Chapter 168 - Vārtraghnī-saṅgama-tīrtha

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Mahādeva said:

1-4. Thence, O great goddess, a man should go where Vārtraghnī has joined Sābhramatī and where Śakra got a contact with that auspicious one. Men with their minds controlled bathe there. A man, bathing there, would obtain that fruit which is that of ten horse-sacrifices. A man who performs a śrāddha there, (and offers) piṇḍas of powdered sesamum, purifies seven preceding and seven succeeding generations. A man after bathing at the confluence and worshipping Gaṇanāyaka, is not overcome by dangers, and is not abandoned by glory.

Pārvatī said:

5-6. Please tell (me), to commence which mission Indra had come to this world from heaven; so also what is the etymological explanation (of the name of) the river Vārtraghnī. Tell me also about the confluence which continuously makes the city of Indra full of the sound (made) by gods and brāhmaṇas.

Mahādeva said:

7-15. In this world, this question had come in old days. There was a great, righteous, well-known king Yudhiṣṭhira. He asked righteous Bhīṣma who was but knowledge incarnate. I shall tell you what he had said, O goddess. The thrilling war between Vṛtra and Indra took place for ten thousand and ten hundred years. Then, Indra who was defeated, entered into an agreement with Vṛtra and abandoned the proceeding, and sought my shelter, O innocent one. On the auspicious confluence of Vārtraghnī (with Sābhramatī), he pleased Śaṅkara (i.e. me), O goddess. I then appeared to him in the sky. From the ash that fell from my body on the bank of Kāśyapī, a Phallus named Bhasmagātra was fashioned. Brahmā has installed Bhūteśvara, Bhasmagātra. Merely by its sight, (the sin of) a brāhmaṇa’s murder would perish. Having performed a śrāddha there (a man) gets freed from all sins in the (various) ages. Then I was very much pleased with the veay noble Indra. (I said to him:) “O god, I shall give you all that you desire. By means of this thunderbolt you will quickly kill Vṛtra.”

Indra said:

16-20. O best god, in your very presence I shall kill the unconquerable son of Diti, by your grace.

Saying so, Indra went to (i.e. marched against) the demon. At that time drums sounded, especially in the army of gods. Tabors, small drums, kettle-drums, musical instruments (were sounded) in many ways. All the demons had a great longing for existence. In a moment Indra became powerful. Seeing him intent (on killing Vṛtra) the sages and serpents praised Indra, the lord, with the praise: “Be victorious, be victorious.” The form of that Indra going near (Vṛtra), desiring to fight, and being praised by the sages, was quite unbearable.

Mahādeva said:

21-37a. O goddess, hear from me the marks that suddenly appeared in Indra’s body in the battle. He was fearful with his mouth blazing; there was great paleness; his body was much trembling; his breath became hot. There was severe horripilation; breathing was heavy. Very fearful meteors fell; and vultures, hawks, herons crying fearfully, came near him, and revolved like a wheel round him. Then that Indra, mounted upon an elephant, came there. Indra, with his hand holding the thunderbolt raised, approached the demon. That lord of gods gave out a superhuman cry. Indra dropped the thunderbolt on the demon Vṛtra who was exerting. The thunderbolt was great, very bright and resembled the destructive fire at the end of the world. Indra knocked down Vṛtra on the shore of the ocean. Then all around there was a great sound; Seeing Vṛtra fearful to all gods killed, a large shower of flowers fell on Indra’s head. Then the lord, having killed the fearful lord of demons, being praised and accompanied by gods, entered his capital. Then from Vṛtra’s body an excellent lustre came out. It was Brahmahatyā (i.e. the embodied form of the sin due to a brāhmaṇa’s murder), that was very fierce, fearful and scaring the worlds. Her face was terribly deformed, black and tawny. She wore a string of skulls, was very emaciated, O daughter of the (Himālaya) Mountain. She was smeared with blood, most sinful, smelling like fish, and very dreadful. O great goddess, O best goddess, having moved out, she having a form like that and fearful, then looked for Indra. Running out, she, on seeing the very lustrous Indra seized him by his neck, and clung to it at that time. Confounded due to the fear caused by that Brahmahatyā he hid in a lotus-fibre, and remained there for many hosts of years. Seized by her, he became motionless, O goddess. Indra tried to destroy her. (But), O great goddess, he was not able to destroy her.

37b-42. Due to being seized by her, Indra, reduced to an undesirable form, went to Brahmā, and worshipped him with his head (bent down). Knowing that Indra was seized due to the sin of the murder of an excellent brāhmaṇa (viz. Vṛtra), Brahmā then thought, O best goddess. She, thinking of Brahmā, approached Brahmā and spoke (these) words to him: “O revered god, O you who cut off the pride (of the arrogant), I have approached you. Please tell me what I should do, O god.” “O young lady, release this king of gods. Do what is dear to me. Tell me, what I should do for you today. What desire do you have?”

Hatyā said:

43. O best man, by your words, I shall go away from Indra. O god of gods, salutation to you. Give me an abode. You,desiring the preservation of the worlds, have set this limit.

Mahādeva said:

44-45. Having promised that Hatyā like that, the grandsire thought of a means to remove Indra’s sin due to a brāhmaṇa’s murder. Then calling Fire, Brahmā spoke (these) words: “O Jātavedas, accept the fourth portion of (the sin due to) a brāhmaṇa’s murder.”

Agni (Fire) said:

46. O lord, what is the cause of my release, when this murder of a brāhmaṇa is done? I like to know this properly (from you), O you who are worshipped by the worlds.

Brahmā said:

47-53. Brahmahatyā will just then abandon you, and shall live in that man who, finding you blazing, does not offer into you seeds, herbs, sesamum-seeds, roots, sacred fuel and darbhas. O Havyavāha, let your mental torment go away.

Then Fire accepted it, and the revered grandsire obtained what was dear to him. O noble one, then having called trees, herbs, grass the grandsire started speaking (words of) this import: Then the trees, herbs, grass somehow said: “All right.” They, afflicted like Fire, spoke (these) words to Brahma: “We being told about Brahmahatyā are naturally killed. Therefore, please do not kill us again. O god, we always suffer fire, cold, rain urged by wind, so also being cut and broken.”

Brahmā said:

54. This (Brahmahatyā) will go after the man who will cut or break you without any reason.

Mahādeva said:

55-57. Then the noble, great herbs and grass said, ‘Yes’, and after worshipping Brahmā also, they went as they had come. O best one, then the grandsire, having called the celestial nymphs, and comforting them with sweet words said (to them): “O you excellent ladies, this Brahmahatyā has come from Vṛtra. Accept her fourth portion as told by me.”

The celestial nymphs said:

58. O grandsire, the time of the release of us who, by your order, have decided to take (the fourth portion of Brahmahatyā), should be thought about.

The granndsire said:

59. She will quickly come to the man who copulates with women in their menses. Let your mental torment go away quickly.

Mahādeva said:

60-63. O daughter of the (Himālaya) Mountain, the bevies of the celestial nymphs, with their minds delighted, then said, “All right”, went to their respective places, and rejoiced. Then the grandsire, the god—the author of the worlds—thought of waters, and they arrived. O goddess, all of them, having come to Brahmā, of unlimited lustre, and having saluted the grandsire, said (these) words: “O god, O you who curb your enemies, O lord of gods, here we have come by your order. So order us what to do.”

Brahmā said:

64. This dreadful Brahmahatyā has come to Indra from Vṛtra. Accept the fourth portion of her.

The waters said:

65-66. O lord of the worlds, let it be as you say. You will please think about the time of our release. O lord of gods, you are the highest recourse of the entire world. Which favour from others can there be, that will emancipate us from peril?

Brahmā said:

67-68. She will quickly go to that man and stay in him only, who having a small mind, and with his intellect deluded, will throw phlegm, urine and feces into you. Then you will be liberated. I am telling you this truth.

Mahādeva said:

69-71 Then, O chief goddess, Brahmahatyā left the lord of gods, and went (away). The lord of gods became very much delighted due to the direction of the god (i.e. Brahmā). In the former age, Indra met (i.e. faced) Bramahatyā. Having practised penance here, and with his mind purified, he went to heaven. Then having performed a horse-sacrifice, he became sinless. O daughter of the (Himālaya) Mountain, such is (the importance of) Vārtraghnī at the holy place (on the bank) of Sābhramatī.