Skandapurana 4.35

The pot-born [Agastya] said:

Avimukta is a great sacred field, the cause of supreme liberation,

the highest of sacred fields, and the blessing among blessings.

Among all cremation grounds, it is the supreme, great cremation ground;

among sacred seats, the supreme seat; among saline tracts, the great saline ground.

For those whose minds yearn for righteousness, it supremely produces an abundance of virtue;

for those seeking wealth, O rider of the peacock, it reveals the highest wealth [liberation].

It fulfills desire for the passionate, and bestows liberation upon seekers of liberation;

wherever this is heard, supreme immortality is right there.

Having heard this supreme account of Jñānavāpī

situated in a single region of the sacred field, I consider this, O delighter of Gaurī's heart:

The earth which, even an atom in size, shines in the middle of Kāśī

is to be known as greater than the greatest; it is never fruitless for [spiritual] success.

How many sacred fords are there not here on the entire surface of the earth?

Yet where among them is there even equality with a grain of Kāśī's dust?

How many rivers are there not here bringing joy to the ocean?

Yet who could bear comparison with the heavenly river [Gaṅgā] in Kāśī?

How many sacred fields of liberation are there not on earth, O six-faced one?

Yet among them, oh, I consider not even a ten-millionth part of Avimukta exists.

Where this triad—the Gaṅgā, Viśveśvara, and Kāśī—is awake,

there the fortune of ultimate beatitude is obtained; what is wondrous about that?

How, O Skanda, can this triad be attained unfailingly by men,

especially in the Tiṣya [Kali] age, by those whose senses are completely restless?

Where is such austerity in the Tiṣya age, or where is such yoga in the Tiṣya age?

Where is observance, or where is giving? Whence, then, liberation in the Tiṣya age?

Even without austerity, O Skanda, even without yoga, O six-faced one,

without observances and without gifts, liberation in Kāśī has been declared by you.

By doing what, O Skanda, can Kāśī be attained? Tell that!

I think that without good conduct desires cannot be accomplished.

Proper conduct is the highest virtue; proper conduct is the highest austerity;

from proper conduct life-span increases, and from proper conduct comes the destruction of sin.

Therefore, first expound proper conduct alone, O six-faced one;

just as the God of gods spoke before you, so do you speak.

Skanda said:

O son of Mitra and Varuṇa, I shall declare the good conduct beneficial to the virtuous,

practicing which a person constantly obtains all desires.

Immobile beings, worms, water-born creatures, birds, beasts, and men

are righteous in successive order; and more righteous than these, indeed, are the gods.

The first is a thousandth part, and likewise the second in succession;

all these are highly fortunate until they take refuge in liberation. // 19

Even among the four kinds of beings, living creatures are exceedingly superior;

and even among living creatures, O sage, all those who live by intelligence are best. // 4.1.35.20

Humans are superior to intelligent beings, and brahmins are superior to them;

the learned are superior even to brahmins, and those of resolute intellect are superior to the learned; // 21

doers [of duty] are superior even to those of resolute intellect, and those devoted to Brahman are superior to doers;

in the three worlds, O jar-born [Agastya], there is none other worthy of worship to them. // 22

Indeed, they worship one another without distinction of austerity and learning.

Since the brahmin was created by Brahmā as the lord of all beings, // 23

therefore the brahmin deserves everything existing in the world, and no other.

Indeed, one of good conduct is worthy of everything, not one who has fallen away from conduct;

therefore, a brahmin should constantly be one of virtuous conduct. // 24

That which the learned, devoid of hatred and passion, follow, O sage,

the wise know that to be good conduct, the root of dharma. // 25

Even if devoid of auspicious marks, a man devoted to proper conduct,

full of faith and free from malice, may live a hundred years. // 26

Declared by Śruti and Smṛti, in each of his own activities,

one should unweariedly observe good conduct, the root of dharma. // 27

A man devoted to bad conduct becomes blameworthy in the world;

he is overcome by diseases, always short-lived, and partakes of great sorrow. // 28

Action dependent on another should be abandoned; one's body should always be under one's own control;

for one dependent on another is miserable, while one who is self-reliant is always happy. // 29

That action by the doing of which the inner self is pleased,

only that action should be performed, and never the contrary. // 4.1.35.30

The yamas and niyamas are declared to be the primary essence of dharma;

therefore, an effort should indeed be made regarding them by one who desires dharma. // 31

Truthfulness, forgiveness, uprightness, meditation, benevolence, non-violence,

self-control, serenity, sweetness, and gentleness—these are the ten yamas. // 32

Purity, ritual ablution, austerity, charity, silence, sacrifice, study, observance,

fasting, and sexual restraint—these are remembered as the ten niyamas. // 33

Lust, anger, pride, delusion, envy, and greed—

having conquered these six enemies, one becomes victorious everywhere. // 34

Little by little he should accumulate dharma, like an ant-hill [grows],

causing no affliction to others, as his companion for the next world. // 35

Dharma alone can be a companion in the next world, not an entourage;

father, mother, son, brother, wife, kinfolk, and the like [cannot]. // 36

A living being is born alone, and likewise dies alone;

alone he experiences good deeds, and alone he experiences evil deeds. // 37

Abandoning on the ground the body that has met the dissolution of the five elements like a piece of wood or a clod of earth,

relatives turn away; dharma follows him as he departs. // 38

Therefore, the wise man should accumulate dharma as a companion for the next world;

having obtained dharma as a companion, he crosses over the darkness that is hard to cross. // 39

The intelligent man should always form relationships with the highest and best;

abandoning the lowest of the low, he should lead his family to pre-eminence. // 4.1.35.40

Associating only with the best and avoiding the low,

a brahmin attains excellence; on failure [to do so], he does not avoid the status of a śūdra. // 41

A brahmin who does not study, who transgresses good conduct,

who is lazy, and who eats bad food—him the Destroyer afflicts. // 42

Therefore, a twice-born should constantly practice good conduct with effort;

even sacred fords desire the association of one of good conduct. // 43

The half-watch at the end of the night is called the hour of Brahmā;

rising at that time, the wise man should always reflect upon his own welfare. // 44

First he should remember the elephant-faced [Gaṇeśa], then the Lord with the Mother,

Śrīraṅga accompanied by Śrī, and the lotus-born [Brahmā] with Brahmāṇī, // 45

all the gods beginning with Indra, the sages beginning with Vasiṣṭha,

all the rivers beginning with Gaṅgā, all the mountains beginning with Śrīśaila, // 46

the oceans beginning with the ocean of milk, the lakes beginning with Mānasa,

the forests beginning with Nandana, the wish-granting cows and others, // 47

trees beginning with the wish-granting tree, and minerals headed by gold.

divine women headed by Urvaśī, birds beginning with Garuḍa,

serpents headed by Śeṣa, elephants beginning with Airāvata,

horses headed by Uccaiḥśravas, auspicious gems beginning with the Kaustubha,

one should remember devoted wives headed by Arundhatī,

forests such as Naimiṣa, and cities headed by the city of Kāśī;

liṅgas beginning with Viśveśa, the Vedas headed by the Ṛgveda,

mantras headed by the Gāyatrī, yogins beginning with Sanaka,

the great seed-syllable beginning with the Praṇava, Vaiṣṇavas headed by Nārada,

devotees of Śiva such as Bāṇa, those firm in vows beginning with Prahlāda,

bountiful givers headed by Dadhīci, and kings beginning with Hariścandra.

Having remembered the mother's feet, the highest among all sacred fords,

and contemplating the father and teachers in his heart with a serene mind,

he should then resort to the southwest direction to answer the call of nature.

He should go a hundred bow-lengths from a village, and four times that from a town.

Covering the ground with grass and wrapping his head with a cloth,

with his sacred thread placed on his ear, facing north by day and at both twilights,

he should discharge feces and urine in silence, facing south at night.

Neither standing nor in water, nor facing a brahmin, a cow, fire, or the wind,

nor on ground ploughed by a ploughshare, nor on a ground traversed by roads,

he should not look at the directions, nor at the orb of luminaries, nor at the clear sky.

Holding the penis with the left hand, he should carefully rise.

Then, taking earth devoid of insects and pebbles,

avoiding that dug up by rats, that leftover from purification, and that from an anthill,

he should apply one portion of earth to the private part and five to the anus, with water in between;

ten portions of earth on the left hand, and seven on both hands,

one on each foot, and three on both hands likewise.

Thus a householder should perform purification until the odor and coating are removed.

This is doubled progressively for the other three [stages], beginning with studentship.

He should perform at night half of the purification prescribed for the daytime;

half of that during illness, and half of that on a path infested with thieves and the like;

half of that also for women; but when in good health, one should not lessen it.

Even with the waters of all rivers, with heaps of earth, and with cow dung,

one who performs purification down to the feet does not obtain purity if corrupted in mind.

The portions of earth for purification are said to be the size of a fresh myrobalan fruit;

and all oblations are likewise, as are mouthfuls in the Cāndrāyaṇa penance.

Facing east or facing north, well seated upon clean ground,

[on ground] free from chaff, charcoal, bones, and ashes, he should sip water.

With water that is unheated, free from foam, reaching the heart, without haste,

and purified by sight, a brahmin should sip water through the brāhma sacred ford.

A king becomes purified by water reaching the throat, and a vaiśya likewise by water reaching the palate;

a woman and a śūdra are purified merely by touching the water to the mouth.

With his head or throat covered, in water, or with loosened topknot,

or having unwashed feet, even though he has sipped water, he is considered impure.

Having drunk water three times for purification, he should then cleanse the apertures:

with the base of the thumb he should touch both upper and lower lips twice;

then the wise man should touch the mouth again with three fingers;

with the tips of the forefinger and thumb, both nostrils again and again;

with the tips of the thumb and ring finger, the eyes and ears again and again;

by joining the little finger and thumb, he should touch the navel aperture;

having touched the heart with the palm, he should touch the head with all fingers;

and with the fingertips he should touch the shoulders, moistening with water everywhere.

Even if he has sipped water, he should sip water again when an approach to a street has been made,

after bathing, after eating, after drinking milk, and at the beginning of auspicious rites;

after sleeping, after putting on clothing, and also after seeing an inauspicious thing;

if he inadvertently touches an impure thing, he becomes pure by sipping water twice.

Now, for the purification of the mouth, he should take a tooth-cleansing stick,

since even having sipped water, one is impure without having cleansed one's teeth.

On the first day of the lunar fortnight, the new moon, the sixth, the ninth, and on Sunday,

contact of the teeth with wood burns the family down to the seventh generation.

When a tooth-stick is unavailable, or on a forbidden day,

Twelve mouthfuls [of water] should be taken for thoroughly purifying the mouth. (78)

Having the thickness of the tip of the little finger, with bark, without knots or blemishes, straight,

and twelve aṅgulas in length, the tooth-cleaning stick should be. (79)

For the other castes, it is taught to decrease by one aṅgula each.

Obtained from mango, āmrātaka, dhātrī, kaṅkola, or khadira; (80)

produced from śamī, apāmārga, wild date, śelu, śrīparṇī, or pīlu;

or rājādana and orange; astringent, pungent, or thorny; (81)

or produced from a milky tree: such a tooth-cleaning stick is praised.

One should also make an auspicious tongue-scraper in the shape of a bow. (82)

‘Arrange yourselves for food, lest King Soma depart!’

‘He shall wipe my mouth with glory and with fortune.’ (83)

‘Life-span, strength, renown, radiance, offspring, cattle, and wealth,

sacred lore, wisdom, and intellect—give these to us, O Lord of the Forest!’ (84)

Whoever brushes his teeth having recited these two mantras,

towards him Soma residing in the forest tree is always gracious. (85)

Since a man becomes impure because his mouth is stale [upon waking],

he should therefore diligently clean his teeth for the sake of purification. (86)

Even on a day of fasting, tooth-cleaning and collyrium are not blameworthy,

[nor are] perfumes, ornaments, clean garments, flower garlands, and anointing pastes. (87)

He should then perform the morning twilight devotion preceded by cleaning his teeth,

and having performed the morning ritual ablution, especially at a pure sacred ford. (88)

Because this body is always impure, it is purified through the morning ritual ablution;

pierced with nine apertures, it oozes day and night. (89)

Promoting enthusiasm, intellect, good fortune, beauty, and prosperity,

and the cause of cheerfulness of mind: the morning ritual ablution is praised. (90)

Since a man is soiled with sweat, saliva, and the like, and overcome by sleep,

therefore, by virtue of the morning ritual ablution, he becomes fit for mantras, hymns, silent recitation, and other rites. (91)

The ritual ablution performed every morning just as the dawn rises,

they say is equal to a Prājāpatya penance, destroying great sins. (92)

The morning ritual ablution removes sin, misfortune, and fatigue;

it takes away impurity and bad dreams, and grants contentment and vigor. (93)

Wicked beings never approach one who bathes in the morning.

Since its fruits are both visible and invisible, one should perform the morning ritual ablution. (94)

In this context, I shall describe the rule of ritual ablution, O pot-born [Agastya]!

For they say ritual ablution done according to rule is a hundred times superior to mere bathing. (95)

Taking pure clay, kuśa grasses, sesame seeds, and cow dung,

placing them in a pure spot, and sipping water, one should perform the ritual ablution. (96)

Holding blades of grass, with topknot tied, he should enter the water.

Having swirled the water in a clockwise direction with the mantra *uruṁ hi*, (97)

and having then recited *ye te śatam* to invite the water,

having first offered a cavity of water with the *sumitriyā naḥ* mantra,

he should cast it in the direction of his enemy while reciting *durmitriyāḥ*. (98)