Skandapurana 2.2.33
English (machine translation) 2.2.33
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2.2.33.1
Jaimini said:
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Henceforth I shall describe the great festival of the Mahāvedī,
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by which even one blinded by the darkness of ignorance may go to the radiant abode.
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In the bright fortnight of Vaiśākha, the third day, which destroys sins,
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and is conjoined with the constellation of Prajāpati, revealed itself.
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On that [day], having made a resolve, the king, pure, should choose the preceptor,
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and, with respect, one or three carpenters of proven skill.
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He should choose [them] for the forest sacrifice with garments, ornaments, and the like.
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Having gone with the carpenter to the forest filled with fine trees,
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having placed the fire in the midst of it, one knowing the mantras, with the king of mantras,
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having offered a hundred and eight oblations mixed with clarified butter collected from offerings,
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should sprinkle clarified butter at the root of each tree.
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Having given an offering to the guardians of the directions, as well as animal offerings to the guardian of the field,
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he should offer an oblation of a hundred [portions of] rice cooked in milk to the lord of the forest.
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Then, taking an axe, at the roots of the trees in the various directions,
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at the spots consecrated with clarified butter, the preceptor, uttering the mantra,
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should make small cuts, meditating on the one whose banner is Garuḍa.
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While musical instruments resound with trumpeting noises, and auspicious songs are sung,
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having engaged the carpenter there, the preceptor should go to his own home.
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Alternatively, with the logs obtained at the site for the work on the chariot,
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he should consecrate [them] in the prepared fire according to the prescribed rule of consecration.
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Having fashioned the chariot, he should begin the great festival of the king of obstacles.
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With sixteen spokes, with sixteen firm wheels made of iron,
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he should construct Viṣṇu's chariot, furnished with a firm axle and a firm pole,
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surrounded by dolls in various artistic compartments,
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rich in various multicolored designs, adorned with pieces of sugarcane,
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provided with four archways, four doors, and very beautiful,
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rich in various multicolored designs, adorned with bands of gold,
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twenty-two cubits in height, adorned with banners.
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And he should make a Garuḍa banner crafted from red sandalwood,
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with a long beak, a stout body, adorned with a pair of earrings,
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holding a snake bitten in the tip of his beak, decorated with all ornaments,
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extending both wings in the sky as if about to take flight,
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destroying the strength and arrogance of the host of Daityas and Dānavas.
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Having covered his entire body with gold, one should make him splendid.
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One should make Hari's chariot furnished with a fine seat and well embellished.
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And one should make the chariot of the plow-holder with fourteen wheels.
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One should make Subhadrā's excellent chariot with twelve wheels.
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One should make the plow banner of the plow-holder out of saptacchada wood.
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One should make the goddess's lotus banner crafted from padma wood.
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Having constructed the chariots, the king should perform the consecration as before.
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According to the mantra, according to the scripture, he should place his trust in brahmins.
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Brahmins are traditionally considered the mobile bodies of the Lord of the Universe.
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Thus the triad of chariots, well-fashioned for the three deities,
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in the bright fortnight of Āṣāḍha, on the auspicious day of Viṣṇu,
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having been consecrated through the elaborate rite as before, O twice-born ones,
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must be guarded there in such a way that nothing inauspicious climbs upon it—
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neither a bird, nor a human, nor cats, mongooses, and the like.
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Then, within three days prior, when [the construction of] the chariots is completed in the north,
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one should perform the sowing of sacred sprouts in the pavilion or as part of the festival.
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If portents occur, one should perform the rites of pacification spoken of before.
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The chariot road should be properly prepared so that it leads to the great altar.
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Along both sides of the path, one should create an arrangement with shrubs, fruits,
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clusters of blossoms, garlands, fine silks, and chowries,
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so that it shines there like a row of forest trees in full bloom.
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The ground should indeed be made level, free of mud, and easy to traverse,
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spotless, fragrant, with refuse cleared away from afar.
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At every step there should be incense-burners perfuming the quarters,
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sprinkling of sandalwood water, and bursts from water-spraying devices,
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and indeed abundant seasonal flowers for showers of blossoms;
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as well as chief actors and dancers, and numerous singers;
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courtesans full of the pride of youth, adorned with beauty and ornaments;
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and mṛdaṅga drums, paṇava drums, bherī drums, and ḍhakkā drums;
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many colorful banners patterned in various ways,
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and many flags made of gold and silver;
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pennants of many kinds, carried on foot and on vehicles;
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and elephants and horses, well-equipped and finely adorned.
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Having thus gathered the provisions, the protector of the earth, observing pure vows,
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endowed with joy and supreme devotion, should celebrate the great festival.
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In the bright fortnight of Āṣāḍha, on the second lunar day conjoined with the Puṣya constellation,
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at the time of dawn, he should worship the God.
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Together with brahmins, Vaiṣṇavas, ascetics, and practitioners of austerities,
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with hands folded in reverence, he should address the God of gods for the journey:
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“O Lord, just as you commanded the king Indradyumna in former times,
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proceed triumphantly upon your chariot, O Master, toward the Guṇḍicā pavilion!
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May the ten directions be purified by the glance of your eye!
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May all stationary and moving beings attain the state of highest bliss!
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This descent has indeed been taken out of a desire to show grace to the world;
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therefore come, O Blessed One, out of love, placing your foot upon the earth!”
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Then one should scatter camphor powder and blossoms.
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On the path, the twice-born recite the hymns of auspicious omens;
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some chant auspicious songs, others cry ‘Victory, victory!’,
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and some loudly recite the mantra beginning with ‘Conquered is by thee...’
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The chief bards and heralds joyfully sang his holy renown.
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Rows of gold-handled chowries on both sides
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were gracefully waved, charming with jingling bracelets.
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With rich fumigations of black agallochum scattered in golden vessels,
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perfuming all the directions, in front and in the open expanse of the sky,
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musical instruments such as carcarīs, jharjharīs, flutes, vīṇās, and mādhurikās
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resounded most sweetly during Govinda’s procession of victory.
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While such a moment was underway, with Rāma in the lead,
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the brahmins, kṣatriyas, and vaiśyas carried Kṛṣṇa and Bhadrā.
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A multitude of parasols rose up, with pearl strings and Chinese silks as archways,
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and jeweled banners on golden staffs stood at the sides of the Enemy of Mura.
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The king, the four social classes, and whatever other ordinary folk were present,
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the lowly and the great, all appeared equal there at that time.
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Setting their graceful feet down upon mattresses of cotton,
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resting the gods whenever tired, they followed them to the chariot.
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Having arrived at the great festival amid songs and loud rejoicing,
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holding Jagannātha in their hands and circumambulating the excellent chariot,
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one should seat Rāma, Kṛṣṇa, and Subhadrā inside the chariot.
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In the pavilion resplendent with an attractive moonlit canopy,
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adorned with strings of small bells, garlands, and chowries,
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its interior filled with incense of rich black agallochum,
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having seated those supreme gods upon the cotton cushions,
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one should adorn them with devotion using various garments, ornaments, and garlands.
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One should worship them with those abundant offerings imbued with devotion.
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No festival journey of Viṣṇu is considered superior to this.
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Where the Lord of the Three Worlds himself, out of delight, on a chariot,
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honoring that former command, goes year after year. // 54
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Those who see him going, seated upon the chariot, at the great festival of the Mahāvedī,
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with joy and devotion, dwell in the abode of Hari. // 55
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Truly, truly, again truly do I promise, O best among the twice-born:
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there is no festival of Viṣṇu higher or more auspicious, sanctioned by the scriptures, // 56
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than this pleasure-ride on the chariot, the great festival of the Mahāvedī,
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where the gods coming from heaven, being qualified, attain heaven. // 57
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What can I say of the greatness of that festival of the enemy of Mura,
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by the celebration of which sin arisen in a hundred births is destroyed? // 58
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Seeing Puruṣottama, seated upon the chariot, proceeding to the Mahāvedī,
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as well as Balabhadra and Subhadrā, [one] destroys the sin
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arisen from ten million births; no doubt should be entertained here. // 59
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By stepping into the chariot’s shadow, one wipes away the murder of a brahmin. // 60
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One whose body is covered with its dust destroys the threefold mass of sin
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and obtains the fruit arising from a ritual ablution in the heavenly Gaṅgā. // 61
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On the chariot path made muddy by a shower of thick rain,
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and [yet] clearing all impurities through the divine glance of Kṛṣṇa, // 62
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the best of Vaiṣṇavas who make prostrations there,
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abandoning the mud accumulated since beginningless time, attain liberation. // 63
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The fruit of gifting ten million cows and ten thousand maidens,
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and of a thousand horse-sacrifices, one obtains without doubt. // 64
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Those who follow Kṛṣṇa even out of curiosity about the procession,
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indeed follow him constantly, as do the gods headed by Śakra. // 65
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Those who behold the chariot moving, the eternal wooden Brahman,
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the fruit of an horse sacrifice at every step is proclaimed for them. // 66
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The speakers of the Vedas praise with the Vedas the giver of liberation;
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others with histories, purāṇas, or hymns composed by themselves. // 67
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Those who, cleansed of impurity, praise the lotus-eyed one,
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relying upon Vaiṣṇava yoga, rejoice along with Nārada and others. // 68
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Those who utter praise before Vāsudeva with the shout of ‘Victory!’,
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they indeed conquer diverse sins; there is no doubt. // 69
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Even if unacquainted with rhythm and tempo, devoid of sweetness in song,
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if the best of men dances or sings,
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from contact with the best of Vaiṣṇavas he attains liberation without doubt. // 70
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He who chants his names and walks along with him,
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verily obtains that fruit from following him; of this there is no doubt. // 71
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He who endowed with devotion says, ‘Victory to Kṛṣṇa, victory to Kṛṣṇa, victory to Kṛṣṇa!’
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to Kṛṣṇa going to the city of Guṇḍicā,
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he does not suffer the pain of dwelling in a mother's womb. // 72
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With chowries, fans, bunches of flowers, and dark blue bodices,
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he who, standing before the chariot, fans Puruṣottama, // 73
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himself being fanned by apsarases, adorned by gandharvas,
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with the thirty [gods] following behind, seated upon Mahendra's throne, // 74
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enjoys incomparable pleasures until the deluge of all beings,
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and at the end of that, having reached the world of Brahmā, attains liberation. // 75
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Those who shower flowers in front of Kṛṣṇa,
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they indeed obtain all the desires in their hearts. // 76
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Those who circumambulate the chariot with the sacred thousand names,
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the thirty [gods] bow their necks and make circumambulation around them. // 77
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They dwell in the home of Vaikuṇṭha, equal in valor to Viṣṇu. // 78
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At that most auspicious time, served by divine seers and ancestors,
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the one Brahman, having become threefold, accompanied by his own māyā, // 79
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in the direct form of wood, to the great festival of the Mahāvedī—
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where the Lord of the Universe, eager, ascends the chariot and goes,
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at that time on earth, one should take part in the great festival there. // 81
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Even the gods at that festival, headed by Puruhūta,
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having abandoned pride and forming rows on both sides, // 82
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perform the great procession with various divine accoutrements. // 83
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In the forefront of them there is even the god, the Great-Grandfather.
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the supreme lord who is the creator of the fourteen worlds.
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Even he, returning from the world of Brahmā during that great festival,
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praises Jagannātha who is proceeding on the chariot with hymns composed of the Vedas,
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and bows down at every step to the eternal Lord.
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Although there is no distinction between the lotus-born [Brahmā] and Kṛṣṇa,
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yet such is the greatness of this festival, in which all are his followers.
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There is no junction in the world higher than the great festival of the Mahāvedī,
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which removes all sins and bestows the fruit of all sacred fords.
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Whatever man gives a gift there dedicated to Kṛṣṇa,
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whatever little it may be, its fruit is imperishable, equal to giving Mount Meru.
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Before that God of gods as he proceeds to the Guṇḍicā abode,
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whatever deed one performs, one enjoys its imperishable [reward].
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Indeed, various offerings, foods to chew and foods to eat,
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they offer to the God, or to a twice-born for his pleasure.
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Theirs are imperishable merits, granting all desires.
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Those who walk ahead of Hari, beholding his lotus face,
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and bowing at every step, covered with mud and dust,
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casting off the armor of sin impenetrable through tens of millions of births,
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attain the fruit of liberation in an instant and go to the auspicious abode of Viṣṇu.
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They obtain the fruit of all sacrifices, sacred fords, and gifts;
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for those endowed with devotion to the Lord, there is no festival more meritorious than this.
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Thus the blessed Kṛṣṇa, united with Subhadrā and Rāma,
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proceeding while mounted on the best of chariots and illuminating the four quarters,
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destroying the sins of all embodied beings through the breeze
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that has touched his glorious body, the gracious one who cares for his devotees,
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for the sake of instilling faith even in the ignorant and faithless,
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though by his very nature the giver of liberation, he undertakes these chariot journeys.
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As Janārdana was proceeding along with the abundance of the gods and mortals,
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at midday in the middle of the road, when the sun burned the forehead,
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the fatigued people pulling [the chariot] stood still, wilting and covered with its dust.
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There, to relieve the heat, one should perform the bathing on the mirrors,
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with the five nectars, with cool waters scented with flowers and camphor,
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Linked texts (1)
- Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit