The Importance of Prayaga

Mahadeva said:

l-8a. I shall tell you, as I have heard, the greatness of Prayaga where live people who are intent upon giving large gifts and practise meritorious acts. That holy place (called Prayaga) where (i.e. by which) Ganga, Yamuna and Sarasvati are (flowing) is the best and is inaccessible even to gods. Such (a holy place) was never there (in the past) nor will be there (in the future). The excellent, holy place called Prayaga is best among all the holy places as the Sun is among the planets or the Moon among the stars. О learned one, he who would bathe in the morning at Prayaga, is free from great sins, and goes to the highest position. A man desiring absence of poverty should give something (to a brahmana at Prayaga). There is no doubt that a man who after going would bathe there, becomes rich and lives a long life. A man who sees the undecaying fig-tree there, (his sin due to his having committed) the murder of a brahmana perishes. That fig-tree is called Ak? aya-vata and is (i.e. will be) seen even at the end of the kalpa.

8b-13. Since Vishnu lies on its leaf, it is known to be immut­able. Men dear to Vishnu, worship (the lord) there. A man should get it worshipped (i.e. should worship it) after having covered it with a thread. The god called Madhava (i.e. Vishnu) always stays there happily. One should see (the image of) him. One then is freed from great sins. Gods, sages, and men having resorted to their own places, always stay there everywhere. A man who has killed a cow, or who is a сапфНа, who is wicked or of a wicked mind, or who has murdered a child, so also who is not learned, dying there becomes one having four hands and lives in Vaikuntha for a long time.

14-19a. О best among the divine sages, listen. A man who bathes at Prayaga during the month of Magha, has no (limit to the) number of fruits (that he obtains). We hear that apati (i.e. waters) is said to be narah (i.e. waters — apab and narah are synonyms) in the entire world. Therefore, he is called Narayaija. He gives pleasures and salvation to those who have bathed there. As the Sun is best among the planets, the Moo#n among the stars, similarly Magha is the best in (i.e. for) all acts. When in Magha the Sun is in the Capricornus sign, a bath in the morning, even in the clear water of a very small puddle, gives heaven even to the sinners. О learned one, such an opportunity is rare in the three worlds with the mobile and the immobile. He too who has made an effort (to bathe) here at Prayaga and would bathe (every day) for three days or five or seven days would grow like the Moon in his family, О best brahmana.

19b-23. The mobile and immobile living beings, so also human beings and others, go soon to Vaikuntha after having resorted to the holy place of Prayaga. Those sages like Vasishtha and like Sanaka also repeatedly resort to the holy place of Prayaga. There, in the excellent holy place of Prayaga, all (gods like) Vishnu, Rudra and Indra live. They recommend giving gifts here, so also observing restraints. After having bathed there and drunk (water) there, there is no rebirth.

 

CHAPTER TWENTYFIVE

A Three-night Tulasi Vow

Narada said:

1. Like this, I have, through your favour, heard the great­ness of Tulasi. Now tell me the vow of Tulasi (lasting for) three days.

Sadashiva said:

2-9. О very intelligent brahmana, listen to this ancient vow, having heard which (a man) gets freed from all sins. There is no doubt about it. Formerly in the Raibhyantara kalpa there was a king (named) Prajapati. His well-known and very chaste wife was Candrarupa. She practised this vow giving the fruits of all desires. Her vow, giving (the fruit of) righteous­ness, worldly prosperity, sensual enjoyment lasted for three nights. The life of those who have listened to the Tulasl-vow is fruitful.

О Narada, on the ninth of the bright fortnight of Kartika, a man should observe restraint, be pious, control his senses and sleep on the (bare) ground. Intending to practise the Tulasi-vow, he, being pure and with his mind controlled, should, as a rule, sleep in the vicinity of a Tulasi-grove. Then at mid-day, he, having bathed in the pure water in a river etc., should duly gratify (with oblations) the manes and deities. He should get fashioned (a) golden (image of) Vishnu with Lakshmi. He, desiring his welfare, should not be dishonest as regards wealth. Then he should get fashioned a pair of garments. The garments should be yellow or white. He should duly commence the propitiatory rite for the nine planets.

10-14. Having put an oblation of rice, barley and pulse boiled for presentation to the gods and the manes, he (then) should offer a sacrifice to Vishnu. Having on the twelfth day care­fully worshipped the lord of gods, he should duly place a pure pitcher without any bruise with five jewels and with leaves and herbs. On it, in a vessel, he should place (the image of) Vishnu with Lakshmi. He should put it at the root of Tulasi to the accompani­ment of Vedic and Puriiflic hymns. He should sprinkle the grove of Tulasi with water only. He should bathe the god of gods, the best one in the world, with the five1 sweet things (viz. milk, sugar, ghee, curd and honey) (and to the accompaniment of this hymn of solicitation): ‘May that lord of gods, the divine one, who is of endless forms, who is of the form of the entire universe, who in the water sustains the creation of the world, who through his Maya creates the world, be pleased with me’.

15. This is the hymn of solicitation. ‘Come on, О Acyuta, О lord of gods, О mass of lustre, О lord of the world. You always remove the darkness. Protect me from the ocean of the mundane existence.’

16. This is the invocatory hymn. Good bath is (given to him) with the five sweet things and with sandal mixed with water, so also with the water of Ganga and other (rivers). ‘May Ananta (i.e. Vishflu thus) bathed, be pleased.’

1. Paftcamrta: A collection of five sweet things used in worshipping deities. They are: milk, sugar, ghee, curd, and honey.

17. This is the hymn (to be recited) at the time of bathing the image of the deity. ‘O god, I have devoutly offered you the smearing with sandal, agaru, camphor and saffron etc. With Lakshmi, accept it.’

18. This is the hymn (to be recited) at the time of smearing (the image). ‘O Narayaria, salutation to you, the protector (of me) from the ocean of hell. О you lord of the three worlds,

1 offer you two auspicious garments.’

19. This is the hymn (to be recited) at the time of (offering) the garments. ‘O Damodara, my salutation to you. Protect me from the ocean of the worldly existence.

1 have offered you the sacred thread. О Purushottama, (please) accept it.’

20. This is the hymn (to be recited) at the time of (offering) the sacred thread. This is the hymn (to be recited) at the time of offering flowers.

21. ‘O lord, l have offered you fragrant flowers like those of malatl etc. О lord of gods, accept them with love.’

22. This is the hymn (to be recited) at the time of offering of eatables. ‘O lord of gods, accept the betal nuts, the nagaleaves along with camphor. (Please) accept the tambula.’

23. This is the hymn (to be recited) at the time of offering a tambula. Having devoutly offered incense, agaru mixed with guggula (a particular fragrant gum resin) he should offer the worship thus. He should use a lamp with (i.e. burning due to) ghee.

24-27. О best among sages, he, being controlled, should prepare various kinds of lamps in front of Lakshmi and Narayana in the vicinity of the Tulasi-grove, and should offer materials of worship to the god holding the disc. On the ninth he should offer the best materials of worship with a coconut for (obtaining) a son; on the tenth he should offer a citron fruit for the accom­plishment of religious merit and sensual enjoyment. On the eleventh he should worship the twin deity with a pomegranate. (This would) always destroy his poverty.

28-29. Covering with a piece of cloth, a full plate of metal and a basket full of seven (kinds of) grains and betel nuts, he should offer it to the god to the accompaniment of this (i.e. the following) hymn. О Narada, listen with a concentrated mind. ‘O god, you, with Tulasi, (please) accept this material of worship always accompanied by a conch, offered by me. О lord of gods, my salutation to you.’

30-35. This is the hymn (to be offered) at the time of offer­ing materials of worship. Having thus worshipped Vishnu, the lord of gods, along with Lakshmi, he should solicit the lord of gods for the fulfilment (of the vow). (He should say): ‘O god, I being free from sensual desires and anger, have fasted by means of this vow. О lord of gods, you alone are my refuge. О god Janardana, let all that which in (i.e. while practising) this vow I have done (i.e. left) incomplete, be complete through your favour. Salutation to you, О lotus-eyed one; salutation to you who lie in water. О Kesava, through your favour I have practised the vow. О Kesava, О you who destroy the darkness of ignorance, being favourably disposed to me due to this vow, be one who would give me the sight of knowledge.’ Then at night (he should) keep awake, should sing songs, read (religious) books along with those who know sounds and art of dancing and with very auspi­cious and meritorious accounts.

36-43. When it is daybreak, and when the bright sun has arisen, he should devoutly invite brahmanas and offer a sraddha in the manner of Vishnu’s devotee. Having fed them, as they like, with sweetened milk and ghee, and having given them tambiilas, flowers, sandal etc. along with presents, so also sacred threads, garments, garlands and sandal, he should feed three (brahmana-)couples (and give them) garments, ornaments and saffron. He should also fill baskets according to his capacity with coconuts, cooked foods, garments and various kinds of fruits. He should make his preceptor and his wife put on the garments and divine ornaments (offered to them). He should worship (them) with sandal and flowers. He should also give a milch-cow along with articles of household use and with presents and garments. Listen to me who am telling you. All that religi­ous merit which men obtain after bathing in all holy places is obtained by them through the favour of the lord of gods. Having enjoyed many pleasures and charming desired objects, he, through Visou’s favour, obtains Vishjju’s position in the end.

 

CHAPTER TWENTYSIX

Gift of Food Praised

Narada said:

1. Tell me all that: Which things a man desirous of giving (gifts) to brahmanas excellent in merit, should give in this world?

Mahadeva said:

2-6. Having known the truth in the world, listen, О you best among the divine sages. They praise food like this. Every­thing is settled in food. Therefore, men particularly desire to give food. There was no gift nor there will be a gift like food. The whole world consisting of the immobile and the mobile, is sustained by means of food. In the world food causes vigour. Life depends upon food only. A man desiring his own welfare, should even by troubling his family give eatable food to a magnanimous brahmaria. О Narada, he who would give food to a brahmana who asks for it and who is afflicted, is the best among the wise. He should look for his own well-being.

7-15. A wise man who is of a good character, who is free from jealousy, who, after abandoning his anger, gives food to a householder a brahmana — who is tired, who is on the road (i.e. who is travelling), who has come at the time (of eating food), obtains happiness that is there in heaven and on the earth. He should not censure the guest. He should never hate him. He should offer food to a brahmana knowing the Vedas. That gift is superior. He who would give food to a brahmana who is tired, who is not seen before, and who is travelling, so also to him who is afflicted, would obtain full (merit of) righteousness. The religious merit of that man who would please the manes, gods, brahmartas and guests with foods, is unlimited, О great sage. He who, even after having committed a very great sin, gives food to a suppliant, especially to a brahmana, is freed from sins. Gift given to brahmaoas is inexhaustible (in merit); (gift of) food to a shudra gives a great fruit. Offering food to a shQdra and to a brahmana is superior (to any other gift). He should not ask (the brahmana about his) family, the school of the Vedas to which he belongs, or about his study (of the Vedas).

Не should give food (thinking that) here is а ЬгаЬтаца that seeks (food), so also to a beggarly brahmaua. For a man who gives food, auspicious trees full of the fruits of all desires, are (fruitful) in this world and in heaven he is full of joy.

16-21. О great sage, know those worlds which are (reached by him) by means of giving food. For the magnanimous ones (who give food) aeroplanes of many shapes and forms and endowed with (the fulfilment of) various desires, shine in heaven. (They enjoy) auspicious, golden wells and lakes everywhere. (They rejoice with) sounding vehicles and thousands of pearls. They see mountains full of food. There are (for them) garments and ornaments. There are (for them) rivers flowing with milk and mountains of ghee. There are (for them) palaces shining with white colour, beds bright like gold. They desire, therefore, to give food. So a man should give food. Those worlds are (reached) by the meritorious. Offering food gives great fruit. Therefore, in this world men should especially give food.

 

CHAPTER TWENTYSEVEN

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