Puruṣottama-kṣetra-māhātmya · Chapter 18
Source।। जैमिनिरुवाच ।। ।। ततः प्रववृते सुत्या नृपतेर्वाजिमेधिका ।। तस्यां त्रैलोक्यमभवदेकसद्मनिभं द्विजाः ।। १ ।। शास्त्रैः स्तोत्रैर्दिवस्पृग्भिर्वर्णक्रमसमुज्ज्वलैः ।। यथापदस्वरन्यासैरन्ये शब्दास्तिरोहिताः ।। २ ।। दीनेभ्योऽवारितं तत्र दीयन्ते वाञ्छितानि वै ।। नटनर्त्तकसूतानां साभूत्कल्पद्रुमोपमा ।। ३ ।। तन्मध्येऽवभृथे स्नातुं कृता यत्रोपकारिका ।। दक्षिणे तटभूदेशे बिल्वेश्वरसमीपतः ।। ४ ।। नियुक्ताः सेवका राज्ञा ससंभ्रममुपस्थिताः ।। न्यवेदयन्त नृपतिं कृतांजलिपुटा द्विजाः ।। ५ ।। देव दृष्टो महान्वृक्षस्तटभूमौ महोदधेः ।। प्रविष्टाग्रसमुद्रांतः कल्लोलप्लवमूलकः ।। ६ ।। मंजिष्ठवर्णः सर्वत्र शंखचक्रांकितः प्लवन् ।। स्नानवेश्मसमीपेऽसौ दृष्टोऽस्माभिः परोऽद्भुतः ।। ७ ।। न दृष्टपूर्वो वृक्षोऽयमुद्यत्सूर्यनिभोंऽशुना ।। गंधेन वासयन्सर्वा तटभूमिं सुगंधिना ।। ८ ।। द्रुमः साधारणो नायं लक्ष्यते देवभूरुहः ।। कश्चिद्देवस्तरुव्याजादागतो लक्ष्यते धुवम् ।। ९ ।। नियुक्तानां वचः श्रुत्वा राजा नारदमब्रवीत् ।। तत्किं निमित्तं यद्दृष्टं तरुश्रेष्ठं वदंति ते ।। 2.2.18.१० ।। नारदः प्रहसन्वाक्यमुवाच नृपसत्तमम् ।। पूर्णाहुतिः समाप्नोतु यथा स्यात्सफलः क्रतुः ।। ११ ।। उपस्थितं ते तद्भाग्यं स्वप्ने यद्दृष्टवान्पुरा ।। श्वेतद्वीपे विश्वमूर्तिर्दृष्टो यो विष्णुरव्ययः ।। १२ ।। तदंगस्खलितं रोम तरुत्वमुपपद्यते ।। अंशावतारः स्थास्नुर्यः पृथिव्यां परमेष्ठिनः ।। १३ ।। तद्रूपावतरं याति भगवान्भक्तवत्सलः ।। द्रुमो ह्यपौरुषो योसौ भाजनं नास्य दर्शने ।। १४ ।। त्वामृते पुरुषव्याघ्र पृथिव्यां नृपसत्तम ।। त्वद्भाग्यवशतः सर्वलोकानां नयनातिथिः ।। १५ ।। भविष्यति महाराज सर्वकल्मषनाशनः ।। समाप्यावभृथस्नानं तटांते सरितां पतेः ।। १६ ।। उत्सवं सुमहत्कृत्वा कृतकौतुकमंगलम् ।। महावेद्यां स्थापयात्र यज्ञेशं तरुरूपिणम् ।। १७ ।। विचार्येत्थं मुदा युक्तौ तावुभौ नृपनारदौ ।। सुसमृद्धौ तत्र यातौ यत्रासौ भगवद्द्रुमः ।। ।। १८ ।। तं दृष्ट्वा हर्षिताः सर्वे ब्रह्म साक्षादुपस्थितम् ।। मेनिरे जन्मसाफल्यं जीवन्मुक्ता महोदयाः ।। १९ ।। इन्द्रद्युम्नोऽपि नृपतिर्ममज्जामृतसागरे ।। स्वप्ने दृष्ट्वा जगन्नाथं यथासौ भगवत्प्रियः ।। 2.2.18.२० ।। तथा ददर्श तं वृक्षं चक्षुःशाखं चतुर्भुजम् ।। स्वकं श्रमं मन्यमानः सफलं नृपसत्तमः ।। ।। २१ ।। जहौ शोकं नीलमणिमाधवांतर्धिजं द्विजाः ।। पुनः पुनः प्रणम्यैनं हर्षाश्रुनयनो नृपः ।। २२ ।। द्विजैराहारयामास तरुं कल्लोललोलितम् ।। शंखकाहालमुरजढक्कापटहनिःस्वनैः ।। २३ ।। गीतवादित्रनिनदैर्जयशब्दैः सहस्रशः ।। सुगंधिपुष्पांजलिभिराकाशात्पतितैर्मुहुः ।। २४।। परितो धूपपात्रैश्च कृष्णागुरुसुधूपितैः ।। वेश्याभिर्यौवनोन्मत्तसुरूपाभिः प्रचालितैः ।। २५ ।। रत्नदण्डप्रकीर्णैश्च वीज्यमानं समंततः ।। पताकाभिर्दिव्यपट्टदुकूलाभिः सुशोभितम् ।। २६ ।। राजर्षिराजवृन्दैश्च तुरगैः पत्तिभिर्वृतम् ।। मागधैर्वंद्यमानं तु स्तूयमानं महर्षिभिः ।।२७।। ऋत्विग्भिर्ब्राह्मणैश्चैव विद्वद्भिः श्रोत्रियैस्तथा ।। राजन्यैर्वैश्यकुलजैः सच्छूद्रैः परिचारितम् ।। २८ ।। स्तोत्रैर्बहुविधैः श्रौतैः स्मार्तैः पौराणिकैस्तथा ।। स्तूयमानं तरुं विष्णोर्भूर्लोके परिवेष्टितम् ।।२९।। स्रग्गन्धालंकृतं दिव्यं महावेदीं विनिन्यतुः।। वितानवरचित्रायां वेष्टितायां निरंतरम् ।।2.2.18.३०।। वेद्यां तं स्थापयामासुरिंद्रद्युम्नस्य शासनात् ।। वचसा नारदस्यैनं पूजयामास पार्थिवः ।। ३१ ।। सहस्रैरुपचाराणां दिव्यरूपैर्नृपोत्तमः ।। पूजावसाने पप्रच्छ नारदं मुनिसत्तमम् ।।३२।। कीदृश्यः प्रतिमा विष्णोर्घटयिष्यति कः पुनः ।। तच्छ्रुत्वा तं मुनिः प्राह अचिंत्यमहिमा गुरुः ।। ३३।। को वेद तस्य चेष्टां वै सर्वलोकोत्तरां नृप ।। स्रष्टा यो जगतां तस्याप्येषा संशयगोचरा ।। ३४ ।। विचारयंतौ तावित्थं यावन्नारदपार्थिवौ ।। अशरीरा ततो वाणी शुश्रुवे चांतरिक्षतः ।। ३५ ।। तत्र विस्मयमानानां सर्वेषामेव शृण्वताम् ।। अपौरुषेयो भगवानविचारपथे स्थितः ।। ३६ ।। सुगुप्तायां महावेद्यां स्वयं सोऽवतरिष्यति ।। प्रच्छाद्यतां दिनान्येषा यावत्पंचदशानि वै ।। ३७ ।। उपस्थितोऽयं यो वृद्धः शस्त्रपाणिस्तु वर्द्धकिः ।। एनमंतः प्रवेश्यैव द्वारं बध्नंतु यत्नतः ।। ३८ ।। बहिर्वाद्यानि कुर्वंतु यावत्तु घटना भवेत् ।। श्रुतो हि घटनाशब्दो बाधिर्यांधत्वदायकः ।। ३९ ।। नरके वसतिं चैव कुर्यात्संताननाशनम् ।। नांतःप्रवेशनं कुर्यान्न पश्येच्च कदाचन ।।2.2.18.४०।। नियुक्तादन्यः पश्येच्चेद्राज्ञो राष्ट्रस्य चैव ह ।। द्रष्टुश्चापि महाभीतिरंधता चक्षुषोर्युगे ।। ४१ ।। तस्मान्नावेक्षणं कार्यं यावत्प्रतिमनिर्मितिः ।। निर्व्यूढस्तु स्वयं दैवः कृत्यांते तु वदिष्यति ।। ४२ ।। यत्कार्यं प्रयत्नेन सर्वलोकसुखावहम् ।। तच्छ्रुत्वा नारदाद्यास्ते यथोक्तं विष्णुना स्वयम् ।। ४३ ।। चिकीर्षंति तथा कर्त्तुं तत्रायातश्च वर्द्धकिः ।। प्रोवाच नृपतिं सोऽथ स्वप्ने दृष्टास्तु यास्त्वया ।। ।। ४४ ।। ता एवाहं घटिष्यामि दारुणा दिव्यरूपिणा ।। इत्युक्त्वांतर्दधे वेद्यां वृद्धवर्द्धकिरूपधृक् ।। ४५ ।। वंचनार्थं मनुष्याणां साक्षान्नारायणो विभुः ।। ४६ ।। इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां द्वितीये वैष्णवखण्डे पुरुषोत्तमक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये जैमिनिऋषिसंवादेऽष्टादशोऽध्यायः ।। १८ ।।
|| jaiminiruvāca || || tataḥ pravavṛte sutyā nṛpatervājimedhikā || tasyāṃ trailokyamabhavadekasadmanibhaṃ dvijāḥ || 1 || śāstraiḥ stotrairdivaspṛgbhirvarṇakramasamujjvalaiḥ || yathāpadasvaranyāsairanye śabdāstirohitāḥ || 2 || dīnebhyo'vāritaṃ tatra dīyante vāñchitāni vai || naṭanarttakasūtānāṃ sābhūtkalpadrumopamā || 3 || tanmadhye'vabhṛthe snātuṃ kṛtā yatropakārikā || dakṣiṇe taṭabhūdeśe bilveśvarasamīpataḥ || 4 || niyuktāḥ sevakā rājñā sasaṃbhramamupasthitāḥ || nyavedayanta nṛpatiṃ kṛtāṃjalipuṭā dvijāḥ || 5 || deva dṛṣṭo mahānvṛkṣastaṭabhūmau mahodadheḥ || praviṣṭāgrasamudrāṃtaḥ kallolaplavamūlakaḥ || 6 || maṃjiṣṭhavarṇaḥ sarvatra śaṃkhacakrāṃkitaḥ plavan || snānaveśmasamīpe'sau dṛṣṭo'smābhiḥ paro'dbhutaḥ || 7 || na dṛṣṭapūrvo vṛkṣo'yamudyatsūryanibhoṃ'śunā || gaṃdhena vāsayansarvā taṭabhūmiṃ sugaṃdhinā || 8 || drumaḥ sādhāraṇo nāyaṃ lakṣyate devabhūruhaḥ || kaściddevastaruvyājādāgato lakṣyate dhuvam || 9 || niyuktānāṃ vacaḥ śrutvā rājā nāradamabravīt || tatkiṃ nimittaṃ yaddṛṣṭaṃ taruśreṣṭhaṃ vadaṃti te || 2.2.18.10 || nāradaḥ prahasanvākyamuvāca nṛpasattamam || pūrṇāhutiḥ samāpnotu yathā syātsaphalaḥ kratuḥ || 11 || upasthitaṃ te tadbhāgyaṃ svapne yaddṛṣṭavānpurā || śvetadvīpe viśvamūrtirdṛṣṭo yo viṣṇuravyayaḥ || 12 || tadaṃgaskhalitaṃ roma tarutvamupapadyate || aṃśāvatāraḥ sthāsnuryaḥ pṛthivyāṃ parameṣṭhinaḥ || 13 || tadrūpāvataraṃ yāti bhagavānbhaktavatsalaḥ || drumo hyapauruṣo yosau bhājanaṃ nāsya darśane || 14 || tvāmṛte puruṣavyāghra pṛthivyāṃ nṛpasattama || tvadbhāgyavaśataḥ sarvalokānāṃ nayanātithiḥ || 15 || bhaviṣyati mahārāja sarvakalmaṣanāśanaḥ || samāpyāvabhṛthasnānaṃ taṭāṃte saritāṃ pateḥ || 16 || utsavaṃ sumahatkṛtvā kṛtakautukamaṃgalam || mahāvedyāṃ sthāpayātra yajñeśaṃ tarurūpiṇam || 17 || vicāryetthaṃ mudā yuktau tāvubhau nṛpanāradau || susamṛddhau tatra yātau yatrāsau bhagavaddrumaḥ || || 18 || taṃ dṛṣṭvā harṣitāḥ sarve brahma sākṣādupasthitam || menire janmasāphalyaṃ jīvanmuktā mahodayāḥ || 19 || indradyumno'pi nṛpatirmamajjāmṛtasāgare || svapne dṛṣṭvā jagannāthaṃ yathāsau bhagavatpriyaḥ || 2.2.18.20 || tathā dadarśa taṃ vṛkṣaṃ cakṣuḥśākhaṃ caturbhujam || svakaṃ śramaṃ manyamānaḥ saphalaṃ nṛpasattamaḥ || || 21 || jahau śokaṃ nīlamaṇimādhavāṃtardhijaṃ dvijāḥ || punaḥ punaḥ praṇamyainaṃ harṣāśrunayano nṛpaḥ || 22 || dvijairāhārayāmāsa taruṃ kallolalolitam || śaṃkhakāhālamurajaḍhakkāpaṭahaniḥsvanaiḥ || 23 || gītavāditraninadairjayaśabdaiḥ sahasraśaḥ || sugaṃdhipuṣpāṃjalibhirākāśātpatitairmuhuḥ || 24|| parito dhūpapātraiśca kṛṣṇāgurusudhūpitaiḥ || veśyābhiryauvanonmattasurūpābhiḥ pracālitaiḥ || 25 || ratnadaṇḍaprakīrṇaiśca vījyamānaṃ samaṃtataḥ || patākābhirdivyapaṭṭadukūlābhiḥ suśobhitam || 26 || rājarṣirājavṛndaiśca turagaiḥ pattibhirvṛtam || māgadhairvaṃdyamānaṃ tu stūyamānaṃ maharṣibhiḥ ||27|| ṛtvigbhirbrāhmaṇaiścaiva vidvadbhiḥ śrotriyaistathā || rājanyairvaiśyakulajaiḥ sacchūdraiḥ paricāritam || 28 || stotrairbahuvidhaiḥ śrautaiḥ smārtaiḥ paurāṇikaistathā || stūyamānaṃ taruṃ viṣṇorbhūrloke pariveṣṭitam ||29|| sraggandhālaṃkṛtaṃ divyaṃ mahāvedīṃ vininyatuḥ|| vitānavaracitrāyāṃ veṣṭitāyāṃ niraṃtaram ||2.2.18.30|| vedyāṃ taṃ sthāpayāmāsuriṃdradyumnasya śāsanāt || vacasā nāradasyainaṃ pūjayāmāsa pārthivaḥ || 31 || sahasrairupacārāṇāṃ divyarūpairnṛpottamaḥ || pūjāvasāne papraccha nāradaṃ munisattamam ||32|| kīdṛśyaḥ pratimā viṣṇorghaṭayiṣyati kaḥ punaḥ || tacchrutvā taṃ muniḥ prāha aciṃtyamahimā guruḥ || 33|| ko veda tasya ceṣṭāṃ vai sarvalokottarāṃ nṛpa || sraṣṭā yo jagatāṃ tasyāpyeṣā saṃśayagocarā || 34 || vicārayaṃtau tāvitthaṃ yāvannāradapārthivau || aśarīrā tato vāṇī śuśruve cāṃtarikṣataḥ || 35 || tatra vismayamānānāṃ sarveṣāmeva śṛṇvatām || apauruṣeyo bhagavānavicārapathe sthitaḥ || 36 || suguptāyāṃ mahāvedyāṃ svayaṃ so'vatariṣyati || pracchādyatāṃ dinānyeṣā yāvatpaṃcadaśāni vai || 37 || upasthito'yaṃ yo vṛddhaḥ śastrapāṇistu varddhakiḥ || enamaṃtaḥ praveśyaiva dvāraṃ badhnaṃtu yatnataḥ || 38 || bahirvādyāni kurvaṃtu yāvattu ghaṭanā bhavet || śruto hi ghaṭanāśabdo bādhiryāṃdhatvadāyakaḥ || 39 || narake vasatiṃ caiva kuryātsaṃtānanāśanam || nāṃtaḥpraveśanaṃ kuryānna paśyecca kadācana ||2.2.18.40|| niyuktādanyaḥ paśyeccedrājño rāṣṭrasya caiva ha || draṣṭuścāpi mahābhītiraṃdhatā cakṣuṣoryuge || 41 || tasmānnāvekṣaṇaṃ kāryaṃ yāvatpratimanirmitiḥ || nirvyūḍhastu svayaṃ daivaḥ kṛtyāṃte tu vadiṣyati || 42 || yatkāryaṃ prayatnena sarvalokasukhāvaham || tacchrutvā nāradādyāste yathoktaṃ viṣṇunā svayam || 43 || cikīrṣaṃti tathā karttuṃ tatrāyātaśca varddhakiḥ || provāca nṛpatiṃ so'tha svapne dṛṣṭāstu yāstvayā || || 44 || tā evāhaṃ ghaṭiṣyāmi dāruṇā divyarūpiṇā || ityuktvāṃtardadhe vedyāṃ vṛddhavarddhakirūpadhṛk || 45 || vaṃcanārthaṃ manuṣyāṇāṃ sākṣānnārāyaṇo vibhuḥ || 46 || iti śrīskāṃde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ dvitīye vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍe puruṣottamakṣetramāhātmye jaiminiṛṣisaṃvāde'ṣṭādaśo'dhyāyaḥ || 18 ||
English translation
Jaimini said :
1-2. Then began the holy rite of Sutyā [1] (i.e. extraction of the Soma juice) as a part of the horse-sacrifice of the king. In that activity, O Brāhmaṇas , all the three worlds came to be like one family. All other sounds were drowned by the sounds of the scriptural passages and hymns that touched the vaults of heaven. The Mantras had the prescribed order (without any deviation). Proper accents were given to all the words.
3. Everything desired was given to the poor people without any restriction. That came to be comparable to the Kalpa tree for actors, dancers and bards.
4-9. In the middle (of the sacrificial site) on the southern seashore near Bilveśvara the royal camp was made for the purpose of taking the valedictory bath. The servants who had been appointed there by the king, O Brāhmaṇas, approached the king with great excitement. They reported to the king with palms joined in reverence:
“O Lord, a great tree was seen on the shore of the great ocean. Its top has sunk deep into the sea waves and the roots continue to float above on the waves. It has the colour of madder throughout. It is marked with conch and discus symbols. It was seen by us floating near the bathing house. It is exceedingly wonderful, it is a tree that has never been seen before. It resembles the sun rising with all his rays. It has rendered the entire foreshore fragrant with its sweet scent. It is not an ordinary tree. It seems to be a celestial tree. Certainly it appears that some god has come in the guise of this tree.”
10. On hearing the words of the employees the king spoke to Nārada : “They say, an excellent tree has been seen. What does it indicate?”
11-13. Nārada laughingly said to the excellent king: “Let the Pūrṇāhuti (final offering of ghee at the end of a sacrifice) be concluded so that the sacrifice may be fruitful. Your good fortune is imminent as you have already seen in the dream. The hair that has dropped down from the body of the cosmic-formed, imperishable Viṣṇu who has been formerly seen in the Śvetadvīpa has assumed the form of a tree. This partial incarnation of the Supreme Lord shall remain (forever) on the earth.
14-17. The Lord, fond of his devotees, has incarnated in that form. Indeed this tree is not man-made. Except you, O excellent king, O tiger among men, no one on the earth can be fortunate enough to have sight of this holy tree. Thanks to your good fortune, O great king, that it will be the guest of the eyes of the people of all the worlds. It is destructive of all sins. Conclude your valedictory bath near the shore of the sea. Celebrate a very great festival with the auspicious thread (tied round your wrist). Install the Lord of Yajñas in the form of the tree on the great Altar here.”
18. After discussing thus both of them, the king as well as Nārada, joyously equipped themselves with all necessary things and went to that place where the lordly tree (was seen).
19-21. On seeing it everyone was extremely delighted. They thought that Brahman itself had come to them. They considered their life fruitful and themselves living-liberated souls of great prosperity.
King Indradyumna too sank in the ocean of nectar. This king, a beloved of the Lord, saw the tree in the same manner as the Lord of the universe whom he saw in the dream, with four branches as four arms. The excellent king thought that his exertion had become fruitful. O Brāhmaṇas, he got rid of his grief caused by the disappearance of the Blue-sapphire Mādhava .
22-27. With tears of joy welling in his eyes the king bowed down again and again to the tree. He brought it up through the Brāhmaṇas as it was tossed about by the waves.
Conch-shells were blown. Kāhāla trumpets were sounded to the accompaniment of Muraja , Dhakkā and Paṭaha drums. Songs were sung. Musical instruments were played. Thousands of people shouted “Victory to you”. Handfuls of sweet-smelling flowers were repeatedly showered from the sky. Vessels of incense fumigated with black aloe-wood were taken round. The tree was fanned with chowries having rods studded with gems and jewels, held and waved by courtesans of great beauty in the prime of their youth. It was rendered splendid by means of flags and banners made of divine silk cloths. It was surrounded by a number of saintly kings, vassal kings, the cavalry and the infantry. It was saluted (and panegyrized) by the bards and eulogized by great sages.
28. The Brāhmaṇas, priests, learned men and scholars well-versed in the Vedas prayed to it. It was attended upon by kings, persons born in the families of Vaiśyas as well as good Śūdras .
29-32. It was eulogized with various hymns from the Vedas, Smṛtis and Purāṇas .
They took that heavenly tree of Viṣṇu that was eulogized, that had been beautified with garlands and sweet scents and that had come to the terrestrial world surrounded (by various things) to the great Altar that had been wonderfully and tastefully decorated with canopies and completely covered without leaving any space in between. At the bidding of Indradyumna they installed it on the Altar. At the instance of Nārada the king worshipped it. The excellent king worshipped it with thousands of offerings and services of divine nature.
At the end of the worship he asked Nārada, the excellent sage:
33-35. “Of what sort shall the idols of Viṣṇu be? Who will carve it?” On hearing that the sage said: “The size is of unimaginable greatness. Who knows his extraordinary activity? Even the creator of all the worlds is in doubt regarding it.”
While Nārada and the king were discussing thus, an unembodied divine speech was heard from the firmament.
36-43a. The speech was heard by all those who were present there with great surprise:
“The Lord is not under the influence of any person. He is beyond the path of discourse and contemplation. He will directly incarnate in the great Altar which shall be kept well-concealed. Let that be covered for the next fifteen days. Let this old carpenter who is present here with weapons (and instruments) in his hands be allowed to go in and let the doors be closed carefully thereafter.
Let there be instrumental music as long as the carving work goes on. If the sound of chiselling or carving is heard it will result in deafness and blindness. He who hears it will go to hell and his line may become extinct.
No one shall enter the place nor peep in. If anyone other than the employee looks in, there is great danger to the king, the realm and the person who looks in. Both of his eyes will become blind.
Hence as long as the idol is completely carved and chiselled no one shall look into the premises. If the work is concluded, the Lord himself shall announce it. Whatever is to be done for the sake of the happiness of all the worlds the Lord himself will announce.”
43b-46. On hearing these words Nārada and others desired to do what had been mentioned by Viṣṇu himself. By that time the carpenter too came there. He said to the king, “With the wood of divine form I shall fashion all those things seen by you in the dream.”
After saying this Lord Nārāyaṇa who himself took the form of the old carpenter for the sake of deceiving (ordinary) men, vanished behind the Altar.
[1]: [1] : Sutyā: This pressing out of Soma is generally done on the last day of the sacrifice and the day therefore came to be called Sutyā .
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 22930, revision 71095 (2016-06-11T10:59:00Z). English is G. V. Tagare’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-skanda-purana/d/doc370738.html and the archival publication witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.