The Glory of Venkateshwara and the Eightfold Devotion

Verse 1 (skanda.2.18.1)

श्रीसूत उवाच । अथेदानीं प्रवक्ष्यामि वेंकटेश्वरवैभवम् । यच्छ्रुत्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मुच्यते नात्र संशयः ।

śrīsūta uvāca athedānīṁ pravakṣyāmi veṁkaṭeśvaravaibhavam yacchrutvā sarvapāpebhyo mucyate nātra saṁśayaḥ

Shri Suta said: Now I shall describe the glory of Venkateshwara, hearing which a man is freed from every sin — of this there is no doubt.

Verse 2 (skanda.2.18.2)

श्रीवेंकटेश्वरं देवं यः पश्यति सकृन्नरः । स नरो मुक्तिमाप्नोति विष्णुसायुज्यमाप्नुयात् ।

śrīveṁkaṭeśvaraṁ devaṁ yaḥ paśyati sakṛnnaraḥ sa naro muktimāpnoti viṣṇusāyujyamāpnuyāt

Whatever man beholds the Lord Shri Venkateshwara even once attains liberation, and obtains union (sayujya) with Vishnu.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.18.3)

दशवर्षैस्तु यत्पुण्यं क्रियते तु कृते युगे । त्रेतायामेकवर्षेण तत्पुण्यं साध्यते नृभिः ।

daśavarṣaistu yatpuṇyaṁ kriyate tu kṛte yuge tretāyāmekavarṣeṇa tatpuṇyaṁ sādhyate nṛbhiḥ

Whatever merit is accomplished in ten years in the Satya Yuga, that same merit men accomplish in a single year in the Treta Yuga,

Verse 4 (skanda.2.18.4)

द्वापरे पञ्चमासेन तद्दिनेन कलौ युगे । तत्फलं कोटिगुणितं निमिषेनिमिषे नृणाम् ।

dvāpare pañcamāsena taddinena kalau yuge tatphalaṁ koṭiguṇitaṁ nimiṣenimiṣe nṛṇām

in the Dvapara in five months, and in the Kali Yuga, in that same day. And that fruit becomes multiplied a million-fold for men, moment by moment,

Verse 5 (skanda.2.18.5)

निःसंदेहं भवेदेवं श्रीनिवासविलोकिनाम् । श्रीवेंकटेश्वरे देवे तीर्थानि सकलान्यपि ।

niḥsaṁdehaṁ bhavedevaṁ śrīnivāsavilokinām śrīveṁkaṭeśvare deve tīrthāni sakalānyapi

without doubt, for those who behold Srinivasa. Within the Lord Shri Venkateshwara there dwell all the tirthas as well,

Verse 6 (skanda.2.18.6)

विद्यन्ते सर्वदेवाश्च मुनयः पितरस्तथा । एककालं द्विकालं वा त्रिकालं सर्वदैव वा ।

vidyante sarvadevāśca munayaḥ pitarastathā ekakālaṁ dvikālaṁ vā trikālaṁ sarvadaiva vā

and all the gods, sages, and ancestors too. Those who, once, twice, thrice, or always,

Verse 7 (skanda.2.18.7)

ये स्मरन्ति महादेवं श्रीनिवासं विमुक्तिदम् । कीर्तयन्त्यथवा विप्रास्ते मुक्ताः पापपञ्जरात् ।

ye smaranti mahādevaṁ śrīnivāsaṁ vimuktidam kīrtayantyathavā viprāste muktāḥ pāpapañjarāt

remember or sing the praise of that great god, Srinivasa, giver of liberation, O brahmins, are freed from the cage of sin,

Verse 8 (skanda.2.18.8)

नारायणं परं देवं वेंकटेशं प्रयान्ति वै । पूजितं शङ्खराजेन सच्चिदानंदविग्रहम् ।

nārāyaṇaṁ paraṁ devaṁ veṁkaṭeśaṁ prayānti vai pūjitaṁ śaṅkharājena saccidānaṁdavigraham

and attain the supreme Lord Narayana Venkatesha, worshipped by King Shankha, whose very form is being, consciousness, and bliss.

Verse 9 (skanda.2.18.9)

तस्य स्मरणमात्रेण यमपीडाऽपि नो भवेत् । श्रीनिवासं महादेवं येऽर्चयंति सकृन्नराः ।

tasya smaraṇamātreṇa yamapīḍā'pi no bhavet śrīnivāsaṁ mahādevaṁ ye'rcayaṁti sakṛnnarāḥ

By his remembrance alone, even the torment of Yama does not touch a man. Those men who worship the great god Srinivasa even once—

Verse 10 (skanda.2.18.10)

किं दानैः किं व्रतैस्तेषां किं तपोभिः किमध्वरैः । वेंकटेशं परं देवं यो न चिन्तयति क्षणम् ।

kiṁ dānaiḥ kiṁ vrataisteṣāṁ kiṁ tapobhiḥ kimadhvaraiḥ veṁkaṭeśaṁ paraṁ devaṁ yo na cintayati kṣaṇam

what need have they of gifts, of vows, of austerities, or of sacrifices? But whoever does not meditate even for one moment upon the supreme Lord Venkatesha,

Verse 11 (skanda.2.18.11)

अज्ञानी स च पापी स्यात्स मूको बधिरस्तथा । स जडोऽन्धश्च विज्ञेयश्छिद्रं तस्य सदा भवेत् ।

ajñānī sa ca pāpī syātsa mūko badhirastathā sa jaḍo'ndhaśca vijñeyaśchidraṁ tasya sadā bhavet

is ignorant and sinful; he is dumb and deaf; he should be known as dull-witted and blind; he ever carries within himself a great flaw.

Verse 12 (skanda.2.18.12)

श्रीनिवासे महादेवे सकृद्दृष्टे मुनीश्वराः । किं काश्या गयया चैव प्रयागेनापि किं फलम् ।

śrīnivāse mahādeve sakṛddṛṣṭe munīśvarāḥ kiṁ kāśyā gayayā caiva prayāgenāpi kiṁ phalam

O lords among sages, having once beheld the great god Srinivasa, what further fruit remains to be gained from Kashi, from Gaya, or even from Prayaga?

Verse 13 (skanda.2.18.13)

दुर्लभं प्राप्य मानुष्यं मानवा इह भूतले । वेंकटेशं परं देवं ये पश्यन्त्यर्चयन्ति वा ।

durlabhaṁ prāpya mānuṣyaṁ mānavā iha bhūtale veṁkaṭeśaṁ paraṁ devaṁ ye paśyantyarcayanti vā

Having obtained the rare gift of a human birth upon this earth, those who behold the supreme Lord Venkatesha or worship him,

Verse 14 (skanda.2.18.14)

जन्म तेषां हि सफलं ते कृतार्थाश्च नेतरे । वेंकटेशे परे देवे दृष्टे वा पूजितेऽपि वा ।

janma teṣāṁ hi saphalaṁ te kṛtārthāśca netare veṁkaṭeśe pare deve dṛṣṭe vā pūjite'pi vā

their birth alone bears fruit, they alone have attained their purpose — no others. Once the supreme Lord Venkatesha has been beheld or worshipped,

Verse 15 (skanda.2.18.15)

शम्भुना ब्रह्मणा किं वा शक्रेणाप्यखिलामरैः । वेंकटेशे महादेवे भक्तियुक्ताश्च ये नराः ।

śambhunā brahmaṇā kiṁ vā śakreṇāpyakhilāmaraiḥ veṁkaṭeśe mahādeve bhaktiyuktāśca ye narāḥ

what further need is there even of Shambhu, of Brahma, of Indra, or of all the gods together? Those men who are filled with devotion to the great god Venkatesha,

Verse 16 (skanda.2.18.16)

तेषां प्रणामस्मरणपूजायुक्तास्तु ये नराः । न ते पश्यंति दुःखानि नैव यांति यमालयम् ।

teṣāṁ praṇāmasmaraṇapūjāyuktāstu ye narāḥ na te paśyaṁti duḥkhāni naiva yāṁti yamālayam

those men devoted to bowing before him, remembering him, and worshipping him, neither witness sorrow nor go to the abode of Yama.

Verse 17 (skanda.2.18.17)

ब्रह्महत्यासहस्राणि सुरापानायुतानि च । दृष्टे नारायणे देवे विलयं यांति कृत्स्नशः ।

brahmahatyāsahasrāṇi surāpānāyutāni ca dṛṣṭe nārāyaṇe deve vilayaṁ yāṁti kṛtsnaśaḥ

Thousands of acts of brahmin-slaying and ten thousand acts of drinking liquor — all these are entirely dissolved the moment the Lord Narayana is beheld.

Verse 18 (skanda.2.18.18)

ये वाञ्छंति सदा भोगं राज्यं च त्रिदशालये । वेंकटाद्रिनिवासं ते प्रणमन्तु सकृन्मुदा ।

ye vāñchaṁti sadā bhogaṁ rājyaṁ ca tridaśālaye veṁkaṭādrinivāsaṁ te praṇamantu sakṛnmudā

Even those who ever long for enjoyment and dominion in the abode of the gods should, with joy, bow even once to the dweller of Venkatadri.

Verse 19 (skanda.2.18.19)

यानि कानि च पापानि जन्मकोटिकृतानि च । तानि सर्वाणि नश्यन्ति वेंकटेश्वरदर्शनात् ।

yāni kāni ca pāpāni janmakoṭikṛtāni ca tāni sarvāṇi naśyanti veṁkaṭeśvaradarśanāt

Whatever sins have been committed across crores of births — all of them are destroyed by the sight of Venkateshwara.

Verse 20 (skanda.2.18.20)

संपर्कात्कौतुकाल्लोभाद्भयाद्वापि च संस्मरन् । वेंकटेशं महादेवं नेहामुत्र च दुःखभाक् ।

saṁparkātkautukāllobhādbhayādvāpi ca saṁsmaran veṁkaṭeśaṁ mahādevaṁ nehāmutra ca duḥkhabhāk

Whoever remembers the great god Venkatesha — whether through contact, curiosity, greed, or even fear — suffers no sorrow, neither in this world nor in the next.

Verse 21 (skanda.2.18.21)

वेंकटाचलदेवेशं कीर्तयन्नर्चयन्नपि । अवश्यं विष्णुसारूप्यं लभते नात्र संशयः ।

veṁkaṭācaladeveśaṁ kīrtayannarcayannapi avaśyaṁ viṣṇusārūpyaṁ labhate nātra saṁśayaḥ

Whoever sings the praise of or worships the Lord of Venkatachala without doubt attains the very form of Vishnu — of this there is no doubt.

Verse 22 (skanda.2.18.22)

यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुते क्षणात् । तथा पापानि सर्वाणि वेंकटेश्वरदर्शनम् ।

yathaidhāṁsi samiddho'gnirbhasmasātkurute kṣaṇāt tathā pāpāni sarvāṇi veṁkaṭeśvaradarśanam

Just as a blazing fire reduces fuel to ashes in an instant, so too does the sight of Venkateshwara [reduce] every sin [to ashes].

Verse 23 (skanda.2.18.23)

वेंकटेश्वरदेवस्य भक्तिरष्टविधा स्मृता । तद्भक्तजनवात्सल्यं तत्पूजापरितोषणम् ।

veṁkaṭeśvaradevasya bhaktiraṣṭavidhā smṛtā tadbhaktajanavātsalyaṁ tatpūjāparitoṣaṇam

Devotion to the Lord Venkateshwara is held to be of eight kinds — affection toward his devotees, contentment in his worship,

Verse 24 (skanda.2.18.24)

स्वयं तत्पूजनं भक्त्या तदर्थे देहचेष्टितम् । तन्माहात्म्यकथावांछाश्रवणेष्वादरस्तथा ।

svayaṁ tatpūjanaṁ bhaktyā tadarthe dehaceṣṭitam tanmāhātmyakathāvāṁchāśravaṇeṣvādarastathā

personally worshipping him with devotion, exerting one's own body in his service, a longing to hear the tales of his greatness and reverence in listening to them,

Verse 25 (skanda.2.18.25)

स्वरनेत्रशरीरेषु विकारस्फुरणं तथा । श्रीनिवासस्य देवस्य स्मरणं सततं तथा ।

svaranetraśarīreṣu vikārasphuraṇaṁ tathā śrīnivāsasya devasya smaraṇaṁ satataṁ tathā

the welling up of emotion visible in one's voice, eyes, and body, and the constant remembrance of the Lord Srinivasa,

Verse 26 (skanda.2.18.26)

वेंकटाद्रिनिवासं तमाश्रित्यैवोपजीवनम् । एवमष्टविधा भक्तिर्यस्मिन्म्लेच्छेऽपि वर्तते ।

veṁkaṭādrinivāsaṁ tamāśrityaivopajīvanam evamaṣṭavidhā bhaktiryasminmlecche'pi vartate

and living one's life taking refuge solely in that dweller of Venkatadri. This eightfold devotion, present in whomsoever it may be — even in one of low birth—

Verse 27 (skanda.2.18.27)

स एव मुक्तिमाप्नोति शौनकाद्या महौजसः । भक्त्या त्वनन्यया मुक्तिर्ब्रह्मज्ञानेन निश्चिता ।

sa eva muktimāpnoti śaunakādyā mahaujasaḥ bhaktyā tvananyayā muktirbrahmajñānena niścitā

even he attains liberation, O Shaunaka and you other mighty sages. Through unswerving devotion, and through the liberation ascertained by knowledge of Brahman,

Verse 28 (skanda.2.18.28)

वेदान्तशास्त्रश्रवणाद्यतीनामूर्ध्वरेतसाम् । सा च मुक्तिर्विना ज्ञानं वेदान्तश्रवणोद्भवम् । यत्याश्रमं विना विप्रा विरक्तिं च विना तथा ।

vedāntaśāstraśravaṇādyatīnāmūrdhvaretasām sā ca muktirvinā jñānaṁ vedāntaśravaṇodbhavam yatyāśramaṁ vinā viprā viraktiṁ ca vinā tathā

which comes to celibate renunciates through the hearing of the Vedanta scriptures — that liberation too, O brahmins, is hard to attain without the knowledge born of hearing the Vedanta, without the stage of renunciation, and without dispassion.

Verse 29 (skanda.2.18.29)

सर्वेषां चैव वर्णानामखिलाश्रमिणामपि । वेकटेश्वरदेवस्य दर्शनादेव केवलम् ।

sarveṣāṁ caiva varṇānāmakhilāśramiṇāmapi vekaṭeśvaradevasya darśanādeva kevalam

But for people of every social order and of every stage of life alike, merely from the sight of the Lord Venkateshwara alone,

Verse 30 (skanda.2.18.30)

अपुनर्भवदा मुक्तिर्भविष्यत्यविलंबितम् । कृमिकीटाश्च देवाश्च मुनयश्च तपोधनाः ।

apunarbhavadā muktirbhaviṣyatyavilaṁbitam kṛmikīṭāśca devāśca munayaśca tapodhanāḥ

liberation, free from rebirth, comes without any delay. Worms and insects, gods, and sages rich in austerity—

Verse 31 (skanda.2.18.31)

तुल्या वेंकटशैलेन्द्रे श्रीनिवासप्रसादतः । पापं कृतं मयानेकमिति मा क्रियतां भयम् ।

tulyā veṁkaṭaśailendre śrīnivāsaprasādataḥ pāpaṁ kṛtaṁ mayānekamiti mā kriyatāṁ bhayam

all become equal upon the mountain of Venkata by the grace of Srinivasa. Let no one fear, thinking, 'I have committed many sins,'

Verse 32 (skanda.2.18.32)

मा गर्वः क्रियतां पुण्यं मयाऽकारीति वा जनैः । वेंकटेशे महादेवे श्रीनिवासे विलोकिते ।

mā garvaḥ kriyatāṁ puṇyaṁ mayā'kārīti vā janaiḥ veṁkaṭeśe mahādeve śrīnivāse vilokite

nor let anyone take pride, thinking, 'I have earned merit.' Once the great god Venkatesha Srinivasa has been beheld,

Verse 33 (skanda.2.18.33)

न न्यूना नाधिकाश्च स्युः किन्तु सर्वे महाजनाः । वेंकटाख्ये महापुण्ये सर्वपातकनाशने ।

na nyūnā nādhikāśca syuḥ kintu sarve mahājanāḥ veṁkaṭākhye mahāpuṇye sarvapātakanāśane

none remains lesser, and none greater — rather, all become great alike. In that exceedingly meritorious place named Venkata, destroyer of every sin,

Verse 34 (skanda.2.18.34)

श्रीनिवासं परं देवं यः पश्यति सभक्तिकम् । न तेन तुल्यतामेति चतुर्वेद्यापि भूतले ।

śrīnivāsaṁ paraṁ devaṁ yaḥ paśyati sabhaktikam na tena tulyatāmeti caturvedyāpi bhūtale

whoever beholds the supreme Lord Srinivasa with devotion — not even a master of all four Vedas upon this earth can attain equality with him.

Verse 35 (skanda.2.18.35)

वेंकटेश्वरदेवेशं यः पूजयति भक्तितः । स कोटिकुलसंयुक्तः प्रयाति हरिमंदिरम् ।

veṁkaṭeśvaradeveśaṁ yaḥ pūjayati bhaktitaḥ sa koṭikulasaṁyuktaḥ prayāti harimaṁdiram

Whoever worships the Lord of gods, Venkateshwara, with devotion, attains, together with millions of his own family, the very abode of Hari.

Verse 36 (skanda.2.18.36)

श्रीनिवासाच्च न समं नाधिकं पुण्यमस्ति वै । वेंकटाद्रिनिवासं तं द्वेष्टि यो मोहमास्थितः ।

śrīnivāsācca na samaṁ nādhikaṁ puṇyamasti vai veṁkaṭādrinivāsaṁ taṁ dveṣṭi yo mohamāsthitaḥ

There is no merit equal to, or greater than, Srinivasa. Whoever, overcome by delusion, bears hatred toward that dweller of Venkatadri,

Verse 37 (skanda.2.18.37)

ब्रह्महत्यायुतं तेन कृतं नरककारणम् । तत्संभाषणमात्रेण मानवो नरकं व्रजेत् ।

brahmahatyāyutaṁ tena kṛtaṁ narakakāraṇam tatsaṁbhāṣaṇamātreṇa mānavo narakaṁ vrajet

brings upon himself a cause of hell equal to a thousand acts of brahmin-slaying; merely by conversing with him does a man go to hell.

Verse 38 (skanda.2.18.38)

श्रीनिवासपरा वेदाः श्रीनिवासपरा मखाः । श्रीनिवासपराः सर्वे तस्मादन्यन्न विद्यते ।

śrīnivāsaparā vedāḥ śrīnivāsaparā makhāḥ śrīnivāsaparāḥ sarve tasmādanyanna vidyate

The Vedas hold Srinivasa as their supreme goal; sacrifices hold Srinivasa as their supreme goal; all things hold Srinivasa as their supreme goal — there is nothing beyond him.

Verse 39 (skanda.2.18.39)

अन्यत्सर्वं परित्यज्य श्रीनिवासं समाश्रयेत् । सर्वयज्ञतपोदानतीर्थस्नाने तु यत्फलम् ।

anyatsarvaṁ parityajya śrīnivāsaṁ samāśrayet sarvayajñatapodānatīrthasnāne tu yatphalam

Forsaking all else, a man should take refuge in Srinivasa alone. Whatever fruit is obtained from every sacrifice, austerity, gift, and tirtha-bathing,

Verse 40 (skanda.2.18.40)

तत्फलं कोटिगुणितं श्रीनिवासस्य सेवया । वेंकटाद्रिनिवासं तं चिंतयन्घटिकाद्वयम् ।

tatphalaṁ koṭiguṇitaṁ śrīnivāsasya sevayā veṁkaṭādrinivāsaṁ taṁ ciṁtayanghaṭikādvayam

that fruit becomes multiplied a million-fold by the mere service of Srinivasa. Meditating upon that dweller of Venkatadri for even two ghatikas,

Verse 41 (skanda.2.18.41)

कुलैकविंशतिं धृत्वा विष्णुलोके महीयते । स्वामिपुष्करिणीतीर्थे स्नानं देवस्य दर्शनम् ।

kulaikaviṁśatiṁ dhṛtvā viṣṇuloke mahīyate svāmipuṣkariṇītīrthe snānaṁ devasya darśanam

a man delivers twenty-one generations of his lineage and is glorified in the world of Vishnu. If men can obtain bathing in the Swami Pushkarini tirtha together with the sight of the Lord,

Verse 42 (skanda.2.18.42)

यदि लभ्येत वै पुंसां किं गङ्गाजलसेवया । वेकटेशं परं देवं यः कदापि न पश्यति ।

yadi labhyeta vai puṁsāṁ kiṁ gaṅgājalasevayā vekaṭeśaṁ paraṁ devaṁ yaḥ kadāpi na paśyati

then what further need remains of serving the waters of the Ganga? Whoever never at any time beholds the supreme Lord Venkatesha,

Verse 43 (skanda.2.18.43)

संकरः स तु विज्ञेयो न पितुर्बीजसंभवः । तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन वेंकटेशो दयानिधिः ।

saṁkaraḥ sa tu vijñeyo na piturbījasaṁbhavaḥ tasmātsarvaprayatnena veṁkaṭeśo dayānidhiḥ

should be known as a mixed-caste offspring, not truly a son born of his own father's seed. Therefore, O brahmins, with every effort,

Verse 44 (skanda.2.18.44)

द्रष्टव्योऽतिप्रयत्नेन परलोकेच्छया द्विजाः । एवं वः कथितं विप्रा वेंकटेशस्य वैभवम् ।

draṣṭavyo'tiprayatnena paralokecchayā dvijāḥ evaṁ vaḥ kathitaṁ viprā veṁkaṭeśasya vaibhavam

desiring the world beyond, one should, with the utmost effort, seek the sight of Venkatesha, that treasure-house of compassion. Thus, O brahmins, have I told you this glory of Venkatesha.

Verse 45 (skanda.2.18.45)

यस्त्वेतच्छृणुयान्नित्यं पठते च सभक्तिकम् । स वै वेंकटनाथस्य सेवाफलमवाप्नुयात् ।

yastvetacchṛṇuyānnityaṁ paṭhate ca sabhaktikam sa vai veṁkaṭanāthasya sevāphalamavāpnuyāt

Whoever ever hears and recites this with devotion obtains the very fruit of service to the Lord of Venkata.