Kāladvija and the Āśvina Pūrṇimā Offering
This account is told in Chapter 16 of the Brahma Khaṇḍa of the Padma Mahā Purāṇa. Kāladvija was a cruel Śūdra who lived in the city of Karāvīra in the Dvāpara Yuga. After he died he suffered in naraka and was then born as a snake in a cave. On the full-moon day of Āśvina he threw fried grain and cowries out of his cave by chance, and they fell before the image of Bhagavān Vishṇu. That one offering destroyed what was left of his pāpa.
The teaching at the start
The chapter begins with a general teaching on what wins the favour of Bhagavān Vishṇu. A person who worships Bhagavān Vishṇu on a full-moon day, with devotion and in many ways, has all the pāpa (sin) gathered over crores (tens of millions) of births destroyed. The grace of Bhagavān Vishṇu then follows without fail.
More exactly: whoever offers fried grain (lāja) with ghee, and cowries (kauḍī), to Bhagavān Vishṇu on the full-moon day of Āśvina is freed from rebirth and is given the abode of Bhagavān Vishṇu. That person lives in Hari’s abode for as many days as the number of cowries offered.
Kāladvija’s pāpa and its punishment
In the city of Karāvīra, in the Dvāpara Yuga, lived a cruel and fearsome Śūdra named Kāladvija. He was doing the duties set for him, but he deliberately ruined the business of his master. When he died, the fearsome messengers of Yama came, bound him and brought him to Yamaloka.
Yama asked Citragupta about his deeds. Citragupta said: “This one has wicked conduct. He destroyed his master’s business. He has no puṇya (merit) even the size of an atom. Let him be roasted in naraka for a hundred ages of Manu. Then let him be born among snakes and live in a cave without a break.”
Life as a snake
Kāladvija suffered in naraka for the whole time. Then he was born as a snake in a cave, and he lived there as a snake.
The offering by chance
Once, on the full-moon day of the month of Āśvina, Kāladvija, in his snake body, threw out of the hole of his cave fried grain (lāja) and cowries. These are the very things laid down for the worship of Bhagavān Vishṇu on that holy day. They fell by chance right before the image of Bhagavān Vishṇu. Bhagavān Vishṇu is kind and takes away sorrow. At once he destroyed the pāpa that was still left in the snake.
Liberation
When the time came for the snake to die, many messengers of Yama came and bound him. But the messengers of Bhagavān Vishṇu arrived, holding conches, discs and maces. They cut the ropes and put him, now free of pāpa, into a divine chariot. Yama’s messengers ran away. The snake, surrounded by the servants of Bhagavān Vishṇu, went to the house of Bhagavān Vishṇu. Free from rebirth, he stayed near Bhagavān Vishṇu.
What the account shows
Kāladvija was a snake and had no thought of devotion, yet the offering, made on the right day with the right things (fried grain with ghee and cowries), destroyed his pāpa and gave him liberation.
Sources
- Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Chapter 16