Chapter 25 - The Glory of Śaṅkhatīrtha: Vatsanābha Freed from the Sin of Ingratitude

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Note: Śaṅkhatīrtha is (now a well) in the second east Prākāram of the temple premises. It is named after the sage Śaṅkha who dug it (v 5). — The story how Dharma dissuades Vatsanābha from committing suicide as an expiation for ungratefulness is given in Mbh, Anuśāsana Ch. 12 of the Southern Recension.

Śrī Suta said:

1. After taking bath in Śivatīrtha that redeems one from the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter, the man should proceed to Śaṅkhatīrtha for the purpose of suppressing the multitude of his own sins.

2-3. Merely by taking the holy bath in it, even an ungrateful person becomes liberated. Those deluded persons who do not pay respect to their mothers, fathers and preceptors and others, who are wicked, ungrateful and shameless become pure merely by taking the holy bath in this Śaṅkhatīrtha.

4. Formerly, there was a sage named Śaṅkha on the Gandhamādana mountain. He was engaged in penance. With great concentration and mental purity, he meditated on Viṣṇu.

5. For the sake of taking the holy bath, he made an excellent Tīrtha here. Since it is made by Śaṅkha, it is called Śaṅkhatīrtha.

6-7a. By taking holy bath therein even once, even an ungrateful person is liberated. In this context I shall recount an ancient legend that is destructive of sins. Merely by listening to it a man attains salvation.

7b-10. Formerly there was an eminent Brāhmaṇa, a great sage named Vatsanābha. He was truthful and of good conduct. He was eloquent. He was kind and considerate to all living beings. He was impartial towards enemies as well as friends. He had self-control. He performed penance. He had conquered his passions. He was an expert (in meditating) on the Supreme Brahman. Brahman, the ultimate principle, was his sole support. That sage who had such power, performed penance in his own hermitage. He stood on the ground without moving any limb. He did not move from his place even as much as the extent of an atom.

11. As he performed the penance for many hundreds of years remaining in a single spot, an anthill grew over him and concealed all his limbs by covering them.

12. Although his body was covered up by the anthill, Vatsanābha, the great sage, still carried on his penance. He was not even aware of the anthill.

13. While he was engaged in penance, O eminent sages, Vāsava (Indra) let loose on him clusters of clouds and showered with great velocity.

14-20. Thus he showered continuously for seven days. Although the sage was showered with a great downpour, he received it (unperturbed) with his eyes still closed. Deafening the ears by means of great thunderous sound, a great thunderbolt fell on the anthill. When the cloud continued to shower and it became unbearable on account of chill winds, the top of the anthill was smashed on being struck down by the thunderbolt. When the top of the anthill was thus smashed on being struck down by the thunderbolt, Vatsanābha who was engaged in contemplation continued to endure the unbearable downpour.

When the great sage was afflicted day and night by the torrential downpour, Dharma felt very great sympathy and consideration in his mind. Dharma thought thus: ‘Wonderful indeed is Vatsanābha’s steadfastness of mind in virtuous activities. When Vatsanābha is engaged in penance, there is a great downpour. (But) even when there is a great downpour, he does not swerve from penance.’

21-24. As he thought thus, an idea struck him. ‘I shall assume the form of a very big, attractive buffalo with a very thick skin which can endure the heavy downpour of rain. After adopting the form of a buffalo, I shall stand above the Yogin. Then the downpour of rain will not afflict him, though it may have great velocity.’ After deciding thus, Dharma stood above Vatsanābha covering his body completely and bearing the brunt of the torrential rain. At the end of seven days, the downpour of rain stopped.

25. Thereupon, Dharma in the form of a buffalo, who was extremely kind, left that anthill and stood not very far away from it.

26-30. When the downpour receded, Vatsanābha, the great sage, ceased performing the penance. Glancing all round he thought thus: ‘I had been standing in the rain while engaged in the great penance. The whole earth all round is seen drenched in water. The summits of mountains, forests, parks and the hermitages of the great sages are immersed in fresh water.’

Seeing these and other things he became delighted. The righ-teous-souled great sage Vatsanābha thought again: ‘Certainly, during this great downpour, I was protected by someone. Otherwise how could I have lived through this torrential downpour?’

31-32. After thinking thus, the excellent sage looked all round. Thereupon, he saw the blue-coloured buffalo of very huge body standing not very far away, in front of him. Vatsanābha, the ascetic, then thought thus in regard to that buffalo.

33-34. ‘How (wonderful is it) that even in lower animals virtuous habit is perceived! I have been saved from the great downpour by this buffalo. Let it be long-lived, since it has saved me here.’ After thinking thus, he began to perform the penance once again.

35. On seeing him engaged in penance once again, (Dharma) who had assumed the form of a buffalo, became very much delighted with hair standing all over his body.

36. Sage Vatsanābha who began to perform the penance once again could not concentrate his mind in the Supreme Brahman as before.

37-39. With a dejected mind, Vatsanābha began to ponder thus: ‘The mind begins to waver if it is not free from impurities. If there are many sins, the mind never becomes free from impurities. But I have not incurred the least of sins. How then does my mind waver?’

Thus Vatsanābha thought about the cause of sin again and again. After thinking and coming to a decision, he presently began censuring himself:

40-46a. ‘Fie upon me! I am a wicked soul. I am extremely deluded. Ingratitude, the greatest of all defects, has beset me today. I have incurred ungratefulness, as I stay here without worshipping this excellent buffalo who had saved me from such a heavy downpour. Ingratitude is a great fault (and sin). There is no means of expiation in regard to an ungrateful one. The ungrateful has no worlds (for refuge). The ungrateful person has no kinsmen. My mind has become dirty on account of the defect of ingratitude. The ungrateful persons fall into hell. So also those who commit breach of trust. I do not see any means of expiation in the case of ungrateful persons except giving up their lives, as is spoken by those conversant with righteousness (Dharma). By not supporting parents, by not giving monetary gifts and fee to preceptor, and by becoming ungrateful (one incurs sins), the expiation for which is only death. Hence I shall cast off my life and expiate for my sins.’

46b-48. After resolving thus in his mind, Vatsanābha, the great sage considered his life insignificant like a blade of grass. His inner soul became detached (from worldly affairs). With a desire to atone for his sins he climbed on the summit of Meru. The sage desired to fall off from the summit. When he finally attempted to leap down, Dharma abandoned the form of buffalo and saying “Do not be in a hurry” he prevented him.

Dharma said:

49-55. O Vatsanābha of great intellect, live for many years. I am pleased with you, welfare unto you. I am pleased with your readiness to cast off your body. As regards your eagerness for virtuous activities, there is no one on a par with you in the world. Although casting off one’s life may be the means of expiation for an ungrateful person, I shall tell you another way of atonement, because of your virtuous conduct.

There is a Tīrtha named Śaṅkhatīrtha on the Gandhamādana mountain. For the purpose of quelling this sin, take your holy bath there with concentration and mental purity. You will obtain purity of mind. Hence you will be rid of your sins. Thereby you will acquire perfect spiritual knowledge and then attain the eternal region.

O great Yogin, I am Dharma, I am speaking the truth to you.

On hearing these words of Dharma, Vatsanābha, the great sage, went to Gandhamādana with a desire to take his holy bath there. After reaching Śaṅkhatīrtha the great sage took his holy bath there.

56. Thereby he was rid of his sins. His mind became pure. Not long after that the sage attained union with Brahman (i.e. Salvation).

57-59. Thus, O Brāhmaṇas, the greatness of Śaṅkhatīrtha has been recounted to you. Merely by taking holy bath there even an ungrateful person is liberated.

One who is antagonistic to one’s mother, father or preceptor as well as multitudes of ungrateful persons of various types become liberated by taking holy plunge here. Hence this must always be resorted to by ungrateful persons. Oh! wonderful indeed is the glory of this Tīrtha, because even an ungrateful person is liberated.

60-63. By not supporting parents, by not giving monetary gifts and fee to preceptor, and by becoming ungrateful, (one incurs sins) the expiation for which is nothing short of death. But here, merely by taking holy bath, even an ungrateful person can expiate for his sin. Merely by taking holy bath in that Tīrtha ingratitude perishes. Nothing need be said in regard to other insignificant sins.

One who reads this chapter with devotion shall be rid of one’s sins, even if one happens to be an ungrateful person. With his inner soul purified he shall go to Satyaloka becoming equal to Brahmā and attain salvation.