Skandapurana 3.3.9
English (machine translation) 3.3.9
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The sages said:
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Well done, well done, O fortunate one! You have recounted an excellent
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narrative; you ought to tell yet another wondrous tale. // 1
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Sūta said:
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In the Vidarbha region, there was formerly an excellent brahmin
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known as Vedamitra, intelligent and knowing the meaning of the Vedas and treatises. // 2
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He had another brahmin friend named Sārasvata;
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the two of them were extremely affectionate and lived in the same place. // 3
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Vedamitra had a son named Sumedhas, of faithful vows;
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Sārasvata had a son renowned as Somavān. // 4
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Both boys were of the same age, of identical dress and status;
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they had their rites of passage performed together and possessed equal learning. // 5
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Having studied the Vedas along with their auxiliary limbs, logic, and grammar,
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the epics, the Purāṇas, and the books of sacred law in their entirety, // 6
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skilled in all sciences and wise even in their boyhood,
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they brought unequaled delight to their parents through all their virtues. // 7
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Once, those two best of brahmins, summoning their two sons
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who were sixteen years of age and of auspicious appearance, spoke with affection: // 8
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"O sons! You two, having acquired learning in your youth and full of splendor,
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this time of marriage has arrived for both of you alike." // 9
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Having pleased this king, the lord of Vidarbha, with your learning,
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and then obtained abundant wealth, you will be married.”
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Thus addressed by both parents, those two sons, the delight of the twice-born,
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approached the king of Vidarbha and pleased him with their virtues.
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To him, who was thoroughly pleased with their learning, the two young brahmins,
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making an effort toward their marriage, declared their lack of wealth.
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Knowing their intention also, the lord of the earth, the king of Vidarbha,
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smiled slightly and spoke, wishing to test the ways of the world:
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“There is the virtuous Queen Sīmantinī of the king of Niṣadha.
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On Mondays she worships Mahādeva along with Ambikā.
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On that day, having worshipped the foremost twice-born who know the Veda best,
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accompanied by their wives, with supreme devotion, she gives abundant wealth.
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Therefore, here one of you should put on the coquettish attire of a woman,
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and the other become her husband; become a brahmin couple!
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Becoming bride and groom and reaching Sīmantinī's house,
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having dined and obtained abundant wealth, come back to my presence.”
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Thus commanded by the king, the two young brahmins, terrified,
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replied: “Fear arises in us to do this deed.
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Practicing deceit toward the deities, the teacher, parents,
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and also royal families, one quickly perishes along with one's lineage through delusion.
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How could a man enter the inner apartments of kings in disguise?
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Even if kept secret, disguise will eventually become known.
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Whatever virtues were attained previously by good character, right conduct, sacred learning, and the like,
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quickly go to ruin for one who walks the path of crookedness.
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Sin, censure, fear, and enmity—these four
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always attend embodied beings who take to the path of disguise.
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Therefore we two, who are of auspicious conduct and born in a pure lineage,
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will never resort to behavior praised by rogues.”
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The king said:
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“Because an order of deities, teachers, parents,
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and the lord of the earth must not be transgressed, there can never be refusal.
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Whatever is commanded by these, whether good or bad,
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must certainly be done by those who are fearful, vigilant, and desiring prosperity.
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Ah, we are kings, and you are our accepted subjects.
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For those who act by royal command there is good fortune; otherwise, fear.
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Therefore, my command must be carried out by you without delay.”
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Thus addressed by the lord of men, the two said, “So be it,” out of fear.
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The ruler of men made the son of the Sarasvatī-knower, who was endowed with calm,
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wear the form of a woman by means of garments, ornaments, collyrium, and the like.
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He, having assumed the artificial state of a wife, wearing ear-ornaments and body-unguents,
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his eyes anointed with glossy collyrium, possessed of a charming form, instantly took on the radiance of an excellent woman.
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Both the brahmin sons, having become a married couple by the king's command,
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went to the country of Niṣadha, thinking, “Come what may.”
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Having approached the royal palace on a Monday, along with the foremost twice-born
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and their wives, their hospitality was performed and their feet were washed.
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The queen worshipped all the brahmins seated on excellent seats,
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each of the foremost twice-born accompanied by their wives.
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And seeing those two brahmin sons who had arrived as a false couple,
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perceiving [something] and smiling slightly, she regarded them as Gaurī and Maheśvara.
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Invoking Sadāśiva, the god of gods, in the foremost twice-born,
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she invoked the goddess, the mother of the universe, in the wives.
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Having worshipped the best of the twice-born with perfumes, fragrant garlands,
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incenses, and waved lights, she bowed with a concentrated mind.
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Rice cooked in milk with clarified butter in golden dishes,
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mixed with sugar and honey, furnished with delightful vegetables,
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with heart-pleasing dishes of cooked fragrant rice, heaps of modakas and apūpas,
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with śaṣkulī pastries, saṃyāvas, kṛsaras, and cakes made of black gram,
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as well as countless other delightful foods to chew and eat,
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with fragrant and savory broths, and also cool drinking water—
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she served with devotion the food prepared for the foremost twice-born.
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Offering incomparable curd-rice, she satisfied them.
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When the foremost of twice-born had eaten and properly sipped water, the king's wife,
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having bowed down and given betel and the fee according to merit,
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having given cows, gold, garments, and ornaments with gem garlands,
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and having bowed down again, dismissed the best of the twice-born.
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Of the two sons of the foremost earthly gods, one was worshipped by her with the thought that he was Haimavatī,
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and one was worshipped with the thought that he was Mahādeva. Having made their salutations, they departed by her command.
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She, however, having forgotten her male nature, towards that very best of twice-born
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felt desire, flushed with passion, and overcome by love spoke:
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“Ah, lord, large-eyed one, handsome in every limb!
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Wait, wait! Where are you going? Do you not see me, your beloved?
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Ahead is this charming forest with great trees in full bloom;
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in it I wish to sport with you as we please.”
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Hearing what she thus said, the son of the twice-born went on ahead;
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considering it to be words spoken in jest, he kept walking as before.
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Again the young woman said: “Wait, wait! Where will you go,
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having approached to enjoy me, who am seized by unbearable love?
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Embrace me, your beloved! Let me drink your lower lip!
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I am not able to walk, afflicted as I am by the arrows of Love!”
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Hearing her [speak] such things never heard before, he became apprehensive;
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seeing her coming behind him, he was suddenly filled with amazement:
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“Who is this woman with eyes like lotus petals, with full and high breasts,
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slender-waisted, broad-hipped, and delicate as a fresh sprout?
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Has that very friend of mine truly become an excellent woman?
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Let me ask him everything.” Thinking thus, he said:
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“Why do you speak as if you are novel, friend, in form, qualities, and the like?
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You speak strange words, like an agitated, impassioned woman!
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You who know the Vedas and Purāṇas, a celibate student with senses conquered,
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the tranquil son of Sarasvatī’s progeny—how is it that you speak like this?”
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Addressed thus, she spoke again: “I am not a man, lord!
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By name I am Sāmavatī, a girl who gives you delight.
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If you have any doubt, beloved, look upon my limbs!”
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Addressed thus, he suddenly gazed upon her in private on the path.
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Seeing her with her natural chignon, adorned with hips and breasts,
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beautiful in form, he felt somewhat perturbed by desire.
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Restraining again with effort the agitation of his mind, the wise youth,
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seized with astonishment, did not reply at all for a moment.
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Sāmavatī said:
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“Has any doubt of yours gone? Then come, enjoy me!
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Behold this forest, beloved, suitable for lovemaking with another's woman!”
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Sumedhas said:
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“Do not speak thus! Do not transgress propriety like one intoxicated by passion!
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The two of us know the meaning of the scriptures; how can you speak in this way?
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Is this practice of adultery a proper duty
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worthy of the scripture you studied, of your discernment, and of your family?
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You are not a woman; you are a wise man. Know yourself by yourself!
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This misfortune was made by ourselves through how the two of us acted:
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having deceived our parents at the order of a rogue king,
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and having performed an improper deed, this fruit of it is now being reaped.
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Indeed, every improper deed destroys the welfare of men,
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since you, a learned son of a brahmin, have fallen into despised womanhood.
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A man who leaves the path and goes into the wilderness is pierced by thorns,
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or is forcibly destroyed by beasts of prey when he abandons good company.
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Therefore, resorting to discernment, come silently to your own home;
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by the grace of gods and brahmins, your womanhood will dissolve.
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Or if through the working of destiny womanhood alone should remain yours,
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given by your father, you will take pleasure with me, O fair-complexioned lady!
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Ah, what a wonder! Ah, what sorrow! Ah, the great power of sin!
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Ah, this is the power of the king, amassed through the worship of Śiva!”
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Though spoken to repeatedly by him in this way, that young woman, exceedingly distressed,
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embracing him with force, she kissed the sprout of his lower lip.
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Though thus assailed by her, the steadfast Sumedhas
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brought the new woman home with effort and related everything there.
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Hearing that, the two brahmins, enraged and frantic with grief,
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went into the presence of the king of Vidarbha along with the two youths.
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Then Sārasvata spoke to the king who had acted deceitfully:
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"O king, look upon my son, constrained by your order!
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Under the power of your command, these two performed a reprehensible deed.
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Having obtained loathsome womanhood, my son now reaps its fruit.
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Today my lineage is destroyed; my ancestors are left hopeless.
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For there is no world for a sonless man whose funeral rites such as the piṇḍa offerings are lost.
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Abandoning the crest-tuft, the sacred thread, the deer hide, the muñja girdle, the staff, the water-pot—
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the marks proper to student celibacy—he has fallen into this state.
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Abandoning the sacred thread, the Sāvitrī verse, ritual ablution, the twilight prayers, japa, and worship,
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he has attained womanhood; tell me, O ruler of the earth, what is his destiny?
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By you my lineage has been destroyed, and the path of the Vedas is destroyed for me.
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For me, who had an only son, O king, tell what will be the eternal destiny!"
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Hearing these words spoken by Sārasvata, the king
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was struck with supreme wonder at the power of Sīmantinī.
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Then, summoning all the great seers of boundless splendor
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and propitiating them, the ruler of the earth prayed for his manhood.
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They said then: "The will of Pārvatī and of Śiva,
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and the māhātmya of their devotees—who is capable of altering that?
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Then the king, taking Bharadvāja, the foremost among sages,
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accompanied by those two eminent brahmins and their sons,
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went to the abode of Ambikā, according to the instruction of Bharadvāja.
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He worshipped that goddess with severe observances at midnight.
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Thus, having completely given up food for three nights, that ruler of the earth, devoted to meditation on Pārvatī,
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pleased Gaurī, the remover of distress of the surrendered, with proper prostrations and manifold hymns of praise.
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Then, pleased with the devoted lord of the earth, that goddess
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revealed her essential form, radiant as ten million moons.
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Then Gaurī said to the king: "Speak, what is your desire?"
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He also said: "May manhood be granted to him out of compassion."
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Again the Great Goddess said: "The deed done by my devotees
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cannot be altered even in hundreds of myriads of years."
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The king said:
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"This brahmin had an only son, and his lineage is destroyed by this deed.
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How could such a man attain happiness without a son?"
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The goddess said:
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"By my grace, another excellent son will be born to him,
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endowed with learning and modesty, long-lived, and pure of heart.
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Let this girl, named Sāmavatī, daughter of that twice-born,
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become the wife of Sumedhas and be joined in the pleasures of love."
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Having spoken thus, the goddess vanished; and all of them, led by the king,
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went to their respective homes and stood firm in her command.
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That brahmin Sārasvata also, by the grace of the goddess,
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obtained in no long time a son superior to the previous son.
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And he gave that maiden Sāmavatī to that Sumedhas.
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The couple enjoyed supreme happiness for a long time.
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Sūta said:
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Thus has been recounted the power of the king's wife Sīmantinī,
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the devotee of Śiva, and the māhātmya of Śambhu has also been described.
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Furthermore, I shall briefly describe the wondrous power
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of Śiva's devotees, which is an abode of auspiciousness for the listeners.
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Thus ends the ninth chapter, titled "Description of the Power of Sīmantinī", in the Brahmottarakhaṇḍa of the third [part] of the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, in the collection of eighty-one thousand [verses].
Linked texts (1)
- Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit