165 - The Power of Chatuhsämudrika well

Varåha said:

1. O Earth, now listen to what I say about what happened in the Deccan region.

2. In there lived a wealthy Vaišhya by name Sušhila with his wife and several children.

3. Always absorbed in the affairs of his family, he never turned his attention to religious matters like holy bath, gift, recitation of mantras, performance of homa or worship of god.

4. He was always engaged in trade and a long time passed like this. He never met any pious people.

5. He never listened to any discourse on dharma and he had no attachment towards Brahmins or gods.

6. He was incurring a lot of sin by his selfish deeds but he did not realise this.

7. It never occurred to him that gifts are necessary.

8. Though he was quite wealthy and was living in the great city of   he never gave away anything to anyone. And not only that, he could-not bear to see others giving.

9. Though deeply attached to his wife and children, in due course he died.

10. On death, he became a ghost and began to wander in places without water.

11. Full of thirst, he spent a long time like this in the desert.

12. A caravan of traders happened to pass by among whom were some from Mathurä.

13. When that moved away, he resorted to the foot of a tree and began to remain there.

14. He was fierce and terrific with long canines, short in arms, long in chin, big in eye, and cat-like in face.

15. After a long time, by his good luck, a merchant named Vibhu happened to pass by that place.

16. Seeing him even at a long distance, the ghost became glad. He danced towards him and said:

17. “You have now become the object of my food. Where do you wish to go?” At these words of the ghost, the merchant was fear-stricken and he began to run.

18. The ghost caught hold of him and said: “You are the food for me come of its own accord. I shall eat your flesh and drink your blood”.

19. Hearing this, the merchant said:

20. “I have reached this forest on my way to a place to seek something to maintain my family. I have an aged father in my house, and also my mother and virtuous wife.

21. If you are going to cat me, my family also will die”.

22. Hearing his words, the ghost asked him to tell him from where he was coming.

Vibhu said:

23. Between mount Govardhana and river Yamunä, there is the beautiful city of Mathurä known all over the world. I live there in my ancestral house.

24. All the wealth I had accumulated there was stolen by thieves and I became penniless.

25. With the little that was left, I reached this desert.

26. I have thus come before you (by chance). You may do (with me) whatever you like.

The ghost said:

27. “I sympathise with you and I am not going to eat you. I shall release you on condition that you will do what I say.

28. You return to Mathurä for my sake I shall tell you what you should do there.

29. Take a ritualistic bath in the well called Chatuhsämudrika, and offer pinda there in my name. Then give me the fruit of this bath and go away as you please”.   go. Hearing the words of the ghost, Vibhu said:

31. “I shall not go back to Mathurå without money. You may cat my body and satisfy yourself” 

The ghost said:

32. There is a lot of money in your house. So go there and oblige me. Please don’t delay.

Vibhu said:

33. “There is no money in my house as you say. All the wealth that is left is the house.

34. There is the fame of my ancestors, but that, of course, cannot be sold”.

35. The ghost laughed and said: “There is certainly wealth in your house as I told you. A mass of gold is kept in a cavity in the house.

36. So return with pleasure. Retrace your path to Mathurä”.

Süta said:

37. The merchant was very much pleased and asked him how it was that he possessed the knowledge of such secrets when he was in that state.

38. Then he told him about. his former life. “There is a great temple of Vishnu in the city of Pratishthana.

39. From early morning Brähmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaišhyas and Šhüdras gather there.

40. A reciter would read Puränic stories and a friend of mine always used to listen to this.

41. He once persuaded me very much to go there with him to this Vishnu temple.

42. I did so and seated myself near him. Then I heard (the reciter say) about the sacred well where all the four oceans meet.

43. I heard about the efficacy of this well and the merit it brings about.

44. All the people present there gave presents to the but I remained quiet although persuaded by the friend.

45. The friend asked me again to give whatever I liked, and, thus insisted, I gave a small gold coin.

46. In course of time, I died and by the decision of Vaivasvata (Death god), I became a ghost from which state it is difficult for me to redeem myself.

47. No gift was made by me, no offering made in fire, no bath was taken in a tirtha and no libation was made to the manes. The result is this ghosthood.

48. I have told you now what you asked. Please do go to Mathurä”.

49. Hearing these words of the ghost, Vibhu said:  

50. “How do you maintain yourself at the foot of this tree?”

The ghost said:

51. “I have told you about all that happened.

52. By the power of the gift of the gold coin I gave to the reciter I remain always satisfied.

53. As I had given it without any motive, my knowledge remains in me even though I have become a ghost.”

54. The merchant then returned to Mathurä and did all that was requested of him by the ghost. And the ghost got liberation and went to heaven.

55. O Earth, I have thus told you about the greatness of Mathurä and how the offering of Pinda in the Chatuhsämudrika well leads to liberation.

56. Those who die here in a tirtha, house, temple or square, gain liberation but not elsewhere.

57. A sin incurred elsewhere is eradicated in a tirtha, but a sin incurred in a tirtha sticks on. 

58. But a sin committed at Mathurä disappears there itself, but this city is so holy that there is no sin there.

  59. The ungrateful, the drunkard, the thief and the vow-breaker all get cleansed of their sins in Mathurä.

60. A resident of Mathurä acquires more merit than one (performing penance) standing on one foot for a thousand years.

61. All residents of Mathurä are gods in human form even if they have no control of senses or are fond of others’ wives.

62. Those who make offerings to gods, give alms, die without anger, inclined to take bath in tïrthas, are all gods in human form.

63. Honouring a single Brahmin of Mathurä is equivalent to honouring a thousand other Brahmins.

64. A Brahmin of Mathurä without knowledge of the Veda is equivalent to one with the knowledge of all Vedas elsewhere.

65. The very presence of a man from Mathurä in a tirtha or temple makes it more auspicious.

66. Giving up four Vedas, honour a man of Mathurä. All beings and gods get pleased.

67. The celestials find the residents of Mathurä four-armed because they are Vishnu in human form.

68. But this is perceptible only to those with knowledge, not to others.