Skandapurana 5.97

English (machine translation) 5.97

Language: English

5.97.1

Sūta said:
From that time onwards, O twice-born, the Slow-moving One does not pierce
the cart of Rohiṇī, in accordance with the word of that King Daśaratha.

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Having heard that account of his, Śakra was exceedingly delighted;
approaching that ruler of the earth, he then said with respect:

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"A most wondrous deed has been accomplished by you, O lord of the earth,
one that cannot even be conceived in mind by anyone else.

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For this very reason, great satisfaction has arisen in me towards you today;
receive a boon today from me, whatever desire resides in your heart."

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The king said:
"I pray for friendship with you, O best among the gods,
a supreme, eternal friendship standing in the world in all undertakings."

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Indra said:
"Let it be so, O king of kings; always with you my
friendship will ever be established, eternal like that with Vasu.

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You must always come beside me into the assembly in the presence of the gods,
especially so that our friendship may flourish."

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Having spoken thus, the Thousand-Eyed One went to his celestial abode;
the king also, filled with joy, returned to his own palace,

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having protected the entire world from the fear caused by Śanaiścara,
having attained unobtainable renown, being praised by bards.

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From that time onwards, daily when the time of twilight arrived,
having performed the evening rites, he would go to the palace of Śakra.

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Staying there for a long time, having listened to the enchanting song
of the Gandharvas and seen their auspicious dance performed with musical notes and rhythm,

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having heard stories of wondrous meaning issuing from the mouths of the celestial seers,
and having himself related [stories], he would depart for his own palace,

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having mounted an excellent aerial chariot resounded with geese and peacocks,
and adorned all around with charming banners.

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Whenever he departed from the abode of Śakra to his own home,
every time a sprinkling of water was performed on his seat,

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by order of Śakra. The king did not know of it in any way.
On another day, Nārada, the best of sages,

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having come to his very house on the occasion of a pilgrimage to sacred fords,
told the royal seer that entire story concerning the sprinkling, in order to increase animosity.

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Having heard that spoken by Nārada, though trustworthy, the king
did not entertain ill-feeling in his heart, reflecting upon himself.

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Nevertheless, seized with curiosity, having gone to the dwelling of Śakra
on another day and remained there for a long time, he stood up.

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Standing far away, having reached another room, full of curiosity,
he watched his seat invisibly.

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Then, by Śakra's command, a servant of the gods stood up / and sprinkled water upon that seat of the earthly king.

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Seeing that, the king, filled with anger, approached Vāsava / and said: "What is this, Śakra, that my seat is sprinkled?

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Were brahmins killed by me? Or was any royal edict / originating from a brahmin violated? Or were brahmins reviled?

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Or did I flee in battle upon seeing enemies arrive? / Or was servile pleading spoken to them by a mind trembling with fear?

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Or in my realm, Śakra, is a weak person oppressed by stronger ones, / or robbed by thieves and the like, as well as by cheats?

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Or does corruption of wombs occur in my realm, / or a confusion of castes, abandoning the sequence of prescribed rules?

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Or, on the word of a wicked person, is one free of fault falsely accused / and punished by anyone in my realm, lord of the thirty [gods]?

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Or is a thief or sinner, caught in personal fault, / released out of greed for wealth, or any other despicable person?

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Did I perhaps abandon someone who took refuge here, / trembling with fear, while I myself was terrified for my life, lord of the thirty [gods]?

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Or whose flesh from the back have I ever eaten [by slandering]? / Did I, ruler of the thirty [gods], especially [eat] that of a brahmin?

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Or having given a gift to a noble brahmin, / did I regret it afterwards, or neglect what was given?

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Or in my realm, do the tears of the wretched, / of the afflicted, fall day and night on every side?

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Or does a rite for the gods or for the ancestors in my house, / king of the gods, suffer neglect, or is it performed contrary to rule?

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Since this sprinkling of my seat with water is constantly done by you, / tell me quickly what sin was committed by me!"

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Indra said: / "O great king, there is no sin in your body, / nor in your kingdom, family, house, and especially in your attendants.

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Listen further, however, and I shall tell you what sin will be yours; / because of that, your seat is always sprinkled.

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A childless man has no [good] destiny, nor does he attain heaven, / a man who is ever bound by debt to the ancestors, O king.

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He incurs the hatred of the gods, and especially of the ancestors. / When a man gazes upon the face of a son, O king,

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he certainly attains freedom from debt to the ancestors then. / You have not at all attained that freedom from debt which I have stated,

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the [debt] to the ancestors; therefore sprinkling was constantly done on your seat. / Therefore strive for a son, if you desire the highest state,

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and to protect yourself from the hell called 'Put', O king." / Thus addressed by Śakra at that time, King Daśaratha,

seized by great grief, stood with head bowed down in shame. / Then, bidding farewell to the thousand-eyed [Indra] and going to his own city Ayodhyā, / he quickly entrusted his kingdom to his ministers.

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Then he said to them all: "Austerity must now be undertaken by me / until the attainment of a son—just so long, without doubt.

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This kingdom must be diligently protected according to rule / by you, at my word, until my return."

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The ministers said: / "This is fitting, O great king, that an effort is made / for the sake of a son. For one without a son, what use is a kingdom or wealth?

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We shall maintain protection over your kingdom everywhere; / attaining peace of mind, perform austerity for the sake of a son,

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having gone to Kārtikeyapura, where formerly by your father / austerity was performed, so that the perfection desired by his heart was attained."

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Thus ends the ninety-seventh chapter, named 'Description of the Undertaking of Austerity by Daśaratha', in the Māhātmya of the Holy Hāṭakeśvara Field in the Nāgarakhaṇḍa, the sixth [part] of the Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, in the collection of eighty-one thousand [verses].

Linked texts (1)

Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit