Chapter 113 - Greatness of Agnikuṇḍa

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Sūta said:

1-3. Then all those Brāhmaṇas shed their anger and directed their minds to the sacrificial rites and householder’s duties pertaining to sons and grandsons.

In the meantime, the king heard that the Brāhmaṇas had returned. On hearing it, he went to them for the purpose of making obeisance to them with devotion.

He also heard that they were angry at first but later became calmed down on hearing the words of their wives. Further they had accepted the life of householders as well.

4. He prostrated before them with eight parts of the body touching the ground. The king then stood humbly with palms joined in reverence and said:

5. “Thanks to the favour of you all, my ailments perished and I have attained the fruit of life. Tell me what I should do.”

The Brāhmaṇas said:

6. By giving different kinds of jewels, O leading king, all of us, the residents of this place, have been rendered happy by your wife.

7. Hence build an excellent city here itself, in this splendid holy place and grant us the wherewithals of domestic life, whereby everything can become perfect.

8. We shall perform various kinds of Yajñas always with full complement of monetary gifts. Stationed here always, we shall achieve the benefits of this world as well as those of the other one.

9. On hearing it, the king became delighted. He said, “So be it.” On an auspicious day, he summoned many craftsmen.

10. He got a very great city built. It had many ramparts. There was a moat all round and ornamental gateways embellished it.

11. The excellent king built sixty-eight big mansions in the middle for the sake of the sixty-eight Brāhmaṇas.

12. There were many ponds and parks all round as in the case of royal palaces. The houses had turrets and upper apartments.

13. After building them, he filled them with heaps of jewels and other things. Then he gifted them sixty-eight villages.

14. He called all of them and their sons and grandsons. In a loud voice he proclaimed thus before them:

15-19. ‘'What I say may be listened to: This city has been given to these Brāhmaṇas with a mind sanctified by faith.

Hence protection should be accorded to them so that no loss, no pain, no discomfiture is caused to these leading Brāhmaṇas.

If anyone born of our race or any other king propitiates these, he will certainly attain the highest prosperity.

One who subjects them to criminal offence, leads them to distress, makes them suffer on various ways or adds to their discomfiture will be overwhelmed by enemies or oppressed by various kinds of ailments.

In this world, he will meet with terrible sufferings like bereavements and then will fall into horrible hells beginning with Raurava.”

20. After saying thus, the king engaged himself day and night untiringly in carrying out their tasks himself.

21. Then, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, all the wives of the leading Brāhmaṇas lovingly went to the palace (shrine) of Damayantī.

22. They adored her image with saffron, agallochum and camphor as well as various kinds of flowers and scents everyday. The king also did likewise.

23. Standing before the image and creating great delight in the mind of the king, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, those Tāpasīs spoke to one another:

24-26. “Whenever there is an auspicious occasion in our house for the celebration of any prosperous event we shall adore Damayantī both before and after such an event. There is no doubt about it. In fact we shall do so always in the case of all holy rites.

A bride who sees her and then enters the marriage-pavilion shall undoubtedly be very dear to her husband like his very life breath.

Hence, when the Yajña-like sacred ceremony of a marriage is about to be performed, Damayantī should be visited and worshipped assiduously.”

Sūta said:

27. Thus, in that city the sixty-eight Gotras (of Brāhmaṇas) were established and rendered delighted by that noble-souled king.

28. Of them four Gotras went away due to the fear of serpents to that place where the previous races were present so that only sixty-four Gotras of the Brāhmaṇas remained in the city.

The sages said:

29. O holy Sir, of what nature was that fear from serpents whereby they had to go away forsaking their own original position? Describe this to us in detail.

Sūta said:

30. There was, formerly, a king of Ānarta named Prabhañjana. He was conversant with Dharma and sacred rites. He was valorous and capable of destroying hosts of his enemies.

31. O excellent Brāhmaṇas, a son was born to him when he was very advanced in age. At that time the planets were in unfavourable positions.

32. He called together astrologers fully conversant with the scriptures and told them the time of the son’s birth.

The Daivajñas said:

33. O king, this son of yours is born during an unfavourable and censurable hour. It is a terrible period when there are three Gaṇḍāntas (inauspicious positions of planets).

34. If somehow this boy survives, O king, he will destroy the country and the assets of the city of his parents.

The king said:

35. Is there any remedy here, divine or human, whereby there shall be all-round welfare of the son as well as the kingdom?

The Brāhmaṇas said:

36. Just as a mechanical device coming up is checked by another mechanical device, just as armour acts as a protection from the attack of arrows, so also the Śānti rite (pacificatory rite conducive to peace and prosperity) can be a check against the evil effects of the planets.

37-38a. Hence, O king, give up your dejection and perform Śānti (pacificatory) rites always. Thereby all the planets will become mild and auspicious. This is the remedy when planets become malefic and they are stationed in unfavourable houses.

38b. Thereupon, the king hurried to the city of Camatkāra.

39-42. There he summoned together the Brāhmaṇas and said to them respectfully: “It is with your favour that we always rule the kingdom. Just as rain-bearing cloud is the basis and support unto the crops so you are the redeemer to all the excellent kings who were born in our family and who are yet to be born.

My son was born when the planets were stationed in evil houses. Śāntika rites for (their) pacification have been recommended by Daivajñas.

Hence, O leading Brāhmaṇas perform the Śāntika rites as enjoined in the scriptures so that my son, kingdom and the royal prosperity may prosper.”

43-45. Then those Brāhmaṇas consulted one another and said: “O King, we shall perform Śānti rites for your welfare. Sixteen of us, good, quiescent Brāhmaṇas of great restraint, shall perform them always. O king; presents should always be sent by you with great devotion. At the end of every month, the Abhiṣeka (water for ablution) should be received from the Rudraghatas (waterpots pertaining to the deity Rudra). If you continue to do thus your son will prosper, so also the kingdom, the treasury and everything else.”

46. Then he bowed down to them and happily went to his abode. Urged by them he always celebrated the festival of the birth of his son.

47. Then he sent all the requisite things to the city of Camatkāra. At the end of every month, he duly received the water for ablution.

48. Those tiger-like Brāhmaṇas too strictly adhered to the practice of celibacy and performed the Śāntika rites in due order in groups (or units) of four.

49. Every month they did thus quiescently and with the sense-organs fully under control. At the end of the month another set of Brāhmaṇas performed the Śāntika rites.

50. The king came there at the end of every month with great devotion, honoured the excellent Brāhmaṇas and accepted the Abhiṣeka water.

51. He then used to propitiate them with garments, coronets and gifts of cows and plots of land. Similarly, the king propitiated the other Brāhmaṇas also and went to his abode.

52. As these Śānti rites continued to be performed on behalf of the king, a great deal of time elapsed according welfare, health and wealth.

53. After some time, once at the beginning itself of a month, when the Śāntika rites were to be begun, a major disease afflicted the king.

54. There was decline in health of his son in particular, of his women, of the entire kingdom and the vehicles.

55. Thereupon the king sent extra requisites for the Śānti rites to the city and also special monetary gifts.

56. As the Brāhmaṇas went on performing the rite of Homa in the fire, all types of diseases particularly went on spreading everywhere.

57. Horses began to die. So also elephants. Enemies appeared from all the quarters for waging war.

58. The king himself fell ill. In great excitement, he hastened to the city of Camatkārapura and said to all the Brāhmaṇas:

59-60. “O highly esteemed ones, even as you all remain in charge of these rites adversities assail me. Why? Why do my assets dwindle? The ailments increase along with groups of enemies. Hence some special Homa may be performed for suppressing the ailments. I shall make special gifts unto the Brāhmaṇas.”

61. Then all those Brāhmaṇas performed the Śāntika rites with great mental concentration for the welfare and in the very presence of the king.

62. As at the conclusion of the Homas the ascetic Brāhmaṇas pronounced (blessings) with great concentration, the ailment of the king became all the more serious.

63. In the meantime, all those excellent Brāhmaṇas became greatly enraged. They decided to curse the Planets including the Sun.

The Brāhmaṇas said:

64. Although they have been worshipped with very good devotion and also in accordance with the injunctions, these Planets harass the city of the king along with his sons, kinsmen and wealth of cattle!

65. Thus they decided. They remained pure with mental concentration. They were about to curse the Planets in their fit of anger.

66-71. By then the Fire-god assumed a personal form and spoke to the excellent Brāhmaṇas: “O leading Brāhmaṇas, do not curse at any cost. Do not curse the Planets that are free from blemish. May my words be listened to. Sixteen Brāhmaṇas perform Homa every month. In their midst there is one Trijāta.^[1] All the articles pertaining to the Homa have been defiled by him. The Planets including the Sun do not accept what is offered by me. Therefore, they cause greater harassment to the king. Hence exclude him and begin the Homa without delay so that all the Planets including the Sun will have the greatest happiness. The king will become free from ailment along with his son. His enemies will go away. Thanks to the power of my Śāntika rites, he will attain perpetual happiness.”

72. After saying thus, Lord Vahni disappeared. Those Brāhmaṇas became dejected in appearance indicating how deeply they felt the sense of shame.

73-74. Thereupon they stayed on there and eulogized Pāvaka (Fire-god) again. They spoke to Vaiśvānara: “Tell us who is the Trijāta Brāhmaṇa here?

Thereat we can exclude him completely and resume our rite for the purpose of peace and suppression of the defects of the noble-souled king.”

Vahni said:

75. I will never speak out the defect of the leading Brāhmaṇas even though I know. All the Brāhmaṇas on the earth are worthy of my veneration.

The Brāhmaṇas said:

76. O Vahni (Fire-god), if you do not proclaim to us who that Brāhmaṇa is, we will curse you. Hence hurry up and tell us.

Sūta said:

77-79. On hearing their words, Vahni became afraid and thought thus for a long time: 'What is the best thing I should do here? If I reveal the defect of the Brāhmaṇa, I shall incur that much of sin undoubtedly. There will also be a curse coming from him. If I don’t proclaim the truth about the excellent Brāhmaṇa, these Brāhmaṇas comparable to serpents (in fury) will undoubtedly curse me.’

80. Even as he pondered thus, there was profuse perspiration on his physical form and that holy Kuṇḍa which was specially prepared for the purpose of Homa was filled with it (sweat).

81. Then the Fire-god came out of the Kuṇḍa. He was trembling with fear. He stood there with palms joined in reverence and said to the Brāhmaṇas:

82-84. “O Brāhmaṇas, I will never utter the defects of a Brāhmaṇa by means of my own tongue at any cost. Hence listen: All the sixteen Brāhmaṇas who are present here should take their bath in the pit of sweat drops for the sake of purifying themselves. When the person who is Trijāta takes his bath his body will have tumours and boils.”

85. Then all those took their bath there in due order. All except one Brāhmaṇa attained purity.

86. On seeing that excellent Brāhmaṇa with tumours and boils all of a sudden, there was a great hue and cry among the people there.

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87. That Brahmaṇa became filled with shame. With the face hanging down he went out of the assembly of Brāhmaṇas.

Vahni said:

88. O excellent Brāhmaṇas, your (unprecedented) task has been accomplished by me. So I shall go to my abode with your permission.

89. But, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, viewing me even in a dream shall not go in vain. Hence the desire cherished in the heart may be requested for.

The Brāhmaṇas said:

90. O Vahni, may this water reservoir of your sweat drops be permanent here for the sake of the purification of Brāhmaṇas.

91. If a person born of illegal father takes his plunge here, you must mark his body with tumours and boils.

92. Saying “So it shall be" Pāvaka vanished from there and all the Brāhmaṇas held consultation together.

93. From today onwards the test of purity of all the Brāhmaṇas in regard to their fathers and mothers shall be conducted here.

94. A Brāhmaṇa said to be hailing from Camatkārapura should take his bath here. On being found pure, he will be considered a noble son.

95. A virgin should be given to him alone. He should be one deserving invitation to a Śrāddha rite. Only he should be entertained in all sacred rites.

96. All the members of the sixty-eight Gotras should gather together. He who proves to be pure in their presence should be regarded as deserving a place in the row of Brāhmaṇas for meals.

97-98. If any scandalous rumour spreads, if there is any suspicion as to the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter or if there is any accusation from evil-minded persons casting aspersions on virtue—all these should be tested here and the purity established. All the calumny shall automatically drop down.

99. No one shall be clearly pronounced as a Brāhmaṇa until this bath is taken in the presence of all the Brāhmaṇas.

Sūta said:

100. Thus all the Brāhmaṇas hailing from Camatkārapura performed the Śāntika rites for the welfare of the king.

101. Then bath was taken by all the remaining noble-souled Brāhmaṇas also for the sake of purity, though at the outset they were afraid (naturally).

102a. Then, O Brāhmaṇas, the king became rid of all his ailments instantly.

102b-103a. O excellent Brāhmaṇas, even today one who takes his bath there on the Kārttikī day becomes rid of the sins of having intercourse with other men’s wives.

103b. In three yugas the Brāhmaṇas had purity.

104. Of other sinners, even though they were devoid of nobility of birth and behaviour, in view of Kaliyuga as highly terrible with carnal connection with other men’s wives in abundance the purity was proclaimed by Brāhmaṇas.

105. The declaration was made in front of Brahmā, the Lord of Devas, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, in order to proclaim the purity of the families of the fathers and the mothers. They were scrupulous in regard to this.

106. Even today, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, if a Trijāta takes his bath there he is scorched by fire undoubtedly.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Thrice-born—This seems to be a derogatory term implying two persons responsible for the nativity and then the third birth i.e. sacred thread ceremony.