Skandapurana 4.35
English (machine translation) 4.35
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4.35.1
The pot-born [Agastya] said:
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Avimukta is a great sacred field, the cause of supreme liberation,
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the highest of sacred fields, and the blessing among blessings.
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Among all cremation grounds, it is the supreme, great cremation ground;
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among sacred seats, the supreme seat; among saline tracts, the great saline ground.
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For those whose minds yearn for righteousness, it supremely produces an abundance of virtue;
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for those seeking wealth, O rider of the peacock, it reveals the highest wealth [liberation].
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It fulfills desire for the passionate, and bestows liberation upon seekers of liberation;
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wherever this is heard, supreme immortality is right there.
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Having heard this supreme account of Jñānavāpī
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situated in a single region of the sacred field, I consider this, O delighter of Gaurī's heart:
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The earth which, even an atom in size, shines in the middle of Kāśī
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is to be known as greater than the greatest; it is never fruitless for [spiritual] success.
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How many sacred fords are there not here on the entire surface of the earth?
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Yet where among them is there even equality with a grain of Kāśī's dust?
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How many rivers are there not here bringing joy to the ocean?
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Yet who could bear comparison with the heavenly river [Gaṅgā] in Kāśī?
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How many sacred fields of liberation are there not on earth, O six-faced one?
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Yet among them, oh, I consider not even a ten-millionth part of Avimukta exists.
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Where this triad—the Gaṅgā, Viśveśvara, and Kāśī—is awake,
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there the fortune of ultimate beatitude is obtained; what is wondrous about that?
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How, O Skanda, can this triad be attained unfailingly by men,
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especially in the Tiṣya [Kali] age, by those whose senses are completely restless?
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Where is such austerity in the Tiṣya age, or where is such yoga in the Tiṣya age?
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Where is observance, or where is giving? Whence, then, liberation in the Tiṣya age?
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Even without austerity, O Skanda, even without yoga, O six-faced one,
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without observances and without gifts, liberation in Kāśī has been declared by you.
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By doing what, O Skanda, can Kāśī be attained? Tell that!
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I think that without good conduct desires cannot be accomplished.
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Proper conduct is the highest virtue; proper conduct is the highest austerity;
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from proper conduct life-span increases, and from proper conduct comes the destruction of sin.
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Therefore, first expound proper conduct alone, O six-faced one;
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just as the God of gods spoke before you, so do you speak.
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Skanda said:
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O son of Mitra and Varuṇa, I shall declare the good conduct beneficial to the virtuous,
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practicing which a person constantly obtains all desires.
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Immobile beings, worms, water-born creatures, birds, beasts, and men
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are righteous in successive order; and more righteous than these, indeed, are the gods.
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The first is a thousandth part, and likewise the second in succession;
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all these are highly fortunate until they take refuge in liberation. // 19
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Even among the four kinds of beings, living creatures are exceedingly superior;
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and even among living creatures, O sage, all those who live by intelligence are best. // 4.1.35.20
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Humans are superior to intelligent beings, and brahmins are superior to them;
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the learned are superior even to brahmins, and those of resolute intellect are superior to the learned; // 21
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doers [of duty] are superior even to those of resolute intellect, and those devoted to Brahman are superior to doers;
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in the three worlds, O jar-born [Agastya], there is none other worthy of worship to them. // 22
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Indeed, they worship one another without distinction of austerity and learning.
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Since the brahmin was created by Brahmā as the lord of all beings, // 23
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therefore the brahmin deserves everything existing in the world, and no other.
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Indeed, one of good conduct is worthy of everything, not one who has fallen away from conduct;
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therefore, a brahmin should constantly be one of virtuous conduct. // 24
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That which the learned, devoid of hatred and passion, follow, O sage,
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the wise know that to be good conduct, the root of dharma. // 25
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Even if devoid of auspicious marks, a man devoted to proper conduct,
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full of faith and free from malice, may live a hundred years. // 26
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Declared by Śruti and Smṛti, in each of his own activities,
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one should unweariedly observe good conduct, the root of dharma. // 27
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A man devoted to bad conduct becomes blameworthy in the world;
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he is overcome by diseases, always short-lived, and partakes of great sorrow. // 28
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Action dependent on another should be abandoned; one's body should always be under one's own control;
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for one dependent on another is miserable, while one who is self-reliant is always happy. // 29
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That action by the doing of which the inner self is pleased,
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only that action should be performed, and never the contrary. // 4.1.35.30
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The yamas and niyamas are declared to be the primary essence of dharma;
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therefore, an effort should indeed be made regarding them by one who desires dharma. // 31
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Truthfulness, forgiveness, uprightness, meditation, benevolence, non-violence,
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self-control, serenity, sweetness, and gentleness—these are the ten yamas. // 32
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Purity, ritual ablution, austerity, charity, silence, sacrifice, study, observance,
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fasting, and sexual restraint—these are remembered as the ten niyamas. // 33
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Lust, anger, pride, delusion, envy, and greed—
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having conquered these six enemies, one becomes victorious everywhere. // 34
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Little by little he should accumulate dharma, like an ant-hill [grows],
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causing no affliction to others, as his companion for the next world. // 35
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Dharma alone can be a companion in the next world, not an entourage;
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father, mother, son, brother, wife, kinfolk, and the like [cannot]. // 36
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A living being is born alone, and likewise dies alone;
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alone he experiences good deeds, and alone he experiences evil deeds. // 37
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Abandoning on the ground the body that has met the dissolution of the five elements like a piece of wood or a clod of earth,
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relatives turn away; dharma follows him as he departs. // 38
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Therefore, the wise man should accumulate dharma as a companion for the next world;
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having obtained dharma as a companion, he crosses over the darkness that is hard to cross. // 39
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The intelligent man should always form relationships with the highest and best;
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abandoning the lowest of the low, he should lead his family to pre-eminence. // 4.1.35.40
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Associating only with the best and avoiding the low,
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a brahmin attains excellence; on failure [to do so], he does not avoid the status of a śūdra. // 41
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A brahmin who does not study, who transgresses good conduct,
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who is lazy, and who eats bad food—him the Destroyer afflicts. // 42
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Therefore, a twice-born should constantly practice good conduct with effort;
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even sacred fords desire the association of one of good conduct. // 43
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The half-watch at the end of the night is called the hour of Brahmā;
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rising at that time, the wise man should always reflect upon his own welfare. // 44
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First he should remember the elephant-faced [Gaṇeśa], then the Lord with the Mother,
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Śrīraṅga accompanied by Śrī, and the lotus-born [Brahmā] with Brahmāṇī, // 45
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all the gods beginning with Indra, the sages beginning with Vasiṣṭha,
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all the rivers beginning with Gaṅgā, all the mountains beginning with Śrīśaila, // 46
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the oceans beginning with the ocean of milk, the lakes beginning with Mānasa,
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the forests beginning with Nandana, the wish-granting cows and others, // 47
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trees beginning with the wish-granting tree, and minerals headed by gold.
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divine women headed by Urvaśī, birds beginning with Garuḍa,
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serpents headed by Śeṣa, elephants beginning with Airāvata,
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horses headed by Uccaiḥśravas, auspicious gems beginning with the Kaustubha,
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one should remember devoted wives headed by Arundhatī,
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forests such as Naimiṣa, and cities headed by the city of Kāśī;
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liṅgas beginning with Viśveśa, the Vedas headed by the Ṛgveda,
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mantras headed by the Gāyatrī, yogins beginning with Sanaka,
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the great seed-syllable beginning with the Praṇava, Vaiṣṇavas headed by Nārada,
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devotees of Śiva such as Bāṇa, those firm in vows beginning with Prahlāda,
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bountiful givers headed by Dadhīci, and kings beginning with Hariścandra.
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Having remembered the mother's feet, the highest among all sacred fords,
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and contemplating the father and teachers in his heart with a serene mind,
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he should then resort to the southwest direction to answer the call of nature.
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He should go a hundred bow-lengths from a village, and four times that from a town.
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Covering the ground with grass and wrapping his head with a cloth,
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with his sacred thread placed on his ear, facing north by day and at both twilights,
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he should discharge feces and urine in silence, facing south at night.
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Neither standing nor in water, nor facing a brahmin, a cow, fire, or the wind,
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nor on ground ploughed by a ploughshare, nor on a ground traversed by roads,
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he should not look at the directions, nor at the orb of luminaries, nor at the clear sky.
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Holding the penis with the left hand, he should carefully rise.
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Then, taking earth devoid of insects and pebbles,
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avoiding that dug up by rats, that leftover from purification, and that from an anthill,
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he should apply one portion of earth to the private part and five to the anus, with water in between;
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ten portions of earth on the left hand, and seven on both hands,
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one on each foot, and three on both hands likewise.
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Thus a householder should perform purification until the odor and coating are removed.
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This is doubled progressively for the other three [stages], beginning with studentship.
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He should perform at night half of the purification prescribed for the daytime;
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half of that during illness, and half of that on a path infested with thieves and the like;
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half of that also for women; but when in good health, one should not lessen it.
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Even with the waters of all rivers, with heaps of earth, and with cow dung,
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one who performs purification down to the feet does not obtain purity if corrupted in mind.
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The portions of earth for purification are said to be the size of a fresh myrobalan fruit;
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and all oblations are likewise, as are mouthfuls in the Cāndrāyaṇa penance.
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Facing east or facing north, well seated upon clean ground,
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[on ground] free from chaff, charcoal, bones, and ashes, he should sip water.
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With water that is unheated, free from foam, reaching the heart, without haste,
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and purified by sight, a brahmin should sip water through the brāhma sacred ford.
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A king becomes purified by water reaching the throat, and a vaiśya likewise by water reaching the palate;
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a woman and a śūdra are purified merely by touching the water to the mouth.
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With his head or throat covered, in water, or with loosened topknot,
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or having unwashed feet, even though he has sipped water, he is considered impure.
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Having drunk water three times for purification, he should then cleanse the apertures:
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with the base of the thumb he should touch both upper and lower lips twice;
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then the wise man should touch the mouth again with three fingers;
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with the tips of the forefinger and thumb, both nostrils again and again;
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with the tips of the thumb and ring finger, the eyes and ears again and again;
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by joining the little finger and thumb, he should touch the navel aperture;
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having touched the heart with the palm, he should touch the head with all fingers;
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and with the fingertips he should touch the shoulders, moistening with water everywhere.
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Even if he has sipped water, he should sip water again when an approach to a street has been made,
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after bathing, after eating, after drinking milk, and at the beginning of auspicious rites;
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after sleeping, after putting on clothing, and also after seeing an inauspicious thing;
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if he inadvertently touches an impure thing, he becomes pure by sipping water twice.
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Now, for the purification of the mouth, he should take a tooth-cleansing stick,
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since even having sipped water, one is impure without having cleansed one's teeth.
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On the first day of the lunar fortnight, the new moon, the sixth, the ninth, and on Sunday,
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contact of the teeth with wood burns the family down to the seventh generation.
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When a tooth-stick is unavailable, or on a forbidden day,
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Twelve mouthfuls [of water] should be taken for thoroughly purifying the mouth. (78)
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Having the thickness of the tip of the little finger, with bark, without knots or blemishes, straight,
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and twelve aṅgulas in length, the tooth-cleaning stick should be. (79)
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For the other castes, it is taught to decrease by one aṅgula each.
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Obtained from mango, āmrātaka, dhātrī, kaṅkola, or khadira; (80)
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produced from śamī, apāmārga, wild date, śelu, śrīparṇī, or pīlu;
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or rājādana and orange; astringent, pungent, or thorny; (81)
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or produced from a milky tree: such a tooth-cleaning stick is praised.
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One should also make an auspicious tongue-scraper in the shape of a bow. (82)
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‘Arrange yourselves for food, lest King Soma depart!’
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‘He shall wipe my mouth with glory and with fortune.’ (83)
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‘Life-span, strength, renown, radiance, offspring, cattle, and wealth,
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sacred lore, wisdom, and intellect—give these to us, O Lord of the Forest!’ (84)
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Whoever brushes his teeth having recited these two mantras,
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towards him Soma residing in the forest tree is always gracious. (85)
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Since a man becomes impure because his mouth is stale [upon waking],
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he should therefore diligently clean his teeth for the sake of purification. (86)
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Even on a day of fasting, tooth-cleaning and collyrium are not blameworthy,
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[nor are] perfumes, ornaments, clean garments, flower garlands, and anointing pastes. (87)
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He should then perform the morning twilight devotion preceded by cleaning his teeth,
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and having performed the morning ritual ablution, especially at a pure sacred ford. (88)
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Because this body is always impure, it is purified through the morning ritual ablution;
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pierced with nine apertures, it oozes day and night. (89)
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Promoting enthusiasm, intellect, good fortune, beauty, and prosperity,
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and the cause of cheerfulness of mind: the morning ritual ablution is praised. (90)
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Since a man is soiled with sweat, saliva, and the like, and overcome by sleep,
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therefore, by virtue of the morning ritual ablution, he becomes fit for mantras, hymns, silent recitation, and other rites. (91)
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The ritual ablution performed every morning just as the dawn rises,
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they say is equal to a Prājāpatya penance, destroying great sins. (92)
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The morning ritual ablution removes sin, misfortune, and fatigue;
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it takes away impurity and bad dreams, and grants contentment and vigor. (93)
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Wicked beings never approach one who bathes in the morning.
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Since its fruits are both visible and invisible, one should perform the morning ritual ablution. (94)
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In this context, I shall describe the rule of ritual ablution, O pot-born [Agastya]!
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For they say ritual ablution done according to rule is a hundred times superior to mere bathing. (95)
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Taking pure clay, kuśa grasses, sesame seeds, and cow dung,
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placing them in a pure spot, and sipping water, one should perform the ritual ablution. (96)
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Holding blades of grass, with topknot tied, he should enter the water.
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Having swirled the water in a clockwise direction with the mantra *uruṁ hi*, (97)
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and having then recited *ye te śatam* to invite the water,
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having first offered a cavity of water with the *sumitriyā naḥ* mantra,
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he should cast it in the direction of his enemy while reciting *durmitriyāḥ*. (98)
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- Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit