As I Know: The Lord of the Mountains — Shiv Purana: 05

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Parvati, holy consort of Lord of the Mountains is pleased – Tumburu appears, narrates the tales of Shivapurana, and thus, makes deliverance of a ghost possible

Goddess realised the intensity of genuine feelings of Chanchula and therefore, asked the king of gandharavas Tumburu (a gandharava) holding a musical instrument tambura at that time, to appear before her.

When he arrived, she said with a smile, “O Tumburo, you are devotee of lord Shiva and you love him deeply. You know what I desire and therefore, fulfill all wishes I tend, and thus, prove loyalty to the Supreme Lord. I am to make a request. God may bless you. You go to the mountains of Vindhya with devotee Chanchula immediately. A fearsome and deadly ghost lives there. You listen to Bidunga’s tale of misery, which I shall relate to you from the beginning. Pisacha (ghost) was a brahmin in earlier birth. He was husband of Chanchula but had begun to visit women of easy virtues. He left obligatory functions of a brahmin. He ignored to clean body, did not take bath, failed to pray and worship and thus, lived an impure life. Because of anger, he became an imprudent man and therefore, failed to distinguish between good, honest and immoral karmas.”

After a pause, she said again, “He was addicted to eating what laws of dharma prohibited, hated virtuous people and used to gift contaminated things and therefore, corrupted even dana – acts of charity. It became a natural karma. He indulged in acts of violence with astra-sastras in hands. He ate with left hand, not a pious habit, for with left hand one cleanses one’s night soil etc. He often tortured vulnerable people and then, burnt houses of many in thoughtless and cruel manner. He loved executioners or gravediggers (chandala) of burial grounds and then, regularly visited women of ill repute. He was a callous and wicked man. Later on, the sinful brahmin deserted a loyal wife and enjoyed the company of crafty people and prostitutes and so, lived dissolutely. At last, he died a disgraceful death. He joined a crowd of corrupt people in hell and suffered for many years in different yonis and at present, suffers in the yoni of a pisacha, and lives at the mountain of Vindhya.”

None spoke for a while. Tumburu, a gandharava heard the tale of an accursed brahmin. While he still thought, the goddess said, “As a pisacha, he suffers because of the sins he committed. I want you to narrate the most celebrated tales about lord Shiva enshrined in Shivapurana, the most pious and sacred book, which destroys sins. To read or listen to Purana is the greatest punya karma (virtuous deed) on earth. If he hears the tales, the mere listening will purify Bidunga, and he will relinquish yoni of a pisacha. When he is free from a hateful yoni, you take him to lord Shiva in a celestial aircraft. I permit you to do an act of mercy toward a suffering brahmin.”

Tumburu heard directions of the goddess and was happy. He was proud of destiny, for the most revered goddess of the three worlds had assigned a great and blessed job. Thereafter, the most beloved friend of celestial sage Narada, Tumburu boarded an aerial craft with sadhvi (holy woman) Chanchula and quickly flew away and arrived on the mountain of Vindhya where Bidunga in the yoni of pisacha lived. They saw a huge-bodied pisacha with an inordinately large chin. At times, he, a terrifying figure laughed, then wept, and afterward began to jump about. A great worshipper of Shiva, mighty Tumburu exercised delusory powers and tied up the giant pisacha with a strong rope so that he fulfills the sacred mission and helps a new devotee.

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