Skandapurana 3.1.22
English (machine translation) 3.1.22
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Glorious Sūta said:
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In the auspicious Lakṣmītīrtha, the sole cause of all sovereignty for men,
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a man having bathed should then go to Agnitīrtha, O best of the twice-born.
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Agnitīrtha is greatly meritorious, the destroyer of great sins,
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the highest sacred ford among sacred fords, the sole instrument for fulfilling all desires.
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There a man should bathe with devotion for the complete purification of his own sins.
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The seers said:
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How did it obtain renown as 'Agnitīrtha', O lord of sages?
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Where is this Agnitīrtha, and what is its grandeur?
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You ought to tell this in detail to us who are full of faith.
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Glorious Sūta said:
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Properly indeed have you asked; listen, O bulls among sages!
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Long ago, having slain Rāvaṇa along with his attendants,
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and having installed Vibhīṣaṇa as lord in Laṅkā,
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Rāma, the son of Daśaratha, accompanied by Sītā and the son of Sumitrā,
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being praised by siddhas, cāraṇas, and gandharvas, by the gods and hosts of apsarases,
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and by hosts of sages whose blessings are true, curious about sacred fords,
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Rāma of irresistible prowess, effortlessly bearing his bow,
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in order to establish his own purity and to test Jānakī,
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along with the multitudes of gods led by Indra, with the sages and the ancestors,
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accompanied by Vibhīṣaṇa and by all the monkeys,
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came by way of the causeway to Mount Gandhamādana.
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Stationed on the shore of Lakṣmītīrtha to test Jānakī,
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he invoked Agni in the presence of the celestial seers and the ancestors.
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Then, [Agni] arose from the great ocean, not far from Lakṣmītīrtha.
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while all the worlds looked on, the purifier [Agni] arose, licking the waters,
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his eyes coppery-red, clad in yellow garments, and holding a bow. (12)
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Licking the ten directions with his seven tongues,
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and seeing the heroic lord of the Raghus, who had assumed a human form in sport, (13)
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he spoke these pleasing words to attest the purity of Jānakī:
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“O Rāma, Rāma, mighty-armed one, terror of the rākṣasas! (14)
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You have slain Rāvaṇa through the chastity of Jānakī.
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Truly, truly, and again truly, let there be no doubt on this matter. (15)
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She is Kamalā, the mother of the universe, who has assumed a human form in sport.
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When [you assume] divinity, she assumes a divine body; and in humanity, she is human. (16)
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Indeed, she fashions her own body to conform with the body of Viṣṇu.
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Whenever, O Lord of the universe, God of gods, Janārdana, (17)
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you take descents, she is then your companion.
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When you were Rāma the descendant of Bhṛgu, she was the Earth; (18)
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now she is born as Jānakī, and next she will be Rukmiṇī.
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In other descents too, she is the companion of Viṣṇu. (19)
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Therefore, O Rāghava, accept her at my word.”
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Having heard those words of the purifier [Agni], the gods, great seers, (20)
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vidyādharas, gandharvas, men, and serpents,
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and other hosts of beings, praised Rāma the son of Daśaratha, (21)
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as well as Jānakī, the princess of Mithilā, again and again.
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At Agni’s word, Rāma accepted the stainless Sītā. (22)
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Thus, for the sake of Sītā’s purity, by Rāma of untiring deeds,
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when the invocation was performed, the fire [rose] not far from Lakṣmītīrtha. (23)
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O best of brahmins, from that place in the ocean where he rose up,
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know that peerless place to be Agnitīrtha. (24)
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Because Agni came forth from there, it is called Agnitīrtha.
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A man who bathes here with devotion in the fire’s sacred ford that grants liberation, (25)
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having fasted, should feed brahmins who know the Vedas.
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He should give them garments, wealth, land, and an adorned maiden. (26)
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Freed from all sins, he attains union with Viṣṇu.
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On this bank of Agnitīrtha, the gift of food is especially praised. (27)
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There was never, nor will there ever be, a sacred ford equal to Agnitīrtha,
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where even Duṣpaṇya, a great sinner, by bathing, cast off his dreadful ghosthood (28)
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and attained a celestial form.
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In ancient times, there lived in Pāṭaliputra a vaiśya named Paśumān. (29)
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He was ever devoted to righteousness and intent on worshipping brahmins,
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constantly engaged in agriculture and always protecting cattle, (30)
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and selling gold and other goods righteously in the market row.
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To that eminent merchant named Paśumān (31)
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there were three wives, devoted to the service of their husband.
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The eldest gave birth to three sons who increased the vaiśya lineage: (32)
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Supaṇya, Paṇyavat, and likewise Cārupaṇya.
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The middle one bore two sons, Sukośa and Bahukośa. (33)
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To that vaiśya three sons were born of the third [wife],
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famed as Mahāpaṇya, Mahākośa, and Duṣpaṇya. (34)
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Thus, O best of brahmins, to that vaiśya Paśumān
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there were eight sons born from those three wives. (35)
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Led by Supaṇya, all those sons grew up in due course.
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Playing in the dust, they delighted their parents. (36)
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In time, those sons of the vaiśya reached the age of five years.
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Paśumān, the chief of vaiśyas, (37)
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trained all those sons continuously from childhood in their own duties.
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Trained gradually in the tasks of agriculture, cattle protection, and trade, (38)
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the seven [sons], led by Supaṇya, obeyed their father's command.
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Whatever duty Paśumān spoke of, they performed it immediately. (39)
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They attained great skill even in goldsmith work.
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Duṣpaṇya, however, the eighth son, continuously from his childhood (40)
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became devoted to evil ways and did not heed his father's words.
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Starting from the time of playing in the dust, he was devoted to evil ways. (41)
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Even while a boy, that son harassed other boys.
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Seeing him devoted to evil deeds, his father Paśumant likewise,
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simply overlooked it, saying, “He is just an ignorant child.”
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Then all eight sons of the merchant reached youth.
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Among them, this eighth son, Duṣpaṇya, the foremost of the strong,
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seized the boys living in the city by the hands and throats,
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and hurled them into wells, rivers, and lakes.
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No one among the people knew of this evil conduct of his.
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He threw them into the water until those boys died.
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The fathers and mothers of those dead boys
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searched for them everywhere through all the towns.
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And seeing their sons dead, the people could only weep aloud.
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Then, having seen the corpses in the waters, the people performed the proper rites.
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Killing boys in the city in this manner every day,
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Duṣpaṇya continued thus for a long time, unnoticed even by the people.
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As boys were dying because of the merchant's son's deed,
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the city became almost desolate due to the lack of growth among the citizens.
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Then, having assembled, the citizens reported that matter to the king.
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Hearing their words, the king summoned the village guardians
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and commanded: “Let the cause of the boys' deaths be investigated!”
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The village guardians agreed, saying, “So be it,” and, posted here and there,
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they thoroughly searched for the cause of the slaughter of the boys.
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Though searching, they did not discover the killer of the boys.
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Approaching the king again, they spoke fearfully:
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“O King, though we search, we do not discover
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who it is that lives in the city and continually kills the boys.”
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And again, all the citizens, distressed, approached the king;
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choked with tears, they spoke again of the death of their children.
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Not knowing the cause of it, the king remained silent, deep in thought.
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Once this merchant's son, together with five little boys,
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went near a pond under the pretext of gathering lotuses.
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Seizing those boys by force while they cried out,
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the cruel-hearted Duṣpaṇya submerged them in the neck-deep water of the lake.
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Thinking them dead, Duṣpaṇya quickly went to his home.
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The fathers of those five searched for their sons in the city.
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While they were searching, the five very young boys thrown by him into the waters,
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did not die, by stroke of chance.
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Slowly reaching the shore, all five of them, their heads soaked,
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were unable to go to the city and wandered right there out of childishness.
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Hearing their names called from afar by their kinsmen,
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all five boys called back in response.
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Then their fathers, hearing them, came to the lake shore,
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and seeing their sons alive, experienced incomparable joy.
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When questioned by their fathers and elders, “What happened?”
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the boys reported the wicked deed of Duṣpaṇya to their kinsmen.
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Then the citizens, having learned the fact, approached the king
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and reported the deed of Duṣpaṇya as told by the five [boys].
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Then the king summoned Paśumant, the foremost merchant,
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and spoke these words while the citizens were listening:
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The king said:
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“O Paśumant, see how this city of abundant folk
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has been rendered nearly desolate by your wicked-minded son named Duṣpaṇya!
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Just now, indeed, he plunged these innocent children into the water;
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and by good fortune they have returned alive to the city.
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The matter having come to this, tell [me] now: what should be done?
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Today I ask you yourself, since you are devoted to dharma.”
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Thus addressed by the king, Paśumant, who knew dharma, spoke fitting words:
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Paśumant said:
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“He who has emptied the city deserves nothing less than death.
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Indeed, in this matter, there is nothing at all to be questioned, O King.”
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"For this is no son of mine, but a foe who commits dreadful sins;
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indeed, I see no expiation for him by whom the city was laid waste.
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Let the wicked soul be put to death; I speak the very truth."
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Having heard the words of Paśumān, all the citizens
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praised the excellent merchant and spoke thus to the king:
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"Let not this wicked one be put to death; let him quietly be banished from the city."
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Then the king summoned Duṣpaṇya and spoke thus:
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"You wicked soul, depart swiftly from this country at once!
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If you remain right here, I shall certainly punish you with death."
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Having been thus reprimanded by the king and banished from the city by messengers,
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Duṣpaṇya, abandoning that country in fear,
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then went to a forest crowded with assemblies of sages.
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Even there, he drowned a son of a sage in the water.
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The sons of the sages, having come to play and seeing the dead child,
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approached his father and told him, deeply grieved.
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Then Ugraśravas, hearing from them that his son had died in the water,
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perceived through the power of his austerity that it was the deed of Duṣpaṇya.
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Ugraśravas cursed that Duṣpaṇya, the son of the vaiśya:
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Ugraśravas said:
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"Since you have thrown my son into the water and killed him,
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may your death also come about by drowning in water!
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And when you are dead, you shall become a piśāca for a very long time."
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When that curse was heard, Duṣpaṇya, dejected at heart,
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at once abandoned that forest and went to another, dreadful forest,
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abounding in fierce beasts such as lions. When he reached that other forest,
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a great tempest wind blew, feeling like a thunderbolt's strike,
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raining down a great shower of dust and constantly breaking down trees.
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And there was an unbearable rain tearing at his limbs with its velocity.
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Seeing that, Duṣpaṇya, reflecting and sorely distressed,
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beheld a dead, dried-up elephant of enormous size.
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Unable then to endure the great wind and the heavy downpour,
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he entered the cavity of its belly through the opening of the elephant's mouth.
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No sooner had he entered than the rain became exceedingly heavy.
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Then, from all the rainwater, a tremendous flood arose;
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that flood became a kind of river in that forest.
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Then, with its belly filled by those rainwaters,
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that elephant, floating in the great torrent, became swollen shut.
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Then, from the belly of that elephant which had no opening left
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and whose belly was filled with water, he was indeed unable to come out.
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And then the torrent of rainwater, possessed of terrifying velocity,
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carried the elephant, with Duṣpaṇya inside its belly, to the ocean.
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Duṣpaṇya, submerged in the water, was in an instant deprived of life.
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As soon as he died, Duṣpaṇya attained the state of a piśāca.
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Afflicted by hunger and thirst, he took refuge in an impassable forest,
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crying out terrifyingly during the dreadful hot seasons.
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He stayed in the dense wilderness, experiencing many sorrows,
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for tens of millions of thousands of kalpas, and hundreds of tens of millions of kalpas.
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That piśāca lived in the dreadful forest, suffering great misery,
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running from one forest to another, and likewise from country to country.
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Experiencing sorrow everywhere, he eventually came to the Daṇḍaka forest.
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Wandering not far from the sacred hermitage of Agastya,
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roaring a terrifying roar, he spoke aloud these words:
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"O ascetics, listen all of you to my words!
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For you are compassionate and devoted to the welfare of all beings;
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look upon me with a gaze of compassion and favor me, who am exceedingly afflicted by sorrows!
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- Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit