Part 14: Story of the goat

In Kāśipurī there were two women ascetics, Subhadrā and Sulasā, sisters, who were expert in the Vedas and Vedāṅgas. At that time many disputants had been defeated by them and one day an ascetic, Yājṭavalkya, came for the purpose of debate. “The one who is defeated shall become the servant of the winner.” Sulasā made this promise, was defeated by him, and was made a slave. Yājṭavalkya had his youth renewed by Sulasā, youthful, who served him, and he became submissive to Kāma. Living not far from the city he sported with her daily and she bore a son to the Tridaṇḍin Yājṭavalkya. Fearing the people’s ridicule, Sulasā and Yājṭavalkya abandoned their son under a pippal and fled.

When Subhadrā learned that, she went and got the infant who was eating a fruit of the pippal which had fallen into his mouth of its own accord. For that reason she named him ‘Pippalāda’; reared him carefully, and taught him the Vedas, et cetera. Being very intelligent, very learned, he became intolerant of the pride of disputants.

Sulasā and Yājṭavalkya came to debate with him. He defeated them both in debate and, when he learned that they were his own parents, he became exceedingly angry at the thought, “I was abandoned by them.” He established firmly sacrifices, the mātṛmedha, pitṛmedha,^[1] et cetera and killed his parents in the pitṛmedha and mātṛmedha.

At that time I was a disciple of Pippalāda, Vāgbali by name, and I went to a terrible hell, because I had sacrificed animals, et cetera. After getting out of hell, I was born an animal five times and was killed by cruel Brahmans in a sacrifice again and again. Then I was born as a goat in Taṅkaṇa and, after having religion taught me by this Cārudatta and being killed by Rudra, I went to Saudharma. Hence Cārudatta, an ocean of compassion, is my teacher of religion and homage was paid to him first. I did not transgress the proper order.’

Thus informed by the god, they said, ‘He saved our father’s life as well as helped you.’ The god then said to me, ‘Speak, blameless Cārudatta. What earthly reward can I make you?’ I told the god, ‘Come at the right time,’ and he departed.

I was brought to Śivamandira by the two Khecaras. I remained there, treated with respect by them and their mother; and honored to a very high degree by Khecaras, their relatives. They showed me this Gandharvasenā, their sister, and said, ‘When our father took the vow, he instructed us: “An astrologer predicted that Prince Vasudeva would marry your sister, after defeating her in the arts. Hence, entrust her to my brother, Cārudatta, an earth-dweller, that Vasudeva, an earth-dweller, may marry her happily.” Take her as your own daughter and go.’

Just as I was leaving, after these instructions from them, the god came. The god, the two Khecaras and other Khecaras, their adherents, brought me here easily in the aerial car without delay. After giving me crores and crores of gold, rubies, and pearls, the god and the chiefs of the Vidyādharas went to their own places.

The next morning I saw my maternal uncle, Sarvārtha, my wife, Mitravatī and the courtesan Vasantasenā, whose hair was arranged in a braid down her back.^[2] Now that Gandharvasenā’s lineage has been narrated to you, Vasudeva, do not scorn her with the idea, ‘She is a merchant’s daughter.’”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

I have still found no explanation for Hemacandra’s accusation  of killing in the mātṛmedha and pitṛmedha. See IV, p. 149, n. 121; Appendix I.

[2]:

I.e., she wore her hair as if she were a widow.