Varāha Mahā Purana
208 - The story of chaste woman
The Sage’s son (Nachiketas) said:
1-2. In a short while there could be seen many Brahmins. with high spiritual attainments proceeding to heaven in aerial cars resplendent like the sun, accompanied by their wives and relations.
3. At this sight, Yama became pale in face and reduced in lustre. He soon became angry and sorrowful.
4. Seeing him lose his lustre and knowing his mind, Närada asked him.
5. “You were beaming all along as if you were another lord of beasts (Shiva). How is it that your happy face has become so very pale all of a sudden?
6. O king, what is your anguish that you heave like a serpent? I wish to know what causes you fear.”
Yama said;
7. “True that my face gets discoloured and mouth parched. I shall tell you why. Please listen.
8. Eminent Brahmins who depend on alms received, who are steadfast in learning Vedas and performing penance, who are humble and free from jealousy,
9. Who have control of senses, honour guests and contemplate on the supreme and know self, by-pass me.
10. They never come near me and I have no control over them. They pass over my head together with their wives and followers.
11. They have fine sandal smeared all over the body and are dressed well and adorned with garlands and they offer garlands to me. I am, therefore, distressed.
12. (They make fun of me saying) ‘O Death, whom are you awaiting here,’ ‘How can death occur? Why don’t you speak. O Death’, ‘Have you become unwanted in the world?’
13. I strike at sinners who give up dharma and are greedy. But with regard to these who have earned the merit of penance, I am nobody.
14. For these great souls, I have no powers of benediction or destruction nor of injunction or prohibition. I am, therefore distressed, O Sage.”
15. Just then there arrived a chaste woman with her husband and followers in an aerial car ushered in with the sound of musical instruments.
16-17. Seated in that car, she spoke to Yama in pleasant words.
The chaste woman said:
18. “O great lord of dharma honoured by all, don’t have any ill-will towards these Brahmins who are full of penance,
19. The greatness and power of their penance, none can estimate. The Brahmins are steeped in Vedic lore.
20. They are always to be honoured by all. They have all gods in themselves. Jealousy or anger should not be shown to them.
21. Without considering what they do is good or bad, you should respect them. Impelled by desire or delusion, the virtuous should never be made the object of rage.”
22-23. Seeing that chaste woman pass in the sky like a lightning, after being honoured by Yama, Närada asked him.
Nārada said:
24. Who is this beautiful and virtuous woman who spoke to you for your good and departed receiving your honour.
25. I am very much eager to know this. So tell me in brief.
Yama said:
26. I shall tell you in full the auspicious story about this lady whom I honoured here.
27. In Krutayuga there was a very famous, effulgent and truthful king named Nimi.
28. He had a son named Mithi who had a wife named Rūpavati very much devoted to him.
29. She always followed her husband’s words, was pleased with him and performed auspicious deeds.
30. He was very virtuous, compassionate to all, highly truthful and full of penance.
31. When he was ruling the earth with all dharma, there was .no disease, decay or death.
32. There was always rain in the country. His kingdom became endowed with all that is good.
33. Not a single man was there who was suffering from discase or distress.
34. After a long time, the queen spoke in all humility to this king of Mithila.
The queen said:
35. Whatever money that was with you in this house, with our servants and followers and with the Brahmins in this earth, has been now fully spent.
36. O king, you are not aware that there is not necessary food.
37. We have no kine, dress or even flowers and roots.
38. I do not find now even the necessary vessels.
39. Please tell me what I should do. I am ever prepared to obey you.
The King said:
40. I am unable to tell you anything unpleasant. At the same time, I do not find anything to please you or the people.
41. Therefore, if you are pleased, I shall tell you what we may do in our present condition.
42. A hundred years have passed in our sacrificial austerities. We will now build a temple with the wood of Kuddala and perform rituals there. You will then get the food and drink we need,
43.0020Told thus, the queen replied to the king.
The queen said:
44. O king, here we have thousands of servants, horses, elephants, camels, bulls, buffaloes and asses.
45. How will they fail to carry out your wish?
The king said:
46. “Our servants do whatever duty we allot to them. I have engaged them in annual as well as other functions.
47. The bulls, asses, horses, elephants and camels are assigned to the discharge of various other duties.
48. All the iron, tin, copper, silver and gold have been given for various purposes.
49. O queen, I do not find now any iron or gold for temple to be made with Kuddāla.’
50. Told thus by the king, the queen spoke to him joyfully,
51. “O king, proceed as you like, I shall certainly follow you. Thus agreed, the king started with queen.
52. Then the king and queen set out searching for a suitable place and traversed a long distance. Then the king said:
53. “This I find to be a good place. Let us remain here. I shall cut off bushes and thorns and you may clear them from here.
54. This will be your service and we will accomplish our aim”.
55. Said thus by the king, the queen spoke to him sweetly with a smile.
56. “The tree we want stands close by and a golden bush too. But nowhere near do I find water.
57. How will we be able to build a temple here? It will result only in disease of the heart.
58. Here is the tree in this fertile land. But how can our action be useful here?
59. Hearing this, the king spoke in endearing words:
60. “Let us begin with the preliminaries. We may be able to get water near or a little away. There is no obstacle of any kind here.”
61. Then he began to clear the place together with his wife.
62. It was the summer season and the sun was blazing high up in the sky.
63. The heat was severe and the gentle queen became hungry and thirsty.
64. Her tender rosy feet turned red with heat.
65. The rays of the sun were like fire at noon. Then the tormented queen told her husband:
66. “Oppressed by this sweltering heat, I am extremely thirsty. Be pleased to give me some water quickly”.
67. So saying she fell down being very much fatigued but as she was falling down, she looked at the sun.
68. As her look was in anger, the sun in the sky became fear-stricken and fell down on the earth.
69. Seeing this strange thing, the king asked:
70. “O great luminary, why have you come here leaving your orb? Tell me what I can do for you. You are worshipped by the entire world”.
71. To the king who was asking thus, the Sun said apologetically: “This chaste lady got very much angry with me. As a result, I fell down. I am now here to do you whatever service you require.
72. There is none equal to her in all the three worlds. Certainly there is none like her in this world.
73. What a prowess is hers, what a penance and what a courage?
74. She is a nice match for you, very obedient and pure with penance.
75. She is chaste and good and always looks after your comforts,
76. She is as suitable to you as Shachi is to Indra. The good has joined the good due to merit as can be seen from the perfect harmony.
77. Your desire will never go in vain. Put up here the temple as you wish.
78. There is none else who deserves the fruit of all this.
79-80. So saying the Sun gave the king a Vessel of water, a pair of sandals and a well-decorated umbrella, being very much pleased with him.
81. He gave all this for his pleasure and use for meritorious purposes.
82. The (Sun) gave this for the sake of the king’s beloved.
83. The queen was sprinkled with the water. She regained consciousness and asked the king wondering what had happened.
84. “O king, who gave you this pleasant water and these fine sandals and umbrella?”
The king said:
85. “O queen, this god Sun came down here from the sky out of compassion for you.”
86. Thus told by the king, she said to him: “What can do for him? Please ascertain his desire.”
87. Then the king fell at his feet with folded hands and said. “O god, please tell us what we may do for you?”
88. Thus requested by the king, the Sun said, “O king, let me have protection from women.”
89. Hearing these words of the Sun, the king communicated them to his wife.
90. Knowing thus from the king, the queen said with great pleasure:
91-92. “Since you have given this umbrella for warding off your rays, a water-pot (for keeping water) and the sandals for soothing feet, I give you protection you seek.”
93. Therefore, O sage, I bow to the chaste woman and honour her.