Skandapurana 2.1.24

Now begins the account of the attainment and cessation of the state of a rākṣasa by the gandharva named Sundara.

The seers said:

O venerable Sūta, foremost of Purāṇa reciters, who was that rākṣasa

Who oppressed that high-souled brahmin devotee of Viṣṇu? // 1

Glorious Sūta said:

I shall tell of that cruel rākṣasa; listen attentively, O brahmins,

And how he was born a rākṣasa by the power of the sages' curse. // 2

Formerly, in Śrīraṅga, the abode of Viṣṇu that resembles Vaikuṇṭha,

All the devotees of Viṣṇu of great splendor, headed by Vasiṣṭha and Atri, // 3

Dwelling in the city of Śrīraṅga, for the sake of liberation,

Worshiped Śrīraṅganātha, the lord of gods, who grants fearlessness to his devotees. // 4

Once, a powerful gandharva there, the son of Vīrabāhu,

Named Sundara, O foremost brahmins, devoted to the company of rakes, // 5

Accompanied by a hundred women, naked in a pool of water,

Sported joyfully together with those naked young women. // 6

At the sacred ford of the daughter of Kavera, Vasiṣṭha, along with the sages,

Intending to perform the midday rites, went out from the Śrīraṅga temple. // 7

Then, seeing those seers, those women, distressed by fear,

Covered themselves with garments; but not the reckless Sundara. // 8

Thereupon Vasiṣṭha, enraged, cursed that shameless one: // 9

Vasiṣṭha said:

“Since, O Gandharva Sundara, on seeing us, you did not, out of shame,

cover yourself with a garment, quickly attain the state of a rākṣasa on that account!”

When this was spoken by Vasiṣṭha, the women, with folded hands,

bowing down to Vasiṣṭha with hearts humbled by devotion,

said this to Vasiṣṭha in the midst of the circle of sages:

The women said:

“O blessed one, knower of all righteousness, son of the four-faced [Brahmā]!

O ocean of compassion, looking upon us, you ought not to be angry.

For a husband alone is said to be the supreme ornament of women.

Even a woman with a hundred sons, O sage, if bereft of a husband,

is called a widow in the world; their life is utterly in vain.

Therefore, show grace, O sage, out of respect, toward our husband.

A single offense should be forgiven by sages who see the truth.

Extend forgiveness, O ocean of compassion, to Sundara here, who is your pupil.”

Śrī Sūta said:

Vasiṣṭha, being thus implored by the women of Sundara,

spoke these words once more, pleased, that best of the twice-born:

Now the means spoken by Vasiṣṭha for the end of the state of a rākṣasa of the one named Sundara:

Vasiṣṭha said:

“My word can never be false, O fair-browed ones.

I shall tell you a remedy; listen with faith.

The curse on your husband will certainly have a duration of sixteen years.

And at the end of the sixteen-year limit, Sundara, possessing the form of a rākṣasa,

by chance [reaching] the auspicious Veṅkaṭa mountain that removes all sins,

having gone [there], O celestial women, will reach that Cakratīrtha.

There dwells Padmanābha, a great yogin and lord of sages.

This rākṣasa will approach that sage in order to devour him.

Then, dispatched for the protection of the brahmin, the excellent discus

will sever his head from his body by Viṣṇu, no doubt.

Then, having regained his own form and being freed from the curse, that Sundara,

your husband, will go to heaven once more; there is no doubt about this.

Then, having reached heaven, this Sundara, your husband,

wearing a beautiful attire, will delight you, O beautiful ones!”

Śrī Sūta said:

Having spoken thus to those excellent women of Sundara, Vasiṣṭha,

devoted to the lord Śrīraṅga, quickly departed to his own hermitage.

Then the women, embracing him, Sundara, their husband,

wept, tormented by grief, plunged into the midst of an ocean of sorrow.

While they were thus watching, Sundara became a rākṣasa,

with huge fangs, a massive body, and red beard and hair on his head.

Seeing him, agitated with fear, the women went to heaven.

Then this one disguised as a rākṣasa, [formerly] Sundara, terrifying in appearance,

devouring all living beings, from region to region, from forest to forest,

wandering with the speed of the wind, [arrived at] the excellent mountain, Veṅkaṭādri.

Having entered it, that great sinner then went to Cakratīrtha.

In this way sixteen years passed for him as he wandered.

Then, at the end of the sixteen years, O lords of sages, this rākṣasa,

in order to devour that Padmanābha, the dweller at Cakratīrtha,

rushed with the speed of the wind; and he [the sage] praised Janārdana.

And Viṣṇu, praised by the yogin, then dispatched his discus

to protect that Padmanābha who was oppressed by the rākṣasa.

Then, arriving, Hari's discus severed the head of the rākṣasa.

Now the attainment of his own true form preceded by the release from the state of a rākṣasa of the one named Sundara:

Then he, abandoning the rākṣasa body, having an ethereal form,

mounting an excellent vimāna, Sundara, showered with flowers,

having folded his hands and bowed down, paid homage to that Sudarśana.

He praised it with foremost words, pleasing to the ear, with reverence:

Sundara said:

“O Sudarśana, salutations unto you, sole ornament of Viṣṇu’s hand!

Homage to you, destroyer of the asuras, possessed of the radiance of a thousand suns!

Through an influx of your grace, casting off my rākṣasa body,

I have attained my own form. O discus weapon of Viṣṇu, homage to you!

Permit me to go to heaven, O beloved of Viṣṇu;

My wives are grieving, their hearts anguished by separation.

As long as I live, may my mind remain fixed on you;

Grant such a state to me, O discus! Homage to you!"

Thus praised with devotion by Sundara,

Viṣṇu's discus at once granted him [his prayer], saying, "May it be so," O lords of sages.

Having received permission from the discus weapon, Sundara bowed down to the best of brahmins;

Permitted by him, the gandharva went to heaven.

And when Sundara had gone to heaven, Padmanābha, the lord among sages,

Prayed to that discus: "O weapon of Viṣṇu, homage to you!

O discus weapon, crusher of great asuras, I bow to you.

Establish your presence in this pure, auspicious Cakra tīrtha.

Through your presence, for all sinners who bathe here,

Bring about the destruction of sin, and grant eternal liberation.

Establish its renown in the world as 'Cakratīrtha.'

Through your presence, may the destruction of fear for the sages residing here

Be effected henceforth, O noble one! O discus weapon, homage to you!

Let there be no fear of bhūtas, pretas, and piśācas, O Lord!"

When prayed to in this manner by the yogin Padmanābha,

The discus replied, "May it indeed be so," and vanished into that sacred ford.

Śrī Sūta said:

Thus, O brahmins, on the occasion of the rākṣasa's origin, has been told to you by me

The māhātmya of Cakratīrtha, which removes impurity,

Hearing which a mortal is freed from all sins on earth.

Thus ends the twenty-fourth chapter, titled "Description of the Greatness of Cakratīrtha," in the Śrīveṅkaṭācalamāhātmya of the second [section], the Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa consisting of eighty-one thousand verses.