Kārttikamāsa-māhātmya · Chapter 26
Source।। नारद उवाच ।। ।। इत्थं तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा धर्मदत्तः सविस्मयः ।। प्रणम्य दण्डवद्भूमौ वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ।। १ ।। ।। ।। धर्मदत्त उवाच ।। ।। आराधयंति सर्वेऽपि विष्णुं भक्ताऽर्तिनाशनम् ।। यज्ञैर्दानैर्व्रतैस्तीर्थैस्तपोभिश्च यथाविधि।।२।। विष्णुप्रीतिकरं तेषां किंचित्सान्निध्यकारकम् ।। यत्कृत्वा तानि चीर्णानि सर्वाण्यपि भवंति हि ।। ३ ।। ।। गणावूचतुः ।। ।। साधु पृष्टं त्वया विप्र शृणुष्वैकाग्रमानसः ।। सेतिहासकथां पुण्यां कथ्यमानां पुराभवाम् ।। ४ ।। कांचिपुर्यां पुरा चोलश्चक्रवर्ती नृपोऽभवत् ।। यस्याख्ययैव ते देशाश्चोला इति प्रथां गताः ।। ५ ।। यस्मिञ्छासति भूचक्रं दरिद्रो वाऽपि दुःखितः।। पापबुद्धिः सरुग्वापि नैव कश्चिदभून्नरः ।।६।। यस्याप्युन्नतयज्ञस्य ताम्रपर्ण्यास्तटावुभौ ।। सुवर्णयूपैः शोभाढ्यावास्तां चैत्ररथोपमौ ।। ७ ।। स कदाचिदगाद्राजा ह्यनंतशयनं द्विज ।। यत्राऽसौ जगतां नाथो योगनिद्रामुपाश्रितः।। ६ ।। तत्र श्रीरमणं देवं संपूज्य विधिवन्नृपः ।। मणिमुक्ताफलैर्दिव्यैः स्वर्णपुष्पैश्च शोभनैः ।। ९ ।। प्रणम्य दण्डवद्भूमावुपविष्टः स तत्र वै ।। तावद्ब्राह्मणमायांतमपश्यद्देवसन्निधौ ।। 2.4.26.१० ।। देवार्चनार्थं पाणौ तु तुलस्युदकधारिणम्।। स्वपुरीवासिनं तत्र विष्णुदासाह्वयं द्विजम् ।। ११ ।। स तत्राभ्येत्य विप्रर्षिर्देवदेवमपूजयत् ।। विष्णुसूक्तेन संस्नाप्य तुलसीमंजरीदलैः ।। १२ ।। तुलसीपूजया तस्य रत्नपूजां पुरा कृताम् ।। आच्छादितां समालोक्य राजा कुद्धोऽब्रवीदिदम्।। १३ ।। ।। चोल उवाच ।। ।। माणिक्यस्वर्णपूजाऽत्र शोभाढ्या या कृता मया ।। विष्णुदास कथं सेयमाच्छन्ना तुलसीदलैः ।। १४ ।। विष्णुभक्तिं न जानासि वराकोऽसि मतो मम ।। यस्त्विमामतिशोभाढ्यां पूजामाच्छादयस्यहो ।। ।। १५ ।। इति तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा सक्रोधः स द्विजोत्तमः ।। राज्ञो गौरवमुल्लंघ्य जगाद वचनं तदा ।। १६ ।। ।। विष्णुदास उवाच ।। ।। राजन्भक्तिं न जानासि गर्वितोऽसि नृपश्रिया ।। कियद्विष्णुव्रतं पूर्वं त्वया चीर्णं वदस्व तत् ।। १७ ।। ।।गणावूचतुः।। तद्ब्राह्मणवचः श्रुत्वा प्रहस्य स नृपोत्तमः।। विष्णुदासं तदा गर्वादुवाच वचनं द्विजम्।। १८।। ।।राजोवाच।। इत्थं चेद्वदसे विप्र विष्णुभक्त्याऽतिगर्वितः।। भक्तिस्ते कियती विष्णोर्दरिद्रस्याऽधनस्य च ।।१९।। यज्ञदानादिकं नैव विष्णोस्तुष्टिकरं कृतम् ।। नाऽपि देवालयं पूर्वं कृतं विप्र त्वया क्वचित् ।। 2.4.26.२० ।। ईदृशस्याऽपि ते गर्व एष तिष्ठति भक्तितः ।। तच्छृण्वंतु वचो मेऽद्य सर्वेऽप्येते द्विजातयः ।। २१ ।। साक्षात्कारमहं विष्णोरेष वादो गमिष्यति ।। पश्यंतु सर्वेऽपि ततो भक्तिं ज्ञास्यंति चावयोः ।। २२ ।। ।। गणावूचतुः ।। ।। इत्युक्त्वा स नृपोऽगच्छन्निजराजगृहं तदा ।। आरभद्वैष्णवं सत्रं कृत्वाऽऽचार्यं तु मुद्गलम् ।। २३ ।। ऋषिसंघसमाजुष्टं बह्वन्नं बहुदक्षिणम् ।। यच्च ब्रह्मकृतं पूर्वं गयाक्षेत्रे समृद्धिमत् ।। २४ ।। विष्णुदासोऽपि तत्रैव तस्थौ देवालये व्रती ।। यथोक्तनियमान्कुर्वन्विष्णोस्तुष्टिकरान्सदा ।। २५ ।। माघोर्जयोर्व्रतं सम्यक्तुलसीवनपालनम् ।। एकादश्यां हरेर्जाप्यं द्वादशाक्षरविद्यया ।। २६ ।। उपचारैः षोडशभिर्नृत्यगीतादिमंगलैः ।। नित्यं विष्णोस्तथा पूजां व्रतान्येतानि सोऽकरोत् ।। २७ ।। नित्यं संस्मरणं विष्णोर्गच्छन्भुवि स्वपन्नपि ।। सर्वभूतस्थितं विष्णुमपश्यत्समदर्शनः ।। ।। २८ ।। माघकार्तिकयोर्नित्यं विशेषनियमानपि ।। अकरोद्विष्णुतुष्ट्यर्थं सोद्यापनविधिं तथा ।। २९ ।। एवं समाराधयतोः श्रियः पतिं तयोश्च चोलेश्वरविष्णुदासयोः ।। अगाद्धि कालः सुमहान्व्रतस्थयोस्तन्निष्ठसर्वेंद्रियकर्मणोस्तदा ।। 2.4.26.३० ।। इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां द्वितीये वैष्णवखण्डे कार्तिकमासमाहात्म्ये चोलराजविष्णुदासब्राह्मणविवादकथनंनाम षड्विंशोऽध्यायः ।। २६ ।।
|| nārada uvāca || || itthaṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā dharmadattaḥ savismayaḥ || praṇamya daṇḍavadbhūmau vākyametaduvāca ha || 1 || || || dharmadatta uvāca || || ārādhayaṃti sarve'pi viṣṇuṃ bhaktā'rtināśanam || yajñairdānairvrataistīrthaistapobhiśca yathāvidhi||2|| viṣṇuprītikaraṃ teṣāṃ kiṃcitsānnidhyakārakam || yatkṛtvā tāni cīrṇāni sarvāṇyapi bhavaṃti hi || 3 || || gaṇāvūcatuḥ || || sādhu pṛṣṭaṃ tvayā vipra śṛṇuṣvaikāgramānasaḥ || setihāsakathāṃ puṇyāṃ kathyamānāṃ purābhavām || 4 || kāṃcipuryāṃ purā colaścakravartī nṛpo'bhavat || yasyākhyayaiva te deśāścolā iti prathāṃ gatāḥ || 5 || yasmiñchāsati bhūcakraṃ daridro vā'pi duḥkhitaḥ|| pāpabuddhiḥ sarugvāpi naiva kaścidabhūnnaraḥ ||6|| yasyāpyunnatayajñasya tāmraparṇyāstaṭāvubhau || suvarṇayūpaiḥ śobhāḍhyāvāstāṃ caitrarathopamau || 7 || sa kadācidagādrājā hyanaṃtaśayanaṃ dvija || yatrā'sau jagatāṃ nātho yoganidrāmupāśritaḥ|| 6 || tatra śrīramaṇaṃ devaṃ saṃpūjya vidhivannṛpaḥ || maṇimuktāphalairdivyaiḥ svarṇapuṣpaiśca śobhanaiḥ || 9 || praṇamya daṇḍavadbhūmāvupaviṣṭaḥ sa tatra vai || tāvadbrāhmaṇamāyāṃtamapaśyaddevasannidhau || 2.4.26.10 || devārcanārthaṃ pāṇau tu tulasyudakadhāriṇam|| svapurīvāsinaṃ tatra viṣṇudāsāhvayaṃ dvijam || 11 || sa tatrābhyetya viprarṣirdevadevamapūjayat || viṣṇusūktena saṃsnāpya tulasīmaṃjarīdalaiḥ || 12 || tulasīpūjayā tasya ratnapūjāṃ purā kṛtām || ācchāditāṃ samālokya rājā kuddho'bravīdidam|| 13 || || cola uvāca || || māṇikyasvarṇapūjā'tra śobhāḍhyā yā kṛtā mayā || viṣṇudāsa kathaṃ seyamācchannā tulasīdalaiḥ || 14 || viṣṇubhaktiṃ na jānāsi varāko'si mato mama || yastvimāmatiśobhāḍhyāṃ pūjāmācchādayasyaho || || 15 || iti tadvacanaṃ śrutvā sakrodhaḥ sa dvijottamaḥ || rājño gauravamullaṃghya jagāda vacanaṃ tadā || 16 || || viṣṇudāsa uvāca || || rājanbhaktiṃ na jānāsi garvito'si nṛpaśriyā || kiyadviṣṇuvrataṃ pūrvaṃ tvayā cīrṇaṃ vadasva tat || 17 || ||gaṇāvūcatuḥ|| tadbrāhmaṇavacaḥ śrutvā prahasya sa nṛpottamaḥ|| viṣṇudāsaṃ tadā garvāduvāca vacanaṃ dvijam|| 18|| ||rājovāca|| itthaṃ cedvadase vipra viṣṇubhaktyā'tigarvitaḥ|| bhaktiste kiyatī viṣṇordaridrasyā'dhanasya ca ||19|| yajñadānādikaṃ naiva viṣṇostuṣṭikaraṃ kṛtam || nā'pi devālayaṃ pūrvaṃ kṛtaṃ vipra tvayā kvacit || 2.4.26.20 || īdṛśasyā'pi te garva eṣa tiṣṭhati bhaktitaḥ || tacchṛṇvaṃtu vaco me'dya sarve'pyete dvijātayaḥ || 21 || sākṣātkāramahaṃ viṣṇoreṣa vādo gamiṣyati || paśyaṃtu sarve'pi tato bhaktiṃ jñāsyaṃti cāvayoḥ || 22 || || gaṇāvūcatuḥ || || ityuktvā sa nṛpo'gacchannijarājagṛhaṃ tadā || ārabhadvaiṣṇavaṃ satraṃ kṛtvā''cāryaṃ tu mudgalam || 23 || ṛṣisaṃghasamājuṣṭaṃ bahvannaṃ bahudakṣiṇam || yacca brahmakṛtaṃ pūrvaṃ gayākṣetre samṛddhimat || 24 || viṣṇudāso'pi tatraiva tasthau devālaye vratī || yathoktaniyamānkurvanviṣṇostuṣṭikarānsadā || 25 || māghorjayorvrataṃ samyaktulasīvanapālanam || ekādaśyāṃ harerjāpyaṃ dvādaśākṣaravidyayā || 26 || upacāraiḥ ṣoḍaśabhirnṛtyagītādimaṃgalaiḥ || nityaṃ viṣṇostathā pūjāṃ vratānyetāni so'karot || 27 || nityaṃ saṃsmaraṇaṃ viṣṇorgacchanbhuvi svapannapi || sarvabhūtasthitaṃ viṣṇumapaśyatsamadarśanaḥ || || 28 || māghakārtikayornityaṃ viśeṣaniyamānapi || akarodviṣṇutuṣṭyarthaṃ sodyāpanavidhiṃ tathā || 29 || evaṃ samārādhayatoḥ śriyaḥ patiṃ tayośca coleśvaraviṣṇudāsayoḥ || agāddhi kālaḥ sumahānvratasthayostanniṣṭhasarveṃdriyakarmaṇostadā || 2.4.26.30 || iti śrīskāṃde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ dvitīye vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍe kārtikamāsamāhātmye colarājaviṣṇudāsabrāhmaṇavivādakathanaṃnāma ṣaḍviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ || 26 ||
English translation
Note: Vide PdP VI ( Uttara Khaṇḍa , Pūrvārdha , Chs. 108, 109).
Nārada said :
1. On hearing their words thus with great wonder Dharmadatta prostrated flat on the ground and spoke these words:
2-3. All people worship Viṣṇu , the destroyer of the distress of devotees, by means of Yajñas , charitable gifts, Vratas , Tīrthas and penances in accordance with the injunctions. Is there anything which causes pleasure to Viṣṇu, which takes (the devotees) to his presence and by performing which all the (other) holy rites would have been performed?
The Attendants replied :
4. Well asked by you, O Brāhmaṇa . Listen with concentration of mind to the meritorious story that happened formerly.
5. Formerly Emperor Cola [1] ruled over his kingdom in the city of Kāñcī . The land also was famous by the name Colas after the name of the king .
6. While he was ruling over the earth no man was poor , miserable, sick or wicked in his mind.
7. He performed many big Yajñas on the banks of Tāmraparṇī where golden sacrificial posts were fixed. This heightened the beauty of the banks and made them resemble the garden Caitraratha (of Kubera ).
8. Once, O Brāhmaṇa, that king went to Anantaśayana (modern Trivandrum, capital of Kerala ) where the Lord of the worlds has resorted to Yogic slumber.
9. There the king duly worshipped the Lord Śrīramaṇa (Lord of Śrī) with jewels and pearls of divine ( lustre ) and splendid golden flowers .
10. After prostrating before the Lord he sat on the ground. By then he saw that a Brāhmaṇa had also come to the presence of the Lord.
11. For the purpose of the worship of the Lord he held in his hand Tulasī leaves and water . He was a Brāhmaṇa named Viṣṇudāsa , a resident of his own city.
12. That saintly Brāhmaṇa approached the Lord of Devas , bathed him with water mixed with bunches of Tulasī and worshipped repeating Viṣṇusūkta.
13. On seeing that his worship performed with jewels earlier, had been covered by the worship with Tulasī leaves, the king became furious and spoke thus:
Cola said :
14. The worship that I had performed with rubies and gold was splendid. O Viṣṇudāsa, how is it that it has been covered up by Tulasī leaves?
15. You do not know (real) devotion unto Viṣṇu. You are, I think, very poor. Alas! You have covered up my excessively refulgent worship.
16. On hearing the king’s words thus, the excellent Brāhmaṇa also became furious. Violating the majesty of the king he then spoke these words:
Viṣṇudāsa said :
17. O king, you do not know what is devotion. You are proud of your royal glory . How many Viṣṇuvratas have been performed by you earlier? Tell me.
The Attendants said :
18. On hearing the words of that Brāhmaṇa the excellent king laughed and haughtily spoke these words to Viṣṇudāsa, the Brāhmaṇa:
The king said :
19. If you say thus, O Brāhmaṇa, because you are too proud on account of your devotion to Viṣṇu, how much can your devotion be? You are an indigent fellow without wealth .
20. Yajñas, charitable gifts etc. which give satisfaction to Viṣṇu have not been performed by you. Nor has any temple been built by you anywhere, O Brāhmaṇa.
21. In spite of being like this you are proud on account of your devotion. Therefore, let all the Brāhmaṇas listen to my words now.
22. Who will directly perceive Viṣṇu first, this fellow or I? May all of you see. Thereupon you will come to know about our devotion.
The Attendants said :
23. After saying ṃus the king went back to his palace. He began a Vaiṣṇava Satra ( sacrifice ) after inviting Mudgala to be his preceptor.
24. It was the same Satra as was formerly performed elaborately by Brahmā at Gayākṣetra. It was graced with their presence by groups of sages . Much food was distributed and many monetary gifts were given.
25. Viṣṇudāsa continued to stay in the temple performing the Vratas. He performed all the austerities as laid down—those which cause satisfaction to Viṣṇu.
26. He observed the Māgha Vrata and Kārttika Vrata. He planted Tulasī groves and nourished them. On Ekādaśī (eleventh) days he performed the Japa of Hari repeating the twelve-syllabled Mantra .
27. All the sixteen services [see notes below] were performed by him. There were auspicious songs and dances . He performed the worship of Viṣṇu regularly. He observed these Vratas.
28. Even as he walked about he remembered Viṣṇu. He used to sleep on the ground. He viewed all impartially. He saw Viṣṇu dwelling in all living beings.
29. During the months of Māgha and Kārttika he performed all special austerities for the propitiation of Viṣṇu and also the respective concluding rites.
30. Thus King Cola and Viṣṇudāsa propitiated the Lord of Śrī. Even as they performed their Vratas with all their activities and sense-organs dedicated to him (Viṣṇu), a long time elapsed.
Notes regarding Upacāras:
Upacāras are ways of service (unto the Deity ). They are:
For other varieties and additions vide HD II, ii, 729-730.
[1]: [1] : The author’s information about the Cola country is approximately correct but he includes Kerala in it. Inclusion of Anantaśayana (mod. Trivendrum) and the Kerala custom of matriarchy in Cola Royal Dynasty shows that the author’s information is vague (and probably hearsay).
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 23006, revision 302783 (2021-02-26T00:24:49Z). English is G. V. Tagare’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-skanda-purana/d/doc371668.html and the archival publication witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.