Chapter 50

Vaishampayana said, “In that tirtha lived in days of yore a Rishi ofvirtuous soul, named Asita-Devala, observant of the duties ofDomesticity. Devoted to virtue, he led a life of purity andself-restraint. Possessed of great ascetic merit, he was compassionateunto all creatures and never injured anyone. In word, deed, and thought,he maintained an equal behaviour towards all creatures. Without wrath, Omonarch, censure and praise were equal to him. Of equal attitude towardsthe agreeable and the disagreeable, he was, like Yama himself, thoroughlyimpartial. The great ascetic looked with an equal eye upon gold and aheap of pebbles. He daily worshipped the gods and guests, and Brahmanas(that came to him). Ever devoted to righteousness, he always practisedthe vow of brahmacarya. Once upon a time, an intelligent ascetic, Omonarch, of the name of Jaigishavya, devoted to Yoga and rapt inmeditation and leading the life of a mendicant, came to Devala’s asylum.Possessed of great splendour, that great ascetic, ever devoted to Yoga, Omonarch, while residing in Devala’s asylum, became crowned with asceticsuccess. Indeed, while the great Muni Jaigishavya resided there, Devalakept his eyes on him, never neglecting him at any time. Thus, O monarch,a long time was passed by the two in days of yore. On one occasion,Devala lost sight of Jaigishavya, that foremost of ascetics. At the hour,however, of dinner, O Janamejaya, the intelligent and righteous ascetic,leading a life of mendicancy, approached Devala for soliciting alms.Beholding that great ascetic re-appear in the guise of a mendicant,Devala showed him great honour and expressed much gratification. AndDevala worshipped his guest, O Bharata, according to the measure of hisabilities, after the rites laid down by the Rishis and with greatattention for many years. One day, however, O king, in the sight of thatgreat Muni, a deep anxiety perturbed the heart of the highsouled Devala.The latter thought within himself, ‘Many years have I passed inworshipping this ascetic. This idle mendicant, however, hath not yetspoken to me a single word!’ Having thought of this, the blessed Devalaproceeded to the shores of the ocean, journeying through the welkin andbearing his earthen jug with him. Arrived at the coast of the Ocean, thatlord of rivers, O Bharata, the righteous-souled Devala saw Jaigishavyaarrived there before him. The lord Asita, at this sight, became filledwith wonder and thought within himself, ‘How could the mendicant come tothe ocean and perform his ablutions even before my arrival?’ Thus thoughtthe great Rishi Asita. Duly performing his ablutions there and purifyinghimself thereby, he then began to silently recite the sacred mantras.Having finished his ablutions and silent prayers, the blessed Devalareturned to his asylum, O Janamejaya, bearing with him his earthen vesselfilled with water. As the ascetic, however, entered his own asylum, hesaw Jaigishavya seated there. The great ascetic Jaigishavya never spoke aword to Devala, but lived in the latter’s asylum as if he were a piece ofwood. Having beheld that ascetic, who was an ocean of austerities,plunged in the waters of the sea (before his own arrival there), Asitanow saw him returned to his hermitage before his own return. Witnessingthis power, derived through Yoga, of Jaigishavya’s penances, AsitaDevala, O king, endued with great intelligence, began to reflect upon thematter. Indeed that best of ascetics, O monarch, wondered much, saying,’How could this one be seen in the ocean and again in my hermitage?’While absorbed in such thoughts, the ascetic Devala, conversant withmantras, then soared aloft, O monarch, from his hermitage into the sky,for ascertaining who Jaigishavya, wedded to a life of mendicancy, reallywas. Devala saw crowds of sky-ranging Siddhas rapt in meditation, and hesaw Jaigishavya reverentially worshipped by those Siddhas. Firm in theobservance of his vows and persevering (in his efforts), Devala becamefilled with wrath at the sight. He then saw Jaigishavya set out forheaven. He next beheld him proceed to the region of the Pitris. Devalasaw him then proceed to the region of Yama. From Yama’s region the greatascetic Jaigishavya was then seen to soar aloft and proceed to the abodeof Soma. He was then seen to proceed to the blessed regions (one afteranother) of the performers of certain rigid sacrifices. Thence heproceeded to the regions of the Agnihotris and thence to the region ofthose ascetics that perform the Darsa and the Paurnamasa sacrifices. Theintelligent Devala then saw him proceed from those regions of personsperforming sacrifices by killing animals to that pure region which isworshipped by the very gods. Devala next saw the mendicant proceed to theplace of those ascetics that perform the sacrifice called Chaturmasya anddiverse others of the same kind. Thence he proceeded to the regionbelonging to the performers of the Agnishtoma sacrifice. Devala then sawhis guest repair to the place of those ascetics that perform thesacrifice called Agnishutta. Indeed, Devala next saw him in the regionsof those highly wise men that perform the foremost of sacrifices,Vajapeya, and that other sacrifice in which a profusion of gold isnecessary. Then he saw Jaigishavya in the region of those that performthe Rajasuya and the Pundarika. He then saw him in the regions of thoseforemost of men that perform the horse-sacrifice and the sacrifice inwhich human beings are slaughtered. Indeed, Devala saw Jaigishavya in theregions also of those that perform the sacrifice called Sautramani andthat other in which the flesh, so difficult to procure, of all livinganimals, is required. Jaigishavya was then seen in the regions of thosethat perform the sacrifice called Dadasaha and diverse others of similarcharacter. Asita next saw his guest sojourning in the region ofMitravaruna and then in that of the Adityas. Asita then saw his guestpass through the regions of the Rudras, the Vasus and Brihaspati. Havingsoared next into the blessed region called Goloka, Jaigishavya was nextseen to pass into these of the Brahmasatris. Having by his energy passedthrough three other regions, he was seen to proceed to those regions thatare reserved for women that are chaste and devoted to their husbands.Asita, however, at this point, O chastiser of foes, lost sight ofJaigishavya, that foremost of ascetics, who, rapt in yoga, vanished fromhis sight. The highly blessed Devala then reflected upon the power ofJaigishavya and the excellence of his vows as also upon the unrivalledsuccess of his yoga. Then the self-restrained Asita, with joined handsand in a reverential spirit, enquired of those foremost of Siddhas in theregions of the Brahmasatris, saying, ‘I do not see Jaigishavya! Tell mewhere that ascetic of great energy is. I desire to hear this, for greatis my curiosity.’

“The Siddhis said, ‘Listen, O Devala of rigid vows, as we speak to theethe truth. Jaigishavya hath gone to the eternal region of Brahman.'”

Vaishampayana continued, “Hearing these words of those Siddhas residingin the regions of the Brahmasatris, Asita endeavoured to soar aloft buthe soon fell down. The Siddhas then, once more addressing Devala, saidunto him, ‘Thou, O Devala, art not competent to proceed thither, to theabode of Brahman, whither Jaigishavya hath gone!'”

Vaishampayana continued, “Hearing those words of the Siddhas, Devala camedown, descending from one region to another in due order. Indeed, herepaired to his own sacred asylum very quickly, like a winged insect. Assoon as he entered his abode he beheld Jaigishavya seated there. ThenDevala, beholding the power derived through Yoga of Jaigishavya’spenances, reflected upon it with his righteous understanding andapproaching that great ascetic, O king, with humility, addressed thehigh-souled Jaigishavya, saying, ‘I desire, O adorable one, to adopt thereligion of Moksha (Emancipation)! Hearing these words of his,Jaigishavya gave him lessons. And he also taught him the ordinances ofYoga and the supreme and eternal duties and their reverse. The greatascetic, seeing him firmly resolved, performed all the acts (for hisadmission into that religion) according to the rites ordained for thatend. Then all creatures, with the Pitris, beholding Devala resolved toadopt the religion of Moksha, began to weep, saying, ‘Alas, who willhenceforth give us food!’ Hearing these lamentations of all creaturesthat resounded through the ten points, Devala set his heart uponrenouncing the religion of Moksha. Then all kinds of sacred fruits androots, O Bharata, and flowers and deciduous herbs, in thousands, began toweep, saying, ‘The wicked-hearted and mean Devala will, without doubt,once more pluck and cut us! Alas, having once assured all creatures ofhis perfect harmlessness, he sees not the wrong that he meditates to do!’At this, that best of ascetics began to reflect with the aid of hisunderstanding, saying, ‘Which amongst these two, the religion of Mokshaor that of Domesticity, will be the better for me? Reflecting upon this,Devala, O best of kings, abandoned the religion of Domesticity andadopted that of Moksha. Having indulged in those reflections, Devala, inconsequence of that resolve obtained the highest success, O Bharata, andthe highest Yoga. The celestials then, headed by Brihaspati, applaudedJaigishavya and the penances of that ascetic. Then that foremost ofascetics, Narada, addressing the gods, said, ‘There is no ascetic penancein Jaigishavya since he filled Asita with wonder!’ The denizens of heaventhen, addressing Narada who said such frightful words, said, ‘Do not sayso about the great ascetic Jaigishavya! There is no one superior or evenequal to this high-souled one in force of energy and penance and Yoga!’Even such was the power of Jaigishavya as also of Asita. This is theplace of those two, and this the tirtha of those two high-souled persons.Bathing there and giving away wealth unto the Brahmanas, the high-souledwielder of the plough, of noble deeds, earned great merit and thenproceeded to the tirtha of Soma.”