The Skanda Purana

by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words

This page describes Importance of Shaligrama Worship which is chapter 243 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.

Chapter 243 - Importance of Śāligrāma Worship

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Brahmā said:

1. A Śūdra named Paijavana attained purity through the (performance of) householder’s duties without violating the Path of Dharma. Listen to it, O highly intelligent One.

2. Formerly, in Tretā Yuga, there was a Śūdra named Paijavana, He was well-known as strictly adhering to his own pious duty. He was a worshipper of Viṣṇu and Brāhmaṇas.

3. He earned wealth through legitimate means. He was calm and quiescent always. He was a favourite with all people. Truthful in speech, he was a wise man of discriminaion [discrimination?].

4. His wife was a beautiful woman. Born of a family equal in status, the splendid woman was taken in marriage by him in accordance with the injunction of the Vedas. The highly esteemed woman was very chaste and was very devoted to the welfare of Brāhmaṇas and Devas.

5. The alliance[1] of that girl was settled at Kāśī and the marriage was celebrated at Vaijayantī. Efficient in the practice of piety (Dharma), she regularly observed Vaiṣṇava Vratas,

6. Maintaining perfect humility, she sported about with her husband. He too indulged in pleasurable sports with her at befitting occasions like a huge male elephant with a female elephant.

7. He had regular business dealings with his clients of own country as well as of foreign lands.

8. Thanks to the earlier merit, the noble-souled one acquired (adequate) wealth. With the commodities belonging to him as well as to others, he conducted business. Thus he, a practitioner of Dharma, accumulated wealth in various ways.

9. He begot three sons who were happy to render service to their father. All the sons were affectionately disposed towards their father. They were never arrogant due to affluence or otherwise.

10. They strictly acted according to the behests of their father. The excellent sons shone splendidly due to their adherence to their duty and good conduct. They did not like anything other than service to the parents.

11. They were rendered well connected through excellent matrimonial alliances by the father who had excellent insight into Dharma. The wives of those sons adored regularly and unobstructedly the mother and the father.

12. The house was rich and prosperous, fully equipped with wealth and food-grains. He too was devoted to piety regularly worshipping the deities and guests.

13. No one stepping into his house ever went with averted face (disappointed). During winter he made monetary gifts and during summer he gifted water and cooked food.

14-16. During rainy season he gifted garments and on every occasion he gave food liberally. At the proper time he caused wells, ponds and lakes to be dug, free-water kiosks and temples to be made. He observed holy vows of Śiva and Viṣṇu. The pious acts of Iṣṭa (Yajñas etc.) etc., duly performed yield great benefits in the cases of all Varṇas. He performed Pūrtas (acts of community service), befitting the Varṇas as well as others. Though affluent, he had no vices.

17-18. He was always a great devotee of Viṣṇu, especially so during Cāturmāsya.

Once, Sage Gālava came to the abode of this Śūdra Paijavana. The sage was devoted to the knowledge of Brahman, was calm and firmly established in austerities. He had perfect control (over his sense-organs). He came to his abode surrounded by a number of disciples.

19. Rising up and welcoming him with honey-like words, he offered seats and other services, considering himself blessed and contented (thereby).

20-21. “To-day my life has become fruitful and exalted. Today my piety has become fruitful. I am blessed and I have been redeemed by you.

O Sage, thousands of my sins have been burnt down by your mere vision. The entire abode of mine, an humble houses holder has been sanctified by you.”

22. Due to his devotion the tiger among sages became pleased. All his fatigue due to the travel vanished. As the Sacchūdra stood with palms joined in reverence he spoke thus:

23-27. “O gentle one, I hope your mind is inclined towards piety. I hope your kinsmen, wife, sons etc., are fully endowed with adequate wealth.

You have constant devotion to Govinda and it urges you to make gifts. Your mind is inclined to the pursuit of virtue, wealth and love.

Do you or do you not hold on your head always Gaṅgā water, the water flowing from the feet of Viṣṇu, Gaṅgā water yields the benefit of twelve years.

Devotion to Hari, listening to stories of Hari, eulogy of Hari, bowing down to Hari, meditation on Hari and worship of Hari when the Lord is asleep—cause salvation. Especially during Cāturmāsya, the benefit thereof shall be twice more.”

As the sage said thus, he bowed down to him and said thus:

28-29. “There is no doubt about this that I have acquired the benefit of my stage of life, thanks to your vision. Yet I wish to hear your pure, blemishless speech. The arrival of people like you is capable of yielding all objects (or desires).”

Thus they both rejoiced and become delighted in their hearts.

30-31. Then the honoured Sacchūdra named Paijavana said again to the sage: “Tell me kindly what is the purpose of your visit? How can there be the appropriate time for pilgrimage as Cāturmāsya is about to begin?” Gālava said to the Sacchūdra, the righteous one, truthful in speech:

32-33. “Many months have elapsed since I started taking holy ablution in the Tīrthas. Now that Cāturmāsya has arrived, I shall go to my hermitage. On the eleventh lunar day in the bright half of the month of Āṣāḍha, I shall perform the rites and restraints at home for the sake of Nārāyaṇa’s delight and my own welfare.” So said the sage about his holy rites (to the Śūdra) who had bowed down through humility.

Paijavana said:

34-35. O eminent sage, speak to me (some) words of wisdom and bless me. I am not authorized to study the Vedas. Nor for the Japa of Gāyatrī which is the essence of the Vedas. I am not to read the Smṛtis or Purāṇas. Hence tell me something that appears to you as ennobling my soul and according me great benefit.

36. Tell me something that is conducive to the achievement of salvation, if performed especially during Cāturmāsya.

Gālava said:

37. Enjoyment of pleasures (and salvation) cannot be far from those men who always worship Viṣṇu in Śāligrāma, the Lord marked by his discus (or Śāligrāma which is marked by discus[2]).

38. Whatever auspicious rite is performed (especially during Cāturmāsya) with the mind dwelling on Śāligrāma, shall be everlasting in its benefit.

39. Salvation is not inaccessible to a man who has acquired association with both, viz. a Śāligrāma stone and a Dvārāvatī stone.

40. If the Śāligrāma stone is worshipped by men in a place (house) it sanctifies the place up to five Krośas (5x3 Kms.) round that ground, even if the place is full of hundreds of sinners.

41. Indeed this is a mass of luminous splendour. This is the auspicious form of Brahman. The very sight thereof is immediately destructive of sins.

42-44. O great Śūdra, all the rivers, all the holy Tīrthas and shrines of deities attain the status of Tīrthas due to proximity to it (Śāligrāma).

All auspicious rites attain the status of holy rites especially during Cāturmāsya by its proximity.

If the splendid Śāligrāma stone is worshipped in house with the tender leaves of Tulasī, Yama averts his face from that house.

45. Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Sacchūdras all are authorised to worship Śāligrāma, and none else.

Sacchūdra said:

46-47. O holy Brāhmaṇa, O most excellent one among those conversant with the Vedas, O Brāhmaṇa expert in all the scriptural texts, it is heard that women, Śūdras and others are prohibited from the worship of Śāligrāma, as in the case of myself. Then why do you say (that I can worship)? If so, tell me the procedure of the worship.

Gālava said:

48. O Dāsa showing respect, understand that the prohibition is in regard to Asacchūdra. As for women, the prohibition does not apply to chaste ones.

49. Let there not be any doubt on your part in this matter. You are not getting anything good from doubt. Those who are devoted to the worship of Śāligrāma become endowed with pure bodies and discrimination.

50-53. Those who worship it during Cāturmāsya do not go to the city of Yama.

If men wear on their heads a garland (or flowers) that has been dedicated to Śāligrāma, thousands of their sins get dissolved immediately.

If people offer Dīpaka (light) in front of Śāligrāma stone, they never fail to reside in the city of the Sun.

O Mahāśūdra, those who worship Viṣṇu present in the Śāligrāma stone with beautiful flowers when Lord Hari is asleep, men who bathe Śāligrāma with Pañcāmṛta never remain bound to the world.

54. After firmly holding in his heart that Hari, the cause of salvation, present in the Śāligrāma stone, he who devoutly meditates on him attains salvation.

55. If one places on the Śāligrāma stone a garland wreathed with Tulasī leaves especially during Cāturmāsya, he shall attain all that he desires.

56. A garland of flowers is not that dear to Śāligrāma (unless it contains Tulasī). The divine Tulasī is the auspicious favourite of Viṣṇu always.

57. Tulasī is always dear to him (Viṣṇu) especially during Cāturmāsya. Śāligrāma is the great Viṣṇu. Tulasī is goddess Lakṣmī. There is no doubt about it.

58-60. Lord Hari present in the Śāligrāma stone should be bathed with waters rendered fragrant with sandal-paste and Tulasī leaves. The Lord should be adored with bunches of Tulasī flowers. One shall attain all desires thereby.

In the first leaf Brahmā is present and in the second Lord Śiva is present. Lord Viṣṇu is present in its bunch of flowers (Mañjari [Mañjarī?]). Therefore, the splendid Tulasī with the bunch and two leaves, should be taken by sensible men.

61-64. If that is devoutly dedicated to the preceptor, it causes the destruction of rebirth etc.

A man who offers a mass of incense to Śāligrāma especially during Cāturmāsya and becomes devoted to Hari, shall never fall into Naraka.

By viewing Śāligrāma worshipped with splendid flowers, a man attains identity with Hari after getting rid of all sins from his soul.

He who eulogizes Viṣṇu present in a Śāligrāma stone found in the water of Gaṇḍakī river, reciting passages from Śruti, Smṛti and Purāṇa shall go to the region of Viṣṇu.

O Mahāśūdra, there are twenty-four varieties of Śāligrāma stones. O highly intelligent one, listen to them.

65. These twenty-four varieties of Śāligrāma should be adored in the world. Their presiding deity is Viṣṇu and I shall enumerate their names.

66. That same Lord, the primordial one, is personified through these twenty-four (forms). He alone is termed Saṃvatsara. That same Lord is present in the stone.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Saṃvardhitā “brought up in Kaśi” is a better reading than Saṃbandhitā.

[2]:

Some Śāligrāma stones have discus-like figure inscribed naturally within them.

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