Chapter 270 - A hymn to Viṣṇu that destroys Evil

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Puṣkara said:

1. O Foremost among brahmins! This (hymn) Viṣṇupañjara was prescribed by Brahmā for the protection of Śiva, who was desirous of destroying Tripura in olden days.

2. It was told by Vāgīśa (Bṛhaspati, the preceptor of the celestials) to Indra, who was making efforts to kill (the demon) Bala. I shall describe its form. You listen to that which will give you victory.

3-4. (Lord) Viṣṇu is stationed in the east bearing the disc. (Lord) Hari (is stationed) in the south bearing the mace. (Lord) Viṣṇu (remains) in the west bearing the bow. (Lord) Viṣṇu (is stationed) to my north bearing the sword. (Lord) Hṛṣīkeśa is in the angular points and (Lord) Janārdana in the inter-spaces. (Lord) Hari (is stationed) on the earth in the form of a tortoise and (Lord) Narasiṃha (man-lion form of Viṣṇu) in the sky (above) me.

5. This sharp-edged and stainless Sudarśana disc (of Viṣṇu) revolves. His garland of rays is imperceivable. “May you kill the evil spirits and those who wander in the night.”

6. This mace has the lustre of the flames given out by the Sun. It is capable of destroying the demons, goblins, spirits and female spirits..

7. May the bow of Vāsudeva (Viṣṇu), that is striking suddenly, kill all my enemies, such as birds, men, kūṣmāṇḍa and the spirits of the dead.

8. Those who have been shaken by the shining lustre of the stroke of the sword, let those assembed (enemies) be subdued at once, like serpents by Garuḍa (vehicle of Viṣṇu).

9-12. May the kūṣmāṇḍas, yakṣas, demons, the night wanderers, spirits of the dead, Vināyakas, cruel men, jambhagas (jackals?), birds, lions and other animals, serpents and others become good being struck by the sound of the conch of Viṣṇu. Those that take away my thinking faculty, those men who affect my memory, those who affect my strength and splendour, those who cast their shadow, those who affect my pleasures, those who destroy my traits, may those kūṣmāṇḍas get destroyed by the sound of the disc of (Lord) Viṣṇu.

13. May my intellect, mind and sense-organs be healthy by the singing of (the glory of) lord of lords, Vāsudeva.

14. May (Lord) Janārdana, Hari, be behind me, in my front, on the south and north and at the angular points. One that makes obeisance to (the Lord) Janārdana, one worthy of worship, Īsāna, endless and undecaying will not have grief.

15. Just as (Lord) Hari is the Supreme Brahman, that Keśava is above the form of the universe. May my three kinds of inauspiciousness get destroyed by the truth of singing the name Acyuta (undecaying).