97 - The greatness of Rudra

Varäha said:

1. O Earth, now listen to the origin of Rudra Vrata, by knowing which one gets freed from all sins.

2. The red-eyed and tawny-coloured Rudra who was created by Brahma in his third birth, was borne by him in pleasure on his shoulder.

3-4. When he was thus on the shoulder, the fifth head of Brahma told Rudra the Ätharvana mantra by which release is obtained.

5. “O Kapälin, Rudra, Babhru, Bhava, Kairäta, Suvrata, my valiant and broad-eyed son, do protect this world”

6. When Rudra was thus addressed by the names which he would be getting in future he was angry at the word ‘Kapäla’ used and clipped off that (fifth) head.

7. The head was clipped off by the nail in the left thumb, but it got attached to the hand.

8. Having plucked out the head, Rudra, however, spoke to Brahmä in humility.

Rudra said:

9. O lord, please tell me how this cut-off head can be made to fall from my hand and how I can make atonement for this sin,

Brahmä said:

10. “O Rudra, perform the vrata called Käpälika by your own prowess and following the right Samayächära.”

11. Thus said by Brahma, Rudra went to the holy mountain Mahendra to make atonement for his sin.

12. Remaining there, Rudra broke that head into three. He separated the hair on the head and with it made his yajñopavita.

13. He made a bead of the bones. One part of the skull, full of blood, remained in his hand.

14-15. Another he made into smaller parts and placed them on his matted hair. Then the great god wandered over the whole earth with its seven islands, bathing in the holy Tirthas every day; first he bathed in the sea and then in the Ganges.

16. He went to river Sarasvati and then the confluence of the Ganges and Yamunä. He then went to river Shatadru and from there to the great river Devikä.

17. He then bathed in Vitastä, Chandrabhägä, Gomati, Sindhu, Tuñgabhadrä, Godävari and Gandaki.

18. He went to the great Shiva temple in Nepal and then to Däruvana in Kedära.

19. He visited Bhadrešhvara and then the very holy Gayä and there propitiated the Pitris.

20. Thus, O Earth, he quickly traversed the whole earth.

21-22. In the sixth year of his wandering, his only dress, a lion cloth tied to the waist-string, fell down and he became the naked Käpälika.

23. Wandering again for the next two years from.one holy place to another, he attempted to cast off the piece of skull in his hand but could not.

24. For another two years he continued the same but in vain.

25. He then spent one year in the holy Himalaya mountain.

26. For another year also he did the same in great excitement.

27. The next two years Rudra wandered about visiting very ancient holy places.

28. O Earth, in the twelfth year, he went to Väranasi and had his bath there.

29. When he was dipping himself in river Gañgä there, Brahmä’s skull in his hand released itself.

30. This firtha in Gañgä, thereafter came to be known as ‘Kapälamochana’.

31. Going to the place Harihara and bathing in Deväñgada and worshipping Somešhvara, he went to Chakratirtha.

32. Bathing there and worshipping the deity Trijalešhvara, he went to Ayodhyä and from there to Váränasi.

33. At the end of twelve years, the skull in his hand was made to fall by the force of the moving in the borders.

34. This place became the holy tirtha named Kapälamochana.

35. He bathed in the Gañgä there, worshipped Višhvešhvara and became free from the sin of Brahmahatyä.

36. The tirtha Kapälamochana is well known in the world, by bathing in which one gets absolved of the sin of killing a Brahmin.¹

1. Verses 31 to 36 seem to be an interpolation stating the same matter as in the verses before with the change that the skull was made to fall by the Ganas instead of its dropping on its own accord.

37. Seeing the skull fall, Brahma arrived there together with Devas, and said:

Brahma said:

38. ‘‘O Rudra, be you the propounder of the righteous path in the world. Since you wandered in the world with Kapäla (skull) in hand, the Vrata relating to you will be known as Nagnakäpäla.

39. Since you attained reddish-brown colour while wandering in the Himalaya, the Vrata will be known as Bäbhravya.

40. Since you became Shuddha (purified) in this place, the Vrata will be Shuddhašhaiva, highly purificatory.

41. I will impart the šhástras only to those who duly worship you at first.

42. He who performs these Vratas which you did first, will be absolved of even the sin of killing a Brahmin.

43. The Vratas performed by you as a Nagnakapala (naked holding the skull), Bäbhravya (as pure Shiva), will be known by the respective names.

44. Following this, those who duly worship you, to them you may impart briefly with the rituals all šhàstras, the Päšhupata Šhästra in particular”.

45. Told thus by Brahmä, Rudra became extremely pleased, and hailed by Devas, he went to Kailäsa.

46. Brahmä departed with Devas to the celestial world, and then Devas went to their abodes.

Varäha said:

47. I have thus told you about the greatness of Rudra and what he did in this world.