Chapter 98 - Departure unto the Pavilion of Salvation

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Vyāsa said:

1. Listen, O blessed Sūta, how the extremely great festival of Śaṃbhu was recounted to the Pot-born One who had been asking.

Skanda said:

2. Listen, O highly intelligent one, to the narrative of the grand entry of Śaṃbhu, a narrative that causes delight to all the three worlds and destroys great sins.

3. Coming from Mandara at the time of Damanaparva (thirteenth lunar day in the bright half in the month of Caitra), Śaṃbhu moved about here and there though he reached Ānandagahana.

4. When the royal mansion exhibiting the grace of the glory of salvation had been completed, the Lord entered the inner apartment from the Virajaḥ [Viraja/Virajas?] pedestal (seat of the Three-eyed Lord).

5-7. It was on the first lunar day in the bright half of the month of Kārttika when the constellation Anurādhā was in conjunction with Budha (Mercury). The Moon was in the seventh sign of zodiac and the other Planets were in their ascendancy. Musical instruments were played. All the quarters were bright and clear. The sound of chanting of Vedic Mantras by Brāhmaṇas drowned all other sounds. The track between Bhūrloka and Bhuvarloka was reverberating. All were thus joyous at the time of the festivities connected with the grand entry of Śaṃbhu.

8. Groups of Gandharvas sang; groups of celestial damsels danced. Cāraṇas eulogized and the assemblages of the gods were delighted.

9. Winds blew wafting fragrance; clouds showered flowers. All people wore auspicious dress; all spoke auspicious words.

10-15. All mobile and immobile beings became extremely delighted. Among all the Suras and Asuras, Gandharvas, Serpents, Vidyādharas, Sādhyas, Kinnaras, human beings, among all women and men, the four aims of life had a prominent place. O sage, when the sky got smeared with columns of smoke from the incense, it became blue and it has not given up till today the blue colour it acquired then. For the purpose of the Nīrājana rites (waving of lights ceremoniously) all the lamps were lighted and the same can be seen in the sky even today in the (assumed) form of stars. In every mansion banners of different sizes and colours shone, brightened by the beautiful lustre of the flagstaff on every Śiva temple. Musicians sang in some places and dancers danced in some other places in every shrine of Śiva.

16-17. In some places the four types of musical instruments were played. In everyone of the paths, the ground became slippery and glossy on account of the sandal-pastes having many hues such as green, white, madder colour, blue and yellow. In every courtyard garlands of festivity with auspicious features shone.

18. On the tops of the ornamental tower-gates jewels and jewel-set platforms shone. Series of mansions bright like nectar acquired the name of Saudha (Mansion).

Saudha:
(i) Mansion;
(ii) Whitewash;
(iii) Nectarine

19-20. Even insentient things shone like sentient beings whatever are said to be auspicious things, O Pot-born One, it became the birth anniversary of their own.

Then the Lord of Devas arrived and entered the Pavilion of Salvation.

21. Then the Lord of Devas was given the coronation bath by the Four-faced Lord as he was seated on an auspicious seat along with Bhavānī and surrounded by groups of sages and the assemblages of Kumāras (Sanaka etc.).

22. With innumerable jewels, silk garment and sweet-smelling garlands of various colours the groups of Devas as well as those great lords of serpents worshipped Maheśa then.

23. O Pot-born One, Śaṃbhu was duly adored by the gembearing oceans, excellent mountains and other meritorious souls in accordance with their possessions. Then the Lord was given Nīrājana (waving of the lights) by the groups of mothers.

24. At the outset Śiva, worthy of being saluted by all the groups of the immortal ones, propitiated all the leading sages by means of the fulfilment of their life-long desires cherished within the hearts. After addressing Brahmā he spoke to Viṣṇu.

25. With great honour (he made him sit near) saying, “Sit here. You are the sole cause of all my lordship. Even though you may be standing far off you are very near to me. There is no one other than you who can carry out my task.

26. The excellent king Divodāsa was given good advice so that he attained the greatest Siddhi and my (his) desire was completely achieved.

27. O Viṣṇu, ask for a boon. You will have whatever you desire. There is nothing here that cannot be given to you. It is due to you and this Gaṇeśa, that Ānandavana was obtained by me.

28. In all the three worlds, there is nothing else so lovable to me as this Vārāṇasī, the origin of the greatest happiness. It is the mine of Brahmarasāyana (Elixir of realization of Brahman). People who take the long sleep there (i.e. those who die there) do not have further birth.”

29. On hearing these words of the Lord of the universe, Viṣṇu spoke to Maheśa, the bestower of boons: “If, O Pināka-bearing Lord, you are pleased, then let me not be far removed from your feet.”

30. On hearing this speech of the Slayer of Madhu, Purāri was delighted and said thus: “O Enemy of Mura, stay forever near me here, in this resort of the Glory of Salvation.

31. Someone may be devoted to me; but if he resorts to me without propitiating you at the outset, his desire will definitely not be realized through me, the deity greater than the greatest, O Lord having the lotus and the discus in the hands.

32. O Acyuta, there is all happiness to one who abides here in this Pavilion of Salvation. That cannot be had even in Kailāsa mountain utterly free from impurities, nor even in the mind of a devotee with permanent glory.

33. If the devotees stay even for a moment here in this southern pavilion of mine, with steady mind, without thinking about anything else and having perfect concentration of mind, they will never be reborn in a womb.

34. Those who duly bathe in the deep Cakrasaras lake, the crest-jewel of all the Tīrthas, and enter this (pavilion) for a short while without any wish in the mind, become free from sins. They are verily my attendants.

35. Those who remember me in the pavilion of salvation, and make gift of some money according to their capacity, those who listen to meritorious narratives even for a moment with steadiness, earn the merit of the gift of ten million cows.

36. O Upendra, if the devotees bathe in the Maṇikarṇikā Hrada and sit for a short while in the pavilion of those desirous of salvation, it is as fruitful as though penances have been performed by them for a long time and they have had their holy plunge in all the reputed Tīrthas.

37. O Hari, there are holy Tīrthas here at every step, but can they be compared to Maṇikarṇikā? Are there not many auspicious pavilions here? But this is the greatest resort of the glory of salvation.

38. In the coming Dvāpara Age, O Hari, this Kaivalyamaṇḍapa (Pavilion of Salvation) will become reputed in the world as Kukkuṭamaṇḍapa.”^[1]

Hari said:

39. O Lord with an eye in the forehead, do recount to me. How is it that this Pavilion of Salvation will become reputed as said by the Lord?

Devadeva said:

40. O Four-armed Lord, a Brāhmaṇa will be born here by the name Mahānanda practising the rituals of Ṛgveda. He will be one abstaining from acceptance of monetary gifts in the holy spots.

41-43. He will be devoid of hypocrisy. He will not be cruel-minded. He will always be the favourite of guests. But when his father passed away, he, in his prime of youth, was led astray by the fierce arrows of the Lord of Love. He became friendly with someone and abducted his wife. Urged by her and deluded utterly, he drank what should not be drunk. Fascinated by the god of Love, he contracted a taste for prohibited foodstuffs.

44. On seeing the devotees of Viṣṇu of great wealth, he immediately adopted the guise of a Vaiṣṇava. The deluded soul then begins to censure devotees of Śiva, the giver of salvation from hell.

45. On seeing the devotees of Śiva ready to give something, he may despise Vaiṣṇavas entirely and sustain himself through (what was offered to) the Śiva Liṅga.

46. Thus he became fully conversant with the practice of heresy. He was averse to the routine baths and prayers at dawn and dusk. He used to put big Tilaka marks (on the forehead), wear garlands and pure bright-washed clothes.

47. He flaunted the tuft of hairs (on the head). His hands were ready to receive anything and everything. He used to receive illegitimate gifts from everyone. He followed the path of the insane. A pair of sons was born to him.

48. Even as he behaved thus, a certain rich man would be arriving there for the purpose of pilgrimage.

49-50a. After taking bath in the Cakrasaras lake, he would be saying thus: “I am a man with ready cash willing to donate. By birth I am the best among Cāṇḍalas. Is there anyone ready to accept gifts, so that I can offer this wealth.”

50b-51. On hearing his words, this fellow who was seated there was pointed out with a gesture of the fingers by some people: “Only he who utters prayers and adopts the postures of meditation, will take the gift. None else.”

52. On hearing these words of those people, the low-caste fellow goes near him, prostrates before him and speaks thus:

53. “O great Brāhmaṇa, redeem me. Make my pilgrimage fruitful. I have something which you do take and bless me.”

54. Thereupon he placed the rosary on the ear and ceased to meditate. With a gesture of his hands he asked, “How much wealth do you have?”

55. He took the hint and spoke as though extremely delighted, “I shall give you as much as will satisfy you. Not less.”

56-58. On hearing his words, that Mahānanda who was highly delighted broke silence and said thus: “I am not keen in accepting the gift. But I shall accept in order to bless you. O most excellent one among all excellent people, if you carry out my behest I shall do so. Whatever you have, from it, not even a bit should be given to anyone else. Then alone I shall accept and not otherwise.”

The Cāṇḍāla said:

59-61. Whatever money has been brought by me for the propitiation of Viśveśa, I shall give unto you, because, to me you are Viśveśa himself. O excellent Brāhmaṇa, those who stay in the royal capital of Viśveśa, be they important or insignificant creatures, all of them form part of Viśveśa. Those who habitually uplift and redeem others, those who fulfil the desires of others, those who regularly render help to others, are part of Viśveśa.

62. On hearing these words, he became highly delighted in his mind and all sense-organs. The Brāhmaṇa spoke to the low-caste man from a hilly tract:

63. “Come on. Take the Darbha grass. Perform the rite of Utsarga (giving up) quickly.” The magnanimous man from the hilly tract did accordingly.

64-66. He uttered, “May Viśveśa be pleased.” He then went away. That Brāhmaṇa continued to stay there though despised and abused by the other Brāhmaṇas. The moment he came out he was assailed by many of them. “Here is a Cāṇḍāla Brāhmaṇa who has taken money from a Cāṇḍāla. He is verily a Cāṇḍāla, excommunicated by the entire world.” Saying thus they chased him, O Hari, producing Thutkāra (sound of spitting out).

67. Afraid of them, he never stirred out for some time like an owl afraid of crows. He dropped down his head due to shame.

68. Once that fellow censured by the people consulted his wife and went to Kīkaṭa land abandoning the city of Vārāṇasī.

69. On the way of his destination, he was observed travelling with gold on his person. Though he was in the middle of the caravan of pilgrims, he was waylaid by highwaymen.

70-71. They took him to a dense forest along with all his possessions. They seized his wealth and consulted one another saying: “This vast wealth can be fully used up by us only if he ceases to live. He should be killed along with his servants.”

72. After deciding thus they said, “O traveller, remember what should be remembered. We are surely going to kill you along with your retinue.”

73-75. On hearing this, that Brāhmaṇa thought thus within his mind, ‘Alas! My family for the sake of which much wealth was taken by me as gift has become ruined. The wealth received as gift has also been lost. My life is lost and the residence in the city of Kāśī has also ceased. Everything has been ruined simultaneously owing to the activity of my evil intellect. Due to that defiled gift of money, I could not even die in Kāśī.’

76. Since he remembered his family during the last moment of his life as well as Kāśī, he was reborn as a cock in the Kīkaṭa land, though he was killed by the thieves.

77. The woman became a hen and both the sons also became cocks. Due to the recollection of Kāśī, he was able to recollect the previous birth.

78. After many years had passed by, four excellent pilgrims came to that wayside place where the cocks were living.

79-87. They were speaking the tales (topics) of Vārāṇasī to one another loudly. On hearing the story of Kāśī, those cocks also set off in their company, thanks to the power of their memory of the previous birth. The kind-hearted pilgrims saw them on the way, cast rice-grains etc. (for them to eat) and brought them to the excellent holy spot. Having reached the holy spot, those cocks would be moving round the excellent Pavilion of Salvation. The residents of the holy place saw them following certain set of rules. They had conquered (the desire) to eat. They performed religious observances. They were averse to anger. They were highly delighted to hear the talks and stories about me. They were devoid of greed and delusion. Their heads were wet, due to the plunge within the celestial river. They were engrossed in repeating my names. They paid due attention to my stories. Their mental activities were directed towards me. The residents of the holy place honoured those cocks as beings treading the paths of the good. Due to the impressions of the previous activities, they consulted one another and reduced their intake of food. Thus they would be casting off their lives. O Viṣṇu, by my grace, they will get into an aerial chariot even as all the people watched and will reach Kailāsa, my abode. For a long time they will enjoy excellent divine pleasures. Then they will become endowed with knowledge and attain eternal salvation.

88. After this incident the people will begin to call this Pavilion of Salvation the Pavilion of Cocks.

89. Those men who come to the Muktimaṇḍapa and remember their story will certainly attain the good (i.e. Mokṣa).

90. Even as Śaṃbhu narrated this future story to Hari, a tumultuous sound of ringing bells arose there.

91. Thereupon the Lord of Devas, the Consort of Umā, called Nandin and said, “Nandin, go and find out whence (comes) this sound.”

92. Then Nandin returned and spoke to the Bull-emblemed Lord after bowing down to him with palms joined in reverence, and face beaming with pleasure.

Nandin said:

93. O Lord of Devas, O Three-eyed Lord, what new thing can I say to you. The graceful charms of the Glory of Salvation are being adored by some here.

94-95. Then Śaṃbhu said smiling, “Our desire has been fulfilled.” The Lord of the chiefs of Devas, in auspicious guise, got up. Accompanied by the Goddess, Brahmā and Hari, he went to the Raṅga Maṇḍapa.

Skanda said:

After listening to this meritorious Adhyāya, the giver of great bliss, a man will attain the greatest joy and will certainly reach Kailāsa.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

VV 39-88 narrate the legend why Mukti Maṇḍapa came to be called Kukkuṭa Maṇḍapa.