The Origin of the Brahmin-Nagaras

Verse 1 (skanda.6.163.1)

॥ सूत उवाच ॥ ॥ अथ ते नागराः सर्वे दृष्ट्वा तद्वित्तभाजनम् ॥ न केनापि ग्रहीतव्यं सर्वान्कामान्निरस्य च

sūta uvāca atha te nāgarāḥ sarve dṛṣṭvā tadvittabhājanam na kenāpi grahītavyaṁ sarvānkāmānnirasya ca

Suta said: Then all those Nagaras, beholding that store of wealth, renouncing every desire for it, declared that none among them should accept it.

Verse 2 (skanda.6.163.2)

ततस्ते समयं कृत्वा समानीय च मध्यगम् ॥ तस्यास्येन ततः प्रोचुर्ब्रह्मस्थाने व्यवस्थिताः

tataste samayaṁ kṛtvā samānīya ca madhyagam tasyāsyena tataḥ procurbrahmasthāne vyavasthitāḥ

Then, having made a pact among themselves and brought forth a mediator, they, seated together in the Brahmasthana, spoke through his mouth:

Verse 3 (skanda.6.163.3)

अनेन लोभयुक्तेन तिरस्कृत्य द्विजोत्तमान् ॥ पुष्पवित्तमुपादाय प्रायश्चित्तं प्रकीर्तितम्

anena lobhayuktena tiraskṛtya dvijottamān puṣpavittamupādāya prāyaścittaṁ prakīrtitam

This greedy man, scorning the foremost brahmins, took Pushpa's wealth and himself proclaimed an expiation.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.163.4)

तथा चैव तु षड्भागो गृहीतो विभवस्य च ॥ तस्मादेष समस्तानां बाह्यभूतो भविष्यति

tathā caiva tu ṣaḍbhāgo gṛhīto vibhavasya ca tasmādeṣa samastānāṁ bāhyabhūto bhaviṣyati

And in the same way he took a sixth part of the wealth for himself; therefore he shall become an outcast from all of us.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.163.5)

नागराणां द्विजेद्राणां यथान्यः प्राकृतस्तथा

nāgarāṇāṁ dvijedrāṇāṁ yathānyaḥ prākṛtastathā

— reckoned henceforth among the Nagara brahmins as a mere ordinary man, like any other.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.163.6)

अद्यप्रभृति चानेन यः संबंधं करिष्यति ॥ सोऽपि बाह्यस्तु सर्वेषां नागराणां भविष्यति

adyaprabhṛti cānena yaḥ saṁbaṁdhaṁ kariṣyati so'pi bāhyastu sarveṣāṁ nāgarāṇāṁ bhaviṣyati

And from this day forward, whoever forms any tie with him shall likewise be cast out from all the Nagaras.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.163.7)

भोजनं वाथ पानीयं योऽस्य सद्मनि कर्हिचित् ॥ करिष्यति स चाऽप्येवं पतितः संभविष्यति

bhojanaṁ vātha pānīyaṁ yo'sya sadmani karhicit kariṣyati sa cā'pyevaṁ patitaḥ saṁbhaviṣyati

And whoever ever partakes of food or water in his house shall likewise become an outcast.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.163.8)

एवमुक्त्वा ततस्तेन दत्तं तालत्रयं द्विजाः ॥ ब्रह्मस्थाने द्विजश्रेष्ठाः कृत्वा पुष्पसमं च तम्

evamuktvā tatastena dattaṁ tālatrayaṁ dvijāḥ brahmasthāne dvijaśreṣṭhāḥ kṛtvā puṣpasamaṁ ca tam

Having said this, O brahmins — O best of the twice-born — he then clapped three times in the Brahmasthana, declaring Chandasharma an outcast equal to Pushpa.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.163.9)

अथ ते ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे जग्मुः स्वंस्वं निवेशनम् ॥ चंडशर्मा स चोद्विग्नः पुष्पपार्श्वं तदा गतः

atha te brāhmaṇāḥ sarve jagmuḥ svaṁsvaṁ niveśanam caṁḍaśarmā sa codvignaḥ puṣpapārśvaṁ tadā gataḥ

Then all those brahmins went each to his own home; and Chandasharma, deeply troubled, went at once to Pushpa's side.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.163.10)

एतेषामेव सर्वेषां संमतेन मया तव ॥ प्रायश्चित्तं तदा दत्तं तथापि पतितः कृतः

eteṣāmeva sarveṣāṁ saṁmatena mayā tava prāyaścittaṁ tadā dattaṁ tathāpi patitaḥ kṛtaḥ

'It was with the consent of all these very men that I gave you the expiation then; and yet I have been made an outcast.'

Verse 11 (skanda.6.163.11)

तस्मादहं पतिष्यामि सुसमिद्धे हुताशने ॥ नैव जीवितुमिच्छामि स्वजनैः परिवर्जितः

tasmādahaṁ patiṣyāmi susamiddhe hutāśane naiva jīvitumicchāmi svajanaiḥ parivarjitaḥ

'Therefore I shall cast myself into a blazing fire; forsaken by my own kin, I have no wish to live at all.'

Verse 12 (skanda.6.163.12)

॥ पुष्प उवाच ॥ ॥ न विषादस्त्वया कार्यः कार्येऽस्मिद्विजसत्तम ॥ वित्तार्थं दूषितस्त्वंहि यतो ब्राह्मणसत्तमैः

puṣpa uvāca na viṣādastvayā kāryaḥ kārye'smidvijasattama vittārthaṁ dūṣitastvaṁhi yato brāhmaṇasattamaiḥ

Pushpa said: You should not grieve over this matter, O best of brahmins; for you have been condemned by the foremost brahmins only on account of wealth.

Verse 13 (skanda.6.163.13)

नागरांस्तोषयिष्यामि तानहं विविधैर्धनैः ॥ याचयिष्यंति यन्मात्रं तव गात्रविशुद्धये

nāgarāṁstoṣayiṣyāmi tānahaṁ vividhairdhanaiḥ yācayiṣyaṁti yanmātraṁ tava gātraviśuddhaye

I shall satisfy the Nagaras with manifold riches; whatever sum they demand for the purification of your person,

Verse 14 (skanda.6.163.14)

तावन्मात्रं प्रदास्यामि तेभ्यो हि तव कारणात् ॥ एवमुक्त्वा समागत्य ब्रह्मस्थानं त्वरान्वितः

tāvanmātraṁ pradāsyāmi tebhyo hi tava kāraṇāt evamuktvā samāgatya brahmasthānaṁ tvarānvitaḥ

that much I shall give them, all for your sake. Having said this, he hastened to the Brahmasthana.

Verse 15 (skanda.6.163.15)

चातुश्चरणमानीय मध्यगास्येन सोऽब्रवीत् ॥ चंडशर्मा द्विजो यश्च मदर्थे पतितः कृतः

cātuścaraṇamānīya madhyagāsyena so'bravīt caṁḍaśarmā dvijo yaśca madarthe patitaḥ kṛtaḥ

Summoning the assembly, he spoke through the mediator's mouth: 'The brahmin Chandasharma, who has been made an outcast for my sake —'

Verse 16 (skanda.6.163.16)

युष्माभिर्वित्तलोभेन तद्वित्तं वो ददाम्यहम् ॥ समस्तं मद्गृहे यच्च क्रियतां वचनं द्विजैः

yuṣmābhirvittalobhena tadvittaṁ vo dadāmyaham samastaṁ madgṛhe yacca kriyatāṁ vacanaṁ dvijaiḥ

'— was condemned by you out of greed for wealth; that wealth I now give to you, all that is in my house. Let my word, O brahmins, be honoured.'

Verse 17 (skanda.6.163.17)

अथ ते कुपिताः प्रोचुः सर्व एव द्विजोत्तमाः ॥ सीत्कारान्विविधान्कृत्वा क्रोध संरक्तलोचनाः

atha te kupitāḥ procuḥ sarva eva dvijottamāḥ sītkārānvividhānkṛtvā krodha saṁraktalocanāḥ

Then all those foremost brahmins, enraged, their eyes red with fury, made various sounds of disgust and spoke:

Verse 18 (skanda.6.163.18)

धिग्धिक्पापसमाचार जिह्वा ते शतधा ततः ॥ किं न याति यदेवं त्वं प्रजल्पसि विगर्हितम्

dhigdhikpāpasamācāra jihvā te śatadhā tataḥ kiṁ na yāti yadevaṁ tvaṁ prajalpasi vigarhitam

'Shame, shame upon you, man of sinful conduct! Why does your tongue not split into a hundred pieces, uttering such contemptible words?'

Verse 19 (skanda.6.163.19)

पतितोऽयं कृतोऽस्माभिर्नैव वित्तस्य कारणात् ॥ प्रायश्चित्तं यतो दत्तमेकेनापि दुरात्मना

patito'yaṁ kṛto'smābhirnaiva vittasya kāraṇāt prāyaścittaṁ yato dattamekenāpi durātmanā

'We have made him an outcast, not at all for the sake of wealth, but because the expiation was given by that wicked man alone, unsanctioned by the rest.'

Verse 20 (skanda.6.163.20)

स्मृतयो दूषितास्तेन पुराणानि विशेषतः ॥ स्थानं चैवास्मदीयं च कर्म चैतत्प्रकुर्वता

smṛtayo dūṣitāstena purāṇāni viśeṣataḥ sthānaṁ caivāsmadīyaṁ ca karma caitatprakurvatā

'In performing this deed, he has defiled the smritis, and the puranas especially, as well as this sacred place of ours.'

Verse 21 (skanda.6.163.21)

प्रायश्चित्तं प्रदातव्यं चतुर्भिरपरैः सह ॥ संमन्त्र्य मनुना प्रोक्तमेतदेव द्विजोत्तमाः

prāyaścittaṁ pradātavyaṁ caturbhiraparaiḥ saha saṁmantrya manunā proktametadeva dvijottamāḥ

'Expiation must be given only in consultation together with four others — this very rule, O best of brahmins, was declared by Manu.'

Verse 22 (skanda.6.163.22)

त्वदीयं पातकं चास्य शरीरेऽद्य व्यवस्थितम् ॥ एकाकिना यतो दत्तं तेनायं पतितः स्थितः

tvadīyaṁ pātakaṁ cāsya śarīre'dya vyavasthitam ekākinā yato dattaṁ tenāyaṁ patitaḥ sthitaḥ

'And so his sin now stands lodged this very day in your body — since he gave it alone, unaccompanied, he stands condemned as fallen.'

Verse 23 (skanda.6.163.23)

॥ सूत उवाच ॥ ॥ एवमुक्त्वा द्विजाः सर्वे जग्मुः स्वंस्वं निकेतनम् ॥ पुष्पोपि च समुद्विग्नो वैलक्ष्यं परमं गतः

sūta uvāca evamuktvā dvijāḥ sarve jagmuḥ svaṁsvaṁ niketanam puṣpopi ca samudvigno vailakṣyaṁ paramaṁ gataḥ

Suta said: Having said this, all the brahmins departed each to his own home; and Pushpa too, deeply troubled, sank into utter dejection.

Verse 24 (skanda.6.163.24)

जगामाथ निजावासं निःश्वसन्नुरगो यथा

jagāmātha nijāvāsaṁ niḥśvasannurago yathā

He then went to his own home, sighing heavily like a serpent.

Verse 25 (skanda.6.163.25)

ततः स चिन्तयामास यावन्नो साहसं कृतम् ॥ तावत्सिद्धिर्मनुष्याणां न कथंचित्प्रजायते

tataḥ sa cintayāmāsa yāvanno sāhasaṁ kṛtam tāvatsiddhirmanuṣyāṇāṁ na kathaṁcitprajāyate

Then he reflected: 'So long as no bold effort is made, success never comes to men in any way whatsoever.'

Verse 26 (skanda.6.163.26)

तस्मादहं करिष्यामि चण्डशर्मकृते महत् ॥ कृतघ्नता यथा न स्यात्प्रोक्तं चैव यतो बुधैः

tasmādahaṁ kariṣyāmi caṇḍaśarmakṛte mahat kṛtaghnatā yathā na syātproktaṁ caiva yato budhaiḥ

'Therefore I shall do something great for Chandasharma's sake, so that no ingratitude be mine — for the wise have declared —'

Verse 27 (skanda.6.163.27)

ब्रह्मघ्ने च सुरापे च चौरे भग्नव्रते तथा ॥ निष्कृतिर्विहिता सद्भिः कृतघ्ने नास्ति निष्कृतिः

brahmaghne ca surāpe ca caure bhagnavrate tathā niṣkṛtirvihitā sadbhiḥ kṛtaghne nāsti niṣkṛtiḥ

'For the slayer of a brahmin, the drinker of wine, the thief, and likewise the breaker of vows, the wise have ordained expiation; but for the ungrateful there is no expiation at all.'

Verse 28 (skanda.6.163.28)

एवं निश्चित्य मनसा सूर्यवारेण सप्तमी ॥ यदाऽऽयाता द्विजश्रेष्ठास्तदा चाष्टोत्तरं शतम्

evaṁ niścitya manasā sūryavāreṇa saptamī yadā''yātā dvijaśreṣṭhāstadā cāṣṭottaraṁ śatam

Having thus resolved in his mind, O best of brahmins, when the Saptami falling on a Sunday arrived, then a hundred and eight —

Verse 29 (skanda.6.163.29)

प्रदक्षिणाः कृतास्तेन पुष्पादित्यस्य धीमता ॥ तीक्ष्णं शस्त्रं समादाय पूर्वोक्तविधिना ततः ॥ छित्त्वाछित्त्वा निजांगानि जुहुयाज्जातवेदसि

pradakṣiṇāḥ kṛtāstena puṣpādityasya dhīmatā tīkṣṇaṁ śastraṁ samādāya pūrvoktavidhinā tataḥ chittvāchittvā nijāṁgāni juhuyājjātavedasi

— circumambulations of Pushpaditya were performed by that wise man; then, taking up a sharp weapon, following the procedure declared before, he cut his own limbs again and again and offered them into the sacrificial fire.

Verse 30 (skanda.6.163.30)

ततः पूर्णाहुतिं यावत्कायशेषेण यच्छति ॥ तावत्प्रत्यक्षतां गत्वा स प्रोक्तो भास्वता स्वयम्

tataḥ pūrṇāhutiṁ yāvatkāyaśeṣeṇa yacchati tāvatpratyakṣatāṁ gatvā sa prokto bhāsvatā svayam

Then, just as he was about to offer the final oblation with what remained of his body, the Sun himself became manifest before him and spoke:

Verse 31 (skanda.6.163.31)

पुष्प मा साहसं कार्षीः परितुष्टोऽस्मि तेऽनघ ॥ भूय एव महाभाग ब्रूहि किं ते ददाम्यहम्

puṣpa mā sāhasaṁ kārṣīḥ parituṣṭo'smi te'nagha bhūya eva mahābhāga brūhi kiṁ te dadāmyaham

'O Pushpa, do not commit this rash act; I am well pleased with you, O sinless one. Speak once more, most fortunate one — what shall I grant you?'

Verse 32 (skanda.6.163.32)

॥ पुष्प उवाच ॥ ॥ चण्डशर्मा द्विजेन्द्रोऽयं मदर्थे पतितः कृतः ॥ समस्तैर्नागरैर्देव तं तैर्नय समानताम्

puṣpa uvāca caṇḍaśarmā dvijendro'yaṁ madarthe patitaḥ kṛtaḥ samastairnāgarairdeva taṁ tairnaya samānatām

Pushpa said: O deity, this foremost brahmin Chandasharma has been cast out by all the Nagaras on my account; restore him to equal standing among them.

Verse 33 (skanda.6.163.33)

शास्त्रं दृष्ट्वा प्रदत्तं मे प्रायश्चित्तं महात्मना ॥ तथापि दूषितः क्षुद्रैः समस्तैरसहिष्णुभिः

śāstraṁ dṛṣṭvā pradattaṁ me prāyaścittaṁ mahātmanā tathāpi dūṣitaḥ kṣudraiḥ samastairasahiṣṇubhiḥ

Having consulted the scriptures, that great soul gave me expiation; yet even so he has been condemned by all these petty and intolerant men.

Verse 34 (skanda.6.163.34)

॥ भगवानुवाच ॥ ॥ एकस्यापि वचो नैव शक्यते कर्तुमन्यथा ॥ नागरस्य द्विजश्रेष्ठ समस्तानां च किं पुनः

bhagavānuvāca ekasyāpi vaco naiva śakyate kartumanyathā nāgarasya dvijaśreṣṭha samastānāṁ ca kiṁ punaḥ

The Lord said: The word of even a single Nagara, O best of brahmins, cannot be overturned — how much less, then, the word of them all together?

Verse 35 (skanda.6.163.35)

परमेष द्विजः पूतश्चंडशर्मा भविष्यति ॥ ब्राह्मोऽयं नागरः ख्यातः समस्ते धरणीतले

parameṣa dvijaḥ pūtaścaṁḍaśarmā bhaviṣyati brāhmo'yaṁ nāgaraḥ khyātaḥ samaste dharaṇītale

But this Chandasharma shall become a supremely purified brahmin; he shall be renowned across the whole earth as a Brahma-Nagara.

Verse 36 (skanda.6.163.36)

एतस्य ये सुताश्चैव भविष्यंति धरातले ॥ विख्यातिं तेऽपि यास्यंति मान्याः पूज्या महीभृताम्

etasya ye sutāścaiva bhaviṣyaṁti dharātale vikhyātiṁ te'pi yāsyaṁti mānyāḥ pūjyā mahībhṛtām

Whatever sons of his shall be born upon this earth, they too shall attain renown, honoured and revered by kings.

Verse 37 (skanda.6.163.37)

ये चापि बांधवाश्चास्य सुहृदश्च समागमम् ॥ करिष्यंति समं तेऽपि भविष्यंति सुशोभनाः

ye cāpi bāṁdhavāścāsya suhṛdaśca samāgamam kariṣyaṁti samaṁ te'pi bhaviṣyaṁti suśobhanāḥ

And whatever kinsmen and friends shall keep fellowship with him, they too shall become greatly honoured.

Verse 38 (skanda.6.163.38)

त्वं चापि मत्प्रसादेन संपूर्णांगो भविष्यसि

tvaṁ cāpi matprasādena saṁpūrṇāṁgo bhaviṣyasi

And you too, by my grace, shall have your limbs made whole again.

Verse 39 (skanda.6.163.39)

एवमुक्त्वा सहस्रांशुस्ततश्चादर्शनं गतः ॥ पुष्पोऽपि चाक्षतांगत्वं तत्क्षणात्समपद्यत

evamuktvā sahasrāṁśustataścādarśanaṁ gataḥ puṣpo'pi cākṣatāṁgatvaṁ tatkṣaṇātsamapadyata

Having spoken thus, the Thousand-rayed one then vanished from sight; and Pushpa too, that very instant, became whole and unblemished in body once more.