Chapter 34 - The Glory of Dhanuṣkoṭi: Sumati’s Liberation from Great Sins

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Note: The object of this chapter and the next is to describe the efficacy of the Tīrtha in dispelling the following sins: (1) Backing out of a promise (of help, etc.), (2) Stealing, (3) The sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter, (4) Association with low-caste women, etc.

Śrī Sūta said:

1-4. I shall recount once again an ancient anecdote in praise of Dhanuṣkoṭi. It is (in the form of) a dialogue between a jackal and a monkey, O excellent ones.

Formerly, there was a jackal and also a monkey. Both of them could remember their previous births. In their previous human births they were friends. They were (re-)born in different species, namely, that of a jackal and that of a monkey. This jackal and the monkey again became close friends, O Brāhmaṇas.

Once, the monkey saw the jackal standing on a cremation ground. On seeing him at the cremation ground, he remembered his previous birth and so he spoke to the jackal thus:

The monkey said:

5. O jackal, what dreadful sin did you commit before (in your previous birth)? What is that sin whereby you eat dead bodies of foul-smelling and despicable nature on the cremation ground?

On being enquired thus by the monkey, the jackal spoke to him: The jackal said:

6-12. In the previous birth, I was a Brāhmaṇa who had mastered the Vedas. My name was Vedaśarmā. I was a learned man conversant with all holy rites.

In that birth some money was promised by me to a Brāhmaṇa, but was not given to him. Hence, O monkey, I was born as a jackal. Therefore, I am now eating exceedingly despicable food like this.

Those wicked men who promise something but do not give the thing promised, O monkey, attain the exceedingly despicable species of a jackal.

If a man promises something but does not give it, whether small or big, all his hopes and ambitions shall perish like those of a eunuch, desiring to produce a child. After promising something to a Brāhmaṇa, O monkey, if anyone does not give the same, his merit acquired in the course of ten (previous) births perishes at that very instant. The sin that one incurs by not giving the thing promised, cannot be purified even by means of a hundred horse-sacrifices.

13-16. I do not know when this sin will perish. Hence the monetary gift promised should always be given by a learned man. By not giving after having promised once, one certainly becomes a jackal. Hence what is promised should be given by an intelligent and learned man.

After saying this the jackal asked the monkey again: “What sin has been committed by you whereby you are born a monkey? O monkey, you harass innocent birds of the forest. So tell me what that sin was, which has given you the state of a monkey.”

On being told thus by the jackal, the monkey spoke to the jackal:

The monkey said:

17-21. In the previous birth I was a Brāhmaṇa known by the name Vedanātha. Viśvanātha was my father and Kamalālayā, my mother. O jackal, there was friendship between you and me even in the previous birth. You do not know everything. By the power of my merit, I know everything.

Formerly I had propitiated Lord Śiva by means of penance. With his favour I have acquired the perfect knowledge of the past and future even in the subsequent births.

O jackal, in that previous birth vegetable belonging to a Brāhmaṇa was taken away by me. I am born a monkey because of that sin. After experiencing the tortures of Naraka I am now born a monkey. The wealth of a Brāhmaṇa should never be taken away. If it is taken away, one will be cast into hell.

22. Thereafter, one will be born a monkey. There is no doubt about it. Hence the possession of a Brāhmaṇa should never be stolen by a learned man.

23-28. There is no greater sin than theft of a Brāhmaṇa’s property. A poison kills only him who drinks it. But the property of a Brāhmaṇa may burn one along with one’s family.

The sinner who steals a Brāhmaṇa’s property is cooked in the Kuṃbhīpāka hell. After experiencing the tortures of the hell, he is born in the species of monkey.

The wealth of a Brāhmaṇa should not be taken away. One must have forbearance in regard to them. Boys, poor people, wretched ones, those devoid of Vedic or scriptural knowledge—these Brāhmaṇas should not be despised. If they are infuriated, they are like fire.

O jackal, I have complete knowledge of the past and the future. But I don’t have the knowledge of one thing—the means of purifying this sin.

Though you are capable of remembering previous births, you are not aware of the future tasks. Even in the matter of the past, your knowledge is restricted on account of obstacles. Hence you do not know the past or future entirely.

29. How long are we to experience this misery further, O jackal? Who will be our liberator from this sin?

30-32. While the monkey and the jackal were conversing thus, O Brāhmaṇas, due to the previous merits, the highly refulgent sage named Sindhudvīpa^[1] came there by chance. He had applied Bhasma all over the body. There were Tripuṇdra marks on his forehead. Rosaries of Rudrākṣa beads were his ornaments. He was engaged in repeating the names of Śiva.

On seeing the sage named Sindhudvīpa, the jackal and the monkey became delighted. They bowed down to him and asked him thus:

The jackal and the monkey said:

33-36. O holy lord conversant with all pious rites, O great sage Sindhudvīpa, do save us. Repeatedly look at us mercifully, joyously. Tell us that means whereby the state of being a monkey and a jackal may be dispelled. Indeed you are the most excellent one among meritorious persons. Good people always accord protection to the helpless, to the wretched, to the ignorant, to children and to people distressed on account of ailments. They are merciful. They do not expect any return (for their services).

On being addressed thus by those two, the great sage Sindhudvīpa meditated mentally for a long time and spoke to the monkey and the jackal:

Sindhudvīpa said:

37-42. O jackal, O monkey, I know both of you very well. O jackal, in your previous birth you were a Brāhmaṇa named Vedaśarmā. After promising a Brāhmaṇa an Āḍhaka of food-grains, it was not given by you. On account of that sin, you are born a jackal.

You too, O monkey, were a Brāhmaṇa previously. Your name was Vedanātha. Vegetable was stolen from the house of a Brāhmaṇa by you. Hence you are born a monkey instilling fear in all birds.

I shall recount the means of subduing your sins. Both of you do go quickly to Rāmadhanuṣkoṭi in the southern sea. Take your holy bath here. Thereby, you will become liberated from your sins.

Formerly due to his association with a Kirāta (hunter) woman, the Brāhmaṇa Sumati^[2] became addicted to liquor. He took his holy bath in Dhanuṣkoṭi and was liberated from his sin.

The jackal and the monkey enquired:

43-44. Whose son was Sumati? How did he become a drink-addict? How was he attached to a Kirāta woman, O highly intelligent Sindhudvīpa, kindly describe this in detail to us.

Sindhudvīpa said:

45-47. In the land called Mahārāṣṭra, there was a certain Brāhmaṇa who was a devout believer in Veda and God. He was well-known as Yajñadeva. He was a master of the Vedas and their ancillaries (Vedāṅgas). He was compassionate. He was hospitable to guests. He was a worshipper of Śiva and Nārāyaṇa.

That Yajñadeva had a son named Sumati. He abandoned his parents and his chaste wife and went away to Utkala land (Orissa), being devoted to a band of lecherous vulgar fellows.

48. A certain Kirāta woman who lived in that land enchanted all the youths. She used to tempt young men and seize all their riches. This went on for a long time.

49-52. Sumati, the base Brāhmaṇa, went to her house. That Kirāta woman did not welcome Sumati, a penniless Brāhmaṇa.

Although expelled by her, Sumati was excessively enamoured of her. He was eager to have a physical union with her. He stole much wealth from various places and handed it over to her regularly. Thus he began to have sexual dalliance with her for a long time. He used to take his food in her house. He used to drink liquor along with her from the same goblet. Thus, addicted to sensual pleasures, he sported with her for a long time. He never cared to remember his parents and wife.

53. Once he went in the company of Kirātas to commit robbery. The Kirātas went over to the land of Lāṭas (Southern Gujarat) for plundering their wealth.

54. He too adopted the guise of Kirātas. With a sword in his hand, he daringly entered the house of a certain Brāhmaṇa in order to take away the wealth by stealth or force.

55. That rash daring man killed the Brāhmaṇa, the master of that house, with his sword, took away a lot of wealth and went to the abode of the Kirāta woman.

56-57. As he went along, the dreadful Brahmahatyā (the ogress created by the sin of Brāhmaṇa-murder) closely followed him. She had red hair. She was exceedingly terrible. She was clad in blue robes. She roared and laughed boisterously making heaven and earth tremble. Pursued by her (the Brāhmaṇa Sumati) wandered all over the earth.

58. Wandering over the entire earth thus, O jackal, O monkey, once Sumati entered his own village in great fear.

59. Followed by Brahmahatyā, he became frightened and went towards his house. Chasing him, Brahmahatyā too entered the house along with him.

60. Sumati sought shelter in his father shouting “Save me, save me”. Saying “Do not be afraid”, the father attempted to save him. At that time Brahmahatyā spoke thus to his father.

Brahmahatyā said;

61-65. Do not give shelter to him, O Yajñadeva, O excellent Brāhmaṇa. He is a liquor-addict, a thief, a Brāhmaṇa-slayer, antagonistic to his own father and mother, a deserter of his wife and a great sinner. He is defiled on account of his contact with a Kirāta woman. I will not let him go, O Brāhmaṇa.

If you welcome and accept this son of yours, a very great sinner, O Brāhmaṇa, I will devour your wife, the wife of this son, you and your son as well as your entire family. Hence abandon this son. If you leave off this son of yours, I will spare you all now.

“O highly intelligent one, it does not behove you to destroy the entire family on account of one.” On being told thus by Brahmahatyā, Yajñadeva said to her:

Yajñadeva said:

66. Filial affection compels me. How can I abandon him?

On hearing the utterance of the Brāhmaṇa, Brahmahatyā spoke to him:

Brahmahatyā said:

67-69. This son of yours has fallen down. He has been excluded from the four castes and stages of life. Do not be affectionate towards this son. His very sight is despicable.

After saying this, even as Yajñadeva was looking on, Brahmahatyā struck his son named Sumati with her palm.

Exclaiming “O father! O father’” he repeatedly wept to his father.

70-71. The father, the mother and the wife of Sumati cried then. In the meantime, as good luck would have it, Durvāsas, the Yogin born of Śaṅkara’s part, came there, O jackal, O monkey.

On seeing that sage, the incarnation of Rudra, he bowed down to him with devotion. Yajñadeva sought refuge in him and requested for the same on behalf of his son.

The father said:

72-77. O Durvāsas, you are a great Yogin. You are directly born of a part of Śaṅkara. Persons without merit cannot have your vision.

This son of mine has become a Brāhmaṇa-slayer, a drink-addict and a thief. Brahmahatyā is present here. She has come to strike him. Tell me that means whereby my son shall become liberated from the great sins and also how this dreadful Brahmahatyā shall be quickly destroyed. Have pity on my son.

78. On being told thus, Durvāsas, born of a part of Śaṅkara, meditated for a long time and spoke to the excellent Brāhmaṇa Yajñadeva:

Durvāsas said:

79. O Yajñadeva, excessively grave sins have been committed by your son. Even by ten thousand expiatory rites his sin cannot be subdued.

80-83. Still, O Brāhmaṇa, I shall suggest an expiatory rite for suppressing the sin of your son. Listen to it without your mind straying elsewhere. If this son of yours takes his holy bath in Śrīrāmadhanuṣkoṭi in the southern sea, he shall be liberated from his sin instantly.

A Brāhmaṇa named Durvinīta took his holy bath there, O excellent Brāhmaṇa, and was at the same instant liberated from the sins of carnally approaching the wife of his preceptor.

This Dhanuṣkoṭi of Rāghava, Hari, himself shall destroy the mass of sins of your son merely by taking the holy bath.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

A royal sage who attained Brahmaṇa-hood by his penance at Pṛthūdaka (Mbh, Śalya 39.37). This famous name is connected with this story.

[2]:

This Sumati-legend is a contribution of this Purāṇa. This Sumati is not known to other Purāṇas (PE 763).