Chapter 15 - Fruition of Action

[Note: This page represents a summary English translation of the Dvisāhasrī by Ṭembesvāmī, chapter 15.—Now in order to destroy the evil actions the collection of 5 chapters (14-18) is being depicted for evoking detachment for those whose minds are impure.—In the 15^th chapter the fruition of the action told to a low-caste person, the rite of expiation to a mendicant, the greatness of applying ashes and releasing a demon are dealt with.]

15/01-02: Nāmadhāraka spoke: What happen to the low-caste person?

15/03-04: Siddha spoke: The Holy Master’s grace makes him ask past actions for his present down-fall (04)

15/05-29: Holy Master spoke: A being gets upward or downward due to one’s own actions (06). He enumerates the 38 types of sinners (07- 12) followed by 21 types of Brahmin-sinners who go to hell and experience torturing of the god of Death (13-17). They attain next births of a ghost, goblin and so on as per the intensity of the individual desires (18). One insulting a teacher or a Brahmin is born as a Brahmin-ghost (19). He then enumerates the evil consequences of stealing different objects^[1] (20-26) followed by the enumeration of the evil consequences of enjoying another’s wife (27-28).

15/29: Trivikrama’s question about the destruction of the sins committed knowingly or unknowingly.

15/30-47: Holy Master spoke: He gives the solutions of destroying the sins such as, (01) Repentance, (02) Expiatory rites, (03) Declaring the sin publicly, (04) Donating gold to a Brahmin, (05) Resorting to the Holy Master, (06) Repitition of the Gāyatrī formula, (07) Ablution in the river Gangā at Kāśī or in the ocean near Rāmeśvaram [Rāmeśvara], (08) Visiting the holy places, (09) Recitation of the Nāciketa’s narration, (10) Repitition of the Aghamarṣaṇa , hymn (RV 10/190), (11) Practising the Cāndrāyaṇa -vow and (12) Partaking 05 cow-products (31-44).^[2]

The expiatory rite does not purify one in the absence of devotion to Lord Viṣṇu, like a river not purifying a covered vessel of liquor (45).

The low-caste person has been born in this caste on account of forsaking his parents in his previous 07^th birth (46), but he would be born as a Brahmin by taking bath in the river (Amarajā) (47).

15/48-53: Holy Master spoke: Viśvāmitra requests the gods for the Brahmin-hood. They ask him to go to Vasiṣṭha who is not ready to grant. Viśvāmitra being angry kills his 100 sons and when he wants to kill even Vasiṣṭha, he becomes afraid of the Brahminicide. He is then instructed to practise penance (49-51) which Menakā takes away. Viśvāmitra again practises the penance and eventually becomes the chief of the sages (52).

For this reason the low caste one would get Brahmin-hood in the next birth only (53).

15/54-57: The low-caste person: How the iron transformed into gold can remain iron only. As a Brahmin, he doesn’t want to stay with his wife and children. The Holy Master asks a disciple to make him bath (55-56). After the bath he comes to senses and goes home with his relatives (57).

15/58-59: Trivikrama spoke: How can a deviated be sanctified? How could he become the same as before? (59).

15/60-62: Holy Master spoke: He becomes as he was before by the bath given removed the effect of the Ashes (61).

Sage Vāmadeva walking through the forest pacifies a Brahmin-demon who has come to devour him just by his touch and reminds him of his all previous births (62).

15/63-69: Brahmin-demon spoke: In his previous birth he being a lascivious king, enjoys many women. The subjects leave the city (64-65). He suffers from diseases and is killed by enemies. (66). After suffering pain in different species, he wanted to devour him, but knows no reason for getting pacified thus (67-69).

15/70-73: Vāmadeva spoke: The touch of the holy ashes he is pacified. Lord Śiva adorns His body with the ashes (71). In ancient time a debaucher is killed and thrown out of the house, but when he is touched by a dog covered with ashes, Śiva’s attendants obstruct Yama’s attendants and take him to Kailāsa (72-73).

15/74-76: Demon spoke: He has met Vāmadeva due to his previous merit. How the holy ashes are produced? How to apply it?

15/77-79: Vāmadeva spoke: Sanatkumāra requests Lord Śiva to instruct an easy way to the liberation.

15/80-94: Śiva spoke: One is free from sins by mere sight of the ashes, enjoys beneficence by anointing and is liberated by applying it (81). The ashes of the sacrifices or of the dried cow-dung and should be applied along with the recitation of the formulas (82). It should be applied on the eyebrows (83-85ab). The application of the ashes frees the sinners. One is venerated in heaven by applying it. Even the Rudrākṣa-beads are auspicious (85cd-87). The application of the ashes destroys the faults, leads to heaven and entitles one for the abode of Lord Śiva (88-89). Vāmadeva gives ashes to the Brahmin-demon and asks him to apply. He does so, abandons the demoniac body and is freed (90-91). He attains heaven (92).

Trivikrama should apply the ashes, too and he would be free. He obeys (92-93). The fruition of actions being difficult to bear, one should practise beneficial acts (94).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vide. Appendix 07.

[2]:

He adds here that a husband or a wife committing a sin, incurs the sin equally (15/44).