Skandapurana 3.1.50

Glorious Sūta said:

Now, next, I shall proclaim the majesty of Setumādhava.

Listen with devotion, O sages, to this holy, supreme [narrative] that removes sin.

In ancient times, a king named Puṇyanidhi, born of the lunar dynasty,

ruled Madhurā, which was adorned by Hālāsyeśvara. 2

Once, accompanied by his fourfold army

and the retinue of his inner apartments, that protector of the earth, having installed his own son in Madhurā, / 3

went to Rāmasetu, eager to take a bath.

Having gone there and bathed at Dhanuṣkoṭi according to ritual resolution, / 4

as well as in other sacred fords located there, that best of kings

bathed and worshipped the god Rāmeśvara with devotion. 5

Thus he lived there happily for a long time.

Dwelling at holy Rāmasetu on Mount Gandhamādana, / 6

the king once performed a sacrifice to please Viṣṇu.

At the conclusion of the sacrifice, that king, joyful and eager for the final ablution, / 7

bathed at Rāmadhanuṣkoṭi together with his wife and his attendants.

Having worshipped Rāmanātha, he went to his abode, O twice-born ones. 8

While this king Puṇyanidhi was thus residing there,

once Lakṣmī, perturbed by a playful quarrel with Hari, / 9

having made an agreement with Hari to test the king’s devotion,

Lakṣmī, whose abode is the lotus, was sent by Viṣṇu from Vaikuṇṭha. 10

Having assumed the form of an eight-year-old, she went to Gandhamādana.

Arriving there, that lotus-dwelling goddess stood at Dhanuṣkoṭi. 11

At that moment, the king, a treasury of virtues, went, O twice-born ones,

to bathe at Rāmadhanuṣkoṭi with his wife and his soldiers. 12

Having gone there and bathed according to the rules,

and having performed gifts entirely, chief among them the tulāpuruṣa, / 13

he, desiring to return to his palace, saw a girl,

endowed with supreme beauty, eight years of age, and pure-smiling. 14

Seeing that girl of charming eyes, the king asked her—

her of charming smile, charming teeth, bimba-fruit lips, and slender waist: 15

Puṇyanidhi said:

“Who are you, maiden? Whose daughter are you, or from where have you come here?

What is the purpose of your coming here, O child of pure smiles?” 16

Thus the king questioned that lotus-eyed girl.

Thus questioned, the girl then said to that king, O twice-born ones: 17

“I have neither mother nor father, nor do I have kin.

I am destitute, O great king, and I will become your daughter. 18

I will dwell in your house, father, always gazing upon you.

Whoever pulls me by force or seizes me with his hand— / 19

if you will punish him, O king, then I, in your abode,

will live for a long time as your daughter, O father, treasury of virtues.” 20

Spoken to in this way, King Guṇanidhi then said to the maiden:

“I will do everything that you have said, O auspicious girl. 21

I too have no daughter; there is only one son who upholds the lineage.

Whomever you take a liking to, O auspicious one, to him I will give you. 22

Come to my house, O maiden, and dwell in my inner apartments,

as the daughter of my wife, as you wish, O blameless one.” 23

Being thus addressed by the king, that lotus-eyed girl,

saying, “So be it,” to the king, went home with him. 24

The king placed that auspicious girl in the hands of his wife,

and the king then spoke to his own wife, Vindhyāvali: 25

“This is our daughter, O auspicious Queen Vindhyāvali.

You must protect her by all means from other men, my dear.” 26

Thus addressed by the king, his wife Vindhyāvali then,

saying, “Yes,” took that daughter by the hand. 27

Nourished and protected by the king like a daughter,

that maiden dwelt very happily in the king's palace, constantly cherished. 28

Then Viṣṇu, the lord of the universe, eagerly seeking Lakṣmī,

mounted upon Garuḍa, set forth from Vaikuṇṭha, O twice-born ones. 29

Having set out from Vaikuṇṭha, traversing the path of the sky,

he wandered through many lands, but did not see Lakṣmī there. 30

Then he came to Rāmasetu on Mount Gandhamādana.

Having searched all around Rāmasetu, he wandered [in search of] Indirā.

At that very time, out of an eagerness to gather flowers,

the maiden went with her friends to the trees in the palace garden.

She gathered flowers with her companions in the grove.

Coming there, O twice-born ones, Viṣṇu, disguised as a brahmin,

carrying Gaṅgā water on his shoulder and holding an umbrella in his hand,

assuming the appearance of a brahmin who bathes in the Gaṅgā,

wearing a purificatory ring of kuśa grass with a knot on his right hand,

his whole body smeared with ashes, adorned with lines of the tripuṇḍra,

chanting the names of Śiva, wearing a garland of rudrākṣa beads,

wearing an upper garment, pure, O brahmins—Janārdana arrived.

Seeing that brahmin arrive, the girl stood motionless.

He saw his beloved, eight years of age, gathering flowers.

Having seen that sweet-speaking maiden, the brahmin swiftly

seized her violently by the hand, he whose emblem is Garuḍa.

Then the girl cried out together with her companions in the grove.

Hearing that cry, the king arrived.

Surrounded by a few soldiers, he went to the palace garden.

Having arrived, the king questioned the maiden and her friends:

“For what reason have you now cried out with your friends, O daughter,

in the palace garden? Let the reason for that be stated!

By whom have you been assaulted, being forcibly dragged, O my daughter?”

Thus questioned, the maiden spoke to King Guṇanidhi,

her face filled with tears, distressed, angry, and deeply frightened.

The maiden said:

“This brahmin violently seized me, O lord of the Pāṇḍyas!

Father, he stands here at the foot of the tree, fearing nothing from anywhere!”

Hearing her words, the wise king Guṇanidhi,

not knowing his power, forcibly seized the brahmin with speed.

Taking him to the temple of Rāmanātha and subduing him by force,

binding him with fetters and ropes, he brought him to the pavilion.

Having comforted his daughter, the king led her to the inner quarters.

And the excellent king himself went to his delightful palace.

Then at night, while sleeping, the king saw that brahmin in a dream:

Hari, adorned with conch, discus, mace, lotus, and a garland of forest flowers,

his chest decorated with the Kaustubha jewel, wearing yellow garments,

having the hue of a dark cloud, lovely, mounted upon Garuḍa,

with a charming smile, beautiful teeth, and glistening makara-shaped earrings,

served by attendants such as Viṣvaksena and others,

resting upon the bed of Śeṣa, praised by sages such as Nārada.

And he saw his own daughter resting upon a blooming lotus,

holding a lotus in her hand, with dark curly hair,

dwelling on Viṣṇu's chest, with prominent breasts,

her limbs consecrated by the elephants of the quarters, youthful, clothed in yellow garments,

her hair adorned with a garland crafted of golden lotuses,

rich in the beauty of divine ornaments, decorated with a lovely necklace,

shining with a nose ornament fashioned from priceless jewels,

adorned with golden coins, radiant with a girdle and anklets.

The king saw his own daughter as Mahālakṣmī that night.

Having thus seen in a dream that brahmin as well as his own daughter,

the king suddenly arose from his couch and went to his daughter's chamber.

He saw the girl just as he had seen her in the dream.

Then, when the sun arose, the king, taking the maiden,

went to the temple of Rāmanātha where he had placed the brahmin.

In the excellent pavilion, he saw the brahmin bearing the form of Hari,

just as he had seen him in his dream, marked with the garland of forest flowers and other signs.

Recognizing him as Viṣṇu, the king praised Hari, the Lord.

Puṇyanidhi said:

“Obeisance to you, beloved of Kamalā! Be gracious, O Garuḍa-bannered one!

O wielder of the Śārṅga bow, obeisance to you! Forgive my transgression!

Praise be to you, lotus-eyed one, disk-in-hand, lord of Śrī! 3.1.50.60

Praise to him whose chest is adorned with the Kaustubha gem, who bears the mark of the Śrīvatsa!

Praise be to you, son of Brahmā, tearer of the hosts of Daityas! 61

Adorned with a navel-lotus that is the dwelling place of all worlds,

slayer of Madhu and Kaiṭabha, cause of Rāvaṇa's end, 62

protector of Prahlāda, praise be to you, lord of the earth!

To Viṣṇu, devoid of qualities, immeasurable, the witness of the intellect! 63

Praise be to you, abode of Śrī, sustainer of the world, supreme self,

to God Nārāyaṇa, to Kṛṣṇa, the enemy of Madhu! 64

Praise to him of the lotus navel, praise to him of the lotus eyes,

praise to the lord of the lotus-handed goddess, to him of the lotus feet! 65

Again and again, O lord of the world, praise to him adorned with a lotus garland!

Praise be to you, embodiment of compassion! Forgive my transgression. 66

That which was done by me with iron shackles and nooses, O Madhusūdana,

was an improper act committed without knowing your true nature, O Lord. 67

Therefore, this transgression of mine should be forgiven, O Madhusūdana.

Having thus praised Mahāviṣṇu, O brahmins, King Puṇyanidhi 68

joyfully praised Lakṣmī, the mother of all living beings:

Praise to you, O goddess, sustainer of the world, whose abode is on Viṣṇu's chest! 69

Praise to you born of the ocean, Mahālakṣmī, beloved of Hari!

To Siddhi, Puṣṭi, Svadhā, and Svāhā, constant praise! 3.1.50.70

To Saṃdhyā, to Prabhā, to Dhātrī, and to Bhūti, praise, praise!

To Śraddhā, to Medhā, and to Sarasvatī, praise, praise! 71

O knowledge of sacrifice, great knowledge, secret knowledge, exceedingly splendid,

knowledge of the self, queen of the gods, giver of liberation to all embodied beings! 72

O you whose form is the threefold Veda, mother of the universe, provider of the world's protection,

protect me with your merciful glance, O causer of creation, maintenance, and destruction! 73

Again and again praise be to you, mother of Brahmā, great sovereign goddess!

Having thus praised Mahālakṣmī, he prayed to Mādhava: 74

O Viṣṇu, the wrong that was committed against you just now through my ignorance,

by fettering your feet with shackles—may that offense be forgiven by you. 75

All beings are your children; you are the father of the worlds, O Hari.

The transgression of a son must be forgiven by fathers, O Madhusūdana. 76

You even granted your own nature to sinful Daityas.

O Lord Viṣṇu, surely forgive this transgression of mine as well! 77

Even when Pūtanā came long ago wishing to kill you, O Lord,

you led her to your lotus feet. Therefore protect me, O ocean of mercy!

O beloved of Lakṣmī, cast a compassionate glance upon me, O Keśava! 78

Śrī Sūta said:

Having been thus prayed to by that king, O best of brahmins,

Viṣṇu then spoke to King Puṇyanidhi in a deep voice: 79

Viṣṇu said:

O King, you should harbor no fear born of having bound me. 3.1.50.80

My subservience to devotees has now been shown toward you.

Because you performed here a sacrifice pleasing to me, 81

therefore, O King Puṇyanidhi, you are now my devotee.

By that, I am under your control, bound by the cord of devotion. 82

I always forgive a devotee's transgression, O tamer of enemies.

Wishing to know your devotion, she was dispatched by me. 83

Lakṣmī, my beloved, O King, has now been properly guarded by you.

Because of that I am pleased with you; for she is always of the same nature as myself. 84

Whoever possesses devotion to her in the world is declared to be my devotee.

Whoever is averse to her, O King, is always considered an enemy of mine. 85

Since, endowed with devotion, you have worshiped her,

therefore worship of me has also been performed, because she is nondifferent from me. 86

Hence no offense against me was committed by you, O ruler of men.

Rather, by worshiping her, it was only worship of me that was performed. 87

The agreement that was made previously by you with my wife—

in that you bound me in order to protect that agreement, 88

by that I am pleased with you, O King; Lakṣmī has now been protected.

And that Lakṣmī is my own nature, the Mother of the Universe, comprising the triple Veda.

In protecting her, O king, that fettering of me

which was done by you was pleasing to me, O king of kings; have no fear.

This Lakṣmī is indeed your daughter, truly, without a doubt.”

When Hari had spoken thus, Lakṣmī said to the king:

Lakṣmī said:

“O king, I am pleased with you, since I was protected in your home.

In order to test your devotion, Viṣṇu and I, both of us,

came here, O king, under the pretext of a playful quarrel.

We two are pleased by your discipline and devotion, O tormentor of foes.

Through our grace, O king, may happiness always be yours;

may sovereignty over the entire circle of the earth always be yours firmly.

May your devotion to our pair of feet be constant;

at the end of your body, may there be communion with me, free from rebirth.

May it always be so for you, O king, and may your mind never turn to sin;

may your mind ever abide in righteousness, filled with devotion to Viṣṇu.”

Having spoken thus to the king, Lakṣmī went to the chest of Viṣṇu.