Chapter 208 - Greatness of Gautameśvara, Ahalyeśvara and Śatānandeśvara

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

[Full title: Greatness of Gautameśvara (Gautama-īśvara), Ahalyeśvara (Ahalya-īśvara) and Śatānandeśvara (Śatānanda-īśvara)]

Viśvāmitra said:

1-2. When Śakra and all the Devas went away to heaven, Gautama returned to his hermitage blazing with great fury. He narrated everything to Śatānanda^[1] about the activities of the Devas and the boon granted to Śakra.

3-5. On hearing it, Śatānanda stood humbly and asked his father: “O my father, why don’t you do some favour to my mother? O holy Lord, it is not at all impossible for you to make her rise up. Do me this favour so that I will get back my mother. O excellent sage, I am greatly distressed and am very anxious. Raise her up quickly and ordain the expiatory rite unto me, so that purity can be regained.”

Gautama said:

6. The purity of women whose impurity is caused by the sprinkling (injection) of the semen of another person) will take place (i.e. is possible) if the purity of a utensil smeared (internally with liquor is possible.

7. After drinking liquor, a Brāhmaṇa can regain purity by means of Mauñjī Horaa, but not a woman who has been violated even after adopting Tiṅginī Vrata. (i.e. self-immolation in a fire pit filled with cow-dung).

8. Even a liquor pot gets usually purified if duly baked in fire. Similarly, a woman in whose belly (womb) other man’s semen has penetrated gets burned in fire (and regains purity).

9. It is for this reason, O my son, that your mother had been transformed into stone by me. Her purity is impossible to be accomplished by any (other) means.

Śatānanda said:

10. If that be the case, I shall for her sake go through fire or shall swallow poison or shall fall into deep waters.

11. I may do so, O father, urged by the suffering caused by the separation from my mother. It is the truth that has been uttered by me. There are other righteous men (laying down rules of piety) e.g. the sages beginning with Manu.

12. Ponder over the various Itihāsas, Purāṇas and all the Vedānta works and prescribe the means of purity for me for the sake of my mother. I shall do so. Otherwise, I shall cease to live.

Viśvāmitra said:

13. On hearing it, Gautama pondered for a long time. He then embraced his son with both the arms and sniffed at his head. Thereafter, he said to his son:

14-18. “If it is so, dear son, do not commit any rash act in regard to (i.e. to get rid of) this sin, such as slaying yourself. Let my words be listened to: Even earlier I had known the means of purity of your mother whereby she will become worthy of my abode undoubtedly. Janārdana will be born in the solar race in the form of Rāma, in the guise of a human being, for the purpose of slaying Rāvaṇa. She will regain purity by the contact of his foot. Wait for it, dear son. Do not be over-eager.

Dear boy, this has been known perfectly by me through (my) divine vision.”

19. On hearing this Śatānanda became highly delighted. After saying “So be it”, the boy, fond of his mother, waited patiently for that (auspicious) hour.

20. Thereafter, in due course, after a long time Janārdana in the form of Rāma was born in the abode of Daśaratha for the purpose of killing Rāvaṇa.

21. That Lord Viṣṇu, yet in his childhood, was brought by me to my hermitage for the protection of my own Yajñas by destroying the Rākṣasas who were bent upon destroying the sacrificial rites.

22-23. After the terrible Rākṣasas had been killed, my Makha was duly concluded. The scion of the family of Raghus was brought by me from Ayodhyā along with Lakṣmaṇa for the marriage of Sītā about whose Svayaṃvara and the assemblage of kings I had duly heard.

24. Then on the way, in the splendid hermitage of Gautama, Ahalyā was seen by me in the form of a huge stone image.

25. Then Rāma was told by me: “Dear boy, touch her with your hand so that she may regain the human form. She is the beloved wife Sage Gautama. It was on account of the curse of the excellent sage that she was transformed into a stone image.”

26. O excellent king, at my behest and urged by curiosity, Rāma touched that rock unhesitatingly.

27. Then, on being touched by Rāma, the wife of the sage became transformed into a human being. She shone with divine form and features.

28. Recollecting her affair with Śakra, she became ashamed. She then bowed down to Gautama (and said):

29-30. “O my Lord, prescribe unto me an expiatory rite fully as laid down by Prajāpati in connection with the close intimacy of one with another (other than legally wedded spouse). Even if it is difficult, I shall undoubtedly carry it out, so that I can regain purity through the Puraścaraṇa rite.”

31-32. After thinking about it for a long time Gautama said: “Perform a hundred Cāndrāyaṇa expiations, a thousand Kṛcchra rites and ten thousand Prājāpatya rites. Observe the vow of pilgrimage to the sixty-eight holy places where all the Tīrthas on the earth are present. By visiting them all perfectly, you will regain purity.”

33-34. She consented saying “So be it.” She observed the relevant vows and wandered over the sixty-eight excellent Tīrthas beginning with Vārāṇasī in due order. She devoutly worshipped all the Liṅgas. In due course she reached the holy place of Hāṭakeśvara.

35-36. As the chaste lady looked ahead, there was a great serpent hole. It was the path unto Pātāla whereby the great sages engrossed in pilgrimage used to go for the vision of Lord Hāṭakeśvara. It had been closed by Nāgaras themselves.

37-38. Then she began to think, ‘If the Lord of Suras, Hāṭakeśvara, is not visited one cannot attain the benefit of the pilgrimage. Hence I shall remain steady and perform a very difficult penance through the power whereof I can visualise the Lord of Suras.’

39. After coining to such a decision, she performed a very severe penance for getting the vision of the Lord whose abode is in Pātāla.

40. In summer she performed the penance in the midst of five fires; in Hemanta (early winter) she resorted to the waters; in rainy season she lay under the open sky.

41. After installing a Liṅga of Hara after her own name, she performed its worship by its side thrice a day with sweet scents, flowers, and unguents.

42. A long period of time elapsed even as she continued her penance in this manner but she could not get even a glimpse of Lord Hāṭakeśvara.

43. Once her son Śatānanda who was extremely fond of his mother and was trying to find her came to this holy place.

44. He saw her engaged in the severe penance. Bowing down to her in great distress, he spoke these words to her in sorrow:

45-48. “Why do you subject your body to great strain by performing this severe penance? All the Liṅgas pertaining to Maheśvara in sixty-seven Tīrthas have been visited by you. No man has ever seen this Liṅga situated in Pātāla and designated Hāṭakeśvara.

In view of what you have already done, the purity has been attained as indicated by your husband. Hence, do come. We shall go to our auspicious hermitage. Father is eagerly awaiting you like ā farmer awaiting the advent of rainy season.”

Ahalyā said:

49-50. I will not return home unless and until I have viewed the Lord designated as Hāṭakeśvara. Dear son, I will go home when I see Hara. This determination has been made by me.

51. On hearing it he said, “If this is your resolve (nay determination) then I will go near father only along with you.”

52. After saying thus, he too installed the Liṅga of Śaṃbhu and worshipped it thrice a day and engaged himself in the penance.

53. O saintly king, Śatānanda propitiated the Liṅga with various kinds of food offerings, sweet scents, flowers and unguents and Vedic hymns.

54. Even as the sage was engaged in the Vratas and rites, taking in food only once in six meal-times a long period of time elapsed. Yet the Lord of Devas did not become pleased with both of them.

55. In his eagerness to see his son, the great sage Gautama too came there himself then after a long time.

56. On seeing him along with his wife engaged in the penance, Gautama became pleased at the outset but later he became grieved.

57. ‘Alas, it is a great pity! My son has become very lean as a result of the penance. How can I take him back to my abode? Similarly my wife too has become pallid and very lean!’

58. After thinking thus in his mind he spoke to them both: “Desist from the performance of the penance and come home.”

Śatānanda said:

59. Dear father, mother has already been told many times to stop the performance of penance. She will not go home if Lord Hāṭakeśvara is not seen.

60. It is also certain that I will not go without her. Know this, O highly esteemed one, and do what is proper.

Gautama said:

61. O dear son, if (your) mother’s determination is such I shall show Hāṭakeśvara by means of my penance.

62. After saying so the great sage too performed a penance. For a hundred years the sage undertook fast on alternate days. Then, for the same period he took food only once in six meal times.

63. Afterwards he took food only once in three days. Then the leading sage spent a similar period taking only fruits. A further similar period he spent taking in only water. Then the sage took in only air for a similar period.

64. Then at the end of more than a thousand years, an excellent Liṅga came out piercing through the surface of the earth.

65. It resembled the splendour of twelve suns. It had all the characteristic features. In the meantime Lord Saṃbhu [Śaṃbhu] became visible.

66. At the same time the Moon-crested Lord came within the range of his vision and spoke these words:

67-71. “O Gautama, O sage of excellent holy rites, I am pleased with this penance of yours.

This Liṅga of mine is designated as Hāṭakeśvara. O great sage; due to your devoutness this has come out from Pātāla.

Is it not for this purpose that the penance was performed by you along with your wife and son? The entire benefit thereof has taken effect as desired.

Let your wife Ahalyā of divine form and features view this, whereby she will attain the benefit of the pilgrimage to the sixty-eight holy places.

You too request for a boon which I shall grant entirely.”

Gautama said:

72. Let the merit accrued to men by visiting once Hāṭakeśvara in Pātāla be derived (by men) by viewing and especially by worshipping this Liṅga.

73. Other people too who worship it devoutly on the fourteenth lunar day in the bright half of the month of Cakra, will go to heaven.

74. Ordinary men do not know this Liṅga. Hence desirous of perfection and Siddhi, they enter a cavity of the earth with a desire for viewing Hāṭakeśvara.

75-76. By the power of this Liṅga, even sinners are freed from the sin arising from contact with other men’s wives. Men become free from sins by viewing, Ahalyeśvara as well as Śatānandeśvara. They will become sinless through the worship of both performed on that day.

Viśvāmitra said:

77. In the meantime, O king, the entire Svarga was filled with men full of sins and devoid of all virtues.

78. No one performs Yajña, pilgrimage, Vrata or other observances. They do not make any gift whatsoever.

79. Viewing those three Liṅgas, touching them and worshipping them devoutly (they used to go to heaven).

80. Surrounded by men urged by great rivalry all the Suras became frightened. With great pain and anguish they went to Purandara and said:

81-87. “O Thousand-eyed One, all righteous acts have stopped in the mortal world. Even men of sinful conduct come here arrogantly and vie with us always. In the holy place of Hāṭakeśvara there are three excellent Liṅgas. They have been installed by the noble-souled Gautama in the company of his wife and son. By the power of their worship, all men of sinful conduct come here. All the Narakas of Yama have become vacant.

Hāṭakeśvara has been brought from Pātāla by Gautama after propitiating the Lord by means of his penance. It is by the power of the Lord that all these things have occurred on the earth. After knowing these, manage everything so that Yajñas will be performed. Without them, we can never become satisfied.”

88. On hearing those words Vāsava summoned Manmatha, Krodha (Anger), Lobha (Greed), Dambha (Arrogance, Hypocrisy), Matsara (Jealousy) and Dveṣa (Hatred).

89-90. “Go to the earth quickly at my behest. With your power restrain the worshippers of Gautameśvara, Ahalyeśvara and Śatānandeśvara.”

On getting the command of Śakra, They went to the earth.

91. Kāma and others overwhelmed the worshippers of Gautameśvara, Ahalyeśvara and Śatānandeśvara.

92. Thereupon, Yajñas began to be performed again all over the earth with the full complement of Dakṣiṇās (monetary gifts). So also Vratas and observances of holy rites.

93. Pilgrimages were undertaken. Japa, Homa and other holy rites also functioned properly. O king, I have thus narrated everything I was asked.

94-95. In the context of extolling Gayākūpī I narrated the acts of Śakreśvara, the establishment of Indra in the mortal world, the story of Ahalyā and the greatness of Gautameśvara and Ahalyeśvara.

96. He who is endowed with great faith and listens to this shall instantly be rid of the sin arising from contact with other men’s wives.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Śatānanda, Gautama’s son, was the chief royal priest of Janaka.