The Qualification for Ritual Worship

Verse 1 (skanda.2.215.1)

स्कन्द उवाच । एकान्तधर्मविवृतिं श्रुत्वा भगवतोदिताम् । प्रहृष्टमानसो भूयस्तं पप्रच्छ स नारदः

skanda uvāca | ekāntadharmavivṛtiṁ śrutvā bhagavatoditām | prahṛṣṭamānaso bhūyastaṁ papraccha sa nāradaḥ

Skanda said: Having heard the exposition of the exclusive dharma declared by the Lord, Narada, his heart filled with joy, questioned him further.

Verse 2 (skanda.2.215.2)

नारद उवाच । धर्म एकान्तिकः स्वामिंस्त्वया सम्यगुदीरितः । तमाश्रुत्य महान्हर्षो जातोस्ति मम मानसे

nārada uvāca | dharma ekāntikaḥ svāmiṁstvayā samyagudīritaḥ | tamāśrutya mahānharṣo jātosti mama mānase

Narada said: O Lord, you have well declared the exclusive dharma; having heard it, great joy has arisen in my mind.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.215.3)

सिद्धये तस्य भवता क्रियायोगो य उच्यते । तमहं बोद्धुमिच्छामि भगवंस्तव संमतम्

siddhaye tasya bhavatā kriyāyogo ya ucyate | tamahaṁ boddhumicchāmi bhagavaṁstava saṁmatam

I wish to understand that ritual discipline which you speak of as leading to its accomplishment, and which is approved by you, O Lord.

Verse 4 (skanda.2.215.4)

श्रीनारायण उवाच । पूजाविधिः क्रियायोगो वासुदेवस्य कीर्त्त्यते । स तु वेदेषु तन्त्रेषु बहुधैवास्ति वर्णितः

śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca | pūjāvidhiḥ kriyāyogo vāsudevasya kīrttyate | sa tu vedeṣu tantreṣu bahudhaivāsti varṇitaḥ

Sri Narayana said: The ritual discipline is declared to be the mode of worship of Vasudeva; it has been described in many ways in the Vedas and Tantras.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.215.5)

भक्तानां रुचिवैचित्र्यात्तथा बहुविधत्वतः । वासुदेवस्य मूर्तीनां बहुधा सोऽस्ति विस्तृतः

bhaktānāṁ rucivaicitryāttathā bahuvidhatvataḥ | vāsudevasya mūrtīnāṁ bahudhā so'sti vistṛtaḥ

Because of the variety of tastes among devotees, and likewise because of the many forms of Vasudeva, it has been elaborated in manifold ways.

Verse 6 (skanda.2.215.6)

साकल्येनोच्यमानस्य पारो नायाति तस्य वै । अतः संक्षेपतस्तुभ्यं वच्मि भक्तिविवर्द्धनम्

sākalyenocyamānasya pāro nāyāti tasya vai | ataḥ saṁkṣepatastubhyaṁ vacmi bhaktivivarddhanam

If told in its entirety, there would be no end to it; therefore I shall tell you briefly that which increases devotion.

Verse 7 (skanda.2.215.7)

प्राप्ता ये वैष्णवीं दीक्षां वर्णाश्चत्वार आश्रमाः । चातुर्वर्ण्यस्त्रियश्चैते प्रोक्ता अत्राधिकारिणः

prāptā ye vaiṣṇavīṁ dīkṣāṁ varṇāścatvāra āśramāḥ | cāturvarṇyastriyaścaite proktā atrādhikāriṇaḥ

Those who have received Vaishnava initiation — the four varnas, the four ashramas, and women of all four varnas — these are declared to be qualified in this matter.

Verse 8 (skanda.2.215.8)

वेदतन्त्रपुराणोक्तैर्मन्त्रैर्मूलेन च द्विजाः । पूजेयुर्दीक्षिता योषाः सच्छूद्रा मूलमन्त्रतः । मूलमन्त्रस्तु विज्ञेयः श्रीकृष्णस्य षडक्षरः

vedatantrapurāṇoktairmantrairmūlena ca dvijāḥ | pūjeyurdīkṣitā yoṣāḥ sacchūdrā mūlamantrataḥ | mūlamantrastu vijñeyaḥ śrīkṛṣṇasya ṣaḍakṣaraḥ

Twice-born men should worship with the mantras declared in the Vedas, Tantras, and Puranas, and with the root-mantra; initiated women and virtuous Shudras with the root-mantra alone. The root-mantra is to be known as the six-syllabled mantra of Sri Krishna.

Verse 9 (skanda.2.215.9)

स्वस्वधर्मं पालयद्भिः सर्वेरेतैर्यथाविधि । पूजनीयो वासुदेवो भक्त्या निष्कपटान्तरैः

svasvadharmaṁ pālayadbhiḥ sarveretairyathāvidhi | pūjanīyo vāsudevo bhaktyā niṣkapaṭāntaraiḥ

By all these, each observing his own duty, Vasudeva should be worshipped duly, with devotion, and with a heart free of deceit.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.215.10)

आदौ तु वैष्णवीं दीक्षां गृह्णीयात्सद्वरोः पुमान् । सदैकान्तिकधर्मस्थाद्ब्रह्मजातेर्दयानिधेः

ādau tu vaiṣṇavīṁ dīkṣāṁ gṛhṇīyātsadvaroḥ pumān | sadaikāntikadharmasthādbrahmajāterdayānidheḥ

First, a man should receive Vaishnava initiation from a good preceptor, one born of a Brahmin lineage, ever established in the exclusive dharma, and a treasury of compassion.

Verse 11 (skanda.2.215.11)

संपन्नो ज्ञानभक्तिभ्यां स्वधर्मरहितस्तु यः । स गुरुन्नैव कर्तव्यः स्त्रीहृतात्मा च कर्हिचित्

saṁpanno jñānabhaktibhyāṁ svadharmarahitastu yaḥ | sa gurunnaiva kartavyaḥ strīhṛtātmā ca karhicit

One who, though endowed with knowledge and devotion, is devoid of his own proper duty, should never be made a guru; nor should one whose mind is captivated by a woman, ever.

Verse 12 (skanda.2.215.12)

प्राप्ता स्त्रैणाद्गुरोर्दीक्षा ज्ञानं भक्तिं च कर्हिचित् । फलेन्नैव यथाऽपत्यं युवतिः षण्ढसंगिनी

prāptā straiṇādgurordīkṣā jñānaṁ bhaktiṁ ca karhicit | phalennaiva yathā'patyaṁ yuvatiḥ ṣaṇḍhasaṁginī

Initiation, knowledge, and devotion received from a guru enslaved to women never bear fruit — just as a young woman consorting with a eunuch never bears a child.

Verse 13 (skanda.2.215.13)

प्राप्यातः सद्गुरोर्दीक्षां तुलसीमालिकां गले । ललाटादौ चोर्द्ध्वपुण्ड्रं गोपीचन्दनतो धरेत्

prāpyātaḥ sadgurordīkṣāṁ tulasīmālikāṁ gale | lalāṭādau corddhvapuṇḍraṁ gopīcandanato dharet

Having received initiation from a true guru, one should wear a garland of tulasi beads around the neck, and the urdhva-pundra mark on the forehead and elsewhere, made of gopi-chandana clay.

Verse 14 (skanda.2.215.14)

विष्णुपूजारुचिर्भक्तो गुरोरेवागमोदितम् । पूजाविधिं सुविज्ञाय ततः पूजनमारभेत्

viṣṇupūjārucirbhakto gurorevāgamoditam | pūjāvidhiṁ suvijñāya tataḥ pūjanamārabhet

The devotee who delights in the worship of Vishnu should, having thoroughly learned from his guru the mode of worship declared in the scriptures, then begin the worship.

Verse 15 (skanda.2.215.15)

रात्र्यन्तयाम उत्थाय भक्तो ब्राह्मेक्षणेऽथ वा । मुहूर्तार्धं हृदि ध्यायेत्केशवं क्लेशनाशनम्

rātryantayāma utthāya bhakto brāhmekṣaṇe'tha vā | muhūrtārdhaṁ hṛdi dhyāyetkeśavaṁ kleśanāśanam

Rising in the last watch of the night, or at the hour of Brahma before dawn, the devotee should for half a muhurta meditate in his heart upon Keshava, the destroyer of afflictions.

Verse 16 (skanda.2.215.16)

कीर्त्तयित्वाऽभिधास्तस्य तदीयानां च नाडिकाम् । ततः शौचविधिं कृत्वा दन्तधावनमाचरेत्

kīrttayitvā'bhidhāstasya tadīyānāṁ ca nāḍikām | tataḥ śaucavidhiṁ kṛtvā dantadhāvanamācaret

Having recited His names and those of His attendants for the duration of a nadika, he should then perform the rite of purification and clean his teeth.

Verse 17 (skanda.2.215.17)

अंगशुद्धिस्नानमादौ कृत्वा स्नायात्समन्त्रकम् । गृहीत्वा शुचिमृत्स्नादीन्कुर्यात्स्नानांगतर्पणम्

aṁgaśuddhisnānamādau kṛtvā snāyātsamantrakam | gṛhītvā śucimṛtsnādīnkuryātsnānāṁgatarpaṇam

Having first bathed for bodily purification, he should bathe again with mantras; taking pure clay and the like, he should perform the limb-purification and water-offering of the bath.

Verse 18 (skanda.2.215.18)

परिधायांशुके धौते उपविश्यासने शुचौ । कृत्वोर्द्ध्वपुण्ड्रं कुर्वीत संध्यां होमं जपादि च

paridhāyāṁśuke dhaute upaviśyāsane śucau | kṛtvorddhvapuṇḍraṁ kurvīta saṁdhyāṁ homaṁ japādi ca

Having put on washed garments and seated himself on a clean seat, he should apply the urdhva-pundra mark and then perform the Sandhya rites, the fire-offering, japa, and the rest.

Verse 19 (skanda.2.215.19)

वस्त्रचन्दनपुष्पादीनुपहारांस्ततोऽखिलान् । आहरेन्मांसमदिराद्यशुचिस्पर्श वर्जितान्

vastracandanapuṣpādīnupahārāṁstato'khilān | āharenmāṁsamadirādyaśucisparśa varjitān

Then he should gather all the offerings — cloth, sandal-paste, flowers, and the like — free from contact with meat, liquor, and other impure things.

Verse 20 (skanda.2.215.20)

देवेभ्यो वा पितृभ्यश्चाप्यन्येभ्यो न निवेदितान् । अनाघ्रातांश्च मनुजैः केशकीटादिवर्जितान्

devebhyo vā pitṛbhyaścāpyanyebhyo na niveditān | anāghrātāṁśca manujaiḥ keśakīṭādivarjitān

They should not already have been offered to gods, ancestors, or others; not smelled by men; and free of hair, insects, and the like.

Verse 21 (skanda.2.215.21)

संस्थाप्य तान्दक्षपार्श्वे पूजोपकरणानि च । उद्वर्त्य दीपमाज्येन कुर्यात्तैलेन वा ततः

saṁsthāpya tāndakṣapārśve pūjopakaraṇāni ca | udvartya dīpamājyena kuryāttailena vā tataḥ

Having arranged these worship materials on his right side, he should then trim and light a lamp with ghee or with oil.

Verse 22 (skanda.2.215.22)

कौशे वौर्णे च वस्त्रादौ विकाष्ठे शुद्ध आसने । उपाविशेद्वासुदेवप्रतिमासन्निधौ ततः

kauśe vaurṇe ca vastrādau vikāṣṭhe śuddha āsane | upāviśedvāsudevapratimāsannidhau tataḥ

Seated on a clean seat — of silk, wool, cloth, or the like, and free of wood — he should then take his place before the image of Vasudeva.

Verse 23 (skanda.2.215.23)

शैली धातुमयी दार्वी लेख्या मणिमयी च वा । प्रतिमा स्यात्सिता रक्ता पीता कृष्णाऽथ वा मुने

śailī dhātumayī dārvī lekhyā maṇimayī ca vā | pratimā syātsitā raktā pītā kṛṣṇā'tha vā mune

O sage, the image may be of stone, metal, wood, painted, or made of gems; and it may be white, red, yellow, or black.

Verse 24 (skanda.2.215.24)

कृष्णस्य सा तु कर्तव्या द्विभुजा वा चतुर्भुजा । मुरलीं धारयेत्तत्र द्विभुजायाः करद्वये

kṛṣṇasya sā tu kartavyā dvibhujā vā caturbhujā | muralīṁ dhārayettatra dvibhujāyāḥ karadvaye

That image of Krishna should be made either two-armed or four-armed; in the two-armed form, He should hold the flute in both hands.

Verse 25 (skanda.2.215.25)

अथ वा दक्षहस्तेऽस्याश्चक्रं शंखं तथेतरे । पद्मं वा धारयेद्दक्षे पाणावभयमुत्तरे

atha vā dakṣahaste'syāścakraṁ śaṁkhaṁ tathetare | padmaṁ vā dhārayeddakṣe pāṇāvabhayamuttare

Or, He may hold the discus in the right hand and the conch in the other; or He may hold the lotus in the right hand and display the gesture of fearlessness with the upper one.

Verse 26 (skanda.2.215.26)

द्वितीयायास्तु हस्तेषु दक्षिणाधःकरक्रमात् । गदाब्जदरचक्राणि धारयेन्मुनिसत्तम

dvitīyāyāstu hasteṣu dakṣiṇādhaḥkarakramāt | gadābjadaracakrāṇi dhārayenmunisattama

O best of sages, in the second four-armed form, in the hands beginning from the lower right hand and proceeding in order, He should hold the mace, the lotus, the conch, and the discus.

Verse 27 (skanda.2.215.27)

द्विविधाया अपि हरेर्मूर्तेर्वामे श्रियं न्यसेत् । मुरलीधरवामे तु राधां रासेश्वरीं न्यसेत्

dvividhāyā api harermūrtervāme śriyaṁ nyaset | muralīdharavāme tu rādhāṁ rāseśvarīṁ nyaset

In both forms of Hari's image, Shri should be placed on His left; but in the flute-bearing form, Radha, the mistress of the Rasa dance, should be placed on His left.

Verse 28 (skanda.2.215.28)

अप्येषा द्विविधा मूर्त्तिरखण्डा शुभलक्षणा । सर्वावयवसंपन्ना भवेदर्च्चकसिद्धिदा

apyeṣā dvividhā mūrttirakhaṇḍā śubhalakṣaṇā | sarvāvayavasaṁpannā bhavedarccakasiddhidā

Both these forms of the image, unbroken, of auspicious marks and complete in all their limbs, bestow accomplishment upon the worshipper.

Verse 29 (skanda.2.215.29)

लक्ष्मीस्तु द्विभुजा कार्या वासुदेवस्य सन्निधौ । दधती पंकजं हस्ते वस्त्रालंकारशोभना

lakṣmīstu dvibhujā kāryā vāsudevasya sannidhau | dadhatī paṁkajaṁ haste vastrālaṁkāraśobhanā

Lakshmi should be made two-armed, placed near Vasudeva, holding a lotus in her hand, resplendent with garments and ornaments.

Verse 30 (skanda.2.215.30)

लक्ष्मीवद्राधिकापि स्याद्द्विभुजा चारुहासिनी । पङ्कजं पुष्पमालां वा दधती पाणिपङ्कजे

lakṣmīvadrādhikāpi syāddvibhujā cāruhāsinī | paṅkajaṁ puṣpamālāṁ vā dadhatī pāṇipaṅkaje

Like Lakshmi, Radhika too should be two-armed and sweetly smiling, holding a lotus or a garland of flowers in her lotus-hand.

Verse 31 (skanda.2.215.31)

अचला च चला चेति द्विविधा प्रतिमा हरेः । तत्राद्यायां न कर्तव्यमावाहनविसर्जनम्

acalā ca calā ceti dvividhā pratimā hareḥ | tatrādyāyāṁ na kartavyamāvāhanavisarjanam

The image of Hari is of two kinds: fixed and movable; for the former, invocation and dismissal should not be performed.

Verse 32 (skanda.2.215.32)

तदङ्गदेवतानां च कार्यं नावाहनाद्यपि । न च दिङ्नियमोऽर्चायां तस्याः स्थेयं तु सम्मुखे

tadaṅgadevatānāṁ ca kāryaṁ nāvāhanādyapi | na ca diṅniyamo'rcāyāṁ tasyāḥ stheyaṁ tu sammukhe

Nor should invocation and the rest be performed for its attendant deities; and there is no rule of direction for its worship — one should simply stand facing it.

Verse 33 (skanda.2.215.33)

शालग्रामेप्येवमेव कार्यं नावाहनादि च । अन्यत्र चलमूलौ तु कर्तव्यं तत्तदर्चकैः

śālagrāmepyevameva kāryaṁ nāvāhanādi ca | anyatra calamūlau tu kartavyaṁ tattadarcakaiḥ

In the case of the Shalagrama stone as well, invocation and the like should likewise not be performed; but for movable images elsewhere, worshippers should perform these rites as appropriate.

Verse 34 (skanda.2.215.34)

तत्रापि दार्व्या लेख्यायां जलस्पर्शोनुलेपनम् । नैव कार्यं पूजकेन कर्तव्यं परिमार्जनम्

tatrāpi dārvyā lekhyāyāṁ jalasparśonulepanam | naiva kāryaṁ pūjakena kartavyaṁ parimārjanam

Even there, for a wooden or a painted image, the worshipper should never apply water or unguents by touch; wiping alone should be performed.

Verse 35 (skanda.2.215.35)

उदङ्मुखः प्राङ्मुखो वा चलायां सम्मुखोऽथ वा । यथाशक्ति यथालब्धैरुपहारैर्यजेद्धरिम्

udaṅmukhaḥ prāṅmukho vā calāyāṁ sammukho'tha vā | yathāśakti yathālabdhairupahārairyajeddharim

Facing north or east — or, for a movable image, facing it — one should worship Hari with whatever offerings are available, according to one's ability.

Verse 36 (skanda.2.215.36)

श्रद्धानिश्छद्मभक्तिभ्यामर्पितेनाम्बुनापि सः । प्रीतस्तुष्यति विश्वात्मा किमुताऽखिलपूजया

śraddhāniśchadmabhaktibhyāmarpitenāmbunāpi saḥ | prītastuṣyati viśvātmā kimutā'khilapūjayā

He, the Soul of the universe, is pleased and satisfied even by water offered with faith and guileless devotion — how much more, then, by complete worship!

Verse 37 (skanda.2.215.37)

पुंसा श्रद्धादिहीनेन रत्नहेमाद्यलंक्रियाः । चतुर्विधं चाप्यन्नाद्यं दत्तं गृह्णाति नो मुदा

puṁsā śraddhādihīnena ratnahemādyalaṁkriyāḥ | caturvidhaṁ cāpyannādyaṁ dattaṁ gṛhṇāti no mudā

But ornaments of jewels and gold, and the fourfold food, offered by a man devoid of faith and the rest, He does not accept with pleasure.

Verse 38 (skanda.2.215.38)

तस्माद्भक्तिमता कार्यं पुंसा स्वश्रेयसे मुने । श्रीकृष्णस्यार्च्चनं नित्यं सर्वाभीष्टाशुदायिनः

tasmādbhaktimatā kāryaṁ puṁsā svaśreyase mune | śrīkṛṣṇasyārccanaṁ nityaṁ sarvābhīṣṭāśudāyinaḥ

Therefore, O sage, for his own welfare, a devoted man should daily perform the worship of Sri Krishna, who swiftly grants all desires.