Papavinasana Teertham - Sumati and Dridhamati getting relieved of their sins

(Skanda Purana - Venkatachala Mahatmya - 19)

Sr Venkateswara

• Story of Dridhamati: There was a sudra by name Dridhamati who had the intense desire to perform the ceremonial rites of the brahmanas. Once he approached the penance grove of Brahma in the Himavan where many brahmanas resided.

• Dridhamati requesting the brahmanas to initiate him; brahmanas refusing: Dridhamati prostrated before the brahmanas and requested them to initiate him in the performance of the yagna. The brahmanas honoured him but told that a sudra cannot be initiated in the rites of the brahmana. On the other hand it is the duty of a sudra to serve the brahmanas with great faith.

• Dridhamati setting up his own hut: Dridhamati then went away and built his own splendid hut far away from the penance grove. He built temples, gardens and lakes around the hut. He worshipped the deities and observed fasts and other holy observances. He performed homa himself. With great control of the senses he lived on roots and fruits. In this way much time passed.

• Brahmana Sumati coming there and developing affection for Dridhamati: Once a brahmana named Sumati comes to the hut of Dridhamati as a guest. Dridhamati welcomed Sumati and served him by offering water for washing, fruits and other hospitalities. Sumati became pleased with Dridhamati. He used to visit the hut of Dridhamati again and again and slowly developed affection for him.

• Sumati teaching Dridhamati the performance of holy rites: One day Dridhamati asked Sumati to teach him the performance of the rites related to offering of Havyas and Kavyas to the manes. Sumati taught him everything.

• Sumati getting excommunicated by other brahmanas. Later dying: Sumati was fed by the sudra Dridhamati for a long time. And he taught him the rites of the brahmanas. He was therefore excommunicated by the other brahmanas. Later he died.

• Miseries of Sumati after death. Rebirth in many species: Due to his sin of long association with a sudra and imparting him sacred knowledge, Sumati was cast in a hell and remained there for thousand crores of kalpas. Then he remained as an immobile being. Then born as a donkey, pig and crow. Then as a human being as candala, sudra, vaishya, kshatriya and finally a brahmana. As a brahmana he was invested with a sacred thread. He continued with the duties of a brahmana remaining in his father's house. But one day he was haunted by a Brahmarakshasa in the forest. He cried in agony and sometimes laughed foolishly. He gave up all his duties. His father was greatly distressed.

• Sumati getting relieved of his miseries by bath in the Papavinasana Teertha: His father took his son and sought refuge of sage Agastya who was performing penance on the banks of river Suvarnamukhari. Sage Agastya meditated for a long time. Then he said that the miseries of his son are due to imparting sacred knowledge to a sudra in an earlier birth. He had to undergo many births and suffer a lot due to this sin. By his good works he is now born as a brahmana but Yama sent a Brahmarakshasa due to his earlier sins. Sage Agastya then suggested the father to take his son to Papavinasana Teertha of Venkatachala. Then bathe him in the holy waters for three days. The father prostrated before the sage and took his son to that great Teertha. With due Samkalpa he made his son bathe in the holy waters of that Teertha for three days. He himself also took bath. After bathing in that Teertha, his son was released by the Brahmarakshasa and also became free of his ailments. He thereafter lived a prosperous life and finally attained salvation.

• Miseries of Dridhamati after death. Rebirth in many species: Due to his sin of performing the rites of a brahmana, Dridhamati was also cast in the hell. Subsequently he was reborn in low species. Thereafter he became a vulture in the Venkatachala mountain.

• Dridhamati getting relieved of his miseries by bath in the Papavinasana Teertha: One day the vulture drank the water of the Papavinasana Teertha and sprinkled it all over its body. He became relieved of his sins and attained a divine personality. He then went to heaven in a celestial chariot.

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