Skandapurana 3.2.3
English (machine translation) 3.2.3
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Vyāsa said:
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"Listen, O tiger among kings, to the auspicious ancient tale,
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hearing which one is freed from all sins, there is no doubt about this.
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Once, Dharmarāja performed exceedingly difficult austerity
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which protected against the cold, rain, and extremes of water [endured] by Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśa, and others.
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At the beginning of the Tretāyuga, O king, for thirty thousand years,
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[he sat] in the middle of the forest practicing austerity at the foot of an aśoka tree,
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a mass of bones held together only by dry sinews, motionless in form,
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whose blood had been completely drained away by millions of anthill-dwelling insects,
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a heap of fleshless bones, motionless as a crystal stone,
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radiant with a luster like a conch, a jasmine blossom, the moon, snow, or a great white conch,
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his vital breath sustained only by pure spirit, preserved by what remained of his lifespan,
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his life indicated only by the subtle movement of inhalation and exhalation,
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the small creatures [around him] made gentle by the mere movement of his opening and closing eyelids,
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the quarters of the sky illuminated by his eyes that radiated flashing reddish-yellow beams,
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the forest withered, kissed by the forest-fire flame of his austerity,
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yet with all trees sprinkled by the shower of nectar brought forth by his peaceful calm,
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as if austerity itself had assumed human form and was practicing austerity in visible presence,
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having made [himself] formless and spaceless, and his devotion pure as gold,
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surrounded by young deer wandering about in herds,
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and guarded all around by forest beasts whose muzzles roar terrifyingly.
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Having seen such a terrifying [spectacle], the gods, along with Indra,
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beholding him meditating upon Mahādeva, the bestower of fearlessness upon all,
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all the deities headed by Brahmā went toward Kailāsa,
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[where Śiva was] seated together with Umā in the shade of a pārijāta tree,
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attended by Nandin, Bhṛṅgin, Mahākāla, and other great gaṇas,
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and likewise by the divine lord Skanda and the lord of the gaṇas (Gaṇeśa).
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There the gods headed by Brahmā stood in their respective places.
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Brahmā said:
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"Homage to you whose form is infinite; O blue-throated one, homage to you!
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To the one whose essential nature is unknowable, to absolute liberation, to the immortal nectar!
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To him whose end the gods do not know, homage, homage to that one!
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Whom words cannot adequately praise, homage to that embodiment of pure consciousness!
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Whom yogins, motionless through profound contemplation within the chamber of the heart,
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perceive as the form of light—homage to that glorious Brahman!
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To the one who is beyond time, who is time itself, and who by his own will is the Puruṣa;
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homage to the one whose nature consists of the three guṇas, who takes the form of Prakṛti;
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to Viṣṇu whose form is sattva, to the Creator (Vedhas) whose form is rajas,
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to Rudra whose form is tamas, the agent of maintenance, creation, and dissolution;
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homage to the one who takes the form of intellect (buddhi), and the threefold ego (ahaṃkāra);
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homage to the one who takes the form of the five subtle elements (tanmātras), who takes the form of Prakṛti!"
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Praise, praise to you whose nature is one's own self, who are the self of the five cognitive senses!
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Praise to you whose form consists of the five [elements] beginning with earth, who are the self of sensory objects! // 3.2.3.20
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Praise to you who have the form of the cosmic egg, praise to you who dwell within it!
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Praise to you whose universal form encompasses what is near and what is far! // 21
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Praise to the lord of the existent and nonexistent, whose nature is both non-eternal and eternal!
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Praise to you who manifest your body out of your own will through compassion for devotees! // 22
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The Vedas are your breath; the whole universe is your Veda.
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All beings are your foot; the sky arose as your head. // 23
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The intermediate space came from your navel, and the trees were the hair on your body;
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the moon was born from your mind, and the sun from your eye, O Lord! // 24
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You alone are everything; in you, O God, is everything; you alone are praised by all praise here.
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O Īśa, all this indeed is to be inhabited by you; let there be praise again and again, praise, praise to you! // 25
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Having thus praised Mahādeva, they fell upon the earth like a staff.
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Śambhu then replied, "I am the granter of boons; what is desired?" // 26
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Mahādeva said:
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"Why are all the gods agitated, with Bṛhaspati at their head?
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Declare that to me, O Brahmā, the cause of your distress." // 27
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Brahmā said:
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"O blue-throated Mahādeva, granter of freedom from fear and destroyer of sorrow!
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Listen to our sorrow, which I shall tell to you. // 28
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Dharmarāja, righteous in soul, has performed an intolerable austerity.
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I do not know what he desires—the supreme station of the gods? // 29
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All [the gods], with Indra at their head, are terrified by his austerity.
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For a long time his mind has been surrendered to your feet.
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Raise him up, O Lord of the gods! What does that Dharmarāja desire?" // 3.2.3.30
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Īśvara said:
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"You have no fear from Dharma; I speak the truth." // 31
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Then, rising up, all those gods, the sky-dwellers,
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circumambulated Rudra and, having bowed again and again, // 32
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together with Indra, all returned from Kailāsa.
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All the sky-dwellers then swiftly went to their respective abodes. // 33
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Indra, the sovereign lord, also went to Sudharmā;
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there he found no sleep, no happiness, and no peace. // 34
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He thought in his mind, "An obstacle has befallen me!"
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Then the god, the husband of Śacī, fell into great anxiety: // 35
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"He has performed an austerity exceedingly difficult to practice in order to seize my station!"
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Having summoned all the gods, he spoke these words: // 36
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Indra said:
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"Let all the deities listen to the cause of my distress:
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Could Yama be seeking that which was obtained by me with great difficulty?"
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Having considered this, Bṛhaspati then said to all the gods: // 37
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Bṛhaspati said:
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"O sky-dwellers, there is no power to put an obstacle to austerity.
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Let Urvaśī and the others be summoned and sent there indeed." // 38
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In order to summon them, he set out towards every doorway.
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Having gone and gathered them, he returned swiftly to the assembly. // 39
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When they had arrived, Hari said, "A great task has presented itself!
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Let all of you go quickly, hastening toward Dharmāraṇya, // 3.2.3.40
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where that Dharmarāja has undertaken an austerity exceedingly difficult to perform!
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With laughter, amorous gestures, side-glances, and also with singing and dancing, // 41
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entice that ascetic so that he may fall from his station of austerity!"
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Hearing the command of the god, the hosts of apsarases // 42
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deliberated among themselves and resolved together to do so.
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That Urvaśī, the excellent celestial woman, set out for Dharmāraṇya. // 43
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They praised her, and showered rains of flowers upon her head.
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Then, being praised on all sides by the gods and brahmins, // 44
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she went forth with supreme delight to the most holy forest,
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overgrown with bilva, arka, and khadira trees, and crowded with kapittha and dhava trees, // 45
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where the sun did not shine at all, filled with deep darkness,
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deserted, devoid of humans, and extending for many yojanas. // 46
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filled with deer, terrible lions, and also other forest-dwellers,
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strewn with flowering trees, with delightfully charming grassy lawns,
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vast, made to echo with the sweet cries of birds,
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rich with the calls of male cuckoos, resounding with swarms of crickets,
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covered all around with large, imposing trees offering pleasant shade; / its ground shaded by trees, endowed with supreme splendour.
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There was no tree without flowers, none without fruit, nor any that was thorny;
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nor was there any in that forest that was not crowded with six-footed bees.
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It echoed with birds and was exceedingly adorned with flowers,
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filled with trees bearing flowers of all seasons and providing pleasant shade.
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The trees there, their branches laden with blossoms, shaken by the wind,
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shed a wonderful rain of flowers.
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Touching the sky, thriving, accompanied by birds with sweet voices,
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the trees shone there, covered with fragrant flowers.
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Alighting upon sprouts bowed under the weight of blossoms,
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bees, longing for nectar, hummed their sweet melodies.
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There, many regions adorned with sprouts of fragrance,
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enclosed by bowers of creepers, gladdening the mind—
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beholding them, she of great splendour then became delighted.
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With trees whose branches embraced one another, covered in blossoms,
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that forest shone, resembling Indra's banners.
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A pleasantly cool and fragrant breeze carried the pollen of flowers.
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Endowed with such qualities, she then beheld the forest.
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Then, there she saw the sacred and radiant [river] born of the sun,
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and she beheld there an excellent, delightful hermitage,
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surrounded by Vālakhilyas as masters, crowded with hosts of sages,
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with many fire-houses, [and ascetics] suspended from tree branches,
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with smoke-drinkers there, and sky-clad ascetics.
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Wild beasts protected there became exceedingly gentle:
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cats were peaceful with mice there, and mongooses with snakes;
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lions behaved peacefully with fawn fawns;
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they played with one another just like brothers.
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He beheld that forest from afar, and then the god spoke there:
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Indra said:
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“This king of righteousness stands performing fierce austerity.
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He desires my realm; therefore strive in this matter here!
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Cause an obstacle to his austerity; go there by my command!”
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Hearing Indra's words, Urvaśī, Tilottamā,
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Sukeśī, Mañjughoṣā, Ghṛtācī, and Menakā,
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Viśvācī, Rambhā, and sweet-speaking Pramlocā,
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Pūrvacitti, the fair-formed Surūpā, and famous Anumlocā—
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these and many other [apsarases] residing there pondered.
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Looking at one another with hesitation out of fear,
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[they thought:] “Both Yama and Śakra are indeed a refuge for you.”
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Having thus deliberated in many ways, O descendant of Bharata, the one named Vardhanī,
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the best of all the apsarases, adorned with all ornaments,
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spoke there to Urvaśī: “Why are you distressed, O fair-faced one?
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To accomplish the purpose of the gods, by the power of illusory form,
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I shall act, O chastiser of Pāka, so that the order of the castes remains intact.”
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Indra said:
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“Well done, well done, O highly fortunate one, Vardhanī of good vows!
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Go swiftly yourself, O auspicious one, and accomplish the task, O slender-waisted lady!
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None other than you, O fair-browed one, is capable of winning over the steadfast.”
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And Vardhanī, having said “So be it,” went to where the king of righteousness was.
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Assuming a charming form with splendid ornaments,
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adorned with saffron, collyrium, fine clothes, and jewellery,
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adorned with flowers, garments, and tiny bells at her waist,
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and adorned on both feet with tinkling sounds,
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richly decorated with various ornaments, anointed with diverse sandals,
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decked with garlands of various flowers, the auspicious one clad in fine silk,
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holding a pure vīṇā in her hand, beautiful in every limb—
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There she performed a threefold dance that delighted all the world,
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blended with high-pitched notes and the sweet sounding of a flute,
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endowed with modulations and rhythm, and united with the lute's melody.
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In an instant, suddenly, the god Dharmarāja, though self-controlled,
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became agitated in mind, Dharmarāja, the king's son.
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Yudhiṣṭhira said:
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A great wonder has arisen in me, O brahmin, best of brahmins!
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How did an interruption of austerity occur for one who is endowed with Brahman?
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The earth and heaven rest on dharma; upon dharma rests Pātāla itself;
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the moon, the sun, and the waters rest on dharma, and upon dharma wind and fire;
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and the entire universe rests on dharma. How did that Dharma fall into distraction?
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O lord, tell me the truth of that agitation, O you of noble vows!
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Vyāsa said:
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The downfall of the rash is the very cause of hell.
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This pit of the womb is created on earth like the Kumbhīpāka hell.
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Binding them firmly with the rope of their eyes, they assault the resolute;
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beating him with the great staves of their breasts, making him senseless,
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they quickly cast him down to hell, O best of kings.
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A woman has been created thus to delude all living beings.
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Alas, firmness of mind lasts only so long, [as do] scripture and undisturbed truth,
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until a snare, as it were, appears before the pure-minded man in the form of an intoxicated woman.
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The increase of austerity lasts only so long, only so long charity, compassion, and restraint;
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only so long the practice of sacred study, and purity, and the vow that is maintained,
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until he beholds the restless glance of a frightened doe.
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Mother lasts only so long, father only so long, the Creator only so long, and friends only so long;
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modesty and fear last only so long, and righteous conduct lasts only that long;
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knowledge, generosity, and majesty shine only that long,
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until one is cast down by the bonds and fetters of an intoxicated woman.
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Thus ends the third chapter, named 'The Recounting of Indra's Fear,' in the Dharmāraṇyamāhātmya of the third section, the Brahmakhaṇḍa, of the great Skanda Purāṇa in eighty-one thousand verses.
Linked texts (1)
- Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit