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Puruṣottama-kṣetra-māhātmya · Chapter 45

Chapter 45

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Puruṣottama-kṣetra-māhātmya · Chapter 45

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।। मुनय ऊचुः ।। ।। मुने व्रतमिदं पुण्यं श्रुतं वै मूर्तिपंजरम् ।। अन्तःप्रमोदजननं महिम्ना च महत्तरम् ।। १ ।। यात्रा द्वादश पुण्या या उद्दिष्टा भगवत्प्रियाः ।। तासां द्वे अवशिष्टे नः कथयस्व महामुने ।। २ ।। ।। जैमिनिरुवाच ।। ।। वासंतिकां समाख्यास्ये यात्रां दमनभंजिकाम्।। यस्यां कृतायां दृष्टायां प्रीणाति पुरुषोत्तमः ।। ३ ।। पुरा यत्कथितं विप्रास्तृणं दमनकाह्वयम् ।। चैत्रशुक्लत्रयोदश्यामाहरेत्तत्समूलकम् ।। ४ ।। तन्मध्ये मंडलं कुर्यात्सुशुभं पद्मसंज्ञितम् ।। तदंतर्वासयेद्देवप्रत्यर्चां प्रतिपूजिताम् ।। ५ ।। युक्तां श्रीसत्यभामाभ्यां पूजयेद्विधिवच्च ताः ।। अर्द्धरात्रे तु कर्मेदं देवदेवस्य कारयेत् ।। ६ ।। पुरा निशीथेऽपि विभुर्बभंज दमनासुरम् ।। भंक्त्वा लेभे परां प्रीतिं तदंगोत्थं च तत्तृणम् ।।७।। तस्यामेव त्रयोदश्यां तृणं दैत्यं विभावयेत् ।। कृतांजलिपुटो भूत्वा वाक्यं चेदमुदाहरेत् ।। ८।। अवधीर्दमनं दैत्यं पुरा त्रैलोक्यकंटकम् ।। स एवेत्थं परिणतः पुरतस्तव तिष्ठति ।। ९ ।। अस्योत्पत्तौ तदा प्रीतिरासीद्या तव माधव ।। अधुनापि तथैवास्तां प्रीतिर्दमनभंजने ।। 2.2.45.१० ।। इत्युक्त्वा तृणमेके तु करे देवस्य दापयेत् ।। ततोऽवशिष्टां रात्रिं च नृत्यगीतादिभिर्नयेत् ।। ११ ।। ततश्चाभ्युदिते सूर्ये देवं तृणपुरःसरम् ।। नयेच्च जगदीशस्य समीपं द्विजसत्तमाः ।। १२ ।। उपचारैर्जगन्नाथं पूजयेत्पूर्ववत्ततः ।। हिरण्यकशिपुं हत्वा ह्यन्त्रमालां तदंगजाम् ।। १३ ।। कृत्वा कण्ठे यथाऽप्रीणास्तथेदं दमनं तृणम् ।। तव प्रीत्यै तु भगवन्मया दत्तं तवांगके ।। १४ ।। इत्युच्चार्य हरेर्मूर्ध्नि दद्याद्गंधतृणं शुभम् ।। तदा दृष्ट्वा हरेर्वक्त्रपद्मं प्रीतिकरं मुदा ।। भवदुःखपरिक्षीणः सुखमाप्नोत्यनुत्तमम् ।। १५ ।। गृहीत्वा मूर्ध्नि तच्छाखां विष्णुमूर्ध्नोऽपकाषताम् ।। सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो वसेद्विष्णुपुरे ध्रुवम् ।। १६ ।। इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां द्वितीये वैष्णवखण्डे पुरुषोत्तमक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये दमनकभंजनविधिवर्णनंनाम पञ्चचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः ।। ४५ ।।

|| munaya ūcuḥ || || mune vratamidaṃ puṇyaṃ śrutaṃ vai mūrtipaṃjaram || antaḥpramodajananaṃ mahimnā ca mahattaram || 1 || yātrā dvādaśa puṇyā yā uddiṣṭā bhagavatpriyāḥ || tāsāṃ dve avaśiṣṭe naḥ kathayasva mahāmune || 2 || || jaiminiruvāca || || vāsaṃtikāṃ samākhyāsye yātrāṃ damanabhaṃjikām|| yasyāṃ kṛtāyāṃ dṛṣṭāyāṃ prīṇāti puruṣottamaḥ || 3 || purā yatkathitaṃ viprāstṛṇaṃ damanakāhvayam || caitraśuklatrayodaśyāmāharettatsamūlakam || 4 || tanmadhye maṃḍalaṃ kuryātsuśubhaṃ padmasaṃjñitam || tadaṃtarvāsayeddevapratyarcāṃ pratipūjitām || 5 || yuktāṃ śrīsatyabhāmābhyāṃ pūjayedvidhivacca tāḥ || arddharātre tu karmedaṃ devadevasya kārayet || 6 || purā niśīthe'pi vibhurbabhaṃja damanāsuram || bhaṃktvā lebhe parāṃ prītiṃ tadaṃgotthaṃ ca tattṛṇam ||7|| tasyāmeva trayodaśyāṃ tṛṇaṃ daityaṃ vibhāvayet || kṛtāṃjalipuṭo bhūtvā vākyaṃ cedamudāharet || 8|| avadhīrdamanaṃ daityaṃ purā trailokyakaṃṭakam || sa evetthaṃ pariṇataḥ puratastava tiṣṭhati || 9 || asyotpattau tadā prītirāsīdyā tava mādhava || adhunāpi tathaivāstāṃ prītirdamanabhaṃjane || 2.2.45.10 || ityuktvā tṛṇameke tu kare devasya dāpayet || tato'vaśiṣṭāṃ rātriṃ ca nṛtyagītādibhirnayet || 11 || tataścābhyudite sūrye devaṃ tṛṇapuraḥsaram || nayecca jagadīśasya samīpaṃ dvijasattamāḥ || 12 || upacārairjagannāthaṃ pūjayetpūrvavattataḥ || hiraṇyakaśipuṃ hatvā hyantramālāṃ tadaṃgajām || 13 || kṛtvā kaṇṭhe yathā'prīṇāstathedaṃ damanaṃ tṛṇam || tava prītyai tu bhagavanmayā dattaṃ tavāṃgake || 14 || ityuccārya harermūrdhni dadyādgaṃdhatṛṇaṃ śubham || tadā dṛṣṭvā harervaktrapadmaṃ prītikaraṃ mudā || bhavaduḥkhaparikṣīṇaḥ sukhamāpnotyanuttamam || 15 || gṛhītvā mūrdhni tacchākhāṃ viṣṇumūrdhno'pakāṣatām || sarvapāpavinirmukto vasedviṣṇupure dhruvam || 16 || iti śrīskāṃde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ dvitīye vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍe puruṣottamakṣetramāhātmye damanakabhaṃjanavidhivarṇanaṃnāma pañcacatvāriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ || 45 ||

English translation

Note: Damanaka ( Artemisia indica ) is a fragrant variety of grass which is used in the worship of Viṣṇu ( Jagannātha ) and Śiva on the 14th day of the bright half of Caitra . The legend to justify this, viz. the killing of a demon called Damanaka and the boon granted to the dying demon to wear him on his person by Viṣṇu is mentioned already. This chapter gives formal recognition to this as a festival ‘Damanabhañjikā’ (splitting of Damana ) with its usual Tāntric formalities. Caitra being the first month of the spring season, this is called the Spring Festival.

The sages said :

1-2. O sage, this Vrata named Mūrti Pañjara has been heard of (by us). It causes joy within. It is great with its own grandeur. You spoke of twelve meritorious festivals of which the Lord is very fond. Two of them yet remain (to be told). Recount them to us, O great sage.

Jaimini replied :

3. I shall recount the festival named Damanabhañjikā (‘Splitting the grass, Artemisia indica’). This is a Spring Festival. If it is performed or witnessed, Puruṣottama becomes pleased.

4. O Brāhmaṇas , previously I have spoken about the grass named Damanaka . The devotee should bring it along with its root on the thirteenth day in the bright half of the month of Caitra.

5. In its (Mansion’s) middle he should make a splendid mystic diagram named Padma (Lotus). A replica of the Lord should be worshipped and then kept within it.

6. The image must be accompanied (by the images of) Śrī and Satyabhāmā . The devotee should worship them in accordance with the injunctions. He should perform this rite of the Lord of Devas at midnight.

7. Formerly it was at midnight that the Lord thrashed Damanāsura. After thrashing him, he attained great pleasure. This grass has originated from his body.

8. On the same Trayodaśī (thirteenth day) the devotee should consider the grass to be the Daitya . With palms joined in reverence he should utter these sentences:

9-10. “Formerly you killed the Daitya Damanaka who was a thorn unto the three worlds . He has become transformed thus and stands in front of you. At that time when this was produced you felt pleased, O Mādhava . May you have now too the same pleasure in splitting Damana”.

11. After saying thus the devotee places the grass in a hand of the Lord. Then he should spend the remaining part of the night by means of dances, songs etc.

12. When the sun has risen, the Lord and the grass should be taken to the presence of the Lord of the universe, O excellent Brāhmaṇas.

13-14. Thereafter, he should worship the Lord of the universe as before by means of offerings and courteous services:

“After killing Hiraṇyakaśipu and putting round your neck the entrails taken out of his body, you became delighted. Similarly, O Lord, this Damana grass is given into your hand by me for the sake of your delight.”

15. After uttering this the devotee should place the splendid fragrant grass on Hari ’s head. At that time one who is distressed through the worldly miseries joyously sees Hari’s lotus-like face beaming with pleasure and therefore attains excellent happiness.

16. The devotee should take away that blade of grass from Viṣṇu’s head and place it on his own head. He shall be rid of all sins. He shall then certainly dwell in the city of Viṣṇu.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 14399, revision 71201 (2016-06-13T18:42:48Z). English is G. V. Tagare’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-skanda-purana/d/doc371627.html and the archival publication witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.