Chapter 78 - Avimukteśvara (avimukta-īśvara-liṅga)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Note: The daughter of King Citrasena of Śākala could remember her former birth. When the king asked her about her marriage, she behaved like a mad person. She explained that she was not insane but in her previous birth she used black magic to control her husband—a sin which was finally eradicated by a visit to Avimukteśvara. The king went to see that deity along with his daughter who got merged in that Liṅga.

Īśvara said:

1. O my beloved, know that Avimukteśvara Liṅga is the seventy-eighth deity. Merely by visiting it, one attains the benefit of a pilgrimage.

2-8. In the city of Śākala, O goddess, there was a king well-known all over the world by the name Citrasena. He was more handsome than Manmatha (the god of Love). His wife Candraprabhā was dearer to him than his own life. She was a righteous, chaste lady endowed with beauty and youth. The king had no son, but a charming daughter was born. The father, the excellent king, named his daughter richly endowed with all characteristic features as Lāvaṇyavatī. O goddess, she could recollect her previous births. She remembered ancient events (of the past births). The slender-waisted lady observed celibacy due to absence of attachment (to the world). When she attained youthful age, the king placed her in his lap, sniffed her head in delight and asked her: “Dear daughter, it is time to give you away in marriage. To what type of bridegroom are you to be given: to a king, a prince, an honoured Brāhmaṇa, an old man with many wives or a rustic fellow already having sons?” Thus the king in his hilarious mood asked his daughter repeatedly.

9-19, On being asked, the princess did not say to the king anything. She simply lowered her face. The king again said to her: “Dear daughter, if my advice does not appeal to you, now you make your own choice according to your wish.” On being told thus repeatedly by her father, the king, she reacted strangely. She cried piteously on the first hearing of a despicable state (of getting married). Then she laughed boisterously. She further began to sigh. Immediately she became highly delighted. Then she began to shed tears.

Seeing his daughter in such a condition of insanity, the king began to worry. ‘What is this? Has she become mad? Has she been afflicted by a malefic Planet? Has my daughter endowed with all good characteristics been possessed by spirits or vampires?’

O lady of good renown, when the king became thus anxious, the daughter began to speak: “Father, do not be dispirited. I am not afflicted by any malefic Planet or by a spirit or a demon. O king, your daughter is not seized by any vampire or Yakṣa. I am by birth Jātismara (capable of recollecting previous births). Let my previous birth be heard.

In the city of Prāgjyotiṣa, there was a Brāhmaṇa named Harasvāmin. O king, I was his unlucky wife. Though endowed with beauty and youthful features, I did not become favourite with him. He always hated me and used to speak harsh words. Excepting me, O king, he did not have any hatred towards anyone else. At the time of marriage, I was adversely glanced at by evil Planets.

20-31. Though I was married to a noble-born Brāhmaṇa endowed with many good qualities, O leader of men, that Brāhmaṇa was looked at by auspicious Planets. Therefore, I was his lover, O king. Yet I was not his beloved. He was habitually well-behaved. He was interested in Vedic Study. Established in the vow of celibacy, he never set his heart on anyone else. This made me furious and overzealous to acquire the technique of Vaśīkaraṇa (black magic for captivation of hearts). I enquired of some young women who were openly neglected by their husbands. I was told by them, O king: “The husband can be brought under your influence. We have been convinced. Hence it behoves you to do so. If your husband can be administered different kinds of medicines and powders, if some great efficacious Mantras capable of enchantment can be uttered, if different kinds of unguents can be smeared over him, he will behave like a slave.

Thereupon believing in their words, I hurriedly went ahead and procured the powder and Mantra. Back at the husband’s place, I administered the powder dissolved in milk to my husband. The Mantra (written on plaques and tablets) was used on his neck and the joints of all limbs. When he drank the potion, when the Mantra (with plaques) covered him fully, he came under my control instantly by the power of those Mantras and the powder. He stood at the doorway proclaiming: “I am your slave, O splendid lady. I have sought refuge in you. Save me. I am under your control, O splendid lady.” Perceiving his squealing and squeaking as a result of the great efficacy of the Mantras, I made use of the medical concoction necessary to bring him down to normal condition. Ever since then my husband was under my beck and call staying at home. In due course, I met with death. There was a series of hellish tortures after that. I was burned and roasted in the Naraka called Tāmrabhrāṣṭra for fifteen Yugas. In the Naraka I was minced into pieces of the size of gingelly seeds. I was afflicted by Kālasūtra in the Ghrāṇayantraka (mechanical device pressing the nose).

32-48. I was boiled in a pot of hot oil, stirred up with a ladle, ground on the top of a rock and pounded with iron rods. In Dantadalana (hell) I was split up and in Raurava I was burned and scorched with face down. I was immersed in dirty faeces and putrefying blood. Dear father, any other maiden who makes use of Vaśīkaraṇa technique is considered of wicked conduct and futile piety. She will be cooked in Naraka. The husband is the Lord; the husband is the preceptor; the husband is the greatest deity; the husband is the master; the husband is the friend; and the husband is the greatest position. If the husband is pleased, all the deities are pleased with women. If he is adverse, all of them are adverse. Hence the husband should be served always. If the husband is not propitiated, the woman is doomed. How can a woman who applies Vaśīkaraṇa techniques to a husband with whose favour diverse kinds of pleasures are always got, derive happiness? She may be born in hundreds of brutish wombs or those of worms and birds. Hence the words of the husband should be carried out by women. In this manner, highly terrifying Narakas were gone through by me. On account of the despicable action I was born into a thousand brutish wombs. In order to atone for some sin I was born into a thousand brutish wombs. I was born in the house of a Cāṇḍāla. I was blessed with great beauty but was afflicted by various kinds of wounds. I was surrounded by dogs and bitten repeatedly by them. I became distressed. For being a wicked one I was bitten and obstructed by wolves and was afflicted much, yet I went to Mahākālavana. Seeking something here and there I casually visited Mahādeva in the vicinity of Pippalādeśvara, the Lord of Devas. Merely by visiting it, I proceeded towards Śakra’s city by means of a very brilliant aerial chariot with chains of tinkling bells suspended from it. I was clad in divine garments and adorned with divine garlands. There I was adored by Devas and eulogized by Cāraṇas. As a result of visiting that Liṅga, I was born in your abode in the splendid city of Śākala. I am endowed with beauty and am your favourite daughter. Remembering the despicable womb, I cried piteously.

On remembering the greatness of the Liṅga I was delighted immediately. I am neither crazy nor am I seized by malefic Planets. I was born with an inborn faculty of recollecting previous births, dear father, and am steadfast in the vow of celibacy. Hence, O Lord, I shall go and visit that Deity again, lest I should be born again in the ocean of worldly existence.”

49-56. On hearing these words of his daughter, King Citrasena went to Mahākālavana accompanied by his servants and ministers. He visited the Liṅga there and devoutly adored it. She too, on seeing the Liṅga, got merged into it.

O my beloved, as a result of visiting the Liṅga the king was blessed with a son. He became an emperor like Svāyaṃbhuvamanu. In the meantime, O great goddess, seeing that the princess had got merged into the deity, they joyously assigned a name to it. Since everything happened only by visiting Avimukta Liṅga, the deity shall be well-known as Avimukteśvara Deva. In Kāśī, Śiva is famous as Lord Viśveśvara. The same deity is well-known here by the name Avimukteśvara. Just as Vārāṇasī is meritorious, so also Avantī is the bestower of salvation. Here the merit is heard ten times more than at that holy spot (i.e., Vārāṇasī).

Hence Lord Viśveśvara came to Kuśasthalī. Arriving at this place, men become very learned and of disciplined holy Vratas. Those who visit Śiva known as Avimukteśvara, with great devotion, will certainly attain salvation which shall be permanent and stable.

57-63. Those who are not (destined to be) liberated do not visit and the liberated ones do see always (Avimukteśvara). By visiting Avimukteśa one obtains that benefit which usually is obtained through disciplined vows of celibacy and all Yajñas performed very well. The meritorious goal of salvation is obtained only through visiting Avimukteśvara. By visiting Avimukteśa properly one obtains that goal which is obtained by Sāṅkhyas and Yogas. Eschewing the fear of birth and death, he attains the greatest goal, who ardently adores Avimukteśvara Siva. Even a Brāhmaṇa-slayer who goes to Avimukteśvara and worships the deity is rid of that sin by the greatness of that Liṅga. Even a wicked one who roguishly visits Avimukteśvara Śiva becomes free from old age, death and ephemeral birth. On being remembered, devoutly adored or eulogized by different kinds of prayers, Avimukteśvara Śiva, the Lord of Devas, grants salvation.

64. Thus the sin-destroying power of Avimukteśvareśa is recounted to you, O goddess. Listen to that of Hanumatkeśvara.