NÁRADA’S RELATION OF SÚCHÍ’S DEVOTION.
Argument. Description of Súchí’s _austerities_, and Indra’s Inquiry
about them.
Vasishtha related:—Indra having learnt about the austere devotion of
Karkatí, had the curiosity to know more of her through Nárada, whom he
asked about the matter.
2. Indra said:—I know Súchí to have acquired her fiendish practice (of
blood sucking), by means of her devotion; but who is this apish Karkatí
that is so greedy of her gain (of flesh and bones).
3. Nárada replied:—It is Karkatí the malevolent fiend, that became _Jíva
Súchí_ or colic pain of the living, and assumed the shape of an iron
needle as its support or fulcrum.
4. Having afterwards forsaken that prop, it entered into the human body
as its landing place; and then it flew up to the heart on the vehicle of
vital breath, and is seated in the car of the current air in atmosphere.
(The resting place _locus standi, point d’appui or powsto_ of the
diseases of life).
5. This colic of life—_Jíva Súchí_, having entered into the bodies of
vicious lives, passes through the canals of their entrails and the pores
of their flesh, fat and blood, and then nestles as a bird in the
interior part.
6. It enters the intestines with the breath of the air, and there
settles in the form of flatulent colic; afterwards being seated at
the end of the _nyagrodha_ artery, it forms the plethoric colic with
fulness of blood and inflammation.
7. It also enters the body through other parts and organs, and receives
different names according to its situation; and then feeds itself upon
their flesh and marrow (as the best food for living beings).
8. Fastened to the knots of wreathed flowers and stuck to the leafy
garlands, decorating the breasts and cheeks of fond damsels, she steeps
enraptured with them, on the bosoms of their loving spouses. (_i.e._ The
menial needle is blessed in the company of her mistress).
9. She flies to the bodies of birds in wood-land retreats, which are
free from worldly sorrow and strife; and flutters on the tops of flowers
of the Kalpa arbours of Paradise, or rolls on beds of lotuses in the
lakes.
10. She flies over the high hills of the gods, in the forms of
fluttering bees; and sips the honey drops, perfumed with the fragrance
of the pollen of _mandara_ flowers.
11. She devours in the form of vultures, the entrails of the dead bodies
of warriors, through the notches made in them, by blades of swords in
warfare.
12. She flies up and down in the pellucid and glassy paths of the
firmament, and pierces through all the pores and arteries or inlets into
the human body; as the inflated winds pass in every creek and corner on
all sides.
13. As the universal vital air (prána-váyu), runs in the heart of every
living being, in the form of the pulsation of air; so does Súchí
oscillate in every body, as it were her own habitation.
14. As the intellectual powers are lodged in every person, in the manner
of blazing lamps in them; so does she reside and blaze as the mistress
of every body; answering her dwelling house.
15. She sparkles as the vital spark in the particles of blood, and flows
as fluidity in liquid bodies; she rolls and trolls in the bowels of
living beings, as whirl pools whirl about in the bosom of the sea.
16. She rests in the milk white mass of flesh, as Vishnu reclines on his
bed of the serpent Vásuki; she tastes the flavour of the blood of all
hearts, as the goddess (Kálí) drinks the liquor of her goblet of wine.
17. She sucks the circulating red hot blood of hearts, as the winds
absorb the internal and vivifying juice, from the hearts of plants and
trees.
18. Now this living Súchí, intending to become a devotee, remains as
motionless as an immovable substance, and as fixed and steady in her
mind.
19. The iron-hearted needle, being now rarefied as the invisible air, is
traversing to all sides, on the swift wings of winds resembling its
riding horses.
20. It goes on feeding on the flesh and drinking the blood of all living
beings; and carrying on its various acts of giving and receiving, and
dancing and singing all along.
21. Though the incorporeal _Súchí_ has become aeriform and invisible as
vacuum, yet there is nothing which she is unable to accomplish by the
powers of her mind, outstripping the swiftness of the winds.
22. But though she runs mad with her meat, and turns about giddy with
her drink; yet she is curbed by fate, like an elephant in chains from
running at random.
23. The living body like a running stream, moves apace with billows in
its course; and the painful and destructive diseases under which it
labours, are as greedy sharks lying hid underneath.
24. This frail body like the formless Súchí, being disabled by infirmity
to gorge its fleshy food, begins to lament its fate, like old and sickly
rich folks, for their want of hunger and appetite.
25. The body with its members, moves about like the beasts of the forest
(for their prey); and it plays its parts like an actress on the stage,
with goodly apparel and ornaments on her person.
26. The body is moved to and fro by its internal and external winds, and
its natural weakness (immobility), is always in need of being moved by
the vital airs, as the immovable fragrance requires to be wafted by the
breeze.
27. Men in vain rely in mantras and medicines, in austerities and
charities, and in the adoration of idols for relief; while their bodies
are subject to diseases like the sea to its surges.
28. The unseen force of mobility, is soon lost in the solid body, as the
light of the lamp is lost in darkness. So the living Súchí came to be
lost in the iron needle, in which she had her rest. (_i.e._ The living
body is lost and transformed to a spirit, wherein it finds its rest
after death).
29. Every one aspires to a state according to his natural propensity; as
the inclination of the Rákshasi led her to choose the needleship upon
herself.
30. A man being tired by travelling far and wide, returns at last to
take his rest at home; so the big and living Súchí turned to the form of
the _thin_ iron Súchí to execute her repose; but like ignorant people,
who prefer the grosser pleasure of the body to the nicer delights of the
soul; she still panted for her grosser enjoyments, that were now lost to
her.
31. With the intention of satisfying her thirst, she travelled to all
parts and quarters (in her form of the poor needle); but derived more of
the mental pleasure of experience, than the satisfaction of her
corporeal appetites.
32. When the container is in existence, it is possible to fill it with
its contents and not otherwise; so one having his body, can seek and get
every pleasurable object to give it delight.
33. Remembering now the past enjoyments of her former body, she became
sorrowful in her mind, that was so highly pleased and satisfied with
filling its belly before.
34. She was then resolved to betake herself to austere devotion, for the
purpose of recovering her former body; and with this object in view, she
chose for herself the proper situation for her castigations.
35. The living soul of Súchí, thought of entering into the heart of a
young vulture flying in the air; and thus soared to it and rested
herself in the air like that bird, by the help of her vital breath.
(_i.e._ The greedy spirit was turned to the form of a hungry vulture to
shriek and seek for carrion).
36. The vulture being thus filled with the malevolent spirit of the
colic Súchí in itself, began to think of executing the purposes that
Súchí had in her mind.
37. Thus the vulture bearing the insatiate Súchí within its body, flew
to its intended spot on the mountain. It was driven there like a cloud
by the wind, and it was in this place that Súchí was to be released from
her needleship.
38. It sat there on a spot of the solitary forest in its state of
asceticism, seeming to be freed from all desires of the world.
39. It stood there on one of its legs, supported on the tip of its toe
and appeared as the statue of some deity, consecrated on the top of the
mountain by some one in the form of Garuda.
40. There standing on one leg, supported on an atom of dust; she
remained as the mountain peacock, that stands on one leg with the head
raised to the sky.
41. The bird seeing the living Súchí coming out of his body, and
standing on the mountain as a statue, fled away and disappeared from
that place.
42. Súchí issued from the body of the bird, in the manner of the spirit
coming out of it, and the intellect aspiring to higher regions; and as
the particles of fragrance fly upon the wings of winds, in order to meet
the breath of the nostrils to be borne into the nose.
43. The vulture fled to his own place after leaving Súchí at that place,
like a porter disburthening himself of his load; and found himself
relieved of his lickerish diseases on his return.
44. Now the iron Súchí, being seated in her devotion, in the form of the
living Súchí; appeared as graceful as a right man engaged in the
performance of his proper duty.
45. And as the formless spirit is unable to do anything, without a
formal support or instrument; so the living Súchí supported herself on
the tip of her toe, for performance of her devotion.
46. The living Súchí has sheathed the iron needle (in her heart), as an
evil spirit (Písáchí) enwraps a Sinsapá tree; and as the winds enfold
the particles of odor, which they bear away in their bosom.
47. Thenceforwards, O Indra! has she betaken herself to her protracted
devotion, and passed many years in the solitary wilderness in her steady
position and posture of body.
48. It now behoves you, O Indra! that art skilled in stratagems, to
devise some plan, in order to delude her from her object, or else her
devotion will destroy the people, you have so long preserved.
49. Vasishtha said:—Indra having heard these words of Nárada, sent
Maruta (Eolus) the god of winds to her search, in all quarters of the
globe.
50. The god Maruta then proceeded in quest of her, in his spiritual form
of intelligence; and having traversed the etherial regions, alighted
upon the nether world. The winds and all other elemental and physical
powers, are believed to be endued with intelligence also; and not as
mere brute forces, on account of the regular discharge of their proper
functions, which they could never do without intelligence.
(Hence the imagination and adoration of the Marutgana in the elemental
worship of the Veda).
51. He beheld everything instantly at a glance of his intelligence;
which perceived all things at one view; as the sight of the Supreme
Spirit sees through all bodies without exception or hindrance. (_i.e._
The sight of the spirit like its breath, sees through and supports all
things).
52. His sight stretched to the Lokáloka mountain in the polar circle,
far beyond the seven seas of the earth, where there is a large tract of
land abounding with gems. (It is doubtful whether the polar mountain or
sea abounds with gems).
53. He viewed the circle of the Pushkara continent, surrounded by a sea
of sweet water; and containing mountains with their dales and valleys.
54. He next saw the Gomeda islands, surrounded by the sea of liquor with
its marine animals; and the land abounding with cities and towns.
55. He beheld also the fertile and peaceful continent of Kraunchadwípa,
bounded by the sweet Saccharine sea, and beset by a range of mountains.
56. Further on was the Swetadvípa (Albion island), with its subsidiary
isles surrounded by the Milky (Atlantic) ocean, and having the temple of
Vishnu in the midst of it (meaning perhaps the ancient Kelts to be
colony of the Hindus).
57. After that appeared the sea of butter, surrounding the Kushadwípa
island; and having chains of mountains and cities with buildings in
them. (Butter milk &c., are fictitious names and not this really).
58. Then came the Sákadwípa in view amidst the ocean of curds,
containing many countries and many large and populous cities in them.
(The _sákadwípa_ is said to be Scythia or the land of the saccae or
sakas).
59. Last appeared the Jambudwípa girt by the sea of salt, having the
Meru and other boundary mountains, and many countries in it. (This is
Asia stretching to the polar mountains on the north and south).
60. Thus the intelligence of air (Marut), having alighted on earth upon
the wings of winds, spread himself afterwards to its utmost ends with
rapidity (or spread himself rapidly to its utmost limits afterwards).
61. The god of air then directed his course to Jambudwípa (Asia), and
having arrived there, he made his way to the summit of the snowy
mountain. (Himálaya, where Súchí was performing her devotion).
62. He saw a great desert on the highest top of the summit, which was as
extensive as the expanse of the sky, and devoid both of living creatures
and the vestiges of animal bodies. (_i.e._ There were neither any living
being not fossil remains to be found on the mountain peak).
63. It was unproductive of greens or grass owing to its nighness to the
sun; and was covered over with dust, like that composing this earth.
64. There spread a wide ocean of the mirage to excite the thirst, like
the lucid waters of a river; and allure the longings of men by its
various hues, resembling the variegated colours of rain-bow.
65. Its wide expanse reaching almost to infinity, was unmeasurable even
by the regents of the quarters of heaven, and the gusts of wind, blowing
upon it, served only to cover it with a canopy of dust.
66. It resembled a wanton woman, besmeared with red powder as the
sunbeams, and sandal paste like the moonbeams; and attentive to the
whistlings of the breeze. (Thinking them to be hissings of men).
67. The god of the winds having travelled all over the seven continents
and their seas, and being tired with his long journey on the surface of
the earth; rested his gigantic body which fills the infinite space in
all directions, on the top of that mountain; like a butterfly resting on
the twig of a tree, after its wearied flight in the air.