Chapter 10 - King Camatkāra Cursed

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Sūta said:

1-5. In the meantime the king well known as Camatkāra, the overlord of Ānarta (Northern Gujarat) came to the forest there to hunt deer.

Far away he saw a doc assured because not expecting danger from anywhere and therefore fearlessly suckling her young one motionlessly.

Immediately the delighted king fixed an arrow of crooked point, drew the string upto his ear and hit her in a vulnerable spot.

She was presently hit by that arrow to which vulture’s feathers had been fixed. In her excruciating pain she looked around.

Seeing the king holding the bow not very far off, the doe, fond of her young one, with her face dimmed with tears spoke thus:

The doe said:

6-8. O king, what you have done now is very improper. I who was suckling my young fawn, have been hit with an arrow of crooked point. O king, it is not the destruction (death) of my own body that I bewail; I bewail this wretched fawn eager to suck the udder.

Since such a cruel deed has been committed by you, you will be immediately afflicted with the foul disease of leprosy.

The king said:

9. This is the regular practice and duty of kings to hunt and kill deer. So it does not behove you to curse me when I only carried out my duty.

The doe said:

10-14. O king, what you spelt out is true. Deer have been created by the Self-born Lord for being hunted and killed by Kṣatriyas, but the injunction laid down by him also may be heard attentively even as I explain it.

A man is defiled by sin if he kills a deer that is asleep, that is eager to drink water, that is engaged in suckling (her young) or that is indulging in mating.

It is for this reason that the curse was pronounced on you, O king, not out of fanciful wish, nor of death. I vouch for it by a solemn promise.

After saying this in great agony the doe cast off her life. The king became overwhelmed by the foul disease of leprosy.

15-20. On seeing his own body defiled by leprosy the king summoned his servants and said to them in great misery: “I shall perform a penance. I shall worship Śaṅkara till the disease of leprosy is eradicated.

Whatever happiness men seek in all the three worlds can be entirely achieved through penance. Hence penance should be performed by me. I shall now roam about regularly over the earth begging for alms, staying under a tree everday [every day?].

Giving up everything that I like or dislike, my stay will be on bare ground covered with dust or a deserted house or at the root of a tree.

I shall eschew everything both pleasant and unpleasant. I shall be impartial towards enemies as well as friends. I shall see a lump of clay, a stone or a piece of gold impartially. Thus I will spend my life till the end of time (my death).”

21-24. After saying thus and dismissing his servants, the king set out on a pilgrimage and wandered over the earth.

After a long time he listened to the advice of a Brāhmaṇa and arrived at Śaṅkhatīrtha of great efficacy in the holy spot of Hāṭakeśvara.

This is well known in all the three worlds as destructive of all diseases. This is filled with clear water. Merely by his holy bath there, the excellent king became rid of his leprosy. He shone with great splendour.