Vamana

 

Essence Of
Vamana Purana

 

2    Kapaali atones at Varanasi for Brahma’s ‘Panchamukha hatya’
But Daksha did not invite Mahadeva as he felt that the latter was a ‘Kapaali’! Pulastya Muni explained to Narada that background of Shiva becoming a Kapaali; when Maha Vishnu fell into Yoga Nidra and at the end of the night, woke up and under the influence of ‘Rajoguna’ initiated ‘Srishti’ and materialised Panchamukha Brahma and Tamomaya Shankara. Both Brahma and Shiva confronted each other and asked them of their credentials and background. As their mutual ‘Ahankaaraas’ or egos came to the fore, they encountered in a one-to-one fight and as the fifth Face of Brahma heckled at Shiva saying that he knew Shiva who was naked and three eyed Vrishabha Vahana or Bull-carried Pralayakaari or the Destroyer of the World full of Tamoguna. Parama Shiva desired to open his Third Eye but nipped the fifth head of Brahma with the finger tip instead and there appeared, a huge illumination out of which emerged Vishnu who reprimanded Mahesha and asked him to clear away at once lest he would punish Shiva severely. Aa Shiva was ashamed of what he did, he left for Himalayas and reached the Ashram of Nara Narayana Maharshis at Badarikashrama on the banks of the Holy River Saraswati. Shiva requested Narayana Maharshi to hit his shoulder with Shiva’s Trishula forcefully as an atonement which Narayana did and from the shoulder were materialised three water springs, one as Akaasha Ganga, another as a water fall on Earth as Maharshi Atri in the form of River Mandakini as also by Shivaamsha the Maharshi Durvaasa and the third water fall fell right on the frightful Kapaala. From out of the fallen Kapaala of Brahma came out a frightening Swarupa which was thick blue in colour with blood red eyes and dishevelled hair and demanded Maha Deva to absorb her into his body. Shankara tried to bathe in River Yamuna but the River’got dried up; River Saraswati too disappeared; he was able to bathe in the Tirthas of Pushkaraaranya, Dharmaaranya, and Saindhavaaranya for long but the Brahma hatya paapa did not vanish still; as the Jeemuta vahana or who could travel by clouds, Shankara bathed in several other Rivers, Tirthas, Ashramaas, and so on but to no avail. Finally, Shankara reached Kurukshetra and had the darshan of Chakrapani Vishnu and extolled him as follows: Namastey Devataanaatha Namastey Garudadhwaja, Shankhachakra gadaa paaney Vaasudeva Namostutey/ Namastey Nirgunaananta Apratakraaya Vedhasey, Jnaanaajnaana Niraalamba SarwaalambaNamostutey/ Rajoyukta Namastestu Brahma Murtey Sanaatana, Twayaa Sarvamidam Naatha Jagatsrashtam charaacharam/ Satvaadhishtit Lokeshaa Vishnu Murtey Adhokshaja, Prajaapaala Mahaabaaho Janaardana Namostutey/ Tamomurtey Ahamheysha twadamshakrodha sambhavah, Gunaabhiyukta Devesha Sarvavyaapin Namostutey/ Bhuriyah twam Jagannatha Jalaambara hutaashanah, Vaayurbuddhirmanaschaapi Sharvari twam namostutey/ Dharmo Yagnastapah Satyamahimsaa Shouchamaarjavam, Kshamaa Daanam Dayaa Lakshmirbrahmacharya twam Ishwara/ Twam saangaaschaturo Vedaastwam Vedyo Vedapaaragah, Upavedaa bhavaaneesha Sarvosi twam Namostutey/ Namonamastyochyuta Chakrapaaney Namastestu tey Maadhava Meena Murtey, Lokey Bhavaan Kaaruniko mato mey traayaswa maam Keshava paapa bandhanaat/ Mamaashubham naashaaya vigrahastham yad Bramha hatyaabhavam babhuva,Dagdhosmi nastosya sameekshakaari puneeh teerthosi Namo Namastey/ (My salutations to you Devataaswami, Garudadwaja, Shankha-Chakra-Gadaadhaari, Vaasudeva, Nirguna, Ananta, Atarkaneeya Vidhaata or indisputable Supreme, Jnaana-Ajnaana Swarupa, Nmiraadhaara or Unclamped or holdles but the saviour of one and all; Rajo guna-Sanatana -Brahma Murti; the Supreme Scripter of the Universe in entirety; the Embodiment of Satwa Guna; Lokesha; Vishnu Murti, Adhokshaja, The Ultimate Adminisdtrator; Maha Baahu, Janaardana, Tamo Murti; I was born of your angry characeristics; Jagannaatha! You are the Pancha Bhutas, Buddhi, Mind, Darkness; You are the Dharma, Yagna, Tapas, Satya, Ahimsa, Pavitrata, Saralata, Kshama, Daana, Dayaa, Lakshmi and Brahmacharya -Virtue, Sacrifice, Meditation, Truth, Non-Violence, Purity, Softness, Forgiveness,Charity, Mercy,Wealth and Celibacy; the Embodiment of Veda Vedangaas, the Symbol of Learning, Vedopavada, Achyuta, Chakrapaani, Matsyaavataara, Madhava, you are the most sympathetic and compassionate; I crave your indulgence to get me freed from the clench of Brahmahatya Paataka; I am humiliated and ashamed of my action as you are indeed the final asylum and shelter as You indeed are the Maha Tirtha who only could get me purified!). Vishnu Deva replied that at Prayaga, there was a Yogashayi of his ‘Amsha’ or Alternate Form was reputed to be present who was Avyaya and Vikara rahita and south of that place was a Sacred River called ‘Varana’ and to the left of Prayaga was another River called ‘Ási’ and the Place between the two Rivers was the most hallowed Place the like of which was not in existence in Prithvi, Aakash and Rasatala and that was the famed Varanasi; Vishnu thus advised Kapali to visit the Maha Tirtha which was the confluence of the two Rivers. Janardana further advised Shiva that nearby Varanasi there was a Sarovara full of divinely lotuses of extraordinary fragrance and in that Sarovara, he should bathe in and leave the Panchama Kapaala of Brahma in the Tirtha. By so doing, Kapaali lokey cha khyaato Rudra bhavisyati, Kapaala mochaneytyevam Tirha chedam Bhavishyati/ ( Shiva! You would then be named as Kapaali and the Sarovara would be popular as Kapaala Vimochana Tirtha. [ Kapalamochana Tirtha is situated at a mile from Kasi called now as Bakariya Kunda].


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