Chapter 50 - Viṣṇu’s Name the Greatest Holy Place

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

The sages said:

1-3a. You have told (i.e. explained) all that was asked. Now also we (want to) ask one (thing only). O you very intelligent one, (please) tell it. O you who know everything, tell us what fruit a man would obtain by resorting to these holy places. So also tell us by doing which one act (the fruit of visiting) all (these holy places) is had; tell us if there is such an act.

Sūta said:

3b-4a. O illustrious ones, formerly, beginning with the brāhmaṇa (caste), the worldly and religious rites of various kinds for the castes were prescribed. Only one is superior.

4b-17a. There is no doubt that one who has devotion to Viṣṇu, has undoubtedly conquered (everything). Hari, the lord of the lord of all gods, should alone be propitiated. The goblin of sin would perish by means of the great sacred hymns in the form of the (various) names of Viṣṇu. There is no doubt that those with pure hearts, going round Viṣṇu even once, get (the fruit of) having bathed at all holy places. A man would obtain the fruit of (having visited) all holy places by seeing Viṣṇu’s image. Muttering the excellent name of Viṣṇu a man would obtain (the fruit) of having muttered all sacred hymns. A man, having smelt tulasī, the grace of Viṣṇu, does not see, O best brāhmaṇas, the huge and terrible face of Yama. A man, having (but) once saluted Kṛṣṇa (i.e. Viṣṇu) does not drink the mother’s milk (i.e. is not reborn). I always repeatedly salute them whose mind is (fixed) in the feet of Viṣṇu. Even pulkasas, cāṇḍālas or other mlecha tribes, who serve the feet of Viṣṇu alone are fit to be saluted. Then what about meritorious and devoted brāhmaṇas and royal sages? Having put devotion unto (i.e. being devoted to) Viṣṇu, a man does not see (i.e. experience) confinement in the womb (i.e. is not reborn). O brāhmaṇas, a man who with high sounds (i.e. loudly) utters the name of Viṣṇu, purifies the world as does the water of Gaṅgā etc. There is no doubt that a man is freed from sins like the murder of a brāhmaṇa by seeing (the image of), touching (the feet of), reciting (the name of) and devotion (to Viṣṇu). Circumambulating (the idol of) Hari, and loudly uttering his names in a sweet and melodious voice accompanied with clapping of the hands, a man has struck the sin of murder of a brāhmaṇa etc. (off) his hands. A man becomes pure by just seeing him who having narrated his story, would listen to a narrative about him. Then, O best sages, how can there be the slightest doubt about his sins?

17b-39. O great sages, Viṣṇu’s name is the best holy place of all the holy places. Those who have uttered the name of Kṛṣṇa (i.e. Viṣṇu) make the (entire) world a holy place. Therefore, O best sages, they consider nothing more meritorious than this. A man using (i.e. who uses) and holding (i.e. who holds) on his head the remains of an offering of flowers to Viṣṇu, would just become Viṣṇu, the destroyer of grief due to Yama. Undoubtedly Viṣṇu (alone) is to be worshipped and saluted. Those who look upon the great Viṣṇu and the unmanifest Maheśvara as identical, have no rebirth. Therefore, see and worship Viṣṇu only who has no beginning or end, who is the soul (of everything), and who is unmanifest. Those who look upon Viṣṇu and another deity as equal, go to terrible hells. Viṣṇu would not care for them. Viṣṇu, the lord, himself liberates a fool or a cāṇḍāla to whom Viṣṇu is dear. There is none greater than Viṣṇu, the wildfire for (i.e. burning) heaps of sins. A man even after having committed a terrible sin, is freed by the name of Viṣṇu. O you of good vows, god Viṣṇu, the father of the worlds, has put greater strength than himself into his name. Those who, on seeing lesser exertion with greater fruit in this dispute it (its efficacy), go to many hells. Therefore a man looking highly upon Viṣṇu’s name, should be devoted to Hari. The lord would protect a worshipper from behind (i.e. secretly), and him who recites his name in the chest (i.e. from the front, i.e. openly). The name of Viṣṇu is a great destructive weapon like the thunderbolt in rending the mountain of sins. His feet are fruitful and move for that (only). The hands that worship him are alone said to be blessed. That head which bends before Hari (i.e. Viṣṇu) is the best part of the body. That is (really) the tongue that extols Viṣṇu. That (alone) is the mind, which follows his feet. That alone is the hair which bristles at the utterance of his name. Those (alone) are tears that are shed due to Viṣṇu’s devotion. Oh, the people are very much duped by their blemishes, (since) they do not resort to (him) by merely uttering his names. Those men also who are sinful due to contact with women, and whose hair does not stand on end at the utterance (of the name) of Kṛṣṇa, are duped. Those are fools who are not pure in mind, and who are afflicted by the grief due to (the death of) their sons etc., weep with various wailings and not at the utterance of the words about Kṛṣṇa. Those who though having got a tongue do not mutter the name of Viṣṇu, easily fall even after having secured the staircase to salvation. Therefore, a man should carefully (please) Viṣṇu by means of worldly and religious rites. Viṣṇu propitiated with worldly and religious rites, is pleased, not otherwise. The worship of Viṣṇu is said to be a holier place than a holy place. A man obtains that fruit by serving Viṣṇu which he obtains by bathing at and drinking (the water from) all the holy places. Only blessed men worship Viṣṇu by means of worldly and religious rites. Therefore, O sages, worship Kṛṣṇa (i.e. Viṣṇu), who is extremely auspicious.