Chapter 76 - Installation of Muṇḍīra, Kālapriya and Mūlasthāna

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Sūta said:

1-4. Further there is a splendid set of three Bhāskaras. If they are pleased in the worlds, one shall attain salvation.

There the first one is Muṇḍīra; the next one is Kālapriya and the third is Mūlasthāna that is destructive of all ailments.

When the night ends, the Sun passes on to Muṇḍīra, to Kālapriya at mid-day and to Mūlasthāna at nightfall.

A man who devoutly visits even one at any time after getting the requisite opportunity undoubtedly attains salvation. This is true.

The sages said:

5-6. Verily it is heard that Muṇḍīra is on the eastern side of the earth. Lord Kālapriya is in the middle and Mūlasthāna is beyond them. Well, O Sūta, how did those three Bhāskaras happen to rise there, on the holy spot of Hāṭakeśvara? Do narrate everything in detail.

Sūta said:

7. There is that excellent Viṭaṅkapura on the seashore. It is embellished with high rampart walk washed by the waves of sea.

8. There was a Brāhmaṇa there who became afflicted by leprosy at the advent of his youth as a result of the previous Karmas.

9. His wife was a chaste lady of noble birth. She was endowed with good behaviour. Despite the fact that he was in such a state, she used to look upon him like the god of love himself.

10. For his sake, she used to bring costly medicines of various kinds, ointments to be smeared with, and wholesome foodstuffs of diverse kinds.

11. Further the brought excellent physicians respectfully for his sake. Still there was no good effect on his body.

12. O excellent Brāhmaṇas, the more he continued the treatment, the more the fell disease of leprosy continued to spread over all his limbs.

13. Even as that excellent Brāhmaṇa continued to suffer in the house, a certain weary traveller came there as his guest.

14. On seeing a Brāhmaṇa as a guest in the house, his chaste wife rendered good service to him and delighted him though he was previously unknown.

15. When he saw that the excellent Brāhmaṇa had concluded his bath, holy sipping of water, and meal and had due rest in his bed, the Brāhmaṇa host, the householder, said:

16. He said to the other one who was refulgent like the Sun, endowed with handsome features and exalted qualities, and in the prime of his youth like another god of Love incarnate:

The leper said:

17. O Brāhmaṇa, where do you come from? Where will you go now? Tell me, though you are endowed with handsome features thus, why you are alone like a distressed one.

The traveller said:

18. There is a city named Kāntipurī. It is like the city of Indra. It is always inhabited by persons of good status and endowed with righteousness and holy vows.

19. I was staying there leading the life of a householder, O excellent Brāhmaṇa, then I was afflicted by the fell disease of leprosy like you.

20. Then I heard that it is mentioned in the Skandapurāṇa^[1] that the trinity of Bhāskaras in this world is destructive of all ailments.

21. I was disgusted with medicines of all sorts taken for a long lime—all salty, pungent, sour, astringent and bitter.

22. Then I resolved mentally, took with me much cash and went to Lord Muṇḍīra and stood before the deity.

23. Thereafter, I regularly got up early in the morning and visited the Lord. I used to perform rites of adoration within my capacity and bow to him.

24. Particularly on Sundays I used to observe fast and control

all sense-organs. I kept awake at night singing and playing on instruments.

25. Then at the end of the year I bowed down to that Lord of the day:

Thereafter I went to Kālapriya, endowed with great faith.

26. With the mind sanctified with faith, I performed, in accordance with the same procedure (as with Lord Muṇḍīra), the rite of adoration of the Lord of day too at mid-day.

27. Further at the end of the year I bowed down to that Lord with concentration. Then I went to Mūlasthāna, the Lord stationed in the west.

28. The rite of adoration for that Lord too was performed by me in accordance with the procedure as before during the dusk. O excellent Brāhmaṇa, thus I stayed there for the whole of the year.

29. Then at the end of the year, O Brāhmaṇa, Bhāskara appeared before me in dream. With a delighted mind, he laughed and spoke to me:

30. “O Brāhmaṇa, I am pleased with you by your devotion and this rite. Hence let your leprosy vanish as a result of this rite of propitiating me.

31. O excellent Brāhmaṇa, you are tired. Go home quickly and meet all your relatives. See, they are waiting for you anxiously.

32. Formerly, gold belonging to a noble-souled Brāhmaṇa was stolen by you. As a result of that commission of sin, the disease of leprosy has afflicted you.

33. That has been eradicated by me for your sake. O Brāhmaṇa, I am pleased with you. Realize this and stop indulging in stealing gold hereafter.

34. All the men seen in this world as afflicted and distressed by the disease of leprosy had been previously great sinners and had stolen gold.

35. Hence gold should never be stolen by sensible persons. It should be given away as gift if people wish for permanent happiness of their bodies.”

36. After [????] [saying?] this the Thousand-rayed One vanished. I got up hurriedly from my bed with a great but pleasant surprise.

37. Lo, I beheld my body free from the foul disease of leprosy. It had the divine lustre of twelve Suns, O Brāhmaṇa, as you see now.

38. Hence, O leading Brāhmaṇa, you too visit the trio of Bhāskaras in accordance with the same procedure, so that your leprosy may subside and be healed.

39. When this trinity of Sun-gods—Lords competent to quell ailment, is present, of what avail are medicines and pungent and astringent foodstuffs taken in?

40. Hail unto you, O Brāhmaṇa! I have relaxed myself today in your house as though in my own. I shall now go to that city.

41. On being told thus by the traveller, the Brāhmaṇa afflicted by leprosy cast a miserable glance at the face of his wife.

42-43. She said: “O my dear, the traveller has given you the most appropriate advice. So do go to that place where the trio of Bhāskaras is present. I shall also, no doubt, accompany you and be engaged in serving you. O Lord, do hurry along.”

44. On being urged thus by her, the Brāhmaṇa took with him a lot of cash and set off along with his wife to Lord Muṇḍīra.

45. He told himself, “I vow that I shall go to visit the trio of deities viz. Muṇḍīra, Kālanātha (Kālapriya) and Bhāskara named Mūlasthāna.”

46. Then, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, the person afflicted by leprosy reached the holy place of Hāṭakeśvara with great difficulty.

47. On seeing the great holy spot resorted to by groups of sages, the Brāhmaṇa afflicted by the disgusting disease of leprosy and fatigued by the journey, said to his wife:

48-49. “I have become dejected and disgusted due to this disease and the enormity of hunger. I find it impossible to go so far to Lord Muṇḍīrasvāmin. O my beloved, I shall cast off my body here itself undoubtedly. You go home along with some good caravan.”

The wife said:

50. O my Lord and beloved one, O highly esteemed one, I have never taken food when you were hungry nor have I gone to sleep while you were awake.

51. Having come to this great holy place, how can I leave you alone to proceed to the other world and myself go home?

52. How can I show my face to my kinsmen and elders and friends after going there alone without you?

53. Hence this is my solemn oath that I would rather enter fire along with you, my Lord, as I have been so bound with you with the cords of affection.

54. O highly intelligent one, I have kept all those fasts you have observed. How can I then go home?

55. On coining to know of her determination the Brāhmaṇa built a pyre for self-immolation and entered it along with her.

56. Meditating on Bhāskara, he set it on fire when he saw in front of him a highly refulgent set of three persons.

57. On seeing them, he was struck with wonder. ‘Who are these three persons? Persons with such refulgence and splendour have never been seen by me.’

The persons said:

58. O Brāhmaṇa, do not tread the path of death out of your excitement and dejection. Turn back and go home along with your wife.

The Brāhmaṇa said:

59-60. Earlier I left home with the solemn vow that I will take food there after seeing Muṇḍīrasvāmin, Kālavallabha and Mūlasthāna. Hence without seeing them how can I go home? How can I take food? Hence I shall cast off my life.

The persons said:

61. O holy Brāhmaṇa, we are those three Bhāskaras come here attracted by your devotion. Tell us what shall we do (for you).

The Brāhmaṇa said:

62. If you three Bhāskaras have come here yourselves, let this leprosy disappear.

63. Further, you all should stay here itself forever keeping your presence in the three worlds as well as before.

Bhāskaras said

64. O Brāhmaṇa, we shall do so. We shall stay here for ever. You too shall be free from ailments and gain excellent happiness.

65. O Brāhmaṇa, arrange for three (temples) palaces for our sake, so that we can be present on three occasions (times) a day.

66. After saying thus all of them vanished. He too saw that his body had become free from the ailment.

67. His body had the refulgence of twelve suns and marked with all the (auspicious) characteristics. He then told his wife who was standing there modestly:

68-69. “O lady of excellent eyebrows, see that my body has become as beautiful as before with the favour of Bhāskara, the Lord of Devas. I shall stay here and adore Bhāskara always. I will never go home. This is the truth uttered by me.”

70. After saying thus, that leading Brāhmaṇa endowed with devotion built three beautiful palaces in that splendid holy place.

71. All of them were embellished with excellent banners; one for Muṇḍīrasvāmin, another for Kālapriya and still another for Mūlasthāna.

72-73. He installed excellent images for all the three Bhāskaras as explained in the scriptures, on a Sunday when the Sun was in the Hasta constellation. Then the Brāhmaṇa adored them with flowers, incense etc., for a long lime thrice a day. On death he went to the region of Bhāskara.

Sūta said:

74-75. Thus, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, those three Bhāskaras came to be present there as the destroyer of all ailments of devotees. One who visits them at their respective periods of time on a Sunday specified above, shall all cherished desires inaccessible to men.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Does this Skanda Purāṇa refer to some other version of the Skanda?