The Determination of Shaligrama Stones

Verse 1 (padma.5.78.1)

पार्वत्युवाच- वैष्णवानां च यद्धर्मं सर्वं तथ्यं च मे वद । यत्कृत्वा मानवाः सर्वे भवांभोधिं तरंति हि

pārvatyuvāca- vaiṣṇavānāṁ ca yaddharmaṁ sarvaṁ tathyaṁ ca me vada yatkṛtvā mānavāḥ sarve bhavāṁbhodhiṁ taraṁti hi

Parvati said: "Tell me all truly the entire dharma of the Vaishnavas, by practicing which all men cross over the ocean of worldly existence."

Verse 2 (padma.5.78.2)

ईश्वर उवाच- अथ द्वादशधा शुद्धिर्वैष्णवानामिहोच्यते । गृहोपलेपनं चैव तथानुगमनं हरेः

īśvara uvāca- atha dvādaśadhā śuddhirvaiṣṇavānāmihocyate gṛhopalepanaṁ caiva tathānugamanaṁ hareḥ

Ishvara said: "Now the twelvefold purification of the Vaishnavas is described here: the anointing of the house, and likewise the following of Hari in procession,"

Verse 3 (padma.5.78.3)

भक्त्या प्रदक्षिणा चैव पादयोः शोधनं पुनः । पूजार्थं पत्रपुष्पाणां भक्त्यैवोत्तोलनं हरेः

bhaktyā pradakṣiṇā caiva pādayoḥ śodhanaṁ punaḥ pūjārthaṁ patrapuṣpāṇāṁ bhaktyaivottolanaṁ hareḥ

"and circumambulation with devotion, and again the washing of his two feet; the lifting up, with devotion alone, of leaves and flowers for the sake of worship of Hari —"

Verse 4 (padma.5.78.4)

करयोः सर्वशुद्धीनामियं शुद्धिर्विशिष्यते । तन्नामकीर्तनं चैव गुणानामपि कीर्त्तनम्

karayoḥ sarvaśuddhīnāmiyaṁ śuddhirviśiṣyate tannāmakīrtanaṁ caiva guṇānāmapi kīrttanam

"this purification of the hands is distinguished among all purifications. The chanting of his name, and likewise the chanting of his virtues,"

Verse 5 (padma.5.78.5)

भक्त्या श्रीकृष्णदेवस्य वचसः शुद्धिरिष्यते । तत्कथाश्रवणं चैव तस्योत्सवनिरीक्षणम्

bhaktyā śrīkṛṣṇadevasya vacasaḥ śuddhiriṣyate tatkathāśravaṇaṁ caiva tasyotsavanirīkṣaṇam

"with devotion — this is held to be the purification of speech regarding the glorious lord Krishna. The hearing of his story, and likewise the beholding of his festival —"

Verse 6 (padma.5.78.6)

श्रोत्रयोर्नेत्रयोश्चैव शुद्धिः सम्यगिहोच्यते । पादोदकं च निर्माल्यं मालानामपि धारणम्

śrotrayornetrayoścaiva śuddhiḥ samyagihocyate pādodakaṁ ca nirmālyaṁ mālānāmapi dhāraṇam

"this is properly declared here to be the purification of the ears and of the eyes. The feet-washing water, the discarded offering, and the wearing of garlands too —"

Verse 7 (padma.5.78.7)

उच्यते शिरसः शुद्धिः प्रणतस्य हरेः पुरः । आघ्राणं तस्य पुष्पादेर्निर्माल्यस्य तथा प्रिये

ucyate śirasaḥ śuddhiḥ praṇatasya hareḥ puraḥ āghrāṇaṁ tasya puṣpādernirmālyasya tathā priye

"this is declared to be the purification of the head, when bowed before Hari. The smelling of his flowers and the like, and likewise, O dear one, of his discarded garland —"

Verse 8 (padma.5.78.8)

विशुद्धिः स्यादंतरस्य घ्राणस्यापि विधीयते । यत्र पुष्पादिकं यच्च कृष्णपादयुगार्पितम्

viśuddhiḥ syādaṁtarasya ghrāṇasyāpi vidhīyate yatra puṣpādikaṁ yacca kṛṣṇapādayugārpitam

"this is prescribed as the purification of the inner sense, and of the sense of smell as well. Whatever flower or the like has been offered at the pair of Krishna's feet,"

Verse 9 (padma.5.78.9)

तदेकं पावनं लोके तद्धि सर्वं विशोधयेत् । पूजा च पंचधा प्रोक्ता तासां भेदं शृणुष्व मे

tadekaṁ pāvanaṁ loke taddhi sarvaṁ viśodhayet pūjā ca paṁcadhā proktā tāsāṁ bhedaṁ śṛṇuṣva me

"that alone is purifying in the world; it purifies everything else too. And worship is declared to be of five kinds; hear from me the distinction among them."

Verse 10 (padma.5.78.10)

अभिगमनमुपादानं योगः स्वाध्याय एव च । इज्या पंचप्रकारार्चा क्रमेण कथयामि ते

abhigamanamupādānaṁ yogaḥ svādhyāya eva ca ijyā paṁcaprakārārcā krameṇa kathayāmi te

"Approach, gathering, union, self-study, and sacrifice — these five kinds of worship I shall tell you in order."

Verse 11 (padma.5.78.11)

तत्वाभिगमनं नाम देवतास्थानमार्जनम् । उपलेपं च निर्माल्यदूरीकरणमेव च

tatvābhigamanaṁ nāma devatāsthānamārjanam upalepaṁ ca nirmālyadūrīkaraṇameva ca

"'Approach to the reality' means the cleaning of the deity's place, the removal of dirt, and likewise the clearing away of discarded offerings."

Verse 12 (padma.5.78.12)

उपादानं नाम गंध पुष्पादिचयनं तथा । योगो नाम स्वदेवस्य स्वात्मनैवात्मभावना

upādānaṁ nāma gaṁdha puṣpādicayanaṁ tathā yogo nāma svadevasya svātmanaivātmabhāvanā

"'Gathering' means the collecting of scent, flowers, and the like. 'Union' means the contemplation of one's own self as identical with one's own deity."

Verse 13 (padma.5.78.13)

स्वाध्यायो नाम मंत्रार्थानुसंधापूर्वको जपः । सूक्तस्तोत्रादिपाठश्च हरेः संकीर्त्तनं तथा

svādhyāyo nāma maṁtrārthānusaṁdhāpūrvako japaḥ sūktastotrādipāṭhaśca hareḥ saṁkīrttanaṁ tathā

"'Self-study' means recitation accompanied by inquiry into the mantra's meaning, the reading of hymns, praises and the like, and likewise the chanting of Hari's name,"

Verse 14 (padma.5.78.14)

तत्त्वादिशास्त्राभ्यासश्च स्वाध्यायः परिकीर्तितः । इज्या नाम स्वदेवस्य पूजनं च यथार्थतः

tattvādiśāstrābhyāsaśca svādhyāyaḥ parikīrtitaḥ ijyā nāma svadevasya pūjanaṁ ca yathārthataḥ

"the study and practice of scriptures on the true principles and the like — this is declared to be svadhyaya. 'Sacrifice' means the worship of one's own deity, in its true sense."

Verse 15 (padma.5.78.15)

इति पंचप्रकारार्चा कथिता तव सुव्रते । सार्ष्टि सामीप्य सालोक्य सायुज्य सारूप्यदा क्रमात्

iti paṁcaprakārārcā kathitā tava suvrate sārṣṭi sāmīpya sālokya sāyujya sārūpyadā kramāt

"Thus these five kinds of worship have been told to you, O virtuous one; they bestow, in order: equality of glory, nearness, dwelling in the same world, union, and equality of form with the deity."

Verse 16 (padma.5.78.16)

प्रसंगात्कथयिष्यामि शालग्रामशिलार्चनम् । केशवादेश्चतुर्बाहोर्दक्षिणोर्ध्वकरक्रमात्

prasaṁgātkathayiṣyāmi śālagrāmaśilārcanam keśavādeścaturbāhordakṣiṇordhvakarakramāt

"By way of this topic, I shall tell of the worship of Shaligrama stones — according to the order of the raised right hands of Keshava and the other four-armed forms."

Verse 17 (padma.5.78.17)

शंखचक्रगदापद्मी केशवाख्यो गदाधरः । नारायणः पद्मगदाचक्रशंखायुधैः क्रमात्

śaṁkhacakragadāpadmī keśavākhyo gadādharaḥ nārāyaṇaḥ padmagadācakraśaṁkhāyudhaiḥ kramāt

"He who bears conch, discus, mace, and lotus is named Keshava, Gadadhara; Narayana bears them in the order lotus, mace, discus, conch."

Verse 18 (padma.5.78.18)

माधवश्चक्रशंखाभ्यां पद्मेन गदया भवेत् । गदाब्जशंखचक्री च गोविंदाख्यो गदाधरः

mādhavaścakraśaṁkhābhyāṁ padmena gadayā bhavet gadābjaśaṁkhacakrī ca goviṁdākhyo gadādharaḥ

"Madhava bears discus and conch as one pair, lotus and mace as the other; and he who bears mace, lotus, conch, and discus is named Govinda, Gadadhara."

Verse 19 (padma.5.78.19)

पद्मशंखारि गदिने विष्णुरूपाय ते नमः । सशंखाब्ज गदाचक्र मधुसूदन मूर्तये

padmaśaṁkhāri gadine viṣṇurūpāya te namaḥ saśaṁkhābja gadācakra madhusūdana mūrtaye

"To him who holds lotus, conch, discus, and mace, in the form of Vishnu, salutation to you. With conch, lotus, mace, and discus, to the Madhusudana form, salutation."

Verse 20 (padma.5.78.20)

नमो गदारिशंखाब्जयुक्तत्रिविक्रमाय च । सारिकौमोदकी पद्मशंख वामन मूर्त्तये

namo gadāriśaṁkhābjayuktatrivikramāya ca sārikaumodakī padmaśaṁkha vāmana mūrttaye

"Salutation to Trivikrama, joined with mace, discus, conch, and lotus. With discus, Kaumodaki mace, lotus, and conch, to the Vamana form."

Verse 21 (padma.5.78.21)

चक्राब्जशंखगदिने नमः श्रीधरमूर्त्तये । हृषीकेशसारिगदाशंखपद्मिन्नमोस्तु ते

cakrābjaśaṁkhagadine namaḥ śrīdharamūrttaye hṛṣīkeśasārigadāśaṁkhapadminnamostu te

"Salutation to the Shridhara form, holding discus, lotus, conch, and mace. To Hrishikesha, with discus, mace, conch, and lotus, salutation to you."

Verse 22 (padma.5.78.22)

साब्जशंखगदाचक्रपद्मनाभ स्वमूर्त्तये । दामोदरशंखगदाचक्रपद्मिन्नमोस्तु ते

sābjaśaṁkhagadācakrapadmanābha svamūrttaye dāmodaraśaṁkhagadācakrapadminnamostu te

"With lotus, conch, mace, and discus, salutation to the very form of Padmanabha. To Damodara, with conch, mace, discus, and lotus, salutation to you."

Verse 23 (padma.5.78.23)

शंखाब्जचक्रगदिने नमः संकर्षणाय च । सारिशंखगदाब्जाय वासुदेव नमोस्तुते

śaṁkhābjacakragadine namaḥ saṁkarṣaṇāya ca sāriśaṁkhagadābjāya vāsudeva namostute

"Salutation to Sankarshana, holding conch, lotus, discus, and mace. To Vasudeva, with discus, conch, mace, and lotus, salutation to you."

Verse 24 (padma.5.78.24)

शंखचक्रगदाब्जाय धृत प्रद्युम्नमूर्त्तये । नमोऽनिरुद्धाय गदाशंखाब्जारिविधारिणे

śaṁkhacakragadābjāya dhṛta pradyumnamūrttaye namo'niruddhāya gadāśaṁkhābjārividhāriṇe

"To the Pradyumna form, holding conch, discus, mace, and lotus. Salutation to Aniruddha, who bears mace, conch, lotus, and discus."

Verse 25 (padma.5.78.25)

साब्जशंखगदाचक्रपुरुषोत्तममूर्त्तये । नमोऽधोक्षजरूपाय गदाशंखारि पद्मिने

sābjaśaṁkhagadācakrapuruṣottamamūrttaye namo'dhokṣajarūpāya gadāśaṁkhāri padmine

"To the Purushottama form, with lotus, conch, mace, and discus. Salutation to the Adhokshaja form, with mace, conch, discus, and lotus."

Verse 26 (padma.5.78.26)

नृसिंहमूर्त्तये पद्मगदाशंखारिधारिणे । पद्मारिशंखगदिने नमोस्त्वच्युतमूर्त्तये

nṛsiṁhamūrttaye padmagadāśaṁkhāridhāriṇe padmāriśaṁkhagadine namostvacyutamūrttaye

"To the Narasimha form, bearing lotus, mace, conch, and discus. Salutation to the Achyuta form, holding lotus, discus, conch, and mace."

Verse 27 (padma.5.78.27)

सगदाब्जारिशंखाय नमः श्रीकृष्णमूर्त्तये । शालग्रामशिलाद्वारगतलग्नद्विचक्रधृक्

sagadābjāriśaṁkhāya namaḥ śrīkṛṣṇamūrttaye śālagrāmaśilādvāragatalagnadvicakradhṛk

"With mace, lotus, discus, and conch, salutation to the Shri Krishna form. A Shaligrama stone bearing two attached wheels at its gateway —"

Verse 28 (padma.5.78.28)

शुक्लाभरेखः शोभाढ्यः सदेवः श्रीगदाधरः । लग्नद्विचक्रो रक्ताभः पूर्वभागस्तु पुष्कलः

śuklābharekhaḥ śobhāḍhyaḥ sadevaḥ śrīgadādharaḥ lagnadvicakro raktābhaḥ pūrvabhāgastu puṣkalaḥ

"of white color, rich in beauty, together with a deity-mark, is glorious Gadadhara. With two attached wheels, reddish in hue, the forepart abundant —"

Verse 29 (padma.5.78.29)

संकर्षणोऽथ प्रद्युम्नः सूक्ष्मचक्रस्तु पीतकः । सुदीर्घसुषिरच्छिद्रो ह्यनिरुद्धस्तु वर्त्तुलः

saṁkarṣaṇo'tha pradyumnaḥ sūkṣmacakrastu pītakaḥ sudīrghasuṣiracchidro hyaniruddhastu varttulaḥ

"this is Sankarshana; then Pradyumna has a fine, subtle discus, yellowish; the very long, hollow-perforated one is Aniruddha, rounded."

Verse 30 (padma.5.78.30)

नीलो द्वारे त्रिरेखश्च अथ नारायणोऽसितः । मध्ये गदाकृती रेखा नाभिपद्मं महोन्नतम्

nīlo dvāre trirekhaśca atha nārāyaṇo'sitaḥ madhye gadākṛtī rekhā nābhipadmaṁ mahonnatam

"Blue, at the gateway, with three lines, is then Narayana, dark. In the middle, a mace-shaped line, the navel-lotus greatly raised —"

Verse 31 (padma.5.78.31)

पृथुचक्रो नृसिंहो यः कपिलो यस्त्रिबिंदुकः । अथवा पंचबिंदोस्तु पूजनं ब्रह्मचारिणः

pṛthucakro nṛsiṁho yaḥ kapilo yastribiṁdukaḥ athavā paṁcabiṁdostu pūjanaṁ brahmacāriṇaḥ

"the one with a broad discus is Narasimha; the one with three dots is Kapila; or the one with five dots is the Brahmachari (Vamana)."

Verse 32 (padma.5.78.32)

वराहः स त्रिलिंगो यो विषमद्वयचक्रकः । नीलस्त्रिरेखः स्थूलोऽथ कूर्ममूर्तिः सबिंदुकः

varāhaḥ sa triliṁgo yo viṣamadvayacakrakaḥ nīlastrirekhaḥ sthūlo'tha kūrmamūrtiḥ sabiṁdukaḥ

"The one with three marks and an uneven pair of discuses is Varaha; blue, with three lines, stout, is then the Kurma form, with dots."

Verse 33 (padma.5.78.33)

कृष्णः सवर्तुलावर्त्त पांडुरो धृतपृष्ठकः । श्रीधरः पंचरेखश्च वनमाली गदांकितः

kṛṣṇaḥ savartulāvartta pāṁḍuro dhṛtapṛṣṭhakaḥ śrīdharaḥ paṁcarekhaśca vanamālī gadāṁkitaḥ

"Dark, with a rounded whorl, pale, its back set — this is Shridhara; with five lines, garlanded with forest-flowers, marked with a mace,"

Verse 34 (padma.5.78.34)

वामनो वर्तुलो नाम मध्यचक्रः सनीलकः । नानावर्णानेकमूर्ति नागभोगी त्वनंतकः

vāmano vartulo nāma madhyacakraḥ sanīlakaḥ nānāvarṇānekamūrti nāgabhogī tvanaṁtakaḥ

"round, named Vamana, with a central discus and dark mark — with many colors, many forms, coiled as a serpent — this is Ananta."

Verse 35 (padma.5.78.35)

स्थूलो दामोदरो नीलो मध्ये चक्रः सनीलकः । संकर्षणद्वारकोव्यादथ ब्रह्मा सुलोहितः

sthūlo dāmodaro nīlo madhye cakraḥ sanīlakaḥ saṁkarṣaṇadvārakovyādatha brahmā sulohitaḥ

"Stout, blue, Damodara, with a discus in the middle, dark-marked; may Brahma, deeply red, protect the stone like Sankarshana's gateway —"

Verse 36 (padma.5.78.36)

सुदीर्घरेखासुषिर एकचक्रांबुजः पृथुः । पृथुचक्रः स्थूलछिद्रः कृष्णो बिंदुश्च बिंदुमान्

sudīrgharekhāsuṣira ekacakrāṁbujaḥ pṛthuḥ pṛthucakraḥ sthūlachidraḥ kṛṣṇo biṁduśca biṁdumān

"with a very long, hollow line, a single-discus lotus, broad — the one with a broad discus, coarsely perforated, is Krishna, and the one with a dot is 'Bindumat'."

Verse 37 (padma.5.78.37)

ह्यग्रीवोंऽकुशाकारः पंचरेखः सकौस्तुभः । वैकुंठो मल्लवद्भाति एकचक्रमयोसितः

hyagrīvoṁ'kuśākāraḥ paṁcarekhaḥ sakaustubhaḥ vaikuṁṭho mallavadbhāti ekacakramayositaḥ

"Hayagriva, shaped like a hook, with five lines, together with the Kaustubha jewel; Vaikuntha shines like a wrestler, single-discus, dark iron-hued."

Verse 38 (padma.5.78.38)

मत्स्यो दीर्घांबुजाकारो दीर्घरेखश्च पांडुरः । रामचक्रो दक्षरेखो यः श्यामः स त्रिविक्रमः

matsyo dīrghāṁbujākāro dīrgharekhaśca pāṁḍuraḥ rāmacakro dakṣarekho yaḥ śyāmaḥ sa trivikramaḥ

"Matsya, shaped like a long lotus, with long lines, pale; with a discus like Rama's, its right marked with a line, that dark one is Trivikrama."

Verse 39 (padma.5.78.39)

शालग्रामद्वारकायां स्थिताय गदिने नमः । एकेन लक्षितो योव्याद्गदाधारी सुदर्शनः

śālagrāmadvārakāyāṁ sthitāya gadine namaḥ ekena lakṣito yovyādgadādhārī sudarśanaḥ

"Salutation to him who dwells in the doorway of the Shaligrama, bearing the mace. He who is marked by a single sign is the mace-bearer Sudarshana,"

Verse 40 (padma.5.78.40)

लक्ष्मीनारायणो द्वाभ्यां त्रिभिश्चैव त्रिविक्रमः । चतुर्भिश्च चतुर्व्यूहो वासुदेवश्च पंचभिः

lakṣmīnārāyaṇo dvābhyāṁ tribhiścaiva trivikramaḥ caturbhiśca caturvyūho vāsudevaśca paṁcabhiḥ

"with two, Lakshmi-Narayana; with three, Trivikrama; with four, the four vyuhas; with five, Vasudeva."

Verse 41 (padma.5.78.41)

प्रद्युम्नः षड्भिरेवाव्यात्संकर्षणश्च सप्तभिः । पुरुषोत्तमोऽष्टभिश्च स्यान्नवव्यूहो नवो हितः

pradyumnaḥ ṣaḍbhirevāvyātsaṁkarṣaṇaśca saptabhiḥ puruṣottamo'ṣṭabhiśca syānnavavyūho navo hitaḥ

"With six, may Pradyumna protect; with seven, Sankarshana; with eight, Purushottama; the ninth is fittingly the nine-emanation form."

Verse 42 (padma.5.78.42)

दशावतारो दशभिरनिरुद्धोऽवतादथ । द्वादशात्मा द्वादशभिरतऊर्द्ध्वमनंतकः

daśāvatāro daśabhiraniruddho'vatādatha dvādaśātmā dvādaśabhirataūrddhvamanaṁtakaḥ

"With ten, the ten avataras; with more, may Aniruddha protect; with twelve, the twelve-fold self; beyond that, Ananta."

Verse 43 (padma.5.78.43)

ब्रह्मा चतुर्मुखो दंडी कमंडलुस्रगुन्नतः । महेश्वरः पंचवक्त्रो दशबाहुर्वृषध्वजः

brahmā caturmukho daṁḍī kamaṁḍalusragunnataḥ maheśvaraḥ paṁcavaktro daśabāhurvṛṣadhvajaḥ

"Four-faced Brahma, staff-bearing, water-pot-bearing, garlanded and exalted; Maheshvara five-faced, ten-armed, bull-bannered,"

Verse 44 (padma.5.78.44)

यथायुधस्तथागौरी चंडिका च सरस्वती । महालक्ष्मीर्मातरश्च पद्महस्तो दिवाकरः

yathāyudhastathāgaurī caṁḍikā ca sarasvatī mahālakṣmīrmātaraśca padmahasto divākaraḥ

"as with their respective weapons, so too Gauri, Chandika, and Sarasvati; the Mother-goddesses, and lotus-handed Surya,"

Verse 45 (padma.5.78.45)

गजास्यश्च गजस्कंधः षण्मुखोनेकधा गणाः । एते स्थिताः स्थापिता स्युः प्रसादेवाथ पूजिताः

gajāsyaśca gajaskaṁdhaḥ ṣaṇmukhonekadhā gaṇāḥ ete sthitāḥ sthāpitā syuḥ prasādevātha pūjitāḥ

"elephant-faced and elephant-shouldered, six-faced, and manifold Ganas — these, established and installed, should be worshipped with grace."

Verse 46 (padma.5.78.46)

धर्मार्थकाममोक्षा हि प्राप्यंते पुरुषेण च

dharmārthakāmamokṣā hi prāpyaṁte puruṣeṇa ca

Thereby dharma, artha, kama, and moksha are attained by a man.