Skandapurana 2.1.9

Now the story of the Niṣāda named Vasu:

Dharaṇī said:

“O Bearer of the Earth, my beloved, by whom will you be seen in the Kali age?

By whom will your aerial chariot be built on this mountain, O Lord?

And by whom will Śrīnivāsa of lovely form be seen?

Tell me this with affection, O Lord; I have great curiosity to hear it.”

The glorious Varāha said:

“I will tell you, O Goddess; listen to what will happen in the future as I describe it to you.

On this holy mountain there was a Niṣāda named Vasu.

He was a guard of the śyāmāka field, devoted to Puruṣottama.

Cooking the grains of śyāmāka and sprinkling them with honey,

he offered them to the God of gods who is accompanied by Śrī and Bhūmi.

To him who was thus devoted, his auspicious young wife, Citravatī,

bore an excellent son named Vīra.

Vasu, together with his son and his wife devoted to her husband,

on a certain day said to his son, ‘Guard the śyāmāka,’

and having left him behind, set out with his wife, intent on searching for honey.

He quickly went to another forest, wishing to see a honeycomb.

The boy, taking the cooked grains of śyāmāka and putting them in the fire,

Having crushed [them], he offered [them] at the root of the tree to the Lord of Śrī.

Having eaten the food-offering, the brave boy sat at ease.

Meanwhile, Vasu also arrived, bringing the honey.

Seeing the grains eaten, he scolded his son,

and, taking a sword to kill him, hastily raised his hand.

Now the Lord's speech to Vasu, who was bent on killing his son:

Then Viṣṇu, abiding in that tree, seized the sword with his hand.

Looking to see who had seized the sword, he saw the tree,

and [the Lord], holding the conch, discus, and mace in his hands, half of whose form had emerged from the tree.

Releasing that sword and bowing, Vasu said to Keśava:

“What is this deed that is being done by you, O Lord of the gods of gods?”

The Blessed Lord said:

“O Vasu, listen to my words! Your son is devoted to me;

he is even dearer to me than you. Therefore, I have appeared visibly.

For him, I dwell everywhere; for you, on the bank of the Svāmisaras.”

Hearing this speech of the god, Vasu was filled with joy.

At that very time, there arrived from the Pāṇḍya country

[a man] who, though a śūdra, had been endowed with devotion to Viṣṇu from his childhood.

Now the arrival of Raṅgadāsa at Śrī Śeṣācala to serve Śrīnivāsa:

Reaching Nārāyaṇapurī and bowing to Śrī Varāha,

and hearing there of Śrīnivāsa, who dwells on the Veṅkaṭa mountain,

who is self-manifest and served by the god of gods, he departed from there.

Reaching the Suvarṇamukharī, he bathed, and climbing up to its bank,

and having bathed in the lake named Kamalā, which bestows merit,

he bowed to the god Kṛṣṇa, accompanied by Rāma, who dwells on its bank;

thence he set out for the forest filled with herds of elephants.

Gradually reaching Śeṣādri, he saw a waterfall.

Approaching its vicinity, [he saw] Śiva worshipped by Kapilā,

and before it, that unfathomable Cakra-tīrtha, destroyer of sins.

Having bathed there, he slowly went up to the Veṅkaṭa mountain,

joined on the road by a Vaikhānasa who was going to worship.

Raṅgadāsa, a boy of twelve years, climbed up;

reaching the Svāmipuṣkariṇī, he bathed with devotion.

[He saw] Hari, the lotus-eyed, worshipped by the Vaikhānasa sage Gopīnātha,

standing in the midst of the forest at the foot of a tree on the bank of the Svāmipuṣkariṇī,

accompanied by Śrī and Bhūmi,

standing in the sky, auspicious, whose form was yellow and dark blue,

served by the conch and discus, mace and sword at his sides,

and [he saw] the lord Garuḍa, spreading his wings in the sky over the head of the god like a canopy,

and behind him, the bow Śārṅga and the arrow.

Now the construction of the divine garden, pavilion, and other works by Raṅgadāsa for Śrīnivāsa:

Having thus seen Śrīnivāsa, Raṅgadāsa was filled with wonder,

and thought: “I will make a garden for this god.”

Having resolved everything in his mind, the wise man lived at the foot of a tree,

providing day by day through the Vaikhānasa a food-offering for Viṣṇu.

Gradually clearing the thick forest, he cut down the adjacent trees,

[sparing only] the tamarind tree of the god's assembly and the campaka tree of Ramā;

commanded by the god, he left aside both of them, which were served by the god.

Then, all around the god, he built a stone wall upon the ground.

All around that very wall, he planted flower gardens:

jasmine, oleander, lotus, kunda, mandāra, and mālatī;

and he planted whole groves of tulasī and campaka.

Digging a well there, he nourished the grove with its water.

Taking the garden flowers, he himself fashioned garlands;

having woven wondrous ones, he placed them in the hand of the priest.

Taking them, the priest bound them on the shoulders and head

of the god Śrīnivāsa and of Śrī and Bhūmi.

Thus performing service to the god, the noble-minded one remained.

As he lived in this manner, seventy years passed.

While the great-souled Raṅgadāsa was gathering flowers,

Now, the lapse of service to the Lord by Raṅgadāsa upon seeing the Gandharva's play:

A certain Gandharva arrived to bathe in a pool within the garden,

accompanied by the youthful daughters of a Gandharva king.

Having moored his aerial chariot in the sky, he engaged in water-sports.

As he frolicked in the lotus pool together with those beautiful women,

this holy Raṅgadāsa, watching him, forgot his gathering of garlands.

Though his senses were subdued, watching their amorous play, he emitted semen.

While he was watching, [the Gandharva] emerged from that charming pool,

and putting on heavenly clothes, smiling alongside his lovely women,

he mounted his aerial chariot and departed for the abode of Kubera.

When the king of Gandharvas was gone, bewildered Raṅgadāsa,

abandoning those garlands and having bathed in the pool, was ashamed.

Gathering flowers once again, he slowly went to the temple.

Seeing him arrive when the time of worship had already passed,

the Vaikhānasa said: "Why have you arrived, my friend, when the time has lapsed?

Nor have you strung the garlands. What did you do in the garden?"

The glorious Varāha said:

Questioned in this manner, Raṅgadāsa said nothing out of shame.

To that ashamed Raṅgadāsa, Madhusūdana spoke:

Now, the words of Śrīnivāsa to Raṅgadāsa, who was ashamed upon self-examination:

The Blessed Lord said:

"Why are you ashamed, Raṅgadāsa? Indeed, you were deluded by Me.

You have truly conquered desire; be firm of mind, O high-minded one!

Like that king of Gandharvas, you shall become a king upon the earth.

There, having enjoyed great pleasures, ever full of devotion to Me,

you shall then cause an enclosure wall and an aerial chariot to be built for Me.

There I will bestow liberation upon you, filled with supreme love.

Render service right here until the release of your body.

In this manner shall liberation come to My devotees who have desires."

Having spoken thus, the Lord Viṣṇu said nothing further.

Hearing that, Raṅgadāsa also tended an excellent garden.

Now, the account of the king named Toṇḍamān:

Having served for a full hundred years, the wise one went to heaven.

He was born into the exalted Lunar dynasty, renowned as Toṇḍamān,

the heroic son of Suvīra, born from the womb of Nandinī.

From the age of five, devotion to Viṣṇu arose in that naturally wise prince,

a great mine of virtues such as good character, valor, and strength.

He married Padmā, the enchanting daughter of the Pāṇḍya king.

Then the king [married] a hundred maidens from various lands through bridegroom-choice ceremonies.

Residing in Nārāyaṇapura, he sported upon the earth like Indra, lord of the gods.

Having received permission from his father, the son, possessing the prowess of a lion,

set out on a hunt, that hero, near Mount Veṅkaṭa.

Now, King Toṇḍamān's journey to Śrī Śeṣācala for the hunt:

Moving on foot accompanied by his retinue,

he saw the leader of a herd of elephants discharging streams of rut.

Filled with wonder at seeing it, he ran after it to capture it.

Crossing the Suvarṇamukharī river, [he saw] the excellent brāhmaṇa Śuka;

having bowed to him and received his permission, he went from forest to forest.

He saw the goddess Reṇukā abiding in the form of an anthill,

bestowing desired boons on beloved devotees, dwelling in a celestial garden,

ever attended by her retinue, and worshipped even by the thirty [gods].

Toṇḍamān, too, bowed to her and then proceeded westwards.

Now, the account of the five-colored parrot near Śrīnivāsa:

Seeing a five-colored parrot, he pursued it wishing to seize it.

Uttering "Śrīnivāsa!", it flew swiftly toward the mountain.

Pursuing it, the king also ascended the king of mountains,

observing various caves and peaks all around.

Searching for the parrot, he entered a forest of wild rice.

Not seeing that excellent parrot, he beheld a forest guardian.

Seeing the king approaching, he quickly went out to meet him.

having bowed down full of humility, he stood with folded hands.

Toṇḍamān too honoured him and asked that forester:

"Was a five-coloured parrot seen by you coming here?

Saying 'Śrīnivāsa', where has it gone, O forester?"

The forester said:

"That five-coloured [parrot], O lord of kings, is ever dear to Śrīnivāsa.

Always staying by his side, he was reared by Śrī and Bhūmi.

On the bank of Svāmipuṣkariṇī he ever stays in the god's presence.

Yet that glorious parrot cannot be caught by anyone.

Having roamed at will constantly on this auspicious, foremost of mountains,

approaching the god at the end of the day, he lives near him.

I shall go to worship that god, O prince.

Rest at the foot of the tree until my return.

Together with this son [of mine], amuse yourself as you please."

The king said:

"I will go with you to see the god Janārdana.

Show me the lord of gods who dwells on Mount Veṅkaṭa."

Hearing the king's words, placing śyāmāka grain mixed with honey

in a cup made of mango leaves, he set out with the king toward Hari.

Now King Toṇḍamān's arrival near Śrīnivāsa together with the Niṣāda.

Having traversed a great distance along the path, observing the rocky ground,

in just a moment both reached the auspicious Svāmipuṣkariṇī.

Having bathed there according to rule together with the king, the chief of the Niṣādas

showed the lord of gods to that noble king:

standing on the bank of the Svāmipuṣkariṇī at the foot of the sacred tree,

resembling an atasī flower, with eyes long as lotus petals,

four-armed, of noble form, with a gentle smile on his lotus face,

wearing divine yellow garments, radiant with a diadem and bracelets,

accompanied by the shapely Śrī and Bhūmi standing at his sides,

attended all around by conch, discus, sword, mace, Śārṅga bow, and arrows,

and served by other divine weapons and divine garlands,

that Puruṣottama who was being worshipped at the three junctures of the day by Skanda,

the Supreme Person whose lotus feet up to his knees were hidden in an ant-hill.

Then, beholding the god with joy, both bowed down.

The king, with hands folded, his eyes wide with wonder,

attaining a wave of bliss, knew nothing at all.

The Niṣāda, having offered the śyāmāka grain mixed with honey,

gave half of it to the king and ate the remaining half himself.

Having drunk the water of the puṣkariṇī, accompanied by that king,

he returned once again to the holy leaf-hut in the śyāmāka grove.

And having stayed for one night, rising in the morning, the king,

joined by his army, turned back and went to his own city.

Now Reṇukā's words to King Toṇḍamān.

Having gone once more to the forest of the goddess, he descended from his horse,

and on the ninth day of the bright half of Caitra he worshipped Reṇukā,

with sacrificial food and fine rice-milk, along with diverse condiments,

accompanied by animal offerings, and endowed with incense and lamps.

Having given a hundred jars of liquor perfumed with jasmine and saffron,

the goddess, worshipped in this manner, was pleased and granted a boon to the king.

A man, possessed [by the goddess], spoke to that best of kings:

"Listen, O king: your kingdom shall become free of thorns.

A capital city will come to be here bearing your very name, O king.

Near me, O great king, you shall rule the kingdom for a long time.

And the grace of the god of gods will be yours, O sinless one."

Having thus granted the boon to him, the possessed [man] returned to his natural state.

Then, having obtained the boon, the king went again to the sage Śuka.

Now the māhātmya of the Padmasarovara lake described by Śuka.

Having greeted the sage, honoured by him, he was delighted:

"Tell me, O sage, the māhātmya of the lake called Kamalā."

The venerable Śuka said:

Formerly, by the curse of Durvāsas, having descended from the abode of the gods,