Chapter 81 - The Legend of Dharmeśvara

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Agastya said:

1. O Skanda, be pleased to tell me how the greatness of the Dharma Tīrtha was narrated by Lord Śaṃbhu to the Goddess. Have mercy on me.

Skanda said:

2. O subduer of the loftiness of Vindhya, O highly intelligent one, listen. I shall narrate the origin of Dharma Tīrtha as explained by the Lord.

3. After killing Vṛtra, Indra incurred the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter. Being distressed excessively, he asked his preceptor the mode of expiation (of that sin).

Bṛhaspati said:

4. O king of Devas, if you are desirous of dispelling this sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter which is usually very difficult to get rid of, go to Kāśī protected by Viśveśa.

5. O Śakra, except the great capital city of Viśveśa, no other great remedy for the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter is seen anywhere.

6. O enemy of Vṛtra, go quickly to that place in Ānandavana where the head of Brahmā fell from the tip of the hand of Bhairava.

7. Reaching even the outskirts of Ānandavana, O Śakra, Brahma-Hatyā (sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter) shall flee trembling, without anyone to support (her).

8. Kāśī presided over by Viśveśa, is the great destroyer of other sins also of even great sinners.

9. O Śatakratu (Indra, the performer of a hundred sacrifices), it is only in Kāśī that one gets liberated from great sins. It is only in Kāśī that one gets liberation from the great worldly existence, not other places.

10. Kāśī is the city of salvation; Kāśī dispels all sins. Kāśī is very dear to Viśveśa. Even heaven is not like Kāśī.

11. Kāśikā, the illuminator of salvation, should never be abandoned by one who is afraid of the sin of Brahmahatyā or by one who is afraid of the worldly existence.

12. If they cast off their bodies there, the seeds of the Karmas of the creatures do not germinate because they are burnt up by the eye of Śiva.

13. O enemy of Vṛtra, for the purpose of dispelling the sin of the slaughter of Vṛtra go to that famous Kāśī and propitiate Viśveśa, the bestower of salvation on all the world.

14. On hearing these words of Bṛhaspati, the thousand-eyed Indra came hurriedly to Kāśī, the destroyer of great sins.

15-16. After taking his bath in the north-flowing river (Gaṅgā) for the purpose of expelling the sin of Brahmahatyā, he went round Dharmeśa and stood worshipping Mahādeva. Sutrāmā (Indra) was engrossed in chanting the Mahārudra Mantra. He saw the Three-eyed Lord stationed in the middle of the Liṅga brightening the atmosphere with his own radiance.

17. Again he eulogized many times with Rudra Sūkta, as mentioned in the Vedas. Thereupon Bhava came out of the Liṅga, manifested himself and said:

18. “O husband of Śacī, I am pleased. Choose your boon. O Suvrata (‘one of excellent Vratas’), you have sought refuge in Dharmapīṭha; what should be granted to you? Tell me quickly.”

19. On hearing these loving words of the Lord of Devas, the Slayer of Vṛtra said thus: “O omniscient one, what is it that is not known to you?”

20. Urged by compassion for him, since he served Dharmapīṭha, Īśa created a Tīrtha there and said, “O Indra, take your bath here.”

21. No sooner did Indra take his bath there than he became endowed with divine fragrance. He regained his previous exquisite splendour as the performer of a hundred sacrifices.

22. On seeing that miracle, Nārada and other sages joyously took their holy bath in Dharma Tīrtha, the dispeller of sins.

23. They offered libations to the celestial Pitṛs and performed Śrāddha with great faith. With potfuls of the waters of that Tīrtha they bathed Dharmeśa.

24. Ever since then, that Tīrtha became famous by the name Dharmāndhu (Dharma Kūpa). It is the greatest Tīrtha that washes off sins like that of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter without any strain.

25. Merely by taking bath in Dharmāndhu, one gets a thousand times as much benefit as is proclaimed to be the benefit of a bath in Tīrtharāja (Prayāga).

26. In Dharma Tīrtha one obtains the same benefit as in Gaṅgā Dvāra, Kurukṣetra and in the confluence of Gaṅgā and the ocean.

27. In Dharmakūpa that benefit is obtained which one gets by taking holy dip in Narmadā, in Sarasvatī and in Gautamī (Godāvarī) when Guru (Jupiter) is in the Zodiac Siṃha (Leo).

28. In the Dharmajalāśaya, the same benefit is obtained which one gets by taking a holy bath in the Tīrthas of Mānasa, Puṣkara and the ocean around Dvārakā.

29. Here the benefit is the same as in the holy spot Sūkara on the Kārttikī day, in Gaurī Mahāhrada (in Kedāra) on the Caitrī day and in Śaṅkhoddhāra on the day sacred to Viṣṇu (Ekādaśī day).

30. With the hope of receiving balls of rice, Pitṛs expect men to take their holy dips in the two Tīrthas, viz. Gaṅgā and Dharmakūpa.

31. Great-grandfathers become elated in Phalgu Tīrtha near Pitāmaha, and in Dharmakūpa in front of Dharmeśa.

32. After taking the holy dip in Dharmakūpa and offering the libations to the ancestors, what more can a man expect to do to delight the Pitṛs by going to Gayā?

33. In Dharma Tīrtha too the ancestors become pleased by the offer of balls of rice as in Gayā, to the same extent, neither less nor more.

34. They are blessed devotees of their Pitṛs; the Pitāmahas are propitiated by them; they are the sons who become free from indebtedness to the Piṭrs in Dharma Tīrtha.

35. Due to the power of that Tīrtha Indra became sinless instantly. After bowing down to the Lord of Devas, he went to Amarāvatī.

36. O Pot-born One, the greatness of Dharma Tīrtha is unfathomable. Even by seeing one’s own reflection in that Kūpa (holy well) one shall obtain the benefit of the offer of a Śrāddha.

57. A man need make the gift of only a Kākiṇī there for the delight of the Piṭrs. He will have everlasting benefit due to the power of Dharmapīṭha.

38. If a person feeds Brāhmaṇas, ascetics or sages, he will clearly obtain the benefit of a Vājapeya sacrifice for everyone of the particle of rice (they eat).

39. After reaching Amarāvatī, Indra extolled in the presence of the heaven-dwellers the greatness of Dharmapīṭha in Kāśī.

40. Again he went to Ānandakānana of Śaṃbhu accompanied by the sages and the Devas and installed a Liṅga there.

41. This Liṅga is to the west of Tārakeśa and is called Indreśvara. The world of Indra will not be far from men who visit it.

42. To the south thereof is Śacīśa installed by Śacī herself. By the worship of Śacīśa women will have unparalleled conjugal bliss.

43. Near it is Raṃbheśa, the bestower of excessive happiness and great prosperity. All round Indreśvara is another deity Lokapāleśvara.

44. By worshipping it the Guardians of the Quarters can be propitiated. They will bestow opulence. To the west of Dharmeśa is Dharaṇīśa. He is glorified much. By visiting him one will have courage in the kingdom, royal household etc.

45. To the south of Dharmeśa, the great (Liṅga) named Tattveśa should be worshipped by men. By worshipping that Liṅga the knowledge of truth dawns uninterruptedly.

46. The devotee should worship Vairāgyeśa on the eastern side of Dharmeśa. By touching that Liṅga, the mind shall turn away (from worldly inclinations).

47. Jñāneśvara Liṅga to the north-east is the bestower of knowledge on all embodied beings. To the north of the splendid Dharmeśvara Liṅga is Aiśvaryeśa.

48. By visiting it, men will attain opulence (as) mentally desired. These Liṅgas, O Pot-born One, are the forms of Pañcavaktra (five-faced Lord Śiva) (Dharaṇīśa, Tattveśa, Vairāgyeśa, Jñāneśvara and Aiśvaryeśa).

49. A man should surely resort to these (Liṅgas). He attains salvation. Another event that happened there itself, I shall narrate. O sage, listen.

50. On hearing it a man can avoid being drowned in the terrible ocean of worldly existence.

There is a great foot of Mountain Vindhya here named Kadaṃba Śikhara.

51-52. There was a king named Durdama, son of Dama. After the death of his father, he became the king. He had no control over his sense-organs. Overwhelmed with lust he used to abduct young women of the citizens. Intrinsically bad people were his favourites and good people turned enemies.

53. He punished those who never deserved it. He was not inclined to punish culprits who deserved it. He was in the habit of hunting and was always in the company of hunters.

54-56. People who gave him sound advice were banished from the country by him. Śūdras were appointed as judicial authorities and Brāhmaṇas were taxed. He was contented with the wives of others and remained aloof from his legally wedded wives. He never worshipped Śiva and Viṣṇu, the Lords of all, the dispellers of misery and all sins, the bestowers of all desires, the very essence of the whole world.

57. In regard to his subjects, the king named Durdama was like another comet rising up suddenly for their utter destruction.

58. Once that king of sinful prosperity, addicted to vices, entered forests along with hunters closely following a boar.

59. As luck would have it, that king Durdama riding on a horse and armed with a bow, entered Ānandakānana alone.

60. He saw the trees all round fruitless but they were extensive and had plenty of shade. He felt his fatigue dispelled.

61. He was fanned for a moment as though by the trees with the sprouts for the fans through excellent wind, fragrant, cool and gentle.

62. On seeing that forest, the fatigue (of sin) congenital with him vanished; only the fatigue due to hunting did not subside (completely).

63. In the middle of the forest he saw a palace kissing the sky above. It was the sole beautiful receptacle of great rods of gems and jewels.

64. That king was highly surprised. He got down from the horse. On reaching Dharmeśamaṇḍapa he congratulated himself.

65-68. ‘I am blessed. I am delighted. My eyes have become blessed today. This very day is blessed since I espied this piece of land.’

Further, due to the power of Dharmapīṭha he cursed himself for his previous association with the wicked people to the exclusion of good people.

He said: “Fie upon me who have been outraging all creatures, who was an expert in afflicting the subjects harshly, who under delusion, considered myself happy by the abduction of other men’s wives and misappropriation of other men’s wealth!

Till today my life has been utterly futile. I have been deficient in sanity. It is a pity that religious sacred spots like this were not seen anywhere by me before.”

69. After cursing himself thus very much, he bowed down to Lord Dharmeśvara. King Durdama then mounted his steed and went back to his kingdom.

70. Then he invited all the old hereditary ministers dispensing with the services of all new appointees. He invited the citizens too.

71-73. He bowed down to Brāhmaṇas and allotted to them ample means of subsistence. After establishing the subjects on the righteous path, he crowned his son as the king. He punished those who deserved punishment and gave delight to good people. Averse to worldly pleasures, he set aside even his wives and went alone to Kāśī, the city that enhanced welfare. He propitiated Dharmeśvara and in due course attained salvation.

74. It is due to his visits to Dharmeśvara everyday that the uncontrollable Durdama of such a (bad) nature became the most excellent one among those who controlled their sense-organs and in the end attained salvation.

75. Thus the greatness of Dharmeśa has been narrated by me in short. O Pot-born One, who can adequately comprehend the greatness of Dharmapīṭha?

76. He who listens to this narration of Dharmeśa is the most excellent one among men. He will instantly be rid of sins committed ever since birth.

77. A sensible man will get this excellent narration of Dharmeśa recited particularly at the time of Śrāddha among Brāhmanas. It causes satisfaction to the Pitrs.

78. A man of excellent intellect listening to this Dharmākhyāna even from a distance, will be freed from all sins. In the end he will go to the palace of Śiva.