The Virtues of King Uparichara Vasu

Verse 1 (skanda.2.194.1)

स्कन्द उवाच । आसीद्राजोपरिचरो वसुनामा पुरा मुने । भूभर्त्तुरायोस्तनयः ख्यातश्चासावमावसुः । आखण्डलसखो भक्तिं प्राप्तो नारायणे प्रभौ

skanda uvāca āsīdrājoparicaro vasunāmā purā mune bhūbhartturāyostanayaḥ khyātaścāsāvamāvasuḥ ākhaṇḍalasakho bhaktiṁ prāpto nārāyaṇe prabhau

Skanda said: O sage, there once lived a king named Uparichara Vasu, son of Ayu the protector of the earth, renowned also as Amavasu, a friend of Indra — he attained devotion to the Lord Narayana.

Verse 2 (skanda.2.194.2)

धार्मिकः पितृभक्तश्च पितॄन्देवांश्च तर्पयन् । सदाचाररतो दक्षः क्षमावाननसूयकः

dhārmikaḥ pitṛbhaktaśca pitṝndevāṁśca tarpayan sadācārarato dakṣaḥ kṣamāvānanasūyakaḥ

Righteous, devoted to his ancestors, offering libations to ancestors and gods; devoted to good conduct, capable, forbearing, and free from envy.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.194.3)

सर्वोपकारकः शान्तो ब्रह्मचर्यरतः शुचिः । अक्रोधनश्च मितभुङ्मृदुर्निर्व्यसनो मुनिः

sarvopakārakaḥ śānto brahmacaryarataḥ śuciḥ akrodhanaśca mitabhuṅmṛdurnirvyasano muniḥ

Benefactor to all, peaceful, devoted to celibacy, pure; free from anger, moderate in eating, gentle, and free from vice — a sage among kings.

Verse 4 (skanda.2.194.4)

निर्द्वन्द्वो निर्विकारश्च निर्मानो धीर आत्मवित् । निर्द्दम्भो मानदो योगी तपस्वी विजितेन्द्रियः

nirdvandvo nirvikāraśca nirmāno dhīra ātmavit nirddambho mānado yogī tapasvī vijitendriyaḥ

Free from the pairs of opposites, unchanging, free from pride, steady, a knower of the Self; free of hypocrisy, respectful to others, a yogi, an ascetic, one who had conquered his senses.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.194.5)

धनपुत्रकलत्रेषु विरक्तः स्वजनादिषु । नारायणमनुं भक्त्या स जजापान्वहं नृपः

dhanaputrakalatreṣu viraktaḥ svajanādiṣu nārāyaṇamanuṁ bhaktyā sa jajāpānvahaṁ nṛpaḥ

Detached from wealth, sons, wife, kinsmen and the rest, that king recited the mantra of Narayana daily, with devotion.

Verse 6 (skanda.2.194.6)

तस्मै तुष्टोऽथ भगवान्वासुदेवः स्वयं ददौ । साम्राज्यं सोऽथ नासक्तस्तत्र भेजे तमादरात्

tasmai tuṣṭo'tha bhagavānvāsudevaḥ svayaṁ dadau sāmrājyaṁ so'tha nāsaktastatra bheje tamādarāt

Then the Blessed Vasudeva, pleased with him, himself gave him an empire; yet, unattached to it, he continued to serve the Lord there with reverence.

Verse 7 (skanda.2.194.7)

तत्रोक्तेन विधानेन पञ्चकालसमाहितः । पूजयामास देवेशं तच्छेषेण सुरान्पितॄन्

tatroktena vidhānena pañcakālasamāhitaḥ pūjayāmāsa deveśaṁ taccheṣeṇa surānpitṝn

There, following the prescribed procedure, observant of the five daily times of worship, he worshipped the Lord of gods, and with what remained of the offering, the gods and ancestors.

Verse 8 (skanda.2.194.8)

तेषां शेषेण विप्राश्च संविभज्याश्रितांश्च सः । शेषान्नभुक्सत्यपरः सर्वभूतेष्वहिंसकः

teṣāṁ śeṣeṇa viprāśca saṁvibhajyāśritāṁśca saḥ śeṣānnabhuksatyaparaḥ sarvabhūteṣvahiṁsakaḥ

With what remained from that, he shared with brahmins and dependents, himself eating only the leftover food; devoted to truth, and non-violent toward all beings.

Verse 9 (skanda.2.194.9)

भक्षणे दोषमविदत्प्राणिमात्रामिषस्य तु । महापातकवद्राजा स्वप्रजाश्च तथाऽवदत्

bhakṣaṇe doṣamavidatprāṇimātrāmiṣasya tu mahāpātakavadrājā svaprajāśca tathā'vadat

The king considered the eating of the flesh of any living being at all to be a fault equal to a great sin, and he taught his subjects likewise.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.194.10)

सर्वभावेन भेजेऽसौ देवदेवं जनार्दनम् । अनादिमध्यनिधनं लोककर्त्तारमव्ययम्

sarvabhāvena bheje'sau devadevaṁ janārdanam anādimadhyanidhanaṁ lokakarttāramavyayam

With his whole being he worshipped Janardana, the God of gods, who is without beginning, middle, or end, the imperishable creator of the worlds.

Verse 11 (skanda.2.194.11)

श्रीवासुदेवपदयोः स चकार मनः स्थिरम् । श्रोत्रे च नित्यं भगवत्कथायाः श्रवणे नृपः

śrīvāsudevapadayoḥ sa cakāra manaḥ sthiram śrotre ca nityaṁ bhagavatkathāyāḥ śravaṇe nṛpaḥ

That king fixed his mind steadily upon the feet of Shri Vasudeva, and ever devoted his ears to the hearing of the Lord's stories.

Verse 12 (skanda.2.194.12)

नयने स्वे मुकुन्दस्य तद्भक्तानां च दर्शने । गुणगाने हरेर्वाणीं चक्रे भूमिपतिः स तु

nayane sve mukundasya tadbhaktānāṁ ca darśane guṇagāne harervāṇīṁ cakre bhūmipatiḥ sa tu

That lord of the earth devoted his own eyes to the sight of Mukunda and of His devotees, and his speech to the singing of Hari's glories.

Verse 13 (skanda.2.194.13)

नारायणांघ्रिसंस्पृष्ट तुलसीपुष्पसौरभे । प्राणं चकार च नृपो नान्यगन्धेषु कर्हिचित्

nārāyaṇāṁghrisaṁspṛṣṭa tulasīpuṣpasaurabhe prāṇaṁ cakāra ca nṛpo nānyagandheṣu karhicit

The king devoted his sense of smell to the fragrance of the tulasi flowers that had touched the feet of Narayana, never to any other scent.

Verse 14 (skanda.2.194.14)

श्रीशोपभुक्तवस्त्रादि स्पर्शने च त्वचं निजाम् । चकार रसनामन्ने नारायणनिवेदिते

śrīśopabhuktavastrādi sparśane ca tvacaṁ nijām cakāra rasanāmanne nārāyaṇanivedite

He devoted his sense of touch to the touching of garments and other things once used by the Lord of Shri, and his sense of taste to food that had been offered to Narayana.

Verse 15 (skanda.2.194.15)

भगवन्मन्दिरक्षेत्रसदन्तिकगतौतथा । चकार चरणौ राजा सेवायां च करौ हरेः

bhagavanmandirakṣetrasadantikagatautathā cakāra caraṇau rājā sevāyāṁ ca karau hareḥ

The king devoted his feet to going to the Lord's temple, sacred field, and the assembly near Him, and his hands to the service of Hari.

Verse 16 (skanda.2.194.16)

उत्तमांगं च चक्रेऽसौ विष्णुपादाभिवन्दने । सख्यं चकार परमं महाभागवतेषु सः

uttamāṁgaṁ ca cakre'sau viṣṇupādābhivandane sakhyaṁ cakāra paramaṁ mahābhāgavateṣu saḥ

He devoted his head to bowing before the feet of Vishnu, and he formed supreme friendship with the great devotees of the Lord.

Verse 17 (skanda.2.194.17)

एकोपि न क्षणस्तस्य विना भक्तिं रमापतेः । जगाम किल राजर्षेस्तदीय व्रतचारिणः

ekopi na kṣaṇastasya vinā bhaktiṁ ramāpateḥ jagāma kila rājarṣestadīya vratacāriṇaḥ

Not even a single moment of that royal sage, faithful to his vow, ever passed without devotion to the Lord of Lakshmi.

Verse 18 (skanda.2.194.18)

महद्भिरेव संभारैर्विष्णोर्ज्जन्मदिनोत्सवान् । चक्रे तदर्थमुद्यानमंदिरोपवनानि च

mahadbhireva saṁbhārairviṣṇorjjanmadinotsavān cakre tadarthamudyānamaṁdiropavanāni ca

With great abundance of resources, he celebrated the festivals of Vishnu's birthday, and for that purpose built gardens, temples, and groves.

Verse 19 (skanda.2.194.19)

इत्थं नारायणे भक्तिं वहतो ब्राह्मणोत्तम । एकशय्यासनं तस्य दत्तवान्देवराट् स्वयम्

itthaṁ nārāyaṇe bhaktiṁ vahato brāhmaṇottama ekaśayyāsanaṁ tasya dattavāndevarāṭ svayam

O best of brahmins, to him who thus bore such devotion to Narayana, the king of the gods himself gave a shared couch and seat.

Verse 20 (skanda.2.194.20)

वैजयन्तीं ददौ मालां तस्मा इन्द्रोऽतिशोभनाम् । अम्लानपङ्कजमयीं तथा रत्नानि भूरिशः

vaijayantīṁ dadau mālāṁ tasmā indro'tiśobhanām amlānapaṅkajamayīṁ tathā ratnāni bhūriśaḥ

Indra gave him the exceedingly beautiful Vaijayanti garland, made of unfading lotuses, and also jewels in abundance.

Verse 21 (skanda.2.194.21)

आत्मा राज्यं धनं चैव कलत्रं वाहनादि च । यत्तद्भगवतः सर्वमिति तत्प्रेक्षितं सदा

ātmā rājyaṁ dhanaṁ caiva kalatraṁ vāhanādi ca yattadbhagavataḥ sarvamiti tatprekṣitaṁ sadā

His own self, his kingdom, his wealth, his wife, his vehicles and the rest — all of these he always regarded as belonging entirely to the Lord.

Verse 22 (skanda.2.194.22)

काम्या नैमित्तिकाजस्रं यज्ञियाः परमाः क्रियाः । सर्वाः सात्वतमास्थाय विधिं चक्रे समाहितः

kāmyā naimittikājasraṁ yajñiyāḥ paramāḥ kriyāḥ sarvāḥ sātvatamāsthāya vidhiṁ cakre samāhitaḥ

Desire-motivated rites, occasional rites, and the great sacrificial acts continually performed — all of these he carried out with focused attention, following the Sattvata (Pancharatra) procedure.

Verse 23 (skanda.2.194.23)

पञ्चरात्रविदो मुख्यास्तस्य गेहे महात्मनः । प्रायणं भगवत्प्रत्तं भुञ्जतेस्माग्रतो द्विजाः

pañcarātravido mukhyāstasya gehe mahātmanaḥ prāyaṇaṁ bhagavatprattaṁ bhuñjatesmāgrato dvijāḥ

In the house of that great-souled king, the foremost knowers of the Pancharatra scripture would eat, in his presence, the food that was the Lord's offered remnant.

Verse 24 (skanda.2.194.24)

तस्य प्रशासतो राज्यं धर्मेणाऽमित्रघातिनः । नानृता वाक्समभवन्मनो दुष्टं न चाऽभवत् । न च कायेन कृतवान्स पापं परमण्वपि

tasya praśāsato rājyaṁ dharmeṇā'mitraghātinaḥ nānṛtā vāksamabhavanmano duṣṭaṁ na cā'bhavat na ca kāyena kṛtavānsa pāpaṁ paramaṇvapi

While he, the slayer of enemies, ruled his kingdom righteously, no false speech arose, nor any wicked mind, nor did he himself commit even the slightest sin with his body.

Verse 25 (skanda.2.194.25)

पञ्चरात्रं महातन्त्रं भगवद्भक्तिपुष्टये । शुश्रावानुदिनं राजा भगवद्भक्तवक्त्रतः

pañcarātraṁ mahātantraṁ bhagavadbhaktipuṣṭaye śuśrāvānudinaṁ rājā bhagavadbhaktavaktrataḥ

The king daily heard the great scripture of the Pancharatra, meant for the nourishing of devotion to the Lord, from the mouths of the Lord's devotees.

Verse 26 (skanda.2.194.26)

धर्मं संस्थापयञ्छुद्धं रञ्जयन्सकलाः प्रजाः । पालयामास पृथिवीं दिवमाखण्डलो यथा

dharmaṁ saṁsthāpayañchuddhaṁ rañjayansakalāḥ prajāḥ pālayāmāsa pṛthivīṁ divamākhaṇḍalo yathā

Establishing pure dharma and delighting all his subjects, he protected the earth just as Indra protects heaven.

Verse 27 (skanda.2.194.27)

अपि सप्तविधस्तस्य राज्ये पललभक्षकः । पुमान्कोप्यभवन्नैव न च पाषण्डवेषिणः

api saptavidhastasya rājye palalabhakṣakaḥ pumānkopyabhavannaiva na ca pāṣaṇḍaveṣiṇaḥ

In his kingdom there was not even a single man who ate flesh of any of its seven kinds, nor any who wore the guise of heretics.

Verse 28 (skanda.2.194.28)

असाध्यो योषितश्चैव पुरुषाः पारदारिकाः । न श्रुतास्तस्य राज्ये च धर्मसंकरकारिणः

asādhyo yoṣitaścaiva puruṣāḥ pāradārikāḥ na śrutāstasya rājye ca dharmasaṁkarakāriṇaḥ

Neither unchaste women, nor men who violated others' wives, nor those who caused the confusion of dharma, were ever heard of in his kingdom.

Verse 29 (skanda.2.194.29)

एकादशविधं मद्यं त्रिविधां च सुरामपि । नाजिघ्रदपि कोपीह तस्मिन्राज्यं प्रशासति

ekādaśavidhaṁ madyaṁ trividhāṁ ca surāmapi nājighradapi kopīha tasminrājyaṁ praśāsati

While he ruled that kingdom, no one there so much as smelled any of the eleven kinds of liquor, nor the three kinds of intoxicating drink.

Verse 30 (skanda.2.194.30)

एवंगुणः स तु क्वापि पक्षपाताद्दिवौकसाम् । मिथ्यालापाद्दिवो भ्रष्टः प्रविवेश महीतलम्

evaṁguṇaḥ sa tu kvāpi pakṣapātāddivaukasām mithyālāpāddivo bhraṣṭaḥ praviveśa mahītalam

He, of such virtues, once, through the partiality of the celestial gods, on account of a false statement, fell from heaven and entered beneath the earth.

Verse 31 (skanda.2.194.31)

अन्तर्भूमिगतश्चासौ सततं धर्मवत्सलः । नारायणपरो भूत्वा तन्मंत्रमजपत्स्थिरः

antarbhūmigataścāsau satataṁ dharmavatsalaḥ nārāyaṇaparo bhūtvā tanmaṁtramajapatsthiraḥ

Having gone beneath the earth, he, ever devoted to dharma, becoming wholly devoted to Narayana, steadily recited His mantra.

Verse 32 (skanda.2.194.32)

तस्यैव च प्रसादेन पुनरेवोत्थितस्तु सः । दिवं प्राप्य सुखं तत्र मनोभीष्टं समन्वभूत्

tasyaiva ca prasādena punarevotthitastu saḥ divaṁ prāpya sukhaṁ tatra manobhīṣṭaṁ samanvabhūt

And by the grace of that very Lord, he rose again, and having attained heaven, enjoyed there the happiness his heart desired.

Verse 33 (skanda.2.194.33)

पुनश्चेदिपतिर्भूत्वा भुव्यसौ पितृशापतः । पञ्चरात्रोक्तविधिना भेजे हरिमतन्द्रितः

punaścedipatirbhūtvā bhuvyasau pitṛśāpataḥ pañcarātroktavidhinā bheje harimatandritaḥ

Then, having become once more the lord of the Chedis on earth, through a father's curse, he worshipped Hari tirelessly according to the procedure declared in the Pancharatra.

Verse 34 (skanda.2.194.34)

स्वर्गलोकं ततः प्रापद्दिव्यदेहेन भूपतिः । उपासनां च तत्रत्यैः परमर्षिगणैः सह

svargalokaṁ tataḥ prāpaddivyadehena bhūpatiḥ upāsanāṁ ca tatratyaiḥ paramarṣigaṇaiḥ saha

That lord of the earth then attained the heavenly world with a divine body, and continued his worship there together with the assembled great sages residing there.

Verse 35 (skanda.2.194.35)

दृढीकुर्वन्भगवतः कञ्चित्कालमुवास तत् । परं पदमथ प्रापद्वासुदेवस्य निर्भयम्

dṛḍhīkurvanbhagavataḥ kañcitkālamuvāsa tat paraṁ padamatha prāpadvāsudevasya nirbhayam

Confirming his devotion to the Lord, he dwelt there for some time, and then attained the fearless, supreme abode of Vasudeva.