Story of King Shwet

Pulastya Jee further said - "Raajan, After praising Raam Devtaa went to their own Lok and Raam went to Agastya Muni's Aashram. There He greeted Muni and said - "I have come here to greet you after killing Shambook named Shoodra. Are you all right here with your disciples?" Agastya Muni welcomed Him and said - "Today my life is blessed that you came to my Aashram. Stay in this Aashram at night, you may return to Ayodhyaa tomorrow morning. Accept this Divine ornament. This is made by Vishwakarmaa. Oblige me accepting this ornament because to donate an obtained thing gives one good fruits."

Raam said - "To take a donation from you will defame me. How can a Kshatriya take donation from a Braahman intentionally? It will certainly make me a sinner." Agastya Jee said - "In olden Sat Yug, when all people were Braahman and there was no king, all went to Brahmaa with the desire to have a king. They said to him - "As Devtaa have their king Indra, give us also a king." Then Brahmaa called all Lokpaal and asked them to give a part of their grace. They gave four parts which were indestructible. Brahmaa gathered those parts and created a king out of them. He rules over everybody with the part of Indra, nourishes all beings with the part of Varun, gives wealth to all with the part of Kuber and punishes all with the part of Yam Raaj. Thus with the part of Indra, you are also the king of people. That is why you may accept this ornament."

At this Raghunaath took that ornament which was enchanting and was shining like the Sun. After having looked it for some time He thought, "I have not seen such gems even in Vibheeshan's Lankaa", so He asked him as how did he get it? Agastya Muni said - "In previous Tretaa Yug, there was a large forest whose diameter was 100 Yojan, but there lived neither any animal nor any bird. In its middle there was a 4-Kos long lake in which only swans etc birds lived.

I saw a strange thing there, that near the lake there was an Aashram and in spite of being very old, it was very clean. But there was no Tapaswee, nor there was any other living being. I stayed there overnight. In the morning I went to that lake, I saw a very healthy dead body lying on the way. How did he die so young? I was just thinking this that I saw a Divine Vimaan (airplane) coming down from the sky. Within a moment it came down, a Divine man came out of that plane, took bath in the lake and started eating the dead body's flesh. He ate it to his satisfaction and was about to go to Swarg. I could not resist myself so I asked him - "Just wait, I wish to ask you something. What is this your condition? Who are you? You look like a Devtaa but your food is very dirty. Why do you eat such dirty food and where do you live?"

He said - "In earlier times, my father Vasudev used to rule Vidarbh Desh. He had two wives. Each had a son. I was their elder son and my name was Shwet. My younger brother's name was Surath. After my father died, I was coronated as the king. I ruled for several thousand years. But then one day I got detached from the world and went to forest after coronating Surath. There I did Tapasyaa for 80,000 years. Because of that Tapasyaa I got Brahm Lok.

But when I reached in Brahm Lok, I started feeling hungrier and thirstier than ever. I asked Brahmaa Jee - "I have heard that here people are never hungry and thirsty, then what is this happening to me, that I am feeling so hungry and thirsty? What Karm I did that I feel so hungry and thirsty?" Brahmaa Jee said - "Nothing can be got here to eat without donating on Prithvi. You never gave anything to eat to a beggar, you never entertained any guest, that is why you are hungry and thirsty here. You nourished your own body with best food, the same body is lying there. You eat that body's flesh only and the same can satisfy you."

I said - "But after eating my own body there is no other food for me, so please give me such food which never ends." Brahmaa Jee said - "Your body is indestructible. When you will complete 100 years eating it, Maharshi Agastya will come to this forest and then only you will be free from this. He is capable of uplifting even Devtaa and Asur. Since then I come here daily and satisfy myself by eating my body. My this body is never destroyed. I don't know when Maharshi will come here and when I will be free from this dirty food. My 100 years have now completed. I am waiting for him."

I said - "By your good luck I have come, I will surely get you free." Then he laid down in my feet. I asked - "What should I do for you now? Tell me." He said - "Hey Brahman, Free me from this dirty food. I give you this Divine ornament for this obligation." So I accepted that ornament to free him. As I kept it on my hand, his dead body got disappeared and he went to Brahm Lok. The same king Shwet gave me this ornament to get freed."