Skandapurana 2.1.9
English (machine translation) 2.1.9
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2.1.9.1
Now the story of the Niṣāda named Vasu:
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Dharaṇī said:
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“O Bearer of the Earth, my beloved, by whom will you be seen in the Kali age?
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By whom will your aerial chariot be built on this mountain, O Lord?
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And by whom will Śrīnivāsa of lovely form be seen?
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Tell me this with affection, O Lord; I have great curiosity to hear it.”
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The glorious Varāha said:
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“I will tell you, O Goddess; listen to what will happen in the future as I describe it to you.
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On this holy mountain there was a Niṣāda named Vasu.
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He was a guard of the śyāmāka field, devoted to Puruṣottama.
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Cooking the grains of śyāmāka and sprinkling them with honey,
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he offered them to the God of gods who is accompanied by Śrī and Bhūmi.
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To him who was thus devoted, his auspicious young wife, Citravatī,
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bore an excellent son named Vīra.
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Vasu, together with his son and his wife devoted to her husband,
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on a certain day said to his son, ‘Guard the śyāmāka,’
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and having left him behind, set out with his wife, intent on searching for honey.
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He quickly went to another forest, wishing to see a honeycomb.
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The boy, taking the cooked grains of śyāmāka and putting them in the fire,
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Having crushed [them], he offered [them] at the root of the tree to the Lord of Śrī.
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Having eaten the food-offering, the brave boy sat at ease.
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Meanwhile, Vasu also arrived, bringing the honey.
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Seeing the grains eaten, he scolded his son,
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and, taking a sword to kill him, hastily raised his hand.
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Now the Lord's speech to Vasu, who was bent on killing his son:
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Then Viṣṇu, abiding in that tree, seized the sword with his hand.
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Looking to see who had seized the sword, he saw the tree,
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and [the Lord], holding the conch, discus, and mace in his hands, half of whose form had emerged from the tree.
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Releasing that sword and bowing, Vasu said to Keśava:
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“What is this deed that is being done by you, O Lord of the gods of gods?”
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The Blessed Lord said:
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“O Vasu, listen to my words! Your son is devoted to me;
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he is even dearer to me than you. Therefore, I have appeared visibly.
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For him, I dwell everywhere; for you, on the bank of the Svāmisaras.”
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Hearing this speech of the god, Vasu was filled with joy.
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At that very time, there arrived from the Pāṇḍya country
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[a man] who, though a śūdra, had been endowed with devotion to Viṣṇu from his childhood.
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Now the arrival of Raṅgadāsa at Śrī Śeṣācala to serve Śrīnivāsa:
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Reaching Nārāyaṇapurī and bowing to Śrī Varāha,
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and hearing there of Śrīnivāsa, who dwells on the Veṅkaṭa mountain,
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who is self-manifest and served by the god of gods, he departed from there.
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Reaching the Suvarṇamukharī, he bathed, and climbing up to its bank,
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and having bathed in the lake named Kamalā, which bestows merit,
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he bowed to the god Kṛṣṇa, accompanied by Rāma, who dwells on its bank;
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thence he set out for the forest filled with herds of elephants.
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Gradually reaching Śeṣādri, he saw a waterfall.
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Approaching its vicinity, [he saw] Śiva worshipped by Kapilā,
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and before it, that unfathomable Cakra-tīrtha, destroyer of sins.
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Having bathed there, he slowly went up to the Veṅkaṭa mountain,
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joined on the road by a Vaikhānasa who was going to worship.
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Raṅgadāsa, a boy of twelve years, climbed up;
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reaching the Svāmipuṣkariṇī, he bathed with devotion.
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[He saw] Hari, the lotus-eyed, worshipped by the Vaikhānasa sage Gopīnātha,
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standing in the midst of the forest at the foot of a tree on the bank of the Svāmipuṣkariṇī,
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accompanied by Śrī and Bhūmi,
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standing in the sky, auspicious, whose form was yellow and dark blue,
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served by the conch and discus, mace and sword at his sides,
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and [he saw] the lord Garuḍa, spreading his wings in the sky over the head of the god like a canopy,
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and behind him, the bow Śārṅga and the arrow.
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Now the construction of the divine garden, pavilion, and other works by Raṅgadāsa for Śrīnivāsa:
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Having thus seen Śrīnivāsa, Raṅgadāsa was filled with wonder,
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and thought: “I will make a garden for this god.”
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Having resolved everything in his mind, the wise man lived at the foot of a tree,
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providing day by day through the Vaikhānasa a food-offering for Viṣṇu.
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Gradually clearing the thick forest, he cut down the adjacent trees,
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[sparing only] the tamarind tree of the god's assembly and the campaka tree of Ramā;
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commanded by the god, he left aside both of them, which were served by the god.
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Then, all around the god, he built a stone wall upon the ground.
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All around that very wall, he planted flower gardens:
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jasmine, oleander, lotus, kunda, mandāra, and mālatī;
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and he planted whole groves of tulasī and campaka.
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Digging a well there, he nourished the grove with its water.
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Taking the garden flowers, he himself fashioned garlands;
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having woven wondrous ones, he placed them in the hand of the priest.
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Taking them, the priest bound them on the shoulders and head
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of the god Śrīnivāsa and of Śrī and Bhūmi.
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Thus performing service to the god, the noble-minded one remained.
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As he lived in this manner, seventy years passed.
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While the great-souled Raṅgadāsa was gathering flowers,
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Now, the lapse of service to the Lord by Raṅgadāsa upon seeing the Gandharva's play:
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A certain Gandharva arrived to bathe in a pool within the garden,
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accompanied by the youthful daughters of a Gandharva king.
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Having moored his aerial chariot in the sky, he engaged in water-sports.
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As he frolicked in the lotus pool together with those beautiful women,
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this holy Raṅgadāsa, watching him, forgot his gathering of garlands.
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Though his senses were subdued, watching their amorous play, he emitted semen.
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While he was watching, [the Gandharva] emerged from that charming pool,
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and putting on heavenly clothes, smiling alongside his lovely women,
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he mounted his aerial chariot and departed for the abode of Kubera.
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When the king of Gandharvas was gone, bewildered Raṅgadāsa,
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abandoning those garlands and having bathed in the pool, was ashamed.
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Gathering flowers once again, he slowly went to the temple.
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Seeing him arrive when the time of worship had already passed,
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the Vaikhānasa said: "Why have you arrived, my friend, when the time has lapsed?
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Nor have you strung the garlands. What did you do in the garden?"
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The glorious Varāha said:
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Questioned in this manner, Raṅgadāsa said nothing out of shame.
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To that ashamed Raṅgadāsa, Madhusūdana spoke:
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Now, the words of Śrīnivāsa to Raṅgadāsa, who was ashamed upon self-examination:
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The Blessed Lord said:
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"Why are you ashamed, Raṅgadāsa? Indeed, you were deluded by Me.
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You have truly conquered desire; be firm of mind, O high-minded one!
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Like that king of Gandharvas, you shall become a king upon the earth.
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There, having enjoyed great pleasures, ever full of devotion to Me,
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you shall then cause an enclosure wall and an aerial chariot to be built for Me.
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There I will bestow liberation upon you, filled with supreme love.
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Render service right here until the release of your body.
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In this manner shall liberation come to My devotees who have desires."
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Having spoken thus, the Lord Viṣṇu said nothing further.
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Hearing that, Raṅgadāsa also tended an excellent garden.
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Now, the account of the king named Toṇḍamān:
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Having served for a full hundred years, the wise one went to heaven.
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He was born into the exalted Lunar dynasty, renowned as Toṇḍamān,
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the heroic son of Suvīra, born from the womb of Nandinī.
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From the age of five, devotion to Viṣṇu arose in that naturally wise prince,
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a great mine of virtues such as good character, valor, and strength.
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He married Padmā, the enchanting daughter of the Pāṇḍya king.
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Then the king [married] a hundred maidens from various lands through bridegroom-choice ceremonies.
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Residing in Nārāyaṇapura, he sported upon the earth like Indra, lord of the gods.
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Having received permission from his father, the son, possessing the prowess of a lion,
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set out on a hunt, that hero, near Mount Veṅkaṭa.
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Now, King Toṇḍamān's journey to Śrī Śeṣācala for the hunt:
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Moving on foot accompanied by his retinue,
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he saw the leader of a herd of elephants discharging streams of rut.
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Filled with wonder at seeing it, he ran after it to capture it.
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Crossing the Suvarṇamukharī river, [he saw] the excellent brāhmaṇa Śuka;
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having bowed to him and received his permission, he went from forest to forest.
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He saw the goddess Reṇukā abiding in the form of an anthill,
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bestowing desired boons on beloved devotees, dwelling in a celestial garden,
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ever attended by her retinue, and worshipped even by the thirty [gods].
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Toṇḍamān, too, bowed to her and then proceeded westwards.
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Now, the account of the five-colored parrot near Śrīnivāsa:
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Seeing a five-colored parrot, he pursued it wishing to seize it.
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Uttering "Śrīnivāsa!", it flew swiftly toward the mountain.
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Pursuing it, the king also ascended the king of mountains,
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observing various caves and peaks all around.
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Searching for the parrot, he entered a forest of wild rice.
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Not seeing that excellent parrot, he beheld a forest guardian.
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Seeing the king approaching, he quickly went out to meet him.
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having bowed down full of humility, he stood with folded hands.
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Toṇḍamān too honoured him and asked that forester:
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"Was a five-coloured parrot seen by you coming here?
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Saying 'Śrīnivāsa', where has it gone, O forester?"
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The forester said:
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"That five-coloured [parrot], O lord of kings, is ever dear to Śrīnivāsa.
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Always staying by his side, he was reared by Śrī and Bhūmi.
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On the bank of Svāmipuṣkariṇī he ever stays in the god's presence.
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Yet that glorious parrot cannot be caught by anyone.
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Having roamed at will constantly on this auspicious, foremost of mountains,
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approaching the god at the end of the day, he lives near him.
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I shall go to worship that god, O prince.
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Rest at the foot of the tree until my return.
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Together with this son [of mine], amuse yourself as you please."
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The king said:
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"I will go with you to see the god Janārdana.
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Show me the lord of gods who dwells on Mount Veṅkaṭa."
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Hearing the king's words, placing śyāmāka grain mixed with honey
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in a cup made of mango leaves, he set out with the king toward Hari.
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Now King Toṇḍamān's arrival near Śrīnivāsa together with the Niṣāda.
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Having traversed a great distance along the path, observing the rocky ground,
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in just a moment both reached the auspicious Svāmipuṣkariṇī.
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Having bathed there according to rule together with the king, the chief of the Niṣādas
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showed the lord of gods to that noble king:
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standing on the bank of the Svāmipuṣkariṇī at the foot of the sacred tree,
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resembling an atasī flower, with eyes long as lotus petals,
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four-armed, of noble form, with a gentle smile on his lotus face,
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wearing divine yellow garments, radiant with a diadem and bracelets,
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accompanied by the shapely Śrī and Bhūmi standing at his sides,
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attended all around by conch, discus, sword, mace, Śārṅga bow, and arrows,
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and served by other divine weapons and divine garlands,
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that Puruṣottama who was being worshipped at the three junctures of the day by Skanda,
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the Supreme Person whose lotus feet up to his knees were hidden in an ant-hill.
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Then, beholding the god with joy, both bowed down.
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The king, with hands folded, his eyes wide with wonder,
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attaining a wave of bliss, knew nothing at all.
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The Niṣāda, having offered the śyāmāka grain mixed with honey,
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gave half of it to the king and ate the remaining half himself.
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Having drunk the water of the puṣkariṇī, accompanied by that king,
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he returned once again to the holy leaf-hut in the śyāmāka grove.
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And having stayed for one night, rising in the morning, the king,
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joined by his army, turned back and went to his own city.
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Now Reṇukā's words to King Toṇḍamān.
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Having gone once more to the forest of the goddess, he descended from his horse,
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and on the ninth day of the bright half of Caitra he worshipped Reṇukā,
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with sacrificial food and fine rice-milk, along with diverse condiments,
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accompanied by animal offerings, and endowed with incense and lamps.
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Having given a hundred jars of liquor perfumed with jasmine and saffron,
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the goddess, worshipped in this manner, was pleased and granted a boon to the king.
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A man, possessed [by the goddess], spoke to that best of kings:
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"Listen, O king: your kingdom shall become free of thorns.
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A capital city will come to be here bearing your very name, O king.
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Near me, O great king, you shall rule the kingdom for a long time.
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And the grace of the god of gods will be yours, O sinless one."
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Having thus granted the boon to him, the possessed [man] returned to his natural state.
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Then, having obtained the boon, the king went again to the sage Śuka.
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Now the māhātmya of the Padmasarovara lake described by Śuka.
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Having greeted the sage, honoured by him, he was delighted:
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"Tell me, O sage, the māhātmya of the lake called Kamalā."
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The venerable Śuka said:
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Formerly, by the curse of Durvāsas, having descended from the abode of the gods,
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Linked texts (1)
- Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit