11 - Rukmangada meets Mohini

Vasishtha said:

1. On hearing the words of the king, the excellent sage of sound and perfect knowledge thought for a moment. He understood its real cause and said thus: -

Vamadeva said:

2. O king, formerly you were born of the Sudra caste.¹ You were oppressed by poverty and harassed by a wicked wife.

1.The motif of re-birth as an explanation of events in the present birth has been very popular in ancient and mediaeval Indian literature. The soul-denying Buddhists have extensively used it in Jataka tales on the authority of the Buddha. Jainas used it widely in their Sanskrit-Prakrit­Apabhramsha narrative literature. Brahmanical Purnas are no exception. The NP. used it in Part-I Cbs. 20, 23 with reference to Vishnu Vratas. Here too the same device is Used to explain the exceptional luck of Rukmangada.

3. You sustained yourself by serving others and receiving wages. O king, thus you continued to live for many years, distressed due to misery.

4-5. Thanks to your coming into contact with some Brahmanas, once, your honour went on a pilgrimage to holy centres. O king, after going over all holy centres you reached the holy centre Mathura and became interested in serving Brahmanas. There, in the company of Brahmanas, you took bath in the waters of the Yamuna.

6-8. At the holy centre named Vishranti which is the most excellent of all holy centres, in the temple of the Divine Boar (Varaha), O king you heard the Puranic story being recounted. The holy rite of Ashunya Sayana, *was being explain­ ed. As the Vrata is to be observed for four months on the 2nd tithi of the dark half of each month from Shravarna onwards, there are, for the completion of the Vrata four parana -one breaking of fast per month. Hence for its conclusion there are four Paranas (breaking of the fasts). By its observance the Lord of the Devas, Hari, with the lustrous complexion like the cloud who is the Lord of the worlds and the consort of goddess Lakshmi and the destroyer of all sins, is pleased.

*(Formerly this was mentioned as   Ashoka Shayana, vide supra 1.111.13.

9. Coming again to the temple that holy rite was performed by your honour. This observance called Ashunya­sayana (non-vacant bed) is highly conducive to prosperity at home.

10-11a. If anyone continues the life of a house-holder without observing this rite that destroys sins, O great king, his life is rendered fruitless like that of a barren woman. It appears to me that a happiness of this sort is very rare.

11b. O king, this holy rite must be undertaken on the Dvitiya day** in the month of Shravana. It is destructive of rebirths, death and old age.

**In the region of the author of the NP a month ii Purnidanta, Hence the word ‘dark half’ is not probably used.

12. O king, on this day the Lord of the Universe should be worshipped in the company of Lakshmi with fruits, flowers, incense, sweet-smelling red unguents, charitable gifts of beds and clothes as well as by feeding Brahmanas.

13. O king, everything of this Vrata has been performed by you though they were difficult. O king, this is the full fruition of the same holy rite called Ashunya. Listen to the other sacred rites mentioned (or observed) by you in detail.

14. It is certain that these results will not have taken place, if the Lord of the Universe had been displeased. The Lord of the Devas had been worshipped by you in the previous birth through the observance of Ashunya rite.

15. O leading king, in this birth, you are worshipping Hari by means of the holy rite of Dvadashi. Surely you will attain the identity with Vishnu.

16. O king, thus your enquiry of auspicious nature has been explained by me regarding the origin of your affluence and leading to prosperity of your kinsmen.

17. O king, what else shall I give you or do for you? By all means you are worthy of everything, as you are a devotee of Janardana.

The king submitted: -

18. O excellent Brahmana, I am eagerly desirous of visiting the Mandara mountain. With your permission, I wish to see the various miraculous things there.

19-20. O excellent Brahmana, after transferring the weighty burden of administering the kingdom that other kings find unbearable, to my son, I have become light (less burdened). I am free to roam about as I please. My duty will be looked after by my son. On hearing the words of the king, Vamadeva spoke thus:

21. O prominent king, this is the highest duty of the son that he should always extricate his father from distress, out 0f affection.

22. He who carries out the order of his father to the best of his mental, verbal and physical capacity, shall derive the benefit of having a holy dip in Ganga every day.

23. It is heard mentioned in the Vedic text that if the son goes to Ganga for a holy dip   against the expressed desire of his father, he will not attain the usual purity and sanctity.

24. O king, you are contented and blessed. Go as you please. Thanks to the favour of Hari, a meritorious son has been born in your family.

25. After this had been spoken by the sage, the glorious king mounted his horse and rode swiftly like the Wind God himself.

26-27a. Looking at and observing all the mountains, forests, rivers and the wonderful lakes and parks, the king ere long reached the mountain Mandara.

27b-28a. On his way he went round the white mountain ‘Gandhamadana’,¹ crossed the Mahameru and saw the northern Kurus.

1. The location of Gandhamidana is disputed. M. Ali (The Geography of the, Puranas. Fig. 7-the sketch of the Hindukush Range) shows it to be the Khwaja Mohammad Range while De identifies it with Rudra Himalayas-a part of the Kailasa range. But in either case it is difficult to understand why a traveller from India (Vidisha, in the case of King Rukmangada) need cross or visit in passing Uttara Kuru (modern Kirghizia, Samarkand and Turkemenistan - vide D.P. Mishra’s Studies in Proto-history of India, pp. 17:18 and the map of Uttarakuru facing p. 17) and Mahameru (the Pamirs) to reach Gandhamadana. It appears that the author of the NP. had some vague ideas of the locations, of these places.

28b-30. He reached the Mandara mountain refulgent with the splendour of a hundred suns and covered in gold all round. On being rubbed with the hands of Hari it had generated liquid gold. The whole region there was full of trees and decorated with many metals and minerals. With many fountains over it, it was embellished with many caves. It was full of ten thousand rivers and was washed by the auspicious waters of the river Ganga.

31-32a. It was frequented by bevies of youthful maidens with rendezvous for serving their lovers.

The mountain was adorned with ripe, sweet smelling, potlike big fruits of trees which resembled the breasts of youthful damsels.

32b-33. The place was resonant with the buzzing sound of the bees and was reverberating with the cooing of cuckoos. On seeing the mountain resound with the cries of many living beings all round, the king entered the great mountain.

34-35. He desired to climb on to the top of the mountain. He was curious to find out the path whereby he could climb up. As he spied all round, he saw flocks of birds from the trees moving out attracted by the charming voice of an enchanting lady. He saw the birds flying quickly over the trees and he too went swiftly alongwith them.

36-37. The enchantingly sweet sound coming out of the mouth of that bewitching beauty entered his ears also. Fascinated by it, he left off his horse that had crossed the path as if in three steps. The whole path of the mountain was spell-bound by the sweet song of the enchantress. Instantaneously, the king saw a lady stationed on the mountain. She had the lustre of molten gold. She was created like the staff of Kama.

38-4O. She was worshipping the Linga that rose high into the sky, for the welfare of the world. She was like the embodied form of the Earth and she was as it were the culmination of beauty like a Parvati, the daughter of the mountain Himalaya. She had the beauteous form of the seashore. Her body could be called the very mansion of sexual pleasure. She appeared to drag even the three-eyed lord stationed in the Linga, suddenly for the pleasure of the Lord. She was the personified form of the mental wish of a meritorious person. On seeing the beautiful form of Mohini, the king was enamoured by the enchanting arrows of the god of love and the king fell down senselessly.

41. Regaining consciousness again as if his body was seized with a very high fever, he moved swiftly to her presence. The lady of beautiful eyes noted the approaching king with her side-glances.

42-44. She stopped singing and kept lute aside. She thought of her duties for the occasion. She drove off the flocks and herds of birds and animals. She covered her cheeks and arms with a fine cloth. She shook off the bees that were attracted by the fragrance of her breath. The gentle lady then went near the king after leaving off the worship-worthy Linga. After going near to him, the enchanting lady of elegant movements and eyes like the petals of the lotus spoke these sweet words to Rukmangada who had already been scorched by the arrows of Kama­ O king, get up, I am under your control.

45-47. Why do you waste this body of yours by falling in a swoon. You are a person who bear the burden of the Earth as though it was only a blade of grass. Why do you, on seeing my enchanting form, lose sense, like a weak cow sinking beneath the mire? Be steady and firm. You are bold. You are a brave warrior. Why do you make yourself ridiculous? You of elegant activities. O Lord of kings, if you have any desire to have extremely pleasant and favourable sexual intercourse with me as a willing partner, after giving charitable gifts with due rites, you· can do so. You can freely enjoy me like your own slave. I am an adept in the sexual act.