Skandapurana 3.1.26
English (machine translation) 3.1.26
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Śrī Sūta said:
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Having performed ritual ablution in Śaṅkhatīrtha, O best of brahmins,
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mortals should then go in turn to Yamunā, Gaṅgā, and Gayā.
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The great sacred ford named Yamunā, the unsurpassed Gaṅgātīrtha,
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and Gayātīrtha destroy the great sins of mortals.
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This triad of sacred fords is holy and renowned throughout all worlds;
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it pacifies all obstacles and removes all diseases.
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This triad of sacred fords indeed destroys all ignorance;
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when ignorance has been destroyed, it likewise bestows knowledge upon men.
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Long ago, the great king Jānaśruti, having bathed in these sacred fords,
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attained supreme knowledge from Raikva, the best of brahmins.
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The seers said:
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O Sūta, knower of the true nature of all things, pupil of Vyāsa, highly intelligent one!
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They are renowned as Yamunā, Gaṅgā, and Gayā;
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why did this triad of sacred fords come to Gandhamādana?
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And how did the royal seer Jānaśruti attain knowledge from Raikva
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through ritual ablution in the triad of sacred fords? Tell us that, O Sūta!
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Śrī Sūta said:
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Long ago on Gandhamādana, a great seer named Raikva,
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a treasury of austerities, lived while performing severe austerity.
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Practicing austerity for a long time, that great sage Raikva
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attained a long life by the great power of his austerity.
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The great sage named Raikva was lame from birth.
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Because of lameness, that sage was unable to go to sacred fords.
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Whatever sacred fords there were on Mount Gandhamādana,
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he would go to them due to their proximity, traveling only by cart.
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Because that Raikva, the excellent sage, remained together with a cart [yugvan],
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that ascetic is called Sayugvan in the world by Vedic scholars.
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A cart is called 'yugvan'; he remained together with it.
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That best of sages, the sage named Sayugvan,
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possessed of complete knowledge, practiced austerity on Mount Gandhamādana.
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In the hot season, standing amidst five fires, he performed great austerity;
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in the rainy season, he remained in waters reaching up to his throat.
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When his body had become emaciated by austerity, a skin disease arose in him;
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day and night the lord of sages scratched the scabies.
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Even while scratching the scabies, he did not abandon his austerity.
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Then such a thought arose in the mind of that sage Sayugvan:
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'Right now indeed, in Yamunā, Gaṅgā, and Gayā—
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in this holy triad of sacred fords—a ritual ablution must surely be performed by me.'
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Thinking thus, the sage then had another thought:
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'I am indeed lame from birth; therefore, ritual ablution is difficult to attain.
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I cannot travel too far by cart.
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What shall I do now?' Reflecting thus, the great-minded one
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determined what was to be done in order to bathe in the triad of sacred fords:
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'There exists in me the power of austerity, irresistible and unassailable;
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by that very power I will summon that triad of sacred fords here.'
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Deciding this in his mind, facing east with senses restrained,
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having sipped water three times, Sayugvan meditated for a moment without laxity.
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By the power of his mantra, that great river Yamunā,
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Gaṅgā the daughter of Jahnu, and that sin-destroying Gayā—
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all three burst through the earth and suddenly rose up from Pātāla.
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Assuming human forms and approaching Sayugvan,
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they spoke, greatly rejoicing and gladdening that sage: / 25
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“O Sayugvan Raikva, fortune to you! Cease from this meditation.
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Drawn by your mantra, we have come here. / 26
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What must be done for you by us? Speak that, O lord of sages!”
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Hearing these words of theirs, the great sage Sayugvan / 27
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quickly ceased from meditation and saw them standing before him.
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Having duly honored them, Raikva spoke these words: / 28
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“O goddess Yamunā, O Gaṅgā, O Gayā who destroys sin!
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Establish your presence for me on Mount Gandhamādana, / 29
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where you have emerged here, bursting through the earth.
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Let those be holy sacred fords named after you.” / 30
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Saying only “So be it,” they suddenly vanished right there.
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From that time forward, those three sacred fords upon the earth / 31
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are always sung of by people under those respective names.
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Where Yamunā then burst through the earth and emerged, / 32
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that is called Yamunātīrtha by the people.
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From which cleft in the earth Jāhnavī suddenly arose, / 33
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that is renowned in the world as Gaṅgātīrtha, destroying sin.
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Where Gayā came forth assuming a human form, / 34
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that very opening in the earth they call Gayātīrtha.
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Thus this triad of exceedingly holy, unsurpassable sacred fords / 35
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suddenly arose from the earth by the power of Raikva's mantra.
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Those best of men who perform ritual ablution in this triad of sacred fords, / 36
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for them there will be the destruction of ignorance, and knowledge will arise.
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There in that triad of sacred fords drawn by his own mantra, the sage, / 37
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performing his ritual ablution daily, passed the time.
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At that very time, the great king Jānaśruti, / 38
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the grandson of the royal seer named Putra, solely devoted to righteousness—
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because food and other gifts were then given by him to supplicants with deep faith, / 39
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therefore in the world people call him “Śraddhādeya” (one who gives with faith).
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Because abundant speech regarding food and other provisions of this king / 40
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took place in his house for the satisfaction of hungry supplicants,
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therefore he is called “Bahuvākya” (of much speech) by all supplicants. / 41
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He, King Pautrāyaṇa, the mighty son of Jānaśruta,
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was fond of guests, and likewise he gave abundantly. / 42
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In cities, in realms, in villages, and in forests,
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at all crossroads, and everywhere along highways, / 43
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he arranged hospitality endowed with abundant food and drink,
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accompanied by soups, vegetables, and the like, for the satisfaction of the supplicants. / 44
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“O supplicants, partake here of all the food, drink, and the rest!”
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Thus he proclaimed in various human settlements. / 45
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Of that very king, fond of guests and generous in giving,
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ardent in giving to supplicants, the virtues were renowned everywhere. / 46
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Now, as this Pautrāyaṇa lived in a multitude of virtues,
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the illustrious divine seers, desiring his grace, / 47
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assumed the form of swans at night during the hot season,
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and, having swiftly formed a delightful flock, came into the sky. / 48
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Above that ruler of the earth, who was standing at the window of his palace,
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they flew up and passed by rapidly on high with swiftness. / 49
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Moving behind those swans that were flying swiftly,
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one swan, addressing the leading swan at that time, / 50
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spoke these words derisively, as the king was listening:
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“O Bhallākṣa, Bhallākṣa! O swan going ahead! / 51
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Inside the palace right ahead is King Jānaśrutasuta.
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He is worthy of worship; why do you not see, like a blind one? / 52
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His unassailable splendor, [reaching] from the world of Brahmā downwards,
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shines intensely ahead, resembling countless suns! / 53
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Do not rush quickly above, bypassing that royal seer!
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If you go, his splendor will burn you up immediately!” / 54
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To him who had spoken thus, the goose in front replied:
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"Oh, you are truly knowledgeable! You are worthy of praise by the wise, 55
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since you praise this unworthy rogue!
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Why do you praise this person, who is of small account, 56
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one who merely draws breath like a bellows or like a beast?
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This lord of the earth does not know the secret of duties, 57
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as does Raikva, the knower of truth, Sayugvan, the best of brahmins.
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For Raikva's great light is a mystery even to the gods; 58
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no such splendor belongs to this mere living creature.
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There is no measure to the heaps of Raikva's merit: 59
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the grains of dust on earth can be counted, the stars in the sky can be counted,
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but the mass of Raikva's merits, [lofty as] Mount Meru, can never be counted. 60
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Moreover, let these perishable virtues of that sage stand aside:
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it is because of his unassailable knowledge of Brahman that that sage is praised. 61
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In Jānaśruti, however, no such virtue is found at all;
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how could he have that majesty of knowledge, which is difficult even for the lords of yogins to attain? 62
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Therefore, leaving aside this wretched, wicked-minded person,
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let that very sage Raikva Sayugvan be praised by you! 63
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Though lame from birth, wishing to take his ritual ablution,
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that lord of sages summoned the Gaṅgā, the Yamunā, and even the Gayā, 64
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with a mantra to the vicinity of his own hermitage.
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In the accumulated virtue of that great seer Raikva, knower of Brahman, 65
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are contained all the multitudes of virtues of those living within the three worlds.
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The range of Raikva's virtue, however, is never included 66
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within the range of virtue of the creatures who dwell in the three worlds."
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When the leading goose had spoken thus and ceased, 67
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those lords of sages in the form of geese went back to the world of Brahmā.
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Then King Jānaśruti Pautrāyaṇa, tamer of foes, 68
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hearing that Raikva was the ultimate limit and pinnacle of excellence,
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became exceedingly dejected, like a wretched gambler defeated at dice. 69
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Sighing repeatedly, the king reflected:
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"The goose, while extolling Raikva, spoke of me here as vile! 70
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Ah, the greatness of Raikva, whom birds praise!
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Therefore, abandoning worldly life and all my kingdom here now, 71
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I will go for refuge to that very noble soul, Sayugvan.
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That Raikva is a treasury of compassion; when I have approached for refuge, 72
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he will accept me and instruct me in the knowledge of the Self."
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While he was reflecting thus, O twice-born,
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he somehow spent that endless night remaining wide awake. 73
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When the end of the night arrived, he heard the auspicious song 74
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commenced by the band of bards, accompanied by the blare of musical instruments.
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Hearing that, the great king, still lying on his couch, 75
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immediately summoned his charioteer and spoke respectful words:
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"Charioteer, go swiftly, mounting a fast chariot! 76
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In the hermitages of great seers, in holy forests,
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in solitary places, in the dwelling-grounds of the virtuous, 77
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on the banks and sandy shores of sacred fords and rivers,
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and in other regions where lords of sages dwell— 78
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in all of them, search for the lord of yogins, the lame one sitting beneath a cart,
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named Raikva, the sole refuge of all duties, 79
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the unique abode of the knowledge of Brahman, Sayugvan.
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Having found him quickly, come back to please me, O charioteer!" 80
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Saying, "So be it," he set out, seated upon a swift chariot,
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and searched everywhere for the sage Raikva, the knower of Brahman. 81
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In caves of mountains and in hermitages of sages,
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he traversed the entire earth, searching here and there. 82
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Having searched various regions with haste,
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the charioteer gradually reached Mount Gandhamādana, crowded with great seers. 83
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Searching there as well, he saw that lord of sages
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scratching his scabies, seated in the place beneath his cart. 84
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continually contemplating the partless, non-dual brahman.
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Seeing that great sage, Sayugvan, there,
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the charioteer thought, “This is Raikva,” approached him, bowed,
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and, sitting near him, politely asked the sage:
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“O brahmin, are you indeed Sayugvan, named Raikva?”
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Hearing his words, the sage replied:
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“Indeed, I am Sayugvan, named Raikva.”
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Hearing the sage’s reply, and through many gestures
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perceiving [the sage’s] desire for wealth to support his family,
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he returned from Gandhamādana and reported everything to the king.
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Then, having listened attentively to the charioteer’s words,
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taking six hundred cows, a load of gold coins,
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and a chariot yoked with she-mules, with haste,
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that royal sage, the grandson of Janaprashruta (Pautrāyaṇa), approached Raikva.
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Going up to Raikva, the lord of the earth spoke these words:
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“O venerable Raikva, O Sayugvan, please accept what I offer:
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six hundred cows, a load of gold coins,
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and this chariot of mine yoked with she-mules, please accept.
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Having accepted all this, O brahmin, instruct me!
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Teach me the experiential knowledge of non-dual brahman.”
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Hearing his words, spoken with yearning and eager agitation,
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Raikva Sayugvan answered Jānaśruti, the subduer of enemies.
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Raikva said:
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“Let these cows remain yours, as well as the load of gold and the chariot.
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What use to me is this trifle, living as I do through many kalpas?
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This is truly not sufficient for the maintenance of my family.
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Even if a hundred times this amount were given by you to me,
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even that would not suffice, O king of kings, to maintain the family.”
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Hearing these words of Raikva, Jānaśruti said:
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Linked texts (1)
- Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit