Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.2060

c9.2060

A son named Sukumāra was born to the Brahmin manager of the king of Kuñjara, a kingdom on the banks of river Sindhu. The boy grew up to be an immoral fellow and he married a Caṇḍāla girl with whom he lived for seven years. Five daughters and two sons were born to him of the Caṇḍāla woman. The father, Sukumāra, himself married the daughters. One day he, in the course of his search for a flower to be worn on the hair of the Caṇḍāla woman, came near the Śiva temple called Nāgeśvara. A Śivarātri festival was being celebrated that day and Sukumāra, participated in it. Shortly afterwards Sukumāra died. Messengers of Kāla and Śiva arrived to carry off his soul and a battle ensued between the two for the soul. His soul attained Śivaloka as he had, though by accident, participated in Śivarātri festival.