139 - Greatness of Saukara - the benefits of Service in worship

Varäha said:

 1. O goddess, listen. I shall tell you what merit accrues to a person who smears (the floor of the temple with cowdung).

2. He remains in heaven for as many thousands of years as the number of steps he smears with cowdung.

3. If he does this for twelve years, he is born in a family rich in money and grain.

4-5. He then goes to Kušhadvïpa and lives there as a great devotee of mine for twelve thousand years, honoured by the gods.

6. At the end of his life in Kušhadvipa he is born as a king who upholds dharma.

7. He then becomes a great devotee fully dedicated to my service and adept in all šhästras.

8. He constructs many temples and ultimately reaches my world.

9. shall tell you what world is attained by collecting cowdung.

10. He who does this remains in heaven for as many thousands of years as the number of steps he goes to collect it.

11. Then he delights in the Shalmaladvipa for eleven thousand eleven hundred years.

12. Then leaving Shälmala he is born as a virtuous king and a great devotee. 

13. He who carries cowdung for use in the temple remains in my world for twelve thousand years.

14: Now know the benefits that accrue to a person Who bathes me, applies unguent and offers water.

15. He lords in heaven for as many thousands of years as there are drops in the water offered.

16. From heaven he descends to Krauñchadvipa and from

there he descends to be born as a king.

17. And then by his own merit he goes to Shvetadvipa.

18. I shall tell you now, O Earth, about what befalls a man or woman who docs the cleaning of my temples.

19. The pure devotee, free from all faults, remains in heaven for as many hundreds of years as there are particles of dust expelled by his sweeping.

20. From heaven he descends to Shákadvipa and, remaining there for long, is born as virtuous king.

21. Then enjoying all pleasures in the world, he goes to Shvetadvipa and remains in my eternal worship.

22-23. Listen now to what I tell you about the result of singing in my service.

24. He who sings for me remains exalted in the world of Indra for as many thousand years as there are syllables in the

25. He becomes handsome, virtuous, accomplished and proficient in Veda. He always sees Indra, the lord of gods.

26. He remains my devotee even while living in the world of Indra, always worshipping me.

27. Then from the world of Indra, he passes on to the garden Nandana and makes himself happy there in the company of Devas.

28. Then he is born in this world amidst Vaishnavas always singing my glory in great devotion.

29. And then by my favour, he reaches my world.

Suta said:

30. Hearing these words of Lord Mädhava, Earth exclaimed with folded hands:

Earth said:

31. How wonderful is the efficacy of singing! Who are those who attained salvation by this means?

Varãha said:

32. In a hermitage there, an outcaste was living as a devotee of mine keeping awake for a long time.

33. O fair goddess, though an outcaste, he had good qualities and was deeply immersed in devotion, singing my praise for many years.

34. On the Dvadašhi day in the bright half of the month of Kärttika, when all were asleep, he wandered about playing on Vinä.

35. While he was thus awake, he was caught by a Brahmaräkshasa. The outcaste was week and the   strong.

36. Grief-stricken, he was unable to move. He then spoke to the Brahmaräkshasa.

37. I ama mere wanderer. Why did you do this to me? The Brahmarakshasa then told him, being desirous of eating a man.

38. I have been going without food for ten days and now I have been given the food.

39. I shall cat you now with your flesh and blood and satisfy myself with this that Providence has given me.

40. Hearing the words of the Brahmaräkshasa, the outcaste who was still engaged in singing in devotion asked him to do what he liked.

41. I have now become your food given by Providence. You do what you think proper.

42. But I am now engaged in keeping awake and singing in praise of the Lord.

43. Let me finish my worship according to the rules and then you can eat me.

44. This vow of mine is for the propitiation of lord Vishnu and, when this is over, you may eat me.

45. Hearing these words of that outcaste, the who was Brahmarakshasa  extremely hungry, spoke to him in harsh words:

46. “Why do you try to cheat me by saying that you will come to me later. Can any man live after falling into the mouth of Death? You wish to get out of it and then come back”.

47. Hearing these words, the outcaste said again:

48. “Although now I am an outcaste because of my bad actions in my previous life, I am a pure man in my mind.

49. Listen to my promise of returning to you after my vow which is for the good of the world. I swear truly that I will return to you. So please release me.

50. The whole universe is based on truth, all the worlds rest in truth. The sages who speak of Brahman get their attainments through truth.

51. By truth is a girl given in marriage, the Brahmins speak truth, kings win by truth.

52. Heaven is attained by truth, salvation is got by truth. The sun shines by truth and the moon sheds light by truth.

53. If I do not return to you, I will incur the same sin as accrues to a person who does not take bath on Shashthi, Ashtami and Amäväsyä days.

54. If I do not return to you, I will incur the same sin as accrues to a person who shares bed with the preceptor’s wife and the king’s wife.

55. If I do not return to you, I will incur the same sin as accrues to a person who is a beggar pr a liar.

56. If I do not return to you, I will incur the same sin as accrues to a person who kills a Brahmin or drinks liquor or who does not complete a vow undertaken”.

57. The Brahmaräkshasa was pleased at these words of the outcaste, he bowed to him and allowed him to go.

58. Released thus by the Brahmaräkshasa, the outcaste with determination again moved about singing my glory out of devotion.

59. When the day dawned, the singing and dancing were concluded, and uttering the name ‘Näräyana’ the outcaste began to return.

60. Then a man suddenly appeared there and spoke to him in appealing tone:

 61. O good man, where are you going in such haste. That is the place of goblins and don’t lose your life by going there.

62. Hearing these words of that man, the outcaste said:

63. I have to honour an agreement with the Brahmarakshasa who wanted to eat me. I am speeding to him now.

64. Then the man told him in all earnestness.

65. O you poor outcaste, don’t go to that place where lives that Brahmaräkshasa. It is not sinful to violate truth if it is to save your own life.

66. Then that austere outcaste said, determined to court death’.

 67. I shall not do as you say. I shall never sacrifice• truth, come what may. That is my resolve.

68. The whole universe rests on truth, the family is established in truth, truth is the highest dharma and the soul has its basis in truth.

69. I shall never give up truth and take to falsehood. I bow to you. Be pleased to go.

70. The outcaste, who was thus firmly wedded to truth, went to that Rakshasa, bowed to him and said:

71. I have now come to you. Eat me quickly. By that favour I shall be able to go to the abode of Vishnu.

72. Eat my body as you like and drink my warm blood. You are so full of hunger. Satisfy yourself and do me thus good.

73. Hearing these words of the outcaste, the Brahmaräkshasa told him:

74. I am pleased with you. You have upheld truth and righteousness. You have got this commendable mind, although being an outcaste, you do not know the rules.

75. Hearing these words of Brahmaräkshasa, the outcaste who was standing on truth, spoke to him endearingly.

76. Although I am an outcaste not entitled to perform rituals, I should always stand by truth.

77. Hearing these words of the outcaste, the terrible spoke to him again:

78-79. If you wish to save your life, give me the benefit of your having sung the glory of Vishnu throughout night. I shall then release you instead of eating you.

80. The outcaste then replied to the Brahmarakshasa:

81. I am not able to know what you mean. You said that you will cat me. And now you want the fruit of my singing the praise of God.

82. The Brahmaräkshasa then said: Give me the merit of your singing for one watch of the night. Then I shall release you so that you can go to your wife and children.

83. At these words of the Räkshasa, the outcaste who treasured the merit of his singing, told him with an air of determination.

84. O Brahmarakshasa I shall not give you the merit of my singing which you ask for. You may eat me and drink my blood.

85. The Räkshasa then replied: Give me the merit Of your singing once before Lord Vishnu By that I shall be liberated.

86. The outcaste was wonderstruck at these words of the Räkshasa and asked him:

87. What wrong did you commit that you became a Rakshasa?

88. The Brahmarakshasa then spoke in great sorrow:

89. I was a Brahmin by name Somašharmä belonging to the Charaka clan.

90. Without knowing the rules and mantras I used to perform sacrificial rituals for the credulous, because of my greed.

91. When once I was performing a sacrifice in this way, I was stricken by pain in the abdomen and I died as a result.

92. When, thus, the five-day long sacrifice was interrupted, a great sin befell me.

93. I became a because of this objectionable decd.

94. Whatever I did without mantra, without proper accent, without following the code, the resultant form of all that I could see then.

95. By my own faults I became this Rakshasa. It behoves you to liberate me from this by giving me the merit of your singing. Liberate me, this despicable self, by the song in praise of Vishnu.

96. The saintly outcaste was moved by these words of the Brahmarakshasa and so he agreed and spoke to him:

97. O Räkshasa, if it will make you pure and get you release, I shall give you the merit of my faultless singing.

98. He who faultlessly sings songs before Vishnu crosses all barriers. So saying he transferred to him his merit.

99, The Rakshasa, thus getting the merit from the outcaste, became pure like the moon in autumn.

100. The outcaste continued to be a singer of my glory and, in the end, attained Brahman.

101. Such is the result, O Earth, that a person who sings for me gets.

102. He who sings on the Dvädašhi day of Kärttika, renounces everything and reaches my World.

103. He who sings songs in my praise during the period when I am awake, becomes detached from everything and attains my world.

104. I have thus told you about the efficacy of singing by which one is able to transcend this world.

105. I shall now tell you about the instrumental music which confers a position equal to the Gods.

106-107. By means of Shampä täla or Sannipäta¹ one goes to the abode of Kubera and remains there for nine thousand nine hundred years.

         1. These are different kinds of keeping time-measure.

108. Then from the abode of Kubera he moves about as he likes and finally reaches my world by the efficacy of the tälas like Shampä.

109. O Earth, I shall tell you now about the efficacy of dancing by which one is enabled to transcend the world.

110. He goes to Pushkaradvipa and moves about there as he likes for thirty-three thousand years.

111. He becomes handsome, virtuous, valiant and always treading the right path. He gets release from samsära.

112. He who dances for me with vocal and instrumental music, goes to Jambüdvipa and is born there as an emperor.

113. He becomes an ardent protector of his subjects and remains a staunch devotee.

114. He who offers me flowers in ritualistic worship and places them on my head as much as it can hold,

115. (He) reaches my world by the efficacy of this action of his.

116. Thus have I told you what is conducive to the liberation from samsära for my devotees.

117. He who recites this early in the morning liberates ten generations of his ancestors and ten generations of his successors.

118. This should not be read in the midst of fools or before wicked people. It should be read only before devotees who seek release.

119. This should not be read to the indifferent, the cruel and those who go to temple simply seeking food, if you wish for good.

120. This is the greatest of all dharmas and the greatest of all actions. 

121. Don’t read even a chapter of this to one who despises the šhästras if you wish to go to my world.