48 - Description of Puruşottama 

Sri Bhagavan said: 

1-2. I am neither a Deva nor Yaksha neither a Daitya nor the king of Devas. I am neither Brahmā nor Rudra. Understand me to be Parameśvara (The Supreme Lord). I dispel the agony of all worlds. My strength and manliness are in perfect state. I have no end. I am to be propitiated by all living beings. 

3. The deity whom the Yogins call Vasudeva can be com prehended only through perfect knowledge. It is mentioned in all scriptures. The lord is mentioned (as Brahma) in Vedanta texts. 

4. I am Brahma, Vişhnu and Siva. I am Indra, the king of Devas. I am Yama who restrains the universe. 

5. I am the earth and other elements. I am the threefold sacrificial fire¹. O king, I am also the firegod swallowing what is consigned into him. I am Varuņa, lord of Waters. I am earth and the supporter of the Earth. 

1. Three fires-Garbapatya, Ahavaniya and Dakşiņa. 

6. Whatever there is in the world that can be expressed by a word, whether mobile or immobile, I am that, 

The whole universe.consisting of mobile and immobile beings is nothing other than what I am.¹ 

1. This tendency towards monotheism is duc to the influence of Vedantic advaitavada, but generally the Puranas represent polytheistic creed. 

7. O excellent king of good holy rites! I am pleased with you. Choose any boon that you wish. Whatever is desired by you, whatever is cherished in the heart by you, I shall give you immediately. 

8. Persons without merit do not have my vision even in a dream. Due to your steadfast devotion you have seen me directly. 

Brahma said: 

9. O brahmins, on hearing these words of Vasudeva the king experienced horripilation all over his body and he recited the following prayer: 

The king prayed: 

10-16. O lover of Śrī, obeisance be to you. O consort of Sri, obeisance to the yellow-robed one. O bestower of glory, O lord of Srī, O abode of glory and prosperity, obeisance to you. O home of Glory, I bow down to the primordial Puruşa. Isana the lord of all, having faces all round. I bow down to you who are eternal and unsullied. 

I make obeisance to one who is beyond sound, beyond attributes, devoid of positive and negative aspects, unsmeared, attributeless, subtle and omniscient and who conceives and creates all. 

I bow down to one who resembles the colour in the rainy season; who is engaged in activities conducive to the welfare of cows and brahmins, who protects all, who pervades all and who purifies all. 

I bow down to the lord who holds conch and discus, who holds iron club and the threshing rod; I bow down to the lord who grants boon and who has the lustre of the petals of the blue lotus. 

I bow down to Hari who lies down on the serpent couch in the milky ocean. I bow down to Hruşikeśa who dispels all sins. 

I bow down to you, the lord of the chiefs of Devas, who bestows boons and pervades all. 

Brahmä said: 

17. After eulogising thus, he bowed to the lord with palms joined in reverence. After bowing down and falling down on the ground he said. 

The king said: 

18-21. O lord, if you arc pleased with me, I choose this excellent boon. The following persons shall meditate on the greatest region Devas, Asuras, Gandharvas, Yakşhas, Rakşhasas, Nāgas, Siddhas, Vidyadharas, Sadhyas, Kinnaras, Guhyakas, the sages who are highly blessed and experts in the different texts of scriptures, recluses, interpreting Yogins, Vedic scholars, and those others who are conversant with the scriptures on liberation. The region that is devoid of attributes, free from impurities, peaceful, highly sanctifying and worthy of being hidden as a secret. Due to your favour I wish to go to that region which is very difficult of access, 

The Lord said: 

22. May everything be to your welfare. Obtain everything desired by you. Everything will happen as you wish by my favour. There is no doubt about it. 

23. O excellent king, rule over the great kingdom conti nuously for ten thousand nine hundred years. 

24-26. You will then go to the divine region which is difficult of access even to Devas and Asuras. Your desire shall be fulfilled. I shall show you the calm and peaceful region worthy to be known. It is the unchanging, unmanifest secret region, greater than the greatest, subtle, unsmeared, motionless and steady. It is devoid of old age and grief, devoid of activities and cause. I shall show you that region by attaining which you will derive the highest bliss and realize the greatest goal. 

27-28. O leading king, may your fame stay here on the Earth as long as there are clouds, as long as the sky exists, as long as the moon, sun and stars last, as long as the seven oceans exist; as long as Meru and other mountains stand and Devas stand in heaven. So long your fame will remain un diminished. 

29. This sacred water-reservoir named Indradyumna saras is born as a part of sacrifice. By taking bath in it even for once, people attain the world of Indra. 

30. He who offers rice balls on the splendid bank of the lake shall redeem twentyone generations and go to the world of Indra. 

31. He will go there in aerial chariot honoured by celestial damsels and the divine musicians singing in loud voice. He shall stay there for the duration of fourteen Indras. 

32-36. To the South of the lake, in the South West corner there is a holy fig tree. There is a raised platform close by. It is covered by a bushy growth of Ketaki plants. The place is full of different trees with innumerable coconut palms, Camakas, Bakulas, Ashokas, Karņikāras, Punnagas, Nāgakesaras, Pătalas, Āmrătas, Saralas, sandal trees, Deodars, Nyagrodhas, Aśvatthas, Khadiras, Pärijātas, Arjunas, Hintalas, Tālas, Simśapas, Badaras, Karañjas, Lakucas, Plakşas, Jack, Bilva and many other trees. All of them adorn the place. 

37-41. On the fifth day in the bright half of the month of Aşādha when the constellation is Maghā, devotees will keep us there for seven days. Good-featured Courtesans clad in splendid dress will install the idols. Sweet and pleasing songs as well as dances coupled with sports (will entertain them). Fanning with chowries having golden handles and fans decorated with jewels, the auspicious ladies will instal us there. There will be religious students, recluses, excellent brahmins, householders, forest-dwellers. Siddhas, and others will assemble there and eulogisc Rāma and Keśhava by reciting hymns of excellent words and letters and the Mantras of Rk, Yajus and Saman. 

42. By eulogising, visiting and devoutly bowing to the idols men shall stay in the prosperous city of Hari for ten thousand years in accordance with the divine reckoning. 

43-45. He will be honoured and worshipped by heavenly nymphs and Gandharvas singing sweetly. He shall sport about there as a follower of Hari, Keśhava. He will go to the excellent world on an aerial chariot that has the colour of the sun wearing a shining necklace of precious gems. He will enjoy all desired pleasures in that excellent world. When the power of penance dwindles he will return to the earth as a man and be born as a brahmin. He will have crores of coins and wealth. He will certainly be a master of four Vedas. 

Brahmă said: 

46. After granting him the boons thus and giving him the time-limit O brahmins, Hari vanished along with Viśvakarma. 

47. The king was delighted. The hairs over his body stood up. He considered himself blessed due to the vision of Hari, 

48-53. The idols of Krishna, Balarama, Subhadrâ the bestower of boons, were brought on the divine chariots. They were rendered beautiful and wonderful by the adornment of jewels and gold coverings. With shouts of victory and auspicious slogans the intelligent king accompanied by his ministers and priests brought the images there. 

With the accompaniment of sounds of different musical instruments and auspicious chanting of vedic Mantras, he installed them in a holy, beautiful auspicious place. He got them installed through brahmins in an auspicious time when the constellation was auspicious and the (lunar day) was splendid, in accordance with the injunctions and regulations laid down in the śāstras. The king did every thing with the permission of his preceptor. After offering monetary gifts duly to the preceptor hc distributed money among the Rutviks and others in accordance with the injunctions of the Shastras. 

54-58. After duly performing the rites of installation in the palace, the most excellent abode, he established all of them duly by holy rites. He worshipped them with fragrant flowers of all sorts. He offered gold, jewels, pearls and splendid clothes. Gems of various kinds, divine chairs, villages, towns, cities, lands and territories were gifted by him. After giving away such gifts, after performing different sacrifices and after ruling over the kingdom in the most fitting manner the king became contented. He abandoned every thing he possessed. 

Then he attained the highest abode, the greatest region of Vişhnu. 

59-60. Thus excellent sages, the pious king has been re- counted by me. The greatness of the holy centre has also been mentioned. What else do you wish to hear? On hearing the words of Brahmä born of the unmanifest, the Brahmins thought it wonderful and gladly asked him again. 

The sages said: 

61-62. O most excellent Deva, at what time is one to go to Puruşottama shrine? O lord, what is the mode whereby the Pañchatirtha pilgrimage is to be performed? Tell us the respective merits and benefits of taking holy dip and offering charitable gifts in each of these Tīrthas as well as of visiting the deity. Mention them separately. 

Brahmā said: 

63-71. If any one observes fast and performs penance in the holy centre of Kurukshetra, standing on one leg, conquering anger and sense-organs and continues it for seventy thousand years he may derive some benefit thereof. But, o excellent Brahmins, if he observes fast and visits Puruşottama but once he obtains a greater benefit than that. Hence, o excellent sages, Puruşottama is to be visited in the month of Jyeştha assiduously by brahmins and other castes who desire to attain heavenly world and who have perfect restraint. After performing pilgrimages to the five Tirthas duly, the excellent man should visit Puruşottama on the twelfth day in the bright half of the month of Jyestha. Those who visit the undiminishing lord Puruşottama on the twelfth day, reach the world of Vishnu from where they never fall off. Hence, O excellent brahmins, one must assiduouly go there in the month of Jyeștha. After taking the holy dip in the five Tīrthas, Puruşottama should be visited. Even that person who is far off but who devoutly glorifies Puruşottama everyday with a pure mind shall go to the city of Vişhnu. The man who undertakes pilgrimage with faith and concentration to Krishna (shrine) shall be liberated from all sins. He shall go to the world of Vişhnu. By visiting the wheel of Hari, that is kept above the palace even from a distance and by bowing to it devoutly, the man is immediately liberated from sins.