174 - The greatness of the confluence of Yamuna

Varaha said:

1. I shall tell you another thing about the prowess of Sangama (confluence) which gains liberation even for the sinners.

2. An ascetic Brahmin by name Mahanama living in a forest there.

3. He had mastered yoga and was spending his time in reciting Veda, practising Japa and performing Homa.

4. In performing these with the idea of attaining Brahmaloka, many years passed.

5. He then thought of undertaking a pilgrimage and cleansing his body by the holy tirthas.

6-7. His idea was to purify himself by starting early morning after the prescribed rites and first go to Asikunda, from there to Kotitirtha in the south and then proceed to the northern end bathing in all tirthas including Mathura and Pushkara.

8. So he started from Mathura and took the proposed route after performing worship and saluting the Lord.

9. Soon he came across five ghosts in the lonely forest full of thorns.

10. They were all terrific in appearance and so he became afraid for a moment and closed his eyes.

11. Soon he gave up his fear, and mustering courage, asked them:

12. “Who are you, O fierce beings? By what bad action have you become like this? where have you come from and where do you go?”

The ghosts said:

13. We are full of misery and hunger and thirst overcome us. Our minds are bad and knowledge we have none.

14. We do not know the quarters or the subquarters, neither the sky nor the earth nor even the day.

15. We hope that this suffering of ours will ultimately lead to good and it is like darkness awaiting the rising of the sun.

16. I am by name Paryushita, this one is Suchimukha, these are Shighraga and Rodhaka and the fifth is Lekhaka.

The Brahmana said:

17. How can the ghosts, who become so because of their own actions have names? Please tell me how you have got these names.

The ghost said:

18. O Brahmin, I used to eat well during the whole day and give what is left over (Paryushita) to the Brahmins (the next day). Hence my name is Paryushita.

19. Many Brahmins who were seeking food were directed (Suchita) wrongly by this man. Hence, he is Suchimukha.

20. This one used to go away quickly (shigram gacchati) whenever a Brahmin made any request to him. Hence, he is Shighraga.

21. For fear of other Brahmins asking food, this one used to take food in the interior of the house. Hence, he is Rodhaka (since he stopped others rudhyati).

22. This (last) one used to remain silent scratching the earth (likhan) in indifference. Hence, he is Lekhaka.

23. Lekhaka moves about like an inebriate; Rodhaka has his head bent down.

24-25. Shighraga is lame and Suchimukha (has a deformed face)¹ Paryushita has become one with thin limbs, long neck hanging big belly and and stout testicles. I have thus told you all about us. You may ask if you want to know anything else.

1. The appearance of Suchimukha is not given.

The Brahmana said:

26. All beings in the earth need food. I wish to know what food you take.

The ghosts said:

27. O kind man, listen to what I say about our food, by knowing which you will despise us.

28. The ghosts eat phlegm, urine and faeces before women and in houses which are unclean.

29-30. The ghosts eat in such houses where there are no offerings to gods, no recitation of mantras and no gifts, where the elders are not respected, where women are dominant, where things are kept haphazard and where there is always quarrel.

31-32. We eat in homes where gifts are given to the undeserving or given without due rites, where contemptible Brahmins live, where bad and prohibited actions are done.

33. Such is the food for us who have done bad deeds. We are extremely dejected with this ghosthood. Please tell us how we can cease to be this.

The Brahmana said:

34. A man who undertakes vows like Krucchra and Chandrayana for a single day or three days, gets purified and never becomes a ghost.

35. He who gives ample food and drink with due regard and honours ascetics, never becomes a ghost.

36. He who nurtures every day five, three or even one (being) with universal compassion, never becomes a ghost.

37. He who is inclined to worship gods and honour guests, elders and parents, never becomes a ghost.

38. He who has conquered anger, does not enter into rivalry, is free from avarice and attachment, is full of forbearance and is prone to give liberal gifts, never becomes a ghost.

39. He who fasts on the Ekadashi, Saptarni and Chaturdashi days during the bright as well as dark halves of the month, never becomes a ghost.

40. He who bows to the gods, Brahmins, cows, tirthas, mountains and rivers, never becomes a ghost.

The ghosts said:

41. We have now heard from you about the factors that are conducive to make one not to become a ghost. Please tell us what factors make one (necessarily) become a ghost.

The Brahmana said:

42. He who dies with the food given by a Shudra within him, becomes a ghost.

43. By mere contact of, not to say sitting together or eating with, Nagas (a naked sect), Kapalikas or Pashandas, one becomes a ghost.

44. Such a person loses all his acquired merit and becomes condemned to be a ghost for ever.

45. He who remains in the abode of a Pashanda or is a drunkard, or cohabits with the wife of another, or is fond of flesh, becomes a ghost.

46. He who steals the wealth of gods, Brahmins or teachers or gives away his daughter for money, becomes a ghost.

47. He who gives up his mother, father, brother, sister, wife or son, when they are innocent, becomes certainly a ghost.

48. He who performs sacrifices for the sake of those who are not eligible for it and refuses to do the same for those who are eligible, and who is interested in serving Shudras, becomes a ghost,

49. He who kills a Brahmin or cow or incurs the five great sins or is ungrateful, becomes a ghost.

50. He who does not heed the advice of an elder or preceptor meant for his well being, becomes a ghost.

51. He who receives gifts from bad people, particularly atheists, becomes a ghost without food or drink.

The ghost said:

52. Please tell us how those who do such prohibited deeds. out of ignorance can redeem themselves.

The Brahmana said:

53-54. The only means of redemption for those who are ignorant and indifferent to dharma and do not have compassion or give gifts, is to perform worship and sacrifice to Lord Vamana at the confluence at Mathura when the star Shravana is in combination with Dvadashi in the month of Bhadrapada.

55. They should make gifts of gold, food, clothes, umbrella and sandals after bathing and giving libations to manes.

56. They not only do not become ghosts, but go to the world of Vishnu in an aerial car.

57. He who bathes in that tirtha or thinks or speaks about it, gets the merit equivalent to bathing in river Ganga.

58. I have heard it proclaimed that even he who, having become a ghost, listens to the narration of the prowess of this tirtha, goes to the immortal world of Vishnu.

The ghosts said:

59. O auspicious man, tell us details of the rites of this vow so that we can do it and get redemption from this ghosthood.

The Brahmana said:

60. The details of this vow were formerly narrated to Mandhata by Vasishta being asked about them.

61. I shall now tell the same to you since they are capable of securing your release.

62. Whatever bath, gift or sacrifice done in Bhadrapada when Shravana falls on the Dvadashi day, is a lakh of times more efficacious than at other times.

63. You may know the merit that accrues when the gift of a pot is made after bathing in the confluence and worshipping Vamana.

64. It is the same as what is obtained by making gifts of a hundred cows with gold and all decorations.

 65. By this Shravanadvadashivrata one not only never becomes a Rakshasa, but takes abode in heaven for the duration of the period of fourteen Indras.

66. Then he is born as a Brahmin learned in the Vedas, proficient in Yoga, always following the path to moksha and conscious of his previous life. And by contemplation he becomes permanently liberated. 

  67. Gifts of gold, food, drink and jewels should be made there.

68. According to one’s means a golden Vamana may also be gifted along with umbrella and sandals according to rules.

69. After performing worship in the prescribed manner with mantras and also homa, the Brahmins may be propitiated.

(these are the items in worship:)

70. (Invocation): O lord of Lakshmi, Eternal being, giver of gifts, although you are everywhere, be pleased to adorn this seat by your part for my favour.

71. (Reference to the star): I adore for the attainment of my desires that star in which form you shine in the sky on Dvadashi day.

72. (Bath): I bow to you (and bathe you), O Keshava, you having lotus in the navel and forming the abode of Lakshmi.

73. (Salutation): I salute you, O eternal and omniscient Lord Narayana, the source of the whole world. (Worship): O Keshava, accept this worship of mine on this day when the asterism Shravana is in conjunction with Dvadashi day.

74. (Incense): O Lord of Lords, bearing the conch, disc and mace, here is the incense. I bow to you Vasudeva, Achyuta, Ananta, Govinda.

75. (Lamp with flame): By this incandecense may all the eternal worlds be opened. O Janardana, you are the lustre in everything and I bow to you.

76. (Food): You were born to Aditi as Vamana for subduing the son of Virocana. (Bali) and you then occupied the entire universe with three steps. I bow to you. 

77. (Arghya): You are esteemed by the gods and you are the final resort of yogins. You repose in water and you are the source of the universe. Be pleased to accept this arghya (ceremonial water).

78. (Homa): You eat the sacrificial offering, you produce the sacrificial offering, you are the sacrificer and the sacrificial offering. O Keshava, I bow to you who are everywhere and permeate every being.

79. (Dakshina): O Lord, you are gold, food, water and cloth. (Umbrella and Sandals): O Janardana, be pleased with this offering of sandals and umbrella.

80. (Praise): May the eternal Lord who is wind, water and fire, Varuna, Surya, Keshava, Shiva, Kubera, remove my sins.

81. (Gift of water pot): He who is Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Chandra, Surya, Indra, Tvashta, Yama and Agni, remove my sins.

 82. (Reference to the worshipper): Vamana is the giver of intelligence, Vamana is the liberator. I bow to Vamana.

83. (Receiver of gift): I give to Vamana, Vamana gives me. Vamana is the liberator by both these means. I bow to Vamana.

84. (Gift of cow): In the body of the cow remain the fourteen worlds. By giving a gift of the cow which yields all desires, people get gratification.

85. (Release): I offered worship to you, the dispeller of all my sins. I now release you after this worship to adorn any other place you like.

86. He who performs in this manner the worship on the Dvadashi day in the Bhadrapada month, attains his aim.

87. He who performs like this in the Sarasvati tirtha at the confluence of Yamuna in particular, gets the merit a hundredfold.

88. Giving up everything, I have also been resorting to this tirtha all this time with intense devotion. That was why you were not able to affect me.

89. The Vrata should be commenced when the tithi Dvadashi actually starts combination with the star Shravana and continues till one of the two is out of combination.

90. The prowess of the tirtha is becoming manifest now itself. I find that your listening to this account has itself started gaining your liberation.

Varaha said:

91. As the Brahmin was saying this, the sound of Dundubhi could be heard in the sky and a shower of flowers from the sky on earth in hundreds.

92. Aerial cars descended there for the ghosts. A messenger of the gods then told them:

93. “By the narration of (the prowess of this tirtha by) the Brahmin and his extollation of its efficacy and by your listening to all this, you are released from your ghosthood”.

94. So conversation with a good man even with effort is a highly desirable thing, and in the mind there should always be the thought of the tirtha and attitude of the Vrata.

95. This is evidenced by these ghosts getting their release and going to eternal heaven by their contact with the man who was always in the tirtha at the confluence of Sarasvati.

96. The result of their simply listening to the account of the greatness of the tirtha was their release. so, this which brought about the liberation of the five ghosts, is a great dharma.

97. He who devoutly recites this or listens with serious attention or performs what is ordained by this, never becomes a ghost.

98. The tirtha named Pishacha is known in all the three worlds and simply to know about it is to safeguard against becoming a ghost.