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Vāsudeva-māhātmya · Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Unit 215 of 221Vāsudeva-māhātmya · Chapter 26Vāsudeva-māhātmya · Chapter 261 source entries

Vāsudeva-māhātmya · Chapter 26

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।। स्कन्द उवाच ।। एकान्तधर्मविवृतिं श्रुत्वा भगवतोदिताम् ।। प्रहृष्टमानसो भूयस्तं पप्रच्छ स नारदः ।। १ ।। नारद उवाच ।। धर्म एकान्तिकः स्वामिंस्त्वया सम्यगुदीरितः ।। तमाश्रुत्य महान्हर्षो जातोस्ति मम मानसे ।। २ ।। सिद्धये तस्य भवता क्रियायोगो य उच्यते ।। तमहं बोद्धुमिच्छामि भगवंस्तव संमतम् ।। ३ ।। ।। श्रीनारायण उवाच ।। पूजाविधिः क्रियायोगो वासुदेवस्य कीर्त्त्यते ।। स तु वेदेषु तन्त्रेषु बहुधैवास्ति वर्णितः ।। ४ ।। भक्तानां रुचिवैचित्र्यात्तथा बहुविधत्वतः ।। वासुदेवस्य मूर्तीनां बहुधा सोऽस्ति विस्तृतः ।। ५ ।। साकल्येनोच्यमानस्य पारो नायाति तस्य वै ।। अतः संक्षेपतस्तुभ्यं वच्मि भक्तिविवर्द्धनम् ।। ६ ।। प्राप्ता ये वैष्णवीं दीक्षां वर्णाश्चत्वार आश्रमाः ।। चातुर्वर्ण्यस्त्रियश्चैते प्रोक्ता अत्राधिकारिणः ।। ७ ।। वेदतन्त्रपुराणोक्तैर्मन्त्रैर्मूलेन च द्विजाः ।। पूजेयुर्दीक्षिता योषाः सच्छूद्रा मूलमन्त्रतः ।। मूलमन्त्रस्तु विज्ञेयः श्रीकृष्णस्य षडक्षरः ।।८।। स्वस्वधर्मं पालयद्भिः सर्वेरेतैर्यथाविधि ।। पूजनीयो वासुदेवो भक्त्या निष्कपटान्तरैः ।। ९ ।। आदौ तु वैष्णवीं दीक्षां गृह्णीयात्सद्वरोः पुमान् ।। सदैकान्तिकधर्मस्थाद्ब्रह्मजातेर्दयानिधेः ।। 2.9.26.१० ।। संपन्नो ज्ञानभक्तिभ्यां स्वधर्मरहितस्तु यः ।। स गुरुन्नैव कर्तव्यः स्त्रीहृतात्मा च कर्हिचित् ।। ११ ।। प्राप्ता स्त्रैणाद्गुरोर्दीक्षा ज्ञानं भक्तिं च कर्हिचित् ।। फलेन्नैव यथाऽपत्यं युवतिः षण्ढसंगिनी ।। १२ ।। प्राप्यातः सद्गुरोर्दीक्षां तुलसीमालिकां गले ।। ललाटादौ चोर्द्ध्वपुण्ड्रं गोपीचन्दनतो धरेत् ।।१३।। विष्णुपूजारुचिर्भक्तो गुरोरेवागमोदितम् ।। पूजाविधिं सुविज्ञाय ततः पूजनमारभेत् ।।१४।। रात्र्यन्तयाम उत्थाय भक्तो ब्राह्मेक्षणेऽथ वा ।। मुहूर्तार्धं हृदि ध्यायेत्केशवं क्लेशनाशनम् ।।१५।। कीर्त्तयित्वाऽभिधास्तस्य तदीयानां च नाडिकाम्।। ततः शौचविधिं कृत्वा दन्तधावनमाचरेत् ।।१६।। अंगशुद्धिस्नानमादौ कृत्वा स्नायात्समन्त्रकम्।। गृहीत्वा शुचिमृत्स्नादीन्कुर्यात्स्नानांगतर्पणम्।।१७।। परिधायांशुके धौते उपविश्यासने शुचौ ।। कृत्वोर्द्ध्वपुण्ड्रं कुर्वीत संध्यां होमं जपादि च ।। १८ ।। वस्त्रचन्दनपुष्पादीनुपहारांस्ततोऽखिलान् ।। आहरेन्मांसमदिराद्यशुचिस्पर्श वर्जितान्।।१९।। देवेभ्यो वा पितृभ्यश्चाप्यन्येभ्यो न निवेदितान् ।। अनाघ्रातांश्च मनुजैः केशकीटादिवर्जितान्।।2.9.26.२०।। संस्थाप्य तान्दक्षपार्श्वे पूजोपकरणानि च ।। उद्वर्त्य दीपमाज्येन कुर्यात्तैलेन वा ततः ।।२१ ।। कौशे वौर्णे च वस्त्रादौ विकाष्ठे शुद्ध आसने ।। उपाविशेद्वासुदेवप्रतिमासन्निधौ ततः ।। २२ ।। शैली धातुमयी दार्वी लेख्या मणिमयी च वा ।। प्रतिमा स्यात्सिता रक्ता पीता कृष्णाऽथ वा मुने ।। २३ ।। कृष्णस्य सा तु कर्तव्या द्विभुजा वा चतुर्भुजा ।। मुरलीं धारयेत्तत्र द्विभुजायाः करद्वये ।। २४ ।। अथ वा दक्षहस्तेऽस्याश्चक्रं शंखं तथेतरे ।। पद्मं वा धारयेद्दक्षे पाणावभयमुत्तरे ।। २५ ।। द्वितीयायास्तु हस्तेषु दक्षिणाधःकरक्रमात् ।। गदाब्जदरचक्राणि धारयेन्मुनिसत्तम ।। २६ ।। द्विविधाया अपि हरेर्मूर्तेर्वामे श्रियं न्यसेत् ।। मुरलीधरवामे तु राधां रासेश्वरीं न्यसेत् ।। २७ ।। अप्येषा द्विविधा मूर्त्तिरखण्डा शुभलक्षणा ।। सर्वावयवसंपन्ना भवेदर्च्चकसिद्धिदा ।। २८ ।। लक्ष्मीस्तु द्विभुजा कार्या वासुदेवस्य सन्निधौ ।। दधती पंकजं हस्ते वस्त्रालंकारशोभना ।। २९ ।। लक्ष्मीवद्राधिकापि स्याद्द्विभुजा चारुहासिनी ।। पङ्कजं पुष्पमालां वा दधती पाणिपङ्कजे ।। 2.9.26.३० ।। अचला च चला चेति द्विविधा प्रतिमा हरेः ।। तत्राद्यायां न कर्तव्यमावाहनविसर्जनम्।।३१।। तदङ्गदेवतानां च कार्यं नावाहनाद्यपि ।। न च दिङ्नियमोऽर्चायां तस्याः स्थेयं तु सम्मुखे ।।३२।। शालग्रामेप्येवमेव कार्यं नावाहनादि च ।। अन्यत्र चलमूलौ तु कर्तव्यं तत्तदर्चकैः ।। ३३ ।। तत्रापि दार्व्या लेख्यायां जलस्पर्शोनुलेपनम् ।। नैव कार्यं पूजकेन कर्तव्यं परिमार्जनम् ।। ३४ ।। उदङ्मुखः प्राङ्मुखो वा चलायां सम्मुखोऽथ वा ।। यथाशक्ति यथालब्धैरुपहारैर्यजेद्धरिम् ।। ।। ३५ ।। श्रद्धानिश्छद्मभक्तिभ्यामर्पितेनाम्बुनापि सः ।। प्रीतस्तुष्यति विश्वात्मा किमुताऽखिलपूजया ।। ३६ ।। पुंसा श्रद्धादिहीनेन रत्नहेमाद्यलंक्रियाः ।। चतुर्विधं चाप्यन्नाद्यं दत्तं गृह्णाति नो मुदा ।। ३७ ।। तस्माद्भक्तिमता कार्यं पुंसा स्वश्रेयसे मुने ।। श्रीकृष्णस्यार्च्चनं नित्यं सर्वाभीष्टाशुदायिनः ।। ३८ ।। इति श्रीस्कान्दे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां द्वितीये वैष्णवखण्डे श्रीवासुदेवमाहात्म्ये क्रियायोगाधिकारादिनिरूपणं नाम षड्विंशोऽध्यायः ।। २६ ।।

|| skanda uvāca || ekāntadharmavivṛtiṃ śrutvā bhagavatoditām || prahṛṣṭamānaso bhūyastaṃ papraccha sa nāradaḥ || 1 || nārada uvāca || dharma ekāntikaḥ svāmiṃstvayā samyagudīritaḥ || tamāśrutya mahānharṣo jātosti mama mānase || 2 || siddhaye tasya bhavatā kriyāyogo ya ucyate || tamahaṃ boddhumicchāmi bhagavaṃstava saṃmatam || 3 || || śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca || pūjāvidhiḥ kriyāyogo vāsudevasya kīrttyate || sa tu vedeṣu tantreṣu bahudhaivāsti varṇitaḥ || 4 || bhaktānāṃ rucivaicitryāttathā bahuvidhatvataḥ || vāsudevasya mūrtīnāṃ bahudhā so'sti vistṛtaḥ || 5 || sākalyenocyamānasya pāro nāyāti tasya vai || ataḥ saṃkṣepatastubhyaṃ vacmi bhaktivivarddhanam || 6 || prāptā ye vaiṣṇavīṃ dīkṣāṃ varṇāścatvāra āśramāḥ || cāturvarṇyastriyaścaite proktā atrādhikāriṇaḥ || 7 || vedatantrapurāṇoktairmantrairmūlena ca dvijāḥ || pūjeyurdīkṣitā yoṣāḥ sacchūdrā mūlamantrataḥ || mūlamantrastu vijñeyaḥ śrīkṛṣṇasya ṣaḍakṣaraḥ ||8|| svasvadharmaṃ pālayadbhiḥ sarveretairyathāvidhi || pūjanīyo vāsudevo bhaktyā niṣkapaṭāntaraiḥ || 9 || ādau tu vaiṣṇavīṃ dīkṣāṃ gṛhṇīyātsadvaroḥ pumān || sadaikāntikadharmasthādbrahmajāterdayānidheḥ || 2.9.26.10 || saṃpanno jñānabhaktibhyāṃ svadharmarahitastu yaḥ || sa gurunnaiva kartavyaḥ strīhṛtātmā ca karhicit || 11 || prāptā straiṇādgurordīkṣā jñānaṃ bhaktiṃ ca karhicit || phalennaiva yathā'patyaṃ yuvatiḥ ṣaṇḍhasaṃginī || 12 || prāpyātaḥ sadgurordīkṣāṃ tulasīmālikāṃ gale || lalāṭādau corddhvapuṇḍraṃ gopīcandanato dharet ||13|| viṣṇupūjārucirbhakto gurorevāgamoditam || pūjāvidhiṃ suvijñāya tataḥ pūjanamārabhet ||14|| rātryantayāma utthāya bhakto brāhmekṣaṇe'tha vā || muhūrtārdhaṃ hṛdi dhyāyetkeśavaṃ kleśanāśanam ||15|| kīrttayitvā'bhidhāstasya tadīyānāṃ ca nāḍikām|| tataḥ śaucavidhiṃ kṛtvā dantadhāvanamācaret ||16|| aṃgaśuddhisnānamādau kṛtvā snāyātsamantrakam|| gṛhītvā śucimṛtsnādīnkuryātsnānāṃgatarpaṇam||17|| paridhāyāṃśuke dhaute upaviśyāsane śucau || kṛtvorddhvapuṇḍraṃ kurvīta saṃdhyāṃ homaṃ japādi ca || 18 || vastracandanapuṣpādīnupahārāṃstato'khilān || āharenmāṃsamadirādyaśucisparśa varjitān||19|| devebhyo vā pitṛbhyaścāpyanyebhyo na niveditān || anāghrātāṃśca manujaiḥ keśakīṭādivarjitān||2.9.26.20|| saṃsthāpya tāndakṣapārśve pūjopakaraṇāni ca || udvartya dīpamājyena kuryāttailena vā tataḥ ||21 || kauśe vaurṇe ca vastrādau vikāṣṭhe śuddha āsane || upāviśedvāsudevapratimāsannidhau tataḥ || 22 || śailī dhātumayī dārvī lekhyā maṇimayī ca vā || pratimā syātsitā raktā pītā kṛṣṇā'tha vā mune || 23 || kṛṣṇasya sā tu kartavyā dvibhujā vā caturbhujā || muralīṃ dhārayettatra dvibhujāyāḥ karadvaye || 24 || atha vā dakṣahaste'syāścakraṃ śaṃkhaṃ tathetare || padmaṃ vā dhārayeddakṣe pāṇāvabhayamuttare || 25 || dvitīyāyāstu hasteṣu dakṣiṇādhaḥkarakramāt || gadābjadaracakrāṇi dhārayenmunisattama || 26 || dvividhāyā api harermūrtervāme śriyaṃ nyaset || muralīdharavāme tu rādhāṃ rāseśvarīṃ nyaset || 27 || apyeṣā dvividhā mūrttirakhaṇḍā śubhalakṣaṇā || sarvāvayavasaṃpannā bhavedarccakasiddhidā || 28 || lakṣmīstu dvibhujā kāryā vāsudevasya sannidhau || dadhatī paṃkajaṃ haste vastrālaṃkāraśobhanā || 29 || lakṣmīvadrādhikāpi syāddvibhujā cāruhāsinī || paṅkajaṃ puṣpamālāṃ vā dadhatī pāṇipaṅkaje || 2.9.26.30 || acalā ca calā ceti dvividhā pratimā hareḥ || tatrādyāyāṃ na kartavyamāvāhanavisarjanam||31|| tadaṅgadevatānāṃ ca kāryaṃ nāvāhanādyapi || na ca diṅniyamo'rcāyāṃ tasyāḥ stheyaṃ tu sammukhe ||32|| śālagrāmepyevameva kāryaṃ nāvāhanādi ca || anyatra calamūlau tu kartavyaṃ tattadarcakaiḥ || 33 || tatrāpi dārvyā lekhyāyāṃ jalasparśonulepanam || naiva kāryaṃ pūjakena kartavyaṃ parimārjanam || 34 || udaṅmukhaḥ prāṅmukho vā calāyāṃ sammukho'tha vā || yathāśakti yathālabdhairupahārairyajeddharim || || 35 || śraddhāniśchadmabhaktibhyāmarpitenāmbunāpi saḥ || prītastuṣyati viśvātmā kimutā'khilapūjayā || 36 || puṃsā śraddhādihīnena ratnahemādyalaṃkriyāḥ || caturvidhaṃ cāpyannādyaṃ dattaṃ gṛhṇāti no mudā || 37 || tasmādbhaktimatā kāryaṃ puṃsā svaśreyase mune || śrīkṛṣṇasyārccanaṃ nityaṃ sarvābhīṣṭāśudāyinaḥ || 38 || iti śrīskānde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ dvitīye vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍe śrīvāsudevamāhātmye kriyāyogādhikārādinirūpaṇaṃ nāma ṣaḍviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ || 26 ||

English translation

Skanda said :

1. Having heard the exposition of the Ekānta Dharma as done by the Lord ( Nārāyaṇa ), Nārada , who was greatly delighted in mind, asked him again.

Nārada said :

2. O Master, having heard the Ekāntika Dharma as has been excellently expounded by you, a great joy has been engendered in my mind.

3. I wish to know the Kriyā-Yoga (‘the employment of means’) as approved by you, which is said to contribute to its accomplishment.

Śrī Nārāyaṇa said :

4. Performance of worship as per injunctions is declared as the Kriyā - Yoga of Vāsudeva . It is described in different ways in the Vedas and the Tantras .

5. Due to differences in tastes or desires of devotees and to diversity in the forms (i.e. icons) of Vāsudeva, it (i.e. Kriyā-Yoga) is vast and varied.

6. Verily, there will be no end to it, if it were to be described in its entirety. Hence, I shall narrate to you briefly (ṃe Kriyā-Yoga) which enhances devotion.

7. Here (for this Kriyā-Yoga) those who have received initiation in Vaiṣṇava faith, whether men or women of the four castes or of the four stages of life ( āśramas )—all are eligible. [1]

8. Persons of the twice-born castes should worship with Mantras —Vedic, Tāntric and Purāṇic—and also with the Mūla-Mantra . Women who are initiated and pious Śūdras (should do so) with Mūla - Mantra . The Mūla-Mantra is six-syllabled and pertains to Śrīkṛṣṇa (i.e. it is śrīkṛṣṇāya namaḥ ).

9. Vāsudeva should be devoutly worshipped with guileless hearts by all these who observe their respective dharma (religious duties) as per prescribed procedure.

10-11. At first a man should receive the Vaiṣṇava type of initiation from a spiritual preceptor of Brāhmaṇa caste, who is always engaged in (i.e. established in) Ekāntika Dharma , and is a store of mercy.

He should have spiritual knowledge and devotion. He who is devoid of (i.e does not abide by) his personal religious duty and a person whose heart is captivated by women should never be accepted as a spiritual preceptor.

12. If one gets initiation from a preceptor who is a womanizer, his knowledge and devotion will never bear fruit, like (the impossibility of birth of) a child to a young woman associated with an impotent person. 1 1385

13. After getting initiation from a saintly preceptor, one should wear a rosary of Tulasī beads round his neck, and apply the Ūrdhvapuṇḍra (vertical-lined) marks of white clay called Gopīcandana on the forehead (and other parts of the body).

14. A devotee who is inclined to Viṣṇu -worship, should thoroughly understand from his preceptor the procedure of worship as prescribed in the Āgamas .

15. Getting up in the last watch of the night, [2] the devotee, either at the Brāhma Muhūrta (the last half watch of the night) or for half a Muhūrta (i.e. 24 minutes) should metitate in his heart on Keśava , the destroyer of all afflictions.

16. After glorifying the names of him and his (devotees) for one Ghaṭī (24 minutes), he should perform purificatory acts (like evacuating bowels) and should cleanse his teeth.

17. After performing bath for cleansing parts of one’s body, he should take bath uttering the mantras. Taking pure earth etc., he should perform Tarpaṇa included as a part in the (procedure of) bath.

18. Wearing two washed (and dried) cloths, he should sit on a pure seat. He should mark two vertical lines (of sandal or Gopīcandana) on his forehead, and perform Sandhyā (Twilight-prayers), Homa (Fire-worship) and Japa (muttering of Mantra) and such oṃer religious duties.

19. He should bring (for worship) cloth, sandal, flowers etc. and all offerings untouched by meat, wine and other impure objects. [3]

20. (Those articles of worship) should not have been (previously) offered to Devas or Manes or to others. They should not have been (even) smelt by men and should be devoid of (i.e. should not contain) hair, insects etc.

21. Keeping those (above-mentioned articles) and implements of worship (such as a bell) to the right side, one should then fill completely the lamp with ghee or oil.

22. Then one should seat near oneself the icon of Vāsudeva on a pure wooden seat ( vikāṣṭha ?) spread over with silken or woollen cloth etc.

23. The idol may be made of stone, metal, wood, precious stone or may be a painted picture. It may be white, red, yellow or black, O sage.

24. The idol of Kṛṣṇa should be made two-handed or four-handed. In the two-handed idol, a flute should be (shown to have been) held in both his hands.

25. Or there should a discus in the right hand and a conch in the other, or a lotus be (made to be held) in the right hand, and the other should show ‘grant of security’ (protection from fear).

26. In the case of the second (four-armed idol) in the lower right-hand (upper right hand, lower left hand and upper left hand), he should be made to bear an iron mace, a lotus, a conch, and a discus respectively, O excellent sage.

27. In both the types of (Kṛṣṇa) idols, Śrī should be placed on (its) left side. But in case of the idol holding a flute, Rādhā , the queen of Rāsa , should be placed on the left.

28. Even if this idol (be) of two types, the entire (unbroken) idol of auspicious characteristics and endowed with all parts of the body, becomes a conferer of accomplishment of the desires of the worshipper.

29. In the vicinity of Vāsudeva, (the idol of) Lakṣmī should be prepared as two-handed, holding a lotus in one hand and beautified with garments and ornaments.

30. Like Lakṣmī, (the idol of) Rādhikā also should be two-handed, beaming with charming smile and holding a lotus or a garland in her lotus-hand.

31. The idol of Hari is of two types—immovable or movable. In the case of the first (i.e. immovable) one, no formal invocation or send-off should be performed.

32. Invocation etc. of deities forming its parts should not be done. The rule about (facing a particular) direction is not applicable in the case of that (immovable) idol. One should sit facing it.

33. In the case of Śālagrāma (formalities such as) invocation and others should not be performed. But in other cases of movable idols, it should be performed by its worshippers.

34. Even there, in the case of wooden images and a painted one, touch of water (in the formal bath) and application of sandal should never be indulged in by the worshipper. Only wiping-off (of the painting etc.) should be done.

35. With one’s face to the North, or the East, or facing the movable image, one should worship Hari with whatever offerings are available according to one’s capacity.

36. The Universal Soul becomes pleased even if water is offered with ardent faith and sincere devotion. All the more so in the case of complete worship (with all Upacāras ).

37. He does not accept with delight the adornment with jewels and gold ornaments and eatables such as foods of four kinds.

38. Hence, O sage, the worship of Śrīkṛṣṇa who promptly confers the desired objects, should always be performed by a person endowed with devotion for his own final beatitude.

[1]: [1] : This is a Pāñcarātra work and the procedure of Kriyā is Āgamic. Hence initiation (Dīkṣā) is essential to all irrespective of caste and sex.

[2]: [2] : VV 15-18. The daily routine of the initiated is indicated here.

[3]: [3] : VV 19ff give general instructions about the articles of worship, the types of idols of Viṣṇu to be worshipped.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 23197, revision 71875 (2016-06-24T10:23:46Z). English is G. V. Tagare’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-skanda-purana/d/doc371765.html and the archival publication witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.