Vāsudeva-māhātmya, Chapter 18 | Skanda Purāṇa

Vāsudeva-māhātmya · Chapter 18

।। श्रीभगवानुवाच ।। दर्शनं मम यज्जातं तव तत्तु महामुने ।। नित्यैकान्तिकभक्तत्वान्निर्दम्भत्वान्मदिच्छया ।। १ ।। अहिंसा ब्रह्मचर्यं च त्वयि नित्यं च तद्द्वयम् ।। स्वधर्मोपशमौ चैव वैराग्यं चात्मवेदनम् ।। २ ।। सत्सङ्गोऽष्टाङ्गयोगश्च सर्वथेन्द्रियनिग्रहः ।। मुन्यन्नवृत्तिश्च तपः सर्वव्यसनहीनता ।। ३ ।। मदेकान्तिकभक्तिश्च महात्म्यज्ञानपूर्विका ।। वर्त्तते तेन मामत्र पश्यसि त्वं हि सुव्रत ।। ४ ।। ईदृग्लक्षणसंपन्ना ये स्युरन्येपि मानवाः ।। तेपि मामीदृशं विप्र पश्यन्त्येकान्तिकप्रियम् ।। ५ ।। असावहमिह ब्रह्मन्नस्मिन्नक्षरधामनि ।। राधालक्ष्मीयुतो नित्यं वसामि स्वाश्रितैः सह ।। ६ ।। वासुदेवस्वरूपोहं सर्वकर्मफलप्रदः ।। अन्तर्यामितया वर्त्ते स्वतन्त्रः सर्वदेहिनाम् ।। ७ ।। वैकुण्ठाख्यं महाधाम्नि लक्ष्म्या सह चतुर्भुजः ।। वसामि नन्दगरुडमुख्यैः साकं च पार्षदैः ।। ८ ।। धाम्नि तेजोमये दिव्ये श्वेतद्वीपेऽन्वहं भुवि ।। ददामि श्वेतमुक्तेभ्यः पञ्चकालं स्वदर्शनम् ।। ९।। कुर्वेऽनिरुद्धप्रद्युम्नसंकर्षणसमाह्वयैः ।। स्वरूपैर्नैककोट्यण्डसर्गस्थित्यप्ययानहम् ।।2.9.18.१०।। सर्गारम्भे मया ब्रह्मा सृष्टो नाभिसरोरुहात् ।। तपसाराधयामास स मां यज्ञैश्च नारद ।।११।। ततस्तस्मै प्रसन्नोऽहं प्राददामीप्सितान्वरान् ।। ब्रह्मन्प्रास्यसि सामर्थ्यं प्रजानां त्वं विसर्जने ।। १२ ।। आज्ञायामेव ताः सर्वास्तव स्थास्यन्ति मद्वरात् ।। वेदाश्चापि स्फुरिष्यन्ति तव बुद्धौ सनातनाः ।। १३ ।। ज्ञानं च मत्स्वरूपस्य यथावत्ते भविष्यति ।। त्वया कृतां च मर्यादां नातिक्रंस्यति कश्चन ।। १४ ।। सुरासुरगणानां च मुनीनां च महात्मनाम् ।। त्वमेव वरदो ब्रह्मन्वरेप्सूनां भविष्यसि ।। १५।। असाध्ये यत्र कार्ये च मोहमेष्यसि तत्त्वहम्।। प्रादुर्भूय करिष्यमि स्मृतमात्रस्त्वया विधे ।। १६ ।। सृज्यमाने त्वया विश्वे नष्टां पृथ्वीं महार्णवे ।। आनयिष्यामि स्वं स्थानं वाराहं रूपमास्थितः ।। हिरण्याक्षं निहत्यैव दैतेयं बलगर्वितम् ।। १७ ।। दिनान्ते तव मत्स्योहं भूत्वा क्षोणीं तरीमिव ।। सहौषधिं धारयिष्ये मन्वादींश्च निशावधि ।। १८ ।। सुधायै मथ्नतामब्धिं काश्यपानां निराश्रयम् ।। मन्थानं कूर्मरूपोहं धास्ये पृष्ठे च मन्दरम् ।। १९ ।। नारसिंहं वपुः कृत्वा हिरण्यकशिपुं विधे ।। सुरकार्ये हनिष्यामि यज्ञघ्नं दितिनन्दनम् ।। 2.9.18.२० ।। विरोचनस्य बलवान्बलिः पुत्रो महासुरः ।। भविष्यति स शक्रं च स्वाराज्याच्च्यावयिष्यति ।। २१ ।। त्रैलोक्येऽपहृते तेन विमुखे च शचीपतौ ।। अदित्यां द्वादशः पुत्रः संभविष्यामि कश्यपात् ।। २२ ।। ततो राज्यं प्रदास्यामि देवेन्द्राय दिवः पुनः ।। देवताः स्थापयिष्यामि स्वेषु स्थानेष्वहं विधे ।। बलिं चैव करिष्यामि पातालतलवासिनम् ।।२३।। कर्दमाद्देवहूत्यां च भूत्वाऽथ कपिलाभिधः ।। प्रवर्तयिष्ये कालेन नष्टं सांख्यं विरागयुक् ।।२४।। दत्तो भूत्याऽनसूययामत्रेरान्विक्षिकीं ततः ।। प्रह्लादायोपदेक्ष्यामि विद्यां च यदवे विधे ।। २५ ।। मेरुदेव्यां सुतो नाभेर्भूत्वाहमृषभो भुवि ।। धर्मं पारमहंस्याख्यं वर्तयिष्ये सनातनम् ।। २६ ।। त्रेतायुगे भविष्यामि रामो भृगुकुलोद्वहः ।। क्षत्रं चोत्सादयिष्यामि भग्नसेतुकदध्वगम्।। ।। २७ ।। सन्धौ तु समनुप्राप्ते त्रेताया द्वापरस्य च ।। कौशल्यायां भविष्यामि रामो दशरथादहम् ।। २८ ।। सीताभिधाना लक्ष्मीश्च भवित्री जनकात्मजा ।। उद्वहिष्यामि तामैशं भंक्त्वा धनुरहं महत् ।।२९।। ततो रक्षःपतिं घोरं देवर्षिद्रोहकारिणम् ।। सीतापहारिणं संख्ये हनिष्यामि सहानुजम् ।। 2.9.18.३० ।। तस्य मे तु चरित्राणि वाल्मीक्याद्या महर्षयः ।। तदा गास्यन्ति बहुधा यच्छ्रुतेः स्यादघक्षयः ।। ३१ ।। द्वापरस्य कलेश्चैव सन्धौ पर्यवसानिके ।। भूभारासुरनाशार्थं पातुं धर्मं च धार्मिकान् ।। वसुदेवाद्भविष्यामि देवक्यां मथुरापुरे ।। ३२ ।। कृष्णोहं वासुदेवाख्यस्तथा संकर्षणो बलः ।। प्रद्युम्नश्चाऽनिरुद्धश्च भविष्यन्ति यदोः कुले ।। ३३ ।। गोपस्य वृषभानोस्तु सुता राधा भविष्यति ।। वृन्दावने तया साकं विहरिष्यामि पद्मज ।। ३४ ।। लक्ष्मीश्च भीष्मकसुता रुक्मिण्याख्या भविष्यति ।। उद्वहिष्यामि राजन्यान्युद्धे निर्जित्य तामहम् ।। ३५ ।। धर्मद्रुहोऽसुरान्हत्वा तदाविष्टांश्च भूपतीन् ।। धर्मं संस्थापयन्नेव करिष्ये निर्भरां भुवम् ।। ३६ ।। येन केनापि भावेन यस्य कस्यापि मानसम् ।। मयि संयोक्ष्यते तंतं नेष्ये ब्रह्मगतिं पराम् ।। ३७ ।। धर्मं भुवि स्थापयित्वा कृत्वा यदुकुलक्षयम् ।। पश्यतां सर्वदेवानामन्तर्द्धास्ये भुवस्ततः ।। ।। ३८ ।। कृष्णस्य मम वीर्याणि कृष्णद्वैपायनादयः ।। गास्यन्ति बहुधा ब्रह्मन्सद्यः पापहराणि हि ।। ३९ ।। कृष्णद्वैपायनो भूत्वा पराशरमुनेः सुतः ।। शाखाविभागं वेदस्य करिष्यामि तरोरिव ।। 2.9.18.४० ।। वैदिकं विधिमाश्रित्य त्रिलोकीपरिपीडकान् ।। छलेन मोहयिष्यामि भूत्वा बुद्धोऽसुरानहम्।। ४१ ।। मया कृष्णेन निहताः सार्जुनेन रणेषु ये ।। प्रवर्तयिष्यन्त्यसुरास्ते त्वधर्मं यदा क्षितौ ।।४२।। धर्मदेवात्तदा भक्तादहं नारायणो मुनिः।। जनिष्ये कोशले देशे भूमौ हि सामगो द्विजः।।४३।। मुनिशापान्नृतां प्राप्तानृषींस्तात तथोद्धवम्।। ततोऽवितासुरेभ्योऽहं सद्धर्मं स्थापयन्नज।।४४।। जनान्म्लेच्छमयान्भूमौ कलेरन्ते महैनसः ।। कल्की भूत्वा हनिष्यामि विचरन्दिव्यवाजिना।। ४५।। यदा यदा च वेदोक्तो धर्मो नाशिष्यतेऽसुरैः।। प्रादुर्भावो भविष्यो मे तद्रक्षायै तदा तदा ।। ४६ ।। तस्माच्चिन्तां विहायैव प्रजाः सृज यथा पुरा ।। एतान्दत्त्वा वरांस्तस्मा अहमन्तर्हितोऽभवम् ।। ४७ ।। यथा तस्मै वरा दत्तास्तथैव च मया कृतम् ।। कुर्वे करिष्ये च मुने निजशक्तिभिरञ्जसा ।। ४८ ।। एवंविधस्य मे ब्रह्मन्नीशितुः सर्वदेहिनाम् ।। दर्शनं दुर्लभं जातं तवैकान्तिकभक्तितः ।। ४९ ।। वरं वरय मत्तस्त्वं स्वाभीष्टं मुनिसत्तम ।। प्रसन्नोस्मि भृशं तुभ्यं नाफलं मम दर्शनम्।।2.9.18.५०।। स्कन्द उवाच ।। श्रुत्वेति भगवद्वाक्यं नारदो मुनिसत्तमः ।। मन्यमानो निजं धन्यं तमुवाच प्रभुं मुने।।५१।। दर्शनादेव ते स्वामिन्संपूर्णो मे मनोरथः ।। इदं हि दुर्लभं मन्ये सर्वेषामपि देहिनाम् ।। ५२ ।। अतस्ते च त्वदीयानां त्वद्धाम्नोस्याऽमृतस्य च ।। साक्षात्समीक्षणादन्यत्प्राप्यं मे नास्ति वांछितम् ।। ५३ ।। इतोन्यद्दुर्लभं क्वापि नास्ति ब्रह्माण्डगोलके ।। यदहं परितुष्टात्ते प्रार्थयेयमिहाच्युत ।। ५४ ।। लोकान्तरसुखं यत्तद्वैदिकैरेव कर्मभिः ।। दैवैः पित्र्यैश्च लभ्येत तच्चाप्यस्ति हि नश्वरम् ।। ५५ ।। नेच्छामि तदहं किञ्चित्सुखं त्वत्तः परं प्रभो ।। वरमेकं तु याचे त्वत्स्वेप्सितं वरदर्षभात् ।। ५६ ।। तवाऽथ तव भक्तानां सदैव गुणगायने ।। अत्युत्सुकास्तु मे बुद्धिस्त्वयि प्रीतिविवर्द्धिनी ।। ५७ ।। ।। स्कन्द उवाच ।। तथास्त्विति प्रतिश्रुत्य कृष्णस्तेनेति याचितम् ।। गानोपयुक्तां महतीं वीणां दत्त्वाऽब्रवीत्पुनः ।। ५८ ।। श्रीभगवानुवाच ।। अधुना गच्छ देवर्षे विशालां बदरीमितः ।। तत्र धर्मात्मजं भक्त्या मामाराधय सुव्रत ।। ५९ ।। त्वं ह्येकान्तिकभक्तोसि मम निष्कपटान्तरः ।। तेन त्वामधिकं मन्ये विधेरपि पितुस्तव ।। 2.9.18.६० ।। यादृशोऽहं च यद्रूपो यावांश्च महिमा मम ।। विदुस्तत्सर्वमपि मे भक्ता एकान्तिका मुने ।।।। ६१ ।। हृदि चिन्त्योहमेवास्मि सतां तेषां च ते मम ।। तेषामिष्टं न मत्तोऽन्यन्मम तेभ्यो न किञ्चन ।। ६२ ।। यथा पतिव्रता नार्यो वशीकुर्वन्ति सत्पतिम् ।। निजैर्गुणैस्तथा भक्ता वशीकुर्वन्ति मामपि ।। ६३ ।। अनुयामि श्रिया साकं तानहं परवानिव ।। यत्रयत्र च ते सन्ति तत्रतत्राहमस्मि हि ।। ६४ ।। सत्संगादेव मत्प्राप्तिर्भवेद्भुवि मुमुक्षताम् ।। नान्योपायेन देवर्षे सत्यमित्यवधारय ।। ६५ ।। मामेव यर्हि शरणं मानुषाः प्राप्नुवन्ति ये ।। तर्ह्येव ते विमुच्यन्ते मायाया जीवबन्धनात् ।। ६६ ।। मां प्रपन्नस्तु पुरुषो येन केनापि भावतः ।। यथेष्टं सुखमाप्नोति न तु संसृतिमन्यवत् ।। ६७ ।। स्कन्द उवाच ।। एवमुक्तो भगवता प्राप्तोऽनुग्रहमीप्सितम् ।। प्रणम्य साश्रुनयनः पर्यावर्तत नारदः ।। ६८ ।। तमेव वीणया गायञ्छ्वेतमुक्तमपश्यत ।। प्राग्वत्स्वाग्रे चलन्तं तमन्वगच्छद् द्विजर्षभ ।। ६९ ।। सद्यः श्वेतं महाद्वीपं प्राप्य श्वेतान्प्रणम्य तान् ।। निवृत्तो नारदो ब्रह्मंस्तरसा मेरुमागमत् ।। 2.9.18.७० ।। ततो मेरोः प्रचक्राम पर्वतं गन्धमादनम् ।। निपपात च खात्तूर्णं विशालां बदरीमनु ।।७१।। इति श्रीस्कान्दे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां द्वितीये वैष्णवखण्डे श्रीवासुदेवमाहात्म्ये श्रीवासुदेवावतारादिकथनंनामाऽष्टादशोऽध्यायः ।।१८।।

|| śrībhagavānuvāca || darśanaṃ mama yajjātaṃ tava tattu mahāmune || nityaikāntikabhaktatvānnirdambhatvānmadicchayā || 1 || ahiṃsā brahmacaryaṃ ca tvayi nityaṃ ca taddvayam || svadharmopaśamau caiva vairāgyaṃ cātmavedanam || 2 || satsaṅgo'ṣṭāṅgayogaśca sarvathendriyanigrahaḥ || munyannavṛttiśca tapaḥ sarvavyasanahīnatā || 3 || madekāntikabhaktiśca mahātmyajñānapūrvikā || varttate tena māmatra paśyasi tvaṃ hi suvrata || 4 || īdṛglakṣaṇasaṃpannā ye syuranyepi mānavāḥ || tepi māmīdṛśaṃ vipra paśyantyekāntikapriyam || 5 || asāvahamiha brahmannasminnakṣaradhāmani || rādhālakṣmīyuto nityaṃ vasāmi svāśritaiḥ saha || 6 || vāsudevasvarūpohaṃ sarvakarmaphalapradaḥ || antaryāmitayā vartte svatantraḥ sarvadehinām || 7 || vaikuṇṭhākhyaṃ mahādhāmni lakṣmyā saha caturbhujaḥ || vasāmi nandagaruḍamukhyaiḥ sākaṃ ca pārṣadaiḥ || 8 || dhāmni tejomaye divye śvetadvīpe'nvahaṃ bhuvi || dadāmi śvetamuktebhyaḥ pañcakālaṃ svadarśanam || 9|| kurve'niruddhapradyumnasaṃkarṣaṇasamāhvayaiḥ || svarūpairnaikakoṭyaṇḍasargasthityapyayānaham ||2.9.18.10|| sargārambhe mayā brahmā sṛṣṭo nābhisaroruhāt || tapasārādhayāmāsa sa māṃ yajñaiśca nārada ||11|| tatastasmai prasanno'haṃ prādadāmīpsitānvarān || brahmanprāsyasi sāmarthyaṃ prajānāṃ tvaṃ visarjane || 12 || ājñāyāmeva tāḥ sarvāstava sthāsyanti madvarāt || vedāścāpi sphuriṣyanti tava buddhau sanātanāḥ || 13 || jñānaṃ ca matsvarūpasya yathāvatte bhaviṣyati || tvayā kṛtāṃ ca maryādāṃ nātikraṃsyati kaścana || 14 || surāsuragaṇānāṃ ca munīnāṃ ca mahātmanām || tvameva varado brahmanvarepsūnāṃ bhaviṣyasi || 15|| asādhye yatra kārye ca mohameṣyasi tattvaham|| prādurbhūya kariṣyami smṛtamātrastvayā vidhe || 16 || sṛjyamāne tvayā viśve naṣṭāṃ pṛthvīṃ mahārṇave || ānayiṣyāmi svaṃ sthānaṃ vārāhaṃ rūpamāsthitaḥ || hiraṇyākṣaṃ nihatyaiva daiteyaṃ balagarvitam || 17 || dinānte tava matsyohaṃ bhūtvā kṣoṇīṃ tarīmiva || sahauṣadhiṃ dhārayiṣye manvādīṃśca niśāvadhi || 18 || sudhāyai mathnatāmabdhiṃ kāśyapānāṃ nirāśrayam || manthānaṃ kūrmarūpohaṃ dhāsye pṛṣṭhe ca mandaram || 19 || nārasiṃhaṃ vapuḥ kṛtvā hiraṇyakaśipuṃ vidhe || surakārye haniṣyāmi yajñaghnaṃ ditinandanam || 2.9.18.20 || virocanasya balavānbaliḥ putro mahāsuraḥ || bhaviṣyati sa śakraṃ ca svārājyāccyāvayiṣyati || 21 || trailokye'pahṛte tena vimukhe ca śacīpatau || adityāṃ dvādaśaḥ putraḥ saṃbhaviṣyāmi kaśyapāt || 22 || tato rājyaṃ pradāsyāmi devendrāya divaḥ punaḥ || devatāḥ sthāpayiṣyāmi sveṣu sthāneṣvahaṃ vidhe || baliṃ caiva kariṣyāmi pātālatalavāsinam ||23|| kardamāddevahūtyāṃ ca bhūtvā'tha kapilābhidhaḥ || pravartayiṣye kālena naṣṭaṃ sāṃkhyaṃ virāgayuk ||24|| datto bhūtyā'nasūyayāmatrerānvikṣikīṃ tataḥ || prahlādāyopadekṣyāmi vidyāṃ ca yadave vidhe || 25 || merudevyāṃ suto nābherbhūtvāhamṛṣabho bhuvi || dharmaṃ pāramahaṃsyākhyaṃ vartayiṣye sanātanam || 26 || tretāyuge bhaviṣyāmi rāmo bhṛgukulodvahaḥ || kṣatraṃ cotsādayiṣyāmi bhagnasetukadadhvagam|| || 27 || sandhau tu samanuprāpte tretāyā dvāparasya ca || kauśalyāyāṃ bhaviṣyāmi rāmo daśarathādaham || 28 || sītābhidhānā lakṣmīśca bhavitrī janakātmajā || udvahiṣyāmi tāmaiśaṃ bhaṃktvā dhanurahaṃ mahat ||29|| tato rakṣaḥpatiṃ ghoraṃ devarṣidrohakāriṇam || sītāpahāriṇaṃ saṃkhye haniṣyāmi sahānujam || 2.9.18.30 || tasya me tu caritrāṇi vālmīkyādyā maharṣayaḥ || tadā gāsyanti bahudhā yacchruteḥ syādaghakṣayaḥ || 31 || dvāparasya kaleścaiva sandhau paryavasānike || bhūbhārāsuranāśārthaṃ pātuṃ dharmaṃ ca dhārmikān || vasudevādbhaviṣyāmi devakyāṃ mathurāpure || 32 || kṛṣṇohaṃ vāsudevākhyastathā saṃkarṣaṇo balaḥ || pradyumnaścā'niruddhaśca bhaviṣyanti yadoḥ kule || 33 || gopasya vṛṣabhānostu sutā rādhā bhaviṣyati || vṛndāvane tayā sākaṃ vihariṣyāmi padmaja || 34 || lakṣmīśca bhīṣmakasutā rukmiṇyākhyā bhaviṣyati || udvahiṣyāmi rājanyānyuddhe nirjitya tāmaham || 35 || dharmadruho'surānhatvā tadāviṣṭāṃśca bhūpatīn || dharmaṃ saṃsthāpayanneva kariṣye nirbharāṃ bhuvam || 36 || yena kenāpi bhāvena yasya kasyāpi mānasam || mayi saṃyokṣyate taṃtaṃ neṣye brahmagatiṃ parām || 37 || dharmaṃ bhuvi sthāpayitvā kṛtvā yadukulakṣayam || paśyatāṃ sarvadevānāmantarddhāsye bhuvastataḥ || || 38 || kṛṣṇasya mama vīryāṇi kṛṣṇadvaipāyanādayaḥ || gāsyanti bahudhā brahmansadyaḥ pāpaharāṇi hi || 39 || kṛṣṇadvaipāyano bhūtvā parāśaramuneḥ sutaḥ || śākhāvibhāgaṃ vedasya kariṣyāmi taroriva || 2.9.18.40 || vaidikaṃ vidhimāśritya trilokīparipīḍakān || chalena mohayiṣyāmi bhūtvā buddho'surānaham|| 41 || mayā kṛṣṇena nihatāḥ sārjunena raṇeṣu ye || pravartayiṣyantyasurāste tvadharmaṃ yadā kṣitau ||42|| dharmadevāttadā bhaktādahaṃ nārāyaṇo muniḥ|| janiṣye kośale deśe bhūmau hi sāmago dvijaḥ||43|| muniśāpānnṛtāṃ prāptānṛṣīṃstāta tathoddhavam|| tato'vitāsurebhyo'haṃ saddharmaṃ sthāpayannaja||44|| janānmlecchamayānbhūmau kalerante mahainasaḥ || kalkī bhūtvā haniṣyāmi vicarandivyavājinā|| 45|| yadā yadā ca vedokto dharmo nāśiṣyate'suraiḥ|| prādurbhāvo bhaviṣyo me tadrakṣāyai tadā tadā || 46 || tasmāccintāṃ vihāyaiva prajāḥ sṛja yathā purā || etāndattvā varāṃstasmā ahamantarhito'bhavam || 47 || yathā tasmai varā dattāstathaiva ca mayā kṛtam || kurve kariṣye ca mune nijaśaktibhirañjasā || 48 || evaṃvidhasya me brahmannīśituḥ sarvadehinām || darśanaṃ durlabhaṃ jātaṃ tavaikāntikabhaktitaḥ || 49 || varaṃ varaya mattastvaṃ svābhīṣṭaṃ munisattama || prasannosmi bhṛśaṃ tubhyaṃ nāphalaṃ mama darśanam||2.9.18.50|| skanda uvāca || śrutveti bhagavadvākyaṃ nārado munisattamaḥ || manyamāno nijaṃ dhanyaṃ tamuvāca prabhuṃ mune||51|| darśanādeva te svāminsaṃpūrṇo me manorathaḥ || idaṃ hi durlabhaṃ manye sarveṣāmapi dehinām || 52 || ataste ca tvadīyānāṃ tvaddhāmnosyā'mṛtasya ca || sākṣātsamīkṣaṇādanyatprāpyaṃ me nāsti vāṃchitam || 53 || itonyaddurlabhaṃ kvāpi nāsti brahmāṇḍagolake || yadahaṃ parituṣṭātte prārthayeyamihācyuta || 54 || lokāntarasukhaṃ yattadvaidikaireva karmabhiḥ || daivaiḥ pitryaiśca labhyeta taccāpyasti hi naśvaram || 55 || necchāmi tadahaṃ kiñcitsukhaṃ tvattaḥ paraṃ prabho || varamekaṃ tu yāce tvatsvepsitaṃ varadarṣabhāt || 56 || tavā'tha tava bhaktānāṃ sadaiva guṇagāyane || atyutsukāstu me buddhistvayi prītivivarddhinī || 57 || || skanda uvāca || tathāstviti pratiśrutya kṛṣṇasteneti yācitam || gānopayuktāṃ mahatīṃ vīṇāṃ dattvā'bravītpunaḥ || 58 || śrībhagavānuvāca || adhunā gaccha devarṣe viśālāṃ badarīmitaḥ || tatra dharmātmajaṃ bhaktyā māmārādhaya suvrata || 59 || tvaṃ hyekāntikabhaktosi mama niṣkapaṭāntaraḥ || tena tvāmadhikaṃ manye vidherapi pitustava || 2.9.18.60 || yādṛśo'haṃ ca yadrūpo yāvāṃśca mahimā mama || vidustatsarvamapi me bhaktā ekāntikā mune |||| 61 || hṛdi cintyohamevāsmi satāṃ teṣāṃ ca te mama || teṣāmiṣṭaṃ na matto'nyanmama tebhyo na kiñcana || 62 || yathā pativratā nāryo vaśīkurvanti satpatim || nijairguṇaistathā bhaktā vaśīkurvanti māmapi || 63 || anuyāmi śriyā sākaṃ tānahaṃ paravāniva || yatrayatra ca te santi tatratatrāhamasmi hi || 64 || satsaṃgādeva matprāptirbhavedbhuvi mumukṣatām || nānyopāyena devarṣe satyamityavadhāraya || 65 || māmeva yarhi śaraṇaṃ mānuṣāḥ prāpnuvanti ye || tarhyeva te vimucyante māyāyā jīvabandhanāt || 66 || māṃ prapannastu puruṣo yena kenāpi bhāvataḥ || yatheṣṭaṃ sukhamāpnoti na tu saṃsṛtimanyavat || 67 || skanda uvāca || evamukto bhagavatā prāpto'nugrahamīpsitam || praṇamya sāśrunayanaḥ paryāvartata nāradaḥ || 68 || tameva vīṇayā gāyañchvetamuktamapaśyata || prāgvatsvāgre calantaṃ tamanvagacchad dvijarṣabha || 69 || sadyaḥ śvetaṃ mahādvīpaṃ prāpya śvetānpraṇamya tān || nivṛtto nārado brahmaṃstarasā merumāgamat || 2.9.18.70 || tato meroḥ pracakrāma parvataṃ gandhamādanam || nipapāta ca khāttūrṇaṃ viśālāṃ badarīmanu ||71|| iti śrīskānde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ dvitīye vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍe śrīvāsudevamāhātmye śrīvāsudevāvatārādikathanaṃnāmā'ṣṭādaśo'dhyāyaḥ ||18||

English translation

The Lord said :

1. My audience (vision) that you got, O great sage, is due to your being an ever-exclusive devotee of mine, absence of hypocrisy (in you), and my will (to grant you the audience).

2. In you there is always (observance of) both non-violence and celibacy, abidance by personal (religious) duties, quiescence, disaffection to worldly (objects of) enjoyment, and perception and knowledge of the soul.

3. (You always have) association with saintly persons, (practice of) Yoga with all its eight parts, absolute sense-control, subsistence on food (prescribed) for sages, penance and freedom from all vices.

4. Absolute devotion exclusively to me, preceded by the knowledge of my greatness, is in you. Hence you (can) see me here, O firm observer of religious vows.

5. If there be ever other men who are endowed with these characteristics, they also (can) see me in such a form—me who am dear to devotees exclusively attached to me, O Brāhmaṇa .

6. O Brāhmaṇa, I, who am such (as described above) accompanied by Rādhā and Lakṣmī always stay in this imperishable residence along with my dependents.

7. I, who am of the form of Vāsudeva , am the giver of the fruits of all actions. By my immanence in all embodied beings, I always act as an independent one.

8. In the great abode called Vaikuṇṭha , I, a four-armed one, live with (my consort) Lakṣmī and along with my attendants of whom Nanda and Garuḍa are the chief ones.

9. On the earth, in the divine refulgent residence, Śveta-Dvīpa , I grant my audience five times a day, to the Śveta - muktas (i.e. liberated souls of that Dvīpa ).

10. With my personal forms called Aniruddha , Pradyumna and Saṅkarṣaṇa I carry out the creation, sustenance and destruction of innumerable crores of Brahmāṇḍas (Cosmoses). [1]

11. At the beginning of creation Brahmā was created by me from the lotus in my navel. He propitiated me with penance and sacrifices, O Nārada .

12-20. Then being pleased with him, I granted the boons desired by him: (saying) “O Brahman , you will get the necessary (competence) for creation of subjects. By virtue of my boon all of them will abide by your command. The eternal Vedas will manifest themselves in your intelligence. You will have a correct knowledge of my own form. None shall cross the bounds of morality and propriety laid down by you. You alone will be the bestower of boons to multitudes of Suras and Asuras and noble-souled sages, who are desirous of obtaining boons, O Brahman. O Vidhi (Brahman), when, in a task which cannot be accomplished, you get embarrassed or deluded, I shall manifest myself as soon as I am remembered by you, and accomplish that task for you. While the universe is being created by you, I shall assume the form of a boar [2] and bring the earth which is submerged and lost in the great ocean, and establish it in its own place after killing the Daitya Hiraṇyākṣa proud of his strength. When your day ends, I shall become a fish and shall support (floating) like a boat, the earth along with its medicinal plants, Manus and others, during the period of your night. When the sons of Kaśyapa (i.e. Devas and Asuras) will churn the ocean for (obtaining) nectar, I, assuming the form of a tortoise, will bear on my back Mount Mandara used as the churning rod. Assuming the form of a Man-Lion, I shall kill Hiraṇyakaśipu , the son of Diti , the destroyer of sacrifices, for accomplishing the task of Suras, O Vidhi.

21-23. There will be (born) Bali , the son of Virocana , a powerful great Asura . He will dislodge Śakra from his kingdom. When the three worlds are taken away (i.e. conquered) by him, and the husband of Śacī ( Indra ) is disappointed and downcast, I shall be the twelfth son of Aditi from Kaśyapa. Then, I shall give again the kingdom of heaven to Devendra . I shall re-establish the deities in their respective places, O Brahmā. And I shall make Bali an inhabitant of the nethermost subterranean world.

24. Becoming (a son) named Kapila from Kardama and Devahūtī , I, endowed with indifference to the world, shall proclaim the Sāṅkhya philosophy that was lost (forgotten) during the course of time.

25. Becoming (incarnating as) Datta , the son of Anasūyā and Atri , I shall teach the science called Ānvīkṣikī (i.e. Nyāya ) to Prahlāda and to Yadu (Sahasrārjuna?), O Vidhi.

26. Incarnating (with the name) Vṛṣabha , the son of Merudevī and Nābhi , I shall propagate the ancient Dharma called Pāramahaṃsya [3] (i.e. pertaining to Paramahaṃsas —the highest sect of recluses).

27. In Tretā , I shall become Rāma , a scion of Bhṛgu family. I shall annihilate Kṣatriyas who have transgressed the limits (of morality etc.) and have taken to bad ways.

28-31. When the period of junction between Tretā and Dvāpara (i.e. Tretā coming to an end and Dvāpara about to start) arrives, I shall become Rāma, son of Daśaratha and Kauśalyā . Lakṣmī, with the name Sītā , will be the daughter of Janaka . I shall marry her after breaking the big bow of Śiva . I shall then kill in battle along with his brothers the terrible king of Rākṣasas ( Rāvaṇa ), enemy of Devas and sages and abductor of Sītā. Then great sages including Vālmīki will sing variously of his (that is my) exploits, on hearing which there will be destruction of sins.

32-33. When the junction of Dvāpara and Kali comes to a close, for the sake of annihilation of Asuras who become burden to the earth, and for protecting righteous people, I, Kṛṣṇa , called Vāsudeva, will be born of Vasudeva and Devakī in the city of Mathurā . Similarly Saṅkarṣaṇa alias Balarāma , Pradyumna and Aniruddha (i.e. all the Vyūhas of the Pāñcarātras ) will be born in the family of Yadu.

34. Rādhā will be the daughter of the cowherd Vṛṣabhānu and I shall sport with her in Vṛndāvana , O Lotus-born One (Brahmā).

35. Lakṣmī will be born as the daughter of Bhīṣmaka by name Rukmiṇī . After defeating kings in a battle, I shall many her.

36. After killing Asuras, the enemies of Dharma and of kings who were haunted by them, and by establishing Dharma, I shall make the earth free from burden.

37. If the mind of a person is in any way devoted to me, I shall take him to the supreme position of Brahman.

38. After establishing righteousness on the earth, and bringing about the annihilation of Yadu’s race, I shall then vanish from the earth [4] , while Devas look on.

39. Kṛṣṇa-Dvaipāyana and others will extol variously the heroic exploits of me as Kṛṣṇa. They will be instant destroyers of sins.

40. After incarnating as Kṛṣṇa- Dvaipāyana , the son of Parāśara , I shall divide the Veda into different branches like a tree.

41. By becoming Buddha , I shall delude by the use of fallacious reasoning and deceit the Asuras [5] who adopting Vedic practices will harass the three worlds.

42-43. When the Asuras killed by me (as) Kṛṣṇa and by Arjuna in the battles, will promote and establish Adharma (unrighteous practices) on the earth, I, sage Nārāyaṇa , shall be born on the earth from my devotee Dharmadeva in the land of Kośala , as a Brāhmaṇa-singer of Sāman hymns.

44. O Aja ( Brahma ), establishing the holy Dharma I shall be the protector of sages who will be born as men by the curse of Munis (other sages) as well as Uddhava , O child.

45. At the end of Kali I shall incarnate as Kalki . Riding a divine horse, I shall kill highly sinful people of Mleccha origin.

46. Whenever the Dharma promulgated in the Vedas is being destroyed by Asuras, at that time my manifestation shall take place for its protection. [6]

47. Therefore, completely giving up anxiety, create subjects as before.”

After conferring these boons upon him I became invisible.

48. I did, do, shall do easily by means of my powers what all the boons given to him imply.

49-50. O Brāhmaṇa, the vision of mine, who am the controller of all embodied beings in this way, has become very difficult to obtain. (It was possible for you) due to your single-minded devotion unto me.

O excellent sage, seek any boon desired by you from me. I am highly pleased with you. My audience shall not be fruitless.

Skanda said :

51. On hearing the speech of the Lord, the excellent sage Nārada, regarded himself as blessed, and addressed the Lord, O sage.

( Nārada said :)

52. 0 Master, by your very vision all my desire is fulfilled. I regard this (i.e. your audience) as extremely difficult to get for all embodied beings.

53. Hence nothing except directly seeing you, your devotee and this your residence (called) Amṛta , is desired by me as worth obtaining.

54. Compared with this, there is nothing else anywhere in this Brahmāṇḍa that is difficult to be obtained, and this I can request of you who are pleased with me here.

55. The happiness in the other world, which is obtained by performance of Vedic rituals pertaining to Devas and ancestors, is also perishable.

56. I do not wish that insignificant happiness to be greater than you, O Lord. I beg only one boon desired by me from you who are the most prominent among bestowers of boons.

57. May my intellect be always eager for singing the excellences of you, as well as that of your devotees, and may it have ever-increasing love and devotion unto you.

Skanda said :

58. Promising him ‘so be it’ to what was requested by him, Kṛṣṇa gave him a great lute useful in singing and spoke to him again.

The Lord said :

59. O divine sage, go from this place to Viśālā Badarī (i.e. Badarikāśrama ). There propitiate devoutly me, Nārāyaṇa, the son of Dharma.

60. You are a devotee exclusively attached to me. Your heart is free from deceit. Hence I esteem you better that God Brahmā, your faṃer.

61. O sage, devotees exclusively attached to me, know everything about me, of my nature and form, and the extent of my greatness.

62. In their hearts I am the only object of thought and contemplation, and they are so in mine. Their desired object is no other than I, and I too have none other but they.

63. Just as devoted, chaste wives bring good husbands under their power by their virtuous qualities, in the same way my devotees bring me under their power.

64. I follow them along with Śrī, as if I am subservient to them. Wherever they are, I am present there.

65. O divine sage, know the truth that to those who desire liberation, I can be attained in this world only through association with saintly persons, and by no other means.

66. Whenever men resort to me, they are immediately liberated from bondage to Māyā and the state of being a Jīva (i.e. a soul subject to Saṃsāra ).

67. With whatever feeling or inclination of mind a man seeks refuge in me, he gets the happiness as desired by him, but he does not revert to Saṃsāra, as in the case of others.

Skanda said :

68. Thus addressed by the Lord, Nārada who had obtained the desired favour, bowed down to him and returned with his eyes full of tears.

69. While singing with the lute, he saw the Śveta- Mukta (the liberated soul from Śveta-Dvīpa, his guide) going in front of him as before, and he (Nārada) followed him, O eminent Brāhmaṇa.

70. Immediately after arriving at Śveta-dvīpa, he bowed down to them (all) and returned. Then Nārada arrived quickly at Meru .

71. From Meru he proceeded to Mount Gandhamādana . From the sky he quickly alighted at Viśālā Badarī (Badarikāśrama).

[1]: [1] : These are the functions of the three Vyūhas.

[2]: [2] : The order of incarnations as given in the text is as follows: (1) Divine Boar, (2) Fish, (3) Tortoise, (4) Man-Lion, (5) Vāmana, (6) Kapila, (7) Datta, (6) Vṛṣabha, (7) Bhārgava Rāma, (8) Dāśarathi Rāma, (9) Kṛṣṇa, (10) Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa), (11) Buddha, (12) Kalla.

[3]: [3] : This Purāṇa has a soft comer for Jainism. He equates Jaina ascetics with the Brāhmaṇical Paramahaṃsas, the highest order of Sannyāsa.

[4]: [4] : Mbh, BhP testify to Kṛṣṇa’s death and the cremation of his physical body. By the time of this Purāṇa, Kṛṣṇa is too great to die as a human being. He ‘vanishes’ from this world.

[5]: [5] : The author’s prejudice against Buddhism is probably due to its challenging position to Brāhmaṇism at the time of this Purāṇa.

[6]: [6] : Cf. BG IV.7

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 23189, revision 71867 (2016-06-24T10:17:33Z). English is G. V. Tagare’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-skanda-purana/d/doc371757.html and the archival publication witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.