Svarga-khaṇḍa · Chapter 50
Sourceऋषय ऊचुः- भवता कथितं सर्वं यत्किंचित्पृष्टमेव च । इदानीमपि पृच्छाम एकं वद महामते १। एतेषां खलु तीर्थानां सेवनाद्यत्फलं लभेत् । सर्वेषां किल कृत्वैकं कर्म केन च लभ्यते २। एतन्नो ब्रूहि सर्वज्ञ कर्मैवं यदि वर्तते । सूत उवाच- कर्मयोगः किल प्रोक्तो वर्णानां द्विजपूर्वशः ३। नानाविधो महाभागास्तत्र चैकं विशिष्यते । हरिभक्तिः कृता येन मनसा वचसा गिरा ४। जितं तेन जितं तेन जितमेव न संशयः । हरिरेव समाराध्यः सर्वदेवेश्वरेश्वरः ५। हरिनाममहामंत्रैर्नश्येत्पापपिशाचकम् । हरेः प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा सकृदप्यमलाशयाः ६। सर्वतीर्थसमाप्लावं लभंते यन्न संशयः । प्रतिमां च हरेर्दृष्ट्वा सर्वतीर्थफलं लभेत् ७। विष्णुनामपरं जप्त्वा सर्वमंत्रफलं लभेत् । विष्णुप्रसादतुलसीमाघ्राय द्विजसत्तमाः ८। प्रचंडं विकरालं तद्यमस्यास्यं न पश्यति । सकृत्प्रणामी कृष्णस्य मातुः स्तन्यं पिबेन्नहि ९। हरिपादे मनो येषां तेभ्यो नित्यं नमोनमः । पुल्कसः श्वपचो वापि ये चान्ये म्लेच्छजातयः १०। तेऽपि वंद्या महाभागा हरिपादैकसेवकाः । किं पुनर्ब्राह्मणाः पुण्या भक्ता राजर्षयस्तथा ११। हरौ भक्तिं विधायैव गर्भवासं न पश्यति । हरेरग्रे स्वनैरुच्चैर्नृत्यंस्तन्नामकृन्नरः १२। पुनाति भुवनं विप्रा गंगादि सलिलं यथा । दर्शनात्स्पर्शनात्तस्य आलापादपि भक्तितः १३। ब्रह्महत्यादिभिः पापैर्मुच्यते नात्र संशयः । हरेः प्रदक्षिणं कुर्वन्नुच्चैस्तन्नामकृन्नरः १४। करतालादिसंधानं सुस्वरं कलशब्दितम् । ब्रह्महत्यादिकं पापं तेनैव करतालितम् १५। हरिभक्तिकथामुक्त्वा ख्यायिकां शृणुयाच्च यः । तस्य संदर्शनादेव पूतो भवति मानवः १६। किं पुनस्तस्य पापानामाशंका मुनिपुंगवाः । तीर्थानां च परं तीर्थं कृष्णनाम महर्षयः १७। तीर्थीकुर्वंति जगतीं गृहीतं कृष्णनाम यैः । तस्मान्मुनिवराः पुण्यं नातः परतरं विदुः १८। विष्णुप्रसादनिर्माल्यं भुक्त्वा धृत्वा च मस्तके । विष्णुरेव भवेन्मर्त्यो यमशोकविनाशनः १९। अर्चनीयो नमस्कार्यो हरिरेव न संशयः । ये महाविष्णुमव्यक्तं देवं वापि महेश्वरम् २०। एकीभावेन पश्यंति न तेषां पुनरुद्भवः । तस्मादनादिनिधनं विष्णुमात्मानमव्ययम् २१। हरिं चैकं प्रपश्यध्वं पूजयध्वं तथैव हि । ये समानं प्रपश्यंति हरिं वै देवतांतरम् २२। ते यांति नरकान्घोरांन्न तांस्तु गणयेद्धीरः । मूर्खं वा पंडितं वापि ब्राह्मणं केशवप्रियम् २३। श्वपाकं वा मोचयति नारायणः स्वयं प्रभुः । नारायणात्परो नास्ति पापराशि दवानलः २४। कृत्वापि पातकं घोरं कृष्णनाम्ना विमुच्यते । स्वयं नारायणो देवः स्वनाम्नि जगतां गुरुः २५। आत्मनोऽभ्यधिकां शक्तिं स्थापयामास सुव्रताः । अत्र ये विवदंते वै आयासलघुदर्शनात् २६। फलानां गौरवाच्चापि ते यांति नरकं बहु । तस्माद्धरौ भक्तिमान्स्याद्धरिनामपरायणः २७। पूजकं पृष्ठतो रक्षेन्नामिनं वक्षसि प्रभुः । हरिनाममहावज्रं पापपर्वतदारणे २८। तस्य पादौ तु सफलौ तदर्थं गतिशालिनौ । तावेव धन्यावाख्यातौ यौ तु पूजाकरौ करौ २९। उत्तमांगमुत्तमांगं तद्धरौ नम्रमेव यत् । सा जिह्वा या हरिं स्तौति तन्मनस्तत्पदानुगम् ३०। तानि लोमानि चोच्यंते यानि तन्नाम्नि चोत्थितम् । कुर्वंति तच्च नेत्रांबु यदच्युतप्रसंगतः ३१। अहो लोका अतितरां दैवदोषेण वंचिताः । नामोच्चारणमात्रेण मुक्तिदं न भजंति वै ३२। वंचितास्ते च कलुषाः स्त्रीणां संगप्रसंगतः । प्रतिष्ठंति च लोमानि येषां नो कृष्णशब्दने ३३। ते मूर्खा ह्यकृतात्मानः पुत्रशोकादि विह्वलाः । रुदंति बहुलालापैर्न कृष्णाक्षरकीर्तने ३४। जिह्वां लब्ध्वापि लोकेऽस्मिन्कृष्णनामजपेन्नहि । लब्ध्वापि मुक्तिसोपानं हेलयैव च्यवंति ते ३५। तस्माद्यत्नेन वै विष्णुं कर्मयोगेन मानवः । कर्मयोगार्च्चितो विष्णुः प्रसीदत्येव नान्यथा ३६। तीर्थादप्यधिकं तीर्थं विष्णोर्भजनमुच्यते । सर्वेषां खलु तीर्थानां स्नानपानावगाहनैः ३७। यत्फलं लभते मर्त्यस्तत्फलं कृष्णसेवनात् । यजंते कर्मयोगेन धन्या एव नरा हरिम् ३८। तस्माद्भजध्वं मुनयः कृष्णं परममंगलम् ३९। इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे विष्णुभक्तिप्रशंसनं नाम पंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः ५०।
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ- bhavatā kathitaṃ sarvaṃ yatkiṃcitpṛṣṭameva ca | idānīmapi pṛcchāma ekaṃ vada mahāmate 1| eteṣāṃ khalu tīrthānāṃ sevanādyatphalaṃ labhet | sarveṣāṃ kila kṛtvaikaṃ karma kena ca labhyate 2| etanno brūhi sarvajña karmaivaṃ yadi vartate | sūta uvāca- karmayogaḥ kila prokto varṇānāṃ dvijapūrvaśaḥ 3| nānāvidho mahābhāgāstatra caikaṃ viśiṣyate | haribhaktiḥ kṛtā yena manasā vacasā girā 4| jitaṃ tena jitaṃ tena jitameva na saṃśayaḥ | harireva samārādhyaḥ sarvadeveśvareśvaraḥ 5| harināmamahāmaṃtrairnaśyetpāpapiśācakam | hareḥ pradakṣiṇaṃ kṛtvā sakṛdapyamalāśayāḥ 6| sarvatīrthasamāplāvaṃ labhaṃte yanna saṃśayaḥ | pratimāṃ ca harerdṛṣṭvā sarvatīrthaphalaṃ labhet 7| viṣṇunāmaparaṃ japtvā sarvamaṃtraphalaṃ labhet | viṣṇuprasādatulasīmāghrāya dvijasattamāḥ 8| pracaṃḍaṃ vikarālaṃ tadyamasyāsyaṃ na paśyati | sakṛtpraṇāmī kṛṣṇasya mātuḥ stanyaṃ pibennahi 9| haripāde mano yeṣāṃ tebhyo nityaṃ namonamaḥ | pulkasaḥ śvapaco vāpi ye cānye mlecchajātayaḥ 10| te'pi vaṃdyā mahābhāgā haripādaikasevakāḥ | kiṃ punarbrāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayastathā 11| harau bhaktiṃ vidhāyaiva garbhavāsaṃ na paśyati | hareragre svanairuccairnṛtyaṃstannāmakṛnnaraḥ 12| punāti bhuvanaṃ viprā gaṃgādi salilaṃ yathā | darśanātsparśanāttasya ālāpādapi bhaktitaḥ 13| brahmahatyādibhiḥ pāpairmucyate nātra saṃśayaḥ | hareḥ pradakṣiṇaṃ kurvannuccaistannāmakṛnnaraḥ 14| karatālādisaṃdhānaṃ susvaraṃ kalaśabditam | brahmahatyādikaṃ pāpaṃ tenaiva karatālitam 15| haribhaktikathāmuktvā khyāyikāṃ śṛṇuyācca yaḥ | tasya saṃdarśanādeva pūto bhavati mānavaḥ 16| kiṃ punastasya pāpānāmāśaṃkā munipuṃgavāḥ | tīrthānāṃ ca paraṃ tīrthaṃ kṛṣṇanāma maharṣayaḥ 17| tīrthīkurvaṃti jagatīṃ gṛhītaṃ kṛṣṇanāma yaiḥ | tasmānmunivarāḥ puṇyaṃ nātaḥ parataraṃ viduḥ 18| viṣṇuprasādanirmālyaṃ bhuktvā dhṛtvā ca mastake | viṣṇureva bhavenmartyo yamaśokavināśanaḥ 19| arcanīyo namaskāryo harireva na saṃśayaḥ | ye mahāviṣṇumavyaktaṃ devaṃ vāpi maheśvaram 20| ekībhāvena paśyaṃti na teṣāṃ punarudbhavaḥ | tasmādanādinidhanaṃ viṣṇumātmānamavyayam 21| hariṃ caikaṃ prapaśyadhvaṃ pūjayadhvaṃ tathaiva hi | ye samānaṃ prapaśyaṃti hariṃ vai devatāṃtaram 22| te yāṃti narakānghorāṃnna tāṃstu gaṇayeddhīraḥ | mūrkhaṃ vā paṃḍitaṃ vāpi brāhmaṇaṃ keśavapriyam 23| śvapākaṃ vā mocayati nārāyaṇaḥ svayaṃ prabhuḥ | nārāyaṇātparo nāsti pāparāśi davānalaḥ 24| kṛtvāpi pātakaṃ ghoraṃ kṛṣṇanāmnā vimucyate | svayaṃ nārāyaṇo devaḥ svanāmni jagatāṃ guruḥ 25| ātmano'bhyadhikāṃ śaktiṃ sthāpayāmāsa suvratāḥ | atra ye vivadaṃte vai āyāsalaghudarśanāt 26| phalānāṃ gauravāccāpi te yāṃti narakaṃ bahu | tasmāddharau bhaktimānsyāddharināmaparāyaṇaḥ 27| pūjakaṃ pṛṣṭhato rakṣennāminaṃ vakṣasi prabhuḥ | harināmamahāvajraṃ pāpaparvatadāraṇe 28| tasya pādau tu saphalau tadarthaṃ gatiśālinau | tāveva dhanyāvākhyātau yau tu pūjākarau karau 29| uttamāṃgamuttamāṃgaṃ taddharau namrameva yat | sā jihvā yā hariṃ stauti tanmanastatpadānugam 30| tāni lomāni cocyaṃte yāni tannāmni cotthitam | kurvaṃti tacca netrāṃbu yadacyutaprasaṃgataḥ 31| aho lokā atitarāṃ daivadoṣeṇa vaṃcitāḥ | nāmoccāraṇamātreṇa muktidaṃ na bhajaṃti vai 32| vaṃcitāste ca kaluṣāḥ strīṇāṃ saṃgaprasaṃgataḥ | pratiṣṭhaṃti ca lomāni yeṣāṃ no kṛṣṇaśabdane 33| te mūrkhā hyakṛtātmānaḥ putraśokādi vihvalāḥ | rudaṃti bahulālāpairna kṛṣṇākṣarakīrtane 34| jihvāṃ labdhvāpi loke'sminkṛṣṇanāmajapennahi | labdhvāpi muktisopānaṃ helayaiva cyavaṃti te 35| tasmādyatnena vai viṣṇuṃ karmayogena mānavaḥ | karmayogārccito viṣṇuḥ prasīdatyeva nānyathā 36| tīrthādapyadhikaṃ tīrthaṃ viṣṇorbhajanamucyate | sarveṣāṃ khalu tīrthānāṃ snānapānāvagāhanaiḥ 37| yatphalaṃ labhate martyastatphalaṃ kṛṣṇasevanāt | yajaṃte karmayogena dhanyā eva narā harim 38| tasmādbhajadhvaṃ munayaḥ kṛṣṇaṃ paramamaṃgalam 39| iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe svargakhaṃḍe viṣṇubhaktipraśaṃsanaṃ nāma paṃcāśattamo'dhyāyaḥ 50|
English translation
The sages said :
1-3a. You have told (i.e. explained) all that was asked. Now also we (want to) ask one (thing only). O you very intelligent one, (please) tell it. O you who know everything, tell us what fruit a man would obtain by resorting to these holy places. So also tell us by doing which one act (the fruit of visiting) all (these holy places) is had; tell us if there is such an act.
Sūta said :
3b-4a. O illustrious ones, formerly, beginning with the brāhmaṇa (caste), the worldly and religious rites of various kinds for the castes were prescribed. Only one is superior.
4b-17a. There is no doubt that one who has devotion to Viṣṇu , has undoubtedly conquered (everything). Hari , the lord of the lord of all gods, should alone be propitiated. The goblin of sin would perish by means of the great sacred hymns in the form of the (various) names of Viṣṇu. There is no doubt that those with pure hearts, going round Viṣṇu even once, get (the fruit of) having bathed at all holy places. A man would obtain the fruit of (having visited) all holy places by seeing Viṣṇu’s image. Muttering the excellent name of Viṣṇu a man would obtain (the fruit) of having muttered all sacred hymns. A man, having smelt tulasī , the grace of Viṣṇu, does not see, O best brāhmaṇas , the huge and terrible face of Yama . A man, having (but) once saluted Kṛṣṇa (i.e. Viṣṇu) does not drink the mother’s milk (i.e. is not reborn). I always repeatedly salute them whose mind is (fixed) in the feet of Viṣṇu. Even pulkasas , cāṇḍālas or other mlecha tribes, who serve the feet of Viṣṇu alone are fit to be saluted. Then what about meritorious and devoted brāhmaṇas and royal sages? Having put devotion unto (i.e. being devoted to) Viṣṇu, a man does not see (i.e. experience) confinement in the womb (i.e. is not reborn). O brāhmaṇas, a man who with high sounds (i.e. loudly) utters the name of Viṣṇu, purifies the world as does the water of Gaṅgā etc. There is no doubt that a man is freed from sins like the murder of a brāhmaṇa by seeing (the image of), touching (the feet of), reciting (the name of) and devotion (to Viṣṇu). Circumambulating (the idol of) Hari, and loudly uttering his names in a sweet and melodious voice accompanied with clapping of the hands, a man has struck the sin of murder of a brāhmaṇa etc. (off) his hands. A man becomes pure by just seeing him who having narrated his story, would listen to a narrative about him. Then, O best sages, how can there be the slightest doubt about his sins?
17b-39. O great sages, Viṣṇu’s name is the best holy place of all the holy places. Those who have uttered the name of Kṛṣṇa (i.e. Viṣṇu) make the (entire) world a holy place. Therefore, O best sages, they consider nothing more meritorious than this. A man using (i.e. who uses) and holding (i.e. who holds) on his head the remains of an offering of flowers to Viṣṇu, would just become Viṣṇu, the destroyer of grief due to Yama. Undoubtedly Viṣṇu (alone) is to be worshipped and saluted. Those who look upon the great Viṣṇu and the unmanifest Maheśvara as identical, have no rebirth. Therefore, see and worship Viṣṇu only who has no beginning or end, who is the soul (of everything), and who is unmanifest. Those who look upon Viṣṇu and another deity as equal, go to terrible hells. Viṣṇu would not care for them. Viṣṇu, the lord, himself liberates a fool or a cāṇḍāla to whom Viṣṇu is dear. There is none greater than Viṣṇu, the wildfire for (i.e. burning) heaps of sins. A man even after having committed a terrible sin, is freed by the name of Viṣṇu. O you of good vows, god Viṣṇu, the father of the worlds, has put greater strength than himself into his name. Those who, on seeing lesser exertion with greater fruit in this dispute it (its efficacy), go to many hells. Therefore a man looking highly upon Viṣṇu’s name, should be devoted to Hari. The lord would protect a worshipper from behind (i.e. secretly), and him who recites his name in the chest (i.e. from the front, i.e. openly). The name of Viṣṇu is a great destructive weapon like the thunderbolt in rending the mountain of sins. His feet are fruitful and move for that (only). The hands that worship him are alone said to be blessed. That head which bends before Hari (i.e. Viṣṇu) is the best part of the body. That is (really) the tongue that extols Viṣṇu. That (alone) is the mind, which follows his feet. That alone is the hair which bristles at the utterance of his name. Those (alone) are tears that are shed due to Viṣṇu’s devotion. Oh, the people are very much duped by their blemishes, (since) they do not resort to (him) by merely uttering his names. Those men also who are sinful due to contact with women, and whose hair does not stand on end at the utterance (of the name) of Kṛṣṇa, are duped. Those are fools who are not pure in mind, and who are afflicted by the grief due to (the death of) their sons etc., weep with various wailings and not at the utterance of the words about Kṛṣṇa. Those who though having got a tongue do not mutter the name of Viṣṇu, easily fall even after having secured the staircase to salvation. Therefore, a man should carefully (please) Viṣṇu by means of worldly and religious rites. Viṣṇu propitiated with worldly and religious rites, is pleased, not otherwise. The worship of Viṣṇu is said to be a holier place than a holy place. A man obtains that fruit by serving Viṣṇu which he obtains by bathing at and drinking (the water from) all the holy places. Only blessed men worship Viṣṇu by means of worldly and religious rites. Therefore, O sages, worship Kṛṣṇa (i.e. Viṣṇu), who is extremely auspicious.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 43428, revision 335716 (2022-04-13T10:20:32Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365269.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.