Chapter 21 - Method of worshipping Viṣṇu and other gods

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Nārada said:

1. I will (now) describe the general method of worshipping Viṣṇu and others as well as the mantras (mystic formulae) which yield good to all. One has to worship (him by saying) “Salutations to Acyuta (Viṣṇu) and to (his) entire family (of gods).

2-4. (Salutation to) Dhātṛ, Vidhātṛ,^[1] Gaṅgā, Yamunā, the two nidhis (treasures), the fortune of Dvāra (Dvārakā), the Vāstu-deity (the presiding deity of the housesite), Śakti (female divinity), Kūrma (tortoise), Ananta (the serpent), the Earth, righteous knowledge, detachment from the world, the omnipotence (of the lord), the unrighteousness etc. the root, stalk, filament and pericarp of the lotus, Ṛgveda and other (Vedas), Kṛta and other (yugas), sattva and other (qualities), the solar and other regions, the pure and elevating union of knowledge and action. One has to worship these.

5. Joy, truth, the goddess benevolently placed, Durgā (Pārvatī), speech, goblins, field and Vāsudeva and others are worshipped.

6. The heart, head, coat of mail, eye and weapons, conch, disc, mace, lotus, Śrīvatsa (sacred mark on Lord Kṛṣṇa’s chest) and the Kaustubha gem are worshipped.

7. The garland of wood-flowers (worn by Kṛṣṇa), Śrī (Lakṣmī), Puṣṭi (nourishment), Garuḍa (vehicle of Viṣṇu), and the preceptor are worshipped. Indra, Agni, Yama, Rakṣa (Nairṛta), water, wind, lord of wealth (Kubera) (are also worshipped).

8. That Īśāna, the unborn, and weapons, vehicles, Kumuda and others (are worshipped next). By the worship of Viṣvaksena (all-pervasive) (Viṣṇu) in a circle first, one gets his desires accomplished.

9. Then the general worship of Śiva (is described). One has to worship Nandin at first. (Then) Mahākāla (Śiva), Gaṅgā, Yamunā, Gaṇas, and others (are worshipped).

10-11. (Then) the speech, the goddess of prosperity, the preceptor, the Vāstu (deity), the different female energies and Dharma (the lord of death) and other gods (are worshipped). (The female energies) Vāmā, Jyeṣṭhā, Raudrī, Kālī, Kalavikariṇī, Balavikariṇī, Balapramathinī, Sarvabhūtadamanī, Manomanī and Śivā (are worshipped) in the due order.

12. (Saying) Hām, Hum, Ham (salutation) to the form of Śiva, Śiva is worshipped along with his limbs and mouth. Haum, (salutation) to Śiva, Haum and Hām (salutations) to Īsāna (one of the Pañcabrahman forms of Śiva) and other faced (forms of Śiva).

13. Hrim (salutation) to Gaurī (Pārvatī), Gam (salutation) to Gaṇa, face of Śakra (Indra), Caṇḍa, heart and others. The mystic syllables in the worship of the sun (are described now). The tawny-coloured Daṇḍin is to be worshipped.

14. One should adore Uccaiḥśravas (the horse of Indra), the very much pure Aruṇa (younger brother of the Sun-god). The moon and the twilight, the other faces and Skanda (progeny of Śiva) in the middle are worshipped.

15. Then (the female divinities) Dīptā, Sūkṣmā, Jayā, Bhadrā, Vibhūti, Vimalā, Amoghā, Vidyutā and Sarvatomukhī are worshipped.

16. Then the mantra Ham, Kham, Kham for the firebrand (is used for the worship) of the seat of the sun and (his) form. Hrām, Hrīm, salutation to the sun, Ām, salutation to the heart.

17. (Salutation) to the (rays of the) sun, to his head, and similarly to the flames reaching up the regions of demons,. wind, earth, ether, and heavens. Hum is remembered as the mystic amulet.

18-19. (Salutations are made) to the lustre, eye, Hraḥ, to the weapons of Sun, Rāji, Śakti, and Niṣkubha. Then Soma (Moon), Aṅgāraka (Mars),Budha (Mercury), Jīva (Jupiter), Śukra (Venus) and Śani (Saturn) as well as Rāhu, Ketu, tejas, Caṇḍa are worshipped in order in brief. Then the worshipper (should worship) the seat of the image (of the deity) and the heart etc.

20. (The mantra) for the seat of Viṣṇu for the image of Viṣṇu. (is) “Rām, Śrīm, Śrīm, Śrīdhara, Hari.” Hrīm (is) the mystic syllable for the images (of all deities) which is capable of captivating the three worlds.

21. Hrīm, Hṛṣīkeśa (master of the senses) (Viṣṇu), Klīm, Viṣṇu. With long vowels (one should adore) the heart and other things. (The performance)of worship on the fifth day (pañcamī) with all these (mystic syllables) yields victory in battles.

22-23. Worship of the disc, mace, conch, pestle, sword, Śārṅga (the bow), noose, goad, Śrīvatsa (mark on the chest of the lord), with the garland of wood-flowers and with the mantra Śrīm, worship of Śrī, Mahālakṣmī, Tārkṣya (vehicle of Viṣṇu), the preceptor, Indra etc. (are made) in order. With the (mystic) syllable Aum, Hrīm, Devī (goddess) Sarasvatī (one has to worship) the seat of (Goddess) Sarasvatī.

24. The Hṛt etc., Lakṣmī, Medhā, Kalā, Tuṣṭi, Puṣṭikā, Gaurī, Prabhāvatī, (and) Durgā (the different female divinities), goblins, preceptor and the presiding deity of the field (are worshipped).

25. Then (one has to say) Gaṃ, (salutation) to the lord of the gaṇas, Hrīm to Gaurī, Śrīm to Śrī, Hrīm to Tvaritā, Aim, Klīm, Saum to Tripurā using the fourth declensional endings and ending with salutations.

26. All the mystic syllables are pronounced preceded by the Praṇava (syllable Om), adding bindu (the nasal sound marked by a dot), either while offering adorations or the performance of repetition.

27. By the offer of a homa (offer unto the fire) with sesamum and ghee and other things, (these mantras) become bestowers of dharma, kāma, artha and mokṣa (four principal objects of human life). Whoever reads these syllables of adoration reaches heaven after enjoying pleasures.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Dhātṛ and Vidhātṛ are the two sons of Brahmā.