Chapter 52 - The Story of Dīrghatapas

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Īśvara said:

1-10. O king, I shall narrate another story that happened long ago. A sage of great austerities went to heaven along with his family.

Uttānapāda said:

How did the Brāhmaṇa, the great sage, go to heaven along with his family? O Lord, I am very much eager to know. Kindly tell me, O Lord.

Īśvara said:

Formerly there was a king of Kāśī well known as Citrasena. He was a brave warrior, a liberal donor and highly righteous. He had realised all his desires and he possessed great wealth.

The city was well-populated. It was full of different kinds of gems. It was situated on the banks of Gaṅgā and was well-known as Vārāṇasī.

It resembled the autumnal moon in splendour. It was well-adorned by learned men. Indrayaṣṭis (Flag-staff of Indra) were seen all over it. It was full of cows and cowherd colonies. There were many banners (fluttering over it). It reverberated with sounds of Vedic recitation. Various kinds of merchants engaged themselves in buying and selling. It was rendered resplendent by mechanical devices, well laid streets and many other lofty towers. Temples of divine features and majestic hermitages abounded there. It was beautified with trees, jack-fruit trees, Bakulas, Tālas, Aśokas, Amrakas, Rājavṛkṣas, Kapitthas and Dāḍimas. Auspicious chants of Vedic recitations sanctified everything. It was beautiful with many varieties of fruits and flowers. It was embellished with clusters of Kadalī (plantain) trees.

On the northern side of that city there was a splendid hermitage. It is well-known in all the three worlds by the name Mandāravana.

11-17. It contained many Mandāra trees. Hence it came to be known by the name Mandāraka.

A Brāhmaṇa named Dīrghatapas lived there. In view of his prolonged severe austerities, he is remembered as Dīrghatapas. He resided there along with his wife, sons and daughters-in-law. His five sons always served him diligently. His youngest son Ṛkṣaśṛṅga was also a man of great austerities, richly endowed with Vedic study, celibate and endowed with good qualities. He always practised Yoga and took in bulbous roots, roots and fruits. He used to assume the form of a deer and move among the herds of deer. Everyday in the evening he used to come back to his parents. With great devotion, the son of the sage made obeisance to them and went again to forests and mountain caves. Thus the son of the sage sported about with young fawns everyday. Once by chance that Ṛkṣaśṛṅga passed away.