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We are the sons of Devas; we have come to you to ask some questions. I will, therefore, fulfil your desires. You are endowed with all auspicious signs; moreover you are a princess; you are not ignorant of all enjoyments in this world; why then you like to live such an unfortunate life in vain in this forest? Now I don't see the Muni; but instead of him, I see this bright person. The souls of all the beings are very dear; it is for that reason, for the sake of soul, that sons, wife, wealth and jewels are all dear. Kingdom, treasury and strength are the three sources of income; but you are now deprived of all these. He went with a grievous heart and returned to his own city, accompanied by the ministers.
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Would you like to report poor quality or formatting in this book? Click here Would you like to report this content as inappropriate? And that greatly illustrious Muni being pleased will certainly remove your sorrows quickly. Thus your son has spoken to us many words; so now be pleased to go to your own abode. Rather he told them: Better leaving off all idleness, you better govern the Kingdom carefully. O best of Risis! I am extremely eager to hear the life of the King; therefore kindly describe to me in detail his wonderful career.
On coming back to his house, the intelligent Muni found his sons and other members of the family happy and well conditioned, became very glad and when his wife came to him for his service, asked her: How did you spend your time in days of famine?
There was nothing whatsoever of the stock of rice, etc. Please speak to me. I was very busy with my austerities, I could not therefore come to you and see my boys; how then, O Beloved, and what measures did you resort to for their maintenance? O good and auspicious One! Why have you entered here at this hour of night? Why are your looking after the dishes? Speak what you want. I am now your guest in the form of a thief; I am now specially very hungry; so I will now eat your cooked meat; kindly permit me.
Are you not aware of this? They ought never to eat the defiled food who desire to attain to the Heavens; owing to Karma, the Maharsi Manu has denominated the seventh caste as Antyaja and has discarded them altogether. O Giver of respect! But if one commits sin when the time is not one of danger, one gets degraded; not so in the time of danger. The man that dies out of hunger, goes to hell, no doubt. Therefore every man seeking for his welfare must satisfy his hunger. Therefore I intend to steal for preserving my body. The sin, incurred in stealing during famine, which the Pundits have declared, goes to the God of rains until he does not pour forth rain.
Just when I spoke these words, the God of Rains began to pour forth rain. Now speak out to me, how did you behave in that famine time, so terrible to all the beings. Hearing the above words of the husband, the sweet speaking lady spoke: I became very anxious to see the sons hungry; I then went out to the forest in quest of wild rice; and I got some fruits. Thus I spent some months by collecting the rice growing wildly in the forest; then in times these also could not be got and I became again anxious.
The sons are crying in agony of hunger. And where to go? What am I to say now to the hungry boys? Thus thinking on various ways, I at last came to this conclusion that I would sell one of my sons to a rich man and whatever price I can fetch, with that I will preserve the lives of the other sons. Thus thinking, I became ready and went out. Why is this boy weeping? Daily I will supply you with meat for the food of your boys until the Muni returns home. The King from that time used to bring, with great pity, daily the flesh of deer and boar killed by him in the forest and he used to tie that on this tree.
I will free the King of his curse, who saved you at that critical moment; what more than this that I promise to you that I will remove his sufferings whether it be by my learning or it be by my Tapas. Seeing the Muni coming, the King was greatly astonished and instantly threw himself before his feet like a piece of stick. I will, therefore, fulfil your desires. Now speak what I am to do. Do that sacrifice, by which I can go to the Heavens in this my present body.
How can you go and live in the Heavens in this your human body? I will then have the excellent sacrifice done by another priest. Thus I have described to you all about my curse. You are the one quite able to remove now my grievances. Distressed in pain and agony, the King informed him and became quiet. He gave to the King all the Punyams merits that he collected for himself up to then. Giving him thus all the Punyams, he spoke to the King: Throw away all idleness and go to the abode of the Gods you wanted to go.
O King of Kings! Gladly go to the Heavens by the power of all the merits collected by me for a long time and let you fare well there. You ought not to remain here; so go immediately back to the earth. O Destroyer of the enemies! Indra speaking thus, the King dropped from the Heavens and, like a Deva whose merits had been exhausted, fell down immediately. Being displaced from the Heavens I am now falling very violently; so save me from this trouble. What are you going to do? Why are you so very angry? There is no necessity to create another new creation.
Order now what I am to do. Therefore this is now my intention that you gladly take him to your own abode. Indra was thoroughly aware of his determined resolve and very powerful asceticism; so he accepted to do according to his word, out of terror. Thus time passed away; but the beautiful wife did not become pregnant.
The King became very sorry and thoughtful. O Knower of Dharma! You are skilled in the Science of Mantrams. Especially you know everything of Daiva Fate. So, O Giver of honour! Do for me so that I get a son. There is no salvation for one who has not got any son; you are well aware of this. Then why do you overlook my case when you can remove my sorrow.
Even these sparrows are blessed who nourish their offsprings. And I am so very unfortunate that, day and night, I am immersed in cares and anxieties, due to my not having any son. True you have spoken that in this world there is no other sorrow more painsgiving than the state of not having any issue. He will crown your efforts with success. There is no other god than Varuna to grant sons. So, O Virtuous One! Worship Him and you will get success. Both Fate and Self-exertion are to be respected by men; how can success come unless efforts are made. Men who realise the Highest Truth should make efforts, guided by just rules; success comes to those who work; else never one is to expect success.
When he was doing this, the god Varuna took pity on him and gladly came before his sight. So ask boons from me. I am without any son; give me a son, who will give me happiness and will free me from the three debts that I owe to the Devas, the Pitris and the Risis. If you get your desired well-qualified son, what will you do for me to my satisfaction? If you perform a sacrifice in honour of me and fearlessly sacrifice your son there like an animal, I will then grant you your desired boon. Free me from this state of sonless-ness; O Water God!
When my son will be born, I will do your sacrifice with my son as an animal in that. This I speak truly to you. O Giver of honour! There is no suffering more unbearable than this one, not to have any son; so grant me a good son so that all my sorrows be vanished. You will get a son as you desire; go home; but see what you have spoken before be fulfilled and turned true. After some time, that wife became pregnant and the King became very glad to hear this and her longings in that state.
The King performed all her purificatory ceremonies, and when ten months were completed, and on an auspicious Naksatra and on an auspicious day, she gave birth to a son, like that of a Deva son. The liberal King gave away, in special charities, wealth, grains, and various jewels and lands and had the performance of music, dancing and other things. Know me to he Varuna. Now hear what I say. Your son is now born; therefore perform sacrifices in honor to me with your son. Your defect of not having a son is now removed; so fulfil what you promised before.
Only one lotus-faced son is born to me; how can I kill it. Again it is very difficult to root out the affection for a son; so what am I to do now? How shall I preserve my happiness due to the birth of my son. O Deva of the Devas! But, when in a sacrifice human beings are immolated as victims, both the husband and wife are entitled to the ceremony. You are omniscient and the master of all the beings; and you know what is Nitya Dharma.
So, O Varuna Deva! I want one month time; and show mercy thus on me. Welfare be unto you! Do your duties; I am now going back to my place. I will come again after one month. When Varuna Deva turned his back, the King began to feel happiness. Start the sacrifice just now! It is to my great fortune that you have landed your feet at my place; O Lord! My house has been sanctified to day. I will do, no doubt, your desired sacrifice according to the rites and ceremonies.
But see, the victims that have not their teeth come as yet are not fit for a sacrifice; so the versed Pundits say; so I have settled I would perform your great sacrifice, as desired by you, when the teeth will come out of my son. Now commence my sacrifice. He sang hymns to him and very humbly said with his head bent low: So I have heard from the elderly persons.
O Lord of Waters! When the child will have his head shaven, I will certainly perform your sacrifice; there is no doubt in this. Why are you deceiving me like this so often? Now you have all the materials ready for the sacrifice; only for your filial affection you are deceiving me. However, if, after the ceremony of tonsure, you do not perform my sacrifice, I will be angry and I will curse you. The queen was then sitting before the King with the child in her lap when Varuna came up there.
After worshipping him duly, he very humbly said: Today I will perform your sacrifice. But kindly hear with attention my saying and then do what is advisable. If you approve of this as reasonable, I then open my heart to you. So the Pundits versed in the Vedas declare. So, O Lord of the Devas! If you feel pity for your this humble servant, then wait till the Upanayana ceremony is over, when I will perform your grand sacrifice with my son. If you think my saying as true, then go to your home. Then the King gladly performed his state duties. After some time, the child grew ten years old.
Seeing him, the King instantly bowed down and standing before him with clasped palms, gladly spoke to him: I speak truly before you that, O Knower of Virtue! Kindly wait till then.
The S'rîmad Devî Bhâgawatam. Translated by The First Book. Chapter 1 The Second Book. Chapter 1 The Third Book. Chapter 1 The Fourth Book. Swami Vijñanananda has 36 books on Goodreads with 71 ratings. The Shrimad Devi Bhagvatam: The Sixth Book The S'rîmad Devî Bhâgawatam, Book 3.
You are very much attached to your son now and so by various reasonable plays of intellect, you are repeatedly deceiving me. Thus saying, Varuna went away and the King became glad and began to perform duly his various duties. The prince was very intelligent; and as he used to see Varuna coming, now and then, at the time of the ceremonies, he became very anxious. He then made enquiries outside hither and thither and came to know of his own being about to be killed and he desired to quit the house instantly. When the son had gone to the forest, the King became very much afflicted with sorrow and sent messengers in quest of him.
When some time passed away, Varuna came to his house and spoke to the distressed King: Now perform your desired Sacrifice. What shall I do now? My son has become afraid and has gone away. I do not know where he has gone. My messengers have searched for him in difficult places in mountains, in the hermitages of the Munis, in fact, in all the places; but they have not been able to find him out anywhere. My son has left his home; order now what I can do. You know everything; so judge I have got no fault in this matter. It is certainly luck and nothing else. Hearing these words of the King, Varuna became very much angry and when he saw that he was deceived so many times by the King, he then cursed, saying: As you have cheated me by your deceitful words, so you be attacked by dropsy and be severely pained by it.
Cursing thus, Varuna went back to his own place and the King was much afflicted with that terrible disease. When Varuna went away, the King was very much laid down with that dropsy and daily his pains began to increase and he began to suffer extreme pains. The prince, on the other hand, heard, in the forest, of the illness of his father and filled with affection, wanted to go to his father.
A year had passed away and the prince desired very gladly to go to his father and see him. Knowing this, Indra came there. It seems you are silly; you know nothing of the difficult state policies. Therefore it is that you are ready to go, out of sheer ignorance, to your father. The souls of all the beings are very dear; it is for that reason, for the sake of soul, that sons, wife, wealth and jewels are all dear.
Therefore, though you are his dear son, like his son, yet he will certainly have you killed and get Homas offered, to free himself from the disease. You ought not to go home now; rather when your father dies, you would certainly go there and inherit your Kingdom. But when the prince again heard of the severe illness of his father, he wanted again to go to his father, resolved to court the death of his ownself.
What is the sure remedy for the cure of the disease? Purchase one son by giving his value; then perform the sacrifice with that purchased son and you will be free from the curse. So buy one son. In that case Varuna Deva will certainly be pleased and grant your happiness.
The minister spoke to him to purchase his son: Give me out of them one son and I will give you one hundred cows as his value. He thought that his eldest son was the rightful person to perform funeral obsequies and offer Pinda and he therefore did not spare him. The youngest son, too, he did not spare also, as he considered that his own. At last, he sold his second son for the price of one hundred cows.
The King then bought him and made him the victim for the sacrifice. When that boy was fastened to the sacrificial post, he began to tremble and very much distressed with sorrow began to cry. Seeing this, the Munis cried out in a very pitiful tone. When the King gave permission for the immolation of that boy, the slaughterer did not take weapons to slaughter him. He told that he would never be able to kill the boy, since he is crying in a very pitiful tone.
When he thus withdrew himself from his work, the King then asked his councillors: What ought to be done now? Then Ajigarta stood up in the midst of the assembly and spoke: Be patient; I will fulfil your desire. I am desirous of wealth and if you give me double the amount, I will slay immediately the victim; and you can complete early your sacrifice. He who is hankering after money, can always entertain feelings of enmity even towards his own son.
This wretch, a disgrace to his family, is now ready to kill his own son. We never saw before such a cruel vicious person. What a vicious work are you now going to do? What happiness do you derive by slaying the son, the jewel of jewels, only to get some wealth? What is written about killing animals in the sacrifice, is only meant for the persons inclined to sensual objects and to give them a stimulus in that direction. He who pities equally all the beings, gets contended with a trivial gain and subdues all his senses; God is soon pleased with him.
You desire to preserve your body by taking away the life of this boy; similarly why would he not try to preserve his own body, the receptacle of happiness and pleasures. If anybody kills another willingly, though he has got no enmity with him, then the one that is killed will certainly kill afterwards the slayer.
His father, out of greed for money, is deprived of intellect and so has sold away his son. Moreover the King has to suffer for one-sixth of the sins committed by anyone in his Kingdom. Therefore the King ought certainly to prohibit any man when he wants to do a sinful act. Why then did you not prevent this man when he desired to sell his son?
And you are well acquainted with this fact. Keep my word out of your love for that. This boy is very pitifully crying; so free him. Do you not realise this? You will have to give anything that a man wants from you in this sacrifice; but if you do otherwise, sin will attack you, no doubt.
I am suffering very much from the dropsy; I will not be able therefore to free him. You can pray for some other thing. You ought not to throw obstacles in this my sacrifice. I am giving you the Varuna Mantra; recollect this within your mind and if you go on repeating that Mantra silently, you will certainly fare well. Everyone in the assembly became thoroughly surprised to see Varuna Deva come there and they all became glad and chanted hymns in honour of him. I am very vicious; my intellect is much defiled; I am a sinner before you; O Merciful One! Now show your mercy and sanctify this humble self.
I was very much troubled on not having a son; so I had disregarded your words; now show your mercy on me; what offence can cling to him whose intellect is already out of order? A beggar does not see his own faults; I am also in want of a son; so I could not see my defects. Being afraid of the terrors of hell, I have deceived you. Those, who are sonless, cannot find rest anywhere. Especially he is barred from the Heavens. You are wise and I am ignorant; especially I am extremely afflicted by this terrible disease; I am also deprived of my son; so you ought not to take any notice of my faults.
I do not know where my son has gone; O merciful One! Perhaps he, being afraid of his life, has fled away to some forest. For your satisfaction, I have now commenced your sacrifice with this purchased boy; I gave an equivalent value and I have purchased this boy. Your sight only has taken away my infinite troubles; now if you be pleased, I can be free of my this disease dropsy and my troubles will all be over.
Hearing thus the words of that diseased King, Varuna, the Deva of the Devas, took pity on him and thus spoke. Your sacrifice, too, is now completed; now let you be free from your present disease. You know well the Dharma; O Speakers of truth! Kindly specify according to the dictates of the Vedas. Whose son am I now? Who is my most respectful father? Please deliver your judgment and I will take his refuge.
This boy is born of the limbs of Ajigarta; and he has nursed him according to his might. So he must be his son; whose else can he be? So he can be said as the son of the King; or he may be called the son of Varuna, in as much as he freed him from his rope bondage. Thus some one turned out to be in favour of Ajigarta, some other in favour of the King; but nobody came to any definite conclusion.
When the father has cut off his filial attachment and has sold his son, his fatherly connection has ceased then. But when the King fastened him to the sacrificial post, he cannot be called as the father. Again when this boy singing hymns in honour of Varuna, he being glad freed him of his bondage, so Varuna cannot be called his father.
For whoever praises a god by the great Mantra, that Deva becomes pleased with him and gives him wealth, life, cattle, kingdom and even final emancipation. Come to my house. Varuna also went to his own abode with a gladdened heart. The councillors, too, departed. Freed from his disease, the King gladly began to govern his subjects.
The messengers informed the King of the arrival of the prince; the King heard and his heart overflowed with love and he gladly came there with no delay. The King raised him up and embraced him gladly and smelling his head enquired of his welfare. When the King was thus asking his son, taking him on his lap, the hot tears of joy flowed from his eyes and fell on the head of the prince.
The King and the prince then began to govern together his kingdom. The King described in detail all the events of the sacrifice where human victims are immolated. The two Maharsis took their seats in that Heaven. Where have you received this great honour and worship? O Highly Fortunate One! Who has worshipped you thus? There is no other King truthful like him; he is virtuous, charitable, and ever ready in governing his subjects. I have got my worship and honour in his sacrifice. Are you telling me to speak truly?
Again I speak truly to you that there never was a King truthful, heroic, charitable, and very religious like him nor there will be such a one. So he is a liar and cheat. Why are you praising then that King? Let us now stake all our virtues that we have earned since our birth by our asceticism and studies. You have praised exceedingly that King who is a great cheat; but if I cannot prove him to be a liar of the first order, I will lose all my virtues from my birth; but if it be otherwise, then all your virtues will be destroyed.
The King, seeing this, took pity on her and asked: Why are you in this forest crying alone? O Large eyed One! Has someone pained you? What is the cause of your sorrow?
Express this quickly before me. Why have you come here in this dreadful lonely forest? What are the names of your husband and your father? Be comfortable; do not weep; tell me why you are in this sorrowful state; know that no sinner can remain within my territory. For this reason I am sorry in Your kingdom.
I am a gentle lovely Lady; still that Muni is giving me so much trouble. No longer you will have to suffer any more pains. Why are you ailing your body by this terrible severe austerity! O Highly intelligent One! I will fulfil your desires; there is no need of your practising this severe penance; please get out of it immediately. You know everything; so what shall I say anything further? The King, too, went back to his palace. That terrible boar, of huge body, entered into the kingdom, raising a dreadful sound.
The guards became afraid at his terrible noise. The forest guards, then, taking their weapons, rushed forward on that boar. Those that were making garlands and the florists became very distressed and uttered uproars of consternation. That boar, as if an incarnate of Death, though routed out with flights of arrows, could not be terrified; rather when he began to harass the guards very much, they became very much afraid and being very distressed took the refuge of the King and, trembling, said: Seeing the guards terrified and distressed, the King asked them: Speak truly before me.
I do not fear the Deva nor the Demons; so tell me who has created this panic amongst you. I, no doubt, will send that vicious cheat unto the door of Death by this arrow, who has come against me in this world. What sort of enemy is that?
What is his form? What is his power and where is he residing now; speak this quickly to me. Very powerful, he is uprooting by his teeth all the beautiful flower trees; in fact, he is ruining all the gardens and forests. We shot arrows on him, struck him with cudgels and hurled stones at him so much; yet he did not get a bit afraid; rather he turned back to kill us. Then the horsemen, elephant drivers, charioteers and infantry, all followed him. When the King went there, he saw the terrible boar, of a huge body, whirling round and round and making the peculiar sound in the forest; and he witnessed also the destroyed condition of the forest and became very angry.
He then drew his bow and arrows and fell down on him to take away his life. Seeing the King coming angrily towards him with bow and arrows in his hands, the boar began to sound more terribly and ran forward before him. The King saw the boar coming towards him with his mouth wide opened and began to shower arrows upon him to kill him.
The boar immediately made those arrows useless, and very violently and quickly jumped and passed away, over the King. When the boar passed away, the King angrily drew his bow with great care and shot sharpened arrows at him. The soldiers then entered the forest and scattered hither and thither; the King alone pursued the boar. The sun entered unto the meridian; and the King came to be alone in a lonely forest. His horse was fatigued, and he, too, was tired of hunger and thirst.
The boar went away out of sight. The King also missed his way in that dense jungle and became greatly absorbed with intense cares and anxieties. There is none to help me in this dense jungle. He became much delighted to see the flowing river and, alighting from horseback, he drank that water and made the horse also drink it.
He became much relieved by drinking; and though he was much bewildered not to find the right track, he wanted now to go to his own city. What for have you come here? What object have you got in view in this lonely forest? Be calm and quiet and speak everything before me. One powerful boar of a huge body entered into my garden and spoilt altogether all the gentle flower trees there. To desist that boar, I pursued him with bow in hand and went out of the city. That powerful boar, very swift and, as it were, a magician, has escaped my sight and gone away where I do not know.
I pursued him and have come now to this place and I do not know where my soldiers have gone. Now I am deprived of my men, I am hungry and thirsty. I do not know which is the road to my city; nor do I know where my soldiers have gone. It is to my great fortune that you have come in this lonely forest. Now I want to return to my home; kindly shew me the way. I always give everyone whatever he wants.
This is known to everybody. So, highly fortunate One! Bathe in this and do peace-offerings tarpanam to your fathers. Today I will be pleased with your gifts and I will accompany you to show you the way; this I have decided. I am now making gifts to you. Cows, lands, jewels, elephants, horses, chariots or horses, etc. There is nothing that I cannot give. Your glory is spread far and wide in this world; especially I have already heard that there is no second man charitable like you.
Now the marriage time of my son has arrived; so I pray before you today, that you give me wealth to celebrate this marriage. Celebrate the marriage ceremony; I will give you your desired wealth. What more can be said than this that whatever wealth you would want, I will give that abundantly. The marriage rites have been finished; so today give me what I desire in this sacrificial hall.
Speak out what you want; now I like to get fame. So if there be anything in the world, that is not to be given by me, if you want, I will give that even to you, no doubt. The mortal, possessing all wealth, if he does not earn good name and fame, capable to give happiness to him in his next world, passes his life in vain. I give as you pray, my this vast dominion to you.
I have accepted your offer; but O Intelligent One! At this time, his soldiers who lost their road in quest of their king, came to him. They were very glad to see him; but, seeing him anxious, they began to praise him in great haste. Hearing their words, the King did not say anything, good or bad; but thinking on his own doing entered into the zenana. What have I promised to give?