Chapter 8 - The Greatness of Apsaraḥ Kuṇḍa

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Vyasa said:

1-4. Good behaviour is the greatest Dharma. It is far greater than all other Dharmas. Those who abide by their duty, those who have conquered anger and controlled their sense-organs do go to Rudraloka. There is no surprise in my mind in this regard. Undoubtedly they go to the other worlds with the lustre of moons, even if they do not reside in the holy spot and do not observe restraints. But what about women, Mlecchas (outcastes), Śūdras, animals, birds, beasts, dumb ones, sluggish ones, blind ones, deaf ones etc., who cannot practise penance and observe regulations and restraints? If they die in Mahākālavana what is the goal they reach?

Sanatkumāra said:

5. Women, Mlecchas, dull-witted persons, animals, birds, beasts—all these, O Vyāsa, do go to Rudraloka, should they die in due course (in Mahākālavana).

6. They go there with divine bodies. They enjoy all pleasures. They sport about along with Śaṃbhu in the cremation ground full of ghosts and spirits.

7-10. Formerly the Goddess was rebuked by Śaṅkara calling her ‘Kālī’ (‘Dark-coloured’) and ‘Pārvatī’ (‘Mountain-girl’). Then the Goddess became angry with Śaṅkara in the Kaṭaka (tableland). When the quarrel between Śiva and Gaurī broke out a deity originated there itself. It is called Kalakaleśvara.

A holy Kuṇḍa was made in front named Kalahanāśana. When bath was (is) taken there, O Vyāsa, the beloved ceased (ceases) to quarrel. By bathing in that holy Tīrtha, worshipping Maheśvara and observing fast for a night, the devotee shall redeem a hundred members of his family.

11. If a person makes a gift there of sandal-paste (even) of the size of a small atom, he could redeem the members of his family, ten among predecessors and ten among successors, along with himself.

12. If a man makes the gift of a plot of land, O Sage, of the size of Gocarma^[1] he shall become the lord of the entire earth.

13. He who devoutly makes the gift of a cow red in colour or an Aṅgula of land will become a king.

14-18. If men make gifts of a cow, horses, gingelly seeds, cloth, a pot, copper, milk-pail, slippers, an umbrella and excellent sandals to Brāhmaṇas, their worlds are everlasting.

To the right side of the back of the holy spot are the deities named Mothers (i.e. Brāhmī etc.). The Goddess there dispels the sin of all the worlds. The excellent Maṇikarṇikā should be known as the (representative of) all the Tīrthas. After taking the holy bath in that Tīrtha, a devotee should respectfully see the Mothers who are on the backside (Pṛṣṭhamātṛs). He shall be liberated from all sins. He will attain the desired Siddhi.

If a person visits the Mothers and proceeds on a journey, he will not have any fear from thieves, nor has he any fear of Rākṣasa or evil spirits.

19. He has no fear in his native land, in a foreign land, on mountains or in forests or in the sea. He will have no evil thoughts.

20-26. He need not have fear of the king and others or of affliction from all the malignant Planets.

A Brāhmaṇa who slaughters a goat or a sheep or a buffalo with the Goddess in view, attains the desired benefit.

A man who takes the holy dip before the Goddess at midnight on the eighth day in the bright half of the month of Àśvina, attains the greatest Siddhi.

If a woman whose son is dead, takes her bath in the Kuṇḍa along with her husband and then takes the holy dip before the Goddess, she will attain the benefit. After bathing with a pot and fruit, she should not see anyone else’s face. O sage, through this Kumbhasnāna (‘bathing with a pot’) a son will be born to her like the Lord with Six Faces (Skanda).

Behind the Mātṛs is the splendid and highly meritorious Tīrtha of the celestial damsels. A man who takes bath there, shall become richly endowed with handsome features.

Formerly, O Vyāsa, by the power of this Tīrtha, king Purūravas, son of Ilā, was obtained as the husband by Urvaśī.

On hearing this interesting (anecdote) Vyāsa spoke these words:

Vyāsa said:

27-28. O great sage, how did this Tīrtha of celestial damsels come into existence there? Recount it in detail and its secrets: what was the cause thereof and at which time was this established?

Who is this Purūravas? How did the excellent lady, the celestial damsel named Urvaśī come to be his wife? Narrate all this exactly as it happened.

Sanatkumāra said:

29-35. Nara and Nārāyaṇa performed penance in the penance grove of Badarikā. Indra became afraid of it. All the celestial damsels of charming and seductive features, proud of their prime of youth were ordered by Indra to put in obstacles in the penance of the sages. They arrived there. Both of them saw the celestial damsels maddened with pride and sporting about, who had arrived to create obstacles.

Then both the gods (Nara and Nārāyaṇa) spoke to each other: “These have come here to create obstacles since we do not have our own womenfolk.” After uttering thus, Nara spoke to Nārāyaṇa,^[2] “I shall create a female more beautiful than these.” Out of his thighs and using mango blossoms, he created a female. She was unrivalled in beauty in the world and was adorned with all ornaments.

On seeing the excellent lady, the beautiful young maiden having the lustre of fire standing up (created), they returned to Śakra and told him: “We are not capable of tempting them.”

36. On hearing their words, Śakra came to those divine beings, bowed down low before them with palms joined in reverence on his head and said:

37-41. “I request for this lady. Be pleased to give her to me.” The divine beings, the great Lords, gave her to Indra: “On the strength of our words, accept this Urvaśī created out of his thighs by Nara. Since this excellent lady has been created from the thighs out of the mango blossom, she is known as Urvaśī.”^[3]

Purandara took that excellent lady Urvaśī and went to the heaven. He called Citrāṅgada and said: “O Citra, let adequate training be given to her so that she becomes an adept in dance. Let splendid effort be made so that she becomes skilled ere long.” Being directed thus, she was made skilful in dance and music.

42-43. Thus that beautiful lady stayed in the celestial abode. After the lapse of a long time, the king, the righteous-souled son of Ilā, named Purūravas, came there. Seated along with Indra on his throne, he witnessed the dance.

44. On seeing Urvaśī dance before Vāsava (Indra) the king’s mind was captivated and he became infatuated. He could not understand anything.

45-47. He composed his mind and stayed for a short while. As for Urvaśī, she too was attracted by his sight. With her mind captivated she went away from that place afflicted with love and extremely agitated. That girl fell down from the raised stage of dance.

Consoling herself, she rose from the ground. On being seen by the lion-like king, she became afflicted by the god of Love.

48. Purūravas went to the earth thinking about her. Thinking about the tiger among kings, Urvaśī went home (dejected).

49. She went to the abode of Citrāṅgada and made him her messenger. At night she was taken by him to the place where Purūravas was present.

50. Heaven without Urvaśī appeared to be a void to the heaven-dwellers. On the very same night, she was brought by him to heaven.

51. Separated from her he (Purūravas) wandered absent-mindedly for sixty years. O Vyāsa, the king became mad.

52-53. Wandering about holy Tīrthas, he reached Mahākālavana. That excellent celestial damsel Urvaśī was taken to the heaven by a Gandharva. There she continued to prattle, “Oh King! Oh King!” She never lay (quiet). Nor did she bathe. In the meantime all the other celestial damsels reached that place where Urvaśī was present.

54-56a. Raṃbhā, Menakā, Pramlocā, Puñjikasthalī, Jalapūrṇā, Aśrupūrṇā, Vasantā, Candrikā, Sūryadattā, Viśālākṣī, Candrā and Candraprabhā came there in a group and spoke to Urvaśī: “O excellent lady with charming eyes, why do you cry for a human being?”

56b-57. On hearing these words of those celestial damsels, Urvaśī spoke:

“A eunuch cannot appreciate the pleasure derived out of the intercourse of a man and a woman. Everything should be known by you from this simile. I am steadfast in my resolve regarding him.”

58. On hearing these words of Urvaśī, they took counsel together with great concentration. They went to Mahākālavana without the knowledge of Devas.

59-60. They saw the king resting under the shade of trees. On seeing the king, all of them became excessively agitated (with love). On seeing all the celestial maidens lovelorn and enchanted, Urvaśī laughed and said:

Urvaśī said:

61. This is that tiger among men, the son of Ilā, separated from whom I have become like this. He is the well-known king of the earth and is named Purūravas.

62. When Urvaśī said thus, the group of the celestial damsels stood bashfully and silently bowing down their heads for a long time.

63-65. In the meantime, the holy sage Nārada came there. On seeing all of them who had arrived there and the king in the company of Urvaśī he said: “Why have you silently left the excellent and so charming an abode of Indra? Let a boon be chosen quickly lest there should be separation.” Nārada narrated the greatness of the Tīrtha too.

66. By taking holy dip in this Tīrtha, an unlucky man or woman attains conjugal bliss and all excellent pleasures.

67-69. A devotee weighs himself/herself against gingelly seeds, salt or with sugar without minding the expenses. Or he should weigh himself against jaggery or honey keeping Goddess Pārvatī in view.

If salt is used, he/she will be handsome and beautiful in form. If gingelly seeds are used, brilliance of all the limbs. Increase in wealth, if sugar is used, and perfection in all the limbs, if jaggery is used. If honey is used conjugal bliss is assured. Everything happens by the power of this holy Tīrtha.

70-72. The devotees should feed twelve couples representing the Lord and the Goddess. The following articles shall be gifted: A flask, nail-ornament, earrings, gold, collyrium, cane basket, bodice and safflower-dyed clothes. To the men holy white ash and unguents should be given; to the women saffron should be given. This excellent Vrata should be performed on the third lunar day in the bright half of Āśvina. It can be performed in the months of Āṣāḍha, Śrāvaṇa and Bhādrapada also.

73-74. The woman becomes an excellent lady like Goddess Umā. The devotee makes gold images of Umā and Maheśvara in accordance with his capacity. They should be worn by the woman when sitting in the pan of the balance. Fruits and diverse kinds of vegetables should also be given.

75-76. Everything given as gift, Homa performance, Japas uttered—all these shall have ten million-fold the benefit if done there. The woman who does all these things with purity and concentration shall go to the world of Gandharvas and celestial damsels after death. There is no doubt about this. In this Tīrtha, two Liṅgas have been worshipped by Devas and Dānavas.

77. Couples visiting those two Liṅgas attain the greatest Siddhi. Especially in the month of Kārttikā the devotees should worship with sweet-smelling flowers and keep awake at night. They attain Rudraloka.

78. Just as the separation of the Goddess from (Śiva) her own form is not seen, so also their mutual separation (of the couples) is never seen.

79-81. After doing like this, O Brāhmaṇa, all of them went to heaven.

The Tīrtha of the Apsaras has been described. Other Tīrthas are now taken up. To the south of Pṛṣṭhadevī there is the Mahiṣa Kuṇḍa (holy pit). It is there that Dānava Mahiṣa was formerly killed by the leaders of the Gaṇas. By bathing in that Tīrtha and assiduously worshipping the Mothers, a devotee is rid of the affliction from ghosts, Rākṣasas and Piśācas (spirits).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Place sufficient for 100 cows, a bull and their calves (300 X 10 square feet).

[2]:

In Mbh and elsewhere Nārāyaṇa is said to have created Urvaśī.

[3]:

Possibly ‘Urvaśī’, the historical lady mentioned in the Ākhyāna Sūktas of RV may be a resident of the ancient city of Ur now lost in the desert of S. Iraq.