Chapter 74 - Popularity of Viṣṇu Cult during Yayāti’s Rule

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Sukarman said:

1-2. All the messengers said (i.e. proclaimed) in the islands, regions and cities: “O people, listen to the command of the king. With all their glory may they worship Viṣṇu. May people with (devoted) minds desiring merit, reflect on Viṣṇu, by means of many gifts, sacrifices; austerities, and sacrificial rites.” Such is the order of that king.

3-5. The people heard all these meritorious (words) thus well-proclaimed on the earth (by the messengers). Since then only the human beings sacrificed (in honour of) Viṣṇu, reflected on him, sang (in praise of) him, and muttered (prayers to him). All human beings, giving up the blemishes due to their bodies, minds and speech, by means of vows, fasts, restraints and gifts, and with their hearts gone to (i.e. set upon) him, worship that Śrī Keśava, Śrī Vāsudeva, the abode of Lakṣmī, and the habitation of the worlds, with well-recited, very meritorious and nectarlike hymns taught by the Vedas and with eulogies.

6-11. Thus prevails the order of that king on the globe. All those people are victorious due to their devotion to Viṣṇu. Those who are well-versed in knowledge, and who meditate and reflect on him and who are intent on worshipping him, adore Viṣṇu with (i.e. by reciting his) names and their deeds. As long as the globe lasts and the sun shines all human beings were (i.e. would continue to be) the followers of Bhagavān (Viṣṇu). Then the human beings, due to the power of meditation on Viṣṇu, due to his worship and (recital of) his eulogy and (his) names, became free from mental agonies and physical diseases. O brāhmaṇa, due to the grace of the disc-holder (i.e. Viṣṇu) all the devotees of Viṣṇu became free from grief, became meritorious and had penance as their wealth. They were free from diseases, were without blemishes or wrath; they were endowed with all (kinds of) splendour, and free from all maladies.

12-27. Due to the grace of that god, all men at that time became immortal, ageless and all were endowed with wealth and grains. The mortals were adorned with sons and grandsons by the favour of Viṣṇu. O you noble one, in the (regions near) the doors of their houses only there always were meritorious desire-yielding trees, which yielded the fruits of all their desires, and also all-desire-yielding cows, which satisfied all desires. By the favour of Viṣṇu only all men became immortal, were adorned with sons and grandsons and were free from all blemishes. They were endowed with good fortune and with merit and auspiciousness. They were very meritorious, were endowed with charity and were intent on knowledge and meditation. When king Yayāti, who knew what was right, was ruling, there was no famine, no disease, and no premature death among human beings. All men were the devotees of Viṣṇu, all were intent upon (observing) the vow of (i.e. sacred to) Viṣṇu. They meditated on were devoted to him, and had their hearts set on him. O best brāhmaṇa, their divine and auspicious houses were furnished with white banners and with conches, and had their flags marked with maces and were marked with discs. The houses marked with lotuses and with the walls well-painted with good pictures resembled divine cars. O best ones, everywhere—near the doors of the houses and at holy places there were divine thickets of trees and auspicious grassy spots. O best brāhmaṇa, due to Tulasī and temples of Viṣṇu the auspicious and divine houses of (human) beings always shone. Everywhere meritorious devotion to Viṣṇu was seen to a great extent. O friend, O best brāhmaṇa, there on the earth the sounds of conches due to sounds (produced) by mutual crashing and destroying sin were heard. O best brāhmaṇa, through devotion for Viṣṇu women had drawn (the pictures of) conches, svastikas, lotuses on the doors of houses; and with music, songs, good words, regulated rise or fall of sounds through the musical scale people intent upon the meditation of Viṣṇu sing (in praise of) Viṣṇu.

28-29. They talk affectionately about Hari, Murāri, others about Keśava, Ajita, Mādhava. They mutter the names ofViṣṇu, the refuge, (like) the lotus-eyed Govinda, the lord of Kamalā (i.e. Lakṣmī), Kṛṣṇa and Rāma, and worship with muttering (his names). Those great devotees of Viṣṇu, engaged in meditation on salute him by fully prostrating themselves before him.