Skanda Purana 3.1.19

Śrī Sūta said:

“Having bathed in the sacred ford of that saving Brahman, O best of the twice-born,

one should then approach the sacred ford of Lakṣmaṇa with concentrated mind.

Having bathed in the sacred ford of the glorious Lakṣmaṇa, freed from sins,

they go to spotless liberation, characterised by the absence of rebirth.

Indeed, through bathing in Lakṣmaṇatīrtha, all poverty is destroyed,

and to him a long-lived, virtuous, and learned son is born.

Whoever mutters his mantra on the bank of Lakṣmaṇatīrtha,

he becomes a knower of all the scriptures and even a knower of the four Vedas.

On its bank, Lakṣmaṇa established a great liṅga.

Whoever, having bathed in that sacred ford, worships Lakṣmaṇeśvara,

is freed here from poverty and disease, and from worldly existence.

Having bathed in Lakṣmaṇatīrtha and worshipped Lakṣmaṇeśvara,

Formerly, O brahmins, Balabhadra was freed from the killing of a brahmin. (6)

The seers said:

How did the killing of a brahmin come upon Rohiṇī's son, O son of Sūta?

And how was it destroyed here? Tell us that, O great sage! (7)

The illustrious Sūta said:

Formerly, O twice-born, the Lord Balabhadra, an incarnation of Śeṣa, (8)

observing the preparations for war between the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas,

unable to endure the slaughter of his kinsmen, the plow-armed one (9)

reflected thus, the wise Balabhadra:

“If I render assistance to the Kuru king, (10)

there would be terrible and unavoidable anger against me from Pāṇḍu’s sons.

If I do a favor to the Pāṇḍavas, (11)

there would be anger from Duryodhana.” Realizing this, the plow-armed one, (12)

remaining neutral, then departed under the pretext of a pilgrimage to sacred fords.

Then, having gone to Prabhāsa and performed a ritual ablution preceded by a solemn vow,

he gratified the gods, seers, and hosts of ancestors with water. (13)

From there the plow-bearer went toward the west-flowing Sarasvatī,

to Pṛthūdaka, Bindusaras, and the liberation-granting Brahmatīrtha, (14)

and to the Gaṅgā, the Yamunā, the Sindhu, the Śatadru, and Sudarśana.

Having reached [them] and bathed duly according to sacred law in these sacred fords, this Balabhadra (15)

attained Naimiṣāraṇya, frequented by the foremost of sages.

Then, seeing him arrived, the ascetics of Naimiṣa (16)

engaged in the long sacrificial session, thoroughly restrained and intent on righteousness,

went forth to meet the best of the Yadus, bowed, and rising from their seats, (17)

honored [him] then with seats made of kuśa grass and the like, as well as bulbous roots and fruits.

Having accepted a seat, honored along with his attendants, (18)

seeing Sūta, the disciple of Vyāsa, sitting on a high seat, neither bowing down nor rising,

sitting without joining his hands in reverence, (19)

and seeing that the brahmins had bowed down upon seeing him arrive,

the son of Rohiṇī became enraged at Sūta, the best of Purāṇa narrators: (20)

“Why does this blameworthy Sūta, born of a mixed marriage in regular order, sit in the midst of sages

occupying an elevated seat? This is plainly improper! (21)

Greatly disrespecting us, the protectors of righteousness,

he remains seated without rising, fearless, nor does he bow down! (22)

Though he has studied the Purāṇas in the presence of Dvaipāyana,

along with all the histories and numerous codes of sacred law, (23)

he does not bow down upon seeing me, nor does he leave his seat!

The twice-born disciples of the great Dvaipāyana, Paila and the others, (24)

would never commit such unrighteousness as this man does.

Therefore, I shall slay this evil-minded, senseless person! (25)

Indeed, I have come to this mortal world to restrain the wicked.

Slain by me, this wicked soul will attain purification, without doubt.” (26)

Having said this, the Lord Rāma, the pestle-wielder, the mighty plow-bearer,

severed his head in anger with the tip of a blade of kuśa grass held in his hand. (27)

All the sages present there cried out: “Alas, what a terrible thing!”

Then the sages who expounded the Veda addressed Rāma: (28)

“O Rāma, O Saṃkarṣaṇa, O Lord, a grievous unrighteous act has been committed by you!

To this Sūta the great seat of Brahmā was given by us, (29)

and imperishable life was granted to him by us, O plow-armed one!

By you, without knowing, a great slaying of a brahmin has been committed today. (30)

For you, the lord of yoga, there is no one who can dictate.

Yet, reflecting upon what must be done regarding this killing of a brahmin, (31)

you yourself, for the guidance of the world,

perform the penance, O Lord Rāma; do so unprompted by another!”

Addressed thus, the Lord Rāma said to those sages: (32)

Rāma said:

“I will perform the penance that cleanses sin, O faithful ones, (33)

now for the guidance of the world, with no other desire.

Whatever kind of observance should be undertaken by us for the pacification of sin, (34)

such an observance, indeed, let you declare to us today.”

"The imperishable lifespan that was granted by you to this Sūta,

and [his] senses and vital strength, I shall restore through [my] yogic power."

The sages said:

"O Lord, so that your prowess, the weapon, and death [itself] may be upheld,

and so that our word may also prove true, O Rāma, you should act accordingly."

Rāma said:

"The scripture constantly proclaims: 'One's own self indeed comes to be in the form of a son.'

Therefore, O best of brahmins, from his body

let a son be born, long-lived, endowed with vital strength, senses, and might.

He will recite the Purāṇas and other [texts] to you daily;

he will become omniscient by the power of my yogic potency."

Having said this, the son of Rohiṇī again addressed them humbly:

"Or what desire of your hearts shall I fulfill?

Speak, you sages! I will do it without a doubt.

Also, to dispel this sin committed by me through ignorance,

tell me, O best of sages, the expiation."

The sages said:

"There is a certain Dānava, a son of Ilvala, named Balvala.

He defiles our sacrifice, O Rāma, coming here on the auspicious day.

Slay that wicked, sinful Dānava, the sole thorn of the world!

By this, indeed, worship would be offered by you to us now.

Bones, feces, urine, blood, liquor, and flesh in the sacrifice—

coming here, that Dānava constantly rains these down upon us.

Moreover, whatever sacred fords there are in this land of Bhārata,

bathe in all of them for one year, deeply concentrated.

Thereby the pacification of your sin will take place; no doubt should be entertained here."

Śrī Sūta said:

Then, O best of brahmins, when the auspicious time arrived at the sages' sacrifice,

a great, terrible shower of dust and a fierce hurricane,

O best of brahmins, and a rain of pus and blood manifested;

then a rain consisting of excrement was also caused by Balvala.

Then in an instant, in the sacrificial hall, with trident in hand,

that Balabhadra saw the Asura of great strength and valor.

Seeing him of gigantic body, resembling a burnt mountain,

with a fierce face of beards and fangs glowing like molten copper,

Rāma thought of the pestle that tears enemies apart,

the plow that destroys Dānavas, and the mace that shatters Daityas.

Whatever weapons were thought of attended upon that Rāma.

Then, having dragged that sky-roaming Balvala with the tip of his plow,

he, enraged, struck him swiftly on the head with his pestle.

He fell to the ground, his forehead crushed, vomiting blood,

Balvala, uttering pitiable cries, like a mountain struck by a thunderbolt.

Then, having praised Rāma and pronounced spotless blessings,

the sages sprinkled him with auspicious waters, as the gods did to the foe of Vṛtra.

They gave him the Vaijayantī garland adorned with glorious lotuses,

two auspicious garments, and splendid ornaments for Mādhava.

Wearing all of those, the mighty son of Rohiṇī

[looked] like Mount Kailāsa endowed with flowering trees.

Then, permitted by the sages to [visit] all the sacred fords, O twice-born,

he roamed and bathed for one year, endowed with vows and proper conduct.

Then, when a full year had elapsed, Bala, the cleaver of the Kālindī,

having completed his pilgrimage to the sacred fords, set out to go to the city.

Then, a dark shadow following behind, emaciated,

emitting a great roar, this Baladeva beheld.

Then he heard a voice that arose in the sky at that time:

"Rāma, Rāma, O mighty-armed one, son of Rohiṇī, of white luster!

Though a journey to sacred fords was undertaken by you today, O sinless one,

your [sin of] killing a brahmin is not entirely destroyed, O son of Rohiṇī."

Having heard this voice, Bala indeed reflected:

"An expiation was performed by me for one full year by visiting sacred fords.

"Even so, that sin of killing a brahmin was not destroyed": hearing these words,

he reflected, "What shall I do?", and went to Naimiṣāraṇya.

Having gone there, the subduer of foes reported that to the sages.

What was heard as a voice in the sky, and that [figure] consisting of darkness which was seen—

the son of Rohiṇī reported all of that to the sages.

Hearing that, all the sages then said this word to Rāma:

The sages said:

"If, O Rāma, your sin of killing a brahmin has indeed not been entirely destroyed,

then go, O highly fortunate one, to Mount Gandhamādana,

which relieves great sorrow and destroys great diseases.

At Rāmasetu, on the greatly holy Mount Gandhamādana,

there is a lake called Lakṣmaṇatīrtha, which destroys sin.

Take a ritual ablution there and bow to that liṅga;

by that, the sin of killing a brahmin will be completely destroyed, no doubt."

Śrī Sūta said:

Being addressed thus, Rāma then went to Mount Gandhamādana

and reached Lakṣmaṇatīrtha, O best of sages.

Having bathed according to ritual resolve at that sacred ford, the plough-wielding hero

gave to the brahmins wealth, grain, cows, and land.

At that moment, a bodiless voice there spoke to Rāma:

"O Rāma, completely destroyed is your sin of killing a brahmin now here;

no doubt should be harboured in this matter; go happily to your own city."

Hearing that, Balabhadra then praised that sacred ford.

Then, having bathed in all the sacred fords situated there,

and having likewise bathed at Dhanuṣkoṭi and attended upon Rāmanātha,

Mādhava went to his own city, Dvārakā, his collection of sins destroyed.

Śrī Sūta said:

Thus has the pure Śrīlakṣmaṇasaras been related to you, O brahmins—

meritorious, purifying, sin-destroying, and a cleanser of the sin of killing a brahmin and the like.

Whoever recites this chapter or hears it with concentrated mind,

he attains liberation free from return, O chiefs of brahmins.

Thus ends the nineteenth chapter, titled 'Deliverance of Balabhadra from the Sin of Killing a Brahmin,' in the praise of Lakṣmaṇatīrtha, in the Setumāhātmya of the third [part], Brahmakhaṇḍa, in the glorious Skandapurāṇa, a collection of eighty-one thousand [verses].