56 - The Greatness of Purushottama (Contd.)

Vasu said

1-2. “O blessed lady, listen to another group of Tirtha in the holy centre of Purushottama It is highly meritorious. By the mere sight, it destroys sins. By visiting Vâsudeva termed Ananta with devotion and by bowing down to him, a man shall be liberated from all sins, he shall attain the greatest region (viz. Vaikuntha)

3. By taking bath in the Šhvetagañgâ¹ and by visiting Shveta-Mädhava as well as Matsya-Mädhava, the devotee goes to Shveta Dvipa (the abode of Nãrãyana).

1. Shveta-Gañgä is on the way to the sea (from Jagannätha Temple). The two Mådhava shrines (Matsya and Shveta) are near it.

4-7a. Vishu’s devotees of great concentration and purity shall attain heaven by visiting the pure deity which resembles snow in complexion; who bears conch, discus and iron club; who is endowed with all auspicious characteristics; whose chest has the mark of Shrivatsa, who is delighted, who has four arms, whose chest is covered with garlands of sylvan flowers; who wears coronet and armlets; whose garments are yellow in colour; whose shoulders are plum and who is bedecked in earrings. By touching the leading king, Shvetagäñgeya (god Šhveta-Mädhava), even with the tip of a Kušha grass they go to heaven.

7b-9a. He who sees this idol of lustre called Mâdhava, that resembles conch and cow’s milk and that destroys all sins, he who bows to that idol with eyes resembling lotuses even but once, with devotion and eschewing worldly desires is honoured in the world of Vishnu.

9b-10. For many Manvantaras, he enjoys extensive pleasures as he pleases, along with the Devas, surrounded by Divine virgins, sung in praise by the Gandharvas and worshipped by Siddhas and Vidyädharas.

11. Falling off from these, he comes to the mortal world and is born as a Bràhmana knowing the Vedas and the Vedäñgas. He will be intelligent, long-lived and enjoying worldly pleasures.

12. He will be richly endowed with elephants, horses, chariots and other vehicles. He will be pure and blessed with wealth and food-grains. He shall be handsome and very fortunate. He will have sons and grandsons.

13. He goes again unto Purushottama on the seashore at the root of the holy Banyan tree. After abandoning the body and remembering Hari he shall go to the region of calmness and peace. (Moksha)

14-16. By visiting Šhvetamâdhava and Matsya-mâdhava near him and by bowing down to him with purity, the devotee should leave off all distressing features. When formerly the whole universe was vast sheet of water, the lord had at the outset assumed the form of a fish of the Rohita type. It was to redeem the Vedas (from the demon who had stolen them) that the lord thus stationed himself on the surface of Rasãtala. Thinking about the earth, the fish established itself there. Then the Matsya (fish) assumed the form of a youth. That is Matsya Mädhava.

17. He goes to that highly excellent place where lord Hari is present himself. In due course of time, he comes down here and shall be the king on the surface of the earth.

18. By resorting to Matsya-Mädhava, a man will be invincible. He will be a liberal donor, enjoyer of pleasures, a warrior, a devotee of Vishnu and true to his word.

19-20a. Afterwards, by being enlightened in the Yoga leading to Hari, he shall attain liberation. The greatness of Matsyamädhava has been recounted by me to you. On seeing him, O daughter of Brahma, the devotee shall attain all desires.

20b-22. I shall now describe the rite of Mãrjana in the sacred and auspicious pool of water called Märkapdeyahrada. The ablution in the Mârkarndeyahrada at all times is praised. It is an ancient rite to plunge into it with a singleminded devotion. Particularly on the Chaturdašhi day, the ablution is destructive of all sins. Similarly, the ablution in the ocean at all times is praised.

23-24a. Particularly, on the full moon day, (the ablution in the ocean) makes one attain the benefit of a horse-sacrifice. On the full Moon day in the month of Jyeshtha, when the constellation is also Jyeshthä, the devotee shall particulary visit that king of holy centres which is exceedingly splendid.

24b-25. He should have pure and holy Sättvaic feelings physically, verbally and mentally, and his mind should not be directed towards anything else. He should be liberated from all mutually clashing opposites. He should be devoid of passions and malicious rivalry. He should circumambulate the beautiful Kalpa-tree, the banyan tree, where Janârdana himself abides.

26-27a. With great concentration, he should circumambulate it three times. On seeing it, the sin originating from seven births perishes. O Mohinï, he attains an extensive merit and his desired goal.

27b-28. I shall mention to you its names in the different Yugas. The names of the banyan tree in the Kruta and other Yugas have been glorified as follows: (They know them as) Vata, Vatešhvara, Shänta and Puräna Purusha.

29. In the Kruta and other Yugas, the girth of the banyan tree has been respectively one Yojana, three-fourths of a Yojana, half a Yojana and one-fourth of a Yojana.

30. After bowing down to the banyan tree, repeating the Mantra mentioned above, the devotee should go to the south at a distance of three hundred Dhanus (bows or twelve hundred hastas or cubits).

31.It is the place where the sign, the beautiful portals of heaven, become visible within the ocean, a log of wood equipped with all auspicious attributes has been drawn.

32. He should bow down to it, worship it and then stand by. He shall then be liberated from all the mulitudes of sins, effects of evil planets and other inauspicious things.

33. Formerly, Ugrasena looked at the ocean through heavenly portals. He went there. With purity of word, mind and deed, he meditated on the supreme Nãräyana and performed the Ächamana rite.

35. Thereafter, the devotee should fix the eight-syllabled Mantra on the hand as well as on the body.¹ The Mantra is what learned men utter viz. ‘Om namo Närãyanäya’.

1. VV. 34-54 disclose the powerful influence of the Pañcharåtra system on the NP.

35. What purpose is served by many Mantras causing the richness of the mind? The Mantra “Namo Naräyanâya” is that which achieves all objects.

36. Äpah (waters) are glorified as Nârâ since they are the off springs of Nara (Man). They were the former abode of Vishnu. Hence Vishnu is remembered as Nârâyana.

37. The Vedas are devoted to Närâyana. The Brahmanas are devoted to Närãyana. Perfect knowledge is concerned with Närãyana. Holy rites are related to Narayana.

38. Dharma (virtue) is concerned with Nârãyana. The penance is connected with Naräyana, charitable gift is concerned with Nâräyana; holy rites are related to Nãräyana.

39. The worlds are concerned with Nâräyana, the Devas are devoted to Näräyana; the Nitya rites (routine holy rites) are related to Näräyana. The region (to be reached) is concerned with Nâräyana.

40.(All the elements are concerned with Narayana such as the earth is devoted to Nâräyana; the water is related to Näräyana; the fire element is concerned with Näräyarana; the firmament is devoted to Näräyana.

41. The Väyu (wind god) is devoted to Nãräyana; the mind is concerned with Narayana the Ahamkãra (Ego) and the Buddhi (Intellect) both of these are of the nature of Näräyana.

42. The things of the past, present and future, whatever is termed as Jïva (living individual), the gross, the subtle and the huge, everything is of the nature of Näräyana.

43. O Mohini, I do not see anything here different than Näräyana; this world consisting of the visible and the invisible, the mobile, and immobile beings is pervaded by him.

44-45. Waters constitute the abode of Vishnu; the ocean is the lord of waters. Hence, he is in the waters. Particularly, at the time of ablution, the devotee should worship Narayana the dispeller of sins. He should remember Näräyana and meditate on him. He should then perform the Nyasa rite on the hand and on the body.

46-47. He should fix the syllable Om on the left hip, the syllable ‘Nâ’ on the right hip, the syllable ‘Rä’ in the umbilical region, the syllable ‘Ya’ in the left arm and the syllable ‘Nä’ in the right arm. He should fix the syllable ‘Ya’ on the head and then fix beneath, above, sideways, in the heart behind and in front.

48-50. The learned devotee should meditate on Närâyana and thereafter begin the Kavacha (protective Mantras of mystic syllables) In the east of me may Govinda protect; may Madhusüdana protect me in my south; may lord Šhrïdhara protect me in my west; may Kešhava protect me in the north; may Vishnu protect me in the south-east; may the unchanging Mädhava protect me in the southwest; may protect me in the north-west; may Vämana protect me in the north-east; may the Boar protect me in the earth and may Trivikrama protect me in the upward direction.

51. After assigning the Kavacha to various parts thus, the devotee should contemplate about himself. thus— “I am lord Näräyana. the wielder of the conch, discus and iron club.”

52-54. After meditating on the Ätman thus, the devotee should repeat this Mantra: “You are the fire-god, O lord of bipeds; you are the discharger of the semen; you are the igniter of love’s fire. You are the chief of all living beings and individual souls; you are the unchanging lord; you are the Arani of the nectar; O lord of waters, you are the source of origin of the Devas; dispel my sins, O king of Tirthas obeisance be to you”

After uttering thus duly, he should perform the rite of ablution according to injunctions.

55. Otherwise, O daughter of Brahma, the bath there is not commended. The devotee should perform the rite of ablution and Märjana (sprinkling) within water with those Mantras the deities of which are the waters.

56-57a. Then he should repeat the Mantra of Aghamarsharna. O gentle lady, just as the horse-sacrifice is a Yajña that dispels sins, so also the hymn of Aghamarshana¹ dispels all sins.

1. Aghamarshana hymns (RV. X. 190. 1-3) are supposed to wash off sins of men.

57b-58. He should then come out of water and wear clean washed clothes. He should then restrain his breath, perform Ächamana rite and worship the sun by way of Sandhyä. He should then offer in the upward direction a handful of water and flowers.

59. With the arms raised up, he should worship the sun by means of the Mantras his symbols. Thereafter, he should repeat the holy and divine Gäyatrï Mantra hundred and eight times.

60. Standing there with concentration, he should repeat other Mantras also pertaining to the sun. He should then circumambulate and bow to the sun and be seated.

61-62a. He should then face the east and recite Veda-Mantras as Svädhyäya. Then the Tarpana rite of the Devas, human beings, sages and the Pitris of his own family should be duly performed by the devotee who is the knower of names and Gotra. He should perform the Tarpana rite with water mixed with sesame seeds, according to prescribed injunction and with concentration of mind.

62b-64a. During Šhräddha and the Havana (oblations to fire) rites the devotee should perform the same with a single hand. The rite of Tarpana shall be performed with both the hands. This is the standing injunction. He should perform the rite with the right hand supported by the left (?) “May they be satiated”. He shall utter these words clearly uttering the name and the Gotra but silently otherwise.

64b-65a. If anyone out of delusion performs the Tarpana rite for the Pitris, by means of gingelly seeds clinging to the body, it is as though the Tarpana rite has been performed by means of skin, flesh, blood and bones.

65b-67a. The water libation will not reach the Pitris, if the devotee stands in water and offers on to the ground or if he stands on the ground and offers it into the water. The water should be offered standing on the ground and on to the ground. What is not offered on the ground does not reach (the Pitris). The earth has been given by Brahma as the imperishable (eternal) place of the Pitris. Hence (the libation) should be given only there, by the person who wishes for the pleasure of the Pitris.

67b-68a. The earth is born out of water; the water is present therein and gets dissolved in the earth. Hence, one should offer water on the ground.

68b,c. He should spread the Kušha grass on the ground and invoke the Pitris or the Devas by their respective Mantras. In respect of the Devas, the tips of the Kušha grass shall be towards the east, and in the case of the Pitris (manes) they shall be towards the south.