Puṇḍarīka the Brāhmaṇa
Puṇḍarīka was a young brāhmaṇa known for his learning and self-control. While still young he gave up all his wealth and his family. He walked through the holy tīrthas (sacred places) of Bhārata and at last settled at Sālagrāma. There he did tapas (austerity) with a single mind, devoted to Bhagavān Vishṇu. Bhagavān Vishṇu was pleased and sent Nārada to him. In the end Bhagavān Vishṇu appeared before him and took him to Vaikuṇṭha on Garuḍa.
Early life and learning
Puṇḍarīka was in the first stage of life (brahmacarya) and was always under the control of his teachers. He had mastered his senses and his anger. He was devoted to the sandhyā prayers. He knew the Vedas, the Vedāṅgas and all the sacred texts well.
Morning and evening he made fire offerings with sacred fuel, always meditating on Bhagavān Vishṇu. He served his mother, his father and his teacher. He studied the Vedic lore and was deeply attached to prāṇāyāma (breath control). (Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Uttara Khaṇḍa, Chapter 80)
The renunciation
Puṇḍarīka had no desire for worldly life. At some point he was seized by the wish to cross the ocean of worldly existence for good. He left everything behind: his mother, father, brothers, friends, kind people, maternal uncles, relatives and kinsmen. He left a property “like that of Indra”, rich in wealth and grain, with costly fields where all kinds of crops grew. He left all of this “like blades of grass”. He began to live on vegetables, roots and fruits. (Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Uttara Khaṇḍa, Chapter 80)
The tīrtha journey
Puṇḍarīka made a long journey through the holy places of Bhārata. He visited these rivers: Gaṅgā, Yamunā, Gomatī, Gaṇḍikā, Śatadru, Payoshṇī, Sarasvatī, Prayāga, Narmadā and the great river Śoṇa. He also visited Prabhāsa, holy places on the Vindhya and the Himālaya, the āśramas of Naimisha, Pushkara, Kurukshetra and Govardhana. He went through all these places “properly and at a proper time”. (Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Uttara Khaṇḍa, Chapter 80)
Sālagrāma
The impressions of his former acts led Puṇḍarīka at last to Sālagrāma. This is a very old holy place. It is visited by ṛshis who know the truth and whose wealth is tapas. It is full of śālagrāma-śilā stones, which carry the mark of the cakra (discus) of Vishṇu.
He bathed in the sacred lake Devahrada, in the pools Jātismarya and Cakrakuṇḍa, and at the places along the Cakranādī. His mind became pure. He settled at Sālagrāma alone and gave himself wholly to Bhagavān Vishṇu. (Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Uttara Khaṇḍa, Chapter 80)
Yoga at Sālagrāma
For a long time Puṇḍarīka practised yoga in full: yama, niyama, āsana, prāṇāyāma, dhāraṇā, dhyāna and samādhi. He pleased Bhagavān Vishṇu with rites from the Vedas, the Vedāṅgas and the Purāṇas. He did not care for pleasure or pain. He had no envy and no possessions, and he saw all things alike.
Bhagavān Vishṇu, whose eyes are long like lotuses, was pleased. He said to Nārada, “I am pleased with this wise one.” (Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Uttara Khaṇḍa, Chapter 80)
Nārada’s visit and teaching
Nārada came to Puṇḍarīka at Sālagrāma. Puṇḍarīka saw him and wondered whether he was the Sun, Agni, Indra or Varuṇa. He bowed with joined palms. Nārada said he was a servant of Vāsudeva. Then he gave Puṇḍarīka the highest teaching. Bhagavān Vishṇu is the twenty-fifth Purusha, the Paramātmā of all beings, who creates, keeps and destroys the world.
Nārada quoted Brahmā, who said that dharma is wholly devoted to Vishṇu. All the worlds, yajñas, Vedas and Vedāṅgas are wholly devoted to him. He never changes, and the whole world is full of him.
Nārada also taught that one mantra gives all that a person wishes for:
Om namo Nārāyaṇāya
The meaning is “Om, I bow to Nārāyaṇa.” (Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Uttara Khaṇḍa, Chapter 80)
Bhagavān Vishṇu appears and takes Puṇḍarīka to Vaikuṇṭha
After Nārada left, Puṇḍarīka went on repeating “Om namo Nārāyaṇāya” and meditating on Bhagavān Vishṇu. He placed Govinda, who is “of the nature of nectar”, in the lotus of his heart. In time, by the grace of Bhagavān Vishṇu, his pāpa (sin) went away. The impressions of his many births gathered into one root, which was devotion.
The place around him changed. Fierce animals gave up their enmity. The waters became clear. The seasons were full of pure strength.
Then Bhagavān Vishṇu appeared before him. He was dark in colour, with lotus eyes and a face like the moon. He held the conch, the discus and the mace. He wore a yellow garment and was adorned with Śrīvatsa and Kaustubha. All the devas, siddhas, gandharvas, ṛshis, yakshas, nāgas and apsarās attended him.
Puṇḍarīka praised Bhagavān Vishṇu at length. Bhagavān Vishṇu offered him a vara (a boon). Puṇḍarīka said, “O Mādhava, order what is good for me.” Bhagavān Vishṇu said, “Come with me. You help others, and you are an eternal ātmā. You will always be with me.”
Bhagavān Vishṇu mounted Garuḍa with Puṇḍarīka and left for Vaikuṇṭha. All the worlds saluted them. (Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Uttara Khaṇḍa, Chapter 80)
Sources
- Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Uttara Khaṇḍa, Chapter 80