Chapter 78 - The Hymn Called ‘Apamārjana’

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Mahādeva said:

1-2. I shall hereafter tell you about the excellent vow of the sprinkling with water, as told by Pulastya to the magnanimous Dālabhya. It destroys all faults caused by diseases. It gives auspiciousness. I shall tell it to you. Listen, O daughter of the (Himālaya) Mountain.

Śrī Dālabhya said:

3-4. O revered one, please tell me that by which all beings can avoid suffering from the troubles caused by poison, diseases etc; they are overcome with leprosy and (evil) Planets, and are always troubled. There are many severe diseases brought about by magic or by female deities^[1] having destructive powers.

Pulastya said:

5-13. O best sage, those men who have pleased Viṣṇu with vows, fasts and restraints, will not be afflicted by diseases. Those men who have not observed an auspicious vow, have not given gifts, have not practised penance, have not visited a sacred place, have not worshipped a deity, have not given food in large-quantities, are known to be afflicted by diseases and (similar) faults. He who attends upon Viṣṇu, especially obtains undoubtedly whatever he mentally desires like good health or great wealth. He does not suffer from physical or mental disease and is not afflicted by poison or a Planet. He does not have the fear of the contact of the deities having destructive powers. All his sins perish; and the Planets are always auspicious (i.e. favourable) to him. He who has pleased Viṣṇu and looks upon all beings as himself, is invincible even to gods. He has pleased Viṣṇu with a fast etc. When he (i.e. Viṣṇu) is pleased, desires of men are fully satisfied. O best sage, they are free from diseases, are happy. They enjoy pleasures. They have no enemies. Nor do they suffer from diseases and effects of magical forces. No evil act like (the evil influence of) a Planet or a disease takes place in their case. The weapons of Kṛṣṇa, like the disc etc. which are unobstructed, protect him who has waited upon Viṣṇu from all calamities.

Śrī Dālabhya said:

14-15. Tell me especially what the kind persons who see the ancient Vāsudeva in all beings, who look equally upon all, should do for the miserable persons who have not propitiated Govinda and are overcome with grief.

Śrī Pulastya said:

16-29. O best sage, I shall tell it. Listen with an attentive mind. It removes the evils like diseases and blemishes and destroys fever etc. Having assigned (i.e. supposing that) Śrīdhara (is) in the tuft of hair on the crest of the head, and Śrīkara below it, Hṛṣīkeśa in the hair, and the highest Nārāyaṇa on the head, one should assign Viṣṇu above the ears and him who lies in the water on (i.e. to) the forehead. Having assigned the lord to the two eyebrows, and Hari between them, (having assigned) Narasiṃha to the tip of the nose, and Arṇaveśaya (i.e. he who lies in the ocean) to the ears, and the lotus-eyed one to the eyes, he should assign Bhūdhara below them. He should assign Kalkinātha to the cheeks and Vāmana to the roots of the ears. Having assigned the conch-holder to the bones on the forehead, and Govinda to the mouth, and Mukunda to the row of teeth, Vākpati to the tongue, Rāma to the chin and Vaikuṇṭha to the neck, Balaghna to the root of the arms, the destroyer of Kaṃsa to the shoulders, Aja to the two arms, and Śārṅgapāṇi to the two hands, Saṅkarṣaṇa to the thumb of the hand, Gopa to the rows of fingers, Adhokṣaja to the chest, Śrīvatsa in its middle, (he should assign) Aniruddha to the breasts, and Dāmodara to the belly, Padmanābha to the navel, and Keśava below it. (He should assign) god Dharādhara to the penis, and Gadāgraja to the anus, the wearer of yellow garments to the waist and (should assign) Madhu’s enemy to the pair of thighs, the enemy of Mura to the calves of the legs, Janārdana to the pair of knees, Phaṇīśa to the ankles, and (he should assign) Trivikrama to the two feet. The wise man should assign Śrīpati to the toe, Dharaṇīdhara below it, and Viśvaksena to all the pores of the hair. Having assigned Matsya to the flesh, he should assign Kūrma to the marrow, Varāha in the fat and (should assign) Acyuta to all his bones. (He should assign) Dvijapriya (i.e. dear to the brāhmaṇas, or to whom brāhmaṇas are dear) to the marrow of the bones and flesh, Śvetapati to the semen, the sacrificial Puruṣa to the entire body and the highest soul to his soul.

30-43. Having thus made the rite of assignment, he would actually be Viṣṇu. As long as he would not talk anything, he would remain merged in Viṣṇu. He, being calm and creator of tranquillity here, should take pure darbhas with their roots and tips, and should sprinkle all his limbs with the tips of the darbhas. A devotee of Viṣṇu especially brings about this auspicious tranquillity to a person afflicted by a disease, a Planet or poison. O brāhmaṇa, due to that all diseases are destroyed. (He should pray:) “Om, salutation to Śrī Paramārtha (i.e. the highest truth), to the magnanimous Puruṣa. (Salutation to the) formless one, and to him of many forms, to the pervader, to the Supreme Soul, to Varāha, to Narasiṃha, to Vāmana who gives happiness.” Having meditated and saluted Viṣṇu, he should assign Viṣṇu’s names to the parts of his body. “Having saluted the spotless one, the pure one, the one who removes bodily diseases and sins, Govinda, Padmanābha, Vāsudeva, Bhūbhṛt (i.e. the supporter of the earth), I shall utter words. Let them be successful. (Salutation to) Trivikrama, Rāma, Vaikuṇṭha, Nara, Śrī Varāha, Nṛsiṃha, (and) to the magnanimous Vāmana; to Hayagrīva, to Śubhra; O Hṛṣīkeśa, remove the inauspicious, that which torments others, that which is not beneficial, that magic which is discharged (at me). O ageless one, destroy the employment of the poisonous touch of a great disease. Salutation to Vāsudeva. Salutation to Kṛṣṇa, the holder of the sword. Salutation to Puṣkaranetra, Keśava, Ādicakrin, to you having a yellow spotless garment, O Kiñjalkavarṇāgrya. Salutation to you who has held Mahādeva on his body, so also a disc, and to cakrin. Salutation to the Trimūrtipati who held the earth on his fang. O Śrīvallabha (i.e. dear to Lakṣmī, or to whom Lakṣmī is dear), salutation to you, to the great sacrifice and (great) Varāha, O you whose ends of hair are like heated gold, and whose eyes are like burning fire. Salutation to you, O divine lion, the touch of whose nails is more (sharp) than that of the thunderbolt. O you having the characteristics of Ṛg, Yajus and Sāman, salutation to Kaśyapa, to Atihrasva.

44-65. Salutation to you, of the form of Vāmana, and going over the earth. O Varāha, destroy all miseries, the fruits of sins. O you of large fangs, destroy that fruit (of sins) O you, Nṛsiṃha, having a thunderbolt-like touch and bright tips of the teeth and nails. With your sound remove his miseries, O you destroyer of affliction, and taking up any desired form through the utterances of the Ṛg (Veda), Yajus (Veda) and Sāma (Veda). May Janārdana pacify all his sorrows. May Govinda, having broken and cut off his agony (remove) his fever lasting for a day, two days, three days, so lasting for four days, very severe, constant fever, so also fever arising from the vitiated state of the three humours of the body, and accidental fever. (May he remove) the pain in the eyes, headache and stomachache. (May he remove) lack of breath, severe asthma, all round heat (i.e. fever), shivering, diseases of anus, nose, feet, so also leprosy and consumption. (May be remove) diseases like jaundice, so also severe urinary diseases, so also those diseases due to (the humour of) wind (in the body), cuts, boils etc. May they, wiped off by Vāsudeva, perish. (Even) by uttering the name of Viṣṇu, (may) all of them perish. May all of them, struck with Viṣṇu’s disc, perish. By means of the medicine of the utterance of the names, viz. Acyuta, Ananta, Govinda, all the diseases vanish. I am telling the truth, (and) the truth (only). May Viṣṇu, when (his names are) uttered, destroy the poison which is immobile, mobile, artificial, so also that which is due to teeth, nails or from the sky (i.e. air), which is due to beings, and which is extremely unbearable. (May he destroy) the imps, the deadly demons, so also demonesses^[2] attending upon Durgā, severe (disease of) white round spots^[3] on the face, (divine mothers like) Revatī and Vṛddhirevatī, the imps called Vṛddhika and Mātṛ also. May the account of Viṣṇṇ in his childhood remove (the influence of) young imps. All the seizures (by imps etc.) of the old and of children perish that moment only when Viṣṇu is seen. Viṣṇu has his mouth fierce due to the fangs, and is fearful to the demons. Seeing him those imps especially go away. O Śrī Nṛsiṃha, O great lion, O you having a row of flames, O you of a bright face, O you bright one, destroy all the imps (etc. affecting) him. (Remove also) those diseases, great portents, enemies, great imps, and those cruel beings, severe afflictions due to Planets, the diseases in the wounds caused by weapons like diseases of the skin, so also the boils etc. and the imps etc. settled on the limbs, O you, who are the protector of the three worlds, and who ward off wicked demons. O Sudarśana of great lustre, cut off (i.e. destroy) the severe fever. Remove the (effect of) wind, cuts, and severe, great poison. (Remove) the very severe, undoing pain, and the flame of poison with the skin disease Om, Hāṃ, Hāṃ, Hūṃ, Hūṃ; kill the enemies with your very sharp axe.

66-84. Salutation to the revered Sudarśana, you having the body destroying miseries. (May) Viṣṇu, the Supreme Soul (remove) all those other wicked (forces) which give pain to beings; salutation to you, O Vāsudeva (who has) taken up some form. O god, O excellent Acyuta, having thrown the Sudarśana disc, fearful due to rows of flames, destroy all the wicked. O you Sudarśana, great disc, O you excellent weapon of Viṣṇu, O you of a sharp edge, O you of a great speed, O you having the brilliance of a crore suns, O you Sudarśana, having great flames, and of a great sound, cut off all calamities, demons, and sins, O you fearful one. O Sudarśana, destroy sins, make (us men of) good health; in the east, in the west, south and north, may Narasiṃha, the universal soul, protect (us) with his roars. On the earth, in the atmosphere, behind (us), by (our) sides, in front of us, may Viṣṇu, of many forms, protect (us). Since it is a fact that everything consisting of gods, demons and human beings is full of (i.e. pervaded by) him, may the entire misery of this one perish. Since it is a fact that Viṣṇu, the lord of abstract meditation is sung (i.e. praised) among gods, may the entire misery of this one perish. Since it is a fact that the highest soul Viṣṇu is sung (i.e. praised) in the Vedāṅgas, may Viṣṇu, the universal soul give him happiness. May there be peace. May there be auspiciousness; may unhappiness perish, (since) I have sprinkled with darbhas springing from the body of Vāsudeva. O Govind, O you who have cleaned (everything by sending) away (the evil forces), salutation (to you). You are Viṣṇu like that. Yet all miseries perish due to utterance of Hari’s (names). When Viṣṇu is remembered, all blemishes, imps (or Planets) and all poisons and ghosts are destroyed. These darbhas have sprung from Viṣṇu’s body. I am Viṣṇu myself remaining in front. I have destroyed all his misery. He should be comfortable, since such are Viṣṇu’s words. May there be peace, auspiciousness and happiness. Whatever^[4] is his misery is thrown into the salty ocean. Let it perish. May he always have comfort due to the recital of (the names of) Viṣṇu. Let the sin go wherefrom it has come.” A devotee of Viṣṇu, desiring the good of beings, should do this great sprinkling of(i.e. sacred to) Viṣṇu at the time of diseases. Due to this all miseries completely vanish. For the purification of (i.e. from) all sins, the sprinkling of Viṣṇu is effective. Whatever (blemish), wet, dry, small or big, like the murder of a brāhmaṇa etc. (there is) all that quickly perishes like darkness at the appearance of the sun.

85-91. As small animals perish from the lion (’s attack), so diseases and blemishes flee away. May imps, fiends, goblins etc. perish on merely hearing the name of Viṣṇu. Those who are very greedy for money should never do it. Having done the sprinkling a man, desiring his good, should not accept (any money etc.). Those who are desireless, and who know the beginning, the middle and the end, and who are always calm, should do it. Otherwise it would not give success.

This sprinkling (in honour) of Viṣṇu is a matchless success of men, a great protection of men; it is a great weapon. It was formerly told by Brahmā to his son Pulastya. Pulastya himself told it to Dālabhya. It is publicised by Dālabhya for the good of all beings in the three worlds. The (narration of) Viṣṇu’s sprinkling is over. O goddess, I have told it to you, since you are always devoted to me. A person listening to this devoutly destroys all blemishes and diseases.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Kṛtyā—A female deity to whom sacrifices are offered for destructive and magical purposes.

[2]:

Sākinī—A kind of female being attendant on Durgā, and supposed to be a demon or fairy.

[3]:

Maṇḍalaka—White leprosy with round spots.

[4]:

Praṇaśyatu sukham etc. seems quite incongruous.