Chapter 3 - Brahmā’s Expiation

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

1. When the head was cut off, Brahmā was overwhelmed with the darkness of anger. He brushed off the perspiration that had appeared on his forehead and struck it on the ground.

2. From that sweat-drop was born a hero with ear-rings, a bow and a huge quiver. The hero, having a thousand armours said, “What shall I do?”

3. Pointing out to Rudra, Virañci (Brahmā) said emphatically, “Let this wicked one be killed, so that he should not be born again.”

4. On hearing the words of Brahmā, he became excessively angry. He raised the bow and with the arrow in his hand, he chased Maheśa.

5. On seeing the terrible being with divine arrows and bow in his hands, walking with rapid strides displaying his majesty, Bhava became surprised but went on ahead.

6-12. Īśa thought thus, ‘This extremely powerful person should not be killed by me. He will become a friend of Viṣṇu. Hence he (Viṣṇu) who is engaged in penance should be favoured by me for the sake of friendship.’ Thinking thus, Īśa went towards the hermitage of Viṣṇu.

O Brāhmaṇa (Vyāsa), after making the man fall and faint, with a sound of HUṂ, he went. He went delightedly to the place where the glorious, powerful Nārāyaṇa was present in his sporting activity in regard to the sustenance of the worlds.

The Lord, soul of the universe, the creator of the universe, reached there without being visible to living beings. Virūpākṣa saw Madhusūdana performing severe penance standing on the ground on a single big toe. He was unagitated. He was wonderfully enveloped in a splendour, as it were, of thousands of suns at the end of the Yuga.

He saw Nārāyaṇa, the excellent Purāṇapuruṣa possessing all the basic merits. Showing before him the skull that blazed like burning fire, Śiva said, “Give me alms.”^[1] On seeing Rudra with the skull in his hand Viṣṇu thought:

13-14. ‘Which other mendicant can be a fit person for the gift of alms now? He is suitable.’ After thinking thus, he held out his right hand. The Moon-crested Lord, aware of his inner intention, pierced it with his trident. A stream of blood flowed from the hand of the Lord (Viṣṇu).

15-16. A stream like molten gold, free from impurities like a flame of fire, fell into the skull and was received by Śaṃbhu. It was the rapidly flowing, straight Śiprā, like the ray of the sun in the sky, fifty Yojanas in length and ten Yojanas in width.

17-21. That flowed from the arm of Hari for a thousand divine years. Throughout the period, Īśa attentively received the alms gifted by Nārāyaṇa to a deserving person in an excellent vessel. Thereupon, Nārāyaṇa said to Hara these words: “Your vessel is full.” Then Hara, Parameśvara, after hearing the words of Hari resembling and resounding like the sound of waterbearing clouds, looked into the skull with all his three eyes. The Lord with the moon, sun and the fire for his eyes, the Lord shining with the crest-jewel of the moon covered the skull with his finger and spoke to Janārdana: “The skull is overflowing.” On hearing these words, Hari stopped the flow of blood.

22-28. At the side of Hari, Īśa churned the blood with his finger for a period of one thousand divine years frequently letting his glance into it. On being rubbed and churned the blood turned into an embryo and gradually into a bubble. Thereafter, a being arose from the skull illuminating it. He had a crown, a bow, red eyes, a thousand arms and a quiver round his neck. He constantly twanged the bowstring. His shoulders were like those of a bull. There was a thimble-like protection for his fingers. The being resembled an Arjuna tree. On seeing him, Lord Viṣṇu said these words to Rudra: “O Lord, who is this Nara (man) who has appeared in the Kapāla (skull)?”

On hearing the utterance of Hari, Īśa said to him: “O Hari, listen. The being here is named Nara. He is the best among those who are masters of the greatest miraculous weapons. Since you already said Nara, he shall certainly become (known as) Nara. Both Nara and Nārāyaṇa will become well-known in (this) Yuga for their valour in battle, for doing the work of Devas and their protection of the worlds.

29-34. This Nara shall be the friend of Nārāyaṇa. He shall be a friend unto you who are isolated now. He shall help you in battle. He is a great sage. His brilliance shall be conducive to the success of tests regarding austerities and Vijñāna (perfect knowledge). This fifth head of Brahmā had an abundance of brilliance of divine nature. He is brightened by the brilliance of Brahmā, the blood from your arm and my penetrating look into him. All these three aspects of brilliance (fiery splendour) have collectively produced him. Hence he will cause agitation to his enemies. He will become a terror unto those who cannot be (ordinarily) killed, others who cannot be conquered by you or Śakra, and unto all Rākṣasas.” When Śaṃbhu said thus, Hari became surprised at his brilliance. Then he (Nara) eulogized Hara and Keśava:

35-40. “Obeisance to you, O Hara, O Hari, obeisance; O Śaṅkara, obeisance to Viṣṇu. Obeisance to you, to the tridentarmed one. Obeisance to you, to the sword-handed one. Obeisance, obeisance to you, to the Medhya (the pure one to whom sacrifice has to be performed). O Hṛṣīkeśa, obeisance to you. Obeisance to the Lord of speech. Obeisance, obeisance to Śrīdhara.”

Even as he eulogized devoutly thus, the Lord lifted up Nara who joined his palms in reverence. Catching hold of both the hands engaged in veneration, he lifted him up from the Kapāla and spoke again:

“Waken quickly the terrible Rudrapuruṣa who was born of the sweat of Brahmā and who has fainted and fallen into the slumber of delusion due to my Huṃkāra.”

After saying this, Hara vanished.

Within the direct view of Nārāyaṇa, he quickly wakened him by kicking him with his left leg. Nara^[2] got up angrily. A big fight ensued between the sweat-born and the blood-born beings.

41-44. The entire earth reverberated with the twanging sounds of the vibrating bows. The sweat-born one had a single armour. The blood-born one had only his arms (to protect himself). Thus, on an equal footing, a divine battle between them raged on the earth. O sage, O excellent Brāhmaṇa, nine hundred and ninety-seven years elapsed even as the sweat-born and the blood-born beings fought with each other. On seeing the sweat-born one with a single armour, the two-armed blood-born one pierced the other Nara of Brahmā with the velocity of an arrow. Thereupon Madhusūdana became agitated. He spoke to Brahmā:

45. “O Brahmā, my Nara has come upper-most. Yours has been made to fall.” On hearing it the agitated Brahmā spoke to Madhusūdana:

46. “O Hari, even if mine (i.e. Nara) is deficient, (he will make up) in another birth.” Hari who was pleased thereby said, “It will be like this.”

47-49. After making them fight, he restrained them and spoke to them: “If in another birth my Nara is reborn in Kali age and a great battle ensues, I shall engage him therein.” Then Maheśvara and Sureśvara were called by Viṣṇu. He spoke to them thus: “These two Rudras should be protected in accordance with your capacity. This sweat-born one and the blood-born one, these two are our own parts. At the end of Dvāpara, they, being our own parts, should be assigned duties by you on the earth.”

50. Then Sureśa said to Viṣṇu the following words of sorrow:

5 1-52a. “In this Manvantara, when it was Tretāyuga a powerful warrior named Vāli was made to fall down for the sake of Sugrīva. He was made to fall by your own great form (incarnation) who wished for the welfare of the son of Sun. I am agitated due to that sorrow. I am not taking (accepting) your Nara.”

52-53. Viṣṇu said to the Lord of Devas who was not prepared to accept (Nara) and who mentioned other reasons for the same: “O Maghavan, O Lord, I will have my incarnation in the mortal world for the purpose of reducing the burden of the world.”

54. Thereupon Śakra became pleased with the words of Viṣṇu. He accepted Nara delightedly and Hari said, “May your words be true.”

55. After saying this to Ravi(?) and Indra and having sent them off, Puṇḍarīkākṣa (Lotus-eyed Viṣṇu) went to Brahma’s abode and spoke to Brahmā:

56-59. “O Brahmā, a despicable act was perpetrated by you by desiring to kill Īśa. Since the person connected with the Lord of the chiefs of Devas has been addressed by you in anger, you have incurred a sin. In order to expiate for this sin do perform a great expiatory rite, O Brahmā. Take up three fires and perform Agnihotra. Let one be the Gārhapatya fire, the second Āhavanīya and the third Dakṣiṇāgni. Consign them to three Kuṇḍas (holy pits). In the circular Kuṇḍa propitiate yourself. Propitiate me in the Kuṇḍa that is bowshaped. Propitiate Lord Hara in the square one by the names of Ṛk, Yajus and Sāman.

60-62. After performing the Homa in the fires you must adore Hara alone immediately. By performing this Homa in the fire for a thousand divine years you will attain Siddhi (fulfilment). Having purified yourself by means of expiation, you resort to Maheśvara. When you thereby become free from sins, all your grief will disappear.”

Having said thus the noble-souled Hari of fierce brilliance, went to his own abode. Brahmā too directed his mind towards penance and performed everything as mentioned by Acyuta.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

vv 12-34: This is the version of the creation of Nara as per this Purāṇa.

[2]:

This Nara is born of Brahmā’s sweat. VV 41-44 describe the fight between (Brahmā’s) sweat-born Nara and (Nārāyaṇa’s) blood-born Nara.