The Sage Lomasa Comes to the Help of the Goblins

Narada said:

1-6. After a long time the magnanimous, best sage Lomasa who wandered as he liked, came there. Seeing the brahmana all the goblins living in a group and being overpowered by hunger and desiring to eat him, ran to him. Being burnt by the sharp lustre of Lomasa, unable to stand before him, they remained away from him. Then, that brahmana, who had become a goblin as a result of his former deeds, seeing Lomasa, saluted him by prostrating himself before him, and putting his folded palms on his head spoke true and pleasant words, O king:

7-12. " O brahmana, at the time of the rise of great fortune there would be (obtained) the company of the good. Between a man who at all times bathes at the sacred places like the Ganges etc. and the one who keeps company with the good the latter is superior. O brahmana, company of the great gives seen and unseen fruits, gives (i.e. takes one to) heaven, removes diseases and is said to remove (mental) darkness." Saying so, he told him his former wonderful account. " These are those gandharvadaughters, and I am that son of a brahmana, O sage. All of us were foolish cursing one another (and turning) into goblins. O best sage, before you we are standing with melancholy faces. By seeing you, we the fools, shall be liberated. Would the mass of darkness cling to the atmosphere when the sun rises? " Hearing these words, Lomasa, of a great lustre, with his heart tender with compassion, said to the sage's son who was afflicted: " Let the memory of all of you rise suddenly by my favour. Let all of you remain in righteousness, so that your mutual curse would come to an end.'' The goblin said:

13. O great sage, tell us (what) righteousness (is), so that we shall be free from sins. This is not the time for delay, since the fire of curse is fierce. Lomasa said:

14-27. Let (all the goblins) duly bathe in Reva with me. Reva will free you from the curse. There would be no other expiation. O brahmana, listen attentively. It is my firm opinion that the sin of men would certainly perish by bathing in Reva. Bath in Reva would burn, as fire burns a heap of cotton, all the sins committed in the (previous) seven existences and the present one also. O goblin, all that sin for which (the wise) do not see an atonement, perishes merely by bathing in Narmada. Bath in Narmada causes knowledge. Therefore she gives salvation. All the holy places of the Himalaya remove sins. This one giving (i.e. taking one to) Indra's heaven is fashioned by the teachers of the Vedas. Reva is said to give the fruits of (i.e. to satisfy) all desires and is the giver of liberation. She destroys sins, she removes sins, she gives the fruits of (i.e. satisfies) all desires. A bath in Narmada gives (i.e. takes one to) Vishnu's heaven and destroys sins. A bath in Yamuna would be excellent for (going to) the Sun's world. A bath in Sarasvati destroys sin, and gives (i.e. leads one to) Brahma's heaven. O goblin, (a bath in) Visala is said to give a great fruit, and is the wild fire to the fuel of sins and the remover of the act of being conceived in a womb. A bath in Narmada is said to lead to Vishnu's heaven and to liberation. Out of the rivers Sarayu, Gandaki, Sindhu, Candrabhaga, Kausiki, Tapi, Godavari, Bhima, Payosnl, Krishnaveni, Tungabhadra and others, Reva is reached (by a man) due to the meritorious deeds done in former existences. O sage's son, a bath there (i.e. in Reva) gives absence of rebirth. Gods, residing in heaven, always sing (i.e. say): " Whenshall we see Reva, bathing in which (river) men do not experience pangs of (living in) the womb, and remain near Vishnu? " Those men who, having many coatings of sins (i.e. who have committed many sins), everyday bathe here in the pure water of Reva, do not sink in hells due to their religious merit, (but) they well (i.e. comfortably) move in heaven like gods.

28. O goblin, formerly the creator weighed Reva against severe vows, acts of charity, penances, and sacrifices, and Reva, that accomplishes salvation quickly, was (i.e. proved) superior to them. Narada said:

29. Hearing those words of that Lomasa, all the goblins quickly went with him to bathe in Reva.

30-34. Then fortunately breezes, giving (i.e. throwing) drops of water on the bodies of them who had come in contact with the stream (of Reva), arose on the bank of Reva. Due to the touch of the drops of the water of Reva, they were freed from their goblinhood. Being instantly endowed with divine bodies, they extolled Narmada. Then, as told by Lomasa, the brahmana happily married those daughters of gandharvas on the bank of Narmada. Bathing there, drinking (the water of Narmada) and plunging into (Narmada) they stayed there for a long time. Having worshipped Narmada at this spot, they went to Vishnu's heaven. O king, I have thus told you the very auspicious account of Narmada, which is highly meritorious and which iemoves sins merely by hearing it.

 

CHAPTER TWENTYFOUR

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