Chapter 60 - Manifestation of Bindumādhava

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Note: Bindu Mādhava temple was built at the top of Pañcagaṅgā Ghāṭa. Its glory is described by Tulasīdāsa (16th cent.). The European traveller Tavernier (17th cent.) notes this ‘great Pagoda’ as most impressive. But the temple was destroyed by the orders of Aurangzeb and a mosque was built there. Today the temple called Bindu Mādhava is located in an inconspicuous building in the shadow of the big mosque of Aurangzeb. (BCL 206-207)

Skanda said:

1. The origin of Pañcanada has been narrated, O Son of Mitra and Varuṇa. Now I shall narrate the great story of the manifestation of Mādhava.

2. On hearing it with faith, an intelligent man shall become liberated instantaneously from sins. He will not be separated from wealth and glory. He will be united with virtue.

3-5. Upendra took leave of the Moon-crested Lord and reached the city of Vārāṇasī riding on his vehicle Garuḍa. He completed the journey in a moment after starting from the mountain Mandara. By means of his Māyā, he evicted King Divodāsa. Thereafter he stationed himself in the Pādodaka Tīrtha by the name and form of Keśava. He thought of the greatness of Kāśī. On seeing the Tīrtha of Pañcanada he became extremely delighted.

6. The delighted lotus-eyed Lord said: “The good qualities of Vaikuṇṭha cannot be fully reckoned. Still they have been ignored by me.

7. The number of spotless qualities as are conspicuously present in the whirlpool of Pañcanada in Kāśī are not present in the Ocean of Milk.

8. Even in Śvetadvīpa where is that big collection of good qualities like what is present in the Tīrtha named Dhūtapāpā? It is extremely holy and sacred.

9. The contact with Kaumodakī is not so much conducive to my joy as is the touch of the holy waters of Dhūtapāpā in every respect.

10. Even when the Daughter of the Milky Ocean (Lakṣmī) touches my limbs, I do not get that much pleasure as I get here when touched by Dhūtapāpā.”

11-13. He had already sent Tārkṣya (Garuḍa) to the presence of the Three-eyed Lord to intimate the events of Ānadakānana; and he described the good qualities of King Divodāsa and the merit arising from Pañcanada. Thereafter the Consort of the Daughter of the Ocean of Milk (Viṣṇu) became highly pleased when he was comfortably seated there thus.

Viṣṭaraśrava (Viṣṇu) of keen vision saw a sage engaged in penance. His limbs were not well-nourished (i.e. emaciated).

14-22. That sage Agnibindu of great austerities approached the lotus-eyed Acyuta. He joyously bowed down to him placing his head on the ground. He could espy the Lord (lit. make him the guest of his eyes) whose form and size neither the Vedas nor the Upaniṣaḍs nor the Devas beginning with Brahmā could understand. The Upaniṣads could not describe him. The Lord was like this.

He was adorned with sylvan flower garlands. He was seated close to Kamalā (Goddess Lakṣmī). He had the conch, lotus, mace and discus hanging from his four hands. His chest shone with the jewel Kaustubha. He was clad in yellow robes. His complexion had the lustre of a blue lotus. His form was sweet and shining. A lotus gracefully came out of his deep naval. His lips were excessively reddish in tinge. His teeth resembled the seeds of a pomegranate. His crown brightened the atmosphere. His feet were adored by the Lord of Devas. He was eulogized by Sanaka and others. His glory and greatness was sung about by Nārada and other divine sages. His mind was extremely delighted by Prahlāda and other devotees of the Lord. He had chastised all the Dānavas. He held the bow called Śārṅga. He was the slayer of Madhu and Kaiṭabha. He was the indicator of the death of Kaṃsa. By the devotion of devotees the very Kaivalya, the invisible and formless supreme Brahman, had become manifested in human form in him.

23-24. His (Agnibindu’s) palms joined in reverence were kept close to his head and he prayed with great devotion. There, very near Pañcanada frequently resorted to by Mārkaṇḍeya and others, that sage Agnibindu eulogized Acyuta who caused Bali’s downfall. Delighted in mind he prayed to Govinda who had occupied a large rocky slab.

Agnibindu said:

[Agnibindu’s Prayer]

25. Oṃ, obeisance to you who accord external and internal purity, O lotus-eyed one. You are the thousand-headed, thousandeyed and thousand-footed Puruṣa.

26. With an unfettered intellect, I bow down to the pair of your feet that dispel all Dvandvas (the three types of distresses inimical to human life), O Viṣṇu who are saluted by Jiṣṇu (Indra) and other Suras.

27. Who is competent to eulogize him wherefor even the words of Vācaspati (Preceptor of Devas) do not get a chance? (But) devotion is all-powerful here (Hence I do pray).

28. (You are) that Supreme Lord and Master, who is beyond the ken of mind and words. How can he who is beyond words be adequately prayed to by people of paltry intellect like me?

29. Who can be powerful enough to eulogize him who is beyond mind and words, the Lord whom words cannot penetrate and whom mind cannot worship with comprehension.

30. By whom is the supreme excellence of that Lord understood, whose breath is the collection of the Vedas along with the six Aṅgas (ancillaries) recited in Pada and Krama Pāṭhas.

31. Sanaka and others possess minds, intellects and senses without the least lethargy and they meditate upon him. Yet they do not get him exactly in the Hṛdākāśa (ethereal space of the heart).

32. His acts are being sung about by Nārada and other excellent sages who observe celibacy from childhood. Yet he is not perfectly understood.

33. O Lord who are identical with the mobile and immobile beings due to Māyā but are really different from them, none understands you. You are subtle in form, unborn, immutable, single, the primordial one, imperceptible to Brahmā and others, invincible, of infinite powers, perpetual, free from ailments, unembodied and of imponderable form.

34-35. Everyone of your names, O Murāri, shall dispel the sins of sinners accumulated in the course of many births and likely to bring in great prosperity. These names shall accord the honoured benefit of great Yajñas, when uttered repeatedly—the names Mukunda, Madhusūdana, Mādhava, Nārāyaṇa, Narakārṇavatāraṇa, Dāmodara, Madhuhā, Caturbhuja, Viśvaṃbhara, Virajas and Janārdana. Where is the fear from the god of Death unto those who repeat the names? They will not be reborn.

36. O Lord Trivikrama whose form is clothed in silk cloth that shines splendidly like the lightning streak, those who always meditate upon you in their hearts, you, the lotus-eyed one having the sparkling splendour of the cluster of clouds, came into contact with your splendour of imponderable form.

37. O Hari having a curl of hair named Śrīvatsa on your breast, O Acyuta, O slayer of Kaiṭabha, O Govinda having Garuḍa as your vehicle, O Keśava having the discus in your hand, O consort of Lakṣmī, O slayer of Danujas (demons) having the Śārṅga bow in your hand, there is no fear for a man endowed with devotion unto you.

38. With the garlands of the flowers of the celestial tree Mandāra, the entire hosts of Devas assiduously adore those persons of character and conduct free from impurities, by whom, O Lord, you have been worshipped with Tulasī flowers having divine fragrance that dispels the fragrance of musk.

39. Even the status of kings is not difficult to obtain for those people, O lotus-eyed one with no form in reality, in whose speech rests your name that bestows all cherished desires, in whose ears reverberate the sweet words of your stories and in the wall of whose minds is indelibly engraved your form.

40. The Vṛndārakas (Devas), the chiefs among whom are Yama, Indra and Kubera, always venerate in heaven those who adore you always, O Śrīpati who rest on the couch of the serpent Śeṣa and are efficient in granting a series of pleasures of heaven and salvation.

41. O Lord with the lotus shining in the hand, groups of Siddhas, Devas and celestial damsels eulogize in heaven those people who always eulogize you. O Lord, O bestower of all supernatural powers, who have eyes as large as a lotus, excepting you who grants the charming glory of ultimate salvation?

42. O Lord who adopt physical forms sportingly, O Lord the pair of whose feet are bowed to by Brahmā, you destroy, you protect and you create all as your sporting activities instantaneously. O supreme one, you alone are the entire universe; you alone are the Lord of the universe; you are the seed of the universe. Hence I always bow unto you.

43. O foe of the Lord of Danujas (Demons), you are the eulogizer, you are the eulogy and you alone are the object worthy of being eulogized. I do not think that anything is different from you, O Viṣṇu. O Lord inimical to the mundane existence, dispel my eagerness (thirst) for worldly existence.

44. After eulogizing Hṛṣīkeśa thus, Agnibindu of great austerities remained silent. Then Viṣṇu, the bestower of boons, spoke to the sage:

Śrī Viṣṇu said:

45. O highly intelligent Agnibindu, O storehouse of great austerities, I am highly pleased. Choose your boon. There is nothing which cannot be given to you.

Agnibindu said:

46. If you are pleased, O Lord, O Lord of Vaikuṇṭha, O Lord of the universe, O consort of Lakṣmī, grant me what I am requesting for.

47. Being permitted by Hari with a gesture of his eyebrows that sage became highly delighted. After bowing down he chose the boon from Keśava.

48. “For the sake of the welfare of all creatures, particularly of those who are desirous of liberation, stay here in the whirlpool of Pañcanada, O Lord, although you are omnipresent.

49. This boon should be unhesitatingly granted to me by the Lord of Lakṣmī, so also (grant me) devotion unto your lotus-like feet. I do not desire any other boon.”

50. On hearing thus about the boon of Agnibindu, the Slayer of Madhu became pleased. For the sake of helping others, the Consort of the Daughter of the Ocean (i.e. of Lakṣmī) said, “So be it.”

Śrī Viṣṇu said:

51. Certainly I shall stay here, directing the path of salvation unto persons having devotion to Kāśī, O Agnibindu who are the most excellent one among sages.

52. O sage, I am highly delighted. Mention a boon further I shall grant you. You are already a great devotee of mine. May your devotion to me be firmer.

53. O storehouse of austerities, even at the outset I have been desirous of staying here. Then it has been requested for by you. I shall stay here forever.

54. If anyone has any sense, who is dull-headed enough to leave Kāśī after reaching it? After acquiring a ruby of inestimable value who will desire a piece of glass abandoning that (ruby)?

55. With a very little effort, merely by casting off the body here, the body that has to go in any case, one gets salvation. Where else can one have it thus?

56. Why won’t a sensible man take up the immortal divine physical form by exchanging the earthly body already worn out by old age?

57. Neither by austerities, nor by monetary gifts nor through Yajñas in which much is given away as gifts, is salvation obtained in the manner it is obtained at Kāśī through giving up the body.

58. Even those who practise Yogic exercises, even the Yogins of well-restrained minds are not liberated in a single birth. But people are liberated through the loss of the body (i.e. death) in Kāśī.

59. The fact that the body courts death in Kāśī is itself a great Dāna; it is the great austerity, and it is the most excellent Vrata.

60. He who does not leave Kāśī after reaching Kāśī alone is the most sensible scholar in the world; he alone is meritorious and blessed.

61. O sage, I shall stay here as long as Kāśī exists. Being propped up on the tip of the trident of Siva, even at the time of Pralaya (final annihilation) it has no destruction.

62-65. On hearing these words of Viṣṇu, the great sage Agnibindu said with hairs standing up due to delight: “I shall choose another boon. O Consort of Lakṣmī, stay here in the auspicious Tīrtha of Pañcanada adopting my name and grant salvation to devotees as well as to non-devotees. Grant salvation unto those people also who take their holy ablution here in Pañcanada but go to other lands and die there. Although she (Lakṣmī) has the twin forms of being steady and unsteady, let not Śrī forsake those men who adore you after taking the holy bath in Pañcanaḍa.”

Śrī Viṣṇu said:

66. O Agnibindu, O sage, let what has been sought by you be so. My name shall occur along with half of your name and also of Mā (Lakṣmī) (Hence Bindu-Mā-dhava).

67. My name Bindumādhava shall be well-known in all the three worlds. O sage, in Kāśī it will be (considered) as one that destroys groups of great sins.

68. Where is the fear from worldly existence to those who will always adore me here in the meritorious whirlpool of Pañcanaḍa? They are blessed men.

69. If people keep me in their hearts as stationed in Pañcanada always, Lakṣmī in the form of Vasu (Wealth) and Lakṣmī named after salvation (i.e. Mokṣalakṣmī) shall always be at their sides.

70. After reaching Pañcanada, if Brāhmaṇas are not propitiated with monetary gifts, they will be likely to be overwhelmed by disaster quickly and their riches will weep (i.e. will be lost).

71. Only they are blessed in this world; they alone are to be considered as having fulfilled their tasks if after reaching my vicinity all the riches are dedicated to me.

72. O Agnibindu who are the most excellent one among the sages, this Tīrtha shall be known as Bindu Tīrtha after your name. It will be destructive of all sins.

73. If in the month of Kārttika, a devotee strictly abides by the vow of celibacy and takes the holy ablution in the Bindu Tīrtha before sunrise, why should he be afraid of Yama, the son of Sun-god?

74. Even after, out of delusion, committing thousands of sins, if a man takes his holy bath in Dharmanada in the month of Kārttika, he will become free from sins instantaneously.

75. As long as the body is healthy, as long as there is no weakness in the sense-organs, a devotee should observe the holy vows because a vow has the body as its fruit.

76. This body, the receptacle of uncleanliness, should be purified by means of fasting or taking a single meal or living on what is obtained without begging.

77. Kṛcchracāndrāyaṇa and other Vratas should be observed assiduously since this impure body becomes pure by the observance of vows.

78. Dharma stays firm in the body purified by Vratas. Artha and Kama along with Mokṣa stay there where Dharma too stays.

79. Hence those Vratas that contribute to the attainment of Dharma should be observed by men who are desirous of the gain of the fourfold aim of life.

80. If a man is unable to observe Vratas always, he should at least perform them during the Cāturmāsya (four months of rainy season from Āṣāḍha to Kārttika).

81-82. Some of the Vratas are: Lying down on bare ground, celibacy, abstaining from eating certain foodstuffs, the vow of taking single meal etc., some Dāna everyday in accordance with one’s capacity, listening to the Purāṇas, acting in accordance with the themes therein, maintaining continuous lights of lamps (before deities), keeping awake and the great worship of the deity of one’s choice.

83. For the purpose of increasing piety, a sensible man should assiduously avoid going to and fro in places with seeds and seedlings in abundance.

84. Persons with whom conversation is prohibited should not be talked to by those who maintain Cāturmāsya Vratas. They will maintain silence always or should speak only the truth.

85. An observer of Vratas should avoid grains and lentils like Niṣpāva, Masūra and Kodrava. One should always stay among clean people. A non-observer of vows should not be touched.

86. Teeth, hairs, clothes etc. should be scrupulously washed everyday. No evil thought should be entertained in the heart by an observer of vows.

87. Those who scrupulously maintain the Cāturmāsya Vratas are entitled to complete benefit as an observer of vows in all the twelve months.

88. If one lacks physical power for the observance of Vratas even in the stipulated four months, he should maintain the Vratas at least in the month of Kārttika, should he wish for the benefit of the year-long Vratas.

89. If a person was silly enough to pass the month of Kārttika without the observances of Vratas, he is a pig-souled one. Such persons will not deserve even the least of merits.

90. At the advent of the month of Kārttika a highly meritorious devotee should observe Kṛcchra, Atikṛcchra or Prājāpatya.

91. When the month of Kārttika has arrived one will observe Vratas like Fasts (e.g.), Ekāntaravrata (fasts on alternate days), Trirātra Vrata (meal once in three days), Pañcarātra (meal once in five days) or Saptarātra (meal once in seven days).

92. A devotee may observe the Vrata once in a fortnight or once in the month. No observer of Vratas shall make the month of Kārttika barren (vowless) anywhere.

93. In the month of Kārttika, an observer of Vratas should stick to the diet of vegetables, milk, fruits or cooked barley grains.

94. A man of Vratas should perform Nitya Snāna (bathing everyday) or Naimittika Snāna (bath on ceremonious occasions). Seeking the benefit of the great Vrata the devotee should observe celibacy in the month of Kārttika.

95. If a devotee of pure mind passes the dark half of the month while strictly observing celibacy, it will be on a par with the performance of Brahmacarya throughout the year.

96. If a devotee concludes the month of Kārttika with fasts, it is as good as though the whole year is spent by him in holy fasts.

97. If a devotee passes the month of Kārttika sticking to the diet of vegetables and milk, it is as good as the whole Śarat (autumn) has been spent by him with that diet.

98. One shall take food only on leaves in the month of Kārttika. Bell-metal vessel should be scrupulously avoided. If a devotee takes food in bell-metal vessels, he shall not get the benefit of that Vrata.

99. If one invariably (takes food) in a bell-metal vessel, he should make gift of a bell-metal vessel filled with ghee. During the month of Kārttika one should not take in honey which gives inferior birth.

100. If one abandons honey one should make the gift of ghee or milk pudding with sugar. One should avoid oil in the month of Kārttika for application over the body or taking in as food.

101. For, O sinless one, that embodied soul shall become a resident of hell on smearing himself with oil on that occasion. If one has eschewed oil, one should make a gift of gingelly seeds measuring a Droṇa supplemented with gold.

102. He who eats fish in the month of Kārttika is reborn in the species of whales. One who eats fish in the dark half of the month, becomes a worm in purulent blood.

103-104. Kings who habitually eat meat should abstain from it in the month of Kārttika. One who is engaged in the observance of Vratas after eschewing fish and flesh shall become exonerated from the fault of eating fish and flesh certainly. If there is restraint in fish and flesh in the month of Kārttika, the observer of the Vrata shall make a gift of an ashgourd along with blackgram and ten gold pieces.

105. He who takes food silently in the month of Kārttika really takes in nectar. An observer of the vow of silence shall make a gift of an excellent bell accompanied with gingelly seeds and gold.

106. A virtuous man observing Vrata in Kārttika who eschews salt has actually abandoned all juices. That observer of Vrata should make gift of a cow.

107. One who observes the vow of lying down on bare ground will not touch the earth again (i.e. will not be born again). An observer of the vow of lying down on the earth shall make gift of a palanquin with cotton and pillows.

108. He who makes the gift of continuous unextinguished light with wicks soaked in ghee, never attains the disaster of being in the blinding darkness of delusion.

109. He who makes Dīpakaumudī (the splendour of moonlight through lamps) at night in the month of Kārttika shall never see the hells of Tāmisra and Andhatāmisra.

110. One who is angry with the darkness of sins through the gifts of lamps in Kārttika, never sees the son of the Sun-god (i.e. Yama) with the face darkened due to anger.

111. He who illuminates in front of me a lamp with dazzling wicks, shall see the three worlds including mobile and immobile beings flooded with light.

112. A man who bathes me with pots of Pañcāmṛta becomes very meritorious. He will stay there for the period of a Kalpa after reaching the shores of the Ocean of Milk.

113. He who makes moonlight arising from lamps on every night in the month of Kārttika in front of me, becomes endowed with devotion. He will never enter the dark area of a womb.

114. One who illuminates a light in front of me with the wick soaked in ghee in the month of Kārttika, never meets with slips of intellect even when there is the great fear of death.

115. Salvation is not very far off from those devotees who take their holy bath in the Bindu Tīrtha in the month of Kārttika and organize Yātrā (religious procession and congregational worship) unto me.

116-119. The devotee repeats the following two Mantras: “O Dāmodara, O slayer of the king of Dānavas, accept my Arghya; I am observing the Vrata in the month of Kārttika, after taking the holy ablution.

O Kṛṣṇa, may Your Lordship accept in company with Rādhā, the Arghya, offered by me in the course of the Naimittika (periodical as per certain condition) Snāna (holy bath) in the month of Kārttika that dispels sins.” He who thus offers Arghya unto me through a conchshell with water flowing out over gold, jewels and flowers is a meritorious person. He should conceive it as the entire earth filled with gold when offering the Arghya water; it will be as though a befitting thing has been gifted by him to a deserving person on the occasion of a holy festival.

120-124a. On Prabodhinī Ekādaśī day (the eleventh day in the bright half of the lunar month of Kārttika) a devotee should take his holy dip in the Bindu Tīrtha. He should keep awake the whole of the night. In accordance with his capacity he should light many lamps after adoring me. There should be sound of musical instruments in triple symphony as an entertainment. He should listen to Purāṇas etc. There shall be great festivities till the Tithi (lunar day) is complete. In order to propitiate me, he should make ample gifts of cooked food. Even though he might have committed great sins, he will not thereafter enter the womb of a woman.

He who takes his holy bath in the Bindu Tīrtha and worships me here in the name of Bindumādhava attains salvation.

124b-126a. O sage, in Satyayuga I should be worshipped with the name of Ādimādhava. In Tretā I should be known as Anantamādhava, the bestower of all Siddhis (supernatural powers). In Dvāpara I named Śrīmādhava bring about the fulfilment of the greatest aim. In Kali age I, Bindumādhava, should be known as the destroyer of the impurities of Kali.

126b-127a. In Kali age men burdened with sins do not attain me, being deluded by my Māyā alone. They are eagerly engrossed in arguing about the differences.

127b-129. Persons though performing many devotional rites aimed at me should be known as my enemies if they are inimical to Viśveśa. They attain the status of Piśācas (vampires). After being born as Piśācas, they will have to spend thirty thousand years in the ocean of misery at the bidding of Kālabhairava. Thereafter, by the blessings of Viśveśa alone they will attain salvation.

130. Hence hatred should not be entertained against Viśveśa, the Supreme Atman, because there is no expiatory rite unto those who hate Viśveśa.

131. Those base men who hate Viśveśa even mentally shall, after death, enter the hell Andhatāmisra forever.

132. Those who are engaged in censuring Śiva and those who censure the Pāśupata cult and devotees, should be known as my enemies. They fall into a dirty hell.

133. Those who hate and censure Viśveśvara shall successively rot in twenty-eight crores of hells spending a Kalpa in each.

134. It is because I have attained the blessings of Viśveśa, O sage, that I too am a bestower of salvation. Hence Viśveśvara should always be resorted to, particularly by my devotees.

135. This Vārāṇasī should be known, O sage, as a Pāśupata Sthalī (holy spot pertaining to Śiva). Hence Paśupati (Śiva) should be resorted to in Kāśī by those who seek salvation.

136. Here in this Pañcanada Tīrtha Viśveśvara himself always takes his holy ablution in the month of Kārttika along with his Gaṇas, attendants and Skanda.

137. Brahmā, the Vedas, Yajñas, Brahmāṇī and other mothers, the seven oceans, rivers—all these take their holy bath in Dhūtapāpā in the month of Kārttika.

138. The entire sentient beings and embodied ones in all the three worlds come to Dhūtapāpakā for taking their holy dip in the month of Kārttika.

139. Those embodied ones who have not taken their holy dip in Pañcanada in the auspicious month of Kārttika waste their lives as futile as the bubbles in water.

140. Anandakānana is meritorious. Pañcanada is more meritorious than that. My vicinity is more so, O great sage Agnibindu.

141. In the same way, by implication know the greatness of Pañcanada which is the most excellent one among all excellent Tīrthas, O highly intelligent one.

142-143. Merely by hearing about it, a highly intelligent one becomes liberated from great sins.

After hearing this directly from Viṣṇu’s mouth, Agnibindu, the great sage, bowed down and further asked Bindumādhava, Acyuta:

Agnibindu said:

144-145. O Lord, I wish to hear. O Bindumādhava, narrate it. O Janārdana, how many forms have you in Kāśī? What are those likely to occur in future? Tell me those by worshipping which your devotees will attain blessed contentment, O Acyuta.