The Return Procession Facing South

Verse 1 (skanda.2.75.1)

जैमिनिरुवाच। अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि रथरक्षाकरं विधिम्। भूतप्रेतादयो घोरा दारुणान्यद्भुतानि च

jaiminiruvāca ataḥ paraṁ pravakṣyāmi ratharakṣākaraṁ vidhim bhūtapretādayo ghorā dāruṇānyadbhutāni ca

Jaimini said: Now I shall further declare the rite for protecting the chariots; for terrible and dreadful bhutas, pretas, and such wondrous beings threaten them there.

Verse 2 (skanda.2.75.2)

न बाधंते रथान्येन मुनयो वश्च यन्मतम्। प्रत्यहं पूजयेद्देवान्कृष्णादीन्ध्वजसंस्थितान्

na bādhaṁte rathānyena munayo vaśca yanmatam pratyahaṁ pūjayeddevānkṛṣṇādīndhvajasaṁsthitān

By no means do they harm the chariots — such is the opinion of the sages; every day one should worship Krishna and the other deities enthroned upon the banner.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.75.3)

गंधपुष्पाक्षतैर्माल्यैरुपहारैरनुत्तमैः। गीतनृत्तादिकैश्चैव धूपदीपनिवेदनैः

gaṁdhapuṣpākṣatairmālyairupahārairanuttamaiḥ gītanṛttādikaiścaiva dhūpadīpanivedanaiḥ

with fragrance, flowers, unbroken rice, garlands, and excellent offerings, with songs and dances, with incense, lamps, and food offerings.

Verse 4 (skanda.2.75.4)

दिक्पालेभ्यो बलिं दद्यात्पायसान्नेन चान्वहम्। भूतप्रेतपिशाचेभ्यो दद्याच्च बलिमुत्तमम्

dikpālebhyo baliṁ dadyātpāyasānnena cānvaham bhūtapretapiśācebhyo dadyācca balimuttamam

He should daily offer bali of milk-rice to the guardians of the directions, and offer excellent bali to bhutas, pretas, and pishachas as well.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.75.5)

रक्षेच्च यत्नतस्तान्वै रथानारोहणोचितान्। यथा न कश्चिदारोहेन्नरो ग्राम्यपशुस्तथा। पक्षिणश्च विशेषेण येषां वासो न शोभनः

rakṣecca yatnatastānvai rathānārohaṇocitān yathā na kaścidārohennaro grāmyapaśustathā pakṣiṇaśca viśeṣeṇa yeṣāṁ vāso na śobhanaḥ

He should carefully guard those chariots, fit for the deities' mounting, so that no village animal should climb upon them, and especially no birds whose presence is inauspicious.

Verse 6 (skanda.2.75.6)

अष्टमेऽह्नि पुनः कृत्वा दक्षिणाभिमुखान्रथान्। विभूषयेद्वस्त्रमाल्यपताकैश्चामरादिभिः

aṣṭame'hni punaḥ kṛtvā dakṣiṇābhimukhānrathān vibhūṣayedvastramālyapatākaiścāmarādibhiḥ

On the eighth day, having again turned the chariots to face south, he should adorn them with cloth, garlands, banners, and chowries.

Verse 7 (skanda.2.75.7)

नवम्यां वासयेद्देवांस्तेषु प्रातः समृद्धिमत्

navamyāṁ vāsayeddevāṁsteṣu prātaḥ samṛddhimat

On the ninth day, the deities should be seated upon them; in the morning that occasion becomes most magnificent.

Verse 8 (skanda.2.75.8)

दक्षिणाभिमुखा यात्रा विष्णोरेषा सुदुर्लभा। यात्रा प्रयत्नतः सा हि भक्तिश्रद्धासमन्वितैः

dakṣiṇābhimukhā yātrā viṣṇoreṣā sudurlabhā yātrā prayatnataḥ sā hi bhaktiśraddhāsamanvitaiḥ

This southward-facing procession of Vishnu is exceedingly rare; it should be undertaken diligently, joined with devotion and faith.

Verse 9 (skanda.2.75.9)

यथा पूर्वा तथा चेयं द्वे च मुक्तिप्रदायिके। यात्राप्रवेशौ देवस्य एक एवोत्सवो मतः

yathā pūrvā tathā ceyaṁ dve ca muktipradāyike yātrāpraveśau devasya eka evotsavo mataḥ

As is the first procession, so is this return procession; both bestow liberation. The Lord's setting-forth and his entry are considered a single festival.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.75.10)

पुराविदो वदंत्येतां यात्रां नवदिनात्मिकाम्। एषा त्र्यवयवा यात्रा संपूर्णा यैरुपासिता

purāvido vadaṁtyetāṁ yātrāṁ navadinātmikām eṣā tryavayavā yātrā saṁpūrṇā yairupāsitā

Those learned in the Puranas call this a nine-day procession; this procession, having three parts, by whomsoever it is observed in its entirety,

Verse 11 (skanda.2.75.11)

सुसंपूर्णफलस्तेषां महावेदीमहोत्सवः

susaṁpūrṇaphalasteṣāṁ mahāvedīmahotsavaḥ

for them the great festival of the Mahavedi becomes fully fruitful.

Verse 12 (skanda.2.75.12)

गुंडिचामंडपात्कृष्णमायांतं दक्षिणामुखम्। रथस्थं बलिनं भद्रां पश्यंतो मुक्तिभागिनः

guṁḍicāmaṁḍapātkṛṣṇamāyāṁtaṁ dakṣiṇāmukham rathasthaṁ balinaṁ bhadrāṁ paśyaṁto muktibhāginaḥ

Those who behold Krishna coming from the Gundicha pavilion, facing south, together with the mighty Balarama and Bhadra seated in the chariot, become sharers in liberation.

Verse 13 (skanda.2.75.13)

उत्तराभिमुखान्दृदृष्ट्वा लभंते यादृश फलम्। रामादीन्स्यंदनस्थान्ये पश्यंत्येवं महोदयान्। यादृशं फलमाप्नुयुस्तादृशं दक्षिणामुखान्

uttarābhimukhāndṛdṛṣṭvā labhaṁte yādṛśa phalam rāmādīnsyaṁdanasthānye paśyaṁtyevaṁ mahodayān yādṛśaṁ phalamāpnuyustādṛśaṁ dakṣiṇāmukhān

Whatever fruit is obtained by beholding the deities facing north — by those who thus behold Rama and the others, glorious, seated in their chariots — the very same fruit is obtained by those who behold them facing south.

Verse 14 (skanda.2.75.14)

पदा यांतं रथे यांतं यः पश्येद्दक्षिणामुखम्। तस्य जन्म कृतार्थं स्याद्वाजिमेधः पदे पदे

padā yāṁtaṁ rathe yāṁtaṁ yaḥ paśyeddakṣiṇāmukham tasya janma kṛtārthaṁ syādvājimedhaḥ pade pade

He who beholds the southward-facing Lord, whether going on foot or riding in the chariot, has his birth made fruitful, and obtains the fruit of a horse-sacrifice at every step.

Verse 15 (skanda.2.75.15)

स्तुतिभिः प्रणिपातैश्च पुष्पवृष्टिभिरेव च। नानानृत्तोपहारैश्च व्यजनच्छत्रचामरैः। उपायनैर्बहुविधैरुपतिष्ठेद्रथाग्रतः

stutibhiḥ praṇipātaiśca puṣpavṛṣṭibhireva ca nānānṛttopahāraiśca vyajanacchatracāmaraiḥ upāyanairbahuvidhairupatiṣṭhedrathāgrataḥ

With hymns of praise, prostrations, showers of flowers, various dance-offerings, fans, umbrellas, chowries, and manifold gifts, one should present oneself before the chariot.

Verse 16 (skanda.2.75.16)

नीलाचलं समायांतं रथस्थं दक्षिणामुखम्। ये पश्यंति हृषीकेशं सुभद्रां लांगलायुधम्

nīlācalaṁ samāyāṁtaṁ rathasthaṁ dakṣiṇāmukham ye paśyaṁti hṛṣīkeśaṁ subhadrāṁ lāṁgalāyudham

Those who behold Hrishikesha, Subhadra, and the plough-wielding Balarama, seated in the chariot facing south, coming toward the Blue Mountain,

Verse 17 (skanda.2.75.17)

कामकल्पतरुं पुंसां दर्शनादेव मुक्तिदम्। ते व्रजंति महात्मानो वैकुण्ठ भवनं हरेः

kāmakalpataruṁ puṁsāṁ darśanādeva muktidam te vrajaṁti mahātmāno vaikuṇṭha bhavanaṁ hareḥ

him who is like a wish-fulfilling tree to men, whose mere sight bestows liberation — those great souls go to Hari's abode of Vaikuntha.

Verse 18 (skanda.2.75.18)

रथेन विचरंतं तं सिन्धुतीरे जनार्दनम्। पश्यन्तं करुणापांगैः प्रणतान्पुरतो नरान्

rathena vicaraṁtaṁ taṁ sindhutīre janārdanam paśyantaṁ karuṇāpāṁgaiḥ praṇatānpurato narān

Janardana, roaming by chariot on the shore of the sea, who beholds with compassionate glances the men bowed before him —

Verse 19 (skanda.2.75.19)

दक्षिणाभिमुखं यांतं प्रासादं नीलभूधरे। सर्वतीर्थनिधिं सर्वदानकल्पतरुं हरिम्

dakṣiṇābhimukhaṁ yāṁtaṁ prāsādaṁ nīlabhūdhare sarvatīrthanidhiṁ sarvadānakalpataruṁ harim

going southward toward the temple upon the Blue Mountain — him, the treasury of all sacred waters, the wish-tree of every gift — those who behold him,

Verse 20 (skanda.2.75.20)

स्तुवंतः प्रणमंतश्च श्रद्दधानाश्च ये नराः। न ते पुनरिहायांति ब्रह्मलोकस्थिता ध्रुवम्

stuvaṁtaḥ praṇamaṁtaśca śraddadhānāśca ye narāḥ na te punarihāyāṁti brahmalokasthitā dhruvam

and the men who praise, bow, and hold faith — established in Brahmaloka, they assuredly do not return again to this world.

Verse 21 (skanda.2.75.21)

मुनयः कथितो वोऽयं महावेदीमहोत्सवः। यस्य संकीर्त्तनादेव निर्मलो जायते नरः

munayaḥ kathito vo'yaṁ mahāvedīmahotsavaḥ yasya saṁkīrttanādeva nirmalo jāyate naraḥ

O sages, this great festival of the Mahavedi has been declared to you; by its mere recitation a man becomes pure.

Verse 22 (skanda.2.75.22)

यश्चेदं कीर्तयेन्नित्यं प्रातरुत्थाय मानवः। शृणुयादपि बुद्धिस्थः शक्रलोकं व्रजेदसौ

yaścedaṁ kīrtayennityaṁ prātarutthāya mānavaḥ śṛṇuyādapi buddhisthaḥ śakralokaṁ vrajedasau

Whatever man, rising in the morning, daily recites this, or even attentively hears it, goes to the world of Indra.

Verse 23 (skanda.2.75.23)

प्रत्यर्चारूपमपि वा रथमास्थाप्य यो हरेः। कुर्याद्यात्रामिमां श्रद्धाभक्तिभावेन मानवः

pratyarcārūpamapi vā rathamāsthāpya yo hareḥ kuryādyātrāmimāṁ śraddhābhaktibhāvena mānavaḥ

Or whatever man, with faith and devotion, even sets up a substitute image of Hari upon a chariot and performs this procession,

Verse 24 (skanda.2.75.24)

सोऽपि विष्णोः प्रसादेन गुंडिचोत्सवजं फलम्। प्राप्य वैकुण्ठभवनं याति नात्र विचारणा

so'pi viṣṇoḥ prasādena guṁḍicotsavajaṁ phalam prāpya vaikuṇṭhabhavanaṁ yāti nātra vicāraṇā

he too, by Vishnu's grace, obtains the fruit of the Gundicha festival and attains the abode of Vaikuntha; of this there is no need for doubt.

Verse 25 (skanda.2.75.25)

पश्य श्रीर्यावती विप्रा भक्तिर्वा श्रद्धयान्विता। तावतीयं महायात्रा यो यथा कर्तुमिच्छति

paśya śrīryāvatī viprā bhaktirvā śraddhayānvitā tāvatīyaṁ mahāyātrā yo yathā kartumicchati

Behold, O brahmins: whatever measure of resource or of faith-filled devotion a man possesses, and however he wishes to perform it, to that same measure this great procession bears fruit for him.

Verse 26 (skanda.2.75.26)

इदं पवित्रं परमं रहस्यं वेधसोदितम्। कारयित्वाथवा दृष्ट्वा यन्नरो नावसीदति

idaṁ pavitraṁ paramaṁ rahasyaṁ vedhasoditam kārayitvāthavā dṛṣṭvā yannaro nāvasīdati

This is the supremely sacred mystery declared by Brahma; the man who, whether by having it performed or by witnessing it, partakes of it never comes to grief.