The Worship of Vishnu

Verse 1 (garuda.1.229.1)

सूत उवाच । अशेषलोकनाथस्य सारमाराधनं हरेः । दद्यातु पुरुषसूक्तेण यः पुष्पाण्यप एव च

sūta uvāca aśeṣalokanāthasya sāramārādhanaṁ hareḥ dadyātu puruṣasūkteṇa yaḥ puṣpāṇyapa eva ca

Suta said: The essence of worshipping Hari, the Lord of all worlds — he who offers flowers or water with the Purusha-sukta —

Verse 2 (garuda.1.229.2)

अर्चितं स्याज्जगदिदं तेन सर्वं चराचरम् । यो न पूजयते विष्णुं तं विद्याद्ब्रह्मघातकम्

arcitaṁ syājjagadidaṁ tena sarvaṁ carācaram yo na pūjayate viṣṇuṁ taṁ vidyādbrahmaghātakam

— by that, this whole moving and unmoving universe becomes worshipped. He who does not worship Vishnu should be known as a killer of Brahman.

Verse 3 (garuda.1.229.3)

यतः प्रवृत्तिर्भूतानां येन सर्वमिदं ततम् । तं यो न ध्यायते विष्णुं स विष्ठायां क्रिमिर्भवेत्

yataḥ pravṛttirbhūtānāṁ yena sarvamidaṁ tatam taṁ yo na dhyāyate viṣṇuṁ sa viṣṭhāyāṁ krimirbhavet

He from whom the activity of all beings arises, by whom this entire universe is pervaded — he who does not meditate on that Vishnu becomes a worm in excrement.

Verse 4 (garuda.1.229.4)

नरके पच्यमानस्तु यमेन परिभाषितः । किन्त्वया नार्चितो देवः केशवः क्लेशनाशनः

narake pacyamānastu yamena paribhāṣitaḥ kintvayā nārcito devaḥ keśavaḥ kleśanāśanaḥ

Being cooked in hell, he is rebuked by Yama: 'Why did you not worship the god Keshava, the destroyer of afflictions?'

Verse 5 (garuda.1.229.5)

उदकेनाप्यभावेन द्रव्याणामर्चितः प्रभुः । यो ददाति स्वकं लोकं स त्वया किं न चार्चितः

udakenāpyabhāvena dravyāṇāmarcitaḥ prabhuḥ yo dadāti svakaṁ lokaṁ sa tvayā kiṁ na cārcitaḥ

The Lord, worshipped even with mere water in the absence of other offerings, gives His own world — why then did you not worship Him?

Verse 6 (garuda.1.229.6)

न तत्करोति सा माता न पिता नापि बान्धवः । यत्करोति हृषीकेशः सन्तुष्टः श्रद्धयार्चितः

na tatkaroti sā mātā na pitā nāpi bāndhavaḥ yatkaroti hṛṣīkeśaḥ santuṣṭaḥ śraddhayārcitaḥ

What Hrishikesha does when pleased and worshipped with faith is done neither by mother, nor father, nor even a kinsman.

Verse 7 (garuda.1.229.7)

वर्णाश्रमाचारवता पुरुषेण परः पुमान् । विष्णुराराध्यते पन्था नान्यस्तत्तोषकारकः

varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān viṣṇurārādhyate panthā nānyastattoṣakārakaḥ

By a man observing the conduct proper to his varna and ashrama, the Supreme Person, Vishnu, is worshipped — this alone is the path; no other means brings Him satisfaction.

Verse 8 (garuda.1.229.8)

न दानैर्विविधैर्दत्तैर्न पुष्पैर्नानुलेपनैः । तोषमेति महात्मासौ यथा भक्त्या जनार्दनः

na dānairvividhairdattairna puṣpairnānulepanaiḥ toṣameti mahātmāsau yathā bhaktyā janārdanaḥ

Not through various gifts given, not through flowers, not through unguents does that great soul Janardana attain satisfaction as He does through devotion.

Verse 9 (garuda.1.229.9)

सम्पदैश्वर्यमाहात्म्यैः सन्तत्या न च कर्मणा । विमुक्तैश्चैकता लभ्या मूलमाराधनं हरेः

sampadaiśvaryamāhātmyaiḥ santatyā na ca karmaṇā vimuktaiścaikatā labhyā mūlamārādhanaṁ hareḥ

Not through wealth, lordly splendor, progeny, or ritual action — oneness with the liberated is attained only through the root of Hari's worship.