Chapter 4 - The Importance of Caturadaśī

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Sūta said:

1. Again I shall speak of the very wonderful greatness of Śiva. It destroys all the sins of those who listen to it. It extricates one from the noose of worldly ties.

2. Excepting the worship of Śiva, no other raft has been devised (for the saving) of those worldly-minded people sinking down in the ocean of sins that cannot be easily crossed.

3. A wise man should always perform the worship of Śiva. If he himself is physically incapable of worshipping, he should watch with his mind full of humility and devotion a worship that is being conducted.

4. If a man were to perform Śiva’s worship capable of according salvation, albeit he may be deficient in faith, or even witness one (worshipping Śiva), he shall go to the highest region in due course.

5. There was a king named Vimardana in the Kirāta country. He was heroic, extremely unassailable. He was endowed with valour and had vanquished his enemies.

6. He was always fond of the game of hunting. He was a ruthless, miserable wretch with brutish might. Habituated to eat all types of meat, he was cruel in temperament. He had women of all castes around him.

7. Still he regularly performed the worship of Śaṃbhu carefully, particularly on the fourteenth day of the lunar month in the dark or bright half.

8. He used to rejoice after performing the adoration profusely with all requisite adjuncts. With great delight he used to dance, eulogize and sing.

9. His crowned queen was much distressed at this activity of the king, indiscriminately eating everything and doing all sorts of wicked deeds in this manner.

10. The queen named Kumudvatī was endowed with good qualities and decent behaviour. Once she approached him and asked him confidentially:

11-12. “O king, this behaviour of yours is a cause of great surprise. What a great disparity there is between your misdemeanour and your devotion to Parameśvara! You indiscriminately eat everything irrespective of time. You are running after women of every type. You indulge in every type of violent, ruthless injury to others. How do you have devotion to the Lord?”

13. On being asked thus, the king who was capable of knowing the events of the three divisions of time (past, present and future), deeply considered every aspect for some time, and then laughingly said thus, with interest and curiosity.

14. The king said: “O lady of excellent countenance, I was a dog in my previous birth. I used to roam about all round the city of Paṃpā.

15. As time passed on thus in that excellent city, once I went to a beautiful temple of Śiva.

16. On the great Caturdaśī day, the worship was being conducted and I watched the same from afar, from the external gate.

17. Infuriated men with stout sticks made me run away from that place to save my life.

18. I went round the charming temple of Śiva clockwise and came back once again to the doorway where I was obstructed once again.

19. Again I circumambulated the same temple of Śiva. Tempted by the balls of rice etc. offered as oblation, I reached the gateway once again.

20. Thus making circumambulation round and round, whenever I took rest at the gateway, they shot me with sharp arrows.

21. Wounded in the body, I lost my life at the portals of the temple of Śiva. Thanks to the power of Śiva’s proximity, I am now born in a royal palace.

22. Having witnessed the adoration on the Caturdaśī day, I could see the rows of lighted lamps. Due to that merit, O beautiful lady, I became a knower of the events of the three divisions of time (past, present and future).

23. Due to the impressions of the experiences of the previous births I have become an eater of all sorts of foodstuffs. Natural propensity formed of previous experience is irresistible in the case of even learned men.

24. Hence I worship the Lord, the preceptor of the universe, on the Caturdaśī day. O fair lady, you also should faithfully worship the Pināka-wielding Lord.”

The queen said:

25. O eminent king, with the favour of the Consort of the Daughter of the Mountain, you became a knower of past, present and future. It behoves you to narrate the events of my past life exactly.

The king said:

26. You were a dove in the previous birth. Once while flying through the sky, you got a piece of meat by chance.

27. A powerful vulture who could not get any meat saw the piece of flesh in your grasp. Hence that terrible bird rushed at you.

28. Seeing him, O lady of fair countenence, you fled in fright, followed by him with a desire to snatch the piece of meat from you.

29. Fortunately you reached Śrīgiri (Mt. Śrīśaila) and exhausted completely circumambulated the temple of Śiva and perched on the top of the flagstaff.

30. The other bird of sharp beak quickly chased you, killed you, making you fall down, and went away seizing the piece of meat.

31. Due to the circumambulation of the Trident-bearing Lord of Devas, and falling dead in front of him, you were born as a princess.

The queen said:

32-48. (Details of the forthcoming seven births)

Details of the previous birth have been heard by me entirely. It is really wonderful. My devotion is aroused. O highly intelligent king conversant with the events of the three times, I wish to hear another thing. Where will we go after leaving off this body?

The king said:

In the next birth, I will be born as king of Sindhu country. Born as the princess of Sṛñjaya king, you will attain me in marriage.

In the third birth, I shall become king in Saurāṣṭra. As the princess of Kaliṅga king, you will become my wife.

In the fourth birth, I will become king of Gandhāra. Then you shall be my wife as the princess of Magadha.

In the fifth birth I will be king of Avantī. You will be my beloved as the princess of Daśārha king.

In the sixth birth I will become king in Ānarta. You will be the princess born of Yayāti family and will come to me again.

In the seventh birth, I shall be prince of Pāṇḍya. As regards handsomeness, liberal-mindedness and other good qualities, there will not be anyone else on a par with me. I will be conversant with the principles of all scriptural texts, and shall be mighty and valorous. I will be endowed with all good characteristics and be charming unto all the people. I will be well-known as Padmavarṇa, having the lustre of the sun, the friend of lotus.

You will be born as princess of Vidarbha unrivalled in beauty all over the earth. Your name will be Vasumatī and you will be beautiful in all form and proportionate in limbs. Giving delight to the eyes and minds of all the princes, you will be discarding everyone and woo me as your suitor like Damayantī selecting Naiṣadha (Nala). I will be vanquishing all the kings and gaining you as my excellent-complexioned wife.

Firmly established in my own country, I will enjoy all pleasures for many many years. I will perform different kinds of Yajñas of splendid type, such as horse-sacrifice etc. I will be duly offering water libations to the Manes, Devas and the Sages; be propitiating excellent Brāhmaṇas with monetary gifts and be worshipping Śaṅkara, the Lord of the chiefs of Devas, the benefactor of the world.

I will entrust the burden of the kingdom to my son and will go to forest for performing penance. I will obtain the knowledge of Brahman from Agastya, the excellent sage. Along with you I will attain the highest region of Śiva.

It is by means of this worship of Śaṅkara on every Caturdaśī day, O lady of fair face, that I will retain the status of a king during seven successive births. This merit has been acquired merely by watching the adoration (of Śiva). Where is a wicked-souled dog and where is such a good goal as this? (Oh, what a difference!)

Sūta said:

49-51. On being told thus by her husband, that queen of splendid features became struck with wonder. She joyously worshipped him. The king too enjoyed all pleasures as much as he desired along with her and attained the highest region of Śaṃbhu at the end of the seventh birth.

He who listens to this greatness of the worship of Śiva, that makes one wonder, and he who glorifies this shall attain the highest region.