29 - Victory over Death 

Sanatkumāra said: 

1-3. O holy lord, now I wish to know what was committed by the dwellers of the Daruvana, those persons who had purified their souls by means of penance. How did Rudra the naked lord of sublimated sexuality assume a hideous form and go to Dāru forest? What did that great soul do there? Please recount factually the activities of that lord of Devas. 

Sūta said: 

4. On hearing his words Nandin, the most excellent among the knowers of the Vedas, said after remembering Shiva and smiling a little. 

Nandin said: 

5. In order to propitiate the lord of Devas, the sages per- formed a terrible penance in the Daru forest.190 They were accompanied by their wives, sons and sacrificial fires. 

190. See p. 96 note 119. 

6. Rudra, the lord of the universe, the bull-emblemed omniscient deity known as Nilalohita, Dhūrjați and Parameśhāna was delighted. 

7-9. The lord of the universe, Rudra,191 wanted to test the sincerity of the dwellers of the Dāru forest in respect of their sacrificial rites. He wanted to turn their minds from the observance of sacrificial rites to the path of renunciation. Thus in order to test their faith, and sportively too, he assumed a deformed but attractive appearance. He had three eyes and two hands. He was nude, and dark in complexion. 

191. Chekitānaḥ--Who creates doubts by his power of creating illusion. ST. quotes Shivagitā. 

10. Even in this form he was extremely handsome. He was smiling and singing, with seductive play of his eyebrows, thereby creating feelings of love in the hearts of women. 

11. He the destroyer of cupid, the lord of extremely handsome features increased their sexual feelings. 

12. On seeing a man of deformed features, black-red (in colour), even the chaste women followed him with great enthusiasm. 

13. On receiving the gesture of a smile from his lotus like face the women who had gathered at the threshold of huts in the forest or who stayed on the huts above trees, stopped all other activities and followed him not caring for their loosened garments and ornaments. 

14. Some of these women, on seeing him felt their eyes reeling due to excitement. Even the old women who were beyond the age of seductive charms of the eye-brow began to display their amorous gestures. 

15. On seeing him some women wore smiling faces. With their garments loosened a little, and with their waist bands dislodged they began to sing. 

16. Some brahmin ladies on seeing him in the forest found that their own fresh silken garments had got loosened. They cast off their bangles of diverse colours and went to their kinsmen. 

17. One of them, on seeing him did not know that her upper and lower garments had stripped off. Others in their excitement could not distinguish between their kinsmen and the multi-branched trees though they were familiar. 

18-19. Some sang; some danced; some fell and rolled down on the ground. O leading brahmin, another lady sat on the ground like an elephant and began to talk aloud. Looking smilingly, they began to embrace one another all round. After stopping Rudra on his way they began to show all shrewd gestures. 

20. They asked, "who are you?"

Others said, "Be seated". 

Delighted in their minds some said, "Where are you going? Be pleased with us." 

21. Due to the Mayā of Rudra even the chaste ladies fell down in an awkward posture with their clothes loosened and their tresses dishevelled, in the very presence of their husbands. 

22. Even after he aring their words and seeing their diverse activities, the unchanging lord Rudra did not utter anything, good or bad. 

23. On seeing the rowd of women and Rudra in this situation the brahmins, the leading sages began to say harsh words. 

24. Their powers of austerity were ineffective against Rudra in the same manner as the lustre of the stars in the sky against the refulgence of the Sun. 

25. (Such had been the spiritual prowess of the sages, formerly) that the sacrifice of the great-souled Brahmā perished due to the curse of a sage, even though the sacrifice was meant for general welfare. 

26. Due to the use of Bhrugu, Vishnu of great prowess was compelled to take ten incarnations and undergo suffering in each incarnation. 

27. O knower of Dharma, Indra's organ too was cut and east off by the infurated sage Gautama. 

28. The Vasus had to prolong the stay in the womb by a brahmin's curse. Nahuşha was turned unto a serpent by the curse of sages.  

29. The milk ocean was dried by the turn of brahmins though it was the perpetual abode ot vishņu. The Watery ocean was made unfit for drinking by the brahmans' curse. 

30-32 In order to ????? for this Vishnu went to Varanasi and ????? to the lord of Avimukta.198 He performed the ablution of the three eyed lord????? sages, sprinkled Shiva with milk which coming in contact with the body of the lord became nectarlike and filled the ocean wherein lord Vişhnu made his residential abode. 

33. Dharma had been cursed by the noble sage Māņdavya. The Vrushnis along with Krishna had been cursed by Durvāsas and other noble sages. 

34. Rāma and his younger brother Lakşhmaņa had been cursed by the noble sage Durvāsas. Lord Vişhņu was even kicked by the sage Bhrugu. 

35. These and many others, except the odd-eyed lord of Umā, the overlord of Devas had been made subservient by the brahmins. 

36. Thus deluded the sages of Dāruvana did not understand Rudra199. They spoke harsh words to Rudra who thereupon disappeared. 

199. Daruvana: See p. 96 note 119. 

37-38. In the morning all those sages with perplexed minds and blurred thinking went from Dāruvana to Brahmä of noble soul who was seated in the highest seat. They informed him about what had happened in that holy Dāru forest. 

39-40. Pondering over everything in his mind Brahma understood what they did in the holy Dāru forest. He stood up with palms joined in reverence and bowed to Rudra. He then spoke hurriedly to the sages who had their abodes in Dāru forest. 

41. Fie upon you all who had attained excellent treasure,200 O brahmins, but had unluckily wasted it. 

200. prăptanidhanān i.e, though you have obtained a rich treasure in the visit of Shiva to your hermitage. 

42. The man with a Linga who had been seen by you all without Lingas, the person of deformed features was the supreme lord himself. 

43. O brahmins, never should the guests be dishonoured by the householder even if they happen to be deformed, dirty or illiterate. 

44. Formerly, on this very same earth even Kāla the God of death was defeated by the excellent brahmin sage Sudarśhana through the adoration of a guest. 

45. Excepting the adoration of the guests there is no mode of self-expiation in this world, for excellent brahmin householders; there is no other way to cross the ocean of worldly existence. 

46. Formerly, a householder known as Sudarśhana, vowed to conquer the God of Death.201 He said to his chaste wife. 

201. Jetum (mrutyum iti sheşhah) i.e. to conquer death. 

47. "O lady of good holy rites, fine eye-brows and good fortune, listen to what I say, assiduously. Never should you dishonour the guests who visit your house. 

48. Since everyone of the guests is the Pināka-bearing lord, you should dedicats even your self to the guest and adore him. 

49. That chaste lady, on being urged thus, became extremely dejected. Helpless that she was, she wept and said to her husband --"O lord! please explain what you have just said.” 

50. On hearing her words Sudarshana said again "O noble lady everything belongs to lord Shiva and since the Guest is lord Shiva himself, everything is his. Hence the guest should always be adored.” 

On being urged thus by her husband the chaste wile accepted this behest (wholeheartedly) just as one places on his head (reverently) the flowers offered to God. Thus she went on (attending to her duties). 

O excellent brahmins, in order to test then devotion, Dharma himself assumed the form of a brahmin and came to the house of the sage. That sinless lady welcomed the guest and worshipped him with the materials of worship. 

54. Thus worshipped by her, Dharma disguised as a brahmin said "O gentic lady where has your noble husband Sudarshana gone? 

55-58. O noble lady, enough of thus cooked rice and other eatables! I say, you should dedicate yourself (to me)" Remembering what had been previously mentioned by her husband that chaste lady full of bashfulness and with closed eyes, began to move (towards him). Again she began saying. But then.. all the same, she made up her mind to dedicate herself to Dharma202 there itself at the behest of her own husband. In the meantime, Sudarśhana, the husband of that lady, came to the threshold and called to her "Come, come, O gentle lady? Where have you been?"  

202. dharme-dharmarūpe dvije ST, in regard to Dharma who had assumed the guise of a brahmin. Or dharme -dharmvishaye ST. in regard to virtue. 

It was the guest himself who replied to him. 

59-64. "O Sudarshana, 0 highly blessed one, I am now engaged in sexual intercourse with this wife of yours. What should be done here may kindly be mentioned. O leading brahmin, the sexual intercourse is concluded. O excellent brahmin, I am satisfied." 

Sudarshana the noble brahmin then said in great delight: 

"O excellent brahmin, enjoy her as you please. I shall go away now." 

Thereafter Dharma who was delighted (at this incident) revealed himself in his own form). He granted him what ever he desired and told him again. 

"O leading brahmin, even mentally this splendid lady has not been enjoyed by me. Undoubtedly, it was to ascertain her devotion that I came here. O brahmin of good rites, with this single act of piety you have conquered death. O the prowess of this penance!" Saying thus he went away. Hence all guests should be worshipped in the same manner. 

65. O unfortunate noble brahmins, of what avail is much talk. All of you should seek refuge in the very same Rudra immediately. 

66. On hearing the words of Brahmã the leading brahmins became distressed. With eyes blinded by tears they saluted Brahma and said: 

The Brahmins said: 

67-69. O blessed one, we do not care even slightly for our lives or for our woman folk who have become deformed. But that irreproachable omnipresent trident-bearing and pinaka-holding lord has been censured and cursed by us out of ignorane, though our power to curse was rendered uneffective by his mere looking at us. O lord of Devas, you should now tell us ?????

Brahmā said: 

70-74. O excellent brahmins, the devotee shall, at first, learn the Vedas with great devotion from his preceptor. He shall always ponder over their meanings and understand Dharma. He shall remain a disciple till he completes all learning or upto twelve years. 

He shall then take the sacred ablution at the conclusion of his student life. He shall marry a wife, and procreate there after sons of holy rites. He shall then allot befitting means of livelihood to his sons. Then he shall perform the rites of worship to the lord by performing Agnişhtoma and other sacrifices. After going to forest he shall worship the great soul. Maintaining a diet of milk and controlling his senses, he shall worship Devas in the fire, for a period of twelve years, or twelve months or twelve fortnights or twelve days. 

75-76. Then he shall offer in the same fire all vessels used for the sacrifice. He shall consign all the earthen and wooden vessels to the waters and the metallic one's to his preceptor. He shall distribute all his belongings to the brahmins without hesitation. He shall prostrate on the ground and make obeisance to the preceptor. Becoming detached he shall then renounce everything and become an ascetic. 

77. He shall have off his hairs along with the tuft and east off his sacred thread. He shall perform five offerings in the waters saying "Bhūḥ svāhā”. 

78-80. Thereafter he shall roam about for attaining com- plete204 liberation, observing the sacred rite of refraining from taking food, and maintaining himsell either on water, or leaves, or milk or fruits. If living thus, the ascetic does not die within six months or a year he shall strain his body by undertaking hazardous journeys. By these activities he attains identity with Shiva. 

204. Shiva-vimuktaye Shivarúpå vimuktih kaivalyarūpå ityarthah ST. for absorption in Shiva; for the total mergence of the individual soul into the supreme soul. 

81-83. O men of steadfast holy rites, one endowed with devotion205 may even attain liberation immediately-. Of what avail are these to a devotee of Rudra? Neither the holy rites nor renunciation, in accordance with the injunctions, nor sacrifices, nor charitable gifts, nor the different sorts of Homes nor the acquisition of all kinds of Shāstras and Vedas are of any avail to him. By means of devotion to Rudra, death was conquered by Shveta.206 May you too have such devotion to the great lord, the benefactor and the Supreme Soul.  

205. Cf, Bhagavadanta. 

206. Shvetena--by Sage Shveta. For detail, read Cf.