Chapter 32 - Greatness of the Hermitage of Seven Sages

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Sūta said:

1-3. There is one other place, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, in that auspicious holy region. It is the well-known hermitage of the seven sages. It fulfills all cherished desires.

One who takes his holy bath there on the full-moon day in the month of Śrāvaṇa with mental purity and concentration, shall obtain his desired object.

One who performs Śrāddha there with roots, fruits bulbous roots and greens, obtains the full benefit of Rājasūya and Aśvamedha Yajñas.

4-5. O leading Brāhmaṇas, a person should worship with ardour those sages on the fifth lunar day in the bright half of the month of Bhādrapada with flowers, incense and unguents in the following way. He should worship them in the due order: Oṃ obeisance to Atri; Oṃ obeisance to Vasiṣṭha; Oṃ obeisance to Kaśyapa; Oṃ obeisance to Bharadvāja; Oṃ obeisance to Gautama; Oṃ obeisance to Kauśika; Oṃ obeisance to Jamadagni; Oṃ obeisance to Arundhatī.

The Mantra for the worship:

“May the sages, the bestowers of all desires, whose bodies are sanctified by Gaṅgā and who are holding the garland of beads for doing Japa accept the Argha (materials of worship) offered by me.”

The sages said:

6. At what time was that Tīrtha established by the seven sages? O Sūtaja, narrate it in detail. We are very eager.

Sūta said:

7. Formerly there was a great drought in the world extending to twelve years. All vegetations were destroyed. All the people were distressed due to that destruction.

8. People were reduced to mere skeletons. They lacked interest in everything. All pious rites, holy vows and religious activities were forsaken by them. They began to eat and drink all forbidden things.

9-10. Mothers abandoned their sons, men their wives and rich men dismissed their servants. What to say regarding other hangers-on? Agnihotras were set aside by Brāhmaṇas and even by those who sponsored Yajñas. O Brāhmaṇas, Vratas were discontinued by those who had regularly observed vows, even by the oldest among them and by those who had control over their sense-organs.

11. Wherever any shoot or sprout was seen somehow springing up, it was immediately seized and taken away by shameless men emaciated by hunger.

12. When there was a great dearth of foodstuffs and the whole surface of the earth was afflicted, the seven sages who were overwhelmed with hunger began to wander here and there.

13. They were: Atri, Vasiṣṭha, Kaśyapa of great penance, Bharadvāja, Gautama of esteemed holy Vratas, Kauśika, Jamadagni and the chaste lady Arundhatī (wife of Vasiṣṭha).

14. Caṇḍā was the female attendant for all of them and Paśuvaktra endowed with humility was the male servant.

15. Hungry and emaciated much, the sages came to the realm of King Vṛṣadarbhi of a country named Ānarta.

16. For the sake of alms, they wandered there from house to house, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, but did not get even a morsel of food.

17. A dead body of a boy was seen by them lying on the ground. They consulted one another and afterwards took it up for eating.

18. Overwhelmed with hunger, they began to cook it on fire. Presently King Vṛṣadarbhi who happened to hear about their act, came there.

Vṛṣadarbhi said:

19-20. O excellent sages, why is this despicable act done? Eating human flesh is a practice of Rākṣasas. I shall give you vegetables, cereals, barley grains and even villages. At my instance, do abandon this dead boy.

The sages said:

21. An expiatory rite has been laid down for the sin of eating human flesh but, O king, none for the sin of accepting a gift from a king even in emergency.

22. We shall perform a penance later on and destroy the sin arising from eating human flesh. Therefore we shall eat this.

Vṛṣadarbhi said:

23. Acceptance of gifts has been cited as uncensured means of sustenance for Brāhmaṇas. Hence it should be accepted by you all. You need not hesitate in this respect.

The sages said:

24. Accepting a gift from a king is a terrible thing. It is like poison. O king, it should be avoided by Brāhmaṇas, especially by those who are wise and learned.

25. A Cakrin (slanderer, informer) is on a par with ten sūnās (injury and killing involved in daily work such as grinding stone, broom-stick etc.). A Dhvajin (vendor of spirituous liquor) is on a par with ten informers and a Veśyā (prostitute) is on a par with ten vendors of liquor). A king is on a par with ten Veśyās.

26. (Acceptance of a) gift from a king is on a par with ten thousand Śūnās. Who will accept such a gift like a greedy Brāhmaṇa?

27. He (such a Brāhmaṇa) is cooked in all hells beginning with Raurava. Hence, O king, go home welfare unto you for ever.

28-29. We will go elsewhere. We will not accept your monetary gift

After saying thus, all those sages of esteemed holy rites left the king as well as the dead boy. They went away in the direction of the holy place of Camatkārapura.

30. On being rebuked by them, the king became enraged, O excellent Brāhmaṇas. He did something to test them.

31. He filled some Uduṃbara fruits (of holy fig-tree) with gold pieces and scattered them on the ground on their path.

Sūta said:

32. The sages saw the Uduṃbara fruits fallen on the ground and took them up because they were distressed due to hunger.

33. Naturally the excellent sages found them too heavy. Atri broke one fruit and on seeing the gold pieces said:

Atri said:

34-35. O sages, we are neither ignorant nor too worried over household matters to take these Uduṃbara fruits after realizing that they contained gold. We shall cast away these Uduṃbara fruits filled with gold and go away. We are free from desires.

36. (On the one hand) There is a king wielding sovereignty (all over the world) and (on the other hand) there is a person free from desires. In any case the person without desires is always more fortunate between the two.

37. In the case of Brāhmaṇas amassing of wealth even for pious activities, is censured. Better to avoid mud from afar, than to wash it later.

38. If one avoids all hoardings, all tormenting worries disappear. No one possessing all wealth is seen free from worries.

S9. In my opinion, if a sensible man weighs poverty and kingly possession in a balance, poverty becomes weightier.

Kaśyapa said:

40. O sage, collection of wealth is itself a disaster. One deluded in the mind due to prosperity and affluence becomes deprived of welfare.

41. Richness and affluence is conducive to delusion. Delusion

is conducive to Naraka. Hence one who seeks lasting welfare should avoid filthy lucre.

42. Virtue achieved through wealth is well-known as transitory. What is achieved through penance is conducive to salvation. This is my opinion.

Bharadvāja said:

43. As one grows old, the hairs get decayed and fall off; the teeth grow shaky and fall off. So also the eyes and ears of a man. But thirst (covetousness) alone remains ever young.

44. Just as a needle puts a thread through cloth by means of its eye, so also the Ātman stitches the Cosmic thread through desire.

45. Just as a horn (of an animal) grows as the body grows up, so also, thirst (greed) increases as the riches grow.

46. Thirst (greed) is unlimited, difficult to be fulfilled and it involves hundreds of misdeeds. Hence one should eschew it.

Gautama said:

47. By whom can a man of contentment be agitated, even if he is deprived of the fruit? O Brāhmaṇas, all ordinary persons get involved in difficulties due to the cravings of the sense-organs.

48. To a man whose mind is contented there are riches everywhere. If one has protected one’s feet with shoes, one will find the whole ground covered with leather.

49. Men of quiescent mind, pleased with the nectar of contentment have great happiness. How can people covetous of wealth who run about here and there, get that happiness?

50. Discontent is the greatest misery and contentment is the greatest happiness. Hence a person seeking happiness should always be contented.

Viśvāmitra said:

51. One may eagerly seek the fulfilment of one wish. If that wish is realized, another one of the same sort immediately arises in men.

52. Never does any passionate person feel contented with thousands of wishes fulfilled. His desires become increased just as a fire blazes when offerings of clarified butter are made.

53. A man cherishing more and more desires, out of delusion, never attains happiness, like a Kapiñjala bird (small Cātaka or Ṭiṭṭiri) that resorts to the shade of a tree on which vulture has its abode (nest).

54. A person viewing a piece of stone and a lump of gold as equals is more blessed and contented than a king who always enjoys the earth encircled by oceans.

Jamadagni said:

55. A base Brāhmaṇa who feels delighted after obtaining wealth, although it is something to be regretted, is a dull-witted person who pretending to be fearless does not see Naraka.

56. Persons who deserve gifts but who abstain from receiving them, will attain those regions which the donors themselves attain.

Arunddhatī [Arundhatī?] said:

57. Just as many lotus-fibres occupy the stalk of a lotus, similarly beginningless and endless covetousness occupies the body of beings.

58. Happiness belongs to a person who eschews covetousness that is very difficult to forego for persons of wicked mind-covetousness that never fades away even if a person gets old and that is a veritable ailment ending only with the end of the life.

Caṇḍā said:

59. My Lords are afraid of wealth as though of serpents. Hence especially why should I have fear from it.

Paśumukha said:

60. A wise man who desires his own welfare should follow that which learned men devoted to piety adopt and practise.

Sūta said:

61. After saying this, all those sages of steady resolve abandoned those fruits with gold pieces stuffed in and went away.

62. They entered the holy place of Camatkārapura thereafter. They saw a sage Śunomukha (Dog-faced) who arrived there accidentally.

63. Accompanying him they reached another forest region. They saw a charming lake too, beautified with lotuses.

64. Overwhelmed with great hunger, they collected a lot of lotus-stalks, placed them on the banks of the lake and took their holy plunge.

65. They emerged from the water and met together once again. Unable to see the lotus-stalks they spoke these words:

The sages said:

66. Who is that ruthless soul by whom all the lotus-stalks belonging to us have been taken away from this place?

67. Suspecting one another those sages of esteemed holy vows pledged their words awfully to clear themselves.

Kaśyapa said:

68. May the stealer of the lotus-stalks be an indiscriminate eater of all sorts of things always or one who misappropriates the deposit kept in trust or let him practises perjury.

69. May the stealer of the lotus-fibres be a hypocrite in the practice of piety; may he be a servile attendant of a king and may he always eat meat and drink liquor.

Vasiṣṭha said:

70. May the stealer of the lotus-stalks be one who indulges in sexual intercourse outside the period enjoined after the days of menstruation, or during the day time or during Parvan days. Let him be a mutual guest with another.

Bharadvāja said:

71. May the stealer of the lotus-stalks incur the sin of that person who, after getting instruction in the scriptural texts from a preceptor, does not give the prescribed fee.

72. May the thief of the lotus-stalks be a ruthless and wicked person; may he be one arrogant due to prosperity all round; may he be inimically jealous; and may he be a slanderer.

Viśvāmitra said:

73. May the stealer of the lotus-stalks be one who enjoys by himself delicious dishes, or who indulges in boasting about himself or a person who sells the Vedic text.

Jamadagni said:

74. May the stealer of the lotus-stalks be one who gives a girl in marriage to an old man, who becomes the paramour of a Śūdra woman, or one who maintains himself by usary always.

Gautama said:

75. May the stealer of the lotus-stalks be one who accepts the gift of an ewe, one who sells horses or one who censures the preceptor.

Atri said:

76. May the stealer of the lotus-stalks be an evil-minded person who always insults his father and mother or one who consults a Śūdra in religious matters.

77. May the stealer of the lotus-stalks be one who incurs the sin of not making the gift of cows etc., to a Brāhmaṇa after having promised the same before.

Arundhatī said:

78. May the woman who steals the lotus-stalks be on a par with that woman of evil conduct who takes food or goes to bed before her husband.

Caṇḍā said:

79. May the woman who steals the lotus-stalks be on a par with a woman engaged in hating good people and pious activities as well as being antagonistic to her lord and master.

Paśumukha said:

80. May the man who steals the lotus-stalks be on a par with a sinful man engaged in hating good people and acting treacherously against his master.

Śunomukha said:

81. May the stealer of the lotus-stalks be one who tells the truth always, who recites the Vedas properly and a householder who likes his guests.

The sages said:

82. The way in which you pledged the words is what is actually desired by the twice-born. Hence it is certain that the theft of our lotus-stalks is committed by you.

Śunomukha said:

83-84. O Brāhmaṇas, your lotus-stalks have been taken by me because I wanted to listen to the statement about Dharma. Know ye all that I am Purandara (Indra), O excellent Brāhmaṇas. I am indeed much pleased with the absence of covetousness in you all. Hence, all of you be pleased to accompany me to heaven quickly.

The sages said:

85-86. We are inclined towards the path of salvation. We are not enamoured of heavenly pleasures. So, we are going to perform penance here at this lake for the purpose of liberation. We are among those excellent sages who undertake pilgrimage all over the earth bounded by the oceans. Sustaining ourselves by means of lotus-stalks. Hence do go. Let this association do good to you.

Śakra said:

87. O sages of excellent vows, viewing me shall never be fruitless. Hence accept a boon whatever has been cherished in the heart for a long time by you.

The sages said:

88-89. O Śakra, may this hermitage be well-known on the entire earth after our name. May it be the destroyer of all sins of men. O most excellent one among Suras, we shall stay here only for ever for the sake of penance. We shall maintain the purity of the soul. We shall be here until the achievement of salvation becomes certain.

Indra said:

90. Your hermitage will become well-known in all the three worlds. It shall fulfill the desires of all the people.

91. Whoever performs a Śrāddha here on the Full-Moon day in the month of Śrāvaṇa with any desire in the heart, shall surely attain it entirely.

92. A man devoid of any desire who performs Śrāddha or Dāna rite shall undoubtedly attain salvation.

93. Those who cast off their bodies in this splendid hermitage of yours will attain the greatest goal even if they are sinners.

94-95. One who performs Śrāddha with mental concentration and purity using Iṅgudas, Badaras, Bilvas and Bhallātakas (cashewnuts) with ancestors in view will attain the greatest goal inaccessible even to Devas. He shall be rid of all sins and be eulogized by Kinnaras.

Sūta said:

96. Saying thus the Thousand-eyed One vanished after being duly commended by them. Those excellent Brāhmaṇas stayed there itself.

97. In due course of time, by performing great and severe penance, they attained the greatest region bereft of old age and death.

98. The Liṅga of the Trident-bearing Lord of Devas was installed by them there. Merely by viewing it, a man is rid sins.

99. O excellent Brāhmaṇas, one who adores that Liṅga with devotion and offers flowers, incense and unguent shall certainly attain salvation.

100. This description of the hermitage of the Seven Sages is sacred, conducive to long life, and destructive of all sins. It has been duly narrated.