The Glory of the Rite of Bathing in the Gomati and the Vision of Dvaraka

Verse 1 (skanda.7.483.1)

सूत उवाच । प्रह्लादस्य वचः श्रुत्वा स्थितस्तत्र सभास्थले । पप्रच्छात्युत्सुकमना बलिस्तत्क्षेत्रवैभवम् ॥ १ ॥

sūta uvāca | prahlādasya vacaḥ śrutvā sthitastatra sabhāsthale | papracchātyutsukamanā balistatkṣetravaibhavam || 1 ||

Suta said: Bali, seated there in that assembly, having heard Prahlada's words, with an eager mind asked about the splendor of that field.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.483.2)

प्रह्लादस्तद्वचः श्रुत्वा भक्तिभावपुरस्कृतम् । अभिनन्द्य च तं प्रेम्णा प्रवक्तुमुपचक्रमे ॥ २ ॥

prahlādastadvacaḥ śrutvā bhaktibhāvapuraskṛtam | abhinandya ca taṁ premṇā pravaktumupacakrame || 2 ||

Prahlada, hearing his words filled with devotion, greeting him lovingly, began to speak.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.483.3)

प्रह्लाद उवाच । एकैकस्मिन्पदे दत्ते पुरीं द्वारवतीं प्रति । पुण्यं क्रतुसहस्राणां फलं भवति देहिनाम् ॥ ३ ॥

prahlāda uvāca | ekaikasminpade datte purīṁ dvāravatīṁ prati | puṇyaṁ kratusahasrāṇāṁ phalaṁ bhavati dehinām || 3 ||

Prahlada said: With every single step taken toward the city of Dvaravati, embodied beings obtain the meritorious fruit of a thousand sacrifices.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.483.4)

येऽपीच्छंति मनोवृत्त्या गमनं द्वारकां प्रति । तेषां प्रलीयते पापं पूर्वजन्मायुतार्जितम् ॥ ४ ॥

ye'pīcchaṁti manovṛttyā gamanaṁ dvārakāṁ prati | teṣāṁ pralīyate pāpaṁ pūrvajanmāyutārjitam || 4 ||

Even those who merely wish in their mind to go toward Dvaraka — their sin, accumulated over ten thousand former births, dissolves away.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.483.5)

अत्युग्राण्यपि पापानि तावत्तिष्ठंति विग्रहे । यावन्न गच्छते जंतुः कलौ द्वारवतीं प्रति ॥ ५ ॥

atyugrāṇyapi pāpāni tāvattiṣṭhaṁti vigrahe | yāvanna gacchate jaṁtuḥ kalau dvāravatīṁ prati || 5 ||

Even the most terrible sins remain lodged in the body only so long as a creature does not go toward Dvaravati in the Kali age.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.483.6)

लोभेनाऽप्युपरोधेन दंभेन कपटेन वा । चक्रतीर्थे तु यो गच्छेन्न पुनर्विशते भुवि ॥ ६ ॥

lobhenā'pyuparodhena daṁbhena kapaṭena vā | cakratīrthe tu yo gacchenna punarviśate bhuvi || 6 ||

Whether out of greed, compulsion, pride, or deceit — whoever goes to Chakra-tirtha does not enter this earth again.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.483.7)

हीनवर्णोऽपि पापात्मा मृतः कृष्णपुरीं प्रति । कलिकालकृतैर्दोषैरत्युग्रैरपि मानवः । भक्त्या कृष्णमुखं दृष्ट्वा न लिप्यति कदाचन ॥ ७ ॥

hīnavarṇo'pi pāpātmā mṛtaḥ kṛṣṇapurīṁ prati | kalikālakṛtairdoṣairatyugrairapi mānavaḥ | bhaktyā kṛṣṇamukhaṁ dṛṣṭvā na lipyati kadācana || 7 ||

Even a sinful soul of low birth, dying facing the city of Krishna, even a man burdened with the most terrible faults committed in the Kali age, by devotedly beholding the face of Krishna, is never tainted again.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.483.8)

तावद्विराजते काशी ह्यवंती मथुरापुरी । यावन्न पश्यते जंतुः पुरीं कृष्णेन पालिताम् ॥ ८ ॥

tāvadvirājate kāśī hyavaṁtī mathurāpurī | yāvanna paśyate jaṁtuḥ purīṁ kṛṣṇena pālitām || 8 ||

Kashi, Avanti, and the city of Mathura remain resplendent only so long as a creature has not beheld that city protected by Krishna.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.483.9)

येषां कृष्णालये प्राणा गता दानवनायक । न तेषां पुनरावृत्तिः कल्पकोटिशतैरपि ॥ ९ ॥

yeṣāṁ kṛṣṇālaye prāṇā gatā dānavanāyaka | na teṣāṁ punarāvṛttiḥ kalpakoṭiśatairapi || 9 ||

O lord of the demons, those whose life-breath departs in Krishna's temple do not return again even in a hundred crore ages.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.483.10)

दुर्लभो द्वारकावासो दुर्लभं कृष्णदर्शनम् । दुर्लभं गोमतीस्नानं रुक्मिणीदर्शनं कलौ ॥ १० ॥

durlabho dvārakāvāso durlabhaṁ kṛṣṇadarśanam | durlabhaṁ gomatīsnānaṁ rukmiṇīdarśanaṁ kalau || 10 ||

Dwelling in Dvaraka is rare, the sight of Krishna is rare, bathing in the Gomati is rare, and in the Kali age the sight of Rukmini is rare.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.483.11)

नित्यं कृष्णपुरीं रम्यां ये स्मरंति गृहे स्थिताः । न तेषां पातकं किंचिद्देहमाश्रित्य तिष्ठति ॥ ११ ॥

nityaṁ kṛṣṇapurīṁ ramyāṁ ye smaraṁti gṛhe sthitāḥ | na teṣāṁ pātakaṁ kiṁciddehamāśritya tiṣṭhati || 11 ||

Those who, even while remaining at home, daily remember the delightful city of Krishna — in their bodies no sin whatsoever abides.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.483.12)

केशवार्चा गृहे यस्य न तिष्ठति महीपते । तस्यान्नं न च भोक्तव्यमभक्ष्येण समं स्मृतम् ॥ १२ ॥

keśavārcā gṛhe yasya na tiṣṭhati mahīpate | tasyānnaṁ na ca bhoktavyamabhakṣyeṇa samaṁ smṛtam || 12 ||

O lord of the earth, the food of him in whose house there is no worship of Keshava is deemed equal to the forbidden, and should not be eaten.

Verse 13 (skanda.7.483.13)

नोष्णत्वं द्विज राजे वै न शीतत्वं हुताशने । वैष्णवानां न पापत्वमेकादश्युपवासिनाम् ॥ १३ ॥

noṣṇatvaṁ dvija rāje vai na śītatvaṁ hutāśane | vaiṣṇavānāṁ na pāpatvamekādaśyupavāsinām || 13 ||

O brahmin, as there is no heat in the moon, and no coolness in fire, so there is no sinfulness in Vaishnavas who observe the Ekadashi fast.

Verse 14 (skanda.7.483.14)

नास्ति नास्ति महाभागाः कलिकालसमं युगम् । स्मरणात्कीर्त्तनाद्विष्णोः प्राप्यते परमव्ययम् ॥ १४ ॥

nāsti nāsti mahābhāgāḥ kalikālasamaṁ yugam | smaraṇātkīrttanādviṣṇoḥ prāpyate paramavyayam || 14 ||

O most fortunate ones, there is no, there is no age equal to the Kali age, in which the supreme imperishable state is attained merely by remembering and chanting the name of Vishnu.

Verse 15 (skanda.7.483.15)

सत्यभामापतिर्यत्र यत्र पुण्या च गोमती । नरा मुक्तिं प्रयास्यंति तत्र स्नात्वा कलौ युगे ॥ १५ ॥

satyabhāmāpatiryatra yatra puṇyā ca gomatī | narā muktiṁ prayāsyaṁti tatra snātvā kalau yuge || 15 ||

Where the husband of Satyabhama dwells, and where the sacred Gomati flows — bathing there in the Kali age, men attain liberation.

Verse 16 (skanda.7.483.16)

माधवे शुक्लपक्षे तु त्रिस्पृशां द्वादशीं यदि । लभते द्वारकायां तु नास्ति धन्यतरस्ततः ॥ १६ ॥

mādhave śuklapakṣe tu trispṛśāṁ dvādaśīṁ yadi | labhate dvārakāyāṁ tu nāsti dhanyatarastataḥ || 16 ||

If in the bright fortnight of Vaishakha one obtains the "triple-touching" Dvadashi in Dvaraka, there is nothing more blessed than that.

Verse 17 (skanda.7.483.17)

त्रिस्पृशां द्वादशीं प्राप्य गत्वा कृष्णपुरीं नरः । यः करोति हरेर्भक्त्या सोऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत् ॥ १७ ॥

trispṛśāṁ dvādaśīṁ prāpya gatvā kṛṣṇapurīṁ naraḥ | yaḥ karoti hareirbhaktyā so'śvamedhaphalaṁ labhet || 17 ||

A man who, obtaining the triple-touching Dvadashi and going to the city of Krishna, observes it with devotion to Hari, obtains the fruit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice.

Verse 18 (skanda.7.483.18)

नंदायां तु जयायां वै भद्रा चैव भवेद्यदि । उपवासार्चने गीते दुर्ल्लभा कृष्णसन्निधौ ॥ १८ ॥

naṁdāyāṁ tu jayāyāṁ vai bhadrā caiva bhavedyadi | upavāsārcane gīte durllabhā kṛṣṇasannidhau || 18 ||

If Bhadra should coincide with Nanda or Jaya tithi, this combination praised for fasting and worship is rare indeed in the presence of Krishna.

Verse 19 (skanda.7.483.19)

उदयैकादशी स्वल्पा अंते चैव त्रयोदशी । संपूर्णा द्वादशी मध्ये त्रिस्पृशा च हरेः प्रिया ॥ १९ ॥

udayaikādaśī svalpā aṁte caiva trayodaśī | saṁpūrṇā dvādaśī madhye trispṛśā ca hareḥ priyā || 19 ||

With a slight Ekadashi at the beginning, a Trayodashi at the end, and a full Dvadashi in the middle — this "triple-touching" Dvadashi is dear to Hari.

Verse 20 (skanda.7.483.20)

एकेन चोपवासेन उपवासाऽयुतं फलम् । जागरे शतसाहस्रं नृत्ये कोटिगुणं कलौ ॥ २० ॥

ekena copavāsena upavāsā'yutaṁ phalam | jāgare śatasāhasraṁ nṛtye koṭiguṇaṁ kalau || 20 ||

A single fast yields the fruit of ten thousand fasts; a night-vigil yields a hundred thousandfold; and in the Kali age, dancing yields a crorefold fruit.

Verse 21 (skanda.7.483.21)

तत्फलं लभते मर्त्त्यो द्वारकायां दिनेदिने । गृहेषु वसतामेतत्किं पुनः कृष्णसंनिधौ ॥ २१ ॥

tatphalaṁ labhate marttyo dvārakāyāṁ dinedine | gṛheṣu vasatāmetatkiṁ punaḥ kṛṣṇasannidhau || 21 ||

A mortal obtains this fruit every single day in Dvaraka — this even for those who dwell in their houses; what then in the very presence of Krishna!

Verse 22 (skanda.7.483.22)

वाङ्मनःकायजैर्दोषैर्हता ये पापबुद्धयः । द्वारवत्यां विमुच्यंते दृष्ट्वा कृष्णमुखं शुभम् ॥ २२ ॥

vāṅmanaḥkāyajairdoṣairhatā ye pāpabuddhayaḥ | dvāravatyāṁ vimucyaṁte dṛṣṭvā kṛṣṇamukhaṁ śubham || 22 ||

Those afflicted by faults born of speech, mind and body, whose intellects are sinful, are freed in Dvaravati by beholding the auspicious face of Krishna.

Verse 23 (skanda.7.483.23)

दैत्येश्वर नराः श्लाघ्या द्वारवत्यां गताश्च ये ॥ २३ ॥

daityeśvara narāḥ ślāghyā dvāravatyāṁ gatāśca ye || 23 ||

O lord of the demons, those men who have gone to Dvaravati are praiseworthy.

Verse 24 (skanda.7.483.24)

दुर्ल्लभानीह तीर्थानि दुर्लभाः पर्वतोत्तमाः । दुर्ल्लभा वैष्णवा लोके द्वारकावसतिः कलौ ॥ २४ ॥

durllabhānīha tīrthāni durlabhāḥ parvatottamāḥ | durllabhā vaiṣṇavā loke dvārakāvasatiḥ kalau || 24 ||

Sacred fords are rare in this world, excellent mountains are rare, Vaishnavas are rare in the world, and dwelling in Dvaraka is rare in the Kali age.

Verse 25 (skanda.7.483.25)

गवां कोटिसहस्राणि रत्नकोटिशतानि च । दत्त्वा यत्फलमाप्नोति तत्फलं कृष्णसन्निधौ ॥ २५ ॥

gavāṁ koṭisahasrāṇi ratnakoṭiśatāni ca | dattvā yatphalamāpnoti tatphalaṁ kṛṣṇasannidhau || 25 ||

The fruit obtained from donating thousands of crores of cows and hundreds of crores of gems is obtained merely by dwelling in the presence of Krishna.

Verse 26 (skanda.7.483.26)

यस्याः सीमां प्रविष्टस्य ब्रह्महत्यादिपातकम् । नश्यते दर्शनादेव तां पुरीं को न सेवते ॥ २६ ॥

yasyāḥ sīmāṁ praviṣṭasya brahmahatyādipātakam | naśyate darśanādeva tāṁ purīṁ ko na sevate || 26 ||

Entering whose boundary, sins such as the killing of a brahmin are destroyed by the mere sight of it — who would not serve that city?

Verse 27 (skanda.7.483.27)

चक्रांकिता शिला यत्र गोमत्युदधिसंगमे । यच्छति पूजिता मोक्षं तां पुरीं को न सेवते ॥ २७ ॥

cakrāṁkitā śilā yatra gomatyudadhisaṁgame | yacchati pūjitā mokṣaṁ tāṁ purīṁ ko na sevate || 27 ||

Where, at the confluence of the Gomati and the ocean, there is a stone marked with the discus, which, when worshipped, bestows liberation — who would not serve that city?

Verse 28 (skanda.7.483.28)

सिंहस्थे च गुरौ विप्रा गोदावर्य्यां तु यत्फलम् । तत्फलं स्नानमात्रेण गोमत्यां कृष्णसन्निधौ ॥ २८ ॥

siṁhasthe ca gurau viprā godāvaryāṁ tu yatphalam | tatphalaṁ snānamātreṇa gomatyāṁ kṛṣṇasannidhau || 28 ||

O brahmins, the fruit obtained in the Godavari when Jupiter is in Leo — that same fruit is obtained by mere bathing in the Gomati in the presence of Krishna.

Verse 29 (skanda.7.483.29)

द्वारकाऽवस्थितं तोयं षण्मासं पिबते नरः । तस्य चक्रांकितो देहो भवते नात्र संशयः ॥ २९ ॥

dvārakā'vasthitaṁ toyaṁ ṣaṇmāsaṁ pibate naraḥ | tasya cakrāṁkito deho bhavate nātra saṁśayaḥ || 29 ||

The man who drinks the water residing in Dvaraka for six months — his body becomes marked with the discus, without doubt.

Verse 30 (skanda.7.483.30)

मन्वन्तरसहस्राणि काशीवासेन यत्फलम् । तत्फलं द्वारकायां च वसतः पंचभिर्द्दिनैः ॥ ३० ॥

manvaṁtarasahasrāṇi kāśīvāsena yatphalam | tatphalaṁ dvārakāyāṁ ca vasataḥ paṁcabhirdinaiḥ || 30 ||

The fruit obtained by dwelling in Kashi for a thousand Manvantaras is obtained by dwelling in Dvaraka for merely five days.

Verse 31 (skanda.7.483.31)

तावन्मृतप्रजा नारी दुर्भगा दैत्यपुंगव । यावन्न पश्यते भक्त्या कलौ कृष्णप्रियां पुरीम् ॥ ३१ ॥

tāvanmṛtaprajā nārī durbhagā daityapuṁgava | yāvanna paśyate bhaktyā kalau kṛṣṇapriyāṁ purīm || 31 ||

O foremost of demons, a woman remains one whose children die and one bereft of fortune only so long as she has not, in the Kali age, beheld with devotion the city dear to Krishna.

Verse 32 (skanda.7.483.32)

रुक्मिणीं सत्यभामां च देवीं जांबवतीं तथा । मित्रविंदां च कालिंदीं भद्रां नाग्नजितीं तथा ॥ ३२ ॥

rukmiṇīṁ satyabhāmāṁ ca devīṁ jāṁbavatīṁ tathā | mitraviṁdāṁ ca kāliṁdīṁ bhadrāṁ nāgnajitīṁ tathā || 32 ||

Rukmini, Satyabhama, the goddess Jambavati, Mitravinda, Kalindi, Bhadra, and Nagnajiti,

Verse 33 (skanda.7.483.33)

संपूज्य लक्ष्मणां तत्र वैष्णवीः कृष्णवल्लभाः । एताः संपूज्य विधिवच्छ्रेष्ठपुत्रश्च लभ्यते ॥ ३३ ॥

saṁpūjya lakṣmaṇāṁ tatra vaiṣṇavīḥ kṛṣṇavallabhāḥ | etāḥ saṁpūjya vidhivacchreṣṭhaputraśca labhyate || 33 ||

And Lakshmana there — these Vaishnavi goddesses, beloved of Krishna, being duly worshipped, an excellent son is obtained.

Verse 34 (skanda.7.483.34)

तावद्भवभयं पुंसां गृहभंगश्च मूर्खता । यावन्न पश्यते भक्त्या कलौ कृष्णपुरीं नरः ॥ ३४ ॥

tāvadbhavabhayaṁ puṁsāṁ gṛhabhaṁgaśca mūrkhatā | yāvanna paśyate bhaktyā kalau kṛṣṇapurīṁ naraḥ || 34 ||

For men, the fear of worldly existence, the ruin of the household, and foolishness remain only so long as a man has not, in the Kali age, beheld the city of Krishna with devotion.

Verse 35 (skanda.7.483.35)

न सर्वत्र महापुण्यं संगमे सरितांपतेः । जाह्नवीसंगमान्मुक्तिर्गोमतीनीरसंगमात् । संपर्के गोमतीनीरपूतोऽहं कृष्णसन्निधौ ॥ ३५ ॥

na sarvatra mahāpuṇyaṁ saṁgame saritāṁpateḥ | jāhnavīsaṁgamānmuktirgomatīnīrasaṁgamāt | saṁparke gomatīnīrapūto'haṁ kṛṣṇasannidhau || 35 ||

Great merit is not found everywhere at the confluence with the lord of rivers, the ocean. Liberation comes from the confluence with the Ganga, and from contact with the waters of the Gomati. By contact with the waters of the Gomati I myself am purified in the presence of Krishna.

Verse 36 (skanda.7.483.36)

गोमतीनीरसंपृक्तं ये मां पश्यंति मानवाः । न तेषां पुनरावृत्तिरित्याह सरितांपतिः ॥ ३६ ॥

gomatīnīrasaṁpṛktaṁ ye māṁ paśyaṁti mānavāḥ | na teṣāṁ punarāvṛttirityāha saritāṁpatiḥ || 36 ||

"Those men who behold me joined with the waters of the Gomati do not return again" — thus spoke the lord of rivers, the ocean.

Verse 37 (skanda.7.483.37)

द्वारकां गच्छमानस्य विपत्तिश्च भवेद्यदि । न तस्य पुनरावृत्तिः कल्पकोटिशतैरपि ॥ ३७ ॥

dvārakāṁ gacchamānasya vipattiśca bhavedyadi | na tasya punarāvṛttiḥ kalpakoṭiśatairapi || 37 ||

Even if calamity (death) should befall a man while journeying to Dvaraka, he does not return again even in a hundred crore ages.