Chapter 136 - Origin of Dīrghikā

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Māṇḍavya said:

1. O excellent Suras, I shall surely accept the boon granted by you. But let Dharmarāja make a decisive statement in my case.

2. O excellent Suras, this is also true that it is only the virtuous and non-virtuous acts that always follow all living beings and not otherwise.

3. (Then) what is that sin committed by me in this world or in the other, wherefore I am experiencing such a torture not leading to death at all.

Dharmarāja said:

4. In another body (birth), O Brāhmaṇa, while you were yet a boy, a crane was pierced by you with the tip of a spear on the ground.

5. You did not commit any other sin even in the least. Hence, O Brāhmaṇa, this pain had to be experienced.

Stūa said:

6. On hearing his words, Māṇḍavya was excessively angry. He spoke to Dharmarāja standing before him:

7-9. “For this slight offence, O highly wicked one of defiled intellect, you have meted out a disproportionately severe punishments So take this curse from me.^[1]

You will be born as a human being in the womb of a Śūdra woman. Then you will have ample experience of sorrow due to the loss of your kinsmen.

Further, this declaration is being made by me now in regard to all the embodied beings. A man or a woman will be adversely affected by a despicable deed only if it is committed after the eighth year.”

10. After saying thus to Dharmarāja, Māṇḍavya got rid of his anger, O Brāhmaṇas, and he went to the place of his choice.

11. On seeing him preparing to leave the place, all the Heaven-dwellers who were worried about the fate of Dharmarāja after hearing such a curse, said to him:

Devas said:

12. O holy Sir, although Dharmarāja was guilty of a sinful deed, it does not behove you to make him a Śūdra by means of the curse.

13. Hence, O Brāhmaṇa, be pleased with this Dharmapati at our instance, and immediately request for a boon.

Māṇḍavya said:

14. O excellent Suras, my speech uttered once cannot be altered. Certainly this Dharmarāja will be born of a Śūdra womb.

15. But in that birth he will not beget any child. He will regain the excellent status of Dharmarāja.

16. Unperturbed, let him propitiate the Three-eyed One in this holy spot itself here. With the favour of that Lord, he will meet with an early death.

17. Further, O rulers of heaven, if a boon has to be granted by you all to me, then let this spear (the stake) of course be one that accords excellent merit merely on being touched.

Devas said:

18. One who gets up early in the morning and touches this Śūla (stake) shall become rid of sins in this world.

19. After speaking thus to the sage, those Devas with Śakra as their leader told the chaste lady and her husband:

20. “O fair-complexioned lady, you too do request for anything desired from us. You may ask for whatever is in your mind. In your case, there is nothing that cannot be given by us.”

The Pativratā said:

21. O Lord of Devas, let the holy pit made in this holy spot by me^[2] be well-known in all the three worlds as Dīrghikā after my name.

Devas said:

22. O splendid lady, from now onwards this holy pit shall become well known in all the three worlds as Dīrghikā.

23. Those men who get up early in the morning and take their holy bath in this will be rid of all their sins at the very instant.

24-25. On the fifth lunar day, when the Sun is in the Zodiac Virgo, men with great faith shall take their holy bath here. If they have no sons they will beget sons and augment their family.

After saying thus to her, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, those Devas went to heaven.

26. The beautiful chaste lady enjoyed the pleasure of love along with her lover (husband).

27. They roamed about in beautiful mountains, banks of rivers, wonderful parks, forests and gardens.

28. After the efflux of time in their later advancing age, they eagerly resorted to their own excellent Tīrtha.

29. On seeing her husband dead, the chaste lady cast off her body in the waters thereof and went to the world of Brahmā.

30. Thus the excellent story of Dīrghikā has been narrated to you all. By listening to this alone, a man becomes rid of sins.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Dharmarāja became Vidura (cf. Mbh) due to this curse. See ch. 138.

[2]:

Vide supra Ch. 135.57-59.