The Liberation of Uparichara Vasu

Verse 1 (skanda.2.196.1)

स्कन्द उवाच । भूमध्यगः स राजाऽथ स्वकृतं कर्म गर्हयन् । अनुतप्यमानश्च भृशं मानयंस्ताबृहन्मुनीन् । जजाप भगवन्मन्त्रं त्र्यक्षरं मनसा सदा

skanda uvāca bhūmadhyagaḥ sa rājā'tha svakṛtaṁ karma garhayan anutapyamānaśca bhṛśaṁ mānayaṁstābṛhanmunīn jajāpa bhagavanmantraṁ tryakṣaraṁ manasā sadā

Skanda said: That king, having gone into the midst of the earth, condemning his own deed, greatly repenting, and honoring those great sages in his mind, ever recited the Lord's three-syllabled mantra silently.

Verse 2 (skanda.2.196.2)

तत्रापि परया भक्त्या पञ्चकालं स्वचेतसा । अयजद्धरिं सुरपतिं भूमेर्विवर आदरात्

tatrāpi parayā bhaktyā pañcakālaṁ svacetasā ayajaddhariṁ surapatiṁ bhūmervivara ādarāt

There too, in that chasm of the earth, with supreme devotion, at the five daily times, with his own mind, he worshipped Hari, Lord of the gods, with reverence.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.196.3)

ततोऽस्य तुष्टो भगवान्वासुदेवो जगत्पतिः । आपद्यपि यथाकालं यथाशास्त्रं स्वमर्चतः

tato'sya tuṣṭo bhagavānvāsudevo jagatpatiḥ āpadyapi yathākālaṁ yathāśāstraṁ svamarcataḥ

Then the Blessed Vasudeva, Lord of the universe, was pleased with him, who, even in calamity, worshipped Him at the proper time and according to scripture.

Verse 4 (skanda.2.196.4)

वरदो भगवान्विष्णुः समीपस्थं द्विजोत्तमम् । गरुत्मन्तं महावेगमाबभाषे स्वयं ततः

varado bhagavānviṣṇuḥ samīpasthaṁ dvijottamam garutmantaṁ mahāvegamābabhāṣe svayaṁ tataḥ

Then the boon-giving Lord Vishnu himself spoke to Garuda, best of birds, who stood nearby, swift with great speed.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.196.5)

श्रीभगवानुवाच । द्विजोत्तम महाभाग गम्यतां वचनान्मम । सम्राड्राजा वसुर्नाम धर्मात्मा मां समाश्रितः

śrībhagavānuvāca dvijottama mahābhāga gamyatāṁ vacanānmama samrāḍrājā vasurnāma dharmātmā māṁ samāśritaḥ

Shri Bhagavan said: O best of birds, most fortunate one, go at my word; there is an emperor named Vasu, a righteous soul, who has taken refuge in me.

Verse 6 (skanda.2.196.6)

ब्रह्मातिक्रमदोषेण प्रविष्टो वसुधातलम् । तन्मानना कृता तेन तद्गच्छाद्य तदन्तिकम्

brahmātikramadoṣeṇa praviṣṭo vasudhātalam tanmānanā kṛtā tena tadgacchādya tadantikam

Through the fault of transgressing what the sages had declared, he has entered into the depths of the earth. He has since made due amends; go now to his presence.

Verse 7 (skanda.2.196.7)

भूमेर्विवरसंगुप्तं गरुडैनं ममाज्ञया । अधश्चरं नृपश्रेष्ठं खेचरं कुरु मा चिरम्

bhūmervivarasaṁguptaṁ garuḍainaṁ mamājñayā adhaścaraṁ nṛpaśreṣṭhaṁ khecaraṁ kuru mā ciram

O Garuda, by my command, make this best of kings — hidden in the chasm of the earth, moving below — one who moves in the sky; do not delay.

Verse 8 (skanda.2.196.8)

स्कन्द उवाच । गरुत्मानथ विक्षिप्य पक्षौ मारुतवेगवान् । विवेश विवरं भूम्या यत्रास्ते वाग्यतो वसुः

skanda uvāca garutmānatha vikṣipya pakṣau mārutavegavān viveśa vivaraṁ bhūmyā yatrāste vāgyato vasuḥ

Skanda said: Then Garuda, swift as the wind, spreading his wings, entered the chasm of the earth where Vasu remained, his speech restrained in silent recitation.

Verse 9 (skanda.2.196.9)

तत एनं समुत्क्षिप्य स्वचञ्च्वा विनता सुतः । उत्पपात नभस्तूर्णं तत्र चैनममुञ्चत

tata enaṁ samutkṣipya svacañcvā vinatā sutaḥ utpapāta nabhastūrṇaṁ tatra cainamamuñcata

Then the son of Vinata, lifting him up with his own beak, swiftly flew up into the sky, and released him there.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.196.10)

तस्मिन्मुहूर्त्ते संजज्ञे राजोपरिचरः पुनः । सशरीरो गतः स्वर्गं परमं सुखमाप्तवान्

tasminmuhūrtte saṁjajñe rājoparicaraḥ punaḥ saśarīro gataḥ svargaṁ paramaṁ sukhamāptavān

In that very moment, King Uparichara was restored, and, with his body, went to heaven, attaining supreme happiness.

Verse 11 (skanda.2.196.11)

एवं तेनापि ब्रह्मर्षे वाग्दोषात्सदवज्ञया । प्राप्ता गतिरयज्वार्हा धर्मज्ञेन महात्मना

evaṁ tenāpi brahmarṣe vāgdoṣātsadavajñayā prāptā gatirayajvārhā dharmajñena mahātmanā

Thus, O brahmin sage, that great soul and knower of dharma, though he incurred a fault of speech born of disregard for the virtuous, nonetheless in the end attained such an exalted destiny.

Verse 12 (skanda.2.196.12)

केवलं पुरुषस्तेन सेवितो हरिरीश्वरः । ततः शीघ्रं जहौ पापं स्वर्गलोकमवाप च

kevalaṁ puruṣastena sevito harirīśvaraḥ tataḥ śīghraṁ jahau pāpaṁ svargalokamavāpa ca

Solely because he had served that Supreme Person, Hari, the Lord, he quickly cast off his sin and attained the heavenly world.

Verse 13 (skanda.2.196.13)

भुञ्जानो विविधं सौख्यं मनोभीष्टं च तत्र सः । उवासान्यो यथा शक्रो गीयमानयशाः सुरैः

bhuñjāno vividhaṁ saukhyaṁ manobhīṣṭaṁ ca tatra saḥ uvāsānyo yathā śakro gīyamānayaśāḥ suraiḥ

Enjoying various pleasures desired by his heart, he dwelt there like another Indra, his fame sung by the gods.

Verse 14 (skanda.2.196.14)

तमेकदा विमानेन चरन्तं सूर्यसन्निभम् । अद्रिकाप्सरसा युक्तमच्छोदा समवैक्षत

tamekadā vimānena carantaṁ sūryasannibham adrikāpsarasā yuktamacchodā samavaikṣata

Once, as he moved about in a celestial chariot resembling the sun, accompanied there by the apsara Adrika, Achhoda beheld him.

Verse 15 (skanda.2.196.15)

सा हि सोमपदस्थानां पितॄणां मानसी सुता । अग्निष्वात्ताभिधानानाममूर्त्तानां महात्मनाम्

sā hi somapadasthānāṁ pitṝṇāṁ mānasī sutā agniṣvāttābhidhānānāmamūrttānāṁ mahātmanām

For she was the mind-born daughter of the Pitrs called Agnishvatta, great souls abiding in the realm of Soma, who are without form.

Verse 16 (skanda.2.196.16)

अमूर्त्तत्वात्पितॄन्स्वान्सा न जानन्ती शुचिस्मिता । तं वसुं पितरं मेने स च तामात्मजामिव

amūrttatvātpitṝnsvānsā na jānantī śucismitā taṁ vasuṁ pitaraṁ mene sa ca tāmātmajāmiva

Because of their formlessness, she, of pure smile, not recognizing her own fathers, took that Vasu to be her father; and he, in turn, took her to be like his own daughter.

Verse 17 (skanda.2.196.17)

तौ ततः पितरः शेपुर्भावं दृष्ट्वेदृशं तयोः । कन्ये त्वमस्य नृपतेर्भुवि कन्या भविष्यसि

tau tataḥ pitaraḥ śepurbhāvaṁ dṛṣṭvedṛśaṁ tayoḥ kanye tvamasya nṛpaterbhuvi kanyā bhaviṣyasi

Then the Pitrs, seeing such a disposition between the two, cursed them: 'O maiden, you shall become the daughter of this king on earth.'

Verse 18 (skanda.2.196.18)

वसो त्वं मानुषो भूत्वा सुतामेनां स्वयोषिति । अस्यामेवाप्सरायां त्वं जनयिष्यसि निश्चितम्

vaso tvaṁ mānuṣo bhūtvā sutāmenāṁ svayoṣiti asyāmevāpsarāyāṁ tvaṁ janayiṣyasi niścitam

And, O Vasu, having become a man, through this very apsara, who shall become your own wife, you shall surely beget this girl as a daughter.

Verse 19 (skanda.2.196.19)

इत्थं तौ पितृभिः शप्तौ शापमोक्षाय तास्ततः । प्रार्थयामासतुर्न्नत्वा तदोचुस्ते कृपालवः

itthaṁ tau pitṛbhiḥ śaptau śāpamokṣāya tāstataḥ prārthayāmāsaturnnatvā tadocuste kṛpālavaḥ

Thus cursed by the Pitrs, the two of them then, bowing down, entreated them for release from the curse; then those compassionate ones spoke.

Verse 20 (skanda.2.196.20)

अवश्यमित्थं भावित्वाद्युवाभ्यामुपलम्भितः । शापोऽयं तत्र युवयोः श्रेय एव भविष्यति

avaśyamitthaṁ bhāvitvādyuvābhyāmupalambhitaḥ śāpo'yaṁ tatra yuvayoḥ śreya eva bhaviṣyati

Since this was bound to happen in any case, and has now befallen you two — this curse shall indeed prove to be a blessing for you both.

Verse 21 (skanda.2.196.21)

अष्टाविंशे द्वापरे तु वसो त्वं भुवि भूपतेः । कृतयज्ञस्य तनयो भवितासि महात्मनः

aṣṭāviṁśe dvāpare tu vaso tvaṁ bhuvi bhūpateḥ kṛtayajñasya tanayo bhavitāsi mahātmanaḥ

But, O Vasu, in the twenty-eighth Dvapara age, you shall be born on earth as the son of the great-souled King Kritayajna.

Verse 22 (skanda.2.196.22)

तत्रापि च यथेदानीं तथा त्वं सकलैर्गुणैः । जुष्टश्च खचरो भाव्यो महाभागवताग्रणीः

tatrāpi ca yathedānīṁ tathā tvaṁ sakalairguṇaiḥ juṣṭaśca khacaro bhāvyo mahābhāgavatāgraṇīḥ

And there too, endowed with all virtues just as now, you shall become a sky-traveler, foremost among the great devotees.

Verse 23 (skanda.2.196.23)

पञ्चरात्रोक्तविधिना विष्णुमभ्यर्च्य भक्तितः । तच्छेषेण सुरांश्चास्मानर्चयिष्यसि सप्रजः

pañcarātroktavidhinā viṣṇumabhyarcya bhaktitaḥ taccheṣeṇa surāṁścāsmānarcayiṣyasi saprajaḥ

Having worshipped Vishnu with devotion according to the procedure declared in the Pancharatra, and with what remains of that, together with your offspring, you shall worship the gods and us.

Verse 24 (skanda.2.196.24)

ततस्त्वं दिव्यदेहेन स्वर्गलोकमवाप्स्यसि । दिव्यान्भोगांस्तत्र भुक्त्वा प्राप्स्यसे वैष्णवं पदम्

tatastvaṁ divyadehena svargalokamavāpsyasi divyānbhogāṁstatra bhuktvā prāpsyase vaiṣṇavaṁ padam

Then, with a divine body, you shall attain the heavenly world; having enjoyed divine pleasures there, you shall attain the Vaishnava abode.

Verse 25 (skanda.2.196.25)

अच्छोदे त्वमपि क्षोण्यां नाम्ना कालीति विश्रुता । स्वांशेन मत्स्यदेहायामद्रिकायां जनिष्यसे

acchode tvamapi kṣoṇyāṁ nāmnā kālīti viśrutā svāṁśena matsyadehāyāmadrikāyāṁ janiṣyase

O Achhoda, you too shall be born on earth, renowned by the name Kali, through your own partial essence, in the fish-bodied Adrika.

Verse 26 (skanda.2.196.26)

पराशरात्तत्र सुतं कन्येव प्राप्स्यसे हरिम् । प्रसादादेव तस्य त्वं भुक्तिं मुक्तिं च लप्स्यसे

parāśarāttatra sutaṁ kanyeva prāpsyase harim prasādādeva tasya tvaṁ bhuktiṁ muktiṁ ca lapsyase

There, while still a maiden, you shall obtain from Parashara a son who is Hari himself; and by his grace alone you shall attain both enjoyment and liberation.

Verse 27 (skanda.2.196.27)

स्कन्द उवाच । इत्थं स पितृभिः शप्तोऽनुगृहीतश्च भूपतिः । कृतयज्ञादिह जनिं प्राप्याऽभूद्विश्रुतो गुणैः

skanda uvāca itthaṁ sa pitṛbhiḥ śapto'nugṛhītaśca bhūpatiḥ kṛtayajñādiha janiṁ prāpyā'bhūdviśruto guṇaiḥ

Skanda said: Thus that king, both cursed and blessed by the Pitrs, having attained birth here from Kritayajna, became renowned for his virtues.

Verse 28 (skanda.2.196.28)

यथा पूर्वं कृष्णभक्तो दैवपित्र्यविधानवित् । सख्ये तस्मै महेन्द्रश्च प्रादात्प्रचुरसंपदः

yathā pūrvaṁ kṛṣṇabhakto daivapitryavidhānavit sakhye tasmai mahendraśca prādātpracurasaṁpadaḥ

Just as before, he was a devotee of Krishna, a knower of the procedures for gods and ancestors; and Mahendra, out of friendship, gave him abundant riches.

Verse 29 (skanda.2.196.29)

श्वेतद्वीपे वासुदेवात्प्राप्तो यो विजयध्वजः । पुरा स्वेनारिनाशार्थं तस्मा इन्द्रस्तमप्यदात्

śvetadvīpe vāsudevātprāpto yo vijayadhvajaḥ purā svenārināśārthaṁ tasmā indrastamapyadāt

That banner of victory which he had formerly received from Vasudeva in Shvetadvipa for the destruction of his enemies — that same banner Indra also gave to him.

Verse 30 (skanda.2.196.30)

अन्तरिक्षगती राजा भौमान्भोगान्सुदुर्लभान् । भुक्त्वान्ते स्वर्गलोकं च दिव्यदेहेन लब्धवान्

antarikṣagatī rājā bhaumānbhogānsudurlabhān bhuktvānte svargalokaṁ ca divyadehena labdhavān

The king, traveling through the sky, having enjoyed earthly pleasures very hard to attain, at the end obtained the heavenly world with a divine body.

Verse 31 (skanda.2.196.31)

प्राक्पुण्यशेषस्य फलं भुञ्जन्स्वमनसेप्सितान् । तत्र भोगान्बहुविधांस्तीव्रं वैराग्यमाप्तवान्

prākpuṇyaśeṣasya phalaṁ bhuñjansvamanasepsitān tatra bhogānbahuvidhāṁstīvraṁ vairāgyamāptavān

Enjoying the fruit of his remaining merit, and pleasures of many kinds desired by his own mind, he there nonetheless attained intense dispassion.

Verse 32 (skanda.2.196.32)

मेरोः शृङ्गेऽथ विजने शुचिः कृतदृढासनः । दध्यौ स्वहृदयाम्भोजे स्वेष्टदेवं रमापतिम्

meroḥ śṛṅge'tha vijane śuciḥ kṛtadṛḍhāsanaḥ dadhyau svahṛdayāmbhoje sveṣṭadevaṁ ramāpatim

Then, on a solitary peak of Meru, pure, having taken a firm seat, he meditated on his chosen deity, the Lord of Lakshmi, within the lotus of his own heart.

Verse 33 (skanda.2.196.33)

त्यक्त्वा देववपुः सोऽथ योगधारणया मुनिः । ततः सूक्ष्मशरीरेण प्राप भास्करमण्डलम् । यदाहुर्नैष्ठिकानां च मुक्तिद्वारं हि योगिनाम्

tyaktvā devavapuḥ so'tha yogadhāraṇayā muniḥ tataḥ sūkṣmaśarīreṇa prāpa bhāskaramaṇḍalam yadāhurnaiṣṭhikānāṁ ca muktidvāraṁ hi yoginām

Then that sage, abandoning his divine body through the power of yogic concentration, attained thereafter, with a subtle body, the orb of the sun — which is said to be the gateway to liberation for lifelong celibates and yogis.

Verse 34 (skanda.2.196.34)

तत्तेजोदग्धसूक्ष्माङ्गः सच्चिदूपोऽतिनिर्मलः । स बभूव महाभागः संक्षीणाशेषवासनः

tattejodagdhasūkṣmāṅgaḥ saccidūpo'tinirmalaḥ sa babhūva mahābhāgaḥ saṁkṣīṇāśeṣavāsanaḥ

His subtle body burned away by that solar radiance, of the very nature of being and consciousness, utterly pure, that most fortunate one became one whose every trace of desire was extinguished.

Verse 35 (skanda.2.196.35)

ततस्तन्मण्डलगतैरातिवाहिकदैवतैः । स निन्ये वैष्णवं धाम श्वेतद्वीपाख्यमद्भुतम्

tatastanmaṇḍalagatairātivāhikadaivataiḥ sa ninye vaiṣṇavaṁ dhāma śvetadvīpākhyamadbhutam

Then, by the guiding deities residing in that orb, he was led to the wondrous Vaishnava abode called Shvetadvipa.

Verse 36 (skanda.2.196.36)

स हि द्वीपो भुविस्थोपि भवत्यप्राकृतो मुने । हरिभक्तजनावासः प्राप्य एकान्तभक्तिभिः

sa hi dvīpo bhuvisthopi bhavatyaprākṛto mune haribhaktajanāvāsaḥ prāpya ekāntabhaktibhiḥ

For that island, O sage, though situated on the earth, is in truth transcendent, not made of material nature — the abode of Hari's devotees, attainable only by those of single-minded devotion.

Verse 37 (skanda.2.196.37)

स गोलोकब्रह्मपुरवैकुण्ठानां च सुव्रत । द्वारभूतोस्ति भक्तानां तल्लिप्सूनां महात्मनाम्

sa golokabrahmapuravaikuṇṭhānāṁ ca suvrata dvārabhūtosti bhaktānāṁ tallipsūnāṁ mahātmanām

O one of good vows, that island is the very gateway to Goloka, Brahmapura, and Vaikuntha, for the great-souled devotees who seek to attain them.

Verse 38 (skanda.2.196.38)

यस्य यद्धाम्न इच्छा स्याद्भजतस्तं तदेव हि । प्रापयन्ति श्वेतमुक्ता मुने प्रागुक्तलक्षणाः

yasya yaddhāmna icchā syādbhajatastaṁ tadeva hi prāpayanti śvetamuktā mune prāguktalakṣaṇāḥ

O sage, whatever abode a worshipper desires, to that very abode the liberated ones of Shvetadvipa, of the characteristics described before, lead him.

Verse 39 (skanda.2.196.39)

दिव्यदेहोऽभवत्तत्र धाम्न्यऽसौ श्वेतमुक्तवत् । प्राप्य गोलोकधामाऽथ परमानन्दमाप्तवान्

divyadeho'bhavattatra dhāmnya'sau śvetamuktavat prāpya golokadhāmā'tha paramānandamāptavān

There, in that abode, he acquired a divine body like the liberated ones of Shvetadvipa; and then, attaining the abode of Goloka, he obtained supreme bliss.

Verse 40 (skanda.2.196.40)

इत्थमेकान्तिकेनैव धर्मेणाराधयन्ति ये । नारायणं परं ब्रह्म श्वेतमुक्ता भवंति ते

itthamekāntikenaiva dharmeṇārādhayanti ye nārāyaṇaṁ paraṁ brahma śvetamuktā bhavaṁti te

Thus, those who worship Narayana, the Supreme Brahman, through single-minded devotion alone, become the liberated ones of Shvetadvipa.

Verse 41 (skanda.2.196.41)

एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं पृष्टवान्यद्भवान्मुने । स्थितिरेकांतभक्तानां श्वेतधाम्नश्च लक्षणम्

etatte sarvamākhyātaṁ pṛṣṭavānyadbhavānmune sthitirekāṁtabhaktānāṁ śvetadhāmnaśca lakṣaṇam

O sage, all this that you asked has now been told to you — the condition of the single-minded devotees, and the characteristics of the White Abode.