Chapter 172 - The hymn which destroys sins (sarvapāpa-prāyaścitta)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Puṣkara said:

1. When the minds of men indulge in (coveting) other’s wives or other’s property or in doing harm (to others) the-expiation for that is the extollation (of the god).

2. Obeisance to that all-pervasive (four times repeated) always. I salute the All-pervasive who resides in the mind, and that lord Hari (Viṣṇu) who is the sense of my ego.

3. (Obeisance to) that lord who remains in the mind and who is unmanifest, endless and unconquered. (I salute) lord Viṣṇu (all-pervasive), the adorable by one and all, one without an origin, endless and lord of all.

4-5. Let my sin get destroyed by my contemplation on that only lord Viṣṇu, who remains in my mind, intellect and ego and that lord Viṣṇu, who is well-established in me and who makes the immovable and movable beings as made of their acts.

6. I (bow) to that Upendra^[1], (lord) Viṣṇu and (lord) Hari that removes the distress of the worshipper, and who removes the sin seen in one’s dream or due to imagination.

7. I salute that supreme lord Viṣṇu who is the supporting hand for one who is sinking down in the supportless dark world.

8. O Lord of all lords! Lord of all! Supreme soul! One who has under him the thunderbolt! O Lord of the senses! (repeated three times) (My) obeisance to you.

9. O Man-lion-formed! Endless one! Cow-herdsman! Efficient cause of all beings! One having handsome hair! (My) obeisance to you! You subdue the sin, the wicked (words) spoken, wicked (deeds) done and (wicked) thoughts.

10. O Keśava (one having handsome hair)! You put down the wicked thoughts of mine under the influence of the mind and that very fierce and unworthy (act of mine).

11. The Sacred god! Cowherdsman! Devoted to the sublime truth! The Lord of the universe! The creator of the world! O Decayless one! Subdue (my) sin.

12-13. Let my sins done in the forenoon, midday, afternoon and night with the body, mind or speech unknowingly or knowingly or in dream get destroyed by the repetition of the three names—O Hṛṣīkeśa (lord of the senses)! Lotus-eyed! Consort of Lakṣmī!

14. O Lord of the senses! Lotus-eyed! Consort of Lakṣmī! You destroy my sins done by my body or speech. O Consort of Lakṣmī!

15-16. Whatever sin I have committed while eating, sleeping, standing, going and remaining awake by my body, mind or speech, whether little or big which brings forth a wretched birth or stay in hell, let all that be subdued by the pronunciation of the word Vāsudeva^[2].

17. That which is the Supreme Brahman, the Supreme Abode, the Holiest, the Supreme, when that Lord Viṣṇu is praised let my sin get destroyed.

18. Let that position of Viṣṇu reaching which the learned never return and which is devoid of smell, touch and other (qualities), subdue all my sins.

19-21. Whoever either reads or hears this hymn, which destroys the sins, would become free from sins done by the bodies, minds and speeches. One reaches the supreme place of lord Viṣṇu (released) from all evil planets. Hence one should repeat this hymn that destroys the sin when a sin has been done. This hymn is an expiation for multitude of sins. This is the excellent one for a person practising a vow. Sin gets destroyed by expiations, repetition of hymns and vows. Then one has to do them for the sake of perfection and for enjoyment and emancipation.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Viṣṇu in his manifestation as the dwarf was known to be the brother of Indra and was called as Upendra.

[2]:

An appellation of Lord Viṣṇu in his manifestation as lord Kṛṣṇa, son of Vasudeva.