Indradyumna’s Stotra to Vishṇu
This is the stotra of Indradyumna to Bhagavān Vishṇu. Indradyumna was a brāhmaṇa who had been a king in an earlier birth. After long dhyānayoga (union through meditation), Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa appeared before him, and he offered this hymn. It is found in the first chapter of the Kūrma Mahā Purāṇa, in the Pūrvārdha.
The stotra praises Bhagavān Vishṇu as the imperishable paramātman (supreme self), the cause of creation, keeping and dissolution, and the highest refuge.
The setting
Bhagavān Kūrma tells the frame account of the Kūrma Purāṇa. He tells how Indradyumna, a brāhmaṇa who had once been a king in an earlier janma (birth), received jñāna (knowledge) directly from Kūrma. He lived through two births seeking moksha (liberation).
After his second birth, a kalāmūrti of Vishṇu appeared to him. She spoke of herself as his māyāśakti and sent him towards jñāna and bhaktiyoga (the path of devotion). Indradyumna practised dhyānayoga with full attention for many years. Then Nārāyaṇa in yellow raiment appeared before him. Overcome with devotion, Indradyumna fell down before him and offered this stotra.
The stotra
Indradyumna spoke:
O Yajñapurusha! O Imperishable One! O Mādhava who delights the cows! O Ananta, Keśava, Kṛshṇa, Vishṇurūpa! O Master of the senses! To you, who are the svarūpa (own form) of the universe, my praṇāma (bow).
O Purāṇapurusha! O Lokasvarūpa! O Hari! O cause of sṛshṭi (creation), sthiti (keeping) and pralaya (dissolution)! O Apramitaśakti! Namaskāra.
Namaskāra to you, who are without guṇas (guṇarahita). Namaskāra again and again to you, the Purāṇapurusha without division (vibhāgaśūnya), who pervades all as one.
O Vāsudeva, pervading all, cause of the universe, without beginning, middle or end, knowable through jñāna: my namovākam (word of homage).
To you, who have no change (vikāra), who are beyond the world, beyond both difference (bheda) and non-difference (abheda), whose own form is bliss (ānanda): namaskāra.
To you, the one who carries across (tāriṇā), of peaceful form (śāntarūpa), of unobstructed power of self (apratihatātmaśakti), of endless forms (anantarūpa), without a mūrti (mūrtirarita): namaskāra.
Praṇāma to you, the highest truth (paramārtha). Vandana to you, who are beyond māyā. Namovākam to you, the Parameśvara, Paramātman, whose form is Brahman.
O most subtle! O Devādhideva! O Maṅgalarūpa! O Pariśuddha! O Brahmasvarūpa! My namaskāra.
This whole universe has been made by you. You alone are the highest goal of all. O Purushottama, to all living beings you alone are mother and father.
You are the imperishable, the highest abode. You are knowledge alone (jñānamātrasvarūpa). You are without division and of the form of ākāśa (space). You are the ātmā of all, unknowable, endless, beyond darkness.
The Paramātmā in you can be seen only by the lamp (dīpa) of jñāna. I take refuge in your form, O Vishṇu, and I serve your highest pada (state).
Vishṇu’s answer and Indradyumna’s moksha
Bhagavān Vishṇu was touched by the stotra. He smiled and laid both his hands on Indradyumna. By this divine touch Indradyumna at once saw the truth of the paramātma-tattva (the supreme self) clearly.
He rose and asked Bhagavān Vishṇu to teach him the varṇāśrama-dharma, the three contemplations, and the nature of creation, the manvantaras and the sacred tīrthas. Bhagavān Kūrma, who is Bhagavān Vishṇu himself in his tortoise avatāra, then told the whole Kūrma Purāṇa in answer.
After this Indradyumna gained knowledge of the Paramātmā. He gave up all karma (action), crossed the māyā of Lakshmī, and merged in the paramānanda-pada (state of highest bliss) of the ātmā. He reached moksha.
What the Purāṇa promises
The Kūrma Purāṇa declares that even hearing one adhyāya (chapter) of this Purāṇa frees a person from all pāpa (sin). Hearing even one upākhyāna (episode) earns honour in Brahmaloka.
In chapter 1 Bhagavān Kūrma says that this telling is meant for the faithful (śraddadhāna). It must not be given to the nāstika (one who does not accept the Veda).
Sources
- Kūrma Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, chapter 1