Dharmadatta's Attainment of Liberation

Verse 1 (skanda.2.125.1)

॥धर्मदत्त उवाच॥ जयश्च विजयश्चैव विष्णोर्द्वास्थौ श्रुतौ मया ॥ किं नु ताभ्यां पुरा चीर्णं तस्मात्तद्रूपधारिणौ

dharmadatta uvāca jayaśca vijayaścaiva viṣṇordvāsthau śrutau mayā || kiṁ nu tābhyāṁ purā cīrṇaṁ tasmāttadrūpadhāriṇau

Dharmadatta said: I have heard that Jaya and Vijaya are Vishnu's doorkeepers. What did they do in a former time, that they came to bear that form?

Verse 2 (skanda.2.125.2)

॥गणावूचतुः॥ तृणबिंदोस्तु कन्यायां देवहूत्यां पुरा द्विज ॥ कर्दमस्य तु दृष्ट्यैव पुत्रौ द्वौ संबभूवतुः

gaṇāvūcatuḥ tṛṇabindostu kanyāyāṁ devahūtyāṁ purā dvija || kardamasya tu dṛṣṭyaiva putrau dvau saṁbabhūvatuḥ

The two ganas said: O brahmin, long ago, to Devahuti, the daughter of Trinabindu, through the mere glance of the sage Kardama, two sons were born.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.125.3)

ज्येष्ठो जयः कनिष्ठोऽभूद्विजयश्चैव नामतः ॥ तस्यामेवाऽभवत्पश्चात्कपिलो योगधर्मवित्

jyeṣṭho jayaḥ kaniṣṭho'bhūdvijayaścaiva nāmataḥ || tasyāmevā'bhavatpaścātkapilo yogadharmavit

The elder was named Jaya and the younger Vijaya. From that same Devahuti was later born Kapila, knower of the discipline of yoga.

Verse 4 (skanda.2.125.4)

जयश्च विजयश्चैव विष्णुभक्तिरतौ सदा ॥ तौ तन्निष्ठेन्द्रियग्रामौ धर्मशीलौ बभूवतुः

jayaśca vijayaścaiva viṣṇubhaktirataū sadā || tau tanniṣṭhendriyagrāmau dharmaśīlau babhūvatuḥ

Jaya and Vijaya, both ever devoted to Vishnu, their whole array of senses fixed upon him, became men of righteous conduct.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.125.5)

नित्यमष्टाक्षरीजाप्यौ विष्णुव्रतकरावुभौ ॥ साक्षात्कारं ददौ विष्णुस्तयोर्नित्यार्चने सदा

nityamaṣṭākṣarījāpyau viṣṇuvratakarāvubhau || sākṣātkāraṁ dadau viṣṇustayornityārcane sadā

Both constantly recited the eight-syllabled mantra and kept the vow of Vishnu; Vishnu, pleased by their constant worship, always granted them his direct vision.

Verse 6 (skanda.2.125.6)

मरुत्तेन कदाचित्तावाहूतौ यज्ञकर्मणि ॥ जग्मतुर्यज्ञकुशलौ देवर्षिगणपूजितौ

maruttena kadācittāvāhūtau yajñakarmaṇi || jagmaturyajñakuśalau devarṣigaṇapūjitau

Once King Marutta invited them both to a sacrificial rite; skilled in sacrificial procedure and honored by hosts of divine sages, they went there.

Verse 7 (skanda.2.125.7)

जयस्तत्राभवद्ब्रह्मायाजको विजयोऽभवत् ॥ ततो यज्ञविधिं कृत्स्नं परिपूर्णं च चक्रतुः

jayastatrābhavadbrahmāyājako vijayo'bhavat || tato yajñavidhiṁ kṛtsnaṁ paripūrṇaṁ ca cakratuḥ

There Jaya became the Brahma-priest and Vijaya the officiating priest. Then the two of them completed the entire sacrificial rite in full.

Verse 8 (skanda.2.125.8)

मरुत्तोऽवभृथस्नातस्ताभ्यां वित्तं ददौ बहु ॥ तत्समादाय तौ वित्तं जग्मतुः स्वाश्रमं प्रति

marutto'vabhṛthasnātastābhyāṁ vittaṁ dadau bahu || tatsamādāya tau vittaṁ jagmatuḥ svāśramaṁ prati

Marutta, having bathed the concluding ablution, gave them abundant wealth; taking that wealth, the two set out for their own hermitage.

Verse 9 (skanda.2.125.9)

यजनाय पृथग्विष्णोस्तुष्ट्यर्थं तौ ततो मुनी ॥ तद्धनं विभजंतौ तु पस्पर्धाते परस्परम्

yajanāya pṛthagviṣṇostuṣṭyarthaṁ tau tato munī || taddhanaṁ vibhajaṁtau tu pasparddhāte parasparam

Then those two sages, dividing that wealth in order each to perform separate worship to please Vishnu, fell into rivalry with one another.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.125.10)

जयोऽब्रवीत्समो भागः क्रियतामिति तत्र सः ॥ विजयश्चाब्रवीन्नैतद्यल्लब्धं येन तस्य तत्

jayo'bravītsamo bhāgaḥ kriyatāmiti tatra saḥ || vijayaścābravīnnaitadyallabdhaṁ yena tasya tat

Jaya said: "Let it be divided equally." But Vijaya said: "No — whatever each obtained belongs to him alone."

Verse 11 (skanda.2.125.11)

ततोऽशपज्जयः क्रोधाद्विजयं लुब्धमानसम् ॥ गृहीत्वा न ददास्येतत्तस्माद्ग्राहो भवेति तम्

tato'śapajjayaḥ krodhādvijayaṁ lubdhamānasam || gṛhītvā na dadāsyetattasmādgrāho bhaveti tam

Then Jaya, in anger, cursed the greedy-minded Vijaya: "Since you take but will not give, may you become a crocodile!"

Verse 12 (skanda.2.125.12)

विजयस्तस्य तं शापं श्रुत्वा सोप्यशपच्च तम् ॥ मदभ्रांतोऽशपस्त्वं मां तस्मान्मातंगतां व्रज

vijayastasya taṁ śāpaṁ śrutvā sopyaśapacca tam || madabhrāṁto'śapastvaṁ māṁ tasmānmātaṁgatāṁ vraja

Hearing that curse, Vijaya too cursed him in turn: "You have cursed me, deluded by conceit — therefore go to the state of an elephant!"

Verse 13 (skanda.2.125.13)

तत्तदाचख्यतुर्विष्णुं दृष्ट्वा नित्यार्चने विभुम् ॥ शापयोश्च निवृत्तिं तौ ययाचाते रमापतिम्

tattadācakhyaturviṣṇuṁ dṛṣṭvā nityārcane vibhum || śāpayośca nivṛttiṁ tau yayācāte ramāpatim

Then, beholding the Lord Vishnu at their daily worship, they told him all this, and both begged the Lord of Rama for release from their curses.

Verse 14 (skanda.2.125.14)

॥जयविजयावूचतुः॥ भक्तावावां कथं देव ग्राहमातंगयोनिगौ ॥ भविष्यावः कृपासिंधो तच्छापो विनिवर्त्यताम्

jayavijayāvūcatuḥ bhaktāvāvāṁ kathaṁ deva grāhamātaṁgayonigau || bhaviṣyāvaḥ kṛpāsiṁdho tacchāpo vinivartyatām

Jaya and Vijaya said: "O god, how can we, your devotees, become a crocodile and an elephant? O ocean of mercy, please undo that curse."

Verse 15 (skanda.2.125.15)

॥श्रीभगवानुवाच॥ मद्भक्तयोर्वचोऽसत्यं न कदाचिद्भविष्यति ॥ मयाऽपि नान्यथा कर्तुं शक्यते तत्कदाचन

śrībhagavānuvāca madbhaktayorvaco'satyaṁ na kadācidbhaviṣyati || mayā'pi nānyathā kartuṁ śakyate tatkadācana

The Blessed Lord said: "The word of my devotees shall never prove false; nor can even I ever alter it otherwise.

Verse 16 (skanda.2.125.16)

प्रह्लादवचसा स्तंभेऽप्याविर्भूतो ह्यहं पुरा ॥ तथांऽबरीषवाक्येन जातो गर्भे स्वयं किल

prahlādavacasā staṁbhe'pyāvirbhūto hyahaṁ purā || tathāṁbarīṣavākyena jāto garbhe svayaṁ kila

By Prahlada's word alone did I once appear in a pillar; and by Ambarisha's word did I myself take birth in his womb.

Verse 17 (skanda.2.125.17)

तस्माद्युवामिमौ शापावनुऽभूय स्वयंकृतौ ॥ लभेथां मत्पदं नित्यमित्युक्त्वांऽतर्दधे हरिः

tasmādyuvāmimau śāpāvanubhūya svayaṁkṛtau || labhethāṁ matpadaṁ nityamityuktvāṁtardadhe hariḥ

Therefore, having undergone these curses you yourselves have made, you shall attain my eternal abode." So saying, Hari vanished.

Verse 18 (skanda.2.125.18)

॥गणावूचतुः॥ ततस्तौ ग्राहमातंगावभूतां गंडकीतटे ॥ जातिस्मरौ तु तद्योन्यामपि विष्णुव्रते स्थितौ

gaṇāvūcatuḥ tatastau grāhamātaṁgāvabhūtāṁ gaṁḍakītaṭe || jātismarau tu tadyonyāmapi viṣṇuvrate sthitau

The two ganas said: Then they both became a crocodile and an elephant on the bank of the Gandaki river; even in that birth, retaining memory of their past lives, they remained fixed in the vow of Vishnu.

Verse 19 (skanda.2.125.19)

कदाचित्स गजः स्नातुं कार्तिके गंडकीं गतः ॥ तावज्जग्राह तं ग्राहः संस्मरञ्च्छापकारणम्

kadācitsa gajaḥ snātuṁ kārtike gaṁḍakīṁ gataḥ || tāvajjagrāha taṁ grāhaḥ saṁsmarañcchāpakāraṇam

Once, in the month of Kartika, that elephant went to bathe in the Gandaki; at once, remembering the cause of the curse, the crocodile seized him.

Verse 20 (skanda.2.125.20)

ग्राहग्रस्तो ह्यसौ नागः सस्मार श्रीपतिं तदा ॥ तावदाविरभूद्विष्णुश्चक्रशंखगदाधरः

grāhagrasto hyasau nāgaḥ sasmāra śrīpatiṁ tadā || tāvadāvirabhūdviṣṇuścakraśaṁkhagadādharaḥ

That elephant, seized by the crocodile, then called to mind the Lord of Shri; at once Vishnu appeared, bearing the discus, conch, and mace.

Verse 21 (skanda.2.125.21)

ततस्तौ ग्राहमातंगौ चक्रं क्षिप्त्वा समुद्धृतौ ॥ दत्त्वैव निजसारूप्यं वैकुण्ठमनयद्विभुः

tatastau grāhamātaṁgau cakraṁ kṣiptvā samuddhṛtau || dattvaiva nijasārūpyaṁ vaikuṇṭhamanayadvibhuḥ

Then, hurling his discus, the Lord delivered both the crocodile and the elephant, and, granting them the likeness of his own form, led them to Vaikuntha.

Verse 22 (skanda.2.125.22)

ततःप्रभृति तत्स्थानं हरिक्षेत्रमितिस्मृतम् ॥ चक्रसंघर्षणाद्यस्मिन्ग्रावाणोऽपि हि लांछिताः

tataḥprabhṛti tatsthānaṁ harikṣetramitismṛtam || cakrasaṁgharṣaṇādyasmingrāvāṇo'pi hi lāṁchitāḥ

From that time on, that place became known as Hari-kshetra, where, from the discus's grazing, even the stones bear its mark.

Verse 23 (skanda.2.125.23)

तावुभौ विश्रुतौ लोके जयश्च विजयस्तथा ॥ नित्यं विष्णुप्रियौ द्वाःस्थौ पृष्टौ यौ हि त्वया द्विज

tāvubhau viśrutau loke jayaśca vijayastathā || nityaṁ viṣṇupriyau dvāḥsthau pṛṣṭau yau hi tvayā dvija

These two became renowned in the world as Jaya and Vijaya, the doorkeepers ever dear to Vishnu, about whom you asked, O brahmin.

Verse 24 (skanda.2.125.24)

अतस्त्वमपि धर्मज्ञ नित्यं विष्णुव्रते स्थितः ॥ त्यक्तमात्सर्यदंभोऽपि भवस्व समदर्शनः

atastvamapi dharmajña nityaṁ viṣṇuvrate sthitaḥ || tyaktamātsaryadaṁbho'pi bhavasva samadarśanaḥ

Therefore, O knower of dharma, you too remain forever fixed in the vow of Vishnu; abandoning envy and hypocrisy, become one who sees all with equal eyes.

Verse 25 (skanda.2.125.25)

तुलामकरमेषेषु प्रातःस्नायी सदा भव ॥ एकादशीव्रते तिष्ठ तुलसीवनपालकः

tulāmakarameṣeṣu prātaḥsnāyī sadā bhava || ekādaśīvrate tiṣṭha tulasīvanapālakaḥ

Be always one who bathes at dawn when the sun stands in Tula, Makara, and Mesha; keep the Ekadashi vow, and be a guardian of the Tulasi grove.

Verse 26 (skanda.2.125.26)

ब्राह्मणानथ गाश्चाऽपि वैष्णवांश्च सदा भज ॥ मसूरिकामारनालं वृंताकान्यपि खाद मा

brāhmaṇānatha gāścā'pi vaiṣṇavāṁśca sadā bhaja || masūrikāmāranālaṁ vṛṁtākānyapi khāda mā

Always serve brahmins, cows, and Vaishnavas; never eat lentils, lotus-stalks, or eggplant.

Verse 27 (skanda.2.125.27)

एवं त्वमपि देहांते तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम् ॥ प्राप्नोषि धर्मदत्त त्वं तद्भक्त्यैव यथा वयम्

evaṁ tvamapi dehāṁte tadviṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam || prāpnoṣi dharmadatta tvaṁ tadbhaktyaiva yathā vayam

Thus, O Dharmadatta, you too, at the end of the body, shall attain Vishnu's supreme abode through that same devotion, just as we have.

Verse 28 (skanda.2.125.28)

तावज्जन्म व्रतादस्माद्विष्णुसंतुष्टिकारकात् ॥ न यज्ञा न च दानानि न तीर्थान्यधिकानि वै

tāvajjanma vratādasmādviṣṇusaṁtuṣṭikārakāt || na yajñā na ca dānāni na tīrthānyadhikāni vai

Beyond this vow that pleases Vishnu, there are no sacrifices, no gifts, no other pilgrimages that surpass it.

Verse 29 (skanda.2.125.29)

धन्योऽसि विप्राग्र्य यतस्त्वयैतद्व्रतं कृतं तुष्टिकरं जगद्गुरोः ॥ यदर्धभागाऽऽप्तफला मुरारेः प्रणीयतेऽस्माभिरियं सलोकताम्

dhanyo'si viprāgrya yatastvayaitadvrataṁ kṛtaṁ tuṣṭikaraṁ jagadguroḥ || yadardhabhāgā'āptaphalā murāreḥ praṇīyate'smābhiriyaṁ salokatām

Blessed are you, O foremost of brahmins, for you have performed this vow that pleases the guru of the universe; having gained its fruit from half its merit, this woman is now being led by us to that very world of Murari.

Verse 30 (skanda.2.125.30)

॥नारद उवाच॥ इत्थं तौ धर्मदत्तं तमुपदिश्य विमानगौ ॥ तया कलहया सार्द्धं वैकुण्ठभवनं गतौ

nārada uvāca itthaṁ tau dharmadattaṁ tamupadiśya vimānagau || tayā kalahayā sārddhaṁ vaikuṇṭhabhavanaṁ gatau

Narada said: Thus, having instructed Dharmadatta in this way, those two riders of the celestial chariot departed for the abode of Vaikuntha together with Kalaha.

Verse 31 (skanda.2.125.31)

धर्मदत्तो ह्यसौ जातप्रत्ययस्तद्व्रते स्थितः ॥ देहांऽते तद्विभोः स्थानं भार्याभ्यां संयुतोऽभ्ययात्

dharmadatto hyasau jātapratyayastadvrate sthitaḥ || dehāṁte tadvibhoḥ sthānaṁ bhāryābhyāṁ saṁyuto'bhyayāt

That Dharmadatta, his faith thus confirmed, remained fixed in that vow; at the end of the body, he went to the abode of that Lord, together with his two wives.

Verse 32 (skanda.2.125.32)

इतिहासमिमं पुराभवं शृणुते श्रावयते च यः पुमान् ॥ हरिसन्निधिकारणीं मतिं लभतेऽसौ कृपया जगद्गुरोः

itihāsamimaṁ purābhavaṁ śṛṇute śrāvayate ca yaḥ pumān || harisannidhikāraṇīṁ matiṁ labhate'sau kṛpayā jagadguroḥ

Whoever hears, or causes others to hear, this ancient history attains, by the grace of the guru of the universe, the understanding that leads to nearness with Hari.