Lives of Ancient Indian Saints

Angiras - His Pilgrimage

Angiras was the greatest pilgrim in the world. There was not even a single sacred place which he did not visit. He in his turn leant from Kasyapa, the great progenitor of mankind. Once Saint Gautama came to Angiras with a request to enumerate all the places of pilgrimage. " You are the best knower of self. Your mind, heart and soul are very pure. Peace and joy are your body-guards. Please let me know the significance of the great centres of pilgrimages." Angiras replied : " Gautama, you have asked an excellent matter. Those who hear with devotion, what I say are sure to attain Godhead.

There is one Chandra Bhaga, a great pilgrim centre. If one fasting for seven days takes a dip in the holy waters every day, he is sure to attain salvation. Even the thousand headed Adiseshu cannot describe its glory and greatness.

There are many rivers born in Kashmir and join the ocean. All those rivers are of great sanctity. All virtues and all varieties of wealth they attain whoever take their bath here with devotion. Pushkara, Prabhasa, Naimisha, Devika, Indramarga, Swarna Bindu, Hiranya Bindu, Kusesaya, Devantam are great tirthas. In the Gandhamadana-Mountain there are ' Indra Toya ' , ' Kara Toya', These are all very sacred. There is one ' Aham hrada', With strict celibacy, control of the five senses, conquest of anger, following truth, if one bathes here he is sure to attain salvation. ' Mahasrama', 'Bhriguy Tunga', ' Kanyakupa', ' Sundarihrada', ' Vyamanika', 'Vipasa' 'Sarastamba', ' Devadaruvana', 'Chitrakuta', 'Jaanasthana', 'Kausikavala', ' Matanga Vapika' , ' Utpalavana' are very great Tirthas, which have immense capacity to do immense good to those who take their dip in them.

Enumerating a number of other sacred rivers, lakes and Tirthas, Angiras said " My dear Gautama, if one undertakes the pilgrimage conquering desire, anger, pride, miserliness, lust and jealousy, he will reap the fruits. Otherwise the pilgrimage is sheer wast of time and money. The pilgrimages teach and instill in men control over the inner senses, penance, non-violence, purity and endurance. There is no use of mere dips in waters.

I shall reveal the greatest secreat, the secret of all sectors. One who conquers all desires, one who is full of contentment with what little he is able to get and one who does not run after the mirages of worldly pleasures need not go on any piligrimage, if his mind is purified and if he becomes desireless, he will attain the fruits of pilgrimage. " In this way Angiras taught Gautama the efficacy of pilgrimages, their history as well as their mystery. This story is present in the Anusasanika Parva of the Great Epic, Maha Bharatha.

His Curse

The seven wives of the seven great seers, Saptamaharshis were present in the fire-house, when their husbands were away for a sacred bath. The beauty of each excelled the beauty of the other. They had a divine beauty, though they were weak in body on account of their severe austerities. They were in full youth and perennial beauty, very rare in human beings. Even the Fire-God was so fascinated by them that he could not control himself, began to shine touching their soft bodies by means of his cool flames and thus enjoyed the touch of the ladies. They did not feel the lustful touch of the Fire-God, whose happiness was only one-sided. By the time Angiras returned to the fire side the Fire-God appeared to be pale and shrinking. Angiras scented the sinful behavious of the Fire-God. Angrily he said : " Oh Agni, you are the purifier of the whole world. You are yourself becoming impure by the lustful touch of the chaste wives of the great saints. I curse you to be the devourer of all things pure or impure." He turned to the ladies : " Oh, ladies, you plead that you are innocent. You have become impure by the lustful touch of an impure one. Be gone and be born as ordinary wives of ordinary Brahmins elsewhere on earth."

The Fire - God Agni apologised to the saint and begged pardon. " The fair faces of fair women, who can conquer ? The Gods or devils or men ? I am ashamed of my behaviour. Pray withdraw your curse." Pleading innocence and lustlessness, the wives of the saints also begged his pardon. Angiras amended his surses thus : " Oh Fire - God, though you devour even the impurest things you remain as the great purifier of everything by your touch. Oh, Ladies, you will be born as the wives of Brahmins and by offering with unstinted devotion food to Lord Krishna, you will get rid of your sin, remain for some time there and return back to your original places of glory and grandeur. The Vedas say that the worldly pleasures last as long as the past good action lasts. What is lost cannot be regained. The fruits of our actions good or bad are to be experienced by us. There is no go out. But, lucky you are, you will come back to us sooner or later. "

This story is given in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Mysterious are the ways of Karma and mysterious are the fruits of Karma. Nobody can escape from experiencing the fruits of our actions good or bad. (Tobe Continued...)

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