Chapter 157 - The Greatness of Huṃkārasvāmī

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

1-9. Next to it, O king, and in the vicinity of Śuklatīrtha is the Tīrtha of Vāsudeva honoured in ail the worlds.

Indeed that is an ancient, well-known, meritorious Tīrtha on Narmadā where Revā flows to a distance of a Krośa (3 Kms.) merely making the hissing sound of Hum.

O leading king, ever since the river began to flow with a hissing sound, the deity is named Huṃkāra by learned men.

A man who takes his holy bath in Huṃkāra Tīrtha and visits the immutable Acyuta, is rid of all sins incurred in the course of seven births.

Excepting Nārāyaṇa, the Lord of the universe, there is no other deity capable of redeeming a man immersed in the ocean of worldly existence, perpetrating more and more sinful activities.

That tongue is the real tongue which eulogizes Hari; that mind is genuine which is dedicated unto Him. Only those hands are worthy of praise that worship Him.

Nothing inauspicious happens at any time in any of the activities of those persons in whose hearts is present Lord Hari, the abode of all auspiciousness.

Merely by prostrating before Hari, a man obtains the same merit as (is derived) from the adoration of other deities.

He is honoured in Viṣṇuloka for as many thousands of years as there are dust particles sticking to his dusty limbs.

10-15. By sweeping, sprinkling with water and plastering the temple premises, all sins of men and women perish. By visiting with devotion, the sins of excellent persons get dissolved.

If Lord Vāsudeva is adored by anyone, the sin incurred by him in the course of life perishes. With the sins shaken off, he goes to the world of the Garuḍa-emblemed Lord and becomes worthy of being worshipped by groups of Suras.

Even if one makes obeisance to the Discus-bearing Lord hypocritically, the sins incurred by him in the course of seven births vanish immediately.

There is no doubt about it. Rudra is pleased by adoration; Divākara (Sun) by means of Japa and Homa. The Lord with the conch, discus and club in his hands, becomes pleased with prostration.

A raft in the form of Viṣṇu can be the sole refuge unto men without a raft, getting immersed in the chaotic waters of sensual objects, entangled in the ocean of worldly existence, assailed by the typhoons of Dvandvas (mutually opposed pairs e.g. pleasure-pain) and afflicted with the burden of protecting sons, daughters and wives.

O leading king, O tiger among men, whatever is performed in Huṃkāra Tīrtha, whether auspicious or otherwise, does not get lost.