Hearing these words Emperor Parikshit enquired from Maharishi Śuka, “O revered sage! Why did this forest acquire the rare ability to transform males into females? I am curious to know the reason. Please explain this to me.”
Maharishi Śuka replied, “Previously it so happened that some very great saints who diligently abided by strict disciplines reached Ilavrata forest desiring to meet Lord Śiva. With their radiance these saints dispelled the darkness from all directions. In front of their radiance, all other objects appeared lustreless.
At that moment when these saints entered the forests, Mother Goddess Parvati was sparsely clothed. Ashamed and embarrassed she immediately got up from her husband’s lap and covered herself properly.
The great saints who realized that Śiva and Parvati were engaged in a playful sport immediately turned back and reached the hermitage of Maharishis Nara and Narayana.
In order to bring happiness to his dearest wife Parvati, Lord Śiva however cursed, “Any male who enters this forest will instantaneously transform into a female.”
From the time Śiva uttered this curse, men stay away from Ilavrata forest. Sudyumna who unknowingly entered these forests was instantaneously transformed into a female. Sudyumna, who had transformed into Ila, entered another garden in that forest accompanied by his attendants who had also transformed into females.
Within this garden was situated the hermitage of Budha, son of the Moon-god who is the presiding deity for herbs. Budha saw the most beautiful Ila, who was wandering leisurely accompanied by her attendants in the garden. Captivated by her beauty he fell in love with her. Since Ila too desired to marry Budha, they got married. They were blessed with a son named Purūrava.
A long time elapsed thus. Once Sudyumna, who had now transformed into Ila, was dejected at this change of destiny. At that moment he remembered his family and his Guru Vasiṣṭha. Noticing the pitiable condition of Sudyumna, Maharishi Vasiṣṭha was deeply saddened. He wanted Sudyumna to regain his maleness. With that desire, he served Lord Shankara (Śiva).
Immensely pleased with Vasiṣṭha’s intense penance, Lord Śiva wanted to satisfy him. Yet, not wanting to go against his curse, he said,
‘Māsaṁ pumān sa bhavitā māsaṁ strī tava gotrajaḥ Itthaṁ vyavasthayā kāmaṁ sudyumno ’vatu medinīm
O great saint! Henceforth your disciple Sudyumna will rule the earth while living as a male for one month and as a female for another month’.
Sudyumna who was thus graced by Guru Vasiṣṭha ruled the earth while alternating between male and female forms every alternate month. Howeve,r during the month when he would transform into a woman he would not appear in public. With this the citizens became agitated and unhappy.
Sudyumna was blessed with three sons Utkala, Gaya and Vimala. These pious beings became the kings of the Dakshina province. King Sudyumna, established Pratishṭhana as his capital and ruled for a very long time.
When he was sufficiently old, he handed over the kingdom to his eldest son Purūrava, who was born when he was Ila and then retired into the forests for meditation. With this the first chapter of the ninth canto comes to an end.
Ninth Canto Chapter Two
In this chapter, the lineages of Pṛṣadhra and other sons of Vaiwaswata Manu are covered.
Maharishi Śuka continued, “Sudyumna, the son of Vaivaswata Manu, handed over his kingdom to his eldest son Purūrava and retired to the forest. Thereafter Vaivaswata Manu desired to beget more sons and hence he reached the banks of River Yamuna, where he performed intense austerities for a period of a hundred years in order to please Lord Srihari.
With Srihari’s grace Vaivaswata Manu begot ten sons who were equal to him in every aspect. The second son was Pṛṣadhra.
Guru Vasiṣṭha entrusted Pṛṣadhra with the responsibility of protecting cows. Pṛṣadhra diligently abided by his Guru’s orders. During nights, holding the sword in his hands, he would stand vigil for the cows.
One night it was raining incessantly. All of a sudden, a tiger entered the cowshed. Seeing the tiger in their midst, the terrified cows began to run helter-skelter. However the sturdy tiger managed to catch a cow. The cow screamed in great fright.
Pṛṣadhra heard the frightened screams of the cow and rushed speedily in that direction. It was a pitch dark night and to add to the confusion it was raining incessantly. On such a dark night even the twinkling of the stars was invisible. In this darkness Pṛṣadhra could locate neither the cow nor the tiger. However, based on the direction of the sound, he lifted his sword to chop the tiger’s head. Accidently he chopped off a cow’s head. The edge of the sword cut off the tiger’s ear. The frightened tiger ran away from the cowshed leaving a trail of blood on its path.
The mighty Pṛṣadhra, who would easily destroy enemies, believed that he had killed the tiger. When it dawned he saw the dead cow lying before him. He was shattered. Pṛṣadhra had unknowingly committed a grave sin. Even though it was an accidental mistake, Guru Vasiṣṭha was unduly angered. He cursed Pṛṣadhra, “For this heinous sin you are unfit to be born even as the worst among Kṣatriya (warrior) clan. You will be reborn as a chandala (lowest clan).
The valourous Pṛṣadhra obediently accepted the curse pronounced by his Guru. From that moment he took up the vow of celibacy (brahmacharya).