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Vaiśākhamāsa-māhātmya · Chapter 5

Chapter 5

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Vaiśākhamāsa-māhātmya · Chapter 5

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।। ।। अम्बरीष उवाच ।। ।। वैशाखः सर्वधर्मेभ्यस्तपोधर्मेभ्य एव च ।। स कथं सर्वमासेभ्यो दानेभ्योऽप्यधिकोऽभवत् ।। १ ।। ।। नारद उवाच ।। ।। तद्वक्ष्यामि महाप्राज्ञ शृणु चैकमना भव ।। कल्पांते देवराड्विष्णुः शेषशायी महाप्रभुः ।। २ ।। कुक्षिस्थ लोकसङ्घोऽयं स शेते प्रलयार्णवे ।। अनेको ह्येकतां प्राप्य भूतिभिर्योगमायया ।। ३ ।। निमेषस्यावसाने तु श्रुतिभिर्बोधितस्ततः ।। कुक्षिस्थजीवसंघानां रक्षां चक्रे दयानिधिः ।। ४ ।। तत्तत्कर्मफलप्राप्त्यै सृष्टिं स्रष्टुं मनो दधे ।। तस्य नाभेरभूत्पद्म सौवर्णं भुवनाश्रयम् ।। ५ ।। ब्रह्माणं जनयामास वैराजं पुरुषाह्वयम् ।। तस्मिन्ससर्ज भगवान्भुवनानि चतुर्दश ।। ६ ।। भिन्नकर्माशयान्प्राणिसङ्घांश्च विविधान्बहून् ।। त्रिगुणान्प्रकृतिं लोके मर्यादाश्चाधिपांस्तथा ।। ७ ।। वर्णाश्रमविभागांश्च धर्मक्लृप्तिं च सोऽकरोत् ।। वेदैश्चतुर्भिस्तत्रैश्च सहितान्स्मृतिभिस्तथा ।। ८ ।। पुराणैरितिहासैश्च स्वाज्ञारूपैर्महेश्वरः ।। ऋषीन्प्रवर्तकांश्चक्रे धर्मगुप्त्यै महाप्रभुः ।। ९ ।। तैः प्रवर्तितधर्मास्तु वर्णाश्रमविभागजाः ।। प्रजाः श्रद्दधिरे सर्वाः स्वोचितान्विष्णुतोषदान् ।। 2.7.5.१० ।। तांस्तु प्रवर्तमानांस्तु स्वाश्रमान्द्रष्टुमीश्वरः ।। हृदिस्थोऽप्यव्ययः साक्षाद्विभीषार्थं परीक्षया ।। ११ ।। अनूनान्कुशलान्यत्र धर्मान्कुर्वंति वै प्रजाः ।। स कालः को भवेद्विद्वानिति सर्चितयत्प्रभुः ।। १२ ।। वर्षाकालो मया सृष्टः सीदंत्यस्ता इमाः प्रजाः ।। तत्रानूनान्न कुर्वंति धर्मान्पंकाद्युपद्रुताः ।।१३।। तान्दृष्ट्वा कोप एव स्यात्तेषु तुष्टिर्न मे भवेत् ।। मयेक्षिता न सीदंतु तस्मात्तानवलोकये ।।१४।। शरद्यपि तथा पूर्तिः कर्षणान्नैव जायते ।। केचित्पक्वफलासक्ताः केचिद्वृष्टिभिरर्दिताः ।।१५।। केचिच्छीतार्दिताश्चैव तान्दृष्ट्वा रोष एव मे ।। वैगुण्यं पश्यतश्चैव न मे तोषोऽभिजायते ।। १६ ।। उत्थापनं तु नेच्छंति प्रातर्हेमंत आगते ।। कोपो मेऽनुत्थितान्दृष्ट्वा प्रातः सूर्योदये सति ।। ।। १७ ।। शिशिरेऽपि तथैवार्ताः प्रातःकाल इमाः प्रजाः ।। तथा पक्वफलादानाशक्ता ह्यनिशमंजसा ।। १८ ।। पुनः शीतार्दिताः प्रातःस्नानार्थमिति चिंतिताः ।। तेषां तु कर्मलोपः स्यान्नैव पूर्तिः कथंचन ।। १९ ।। प्रेक्षायाः समयो नाऽयमिति चिंताऽऽकुलो विभुः ।। वसंत समयं मेने सर्वापत्तिनिवारकम् ।। 2.7.5.२० ।। स्नाने दाने तथा यागे क्रियायां भोग एव च ।। नानाधर्मविधाने च ह्यनुकूलस्त्वयं ह्यृतुः ।। २१ ।। अप्रयासेन लभ्यानि द्रव्याण्यसुभृतां धुवम् ।। येन केनापि द्रव्येण तुष्टिस्तनुभृतां भवेत् ।। २२ ।। विष्णोराधारभूतानां तद्द्रव्यं धर्मसाधनम् ।। वसंते सकलं द्रव्यं प्राणिनां तु सुखावहम् ।। २३ ।। दानयोग्यं धर्मयोग्यं भोगयोग्यं तु सर्वशः ।। निर्धनानां तु पङ्वादि विकलानां महात्मनाम्।। २४ ।। द्रव्याणि च सुलभ्यानि जलादीनि न संशयः ।। द्रव्यैरेतैः स्वात्महितं धर्मं कुर्वंति मत्प्रियाः ।। २५ ।। पत्रैः पुष्पैः फलैरन्यैः शाकैश्चापि प्रियोक्तिभिः ।। स्रक्तांबूलैश्चन्दनाद्यैः पादप्रक्षालनादिभिः ।। २६ ।। प्रश्रयाद्यैरहो तेषां वरदोऽहमितीरयन् ।। संचिंत्य भगवान्विष्णुः प्रतस्थे रमया सह।। २७ ।। वनानि सर्वतः पश्यन्विकसत्कुसुमानि च ।। हृष्टपुष्टजनाकीर्णं मत्तालिद्विजसेवितम् ।। २८ ।। आश्रमाणां महार्हाणां वनग्रामनिवासिनाम्।। प्रांगणादीनि रम्याणि ह्युद्यानानि स्थलानि च ।। २९ ।। रमायै दर्शयन्विष्णुः सह देवैर्मुनीश्वरैः ।। सिद्धचारणगन्धर्वकिन्नरोरगराक्षसैः ।। 2.7.5.३० ।। स्तूयमानोऽभ्यगाद्गेहान्वर्णाश्रमनिवासिनाम् ।। मीनादिकर्कटांतं वै स तिष्ठन्रमया सुरैः ।। ३१ ।। सार्द्धं प्रतीक्ष्य पुरुषान्कृताकृत सपर्यया ।। तत्र धर्मवतां पुंसां ददातीष्टान्मनोरथान् ।। ३२ ।। मत्तान्न सहते पुंसो हरत्यायुर्धनादिकम् ।। यदि कुर्वंति वैशाखे सपर्या परमात्मनः ।। ३३ ।। तत्रापि चलमूर्तीनां साधूनां यत्र वै विभुः ।। मासेवन्येषु यज्जातं कर्मलोपं सहिष्यति ।। ३४ ।। यथा देशागतं भूपं दृष्ट्वा जानपदाः प्रजाः ।। यदि तं चोपतिष्ठन्ति प्रश्रयाद्यैर्महार्हणैः ।। ३५ ।। तदा करादिकं न्यूनं पूर्णं जानाति पार्थिवः ।। पुनरप्यधिकं चेष्टं तुष्टो दास्यति निश्चितम् ।। ३६ ।। तदा त्वकृतपूजानां दण्डं तेषां करोति च ।। तथा विष्णुः स्वकीयानां वैशाखे माधवागमे ।। ३७ ।। सपर्यां कुर्वतां पुंसां ददातीष्टान्मनोरथान् ।। अकुर्वतां तथा पुंसां धनादीनि हरत्यलम् ।। ३८ ।। धर्मगोप्तुर्महाविष्णोर्देवदेवस्य शार्ङ्गिणः ।। परीक्षाकाल एवाऽयं तस्मान्मासोत्तमो ह्ययम् ।। ३९ ।। इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां द्वितीये वैष्णवखण्डे वैशाखमासमाहात्म्ये नारदांवरीषसंवादे वैशाखश्रेष्ठत्वनिरूपणं नाम पञ्चमोध्यायः ।। ५ ।।

|| || ambarīṣa uvāca || || vaiśākhaḥ sarvadharmebhyastapodharmebhya eva ca || sa kathaṃ sarvamāsebhyo dānebhyo'pyadhiko'bhavat || 1 || || nārada uvāca || || tadvakṣyāmi mahāprājña śṛṇu caikamanā bhava || kalpāṃte devarāḍviṣṇuḥ śeṣaśāyī mahāprabhuḥ || 2 || kukṣistha lokasaṅgho'yaṃ sa śete pralayārṇave || aneko hyekatāṃ prāpya bhūtibhiryogamāyayā || 3 || nimeṣasyāvasāne tu śrutibhirbodhitastataḥ || kukṣisthajīvasaṃghānāṃ rakṣāṃ cakre dayānidhiḥ || 4 || tattatkarmaphalaprāptyai sṛṣṭiṃ sraṣṭuṃ mano dadhe || tasya nābherabhūtpadma sauvarṇaṃ bhuvanāśrayam || 5 || brahmāṇaṃ janayāmāsa vairājaṃ puruṣāhvayam || tasminsasarja bhagavānbhuvanāni caturdaśa || 6 || bhinnakarmāśayānprāṇisaṅghāṃśca vividhānbahūn || triguṇānprakṛtiṃ loke maryādāścādhipāṃstathā || 7 || varṇāśramavibhāgāṃśca dharmaklṛptiṃ ca so'karot || vedaiścaturbhistatraiśca sahitānsmṛtibhistathā || 8 || purāṇairitihāsaiśca svājñārūpairmaheśvaraḥ || ṛṣīnpravartakāṃścakre dharmaguptyai mahāprabhuḥ || 9 || taiḥ pravartitadharmāstu varṇāśramavibhāgajāḥ || prajāḥ śraddadhire sarvāḥ svocitānviṣṇutoṣadān || 2.7.5.10 || tāṃstu pravartamānāṃstu svāśramāndraṣṭumīśvaraḥ || hṛdistho'pyavyayaḥ sākṣādvibhīṣārthaṃ parīkṣayā || 11 || anūnānkuśalānyatra dharmānkurvaṃti vai prajāḥ || sa kālaḥ ko bhavedvidvāniti sarcitayatprabhuḥ || 12 || varṣākālo mayā sṛṣṭaḥ sīdaṃtyastā imāḥ prajāḥ || tatrānūnānna kurvaṃti dharmānpaṃkādyupadrutāḥ ||13|| tāndṛṣṭvā kopa eva syātteṣu tuṣṭirna me bhavet || mayekṣitā na sīdaṃtu tasmāttānavalokaye ||14|| śaradyapi tathā pūrtiḥ karṣaṇānnaiva jāyate || kecitpakvaphalāsaktāḥ kecidvṛṣṭibhirarditāḥ ||15|| kecicchītārditāścaiva tāndṛṣṭvā roṣa eva me || vaiguṇyaṃ paśyataścaiva na me toṣo'bhijāyate || 16 || utthāpanaṃ tu necchaṃti prātarhemaṃta āgate || kopo me'nutthitāndṛṣṭvā prātaḥ sūryodaye sati || || 17 || śiśire'pi tathaivārtāḥ prātaḥkāla imāḥ prajāḥ || tathā pakvaphalādānāśaktā hyaniśamaṃjasā || 18 || punaḥ śītārditāḥ prātaḥsnānārthamiti ciṃtitāḥ || teṣāṃ tu karmalopaḥ syānnaiva pūrtiḥ kathaṃcana || 19 || prekṣāyāḥ samayo nā'yamiti ciṃtā''kulo vibhuḥ || vasaṃta samayaṃ mene sarvāpattinivārakam || 2.7.5.20 || snāne dāne tathā yāge kriyāyāṃ bhoga eva ca || nānādharmavidhāne ca hyanukūlastvayaṃ hyṛtuḥ || 21 || aprayāsena labhyāni dravyāṇyasubhṛtāṃ dhuvam || yena kenāpi dravyeṇa tuṣṭistanubhṛtāṃ bhavet || 22 || viṣṇorādhārabhūtānāṃ taddravyaṃ dharmasādhanam || vasaṃte sakalaṃ dravyaṃ prāṇināṃ tu sukhāvaham || 23 || dānayogyaṃ dharmayogyaṃ bhogayogyaṃ tu sarvaśaḥ || nirdhanānāṃ tu paṅvādi vikalānāṃ mahātmanām|| 24 || dravyāṇi ca sulabhyāni jalādīni na saṃśayaḥ || dravyairetaiḥ svātmahitaṃ dharmaṃ kurvaṃti matpriyāḥ || 25 || patraiḥ puṣpaiḥ phalairanyaiḥ śākaiścāpi priyoktibhiḥ || sraktāṃbūlaiścandanādyaiḥ pādaprakṣālanādibhiḥ || 26 || praśrayādyairaho teṣāṃ varado'hamitīrayan || saṃciṃtya bhagavānviṣṇuḥ pratasthe ramayā saha|| 27 || vanāni sarvataḥ paśyanvikasatkusumāni ca || hṛṣṭapuṣṭajanākīrṇaṃ mattālidvijasevitam || 28 || āśramāṇāṃ mahārhāṇāṃ vanagrāmanivāsinām|| prāṃgaṇādīni ramyāṇi hyudyānāni sthalāni ca || 29 || ramāyai darśayanviṣṇuḥ saha devairmunīśvaraiḥ || siddhacāraṇagandharvakinnaroragarākṣasaiḥ || 2.7.5.30 || stūyamāno'bhyagādgehānvarṇāśramanivāsinām || mīnādikarkaṭāṃtaṃ vai sa tiṣṭhanramayā suraiḥ || 31 || sārddhaṃ pratīkṣya puruṣānkṛtākṛta saparyayā || tatra dharmavatāṃ puṃsāṃ dadātīṣṭānmanorathān || 32 || mattānna sahate puṃso haratyāyurdhanādikam || yadi kurvaṃti vaiśākhe saparyā paramātmanaḥ || 33 || tatrāpi calamūrtīnāṃ sādhūnāṃ yatra vai vibhuḥ || māsevanyeṣu yajjātaṃ karmalopaṃ sahiṣyati || 34 || yathā deśāgataṃ bhūpaṃ dṛṣṭvā jānapadāḥ prajāḥ || yadi taṃ copatiṣṭhanti praśrayādyairmahārhaṇaiḥ || 35 || tadā karādikaṃ nyūnaṃ pūrṇaṃ jānāti pārthivaḥ || punarapyadhikaṃ ceṣṭaṃ tuṣṭo dāsyati niścitam || 36 || tadā tvakṛtapūjānāṃ daṇḍaṃ teṣāṃ karoti ca || tathā viṣṇuḥ svakīyānāṃ vaiśākhe mādhavāgame || 37 || saparyāṃ kurvatāṃ puṃsāṃ dadātīṣṭānmanorathān || akurvatāṃ tathā puṃsāṃ dhanādīni haratyalam || 38 || dharmagopturmahāviṣṇordevadevasya śārṅgiṇaḥ || parīkṣākāla evā'yaṃ tasmānmāsottamo hyayam || 39 || iti śrīskāṃde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ dvitīye vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍe vaiśākhamāsamāhātmye nāradāṃvarīṣasaṃvāde vaiśākhaśreṣṭhatvanirūpaṇaṃ nāma pañcamodhyāyaḥ || 5 ||

English translation

Aṃbarīṣa said :

1. Why should Vaiśākha be considered to be superior to all the other months and special holy rites, austerities, charitable gifts and all the other types of pious observances (enjoined during its course)?

Nārada replied :

2-4. Let me tell you, O highly intelligent one. Listen with single-minded attention.

At the end of the Kalpa , the great Lord, the Lord of Devas , lies on his couch of Śeṣa , the Serpent. With all the groups of worlds inside his belly, he lies down in the vast sea of Pralaya . All the different categories (of worldly objects), the multifarious things, become unified into one mass due to his yogic Māyā and the superior powers. At the end of the slumber he is awakened by the Śrutis . The Lord, the storehouse of mercy, protected all the groups and species of beings stationed in his belly.

5. He became inclined to create in order to enable the living beings to experience the fruits of their respective Karmas . From his navel arose a golden lotus, support of all the worlds.

6. He created Brahmā , Vairāja (son of Virāṭ ), called Puruṣa . In him the Lord created the fourteen worlds.

7-11. He created various groups of living beings of different activities and mental proclivities. He created three Guṇas , Prakṛti , boundaries and overlords. He made the distinctions (in the duties) of the different castes and stages of life. He defined Dharma .

He made the sages the custodians of Dharma. The great Lord made them active workers in the propagation and protection of Dharma according to the four Vedas , Tantra texts, Smṛtis , Purāṇas and Itihāsas all in the form of his commands. The duties propagated by them are based on the distinction of castes and stages of life. All the people had faith in the Dharmas befitting them and giving delight to Viṣṇu .

In order to ensure proper functioning of (the system of) the stages of life, the immutable Lord is stationed in the heart itself. Still (he manifests himself outside) in order to test and frighten (people) (lest they should cease performance of their duties).

12. The wise Lord thought thus: ‘What can be that time when the people will perform all the excellent Dharmas perfectly?

13-14. The rainy season has been created by me. People are afflicted and helpless then. Obstructed by mud etc. they are unable to perform excellent Dharmas.

On seeing them anger alone will arise in me. I shall not be delighted with them. Let not the people looked at by me become disturbed and helpless. Hence I do (should) not see them.

15-16. In autumn too there is no fulfilment (of the needs) because of agricultural activities. Some are eagerly attached to ripe fruits. Some are afflicted by heavy showers and some by chillness. On seeing them I (may) become furious indeed. It does not give me any satisfaction, when I notice lack of good qualities.

17-20. When early winter season sets in, people do not wish to get up early in the morning. I become angry on seeing that people do not get up even when the sun has risen.

In the same manner people are distressed in the morning during late winter. So also they are not capable of taking in ripe fruits with care. Further they are afflicted by chillness and they are worried about the early morning ablution. There shall be omission of duties on their part. It will never be recompensed in any manner. This is not the time for survey.’ Thus the Lord became agitated in-his mind. He considered vernal season to be one dispelling all calamities.

21. “In performing holy bath, charitable gifts, in Yajña , in holy rites, in the enjoyment of pleasures and in the execution of different kinds of pious observances and vows, this season is favourable.

22-27. Certainly (some) objects would be accessible to living beings without much strain. Whatever object will satisfy embodied beings for whom Viṣṇu is the support, that object is the means of acquiring virtue and piety to them, since they are endowed with devotion. In vernal season all objects are conducive to happiness to living beings. Those objects are worthy of being distributed as charitable gifts, worthy of holy rites and also of being enjoyed in every respect. There is no doubt about this, that poor people, those who are lame and those who are disabled in other limbs, as well as noble-souled ones (without valuable possessions) can easily get the things such as water etc. My devotees (lit. to whom I am dear) perform holy rites conducive to their own welfare with such things as leaves, flowers, fruits, vegetables and other things, with pleasing words, with flower garlands, betel leaves, sandal-paste and other things, by washing the feet and similar rites and with humility etc. Thereby I become the bestower of boons on them.” Thinking and speaking thus (to Ramā ), Lord Viṣṇu started along with Ramā.

28-32. He went along surveying the forests and full-blown flowers. He saw places inhabited by delighted and well-nourished people and resorted to by inebriated bees and birds.

He saw the beautiful courtyards of the rich hermitages of the residents of forests and villages. He saw gardens and vast lands.

He pointed out all these to Ramā. Viṣṇu was eulogized by Siddhas , Cāraṇas , Gandharvas , Kinnaras , Serpents and Rākṣasas as well as by Devas and eminent sages. Thus he visited the houses of those householders who followed the system of castes and stages of life. Beginning with the month of Mīna and ending with the month of Karkaṭa , he stayed there along with Ramā and Suras .

He tested people by the services (and offerings) performed or omitted. There he gives to the persons endowed with virtue all their cherished things.

33-36. He does not brook haughty, intoxicated men. He deprives them of their span of life, wealth etc.

In the month of Vaiśākha they perform worship of the Supreme Ātman . The Lord brooks it even if omission of rites happens in the other months in the case of good men who have been otherwise constant.

If people in the outlying districts go and serve the king who goes over to their land, offer him presents and humble obeisance, then the king ignores the deficiencies and shortages in their payment of taxes and tributes. He considers it as paid in full as it were. Further, he becomes pleased with them and certainly gives them something more also.

37-39. If they do not revere and worship him, he metes out punishment too. In the same manner, Viṣṇu behaves with his own people in the month of Vaiśākha during the advent of the vernal season. To the persons who offer him worship, he grants all cherished things. In the case of those persons who do not perform obeisance etc. he deprives them of their wealth etc.

This is the time when the Lord of Devas, the Śārṅga -bearing Viṣṇu, the protector of Dharma, tests the devotees. Hence this is the most excellent of all months.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 23096, revision 71542 (2016-06-21T03:17:04Z). English is G. V. Tagare’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-skanda-purana/d/doc371707.html and the archival publication witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.