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जापकोपाख्यान (jApakopAkhyAna)

 
Mahabharata
English
[Jāpakopākhyāna(ṃ)]
(“the episode about the reciter of sacred mantras”). § 662b (Mokshadh.): A brahman, who was a reciter, conversant with the six Aṅgas, of the Kuśika race and son of Pippalāda, acquired spiritual insight into the Aṅgas
at the foot of Himavat he was devoted to the Vedas
silently reciting Gāyatrī, he practised austerities for 1, 000 years in order to attain to Bráhman. Then Gāyatrī (Sāvitrī) appeared and granted him the boon that his wish for recitation should go on increasing, and his absorption into meditation (samādhi) be more complete. She added that he should not have to go to hell, thither where great brahmans go, but to the region of Brahmán, and that Dharma, etc. (), would come to him in person. He continued engaged in recitation for 1, 000 celestial years. Then Dharma came to him and told him to cast off his body in order to win regions of bliss
but he did not wish to reside in heaven except with his body, but only took pleasure in recitation. Time, Mṛtyu, and Yama came and told him the same. The brahman gave them arghya and pādya. Ikshvāku, who had set out on a tīrthayātrā, came and was given arghya and pādya. The brahman wished to give him something
Ikshvāku, as a kshatriya, would not take anything except battle, but only himself give
at last, however, he asked to be allowed to enjoy the fruits of the brahman's recitations, but when the brahman consented he would not take them, and asked the brahman what those fruits were. The brahman did not know, as his recitations had never been connected with any special purpose
he told the king that Truth required that he should take them as he had asked for them (the signification of Truth). Dharma and Heaven (Svargaḥ) seconded the brahman. Ikshvāku wished to give his own merits instead, but in va{??} then Ikshvāku agreed to accept half the brahman's merit on the condition that the brahman should take half of his own, but he was refused. At this time two ungainly individuals came there, Virūpa and Vikṛta (afterwards disclosed to be Desire and Wrath) Virūpa said that he owed Vikṛta the merits of the gift of a cow, but that Vikṛta refused to take repayment (in the form of the merit of having given two kapilā cows with calves to an uñchavṛtti)
Vikṛta declared that Virūpa owed him nothing
they asked Ikshvāku to decide the question. Ikshvāku hesitated
the brahman threatened to curse him. Ikshvāku would give him some drops of water that had fallen upon his hand. Virūpa approved of this arrangement, and said that Vikṛta really did not owe him anything
“we appealed to thee for thy own sake.” Bhīshma said that a reciter goes to Brahmán, or Agni, or Sūrya. whose attributes he catches stupefied by attachment (rāgeṇa)
and so also if he goes to Soma, etc. ()
if, however, he goes to, those regions after having freed himself from attachment, he enters the Supreme and Imperishable, and becomes Bráhman (XII, 199). The brahman accepted, worshipped Dharma, etc. (), and set himself to his recitations again. Asked by Ikshvāku, he agreed that he should go half and half with the king. Indra came there with D., Lp., Sā., Vi., etc. (), and said to the brahman and the king that they had attained to success ([saṃ]siddhaḥ). Those two withdrew their senses from the objects of the world
fixing Praṇa, etc. (), in the heart, they concentrated the mind in Prāṇa and Apāna united together, etc. (description). Brahmán welcomed the fiery flame that had issued from the head of the brahman, saying: “Reciters attain to the same end as the yogins
but as regards reciters, the honour is ordained for them that Brahmán himself shall advance to receive them”
then he once more imparted consciousness into that splendour
the brahman then entered the mouth of Brahmán, and so did the king. The deities rejoiced. Brahmán said that so also would he that reads “the great Smṛti” and “the Anusmṛti” (i.e. resp. “the six Aṅgas and Manu, etc., ” Nīl.) in this way attain to the same region with Brahmán
and so also he who is devoted to Yoga. Then Brahmán disappeared, and the deities, having honoured Dharma, returned to their respective abodes (XII, 200).