Chapter 28 - Jaṭeśvara (jaṭa-īśvara-liṅga)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Note: King Vīradhanva killed five sons of Saṃvarta, who were in the form of deer. He committed many more sins, e.g., a Brāhmaṇa-slaughter, cow-slaughter. The mass of sins became as if a mass of hair on his head. Sage Vāmadeva directed him to Jaṭeśvara in Mahākālavana. King Vīradhanva prayed sincerely to God Jaṭeśvara who absolved him of all sins and sent him to Śivaloka.

The Lord of the Devas said:

1-4. Know the well-known Jaṭeśvara Liṅga as the twenty-eighth deity. Merely by seeing it, a man gets liberated.

Formerly in the Rāthantara Kalpa there was a king named Vīradhanvā. He became well-known all over the world as pious-souled and glorious. Once, O lady of excellent countenance, he went to a forest for hunting deer. Highly excited due to anger he killed many herds of deer with his bow (and arrows). Ultimately he came to that place where there were five brothers of excellent holy vows. They were the sons of Saṃvarta, O goddess. They remained there in the forms of deer.

5-19. Once they (the five sons of Saṃvarta) saw five fawns in a forest. They were gasping for breath immediately after being born. The boys of the sage out of curiosity took up one fawn each but all of them died. Extremely distressed, all those five sons went to their father. Desirous of performing expiation, they reported to Saṃvarta who was surrounded by an assembly (of other saints) their killing of the young ones of the deer:

“O holy Lord, five fawns have been unintentionally (and unwittingly) killed by us. Hence the expiatory rite may be laid down.”

He said: “One attains purity when the atonement is made. If anyone lays down (gives) an expiatory rite without a deep study of Dharmaśāstras (Codes of pious acts), though the performer of expiatory rite may be sanctified, the sin clings to the one who has laid down the rites. What is uttered even jokingly by Brāhmaṇas who have mastered the Dharmaśāstras and armed themselves with the sword of the Vedic injunction is proclaimed as the greatest Dharma (Virtue). If justified by Brāhmaṇas, a flaw in (the interpretation of) Vedic passages and omissions and commissions in the course of a Japa or Yajña shall be null and void. If Brāhmaṇas utter the word Acchidram (No loophole) all sins are destroyed and one gets the benefit of Agniṣṭoma.”

Even as Saṃvarta, the excellent Brāhmaṇa, was saying thus, Bhṛgu, Atri, Aṅgiras and other sages came there. The sons of Sage Saṃvarta narrated everything to them as it had happened, repeatedly exhibiting their humility and devotion, though they were distressed.

The sages said: “The Dharmaśāstras have been composed truthfully. The expiation varies in accordance with place and time. In the case of an old man above eighty and a boy under sixteen, the expiation is only a moiety. Expiatory rite should be imposed in the case of a woman or a sick man after considering scrupulously the place, the time, the age, the physical capacity and the sin committed. This is the Dharma as established. Now all of you undertake the holy vows after wearing deerskins. Move about thus for five years. Thereafter you will become pure.”

On being told thus, those boys adopted the conduct befitting deer. They entered the forest and meditated on the eternal Brahman without losing composure.

20-28. When a year elapsed King Vīradhanvā came to that place where those sons of the sage were moving about in the guise of deer. At the root of a tree the boys, continuing deer-like activities, remained performing Japa and they were seen by the king who took them to be deer and hit them with arrows. Those expounders of Brahman died.

On seeing them dead, realising that they were Brāhmaṇas with strictly disciplined observances, the king trembled with fear and went to the hermitage of Devarāta.

There, on being asked, the king explained: “O great sage, I have committed Brāhmaṇa-slaughter.” From the beginning to the end the story about the- slaughter was conveyed by him. Utterly grief-stricken and overwhelmed with misery, he cried much.

Resembling a divine being, that sage said to the crying excellent king “Do not be afraid, O king. I shall remove your sin. The earth was about to sink down to the nether world named Sutala and it was lifted up by Viṣṇu, the Lord of Devas, in the form of a boar. In the same manner, O eminent king, this Lord Janārdana will himself lift you up, now overwhelmed by the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter.”

On being told thus, the king spoke these words due to his sinful nature: “Of what use is this Brāhmaṇa, a wicked soul devoid of lustre? The base Brāhmaṇa is incapable of saving me himself.”

29-37. After saying thus, the king became angry. His eyes became red. With the sword itself, he killed him. On seeing the Brāhmaṇa dead, the king was further defiled by anger. Further, O goddess, deluded by the mass of sins, he killed a Kapilā (tawny) milch cow of Gālava along with her calf. With his foolishness, delusion and hastiness, he became distressed due to hunger and thirst. His intellect became ruthless and his sins heaped up like matted hairs. With the sins thus heaped up on his head, he roamed about in the dense forest.

Once he was led by his horse very far, deep down into the forest. The forest was full of tigers, lions and elephants. It was equally resorted to by the hunter and the hunted, the deer.

The king who was riding alone left the horse beneath a tree and fearlessly went to sleep on Darbha grass. The hunters who passed by saw the king asleep without fear. They hastened to their master and leader, to report this. As ordered by their master they were about to seize him when a fair white goddess embellished with ornaments rose up from the king’s body with a discus held (in her hand). The barbarians were caused by her to fall down. After killing the Dasyus (barbarian robbers) the goddess vanished there itself.

38-51. Liberated by her, the king woke up instantly. On seeing the barbarians killed the king thought: ‘I had been ruthless. See how the terrible series of sins of cow-slaughter and Brāhmaṇa-slaughter were committed by me in this forest!’

After thinking thus and heaving sighs repeatedly, he rode the same horse and went to the hermitage of Vāmadeva. The king was seen by Sage Vāmadeva in that predicament, afflicted and rendered miserable by the heaped-up sins.

Vāmadeva said:

This is that tiger among men, the king Vīradhanvā, born of the lunar race. He has come to a miserable plight. I shall redeem this king, the most excellent man.

After thinking thus Brāhmaṇa Vāmadeva of great austerities, replied to King Vīradhanvā who was in great distress: “O king, O ruler of the earth well-known as Vīradhanvā, O son of Vidūratha, famous throughout the three worlds! In your previous birth in the form of a hunter, you had kept fully awake beneath an Āmalakī (Indian gooseberry) tree after killing deer in the forest. The eleventh lunar day in the bright half of Phālguna is auspicious. It is called Āmalakyekādaśī. It coincides with Puṣya constellation when Jāmadagnya Pradakṣiṇā (Paraśurāma-circumambulation) and adoration is performed by the people. Formerly you witnessed it with surprise. Though unwillingly, fast was observed and this vigil in addition to that. By its power, you became a king with great strength and exploit. Now you were saved from the barbarian hosts, O king, by the goddess. All the enemies were killed. Thanks to her alone, you will attain auspiciousness. It was on account of the fruition of previous Karmas that the sin of Brāhmaṇā-slaughter befell you. This has been known by me through the power of penance and Yogic practice. Your body became heaped up by the group of sins, O king.

Now I shall protect you. Listen to my reliable words.”

52-58. On being told thus by Sage Vāmadeva, that king bowed down with self-restraint and repeatedly asked: “How will my sins of killing cows and Brāhmaṇas disappear? It behoves you to do me the favour by imparting instructions.”

On hearing his words, O lady of renown, the great sage Vāmaḍeva recounted the greatness of this Liṅga: “At my bidding, O great king, proceed to Mahākālavana. Jaṭeśvara, the Lord of Devas, who pervades the whole cosmos, is there. In all the Vedas he is spoken as the remover of masses of sins. He is situated to the north of Anarakeśvara Deva.” On hearing the words of Vāmaḍeva, the king hurriedly came to the excellent Mahākālavana. There he visited Jaṭeśvara, the Lord of Devas, worthy of being saluted by the universe. Then with great devotion the leading king eulogized:

59-69. “Obeisance to Śiva forever, obeisance, obeisance. Obeisance to you, O Lord with the universe as (your) physical form. Obeisance to the divine being, to the Lord worthy of being kept as secret, to the Lord who is the embodiment of secret Vrata. Obeisance to Jaṭa, the fascinating one, who has occupied (the universe) through Māyā. Obeisance to the multi-formed one. Obeisance to the being with blue lustre and form. Obeisance to Bhoga (Pleasure), to Dhūmra (Smoky one). Obeisance to one with the firmament as soul. Obeisance to the mass of fiery brilliance. Obeisance to you, the mine without impurities. Obeisance to the dazzling sun unto the great darkness. Obeisance to you, the destroyer of enemies. Obeisance to the Lord transporting the devotee to the other side of the ocean of worldly existence. Obeisance to. one with divine form and physical appearance. Obeisance to one with golden complexion. Obeisance to one who enchants the deluded ones. Obeisance to one with excellent form, to one adored by Suras; obeisance to one devoid of forms, to one who is beyond Prakṛti. Obeisance, obeisance to one independent of forms and colours. Obeisance, obeisance to one of excellent form of Goddess Śyāmā.” On being eulogized thus, O goddess, Maheśvara, the great Lord, with all his limbs covered with matted hairs issued forth from the middle of the Liṅga. All his limbs were smeared with holy ash. The bodies of the serpents constituted his bracelets and he shone thereby. His lustre resembled a mass of snow. He was as spotless as a silver mountain. The Lord was embellished with matted hairs resembling pearl strings. He was covered with tawny-coloured, hideous and terrible matted hairs. They were tied up by the hoods of big serpents. They had various colours such as white, yellow etc. This Jaṭeśvara was resplendent with those matted hairs that had the appearance of rivers. O daughter of the Mountain, he spoke these words to the king: “O eminent king, I am delighted with this prayer. I have been pleased by you. Due to my vision the heaped- up sins of yours have disappeared. Hence, joyously go to my eternal abode.”

70-77. On being told thus by the Lord of Devas, King Vīradhanvā went to the greatest place devoid of dissolution and incineration. O my beloved one, as he proceeded in an aerial chariot that could go wherever it pleased, he was eulogized by the Gaṇas. By perceiving the Lord who was Jaṭībhūta (covered with matted hairs) he got rid of the mass of sins. Therefore, the Liṅga too was called by the name Jaṭeśvara. The heaped-up sin of those who see Jaṭeśvara with great devotion, O beautiful lady, perishes at the same instant.

Strength, great influence and conjugal bliss will accrue to those persons who always adore Jaṭeśvara, the Lord of Devas, O fair lady. Others too, Devas, Gandharvas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas and human beings who worship the Liṅga duly with devotional ardour will also attain cherished desires whatever they may be, even if very rare and inaccessible. They will attain overlordship, unequalled piety, longevity, freedom from ailments, absence of rivals and the like. Even sinners of cruel activities who resort to the Liṅga shall become rid of all sins and feverish ailments.

Those who devoutly visit Jaṭeśvara everyday will become endowed with piety, wealth and conjungal bliss.

78-85. The sick will be rid of sickness; the miserable become liberated from misery by visiting the Lord. They shall become bereft of all sins immediately.

Those who read the greatness of Jaṭeśvara, O Pārvatī, and those who listen to it with devotion to me and endowed with faith and restraint will attain all cherished desires and in the end they will get the goal of my city.

An unfortunate woman will always obtain conjugal bliss. A pregnant woman obtains a son without illness. He will be having fame as ornament. Malefic Planets affecting infants, perish. There is no fear from premature death. This is conducive to auspiciousness and longevity. It is the great reservoir of Dharma and Kama (Love). Fears arising from evil dreams and terrible sins perish. On hearing the narrative regarding the Liṅga, evils of adverse intake of food and contact with wicked people and those producing loss of longevity: all these perish undoubtedly.

If this splendid narrative of Jaṭeśvara is read at the time of Śrāddhas, it increases the delight of the Pitṛs. The Śrāddhas will have everlasting benefit.

Thus, O fair lady, the sin-destroying power of Jaṭeśvara has been recounted to you. Listen to the power of Śiva named Rāmeśvara.