“Victory, victory! O Lord who dwell in the heart-abodes of beings of the three worlds; who destroy the collection of sins; whose pair of lotus-feet is praised by all gods; who shatter the dense forest of foes with the fragrance [of your virtues]; who shine forth, illumined by the tips of millions of crowns of all gods and demons; who, like a moon dispelling the dense veil of darkness from the hearts of your devotees, possess feet that remove the mass of threefold torments; whose renown of threefold forms is manifested by the play of the creation, sustenance, and dissolution of the universe; who, like the sun manifesting all the worlds, are recognized as the bee on the lotus-heart of your devotees; whose mind is illumined by all the Vedas; who are praised by your devotees and sages; the water from whose toenails purifies [all]; whose foot-dust, praised by the minds of celestial sages, is the essence of grace; O Lord of the worlds, salutations to you, salutations to you! 10

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And furthermore:

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Accompanied by the eight powers, wearing a forest garland, adorned with yellow garments and rows of flowers,

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whose feet are adorned with lotus pools—may he whose senses are attentive protect me! 11

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Whose form shines in the lotus-heart of devotees, whose fame arose from destroying wicked daityas,

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who built the bridge [to Laṅkā], who protects the people surrendered to him—may the Lord of the world protect me day after day! 12

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Who is the cooling moon to the threefold heat of moving and unmoving beings, who has the brilliance of the blazing sun,

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who alone assumes many forms through his māyā—may the Lord of great wisdom protect [me]! 13

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Who assumed a form for the sake of his devotees' meditation, who restrained many kings through his childhood [exploits],

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who extensively establishes welfare along the path of the Vedas—such is the virtue-endowed way of the Ruler. 14

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The enjoyer of sacrifices, who holds the binding of hearts, whose form is the universe, who stole the garments of the cowherd women,

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possessing many bodies even in protecting the great—may he who danced the rāsa protect us mortals! 15

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Attainable by men endowed with loving devotion, the Supreme Person who has made his dwelling in all,

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delighted with the multitude of servants, whose glance alone is compassion to his servant—may he protect the universe! 16

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With the tips of hyena claws hanging from his neck scratching the mass of the breasts of the cowherd maidens,

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who sportingly assumed this attire with the young maidens—may this Śeṣa be for our tranquility! 17

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Holding a staff in hand, the punisher of those men whose welfare was spoken through self-control,

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following [the path] for the purification of the great, the dispeller of the sorrow of the world—may he be [gracious] to us! 18”

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Thus praised directly by the great-souled Garuḍa,

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[Hari] then invoked for worship this Gaṅgā who flows along three paths. 19

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Then she appeared in visible form with five faces upon the mountain;

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with that water the son of Vinatā offered water for the feet and the respectful offering. 20

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When Garuḍa was then told by Hari, “Choose a boon,”

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[he said:] “May I be your sole mount, glorious, endowed with strength, vigour, and valour,

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and unconquerable by gods and daityas, through your grace! 21

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May this rock, known by my name, take away all sins;

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and by remembering it, may men never suffer from the illness of poison!” 22

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Having spoken thus, the son of Vinatā then became silent.

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Saying “Om,” Viṣṇu then spoke these beneficial words: 23

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“Go to Badarī, which is frequented by Nārada.

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Pure, having performed a ritual ablution at the tīrtha of Nārada and others, and having fasted for three days,

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the darśana of me there will easily be attained by you.” 24

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Having said this, Viṣṇu disappeared like a flash of lightning.

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Garuḍa, however, then went swiftly with joy to Badarī. 25

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Having reached the Vahnitīrtha and resorting to the rock, intent on that,

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having bathed in the Nāradatīrthas, he then performed the observance of vows. 26

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Then, having seen the Blessed One's presence at the Nāradatīrtha,

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and having bowed down according to the rules, he went to his city by his command. 27

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From that time forward, this rock is known in the three worlds as Gāruḍī. 28

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Skanda said:

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“O Lord of lords, tell me, of what nature is the māhātmya of Vārāhī [rock]?

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What is its religious merit, what is its fruit, and how did it obtain that name?” 29

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Śiva said:

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“Having lifted the earth up from the underworld Rasātala, and having killed in battle

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Hiraṇyākṣa, the enemy of the gods, he came to Badarī. 30

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Remaining until the end of the kalpa by holding meditative yoga,

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the Great God established his stay on account of Badarī's excellence alone. 31

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The Blessed One indeed took up his stay there in the form of a rock.

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Having gone there and bathed in the pure water of the Gaṅgā, a mortal 32

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having given a gift according to one's ability, with a tranquil mind in the waters of the Gaṅgā,

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staying for a day and a night, he should recite [mantras] with a one-pointed mind.

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A vision of the deity in the rock arises for that man.

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What is the use of saying much here? Whatever the spiritual practitioner says

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is accomplished quickly for him, even if it may be very difficult to do.

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Skanda said:

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Tell me, O Lord, the māhātmya of the Nārasiṃhī rock;

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by your grace, O Mahādeva, I have heard what is rarely obtained.

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Śiva said:

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Having slain Hiraṇyakaśipu merely with the tip of his claw in effortless play,

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his body blazed with the fire of wrath, resembling the fire of cosmic dissolution.

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Then, having gathered and stood at a distance, the compassionate gods

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praised that Lord God, who assumed this form in play.

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Then pleased, Hari of fierce valor, who pervaded the foremost of gods and asuras with his own splendor,

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spoke: “Choose from me a boon, the sole cause of liberation and happiness for the gods!”

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Then the lord of asuras [Prahlāda], with a face adorned with a smile, spoke these words:

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“Withdraw your extremely fierce form that brings terror to all embodied beings, O Narasiṃha!”

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Having divided this [form] in many ways according to rule, and having deposited his divine manifestation in the rocks and mountains,

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he said: “What duty shall I perform for you? I am pleased, O gods, harassers of foes!”

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Then the immortals said: “O you whose cosmic body agitated the universe with this very form,

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a four-armed state that is tranquil and brings inward joy is the boon desired by us.”

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Then Hari, observing the universe with a divine glance, went to Viśālā;

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playing in the water of the Gaṅgā with a concentrated mind, the Lord spoke to the gods and asuras.

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Then the immortals, their fear allayed, beholding this god standing in the midst of the water,

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having bowed down and circumambulated [him], with established devotion, then returned in due order to their own abode.

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Then all the ṛṣis rich in austerity arrived, bowed low under the weight of devotion;

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with joined palms they praised Nṛsiṃha, Hari of exceedingly wondrous valor, with words:

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The ṛṣis said:

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“Salutations, salutations to you, O Sovereign of the worlds, Lord of all, Bestower of fearlessness to all, Manifestation of the universe!

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O Ocean of mercy, whose lotus feet are a sacred ford to be served, Lord of Śrī, bestow your compassion!

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You are the one who appears diverse through your own māyā, just as milk in pots is differentiated by limiting adjuncts;

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O you who assume manifold forms according to the wish of your devotees, be pleased, O Universal-Faced One, Creator of the universe!”

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Then the blessed Lord Nṛsiṃha, who possesses the valor of a lion, was pleased,

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and spoke pleasant words: “Let a boon be chosen from me!”

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The ṛṣis said:

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“If you are pleased out of compassion, O Lord of the worlds,

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Viśālā must not be abandoned; this is the boon desired by us.”

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“Let it be so.” Then all the ṛṣis went to their own hermitage,

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and Nṛsiṃha too, in the form of a rock, became intent on sporting in the water.

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Having observed a fast of three [days], devoted to recitation and meditation,

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one sees him who has the form of Nṛsiṃha directly before one's eyes; of this there is no doubt.

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Whatever mortal hears this with faith, or narrates it while pure,

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freed from all sins, attains an abode in Vaikuṇṭha.

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Thus ends the fourth chapter, titled ‘Description of the Māhātmya of the Garuḍa Rock, the Vārāhī Rock, and the Nārasiṃhī Rock,’ in the dialogue between Śiva and Kārttikeya, in the Badarikāśramamāhātmya, in the second section, the Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa, in the Mahāpurāṇa of Śrī Skanda containing eighty-one thousand verses.

Linked texts (1)

Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit