Skanda Purana
by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words
This page describes King Shveta Attains Salvation which is chapter 37 of the English translation of the Skanda Purana, the largest of the eighteen Mahapuranas, preserving the ancient Indian society and Hindu traditions in an encyclopedic format, detailling on topics such as dharma (virtous lifestyle), cosmogony (creation of the universe), mythology (itihasa), genealogy (vamsha) etc. This is the thirty-seventh chapter of the Purushottama-kshetra-mahatmya of the Vaishnava-khanda of the Skanda Purana.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Chapter 37 - King Śveta Attains Salvation
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
Jaimini said:
1-7. Henceforth I shall describe (the rites to be performed during) the excellent Dakṣiṇāyana (transit of the Sun to the South). The period of time extending to twenty Kalās just before the transit of the Sun is the most auspicious time for the performance of holy rites by men devoted to duties.
As in the case of the (ceremonial) going to bed of the Lord, O Brāhmaṇas, the devotee should bathe the Lord with Pañcāmṛta. He should smear the entire body of the Lord with agallochum, camphor and sandal-paste. He should worship the great Lord with sweet scents, wreaths, ornaments, charming garments, lamps and different kinds of foodstuffs and offerings. He should wave a lighted camphor near the face of Hari. Then the Lord should be duly saluted after the offering of blades of Dūrvā and raw rice grains following the Nīrājana rite of waving the lights. Women should sing auspicious songs and shout Hulā-Hulā.[1] They should dance too.
Janārdana will give hundred times the merit of the worship to a person who witnesses Puruṣottama having been worshipped and being worshipped. Those who see the Lord of Śrī being worshipped during the Southern Transit (of the Sun) get rid of all their sins and go to the world of Viṣṇu.
8. Whether the festival of procession of Hari is celebrated on a small scale or on a grand scale, it always bestows salvation. The Lord seen on the different days is certainly the bestower of salvation.
9. It is to inspire faith in the ignorant, O Brāhmaṇas, that these festivals of procession have been declared by the merciful Viṣṇu. They dispel the sins of sinners.
10-11. Those who regard that merit is (always) created by undergoing strains are base persons.
In order to prepare the food-offering for the Lord of Lakṣmī the kitchen should be consecrated well. After kindling the Vaiṣṇava sacred fire, the excellent Caru should be prepared. It should be made the means of cooking the Vaiśvadeva[2] oblation unto the Lord.
12-17. The preceptor devoted to the holy rites prescribed in Śrutis and Smṛtis, and employed by the king, should with great (mental and physical) purity, perform the Homas in the sacred fire to Brahmā, the Lord of house-site, the Lord of the subjects and Viṣṇu, the maker of the universe.
The preceptor employed by the king should be a scrupulous performer of the religious rites prescribed in Śrutis and Smṛtis.
Thereafter, Bali (oblations) should be offered and offerings should be made as follows:
To the Dvārapālas[3] (Caṇḍa and) Pracaṇḍa in the North-East; to the Kṣetrapāla, Virūpa and the Lord of birds in the South: to Durgā and Sarasvatī in the South-West. As per injunctions the offering of oblations to Mahālakṣmī and Mahendra is made in the Eastern Quarter. The offering of oblation to the attendants of Viṣṇu and to the Lord of Paśus (i.e. Śiva) shall be made in the North. (The Bali should be offered) to Nārada in the West; to the Fire-god in the South-East, to Viśvasākṣin (witness unto the universe, the Wind-god?) in the North-West; to the Wind-gods in the forms of the five vital airs and to the maker of the universe in the middle. In every rite of offering the oblations water should be offered in the beginning and in the end.
18. After offering the oblations the excellent cooking should be conducted in that fire to prepare Caru to be offered in the worship of the Lord in all the three Sandhyās (dawn, noon and dusk).
19. The different foodstuffs form part of the consecration of the Caru. The king should not engage brilliant persons of the (first) three castes.[4]
20. He should engage clean Śūdras of noble birth or persons of the labour class.[5] This is the common practice. It is certainly Śrī herself who cooks.
21-27a. Nārāyaṇa in his embodied form always eats what is cooked by her. Indeed that Naivedya is nectar itself. By keeping it on the head one can dispel all sins. If it is eaten, it destroys great sins arising from drinking liquor etc. If it is inhaled, it destroys mental sins; if it is looked at, it dispels sins arising from sight; if it is tasted, it dispels auditory sins; if it is touched, it destroys sins committed through touching as well as those arising from false utterances: by applying it over the body, it dispels all bodily sins: it burns them, there is no doubt about it. Indeed, the food offered to Hari is exceedingly sacred. If a person uses it in the rites of Manes as well as deities, Pitṭs and Suras are pleased with him. They go to the world of the Slayer of Madhu. Among Havyas and Kavyas,[6] O Brāhmaṇas, there is nothing more pure and sacred. Heaven-dwellers assume the forms of men and eat it. In it there is great attachment of the Discus-bearing Lord of Devas.
The Story of King Śveta
27b-32. Formerly there was a great king named Śveta in Tretāyuga. He observed all holy vows and had great devotion to Puruṣottama.
Everyday he joyously got ready different kinds of food-offerings of the same type as the food-offerings got prepared by Indradyumna. There were many kinds of foodstuffs, well-prepared dishes of all the six tastes. There were wonderful varieties of wreaths, sweet scents and unguents. There were songs and instrumental music and dances of divine charm. On different occasions Hari was given royal reception and service. Everything involved great expenditure and strain and reflected devotional feelings. The food-offerings of different varieties mentioned in the sacred writings of Vaiṣṇavas were got prepared by that king (who was like) the sun for the lotuses (in the form) of learned men.
33. Once, on a certain day in the morning, the king went (to the shrine) to see Hari at the time of worship. He saw the Lord being worshipped.
34. After bowing down to the Lord of Devas, the excellent king stood near the entrance to the Mansion (Temple) joyously, with palms joined in reverence.
35-42. On seeing the excellent offerings got prepared by himself as well as a thousand gifts arranged in front of Hari, the king thought thus in his mind and he fell into a reverie. He mused thus: ‘Does Hari accept the food-offerings prepared by human beings? The external Yaga (i.e. gross sacrifice) defiled by sentimental feelings is certainly not for the joy of that Hari who cannot be adequately adored even by Devas by means of divine offerings and whom men of restraint and holy rites worship by means of mental offerings.’ Even as he thought thus, the king saw the Lord seated in the divine seat eating the food and drinking the beverage served by Śrī. She was adorned with a divine garland. She had divine silken robes and unguents. She seemed to fill the abode of Suras with the charming tinkling sound of her anklets set with very valuable gems. She was serving the juices eagerly with a gold ladle. The Lord was surrounded by many persons of similar personal features. They were also taking food. On witnessing that mysterious scene, the king thought himself contented and blessed. He opened his eyes. Then also he saw what he saw before. From that time onwards the king obtained great delight.
43-44. He regularly ate only what was first offered to the Lord. He performed holy rites and very great penances. For the destruction of untimely death in his kingdom and for the salvation of those who died, he used to recite the Mantrarāja. At the end of a hundred years he saw Narasiṃha, the wish-yielding Kalpa-tree to those who resort to him, the Lord who dispelled sins.
45. The Yogic lotus-posture was his abode. Śrī was stationed on his left. All his limbs were adorned with divine objects. His body was as pure as crystal.
46. He was being eulogized by Devas as well as Siddhas and liberated souls. His face was beaming with smiles. He (the king) was confused, surprised and frightened. With words choked with excessive delight he blurted out, “O Lord, be pleased.” Uttering these words he fell on the ground.
47. On seeing the sinless king who was emaciated on account of penance and was bowing down, Narasiṃha, the Lord affectionate to his devotees, spoke thus:
Śrī Bhagavān said:
48. Get up, O dear one, know that I am the Lord delighted with your devotion. There is nothing which cannot be obtained when I am pleased. Hence let it be prayed for by you.
49. On hearing these words of the Lord the king got up. With palms joined in reverence he humbly spoke these words to Janārdana.
Śveta said:
50-51. O Lord, if you are pleased with me, it is a rare blessing. I shall attain your Sārūpya (‘identity of form’) and stand in your presence. As long as I continue to be a king, let no one in my kingdom meet untimely death. In case the death is timely, let him attain salvation.
52-57. On hearing it, the Lord said to the excellent king Śveta: “O Śveta, your desire shall be fulfilled. Get up and be on my right side. You will enjoy your kingdom with all its luxuries for a thousand years. Through the (consumption of) remnants of the offerings unto me your remaining sins too shall be destroyed. With a mind devoid of impurities you will attain Sāyujya with me.
Between the Banyan tree and the ocean is the very rare spot of (i.e. affording) Salvation. Facing me, the first incarnation of Viṣṇu in the form of Fish, stay there with a body as pure as crystal. You will be well-known in the terrestrial world by the name Śvetamādhava.
If human beings, lower animals or even insects were to cast off their lives in between you two, they shall certainly attain salvation.
58-59. Even the immortal Devas wish to die there. How much more would human beings! To the north of you there is a lake that dispels sins. The devotee should take bath there and sip its water. If a person becomes purified by seeing both of you on its southern shore and casts off his life, he becomes liberated.
60. All (the area) round this holy place, every bit of it, yields salvation. In order to inspire faith in the ignorant, the important spot is said to be efficacious.
61. All the people in your kingdom who eat my Nirmālya[7] (remnants of offerings) will never have untimely death.”
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
This inarticulate sound is uttered by women in Orissa on joyous occasions—an evidence of the author of this section being an Orissan.
[2]:
It is an offering to all deities made by presenting oblations to Fire (before one takes one’s meals).
[3]:
Caṇḍa and Pracaṇḍa are the two doorkeepers of Viṣṇu. Hence the dual, pracaṇḍābbyām as Caṇḍa is understood in the compound.
[4]:
The existing reading traivarṇiko obviously having no relevance should be corrected as traivarṇikān to give this meaning.
[5]:
The Purāṇa thus testifies to the Śabara origin of Jagannātha cult, though modern scholars from Cunningham onwards attribute it to the Buddhist influence.
[6]:
Havyas and Kavyas: Offerings to gods are Havyas and to Pitṛs are called Kavyas.
[7]:
Nowadays it means the dry boiled rice which is offered to Lord Jagannātha in the preceding day. This dry rice is also regarded as sacred Mahāprasāda.