Skandapurana 2.2.39

English (machine translation) 2.2.39

Language: English

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"O sage, from you has been fully heard the māhātmya of the Lord of the Universe,

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and properly, in sequence, [that] of the garland-remains and other items.

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O brahmin, we wish to hear truly of the festivals and their fruits;

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tell it to us who listen, just as was indicated earlier."

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"In every way Puruṣottama acts for the welfare of the world,

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through the manifestations of his various qualities and the deeds of his diverse forms.

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Through the play of diverse forms, he has diverse selves, consisting of the whole universe; / O best of twice-born, without egoism there is no fruit of action.

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By egoism people are bound in the prison called worldly existence.

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When a man undertakes an action united with intellect and egoism,

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he obtains the fruit of that, whether good or bad, endowed with the qualities.

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Their intellect, however, is threefold, shaped by the difference of the qualities.

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Among them, those who are sāttvika and virtuous, indifferent to obtaining fruits,

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perform action for the pleasure of the Lord, desiring liberation.

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Out of rivalry with another, or for the sake of fame, or aiming again at a reward,

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they perform rājasa action with great expenditure of wealth and exertion.

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And those who follow the crowd, devoted solely to visible aims,

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desiring a fruit merely in passing, perform tāmasa action.

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For the sāttvika, Jagannātha, the creator of all, is always

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the giver of liberation when meditated upon, seen, or remembered; of this there is no doubt.

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Those who are rājasa and tāmasa, foolish-minded and longing for fruits,

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consider action done during festivals and the like to be what gives results.

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Many brahmins gather together and undertake a minor ritual;

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an action that involves great exertion and distress gives them fruit.

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For their deliverance, and to instill faith in those of corrupt mind,

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one should celebrate various festivals year after year, O brahmins.

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The ritual ablution of birth on the great altar has been proclaimed a festival;

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these two great festivals destroy sin for men simply by praise.

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The darśana of Dakṣiṇāmūrti and the festival of [the Lord's] sleep—

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this festival of theirs during the southern course of the sun removes all sins.

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Hereafter I will describe the turning of the side

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of the Lord of the universe who is asleep, who turns the ages.

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When the day of Hari arrives in the bright fortnight of the month of Nabhasya,

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one should go quietly to the door of Viṣṇu's bedchamber, enter,

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bow down joyfully to Jagannātha lying on his couch,

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cover him, approach softly, and worship him with articles of worship.

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Having bowed with devotion at his feet, praising him with secret Upaniṣads,

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and reciting this mantra, one should cause the God to lie facing north:

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'O God of gods, O Jagannātha, O turner of world-ages,

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by whom this whole universe, both stationary and moving, is turned,

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merely by the movements of your will, through the states of waking, dreaming, and deep sleep,

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protect me, O Lord of the universe, who am immersed in the ocean of worldly existence!'

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"You have slept for the welfare of the world; turn over onto [your other] side.

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This is the time to turn over for your protection of the universe.

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By your command, even Śakra, standing eager upon his banner,

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longing to see your lotus feet, releases water through the clouds,

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and floods the surface of the earth in order to protect its creatures."

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Having thus prayed to the Lord of gods, one should repeatedly please him,

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and, performing this auxiliary ritual, fan him with fans and chowries.

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One should smear his whole body with fragrant sandalwood paste,

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and [offer] sweet preparations of sugarcane, modified milk-rice,

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pleasant barley dishes, various kinds of fruits,

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other sweet appetizers, cakes fried in ghee accompanied by milk-rice,

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and ripe betel leaves with spices, O brahmins.

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One should gently offer them with devotion at the doorway of the bedchamber of the Lord.

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Whatever [worship of] the form of Hari takes place on that day bears great fruit;

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whatever one performs dedicated to the god becomes imperishable.

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Ritual ablution, gifting, silent recitation, fire-sacrifice, austerity, keeping vigil,

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fasting, religious vows, and satisfying brahmins at the conclusion of the observance—

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having performed this vow with all its parts, one attains the world of Viṣṇu.

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Whatever one desires in the heart, one attains that without doubt.

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This festival of turning onto the side has been related to you, O brahmins;

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it effortlessly bestows imperishable happiness upon people.

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Hear now the great festival of awakening [the Lord].

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Having worshipped the Lord of the World during the great festival called Kaumudī

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with games of dice and the like, with flowers, garments, garlands, and ointments,

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then on that full-moon night, accompanied by festivities,

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one should worship Hari with substances such as coconuts and cakes of flour.

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Then, having made the solemn resolve at dawn for the excellent vow in Kārttika,

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one should spend [the time] through that very vow until the bright eleventh day.

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On that [day], one should awaken the god, the deeply sleeping Sovereign of the World.

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Having worshipped the Teacher of the World at midnight as before,

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one should awaken him, softly uttering this mantra with joy:

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"Awake, O God of the lord of gods, mass of splendor, Master of the Universe!

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Behold the whole [world], O God, which is fast asleep through your māyā!

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With your eyes that captivate with the beauty of blooming white lotuses,

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beholding this universe, it will attain supreme purity.

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All rituals enjoined by Śruti and Smṛti will then certainly proceed!"

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Having thus awakened the Lord of the World to the sounds of flutes, vīṇās, and other instruments,

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with praises of panegyrists, bards, and chroniclers, and auspicious sounds,

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with the playing of conches, kāhalā horns, and muraja drums, with dances and songs,

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with shouts of victory and hymns of praise, leading him to the dance pavilion,

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anointing him with fragrant oil, one should bathe Puruṣottama

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with the five nectars, coconut water, and fruit juices.

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Then one should smear him with fragrant myrobalan and barley paste;

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one should rub him with tulasī powder and smear him with fragrant sandalwood paste.

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With waters perfumed with flowers, and scented with camphor,

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with kuśa-grass waters, jewel waters, and scented waters,

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those who joyfully behold the god being thus bathed,

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wash away the hardened impurity accumulated over many births.

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Then, O brahmins, one should place [Śrī] on the lap of the glorious Sovereign of the World.

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One should smear his entire body from feet to head

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with saffron, agallochum, musk, and camphor mixed with sandalwood,

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ground with trumpet-flower water and soaked in juice of black agallochum.

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And offering a garland of mālatī jasmine sprinkled with camphor powder,

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and worshipping Viṣṇu with grand articles of homage, one should then perform the light-waving rite for him.

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Having joined one's hands in supplication, one should pray with supreme joy:

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"All this moving and unmoving world has you alone as refuge, O Lord!

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Purify it, O Teacher of the World, with glances full of the nectar of grace!"

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One should pass the remainder of the night with dances, songs, and theatrical spectacles.

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Those who behold the god, the mace-bearer, arisen from his sleep,

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break through the sleep of delusion and attain the tranquil Light.

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He attains all desires, whatever he longs for in his heart. (51)

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Indeed, he will obtain the fruit of a thousand horse-sacrifices with an excess;

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likewise, the fruit of the gift of ten million adorned brown cows; (52)

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and he attains the supreme merit born of bathing in all sacred fords.

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Indeed, on the full moon of Kārttika one should perform the conclusion of the four-month vow. (53)

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An image of Dāmodara made of a niṣka of gold,

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or fashioned according to one's means, or situated in a śālagrāma stone— (54)

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having controlled oneself, one should worship that discus-bearing form of the Lord.

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One should prepare an auspicious pavilion, or a part of the house, (55)

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and decorate it with garlands of flowers, chowries, along with canopies,

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the ground and walls with white lime plaster, and the pillars with variegated fine silks. (56)

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One should perfume that auspicious house with incenses of black aloe,

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and in its middle fashion a svastika diagram with auspicious powders. (57)

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Inside it, one should place an auspicious couch made of elephant tusk;

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upon it, on a silk mattress, one should install Puruṣottama— (58)

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having the form of Dāmodara, holding a conch and a lotus in His hands, four-armed,

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embracing with His left hand Lakṣmī, who is seated on a lotus, resting in His lap, (59)

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and with His right hand ready to bestow a boon upon devotees;

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having a beautiful nose, a beautiful forehead, beautiful eyes, and a pair of beautiful ears, (60)

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the broad-chested God endowed with all beauty,

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resplendent with all ornaments, clad in a divine yellow garment; (61)

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and also Lakṣmī holding a lotus in her hand, offering betel.

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Having bathed Him with the five nectars, one should clothe Him in a pair of garments. (62)

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One should worship Him with services according to the extent of one's wealth,

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and light copper or earthen lamps with cow's ghee (63)

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or with oil, and offer a hundred lamp-trees.

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There one should worship Brahmā, and the divine seers beginning with Nārada. (64)

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One should also worship brahmins as embodiments of Dāmodara

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with pairs of garments, garlands, perfumes, and also chewable foods, eatables, and fruits. (65)

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The ritual act of worship being a part of the consecration of the king of sacred fords as appropriate,

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by that very rite the worship of Dāmodara should take place here. (66)

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With the mantra beginning with "tad viṣṇoḥ", one should also worship Brahmā and the others,

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and with songs accompanied by flutes, lutes, and other instruments, and by reciting the Purāṇa, (67)

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one should celebrate a great festival, and then hold a night vigil.

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Then, at clear dawn, one should perform the fire-offering. (68)

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With the eight-syllabled mantra, sacrificial wood, clarified butter, and caru offerings,

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and parched grain mixed with honey, one should then sacrifice for the sake of Śrī. (69)

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With the hymn, one hundred and eight [oblations], and at the end of that, to Brahmā and the others

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one should offer eight oblations with sesame seeds, one by one in order: (70)

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to Brahmā, Nārada, Dakṣa, Vasiṣṭha, and Gautama,

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to Sanatkumāra, Atri, Bharadvāja, and Kaśyapa, (71)

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to Durvāsas, Agastya, and after that to Mahādeva.

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For these are renowned Vaiṣṇavas, forms of Viṣṇu without a doubt. (72)

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Worshipping these brahmins, Viṣṇu is instantly pleased.

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At the end of the fire oblation, having taken the sip of food, one should give the priest's fee to the preceptor: (73)

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a cow adorned with gold, clothing, and grain, with devotion;

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for the pleasure of Vāsudeva, one should feed the eminent brahmins. (74)

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Then one should give the image of Dāmodara along with all articles of worship: (75)

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"Oṃ. O Dāmodara, O Lord of the World, the universe is indeed full of You!

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All this rests on You; You are Dharma, the creator of all beings.

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By Your grace the vow has been observed; may it be completely fulfilled for me! (76)

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Dāmodara is the giver, and the bull-bannered Lord is the receiver;

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the Lord of the World is being given—may the Teacher of the World be pleased with me!" (77)

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Chanting this mantra, he should give the foremost of gods to the preceptor.

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Having concluded, one should worship with devotion, praise him, and propitiate him. (78)

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For when the preceptor is completely pleased, Mādhava is pleased.

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And then one should indeed give those respective items to the brahmins. (79)

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Then one should oneself eat together with dear ones, cultured companions, and one's own kinsmen.

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Having thus duly established this four-month vow, (80)

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endowed with the fruit as described, he will attain the world of Viṣṇu.

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In the Śrutis, Smṛtis, and Purāṇas, there is no observance superior to this,

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by the mere performance of which a man becomes one who has achieved all his goals.

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There is no other observance, O twice-born ones, that gives as much pleasure to Viṣṇu as this.

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With thousands of vessels of sesame, and tens of thousands of cows,

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with even a hundred black antelope skins, and ten thousand maidens,

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the fruit that one obtains by giving [these], having performed this excellent observance,

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as well as the fruit of bathing in thirty-five million sacred fords—

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that fruit a man attains, O brahmins, whatever [fruit] he desires.

Thus ends the thirty-ninth chapter, entitled “The Rules of the Cāturmāsya Vow,” in the Puruṣottamakṣetramāhātmya of the second [section], the Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa, in the Skandapurāṇa, the great Purāṇa in eighty-one thousand verses.

Linked texts (1)

Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit