Chapter 31 - Rāma’s Pilgrimage to Dharmāraṇya

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Rāma said:

1-2. O holy lord, which is the holiest of these holy places that were resorted to by you. O bestower of honour, mention that to me. Brahma-Rākṣasas have been slain by me in connection with Sītā’s abduction. Name the most excellent of the holy places for the purpose of freedom from that sin.

Vasiṣṭha replied:

3. These rivers are extremely holy and purificatory: Gaṅgā, Narmadā (Revā), Tāpī, Yamunā, Sarasvatī, Gaṇḍakī, Gomatī and Pūrṇā.

4. Among these, Narmadā is the most excellent. Gaṅgā that courses through three paths (of heaven, earth, and nether world) bums sin entirely, O Rāghava, by her mere sight.

5. In Kali Age, by her mere sight Revā destroys sins accumulated during a hundred births. By going to her (she annihilates the sins accrued in) three hundred births and by taking one’s ablution in her she destroys (the sins accumulated in) a thousand births.

6. After resorting to the banks of Narmadā, if only a single Brāhmaṇa could be fed and that too only with greens, roots and fruits, one shall obtain the benefit of feeding ten million (Brāhmaṇas).

7. One who utters the name “Gaṅgā, Gaṅgā” from a distance of even hundreds of Yojanas away, becomes rid of all sins and goes to the region of Viṣṇu.

8-11. He who performs the rites of holy bath, Pitṛ-Tarpaṇa and offering of balls of rice after reaching Gaṅgā on the new-moon day towards the close of Phālguna (Feb.-March) and in the dark half of Proṣṭhapada i.e. Bhādrapada (Aug.-Sept.), obtains never-ending benefit.

In the month of Śuci (Jyeṣṭha and Āṣāḍha i.e. May-June-July) he who takes a holy dip in Tāpī,^[1] O king, does not see (any of) the eighty-four hells. The very remembrance of Tapatī (i.e. Tāpī), O Rāma, uplifts seven Gotras and a hundred and one members of the family of even the worst of sinners.

By taking the holy dip in Yamunā one becomes rid of all sins.

12. Even if he has committed the greatest of sins he attains the highest of goals.

In the month of Kārttika (October-November) on the asterism of Kṛttikā (Pleiades), a person should take the holy bath in Sarasvatī.

13-16a. He shall go (to heaven) seated on Garuḍa and eulogized by excellent Suras.

In the month of Kārttika, by taking the holy bath at the place where Sarasvatī flows eastwards and by eulogizing Prācīmādhava (Lord Viṣṇu facing the East) one attains the highest goal.

One who takes a holy dip in the sacred river Gaṇḍakī and worships Śālagrāma stone, shall never again become a sucker of (mother’s) breasts (i.e. is never born again).

A devotee shall take the holy dip in the vicinity of Kṛṣṇa in the watery billows of Gomatī. That man becomes four-armed and rejoices in Vaikuṇṭha for a long time.

16b-21a. A man who bows down to Carmaṇvatī (Chambal) and sprinkles her water (over himself), redeems members of his family, ten preceding and ten succeeding. By seeing the confluence of two (rivers) or by hearing the sound of the Sea, even one defiled by the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter, becomes pure and attains the highest goal.

One who takes a holy bath in Prayāga, in the month of Māgha, enjoys happiness in this world and goes to Viṣṇu’s region in the end.

Those men, O Rāma, who remain celibate for three nights, shall never see the world of Yama as well as the hells Kumbhīpāka etc. A man who permanently resides in the forest Naimiṣāraṇya shall attain godhood. That alone is a rare abode of gods on the earth.

21b-22a. O Rāma, O eminent king, at the time of a solar or lunar eclipse, if a man makes the gift of gold in Kurukṣetra, he never again becomes the sucker of breasts (i.e. gets Mokṣa).

22b-30a. By the holy visit to Śrīsthala a man becomes free from sin. He is honoured in the region of Viṣṇu when all the miseries are quelled.

A man who makes a gift of plots of land or of a cow on the earth, O Rāghava, goes to the region of the Sages, the residence of all wish-yielding cows.

One should take the holy bath in Śiprā at Ujjayinī in the month of Vaiśākha. He shall be able to redeem thousands of his ancestors from Raurava, a terrible hell.

He who takes a holy bath in Sindhu, O Rāma, for three days, becomes purified of all his sins and rejoices in Kailāsa.

A man who takes a holy dip in Koṭi Tīrtha and visits Śiva called Koṭīśvara, is never tainted by Brāhmaṇa’s slaughter and other sins.

All sins perish by drinking the water arising from the feet of even ignorant brutes moving about in great rubbish.

A man who bathes in Vedavatī^[2] at the time of splendid sunrise, shall be rid of all illnesses. He shall attain great happiness.

All the holy pools and places, O Rāma, everywhere sportingly quell all the sins of men, through baths, plunges and sippings (of water).

30b-33. They call Dharmāraṇya the greatest of all holy places. It was the holy place established at the outset formerly by Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva and others. Among all the Araṇyas (forests) and particularly the holy places, there is nothing more conducive to worldly enjoyments and salvation.

In heaven, gods praise the inhabitants of Dharmāraṇya: “They are the meritorious ones; they are the holy ones who reside in Dharmāraṇya in Kali age.” O Lord Rāma, it is destructive of all sins.

34-351 By plunging into (inhabiting?) Dharmāraṇya, all these sins of the people become reduced to ash: Sins such as Brāhmaṇa-slaughter, those arising from stealing all kinds of things, contacts with other men’s wives, eating forbidden foodstuffs, carnally approaching prohibited women and touching those whose touch is to be avoided.

36. A Brāhmaṇa-slayer, an ungrateful one, a murderer of children, a speaker of falsehoods, a slayer of women and cows, and a destroyer of villages become free (from their sins) at Dharmāraṇya.

37. There is nothing holier in the case of sinful beings on the earth. (No other holy spot) is as much conducive to the attainment of heaven, fame, long life and desired objects as Dharmāraṇya.

38. It is declared that Dharmāraṇya is a holy place that fulfils the desires of lovers, gives salvation to ascetics and supernatural powers to Siddhas in every age.

Brahmā said:

39-40. On hearing the words of Vasiṣṭha, Rāma, the most excellent one among upholders of virtue, felt great delight causing thrill to his heart. Hairs stood on ends. The heart blossomed as it were. Rāma, the observer of auspicious vows, resolved to go there.

41-42. It is a holy place where worms, birds, animals and men become rid of all sins by merely resorting to it for three nights.

Just as, O Rāma, Kuśasthalī,^[3] Kāśī, the Trident-bearing Lord, and Bhairava accord salvation, so also the most excellent holy spot Dharmāraṇya.

43-47. Thereupon Rāma, the wielder of a great bow, became extremely glad and started on his pilgrimage along with Sītā and his brothers. Then all these followed him: Hanūmān, the lord of monkeys, Kausalyā, Sumitrā, Kaikeyī who were glad (to accompany), Lakṣmaṇa who was endowed with all (auspicious) characteristics, the highly intelligent Bharata, Śatrughna accompanied by his army, the residents of Ayodhyā and the Council of Ministers. O tiger among men, they all were extremely glad. They followed him and went to Dharmāraṇya. The king (i.e. Rāma) who started from his abode to perform pilgrimage spoke thus, O king, to Vasiṣṭha, his family priest:

Śrīrāma said:

48. This is indeed very surprising. Was it older than Dvārakā? How long has it been in existence? O Vasiṣṭha, tell this to me.

Vasiṣṭha said:

49-50. O great king, I do not know since when and how long it (this Dharmāraṇya) has been. Lomaśa and Jāmbavān may know the reason thereof. Whatever sin is committed by the body in the course of different births, this holy shrine is known as the means of expiation for all of them.

51. On hearing these words, Rāma, the most excellent one among wise people, resolved in his mind to go to the holy place and performed the due rites before proceeding on the pilgrimage.

52-53. Keeping Vasiṣṭha at the head, he performed the Puraścara rite (initiatory and preparatory) along with other great rulers and proceeded towards the North. (Then) keeping Vasiṣṭha in front he proceeded to the West. He crossed village after village, country after country and forest after forest.

54. Passing on, Rāma set off along with his army and retinue, thousands of elephants and horses, tens of millions of chariots and vehicles.

55. Rāghava set out with innumerable palanquinṣ. Seated on an elephant, he viewed the different friendly countries.

56. Rāma moved on with the white umbrella held aloft and the auspicious chowries waved by a crowd of people.

57. Rāma proceeded ahead joyously, eulogized by the bards, accompanied by the sonorous sounds of musical instruments, dances and songs.

58-62. On the tenth day the excellent Dharmāraṇya was reached. Not far from it, Rāma saw a provincial town. There he camped along with his army for the night.

He heard from the people that the shrine was desolate. It was terrible as it was infested by tigers and lions and resorted to by Yakṣas and Rākṣasas. On hearing that Dharmāraṇya had literally become a forest, Lord Rāma told the bold merchants living there, who were diligent in their business, “Do not worry”.

He called together some able-bodied powerful men of great prowess, capable of doing their jobs efficiently and spoke to them thus:

63-64a. “Do not tarry; take my bright-coloured golden palanquin quickly so that I can go to Dharmāraṇya instantly. The devotee is rid of all sins by taking bath there and drinking the holy water.”

64b-68a. Urged by Rāma, all those merchants said, “Yes” and bore the palanquin. When Rāma and the army reached the middle of the holy place, O descendant of Bharata, the speed of the vehicle became slowed down. The musical instruments became reduced in the loudness of the sound. The elephants began to walk very slowly. The horses too came to be like those (slowed down elephants). Rāma was surprised. Humbly he asked the great sage Vasiṣṭha, his preceptor: “O lord of sages, how have these become slow in their movement? It surprises my heart.”

68b-69. The sage capable of knowing the events of the three (past, present and future) divisions of time said: “We have reached the Dharmakṣetra. O Rāma, people have to walk on foot to the ancient shrine. If that is done, the soldiers will become happy.”

70. Thereupon, Rāma accompanied by the army went on foot. The great promoter of welfare reached the village Madhuvāsanaka.

71-75. In accordance with the instruction of his preceptor, he performed worship of the Mothers, with various offerings of different kinds and accompanied with the due rites of installation.

Then Rāma visited Harikṣetra on the southern bank of Suvarṇā. He saw many grounds worthy of being used as grounds for sacrifice. Rāma, the scion of the family of Raghu, considered himself as one who had fulfilled all the tasks.

After going round the Dharmasthāna on the northern bank of Suvarṇākṣā and having taken the hosts of army across, he wandered in the middle of the holy place.

There, in all the holy places and sacred shrines, Rāma performed the stipulated rites in accordance with the injunctions; with great faith he performed the Śrāddha rites duly.

76-77. He installed Rāmeśa and Kāmeśvara on both the banks of Suvarṇā to the north-west of the holy place. After performing these, Rāma, the son of Daśaratha, considered himself as one who had done his duty. After concluding all the rites, he sat in the assembly.

78-79. That night the descendant of Raghu slept on the banks of the river. At midnight, the lotus-eyed Rāma woke up. The king, fond of virtuous activities, was alone then. Rāma presently heard the cry of a woman.

80. At night, she was lamenting like a female osprey, in a piteous voice. Agitated much Rāma made his spies look up to her.

81. On seeing the excited and bewildered woman crying piteously, the miserable one was asked by Rāma’s messengers, O sinless one:

The messengers asked:

82-85. O fair lady, who are you? Are you a goddess or a demoness? By whom have you been frightened? By whom has your money been robbed?

Unnerved and dispirited, you are crying out terribly again and again. Speak out the exact situation. It is Rāma, the king, who asks.

She said: “O messengers, send your master to me. I shall speak to him, about my worry for the purpose of quelling it.”

Saying “Alright”, the messengers came to Rāma and said:

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

As vv 3 and 10 show, ‘Vāpī’ in the printed text is a misprint for Tāpī.

[2]:

De (28) identifies this with two different rivers: (1) Hagari, a tributary of the Tungabhadra in the district of Bellari and (ii) Varadā (Vardā) a southern tributary of Krishna.

[3]:

An anachronism. Rama belonged to Tretā while Kuśasthalī (Dvārakā) was founded by Kṛṣṇa in Dvāpara.