Skandapurana 2.2.4
English (machine translation) 2.2.4
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2.2.4.1
Śrī said:
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At the summit of the conch-shaped sacred field lies its western boundary;
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there dwells the bull-bannered god, who bestows all desires. // 1
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At the tip of the conch is Nīlakaṇṭha; this krośa is exceedingly hard to attain.
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It is the supremely purifying sacred field of Nārāyaṇa himself. // 2
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From the waters of the ocean king up to the root of the banyan tree,
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the belly of the conch is inundated with ocean water. // 3
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By contact with this [field], the ocean here has attained the status of king of sacred fords.
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Just as the Lord grants liberation when he enters one's field of vision, // 4
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so this sacred field grants liberation upon death, and the ocean grants liberation through bathing.
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Formerly Rudra in anger cut off the fifth head of Brahmā; // 5
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holding that skull which was impossible to abandon, he wandered through the universe.
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When he arrived here, he released the skull of Brahmā. // 6
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The liṅga Kapālamocana is situated in the second fold [of the conch].
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Whoever sees, worships, and bows to Kapālamocana // 7
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casts off the sheath of sins such as the killing of a brahmin.
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And on its southern flank, death brings release from mundane existence. // 8
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Know, O Dharmarāja, my primordial śakti situated in the third fold, called Vimalā,
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who bestows the fruits of worldly enjoyment and liberation. // 9
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Whoever worships her with devotion, bows to her, or proclaims her glory,
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attains all desires, and finds liberation in the end. // 10
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In the region of the navel are situated these three: the pool, the banyan tree, and the all-pervading Lord.
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From Kapālamocana up to where Ardhāśinī is established, // 11
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one should know to be the middle of the conch, well protected by the discus-wielder.
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She consumes half the water swelled up by the great deluge. // 12
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At the beginning of creation, O Dharmarāja, this śakti of mine is commemorated as Ardhāṃśinī;
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whoever sees her and bows to her enjoys eternal pleasures. // 13
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From the water of the ocean king up to the root of the banyan tree,
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this [area] is held to grant liberation upon death to insects, birds, and men. // 14
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Indeed, this holy Antarvedī is desired even by the gods;
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for remaining here, they see all beings bearing the discus and the lotus. // 15
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Whatever sacred fords there are upon the earth, in the sky, and in heaven,
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numbering three and a half crores, which grant heaven and liberation, // 16
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among them this Puruṣottama is proclaimed the king of sacred fords.
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Among all sacred fields of liberation, this is held to bestow union [with the Divine]. // 17
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Staying here, they do not grieve even amidst old age, birth, and death.
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Indeed, this pool named Rohiṇa, filled with water named compassion,
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remains forever, granting release from bondage through its touch.
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In it is established the water that swells during the universal dissolution. // 19
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Right here it dissolves afterwards; therefore it is named Rohiṇa.
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Therefore, do not worry here over the overturning of your authority.
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Over those entitled to liberation here, you are not the ruler, O king of the dead.
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Having thus instructed Dharmarāja, Lakṣmī, the mother of the worlds,
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spoke in a respectful voice to Brahmā, who stood before her:
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"O Grandfather, O Lord of the World, all that is known [to you],
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declare this sacred field that grants liberation to all beings.
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And [declare] the guardian of the field named Kāmākhya, and Vimalā, who is established in austerity.
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This Nṛsiṃha, the very embodiment of Brahman, on the right side of the Lord,
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radiant with splendor, having torn open the chest of Hiraṇyakaśipu—
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by his darśana, sins are destroyed; of this there is no doubt.
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One becomes fit for enjoyment and liberation; no hesitation should be entertained here.
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Giving up one's life-breaths in front of him, one attains union with Brahman.
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Whatever rite one performs becomes multiplied millions and millions of times.
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This shade of the wish-fulfilling tree is illuminated by the sun that is Nṛsiṃha.
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In it, ignorance is truly destroyed at death, whether consciously or unconsciously.
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Even without those well-known realizations taught in the Vedāntas—hearing and the rest—
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which are difficult to attain for the foolish, O brahmins, liberation occurs here.
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In Avimukta, into the root of the ear of one desiring liberation, Maheśvara,
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the treasury of compassion, imparts the knowledge of Brahman, the means to awakening.
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Practicing through that with intellect, one gradually attains liberation;
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indeed, through the greatness of the teacher, his knowledge does not diminish.
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Those who abandon their life-breaths here, at that very moment indeed,
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liberation arises from their own true nature; let there be no doubt in you, O Yama!
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For foolish-minded performers of rituals attached to coming and going,
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O Vaivasvata, faith never arises here at any time.
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Abandoning water born of the Gaṅgā, sweet, cool, and very pure,
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a thirsty person goes to a muddy puddle; just like that are those foolish-minded ones.
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Leaving this supreme sacred field, they wander to other sacred fords;
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content with sweetmeats of palāśa leaves, they obtain a fruit born only of toil.
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The god [gives liberation] through ritual ablution, the ocean through sight, the wish-fulfilling tree through shade;
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and wherever one dies in this sacred field, it grants liberation to mortals.
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Whatever man places his faith in that object with devotion,
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he is liberated by that alone; there is truly no sacred ford like this.
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He who, having abandoned this, takes delight in another sacred ford,
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is surely deceived by the māyā of Viṣṇu, greedy with desire.
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There is no need for you to receive much instruction;
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directly perceived and experienced is this crow bearing the form of Viṣṇu.
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For the protection of the inner altar, eight powers are proclaimed.
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Formerly, through fierce austerity, I was meditated upon by Rudra.
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For the purpose of being his wife, Gaurī, his future consort,
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the abode of all beauty, was emitted by me from my body.
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Then she was instructed by me: 'O auspicious one, fulfill my wish:
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protect my inner altar on all sides with your own forms.'
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Out of affection for me, she stays situated eightfold in the directions:
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Maṅgalā at the root of the banyan tree, and Vimalā in the west;
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Sarvamaṅgalā is situated at the back of the conch;
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likewise, Ardhāṃśinī and Lambā are situated in the direction of Kubera;
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Kālarātri in the south, and Marīcikā in the east;
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and behind Kālarātri stands Caṇḍarūpā.
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Protected by these fiercely-formed powers,
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this place is very difficult to attain for a person of little merit.
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From the darśana and the praise of these eight powers,
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all sins are destroyed, and one obtains the fruit of a horse sacrifice.
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Seeing the eightfold division of Rudrāṇī, Rudra, who is Śaṃkara,
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dividing himself into eight, worshipped the supreme Lord.
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Having propitiated Viṣṇu through austerity, he asked for the supreme boon:
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'Wherever you are, O Lord, let me dwell there comfortably.
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Except for you, O beloved of Kamalā, there is no other cause of nirvāṇa.
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You are my Lord, the Inner Controller; without you, how could there be my body?'
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Those fools who do not know you delight in impure sense objects;
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O you who resemble the pure clear sky, I have gone to you for refuge. // 2.2.4.50
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Jaimini said:
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The Lord also, the all-pervading one, placed Rudra, the guardian of the field,
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all around, while he himself remained in the center: // 51
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Kapālamocana, named as the guardian of the field, Yameśvara,
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Mārkaṇḍeya, and likewise Īśāna, Bilveśa, Nīlakaṇṭha, // 52
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and Vaṭeśa at the root of the banyan tree—these eight liṅgas of the Great Lord,
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upon seeing, touching, and worshiping which one is fully liberated. // 53
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“And over those who die in this sacred field, Yama has no power;
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therefore accomplish elsewhere that purpose for which you have come.” // 54
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Even so, that Lord of the Universe who surrenders himself to his devotee,
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the Lord who removes the distress of the surrendered, was pleased with Yama by his devotion. // 55
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By means of the Sudarśana discus he will veil his divine power
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in this supreme sacred field that must never be abandoned, covered with golden sand. // 56
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Having deceived that Yama and sent him off to the abode of Yama,
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and deeming it well, she then said to Brahmā standing before her: // 57
Śrī said:
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“In the Kṛta age there will be a king named Indradyumna,
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a devotee of Viṣṇu, a performer of all sacrifices, and skilled in the sacred treatises. // 58
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Having come here, the best of kings will show great devotion;
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to please the Lord, a thousand horse-sacrifices // 59
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will be performed by that protector of subjects. For the sake of gracing him,
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arising from a single log of wood, he will manifest fourfold. // 2.2.4.60
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Viśvakarman will fashion the wooden images;
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and you, propitiated by Indradyumna, will indeed consecrate them. // 61
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O Grandfather, the fashioning and consecration
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of the images in that form will truly correspond to us.” // 62
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Having heard these words of Śrī, the four-faced [Brahmā] and Yama
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both went to their respective cities filled with supreme joy, // 63
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remembering again and again that majesty of the sacred field,
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their bodies bristling with horripilation out of wonder and delight. // 64
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Now, O sages, in that place, pleased by Indradyumna,
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the glorious Lord bearing the conch and discus, resembling a dark raincloud, // 65
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dwelling within the cave of Nīlācala, assuming a wooden body,
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resides for the welfare of the world together with Bala and Subhadrā, // 66
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accompanied by the Sudarśana discus fashioned of wood,
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he who destroys the afflictions of those bowed in homage, an ocean of compassion. // 67
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Upon seeing him, one is freed from the very firm bondage of sin;
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the fruition of a multitude of good deeds arrives all at once. // 68
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Behold, O best of sages, the treasure-trove of nectar for the three afflictions!
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Many indeed are the divine and human descents of Viṣṇu, // 69
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his exceedingly wonderful deeds and his majesty have been described;
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yet because of familiarity, even the gods do not esteem humans. // 2.2.4.70
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O brahmins, upon that wooden Hari,
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the minds of gods, asuras, humans, gandharvas, serpents, and rākṣasas, // 71
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and even of beasts, dwell—he who is the Self of all, bringing all happiness.
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They live on the bliss of him whose nature is non-different [from the Self]; // 72
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for Vedic speech says of Brahman: 'it is experienced right here.'
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He destroys the sufferings of worldly existence and bestows imperishable bliss; // 73
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therefore, Brahman made of wood is sung of in the Upaniṣads.
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An image made of mere wood never gives liberation anywhere; // 74
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O brahmins, uncreated reality is never attained through that which is created.
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How could uncreated liberation come from created wood? // 75
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Without a physical substrate, the sovereign power of Brahman is not perceived;
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this supreme secret is the unexcelled abode of Viṣṇu. // 76
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That extraordinary image was manifested as ordinary.
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Where has an image ever been heard or seen to speak? // 77
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He who possessed a wooden body then granted a boon to Indradyumna—
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he who is the sole refuge of the poor and helpless, a crossing over the ocean of existence, // 78
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whose feet are ever to be adored by all moving and unmoving beings, the supreme recourse.
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[Take refuge in] Nārāyaṇa, the womb of the universe, the cause of creation and destruction,
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the releaser from all sins, the shatterer of all calamities,
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the dispenser of glories, the choice of all yogins,
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the sustainer of all beings, the bearer even of the worlds,
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the speaker of all languages, the rebuker of all evildoers,
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the drier of all mud, Hari who has his refuge on the Blue Mountain (Nīlādri).
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O sages, go for refuge indeed to that all-pervading Lord, who has no other refuge [above him]!
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Though motionless and having a wooden body, he displays divine pastimes;
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even by a slight devotion he forgives a hundred offenses of men.
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Here I will tell you a story that destroys sin,
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concerning the sport of the Supreme Self with a wooden body, O sages.
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Born in Kurukṣetra, both a brahmin and a kṣatriya,
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became companions and went about in affection, taking their food and amusements together.
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Fallen from proper conduct, collectors of forbidden things, utterly deluded,
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devoid of Vedic recitation and the vaṣaṭ call, abandoned by the svadhā and svāhā utterances,
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unworthy vessels for virtue, corrupted by great sins,
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eating wine, dwelling together with courtesans, filled with lust,
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thought for the next world never occurred to them even in a dream.
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Living in this manner, they passed half of their lifespan.
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Once, as they wandered, they came upon a sacrificial enclosure,
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hearing from afar enchanting hymns and the sound of the scriptures.
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Seeing all those various rites enjoined by the Vedas, O brahmins,
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those two unrighteous men then developed faith in the path of righteousness.
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Remembering their own castes, the two, Puṇḍarīka and Ambarīṣa,
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censuring their own wicked conduct, spoke to each other:
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“How shall we two cross over the terrible ocean of misdeeds
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accumulated intentionally in this very life, never decaying?
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Indeed, no scripture knows what misdeed we two have committed;
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an expiation for such dread [sin] as we have heaped up is very hard to find.
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Nevertheless, approaching these brahmins gathered in the assembly, most devoted to Brahman,
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having resorted to them with prostrations, let us ask here for an expiation.”
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Having so decided, the two saluted the brahmins and questioned them,
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duly confessing each their own impurities again and again.
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Hearing their words, those excellent brahmins closed their eyes;
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they did not speak anything, looking at one another with astonished faces:
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“Ah, most terrible deeds have been amassed by these two wicked souls,
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in which scripture is not competent to lay down a step for expiation!
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Therefore, we are not able to provide an expiation for these two.”
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In their midst was an eminent leader of the assembly, an eminent Vaiṣṇava,
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whose impurities had been completely destroyed by the greatness of devotion to the Blessed Lord.
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Smiling, that best of those who know speech spoke this word to them:
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Linked texts (1)
- Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit