09.038
Library: Balarama visits Uśanas, known as Kapālamocana; hermitage of Rushanga; then comes to Sindhudvipa where the royal sage Devapi attained Brahminhood.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana spoke:
uṣitvā tatra rāmas tu sampūjyāśramavāsinaḥ। tathā maṅkaṇake prītiṃ śubhāṃ cakre halāyudhaḥ ॥9-38-1॥
Rama stayed there and honored the hermitage dwellers. Balarama, also known as Halayudha, showed auspicious affection to Mankanaka.
dattvā dānaṃ dvijātibhyo rajanīṃ tāmupoṣya ca। pūjito munisaṅghaiśca prātarutthāya lāṅgalī ॥9-38-2॥
After giving charity to the Brahmins and fasting through the night, the ploughman was honored by groups of sages and rose in the morning.
anugñāpya munīnsarvānspr̥ṣṭvā toyaṃ ca bhārata। prayayau tvarito rāmas tīrthahetor mahābalaḥ ॥9-38-3॥
After seeking permission from all the sages and touching the water, mighty Rama quickly set out on a pilgrimage, O Bhārata.
tata auśanasaṃ tīrtham ājagāma halāyudhaḥ। kapālamocanaṃ nāma yatra mukto mahāmuniḥ ॥9-38-4॥
Then Halāyudha reached the sacred place of Uśanas, known as Kapālamocana, where the great sage attained liberation.
mahatā śirasā rājan grasta-jaṅgho mahodaraḥ। rākṣasasya mahārāja rāma-kṣiptasya vai purā ॥9-38-5॥
O great king, Mahodara, the demon with seized thighs, was formerly thrown by Rama.
tatra pūrvaṃ tapastaptaṃ kāvyena sumahātmanā। yatrāsya nītirakhilā prādurbhūtā mahātmanaḥ ॥ tatrasthaścintayāmāsa daityadānavavigraham ॥9-38-6॥
In that place, Kāvya, the great soul, had previously performed penance. It was there that his entire policy became manifest. While situated there, he contemplated the conflict between the demons and the Danavas.
tatprāpya ca balo rājaṃstīrthapravaramuttamam। vidhivaddhi dadau vittaṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ mahātmanām ॥9-38-7॥
Upon reaching the best of holy places, Bala, O king, generously distributed wealth to the great-souled Brahmins, following the prescribed rules.
janamejaya uvāca॥
Janamejaya said:
kapālamocanaṃ brahmankathaṃ yatra mahāmuniḥ। muktaḥ kathaṃ cāsya śiro lagnaṃ kena ca hetunā ॥9-38-8॥
O Brahman, please tell me about Kapalamochana, the place where the great sage was liberated. How did his head become attached again, and who was responsible for it and why?
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaishampayana said:
purā vai daṇḍakāraṇye rāghaveṇa mahātmanā। vasatā rājaśārdūla rākṣasāstatra hiṃsitāḥ ॥9-38-9॥
Once upon a time, in the forest of Dandakaranya, the great Rāghava, while residing there, O tiger among kings, killed the demons.
janasthāne śiraśchinnaṃ rākṣasasya durātmanaḥ। kṣureṇa śitadhāreṇa tatpapāta mahāvane ॥9-38-10॥
In the place called Janasthana, the severed head of the wicked demon fell with a sharp-edged razor in the great forest.
mahodarasya tallagnaṁ jaṅghāyāṁ vai yadṛcchayā। vane vicarato rājannasthi bhittvāsphurattadā ॥9-38-11॥
O king, while wandering in the forest, a bone by chance got attached to Mahodara's thigh, pierced it, and then twitched.
sa tena lagnena tadā dvijātirna śaśāka ha। abhigantuṃ mahāprājñastīrthānyāyatanāni ca ॥9-38-12॥
With that attachment, the twice-born was unable to approach the wise sage, the holy places, and the temples.
sa pūtinā visravatā vedanārto mahāmuniḥ। jagāma sarvatīrthāni pṛthivyāmiti naḥ śrutam ॥9-38-13॥
The great sage, afflicted by the foul-smelling flow, traveled to all the sacred places on earth, as we have heard.
sa gatvā saritaḥ sarvāḥ samudrāṃśca mahātapāḥ। kathayāmāsa tatsarvamṛṣīṇāṃ bhāvitātmanām ॥9-38-14॥
He, the great ascetic, traveled to all the rivers and oceans and narrated everything to the sages who were enlightened.
āplutaḥ sarvatīrtheṣu na ca mokṣamavāptavān। sa tu śuśrāva viprendo munīnāṃ vacanaṃ mahat ॥9-38-15॥
Having bathed in all the sacred places, he did not achieve liberation. However, the best among the Brahmins heard the profound teachings of the sages.
sarasvatyās tīrthavaraṃ khyātamauśanasaṃ tadā। sarvapāpapraśamanaṃ siddhakṣetram anuttamam ॥9-38-16॥
Then, the renowned pilgrimage site associated with Uśanas, known as Sarasvati, is the ultimate sacred field for absolving all sins.
sa tu gatvā tatastatra tīrthamauśanasaṃ dvijaḥ। tata auśanase tīrthe tasyopaspṛśatastadā ॥ tacchiraścaraṇaṃ muktvā papātāntarjale tadā ॥9-38-17॥
The Brahmin went to the sacred place of Uśanas. While he was purifying himself there, his head and foot, having been released, fell into the water.
tataḥ sa virujo rājanpūtātmā vītakalmaṣaḥ। ājagāmāśramaṃ prītaḥ kṛtakṛtyo mahodaraḥ ॥9-38-18॥
Then, O king, the pure-souled and sinless one, having accomplished his purpose and pleased, came to the hermitage, free from disease, the great-bellied one.
so'tha gatvāśramaṃ puṇyaṃ vipramukto mahātapāḥ। kathayāmāsa tatsarvamṛṣīṇāṃ bhāvitātmanām ॥9-38-19॥
Then, having been freed from the curse, the great ascetic went to the sacred hermitage and narrated everything to the sages with purified souls.
te śrutvā vacanaṃ tasya tatastīrthasya mānada। kapālamocanamiti nāma cakruḥ samāgatāḥ ॥9-38-20॥
Upon hearing his words, they gathered and named the holy site 'Kapalamochana', honoring the giver of respect.
tatra dattvā bahūndāyānviprānsampūjya mādhavaḥ। jagāma vṛṣṇipravaro ruṣaṅgorāśramaṃ tadā ॥9-38-21॥
There, Madhava, the best of the Vrishnis, after giving many gifts to the Brahmins and worshipping them, went to the hermitage of Rushanga.
yatra taptaṃ tapo ghoramārṣṭiṣeṇena bhārata। brāhmaṇyaṃ labdhavāṃstatra viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ ॥9-38-22॥
In the place where the sage practiced intense austerity, O Bharata, there Viśvāmitra, the great sage, achieved the status of a Brahmin.
tato haladharaḥ śrīmānbrāhmaṇaiḥ parivāritaḥ। jagāma yatra rājendra ruṣaṅgustanumatyajat ॥9-38-23॥
Then the illustrious Haladhara, surrounded by Brahmins, went to the place where, O king, the sage, in his anger, had left his body.
ruṣaṅgurbrāhmaṇo vṛddhastaponityaśca bhārata। dehanyāse kṛtamanā vicintya bahudhā bahu ॥9-38-24॥
A sage named Ruṣaṅgu, who was an elderly Brahmin and always engaged in penance, resolved his mind and considered many aspects deeply before abandoning his body, O descendant of Bharata.
tataḥ sarvānupādāya tanayān vai mahātapāḥ। ruṣaṅgurabravīttatra nayadhvaṃ mā pṛthūdakam ॥9-38-25॥
Then, the great ascetic Ruṣaṅgu, after gathering all his sons, instructed them not to go to Pṛthūdaka.
vijñāyātītavayasaṃ ruṣaṅguṃ te tapodhanāḥ। taṃ vai tīrthamupāninyuḥ sarasvatyāstapodhanam ॥9-38-26॥
Recognizing the sage who was beyond age and angry, the ascetics brought him to the sacred place of Sarasvati.
sa taiḥ putraistadā dhīmānānīto vai sarasvatīm। puṇyāṃ tīrthaśatopetāṃ viprasaṅghairniṣevitām ॥9-38-27॥
He, the wise one, was brought by his sons to the sacred river Sarasvati, which is endowed with numerous holy sites and frequented by groups of Brahmins.
sa tatra vidhinā rājannāplutaḥ sumahātapāḥ। jñātvā tīrthaguṇāṃścaiva prāhedamṛṣisattamaḥ ॥ suprītaḥ puruṣavyāghra sarvānaputrānupāsataḥ ॥9-38-28॥
The greatly austere sage, having bathed there according to the prescribed method and having understood the qualities of the holy places, spoke thus, being very pleased, O tiger among men, while all the sons were attending.
sarasvatyuttare tīre yastyajedātmanastanum। pṛthūdake japyaparo nainaṃ śvomaraṇaṃ tapet ॥9-38-29॥
On the northern bank of the Sarasvati, if one abandons their body while engaged in recitation in the vast waters, they will not be tormented by death the next day.
tatrāplutya sa dharmātmā upaspṛśya halāyudhaḥ। dattvā caiva bahūndāyānviprāṇāṃ vipravatsalaḥ ॥9-38-30॥
There, Halayudha (Balarama), the righteous soul, bathed and performed rituals. He gave many gifts to the Brahmins, showing his affection towards them.
sasarja yatra bhagavāṁllokāṁllokapitāmahaḥ। yatrārṣṭiṣeṇaḥ kauravya brāhmaṇyaṁ saṁśitavrataḥ ॥ tapasā mahatā rājanprāptavānṛṣisattamaḥ ॥9-38-31॥
The Lord, the grandsire of the worlds, created the worlds in a place where the sage, known for his firm vows, attained Brahmanhood through great penance, O king, descendant of Kuru, and became the best of sages.
sindhudvīpaśca rājarṣirdevāpiśca mahātapāḥ। brāhmaṇyaṃ labdhavānyatra viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ ॥ mahātapasvī bhagavānugratejā mahātapāḥ ॥9-38-32॥
Sindhudvipa and the royal sage Devapi, known for their great austerity, attained Brahminhood in the place where the great sage Vishvamitra was present. The divine being, fierce in brilliance and greatly austere, was there.
tatrājagāma balavānbalabhadraḥ pratāpavān।
There arrived the strong and mighty Balabhadra.
