Skandapurana 2.1.6
English (machine translation) 2.1.6
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Now follows the story of Padmāvatī related by the companions to Bakulamālikā:
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The women said:
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“We are the women dwelling in the inner apartments of King Ākāśa,
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indeed the companions of Padmālayā, the daughter of the king.
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Keeping the princess at our head, we had previously gone into the forest,
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busily gathering flowers for the sake of the princess.
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Seated at the base of a tree, there we beheld a man.
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dark as a sapphire, his chest the dwelling of Indirā,
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with a gentle smile on his face, and two lovely, stout, long arms,
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clad in a spotless yellow garment, resplendent with a golden arrow and bow,
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adorned with a golden diadem, necklaces, armlets, and other ornaments.
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Having seen him, our lotus-eyed companion, whose abode is the lotus,
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resembling molten gold in appearance, said: 'Look, look!'
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As we were looking, he then vanished quickly from sight.
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Fainting, that friend was then carried by us to the royal palace."
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Now the questioning of the astrologer by Viyadrāja concerning Padmāvatī, and related matters:
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Seeing his daughter unwell, the king asked an astrologer:
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"Tell me, O best of brahmins, O sage, the fruit of the planetary transits for my daughter."
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The brahmin, equal to Bṛhaspati, having contemplated the celestial bodies in his mind, [said:]
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"All the planets are favorable to your daughter, O best of kings.
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Yet the fruit of the planets always produces some confusion, O king."
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Then, having also calculated the time of the query, the wise man spoke to him again,
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multiplying the shadow, [reckoning] the ascendant, and examining their fruits:
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"The Moon, ruler of the ascendant, is in the ascendant, and Bṛhaspati is indeed in the quadrant.
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The bird of the day is sleeping, but the bird of the query has attained sovereignty.
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Hear, O king, its outcome: she will surely recover her health.
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An exalted man has come for the sake of the maiden.
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Seeing him, your daughter fainted; she shall attain union with him.
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A certain young woman sent by him will arrive.
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Whatever word she speaks, that will be beneficial to you.
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Do that, O great king; I speak the absolute truth.
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Moreover, I will tell you that which grants all objectives and destroys all afflictions;
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do it today, bringing happiness to your daughter:
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have an abhiṣeka of the Agastya-liṅga performed by brahmins."
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Having said this to the king, the astrologer then went home.
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Now, upon the astrologer's instruction, the sending of brahmins and others to worship the Agastya-liṅga:
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Then Ākāśarāja as well, having summoned Vedic brahmins
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and honored them, ordered: "O twice-born, having gone to the temple of the god,
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perform the great abhiṣeka of Śambhu accompanied by mantras."
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Having thus instructed them, he summoned us and said, O auspicious lady:
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"O maidens, gather the provisions for the great abhiṣeka."
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Having been thus commanded by the king himself, we went to the temple.
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"Tell us directly, O auspicious lady, the reason for your arrival:
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From where are you? For what purpose [do you come]? Or where do you wish to go,
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having mounted this celestial horse, as though arrived from the world of the gods?"
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The venerable Varāha said:
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Having been thus questioned by them, the delighted Bakulamālikā,
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delighting the girls, spoke sweet words:
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Bakulamālikā said:
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"I have come from Śrīveṅkaṭādri, Bakulamālikā by name.
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Desiring to see Dharaṇī, I have mounted this horse.
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Would it be possible to see the queen there in the royal palace?"
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Hearing her words, those daughters of the king said:
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"Indeed, together with us, O auspicious lady, you will see Dharaṇī."
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Having been told this, she then arrived at the king's palace with them.
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While they were thus arriving, Queen Dharaṇī [saw] a Pulinda woman
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Now the answer of the Pulinda woman to the question asked by Dharaṇī:
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coming along the street, adorned with guñjā berries and conch-shells,
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having tied an infant suckling at her breast upon her back with the end of her garment,
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[crying:] "I speak the truth, listen! The past, the present, and the future!"
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As she was speaking thus from street to street, [Dharaṇī] of pure smile summoned her,
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took a golden winnowing basket, placed pearls in it,
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and made three heaps measuring three prasthas, placing them before her [saying]:
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"Speak the truth: whether what is to come, or what has been."
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Questioning her thus, Queen Dharaṇī stood waiting.
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Being questioned, she said what had been thought in her mind:
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"What you thought of is in the middle heap; speak to me frankly, O auspicious lady."
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"So be it," Dharaṇī, the king's beloved, then said to the Pulinda woman.
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Dharaṇī said:
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"The astrological sign has been named; tell me the result, and I will give you a heap of wealth." // 33
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The Pulinda woman said:
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"I will tell you the truth, O fair-browed lady; give me food for my child."
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Thus addressed, Dharaṇī took food in a golden vessel. // 34
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Having given it to that Pulinda woman, she said: "Tell the truth."
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Taking the food with milk and giving it to her son, that passionate woman, // 35
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that fair-browed one, spoke the truth: "The emaciation of your daughter's body
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has come from a man, O timid one. Because she cannot see his form, // 36
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she has been seized by fever in her limbs, afflicted indeed by the arrows of the Bodiless One.
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He, indeed, is the supreme God of gods, who has come directly from Vaikuṇṭha. // 37
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On the peak of Mount Śrīveṅkaṭa, on the bank of the Svāmipuṣkariṇī,
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the master of illusion, supreme bliss, Ramā's lord together with Śrī, // 38
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taking forms at will, sports—Hari, the giver of whatever his devotees desire.
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Riding upon a horse, wandering within the forest, // 39
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he arrived at the pleasure-garden, O queen, and saw your daughter.
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Seeing her who is like Ramā, he himself fell under the power of love. // 40
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The god will send his companion, Lalitā, near you.
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Meeting him like Ramā, she will take pleasure for a long time in happiness. // 41
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O daughter of a king, see that this word of mine is true this very day.
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Give food for my son!"—saying this, the Pulinda woman fell silent. // 42
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Having given her abundant food once again, she dismissed her.
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When that Pulinda woman had departed, the blameless woman // 43
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arose from that courtyard and entered the auspicious inner palace,
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where the maiden Padmālayā sat surrounded by her companions. // 44
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Going near her daughter, the maiden who was love-sick, [she said:]
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"Daughter, what shall I do for you? Or what thing is dear to you, O auspicious girl?" // 45
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Thus questioned by her mother, that wise maiden spoke softly: // 46
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Now the characteristics of the Lord and the devotees of the Lord as stated by Padmāvatī.
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"That which brings delight to the eyes in the world, which is dear to the minds even of the virtuous,
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which Brahmā and the others wish to see, and which is all-pervading and great, // 47
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the most radiant even among radiant entities, the deity even of the gods,
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attainable here by virtuous devotees, never by non-devotees— // 48
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on that very Entity, O mother, my mind is fixed here.
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Seek only that, O mother, which grants all wishes to devotees." // 49
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The glorious Varāha said:
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Having heard this, Dharaṇī then asked her daughter again:
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"Tell me the characteristic marks of his devotees, by whom that is to be attained, O fair-eyed one." // 50
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Padmālayā said:
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"O mother, listen attentively to the secret characteristic marks of the devotees:
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marked constantly with the conch and disc on both arms, O Vasundharā, // 51
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they have an upright mark with a central space, especially those devotees;
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others, moreover, bear twelve marks [of tilaka]: // 52
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on the forehead, the belly, the chest, the neck, on the abdomen, and on the two flanks,
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on the two elbows, on the two arms, on the back, and at the nape of the neck— // 53
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the twelve names beginning with Keśava on the twelve limbs;
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and on the crown of the head they bear [the mark with the thought], 'Obeisance to Vāsudeva.' // 54
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I shall tell their charming observances; listen, O mother:
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devoted to reciting the Vedas, they perform Vedic rituals. // 55
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Those who speak the truth, O queen, and never envy others,
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who do not censure others and do not steal others' property, // 56
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who never think of, look upon, or touch
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the beautiful wives of others—know them to be Vaiṣṇavas. // 57
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Compassionate to all beings, devoted to the welfare of all beings,
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they always sing of the Lord of gods—know these indeed to be his devotees. // 58
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Those who are satisfied with whatever comes, devoted to their own wives,
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free from passion, fear, and anger—know those devotees to be Vaiṣṇavas. // 59
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Endowed with such virtues, bearing the five weapons as well,
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whether through a father, in the form of a spiritual preceptor, or through another cultured person... // 60
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Having taken the fire according to the rule prescribed in one's own Gṛhyasūtra, the wise man
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should make sixteen oblations with the mantras of the discus and the other weapons.
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Next, with the principal mantra and with the hymn to Puruṣa,
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and then one hundred and eight [oblations] with the auspicious mantra to Jātavedas,
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having offered oblations with the great mystical utterances, he should heat the discus and other [brands] there.
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The wise man should have them applied by the guru according to the mantras, well-heated and bearable.
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The conch and discus on the two arms, and likewise the bow Śārṅga and arrow on the head,
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the mace must be borne on the forehead, and the sword on the heart.
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Thus these five must be borne by devotees of Viṣṇu desiring liberation;
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or else simply the well-marked discus and conch on the two arms.
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Those devotees endowed with such marks are known as Vaiṣṇavas;
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only by them, endowed with righteous conduct, can that Brahman be attained.
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My love is in him alone; my mind longs to attain him.
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O mother, apart from Viṣṇu, no desire whatsoever arises toward others.
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I remember the dark Viṣṇu; I speak of Hari, Acyuta.
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Through him alone do I live, O mother; let a means for union with him be considered.”
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Glorious Varāha said:
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Having spoken thus to her mother, the distressed lotus-faced maiden fell silent.
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Hearing that, [the mother] pondered: “How can Viṣṇu be pleased?”
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Now, the arrival of the female companions along with Bakulamālikā before Dharaṇī:
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Meanwhile, the maidens, having worshipped the Lord of Agastya,
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came together with Bakulamālikā to see Dharaṇī.
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Then, having honored the brahmins who had arrived with good food,
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and having given full priestly gifts along with garments and ornaments,
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and having had blessings recited for the accomplishment of the desired object,
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she dismissed all the brahmins and then asked her women,
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those high-minded ones who had returned after worshipping the Lord of Agastya.
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Thus ends the sixth chapter, named “Description of the Marks of a Devotee of Viṣṇu and the Account of Padmāvatī Related by Her Companion to Bakulamālikā,” in the dialogue between Dharaṇī and Varāha, in the Śrī Veṅkaṭācala-māhātmya of the second section, the Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa, in the glorious Skandapurāṇa of eighty-one thousand verses.
Linked texts (1)
- Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit