The Glory of the Vishnu-Panchaka

Verse 1 (padma.4.23.1)

शौनक उवाच । कथयस्व मुने सूत माहात्म्यं कलुषक्षयम् । शेषपंचदिनस्यापि कार्त्तिकस्यानुकंपया ।

śaunaka uvāca kathayasva mune sūta māhātmyaṁ kaluṣakṣayam śeṣapaṁcadinasyāpi kārttikasyānukaṁpayā

Shaunaka said: O sage Suta, tell me too, out of compassion, the sin-destroying glory of the remaining five days of Kartika.

Verse 2 (padma.4.23.2)

सूत उवाच । शृणु शौनक यत्पृष्टं माहात्म्यं पापनाशनम् । वक्ष्याम्यहं वै चोर्जस्य शेषपंचदिनस्य च ।

sūta uvāca śṛṇu śaunaka yatpṛṣṭaṁ māhātmyaṁ pāpanāśanam vakṣyāmyahaṁ vai corjasya śeṣapaṁcadinasya ca

Suta said: Listen, Shaunaka, to that sin-destroying glory you have asked of; I shall tell of the remaining five days of Urja, the month of Kartika.

Verse 3 (padma.4.23.3)

व्रतानां मुनिशार्दूल प्रवरं विष्णुपंचकम् । तस्मिन्यः पूजयेद्भक्त्या श्रीहरिं राधया सह ।

vratānāṁ muniśārdūla pravaraṁ viṣṇupaṁcakam tasminyaḥ pūjayedbhaktyā śrīhariṁ rādhayā saha

O tiger among sages, the Vishnu-panchaka is the foremost of all vows. Whoever, during it, worships Shri Hari with devotion, together with Radha —

Verse 4 (padma.4.23.4)

गंधपुष्पैर्धूपदीपैर्वस्त्रैर्नानाविधैः फलैः । स याति विष्णुसदनं सर्वपापविवर्जितः ।

gaṁdhapuṣpairdhūpadīpairvastrairnānāvidhaiḥ phalaiḥ sa yāti viṣṇusadanaṁ sarvapāpavivarjitaḥ

— with fragrance, flowers, incense, lamps, garments of various kinds, and fruits, goes to the abode of Vishnu, freed of every sin.

Verse 5 (padma.4.23.5)

ब्रह्मचारी गृहस्थो वा वानप्रस्थोऽथवा यतिः । न प्राप्नोति परं स्थानमकृत्वा विष्णुपंचकम् ।

brahmacārī gṛhastho vā vānaprastho'thavā yatiḥ na prāpnoti paraṁ sthānamakṛtvā viṣṇupaṁcakam

Whether a celibate student, a householder, a forest-dweller, or an ascetic, none attains the supreme state without performing the Vishnu-panchaka.

Verse 6 (padma.4.23.6)

सर्वपापहरं पुण्यं विख्यातं विष्णुपंचकम् । तत्र स्नानं तु यः कुर्यात्सर्वतीर्थफलं लभेत् ।

sarvapāpaharaṁ puṇyaṁ vikhyātaṁ viṣṇupaṁcakam tatra snānaṁ tu yaḥ kuryātsarvatīrthaphalaṁ labhet

This meritorious Vishnu-panchaka, renowned as removing every sin, is well known. Whoever bathes during it obtains the fruit of all the sacred waters.

Verse 7 (padma.4.23.7)

श्रीहरेः पुरतो विप्र तुलस्याश्च समीपतः । प्रदीपं सर्पिषा पूर्णं दद्याद्यो भक्तिभावतः ।

śrīhareḥ purato vipra tulasyāśca samīpataḥ pradīpaṁ sarpiṣā pūrṇaṁ dadyādyo bhaktibhāvataḥ

O Brahmin, whoever, before Shri Hari and near the tulasi, offers with devotion a lamp filled with ghee —

Verse 8 (padma.4.23.8)

नभसि श्रीहरेः प्रीत्यै याति स विष्णुमंदिरम् । पापी याति हरेर्धाम सत्यमेतन्मयोदितम् ।

nabhasi śrīhareḥ prītyai yāti sa viṣṇumaṁdiram pāpī yāti harerdhāma satyametanmayoditam

— held up toward the sky for Shri Hari's pleasure, goes to the temple of Vishnu. Even a sinner goes to Hari's abode by this; I say this truly.

Verse 9 (padma.4.23.9)

स्नापयेच्चाच्युतं भक्त्या मधुक्षीरघृतादिभिः । दद्यात्किं नो हरिः प्रीतस्तस्मै साधुजनाय वै ।

snāpayeccācyutaṁ bhaktyā madhukṣīraghṛtādibhiḥ dadyātkiṁ no hariḥ prītastasmai sādhujanāya vai

Whoever bathes the imperishable Lord with devotion, with honey, milk, ghee and the like — what, pleased with him, would Hari not give to that righteous devotee?

Verse 10 (padma.4.23.10)

नैवेद्यं देवदेवेशं परमान्नं निवेदयेत् । तस्य पुण्यं प्रसंख्यातुं न शक्तो वै चतुर्मुखः ।

naivedyaṁ devadeveśaṁ paramānnaṁ nivedayet tasya puṇyaṁ prasaṁkhyātuṁ na śakto vai caturmukhaḥ

Whoever offers to the Lord of Lords an excellent rice-pudding as naivedya — even four-faced Brahma is unable to reckon the full measure of his merit.

Verse 11 (padma.4.23.11)

अर्चयित्वा हृषीकेशमेकादश्यां समाहितः । निष्प्राप्य गोमयं सम्यक्मंत्रवत्समुपासते ।

arcayitvā hṛṣīkeśamekādaśyāṁ samāhitaḥ niṣprāpya gomayaṁ samyakmaṁtravatsamupāsate

On the eleventh tithi, worshipping Hrishikesha attentively and duly obtaining cow-dung, they venerate it with its proper mantra.

Verse 12 (padma.4.23.12)

गोमूत्रं मंत्रवद्भूयो द्वादश्यां प्राशयेद्व्रती । क्षीरं तथा त्रयोदश्यां चतुर्दश्यां तथा दधि ।

gomūtraṁ maṁtravadbhūyo dvādaśyāṁ prāśayedvratī kṣīraṁ tathā trayodaśyāṁ caturdaśyāṁ tathā dadhi

On the twelfth, the vow-observer should again partake of cow's urine with its mantra; likewise milk on the thirteenth, and curd on the fourteenth.

Verse 13 (padma.4.23.13)

संप्राप्य पापशुद्ध्यर्थं लंघयित्वा चतुर्दिनम् । पंचमे तु दिने स्नात्वा विधिवत्पूज्य केशवम् ।

saṁprāpya pāpaśuddhyarthaṁ laṁghayitvā caturdinam paṁcame tu dine snātvā vidhivatpūjya keśavam

— thus obtaining these for the purification of sin, and having fasted four days, on the fifth day one should bathe and duly worship Keshava,

Verse 14 (padma.4.23.14)

भोजयेद्ब्राह्मणान्भक्त्या तेभ्यो दद्याच्च दक्षिणाम् । ततो नक्तं समश्नीयात्पंचगव्यं सुमंत्रितम् ।

bhojayedbrāhmaṇānbhaktyā tebhyo dadyācca dakṣiṇām tato naktaṁ samaśnīyātpaṁcagavyaṁ sumaṁtritam

— feed Brahmins with devotion and give them a fee. Then, at night, one should partake of the panchagavya, duly consecrated with its mantras.

Verse 15 (padma.4.23.15)

एवं कर्तुमशक्तो यः फलमूलं च भोजनम् । कुर्याद्धविष्यं वा विप्र यथोक्तविधिना ह वै ।

evaṁ kartumaśakto yaḥ phalamūlaṁ ca bhojanam kuryāddhaviṣyaṁ vā vipra yathoktavidhinā ha vai

Whoever is unable to perform it thus should eat only fruits and roots, or, O Brahmin, should eat only oblational food, exactly as prescribed.

Verse 16 (padma.4.23.16)

श्रीहरेः पंचकं विप्र कुर्याद्यस्तुलसीदलैः । पूजयेत्तं स विज्ञेयः स्वयं नारायणः प्रभुः ।

śrīhareḥ paṁcakaṁ vipra kuryādyastulasīdalaiḥ pūjayettaṁ sa vijñeyaḥ svayaṁ nārāyaṇaḥ prabhuḥ

O Brahmin, whoever performs this five-day rite of Shri Hari with tulasi leaves and worships him — such a man should be known as Lord Narayana himself.

Verse 17 (padma.4.23.17)

पुरा त्रेतायुगे शूद्रो दस्युवृत्तिपरायणः । नाम्ना दंडकरो नित्यं धर्मनिंदां करोति यः ।

purā tretāyuge śūdro dasyuvṛttiparāyaṇaḥ nāmnā daṁḍakaro nityaṁ dharmaniṁdāṁ karoti yaḥ

Formerly, in the Treta age, there was a Shudra named Dandakara, devoted to the life of a bandit, who habitually reviled dharma,

Verse 18 (padma.4.23.18)

असत्यभाषी मित्रघ्नो वेश्याविभ्रम लोलुपः । ब्रह्मस्वहारी क्रूरश्च परस्त्रीगमने रतः ।

asatyabhāṣī mitraghno veśyāvibhrama lolupaḥ brahmasvahārī krūraśca parastrīgamane rataḥ

— a liar, a betrayer of friends, given to the lure of courtesans, a thief of Brahmin property, cruel, and given to union with other men's wives,

Verse 19 (padma.4.23.19)

शरणागतहंता च पाखंडजनसंगभाक् । गोमांसाशी सुरापश्च परनिंदाकरः सदा ।

śaraṇāgatahaṁtā ca pākhaṁḍajanasaṁgabhāk gomāṁsāśī surāpaśca paraniṁdākaraḥ sadā

— a killer of those who sought his refuge, one who kept company with heretics, an eater of beef, a drinker of liquor, and one ever given to reviling others,

Verse 20 (padma.4.23.20)

विश्वासघाती ज्ञातीनां वृत्तिच्छेदी द्विजोत्तम । दुष्टं सर्वे समालोक्य तादृशं तद्गृहे द्विजः ।

viśvāsaghātī jñātīnāṁ vṛtticchedī dvijottama duṣṭaṁ sarve samālokya tādṛśaṁ tadgṛhe dvijaḥ

— a betrayer of the trust of his own kinsfolk and a destroyer of their livelihood, O best of Brahmins. Seeing such wickedness in him —

Verse 21 (padma.4.23.21)

आगता ज्ञातयः क्रुद्धास्तस्य पापपरायणम् । ज्ञातय ऊचुः । रे रे मूढ दुराचार विनाशं प्रतिनीयते । या प्रतिष्ठार्जिता पूर्वैरस्माकं निर्मलेऽन्वये ।

āgatā jñātayaḥ kruddhāstasya pāpaparāyaṇam jñātaya ūcuḥ re re mūḍha durācāra vināśaṁ pratinīyate yā pratiṣṭhārjitā pūrvairasmākaṁ nirmale'nvaye

— his kinsfolk came to him in anger. His kinsfolk said: "You fool, of evil conduct! You are dragging toward ruin the reputation our forefathers earned in our pure lineage!"

Verse 22 (padma.4.23.22)

इति क्रुद्धा द्विजश्रेष्ठ अपकीर्तिभयादपि । पापिनां प्रवरं सर्वे तत्यजुस्तं कुलादरम् ।

iti kruddhā dvijaśreṣṭha apakīrtibhayādapi pāpināṁ pravaraṁ sarve tatyajustaṁ kulādaram

Thus enraged, O best of Brahmins, and fearing disgrace besides, all his own people abandoned any regard for that foremost of sinners as their kin.

Verse 23 (padma.4.23.23)

ततो गतो महारण्यं विनष्टाखिल वैभवः । कुर्यात्स दस्युभिः सार्द्धं दस्युकर्म निरंतरम् ।

tato gato mahāraṇyaṁ vinaṣṭākhila vaibhavaḥ kuryātsa dasyubhiḥ sārddhaṁ dasyukarma niraṁtaram

Then, his prosperity utterly destroyed, he went into a great forest, and, together with bandits, continually carried on the work of banditry.

Verse 24 (padma.4.23.24)

पथि प्रगच्छतां तेषां भयाद्विप्र न खादितुम् । प्राप्तं किंचित्क्षुधार्त्तास्ते गताश्चान्य स्थलं प्रति ।

pathi pragacchatāṁ teṣāṁ bhayādvipra na khāditum prāptaṁ kiṁcitkṣudhārttāste gatāścānya sthalaṁ prati

Out of fear of travelers on the road, O Brahmin, they could not always find food; tormented by hunger, taking what little they found, they set out toward another place.

Verse 25 (padma.4.23.25)

तत्र प्रविष्टास्ते सर्वे दृष्ट्वा पुण्यजनान्बहून् । धात्रीमूले स्थितान्ब्रह्मन्वैष्णवान्द्विजसत्तमान् ।

tatra praviṣṭāste sarve dṛṣṭvā puṇyajanānbahūn dhātrīmūle sthitānbrahmanvaiṣṇavāndvijasattamān

Entering there, they all saw many pious people, O Brahmin, Vaishnavas and foremost Brahmins seated at the root of an amla tree.

Verse 26 (padma.4.23.26)

सर्वे ते दस्यवो विप्र गता दंडकरोऽपि सः । तेषां परिसरं गत्वा प्रणामं वै चकार ह ।

sarve te dasyavo vipra gatā daṁḍakaro'pi saḥ teṣāṁ parisaraṁ gatvā praṇāmaṁ vai cakāra ha

All those bandits, O Brahmin, Dandakara among them, went there. Approaching them, he bowed down.

Verse 27 (padma.4.23.27)

दंडकर उवाच । क्षुधार्तोऽहं द्विजश्रेष्ठाः प्राणा यास्यंति मे ध्रुवम् । ददध्वं खादितुं किंचिद्युष्माकं शरणं गतः ।

daṁḍakara uvāca kṣudhārto'haṁ dvijaśreṣṭhāḥ prāṇā yāsyaṁti me dhruvam dadadhvaṁ khādituṁ kiṁcidyuṣmākaṁ śaraṇaṁ gataḥ

Dandakara said: "O best of Brahmins, I am afflicted with hunger; my life will surely depart. Give me something to eat; I have come to your refuge."

Verse 28 (padma.4.23.28)

आकर्ण्य वचनं तस्य चोचुस्ते धर्मतत्पराः । सर्वपापहरे त्वं च विख्याते विष्णुपंचके ।

ākarṇya vacanaṁ tasya cocuste dharmatatparāḥ sarvapāpahare tvaṁ ca vikhyāte viṣṇupaṁcake

Hearing his words, those devoted to dharma said: "You are here, at this very time, within the renowned, sin-destroying Vishnu-panchaka —"

Verse 29 (padma.4.23.29)

कथमन्नं खादितुं ते वांछा त्वद्य हरेर्दिने । विशेषं ते ब्रूहि संज्ञा काते भवति सांप्रतम् ।

kathamannaṁ khādituṁ te vāṁchā tvadya harerdine viśeṣaṁ te brūhi saṁjñā kāte bhavati sāṁpratam

"— how can you today, on Hari's own day, desire to eat food? Tell us specifically who you are, just now."

Verse 30 (padma.4.23.30)

स उवाच मुदा विप्रा नाम्ना दंडकरोप्यहम् । सर्वपापसमायुक्तश्चोद्धारो मे कथं भवेत् ।

sa uvāca mudā viprā nāmnā daṁḍakaropyaham sarvapāpasamāyuktaścoddhāro me kathaṁ bhavet

He said, joyfully, O Brahmins: "My name is Dandakara. Laden with every sin, how might I be delivered?"

Verse 31 (padma.4.23.31)

ऊचुस्ते वै व्रतं श्रेष्ठं कुरुष्व विष्णुपंचकम् । विप्राणामाज्ञया विप्र चकार विष्णुपंचकम् ।

ūcuste vai vrataṁ śreṣṭhaṁ kuruṣva viṣṇupaṁcakam viprāṇāmājñayā vipra cakāra viṣṇupaṁcakam

They said: "Perform the excellent vow called the Vishnu-panchaka." By those Brahmins' command, O Brahmin, he performed the Vishnu-panchaka.

Verse 32 (padma.4.23.32)

स प्रेत्य च हरेः स्थानमारुह्य स्यंदने वरे । आसाद्य श्रीहरेरूपं तस्थौ जन्मविवर्जितः ।

sa pretya ca hareḥ sthānamāruhya syaṁdane vare āsādya śrīharerūpaṁ tasthau janmavivarjitaḥ

After death, mounting an excellent chariot, he went to Hari's abode; attaining a form like Shri Hari's own, he remained there, freed from further birth.

Verse 33 (padma.4.23.33)

य इदं शृणुयाद्भक्त्या चाख्यानं पापनाशनम् । कोटिजन्मार्जितं पापं तस्य नश्यति तत्क्षणात् ।

ya idaṁ śṛṇuyādbhaktyā cākhyānaṁ pāpanāśanam koṭijanmārjitaṁ pāpaṁ tasya naśyati tatkṣaṇāt

Whoever hears this sin-destroying tale with devotion — the sin accumulated over a hundred million births is destroyed for him that very instant.