Veṅkaṭācala-māhātmya · Chapter 18
Source।। अथ श्रीवेंकटेश्वरवैभववर्णनम् ।। ।। श्रीसूत उवाच ।। ।। अथेदानीं प्रवक्ष्यामि वेंकटेश्वरवैभवम् ।। यच्छ्रुत्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मुच्यते नात्र संशयः ।। १ ।। श्रीवेंकटेश्वरं देवं यः पश्यति सकृन्नरः ।। स नरो मुक्तिमाप्नोति विष्णुसायुज्यमाप्नुयात् ।। २ ।। दशवर्षैस्तु यत्पुण्यं क्रियते तु कृते युगे ।। त्रेतायामेकवर्षेण तत्पुण्यं साध्यते नृभिः ।। ३ ।। द्वापरे पञ्चमासेन तद्दिनेन कलौ युगे ।। तत्फलं कोटिगुणितं निमिषेनिमिषे नृणाम् ।। ४ ।। निःसंदेहं भवेदेवं श्रीनिवासविलोकिनाम्।। श्रीवेंकटेश्वरे देवे तीर्थानि सकलान्यपि ।। ५ ।। विद्यन्ते सर्वदेवाश्च मुनयः पितरस्तथा ।। एककालं द्विकालं वा त्रिकालं सर्वदैव वा ।। ६ ।। ये स्मरन्ति महादेवं श्रीनिवासं विमुक्तिदम् ।। कीर्तयन्त्यथवा विप्रास्ते मुक्ताः पापपञ्जरात् ।। ७ ।। नारायणं परं देवं वेंकटेशं प्रयान्ति वै ।। पूजितं शङ्खराजेन सच्चिदानंदविग्रहम् ।। ८ ।। तस्य स्मरणमात्रेण यमपीडाऽपि नो भवेत् ।। श्रीनिवासं महादेवं येऽर्चयंति सकृन्नराः।। ।। ९ ।। किं दानैः किं व्रतैस्तेषां किं तपोभिः किमध्वरैः ।। वेंकटेशं परं देवं यो न चिन्तयति क्षणम् ।। 2.1.18.१० ।। अज्ञानी स च पापी स्यात्स मूको बधिरस्तथा ।। स जडोऽन्धश्च विज्ञेयश्छिद्रं तस्य सदा भवेत् ।। ११ ।। श्रीनिवासे महादेवे सकृद्दृष्टे मुनीश्वराः ।। किं काश्या गयया चैव प्रयागेनापि किं फलम्।। १२ ।। दुर्लभं प्राप्य मानुष्यं मानवा इह भूतले ।। वेंकटेशं परं देवं ये पश्यन्त्यर्चयन्ति वा ।। १३ ।। जन्म तेषां हि सफलं ते कृतार्थाश्च नेतरे ।। वेंकटेशे परे देवे दृष्टे वा पूजितेऽपि वा ।। १४ ।। शम्भुना ब्रह्मणा किं वा शक्रेणाप्यखिलामरैः ।। वेंकटेशे महादेवे भक्तियुक्ताश्च ये नराः ।। १५ ।। तेषां प्रणामस्मरणपूजायुक्तास्तु ये नराः ।। न ते पश्यंति दुःखानि नैव यांति यमालयम् ।। १६ ।। ब्रह्महत्यासहस्राणि सुरापानायुतानि च ।। दृष्टे नारायणे देवे विलयं यांति कृत्स्नशः ।। १७ ।। ये वाञ्छंति सदा भोगं राज्यं च त्रिदशालये ।। वेंकटाद्रिनिवासं ते प्रणमन्तु सकृन्मुदा ।। १८ ।। यानि कानि च पापानि जन्मकोटिकृतानि च ।। तानि सर्वाणि नश्यन्ति वेंकटेश्वरदर्शनात् ।। १९ ।। संपर्कात्कौतुकाल्लोभाद्भयाद्वापि च संस्मरन् ।। वेंकटेशं महादेवं नेहामुत्र च दुःखभाक् ।। 2.1.18.२० ।। वेंकटाचलदेवेशं कीर्तयन्नर्चयन्नपि ।। अवश्यं विष्णुसारूप्यं लभते नात्र संशयः ।। २१ ।। यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुते क्षणात् ।। तथा पापानि सर्वाणि वेंकटेश्वरदर्शनम् ।। २२ ।। वेंकटेश्वरदेवस्य भक्तिरष्टविधा स्मृता ।। तद्भक्तजनवात्सल्यं तत्पूजापरितोषणम् ।। २३ ।। स्वयं तत्पूजनं भक्त्या तदर्थे देहचेष्टितम् ।। तन्माहात्म्यकथावांछाश्रवणेष्वादरस्तथा ।। २४ ।। स्वरनेत्रशरीरेषु विकारस्फुरणं तथा ।। श्रीनिवासस्य देवस्य स्मरणं सततं तथा ।। २५ ।। वेंकटाद्रिनिवासं तमाश्रित्यैवोपजीवनम्।। एवमष्टविधा भक्तिर्यस्मिन्म्लेच्छेऽपि वर्तते।।२६।। स एव मुक्तिमाप्नोति शौनकाद्या महौजसः।। भक्त्या त्वनन्यया मुक्तिर्ब्रह्मज्ञानेन निश्चिता।। २७।। वेदान्तशास्त्रश्रवणाद्यतीनामूर्ध्वरेतसाम् ।। सा च मुक्तिर्विना ज्ञानं वेदान्तश्रवणोद्भवम्।। यत्याश्रमं विना विप्रा विरक्तिं च विना तथा ।। २८ ।। सर्वेषां चैव वर्णानामखिलाश्रमिणामपि ।। वेकटेश्वरदेवस्य दर्शनादेव केवलम् ।। २९ ।। अपुनर्भवदा मुक्तिर्भविष्यत्यविलंबितम् ।। कृमिकीटाश्च देवाश्च मुनयश्च तपोधनाः ।। 2.1.18.३० ।। तुल्या वेंकटशैलेन्द्रे श्रीनिवासप्रसादतः ।। पापं कृतं मयानेकमिति मा क्रियतां भयम् ।। ३१ ।। मा गर्वः क्रियतां पुण्यं मयाऽकारीति वा जनैः ।। वेंकटेशे महादेवे श्रीनिवासे विलोकिते ।। ३२ ।। न न्यूना नाधिकाश्च स्युः किन्तु सर्वे महाजनाः।। वेंकटाख्ये महापुण्ये सर्वपातकनाशने।।३३।। श्रीनिवासं परं देवं यः पश्यति सभक्तिकम्।। न तेन तुल्यतामेति चतुर्वेद्यापि भूतले।।३४।। वेंकटेश्वरदेवेशं यः पूजयति भक्तितः।। स कोटिकुलसंयुक्तः प्रयाति हरिमंदिरम्।।३५।। श्रीनिवासाच्च न समं नाधिकं पुण्यमस्ति वै ।। वेंकटाद्रिनिवासं तं द्वेष्टि यो मोहमास्थितः ।। ३६ ।। ब्रह्महत्यायुतं तेन कृतं नरककारणम् ।। तत्संभाषणमात्रेण मानवो नरकं व्रजेत् ।। ३७ ।। श्रीनिवासपरा वेदाः श्रीनिवासपरा मखाः ।। श्रीनिवासपराः सर्वे तस्मादन्यन्न विद्यते ।। ३८ ।। अन्यत्सर्वं परित्यज्य श्रीनिवासं समाश्रयेत् ।। सर्वयज्ञतपोदानतीर्थस्नाने तु यत्फलम् ।। ३९ ।। तत्फलं कोटिगुणितं श्रीनिवासस्य सेवया ।। वेंकटाद्रिनिवासं तं चिंतयन्घटिकाद्वयम् ।। 2.1.18.४० ।। कुलैकविंशतिं धृत्वा विष्णुलोके महीयते ।। स्वामिपुष्करिणीतीर्थे स्नानं देवस्य दर्शनम् ।। ४१ ।। यदि लभ्येत वै पुंसां किं गङ्गाजलसेवया ।। वेकटेशं परं देवं यः कदापि न पश्यति ।। ४२ ।। संकरः स तु विज्ञेयो न पितुर्बीजसंभवः ।। तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन वेंकटेशो दयानिधिः ।। ४३ ।। द्रष्टव्योऽतिप्रयत्नेन परलोकेच्छया द्विजाः ।। एवं वः कथितं विप्रा वेंकटेशस्य वैभवम् ।। ४४ ।। यस्त्वेतच्छृणुयान्नित्यं पठते च सभक्तिकम् ।। स वै वेंकटनाथस्य सेवाफलमवाप्नुयात् ।। ४५ ।। इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां द्वितीये वैष्णवखण्डे श्रीवेंकटाचलमाहात्म्ये वेंकटेश्वरवैभवानुवर्णनं नामाष्टादशोऽध्यायः ।। १८ ।। ।।
|| atha śrīveṃkaṭeśvaravaibhavavarṇanam || || śrīsūta uvāca || || athedānīṃ pravakṣyāmi veṃkaṭeśvaravaibhavam || yacchrutvā sarvapāpebhyo mucyate nātra saṃśayaḥ || 1 || śrīveṃkaṭeśvaraṃ devaṃ yaḥ paśyati sakṛnnaraḥ || sa naro muktimāpnoti viṣṇusāyujyamāpnuyāt || 2 || daśavarṣaistu yatpuṇyaṃ kriyate tu kṛte yuge || tretāyāmekavarṣeṇa tatpuṇyaṃ sādhyate nṛbhiḥ || 3 || dvāpare pañcamāsena taddinena kalau yuge || tatphalaṃ koṭiguṇitaṃ nimiṣenimiṣe nṛṇām || 4 || niḥsaṃdehaṃ bhavedevaṃ śrīnivāsavilokinām|| śrīveṃkaṭeśvare deve tīrthāni sakalānyapi || 5 || vidyante sarvadevāśca munayaḥ pitarastathā || ekakālaṃ dvikālaṃ vā trikālaṃ sarvadaiva vā || 6 || ye smaranti mahādevaṃ śrīnivāsaṃ vimuktidam || kīrtayantyathavā viprāste muktāḥ pāpapañjarāt || 7 || nārāyaṇaṃ paraṃ devaṃ veṃkaṭeśaṃ prayānti vai || pūjitaṃ śaṅkharājena saccidānaṃdavigraham || 8 || tasya smaraṇamātreṇa yamapīḍā'pi no bhavet || śrīnivāsaṃ mahādevaṃ ye'rcayaṃti sakṛnnarāḥ|| || 9 || kiṃ dānaiḥ kiṃ vrataisteṣāṃ kiṃ tapobhiḥ kimadhvaraiḥ || veṃkaṭeśaṃ paraṃ devaṃ yo na cintayati kṣaṇam || 2.1.18.10 || ajñānī sa ca pāpī syātsa mūko badhirastathā || sa jaḍo'ndhaśca vijñeyaśchidraṃ tasya sadā bhavet || 11 || śrīnivāse mahādeve sakṛddṛṣṭe munīśvarāḥ || kiṃ kāśyā gayayā caiva prayāgenāpi kiṃ phalam|| 12 || durlabhaṃ prāpya mānuṣyaṃ mānavā iha bhūtale || veṃkaṭeśaṃ paraṃ devaṃ ye paśyantyarcayanti vā || 13 || janma teṣāṃ hi saphalaṃ te kṛtārthāśca netare || veṃkaṭeśe pare deve dṛṣṭe vā pūjite'pi vā || 14 || śambhunā brahmaṇā kiṃ vā śakreṇāpyakhilāmaraiḥ || veṃkaṭeśe mahādeve bhaktiyuktāśca ye narāḥ || 15 || teṣāṃ praṇāmasmaraṇapūjāyuktāstu ye narāḥ || na te paśyaṃti duḥkhāni naiva yāṃti yamālayam || 16 || brahmahatyāsahasrāṇi surāpānāyutāni ca || dṛṣṭe nārāyaṇe deve vilayaṃ yāṃti kṛtsnaśaḥ || 17 || ye vāñchaṃti sadā bhogaṃ rājyaṃ ca tridaśālaye || veṃkaṭādrinivāsaṃ te praṇamantu sakṛnmudā || 18 || yāni kāni ca pāpāni janmakoṭikṛtāni ca || tāni sarvāṇi naśyanti veṃkaṭeśvaradarśanāt || 19 || saṃparkātkautukāllobhādbhayādvāpi ca saṃsmaran || veṃkaṭeśaṃ mahādevaṃ nehāmutra ca duḥkhabhāk || 2.1.18.20 || veṃkaṭācaladeveśaṃ kīrtayannarcayannapi || avaśyaṃ viṣṇusārūpyaṃ labhate nātra saṃśayaḥ || 21 || yathaidhāṃsi samiddho'gnirbhasmasātkurute kṣaṇāt || tathā pāpāni sarvāṇi veṃkaṭeśvaradarśanam || 22 || veṃkaṭeśvaradevasya bhaktiraṣṭavidhā smṛtā || tadbhaktajanavātsalyaṃ tatpūjāparitoṣaṇam || 23 || svayaṃ tatpūjanaṃ bhaktyā tadarthe dehaceṣṭitam || tanmāhātmyakathāvāṃchāśravaṇeṣvādarastathā || 24 || svaranetraśarīreṣu vikārasphuraṇaṃ tathā || śrīnivāsasya devasya smaraṇaṃ satataṃ tathā || 25 || veṃkaṭādrinivāsaṃ tamāśrityaivopajīvanam|| evamaṣṭavidhā bhaktiryasminmlecche'pi vartate||26|| sa eva muktimāpnoti śaunakādyā mahaujasaḥ|| bhaktyā tvananyayā muktirbrahmajñānena niścitā|| 27|| vedāntaśāstraśravaṇādyatīnāmūrdhvaretasām || sā ca muktirvinā jñānaṃ vedāntaśravaṇodbhavam|| yatyāśramaṃ vinā viprā viraktiṃ ca vinā tathā || 28 || sarveṣāṃ caiva varṇānāmakhilāśramiṇāmapi || vekaṭeśvaradevasya darśanādeva kevalam || 29 || apunarbhavadā muktirbhaviṣyatyavilaṃbitam || kṛmikīṭāśca devāśca munayaśca tapodhanāḥ || 2.1.18.30 || tulyā veṃkaṭaśailendre śrīnivāsaprasādataḥ || pāpaṃ kṛtaṃ mayānekamiti mā kriyatāṃ bhayam || 31 || mā garvaḥ kriyatāṃ puṇyaṃ mayā'kārīti vā janaiḥ || veṃkaṭeśe mahādeve śrīnivāse vilokite || 32 || na nyūnā nādhikāśca syuḥ kintu sarve mahājanāḥ|| veṃkaṭākhye mahāpuṇye sarvapātakanāśane||33|| śrīnivāsaṃ paraṃ devaṃ yaḥ paśyati sabhaktikam|| na tena tulyatāmeti caturvedyāpi bhūtale||34|| veṃkaṭeśvaradeveśaṃ yaḥ pūjayati bhaktitaḥ|| sa koṭikulasaṃyuktaḥ prayāti harimaṃdiram||35|| śrīnivāsācca na samaṃ nādhikaṃ puṇyamasti vai || veṃkaṭādrinivāsaṃ taṃ dveṣṭi yo mohamāsthitaḥ || 36 || brahmahatyāyutaṃ tena kṛtaṃ narakakāraṇam || tatsaṃbhāṣaṇamātreṇa mānavo narakaṃ vrajet || 37 || śrīnivāsaparā vedāḥ śrīnivāsaparā makhāḥ || śrīnivāsaparāḥ sarve tasmādanyanna vidyate || 38 || anyatsarvaṃ parityajya śrīnivāsaṃ samāśrayet || sarvayajñatapodānatīrthasnāne tu yatphalam || 39 || tatphalaṃ koṭiguṇitaṃ śrīnivāsasya sevayā || veṃkaṭādrinivāsaṃ taṃ ciṃtayanghaṭikādvayam || 2.1.18.40 || kulaikaviṃśatiṃ dhṛtvā viṣṇuloke mahīyate || svāmipuṣkariṇītīrthe snānaṃ devasya darśanam || 41 || yadi labhyeta vai puṃsāṃ kiṃ gaṅgājalasevayā || vekaṭeśaṃ paraṃ devaṃ yaḥ kadāpi na paśyati || 42 || saṃkaraḥ sa tu vijñeyo na piturbījasaṃbhavaḥ || tasmātsarvaprayatnena veṃkaṭeśo dayānidhiḥ || 43 || draṣṭavyo'tiprayatnena paralokecchayā dvijāḥ || evaṃ vaḥ kathitaṃ viprā veṃkaṭeśasya vaibhavam || 44 || yastvetacchṛṇuyānnityaṃ paṭhate ca sabhaktikam || sa vai veṃkaṭanāthasya sevāphalamavāpnuyāt || 45 || iti śrīskāṃde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ dvitīye vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍe śrīveṃkaṭācalamāhātmye veṃkaṭeśvaravaibhavānuvarṇanaṃ nāmāṣṭādaśo'dhyāyaḥ || 18 || ||
English translation
Śrī Sūta said :
1. Now I shall recount the greatness of Veṅkaṭeśvara, on hearing which one becomes liberated from all sins. There is no doubt about it.
2. One who visits even once Lord Śrī Veṅkaṭeśvara attains salvation. He shall attain Sāyujya with Viṣṇu .
3-4. The merit that is acquired in the course of ten years in Kṛtayuga , is achieved by men in Tretā in a single year, in Dvāpara in five months and in Kaliyuga in a single day. The benefit thereof to men is increased by crores moment after moment.
5. Undoubtedly this shall happen in the case of those who visit Śrīnivāsa . All the Tīrthas are present in Lord Śrī Veṅkaṭeśvara.
6-7. All Devas , sages and Manes are present there.
Those who remember the great Lord, the bestower of liberation, Lord Śrīnivāsa, once, twice or thrice a day or always, or those who glorify him, O Brāhmaṇas , are liberated from the cage of sins.
8. They go to Nārāyaṇa , the great Lord, Veṅkaṭeśa whose body consists of existence, knowledge and bliss and who was worshipped by Śaṅkharāja.
9-11. Merely by remembering him no torture by Yama will take place.
If men worship, even once, the great Lord Śrīnivāsa, of what avail are charitable gifts, holy rites, penances and sacrifices.
If a person does not contemplate upon the great Lord Veṅkaṭeśa even for a moment, he is ignorant; he is a sinner; he is dumb and deaf; he should be known as sluggish and blind. He will always have vulnerable points.
12. O eminent sages, if Śrīnivāsa, the great Lord, is visited once (only), of what avail is going on (the pilgrimage of) Kāśī , Gayā and Prayāga ?
13-16. After obtaining the rare human birth, if men on the earth visit or worship the great Lord Veṅkaṭeśa, their birth has become fruitful; they alone are blessed and not others. If Veṅkaṭeśa, the great Lord, is visited or worshipped, of what avail are Śaṃbhu , Brahmā , Śakra or all the Immortal Ones? Those men who are endowed with devotion to Veṅkaṭeśa, the great Lord, although they bow down, remember or worship those mentioned previously, do not experience miseries; they do not go to the abode of Yama.
17. Thousands of the sins of Brāhmaṇa -slaughter and ten thousands of the sins of drinking liquor dissolve entirely, if Lord Nārāyaṇa is seen.
18. If people wish for perpetual happiness and kingdom in heaven, let them joyously bow down at least once to the Lord residing on Veṅkaṭādri .
19. Whatever may be the sins committed in the course of crores of births, all of them perish by visiting Veṅkaṭeśvara.
20. If anyone remembers Veṅkaṭeśa, the great Lord, on account of his association with other people, or out of curiosity, or due to covetousness or on account of fear, he shall not be miserable here or hereafter.
21. One who glorifies and worships the Lord of Devas on Veṅkaṭācala shall certainly attain Sārūpya with Viṣṇu. There is no doubt about it.
22. Just as a well-kindled fire reduces firewood to ash in a moment, so also a visit to Veṅkaṭeśa destroys all sins.
23-27a. Devotion to Lord Veṅkaṭeśvara is said to be of eight types: [1]
O Śaunaka and other sages of great prowess, if this eight-fold devotion is present in any one, he alone will attain salvation even if he be a Mleccha (Barbarian).
27b-29. Salvation is certain through the knowledge of Brahman acquired by means of single-minded devotion and listening to the Vedānta in regard to ascetics who have sublimated their sexual urge.
O Brāhmaṇas, that very salvation can be acquired solely through visiting Lord Veṅkaṭeśvara by the people of all castes and stages in life without the knowledge arising through listening to the Upaniṣads , without being in the stage of anchorite and without even detachment (from worldly life).
30-34. Ere long one will have the salvation that bestows exemption from rebirth.
By the favour of Śrīnivāsa worms, insects, Devas, sages and ascetics are all equal (of the same status) on the prominent mountain of Veṅkaṭa .
Do not be afraid, thinking ‘Many sins have been committed by me.’ Let no one be proud, saying ‘Meritorious deeds have been performed by me.’
When Veṅkaṭeśa, Śrīnivāsa. the great Lord, is visited, no one shall be inferior or superior. All of them are great people.
If a person devoutly visits Śrīnivāsa, the great Lord, on the exceedingly meritorious (mountain) named Veṅkaṭa which is destructive of all sins, no one will be on a par with him in the world, even if a person has mastered all the four Veḍas .
35. He who devoutly worships Veṅkaṭeśvara, the Lord of Devas, goes to Hari ’s abode along with a crore of the members of his family.
36-37. Nothing is equal or superior to Śrīnivāsa in meritoriousness.
If anyone out of delusion hates the Lord residing on Veṅkaṭādri, it means that ten thousand sins of Brahmin-slaughter have been committed by him causing fall into hell. Even by merely talking to him a man will fall into hell.
38. The Vedas are devoted to Śrīnivāsa. Sacrifices pertain to Śrīnivāsa. Everything is solely devoted to Śrīnivāsa. There is nothing other than Śrīnivāsa.
39-42a. One should forsake everything else and resort to Śrīnivāsa.
By rendering service to Śrīnivāsa one attains crores of times of the benefit accruing from performing all the Yajñas , penances, charitable gifts and holy baths in all the Tīrthas.
One who meditates on Veṅkaṭādrinivāsa for two Ghaṭikās (i.e. 48 minutes) shall sustain twenty-one generations of his family and is honoured in the world of Viṣṇu.
If holy bath in Svāmipuṣkariṇī Tīrtha and visit unto the Lord is performed by people, why should they resort to the waters of Gaṅgā ?
42b-44a. If a person never visits Veṅkaṭeśa, the great Lord, he should be known as a person of mixed caste and not a person born of the seed of (his legal) father.
Hence, O Brāhmaṇas, by all efforts Veṅkaṭeśa, the storehouse of mercy, should be seen (visited) with a desire for the other world.
44b-45. Thus, O Brāhmaṇas, the greatness of Veṅkaṭeśa has been narrated to you.
He who devoutly listens to this always and reads it, shall obtain the benefit of the service unto Veṅkaṭanātha .
[1]: [1] : This list is different from the standard nine types of devotion like Śravaṇa (Listening). Kīrtana (Glorification), Smaraṇa (Remembrance) and others. There is a some overlapping here.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 22892, revision 71019 (2016-06-09T20:57:59Z). English is G. V. Tagare’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-skanda-purana/d/doc370697.html and the archival publication witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.