Kīrtiman and the Empty Narakas

This is the account of Kīrtiman, a king of Kāśī, and of what happened when his whole kingdom kept the Vaiśākha observance. The narakas (hells) became empty and Yama had no work left to do. Bhagavān Vishṇu then gave an answer that is among the best known in the Vaishṇava Purāṇas. It is told in the Vaiśākha Māsa Māhātmya of the Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa of the Skanda Mahā Purāṇa.

Kīrtiman’s royal proclamation

Kīrtiman was the son of king Nṛga of Kāśī. He belonged to the Ikshvāku line, the solar line of kings, and he was a sincere Vaishṇava bhakta (devotee).

Through the company of Vasishṭha’s disciples he learned of the great puṇya (merit) of the Vaiśākha observance. It includes the holy bath, gifts to those in need, listening to the Vishṇu-kathā (accounts of Bhagavān Vishṇu) and the special tithis (lunar days). Kīrtiman was so moved that he decided not only to keep Vaiśākha himself but to see that every person in his kingdom kept it.

He made a royal proclamation, backed by the full force of the king’s law. Every citizen was required to take the early-morning Vaiśākha bath, to give the gifts laid down and to listen to the Vishṇu-kathā. This applied to brāhmaṇas, kshatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras, and to men, women and children. Those who did not obey were punished. The king sent his officers to see that the observance was kept.

This universal observance went on through all ten thousand years of Kīrtiman’s reign. The puṇya it created was enough to free not only the living but also the dead. The puṇya of the Vaiśākha rites frees twenty-one to twenty-six generations of ancestors and descendants on both sides, the father’s line and the mother’s line.

The Skanda Mahā Purāṇa tells this in the Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa, Vaiśākha Māsa Māhātmya, Chapters 11–12.

The narakas empty

The puṇya of Kīrtiman’s kingdom reached backward and forward through the generations. A cosmic event of the highest order followed. The narakas, which usually hold those who have done pāpa and are working out their karma, became completely empty. The pāpa (sin) of one person after another was cancelled by the great puṇya of Vaiśākha that flowed through the family lines of every citizen of Kāśī.

In Yamaloka, Citragupta keeps the careful record of every being’s pāpa and puṇya. His scroll was blank. No new wrongdoers were arriving, and no ātmās were being sent to any naraka. Yama Dharmarāja, the king of dharma and the presiding deva of death and of judgment after death, had no work to do.

Yama went to Brahmā, carrying his staff and his scroll. He laid them down before Brahmā as an act of surrender, and said: “I lay these down. What am I to do? The devotees of Mādhava are freeing all beings. Not a single ātmā is left in naraka. Even the daityas, who are meant to stay in naraka until the end of Kali Yuga, are being set free. My whole work has stopped.”

The Skanda Mahā Purāṇa tells this in the Vaiśākha Māsa Māhātmya, Chapter 12.

Kīrtiman defeats Yama

Kīrtiman was sure of the dharma of what he had done, and he had the protection of Bhagavān Vishṇu. He fought and defeated Yama. When Yama tried to assert his authority over the situation, Kīrtiman met him in battle. The Sudarśana cakra of Bhagavān Vishṇu appeared to protect the king. Yama was overmatched and withdrew to seek higher counsel.

The Skanda Mahā Purāṇa tells this in the Vaiśākha Māsa Māhātmya, Chapter 12.

The declaration of Bhagavān Vishṇu

Brahmā was troubled by Yama’s appeal and went to Bhagavān Vishṇu at Vaikuṇṭha. Bhagavān Vishṇu answered with these words about his devotees and his beloved month:

“I will forsake Lakshmī, I will forsake my vital airs (prāṇas), I will forsake Śvetadvīpa, I will forsake Vaikuṇṭha, I will forsake Śesha, I will forsake Garuḍa, but I will never abandon my devotee who keeps the rites of my beloved month.”

The Skanda Mahā Purāṇa tells this in the Vaiśākha Māsa Māhātmya, Chapter 13.

Consolation of Yama and his share of the arghya

Bhagavān Vishṇu accepted that Kīrtiman’s work was complete and right. Then he comforted Yama and made provision for him. He set up a lasting arrangement. During Vaiśākha, devotees are to offer arghya (a water offering) to Yama every day. On the Pūrṇimā (full-moon day), a pot of water mixed with rice and curds is to be offered to Yama. In this way Yama receives his share of the sacred acts of the month. He is the guardian of dharma, who sees that no act goes without its reward or its result, and he is honoured as a part of the Vaiśākha observance.

Bhagavān Vishṇu gave the arghya words to be said for Yama during Vaiśākha:

“I give this to Dharmarāja. May Yama be pleased with it.”

It is offered with the sacred thread over the right shoulder, after saying the name and gotra (family line) of the fathers and the ancestors.

Bhagavān Vishṇu also sent his attendant Sunanda to Kīrtiman, to teach him the whole Vaiśākha Dharma.

The Skanda Mahā Purāṇa tells this in the Vaiśākha Māsa Māhātmya, Chapter 13.

The prophecy of Vena and Pṛthu

To comfort Yama about the future, Bhagavān Vishṇu spoke of what was to come. After Kīrtiman’s reign of ten thousand years ends, a wicked king named Vena will rise. He will destroy the Vaiśākha observances and forbid dharma. When Vena destroys these rites, Yama’s realm will be filled again.

Then Bhagavān Vishṇu will come down as the avatāra Pṛthu, born from the body of Vena. He will restore dharma to the world, including the Vaiśākha Dharma.

The Skanda Mahā Purāṇa tells this in the Vaiśākha Māsa Māhātmya, Chapter 13.

Sources

• Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa, Vaiśākha Māsa Māhātmya, Chapters 11–13