Chapter 75 - Vaḍaleśvara (vaḍala-īśvara-liṅga)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Note: Vaḍala was son of Maṇibhadra, a friend of Kubera. Vaḍala enjoyed himself in the special pond reserved for Kubera. For this offence, Maṇibhadra cursed his son to be blind, deaf and lame. When Vaḍala fell on the earth in the accursed condition, Maṇibhadra came there and took his son to this Liṅga. Vaḍala was immediately absolved of the effects of the curse and went to heaven with his father. The Liṅga became known as Vaḍaleśvara after Vaḍala’s name.

Īśvara said:

1. O goddess, know that the Liṅga named Vaḍaleśvara is the seventy-fifth deity that destroys sins. It is the bestower of desires on men merely through a visit to it.

2-9. There was a friend of Kubera named Maṇibhadra, O goddess. His son named Vaḍala was ruthlessly bad-tempered, powerfully influenced by jealousy. Though handsome, he was always lustful, ever inebriate and very powerful.

Once he went to a beautiful lotus-pond of Dhanada (Kubera). It had been specially constructed as a secret spot for amorous dalliance. It was covered with flowers and embellished with diamonds and lapis lazulis. Corals and pearls covered it. There was plenty of shade everywhere and golden lotuses beautified it extremely. It was very near the palace of Kubera who liked it much. The noble-souled Rājarāja Kubera used it as his special spot of recreation. Sword-wielding Rākṣasas and Kinnaras always guarded it.

On seeing it, Vaḍala was delighted excessively. Accompanied by his wife, he sported about in a secret charming spot. Under the influence of Anaṅga (god of Love) he diverted himself through amorous sports (Ramaṇaka Yoga). A hundred-thousand heroic Rākṣasas, experts in battle, guarded it with all types of weapons readily kept for use.

10-20. The guards saw Maṇibhadra’s son Vaḍala and understood that he had come there for amorous dalliance. Various edibles had been stuffed into his mouth. He had beautified himself with the application of divine sandal-paste. His face had a divine lustre, with the teeth resembling the inner core of a Ketakī flower. He had a mighty figure with a sword kept tied at his waist for fighting in case of emergency. He was seated on a couch in an elated, inebriated condition. Having understood his intention, they protested: “O warrior, it does not behove you to go along this path in the company of your wife. This is the sport-resort of Kubera, the noble-souled Dhanada (bestower of wealth). Devas, celestial sages, Yakṣas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras etc. seek the permission of the chief of Yakṣas and only then do they sport about or play here. Without the special permission, no one can sport about here for long, whether he be his brother, minister, friend or even son. If anyone disregards Dhaneśvara and arrogantly indulges himself in sports, he will undoubtedly perish.”

Thus Vaḍala was restrained by the terrible Rākṣasas. They began threatening him angrily, “Do not do so,” and surrounded him. The Yakṣa of powerful exploits disregarded those Rākṣasas. The highly refulgent one forcibly entered the precincts though all of them tried to stop him once again, shouting, “Seize him. Bind him. Cut him. We shall drink and gulp him because he is devoid of good behaviour.” They raised their arms and rushed at him quickly, with eyes rolling round. Thereupon he lifted up his big, gold-plated dub. It resembled the staff of Yama. He rapidly rushed at them and said, “Stop! Stop!”

21-32. On seeing his vigour and prowess, power of learning and might of arms and being unable to endure it, those warriors who were hit by him suddenly turned away in a body. They were followed and hit again by the Yakṣa youth. On being split and pierced, they lost their senses and rose up in the sky. Then the guards who were afflicted and defeated by the Yakṣa rushed to the peaks of Kailāśa.

Like Śakra who defeated groups of Daityas and Dānayas, he valiantly defeated them. The son of the Yakṣa, who had been tormented with love, entered the lotus pond. The powerful Yakṣa began to sport about as he pleased.

The guards who were thus routed by Vaḍala collected together and went to Dhaneśvara in great fear and duly recounted to him the courage and great prowess of the Yakṣa in battle. On hearing their words, the renowned Maṇibhadra cursed his dear son Vaḍala out of deference for his Lord: “The lotus-pond is highly favoured and esteemed by Kubera and so is like a mother unto the boy Vaḍala. But he enjoyed himself in that beautiful pond. So let this son of mine be deprived of all pleasures. He will become lame, blind, deaf and distressed. He will fall a prey unto the consumptive disease.”

On being cursed thus, Vaḍala was deprived of pleasures. He fell down on the earth and there became afflicted with tuberculosis. He could not move about. Afflicted by the curse of his father, he became blind and deaf. He immediately began to reflect: “This curse is very mysterious. By whom was I cursed suddenly? Even as I was alive, I have taken another birth. I am a pet of my father Maṇibhadra; why have I been cursed by him? I am his youthful son, bold and capable of defeating enemies. Blessed indeed is Maṇibhadra, my father, by whom his own son was cursed and thrown down on the earth due to his loyalty to his Lord.”

33-43. Vaḍala continued: “I am fortunate due to the Lord. To those who sustain themselves by means of the food granted by the Lord, death should be pleasant like a festival. My actions of my past life have been accumulated for a long time. I have unjustly been acting as I pleased. Hence I have become a victim of the curse. Certainly I will fall into hell.”

Even as Vaḍala was lamenting thus, O lady of excellent countenance, the powerful Maṇibhadra came to that place and saw his son afflicted by pulmonary consumption and rendered lame and blind. He was sighing in his distressed state and was lamenting again and again. Yakṣa Maṇibhadra too was very sad. He said to his son: “Dear son, I have been a bad father because you have been cursed out of my deference to the Lord. The lotus-pond, the highly prized beautiful lotus-pond of Dhanada, was resorted to by you as you were afflicted with love. The leading Rākṣasas (Guards) were killed. Hence, my son, you have been cursed by me. It cannot become untrue. The Lord (employer) is our deity; the Lord is our master; the Lord is our mother; and the Lord is our father. He who forsakes his dear life in a battle for the sake of the master, goes to the highest region, the eternal Brahmaloka. This curse cannot be nullified by Mantras, Auṣadhas (medicines), Vratas, Dānas or observances. Hence do as I say. I have heard, in the world of Śakra, the Purāṇa glorified by Skanḍa as he was explaining it to Nārada in the presence of the Devas. The power of Mahākālavana was extolled by him. There is a great Liṅga in this holy spot to the south of Svargadvāra. It suppresses all ailments and it bestows handsome features and conjugal felicity. I shall take you there by means of a swift aerial chariot.”

44-57. After saying this, Maṇibhadra brought his son to the place where the Lord of Devas was present to the south of Svargadvāra. By touching that Liṅga, he (Vaḍala) became handsome and powerful. He regained his sight and he was able to walk well and hear clearly in an instant. O Pārvatī, on seeing that great miracle, Maṇibhadra became delighted. He named the deity after the name of his son. “By the power of this Liṅga Vaḍala regained his vision. Hence this deity will be named Vaḍaleśvara from today. It will become well-known in all the three worlds as the bestower of eyes. Those who adore the deity named Vaḍaleśvara, the Liṅga well-known in all the worlds, will attain their desire. On being seen, it will dispel sins; on being touched, it will bestow a kingdom; on being adored with devotional fervour, it will undoubtedly grant salvation. The twelfth day in the bright half of the month of Kārttika is auspicious. Devotees who worship Vaḍaleśvara on that day and offer gifts always, will attain the greatest region. It is as though they have performed penance in Prayāga, Prabhāsa and the confluence of Gaṅgā and the ocean. They will undoubtedly become liberated. They will never have the ordeal of being in the womb. They will get all happiness. They will become Gāṇapatyas (leaders of Gaṇas) and great favourities of Śaṅkara. By visiting Vaḍaleśvara, men become richly endowed with handsome features and conjugal felicity. They will have sons and grandsons. If the ordeal of remaining in the womb and experiencing great pain is not liked, then the devotee should fervently adore the deity Vaḍaleśvara. Without the Liṅga there is no Siddhi; the great region is difficult to attain; the goal of Svarga cannot be attained until the Liṅga is adored. Siddhi is inaccessible to those who are negligent in the adoration of the Liṅga. My son attained his desire only through the Liṅga.” After saying thus, Maṇibhadra went to his own abode, accompanied by his son, where Lord Kubera was present.

58. Thus, O goddess, the sin-destroying power of Vaḍaleśvara Deva has been recounted to you. Now listen to that of Aruṇeśvara.