Mārgaśīrṣa-māhātmya · Chapter 8
Source।। ब्रह्मोवाच।। ।। श्रीमत्तुलसिमाहात्म्यं यथावद्वर्णय प्रभो ।। यस्याः सन्निधिमात्रेण प्रीतिर्भवति तेऽधिका ।। १ ।। ।। श्रीभगवानुवाच ।। ।। मणिकांचनपुष्पाणि तथा मुक्तामयानि च ।। तुलसीपत्रदानस्य कलां नार्हंति षोडशीम् ।। २ ।। तुलसीमंजरीभिर्यः कुर्याद्वै मम पूजनम् ।। न स गर्भगृहं यायान्मुक्तिभागी भवेन्नरः ।। ३ ।। आरोप्य तुलसीं वत्स पूजयेत्तद्दलैश्च माम् ।। दिवि संमोदमानः स श्वेतद्वीपे च मे गृहे ।। ४ ।। श्रीमत्तुलस्यार्चयते सकृद्धि मां पत्रैः सुगन्धैर्विमलैरखंडितैः ।। यस्तस्य पापं पटसंस्थितं तदा निरीक्षयित्वा परिमार्जयेद्यमः ।। ५ ।। तुलसी न येषां मम पूजनार्थं संपादितैकादशिपुण्यवासरे ।। धिग्यौवनं जीवितमर्थसन्ततिस्तेषां सुखं नेह च दृश्यते परे ।। ६ ।। लिंगमभ्यर्चितं दृष्ट्वा सहोमासे च मामकम् ।। तुलसीपत्रनिकरैर्मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया ।। ७ ।। नित्यमभ्यर्चयेद्यो वै तुलस्या मां रमेश्वरम् ।। महापापानि नश्यंति किं पुनश्चोपपातकम् ।।८।। वर्ज्यं पर्युषितं पुष्पं वर्ज्यं पर्युषितं जलम् ।। न वर्ज्यं तुलसीपत्रं न वर्ज्यं जाह्नवीजलम् ।। ९ ।। तावद्गर्जंति पुष्पाणि मालत्यादीनि भोः सुत ।। यावन्न प्राप्यते पुण्या तुलसी मम वल्लभा ।। 2.5.8.१० ।। सकृदभ्यर्चयेद्यो मां बिल्वपत्रेण मानवः ।। मुक्तिभागी निरातंको मम पार्श्वगतो भवेत् ।। ११ ।। बिल्वपत्राच्छमीपत्राज्जातीपत्रात्सरोरुहात् ।। वल्लभं तुलसीपत्रं कौस्तुभादधिकं मम।।१२।। अभिन्नपत्रा तुलसी हृद्या मंजरिसंयुता ।। क्षीरोदार्णवसंभूता पद्मेवेयं सदा मम ।।१३।। अकृष्णाऽप्यथवा कृष्णा तुलसी मम वल्लभा ।। सिता वाऽप्यसिता वापि द्वादशी वल्लभा यथा ।।। १४ ।। गृहीत्वा तुलसीपत्रं भक्त्या यो मां समर्चयेत् ।। अर्चितं तेन सकलं सदेवासुरमानुषम् ।। ।। १५ ।। तावद्गर्जंति रत्नानि कौस्तुभादीन्यनन्तशः ।। यावन्न प्राप्यते कृष्ण तुलसीकृष्णमंजरी ।। १६ ।। कृष्णं कृष्णतुलस्या हि यो भक्त्या पूजयेन्नरः ।। स याति भुवनं शुभ्रं यत्र विष्णुः श्रिया सह ।। १७ ।। ममाऽर्चनार्थं भिक्षूणां यच्छंति तुलसीदलम् ।। अन्येषामपि भक्तानां यांति ते पदमव्ययम्।। १८ ।। तुलसी कृष्णगौरा या तया यो मां समर्चयेत् ।। नरो याति तनुं त्यक्त्वा वैष्णवीं शाश्वतीं गतिम् ।। १९ ।। ।। ब्रह्मोवाच ।। ।। धूपदानस्य माहात्म्यं दीपस्याऽपि च केशव ।। यत्फलं लभते मर्त्यस्तन्मे ब्रूहि यथार्थतः ।। 2.5.8.२० ।। ।। श्रीभगवानुवाच ।। ।। शृणु पुत्र प्रवक्ष्यामि धूपदानस्य यत्फलम् ।। दीपदानस्य माहात्म्यं मम प्रीतिकरं परम् ।।२१।। अगुरुं च सकर्पूरं दिव्यचंदनसौरभम् ।। दत्त्वा मां वै सहोमासे कुलानां तारयेच्छतम् ।। २२ ।। कृष्णागुरुसमुत्थेन धूपेन च ममाऽलयम् ।। धूपयेद्वैष्णवो यस्तु स मुक्तो नरकाऽर्णवात् ।। २३ ।। माहिषं गुग्गुलं यस्तु आज्ययुक्तं सशर्करम् ।। धूपं ददाति यो वै मां तस्येच्छां प्रददाम्यहम् ।। २४ ।। गुग्गुलो हंत्यशेषाणि अरिष्टानि च धूपितः ।। कामान्नानाविधांश्चैव अगुरुः संप्रयच्छति ।। २५ ।। देहं गेहं पुनात्येव धूपस्त्वगुरुसंभवः ।। नाशयेद्यक्षरक्षांसि धूपः सर्जरसोद्भवः ।। २६ ।। जातिपुष्पमथैला च गुग्गुलश्च हरीतकी ।। कूटः सर्जरसश्चैव गुडःसैलाच्छडस्तथा ।। नखयुक्तानि चैतानि दशांगो धूप उच्यते ।। २७ ।। धूपं दशांगं यदि चेत्करोति मासे सहे मे अतिवल्लभे च ।। ददामि कामानतिदुर्लभानपि बलं च पुष्टिं सुतदारभक्तिम् ।। २८ ।। मुस्ताधूपे मानुषाणां प्रियत्वं मांगल्यकं वश्यकरं गुडस्य ।। कुर्यात्सहोमासि ममाग्रतो यो विहाय पापानि स मां समाप्नुयात् ।। २९ ।। न भयं विद्यते तस्य दिव्यभौमांतरिक्षजम् ।। मम धूपावशेषेण यस्यांऽगं परिमार्जितम् ।। 2.5.8.३० ।। न चापद्विद्यते तस्य भवंति संपदोऽखिलाः ।। धूपे कृते सहोमासे ममाग्रे श्रद्धयाऽनिशम् ।।३१ ।। धूपः सुरूपतां धत्ते धूपः पावनमुत्तमम् ।। वनस्पतिरसो दिव्यः परमः पावनः शुचिः ।। ३२ ।। अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि दीपमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् ।। यस्मिन्कृते नरो याति वैकुण्ठं नात्र संशयः ।। ३३ ।। बहुवर्तिसमायुक्तं घृतपूरसमन्वितम् ।। कुर्यादारार्तिकं यो वै कल्पकोटिं दिवं वसेत् ।। ३४ ।। नीराजनं तु यः पश्येत्सहोमासे ममाऽग्रतः ।। सप्तजन्म भवेद्विप्रो ह्यंते च परमं पदम् ।। ३५ ।। कर्पूरेण तु यः कुर्याद्भक्त्या चैव ममाग्रतः ।। आरार्तिकं द्विजश्रेष्ठ प्रविशेन्मामनंतकम् ।। ३६ ।। मन्त्रहीनं क्रियाहीनं यत्कृतं पूजनं मम ।। सर्वं संपूर्णतामेति कृते नीराजने सुत।। ३७ ।। यः करोति सहोमासे कर्पूरेण च दीपकम् ।। अश्वमेधमवाप्नोति कुलं चैव समुद्धरेत् ।। ३८ ।। ममाऽग्रे वै द्विजानां च दीपं दद्याच्चतुष्पथे ।। मेधावी ज्ञानसंपन्नश्चक्षुष्माञ्जायते नरः ।। ३९ ।। घृतेन वाऽथ तैलेन दीपं प्रज्वालयेन्नरः ।। सहोमासे ममाऽग्रे च तस्य पुण्यफलं शृणु ।। 2.5.8.४० ।। विहाय सकलं पापं सहस्रादित्यसन्निभः ।। ज्योतिष्मता विमानेन मम लोके महीयते ।। ४१ ।। तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन दीपं दद्याद्विचक्षणः ।। तं च दत्त्वा विहिंसेद्यः स पतेन्नरके धुवम् ।। ४२ ।। दीपं यो वै हरेत्पापी लोभाद्द्वेषाद्द्विजोत्तम ।। तद्दीपहरणात्सोऽपि मूकोंऽधश्च प्रजायते ।। ४३ ।। इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां द्वितीये वैष्णवखण्डे ब्रह्मविष्णुसंवादे मार्गशीर्षमाहात्म्ये दीपमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम अष्टमोऽध्यायः ।। ८ ।।
|| brahmovāca|| || śrīmattulasimāhātmyaṃ yathāvadvarṇaya prabho || yasyāḥ sannidhimātreṇa prītirbhavati te'dhikā || 1 || || śrībhagavānuvāca || || maṇikāṃcanapuṣpāṇi tathā muktāmayāni ca || tulasīpatradānasya kalāṃ nārhaṃti ṣoḍaśīm || 2 || tulasīmaṃjarībhiryaḥ kuryādvai mama pūjanam || na sa garbhagṛhaṃ yāyānmuktibhāgī bhavennaraḥ || 3 || āropya tulasīṃ vatsa pūjayettaddalaiśca mām || divi saṃmodamānaḥ sa śvetadvīpe ca me gṛhe || 4 || śrīmattulasyārcayate sakṛddhi māṃ patraiḥ sugandhairvimalairakhaṃḍitaiḥ || yastasya pāpaṃ paṭasaṃsthitaṃ tadā nirīkṣayitvā parimārjayedyamaḥ || 5 || tulasī na yeṣāṃ mama pūjanārthaṃ saṃpāditaikādaśipuṇyavāsare || dhigyauvanaṃ jīvitamarthasantatisteṣāṃ sukhaṃ neha ca dṛśyate pare || 6 || liṃgamabhyarcitaṃ dṛṣṭvā sahomāse ca māmakam || tulasīpatranikarairmucyate brahmahatyayā || 7 || nityamabhyarcayedyo vai tulasyā māṃ rameśvaram || mahāpāpāni naśyaṃti kiṃ punaścopapātakam ||8|| varjyaṃ paryuṣitaṃ puṣpaṃ varjyaṃ paryuṣitaṃ jalam || na varjyaṃ tulasīpatraṃ na varjyaṃ jāhnavījalam || 9 || tāvadgarjaṃti puṣpāṇi mālatyādīni bhoḥ suta || yāvanna prāpyate puṇyā tulasī mama vallabhā || 2.5.8.10 || sakṛdabhyarcayedyo māṃ bilvapatreṇa mānavaḥ || muktibhāgī nirātaṃko mama pārśvagato bhavet || 11 || bilvapatrācchamīpatrājjātīpatrātsaroruhāt || vallabhaṃ tulasīpatraṃ kaustubhādadhikaṃ mama||12|| abhinnapatrā tulasī hṛdyā maṃjarisaṃyutā || kṣīrodārṇavasaṃbhūtā padmeveyaṃ sadā mama ||13|| akṛṣṇā'pyathavā kṛṣṇā tulasī mama vallabhā || sitā vā'pyasitā vāpi dvādaśī vallabhā yathā ||| 14 || gṛhītvā tulasīpatraṃ bhaktyā yo māṃ samarcayet || arcitaṃ tena sakalaṃ sadevāsuramānuṣam || || 15 || tāvadgarjaṃti ratnāni kaustubhādīnyanantaśaḥ || yāvanna prāpyate kṛṣṇa tulasīkṛṣṇamaṃjarī || 16 || kṛṣṇaṃ kṛṣṇatulasyā hi yo bhaktyā pūjayennaraḥ || sa yāti bhuvanaṃ śubhraṃ yatra viṣṇuḥ śriyā saha || 17 || mamā'rcanārthaṃ bhikṣūṇāṃ yacchaṃti tulasīdalam || anyeṣāmapi bhaktānāṃ yāṃti te padamavyayam|| 18 || tulasī kṛṣṇagaurā yā tayā yo māṃ samarcayet || naro yāti tanuṃ tyaktvā vaiṣṇavīṃ śāśvatīṃ gatim || 19 || || brahmovāca || || dhūpadānasya māhātmyaṃ dīpasyā'pi ca keśava || yatphalaṃ labhate martyastanme brūhi yathārthataḥ || 2.5.8.20 || || śrībhagavānuvāca || || śṛṇu putra pravakṣyāmi dhūpadānasya yatphalam || dīpadānasya māhātmyaṃ mama prītikaraṃ param ||21|| aguruṃ ca sakarpūraṃ divyacaṃdanasaurabham || dattvā māṃ vai sahomāse kulānāṃ tārayecchatam || 22 || kṛṣṇāgurusamutthena dhūpena ca mamā'layam || dhūpayedvaiṣṇavo yastu sa mukto narakā'rṇavāt || 23 || māhiṣaṃ guggulaṃ yastu ājyayuktaṃ saśarkaram || dhūpaṃ dadāti yo vai māṃ tasyecchāṃ pradadāmyaham || 24 || guggulo haṃtyaśeṣāṇi ariṣṭāni ca dhūpitaḥ || kāmānnānāvidhāṃścaiva aguruḥ saṃprayacchati || 25 || dehaṃ gehaṃ punātyeva dhūpastvagurusaṃbhavaḥ || nāśayedyakṣarakṣāṃsi dhūpaḥ sarjarasodbhavaḥ || 26 || jātipuṣpamathailā ca guggulaśca harītakī || kūṭaḥ sarjarasaścaiva guḍaḥsailācchaḍastathā || nakhayuktāni caitāni daśāṃgo dhūpa ucyate || 27 || dhūpaṃ daśāṃgaṃ yadi cetkaroti māse sahe me ativallabhe ca || dadāmi kāmānatidurlabhānapi balaṃ ca puṣṭiṃ sutadārabhaktim || 28 || mustādhūpe mānuṣāṇāṃ priyatvaṃ māṃgalyakaṃ vaśyakaraṃ guḍasya || kuryātsahomāsi mamāgrato yo vihāya pāpāni sa māṃ samāpnuyāt || 29 || na bhayaṃ vidyate tasya divyabhaumāṃtarikṣajam || mama dhūpāvaśeṣeṇa yasyāṃ'gaṃ parimārjitam || 2.5.8.30 || na cāpadvidyate tasya bhavaṃti saṃpado'khilāḥ || dhūpe kṛte sahomāse mamāgre śraddhayā'niśam ||31 || dhūpaḥ surūpatāṃ dhatte dhūpaḥ pāvanamuttamam || vanaspatiraso divyaḥ paramaḥ pāvanaḥ śuciḥ || 32 || ataḥ paraṃ pravakṣyāmi dīpamāhātmyamuttamam || yasminkṛte naro yāti vaikuṇṭhaṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ || 33 || bahuvartisamāyuktaṃ ghṛtapūrasamanvitam || kuryādārārtikaṃ yo vai kalpakoṭiṃ divaṃ vaset || 34 || nīrājanaṃ tu yaḥ paśyetsahomāse mamā'grataḥ || saptajanma bhavedvipro hyaṃte ca paramaṃ padam || 35 || karpūreṇa tu yaḥ kuryādbhaktyā caiva mamāgrataḥ || ārārtikaṃ dvijaśreṣṭha praviśenmāmanaṃtakam || 36 || mantrahīnaṃ kriyāhīnaṃ yatkṛtaṃ pūjanaṃ mama || sarvaṃ saṃpūrṇatāmeti kṛte nīrājane suta|| 37 || yaḥ karoti sahomāse karpūreṇa ca dīpakam || aśvamedhamavāpnoti kulaṃ caiva samuddharet || 38 || mamā'gre vai dvijānāṃ ca dīpaṃ dadyāccatuṣpathe || medhāvī jñānasaṃpannaścakṣuṣmāñjāyate naraḥ || 39 || ghṛtena vā'tha tailena dīpaṃ prajvālayennaraḥ || sahomāse mamā'gre ca tasya puṇyaphalaṃ śṛṇu || 2.5.8.40 || vihāya sakalaṃ pāpaṃ sahasrādityasannibhaḥ || jyotiṣmatā vimānena mama loke mahīyate || 41 || tasmātsarvaprayatnena dīpaṃ dadyādvicakṣaṇaḥ || taṃ ca dattvā vihiṃsedyaḥ sa patennarake dhuvam || 42 || dīpaṃ yo vai haretpāpī lobhāddveṣāddvijottama || taddīpaharaṇātso'pi mūkoṃ'dhaśca prajāyate || 43 || iti śrīskāṃde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ dvitīye vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍe brahmaviṣṇusaṃvāde mārgaśīrṣamāhātmye dīpamāhātmyavarṇanaṃnāma aṣṭamo'dhyāyaḥ || 8 ||
English translation
Note: Tulasī (Basil plant) is the special favourite with god Viṣṇu . The glorification of Tulasī in Kārttika - Māhātmya (KM) Ch. 8 and the legend of Jalandhara and Viṣṇu’s illicit love to his wife Vṛndā (KM Chs. 14-23) explain Viṣṇu’s special attachment to Tulasī. VV 2-20 glorify Tulasī implying that it is liked by Viṣṇu both in Kārttika and Mārgaśīrṣa .
Brahmā said :
1. O Lord, describe the greatness of the glorious Tulasī accurately, whose mere presence makes you very much happy.
Śrī Bhagavān said :
2. Jewels, gold-flowers and pearls (when offered) do not give even a sixteenth part of the merit that the offer of a Tulasī leaf gives.
3. One who worships me with Tulasī sprouts does not enter the womb (a new birth). He attains salvation.
4. One should grow Tulasī and worship me with its leaves. He shall rejoice in heaven as well as in my abode in Śveta Dvīpa .
5. If a man worships me at least once with the pure, fragrant and unbroken leaves of the glorious Tulasī, Yama wipes off the sin of that man which he sees written in his record.
6. If people do not gather together Tulasī leaves for the sake of my worship, fie upon their youth, life, wealth and progeny! Their happiness is not seen here and hereafter.
7. By seeing my idol worshipped with a mass of Tulasī leaves in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa, one is rid of the sin of Brāhmaṇa -slaughter.
8. If anyone always worships me, the Lord of Ramā , with Tulasī, his major sins perish. What to say of minor sins!
9. A flower is to be discarded if a long time has passed after plucking it. Water should be discarded if it is long since drawn (from a well etc.). A Tulasī leaf need not be discarded at all (even if stale). Gaṅgā water need not be discarded at all.
10. As long as the holy Tulasī, my favourite leaf, is not available, O son, so long Mālatī and other flowers roar (i.e. boast of their efficacy).
11. A man who worships me, at least once, with Bilva leaf shall be free from agony. He will come to me and attain salvation.
12. Tulasī leaf is a greater favourite of mine than Bilva leaf, Śamī leaf, Jāti leaf, lotus and (even) the Kaustubha jewel.
13. A cluster of Tulasī blossoms with unbroken leaves is dear to my heart like this Padmā (Goddess Lakṣmī ) who has come out of the Ocean of Milk.
14. Just as Dvādaśī (twelfth day), whether of the dark half or the bright half (of a lunar month ), is my favourite, so also Tulasī leaf, whether black or not, is my favourite.
15. If a man takes up a Tulasī leaf and worships me devoutly, all including Devas , Asuras and human beings is worshipped by him.
16. As long as a dark sprout of the black variety of Tulasī is not available, so long an infinite number of precious stones and jewels like Kaustubha roar (i.e. boast of their efficacy).
17. One who devoutly worships Kṛṣṇa with Kṛṣṇatulasī, attains the bright world where Viṣṇu is present along with Śrī.
18. People who give Tulasī leaves to mendicants and other devotees for the purpose of worshipping me, go to the immutable region ( Mokṣa ).
19. One who worships me with Tulasī of dark and white (colours) attains the perpetual Vaiṣṇava goal after abandoning the body.
Brahmā said :
20. O Keśava , tell me truly the efficacy of offering incense [1] and the benefit obtained by offering lamps.
Śrī Bhagavān said :
21. Listen, O son, I shall tell you the benefit of offering incense and the efficacy of offering lamps. It is extremely delightful to me.
22. By offering me incense with agallochum, camphor and fragrant divine sandalwood in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa, the devotee shall redeem a hundred generations of his family.
23. The Vaiṣṇava who fumigates my temple with the incense originating from black aloe-wood is liberated from the sea of Narakas (Hells).
24. If a person offers me incense of aromatic gum-resin mixed with buffalo- ghee and sugar- candy , I grant him whatever he wishes.
25. Gum-resin when fumigated dispels all calamities. Black aloe-wood gives different kinds of cherished desires.
26. The incense of black agallochum sanctifies the body and the abode. The incense from the resinous exudation of a Sāla tree ( Vatica robusta ) destroys Yakṣas and Rākṣasas .
27. Dhūpa has ten units or ingredients. They are: Jāti flower, cardamom, gum-resin, Harītakī ( Terminalia chebula ?), Kūṭa (a kind of sandal, MW 1089), exudation of a Sāla tree, jaggery, Saila (Benzoin?) and Acchaḍa(?) along with Nakha ( Unguis odoratus ?).
28. If anyone offers me the incense with all the ten ingredients in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa which I like very much, I grant him even very rare things, strength, nourishment, sons, wives and devotion.
29. Men like the incense from Mustā (a kind of grass, Cyperus rotundus ); that of jaggery is conducive to auspiciousness and winning over others. One who offers this in front of me in the Mārgaśīrṣa month gets rid of all the sins and attains me.
30. One whose limbs are wiped (smeared) with the remnants of the incense offered to me, has no fear whatsoever coming from heaven, earth or the atmosphere.
31. If the incense is offered in front of me ceaselessly with great faith in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa, the man will have no calamities. He will have all kinds of riches.
32. Incense accords handsome features. Incense is highly sanctifying. The exudation of a tree is divine. It is extremely pure and sanctifying.
33. Henceforth I shall recount the excellent efficacy of Lamps. [2] If they are offered, the man undoubtedly goes to Vaikuṇṭha .
34. He who ceremoniously waves a lamp of many wicks profusely filled with ghee, shall reside in heaven for one crore of Kalpas .
35. He who witnesses the waving of light in front of me in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa, shall be born as a Brāhmaṇa for seven births and in the end shall attain the highest region.
36. He who waves devoutly lighted camphor in front of me, O excellent Brāhmaṇa, shall enter me, the infinite one.
37. If Nīrājana is performed, O son, all is accomplished to the full even if the worship done for me is devoid of Mantras and (prescribed) rites.
38. He who offers a lamp of camphor in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa, shall attain the fruit of a horse-sacrifice. He shall redeem his family.
39. One who offers a lamp in front of me, or of Brāhmaṇas and in a crossroads, becomes highly intelligent, full of perfect knowledge and of keen eyesight.
40. Listen to the merit of that person who lights a lamp with ghee or oil in front of me in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa.
41. He gets rid of all his sins. He becomes as resplendent as a thousand suns. In a luminous aerial chariot he goes to my world where he will be honoured.
42. Hence a clever devotee should by all means offer lamps. He who puts it out after it has been offered shall certainly fall into hell.
43. A sinner who removes the lamp, O excellent Brāhmaṇa, out of greediness or hatred, becomes blind and dumb on account of that removal of lamp.
[1]: [1] : Offering of incense and waving of lamps before the deity are the next important Upacāras in worship. VV 21-33 describe the importance of incense-burning.
[2]: [2] : VV 33-43 describe the efficacy of offering lamps to the deity; the last two verses state the imprecation for violators of this service.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 14058, revision 329300 (2022-01-02T00:53:35Z). English is G. V. Tagare’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-skanda-purana/d/doc371687.html and the archival publication witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.