An obstinate quest for beatitude

The Kedara Kalpa – affiliated to, or subsidiary of, some major Purana or the other, according to different versions – was apparently not the most widely read of sacred texts, but does not appear to have been unknown either. In our search we were able to locate at least eight manuscripts of it, including the only, handwritten in Sanskrit, illustrated copy of it at present known in existence – in the Fondation Martin Bodmer in Cologny, near Geneva – but versions of it differ in many aspects. There seem to have been a longer and a shorter version of it, the former beginning with a dialogue between Shiva and his divine consort, Parvati, and containing some stories other than those of the five sadhakas who figure in all versions, and the shorter one with a dialogue between Shiva and his son, Karttikeya. Two hand-written, undated copies of the text, all in Sanskrit, are in a library attached to a temple at Jammu, in the state of Jammu and Kashmir; another, undated, is in the collection of Kaptan Singh Solanki, and yet another, dated VS 1900 (1843 CE), is in the collection of Madan Mohan Gupta – both in Sanskrit; and three exist in printed form with translations of the Sanskrit original, and some annotation ('bhasha-tika sahit'): one published from Mumbai by Jwala Prashad Mishra (1906 CE), and two from Benares, one by Ramchandra Namburi Sharma (1913 CE), and the other by Vishalmani Sharma (1952 CE). No translation of the text in English is known to us.

None of the above-mentioned versions or copies in existence contains a colophon that gives the date of the original text. The number of folios varies in each. The abstract and the excerpts in translation that follow are based on the published version by Vishalmani Sharma which appears to be the fullest among the texts available. It consists of 316 pages, printed in bold letters in Sanskrit with translations in Hindi. This evidently is not a translation of the entire text, but the abstract that we have chosen to provide, interspersed with occasional excerpts from the original, shall, we believe, give to the reader something of the flavour of the original while being of help in following the narrative as set out in the longer version.

Obeisance to Shri Kedara Kedara Kalpa

Said Shiva (to Parvati). Hear from me, O Devi, about all the sacred places that lie on the other side of the Himalayas. There flows the auspicious stream, Vaitarani, which grants boons without number. When anyone offers prayers taking its water in the hands, it leads to the salvation of all the manes. On its banks one should take in the sacred sight of the Rudra Himalaya. The second sacred site there, in the middle, is the Saraswati stream that is worthy of worship. Even though it has disappeared from the mountain peaks, if you were to look in that direction early in the morning, you can still gain its auspicious sight. Beyond that is a place that is known by the famous name of Kedara. The waters that flow there emanate from me in the form of my seminal creative juices. Drinking those waters leads to acquiring my powers, leading you to roam freely in all directions. Whoever happens to die at that place, takes on divine attributes instantly and turns into one of my countless ganas. In the dark age called Kaliyuga in particular, it is something auspicious, equal to the merit that accrues from performing a thousand yajnas. Of this there is no doubt.

At this Parvati, addressing Shiva, said: I long to hear from you the measurements and the scale of the kshetra that is called Kedara, and what occupies the superior-most place in that kshetra. Shiva spoke thus: the Kedara kshetra measures five yojanas from the north to the south, and three yojanas from east to west. That kshetra is inhabited by gods and sages and meditators. Anyone who enters that kshetra acquires the status of the twice-born dvijas. … Anyone who goes to Kedara with faith in his heart, secures salvation for one hundred and eight generations of his ancestors. Even the merit that accrues from living in Kalinjar, Mahakarna, Varanasi, and inside a Shiva-shrine as a vrati, is not equal to going to Kedara. The fruit of journeying to Kedara is

superior to sitting in meditation surrounded by panchagni fires. Like I am the foremost among the gods, so is Kedara the foremost among places of pilgrimage. Like the

Kaustubh among all the precious gems, like Kamadhenu among all cows, is Kedara. Just like the 'essence' of milk is ghee, the 'essence' of all flowers is honey, so is the water of Kedara the 'essence' of all waters…. Those who at two times in a day meditate on and think of Kedara will never be sullied by sins, like the lotus that is not affected by muddy waters.

The Kedar waters dry up on 14th day of the bright half of the rainy month of Shravana; all that one can see then are stripes four fingers in thickness; after that period is passed, water returns, but only at half the flow of what it first was, but in the heart of that volume one can see shining a spot of Shiva's bodily fluid. This water becomes even more sacred than before in the months of Asharh, Shravana and Karttika. These are the months in which bathing in the Mandakini stream brings enhanced merit also; at that time offerings made in the name of ancestors, in the form of pinda, become even more efficacious in terms of earning merit for the performer of the ritual. A mantra worthy of reciting at that time is of a very esoteric nature. It consists of two omkaras, three kshunkaras, five rumkaras and ten dots. While reciting it, different parts of the body need to be touched. Something called kunda-nyasa is to be done.

Hear from me, O Devi, Shiva said, the account of something that happened in the ancient past (which will tell you of the mysterious efficacy of performing a 'Kedara journey'). There was once a Brahmin who lived a life of great comfort; had all the means of good living at his disposal. He had a son very devoted to dharma, and who always used to tell everyone that he will certainly go on a Kedar yatra once. His parents never used to believe him. One day, however, in the darkness of the night, this young boy left everything and set off on his journey. On the way, by some chance, a police kotwal – (head of a group of watchmen) – saw him moving suspiciously; he waylaid him and hit him so hard that the young boy died on the spot. Seeing that he had killed the rich Brahmin's son, the kotwal suddenly felt very afraid. Fearful of the consequence of being discovered, he decided to throw the body of the boy in a ditch filled with dogs' excrement, and buried him. On their part the parents of the young boy began to worry, not being able to trace their son. "Where are you, son? Where are you, son", they began shouting and asking everyone if they had seen him somewhere. But no one responded. At this, they asked a group of fellow Brahmins to set up a search party. But that did not yield any result either. Just as they were on the point of returning empty-handed, they heard an akasha-vani, a voice coming from the heavens above. It was the voice of a spirit and it addressed the Brahmins. "Why are you here? Whatever for?" The Brahmins told the voice that they were looking for a young Brahmin boy who had suddenly disappeared, not to be found. At this, the voice – it was the voice of the dead boy who had turned into a spirit – reassuringly said: "With the Grace of Shiva, and surrounded by all comforts, ministered to by Shiva's ganas, and hundreds of beautiful maidens, I am in a great state. Please go and tell my parents this, and ask them not to mourn for their son." Completely astonished, the Brahmins asked

the young boy's spirit how all this had come about. The spirit narrated to them the chain of events and said: "All this happened because I had made my mind up to journey to the land of Shiva. It is that pure resolve alone that has led to this end. It was my devotion to Shiva that has brought me to the state of complete bliss in which I am now." The spirit urged the Brahmins to return home and reassure his parents and also request them to perform the last rites of their son. "Your son", they told the parents. "is in the heavens, having trodden the path of Truth. He is not only in a state of bliss himself, but his deed has resulted in a hundred generations of his ancestors attaining salvation."

(Excerpted with permission from BN Goswamy and Karuna Goswamy's; published by Niyogi Books)