The Rite of Worshiping the Shaligrama Stone

Verse 1 (padma.6.131.1)

पार्वत्युवाच। शालग्रामशिला शुद्धा मूर्त्तयः संति भूतले । तासां चैव तु मूर्तीनां पूजनं कतिधा स्मृतम्

pārvatyuvāca śālagrāmaśilā śuddhā mūrttayaḥ saṁti bhūtale tāsāṁ caiva tu mūrtīnāṁ pūjanaṁ katidhā smṛtam

Parvati said: 'There are pure images upon this earth in the form of Shaligrama stones — in how many ways is the worship of these images declared?'

Verse 2 (padma.6.131.2)

ब्राह्मणैः कति पूज्यास्ताः क्षत्रियैर्वा सुरेश्वर । वैश्यैर्वापि कथं शूद्रैः स्त्रीभिर्वापि समादिश

brāhmaṇaiḥ kati pūjyāstāḥ kṣatriyairvā sureśvara vaiśyairvāpi kathaṁ śūdraiḥ strībhirvāpi samādiśa

'How many of them, O lord of gods, are to be worshipped by brahmins, how many by kshatriyas, how by vaishyas, and how by shudras and women too — please instruct me.'

Verse 3 (padma.6.131.3)

महादेव उवाच। शालग्रामशिला पुण्या पवित्रा धर्मकारिणी । यस्या दर्शनमात्रेण ब्रह्महा शुध्यते नरः

mahādeva uvāca śālagrāmaśilā puṇyā pavitrā dharmakāriṇī yasyā darśanamātreṇa brahmahā śudhyate naraḥ

Mahadeva said: 'The Shaligrama stone is meritorious, pure, and a bestower of dharma; by the mere sight of it, even a man guilty of killing a brahmin becomes purified.'

Verse 4 (padma.6.131.4)

तद्गृहं सर्वतीर्थानां प्रवरं श्रुतिनोदितम् । यत्रेयं सर्वदा मूर्तिः शालग्रामशिला शुभा

tadgṛhaṁ sarvatīrthānāṁ pravaraṁ śrutinoditam yatreyaṁ sarvadā mūrtiḥ śālagrāmaśilā śubhā

'That house where this auspicious Shaligrama image always dwells is declared by the shruti to be the foremost of all sacred fords.'

Verse 5 (padma.6.131.5)

ब्राह्मणैः पंचपूज्या स्युश्चतस्रः क्षत्रियैस्तथा । वैश्यैस्तिस्रस्तथापूज्याएकापूज्याप्रयत्नतः

brāhmaṇaiḥ paṁcapūjyā syuścatasraḥ kṣatriyaistathā vaiśyaistisrastathāpūjyāekāpūjyāprayatnataḥ

'For brahmins, five Shaligramas are fit to be worshipped; for kshatriyas, four; for vaishyas, three; and for shudras, one alone, worshipped with due diligence.'

Verse 6 (padma.6.131.6)

तस्यादर्शनमात्रेणशूद्रो मुक्तिमवाप्नुयात् । अनेन विधिना देवि ये नराः पूजयंति वै

tasyādarśanamātreṇaśūdro muktimavāpnuyāt anena vidhinā devi ye narāḥ pūjayaṁti vai

'Even by the mere sight of that one, a shudra may attain liberation. O goddess, those men who worship in this manner,'

Verse 7 (padma.6.131.7)

भोगान्सर्वांस्तत्र भुक्त्वा यांति विष्णोः सनातनम् । इयं सा महती मूर्तिः सर्वदा पापहारिणी

bhogānsarvāṁstatra bhuktvā yāṁti viṣṇoḥ sanātanam iyaṁ sā mahatī mūrtiḥ sarvadā pāpahāriṇī

'having enjoyed all worldly pleasures there, go at last to the eternal abode of Vishnu. This is that great image, ever the remover of sin.'

Verse 8 (padma.6.131.8)

कैलासाद्यं फलं देवि जायते पूजनाद्यतः । तत्र गंगा च यमुना गोदावरी सरस्वती

kailāsādyaṁ phalaṁ devi jāyate pūjanādyataḥ tatra gaṁgā ca yamunā godāvarī sarasvatī

'O goddess, from worshipping it there arises the fruit of attaining Kailasa and the like; wherever this stone abides, there the Ganga, the Yamuna, the Godavari, the Sarasvati —'

Verse 9 (padma.6.131.9)

तिष्ठते च शिला यत्र सर्वं तत्र न संशयः । किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन भूयोभूयो वरानने

tiṣṭhate ca śilā yatra sarvaṁ tatra na saṁśayaḥ kimatra bahunoktena bhūyobhūyo varānane

'all dwell there without any doubt. O fair-faced one, what use is there in saying more and more upon this, again and again?'

Verse 10 (padma.6.131.10)

पूजनं मनुजैः सम्यक्कर्त्तव्यं मुक्तिमिच्छुभिः । भक्तिभावेन देवेशि येऽर्चयंति जनार्दनम्

pūjanaṁ manujaiḥ samyakkarttavyaṁ muktimicchubhiḥ bhaktibhāvena deveśi ye'rcayaṁti janārdanam

'Men who desire liberation should worship it properly. O queen of gods, those who worship Janardana with devotion —'

Verse 11 (padma.6.131.11)

तेषां दर्शनमात्रेण ब्रह्महा शुध्यते जनः । दासभावेन ये शूद्राः स्वर्चनं कुर्वते सदा

teṣāṁ darśanamātreṇa brahmahā śudhyate janaḥ dāsabhāvena ye śūdrāḥ svarcanaṁ kurvate sadā

'by the mere sight of them, even one guilty of brahmin-killing becomes purified. Those shudras who, with the disposition of a servant, always perform its worship,'

Verse 12 (padma.6.131.12)

तेषां पुण्यं न जानंति ब्रह्माद्याश्च सुरेश्वरि । भक्तिभावेन ये विप्रा हरिमभ्यर्चयंति वै

teṣāṁ puṇyaṁ na jānaṁti brahmādyāśca sureśvari bhaktibhāvena ye viprā harimabhyarcayaṁti vai

'O queen of gods, even Brahma and the other gods cannot fathom the merit they gain. Those brahmins who worship Hari with devotion,'

Verse 13 (padma.6.131.13)

एकविंशतिकुलं तैस्तु तारितं तेषु जन्मसु । शंखचक्रांकितो यस्तु विप्रः पूजनमाचरेत्

ekaviṁśatikulaṁ taistu tāritaṁ teṣu janmasu śaṁkhacakrāṁkito yastu vipraḥ pūjanamācaret

'by them, for those very births, twenty-one generations of their lineage are delivered. The brahmin marked with the conch and discus who performs this worship —'

Verse 14 (padma.6.131.14)

पूजितं तु जगत्सर्वं तेन विष्णुप्रपूजनात् । पितरः संवदंत्यस्मत्कुले जाताश्च वैष्णवाः

pūjitaṁ tu jagatsarvaṁ tena viṣṇuprapūjanāt pitaraḥ saṁvadaṁtyasmatkule jātāśca vaiṣṇavāḥ

'through his worship of Vishnu, the entire universe is honored. His ancestors say to one another: a devotee of Vishnu has been born in our line.'

Verse 15 (padma.6.131.15)

तत्कुलं तारितं तैस्तु यावदाभूतसंप्लवम् । ते तु चास्मान्समुद्धृत्य नयंते विष्णुमंदिरम्

tatkulaṁ tāritaṁ taistu yāvadābhūtasaṁplavam te tu cāsmānsamuddhṛtya nayaṁte viṣṇumaṁdiram

'By him that lineage is delivered until the very dissolution of the universe. They say: this one will lift us up and lead us to the abode of Vishnu.'

Verse 16 (padma.6.131.16)

स एव दिवसो धन्यो धन्या माताऽथ बांधवाः । पिता तस्य च वै धन्यो धन्या वै सुहृदस्तथा

sa eva divaso dhanyo dhanyā mātā'tha bāṁdhavāḥ pitā tasya ca vai dhanyo dhanyā vai suhṛdastathā

'Blessed indeed is that day, blessed his mother and his kinsfolk; blessed too is his father, and blessed his friends as well.'

Verse 17 (padma.6.131.17)

सर्वे धन्यतमा ज्ञेया विष्णुभक्तिपरायणाः । तेषां दर्शनमात्रेण महापापात्प्रमुच्यते

sarve dhanyatamā jñeyā viṣṇubhaktiparāyaṇāḥ teṣāṁ darśanamātreṇa mahāpāpātpramucyate

'All who are wholly devoted to devotion to Vishnu should be known as most blessed. By the mere sight of them, a man is freed even from the gravest sin.'

Verse 18 (padma.6.131.18)

उपपातकानि सर्वाणि महांति पातकानि च । तानि सर्वाणि नश्यंति वैष्णवानां च दर्शनात्

upapātakāni sarvāṇi mahāṁti pātakāni ca tāni sarvāṇi naśyaṁti vaiṣṇavānāṁ ca darśanāt

'All minor sins and all the great sins — every one of them is destroyed by the mere sight of a Vaishnava.'

Verse 19 (padma.6.131.19)

पावका इव दीप्यंते ये नरा वैष्णवा भुवि । विमुक्ताः सर्वपापेभ्यो मेघेभ्य इव चंद्रमाः

pāvakā iva dīpyaṁte ye narā vaiṣṇavā bhuvi vimuktāḥ sarvapāpebhyo meghebhya iva caṁdramāḥ

'Vaishnava men upon this earth shine like fire, freed from all sins just as the moon is freed from the clouds.'

Verse 20 (padma.6.131.20)

आर्द्रशुष्कं लघुस्थूलं वाङ्मनः कर्मभिः कृतम् । तत्सर्वं नाशमायाति वैष्णवानां च दर्शनात्

ārdraśuṣkaṁ laghusthūlaṁ vāṅmanaḥ karmabhiḥ kṛtam tatsarvaṁ nāśamāyāti vaiṣṇavānāṁ ca darśanāt

'Whatever sin — whether fresh or stale, small or great, committed in word, mind, or deed — all of it is destroyed by the sight of a Vaishnava.'

Verse 21 (padma.6.131.21)

हिंसादिकं च यत्पापं ज्ञानाज्ञानं कृतं च यत् । तत्सर्वं नाशमायाति दर्शनाद्वैष्णवस्य च

hiṁsādikaṁ ca yatpāpaṁ jñānājñānaṁ kṛtaṁ ca yat tatsarvaṁ nāśamāyāti darśanādvaiṣṇavasya ca

'Whatever sin of violence and the like — whether committed knowingly or in ignorance — that too is entirely destroyed by the sight of a Vaishnava.'

Verse 22 (padma.6.131.22)

निःपापास्त्रिदिवं यांति पापिष्ठा यांति शुद्धिताम् । दर्शनादेव साधूनां सत्यं तुभ्यं मयोदितम्

niḥpāpāstridivaṁ yāṁti pāpiṣṭhā yāṁti śuddhitām darśanādeva sādhūnāṁ satyaṁ tubhyaṁ mayoditam

'The sinless attain heaven, and even the sinful attain purification — by the mere sight of the saintly alone. This I have told you truthfully.'

Verse 23 (padma.6.131.23)

संसारकर्दमालेपप्रक्षालनविशारदः । पावनः पावनानां च विष्णुभक्तो न संशयः

saṁsārakardamālepaprakṣālanaviśāradaḥ pāvanaḥ pāvanānāṁ ca viṣṇubhakto na saṁśayaḥ

'He is skilled at washing away the smearing mire of worldly existence; the devotee of Vishnu is, beyond doubt, the purest among the pure.'

Verse 24 (padma.6.131.24)

प्रत्यहं विष्णुभक्ता ये स्मरंति मधुसूदनम् । ते तु विष्णुमया ज्ञेया विष्णुस्तत्र न संशयः

pratyahaṁ viṣṇubhaktā ye smaraṁti madhusūdanam te tu viṣṇumayā jñeyā viṣṇustatra na saṁśayaḥ

'Those devotees of Vishnu who remember Madhusudana every day should be known as one with Vishnu himself — Vishnu is truly present there, of this there is no doubt.'

Verse 25 (padma.6.131.25)

नवनीलघनश्यामं नलिनायतलोचनम् । शंखचक्रगदापद्मधरं पीतांबरावृतम्

navanīlaghanaśyāmaṁ nalināyatalocanam śaṁkhacakragadāpadmadharaṁ pītāṁbarāvṛtam

'Dark as a fresh, dense, blue-black cloud, with eyes wide as the lotus, bearing conch, discus, mace, and lotus, clothed in yellow silk —'

Verse 26 (padma.6.131.26)

कौस्तुभेन विराजंतं वनमालाधरं हरिम् । उल्लसत्कुंडलज्योतिः कपोलवदनश्रिया

kaustubhena virājaṁtaṁ vanamālādharaṁ harim ullasatkuṁḍalajyotiḥ kapolavadanaśriyā

'Hari, radiant with the Kaustubha jewel, wearing a garland of forest flowers, his cheeks and face made lovelier still by the gleam of his shining earrings —'

Verse 27 (padma.6.131.27)

विराजितं किरीटेन वलयांगदनूपुरैः । प्रसन्नवदनांभोजं चतुर्बाहुं श्रियान्वितम्

virājitaṁ kirīṭena valayāṁgadanūpuraiḥ prasannavadanāṁbhojaṁ caturbāhuṁ śriyānvitam

'adorned with crown, bracelets, armlets, and anklets, his lotus face serene, four-armed, seated together with Shri —'

Verse 28 (padma.6.131.28)

एवं ध्यायंति ये विप्रा विष्णुं चैव तु पार्वति । ते विप्रा विष्णुरूपाश्च वैष्णवास्ते न संशयः

evaṁ dhyāyaṁti ye viprā viṣṇuṁ caiva tu pārvati te viprā viṣṇurūpāśca vaiṣṇavāste na saṁśayaḥ

'O Parvati, the brahmins who meditate thus upon Vishnu are themselves of the very form of Vishnu — they are true Vaishnavas, without any doubt.'

Verse 29 (padma.6.131.29)

तेषां दर्शनमात्रेण भक्त्या वा भोजनेन वा । पूजनेन च देवेशि वैकुंठं लभते ध्रुवम्

teṣāṁ darśanamātreṇa bhaktyā vā bhojanena vā pūjanena ca deveśi vaikuṁṭhaṁ labhate dhruvam

'O queen of gods, by the mere sight of them, through devotion, through feeding them, or through worshipping them, a man attains Vaikuntha, without fail.'