Skandapurana 2.2.50

Now begins the second [part], the Puruṣottama (Jagannātha) Kṣetra-māhātmya, in the Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa: (2-2)

1. In the context of the dialogue with the seer Jaimini, description of the preeminence of Puruṣottamakṣetra over all other sacred fields; the offering of praise to Viṣṇu by Brahmā, afflicted by the burden of creation; the manifestation of Viṣṇu thereby; the description of the māhātmya of that sacred place through [the Lord's statement], "My dwelling is situated on the Nīla mountain, on the sea coast located north of the southern ocean; whoever goes there and sees me marked with the discus and other attributes shall be freed from sin"; the description of the disappearance of the Lord. (56, 1)

2. The arrival of Brahmā there in Puruṣottamakṣetra; then, Brahmā's wonder upon seeing that a crow, having bathed in that pool, was liberated upon obtaining darśana of the Lord; then, realizing the power of the sacred field, the praise of the Lord composed by Brahmadeva on beholding the Lord in astonishment on Nīlādri; the arrival of Yama there; the praise of the Lord composed by Yama; by the command of the Lord, Lakṣmī's speech to Yama; Yama's petition to Lakṣmī to hear the māhātmya of the sacred field. (56, 2)

3. In the context of the dialogue between Yama and Lakṣmī, Mārkaṇḍeya's boarding a boat at the dissolution and wandering everywhere in the waters; sighting the banyan tree near this sacred field, and approaching upon hearing the words of the child; obtaining darśana of the Lord there; the praise of the Lord composed by Mārkaṇḍeya; then, Mārkaṇḍeya's entering into the mouth of the gracious Lord; seeing the Lord's belly pervading thousands of universes and coming to its end, Mārkaṇḍeya's coming outside and remaining in that very place; hearing this account spoken by Lakṣmī, the installation of a liṅga by Yama under the name Yameśvara. (57)

4. In the context of the dialogue between Lakṣmī and Yama, an account given for each sacred ford: therein, description of Kapālamocanatīrtha; the proclamation of the māhātmya of that place stating that all beings from Brahmā down to immobile creatures, situated from the water of the ocean king to the root of the banyan tree, obtain liberation; then, description of the māhātmya of the sacred ford called Kāmākhya-Nṛsiṃha; the installation of the eight deities headed by Maṅgalā in the eight directions; the installation of the eight liṅgas headed by Kapālamocana, Yameśvara, Mārkaṇḍeya, Bilveśa, Vaṭeśa, Nīlakaṇṭheśa, and the Kṣetrapāla; the narrative of Indradyumna; after that, the departure of Yama and Brahmā to their respective realms; the granting of a boon to Indradyumna by the Lord after assuming a wooden form; the arrival there of a brahmin and a kṣatriya named Puṇḍarīka and Ambarīṣaka, who were misbehaved but whose curiosity had been aroused upon hearing the recitation of the virtues of Hari with a wooden form; and Indradyumna's establishment of the wooden sacred ford right there, and the description of its māhātmya. (59, 1)

5. By the power of that sacred ford, the description of Puṇḍarīka and Ambarīṣaka abandoning bad company such as courtesans; their inability to obtain darśana of the Lord's form due to the abundance of their faults; seeing their self-restraint in the form of refusing food without darśana of the Lord, the Lord's granting of darśana to them at midnight; their offering of praise to the Lord; the description of their liberation through constantly chanting the name of the Lord. (61, 1)

6. Hearing the seer's question, "Where is such a Puruṣottamakṣetra, which bestows great merit, situated?", Jaimini's answering the question: "This sacred field is located in the land of Utkala on the bank of the Ṛṣikulyā river, which flows into the southern ocean and bestows merit, attended by many virtuous people and adorned with groves dense with diverse trees." (62)

7. By the command of Indradyumna, residing in the city of Avanti, who was eager to go on pilgrimage: the priest's brother Vidyāpati sets out to go to Puruṣottamakṣetra, surrounded by the Rohiṇī pool, the wish-granting tree, and other landmarks; his sighting of a Śabara on the road; and the conversation between Vidyāpati and the Śabara. (63, 1)

8. Seeing that Vidyāpati had fasted for three days, and knowing his resolve not to take food without having darśana of the Lord before accomplishing the king's business, the Śabara considers [the matter] and goes with Vidyāpati to the Rohiṇī pool after journeying through the forest; obtaining darśana of the Lord there; the praise of the Lord offered by him; and afterward, the description of Vidyāpati's eagerness to return to his own country. (65)

9. Just as Vidyāpati was prepared to depart for his own country, at the time of worship a fierce wind blew sea sand into the eyes of all the gods, whereby, deprived of the Lord's darśana, those gods uttered a hymn of praise to the Lord in order to obtain a vision of Him; the description of the Lord's statement that henceforth no one at all would have darśana of the Lord; then Vidyāpati's return to Avantī after several days; the king's reception of him with rising and other honours, Vidyāpati placing the garland of consecrated flowers around the king's neck; the praise of the Lord sung by Vidyāpati and Indradyumna; and the description of the power of Puruṣottamakṣetra, Rohiṇīkuṇḍa, and other sacred places as related by Vidyāpati. 66 2

10. At Indradyumna's request, Vidyāpati's description of the Lord's form and related matters situated in Puruṣottamakṣetra, prefaced by the māhātmya of the banyan tree and various other tīrthas, along with the state of the deities distressed by the fierce wind in the evening; meanwhile, the arrival of Nārada in his presence; Indradyumna's hospitality toward Nārada; and the description of the Vaiṣṇava māhātmya related by Nārada to Indradyumna. 68 1

11. Knowing that [the king] was eager to behold the Lord dwelling on the Blue Mountain, hearing Nārada's word, 'I shall lead you there', the king, taking into account all the citizens along with the royal priest, set out with all of them to obtain darśana of Nīlamādhava, accompanied by Nārada, taking a fourfold army with musical instruments such as kettledrums and mṛdaṅgas; on the road, seeing the goddess named Carcikā residing on the border of the Utkala country, a description of her; the description of Indradyumna's welcome by the king of Oḍhra; after their mutual conversation, at midnight, by Indradyumna's command, the description of the account of the king of Oḍhra's return to his own city and other events. 70 2

12. After the departure of the king of Oḍhra, Nārada, having gone on, related to Indradyumna the account of the temple of Śiva situated on a mountain along the way; Śaṃkara, doing what pleased Gaurī, established there the Avimuktakṣetra near Vārāṇasī; the obtaining of a boon by the king of Kāśī from Śiva; the battle between Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the king of Kāśī; by the Sudarśana [discus] dispatched by Śrī Kṛṣṇa against the city of Kāśī, the severing of the head of the king of Kāśī and the burning of the city of Kāśī; the hurling of the Pāśupata weapon at Śrī Kṛṣṇa by Śiva, who was enraged by that; having defeated the Pāśupata weapon and when Kāśī was burnt, Śaṃkara, terrified, praised Viṣṇu; Viṣṇu, pleased by the hymn, gave the command, 'Establish a kṣetra named after me called Puruṣottama'; the establishment of Puruṣottamakṣetra by Śrī Śaṃkara at Viṣṇu's command; hearing the māhātmya of the establishment of that kṣetra, Indradyumna uttered a hymn of praise to Nīlamādhava Puruṣottama; then, arriving at Tryambakakṣetra named Ekāmra and worshipping him, he uttered a hymn of praise to Koṭiliṅgeśa; Koṭiliṅgeśa, pleased thereby, described the Vaiṣṇava nature of Indradyumna; Śiva's disappearance; then Indradyumna's journey with Nārada to the Kapāteśa kṣetra; bowing to the deities such as Bilveśa, mounting the chariot with Nārada, Indradyumna, meditating on the Lord, entered the Lord's presence. 73

13. Śaṃkara, having assumed the guise of a dove, performed the worship of the Lord and, through His grace, established the site of Kapoteśa; then, seeing the earth afflicted by the daityas residing in Pātāla, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, in order to destroy those asuras, took a bilva fruit and performed the worship of the Lord, and by the grace of Tryambaka defeated the asuras and established the Bilveśakṣetra; and the description of its māhātmya. 76

14. Indradyumna with his priest went with Nārada toward the Nīlakaṇṭha kṣetra; seeing bad omens on the path such as the throbbing of the left arm, the king, exceedingly sorrowful, asked Nārada, 'What is this?'; then Nārada consoled Indradyumna with a vow, saying: 'Going with you to Puruṣottamakṣetra, even though the Lord has disappeared, having seen the wooden form and performed a horse sacrifice, I shall surely bring about your darśana of the Lord.' 76

15. Then, Indradyumna with the brahmins and Nārada, setting out from the vicinity of Nīlakaṇṭha to see the god dwelling on the Blue Mountain, had darśana of Narasiṃha upon the peak of the Blue Mountain; having received the darśana of the Lord, Nārada then showed the place of the Lord Puruṣottama's dwelling; then Indradyumna along with all praised the Lord; the Lord, pleased by the hymn of praise, gave the command to Indradyumna with a bodiless voice: 'Perform a horse sacrifice'; and the description of the commencement of the horse sacrifice undertaken by Indradyumna at the Lord's command. 77

16. With Nārada's permission, Indradyumna went forward to install the image of Narasiṃha; approaching a sandalwood tree, the divine architect's son spoke to Indradyumna: 'For your sake I will fashion an abode for Narasiṃha'; by Indradyumna's order, the divine architect constructed the temple; then, the installation of the image of Narasiṃha by Nārada's hand; the description of the hymn of praise made by Indradyumna to the installed image of Nṛsiṃha; and the description of the māhātmya of Nṛsiṃha. 78 2

17. Indradyumna, in order to perform the sacrifice, praised and invited the gods headed by Indra, and with the help of the gods celebrated the great festival of the horse sacrifice; by the power of that sacrifice, Indradyumna, whose splendour increased day by day, saw the Lord reclining on Śeṣa in a dream; when the account of the dream was related to Nārada, Nārada explained the auspicious fruit of that dream. 80 1

18. Then, in the vicinity of Bilveśvara, at the edge of the seashore, seeing a certain tree that had suddenly appeared and manifested, its guards, filled with wonder, reported the occurrence of seeing the tree to the king; then, with the avabhṛtha ritual ablution, the sacrifice was concluded; Nārada's explanation of the māhātmya of that tree, saying, "This has been created from the hairs of the Lord"; the installation of the tree; then, when Indradyumna stood at a certain time to perform worship, his question to Nārada as to what sort of image of Viṣṇu should be made; while that king was wondering who indeed would make such an image, the Lord's manifestation before him in the form of an old carpenter; having declared, "I shall make that image," his disappearance within that very altar-platform covered with a cloth. ... 82 2

19. Then, an order issued by a voice from the sky to Indradyumna regarding proceeding with worship such as installation preceded by the consecration of the completed images; then, after fifteen days, uncovering the enclosure of the great altar-platform, the darśana of Rāma, Kṛṣṇa, Subhadrā, Vāsudeva, and Sudarśana seated on the throne; Nārada's description of the exceptional rise of good fortune for Indradyumna, who was immersed in great bliss born of that darśana. ... 83

20. The king, instructed by Nārada, offering praise to Viṣṇu; Nārada offering praise in prose to the Pillar that assumed the Lord's form; other seers and people also describing the Lord; Indradyumna worshiping the Lord along with His retinue using numerous mantras, hymns, and so forth; then the king donating as many as ten million cows to the brahmins there; then Indradyumna commencing the construction of a magnificent temple for the Lord; the arrival of the gods there by order of Brahmā for the consecration of the temple built by Indradyumna. ... 84

21. Hearing from the mouth of a certain Ṛgveda-reciting brahmin the description of the māhātmya of the wooden form, namely that darśana of the Lord does not occur without the means prescribed by the Vedic revelation and other scriptures, Nārada, after instructing King Indradyumna in the worship of the Lord prescribed by the Vedas, expressing his desire to go to the world of Brahmā in order to invite Brahmā at the time of consecration; the king also expressing his desire before Nārada to go to the world of Brahmā in order to invite Brahmā. ... 85 1

22. Then, the departure of Indradyumna together with Nārada for the world of Brahmā in the Puṣparatha aerial chariot; along the way, Nārada questioning the king regarding the cause of his grief as the king's mind was anxious with concern for his kingdom; hearing the reason for the king's worry, Nārada removing his anxiety by reassuring the monarch; then, after wandering through all the worlds, Indradyumna and Nārada reaching the world of Brahmā, and the description of the hospitality extended by the doorkeepers and others. ... 87 2

23. Indradyumna offering obeisance to Brahmā; when Brahmā asked the purpose of his arrival, Indradyumna entreating Brahmā: "You must certainly come to install the deity in the temple built by me"; then [Brahmā] narrating to Indradyumna the lapse of a long period of time on the mortal realm, and commanding him to return to earth along with Padmanidhi and the gods; his giving assurance of his own arrival for the consecration ceremony; then, by order of Brahmā, King Indradyumna returning to earth together with all the gods, Padmanidhi, and the brahmin seers. ... 88 1

24. Indradyumna arriving there with the gods, brahmins, and Padmanidhi, receiving darśana of the Lord, and praising the Lord with the Puruṣasūkta; then the utterance of the Lord by a voice from the sky: "Install the wooden image through Padmanidhi." ... 90 1

25. Hearing the inventory of required materials written by Nārada, Padmanidhi constructing a golden hall at Indradyumna's command; Viśvakarman constructing three chariots by order of Nārada; the installation of that chariot by Nārada's hand; in that connection, the description of the rules and procedure for chariot installation; making an image of Narasiṃha on the chariot's banner, praying to Garuḍa with mantras, and describing the consecration of the Lord's image upon the chariot; then, praying to the Lord, describing the faults such as accidents—as to the destruction of what would occur with the destruction of which chariot part; the description of the procedure for installing the guardian deities of the directions all around the chariot; the description of the Lord's true form; the Lord bestowing blessings upon the people. ... 91 1

26. Indradyumna's worship of the Lord installed in the temple; King Gāla's arrival there with an army, enraged by the apprehension that another king had arrived in his realm; that King Gāla being struck with wonder upon seeing the rare materials procured by Indradyumna; Gāla subsequently humbling himself and narrating to Indradyumna his entire story, such as his coming for battle; then, after a mutual conversation between Gāla and Indradyumna, King Gāla, having learned that Indradyumna was his own ancestral forebear, installing Indradyumna upon the throne of his own kingdom and submitting to his command. ... 92 2

27. Then, Brahmā, Indra, and others coming from the world of Brahmā to the mortal realm for the consecration of the Lord's temple built by Indradyumna, and the description of the magnificence of Indradyumna's devotion; then Indradyumna, delighted by Brahmā's arrival, offering a prayer to Brahmā; Brahmā receiving darśana of the chariots, temple, and other structures, and offering a hymn of praise to the Lord; then going to Subhadrā's chariot, the description of Brahmā's hymn of praise to Subhadrā, the hymn of praise to Balabhadra, and the recital of the fruits of worshiping the three chariots. ... 93

28. Then, description of the terror of Indradyumna and the others upon seeing the terrifying form of the Man-Lion suddenly manifested; Brahmā's exposition of the power of Nṛsiṃha at Nārada's word; Brahmā's composition of a hymn of praise to Nṛsiṃha; the direct vision of those respective deities through the mantras chanted at the time of deity-installation, and their taking residence in their own abodes; the arrival also of the Vedas and others in personified bodies; Brahmā's transmission of the mantra to Indradyumna; then the propitiation of Lakṣmī and Narasiṃha; description of the māhātmya of worshipping the wooden deities... 95.2

29. Worship by Indradyumna of Balabhadra with the twelve-syllable mantras, of Nārāyaṇa with the Puruṣasūkta, and of the goddess with the Devīsūkta; then Brahmā's composition of a hymn of praise to the wooden body to protect the devotee Indradyumna; the bestowal of a boon on Indradyumna by the Lord in the wooden body; the recitation of the māhātmya of the site by the wooden body from his own mouth to the king; description of the fruits heard of recitation, gift-giving, and other rites relative to the conjunctions of months, lunar days, and so forth... 96.2

30. Description of the māhātmya of ritual ablution, gift-giving, and the like in the month of Jyeṣṭha; statement of the fruits of numerous rules for hymns of praise, worship, and the like, prefaced by a description of the māhātmya of the sacred fords, sacred fields, and abodes of the Mārkaṇḍeya-banyan, the Five Vāruṇīs, the banyan tree, Nārāyaṇa, the plow-bannered [Balarāma], the wooden bodies Viṣṇu, Balabhadra, and Subhadrā mounted on the three chariots, the gate to heaven, the four svastikas, the corners, the King of the Ocean, and so on... 98.1

31. And then, statement of the attainment of abundant fruit through chanting the Nṛsiṃha mantra, prefaced by a description of the māhātmya of ritual ablution in the pool of Indradyumna; the māhātmya of the darśana of Puruṣottama standing on the altar-dais; the māhātmya of ritual ablution for Puruṣottama in the month of Jyeṣṭha; description of the procedure for the hymn of praise to Puruṣottama; statement of the attainment of all desired fruits through the darśana of Puruṣottama... 101.1

32. Description of the māhātmya and fruits of the darśana of Dakṣiṇāmūrti; description of the vow of the five days of Jyeṣṭha; description of the fruits and māhātmya of the darśana of Puruṣottama occurring on the great Jyaiṣṭhī day; description of the māhātmya stating that worship of Nṛsiṃha must be performed after lighting five lamps; statement of the fruits of fasting and of worshipping Kṛṣṇa, Balabhadra, and Subhadrā on the full moon day of Jyeṣṭha... 103.1

33. Description of the rules and māhātmya of ritual ablution, gift-giving, and the like in the worship of the chief deity of the great festival of the Mahādevī; having constructed an excellent chariot, having installed the Lord’s image for the procession, description of his crossing the boundary and so forth; description of the attainment of the great fruit of seeing Viṣṇu mounted on the chariot; description of the fruit of the darśana of Puruṣottama, Balabhadra, and Subhadrā during the Mahādevī vow; the fruit of the darśana of the wooden body on the great Jyaiṣṭhī; the māhātmya of lighting a thousand lamps... 104.2

34. Description of the māhātmya of the sacred ford of the lake connected to the horse sacrifice; the māhātmya of the Bindu sacred ford; description of the fruit of ancestral rites performed on the great altar; description of the māhātmya of ritual ablution, gift-giving, and the like in the pool of Indradyumna, the Nṛsiṃha sacred field, the forest, the night-vigil sacred ford, Hṛṣīkeśa, and other sacred fords... 106.2

35. Account of the rites for protecting the chariot; description of the fruit of the darśana of Puruṣottama, Balabhadra, and Subhadrā standing upon it; account of the manner of praising them... 107.2

36. Account of the rules for the vow of the festival of sleep; description of the auspicious period of Cāturmāsya starting from the full moon day of Āṣāḍha and ending with the full moon day of Kārttika; the fruit of ritual ablution in sacred fords and the darśana of the sacred field of Puruṣottama and others in Cāturmāsya for cleansing various kinds of sin; account of the examination of permissible and forbidden substances in Cāturmāsya; account of the observances to be maintained in Cāturmāsya; the fruit of hearing the māhātmya of this vow arising in Cāturmāsya... 108.1

37. Description of the sequence of observances for the auspicious period at the beginning of the southern transit of the sun at the Cancer equinox; the fruit of worshipping Puruṣottama during the southern transit of the sun; the mention of the names of the gods stationed in the ten directions around Puruṣottama, and the statement of the fruits of seeing and worshipping them; Indradyumna's darśana of Nṛhari at the end of a hundred years; the worship and praise of Puruṣottama and Nṛsiṃha by King Śveta; the Lord's bestowal of a boon upon the king... 109.1

38. The Lord's disappearance after granting the boon to King Śveta; statement of the fruit of consuming the Lord’s leftover food; statement of the fruit of drinking the Lord’s water, wearing his consecrated flower-garlands, and so forth; determination of the Kali age; description of the attainment of fruits by meditating upon the Lord in the Kali age; description of the Lord's nature, such as compassion and benevolence; the arrival of a certain brahmin at the sacred field of Puruṣottama; account of the infliction of bodily affliction upon that doubting brahmin because he did not eat the food offered to the Lord, thinking it to be the Lord’s leftovers; the narrative of other brahmins attaining divine splendor by consuming the Lord’s leftovers; account of the attainment of beauty through the grace of Nṛsiṃha that arose when the brahmin who had rejected the food offering prayed to the Lord; account of the origin of the fragrant garland fashioned at the time of the destruction of the demon Damanaka; description of the rite of worshipping the deity preceded by the worship of the Lord’s devotee; description of the fruits of eating Nṛsiṃha's prasāda and so forth along with loved ones... 110.1

39. Statement of the attainment of the fruits of all pilgrimages through the darśana of Dakṣiṇāmūrti and the observance of the vow of the festival of sleep; account of the time of the Lord’s turning over in sleep; account of the time and rites for the great festival of awakening named Kaumudī; description of the articles of worship for the Lord at that time; statement of the fruit of worship; statement of the attainment of the fruit of ablution at three and a half million sacred fords through this very worship... 112.2

40. Account of the festival of covering on the sixth day of the bright fortnight of Mārgaśīrṣa; statement of the fruit of the rites and observances of the vow of the festival of covering... 114.2

41. Account of the day and rites for the vow of the Puṣya festival of ritual ablution; description of the articles of worship and the like for the vow of the Puṣya festival of ritual ablution... 114.2

42. Statement of the fruits of ritual ablution at sacred fords, the darśana of the Lord, and the like at the time of the northern transit of the sun, preceded by the rites for the transit into Capricorn... 115.1

43. Account of the rite of mounting the swing in the month of Phālguna. 116

44. The rule for the annual vow on the full moon of Phālguna, the description of the installation of the image of Viṣṇu, and the description of the vow of the five days of Jyeṣṭha. 116 2

45. Account of the pilgrimage of the spring Damanabhañjikā. 117 2

46. Account of the pilgrimage granting inexhaustible liberation, and description of the hymn to the Lord during that pilgrimage. 117 2

47. Description of the fruit of beholding the Lord in wooden form residing atop Nīlācala. 118 2

48. Question of the great seers: 'What was done by Indradyumna after the consecration of the temple?'; answering the question along with the description of the Lord's essential nature made by Indradyumna; and the conclusion of the Puruṣottamamāhātmya. 119 1

49. Hearing the fruits of the Purāṇa's māhātmya. 119 2

Thus ends the second [part], the Puruṣottama- (Jagannātha-) kṣetra-māhātmya, in the Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa. (2-2)