चण्डक

{ caṇḍaka }

Puranic Encyclopaedia

CAṆḌAKA   A forest hunter who attained salvation by the worship of Śivaliṅga. (Phallus of Śiva). While once hunting in the woods Caṇḍaka saw a Śiva temple in ruins, and the Śivaliṅga lying on the ground uncared for. This sight greatly grieved him, and he told Śiṁhaketu, son of the Pāñcāla Rāja who happened to come that way all about the temple and the liṅga. To his query as to whether the śāstra permitted a hunter like himself to worship Śivaliṅga, Siṁhaketu answered there were injunctions in the Śāstras for people like him (Caṇḍakas) to instal Śivaliṅga on rock and then worship it daily, the worshipper wearing ashes from the burning ghāṭ on his body. Accordingly Caṇḍaka installed the liṅga on a rock and began worshipping it daily along with his wife, Pulindī. But after sometime there was left no ashes in the burning ghāṭ and Caṇḍaka and Pulindī discussed between them the means to get ashes for the next day. Then Pulindī suggested that she should burn herself to ashes and that Caṇḍaka should continue worshipping the Śivaliṅga wearing on his body the ashes. Very unwillingly Caṇḍaka agreed with the sad proposal of his wife, and the next day he worshipped the Śivaliṅga wearing on his body the ashes of Pulindī. And, at the close of the worship he called aloud for Pulindī, and lo! wonder of wonders! she stood there before him more healthy than formerly. Moreover a vimāna descended from the skies and conducted both Caṇḍaka and Pulindī to Śivaloka. [Śiva Purāṇa, Śaṁbaramāhātyma] .