Skanda Purana
by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words
This page describes Birth of Vishakanya which is chapter 61 of the English translation of the Skanda Purana, the largest of the eighteen Mahapuranas, preserving the ancient Indian society and Hindu traditions in an encyclopedic format, detailling on topics such as dharma (virtous lifestyle), cosmogony (creation of the universe), mythology (itihasa), genealogy (vamsha) etc. This is the sixty-first chapter of the Tirtha-mahatmya of the Nagara-khanda of the Skanda Purana.
Chapter 61 - Birth of Viṣakanyā
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
The sages said:
1-3. O highly intelligent one, you spoke of the Śarmiṣṭhā Tīrtha. O highly fortunate one, do tell us how it originate? What is its power?
Sūta said:
There was a king named Vṛka born in the lunar race. He was a patron of learned Brāhmaṇas, a person worthy of being a shelter on refuge, always engaged in the welfare of all the worlds.
His wife was a chaste lady dearer to him than even his own life. She was endowed with all good characteristics and a devoted, faithful and chaste wife.
4. In her late life, a daughter was born to her on a day condemned by all scriptural texts (i.e. considered inauspicious by them).
5. Thereupon, he summoned Brāhmaṇas well-versed in the Science of Astrology. He asked, “Of what sort will this daughter of mine be?”
The Brāhmaṇas said:
6. If a girl is born when the Sun is in the constellation Citrā or the Moon in the fourteenth lunar day, she will become a Viṣakanyakā (a poison girl).
7. A man who grasps her hand in marriage, O excellent king, will certainly meet with his death within six months.
8. She will render the mansion wherein she is born, even if it be that of Kubera, a place devoid of riches within six months.
9. Such is, O king, your daughter who is called a Viṣakanyakā. She will destroy the two families, viz. that of parents and that of her father-in-law.
10. Hence, do be happy, O king, by abandoning her if you have faith in our words, spoken by us for your good, O Lord.
The king said:
11. Whether I abandon her or keep her in the house my Karma of the previous body (of the previous birth) will certainly fructify.
12. Whether auspicious or inauspicious (evil), nothing can be prevented. With this Karma in view I will not abandon my daughter.
13. Any man doing anything with whatever body of his attains the entire fruit further with the same (or similar) body
14. Auspicious or inauspicious act may be done in different states or situations. Certainly the fruit thereof is experienced in the same or similar situation by men.
15. An action of the previous birth done by any of the organs does not perish. Nothing results from what has not been done. So I am not afraid.
16. Span of life, Karma, wealth, learning and dealth-these five are ordained even as the embodied being is in the womb itself.
17. Just as flowers and fruits on trees and creepers do not deviate from their fixed lime, so also the previous Karma.
18. Only the doer experiences always the good (or adverse) result of his own good or bad act in the manner previously done.
19. Just as a calf finds out its mother cow among thousands of cows, so also Karma finds out the doer from among ten million doers.
20. No man on the earth can by means of his might or intellect alter a Karma done in the previous body.
21. A sensible man with intellect penetrating deep into the scriptural texts, is honoured otherwise. But the Karma previously done alters it like the master.
22. The happiness and misery of embodied beings depend on their own acts. He who is the cause thereof is bound to them by Ahaṃkāra (feeling of I and mine).
23. One’s own action pursues one, even if one runs very fast: when one lies down the action too lies down and when one stands it too stands by.
24. Just as shade and sunshine are well inter-related, so also action and doer. No worry need be entertained in this regard.
25. If a man is destined to experience happiness or misery in any sphere, he is led there by force like one bound by ropes.
26. Karma is the authority to bring happiness and misery to living beings even when they are watchfully alert or continue to sleep.
27. Just as a lamp goes out when oil is used up, so also a creature is liberated when Karma is exhausted.
28. Neither Mantras nor penance, neither Dāna nor Tīrtha nor even perfect self-control can be competent to save a creature afflicted by the previous Karmas.
29. An insentient drop of semen deposited in a womb by intercourse during the prescribed menstrual period by a man grows up in accordance with the previous Karma.
30. Why does not the foetus get dissolved in the very same belly where foodstuffs and beverages get digested, what is eaten gets dissolved?
31. Hence this is my decision once and for all that the merit and sin of embodied beings is the result of the action done.
32. What is apparently unprotected stands firm when protected by fate; what is well guarded perishes when struck by fate. A seemingly helpless person left in forest survives but one well protected in the house may not continue to live.