Skandapurana 14.29

English (machine translation) 14.29

Language: English

14.29.1

Pulastya said:
Then one should go, O best of kings, to the supreme Kapilātīrtha,
where a man, properly bathed, is freed from all sins.

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Formerly there was a king named Suprabha, a slayer of enemy heroes,
always devoted to hunting and intent on harming deer.

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He did not have such passion for women, nor for pleasures, nor for riding horses or elephants,
as he had for destroying deer.

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Once, O best of kings, intent on deer, he went to Arbuda.
And on a mountain slope he saw a doe surrounded by her young,

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very tenderly nursing her child who was fond of milk.
She was suddenly pierced by him with a bent-knotted arrow.

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Then, seeing the king holding his bow
and fitting a second bright arrow, the doe,

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afflicted with rage, spoke back to the king:
"This has not been declared the duty of a kṣatriya, which you have practiced today!

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A deer that is lying down, engaged in mating, suckling, or afflicted with disease,
should not be killed, O king, nor a doe accompanied by her child.

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Therefore, today has death come upon me completely, O lowest of kings,
having met with your arrow, and upon my son without me.

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Since I have been killed unrighteously by you, O lord of the earth,
therefore, right here on this mountain slope, you shall become a fierce tiger!"

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Pulastya said:
Hearing of that very great sin, that king, filled with fear,
propitiated that doe whose breath was now fading:

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"Out of lack of discernment and pitilessly was you killed by me, O gentle one.
Therefore, grant release from the curse to this wretched person, O good doe!"

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The doe said:
"When you see a milch cow named Kapilā,
then, through conversation with her, you will return to your original nature."

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Having spoken thus before the king, the doe departed from life,
pained by the strike of the arrow and especially by love for her son.

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Then that king immediately became one with a terrifying face—
a tiger, ten cubits long, with sharp teeth and claws;
and fainting with rage, he devoured his own army.

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Then those soldiers, O king, the survivors of the slaughter, overcome with grief,
went to their homes there, and to the people in the city [told] what had happened,

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reporting the event in city squares and at crossroads,
how indeed that king had attained the state of a tiger on Mount Arbuda.

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Hearing that report, they consecrated his son of vast valor to the kingship,
renowned by name, possessing great majesty.

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Then, after some time, O best of kings, on that mountain slope
a herd of cows arrived, afflicted with thirst and crowded with cowherds and milkmaids.

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There, one cow strayed from her herd out of longing for grass;
known as Kapilā, she was the leader of her herd.

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She who always ate uncut tips of grass, O king,
then arrived at an empty, terrifying cave on the mountain.

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There, a tiger whose mouth was fierce with fangs approached her.
Seeing that wicked beast, she took fright like a doe,

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remembering her own milk-drinking son tied in the cowpen.
Seeing her weeping in distress, that lord of beasts spoke:

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The tiger said:
"Why weep in vain, O cow? Having encountered me, there is indeed no life
for anyone, O foolish one! Therefore, remember your chosen deity!"

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Kapilā said:
"I do not weep in any way out of fear for my own life, O tiger;
my young son, who drinks milk, is waiting in the cowpen.

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Even today he does not eat blades of grass; therefore I am overcome with grief.
I weep out of love for my son, O tiger; I touch myself with truth!

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Having suckled my young son, and having seen and consulted my own kin,
I shall return again, if you agree, O mighty one."

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The tiger said:
"Having gone into the presence of your own son, and having seen your own herd of cows,
that you will come back again—I do not believe that.

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And you speak to me thus out of fear; there is no fear equal to that for one's life.
Therefore, out of fear for your life, you will not come, O cow!"

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Kapilā said: / 'I will return under oaths; hear this truth from me. / If you can trust me, king of beasts, release me.'

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The tiger said: / 'Speak those oaths, gentle one, by which you will return again; / then, having gained trust, I may release you or may not.'

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Kapilā said: / 'He who deceives a brahmin endowed with the study of the Vedas— / may I be stained with that sin if I do not come back again.

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Whatever sin is incurred by men devoted to hostility against their guru— / may I be stained with that sin if I do not come back again.

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Whatever sin arises from killing a brahmin and from killing a cow— / may I be stained with that sin if I do not come back again.

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Whatever sin is incurred in betraying a friend, whatever sin in deceiving a guru— / may I be stained with that sin if I do not come back again.

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Whoever touches a cow with the foot, or a brahmin, or fire— / may I be stained with that sin if I do not come back again.

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The man who destroys wells, pleasure gardens, or ponds— / may I be stained with that sin if I do not come back again.

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Whatever sin belongs to the ungrateful, and whatever belongs to an informer— / may I be stained with that sin if I do not come back again.

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Whatever sin is incurred by men devoted to liquor and meat— / may I be stained with that sin if I do not come back again.

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Whatever sin is incurred by men who commit slander before the king— / may I be stained with that sin if I do not come back again.

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Whatever sin is incurred by those who sell the Vedas— / may I be stained with that sin if I do not come back again.

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That small-minded man who obstructs what is being given to the twice-born— / may I be stained with that sin if I do not come back again.

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Whatever sin is declared of murderers of the trusting— / may I be stained with that sin if I do not come back again.

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Whatever sin is incurred by men devoted to hatred of the twice-born— / may I be stained with that sin if I do not come back again.

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Whatever sin belongs to the wicked devoted to slandering others— / may I be stained with that sin if I do not come back again.

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Those evil-doers who eat curd and barley groats at night— / may I be stained with that sin if I do not come back again.

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Those who eat aubergine, white radish, or red carrot— / may I be stained with that sin if I do not come back again.'

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Pulastya said: / Hearing her oaths, his eyes wide with amazement, / and having then gained trust, the tiger said these words:

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The tiger said: / 'Go to your cow-station, gentle one, and make your return. / And it must not be thought: "He has been deceived by me."

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Go, Kapilā, see your calf, you who are fond of your offspring; / after letting him suck your full udder and sniffing his head,

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having seen your mother, brother, female companions, kin, and relatives, / keep only truth foremost; you must not do otherwise.'

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Pulastya said: / Permitted by the lion among beasts, Kapilā, fond of her offspring, / her face filled with tears and miserable, set out toward the cow-station.

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Trembling, distressed with fear, sunk in an ocean of grief / like a female elephant seized by a terrifying and powerful lion, / she then reached her cow-station, lowing again and again.

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Then, hearing her voice and recognising his mother, / the calf eagerly ran to face her with tail raised, highly delighted.

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Seeing her untimely arrival and hearing her dreadful lowing, / that calf, filled with misgiving, asked:

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The calf said: / 'I see no serenity in you; you appear as if broken-hearted. / Why have you arrived at an unusual hour? Tell me!'

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Kapilā said: / 'Drink from the udder, son; hear also the cause from me afterward. / I have come out of love for you; take your desired satisfaction.

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This is the very last and rare sight of your mother, son. / Today I must go, son, since I came under oaths.

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My life must be given to a shape-shifting tiger. / By him I was released under oaths on your account, my child.

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Today I must go there, to the proximity of the king of beasts; / and in accordance with the oaths, son, I will surrender my body.'

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The calf said: / 'I will go there where you wish to go; / for death today together with you is indeed praiseworthy, without doubt.

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For I must die even alone without you; / if the tiger kills me there along with you,

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whatever realm belongs to those devoted to their mother, that will surely be mine. / Therefore I will certainly go with you, without a doubt.

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Or else remain right here; let your oaths fall upon me. / I will go in your place, mother, if you approve.

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Separated from my mother, life is indeed not dear to me; / for young ones living on milk, no one is equal to a mother.

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There is no protector equal to a mother; there is no refuge equal to a mother. / Those sons who are devoted to their mother go to the supreme goal.'

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Kapilā said: / 'Death is ordained for me alone, child, not for you now; / nor can the death of other creatures occur through the death of another.

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Listen attentively, son, to this last excellent advice of your mother, / which brings happiness in the end:

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Wander always in the forest, calf, intent on vigilance; / through heedlessness all living creatures perish, without doubt.

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Nor should you graze on grass in a perilous spot anywhere out of greed; / from greed comes the destruction of creatures in this world and the next.

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Deluded by greed, they enter the ocean, the dense forest, and war; / out of greed and the like they commit terrifying deeds; it must certainly be abandoned.'

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A man is ruined by three things: by greed, by carelessness, and by false confidence. / Therefore, one should not be greedy, nor careless, nor overly trusting.

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And oneself, O son, must always be protected with great effort / from all beasts of prey, from barbarians, and from thieves and the like,

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as well as from animals born of sinful wombs, as you constantly roam in the forest. / Nor should you grieve; death is certain for everyone.

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Hear also my reply, which dispels grief: / Just as a traveler seeking shade rests under a tree, / and having rested, moves on again, so is the meeting of living beings.

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Pulastya said: / Having spoken thus to that calf and sniffed [him] on the crown of his head, / she then went to see her own mother and the group of her companions.

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And then, distressed with grief for her son, she spoke these words: / 'O mothers, clearly hear these final words of mine:

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My little son is helpless, weak, poor, and drinks only froth. / Tormented by grief for his mother, you all must protect him.

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He is the son of you fortunate ones, especially now. / He must be bathed, given drink, nourished, and protected like your own son.

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If he wanders in rough places, or into another's herd, / or engages in improper actions, O friends, you must restrain him.

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And forgive me, O fortunate ones; relying on truth, I shall go / where that tiger waits, by whom I was just released.'

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Having heard her words, filled with grief, / they all fell into deep dejection and spoke, greatly sorrowful:

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'O Kapilā, you must not go at all; no fault will attach to you. / There is no fault when life is in peril and in dread calamity.

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In this regard, a verse was sung of old by sages who expound righteousness: / "When life is in danger, there is no sin in an oath [broken]."'

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Kapilā said: / 'Only to protect the lives of living beings do I speak an untrue word. / For my own sake, I never utter even the slightest lie.

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A thousand horse-sacrifices and truth were weighed on a balance: / truth indeed outweighs a thousand horse-sacrifices.

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Therefore, through desire for life, I will not make myself untrue. / Let the noble lady permit me; I shall go where the king of beasts is.'

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Her companions said: / 'O Kapilā, you are worthy of reverence even by all gods and asuras, / since through supreme truth you abandon your life, which is so hard to give up.

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Surely, by virtue of truth, death shall not befall you in any way. / If truth is indeed the authority, go! May your path be auspicious!'

Pulastya said: / Spoken to in this manner, Kapilā went to where the king of beasts was. / Then, seeing Kapilā, his eyes widened with astonishment, / and he spoke modest words in a voice faltering with joy.

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The tiger said: / 'Welcome to you, O auspicious one, O truthful Kapilā! / For nothing inauspicious ever exists anywhere for the truthful.

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You spoke previously with oaths, O Kapilā, in order to return; / because of that, curiosity arose in me: "How could one who has gone return again?"

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Therefore, released by me, go to where that son of yours / stays, tied up in the herd of cattle, drinking milk and deeply distressed.'

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Pulastya said: / At that very moment, that king returned to his natural form, / freed from the doe's curse and possessing a divine form and body. / Then, delighted in heart, he spoke to the truthful Kapilā.

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The king said: / 'By your grace, I am freed from this terrible curse. / What agreeable thing shall I do for you today, O little cow? Speak quickly!'

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Kapilā said: / 'I have achieved my purpose, O king of kings, since you are freed from sin. / Thirst torments me exceedingly; bring water now.

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Do not think this untrue; this spoken by me is the truth.'

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Pulastya said: / Then that king, quickly taking his bow in hand, / strung it, took an arrow, and struck the surface of the earth.

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Then pure, cool, and auspicious water welled up. / There Kapilā bathed and became free of thirst.

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In the meantime, Dharma himself arrived there / and, delighted, said to Kapilā: 'Choose a boon, O beautiful one!

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I am pleased with your truthfulness. In the entire three worlds, O auspicious one, / there is no cow equal to you anywhere, nor will there ever be.'

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Kapilā said: / 'By your favor, along with the king, together with the herd of cows / and with Suprabha, may I go to the divine abode free from old age and death.

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May this sacred reservoir attain renown by my name, / removing all sins of men and granting all desires.'

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Dharma said: / 'Those who perform a ritual ablution here in this exceedingly sacred, auspicious water, / especially on the fourteenth day, shall attain the supreme state.

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Indeed, this shall be a very sacred ford by your name. / By making an offering on the new moon day, a mortal shall obtain [the fruit of giving] a thousand cows; / the merit from ritual ablution is multiplied a hundred thousand times, and from a gift it is imperishable.

Linked texts (1)

Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit