Chapter 6 - The Fruit of Offering Tulasī Twigs and Sandalpaste

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Brahmā said:

1. O Lord, tell me everything accurately. O Lord Acyuta, what is the efficacy of sounding a bell^[1] and of (applying) sandal-paste? Tell me the fruit thereof.

Śrī Bhagavān said:

2; O Lord of Devas, listen to the fruit obtained by that person who sounds a bell at the time of performing ablution and worship.

3. For thousands of crores of years, for hundreds of crores of years, he resides in my world, attended upon by bevies of celestial damsels.

4. Since bell is identical with alt the musical instruments and all Devas, one should make all efforts to sound a bell.

5. Bell that is identical with all the musical instruments, is always dear to me. By sounding it one acquires the merit arising from (performing) hundreds of crores of Yajñas.

6-8. Bells must be sounded always especially at the time of worship. O son, by the sound of bells, I become delighted always for hundreds and thousands of Manvantaras.

O Lord of Devas, my worship bestows salvation on men always, if it is accompanied by the sounds of Bherī drums and conch, together with bells, and of Mṛdaṅga and conchs along with the sound of Oṃkāra (Praṇavā).

9. Where a sounding bell stands in front of me, where it is worshipped by Vaiṣṇavas, O son, know me to be there.

10. I dispel the sin of that person who fixes a bell marked by the figure of Vainateya (Garuḍa) or the discus Sudarśana.

11. If anyone rings a bell at the time of my worship, his sins perish, though they may have been acquired in the course of hundreds of births.

12. At the time of (my) sleep one should devoutly ring a bell to accompany my worship. The fruit is crores of times more.

13-14. If devotees worship me, the Lord of Devas seated on Garuḍa,

holding a conch, a lotus and an iron club as well as a discus and accompanied by Śrī, what will they do with Tīrthas, visiting (other) deities, (performance of) Yajñas, holy rites, (donating) charitable gifts and observance of fasts? (They are not necessary.)

15. Those who install my Nārāyaṇa idol seated on Garuḍa in Kali Age, go to my region and stay there for a crore of Kalpas.

16. If anyone installs that idol in front of me, or in a palace or in a house, thousands of crores of Tīrthas and deities stand there.

17. He who is blessed and worships my form riding on Garuḍa on the eleventh day and at night sings songs and performs dance with respectful regard, shall redeem his manes from hell.

18-22. Again I shall recount the (the greatness of a) bell. Listen, O my son.

Where a bell with my name inscribed therein is kept in front, and where the idol of Viṣṇu is worshipped, know, O my son, that I am present there.

He who sounds a bell with the Garuḍa symbol engraved therein at the time of (burning) incense, waving of lights, ablution, worship or application of unguents in front of me, shall attain the merit, O dear one, of ten thousand sacrifices, donation of ten thousand cows (as a religious gift) and a hundred observances of Cāndrāyaṇa for each of those rites.

Even if the worship does not conform to the procedural injunctions, it shall be fruitful to those men. Delighted with the sound of the bell, I grant them my own region.

23. If the bell that is marked with Garuḍa and the discus is sounded, it destroys the fear of crores of births.

24. Everyday, when I see a bell marked with Garuḍa, O Lord of Devas, I become joyful like a poor man who gets wealth.

25. If anyone fixes on top of the pole holding a bell an excellent discus or my favourite Garuḍa, all the three worlds have been (as if) fixed by him.

26. A man may be contaminated by crores of sins; but, if at the time of death he hears the sound of a bell (imprinted) with discus, the servants of Yama are frustrated.

27. O son, all the defects and sins perish by the sound of a bell. Devas, Rudras and Pitṛs all become gay celebrating a festival as it were.

28. Even if Garuḍa and discus (symbols) are not present, I grant my favour to the devotees on account of the sound of a bell. There is no doubt about it.

29. If there is a bell fitted (imprinted) with Garuḍa, there is no fear of serpents, or fire or lightning in that house.

30. If there is no bell in anyone’s house nor conch in front of me, how can he be known as a devotee of the Lord? How can he be (my) favourite?

31. O son, I shall recount to you the efficacy of sandal-paste. When it is prepared, I become extremely delighted. There is no doubt about it.

32-36a. An offering unto me along with sandal-paste, flowers, camphor, agallochum, musk, nutmeg and Tulasī causes great happiness unto me.^[2]

The excellent man who always offers to me twigs of Tulasī plant, stays in heaven for infinite number of Yugas.

If in Kali anyone devoutly offers Tulasī and sandalpasste to Mahāviṣṇu and worships him with flowers of Mālatī (jasmine), he will never suck breasts (of any mother) again (i.e., is liberated).

If anyone offers me sandal-paste along with (paste of) Tulasī twigs, I burn all his sins committed in the Course of hundreds of previous births.

36b-37. Tulasī twigs and sandal-paste are always liked by all Devas and by Pitṛs in particular.

38. As long as Tulasī twigs and sandaīpaste are not offered to me, Śrīkhaṇḍa, sandal and black agallochum can be considered excellent.

39. The fragrance of musk and sweet smell of camphor (are excellent), so long as the Tulasī twigs and sandaīpaste are not offered to me.

40. Those who offer me Tulasī twigs and sandapaste in Kaliyuga in the splendid month of Mārgaśīrṣa, have their desires accomplished and are blessed. There is no doubt about it.

41. If anyone professes to be a devotee of the Lord in Kali but does not offer Tulasī and sandal-paste in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa, he is not a real Bhāgavata (devotee of the Lord).

42. If anyone applies the paste of saffron, agallochum and sandal on my body in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa, he shall stay in heaven for a crore of Kalpas.

43. The devotee should apply sandaīpaste mixed with camphor and agallochum. Musk in particular is always my favourite.

44. If anyone takes sandaīpaste in a conch and applies it over my body in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa, I am delighted with him for a hundred years.

45. He who serves the devoutly with Tulasī leaves and emblic myrobalan always during Mārgaśīrṣa, obtains his desired objective.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

VV 1-30 describe the importance of bells in Viṣṇu worship, of which they form an integral part. Bells are embellished with the figures of Viṣṇu’s weapons like Sudarśana and Garuḍa, each having some specific efficacy and as such deserving worship in their own capacity.

[2]:

VV 32ff describe the sanctity of Tulasī twigs or leaves and sandal-paste, but it is the Tulasī plant which is most appreciated by Viṣṇu.