Skandapurana 3.2.35
English (machine translation) 3.2.35
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Nārada said:
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O Blessed One, Lord of the gods of gods, cause of creation and dissolution,
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transcending the guṇas, endowed with guṇas, supreme means to liberations,
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having established the mansion of the Vedas and the excellent brahmins according to rule,
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what then did the lord of the Raghus do after going back to Ayodhyā?
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What duties did the brahmins perform there in their own abode?
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Brahmā said:
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Devoted to sacrifices and charitable works, tranquil, averse to accepting gifts,
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they ruled this forest. The royal priest, best of brahmins,
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spoke the supreme māhātmya of sacred fords before Rāma:
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the māhātmya of Prayāga and the supreme fruit of the Triveṇī,
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the greatness of Prayāga sacred ford and indeed of Śuklatīrtha,
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likewise the greatness of Siddhakṣetra, Kāśī, and Gaṅgā.
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Vasiṣṭha recounted other sacred fords, O Nārada:
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of Dharmāraṇya, Suvarṇā, and that sacred field of Hari;
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all [acts like] ritual ablution and giving [there] are a barley-corn greater than at Vārāṇasī.
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Hearing this, the divine Rāma, his mind astonished,
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desiring to make a pilgrimage again to Dharmāraṇya, set out.
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Accompanied by Sītā, the knower of righteousness preceded by a large army,
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with his brother Lakṣmaṇa, having Bharata as his helper,
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surrounded by Śatrughna, he went to the city of Moheraka.
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Having gone there, that high-minded one asked Vasiṣṭha:
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Rāma said:
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"In the great sacred field of Dharmāraṇya, what should be done, O best of brahmins?
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Giving, religious observance, ritual ablution, or supreme austerity?
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Meditation, a sacrificial rite, an oblation, or supreme recitation of mantras?
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Giving, religious observance, ritual ablution, or supreme austerity?
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By performing what in this sacred ford, O best of brahmins,
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is one freed from sins such as killing a brahmin? Tell me that."
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Vasiṣṭha said:
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"Perform an excellent sacrifice, O fortunate one, in Dharmāraṇya;
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day by day it becomes ten million-fold [in fruit] for a hundred years."
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Hearing that from his guru, he commenced the sacrifice.
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On that occasion, Sītā joyfully petitioned Rāma:
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"Lord, those brahmins versed in the Vedas whom you previously chose—
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the brahmins who were created of old by Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśa
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in the Kṛta and Tretā ages, dwellers in Dharmāraṇya—
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do choose those brahmins; only through them will the sacrifice succeed."
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Hearing that, the brahmins were then summoned by the divine Rāma
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and settled as before in this city of Moheraka.
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With those eighteen learned in the three Vedas, the Modha brahmins,
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he performed the sacrifice according to rule, with those very men of expansive intellect:
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Kuśika, Kauśika, Vatsa, Upamanyu, and Kāśyapa,
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Kṛṣṇātreya, Bharadvāja, Dhāriṇa, and the excellent Śaunaka,
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Māṇḍavya, Bhārgava, Paiṅgya, Vātsya, and Laugākṣi,
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Gāṅgāyana, then Gāṅgeya, Śunaka, and Śaunaka.
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Brahmā said:
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Having duly completed the sacrifice with these brahmins, King Rāma,
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having worshipped the brahmins with devotion, performed the final purifying bath.
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At the conclusion of the sacrifice, Rāma was addressed by the humble Sītā:
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"For the fulfillment of this sacrifice, give the sacrificial gift, O you of noble vows;
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and let a city be established there quickly in my name."
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Hearing Sītā's words, the best of kings did so.
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A single, completely secure dwelling place for those brahmins
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was given by Rāma, the king, for Sītā's satisfaction.
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Then, indeed, he gave it the renowned name 'Sītāpura'.
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Its two presiding goddesses are Śāntā and Sumaṅgalā.
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Before the city of Moheraka, twelve villages in front
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he, rising up overjoyed, gave to the learned brahmin.
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He then went quickly to another sacred ford on the bank of the river Kāśyapī.
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Certain Brahmins were led along with Rāma, O knower of righteousness.
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He went immediately to Dharmālaya, where the rosary and water-pot [are found],
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Where of old Dharma performed great austerity, O sage.
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Starting from that [time], it is celebrated and known as Dharmālaya. / There the son of Daśaratha gave the sixteen great gifts.
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Then fifty-five villages, together with Sītāpura,
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Extending as far as Satyamaṃdira, by the lord of the Raghus indeed at that time,
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By the word of Sītā there, and indeed by the precept of his guru,
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For the increase of his own lineage, the best of the Raghus gave to the twice-born.
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There was a community of eighteen thousand twice-born:
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Vātsyāyana, Upamanyu, Jātūkarṇya, then Piṅgala,
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Bhāradvāja, likewise Vatsa, Kauśika, and Kuśa,
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Śāṇḍilya, Kaśyapa, Gautama, and Chāndhana,
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Kṛṣṇātreya, likewise Vatsa, Vasiṣṭha, and Dhāraṇa,
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And Bhāṇḍila should be known, [and] Yauvanāśva next,
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Kṛṣṇāyana, Upamanyu, Gārgya, Mudgala, Maukhaka,
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Puśi, Parāśara, and Kauṇḍinya thereafter.
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The names of the fifty-five villages in order are as follows:
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Sītāpura, Śrīkṣetra, Muśalī, Mudgalī,
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Jyeṣṭhalā, Śreyasthāna, Dantālī, Vaṭapatrakā,
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Rājñapura, Kṛṣṇavāṭa, Deha, Loha, Canasthana,
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Koheca, Candanakṣetra, Thala, Hastināpura,
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Karpaṭa, Kannajahnavī, Vanoḍa, Phanaphāvalī,
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Mohodha, Śamohoralī, Govindaṇa, Thalatyaja,
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Cāraṇasiddha, Sodgītrā, Bhājyaja, Vaṭamālikā,
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Godhara, Māraṇaja, Mātramadhya, Mātara,
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Balavatī, Gandhavatī, Īāmlī, Rājyaja,
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Rūpāvalī, Bahudhana, Chatrīṭa, Vaṃśaja,
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Jāyāsaṃraṇa, Gotikī, Citralekha,
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Dugdhāvalī, Haṃsāvalī, Vaihola, Caillaja,
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Nālāvalī, Āsāvalī, Suhālī, and after that Kāmata.
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Fifty-five villages for habitation
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Were created by Rāma himself and given to those twice-born.
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To serve them, Rāma assigned Vaiśyas,
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Thirty-six thousand, and four times as many Śūdras.
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Gifts were given to them: cows, horses, and garments,
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Gold, silver, and copper, with supreme faith and joy.
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Nārada said:
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Those eighteen thousand brahmins were masters of the Vedas;
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How did they divide the villages and the wealth produced for Rāma,
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The garments and the ornaments? Tell me that, O you of noble vows.
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Brahmā said:
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As soon as the sacrificial fee was accepted by the officiating priests at the end of the sacrifice, O son,
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All [the wealth], including the great gifts, was handed over to them.
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The villages were given as common property, along with the great habitations at that time,
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[Saying:] 'Wherever they dwell, let those be theirs.'
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By the word of Vasiṣṭha, those villages were bestowed upon the brahmins
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By the resolute descendant of Raghu, so that the twice-born would not move away.
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Grain was given to them, and immeasurable wealth to the brahmins.
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Then Rāma, joining his palms, said this to the brahmins:
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'Just as the brahmins [lived] in the Kṛta age, and as in the Tretā age of old,
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So shall you live this very day in my realm, without doubt.
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Whatever wealth, grain, conveyances, or garments,
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Gems, gold and the like, gold and similar wealth,
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Copper and the like, and silver and the like—ask of me now!
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Now or in the future, you should request whatever is fitting.
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A spoken message should always be sent to me, O best of the twice-born!
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Whatever wish you ask for, that I will grant, O powerful ones!'
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Then Rāma respectfully spoke to his servants and attendants:
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'The command of a brahmin must not be transgressed; they must be served with diligence!
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Whatever desire they ask for, carry it out immediately from every side!'
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Moreover, he who bows down thus and serves the brahmins,
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that śūdra attains heaven, becomes wealthy, and possesses sons.
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Otherwise, indeed, he incurs poverty; of this there is no doubt.
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A Yavana, one of mleccha origin, a daitya, or even a rākṣasa—
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whoever causes an obstacle here is instantly reduced to ashes.
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Brahmā said:
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Then, having circumambulated the twice-born, Rāma, exceedingly glad,
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set out on his journey, congratulated with blessings by the brahmins.
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Having accompanied him up to the border, their eyes troubled with affection,
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all the twice-born returned to Dharmāraṇya, deeply moved.
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Having done this, Rāma then set out towards his own city.
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The descendants of Kaśyapa and Garga, fulfilled in purpose and firm in their vows,
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seated on the gurus' seats, together with their wives, friends, and sons, [dwelt there].
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Rāma then reached the capital city, Ayodhyā, endowed with excellence.
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Having seen the joy of the Raghu dynasty, all the people were delighted.
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Then the righteous Rāma, devoted to the protection of his subjects,
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ruling the kingdom together with Sītā, the righteous and wise one,
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impregnated Jānakī for the continuation of the Solar dynasty.
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Thus ends the thirty-fifth chapter, titled 'The Description of the Restoration of the Pilgrimage Field Dharmāraṇya by the Glorious Rāma and Rudra,' in the Dharmāraṇyamāhātmya, in the First Part of the third Brahmakhaṇḍa, in the Skandamahāpurāṇa of eighty-one thousand verses.
Linked texts (1)
- Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit