25 - The story of Mohini

Vasishtha said:

1. On hearing the words uttered by Mohini the Brahmanas said- ‘True’, and addressed these words to the king.

The Brahmanas said:

2-3. O king, you have taken up the holy vow that food should not be taken in on the Ekadashi day in both the fortnights (of every month). This vow is not taken from the point of view of the scriptural texts. It is evolved out of your own intellectual fancies. It has been laid down that those who maintain holy fires should take in (the food offered as oblation) during both the junctions of a day. (i.e. morning and evening.)

4. Three castes are glorified as the partakers of the leavings of Homas. Hence, how shall it be considered proper if they observe fast, particularly in the case of kings?

5-6. The kings, O lord, are always up in arms. They are the persons who restrain the wicked. Whether with the backing of the scripture or without it, may the vow that you have taken up be concluded today through the words of the Brahmanas. You will not incur (the sin of) breaking the holy vow. Eat in the company of the Brahmanas.

7-8a. You need not regret or repent it. The words of a Brahmana are important (weightier) and valuable. O excellent king, he who disregards the statements of a Brahmana takes birth as a Rakshasa fifteen times.

8b-9a. On hearing those words, the king became terribly furious but with throbbing lips, he spoke to the Brahmanas in soft and bland speech.

9b-11. ‘O Brahmanas, you are the guides for all living beings. You have cited a verse regarding ascetics and widows. But when you say that observance of fasts is not laid down for kings, it is but the opinion of those who traverse the wrong path and not that of the Vaishnava persons. In that connection listen to the statements in the sacred text book “Vaishnavacharalakshana” (or pertaining to the characteristics of the conduct of life of a devotee of Vishnu)-

12. One shall not drink water by means of a conch shell; one shall not kill “tortoises” and “pigs”, in both fortnights food should not be taken on the Ekadashi day.

13. Liquor should not be drunk; nowhere should a Brahmana be killed; a knower of Dharma shall never play the game of dice; no one should take food on the day of Hari.

14. Eating of the forbidden food is sinful; violating the chastity of another man’s wife is sinful; taking food on the Ekadashi day is definitely the cause of downfall.

15. Should any one Jive for a hundred years after performing an action that should not be performed. Which active man takes food on the day of Hari?

16. Fodder should not be given even to the quadrupeds on the day of Hari by the Brahmanas staying in the northern region who are devoted to the holy rites of Vishnu (Vaishnava rites).

17. How can I eat the forbidden food today? I am not a man physically weak and feeble.¹ O excellent Brahmanas, I am not afflicted by dyspepsia.

1. In VV. 17-20, the king is perfectly right on Shastric grounds. (vide Manu XI. 30.) He hit the week point correctly in the arguments of Gautama and Mohini.

18- 19a. How can I therefore eschew the holy vow merely at the instance of the Brahmana following the wrong path. When the whole earth is being protected by the king. Dharmabhushana (i.e. Dharmangada) I am not without sufficient protection. I have no enemy.

19b-20a. After knowing all these things, O excellent Brahmanas regularly practising the holy rites pertaining to Vishnu, it is not proper on your part to speak against me decrying my holy vow.

20b-2la. The Brahmanas who observe (give) expiatory rites without carefully examining (the case) will incur sin due to the breaking (of injunctions of) the Smrutis.

21b-23a. I will not take food on the day of Hari even if the following persons urge me to do it viz. - devas, Danavas, Gandharvas, Rakshasas, Siddhas, Brahmanas, my own father himself, Hari, Hara, the father of Mohini, the sun or any of the guardians of the world’s quarters.

23b-25. O Brahmanas, the king who is well-known on the Earth as Rukmangada will never make his truthful pledge fruitless. Even the refulgence of the sun may vanish, even the Himalayas may crumble, even the ocean may dry up, even the fire may eschew its heat; still, O Brahmanas, I will not break my Vrata. on the day of Ekadashi.¹

1. VV. 21b-25 show the firm determination of Rukmangada which acts as a challenge to Mohini to demand the head his only son Dharmangada.

26-28. O Brahmanas, this is well-known in the three worlds. This is being proclaimed by the beating of drums – “Those who take food on   the day of Hari, which is the most important of all Yajnas, which dispels sins, increases piety, bestows salvation is called the severer of, increases piety, bestows    salvation which is called the severer of the chain of births, which is the receptacle of refulgence and is popular and established among all people in the villages and lands of Rukmangada and others deserve. to be killed or punished (otherwise) alongwith their sons. They will not be allowed to reside in the whole of the realm.” When this has been announced loudly, if I were to take food, I would be committing a sin.

29-30a.    It      would be as though the drum was tarnished with filth or muffled with a blue cloth. The creature that    has earned renown but spoils it by itself committing sin due to the fear of life stays in the hell called Krumidamsha for sixty Yugas.

30b-3la. As soon as I break my solemn vow of the holy rite, the delivery of my mother would be futile; the Brahmanas, the Pitris and the Devas would be disappointed and Vaivasvata (Yama) would be delighted alongwith his scribe namely Chitragupta.

31b-32. Of what avail is the birth of that evil-minded being who delights the beautiful wives of his enemies (by refraining from killing their husbands). He takes delight in sins by means of evil actions; he is no better than a man of low caste; he is the destroyer of everything. He is unclean and foolish. He does not have regard for the Vedas, Puranas and scriptures. In the end. he goes to the city of the son of the Lord of the day (i.e. Varna).

33-34a. He who breaks his pledged word or solemn vow is no better than one who vomits his food and eats it again. Neither the Vedas, nor The scriptures, neither the good men nor the Puranas and Smrutis advocate the act of taking food on the pure day worthy of holy rites pleasing to Madhava.

34b-35. If Shraddha is performed on the day of Hari; the Pitris will not be satisfied thereby. The Ekadashi Vrata is one that bestows the region of Vishnu. Only foolish persons will mention it along with Kshayaha (the new moon day when Shraddha is to be performed).

36. On hearing his words Mohini burned within herself. With eyes turned red with anger, she retorted to her husband: -

37. “If you do not act in accordance with my advice you will be out of the pale of Dharma. A man excluded from Dharma shall be no better than dust.

38-39. The dust, at least, fills a pit whereas this sinner of a man is the digger of a pit. O king, for the purpose of granting the boon you extended your hand and offered it to me (by way of taking a pledge). You have now broken that pledge. If you do not keep up that promise my responsibility is over. I shall go away. I have obtained your Dharma (i.e. you are deprived of it.)

 40. I am not your beloved wife any more. O king, you are no longer my husband. I shall have my own arms as my head-rest and not yours; (even) in case of fighting (I shall not depend on your protection.)

41. Fie upon you the destroyer of piety, the breaker of your own promise. Even among the Mlecchas (alien outcastes) a heretic like you cannot be seen.

42. I will forsake you today since you have moved away from the truth sinfu1ly.” After saying this the fair lady hurriedly stood up.

43. Just as Sati went away leaving off Hara, so also the slender-bodied lady bedecked in divine ornaments started from there accompanied by those Brahmanas.

44. Better to touch liquor than have contact with this king. Better to wear the blue cloth, rather than have the touch of this king who has swerved from virtue.”

45. Lamenting thus, the infuriated Mohini cried much and went out of the abode accompanied by Gautama and others.

46. “O father, O Lord of the Universe, the cause of creation, maintenance and dissolution (of the worlds),” cried, the mentally created daughter of Brahma.

47. In the meantime, Dharmangada who was seated on an excellent horse returned to the palace after touring over the entire Earth.

48-49. Coming in a hurry, the renowned Prince Dharmangada the son of Rukmangada, a prince devoid of rivalry and favourite with his father, the very embodiment of virtue came face to face. The words coming out of the mouth of Mohini, endorsed by the words of the Brahmanas reached the ears of the prince.

5O. Dismounting hurriedly from the horse, he went near his father and fell at his feet. Getting up again he bowed down to the leading Brahmanas with palms joined together in reverence.

51-52. Then, observing that Mohini was mentally furious and she was hurrying out, he went over to her and with folded palms, he said to her in reverence. “O Mother, O gentle lady, O beloved wife of my father, by whom have you been insulted? Why are you angry? Where have you set off now alongwith these Brahmanas?”

53. On hearing the words of Dharmangada, Mohini spoke these words:

“O dear son, your father is a liar. Falsely did he offer his (right) hand (to me).

54-55. The hand that always performed holy rites, has the shape and features of red Ashoka tree, the glorious right hand wearing gold armlet and is marked with lines in the form of a banner and a goad is by your father Rukmangada withdrawn Hence I am not enthused to stay here.:

Dharmangada said:

56. O gentle lady, whatever you say, I shall do. There is no doubt about it. O mother, do not be angry. O beloved wife of my father, return.

Mohini said:

57. By this father of yours, I have been made his wife on the mountain Mandara with this (certain) stipulation: Shiva, the Lord of the Devas, was standing witness thereof.

58. Your father, Rukmangada, has gone astray breaking those stipulations. He does not give me what should be given to me. It is not his flourishing prosperity that I am thinking about.

59. O prince, I do not beg for gold, nor for foodgrains nor for horse, elephants, villages nor clothes whereby he might incur any loss.

60. O foremost one among embodied beings, O son, only that was requested for by me whereby he could please his own body. But out of delusion, he does not give it to me.

61. O prince, the excellent king was requested for by me to help his own body for his own happiness.

62. The Lord has now landed himself in a terrible mess of falsehood on a par with imbibing liquor.

63. I will have to forsake your father who has fallen off from truthfulness, who speaks harsh words, has eschewed and is false, roguish and base. My stay alongwith him is impossible.

64. On hearing the words of Mohini, the son Dharmangada said:

“As long as I am alive, my father cannot be false in respect of anything.

65. O fair lady, return. I shall do whatever is desired by you. O gentle lady no falsehood has ever been uttered before by my father.

66-67. How can that king speak falsehood, now that I his son, am here? The whole world consisting of the Devas, Asuras and human beings is established in his truthfulness; the abode of Vaivasvata (Yama) has been made void of sinners and cleared of sinners by him. His fame spreads every­where. The whole sphere of the Cosmic egg has been pervaded by his fame.

68. How can that king get involved in false utterances. I have not heard my father’s words. How can I believe in an indirect (reported) statement (said to have been uttered in my absence)?

69-70. O splendid-faced lady, take mercy on me and return.”

On hearing these words of Dharmangada, O king, Mohini returned with (her hands) resting on the shoulders of her son to the place where Rukmangada, as refulgent as the sun, was lying down as though dead.

71-72. She made her son sit on the bed of Rukmangada which was equipped with gold, was brightly illuminated by gemset lamps, and decorated in variegated forms by corals; its extremely tender (soft-looking) legs were fashioned out of adamantine jewels. It was long and wide and charming beyond comparison.

73-75. With palms joined in reverence, he spoke to his father with  bland speech.  “O dear father, this mother of mine, here says that you are a liar. How can you be, O king, a liar on this Earth? When the kingdom consisting of the treasury hoarded with gems, possessing elephants, horses, chariots, etc., extending over the whole world containing the seven oceans is being ruled by you, O Lord, give everything to her, everything whatever has been promised to her.

76. O dear father, as long as I hold the bow who can act against you? Give even the post of Indra to the gentle lady. Know that Indra has been defeated.

77. The region of Brahma, which is difficult of access, is unsullied and can be approached only by Yogins. I am willing to give that too to her after propitiating the lotus­ deity born by means of penance.

78. After conquering human beings, Devas and Danavas, I will give whatever my mother wishes for in the nether worlds, on the Earth, in the heaven or in any other region.

79. O king, since I am your slave, I may even be sold. If I am considered insignificant, may I be entrusted to a sinful Chandala.¹ I shall be his servant and be fed by him.

1. This an obvious reference to king Harishchandra who for age Vishvamitra- sold his wife and son to stick to the truth.

Or

79. O king, since I am your slave, sell me or my mother and propitiate the daughter of Kusha-emblemed deity (i.e. Brahma) lest there should be, O Lord of men, the (stigma) of falsehood on you in the world.

80. O Lord of the Earth, there is nothing in the three worlds, which is difficult for me to do and which hence cannot be given to her, should she like it. O leading king, give her even my life or that of my mother.

81. O Lord of kings, by that very thing, be endowed with good renown for ever. You can illuminate the groups of kings with your attributes (like the moon) that brightens the sky by means of its rays.

82. It is true what Manu has said that there will be sin in the destruction of one’s reputation as killing of one’s own progeny (or the subjects). But O king, how can I otherwise, wipe off the pure (stainless) fame and be happy? Hence this course is proper.