169 - The Semicircular spot in Mathurä

Varäha said:

1. There is no place greater than Mathurä in all the three worlds. So I remain in Mathurä for ever.

2. Mathurä is the greatest of all tirthas because Krishna was playing in every spot there.

3. The whole place is circular and half of this circle is particularly important.

4. People who live between the northern and southern ends of this attain liberation.

5. This is Somachakra because of its appearance and it is efficacious for bath and gifts. Death there also is desirable.

6. HE who bathes in this Ardhachandra (semicircular spot.) reaches the world from which there is no return.

7. By simply following the law of the sacred thread, one may start from the south and go to its north.

Earth said:

8. O Lord, what is the law of the sacred thread. Tell me how it should be followed.

Varäha said:

g. O goddess, the law of the sacred thread is that the commencement should be in the south and conclusion in the north.

10. This is the law by which people are able to gain salvation.

11. One should start from home and silently go to the north and have bath there.

12. Then one may break silence and perform worship to

13. A milch cow may then be gifted and also gold and other things. Then Brahmins should fed. This is that law.

14. One can also get these things done there for the sake of getting the results.

15. Such a person is never born again but remains esteemed in my world. He who dies there also goes to my world.

16. Those who die elsewhere also go to my world if they have done these things in Ardhachandra.

17. They remain in heaven as long as their bones remain in Ardhachandra.

18. In this Ardhachandra in Vishräntitïrtha even a donkey becomes a four-armed person after it is cremated.

19. I remain as Gartešhvara between the two ends of this place.

20. O Earth, I remain in the form of the people of Mathurä. I am satisfied when they are satisfied. 

21. Listen, O goddess, to what happened to Garuda when he came to Mathurä to see Lord Krishna.

22. He found all people there to be like Krishna, and in order to know the real Lord Krishna among them, he uttered this stotra:

Garuda said:

23. “Victory to the Lord of the universe, victory to Äditya, victory to Vishnu, victory to Achyuta, Victory to Krishna, Victory to him who is beyond thought. I bow to you, O Lord.” 

24. When praised thus by the great Garuda, the lord appeared before him.

25. He consoled him and said to him pleasantly.

26. “I Why have you uttered this praise? What do you desire? Why have you come to Mathurä? Tell me all this.”

Garuda said:

27. “I came to Mathurä wishing to see you. But I was unable to see you.

28. I find here all of the same appearance and so I am stupefied. Hence I uttered this praise for your favour”.

29. Hearing these words of Garuda, the lord laughed and told him in sweet words;

Krishna said:

30. “The form of the people of Mathurä is my form. The sinful people never see them in that form”.

  31. So saying Krishna disappeared there. Garuda also returned.

32. I have thus told you about the form of the people of Mathurä. Their propitiation is my propitiation.

 33. Those who die in Mathurä attain salvation, and this will never be otherwise.

34. An animal, a bird or even a worm, all attain there the four-armed form.

35-36. He who fasts on the Ekädashi day in the month of Äšhvina, and on the Dvädašhî day bathes in the river Yamunä and sees Padmanäbha and the deities Shiva and Vishnu united in a single form, ceases from rebirth.

37. He who bathes there on the Dvädašhî of the bright half, after fasting and keeping awake the previous day, and worships   surely Vishnu, gets salvation.

38-39. He gets freed of the sin of killing a Brahmin by praising Yašhodä, Devaki and Vidyešhvari.

40. Bath there removes all the evil effects of the planets, so too the prayer there to whatever deity.

41. Seeing the Lord as Dirghavishnu there is itself efficacious, and worshipping him yields all results.

42. This place itself is called Brahma and doing all that Brahmä did there like japa, homa and dhyäna well, takes one to Vishnu.