Skandapurana 3.1.47

The seers said:

O Sūta, O great sage, from the slaying of the rākṣasa Rāvaṇa,

how did the sin of killing a brahmin attach to the noble Rāghava?

O Sūta, the sin of killing a brahmin arises from the slaughter of a brahmin;

the Ten-Necked one was not a brahmin. Tell us, O sage, how that could be.

[How could] the cruel sin of killing a brahmin affect the wise Rāmacandra?

Tell this out of compassion now to us who are full of faith.

Having been questioned thus by the inhabitants of the Naimiṣa forest,

Sūta then began to speak an excellent answer to their question. / Glorious Sūta said:

There was a son of Brahmā of great splendor named Pulastya, O brahmins.

He had a son celebrated as Viśravas.

O best of sages, that Viśravas, son of Pulastya,

performed austerity for a long time, very difficult even for the gods.

While he was performing austerity, however, a rākṣasa named Sumālī

wandered over the entire earthly realm from the world of Pātāla.

Wearing gold coins and bracelets, of a hue resembling a dark raincloud,

he took along his daughter, a maiden resembling Lakṣmī without a lotus.

As he was wandering on the surface of the earth, once seeing, seated in the Puṣpaka [vimāna],

the son of Viśravas, Kubera, the lord of wealth,

that rākṣasa Sumālī thought, O chief brahmins:

‘If we were to have a son equal to Kubera,

all we rākṣasas would surely prosper, fearing nothing from anywhere.’

Having reflected thus, the lord of rākṣasas spoke to his daughter:

‘O daughter, O fair Kaikasī, now is the time for your giving in marriage.

Today youth has come to you; therefore you must indeed be given to a bridegroom.

By not giving daughters away, fathers incur sorrow.

Moreover, O daughter, O auspicious one, you excel in all virtues like Lakṣmī.

And out of fear of rejection, O fair one, you are not sought after by men.

Fatherhood of a daughter brings sorrow to all who desire honor.

I do not know what bridegroom might choose you, O girl.

Therefore, going of your own accord, choose the sage Viśravas,

a brahmin born in the family of the Grandfather, the son of Pulastya.

Then sons equal to Kubera will be born to you, without a doubt.’

Having heard his words, that maiden Kaikasī, out of respect for her father,

accepted his statement, saying, ‘So be it,’ with a pure smile.

O best of sages, having gone to the leaf-hut of the sage Viśravas,

she stood near him, feeling bashful, with her face cast down.

At that moment, O brahmins, the wise son of Pulastya,

resembling a blazing fire, was attending to the agnihotra.

Without considering the twilight time, which is exceedingly fierce,

Kaikasī, the fair-browed one, approached that sage out of respect for her father's word,

and stood with her face cast down, scratching the earth with the tip of her big toe.

Then Viśravas, seeing her, the slender-waisted Kaikasī,

whose face resembled the full moon, spoke with a smile, O brahmins:

Viśravas said:

‘O fair one, whose daughter are you, or from where have you come here?

For what purpose are you standing here, O woman of pure smile?

Tell me everything truthfully today, O blameless one.’

Addressed thus, O brahmins, that maiden Kaikasī, with folded hands,

bowed low and endowed with modesty, spoke to that sage:

‘By the power of your austerity, O sage, today my intention

you are able to know fully, O illuminator of Pulastya's lineage.

Indeed, I am Kaikasī by name, the daughter of Sumālī, O sage.

By my father's command, O brahmin, I have come into your presence.

The rest you can surely know today through the vision of knowledge.’

Having meditated for a moment, the sage Viśravas spoke to Kaikasī:

‘The desire within your mind is known by me, O fair-browed one.

Desiring sons, as such you have approached me just now, O auspicious one.

Since you have approached me at the fierce evening time

with a desire for sons, therefore I tell you:

Listen attentively, O delightful one, O blameless Kaikasī!

Cruel sons of terrible form, fond of a cruel family,

rākṣasas of fierce deeds, you shall bring forth.’

Hearing those words of his, Kaikasī prostrated before him,

and with folded hands spoke to that son of Pulastya, O brahmins:

‘O lord, it is not fitting to receive such sons from you!’

Addressed thus, the sage spoke to that slender-waisted Kaikasī:

‘Your last son shall be worthy of my lineage:

righteous, knower of the scriptures, tranquil, and not acting as a rākṣasa.’

Having been spoken to thus, O brahmins, after some time had passed, Kaikasī—

She gave birth to a cruel son who had the form of a rākṣasa, terrifying,

Having ten heads, an evil mind, twenty arms, and a frightful appearance,

With coppery lips, a black face, and red beard and hair on his head,

Having huge fangs and a gigantic body, always causing terror to the world.

He became known as Daśagrīva, and likewise had the name Rāvaṇa; / after Rāvaṇa, a son named Kumbhakarṇa was born.

After Rāvaṇa was born the son named Kumbhakarṇa.

Then was born a cruel rākṣasa woman named Śūrpaṇakhā; / after that was born to Kaikasī the renowned Vibhīṣaṇa,

Then to Kaikasī was born he who is famed as Vibhīṣaṇa.

The youngest son, wise, righteous, and knowledgeable in the Vedas and Śāstras.

These were the sons of Viśravas, beginning with Daśagrīva, O brahmins.

Therefore, from the killing of Daśagrīva and also from the killing of Kumbhakarṇa,

The sin of killing a brahmin accrued to Rāma of untiring deeds.

Therefore, for its pacification, Rāma [installed] the liṅga named Rāmeśvara;

He established it according to the Vedic rite, O best of brahmins.

Thus, through the killing of Rāvaṇa, the arising of the sin of killing a brahmin

Befell Rāmacandra, the beloved of the world and the wise one.

That has been related to you along with its cause—arisen from the slaying of a brahmin,

The sin for whose pacification Rāma installed the liṅga himself.

Having thus established the liṅga, the exceedingly righteous Rāmacandra,

Together with Sītā and his younger brother, considered himself to have achieved his purpose, O brahmins.

Where the sin of killing a brahmin of King Rāmacandra departed,

There arose a sacred ford that grants release from the sin of killing a brahmin.

A ritual ablution there yields great merit and destroys the sin of killing a brahmin; / even today Rāvaṇa is seen there indeed in the form of a shadow.

Even today Rāvaṇa is seen there indeed in the form of a shadow.

In front of it there is a very great chasm leading to the world of serpents;

The very powerful sin of killing a brahmin, produced by the slaughter of Daśagrīva,

The beloved of Jānakī made enter into that chasm, O brahmins.

Then, having built an excellent pavilion over that chasm,

Rāghava installed Bhairava there for protection.

Terrified by the command of Bhairava, the dreadful sin of killing a brahmin

Was not able to emerge upward from that chasm, O best of brahmins;

In that very chasm the sin of killing a brahmin remained inactive.

To the south of the great liṅga of Rāmanātha, Girijā joyfully

Abides, forming half the body of Śiva who is supreme bliss.

The sun and moon abide there on both flanks of the Trident-bearer; / in front of the lord Rāmanātha abides Fire.

In front of the deity Rāmanātha stands Agni.

Śatakratu sits in the east, and likewise Agni in the southeast; / Yama sits in the south as a servant of Rāmanātha.

To the south resides Yama as the servant of Rāmanātha.

In the southwest Nirṛti abides serving Śaṃkara, O brahmins;

In the west Varuṇa serves the lord of Rāghava with devotion.

In the northwestern quarter Vāyu abides serving Śiva;

And in the north Dhanada abides serving Rāmanātha.

In the northeastern direction Maheśa abides, O brahmins;

Both sons of Mahādeva, Vināyaka and Kumāra,

Now abide in their proper places in the abode of Rāmanātha.

Vīrabhadra and all the other lords of Maheśvara's hosts

Always abide in their proper places in the abode of Rāmanātha.

Sages, serpents, siddhas, and hosts of gandharvas and apsarases,

With delighted hearts, according to their desire, in the presence of Śiva,

Remain with devotion for the purpose of serving Rāmanātha.

For the worship of Rāmanātha, the lord of the Raghus established many brahmins,

Learned in the Veda, as priests at Rāmeśvara.

One should worship those brahmins established by Rāma with offerings to gods and ancestors; / when they are satisfied, all the deities together with the ancestors are pleased.

When they are pleased, all the gods together with the ancestors are pleased.

To them the lord of Jānakī gave much wealth and many villages; / and for food-offerings to Rāmanātha Mahādeva, O brahmins,

and also for the sake of the food offering to the great god Rāmanātha, O twice-born.

The elder brother of Lakṣmaṇa gave many villages and much wealth,

And ornaments such as necklaces, armlets, bracelets, and gold coins,

Numerous silken garments and various linen cloths,

The son of Daśaratha gave to the god Rāmanātha.

The Gaṅgā and the holy Yamunā, the Sarayū and the Sarasvatī,

worship the god Rāmeśvara at the Setu for the pacification of their sins.

From reciting this chapter, or even from hearing it, a man,

freed from all sins, attains union with Hari.

Thus ends the forty-seventh chapter, named “The Exposition of the Cause of the Origin of the Murder of a Brahmin by Rāma,” in the Setumāhātmya of the third [section], the Brahmakhaṇḍa, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa of eighty-one thousand verses.