Skandapurana 2.1.24
English (machine translation) 2.1.24
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Now begins the account of the attainment and cessation of the state of a rākṣasa by the gandharva named Sundara.
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The seers said:
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O venerable Sūta, foremost of Purāṇa reciters, who was that rākṣasa
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Who oppressed that high-souled brahmin devotee of Viṣṇu? // 1
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Glorious Sūta said:
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I shall tell of that cruel rākṣasa; listen attentively, O brahmins,
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And how he was born a rākṣasa by the power of the sages' curse. // 2
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Formerly, in Śrīraṅga, the abode of Viṣṇu that resembles Vaikuṇṭha,
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All the devotees of Viṣṇu of great splendor, headed by Vasiṣṭha and Atri, // 3
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Dwelling in the city of Śrīraṅga, for the sake of liberation,
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Worshiped Śrīraṅganātha, the lord of gods, who grants fearlessness to his devotees. // 4
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Once, a powerful gandharva there, the son of Vīrabāhu,
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Named Sundara, O foremost brahmins, devoted to the company of rakes, // 5
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Accompanied by a hundred women, naked in a pool of water,
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Sported joyfully together with those naked young women. // 6
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At the sacred ford of the daughter of Kavera, Vasiṣṭha, along with the sages,
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Intending to perform the midday rites, went out from the Śrīraṅga temple. // 7
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Then, seeing those seers, those women, distressed by fear,
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Covered themselves with garments; but not the reckless Sundara. // 8
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Thereupon Vasiṣṭha, enraged, cursed that shameless one: // 9
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Vasiṣṭha said:
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“Since, O Gandharva Sundara, on seeing us, you did not, out of shame,
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cover yourself with a garment, quickly attain the state of a rākṣasa on that account!”
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When this was spoken by Vasiṣṭha, the women, with folded hands,
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bowing down to Vasiṣṭha with hearts humbled by devotion,
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said this to Vasiṣṭha in the midst of the circle of sages:
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The women said:
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“O blessed one, knower of all righteousness, son of the four-faced [Brahmā]!
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O ocean of compassion, looking upon us, you ought not to be angry.
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For a husband alone is said to be the supreme ornament of women.
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Even a woman with a hundred sons, O sage, if bereft of a husband,
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is called a widow in the world; their life is utterly in vain.
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Therefore, show grace, O sage, out of respect, toward our husband.
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A single offense should be forgiven by sages who see the truth.
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Extend forgiveness, O ocean of compassion, to Sundara here, who is your pupil.”
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Śrī Sūta said:
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Vasiṣṭha, being thus implored by the women of Sundara,
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spoke these words once more, pleased, that best of the twice-born:
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Now the means spoken by Vasiṣṭha for the end of the state of a rākṣasa of the one named Sundara:
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Vasiṣṭha said:
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“My word can never be false, O fair-browed ones.
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I shall tell you a remedy; listen with faith.
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The curse on your husband will certainly have a duration of sixteen years.
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And at the end of the sixteen-year limit, Sundara, possessing the form of a rākṣasa,
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by chance [reaching] the auspicious Veṅkaṭa mountain that removes all sins,
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having gone [there], O celestial women, will reach that Cakratīrtha.
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There dwells Padmanābha, a great yogin and lord of sages.
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This rākṣasa will approach that sage in order to devour him.
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Then, dispatched for the protection of the brahmin, the excellent discus
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will sever his head from his body by Viṣṇu, no doubt.
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Then, having regained his own form and being freed from the curse, that Sundara,
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your husband, will go to heaven once more; there is no doubt about this.
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Then, having reached heaven, this Sundara, your husband,
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wearing a beautiful attire, will delight you, O beautiful ones!”
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Śrī Sūta said:
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Having spoken thus to those excellent women of Sundara, Vasiṣṭha,
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devoted to the lord Śrīraṅga, quickly departed to his own hermitage.
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Then the women, embracing him, Sundara, their husband,
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wept, tormented by grief, plunged into the midst of an ocean of sorrow.
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While they were thus watching, Sundara became a rākṣasa,
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with huge fangs, a massive body, and red beard and hair on his head.
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Seeing him, agitated with fear, the women went to heaven.
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Then this one disguised as a rākṣasa, [formerly] Sundara, terrifying in appearance,
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devouring all living beings, from region to region, from forest to forest,
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wandering with the speed of the wind, [arrived at] the excellent mountain, Veṅkaṭādri.
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Having entered it, that great sinner then went to Cakratīrtha.
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In this way sixteen years passed for him as he wandered.
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Then, at the end of the sixteen years, O lords of sages, this rākṣasa,
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in order to devour that Padmanābha, the dweller at Cakratīrtha,
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rushed with the speed of the wind; and he [the sage] praised Janārdana.
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And Viṣṇu, praised by the yogin, then dispatched his discus
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to protect that Padmanābha who was oppressed by the rākṣasa.
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Then, arriving, Hari's discus severed the head of the rākṣasa.
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Now the attainment of his own true form preceded by the release from the state of a rākṣasa of the one named Sundara:
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Then he, abandoning the rākṣasa body, having an ethereal form,
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mounting an excellent vimāna, Sundara, showered with flowers,
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having folded his hands and bowed down, paid homage to that Sudarśana.
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He praised it with foremost words, pleasing to the ear, with reverence:
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Sundara said:
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“O Sudarśana, salutations unto you, sole ornament of Viṣṇu’s hand!
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Homage to you, destroyer of the asuras, possessed of the radiance of a thousand suns!
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Through an influx of your grace, casting off my rākṣasa body,
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I have attained my own form. O discus weapon of Viṣṇu, homage to you!
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Permit me to go to heaven, O beloved of Viṣṇu;
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My wives are grieving, their hearts anguished by separation.
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As long as I live, may my mind remain fixed on you;
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Grant such a state to me, O discus! Homage to you!"
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Thus praised with devotion by Sundara,
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Viṣṇu's discus at once granted him [his prayer], saying, "May it be so," O lords of sages.
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Having received permission from the discus weapon, Sundara bowed down to the best of brahmins;
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Permitted by him, the gandharva went to heaven.
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And when Sundara had gone to heaven, Padmanābha, the lord among sages,
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Prayed to that discus: "O weapon of Viṣṇu, homage to you!
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O discus weapon, crusher of great asuras, I bow to you.
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Establish your presence in this pure, auspicious Cakra tīrtha.
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Through your presence, for all sinners who bathe here,
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Bring about the destruction of sin, and grant eternal liberation.
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Establish its renown in the world as 'Cakratīrtha.'
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Through your presence, may the destruction of fear for the sages residing here
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Be effected henceforth, O noble one! O discus weapon, homage to you!
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Let there be no fear of bhūtas, pretas, and piśācas, O Lord!"
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When prayed to in this manner by the yogin Padmanābha,
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The discus replied, "May it indeed be so," and vanished into that sacred ford.
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Śrī Sūta said:
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Thus, O brahmins, on the occasion of the rākṣasa's origin, has been told to you by me
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The māhātmya of Cakratīrtha, which removes impurity,
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Hearing which a mortal is freed from all sins on earth.
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Thus ends the twenty-fourth chapter, titled "Description of the Greatness of Cakratīrtha," in the Śrīveṅkaṭācalamāhātmya of the second [section], the Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa consisting of eighty-one thousand verses.
Linked texts (1)
- Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit