Vaishṇava Sūkta

Vaishṇava Sūkta, “the hymn to Vishṇu”

The Vaishṇava Sūkta is a Vedic sūkta (hymn) to Bhagavān Vishṇu. In the Madhyama Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa, Sūta names it, with the Saura Sūkta, among the recitations of the rite in which pasture land is dedicated to the cows. The words of the sūkta are not given.

In the dedication of pasture land

Sūta tells the brāhmaṇas the rite of gocara-bhūmi, the pasture. Bhagavān Vishṇu with Lakshmī, Brahmā, Rudra, Varāha, Soma, Sūrya and Mahādeva are worshipped, a sacrificial post with serpent hoods is set up in the middle of the land, and the land is given to the cows with a mantra. In the maṇḍapa of the dedication, Bhagavān Vāsudeva and Sūrya are worshipped and offered homa with sesame and jaggery, four white pots are set on top of the maṇḍapa, and then the Saura Sūkta and the Vaishṇava Sūkta are recited. Pictures of the eight guardians of the directions are made on banyan leaves and placed in the eight directions, and they are asked to protect the pasture, which is then dedicated for the dwelling of the four varṇas, of deer and of birds, and above all for the pleasure of Bhagavān Vāsudeva.

One who gives pasture land to the cows is freed from all pāpas and honoured in Vishṇuloka, and dwells in svarga for as many thousands of years as there are blades of grass on it.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 3, Chapters 2–3

Sources

• Bhavishya Purāṇa, Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 3, Chapters 2–3