Chapter 48 - The Greatness of Sāṃbāditya

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Note: Now, a small shrine of Sāṃbāditya is near Suraj Kuṇḍa (Sūrya Kuṇḍa; near Godaulia crossing in the heart of the city). But the plinth of the destroyed temple shows that it was an extensive temple. BCL 180-181 notes: Two Sun-discs lying under a tree in a rubble near the ruins, are witness to the ancient impressive temple.

Skanda said:

1-2. Listen, O Maitrāvaruṇi, Vāsudeva, the abode of the universe, manifested himsef as Kṛṣṇa with fiery brilliance in Devakī through Vasudeva in Dvārakā. He was the greatest among Yādavas. (He manifested himself) for reducing the burden of the earth by slaying demons.

3. A hundred thousand and eighty sons of solar refulgence were born to him. O Pot-born One, even in heaven, there are no such boys of excellent behaviour.

4. They were richly endowed with supreme handsomeness. They were extremely powerful. They were highly conversant with scriptures and the art of wielding weapons. They had highly splendid characteristics.

5-8. Once Nārada came to see the city of Dvārakā built by Viśvakarman, which surpassed even the celestial city in excellence. Nārada was a mental son of Brahmā and a storehouse of penance. He had a bark garment as loin cloth and a deer hide as the (upper) garment. He held a Brahmadaṇḍa (staff held by a religious student). He had a girdle of three-stringed Muñja grass. A Tulasī garland embellished his chest. Liquid paste of Gopīcandana was the unguent shining on his body. All his limbs were emaciated due to austerities. He shone like a personified form of fire. He came by the aerial path.

9. On seeing Nārada all the Vṛṣṇī folk bent down their necks in humility. With joined palms held over the head they bowed down to him.

10. Sāṃba who was deluded by everything that he possessed such as comely features and charm, did not bow down to the sage. He was laughing at the excellence (?) of the form (of the sage).

11. After knowing perfectly well what Sāṃba thought, the great sage Nārada entered the extremely beautiful palace of Kṛṣṇa.

12. On seeing Nārada coining, Kṛṣṇa rose up to welcome him, honoured him with Madhuparka and made him share his own seat.

13. After conversing with him on a variety of topics Nārada whispered into Kṛṣṇa’s ears the misbehaviour of Sāṃba when Kṛṣṇa was alone.

14. “O delighter of Yaśodā; here there is something (unusual). Generally it does not happen but perhaps there is nothing that is impossible in the case of women.

15. Sāṃba is the most handsome of all young men in the three worlds. Fickle indeed is the mind of women whose eyes are by nature tremulous.

16. These beautiful-eyed damsels, when deluded by the god of Love, do not care to follow the norms of noble birth, good conduct, learning or riches. They see only charming features.

17. Or perhaps there is nothing not known to you in regard to the activities of the cowherd lasses. Excepting your eight crowned queens, all the other ladies are enamoured of him.”

18. Kṛṣṇa knowing as he did the natural inclinations of beautiful women and relying on Nārada’s words, believed what Nārada had reported as true.

19. ‘Ladies of tremulous eyes have fortitude and discretion only as long as the seeker of love is not in a secluded spot. If he is in a secluded spot, their fortitude and discretion become inoperative. They become otherwise.’

20. Thinking thus in his mind, Kṛṣṇa checked the current of the river of his fury by means of the dam of discretion. The wise Kṛṣṇa bade goodbye to Nārada.

21. After the departure of the celestial sage, though Kṛṣṇa watchfully observed day and night, he could not perceive any misbehaviour on the part of Sāṃba.

22-23. After the lapse of some time, the sage came again. On coming to know that Kṛṣṇa was in the midst of the sporting women, Nārada called Sāṃba who was playing outside and said thus: “Go immediately to Kṛṣṇa and inform him that I have come.”

24-28. Sāṃba hesitated for a while, thinking: ‘Should I go? Should I not go? How can I go to my father who is in a lonely spot in the company of women? How can I disobey this Brahmacārin who is like a blazing charcoal? There is dazzling brilliance all over his body. Once I had ridiculed him while all the other boys were bowing down. If now too I refuse to go, disobeying thereby this great sage, there shall be greater danger in view of the two sins and defaults. A father’s anger towards me is better than that of a Brāhmaṇa towards me. Those who are burnt down by the fire of the wrath of a Brāhmaṇa never flourish. Those who ae [are?] burnt down by other (kinds of) fires do grow again like things reduced to ash by a forest fire.’

29-30. After reflecting thus for a short while, Sāṃba, the son of Jāṃbavatī, entered the apartment of his father. Even as he hesitatingly bowed down to Kṛṣṇa in the midst of the assembly of ladies from fear and reported to him Nārada too followed him to accomplish what he intended.

31. On seeing Sāṃba and Nārada, Kṛṣṇa stood up in a flurry and put on the yellow silk cloth.

32. When the son of Devakī got up, all those cowherdesses bashfully stood up tucking up their respective clothes.

33. Kṛṣṇa grasped the hands of the great sage and made him sit on the couch of great value. Sāṃba went away to play.

34. Due to Kṛṣṇa’s dalliance with them, all those ladies had experienced orgasm with drenched vaginal apertures. On seeing them dripping even as they stood in front of him, the sage said to Kṛṣṇa:

35. “O my dear intelligent fellow! Lo and behold. On seeing the son of Jāṃbavatī these ladies are dripping because their minds are agitated by his comely features.”

36. Though Sāṃba looked upon everyone like (his mother) Jāṃbavatī, Kṛṣṇa called his son and cursed him due to the adverse action of fate:

37. “Be a leper because it was on seeing your handsome features that these lasses experienced this drenching of their organs. Further you had intruded untimely.”

38. Trembling on account of the terrible fear of the great disease, Sāṃba pleaded in many ways for the purpose of quelling the sin.

39. By this time Kṛṣṇa realized (his mistake) and told his bosom-born son Sāṃba: “To get the cure from leprosy, go to the city of Viśveśvara.

40. By propitiating the Sun-god there, you will regain your normal state. Excepting in Vārāṇasī there is no quelling of great sins elsewhere.

41. After reaching the city of Vārāṇasī where Viśveśvara is directly present and where there is the celestial river, there is surely redemption and purity, removing those great sins for which no remedy has been seen even by sages.

42. At Vārāṇasī, not only from (self-incurred) sins is one liberated, but also from Prākṛta sins (sins foisted on one by Prakṛti), at the behest of Śaṅkara.

43. Formerly, due to his great mercy, Avimukta was created by Purāri for the liberation of all creatures that give up their bodies in the end.

44. O Sāṃba, the curse on you will be exonerated there in the Ānandavana of Śaṃbhu. Hence listen. There is no redemption from the curse otherwise.”

45. Nārada, the living-liberated soul, free from of all binding Karmas, became happy on having concluded his mission. He took leave of Kṛṣṇa and went away by the aerial path.

46. After going to Vārāṇasī and propitiating the Sun-god, Sāṃba left the Kuṇḍa. He regained normalcy.

47. Ever since then, the Sun-god Sāṃbāditya has become dispeller of all ailments. On all his devotees he bestows all riches free from evil and illness.

48. If anyone takes his holy dip in Sāṃbakuṇḍa early at dawn on a Sunday and worships the deity Sāṃbāḍitya, he is never afflicted by diseases.

49. No woman meets with widowhood after the worship of Sāṃbāditya. Even a barren woman will give birth to a son endowed with pure handsome features.

50. O Brāhmaṇa, the seventh lunar day in the bright half of the month of Māgha, especially if it falls on a Sunday, is called a day of great festival. It is as auspicious as solar eclipse.

51. By taking the holy bath early at dawn, one is rid of even great diseases. By worshipping Sāṃbāditya, one acquires inexhaustible piety.

52. There is no doubt in this that on Ravisaptamī day in Māgha at Kāśī one gets the same merit (Puṇya) as one acquires at the time of the Solar (or Lunar) eclipse by being present in Kurukṣetra.

53-54. On a Sunday, in the month of Madhu (Caitra) the annual pilgrimage and festivities take place. The devotee should worship Sāṃbāditya with Aśoka flowers after taking the holy bath in accordance with the injunctions. The devotee will never be afflicted with grief. Instantaneously he becomes freed from the sins incurred throughout the year.

55. In the western quarter of Viśveśa, the splendid idol of the Sun-god bestowing auspiciousness was perfectly propitiated by the noble-souled Sāṃba.

56. This future image thereof has been told to you, O Agasti. By circumambulating it eight times and by worshipping and bowing to it, a man becomes free of sins. He shall attain the benefit of stay in Kāśī.

57. O highly intelligent one, the greatness of the deity Sāṃbāditya has been narrated to you, on hearing which no man will ever see the world of Yama.

58. Now, O sinless one, I shall describe Draupadāditya. This Draupada Āditya should be served. He is the bestower of supernatural powers on his devotees.