Acts Leading to Vaikuntha

Shaunaka said:

1. O Suta, tell me who am listening, due to which (acts of) religious merit Vaikuntha is obtained (by a man), for you are a boat in the ocean of the worldly existence. Suta said:

2-7. O best sage doing auspicious (things) for all, (you have asked) well. I shall tell you in brief (the rite) destroying all sins. Listen, O best brahmana, hear about the merit of him who would give a house made of clay to a brahmana devoted to Vishnu. That brahmana, free from all sins, would always live in a palatial building in Vishnu's heaven. He is honoured in Vishnu's heaven. He who would present a palatial building to a brahmana devotee of Vishnu, would, on reaching Vishnu's abode, certainly be a resident of heaven. O brahmana, he, with a crore of (members of) his family ultimately goes to Vishnu's city, and staying in a palatial golden building, he would enjoy pleasures as he pleases. (Even) the Creator, the cause of all, is unable to measure the religious merit that one would get by causing a brahmana to settle well (in his life), O sage.

8. Dust particles are (i.e. can be) counted; drops of rains are (i.e. can be) counted; (but) ths fruit (obtained) by settling well a brahmana (in his life) cannot be guaged even by the Creator.

9-23. O great sage, listen to what Brahma, the Creator, the origin of the mundane existence, told Narada, when he was formerly asked by him. O brahmana, formerly in Dvapara age, there was a woman by name Cancalapangi; she was very beautiful, her hair was excellent, her eyes were like that of a female deer, her waist was charming, and her smile was lovely. Once she went to another country. Full of all sins, and causing people to fall into hell due to her contact (like that) of liquor, she went to a temple. For a moment she sat there and ate a tambula. Through curiosity she threw the remaining powder on the lowly part of a wall. Then desiring (to secure) a paramour, and to secure wealth (from him) she went to the city. The prostitute rashly made an appointment with some paramour. Being fascinated she went to the appointed place (in) the forest at night. The merchant (her paramour) did not come to the rendezvous. She expected (him) and thought to herself: 'How (is it) that my lover has not come? Has he been eaten up by serpents or tigers? How has he, beside himself due to passion, gone (elsewhere) leaving the place of appointment? Is he hankering after some other unknown woman? ' O brahmana, thinking (like) this in her mind she through the fear of the fort-guard did not arrive into the city as the public road was covered with darkness. O brahmana, in the meanwhile a hungry tiger that took up any form that he liked, that was sent by the god of death, came there and forcibly ate her up. Then the messengers of Yamuna's brother (i e. Yama), whose forms were fearful, whose bodies resembled mountain-peaks, came there to take her (to Yama's abode) due to her sinful deed. Their feet were crooked, their faces were crooked, their noses were projecting, and they had many jaws. O brahmana, taking leather straps and hammers the very frantic messengers tied up that licentious harlot with leather straps. The messengers of the magnanimous Vishnu who holds a conch, a disc, a mace and a lotus, that were going along the path saw her. They resembled black clouds, their lotus-like faces were throbbing, they formed a group, their noses were charming, and they were adorned with divine ear-rings. The messengers of Vishnu said:

24-27. Who are you of deformed forms, who appear like demons? Where are you going carrying this excellent (lady), the most beloved of Vishnu? Hearing these words of them, they (i e. Yama's messengers) went (away) quickly. Then those very powerful messengers of Vishnu, who were full of anger, struck the messengers of Yama, the lord of the world, with multitudes of weapons like the disc, having the brilliance of that of a crore of suns. All the warriors of Yama ran away, crying; and O brahmana, they who were frightened, narrated the entire account to Yama. Yama too, having heard that account, said to Chitragupta: Dharma (i.e. Yama) said:

28. O minister, due to which (act of) religious merit has the prostitute gone to (i.e. obtained) salvation? Tell all this according to its merit, to me who am asking (you). Chitragupta said:

29-32. From her birth she had earned very many sins; but, O lord of the world, hear if she might have some merit (to her credit). O lord of Dharma, once (this) prostitute, adorned with all ornaments, seeking wealth and looking for a paramour, went to a certain city. There (i.e. in that city) having remained in the temple, and having eaten a tambula, she threw, out of curiosity, the remaining powder on a wall, By the power of that merit the harlot with her sins gone (away), and free from your punishment, goes to Vaikuntha. Suta said:

33-37. Hearing these words the messengers and Yama also set their mind on other work, O brahmana. That harlot also, mounted in a divine chariot yoked with royal swans and surrounded by Vishnu's servants, went to Vishnu's world. O brahmana, she by the order of Vishnu stayed along with a crore (member* of) her family in a palatial building and enjoyed many pleasures. O best brahmana, I do not know (i.e. cannot judge) the merit of him who devoutly and carefully puts powder into Vishnu's temple (to beautify it). He who would devoutly recite (this) chapter or listen to it with respect, is freed from all sins and goes to Vishnu's abode.

 

CHAPTER SEVEN

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