Chapter 13 - Greatness of Viṣṇu

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Pulastya said:

1. O best king! after this one should go to that excellent centre of pilgrimage situated in the north-east direction established by the royal sage Ambarīṣa famed in the three worlds as the destroyer of all sins.

2. In this place of pilgrimage, even in the time of Kali Yuga, Ambarīṣa himself continued to stay respecting that particular saying.

3. In old times during Satya Yuga, a king named Ambarīṣa having undergone an impregnable penance, had pleased God Viṣṇu.

4. Frugal, the king of kings Jitendriya survived on eating fruits for one thousand years in this place of pilgrimage.

5. Then for two thousand years he ate only dried leaves. For another two thousand years more he had only water.

6. Then remembering God Viṣṇu and inclining the mind with faith he lived on breathing air for another three thousand years.

7. Then God Viṣṇu was pleased to come before his sight after ten thousand years.

8. Bearing the form of Indra and seated on the back of elephant Airāvat, Viṣṇu came and told King Ambarīṣa, “I want to give you boon.”

Indra said:

9. O King! ask for the best of boons as desired in your mind. I have come here after having seen you engaged in the act of devotion without any doubt.

Ambarīṣa said:

10. You cannot give me salvation. I have killed the demon Vṛtra. By your grace, O God! the running of affairs in the three worlds is done according to me. O King of Gods! welcome to you, but you please go as boons do not interest me.

11. By getting pleased in all ways, the four-armed Viṣṇu will only give me a boon. That only I will accept. O King! please go. Homage to you.

Indra said:

12. O King! ask for the boon there in your mind. I am even the Lord of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śaṃkara.

13. I am the Lord of the other gods and of the three worlds. Therefore, ask for the difficult boon with pleasure from me.

14. All gods remain pleased with my getting pleased. Act as per my words and ask for the good boon, O King!

Ambarīṣa said:

15. You are the king of all gods and the lord of the three worlds. I am the king of land having seven islands and I have killed the demon Vṛtra.

16. O Father! it is for sure that I am a true devotee of Viṣṇu in accordance with perceived ways. You are the Viṣṇu and will give me a boon.

Indra said:

17. O King! if you do not accept the boon as given by me, I will apply my weapon of thunderbolt and kill you definitely.

18. Having said like this Indra took out the thunderbolt weapon in the right hand and moved it around itself like a snake with skill.

19. Great disorder began to happen with his circling the weapon around in this way. The mountains including the peaks as well as rivers got affected.

20. With the sky covered with dark clouds, the ground below got under its shadow. Nothing was visible as everything got covered with darkness.

21. In the meantime that king—the devotee of God sat in concentration with closed eyes.

22. Then becoming pleased, the God of the world came to direct manifestation. Airāvata—the elephant became Garuḍa—the king of birds.

23. Viṣṇu—the bearer of conch, cakra (a discus) and mace (a weapon) told that king engaged in concentration with a deep and vibrant voice like the clouds.

The gracious God said:

24. There is no other devotee like you the king. O son! I am fully satisfied with you. Let there be your welfare. You can ask for the most difficult thing as a boon.

Ambarīṣa said:

25. God! if you are happy to give me a boon, kindly give me such a boon which will enable me to swim across this sea of world.

Pulastya said:

26. Then God Viṣṇu. as a grant of boon, instructed King Ambarīṣa about the well extensive Jñāna Yoga that operates as the cause behind obliteration of the world.

27-29. Like a man born leaves the world instantly, the King Ambarīṣa after hearing this properly paid homage to Viṣṇu and said, “O God! this path of Yoga which you have narrated to me is specially beyond the comprehension of people in the Kali Yuga. If you are pleased with me, kindly instruct about the Kriyā Yoga, O bearer of conch, the discus and the mace! This will be meaningful for the people to swim across this world.”

Pulastya said:

30. Then God Keśava, i.e., Viṣṇu appropriately narrated the Kriyā Yoga to the king.

31-33. Pleased within heart having listened to the same king Ambarīṣa said: “If God Mādhava! You are satisfied with me—the king, let there always be the proximity of the King of Gods with my hermitage. There, I shall be worshipping the idol of yours according to established rules and procedure. People all over the world will be worshipping you—the bearer of conch, discus and the mace.”

Pulastya said:

34. With Mādhava granting permission in this regard, Ambarīṣa started to construct a temple for Hari and began to worship the idol with offerings of flowers, incense and oil.

35. Then after passage of a long time, the God Himself in His own body along with son and other kith and kin came to that Viṣṇu temple.

36. Even today, in the Kali Yuga, God Viṣṇu, keeping with the truthfulness of words given to the king has permanently positioned himself here.

37. O Great King! from then onwards till the present time in this Kali Yuga, the ritual of making and fixing of idols on the surface of earth has started.

38. Those who worship Lord Viṣṇu here on this Arbuda mountain with faith go to the same world as of Viṣṇu with His grace.

39. Placing the self in front of Viṣṇu, one who performs the activity of keeping awake throughout the night and that too without food on the eleventh day of a month goes to that place of Viṣṇu which is even difficult for gods to attain.

40. The same fruit is obtained by the mortal men by having a look of God Viṣṇu, as is obtained by gifting of the Kapilā cow at the pre-eminent Puṣkara (a celebrated place of pilgrimage at Ajmer in Rajasthan) in the month of Kārtika (i.e., October).

41. The fruits of the sacrificial activity of offering of horses to fire, i.e., of the Aśvamedha Yajña are obtained by having a look of Viṣṇu on the specific day demarcated for him either in the rising or waning period of moon in a month.

42. Hence with all efforts there should be worship of Viṣṇu and with due procedure. One who adheres to the vowed observance of religious austerities for four months and worship God Viṣṇu, does not get rebirth.

43. O virtuous king! only one pilgrimage of this kind fulfills all pilgrimages undertaken. A look at Viṣṇu assembles together the vowed observance of religious austerities of four-month period.

44. Some people gift everything to Brāhmaṇas. Some others worship God Viṣṇu carefully during the vowed religious observance for four months.

45. Some make a gift of one thousand unmarried girls as per established rules and practices. Still others serve Viṣṇu with all sincerity during the period of four months of vowed observance of religious austerities.

46. Some make the offering of best of all gifts on the occasion of solar eclipse at Kurukṣetra. Others serve Viṣṇu with all eagerness during the four-month period of vowed observance of religious austerities.

47. Some worship God Viṣṇu through the Agniṣṭoma Yajña¹ followed up with offering of presents to Brāhmaṇas at the end of the sacrificial rite. Some others worship Viṣṇu with all eagerness during the four-month period of vowed observance of religious austerities (i.e., the Caturmasya [Cāturmāsya?]).

48. Someone, after going to the Himālaya, gives up his body. Another individual serves God Viṣṇu with care during the four-month period of vowed observance of religious austerities.

49. Some leave their bodies aside falling at the feet of Sage Bhṛgu in the Uttana pilgrimage. Other men remain engrossed in the service of Viṣṇu during the four-month period of vowed observance of religious austerities.

50. Someone gives up life through continuous fasting for days together. Someone else remains engaged in the service of Viṣṇu during the vowed observance of religious austerities in the four-month period.

51. One man proficient in knowledge listens to the factual reports related to the Supreme Being while another takes a look of Viṣṇu with care during the four-month period of vowed observance of religious austerities.

52. O king! some perform the religious rite connected with remembrance of their ancestors during the period meant for paternal side, i.e., Pitru [Pitṛ?] Pakṣa while some others bringing all forces of their minds together within do service of Viṣṇu.

53. Some undergo (crores of) the vowed observance of the religious austerity of Candrāyaṇa as per established rules. Some others do service to Viṣṇu during the four-month period of vowed observance of religious austerities.

54. Some remain adherents to the vowed observance of religious austerities for thousands of years while some others visualize the opportunity of service to Viṣṇu during the four-month period of vowed observance of religious austerities.

55. Some Brāhmaṇas read the four Vedas as per rule. Others serve Viṣṇu during the four-month period of vowed observance of religious austerities.

56. O king! there is no need for more description here. Hence listen in brief. There are all these things of the world on one side while on the other there is vision.

57. Hence everyone, with efforts must remain close to Viṣṇu. All sins get destroyed by residing in this place of Ambarīṣa.

58. On one side there is Viṣṇu. On the other side there is the line of ‘action/work’. O king! taking shelter under Him is the best.

59. O king! even one going nearer to Viṣṇu even after committing great sins becomes free immediately by a sight of Viṣṇu.

60. One who places one piece of flower on God Viṣṇu, attains all good fortune in this world as well as in the next.

61. One who massages the idol of God Viṣṇu with scented oil and with faith, goes to that ultimate place becoming relieved of old age and death.

62. Leaving behind every thing, one who entreats Him remaining engrossed and with an undivided mind, gets liberation immediately by a sight of Him.

63-64. O good king! one who lights earthen lamps before Viṣṇu in connection with the vowed observance of the religious austerities meant solely for Lord Viṣṇu (i.e., Pravodhini Vrata) on the eleventh day of the rising period of moon in the month of Kārtika (i.e., October), happens to witness sins committed in previous birth and as one after the other sin comes before his eyes, all his sins get effaced from the body at that time.

65. One who employs the mixture containing equal parts of five contents, viz., milk, curd, ghee, sugar and honey in the worship of Viṣṇu or worship with curd or milk, does not get rebirth.

66. It is due to this that Viṣṇu must be worshipped with all efforts. O King! man attains freedom from the worldly bondage through this.

67. It is the duty ever to specially worship Viṣṇu.