Suras too.’ So did Brahmā think (and say) in the presence of the Devas in the days of yore.

8-11. Then, O eminent Brāhmaṇa, Nārāyaṇa laughingly said thus: “Why do you say thus with pride now? O Brahmā, it does not behove you to make a statement like this again. I alone am the maker of the universe. I am Yajña. I am Lord Nārāyaṇa. Without me the life of this universe will be impossible. It was with my favour that the universe consisting of mobile and immobile beings has been created by you.”

Even as Brahmā and Viṣṇu were arguing thus with a desire to have victory over each other before the Devas, the four Vedas came there and spoke the following truth that sheds light on the ultimate reality.

The Vedas said:

12-15. You are not the creator of the universe, O Viṣṇu, nor are you, O Brahmā, O Prajāpati. But Īśvara who is greater than the greatest is the maker of the universe. He is the lord. This universe consisting of mobile and immobile beings is evolved out of his Māyā Śakti. Sāṃba (i.e. Śiva) is worthy of being saluted by all the Devas. He has the characteristics of Satya (Truth), etc. He alone is the creator, protector and annihilator of all the worlds. He is the Lord.

On hearing this speech of splendid words uttered by the Vedas, Brahmā and Viṣṇu spoke thus, O eminent Brāhmaṇas:

Brahmā and Viṣṇu said:

16-17. Śaṃbhu is embraced by Pārvatī. He has a physical form. He is the lord of Pramathas. How can he be the supreme Brahman that is devoid of all attachments?

When this was uttered by them, O Brāhmaṇas, Praṇava which is devoid of a form assumed a form and spoke to them in a loud tone:

Praṇava said:

18-22. This Śaṃbhu, the great lord, does not sport about with Pārvatī who is apart and different from himself but with her who is of the same form as himself.{GL_NOTE::} This Śaṃbhu has no other lord above him. He is self-luminous and unsullied. Mahādeva is transcendental to the universe. He is mentioned in the Vedas as superior and transcendental to the universe. He is the immanent soul of all. He is the maker of all. He is independent and the creator of all. O Brahmā, at the time of the creation, he engages you and directs you with the Rajas Guṇa.

O Keśava, (endowing you) with Sattva Guṇa, Śaṃbhu employs you in the act of protection of the universe. In the act of annihilation, he directs (the deity) called Kālarudra (equipping him with) the Tamas Guṇa.

Hence, O Viṣṇu there is no independence for you both. Nor is Prajāpati independent. But Śaṃbhu (alone) is independent.

23-28. O Brahmā, O Viṣṇu, how is Maheśvara who is the maker of all the worlds not known to you as being superior to the universe. Goddess Umā, that Śakti, is not separate from Śaṅkara at any time. It is well-known that the goddess who is the bliss of Śaṃbhu is no adventitious intruder and different from Śaṃbhu. Hence Rudra who is superior to the universe, who is independent, who is immutable should be worshipped by all the Devas. Śaṅkara is to be worshipped by you two also. Rudra has no maker nor anyone superior to him. There is no one on a par with him too in any of the hundreds of the worlds. Hence, O Brahmā, O Viṣṇu, do not get deluded.

Even after hearing these words uttered by Praṇava, Brahmā and Keśava, deluded by Māyā, did not get rid of their ignorance. In the meantime, Brahmā witnessed a great miracle.

29. A fiery column of great refulgence resembling infinite number of suns appeared in the middle of the sky. It spread through the sky and had faces in all directions.

30-32. Brahmā lifted up his face in order to survey it. With a fifth face created by means of the power of penance, the lord looked frequently at the column of refulgence. By surveying the brilliant splendour, the face blazed with fury. The refulgence resembling infinite number of suns was (as if) desirous of burning that fifth head. It shone like the submarine fire that is desirous of burning the worlds at the time of the deluge.

33. Then that refulgence appeared as Nīlalohita (i.e. Śiva). On seeing him Brahmā, the creator, spoke to Parameśvara:

34. “O Mahādeva, I know you. O Śaṃbhu, you came out of my forehead in days gone by. You are my son named Rudra.”

35. On hearing these words full of pride, Maheśvara sent a Puruṣa named Kālabhairava.

36-37. Kālabhairava fought with Brahmā for a long time. Kālabhairava who was born of a part of Mahādeva and who held a trident, an axe and an iron-club fought with Brahmā for a long time and then looked at the splendid fifth face of Brahmā.

38. After looking at the fifth face of the Lord of the Goddess of Speech, that had been above and was full of pride, he became infuriated and blazed (as it were).

39. Then with great fury, Bhairava cut off that fifth face. On being struck by Kālabhairava, Brahmā then died.

40-42. With the favour of Īśvara, he regained his life. Then he looked at Śaṅkara who was adorned with the moon and the eight prominent serpents including Vāsuki. On seeing Śaṅkara, the great lord accompanied by Pārvatī, he obtained the perfect knowledge pertaining to Maheśvara due to the favour of Mahādeva. Then he eulogized the excellent Lord Giriśa, Śiva, the bestower of boons.

Brahmā said:

43-45. O Giriśa, be pleased with me, O lord with the moon for your crest. O storehouse of kindness, forgive the offence committed by me. Forgive me for my pride, O Śaṅkara.

Saying thus again and again, he bowed down to the Crescent-moon-crested Lord accompanied by Umā.

Then the lord became pleased with Brahmā who was born of a part of himself. Śaṃbhu said: “Do not be afraid” and then spoke to Bhairava:

46-51. “This eternal Brahmā is worthy of being worshipped by the entire universe. You hold (in your hand) the head of Brahmā who has been killed now. In order to purify the sin of Brāhmaṇa’s slaughter and with a desire for the welfare of the world, O Bhairava, go about begging for alms along with the skull at my bidding.”

After saying to him thus, O Brāhmaṇas, Śaṅkara, Lord Nīlakaṇṭha, the great lord, vanished there itself with the Daughter of the Mountain constituting half his body.

O Brāhmaṇas, he made Bhairava hold the skull of Brahmā (and said): “Wander about for the sake of purifying the sin and for the sake of the welfare of the worlds. Let Bhairava beg for alms holding the skull in his hand.”

After saying this Giriśa (created) a dreadful girl named Brahmahatyā who was cruel and who resembled the submarine fire. After directing her, Giriśa spoke to Bhairava again.

Īśvara said:

52. O Bhairava, perform this holy rite and observe this vow for a year in order to purify the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter. Take your holy bath in all the Tīrthas for purifying yourself.

53-54. Then you do go to Vārāṇasī for suppressing the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter. By your entry in Vārāṇasī, the base sin of your Brāhmaṇa-slaughter shall perish leaving a quarter of it as remnant. A quarter of the sin will not perish (there). I shall tell you how it can perish. O Bhairava, listen.

55-57. On the shore of the Southern Sea, on the Gandhamādana mountain, a splendid Tīrtha has been created by me for helping all living beings. It is called Śivatīrtha. It is highly meritorious. Go to it with great respect. Merely by entering it, this inauspicious sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter of yours shall certainly perish, due to the efficacy of Śivatīrtha. It shall perish completely.

After saying this to Bhairava, Rudra immediately went to Kailāsa.

58. Then Bhairava who had been directed by Śiva wandered in the worlds of Devas, Dānavas, Yakṣas and others with the skull in his hand.

59-62. As he went on, the extremely terrible sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter too followed him. After sportingly wandering in all the meritorious shrines and all the Tīrthas, the lord went to Vārāṇasī. When Bhairava, born of a part of Śaṅkara, entered Vārāṇasī, the extremely despicable sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter perished except a quarter of it. With the remaining quarter (of itself), she then chased Bhairava. Thereafter at Śiva’s bidding, the trident-bearing Lord Bhairava went to the Gandhamādana mountain holding the skull.

63-64. Thereafter, O Brāhmaṇas, Bhairava went to Śivatīrtha and took his holy bath. The moment he took his holy bath in the great Śivatīrtha, the extremely terrible sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter completely perished. At that time Śaṃbhu appeared in front of him. Mahādeva who appeared thus in front of him spoke these words to Bhairava:

Īśvara said:

65-68. By your taking the holy plunge in Śivatīrtha, your sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter has completely perished. O virtuous one, there is no doubt about it. Keep this skull anywhere in Kāśī.

After saying this, Lord Śaṃbhu vanished there itself.

Having got rid of the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter, O Brāhmaṇas, due to the efficacy of Śivatīrtha, Bhairava went to the city of Vārāṇasī. O Brāhmaṇas, he placed the skull in a certain place. Then that spot acquired the name Kapālatīrtha.

Śrī Sūta said:

69-71. That Śivatīrtha has this much of power. It is meritorious. It bestows salvation. It suppresses all miseries and destroys all sins. It subdues the distress in Narakas. It bestows heaven and salvation.

The glory of Śivatīrtha has been recounted by me. It bestows salvation. One who reads this always is liberated from a multitude of miseries.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

This is another version of the quarrel between Brahmā and Viṣṇu given in Ch. 14, Supra.

[2]:

This identification between Śiva and Pārvatī is probably due to the influence of Kashmir Śaivism. See vv 23-28 below.