Skandapurana 2.8.1

Here begins the Ayodhyāmāhātmya.

Victorious is Vyāsa, son of Parāśara, delighter of the heart of Satyavatī,

From whose lotus mouth drips the nectar of speech which the whole world drinks. // 1

Bowing to Nārāyaṇa and to Nara, the best of men,

And also to goddess Sarasvatī, one should then proclaim victory. // 2

Vyāsa said:

All the sages residing in the Himavat, who had mastered the Vedas,

Great-souled ones who knew past, present, and future, the dwellers in the Naimiṣa forest, // 3

Those devoted to the Arbuda forest, the dwellers in the Daṇḍaka forest,

Those delighting in Mount Mahendra, and those who reside in the Vindhyas, // 4

Those delighting in the Jambū forest, and those who dwell by the Godāvarī,

Those who have taken refuge in Vārāṇasī, and likewise the residents of Mathurā, // 5

Those delighting in Ujjayinī, those living in the foremost āśrama,

Those who have taken shelter in Dvārāvatī, and likewise those resorting to Badarī, // 6

Those who have taken refuge in Māyāpurī, and those dwelling in Kāntī—

These and many other spotless sages, accompanied by their disciples, // 7

When a twelve-year sacrificial session in the great sacred field of Kurukṣetra

Was taking place under Rāma, the great-souled lord of the earth,

All those spotless sages arrived, having been summoned. // 8

All of them, pure in mind and master of the Vedas and Vedāṅgas,

Having bathed there according to rule and having performed rites, recitation, and other observances, // 9

Placed Bhāradvāja at their head, who had mastered the Vedas and Vedāṅgas.

Then upon wonderful seats, grass mats, and so forth in order, // 10

They sat down and recounted stories concerning various sacred fords.

Sitting comfortably with one another during the intervals of the rites of the sacrificial session, // 11

At the conclusion of the discourses of those sages whose minds were purified,

The brilliant and noble-minded Sūta arrived there. // 12

He was the disciple of Vyāsa, knower of the Purāṇas, known by the name of [Romaharṣaṇa].

Bowing to those sages in the proper manner, he sat down;

He sat down according to rule at the word of the sages. // 13

To that excellent sage Romaharṣaṇa, the disciple of Vyāsa and a Sūta,

The spotless foremost sages, Bhāradvāja and others, put questions. // 14

The seers said:

From you, O fortunate one, we have heard stories connected with various sacred fords,

and all the Purāṇas along with their esoteric secrets, O noble-minded one.

Now we desire to hear the eternal, secret [lore],

the greatness of the great city of Ayodhyā, radiant with virtues.

What is that ever-pure city of Ayodhyā like, beloved of Viṣṇu?

She is praised in the Veda as the foremost of cities, the bestower of liberation.

What is its configuration, and who were the kings there?

Which are the holy sacred fords, and what is their māhātmya?

What fruit accrues to men from serving Ayodhyā, O Sūta?

What is its history, O Sūta? Which are its rivers, and which are the confluences?

What merit is gained there by ritual ablution, and what by charitable giving, O noble-minded one?

We wish to hear all that from you, O Sūta, rich in virtue.

All this you indeed know in proper order and truly at present.

You ought to tell the māhātmya of the great city of Ayodhyā.

Sūta said:

By the grace of Vyāsa, O ascetics whose wealth is austerity, I know the Purāṇas,

all the Itihāsas, along with their secret teachings in truth.

Bowing to him, I shall declare the māhātmya before you,

of the great city of Ayodhyā, properly along with its secrets.

Endowed with knowledge, granter of vast intellect, knowable through the Vedas and Vedāṅgas, the supreme, peaceful one who has subdued the senses, vast with pure brilliance,

Veda-vyāsa, ever humble, the sole origin through which the universe is known, the son of Parāśara, the supreme person—I bow to him at all times.

Om, homage to that blessed Vyāsa of immeasurable splendor,

by whose grace I know the greatness of Ayodhyā.

Let all the sages listen attentively along with their disciples;

I shall narrate the glorious māhātmya of Ayodhyā.

It was proclaimed to Agastya by Skanda, having been heard from Nārada;

formerly that was related by Agastya to Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana.

And from Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, O ascetics, this was received by me.

I tell that respectfully to you who are desirous of hearing.

I bow to the Supreme Self, Rāma with lotus eyes,

dark as the flax blossom, the slayer of Rāvaṇa, the imperishable.

Ayodhyā is that supreme, pure city, difficult to attain by evildoers.

By whom is Ayodhyā not to be revered, where Hari himself is directly present?

Situated on the bank of the Sarayū, divine and exceedingly lovely,

almost like Amarāvatī, resorted to by many rich in austerity,

abounding in elephants, horses, chariots, and foot soldiers, established with lofty prosperity,

with streets flanked by ramparts and gateways shining like gold,

well-divided into four quarters everywhere with marshy lands around,

having multi-storied palaces and richly carved walls,

adorned with stepped wells whose auspicious waters blossom with lotuses,

graced with divine temples and reverberating with the chanting of the Vedas,

raised to excellence by the sounds of lutes, flutes, and mṛdaṅgas; / with śāla, palmyra, coconut, jackfruit, and āmalaka trees,

likewise adorned with mango, kapittha, and other trees, and aśokas,

furnished with diverse pleasure gardens containing trees bearing fruit in all seasons,

with mālatī, jasmine, bakula, pāṭalī, nāgakeśara, and campaka,

decorated with oleanders, karṇikāras, and ketakīs,

with nīm, lime, plantain, and citron trees bearing large fruits,

adorned with citzens rich in the fragrance of gleaming sandalwood,

and populated by princes possessing splendor equal to the gods,

filled with beautiful noble women like celestial nymphs,

blessed with foremost, true poets and with twice-born [brahmins] equal to Bṛhaspati,

with merchants and citizens who were like wish-fulfilling trees,

with horses resembling Uccaiḥśravas and tuskers like the world-elephants—

thus, endowed with diverse aspects, it was equal to the city of Indra.

In it were born the rulers of the earth sprung from the Solar dynasty,

all headed by Ikṣvāku, dedicated to the protection of their subjects.

On whose bank flows the river named Sarayū, / of sacred waters, with humming bees and birds,

surging forth from the origin at the Mānasa lake,

filled with the fluid of dharma, having its excellent confluence with the Ghargharā.

With banks inhabited by great sages, it is watchful and exalted in the world.

The Jāhnavī issued forth from the big toe of the right foot of Hari,

while from the left big toe, O best of sages, the auspicious Sarayū flowed out.

Therefore these two are the most sacred rivers, revered by the gods;

by mere ritual ablution in both of them, one removes [the sin of] murdering a brahmin.

Then the pot-born sage Agastya reached that Ayodhyā,

having learned the māhātmya of the sacred ford through the grace of Skanda, for the sake of pilgrimage.

And coming here, he also performed the pilgrimage in due order,

bathing according to the prescribed rule and offering libations to the ancestors,

worshipping all the deities properly,

and bowing down to all the sacred fords according to the injunction.

Having achieved his purpose, elevated with joy from beholding the māhātmya of the sacred ford,

Agastya became one whose body was covered with horripilation in appearance.

Having stayed there for three nights and performed the pilgrimage according to rule,

the best of sages departed, praising the māhātmya of Ayodhyā.

Seeing him approaching, radiant with abundant joy,

Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana Vyāsa immediately asked him the cause of his joy:

Vyāsa said:

"From where have you now come, O best of sages, O brahmin?

An abundance of supreme joy has now arisen within you.

From what has this increase of joy arisen for you, O brahmin? Tell me!

From your joy, delight also arises in my heart."

Agastya said:

"Ah, great indeed is this wonder, a marvel, O best of sages!

Today, having seen the power of Ayodhyā, [this joy] arose for me, O one whose wealth is austerity.

Therefore this abundance of joy has now arisen within me."

Hearing that speech of Agastya, Vyāsa said to that sage:

Vyāsa said:

"O venerable one, tell [me] in truth and in detail, along with its secret,

the greatness of the great city Ayodhyā, supreme in virtues!

What is the sequence of the pilgrimage to the sacred ford? Which are the sacred fords, and what is the rule?

What is the fruit of ritual ablution there, and of gift-giving, O great sage?

Explain all this in detail, O best of speakers!"

Agastya said:

"Ah, blessed indeed is the intellect born in you, O one whose wealth is austerity,

in that your inquiry is seen to concern the greatness of Ayodhyā!

The syllable 'a' is said to be Brahmā, the syllable 'ya' is spoken of as Viṣṇu,

and the syllable 'dha' has the form of Rudra; thus the name Ayodhyā shines forth.

Since, even by those laden with all minor sins

and major sins such as murdering a brahmin, it cannot be fought against (a-yodhya), they therefore know it as Ayodhyā.

This primeval city of Viṣṇu does not touch the earth, O twice-born;

it rests upon Viṣṇu's Sudarśana discus, producing merit on earth.

By whom can its greatness be described, O one whose wealth is austerity,

where the god Viṣṇu himself dwells in person with reverence?

Beginning from Sahasradhārā, one yojana in the eastern direction,

and likewise in the western direction the boundary extends uniformly for one yojana;

in the southern and northern parts, the boundary extends between the Sarayū and the Tamasā.

This is the layout of the sacred field, established as the inner chamber of Hari.

This city of Viṣṇu, O brahmin, is described as having the shape of a fish.

In the west is its head, resting at Gopratāra, O twice-born;

to the east is the back portion, and the middle extends south to north.

In that city, O fortunate one, Hari himself, known as Viṣṇuhari,

whose power was seen of old, dwells prominently."

Vyāsa said:

"O venerable one, what is that power of this Viṣṇuhari

who was praised by you, O tiger among sages? How did he attain renown?

Explain all of this in detail before me!"

Agastya said:

"Formerly there was an excellent brahmin known as Viṣṇuśarman,

who knew the truth of the Vedas and Vedāṅgas, devoted to righteous duties."

He was always devoted to yoga and meditation, entirely dedicated to devotion to Viṣṇu.

Once, while on a pilgrimage to sacred fords, that best of Vaiṣṇavas

came to Ayodhyā, thinking, “Viṣṇu resides [here] in visible form.”

Reflecting thus in his mind, the resolute man resolved to perform austerity.

Indeed, he performed austerity there, subsisting on greens, roots, and fruits.

In the hot season, standing amidst the five fires, that man of great austerity scorched himself;

in the rainy season, [he remained] without shelter; and in the winter, in a lake.

Having bathed according to the prescribed rules, and having worshipped Viṣṇu,

subduing the aggregate of his senses, with a completely purified inner self,

fixing his mind on Viṣṇu, having restrained his breath,

and opening the lotus in his heart through the utterance of the syllable Oṃ,

the wise man duly [imagined] the discs of the sun, moon, and fire within it;

having visualised in that place Hari with bodily form, the eternal,

Viṣṇu wearing yellow garments, bearing the conch, discus, and mace;

having worshipped him with flowers, and having concentrated his mind upon him,

meditating on Hari whose form is Brahman, muttering the twelve-syllable mantra,

living on air alone, the brahmin remained dwelling there for three years.

Then, having meditated, the best of the twice-born made this hymn of praise to Hari;

bowing down to the Lord of the Universe, Hari, the guru of all moving and unmoving beings,

Viṣṇuśarman, unwearied, praised Nārāyaṇa:

Viṣṇuśarman said:

“Be gracious, Lord Viṣṇu! Be gracious, Supreme Person!

Be gracious, Lord of the gods of gods! Be gracious, lotus-eyed one!

Victory to Kṛṣṇa, victory to the Inconceivable, victory to Viṣṇu, victory to the Imperishable!

Victory to the Lord of Sacrifice, O protector, victory to Viṣṇu, O Lord, all-pervading one!

Victory to the remover of sin, the Infinite, victory to the dispeller of the fever of birth!

Homage to the lotus-naveled one! Homage to the one who wears a garland of lotuses!

Homage to the Lord of all, Lord of beings! Homage to the slayer of Kaiṭabha!

Homage to the Lord of the three worlds, source of the world, Lord of the world!

Homage to the supreme God of gods! Homage indeed to Nārāyaṇa!

Homage to Kṛṣṇa, to Rāma, and homage to the one armed with the discus!

You are the mother of all the worlds; you alone are the father of the universe.

You are the friend and ally of those afflicted with fear; you are the father, you are the grandfather.

You are the oblation, you are the vaṣaṭ-call, you are the master, you are the consumer of the offering.

You alone are the instrument, the cause, the agent, the Supreme Lord.

O bearer of the conch, discus, and mace in hand, deliver me, O Mādhava!

Be gracious, bearer of Mandara! Be gracious, slayer of Madhu!

Be gracious, beloved of Kamalā! Be gracious, ruler of the universe!”

Agastya said:

As that great-souled man was thus praising him with devotion in his mind,

the Soul of the Universe, Viṣṇu, whose mount is Garuḍa, appeared:

bearing the conch, discus, and mace in hand, wearing yellow garments, the Infallible One.

His heart filled with pleasure, the Imperishable One spoke to Viṣṇuśarman:

The Blessed Lord said:

“I am pleased now with your great austerity, my child;

by this hymn of praise, O wise one, your sins are now destroyed.

Choose a boon, best of brahmins; I stand before you to grant boons.

I cannot be seen by anyone who has not performed austerity, O twice-born.”