Skandapurana 2.1.23
English (machine translation) 2.1.23
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Now begins the māhātmya of Cakratīrtha.
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Śrī Sūta said:
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Now I shall tell you, O truthful lords among brahmins,
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the māhātmya of Cakratīrtha, which destroys all sins.
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Those who hear the most sacred glory of Cakratīrtha,
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they go to the abode of Viṣṇu, from which there is no return.
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Even those averse to the gift of food, and likewise to the gift of water,
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and those averse to the gift of cows, become purified by immersion here.
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Therefore, Cakratīrtha is the most sacred ford, none superior.
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Now, the manner of austerity performed by the brahmin named Padmanābha:
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Śrī Sūta said:
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Formerly, Padmanābha of the Śrīvatsa lineage, who had conquered his senses,
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performed great austerity on the bank of the Cakra pond.
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Endowed with compassion, taking no food, speaking the truth, with his senses controlled,
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beholding all living beings as himself, free from desire for sensory objects,
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dedicated to the welfare of all beings, self-restrained, and completely free from all pairs of opposites.
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For some years he subsisted on withered leaves;
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for some time he lived on water alone, and for several years he consumed only air.
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In this way, for twelve years, the great sage Padmanābha
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Now, the manifestation of the Lord, pleased by the austerity performed at Cakra tīrtha by the twice-born named Padmanābha:
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performed severe austerity, exceedingly difficult even for the gods.
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Then, pleased by his austerity, the Lord, the consort of Kamalā,
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bearing the conch, discus, and mace, appeared visibly before him,
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with eyes like the petals of a blooming lotus, shining with a radiance equal to ten million suns.
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Opening his eyes, he saw there Veṅkaṭeśvara,
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tranquil, holding the conch and discus, Śrīnivāsa, a treasure of compassion.
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Seeing the exalted god, he began to praise him:
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Now, the praise of Śrīnivāsa offered by the twice-born named Padmanābha:
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Obeisance to the supreme God of gods, to Veṅkaṭeśa who wields the bow Śārṅga!
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Obeisance to you, Śrīnivāsa, who dwell upon the mountain of Nārāyaṇa!
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Obeisance to Viṣṇu, to Vāsudeva, the destroyer of sins!
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Obeisance to you, Śrīnivāsa, who dwell upon Śeṣācala!
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Obeisance to the Lord of the three worlds, the universal-formed witness!
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Obeisance to you, Śrīnivāsa, who are praised by Śiva, Brahmā, and the other gods!
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Obeisance to you, the lotus-eyed, who recline upon the ocean of milk!
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Obeisance to you, Śrīnivāsa, the destroyer of wicked rākṣasas!
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Obeisance to the god who loves his devotees, to the Lord of gods!
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Obeisance to you, Śrīnivāsa, the destroyer of the distress of those who bow!
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Obeisance always to Viṣṇu, the master of yogins, knowable through the Vedas!
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Obeisance to you, Śrīnivāsa, the destroyer of the sins of your devotees!
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Thus praised, the illustrious Śrīnivāsa, who comprises the universe,
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by the seer named Padmanābha dwelling at Cakra tīrtha,
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Now, the Lord's command to Padmanābha to dwell constantly at Cakra tīrtha:
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experiencing supreme satisfaction, Veṅkaṭeśa, the ocean of mercy,
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to Padmanābha, the best of the twice-born, tranquil and devoted to righteousness,
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spoke words resembling a stream of nectar, Puruṣottama:
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Śrīnivāsa said:
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O best of the twice-born, illustrious one, worshipper of my lotus feet,
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dwell on the bank of Cakra tīrtha, worshipping [me] until the end of the kalpa.
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Having spoken thus, the Lord Viṣṇu disappeared right there.
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When the god Śrīnivāsa, the teacher of the world, had vanished,
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the noble-minded one took up his abode on the bank of Cakra tīrtha.
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Then, after some time, a terrifying rākṣasa
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approached that sage named Padmanābha, who was devoted to Nārāyaṇa;
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cruel and tormented by hunger, he came to devour him.
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Then that rākṣasa forcefully seized the brahmin.
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Seized forcefully by him, the twice-born, who had mastered the Vedāṅgas,
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cried out to the ocean of mercy, the refuge of the distressed,
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to Nārāyaṇa, the discus-bearer, saying again and again: 'Protect me! Protect me!'
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O Veṅkaṭeśa, ocean of mercy, protector of those who take refuge!
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Save me, O tiger among men, who have fallen under the power of a rākṣasa!
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O beloved of Lakṣmī, O Hari, O Viṣṇu, O Lord of Vaikuṇṭha, whose banner is Garuḍa!
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Protect me, who am attacked by a rākṣasa, just as [you protected] the elephant seized by an alligator!
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O Dāmodara, Lord of the world, slayer of the demon Hiraṇya!
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Protect me, sorely afflicted by a rākṣasa, just as [you protected] Prahlāda!
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Now, the dispatch of the discus by the Lord for the slaying of the demon who attempted to kill Padmanābha:
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While that Padmanābha was thus praising him, O twice-born,
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the discus-bearer, the treasure of compassion, knowing the danger to his devotee,
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dispatched his own discus to protect his devotee.
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Sent by Viṣṇu, the all-powerful Lord, that discus of Viṣṇu
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then arrived swiftly at the bank of the Cakra pool.
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Resembling countless suns, of equal blaze to infinite fires,
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with great flames, emitting a mighty roar, the crusher of mighty demons—
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seeing Viṣṇu's Sudarśana, the rākṣasa then fled.
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Now, the slaying of the demon by the discus sent by the Lord:
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As that rākṣasa was fleeing, Sudarśana swiftly [struck] him.
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Suddenly severed the head of that running rākṣasa, [a discus] unassailable with its garland of flames. // 35
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Then the excellent brahmin, seeing the rākṣasa fallen on the ground,
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Filled with supreme joy, praised Sudarśana: // 36
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Padmanābha said:
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O discus of Viṣṇu, praise to you, consecrated to protect the universe!
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Praise to you, the ornament of Nārāyaṇa's lotus hand! // 37
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Skilled in destroying asuras in battle, of mighty roar,
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O Sudarśana, praise to you who destroy the distress of devotees! // 38
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Protect me, agitated with fear, from every impurity.
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O Master Sudarśana, all-pervading lord, may you always
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Dwell in Cakratīrtha for the welfare of the world that desires liberation. // 39
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Addressed thus by the brahmin, O lords of sages, that discus of Viṣṇu // 2.1.23.40
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Spoke to him named Padmanābha, as though gladdening him out of affection: // 41
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Now, the granting of boons and other [favors] performed by the discus at the request of the twice-born.
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Sudarśana said:
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O Padmanābha, highly meritorious is the unexcelled Cakratīrtha.
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In it I abide constantly out of a desire for the welfare of the worlds. // 42
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Considering your torment by that evil-minded rākṣasa, // 43
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Dispatched by Viṣṇu, O brahmin, I arrived in haste.
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And that lowest of rākṣasas who afflicted you has been slain by me. // 44
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You have been freed from this fear, for you are ever a devotee of Hari.
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In the highly meritorious Cakratīrtha, which takes away all sins, O twice-born, // 45
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I establish my presence for you, constantly for the protection of the world.
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In this [place], due to my presence, for you as well as others, O twice-born, // 46
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Henceforth there will be no affliction arising from bhūtas or rākṣasas.
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Due to my presence in this [place], the fame 'Cakratīrtha' will arise. // 47
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Those who perform ritual ablution here in Cakratīrtha, which grants liberation,
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Their sons, grandsons, and all born in their lineage indeed, // 48
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Cleansed of sin, will go to that supreme abode of Viṣṇu.
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Having spoken thus, that discus of Viṣṇu, while Padmanābha watched // 49
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And while other brahmins also watched, suddenly, O twice-born,
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Entered that Cakra pond which destroys sins. // 2.1.23.50
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Glorious Sūta said:
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The sin-destroying māhātmya of Cakratīrtha,
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Has all been recounted to you, O foremost brahmins, Śaunaka and others of great splendor. // 51
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A sacred ford equal to Cakratīrtha never was, nor will ever be.
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Having bathed here, men become partakers of liberation, O brahmins, without a doubt. // 52
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Whoever proclaims this chapter or hears it with concentrated mind
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Obtains the excellent fruit of bathing in Cakratīrtha. // 53
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Thus ends the twenty-third chapter, named 'Description of the Glory of Cakratīrtha,' in the Śrī Veṃkaṭācala-māhātmya in the second Vaiṣṇava section of the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa consisting of eighty-one thousand verses. // 23
Linked texts (1)
- Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit