Kīrtiman

Kīrtiman was a king of Kāśī, born in the solar line of Ikshvāku. He was a Vaishṇava, a devotee of Bhagavān Vishṇu, and the son of King Nṛga. His story is told in the Vaiśākha Māsa Māhātmya of the Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa of the Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Chapters 11–13.

When Kīrtiman learned the glory of the month of Vaiśākha from the disciples of Vasishṭha, he made a royal law. Every citizen had to keep the Vaiśākha rites: the morning bath, gifts to the needy, and listening to Vishṇu-kathā (stories of Bhagavān Vishṇu). In his reign of ten thousand years the narakas (hells) were emptied, Citragupta’s scroll became blank, and Yama Dharmarāja had no work left. Kīrtiman also fought Yama himself and was protected by the Sudarśana cakra of Bhagavān Vishṇu.

Royal lineage

Kīrtiman was born in the Ikshvāku solar dynasty (Sūryavaṃśa). He ruled from Kāśī, the holy city on the Gaṅgā. His father was King Nṛga. The Purāṇas elsewhere tell of a Nṛga who is known for his gift of a cow and for the curse that turned him for a time into a lizard. That is a different Nṛga from the one in the Vaiśākha account. As a member of the solar line, Kīrtiman belonged to the same ancient dynasty as Bhagavān Rāma.

The proclamation and its effect

Kīrtiman heard from Vasishṭha’s disciples about the great puṇya (merit) of keeping Vaiśākha. He then made it the law of the whole kingdom. Every citizen had to take part: brāhmaṇas, kshatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras, men, women and children. Those who did not obey were punished. Royal officers watched over the observance in every part of the kingdom.

All this went on through his reign of ten thousand years. The puṇya gathered by the people purified the living. It also freed their dead relatives, twenty-one to twenty-six generations on both sides. In this way the narakas were emptied completely. In the account, Citragupta’s scroll became blank and Yama Dharmarāja found himself without function.

The declaration of Bhagavān Vishṇu

In support of Kīrtiman, Bhagavān Vishṇu spoke one of the best-known declarations of the Vaiśākha Māhātmya: “I will forsake Lakshmī, my vital airs, Śvetadvīpa, Vaikuṇṭha, Śesha, Garuḍa, but never my devotee.”

The conflict with Yama

Yama tried to use his usual authority in the strange situation that Kīrtiman’s kingdom had brought about. Kīrtiman fought him face to face. The Sudarśana cakra of Bhagavān Vishṇu appeared and guarded the king, as it guards the devotees of Bhagavān Vishṇu. Yama was overmatched. He withdrew and went to Brahmā to appeal.

Sources

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