CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED TWENTYTHREE

Gem of a Formula

Shaunaka said:

1-2. O glorious Suta, you are blessed that you make us, plunged very much in the ocean of the mundane existence, drink a large quantity of nectar. O good one, tell us, desiring to cross the worldly existence, the gem of a formula, pure due to devotion, of which the mobile and the immobile are full. Suta said:

3-4. O Shaunaka, listen. I shall tell you the very wonderful gem of a formula, which the noble Vasishtha spoke to Dillpa. Once Dillpa having saluted Vasishtha, the best brahmana, his preceptor, asked him as you did (now). Dili pa said:

5-9. O revered one, you have particularly told me all the practices, so also practices with those of castes and the stages of life and the daily and occasional obligatory rites. O best sage, I have also heard the kingly duties, sacrifices, gifts (to be made) at holy places and vows etc., which give inexhaustible pleasures in heaven. Now I desire to hear about the ancient path leading to salvation. Tell me about it along which I can luckily go. What is the best of all sacred formulas, the only medicine for all the diseases in the worldly existence? What is the best formula giving salvation to all human beings? Tell all that truthfully and for the love and regard (that you have) for me. Vasishtha said:

10-11. O king, you desiring the good of all the world, have asked well. I shall, in private, tell you a great secret, emancipating (you) from the worldly existence. Formerly all holy sages intent on (performing) sacrifices and (giving) gifts, asked Narada, Brahma's son, the best sage: The great sages said:

12. O revered one, by what formula shall we go to the highest position? O glorious one, tell that to us. Please favour us. Narada said:

13. Formerly all meditating saints — Sanaka and others — asked in private Brahma about the path to salvation, very difficult to be obtained.

Brahma said:

14-20a. O meditating saints, listen to this wonderful secret. All gods and sages having penance as their wealth do not know it. The immutable god Narayana told it to me at the beginning of the creation. He, along with the great goddess was worshipped by me. Then the immutable Narayana was pleased with me. He gave me the status of the creator and all the literature having its origin in the Veda, so also illuminating formulas, pervasive and non-pervasive. Then I spoke to the god, the ancient Purushottama (i.e. Vishnu): " O revered one, by what formula (can) men cross the mundane existence? Tell me about it truly for the good of all people. Which of all formulas, is the one without (i.e. not requiring) initiatory rite, which gives men the highest place (even) by being uttered once (only)? "

The lord said:

20b-27. O glorious one, you, desiring the good of all the people, have asked well. Therefore, I shall tell you the secret by means of which men would reach me. Of all the formulas the gem of a formula is auspicious. It gives the highest position even when it is remembered just once. The two gems of (i.e. in) the formula (are: Lakshmi, Narayana). Nyasa (assignment? ), Prayati (purification? ) and Saranagati (approaching for shelter? ) are necessary. The formula 'Lakshmi-Narayana' gives all fruits. Understand in succession the names of the gem of a formula(? \ Merely by its utterance I am always pleased. A man born in a (noble) family, an ascetic, one who has mastered the Vedas and Vedangas, one who is given to (performing) sacrifices and (giving) gifts, one resorting to all holy places, so also one who has taken a vow, one who speaks the truth, or even an ascetic having knowledge — is not entitled to the formula. He should carefully avoid it. Brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas, women, and others — all are entitled to it if they are my devotees.

28-33. The excellent formula should be given to those who do not seek the shelter of any other (deity than Vishnu), who do not serve any other (deity than Vishnu), who do not (try to) reach any other (deity than Vishnu). Even if recited once itgives a quick fruit to the afflicted. It keeps away another (i.e. re-)birth even of haughty beings. (If) an afflicted person, or an inquisitive person, or one longing for wealth, or a wise person or a king seeks my shelter (but) once, he would obtain all his desired objects. It should not be told to him who is not initiated, to him who is not a devotee, to a proud person, to an atheist, to a greedy person, to one who is averse to (i.e. who has no) faith. It should not be told to him who has no desire to listen (to it); to him who does not abide by Siiva, to him who is free from lust, anger, hypocrisy, greed, so also to him who resorts to me with steady devotion, this excellent gem of a formula should be duly told.

34-37. (The devotee should observe) rules with regard to place and time, (should have) exact determination of foes and friends, (should know) the nyasa, 1 mudra2 etc., along with the initiatory rite; he should have his body marked with (the impression of) my disc, so also do my worship, should dedicate his actions to me, should seek my shelter only. With great confidence in me he should assign all fruits to me. He should not possess anything. He should avoid talking to non-devotees of Vishnuor saluting them. He should also avoid saluting or worshipping other deities than (me).

38-44. Rules like this are declared for him who submits himself (to me). To a man endowed with such qualities, the excellent gem of a formula should be told. I, Narayana, ancient Vishnu, am its seer; so also I, the ocean of affection, am its deity, along with Lakshmi. I, Narayana, the lord of the entire world, the glorious one, of a good character, fortunate, omniscient, omnipotent, with my desires always fulfilled, omnipresent, having everyone as my relative, ocean of the nectar of pity am with Lakshmi said to be its deity. Its metre is said to be the goddess Gayatrl, having twentyfive syllables. He should twice assign seven, six, three, five, two or six limbs(? ) He should meditate upon me, along with Lakshmi not separated from me, of the form of the universe, having in my hands a disc, a conch, a mace, and a lotus, and of a divine form. He, being restrainted and pure, should worship me along with Lakshmi seated on my left lap, with this gem of a formula, and with sandal, flowers and offerings. O lord of the beings, even if I am worshipped once I am pleased.

1. Nyasa: Assignment of the various parts of the body to different deities which is usually accompanied by prayer and corresponding gesticulations.

2. Mudra: Certain positions of the fingers practised in devotion or religious worship.

Brahma said:

45-48. O lord, you have properly told this excellent secret, so also the power of the gem of a formula, which gives every success to men. You are the father of all the worlds, so also their mother and preceptor. You are the master, friend, brother, recourse, refuge and friend. O lord of gods, I am your servant, disciple and friend. Therefore, O you ocean of pity, you told this excellent (formula) to me. Now with the desire for the good of all people, tell fully accurately the initiation of this gem of a formula for its proper practice. The lord said:

49-54. O child, listen, I shall tell you the great rite of the initiation of this gem of a formula. To secure my resort, a man should first resort to a preceptor. The preceptor (should be) endowed with (the knowledge of) the Veda, (should be) Vishnu's devotee, free from jealousy, (should) know the formula, (should be) devoted to the formula, (should) always resort to the formula and (be) pure. He should belong to a good school; he should be proficient in the science of Brahman. He should not follow any other (deity than me); should not have any other aim (than me). He should be a brahmana, free from anger, attachment, and greed. He should teach good behaviour, should long for salvation, and should know the highest soul. A preceptor, a friendly one, having these qualities, who would teach (good) practices is called a preceptor. He who depends upon his preceptor when taught good behaviour, is steady in (obeying the preceptor's) order, is said to be a disciple by the good.

55-64. A preceptor should teach the excellent gem of a formula to a disciple having these characteristics, and endowed with all virtues. On a DvadasI day, or when the Sun is in the Sravana constellation or on some day holy to Vishnu, a good preceptor should initiate the pleased (disciple). He should get fashioned the Sudarsana disc or the Pancajanya conch out of gold, silver, copper or bell-metal. Having bathed it with pure pancamrta, 1 he should worship it before me. He should duly worship it with sandal and flowers, with (the utterance of) the formula. There he should establish fire in accordance with statements from his own Grhya (sutras). The preceptor, the best brahmana, should offer ghee (into the fire) to the accompaniment of the formula. He should make oblations one thousand and eight times, or one hundred and eight times with the repetition of this gem of a formula or other auspicious formulas sacred to Vishnu. With (the recitation of) the hymns like the Purusasukta he should offer ghee and milk into fire. The best brahmana should drop the disc and the conch into that fire. The preceptor, to the accompaniment (of the formula) of six letters should offer ghee into the fire twenty times. The preceptor, taking a heated disc, should make a mark (with it) and with the conch, to the accompaniment of the formula, on the left and the right arms. Having finished the remaining rite, he should again perform the worship. Then having brought a pitcher full of pure water, having consecrated it with (that) formula only, he should sprinkle (the water) on his head.

65-67. The preceptor should teach the formula to the disciple who has put on a white garment, has sipped water, is polite, has put on the sectarian mark. He should explain the meaning of the formula, and especially its operation. The disciple who has received the formula, should honour the preceptor with ornaments etc. O best god, he who, in this manner, learns the formula from a preceptor, Vishnu's devotee, goes to (the place) of Vishnu, not otherwise.

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

Narada said:

68-70. The father, Vishnu, having thus spoken to the Creator, marked him with his own disc, and he himself gave (i.e. taught) him the formula. O best sages, the god, that lord Brahma, my father, the lord of all worlds, duly gave (i.e. taught) the formula to me also. Therefore, O best sages, O brahmanas, you too, putting on (the mark) of the Sudarsana (disc), seek the shelter of Vishnu's couple of feet. Vasishtha said:

71-80. All the sages, thus addressed by Narada, the divine sage, and entitled to the two (feet of Vishnu) went to the highest position of Vishnu. Therefore, O royal sage, you too desire absorption into Vishnu after putting on (the mark of) Sudarsana according to the proper rule of initiation. Seek the shelter of the two feet of Vishnu alone. Brahma, the lord of all the people and the three worlds, himself told me and Narada also this excellent formula. Narada taught the formula, exclusive devotion (to) and seeking refuge (of Vishnu) to the great sages like Shaunaka living in Naimisaranya. O king, the great sages, deities, siddhas, sadhyas and demons do not know this most secret formula. I too gave to Parasara, Sakti's son, this formula. O king, I shall tell you also this great secret — the couple of Lakshmi and Vishnu, exclusive devotion (to) and seeking the refuge (of the two). There is no greater formula than the couple. I tell you the truth. In the worlds there is no practice superior to this. Formerly Brahma told the truth, repeatedly (told) the truth that there is no other god than Vishnu who gives salvation to men. Service to him alone would be salvation, which would cut off (the fruits of) all acts.

 

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