Skandapurana 5.196

Sūta said: / At that very time, O best of brahmins, there lived a Nāgara [brahmin] / named Viśvāvasu, who was fully versed in the Vedas and Vedāṅgas.

When he had reached an advanced age, a son was born to him / known as Parāvasu, who was ever dear to him as his own life.

When his youth arrived, he engaged in Vedic study / alongside trusted companions of his own age, who were always devoted to jesting.

Then, at a certain time when the month of Māgha had arrived, / having gone to his teacher's house, he studied at night.

Rising at midnight, protected by all his friends, / he went to a courtesan's house and fell asleep with the courtesan,

having placed nearby a water-pot full of water, / suitable for his own ācamana and for drinking water.

When the rest of the night was drawing to an end, afflicted by thirst, / overcome with the sluggishness of sleep, he left the bed and rose.

The courtesan's vessel of wine stood just below; / taking that, mistaking it for water, he drank the wine.

Then, realizing it was wine, he dropped the vessel, deeply grieved; / having attained extreme revulsion, he uttered many laments:

'Alas! Overcome with sleep today, what deformed deed have I done, / in that today, mistaking it for water, I drank reprehensible wine!

What shall I do? Where shall I go? How can my purification come to be? / I will perform an expiation, even if it be extremely difficult to do!'

Having resolved thus in his mind, when morning had arrived, / he went to the Śaṅkhatīrtha and performed the supreme ritual ablution.

Then, having hastily caused his head to be shaved along with the topknot, / he went to where, devoted to the chanting of the Veda,

the teacher along with his disciples was situated at the place of holy study. / Having gone there and standing afar off, he sat down like an outcaste.

When he was seen by his friends shorn of beard and hair, / they struck him on the head again and again with their fingertips in laughter.

Seeing him wretched, overflowing with tears, / and stripped of beard and hair, the teacher then respectfully said:

'Child, why are you sitting afar today, wearing a miserable look? / Come into my presence and speak: by whom have you been overcome?'

Parāvasu said: / 'O guru, I have now become unworthy of serving you. / Staying in the house of a courtesan, thinking it to be my own kamaṇḍalu,

I took the courtesan's vessel of wine, full of liquor, [and drank it]. / Therefore, O lord, grant me an expiation for purification!

Whatever is prescribed in the sacred law-codes, I shall perform without a doubt.'

Then the students, who were his companions standing there, / having laughed to their hearts' content, said before the teacher:

'She who is the king's daughter, known among people as Ratnāvatī— / if you quickly seize her breasts and drink from her lower lip, / then your purification will be accomplished; it cannot happen otherwise!'

Parāvasu said: / 'O companions, this is no time for jest, when I am in dire straits. / If you have affection for me, born of childhood friendship, / then bring other brahmins and declare my expiation!'

Then, abandoning their jesting and grieved by his distress, / they approached Viśvāvasu and reported the matter to him.

He too, hearing those words that were harsh to his ears, / went together with his wife to where his son was staying.

Overcome with great sorrow, stumbling at every step / due to old age and also grief arising from his son's improper deed,

the two of them, husband and wife, tormented by intense sorrow, then said to their son in voices choked with tears: / 'Ah, son, what has been done?' He too narrated the whole story of his to both of them:

'Therefore, I shall perform an expiation for my own purification.' / Then Viśvāvasu, for that purpose, summoned brahmins versed in Smṛti and endowed with Śruti, who were experts in the knowledge of the Vedas.

Then Parāvasu, standing before them with joined palms, / said: 'Liquor was tasted by me at night unknowingly, / having taken the vessel of a courtesan, thinking it was my own water-pot.

Knowing this, let an appropriate expiation be prescribed, / by which my purification may take place through your grace, O best of brahmins.'

Addressed thus by him, those brahmins, exponents of the Smṛti, / then consulted the Dharmaśāstra and said to him:

'Giving an unsuitable expiation out of excessive pride, excessive anger, / affection, or even fear, one incurs that sin.

Therefore, we will prescribe for you the proper expiation. / If you are able to perform it, then do so with a composed mind.'

Parāvasu said: / 'If I do not carry out your word, then why should I ask, O brahmins? / I was not seen drinking liquor by anyone.

Therefore, declare an expiation suitable for my purification, / even if it takes life or is terrible; otherwise you will incur sin.'

The brahmins said: / 'A twice-born who intentionally drinks liquor / becomes purified only by drinking that same quantity of molten gold.

When liquor is drunk unknowingly by a brahmin at any time, / he is purified by drinking that same quantity of ghee hot as fire.

Thus has the entire expiation been explained to you for purification. / If you are able to perform it, do so, O best of brahmins.'

Parāvasu said: / 'A single mouthful of liquor was drunk by me, O best of brahmins; / I shall certainly drink that same amount of ghee heated equal to fire,

by your command this very day, for the purification of my body.' / And Viśvāvasu, hearing that word resembling a thunderbolt's strike,

shedding copious tears, then spoke exceedingly grieved / to the brahmins and to his son in a voice choked with tears:

'I will give away even all my possessions for the purification of this son; / I will by no means allow him to perform this expiation.

Let me become unfit for ancestral rites or outcasted from dining, together with my son, / or I shall abandon this place! Son, do not do such a thing!'

Hearing that speech of his father causing an absolute obstacle / to the expiation, the son spoke affectionately:

'Father, abandon your affection for me; do not create an obstacle for me. / I will perform the expiation; this resolution has been made by me.'

The mother said: / 'Son, if the expiation must be performed by you for purification, / then I, together with your father, will enter the fire beforehand.

I cannot at all bear to see you drinking ghee like fire / and subsequently abandoned by life; I swear on truth by myself.'

The father said: / 'What was spoken by this mother of yours is proper, son, and likewise for your benefit; / indeed, this is also approved by me, and I shall do so without doubt.'

Sūta said: / In the meantime, all his friends who were there, / hearing that account, arrived full of sorrow.

And they addressed with diverse words Viśvāvasu along with his wife, / who was burning with grief for his son and had resolved upon death,

and they admonished the son to desist from the expiation; / at that time they were not able to turn him back at all,

since both of them, father and son, were intent on abandoning their lives.

Then they went to the residential quarter where stayed the all-knowing / illustrious Bhartṛyajña, the dispeller of all doubts.

They reported to him everything that had occurred concerning Parāvasu, / the incident arising from drinking liquor which had been told by his friends,

and the expiation that was declared in jest, and that declared by the Smṛti experts, / and Viśvāvasu's resolution arising from entering fire,

and the grief that had befallen his friends together with his wife. / Having reported that as it was, they spoke again with humility:

'Past, present, or whatever may be future, / nothing is unknown to you; we know all this.

And this whole city is now thrown into supreme doubt / on account of Viśvāvasu; therefore we have come into your presence.

Therefore tell us, O illustrious one, if there is indeed any other / expiation for this twice-born for purification from drinking liquor.

Indeed, nothing arising from the Veda is unknown to you.' / Thereupon Bhartṛyajña laughed out loud and spoke these words:

'For the purification of this brahmin, an easy means does exist, / yet it does not exist at all; such is my settled opinion.'

The brahmins said: / 'This statement is contradictory between its former and latter parts, O noble-minded one! / How does it exist, and how does it not exist? Therefore you ought to speak. / A great amazement has arisen among all the twice-born.'

Bhartṛyajña said: / 'A flaw in recitation, a flaw in austerity, whatever flaw there is in a sacrificial rite— / all becomes flawless if the brahmins desire it so.

The words that the gods on earth speak, saying, 'It is faultless,'
especially those born among the Nāgaras, are truly so and not otherwise. // 64

And likewise, what was uttered by those assembled in the hall of Brahmā
must not be considered otherwise, even if said in jest, without a smṛti text. // 65 //
This same Parāvasu was told in jest by his companions: // 66

'If, clasping the breasts of Ratnavatī, you taste her lower lip,
then my purification from drinking liquor shall come to pass.' // 67

That remedy has been stated by me, bringing happiness to this vipra;
if he acts according to the view of Parāśara, he will become pure." // 68

The brahmins said:
"If the king, filled with jealousy, hears these words,
then he may kill all the vipras; an untoward outcome would ensue. // 69

Therefore let this vipra Parāvasu, together with his mother and father,
do what he desires; we shall go home." // 70

Bhartṛyajña said:
"That king is prudent, wise, devoted to all duties,
a devotee of the gods and the twice-born, and skilled in all scriptures. // 71

Therefore let all the Nāgaras go with me to his house. // 72

Placing the mediator in front, let them narrate before him through his mouth
the account arising from the drinking of liquor, // 73

both what was spoken to Parāvasu by his friends resorting to jest,
and the statement derived from Parāśara, which is higher than that smṛti. // 74

If, upon hearing that, the ruler of the earth becomes possessed of jealousy and greed,
then I shall keep him upon the right path." // 75

Sūta said:
Then all those Nāgaras attained supreme satisfaction;
honoring Bhartṛyajña with various kinds of praises, // 76

and swiftly putting the mediator in their midst together with him—
[the mediator] born at Gartātīrtha, master of the Vedas and the Vedāṅgas, // 77

knower of the smṛti, knower of signs, a maintainer of the sacred fire, renowned,
a performer of many sacrifices, steadfast in the view of Bhartṛyajña, // 78

who had formerly been established in this place out of respect for vipras
by King Ānarta, who had fallen from heaven and was the father of Karṇotpalā—an ancient elder— // 79

in Camatkārapura, by whom the purposes of all twice-born men are accomplished, // 80

as well as other affairs of Camatkārapura—
having taken him, named Haribhadra, together with Bhartṛyajña, // 81

all those Nāgaras arrived at the royal gate,
taking Parāvasu along with his mother and father. // 82

Then the doorkeeper, going quickly, announced to the lord of the earth
the brahmins accompanied by Bhartṛyajña and Haribhadra. // 83

Ānarta too, hearing that they had arrived at the palace gate,
accompanied by his family priest, then went out to meet them. // 84

Having offered the guest-offering, the madhuparka, a seat, and a cow, the king,
first to Bhartṛyajña and then to Haribhadra, // 85

to the four Mudgahastas and likewise to the other twice-born men,
and receiving the supreme blessing of the primary Ṛg-, Yajur-, and Sāma-[vedas], // 86

approached the assembly pavilion and seated them all
on excellent golden seats properly in order of precedence. // 87

When all of them were thus seated, the lord of the earth
sat down on the ground and, with joined palms, spoke: // 88

"I am blessed, I am favored, that all these N競争gara people,
accompanied by Bhartṛyajña, have arrived at my home. // 89

Therefore let the people command me as to what duty I may perform for you;
I shall give even what should not be given to one who has now come to my house. // 90

I shall go even where one must not go, and I shall do even what should not be done."
Hearing that, Haribhadra stood up with haste, // 91

inquired of the foremost [scholars] concerning that matter, then of the Ṛgvedins,
the Adhvaryus, and the Chandogas; and authorized by them at that time, [said:] // 92

"Let the foremost [scholars] recite the Prāṇarudras, and the Ṛgvedins the Jīvasūkta;
and the soma pressing beginning with the earth that was performed formerly for them, // 93

let all the Adhvaryus and the Chandogas recite separately;
let them recite along with the Madhucyuta for success." // 94

Instructed thus in accordance with Bhartṛyajña's view, the best of twice-born
recited all that which had been declared by that wise man. // 95

Then, at the end of the recitation, the mediator respectfully told
the king the account concerning Parāvasu: // 96

how liquor was drunk by him, how his companions spoke in jest,
how an expiation involving ghee was enjoined by the smṛti scholars, // 97

and how all the twice-born were brought by Bhartṛyajña.
Hearing that, the king, delighted, said with folded hands: // 98

"Blessed am I, one of accomplished merit, for whom the N競争gara twice-born
have shown this great grace in order to preserve three vipras. // 99

Blessed too is this maiden of mine, who will herself save
this triad of brahmins who are resolved upon death." // 100

Then he brought that maiden immediately, O twice-born;
seated in the midst of the assembly, he presented her to the brahmins: // 101

"This maiden has been brought by me at your word, O best of twice-born;
let that twice-born do what has been spoken by Bhartṛyajña." // 102

Then, having brought that brahmin Parāvasu there,
Bhartṛyajña spoke these words in front of the maiden: // 103

"If in your heart you consider this maiden to be your mother,
then, in tasting her lower lip, you will attain success. // 104

If you engage in the tasting while being overcome with passion,
then blood will appear in your mouth, O Parāvasu. // 105

If you are pure, however, there will be milk; there is no doubt. // 106

If, by the touch of your hands, milk comes from her breasts,
then your purification should be understood, or there will be no blood." // 107

Having spoken thus to him, that brahmin then said to the maiden: / "Daughter, look upon this best of brahmins as a son, 108

so that he may attain purification when your lower lip has been tasted / and your two breasts touched; for that has been declared as his expiation 109

for this best of brahmins by his companions with laughter, / by which he will obtain purification; otherwise, he will meet with death." 110

Sūta said: / Assenting to that, saying "So be it," she said to him with bashfulness: / "Come, my child, perform the expiation for purification! 111

Adopting the feeling of a mother, I have conceived of you as a son." / He too, regarding her as a mother, came into her presence, 112

and touched her two breasts while all the people were watching. / And from the two breasts that were touched, O best of brahmins, at that very instant 113

two streams of milk issued forth, resembling jasmine, the moon, and snow. 114

Then, as soon as that brahmin tasted her lip, / even so milk of like appearance flowed forth from her mouth. 115

Meanwhile, claps were given by all the twice-born, / who repeatedly said: "O King, this brahmin is pure!" 116

He too, having circumambulated that maiden again and again, / bowed down and said: "Forgive me, O mother fond of your son!" 117

Seeing that great wonder, Ānarta, filled with astonishment, / praised that Bhartṛyajña who had prescribed the expiation: 118

"Ah, I am exceedingly fortunate, since to my house have come / such brahmins, all sprung from Camatkārapura! 119

And likewise such a maiden, behaving in an extraordinary manner, / the highly fortunate Ratnāvatī, endowed with truth and purity! 120

And likewise this brahmin Parāvasu is by no means ordinary, / who, having approached such a maiden, remained without perturbation!" 121

Having spoken thus and dismissed those brahmins, O best of kings, / he took that maiden and then went to the inner apartments. 122

Then all those citizens (Nāgaras) made a regulation: / "From this day forward, whatever courtesan shall dwell in this place, 123

she must never keep liquor or meat in her house. / The wicked ones always corrupt the sons of the Nāgaras here. 124

Now, whoever transgresses this rule and keeps it, / she shall be punished, banished from here, and share in sin in the hereafter." 125

Then three claps were given by the one standing in the center of the Audumbarī. 126

Thus ends the one hundred ninety-seventh chapter, entitled "Description of the Account of Parāvasu's Expiation Procedure" in the māhātmya of Hāṭakeśvarakṣetra, in the Nāgarakhaṇḍa, the sixth [part] of the glorious Skandapurāṇa consisting of eighty-one thousand verses. 197