The Glory of Vishnupada-tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.7.458.1)

॥ प्रह्लाद उवाच ॥ ततो गच्छेद्द्विजश्रेष्ठास्तीर्थं विष्णुपदोद्भवम्। यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण गंगास्नानफलं लभेत्॥

prahlāda uvāca| tato gacchedvijaśreṣṭhāstīrthaṁ viṣṇupadodbhavam| yasya darśanamātreṇa gaṅgāsnānaphalaṁ labhet||

Prahlada said: Thereafter, O foremost of brahmins, one should go to that sacred place which arose from Vishnu's own foot, the mere sight of which yields the fruit of bathing in the Ganga.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.458.2)

यस्योत्पत्तिर्मया पूर्वं कथिता द्विजसत्तमाः। यस्य संस्मरणादेव कीर्तनात्पापनाशनम्॥

yasyotpattirmayā pūrvaṁ kathitā dvijasattamāḥ| yasya saṁsmaraṇādeva kīrtanātpāpanāśanam||

O best of brahmins, I have already told its origin; merely by remembering it, and by chanting its praise, sin is destroyed.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.458.3)

हरिणा या समानीता रुक्मिण्यर्थे महात्मना। यस्या गण्डूषमात्रेण हयमेधफलं लभेत्॥

hariṇā yā samānītā rukmiṇyarthe mahātmanā| yasyā gaṇḍūṣamātreṇa hayamedhaphalaṁ labhet||

which the great-souled Hari brought forth for the sake of Rukmini, and merely by rinsing the mouth with it, one obtains the fruit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.458.4)

विष्णोः पादप्रसूताया वैष्णवीति च विश्रुता। तत्र गत्वा महाभाग गृहीत्वाऽर्घ्यं विधानतः॥

viṣṇoḥ pādaprasūtāyā vaiṣṇavīti ca viśrutā| tatra gatvā mahābhāga gṛhītvārghyaṁ vidhānataḥ||

Sprung from Vishnu's foot, it is renowned by the name 'Vaishnavi.' O illustrious one, going there and duly taking up the water of welcome,

Verse 5 (skanda.7.458.5)

नमस्ये त्वां भगवति विष्णुपादतलोद्भवे। गृहाणार्घ्यमिदं देवि गंगे त्वं हरिणा सह॥

namasye tvāṁ bhagavati viṣṇupādatalodbhave| gṛhāṇārghyamidaṁ devi gaṅge tvaṁ hariṇā saha||

'I salute you, O goddess, sprung from the sole of Vishnu's foot. O goddess Ganga, accept this offering, together with Hari.'

Verse 6 (skanda.7.458.6)

इत्युच्चार्य द्विजश्रेष्ठा मृदमालभ्य पाणिना। प्राङ्मुखः संयतो भूत्वा स्नानं कुर्यादतन्द्रितः॥

ityuccārya dvijaśreṣṭhā mṛdamālabhya pāṇinā| prāṅmukhaḥ saṁyato bhūtvā snānaṁ kuryādatandritaḥ||

Having recited this, O foremost of brahmins, taking clay in hand, facing east, restrained, one should bathe without indolence.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.458.7)

देवान्पितॄन्मनुष्यांश्च तर्पितव्यं तिलाक्षतैः। उपहृत्योपहारांश्च ह्याहूय ब्राह्मणांस्ततः॥

devānpitṝnmanuṣyāṁśca tarpitavyaṁ tilākṣataiḥ| upahṛtyopahārāṁśca hyāhūya brāhmaṇāṁstataḥ||

Libations should be offered to gods, ancestors, and humankind with sesame seeds and unbroken rice; then, having presented offerings and summoned brahmins,

Verse 8 (skanda.7.458.8)

श्रद्धया परया युक्तः श्राद्धं कुर्याद्विचक्षणः। यथोक्तां दक्षिणां दद्यात्सुवर्णं रजतं तथा॥

śraddhayā parayā yuktaḥ śrāddhaṁ kuryādvicakṣaṇaḥ| yathoktāṁ dakṣiṇāṁ dadyātsuvarṇaṁ rajataṁ tathā||

with the deepest faith, a discerning person should perform the shraddha rite, and give the prescribed sacrificial fee, gold, and silver.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.458.9)

दीनान्ध कृपणानाञ्च दानं देयं स्वशक्तितः। विशेषतः प्रदातव्यं सुवर्णं द्विजसत्तमाः॥

dīnāndha kṛpaṇānāñca dānaṁ deyaṁ svaśaktitaḥ| viśeṣataḥ pradātavyaṁ suvarṇaṁ dvijasattamāḥ||

Charity should be given to the poor, the blind, and the destitute according to one's means. O best of brahmins, gold especially should be given.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.458.10)

उपानहौ ततो देये जलकुम्भं द्विजातये। दध्योदनं सलवणं शाकजीरकसंयुतम्॥

upānahau tato deye jalakumbhaṁ dvijātaye| dadhyodanaṁ salavaṇaṁ śākajīrakasaṁyutam||

One should then give sandals and a pitcher of water to a brahmin, along with curd-rice seasoned with salt, vegetables, and cumin.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.458.11)

रक्तवस्त्रैः कंचुकीभी रुक्मिणीं परिधापयेत्। विप्रपत्नीश्च विप्रांश्च विष्णुर्मेप्रीयतामिति॥

raktavastraiḥ kañcukībhī rukmiṇīṁ paridhāpayet| viprapatnīśca viprāṁśca viṣṇurmeprīyatāmiti||

One should adorn Rukmini with red garments and tunics, and likewise the brahmins' wives and the brahmins themselves, saying: 'May Vishnu be pleased with me.'

Verse 12 (skanda.7.458.12)

एवं कृते द्विज श्रेष्ठाः कृतकृत्यो भवेन्नरः। पितॄणामक्षया तृप्तिर्गयाश्राद्धेन वै यथा॥

evaṁ kṛte dvija śreṣṭhāḥ kṛtakṛtyo bhavennaraḥ| pitṝṇāmakṣayā tṛptirgayāśrāddhena vai yathā||

O foremost of brahmins, having done this, a man becomes fulfilled; and just as the shraddha rite at Gaya brings imperishable satisfaction to the ancestors, so too does this rite.

Verse 13 (skanda.7.458.13)

वैष्णवं लोकमायान्ति पितरस्त्रिकुलोद्भवाः। जीवते स श्रियायुक्तः पुत्रपौत्रसमन्वितः॥

vaiṣṇavaṁ lokamāyānti pitarastrikulodbhavāḥ| jīvate sa śriyāyuktaḥ putrapautrasamanvitaḥ||

His ancestors, born in his three lineages, attain the realm of Vishnu; he himself lives, endowed with prosperity, accompanied by sons and grandsons.

Verse 14 (skanda.7.458.14)

प्रीतः सदा भवेत्तस्य रुक्मिण्या सह केशवः। यच्छते वाञ्छितान्सर्वानैहिकामुष्मिकान्प्रभुः॥

prītaḥ sadā bhavettasya rukmiṇyā saha keśavaḥ| yacchate vāñchitānsarvānaihikāmuṣmikānprabhuḥ||

Keshava, together with Rukmini, remains ever pleased with him; the Lord grants him all his desired wishes, both in this world and the next.

Verse 15 (skanda.7.458.15)

एतन्माहात्म्यमतुलं विष्णुपादोद्भवं तथा। यः शृणोति हरौ भक्त्या सर्वपापैः स मुच्यते॥

etanmāhātmyamatulaṁ viṣṇupādodbhavaṁ tathā| yaḥ śṛṇoti harau bhaktyā sarvapāpaiḥ sa mucyate||

Whoever, with devotion to Hari, listens to this incomparable glory of the sacred place sprung from Vishnu's foot, is freed from all sins.

Verse 16 (skanda.7.458.16)

श्रुत्वाऽध्यायमिमं पुण्यं सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते॥

śrutvā'dhyāyamimaṁ puṇyaṁ sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate||

Having heard this meritorious chapter, one is freed from all sins.