Śaṅkha and Likhita
The Birth and Early Life
On the banks of the Bāhudānadi River, there lived a brāhmaṇa who, along with his dharma-patnī, engaged in severe tapas. As a result of their penance, they were blessed with two sons. The first son was born with a mark resembling a śaṅkha (conch) on his hand. Therefore, they named him Śaṅkha. The second son had a unique tirorekha (forehead line), which indicated his destiny as a great ascetic, even without anyone explicitly telling him. Thus, he was named Likhita. Together, they became famous as Śaṅkha and Likhita.
The brothers grew up with mutual affection and lived a life of great dharma. They completed their study of all Veda-s and Śāstra-s, and after serving their parents for some time, approached them and requested permission to undertake penance for attaining jñāna. With their parents’ blessings, they went further upstream of Bāhudānadi, built separate āśrama-s, and began practicing brahmacarya, dedicating themselves to austerities. Their way of life reminded those who saw them of Nara-Nārāyaṇa in Badarikāśrama. They discussed dharma, shared their experiences for the sake of satya-anveṣaṇa (truth-seeking), and supported each other, before returning to individual contemplation. They never spoke asatya (falsehood), not even in jest. Adharma was not even imagined by them. Their radiance made them seem like the Aśvinī Deva-s themselves.
Dilemma for Dharma
One day, Likhita visited his elder brother Śaṅkha’s āśrama. Śaṅkha was not present. There were numerous fruit-bearing trees in the āśrama, and among them was a mango tree with ripe, fragrant fruits. Feeling hungry, Likhita plucked two mangoes and ate them. After washing his hands, he greeted his brother when he returned. Śaṅkha welcomed him warmly but asked, “When did you come, dear brother? And from where did you get the fruits you are eating?” Likhita replied honestly, “I came a while ago. While waiting for you, I saw these ripe mangoes. Feeling hungry, I plucked and ate two of them.”
Śaṅkha was distressed, not because his brother ate his fruits, but because adharma had been committed.
He said, “This is adharma, dear brother. You should have sought my permission before partaking of the fruits in my āśrama. This action brings you doṣa. I am not grieved for my loss but for your transgression. After committing adharma, how can we teach dharma to others? Many will come to us for guidance. If we don’t cleanse this blemish now, Yama’s punishment awaits us after death.” Realizing his mistake, Likhita fell at his brother’s feet and requested forgiveness.
Likhita said, “Please purify me by assigning me a punishment. I will accept it gladly.”
Śaṅkha replied, “I do not have the authority to punish you. The king is responsible for punishment. Go to Sudyumna, the ruler of this land, and seek his judgement.”
Immediately, Likhita went to the king’s court. When the king learned of his arrival, he respectfully received him, offered him arghya-pādya, and asked, “Mahātmā! What brings you here?”
Likhita replied, “If I ask you for something, will you grant it?”
The king said, “I swear upon the Sūrya that I will give whatever you ask.”
Then Likhita said, “I committed adharma by eating fruits from my brother’s āśrama without his permission. Please punish me, for not punishing a wrongdoer would be your own lapse of rāja-dharma.”
The king was distraught. How could he punish a revered sage like Likhita? Yet, Likhita insisted, saying, “Delay in punishing known transgression is itself adharma, even if the wrongdoer is exalted.”
Finally, the king said, “In my kingdom, the punishment for theft is the severing of hands. I cannot set two standards of justice—one for others, and another for you. I am grieved, but I must follow my own law.”
With that, the king ordered Likhita’s hands to be severed. Likhita accepted the punishment with ānanda, knowing his pāpa had been washed away. Likhita returned to Śaṅkha and said joyfully, “Brother, I have received my punishment and am now purified. Please bless me.” Śaṅkha embraced him with love. Though pleased at his brother’s purification, he grieved over the loss of his hands. “Even the greatest sage, if he commits a wrong, must accept punishment. This is the way of dharma.” At sandhyā-kāla, when it was time to offer arghya, Likhita felt sorrowful as he had no hands. His grief, however, was only for the inability to perform dharma, not for personal loss. He went to the river for his snāna (ritual bath), and as he emerged, his hands had been miraculously restored. His sorrow dissolved, and he was made whole again by divine grace.
Teachings and contributions to Dharma Śāstra
Śaṅkha and Likhita Maharṣis teach that:
- Dharma must be upheld at all costs.
- Even great sages are subject to dharma and must not be partial to themselves.
- Punishment, when accepted willingly, purifies the soul and preserves social order.
This event is often recounted in the Dharmaśāstra tradition as a supreme example of dharma-niṣṭhā, truthfulness, and justice. Śaṅkha and Likhita Maharṣis are remembered not only for their unwavering dharma-jīvana but also for their immense contribution to Smṛti literature. Both brothers became revered Smṛti-kartṛ-s (authors of codes of conduct), setting forth guidelines for righteous living.
Their collective work includes four major Smṛtis:
- Laghu Śaṅkha Smṛti
- Śaṅkha Smṛti
- Likhita Smṛti
- Śaṅkha-Likhita Smṛti
These texts are pillars of dharma-śāstra, focusing on sadācāra, righteous duties, and ethical life.
Laghu Śaṅkha Smṛti
The Laghu Śaṅkha Smṛti addresses topics such as the fruits of iṣṭa-pūrta karma-s, the merits of bathing in the Gaṅgā, and the rituals of sapindīkaraṇa and śrāddha. It describes the procedures for ancestral rites and the path to svarga-prāpti (attainment of heaven).
Śaṅkha Smṛti
The Śaṅkha Smṛti elaborates on the karmic duties of brāhmaṇas, their saṃskāra-s, and ācāra-s associated with brahmacarya. It prescribes the methods of vivāha saṃskāra, details the pañcamahāyajña-s, and praises the gṛhastha-āśrama.
The text provides instructions on:
- Hospitality to guests (atithi satkāra)
- Duties of vānaprastha and sannyāsa
- The practice of prāṇāyāma, dhāraṇā, and dhyāna-yoga
- The proper performance of nitya and naimittika snāna
- Procedures of ācāmana, aghamarṣaṇa, gāyatrī japa, tarpana, and śrāddha
- Guidelines for janana-maraṇa śauca (rites related to birth and death)
- Dravya-śuddhi (purification of substances)
- Mṛṇmaya-pātra śuddhi (purification of clay vessels)
- Various vrata-s including aghamarṣaṇa, parāka, vāruṇa, kṛcchra, atikṛcchra, and sāntapana
The Teachings of Likhita Smṛti
The Likhita Smṛti focuses specifically on the procedures of ṣoḍaśa-śrāddha, udaka-pradāna, and agni-sthāna. It describes aputra-yoddhiṣṭa śrāddha—the ancestral rites performed for one who has no progeny. Among the followers of Śukla Yajurveda, particularly the Vājaseyani-s, these texts are held in high esteem. The Tantra Vācakam mentions the special reverence given to the Śaṅkha-Likhita Dharmaśāstra.
Legacy
Yājñavalkya frequently cited the Śaṅkha-Likhita Smṛti in his works. In the Parāśara Dharmaśāstra, it is stated that in the sequence of yugas, the authoritative Smṛtis are:
- In Kṛta Yuga: Manu Smṛti
- In Tretā Yuga: Gautama Smṛti
- In Dvāpara Yuga: Śaṅkha-Likhita Smṛti
- In Kali Yuga: Parāśara Smṛti
This illustrates the profound impact of Śaṅkha and Likhita’s teachings, especially during the Dvāpara Yuga.
The Bāhudānadi River, near which Śaṅkha and Likhita performed their tapas, is located in northern India. In modern times, this river is identified near Himachal Pradesh, flowing as a tributary of the Tapati River. In the Purāṇa-s, the Bāhudānadi and Tapati River are mentioned together, described as sister rivers flowing one after another. These rivers are said to have once been part of the great Sarasvatī River system, which flowed extensively across Āryāvarta before becoming antarhita (hidden).
Śaṅkha and Likhita Maharṣis remain celebrated as dharma-kartṛ-s, smṛti-kartṛ-s, and tapasvins who lived a life of supreme sādācāra. Their legacy is not merely textual but also moral, reminding generations of the inseparable bond between jñāna, kārya, and dharma.
Their teachings continue to guide practitioners of Vaidika Dharma, standing as luminous examples of righteousness, discipline, and self-purification.