Chapter 42 - The Greatness of Pippalāda Tīrtha

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Note: Pippalāda was an ancient sage who, according to Praśna Upaniṣad, imparted spiritual knowledge to sages such as Sukeśa, Śaibya and others. He visited Bhīṣma while the latter was on the bed of arrows (Mahābhārata, Śānti 47.9). The author of Skanda I.i.17 records him to be the son of Dadhīca and Suvarcas. When Dadhīca handed over his body to Devas Suvarcas placed the new-born baby under the shade of a Pippala tree which nursed it on its fruits. Hence the name.—The author of Revākhaṇḍa, in his enhusiasm to glorify a Kṣetra on Revā is insensitive to the reputation of the great sage Yājñavalkya, the court philosopher of Janaka of Mithilā.—He makes Pippalāda a bastard born of Yājñavalkya and his widowed sister. Pippalāda creates a Kṛtyā (Female Ogress) to kill Yājñavalkya who is shown to have run from Janaka and other gods.—Popular etymology of Pippalāda gave rise to such stories.

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

1-7. Therefrom, one should go to the excellent Pippaleśvara where Pippalāda, a great Yogin of austere penance, became a Siddha.

Yudhiṣṭhira said:

O holy Sir, I wish to hear the story of Pippalāda and the greatness of that Tīrtha where the great ascetic became a Siddha. Whose son was he? O highly esteemed one, why did he perform the penance? O sinless one, narrate this in full detail.

Mārkaṇḍeya said:

The highly venerable Yājñavalkya who had mastered the Vedas and Vedāṅgas performed an excellent penance while he was at Mithilā. The sister of the intelligent Yājñavalkya became a widow unfortunately in her seventh year itself. As a result of her previous Karma, she was also an orphan without her parents. In her husband’s family too there was no one. Hence she was alone.

Wandering over the earth, she gradually came near her brother who was performing a penance with a desire for the other world and its happiness.

8-13. She attended to his needs and stayed there performing penance. On a certain occasion, she had her monthly course during the day when she took her bath. She saw a rag kept concealed and so wore it as her undergarment. In the meantime, at night Yājñavalkya had an erotic dream in a place where there was none. As a result of the dream, there was an emission of semen in his loin cloth. It resembled a drop of blood. Since he was refulgent with his austere penance, it had the lustre of fire. The poor Brāhmaṇa woke up and found the piece of cloth defiled. He thought it not worthy of being touched and so cast it off and washed himself clean in accordance with the injunctions in the Smṛti texts. Bath at night has been prohibited. So the Brāhmaṇa went to sleep again. At midnight the woman took this cloth and covered her vaginal aperture. In the morning the sage searched for his loin cloth here and theṛe. Thereupon the Brāhmaṇa woman said: “Dear Sir, what are you searching for? What do you want? Tell me the fact.”

Yājñavalkya said:

14-23. I had an unholy dream at night, O fair lady. My loin cloth became wet, which I kept aside. It is not to be seen now.

On hearing this statement, the Brāhmaṇa lady became excessively frightened, O king. She said: “O Brāhmaṇa; that piece of cloth was worn as an undergarment by me after my menstrual bath.” On hearing her words the great sage burst out: “Alas! Alas!” and fell on the ground like a tree the root of which had been cut. Pure like the sky, the innocent lady asked: “What is this?” Consoling the Brāhmaṇa, she spoke thus: “Tell me the reason even if it were to be the uttermost secret, so that we shall ponder over it and get the remedy carried out.” After reflecting for some time, he found it possible to speak. With a frightened mind, he spoke out. Listen to what he said, O king: “O lady of auspicious Vratas, it is none of your faults nor mine. Of the foetus in your womb, fate alone is the cause. It has to be carefully preserved by you forever. It should not be destroyed. It should be awaited till the whole period is over.” The chaste lady was ashamed. Yet she said in distress, “So be it”. She nurtured the child in the womb till the normal delivery. As soon as the child was born, the Brāhmaṇa lady came to the root of a banyan tree. Abandoning the child there she spoke thus:

24-33. “May all those living beings in all the worlds, mobile and immobile, protect this child abandoned by me.”

After saying this, the Brāhmaṇa lady went away, O excellent king.

The child in that plight lay still for a short while. Then it threw up the hands and legs winking the splendid eyes. Then it opened its eyes and cried making shockingly awful sounds. Due to the sound the mobile and immobile beings became frightened. The earth shook violently along with its mountains, forests and parks. On taking that hungry Brāhmaṇa child to be some great spirit, the tree continued to spread its shade over him. For the sake of drinking, the child had its nectarine exudation, O descendant of Bharata. Thus the boy grew up there. He delightedly pondered: ‘What is the state of Planets in my case?’ Thereupon the Planet of cruel movements (i.e. Saturn) was angrily looked at and Śanaiścara, the Planet of slow motion, fell suddenly on to the ground. Utterly frightened he joined his palms in veneration and said: “O Brāhmaṇa, O Pippalāda, O great sage! What is my offence, pray? I was moving in my orbit in the space. Why have I been caused to fall on the ground?” On being asked thus by the son of the Sun (i.e. Saturn), Pippalāda, the great sage, spoke these words angrily. Hear it, O king: “O Sauri (son of the Sun), O evil-minded one, why do you harass me, a child bereft of father and mother? Explain to me thoroughly.”

Śanaiścara said:

34-45. Ruthlessness is my innate nature. My viewing is also likewise. Leave me free. I shall undoubtedly do what you ask me to do.

Pippalāda said:

From now onwards, children upto the age of sixteen should not be tormented by you. This condition has been stipulated, O Planet.

He said “Let it be so”. After saying this, he went away and returned. The Slow-moving One (Saturn) bowed down to the excellent sage and took the celestial path.

When he vanished, the boy of great tenacity thought of his father and was overwhelmed with anger. He concentrated his mind on fire and created fire there. He uttered Kṛtyā Mantras and performed Homa in the fire uttering “May the Kṛtyā issue forth”. At once that girl adorned with clusters of flames and resembling fire came out and said: “What shall ī do? Shall I dry up the seas? Shall I smash down the mountains? Shall I envelop the earth? Shall I make the firmament tumble down? On whose head shall I fall? O Brāhmaṇa, whom shall I slay? Let the task be mentioned quickly. Do not cause waste of time for me.”

On hearing her words, Pippalāda of great austerity, got his eyes red in colour and spoke these words: “O auspicious lady, it was with great paroxysm of anger that you have been thought of by me. My father is Yājñavalkya. Fall on him. Do not delay.” On being told thus, she went hurriedly exploding the firmament. Yājñavalkya, the noble-souled, highly intelligent, great sage was performing penance staying at Mithilā. The highly refulgent sage looked around at the various quarters when he saw the great spirit having the lustre of fire and the sun, present there.

46-58. On seeing it arriving suddenly, the great sage became very frightened. Pursued by the spirit he went to King Jānaka. “Know that I, ordinarily a refuge to others, have come to you (for protection), O excellent king. If you are capable, O king, save me from the terror of the great spirit.” The king spoke these words: ‘The spirit has originated from Brāhmaṇical splendour. It cannot be restrained. It is difficult to overcome. I cannot protect you.”

Thereafter the great ascetic went to another excellent king, seeking refuge. Abandoned by him, he went to the abode of Indra out of fear. The trembling Brāhmaṇa repeatedly said: “O king of Devas, I offer obeisance to you. Save me from the fear of the great spirit.”

On hearing his words, the King of Devas said this: “I am unable to save you from the fury of a Brāhmaṇa.”

Then that Brāhmaṇa, the most excellent one among the knowers of Brahman, went to Brahmā’s abode and then to Viṣṇuloka. He was addressed by him too in the same way. Then, O king, the sage became distressed and lost hope of remaining alive. Pursued by the spirit he went to the abode of Śaṅkara. Yājñavalkya who was endowed with the power of Yoga, O son of Pāṇḍu, concealed himself in the middle of the flesh and nail (of Lord Śiva) so much so that even the Lord could not see.

At last the spirit arrived there blazing with the lustre of fire and the sun. It said to Maheśvara, the Lord of Devas: “Leave off, leave off the person.” On being told thus by that spirit, O descendant of Bharata, Mahādeva showed the leading Yogin between the nail and the flesh. The Lord of goblins subdued the spirit and said to the sage who had been in great danger: “O great sage, O Brāhmaṇa, do not be afraid. Come out.” Thereafter on seeing the spirit settled in a very subtle body, he asked thus: “O great spirit, what will you do with him? Tell

The Kṛtyā said:

59-66. O Lord of Devas, I have been thought of by Pippalāda overwhelmed with anger. I shall destroy his body. O Lord, I have been invoked for doing this act of violence.

On hearīṇg these words that had escaped from the mouth of the spirit, Mahādeva, conversant with Mantras whispered some Mantras to Yājñavalkya who was stationed in his waist. O Yudhiṣṭhira, he gave the Brāhmaṇa the name Yogīśvara. The Lord of Devas discharged him and vanished there itself.

Pippalāda had sent away that spirit. But he was gloomy on account of his parents. He resorted to the bank of Narmadā and performed penance standing on a single toe and abstaining from food till his sixteenth year. O king, he thus propitiated the Lord of Devas, Śaṅkara along with Umā. Thereafter Śaṅkara who was pleased with him spoke these words:

Īśvara said:

O Brāhmaṇa of good holy rites, I am pleased with your penance. Choose a boon wished for by you mentally. I shall grant it.

Pippalāda said:

If the Lord is pleased with me, if a boon has to be granted to me, O Lord Maheśvara, be present in this Tīrtha here.

67-74. On being told thus, the Lord said to Pippalāda, the great sage, “So be it” and vanished along with the groups of goblins.

After the Lord had gone Pippalāda took his holy bath in the great waters, installed Mahādeva and went to Uttara Parvata (Northern Mountain). A person should take his holy bath devoutly in the Tīrtha there, uttering the relevant Mantras, O king, propitiate Pitṛs and Devas and worship Maheśvara. He shall get the excellent benefit of Aśvameḍha Yajña (horse-sacrifice). On death he goes to the city of Rudra. No doubt should there be in this connection.

With the Pitṛs in view, the devotee should feed Brāhmaṇas, O descendant of Bharata. They will rejoice in heaven for twelve years.

If any one adopts Sannyāsa and abandons his body in the Tīrtha, his goal (destination) shall be Rudraloka from where he will never return.

Thus everything that was asked by you (i.e. the greatness and the origin of the Pippalāda Tīrtha), O sinless one, has been explained.

This is meritorious, destructive of sins, conducive to wealth, dispelling evil dreams and all the sins of those who read or listen to shall be dispelled.