Sumati's Fall and Purification at Swami Pushkarini

Verse 1 (skanda.2.14.1)

श्रीसूत उवाच । भोभोस्तपोधनाः सर्वे नैमिषारण्यवासिनः । स्वामितीर्थस्य माहात्म्यं भूयोऽपि प्रवदाम्यहम् ।

śrīsūta uvāca bhobhostapodhanāḥ sarve naimiṣāraṇyavāsinaḥ svāmitīrthasya māhātmyaṁ bhūyo'pi pravadāmyaham

Shri Suta said: O all you sages rich in austerity, dwellers of Naimisharanya, I shall again relate to you the glory of the Swami tirtha.

Verse 2 (skanda.2.14.2)

पुरा किरातीसंसर्गात्सुमतिर्ब्राह्मणः सुराम् । पीतवान्पुष्करिण्यां स स्नात्वा पापाद्विमोचितः ।

purā kirātīsaṁsargātsumatirbrāhmaṇaḥ surām pītavānpuṣkariṇyāṁ sa snātvā pāpādvimocitaḥ

Long ago, through consorting with a Kirata woman, a brahmin named Sumati had drunk liquor; having bathed in the Pushkarini, he was freed from that sin.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.14.3)

ऋषय ऊचुः । सुमतिः कस्य पुत्रोऽसौ कथं स च सुरां पपौ । कथं किरात्यासक्तोऽभूत्सूत पौराणिकोत्तम ।

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ sumatiḥ kasya putro'sau kathaṁ sa ca surāṁ papau kathaṁ kirātyāsakto'bhūtsūta paurāṇikottama

The sages said: O Suta, finest of narrators of the Puranas, whose son was this Sumati, how did he come to drink liquor, and how did he become attached to a Kirata woman?

Verse 4 (skanda.2.14.4)

सर्वेषां विस्तरादेतद्वद त्वं कृपयाधुना ।

sarveṣāṁ vistarādetadvada tvaṁ kṛpayādhunā

Be gracious, and now tell us all this in full detail.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.14.5)

श्रीसूत उवाच । महाराष्ट्राभिधे देशे ब्राह्मणः कश्चिदास्तिकः । यज्ञदेव इति ख्यातो वेदवेदांगपारगः ।

śrīsūta uvāca mahārāṣṭrābhidhe deśe brāhmaṇaḥ kaścidāstikaḥ yajñadeva iti khyāto vedavedāṁgapāragaḥ

Shri Suta said: In the land called Maharashtra there lived a brahmin, known by the name Yajnadeva, learned in the Vedas and Vedangas, and of firm faith,

Verse 6 (skanda.2.14.6)

दयालुरातिथेयश्च शिवनारायणार्चकः । सुमतिर्नामपुत्रोऽभूद्यज्ञदेवस्य तस्य वै ।

dayālurātitheyaśca śivanārāyaṇārcakaḥ sumatirnāmaputro'bhūdyajñadevasya tasya vai

kind-hearted, hospitable to guests, a worshipper of Shiva and Narayana. That Yajnadeva had a son named Sumati.

Verse 7 (skanda.2.14.7)

पितरं स परित्यज्य भार्यामपि पतिव्रताम् । प्रययावुत्कले देशे विटगोष्ठीपरायणः ।

pitaraṁ sa parityajya bhāryāmapi pativratām prayayāvutkale deśe viṭagoṣṭhīparāyaṇaḥ

Abandoning both his father and his own devoted wife, and given over to bad company, he went off to the land of Utkala.

Verse 8 (skanda.2.14.8)

काचित्किराती तद्देशे वसन्ती युवमोहनी । यूनां समस्तद्रव्याणि प्रलोभ्य जगृहे चिरम् ।

kācitkirātī taddeśe vasantī yuvamohanī yūnāṁ samastadravyāṇi pralobhya jagṛhe ciram

In that country there dwelt a Kirata woman who bewitched young men; luring them with her charms, she would take from them all their wealth over time.

Verse 9 (skanda.2.14.9)

तस्या गृहं स प्रययौ सुमतिर्ब्राह्मणाधमः । सुमतिं सा च जग्राह किराती निर्धनं द्विजम् ।

tasyā gṛhaṁ sa prayayau sumatirbrāhmaṇādhamaḥ sumatiṁ sā ca jagrāha kirātī nirdhanaṁ dvijam

That base brahmin Sumati went to her house, and that Kirata woman took hold of that now-penniless brahmin, Sumati.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.14.10)

तया युक्तोऽथ सुमतिस्तत्संयोगैकतत्परः । इतस्ततश्चोरयित्वा बहुद्रव्याणि सन्ततम् ।

tayā yukto'tha sumatistatsaṁyogaikatatparaḥ itastataścorayitvā bahudravyāṇi santatam

Then Sumati, intent only on union with her, continually stealing much wealth from here and there,

Verse 11 (skanda.2.14.11)

दत्त्वा तया चिरं रेमे तद्गृहे बुभुजे च सः । एकेन चषकेणासौ तया सह सुरां पपौ ।

dattvā tayā ciraṁ reme tadgṛhe bubhuje ca saḥ ekena caṣakeṇāsau tayā saha surāṁ papau

and giving it all to her, sported and indulged for a long time in her house. He would drink liquor with her from a single cup.

Verse 12 (skanda.2.14.12)

एवं स बहुकालं वै रममाणस्तया सह । पितरौ निजपत्नीं च नास्मरद्विषयातुरः ।

evaṁ sa bahukālaṁ vai ramamāṇastayā saha pitarau nijapatnīṁ ca nāsmaradviṣayāturaḥ

Thus, sporting with her for a long time, and consumed by sensual desire, he forgot even his own parents and his wife.

Verse 13 (skanda.2.14.13)

स कदाचित्किरातैस्तु चौर्यं कर्तुं ययौ सह । विप्रस्य कस्यचिद्गेहे सोऽपि कैरातवेषभृत् ।

sa kadācitkirātaistu cauryaṁ kartuṁ yayau saha viprasya kasyacidgehe so'pi kairātaveṣabhṛt

Once, disguised in the garb of a Kirata, he went with the Kirata men to steal from the house of a certain brahmin.

Verse 14 (skanda.2.14.14)

ययौ चोरयितुं द्रव्यं साहसी खङ्गहस्तवान् । तद्गृहस्वामिनं विप्रं हत्वा खङ्गेन साहसात् ।

yayau corayituṁ dravyaṁ sāhasī khaṅgahastavān tadgṛhasvāminaṁ vipraṁ hatvā khaṅgena sāhasāt

Going boldly to steal wealth, sword in hand, he boldly slew the brahmin master of that house with his sword,

Verse 15 (skanda.2.14.15)

समादाय बहु द्रव्यं किरातीभवनं ययौ । तं यान्तमनुयाति स्म ब्रह्महत्या भयंकरी ।

samādāya bahu dravyaṁ kirātībhavanaṁ yayau taṁ yāntamanuyāti sma brahmahatyā bhayaṁkarī

and, taking much wealth, went to the Kirata woman's house. As he went, the terrible personified sin of brahmin-slaying followed close behind him,

Verse 16 (skanda.2.14.16)

नीलवस्त्रधरा भीमा भृशं रक्तशिरोरुहा । गर्जन्ती साट्टहासं सा कम्पयन्ती च रोदसी ।

nīlavastradharā bhīmā bhṛśaṁ raktaśiroruhā garjantī sāṭṭahāsaṁ sā kampayantī ca rodasī

clad in blue garments, fearsome, her hair a fiery red, roaring with harsh laughter, and making both worlds tremble.

Verse 17 (skanda.2.14.17)

अनुद्रुतस्तया सोऽयं बभ्राम जगतीतले । एवं भ्रमन्भुवं सर्वां कदाचित्सुमतिः स्वयम् ।

anudrutastayā so'yaṁ babhrāma jagatītale evaṁ bhramanbhuvaṁ sarvāṁ kadācitsumatiḥ svayam

Pursued by her, he began to wander this earth. Thus wandering over the whole earth, one day Sumati himself,

Verse 18 (skanda.2.14.18)

स्वग्रामं प्रययौ भीत्या विप्रबन्धुर्दुरात्मवान् । अनुद्रुतस्तया भीतः प्रययौ स्वगृहं प्रति ।

svagrāmaṁ prayayau bhītyā viprabandhurdurātmavān anudrutastayā bhītaḥ prayayau svagṛhaṁ prati

in fear, went to his own village, that wicked-souled man born of a brahmin family. In fear of her pursuit, he made his way toward his own home.

Verse 19 (skanda.2.14.19)

ब्रह्महत्याप्यनुद्रुत्य तेन साकं गृहं ययौ । पितरं रक्षरक्षेति सुमतिः शरणं ययौ ।

brahmahatyāpyanudrutya tena sākaṁ gṛhaṁ yayau pitaraṁ rakṣarakṣeti sumatiḥ śaraṇaṁ yayau

Brahmahatya too, pursuing him, arrived at that very house along with him. Crying 'Father, protect me, protect me,' Sumati took refuge with his father.

Verse 20 (skanda.2.14.20)

मा भैषीरिति तं प्रोच्य पिता रक्षितुमुद्यतः । तदानीं ब्रह्महत्येयं तत्तातं प्रत्यभाषत ।

mā bhaiṣīriti taṁ procya pitā rakṣitumudyataḥ tadānīṁ brahmahatyeyaṁ tattātaṁ pratyabhāṣata

Saying 'Fear not,' the father resolved to protect him. Then that personified Brahmahatya spoke to his father—

Verse 21 (skanda.2.14.21)

ब्रह्महत्योवाच । मैव त्वं प्रतिगृह्णीष्व यज्ञदेव द्विजोत्तम । असौ सुरापी स्तेयी च ब्रह्महा चातिपातकी ।

brahmahatyovāca maiva tvaṁ pratigṛhṇīṣva yajñadeva dvijottama asau surāpī steyī ca brahmahā cātipātakī

Brahmahatya said: 'O excellent brahmin Yajnadeva, do not accept him. This man is a drinker of liquor, a thief, a slayer of a brahmin, a man of the gravest sin,

Verse 22 (skanda.2.14.22)

मातृद्रोही पितृद्रोही भार्यात्यागी च पातकी । किरातीसंगदुष्टश्च ह्येनं मुंच दुरात्मकम् ।

mātṛdrohī pitṛdrohī bhāryātyāgī ca pātakī kirātīsaṁgaduṣṭaśca hyenaṁ muṁca durātmakam

a betrayer of his mother, a betrayer of his father, a sinner who abandoned his wife, and one corrupted by consorting with a Kirata woman — abandon this wicked-souled man.

Verse 23 (skanda.2.14.23)

गृह्णासि चेदिमं विप्र महापातकिनं सुतम् । त्वद्भार्यामस्य भार्यां च त्वां च पुत्रमिमं द्विज ।

gṛhṇāsi cedimaṁ vipra mahāpātakinaṁ sutam tvadbhāryāmasya bhāryāṁ ca tvāṁ ca putramimaṁ dvija

O brahmin, if you accept this most sinful son, then, O brahmin, I shall devour your wife, this man's wife, you yourself, this son,

Verse 24 (skanda.2.14.24)

भक्षयिष्यामि वंशं च तस्मान्मुञ्च सुतं त्विमम् । इमं त्यजसि चेत्पुत्रं युष्मान्मुचांमि सांप्रतम् ।

bhakṣayiṣyāmi vaṁśaṁ ca tasmānmuñca sutaṁ tvimam imaṁ tyajasi cetputraṁ yuṣmānmucāṁmi sāṁpratam

and your entire lineage. Therefore, abandon this son. If you abandon this son, I shall release all of you at once.

Verse 25 (skanda.2.14.25)

नैकस्यार्थे कुलं हन्तुमर्हसि त्वं महामते । इत्युक्तः स तया तत्र यज्ञदेवोऽब्रवीच्च ताम् ।

naikasyārthe kulaṁ hantumarhasi tvaṁ mahāmate ityuktaḥ sa tayā tatra yajñadevo'bravīcca tām

O wise one, you ought not destroy your entire lineage for the sake of one person alone.' Thus addressed by her, Yajnadeva said to her—

Verse 26 (skanda.2.14.26)

यज्ञदेव उवाच । बाधते मां सुतस्नेहः कथमेनं परित्यजे । ब्रह्महत्या तदाकर्ण्य द्विजोक्तं तमभाषत ।

yajñadeva uvāca bādhate māṁ sutasnehaḥ kathamenaṁ parityaje brahmahatyā tadākarṇya dvijoktaṁ tamabhāṣata

Yajnadeva said: 'A father's love for his son restrains me — how can I abandon him?' Hearing this, Brahmahatya said to that brahmin—

Verse 27 (skanda.2.14.27)

ब्रह्महत्योवाच । अयं हि पतितो भूत्वा वर्णाश्रम बहिष्कृतः । पुत्रेस्मिन्मा कुरु स्नेहं निन्दितं चास्य दर्शनम् ।

brahmahatyovāca ayaṁ hi patito bhūtvā varṇāśrama bahiṣkṛtaḥ putresminmā kuru snehaṁ ninditaṁ cāsya darśanam

Brahmahatya said: 'This man has already fallen, already been cast out from the order of caste and stage of life. Hold no affection for this son — even the mere sight of him is condemned.'

Verse 28 (skanda.2.14.28)

इत्युक्त्वा ब्रह्महत्या सा यज्ञदेवस्य पश्यतः । तलेन प्रजहारास्य पुत्रं सुमतिनामकम् ।

ityuktvā brahmahatyā sā yajñadevasya paśyataḥ talena prajahārāsya putraṁ sumatināmakam

Having said this, right before Yajnadeva's eyes, that Brahmahatya struck that son named Sumati with the flat of her hand.

Verse 29 (skanda.2.14.29)

रुरोद ताततातेति पितरं प्रब्रुवन्मुहुः ।

ruroda tātatāteti pitaraṁ prabruvanmuhuḥ

He wept aloud, calling out again and again to his father, crying 'Father, O father!'

Verse 30 (skanda.2.14.30)

रुरु दुर्जनको माता भार्यापि सुमतेस्तदा । एतस्मिन्नंतरे तत्र दुर्वासाः शंकरांशकः ।

ruru durjanako mātā bhāryāpi sumatestadā etasminnaṁtare tatra durvāsāḥ śaṁkarāṁśakaḥ

On account of Sumati's evil fortune, his mother and his wife too began to weep. Meanwhile there, by good fortune, the sage Durvasas — born of a portion of Shankara,

Verse 31 (skanda.2.14.31)

दिष्ट्या समाययौ योगी धार्मिको मुनिसत्तमः । यज्ञदेवोऽथ तं दृष्ट्वा मुनिं रुद्रावतारकम् ।

diṣṭyā samāyayau yogī dhārmiko munisattamaḥ yajñadevo'tha taṁ dṛṣṭvā muniṁ rudrāvatārakam

a yogi, righteous, and finest among sages — happened to arrive there. Yajnadeva, beholding that sage who was an incarnation of Rudra,

Verse 32 (skanda.2.14.32)

स्तुत्वा प्रणम्य शरणं ययाचे पुत्रकारणात् । दुर्वासास्त्वं महायोगिन्साक्षाद्वै शंकरांशकः ।

stutvā praṇamya śaraṇaṁ yayāce putrakāraṇāt durvāsāstvaṁ mahāyoginsākṣādvai śaṁkarāṁśakaḥ

praised and bowed to him, and begged his refuge on his son's behalf — 'O great yogi Durvasas, you are indeed a portion of Shankara himself;

Verse 33 (skanda.2.14.33)

त्वद्दर्शनमपुण्यानां भविता न कदाचन । ब्रह्महा च सुरापी च स्तेयी चाभूत्सुतो मम ।

tvaddarśanamapuṇyānāṁ bhavitā na kadācana brahmahā ca surāpī ca steyī cābhūtsuto mama

those without merit never obtain your sight. My son has become a slayer of a brahmin, a drinker of liquor, and a thief,

Verse 34 (skanda.2.14.34)

एनं प्रहर्तुमायाता ब्रह्महत्यापि वर्तते । स्याद्यथा मे पुत्रोऽयं महापातकमोचितः ।

enaṁ prahartumāyātā brahmahatyāpi vartate syādyathā me putro'yaṁ mahāpātakamocitaḥ

and this personified Brahmahatya too has come here to strike him down. By whatever means my son may be freed from this grievous sin,

Verse 35 (skanda.2.14.35)

घोरा च ब्रह्महत्येयं यथा शीघ्रं लयं व्रजेत् । तमुपायं वदस्वाद्य मम पुत्रे दयां कुरु ।

ghorā ca brahmahatyeyaṁ yathā śīghraṁ layaṁ vrajet tamupāyaṁ vadasvādya mama putre dayāṁ kuru

and by whatever means this terrible Brahmahatya too may swiftly be dissolved — tell me that remedy today, and show mercy upon my son.

Verse 36 (skanda.2.14.36)

अयमेव हि पुत्रो मे नान्योऽस्ति तनयो मुने । अस्मिन्मृते तु वंशो मे समुच्छिद्येत मूलतः ।

ayameva hi putro me nānyo'sti tanayo mune asminmṛte tu vaṁśo me samucchidyeta mūlataḥ

O sage, this is my one and only son; I have no other offspring. Were he to die, my lineage would be uprooted from its very root,

Verse 37 (skanda.2.14.37)

ततः पितृभ्यः पिण्डानां दातापि न भवेद्ध्रुवम् । ततः कृपां कुरुष्व त्वमस्मासु भगवन्मुने ।

tataḥ pitṛbhyaḥ piṇḍānāṁ dātāpi na bhaveddhruvam tataḥ kṛpāṁ kuruṣva tvamasmāsu bhagavanmune

and then, without doubt, there would remain no one to offer the pinda-offerings to our ancestors. Therefore, O Lord, O sage, be gracious to us.'

Verse 38 (skanda.2.14.38)

इत्युक्तः स तदोवाच दुर्वासाः शंकरांशकः । ध्यात्वाथसुचिरं कालं यज्ञदेवं द्विजोत्तमम् ।

ityuktaḥ sa tadovāca durvāsāḥ śaṁkarāṁśakaḥ dhyātvāthasuciraṁ kālaṁ yajñadevaṁ dvijottamam

Thus addressed, Durvasas, that portion of Shankara, having meditated for a long while upon that excellent brahmin Yajnadeva, said—

Verse 39 (skanda.2.14.39)

दुर्वासा उवाच । यज्ञदेवकृतं षापमतिदूर सुतेन ते । नास्य पापस्य शातिः स्यात्प्रायश्चित्तायुतैरपि ।

durvāsā uvāca yajñadevakṛtaṁ ṣāpamatidūra sutena te nāsya pāpasya śātiḥ syātprāyaścittāyutairapi

Durvasas said: 'Yajnadeva, this sin committed by your son is exceedingly grave. Its pacification is not possible even through ten thousand acts of penance.

Verse 40 (skanda.2.14.40)

तथापि ते सुतस्याहं तस्य पापस्य शान्तये । प्रायश्चित्तं वदिष्यामि शृणु नान्यमना द्विज ।

tathāpi te sutasyāhaṁ tasya pāpasya śāntaye prāyaścittaṁ vadiṣyāmi śṛṇu nānyamanā dvija

Nevertheless, for the pacification of your son's sin, I shall tell you an atonement; listen attentively, O brahmin, with an undistracted mind.

Verse 41 (skanda.2.14.41)

वेंकटाद्रौ महापुण्ये सर्वपातकनाशने । स्वामिपुष्करिणी चेति वर्तते मंगलप्रदा ।

veṁkaṭādrau mahāpuṇye sarvapātakanāśane svāmipuṣkariṇī ceti vartate maṁgalapradā

On Venkatadri, which is exceedingly meritorious and destroys every sin, there is situated a tirtha named Swami Pushkarini, the bestower of good fortune.

Verse 42 (skanda.2.14.42)

स्नाति चेत्तव पुत्रोऽयं पातकान्मुच्यते क्षणात् । एवं श्रुत्वा मुनेर्वाक्यं यज्ञदेवो महामतिः ।

snāti cettava putro'yaṁ pātakānmucyate kṣaṇāt evaṁ śrutvā munervākyaṁ yajñadevo mahāmatiḥ

If this son of yours bathes there, he shall be freed of his sins that very instant.' Hearing the sage's words, that most wise Yajnadeva,

Verse 43 (skanda.2.14.43)

पुत्रमादाय सुमतिं स्वामिपुष्करिणींगतः । स्नापयामास सुमतिं हत्यया पीडितं सुतम् ।

putramādāya sumatiṁ svāmipuṣkariṇīṁgataḥ snāpayāmāsa sumatiṁ hatyayā pīḍitaṁ sutam

took his son Sumati with him and journeyed to the Swami Pushkarini, and had his son Sumati, afflicted by the sin of brahmin-slaying, bathe there.

Verse 44 (skanda.2.14.44)

आकाशवाणी तं विप्रमुवाच मधुरस्वरा । यज्ञदेव महाभाग स्नानेनानेन सुव्रत ।

ākāśavāṇī taṁ vipramuvāca madhurasvarā yajñadeva mahābhāga snānenānena suvrata

Then a heavenly voice, sweet of tone, spoke to that brahmin: 'O most fortunate one, O virtuous Yajnadeva, by this bath,

Verse 45 (skanda.2.14.45)

पूतोऽभवत्तव सुतः संशयं मा कृथा द्विज । एवंप्रभावं तत्तीर्थं पापवृक्षकुठारकम् ।

pūto'bhavattava sutaḥ saṁśayaṁ mā kṛthā dvija evaṁprabhāvaṁ tattīrthaṁ pāpavṛkṣakuṭhārakam

your son has become pure; have no doubt of this, O brahmin. This tirtha is of such power — an axe indeed against the very tree of sin.

Verse 46 (skanda.2.14.46)

एवं वः कथितं विप्रा इतिहासं पुरातनम् । शृण्वतां पठतां चापि वाजपेयफलं लभेत् ।

evaṁ vaḥ kathitaṁ viprā itihāsaṁ purātanam śṛṇvatāṁ paṭhatāṁ cāpi vājapeyaphalaṁ labhet

Thus, O brahmins, have I told you this ancient tale, by hearing or reciting which one obtains the fruit of the Vajapeya sacrifice.