Chapter 36 - The Glory of Dhanuṣkoṭi: Durācāra Liberated

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

[Full title: The Glory of Dhanuṣkoṭi: Durācāra Liberated from the Sin of Associating with Sinners]

Note: Like commission of sins, association with sinners is also regarded as a sin. VV 8 13 state how one-fourth of Brāhmaṇahood is lost with each day of association with sinners and ultimately transforms the Brāhmaṇa into a regular sinner.

Śrī Suta said:

1. I shall narrate the greatness of Dhanuṣkoṭi further, O Brāhmaṇas. A Brāhmaṇa named Durācāra was liberated by taking his holy bath therein.

The sages said:

2-3. Who was this person named Durācāra? O Sūta, O knower of the truth, what sin was committed by him, O sage? How was he liberated from the sin by taking the holy plunge in Dhanuṣkoṭi? Describe this in details to us who desire to hear it, O sage.

Śrī Sūta said:

4. O sages, let the sin of that Durācāra be heard. Hear how he was absolved of the sin by taking the holy bath in Dhanuṣkoṭi.

5. The Brāhmaṇa named Durācāra was an inhabitant of a place on the banks of Gautamī (Godāvarī), O Brāhmaṇas. He was a sinner, always engaged in ruthless actions.

6. O Brāhmaṇas, he lived in the company of Brāhmaṇa-slayers, liquor-addicts, thieves and defilers of preceptor’s bed. He became sinful, as he lived in association with them.

7. On account of the sin of association with great sinners, the Brāhmaṇa-hood of this Brāhmaṇa was lost entirely, O excellent Brāhmaṇas.

8-13. If a Brāhmaṇa stays among great sinners for one day and lives in their company with attachment to them, at that same instant a fourth part of his Brāhmaṇahood perishes. There is no doubt about it.

By serving, touching, seeing, lying near, talcing food in the same row with great sinners, O Brāhmaṇas, a second (one-fourth) part of his Brāhmaṇahood is lost undoubtedly.

If the same continues for three days third (one-fourth) part is destroyed. There is no doubt about it. On the fourth day of this association, the final fourth part certainly perishes.

Beyond this (period) if one shares with them the same bed or seat or takes food with them, one too incurs great sins and shall become a sinner on a par with them. Thus, O Brāhmaṇas, Durācāra became bereft of Brāhmaṇahood. He was seized by a powerful and dreadful vampire.

14-20. Excessively harassed by that vampire, O Brāhmaṇas, he became helpless. He wandered from land to land and from one forest to another. Due to the previous merit, that Brāhmaṇa went to Rāmacandra Dhanuṣkoṭi that is destructive of great sins. He was still seized and pursued by that evil spirit. The Vetāla made him take his plunge in the waters of Dhanuṣkoṭi. Forced to enter the water of Dhanuṣkoṭi by that Vetāla, he came out immediately and became free from the Vetāla.

Having got up from the waters of Dhanuṣkoṭi, he regained normalcy and thought thus: ‘What is this land on the seashore? I resided on the banks of Gautamī. How did I happen to come here?’

Agitated by these thoughts, he approached the noble-souled Dattātreya, an excellent Yogin, a resident of Dhanuṣkoṭi, and bowed down to him. Durācāra then spoke to him:

21-27. “I do not know, O holy lord, what this land is. Do tell me now. I am called Durācāra, a resident of (a place on) the banks of Gautamī. Kindly tell me, O Brāhmaṇa, how I happened to come here.”

On being asked thus by Durācāra, that sage of good holy rites meditated for a short while. That sage, the storehouse of mercy, said to Durācāra: “Formerly you associated with great sinners. So your Brāhmaṇahood was lost. Hence a Vetāla seized you. Possessed by him, you became, helpless and confounded in intellect and came here. The Vetāla made you take the holy plunge in the waters of Dhanuṣkoṭi. Solely because of your bath therein you were liberated from the sin. If men take their holy bath in the meritorious Dhanuṣkoṭi, all masses of five types of their sins perish. By the holy plunge in Rāmacandra Dhanuṣkoṭi your sin of association with great sinners has been absolved.

28-32. Since it (your sin) perished, the Vetāla too left you and got perished. The Vetāla that caught hold of you was a Brāhmaṇa formerly. He did not joyously perform the Mahālaya rite of the Pitṛs in accordance with the Pārvaṇa injunctions in the dark half of the month of Bhādrapada. Therefore, he was cursed by his Pitṛs and he became a Vetāla. Merely by visiting Dhanuṣkoṭi, he cast off his Vetālahood and attained the world of Viṣṇu. Thus those who, out of extreme greed, do not perform the Mahālaya rite of their Pitṛs in the dark half of the month of Bhādrapada, shall certainly become Vetālas possessed of great covetousness. There is no doubt about this.

33-34a. Hence, those who feed Brāhmaṇas, the knowers of the Vedas, according to their capacity with Mahānna (‘great cooked rice’) at the time of Mahālaya in the dark half of the month of Bhādrapada, never meet with adversity and mishap.^[1]

34b-36. A man who, in accordance with his capacity, feeds one, two or three Brāhmaṇas in the Mahālaya rite during the dark half of the month of Bhādrapada, will never have misfortune.

This Brāhmaṇa did not duly adore the Pitṛs in the month of Bhādrapada. Hence he became a Vetāla who seized you when you were a sinner.

37-38. The period beginning with the month of Bhādrapada and ending with the Zodiac Scorpio (Vṛścika) has been said to be the period of Mahālaya by the sages who see the truth.^[2]

The period of the month of Bhādrapada is particularly held sacred. There, O Durācāra, the dark fortnight is specially sacred (for rites of Pitṛs).

39-43a. If a man devoutly performs Mahālaya Śrāddha on the first tithi (day)^[3] in that splendid dark fortnight, Lord Pāvaka (Fire-god), the sanctifier of all, becomes pleased with him. He attains the world of Fire-god and rejoices with Fire-god himself. To him Fire-god grants all prosperity. If any man does not perform Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the first day, Fire may destroy his house, fortune, fields, etc. If a Brāhmaṇa, conversant with the Vedas, takes food on the first day, the Pitṛs become contented for ten thousand Kalpas.

43b-48a. If any man devoutly performs Mahālaya Śrāddha on the second day, Lord Īśvara, the lord of Goddess Bhavānī, becomes pleased with him. He attains Kailāsa and rejoices with Śiva. The delighted Maheśvara grants him vast wealth. If any man does not perform Mahālaya (Śrāddha rite) on the second day, the infuriated Śaṃbhu destroys his Brāhmaṇical splendour. He will give him the Narakas of Raurava and Kālasūtra.

If a Brāhmaṇa, well-versed in the Vedas, takes food in the Mahālaya rite on the second day, the Pitṛs become satisfied for twenty thousand Kalpas. With the favour of the Pitṛs his progeny flourishes.

48b-52. If any man devoutly performs Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the third day, Lord Kubera, the lord of wealth, the guardian of the quarters, becomes pleased with him. Mahāpadma and other treasures come under his control. The three Devas, Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva, become his followers.

If any man does not perform Mahālaya rite on the third day, the lord of wealth, Kubera, takes away his wealth instantly. He gives him poverty involving many miseries.

If any man performs Mahālaya rite on the third day, his Pitṛs become delighted for thirty thousand Kalpas.

53-57a. If a man devoutly performs Mahālaya Śrāddha on the fourth day, Lord Heraṃba, the son of Pārvatī, becomes pleased with him. With the favour of the Elephant-faced Lord, all his obstacles perish. If any man does not perform the Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the fourth day, Lord Vighneśa always puts obstacles before him. He falls into the Naraka named Caṇḍakolāhala.

If a person performs Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the fourth day, the Pitṛs become delighted for forty ṃousand Kalpas. To the performer of Śrāddha, they grant many sons.

57b-60. If any one does not devoutly perform the Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the fifth day, Goddess Lakṣmī abandons his abode. A-Lakṣmī, the creator of quarrels, appears in his house.

If any man performs the Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the fifth day, the Pitṛs become contented for fifty thousand Kalpas. On being propitiated, they grant him an unbroken line of progeny. Pārvatī becomes pleased with him and grants great riches.

61-62. If a man performs Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the sixth day, the Six-faced Lord, the son of Pārvatī, becomes pleased with him. With the favour of the Six-faced Lord, his sons and grandsons are never harassed by evil Planets and evil spirits that torment children.

63-66. If a man does not devoutly perform Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the sixth day, Lord Skanda Mahāsena shall undoubtedly become adverse to him. His progeny will perish soon after coming out of the womb. It is always troubled by the evil spirits such as Pūtanā, etc. He falls down into the Naraka called Vahnijvālāpraveśa.

If a person sincerely and faithfully performs Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the sixth day, the Pitṛs become contented for sixty thousand Kalpas. They grant him sons and vast wealth.

67-72a. If a man performs Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the sevenṃ day, Sun-god with golden hands (rays) becomes pleased with him. With the favour of Sun-god he shall be free from ailments and be strong in every limb. The Golden-rayed Lord becomes delighted in his mind and grants to the performer of Mahālaya Śrāddha gold with his hand himself.

If any person does not devoutly perform Mahālaya rite on the seventh day, he is oppressed day and night by tuberculosis and other ailments. He falls into the Naraka named Tīkṣṇadhārāstraśayyā.

If a man devoutly performs Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the seventh day, his Pitṛs become pleased for seventy thousand Kalpas. The groups of Pitṛs shall always grant him unbroken line of progeny.

72b-78. If a man performs Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the eighth day, Śaṅkara, the conquerer of the god of Death, who is clad with elephant’s hide, becomes pleased with him. With the favour of Śaṅkara salvation is within his reach. If the Three-eyed Lord himself is pleased with the Mahālaya Śrāddha, what object in all the fourteen worlds can be difficult of access to him?

If a person of deluded consciousness does not perform Mahālaya rite on the eighth day, he becomes always miserable and is plunged in the dreadful ocean of worldly existence perpetually. Never can he realize any of his desires on the earth. He remains in the Naraka called Vaitaraṇī as long as the moon and the stars shine.

If a man faithfully performs Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the eighth day, his Pitṛs become contented for eighty thousand Kalpas.

The groups of Pitṛs make him flourish with their blessings. His obstacles are dispelled. They will grant him unbroken line of progeny.

79-80. If a person performs Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the ninth day, Goddess Durgā, the consort of Śaṃbhu, becomes pleased with him. Durgā, the suppressor of demon Mahiṣa, becomes pleased with him and destroys the worthless goblins such as Pretas and Piśācas, (and ailments such as) Kṣaya (consumption), Apasmāra (epileptic fits), Kuṣṭha (leprosy), etc.

81-83. If a man does not perform Mahālaya rite on the ninth day, he shall be tormented with epileptic fits and Brahmarākṣasa (evil spirit of a former Brāhmaṇa). He will be perpetually harassed by Kṛtyās for black magic.

If a man performs the Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the ninth day, his Pitṛs become contented for ninety thousand Kalpas. The groups of Pitṛs will perpetually grant him an unbroken line of succession.

84-88a. If a man performs Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the tenth day, Moon-god of sixteen nectarine digits becomes pleased with him. When the Lord of (Medicinal) Herbs is propitiated by means of this Śrāddha, the plants and herbs shall always yield rice and other foodgrains.

If a person does not perform the excellent Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the tenth day, the medicinal herbs and his agricultural activities shall be futile.

If a man performs Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the tenth day, his Pitṛs become contented for a hundred thousand Kalpas. The groups of Pitṛs shall perpetually grant him an unbroken line of progeny.

88b-93. If a man devoutly performs Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the eleventh day, Rudra, the annihilator of all the worlds, becomes pleased with him. With the favour of Rudra, the lord of the universe, the annihilator of everything, the performer of the Śrāddha shall always defeat his enemies. Ten thousand sins of Brāhmaṇa-murder committed by him, shall instantly perish. He attains the full benefit of the Yajñas including Agniṣṭoma.

If a man does not devoutly perform Mahālaya rite on the eleventh day, Rudra becomes averse to him. He does not become pleased at all. Enemies will increase all round him and harass him. Even if he were to perform Agniṣṭoma and other Yajñas with plenty of monetary gifts, they will become futile like the Havya (sacrificial oblations) deposited on ash.

94-95. On account of the sin of not performing the Śrāddha, he will be on a par with slayer of a Brāhmaṇa. If a person performs Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the eleventh day, his Pitṛs become contented for two hundred thousand Kalpas. The groups of Pitṛs shall perpetually grant him unbroken line of progeny.

96- 101a. If a man performs Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the twelfth day, Janārdana himself, the Lord of Lakṣmī, becomes pleased with him.

When Janārdana, the Lord of Devas, the lord of the chiefs is delighted, the entire world, mobile and immobile, becomes pleased undoubtedly.

The earth, the beloved of Hari, increases his foodgrains and vegetable produce. In his abode Lakṣmī, the beloved of Hari, flourishes.

The Iron Club named Kaumodakī held in Nārāyaṇa’s hand always destroys the evil spirits of Apasmāra, etc. Similarly the Discus with sharp edges burns his enemies. The Conch too shall expel demons, ghosts, etc.

Thus Keśava prevents infliction of pain on him from all sides in every respect.

101b-105a. If a vulgar man does not perform Mahālaya rite on the twelfth day, his fields and riches will undoubtedly perish. Apasmāra and other evil spirits, enemies of great strength and demons harass him, because he is averse to Viṣṇu. He is cast into the Naraka named Asthibhedana. If a person devoutly performs Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the twelfth day, his Pitṛs become contented for six hundred thousand Kalpas. The Pitṛs grant him unbroken line of progeny.

105b-110. If a person devoutly performs Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the thirteenth day, Lord Kandarpa, the Lover of Rati, becomes pleased with him. He always gets the objects of pleasure such as garlands, sandal-paste, charming ladies, etc. with the favour of Kāmadeva. Throughout his life from birth to death, he gets only happiness.

If a person does not perform Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the thirteenth day, Kāmadeva shall be averse to him and shall destroy women and (other) means of enjoyment. He casts him into the Naraka named Aṅgāra-Śayyā-Bhramaṇa.

If with the Pitṛs in view, a person performs Mahālaya rite on the thirteenth day, his Pitṛs become pleased for a million Kalpas. The groups of Pitṛs grant him unbroken line of progeny.

111-117. If a man devoutly performs Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the fourteenth day, Lord Śiva is prompt in granting him his desires.

He teaches him the (spiritual) knowledge of Śiva and grants him Sāyujya. By performing Mahālaya rite on the fourteenth day, ten thousand sins of liquor-consumption, ten thousand sins of stealing gold perish instantly. The defect (sin) due to association with Cāṇḍāla and Śūdra women perishes.

By performing Mahālaya rite on the fourteenth day, one gets the full benefit of a thousand horse-sacrifices and ten thousand Pauṇḍarīka sacrifices.

If a person does not perform this Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the fourteenth day, he shall fall into the blinding-well of worldly existence for thousand crores of Kalpas. He will have no redemption.

That person of deluded intellect becomes contaminated with the sins of liquor-drinking, etc. without actually drinking liquor or stealing gold. Yajñas performed by him in accordance with the injunctions will be futile.

118-120a. If a person performs Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the fourteenth day, his Pitṛs become contented for trillions and billions of Kalpas. There is no doubt about it. The Pitṛs who are in the Narakas go to heaven and become delighted. The groups of the Pitṛs grant him an unbroken line of progeny.

120b-123. If a man devoutly performs Mahālaya Śrāddha rite on the New-Moon day, his Pitṛs will be infinitely contented. There is no doubt about it. Due to the Mahālaya rite on the New-Moon day, the contentment (of the Pitṛs) will be unlimited as that of the Devas in the heaven by enjoying nectar.

The New-Moon day is extremely meritorious and bowed down to by Pitṛs and Devas. It is the greatest and the most quiescent. It is a great favourite of Śiva. On that day the devotee should feed those highly conversant with the Vedas. He should feed them in the Mahālaya Śrāddha.

124-129a. Thereby, the Pitṛs will have unlimited satisfaction. Śiva is also satisfied. The five great sins including that of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter will perish. All the Yajñas will be performed in accordance with the injunctions along with the requisite monetary gifts. All the holy rites and eternal pious activities shall be duly performed. He who performs Mahālaya Śrāddha on the New-Moon day realises the Supreme Brahman as the immanent soul and knows its identity (with the individual soul) and attains Sāyujya. There is no doubt about it.

If a senseless man does not perform Mahālaya rite on the New-Moon day, even those Pitṛs who had gone to the world of Brahmā, will fall into hell. The line of progeny of this deluded one shall break at the same instant. That shall be a disastrous thing, if prominent Brāhmaṇas are not duly fed in the Mahālaya rite by men on the New-Moon day.

129b-133. When the month of Bhādrapada comes, the Pitṛs and the deities begin to dance and then think, ‘With us in view, my sons will be feeding excellent Brāhmaṇas. Thereby our distress in Naraka will cease. We will be able to live in the heavenly world thereby as long as the moon and the stars shine.’

When the month of Bhādrapada that bestows satisfaction on the Pitṛs, arrives, the devotee should feed a Brāhmaṇa everyday with great devotion. The Pitṛs on the side of the father as well as on that of the mother shall become satisfied.

The intelligent devotee should particularly feed Brāhmaṇas in the dark half (of the month) with ghee, pulses, etc. and vegetable dishes, after making them take oil bath. His Pitṛs will become delighted and will drink nectar for the period of a Kalpa.

134-136a. Beginning with the seventh day of the dark half and ending with the New-Moon day, the man should feed three Brāhmaṇas everyday, after duly worshipping them. It is compulsory that after the twelfth day three Brāhmaṇas should be fed everyday. Otherwise there will be loss of fortune; the man may become highly impoverished.

136b-139. The man should eschew greediness for money (and miserliness) and feed the Brāhmaṇas with pulse soup, ghee, etc., with milk, milk-pudding, curds, sweet pies, etc. and different kinds of beverages, fluids that will be licked, sipped and sucked (and also different kinds of solids that will be chewed, munched and crunched). He should feed important persons conversant with the Vedas till they are completely satisfied. Thereby Brahmā, Hari and Śaṃbhu will become satisfied. There is no doubt about it. The Pitṛs including Agniṣvāttas and the deities including Indra become satisfied. Of what avail is much talk? The entire three worlds will be satisfied thereby.

140-141. The Mahālaya Śrāddha rite should be performed in accordance with the Pārvaṇa injunctions. In the Mahālaya Śrāddha the man should feed (and propitiate) the Pitṛs belonging to his mother’s family in the same manner as the Pitṛs belonging to his father’s family. He should do so joyously and it shall be conducive to welfare. He should give monetary presents in accordance with his capacity and befitting his affluence.

142-145. In the Mahālaya Śrāddha one should not be miserly in regard to the expenses. The Dakṣiṇā (monetary gift) of the Yajñas is called Purogavā (a leader, a predecessor). Just as the cart without the bullocks in front is of no use on the way, so also this Pitṛ Yajña without Dakṣiṇā is of no avail. It may even destroy everything. Hence at least a small amount of Dakṣiṇā should be given by one who knows (the religious rite). The Mahālaya Śrāddha rite should be performed by widowed women without sons with their husbands in view by feeding done on a large scale. Otherwise there will be loss of Dharma; they will fall into great Narakas.

146. If any person does not perform Mahālaya Śrāddha rite when the month of Bhādrapaḍa arrives, his family perishes. He incurs the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter.

147. If, with sincerity and faith, men perform Mahālaya rite on behalf of Pitṛs, their line of progeny never breaks. Their riches will be unimpaired (everlasting).

148. The word Ālaya indicates Āspada (abode). Welfare is called by the word Mahā. Since (this rite) is the cause of all auspicious things it is called Mahālaya.^[4] 

149. Hence a man should perform the Mahālaya rite for the attainment of welfare and auspiciousness. If he does not perform the Mahālaya rite it will be inauspicious for him.

150. Even if one does not perform the annual Śrāddha rites on the days of the anniversary of their death, one should be wise enough to perform Mahālaya Śrāddha rite without worrying about (other things).

151. If one is incapable of performing the Mahālaya Śrāddha rite, one should perform the Mahālaya rite to the Pitṛs even by begging.

152. One should beg for money and foodgrains only from excellent Brāhmaṇas. He should never take wealth or foodgrain from fallen persons.

153. If foodgrains, money, etc. are not available from Brāhmaṇas, the man should beg from excellent Kṣatriyas, if he has the desire to perform Mahālaya rites.

154-155. If no donor king is available, one should beg from Vaiśyas. If no Vaiśya donor too is available to him in the whole world, he should offer Gogrāsa (i.e. a morsel of grass or food to a cow) in the month of Bhādrapada for propitiating the Pitṛs. Or he shall go out into the forest and lament.

156. He should beat his belly with both the hands and shed profuse tears. The man should then announce thus loudly in those forest regions:

157-162. “May all the Pitṛs of my family listen to my words. I am a poor and wretched fellow. I am shameless. I am a doer of cruel deeds. The month of Bhādrapada has arrived. It increases the pleasure of the Pitṛs. But I am incapable of performing Mahālaya Śrāddha. Even after wandering over the entire earth nothing is obtained by me. So I do not perform the Mahālaya Śrāddha for you. Kindly forgive this (omission) on my part. Indeed ye all are excessively merciful.”

The indigent fellow should lament thus in the forest regions. On hearing his lamentation the Pitṛs belonging to his family do become delighted and satisfied like Devas by drinking nectar.

By the offerings of Gogrāsa and by the (above) lamentation in the forest, the Pitṛs will have the same satisfaction as they will have when a number of Brāhmaṇas take food at the time of Mahālaya rite.

163. In the month of Bhādrapada, if there is any obstacle due to pollution caused by childbirth, etc., the devotee can perform it after the days of pollution are over till the end of the month of Vṛścika.

164-169. For the purpose of the rite of Mahālaya, a wise man should invite nine Brāhmaṇas. One of them is to be chosen for the sake of one’s father and one for one’s grandfather. The Brāhmaṇa should invite one Brāhmaṇa with the great-grandfather in view. For the sake of the maternal grandfather, he should invite one Brāhmaṇa. For the sake of mother’s grandfather, he should invite one Brāhmaṇa. He should invite one Brāhmaṇa for the sake of mother’s great-grandfather. For the sake of Viśvedevas he should invite two excellent Brāhmaṇas. For the sake of Viṣṇu he should invite one Brāhmaṇa very well-versed in the Vedas. Thus one should invite nine Brāhmaṇas in the Mahālaya Śrāddha.

Or for the sake of all the three Pitṛs of the father’s side the devotee should choose (invite) one Brāhmaṇa. With (the three) beginning with maternal grandfather in view, he should invite one Brāhmaṇa. He should invite one for the sake of Viśvedevas and one for the sake of Viṣṇu.

170-176. Thus he should choose four Brāhmaṇas in the Mahālaya rite. A wise person should choose only those Brāhmaṇas who possess good character and who are well-versed in the Vedas. He who invites persons of vicious habit is indeed destroyer of the Śrāddha.

After the advent of the month of Bhādrapada, particularly in the dark half of it, if a man performs the Mahālaya Śrāddha sincerely and faithfully, O highly intelligent Durācāra, he is (on a par with) one who has taken his holy bath in all the Tīrthas, one who has performed a hundred Yajñas including Agniṣṭoma, one by whom charitable gifts, the most important among them being Tulāpuruṣa Dāna, have been made, and one by whom Cāndrāyaṇa and other Kṛcchra (expiatory) rites have been performed. He will obtain the benefit of the study of the four Vedas with their Aṅgas. He will get the merit of the Japa of the great Mantras such as Gāyatrī, etc. He shall get the benefit of the complete readings of the Itihāsas and Purāṇas.

There is no other meritorious thing on a par with Mahālaya on the earth. Through the Mahālaya rite, one can attain the worlds of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśāna.

177. Though Mahālaya and other Śrāddhas come under Kāmya rites (i.e those rites that are performed with some benefit in view), they are to be considered Nitya rites (compulsory daily rites). Thus if that rite is not performed it will lead to great obstacles.

178-180. By performing it (Mahālaya Śrāddha) one shall undoubtedly achieve what(ever) one desires. By performing the Mahālaya rite, evil spirits, vampires, etc., epileptic fits, evil Planets, groups of the witches, Śākinī, Ḍākinī, etc., demons, Piśācas (ghosts, etc.), dreadful Vetālas—all these and other evil beings perish instantly. By performing the Mahālaya rite one obtains vast fortune and glory.

181-182. On the advice of Vasiṣṭha,^[5] King Daśaratha formerly performed Mahālaya Śrāddha rite at the advent of the month of Bhādrapada. (As a result thereof) he obtained the four sons like Ṛāma, who were highly honoured by the whole world. He got excellent renown and fortune and prosperity that surpassed those of everyone in the entire universe.

183-184a. It was by performing the Mahālaya rite that the excellent King Yayāti obtained all his great sons, the chief among them being Yadu, who perpetuated his line. Through the merit of the Śrāddha he obtained heavenly pleasures rarely attained by others.

184b. By performing the Mahālaya rite, Duṣyanta got Bharata.

185. By the performance of the Mahālaya rite, Nala, the husband of Damayantī, surmounted very great difficulties and regained the (lost) kingdom.

186. He could curb the dreadful Kali and the enemy Puṣkara. He obtained an exceedingly virtuous son named Indrasena.

187. By performing Mahālaya rites the great King Hariścandra, the most excellent one among the truthful ones, became free from the harassment caused by Viśvāmitra.

188-194. He obtained Candrāvatī as his wife and Lohitāśva as his son.

By performing the Mahālaya rite, the powerful son of Kṛtavīrya (Kārtavīrya Arjuna) obtained the overlordship of the eighteen islands.

By performing the Mahālaya rite in the Daṇḍaka forest Rāma killed Rāvaṇa in the battle and regained Sītā.

By performing the rite of Mahālaya, Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Dharma, crossed the ocean of misery and killed the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra.

By performing the rite of Mahālaya the excellent sage Vasiṣṭha, and the other sages such as Atri, Bhṛgu, Kutsa, Gautama, Aṅgiras, Kaśyapa, Bharadvāja, Viśvāmitra, Agastya, Parāśara, Mṛkaṇḍu, etc. became superior to everyone in the universe. By performing the excellent Mahālaya Śrāddha in accordance with the injunctions they became the abodes of the eight supernatural powers, Aṇimā (Minuteness), etc., religious vows and austerities.

195. All of those excellent sages became living-liberated souls. Hence the Mahālaya Śrāddha rite should be performed by one who wishes for prosperity. 

196. Thus, O Durācāra, if anyone has not performed Mahālaya rite till now, he will have great danger from evil spirits, vampires, etc.

197-203. By not performing Mahālaya rite, one shall attain the state of a vampire. This evil spirit that possessed you was a Brāhmaṇa in a previous birth. His name was Vedanidhi. He was the meritorious son of Bharadvāja. The noble-minded Brāhmaṇa stayed in the village named Kuśasthalī. He did not perform this Mahālaya Śrāddha in accordance with the injunctions. Hence due to the curse of the Pitṛs he attained the state of a vampire. So, in the month of Bhādrapada, O Durācāra, on behalf of the Pitṛs, feed Brāhmaṇas devoutly with cooked food having all the six tastes. Thereby you can perpetually avoid poverty. You will be happy. Henceforth, do not associate with great sinners, since you have already experienced the misery resulting from possession by the Vetāla. Go to your own land; I have permitted you. Do not delay.”

On being told thus by Sage Dattātreya, the Yogin, he bowed down to him and went back to his land with a satisfied and delighted mind.

204-206. After going home, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, the Brāhmaṇa Durācāra who had got rid of his sins and who was set free from the fear of the Vetāla followed the path indicated by Dattātreya. He became happy in his mind. He completely avoided association with sinners. He was devoted to the code of conduct befitting his stage in life. Due to the great efficacy of the holy plunge in Rāmacandradhanuṣkoṭi Tīrtha, Durācāra attained the greatest salvation on death.

Śrī Sūta said:

207-211. Thus the meritorious story of the liberation of Durācāra has been recounted to you. This meritorious Dhanuṣkoṭi is destructive of great sins. It is merely by taking his holy bath here that Durācāra was liberated.

How can one state the limit of the power (to purify) of Dhanuṣkoṭi. It destroys even those sins for which there is no atonement. All those sins devoid of expiatory rites, perish by one’s taking the holy plunge in Dhanuṣkoṭi.

If a Brāhmaṇa bows down to a Liṅga or to Viṣṇu worshipped by a Śūdra, no atonement has been indicated for him by the great sages or the Smṛtis. But by taking the holy bath in Dhanuṣkoṭi even that sin of his shall perish.

212-216a. There is no means of atonement in the case of persons who censure Brāhmaṇas. There is no expiation for ungrateful persons and those who are guilty of breach of trust. There is no atonement for those who are enamoured of the wives of brothers, those who are fond of a Śūdra’s cooked food, those who are engaged in decrying the Vedas, those who sell their daughters, O Brāhmaṇas, and those who sell horses, those who sell deities, those who sell the Vedas, the men who sell Dharma and those who sell their holy rites. There is no atonement for people who sell Tīrthas. But by taking the holy plunge in Dhanuṣkoṭi their sins perish.

216b-219. There is no means of expiation for those who take delight in harassing mothers, fathers and ascetics, those who are habituated to censuring preceptors and elders, those who are interested in censuring Śiva, Viṣṇu and ascetics, and those who denounce good stories. They shall be purified by taking the holy bath here in Dhanuṣkoṭi.

Thus, O Brāhmaṇas, the glory of Dhanuṣkoṭi has been recounted to you. On hearing about this the man is liberated from all the sins.   

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

In vv 33ff the author discusses an important topic called Mahālaya Śrāddha. This Śrāddha is performed in the dark half of the month of Bhādrapada on the tithi (day) on which one’s father passed away. The topic is discussed here and later in SkP VI.216 and VII.l. PdP (Pātala Ch. 101), Bhaviṣya 1.183 and Nibandha writers like Aparārka deal with this.

[2]:

There is a difference of opinion about the exact period about this Śrāddha (vide HD IV, 531-32 and Notes 1189, 1190).

[3]:

VV 39-136 describe the importance and efficacy of performing Mahālaya Śrāddha on each tithi in the dark half of Bhādrapada.

[4]:

Cf. another definition: Mahālaya is the Ālaya ‘abode’ of Mahā (Festival of Pitṛs).

[5]:

VV 181-95. As usual with Purāṇas, the fortunes or prosperity of legendary and Purāṇic figures is attributed to the performance of Mahālaya Śrāddha.