Chapter 57 - Bhīṣma’s Pilgrimage

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Note: The aim of this chapter is to glorify ablution in Śarmiṣṭhā Tīrtha at Camatkārapura on Aṅgārakī Ṣaṣṭhī (6th lunar day on Tuesday).

Sūta said:

1. Further, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, the Sun-god was installed in that holy spot by Bhīṣma himself honoured by leading Brāhmaṇas.

2. Formerly there was a well-known dear son of Śāntanu by the name Gāṅgeya. He was the most excellent one among men. He was reputed as Ūrdhvaretas (one whose semen goes upwards instead of downwards in the form of discharge i.e. a celibate man).

3. A fierce fight has taken place between him and Bhārgava for a period of twenty-three days. It could be well compared with the fight between Devas and Asuras. It was with reference to Aṃbā^[1] (Princess of Kāśī) that they fought with sharp weapons and arrows.

4. Thereafter Devas beginning with Brahma were engaged in making them desist from fighting for the purpose of peace among all embodied beings. After making them cease to fight, they returned to heaven.

5. Having suffered the most humiliating discomfiture from Bhīṣma, Aṃbā, with her eyes reddened with anger entered well-enkindled fire.

6. Standing in the midst of fire, with her eyes bedimmed with tears, she rebuked the son of river (Bhīsma) i.e. the elderly grandfather of the Kurus and said:

7-8. “O Bhīṣma, O extremely evil-minded one. You discarded me who was love-stricken. So I will born again on the earth in order to kill you. You will certainly be defiled by the sin of murdering a woman, if the word of Smṛtis and other scriptural texts is authoritative.”

9. Thereupon, overcome with disgust, Bhīṣma, the grandfather of Kurus, approached Mārkaṇḍeya, an excellent sage, and asked him humbly:

10-11. “O holy Sir, daughter of the king of Kāśī prattles thus to me. ‘The entire sin of causing my death will incur to you.’ O excellent Brāhmaṇa, shall it be so merely because of her utterance, or not? I have a grerat doubt in this respect. It behoves you to clarify it duly.”

Śrī Mārkaṇdeya said:

12. If a woman or a Brāhmaṇa, on being insulted or beaten, were to cast off her or his life with direct reference to the person concerned, the sin thereof shall be that of the person so referred to.

13. Hence if one wishes for one’s own good, one should not enrage a woman or a Brāhmaṇa even if the woman or Brāhmaṇa were intent on killing or cursing.

14. In your case, the unfortunate pitiable girl was stricken with love. She had been won by you in (the battle following) the Svayaṃvara. Hence how can you escape being a sinner?

Bhīṣma said:

15. For the sake of that, O Brāhmaṇa, advise me as to the expiatory rite to be performed for the sake of purity, whether it be penance, or Dāna, Vrata or any special restraint.

Mārkaṇḍeya said:

16. O bull among the descendants of Bharata, if a woman is killed, the sin accruing is equal to the entire sin that has been proclaimed in the scriptures to be incurred for the murder of ten leading Brāhmanas.

17. Hence, excepting pilgrimage there is no other atonement such as Dāna, penance, Vrata and the like in this regard. So do undertake a pilgrimage.

Sūta said:

18. On hearing his words, Bhīṣma, the elderly grandfather of Kurus, roamed over the entire sphere of the earth in the course of his pilgrimage.

19. Roaming over the earth, in due course, he reached the holy spot of Camatkārapura full of many Tīrthas.

20-26a. Then that noble soul visited Gayāśiras. Endowed with faith he took the holy bath and performed Śrāddha duly; but during its performance an aerial voice spoke these words:

“O Bhīṣma O mighty-armed one, you do not deserve to perform a Śrāddha. You are defiled with the sin of a woman’s murder; you are not eligible to perform Śrāddha. Hence you listen to my words. Śarmiṣṭhā Tīrtha is well-known as destructive of sins. It is situated very near this spot. It is meritorious and is there to the west. A devout man should take his holy bath on Aṅgāraka Ṣaṣṭhī (sixth lunar day coinciding with a Tuesday) in a dark half. One who bathes thus is rid of the sin resulting from woman-murder. There is no doubt about it.

This day happens to be the same Ṣaṣṭhī coinciding with Tuesday, dear son. It is the meritorious Tithi. So go quickly to that place. Dear son, I am king Santanu, your father. On coming to know that you have been defiled by the sin of woman-murder I hastened hither.”

26b-28. Thereupon Bhīṣma went to that holy spot quickly with mental concentration. He took the holy bath and then performed Śrāddha with due faith. Thereat Śantanu came there again and said:

“O excellent one among the descendants of Kuni, you are free form the sin undoubtedly. So go home and carry on the administration of the kingdom.”

29-31. On coming to know the excellence of the Tīrtha he became surprised. The most excellent one among Kurus made another image of Vāsudeva. Then he made an idol of the Sun-god with Pārijāta wood. The idol was characterised with all regular features, the dimensions were proportionate and the form was fascinating. He made this with his mind purified by faith.

Then he installed a Liṅga of the Trident-bearing Lord He then with great devotion made the idol of Durgā in accordance with the injunctions.

32. Bhīṣma, the descendant of Kuru, invited all the Brāhmaṇas of that city. Standing humbly he said to them:

33-34. “O Brāhmaṇas, I have been urged by my divine ancestors already on the path to heaven and so have built four shrines in this holy spot of yours. Take pity on me and maintain these shrines. I am hastening back to my abode.”

The Brāhmaṇas said:

35. O most excellent one among the descendants of Kuru, do go carefree and happily. We all will carry out what is conducive to the increase of your welfare.

36. O king, a number of deities have been made by you here. We shall perform all the rites such as adoration etc. of these always.

37. O king, we are pleased on seeing your humility. Hence do pray unto us all for any boon that you have cherished in your mind.

Bhīṣma said:

38. This alone is the excellent boon unto us that the excellent Brāhmaṇas have been pleased. Still I have now to cany out your instruction.

39. If any man on the earh faithfully worships in these shrines built by me, with any desire in his mind, he shall undoubtedly obtain that due to your favour.

The Brāhmaṇas said:

40. We shall organize the Yatrā (religious procession) of Āditya in the month of Bhādrapada with great mental concentration, when the seventh lunar day coincides with a Sunday.

41. Due to your love, we shall organize Śiva’s Yatrā on the eighth lunar day in the bright half of Caitra.

42-43. When the twelfth day of Āṣāḍha and Kārttika arrives at the time of Śayana (sleep) and Bodhana (waking up) of Viṣṇu we shall organize Viṣṇu’s Yātrā.

On the ninth day in the bright half of Āśvina, we shall organize the Yātrā of Durgā with songs and instrumental music. We shall have great festivities with dances and jokes of diverse kinds.

44. A man who is endowed with great faith always and performs the rites of Gīta (song) etc. shall attain the highest goal

45. We shall always be pleased with him, O king, and shall grant him all the desires cherished in his heart.

46. After saying thus those Brāhmaṇas went back to their respective abodes. Bhīṣma too was delighted and started back homewards.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Bhīṣma was guilty of a woman’s murder as he refused to marry Aṃbā, princess of Kāśī, whom he abducted for his brother. She declared her love for Śālva and was allowed to go to him. But Śalva refused to accept her. She straightway asked Bhīṣma to marry her but he refused on the ground of lifelong celibacy. She charged him with murder and entered a funeral pyre.

The Mbh story in Ādi Parva chapter 102, and Udyoga chapters 174-78 is used by the author.