Skandapurana 2.7.10

The Maithila said:

The Aśūnyaśayana observance, which was practiced by the wife of Kāma

and instructed by the god—tell me its procedure, O earthly god! (1)

What is the gift? What is its procedure, its worship, and its fruit?

Tell this, O earthly god, for I have great curiosity to hear it. (2)

Śrutadeva said:

Listen, I shall speak further of the sin-destroying observance

named Aśūnyaśayana, spoken by Hari to Ramā. (3)

Performed, the Lord of gods, who shines like a raincloud,

the husband of Lakṣmī, the Lord of the universe, the destroyer of the multitude of all sins, is pleased. (4)

O king, whoever, without performing this sin-destroying observance,

pursues the household life, for him it will be fruitless. (5)

In the month of Śrāvaṇa, on the second day of the bright fortnight, O protector of the earth,

that unexcelled observance named Aśūnyaśayana should be undertaken. (6)

When the Cāturmāsya arrives, a man should eat sacrificial food.

The conclusion of the fast is properly accomplished after four months, O lord. (7)

Janārdana, the Lord of the universe, accompanied by Lakṣmī, is to be worshipped.

When the day of breaking the fast has arrived, four kinds of food (8)

and an offering of respect should be given to a householder brahmin.

One should fashion a charming image of gold or silver, (9)

clad in yellow garments, divine, adorned with a garland of forest flowers,

and worship Puruṣottama with white, fragrant flowers. (10)

With gifts of beds, gifts of garments, and meals for brahmins,

as well as meals for married couples and priestly gifts, one should worship him. (11)

Having thus worshipped Janārdana for four months,

one should worship Hari as before during the months beginning with Mārgaśīrṣa. (12)

One should meditate upon Hari, reddish in hue and accompanied by Rukmiṇī;

then one should worship him thus for the four months beginning with Caitra. (13)

One should worship the god standing with the Earth with devotion,

praised by sages such as Sanandana, spotless. (14)

On the second day of the month of Āṣāḍha, one should bring it to completion.

One should make an oblation into the auspicious fire with the eight-syllable mantra. (15)

At the breaking of the fast of the months beginning with Mārgaśīrṣa, O protector of the earth,

one should make an oblation with the Viṣṇugāyatrī; learn of those [months] beginning with Caitra: (16)

one should make an oblation into the auspicious fire with the Puruṣa hymn's mantra

of five nectars, milk-rice, and cakes cooked in clarified butter. (17)

Learn of the substances for the images in this order:

one should give a golden image of Lakṣmīnārāyaṇa, (18)

in the middle period, a golden [image] of the supreme Self, Kṛṣṇa,

and in the final period, a silver [image] of the great Varāha. (19)

Afterwards, one should feed brahmins [designated] by names such as Keśava,

according to one's wealth, with pairs of garments and ornaments. (20)

Having worshipped, one should then give cakes cooked in clarified butter;

one should present them as an offering of respect to twelve brahmins. (21)

Then one should give to the teacher the previously prepared image

and a designated, complete bed adorned with all ornaments, (22)

having worshipped upon it according to the rule the supreme Lakṣmīnārāyaṇa.

along with a bronze vessel and many sweet cakes,

provided with garments and ornaments, and likewise with priestly fees,

to an eminent brahmin who is a Vaiṣṇava and a householder.

It should be given after worshipping [him] according to rule, and he should also feed the brahmins.

The mantra for the gift:

"Just as your couch is never empty of Lakṣmī, O Janārdana,

so may my bed never be empty, O Keśava, through this gift."

Having thus prayed to the Lord of the gods, he himself should take his meal.

Whether a man, a virtuous wife, or even a widow,

they should perform this supreme observance for the sake of an unemptied bed.

Thus has it been declared to you in detail by me, O best of kings;

when the Lord of the universe is well pleased, manifold offspring come to be.

When that Lord of the gods is pleased, [things] difficult to attain even for the gods [are won].

Therefore, with every effort, one should perform this vow

if one inevitably wishes to go to that supreme abode of Viṣṇu.

Thus all has been told by me; what else do you wish to hear?

Having been spoken to thus by him, the royal seer said again to that sage:

"Tell in detail the māhātmya of the gift of an umbrella in Vaiśākha.

Even as I listen, there is no satiety for me regarding the auspicious things proclaimed for Vaiśākha."

Having heard those words of his, which bring renown and increase merit,

the highly illustrious Śrutadeva replied to the fortunate one.

Śrutadeva said:

For great-souled men who are tormented by the heat in Vaiśākha,

those who make shelter from the sun—endless is their merit.

In this very connection, they cite this ancient legendary account

concerning duty in Vaiśākha, performed long ago in the Kṛta age.

In the country of Vaṅga, there was once a wise king

named Hemakānta, the son of Kuśaketu, best of weapon-bearers.

Once, addicted to the hunt, he entered a dense forest.

Having slain many various animals there, such as deer and boars,

exhausted at midday, he went to the hermitage of sages.

At that time, the seers named Śatarcins, whose vows were renowned,

were established in samādhi and did not perceive any external matter.

Seeing those brahmins motionless, he became enraged and set his mind on killing [them].

Then ten thousand disciples restrained the king:

"O foolish one, listen to our words! The teachers have entered samādhi;

they do not perceive external action. Therefore, anger is not proper for you."

Then, overwhelmed with wrath, he spoke these words to the disciples:

"You, O twice-born, must show hospitality to me, who am weary from the journey!"

Thus addressed by the king, the disciples then said to the ruler:

"We have not been commanded by our teachers, O king, and we eat only begged food.

Dependent on the guru, how are we able to offer you hospitality?"

Refused by the disciples, the king took up his bow to kill them.

"They have been protected by me in manifold ways from wild beasts, robbers, danger, and the like;

yet they instruct me, though having received gifts from me!

These ungrateful, arrogant ones do not acknowledge me.

Even if I slay them, there will be no fault, for they are indeed assailants!"

Becoming so enraged and releasing arrows from his bow,

he pursued those who fled and slew three hundred disciples.

They all fled in fear, quickly abandoning the hermitage.

When the disciples were put to flight, the evil-minded soldiers

swiftly seized by force the provisions situated in the hermitage.

Permitted by the king himself, they ate as much as they wished.

Then, surrounded by his army, the king returned to the city at the close of day.

Then Kuśaketu, having heard the deed of his son,

banished his son from the city, reviling him repeatedly,

and even from his own realm, O king, as one unfit for kingship and devoid of forbearance.

Abandoned by his father, King Hemakānta, utterly distracted

and deeply afflicted by the murders, entered the dense forest.

And he dwelled for a long time in a cave in the uninhabited forest.

Resorting to the ways of a hunter, he procured food.

Hard-pressed by the sin of murder, he found no rest anywhere.

Twenty-eight years passed for this evil-minded man.

On the occasion of a pilgrimage to sacred fords, a great sage named Trita,

in that forest in the month of Vaiśākha, when the sun had reached midday,

exhausted by the heat as he walked, and tormented by thirst,

fainted in a certain place devoid of trees.

Seeing by chance the great sage named Trita,

afflicted by thirst, unconscious, and exhausted, that vilest of kings felt pity.

Then, having fashioned an umbrella out of palāśa leaves to ward off the heat,

he held it over the sage's head and gave him water kept in a gourd.

By that attendance, indeed, the sage regained consciousness.

Taking the leaf-umbrella given by the kṣatriya, his fatigue was dispelled;

slowly reaching a certain village, his senses were somewhat refreshed.

By the power of that merit, the three hundred sins of killing brahmins

belonging to that great-souled man were destroyed in an instant.

Then Hemakānta, the great chariot-warrior, was filled with amazement:

“How have the sins of killing brahmins, by which I was tormented in many ways, departed?

By whom have these been expiated? Where have they gone, and by what cause?”

Thus he reflected upon his release from the sin of killing brahmins.

While the king remained thus unknowing, the messengers of Yama arrived

to carry off this noble Hemakānta who was staying in the forest.

They produced dysentery to take away the life of the great-souled man.

Then, distressed by the departure of his life-breaths, he saw three men,

messengers of Yama, terrible, with hair standing erect, and frightening.

Reflecting upon his own deeds, the king then remained silent.

By the power of the gift of the umbrella, O king, remembrance of Viṣṇu arose.

Remembered by him, Mahāviṣṇu spoke to his minister Viṣvaksena:

“Go quickly and turn back the messengers of Yama.

Protect Hemakānta, who is devoted to the religious duties of Vaiśākha.

Having gone to the city, give this sinless devotee of mine back to his father.

And instruct Kuśaketu with the words spoken by me:

‘Even one abandoned by all righteous duties or bereft of celibacy and the like,

if devoted to the religious duties of Vaiśākha, becomes dear to me; of this there is no doubt.

Though having committed crimes, your son, intent on protecting a sage,

has become free from sin by the gift of an umbrella in Vaiśākha; of this there is no doubt.

By the power of that merit he is calm, self-controlled, and long-lived;

endowed with the qualities of heroism and generosity, he is equal to you even in virtues.

Therefore, install this very mighty one in the burden of the kingdom.’

Instructing the best of kings thus: ‘It is commanded by Viṣṇu himself,’

and having established Hemakānta in his father’s lineage, come back to me.”

Having been commanded thus by the Lord, the very mighty Viṣvaksena

approached Hemakānta, turned back the messengers of Yama,

and with a most soothing hand touched the king on his limbs.

From the touch of the Lord's devotee, his disease was destroyed in an instant.

Then Viṣvaksena went with him to his city.

Seeing him, the great lord Kuśaketu was filled with astonishment,

bowed with his head in devotion, falling like a staff upon the ground,

and brought the attendant of the Supreme Self into his house.

Having praised him with various hymns, he honored him with rich offerings.

To him, the very mighty Viṣvaksena, with a pleased mind, spoke

what had been said earlier by Viṣṇu concerning Hemakānta.

Having heard that, Kuśaketu installed his son on the throne,

and, permitted by Viṣvaksena, entered the forest together with his wife.

Having advised and honored Hemakānta, the wise and magnanimous Viṣvaksena

went to Śvetadvīpa, to the side of Viṣṇu.

Then King Hemakānta performed every year the auspicious duties

prescribed for Vaiśākha, which are pleasing to Viṣṇu.

Devoted to brahmins, walking the path of righteousness, calm, self-restrained, his senses mastered,

compassionate toward all beings, he was consecrated in all sacrifices.

Flourishing with all kinds of prosperity, surrounded by sons, grandsons, and other descendants,

and having enjoyed all pleasures, he attained the world of Viṣṇu.

Indeed, I see no religious duties equal to those of Vaiśākha, which are easy of effort and causes of immense merit,

which resemble fire to the fuel of sin, are easily performed, and are causes of the goals of human life from dharma up to liberation.

Thus ends the tenth chapter, entitled “Description of the Quieting of the Sin of Brahmin-Slaughter and Other Sins of Hemakānta in the Praise of the Gift of an Umbrella, in the Dialogue between Nārada and Ambarīṣa, in the Māhātmya of the Month of Vaiśākha, in the Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa, in the Eighty-One-Thousand-Verse Saṃhitā of the Glorious Skandapurāṇa.”