Conversion of King Sushila

It has long been suspected that Sage Shvetashvatara, the author of the Shvetashvatara Upanishad, was a Pashupata ascetic. Reading the upanishad, one certainly does get that impression based on the overt Pashupata terminologies and the teachings therein. Since Sage Shvetashvatara predated Guru Lakulisha (fl. 1st century CE) by half a millennium or more, we can safely assume he taught a form of Pashupatism prior to the advent of the Pashupata Sutras and the reform of the sect. In essence then, Sage Shvetashvatara is the earliest known teacher of Pashupata Shaivism. However, we know virtually nothing of the sage.

What we do know of him comes from a section of the Kurma Purana which relates the story of a king named Sushila, who is born in the line of Manu. The story relates how the pious king encounters the sage in a holy forest and then becomes his disciple, essentially embracing the Pashupata sect as an ascetic. In the story, Sage Shvetashvatara tells the king that he initiated this branch of knowledge, viz Pashupata doctrine, by which yogins attain Shiva. Moreover, the king joins a large hermitage with many disciples from different walks of life.

Now, many scholars are of the opinion that the Shvetashvatara Upanishad is likely not the work of a single author, but of several authors, and represents a compilation. This may indeed be the case. If one carefully reads the text, the first chapter itself reads like an independent work with an concluding verse. It may be, as illustrated in the story of King Sushila, that Sage Shvetashvatara had many disciples and the upanishad was a compilation of his teachings at the hermitage. This would also explain one of the last passages of the upanishad which identifies the sage by name and refers to him from a third person perspective:

Through the power of austerity and through the grace of the Lord, the Sage Shvetāshvatara realised Brahman and proclaimed the highly sacred knowledge, supremely cherished by the company of seers, to sannyasins of the most advanced stage. (VI.22)

 

It is not a stretch of the imagination to consider that Sage Shvetashvatara was the founder of the Pashupata system and had many followers. In fact, the Linga Purana (I.7.30-35) provides a list of 28 yogacharayas of the kaliyuga, which begins with Shveta and ends with Lakulisha. It is presumed that Shveta here is Sage Shvetashvatara. If Lakulisha (fl. 1st century CE) was 28th in line from Shveta, then that would put Sage Shvetashvatara somewhere before 600 BCE. 

With this in mind, we read the below passage from the Kurma Purana. 

Aum Namah Shivaya. 

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To Shikhandin, a son was born who became famous by the name Sushila. He was righteous, endowed with beauty and a master of the Vedas and the Vedangas. He studied the Vedas duly and virtuously and was established in penance. As good fortune would have it, that knower of Dharma became inclined towards renunciation. Eager that he was in the study of the Vedas and the performance of penance he resorted to holy centres.  

Once he went to the higher plateau of the Himalayas frequented by the siddhas. There he saw a holy forest named Dharmavana, which affords the achievement of Dharma — a place accessible to the yogins and inaccessible to the haters of Brahman. A very holy and pure river named Mandakini flowed there. It was endowed with clusterous growth of red and blue lotuses and was bedecked with the hermitages of the siddhas. On its southern bank, he saw a beautiful and very holy hermitage occupied by leading sages and yogins and felt delighted. He took his holy dip in the water of Mandakini. He propitiated the divine Pitris (manes). He then worshipped Mahadeva with red and blue lotuses and other flowers. He meditated on Ishana stationed in the orb of the Sun after joining his hands together in reverence over his head. Looking at the radiant Sun, he eulogised the Supreme Ruler. He propitiated Girisha (God Shiva) by means of (reciting) the Rudradhyaya and Charita (narrative) of Rudra, as well as by many different kinds of hymns of Shambhu taken from the Vedas.

In the meantime (while praying) he saw the great sage Shvetashvatara coming. He was the most excellent among the great devotees of Pashupati (God Shiva). He had applied bhasma (ashes) all over his limbs. The loin cloth was the only covering garment he had. His body was emaciated due to the performance of penance. He was wearing a white sacred thread. 

After concluding his eulogy of Sambhu, Sushila bowed down his head at Sage Shvetashvatara's feet. His eyesight was rendered blurry due to tears (of joy). With palms joined in reverence, he said, "I am contented and blessed as I have seen the leading sage and yogin, the holy Lord, the most excellent among the knowers of yoga with my own eyes. Ah! My fortune is indeed great. My penances have become fruitful. What shall I do? O sinless one, I am your disciple. Save me.” 

Sage Shvetashvatara blessed the king of very good conduct and gentle behaviour. He accepted him as his disciple, for he had wiped off all his sins, thanks to his penance. The clever sage made him perform all rites pertaining to sannyasa and then bestowed on him the divine knowledge for which the holy rites had been laid down in his own branch of the Vedas. He gave Sushila the entire essence of the Vedas, that secures the release of the Pashu (individual soul) from the pasha (the binding noose of avidya). The rite is famous as antyashrama (the last stage of life) and has been performed by Brahma and others. 

Glancing at all his disciples, those who resided in that hermitage, brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaisyas, etc., who were all interested in maintaining celibacy, the sage said thus: “It is only after studying the branch of knowledge initiated by me that the yogins attain Mahadeva after meditating on the universe as the creation of the Lord. It is here that the Lord Mahadeva sporting along with His Consort, Uma, occupies the place, with a desire to bless the devotees. Formerly, Narayana himself, the Creator of the entire universe, propitiated Mahadeva here with a desire for the welfare of the worlds. It is after propitiating Lord Ishana, the Lord the Devas, that Devas and Danavas attained great miraculous powers here. It was here itself that Marici and all other sages perceived Maheshvara through the power of their penance and attained eternal perfect knowledge. Hence, O leading king, you too stay here practising penance and yoga. You stay with me permanently and thereby you will attain Siddhi."

After addressing thus, the leading wise sage meditated on Lord Shiva, the wielder of the Pinaka bow. He then imparted precisely the great mantra for the achievement of all his objectives. That mantra suppresses all sins. It is the essence of the Vedas. It yields liberation. It is the holy mantra beginning with the word Agni. It has been initiated by the sages. 

At this instant King Sushila, endowed with faith, became a devotee of Pashupati and was engaged in the study of the Vedas. He applied the sacred ashes (bhasma) all over his body. He lived on roots, fruits and bulbous roots. He was quiescent and had full self-control. He subdued his anger and resorted to the procedure of renunciation.

Kurma Purana I.14.23-50

Source: The Kurma-Purana Part I. Motilal Banarasidass Publishers, Pvt. Ltd., 1998. (translation edited for clarity)