The Hunter
There was a sage named Veda. He used to pray to Shiva every day. The prayers lasted till the afternoon and after the prayers were over, Veda used to go the nearby villages to beg alms.
A hunter named Bhilla used to come to the forest every afternoon to hunt. After the hunt was over, he used to come to Shiva’s linga (image) and offer to Shiva whatever it was that he had hunted. In the process of doing this, he often moved Veda’s offerings out of the way. Strange though it might seem, Shiva was stirred by Bhilla’s offerings and eagerly used to wait for it every day.
Bhilla and Veda never met. But Veda noticed that every day his offerings lay scattered and a little bit of meat lay by the side. Since this always happened when Veda had gone out to beg for alms, Veda did not know who was responsible. But one day, he decided to wait in hiding so as to catch the culprit red-handed.
While Veda waited, Bhilla arrived and offered what he had brought to Shiva. Veda was amazed to discover that Shiva himself appeared before Bhilla and asked, Why are you late today? I have been waiting for you. Did you get very tired?
Bhilla went away after making his offerings. But Veda came up to Shiva and said, What is all this? This is a cruel and evil hunter, and yet, you appear before him. I have been performing tapasya for so many years and you never appear before me. I am disgusted at this partially. I will break your linga with this stone.
Do it if you must, replied Shiva. But please wait till tomorrow.
Next day, when Veda came to present his offerings, he found traces of blood on top of the linga. He carefully washed away the traces of blood and completed his prayers.
After some time, Bhilla also came to present his offerings and discovered traces of blood on top of the linga. He thought that he was in some way responsible for this and blamed himself for some unknown transgression. He picked up a sharp arrow and began to pierce his body repeatedly with this arrow as punishment.
Shiva appeared before both of them and said, Now you see the difference betwen Veda and Bhilla. Veda has given me his offerings, but Bhilla has given me his whole soul. That is the difference between ritual and true devotion.
The place where Bhilla used to pray to Shiva is a famous tirtha known as bhillatirtha.
Goutama and Manikundala
There was a city named Bhouvana. In that city there lived a brahmana named Goutama. The brahmana had a vaishya friend named Manikundala. (A vaishya belongs to the third of the three classes and his primary duties are trade and agriculture.)
Goutama’s mother gave him a lot of ill advice. As a result of this, Goutama told Manikundala, Let us go to other countries to trade and make profits.
But my father has a lot of wealth, replied Manikundala. What is the need to obtain more wealth?
You don’t have the proper perspective, said Goutama. A successful person is one who does not thrive on what is left to him by his father. He makes his own fortune.
Manikundala was convinced by Goutama’s logic. He did not realize that his so-called friend was out of defraud him.
The two friends set out on their journey, Manikundala providing all the capital.
In the course of their travels Goutama remarked, Have you noticed how those who follow the path of dharma (righteousness) always suffer? They are neither wealthy nor happy. There seems to be no point in being righteous.
Please don’t say that, protested Manikundala. Happiness lies in following the path of dharma. Poverty and misery are inevitable, they are of no account at all.
The two friends argued over this, but could not decide who was right. They resolved to have a bet. They would ask the opinions of others. And whoever lost the bet would surrender all his wealth to the winner. They asked many people for their opinions. Naturally most people said that it was the evil who thrived and prospered. And it was the righteous who suffered. The upshot of this was that Manikundala surrendered all his wealth to Goutama. But Manikundala continued to praise dharma.
You are an utter ass, said Goutama. Haven’t you lost all your wealth to me? Yet you continue to praise dharma.
The wealth is of no account at all, replied Manikundala. Dharma is on my side and your apparent victory is only an illusion. Dharma will triumph in the end.
The two friends decided to have another bet. This time it was agreed that whoever lost the bet would have his two arms chopped off. They again asked several people and most people said that it was adharma (evil) which triumphed. So Manikundala lost his two arms.
How does it feel now? asked Goutama.
The same as ever, replied Manikundala. What is important is dharma. And dharma is on my side.
Goutama lost his temper at this. He threatened to cut off Manikundala’s head if Manikundala persisted in his praise of dharma. But Manikundala was unperturbed. The friends decided to have another bet. This time it was agreed that whoever lost would forfeit his life. Manikundala lost yet again. And Goutama gouged out Manikundala’s eyes and left him for dead.
Manikundala lay on the banks of the Goutami Gang and pondered about the fate that had befallen him. It became night.
There was an image of Vishnu on the banks of the river and the rakshasa Vibhishana used to come there every night to pray to Vishnu. Vibhishana’s son discovered Manikundala lying there and found out from him the entire story. He recounted the story to his father.
Many years ago, I had joined Rama in his fight with Ravana, Vibhishana told his son. Ravan’s son Meghanada shot a venomous arrow at Rama’s brother Lakshmana. Lakshmana fell unconscious. The monkey Hanumana then went to the Himalayas and brought a mountain named Gandhamadana to Lanka. On that mountain there was a wonderful herb named vishalyakarani which cures all illnesses. When Hanumana returned the moutain to the Himalayas, a bit of the vishalyakarani fell down at this spot, near Vishnu’s image. Let us try and find it. We should be able to cure Manikundala.
Father and son hunted for the herb. The vishalyakarani had become a huge tree. They looped off a branch and placed it on Manikundala’s chest. Manikundala immediately regained his eyes and arms. After curing Manikundala, Vibhishana and his retinue returned to Lanka.
Manikundala began to travel. He eventually came to a city named Mahapura where a king named Maharaja ruled. Maharaja had no sons, only a daughter. The daughter was blind. Maharaja had announced that whoever cured his daughter would become his son-in-law and rule after him. Manikundala cured the princess with his knowledge of the vishalyakarani. He then married the princess and became king of Mahapura after Maharaja.
Many years later, Goutama was brought before Manikundala by the soldiers. He had been arrested on the charge of committing a crime. Goutama had lost all his wealth by then and was no more than a beggar. Manikundala pardoned his friend and shared with him whatever he had.
Such are the virtues of following the path of dharma. There are many tirthas along the banks of the Goutami Ganga where these wonderful incidents took place.
Kandu
There was a sage named Kandu. He had a hermitage on the banks of the Goutami Ganga. The ashrama was a beautiful place and Kandu performed very difficult tapasya there. In the summer Kandu meditated in the hot sun, in the monsoon he meditated on the wet ground, and in the winter he meditated dressed in wet clothing.
Indra got scared as a result of all this tapasya. He thought that the sage Kandu might want to become Indra, the king of the gods. He therefore called an apsara named Pramlocha and told her, Go and disturb Kandu’s tapasya.
Pramlocha went to the hermitage and began to sing there in a beautiful voice. This disturbed Kandu and he discovered a beautiful woman wandering around in his ashrama.
Who are you? Kandu asked the woman.
I have come here to pluck flowers, replied Pramlocha, I am your servant, I will do whatever you wish me to.
Kandu had fallen in love with Pramlocha and he married her. He forgot all about his tapasya and Indra haved a sigh of relief. Years passed. Pramlocha wished to return to heaven but Kandu would not let her.
After years and years had passed, Kandu came out of his hut, looking rather distracted. It was then evening and Kandu was obviously going somewhere.
Where are you going? pramlocha asked.
What a stupid question! exclaimed Kandu. Can’t you see that it is now evening? I have got to go and observe the evening rites. The day has passed.
What day?, asked Pramlocha. Several days have passed and several evenings have come and gone.
No, you came here this morning, said Kandu. I brought you to my hut and it is now evening. I don’t understand what you are trying to say. Explain yourself.
It is true that I came here in the morning. Answered Pramlocha. But that was a morning which dawned many years ago. Hundreds of years have passed since tha tday.
How many years? asked Kandu. When did you come here?
Sixteen hundred years, six months and three days ago, replied Pramlocha.
Are you sure? asked Kandu. It seems like a single day to me.
I am sure, said Pramlocha. I dare not to lie to you.
You have dislodged me from my tapasaya, responded Kandu. But I will not curse you, since you have been my wife. Go back to heaven. I have to atone for my sins.
The sage Kandu went to Purushottama kshetra and performed penance for his sins. He was blessed by Vishnu.
Kandu and Pramlocha had a daughter named Marisha.
The Brahma Purana also describes several other tirthas. Most of these are on the banks of the river Goutami Ganga. This is now identified as the river Godavari.
After describing these several tirthas, the text describes incidents in Krishna’s life. These we will skip, since they are described in much greater detail in the other Puranas.
