Modes of Vishnu's Worship

Shri Pdrvati said:

1-3. O venerable one, you have told me the very wonderful acts of Rama and Krishna in this (narration) of Krishna's (deeds) in the state of grandeur. Oh, my heart, listening to the nectar of the tale of Hari — the acts of the noble Rama and Krishna — is not satisfied even for crores of kalpas, O lord of good, O lord of beings. Now I desire to listen to the excellent (account of the) greatness of Vishnu. O god, I also desire to hear about the manner of his worship. Shri Rudra said:

4-9. O goddess, listen. I shall tell you (the account) of the very noble Vishnu. The installation (of his idol) and his self-manifestation — these are the two aspects which it consists of. The installation with (the accompaniment of) the rites as told in the grauta and Smarta texts, of the representation of Vishnu of a stone, clay, wood, iron etc., is said to be Sthapana. Listen (as) I (tell you) to that which is called self-manifestation. That representation of Vishnu of stone or wood in which the lord of souls has placed himself for men is said to be self-manifest on the earth. One should worship Vishnu (whose representation is) either self-manifest or installed. Kesava, the lord of the world, the eternal one, himself approaches (the deities and the great sages) for their worship. Just that which was to be enjoyed in a (particular) body became manifest. One should always worship that only and take delight in that only.

10-16. Vishnu, the lord of gods, should be properly worshipped. Due to the penance of the Iksvaku lords, he himself appeared on the earth. That Madhava, removing sins, is to be worshipped by me at Kasl. I settling myself properly take delight in the charming house, after visiting it, where the old one is self-manifest. The lord of sacrifices is not obtained by men by means of Yoga of eight constituents, but in worship. Being the object of the eyes he gives the desired boon. Men easily attain him in (i.e. by means of) worship in all conditions. In the very meritorious, auspicious country of Bharata, in Jambudvipa, on the earth, he is always present near even the ignorant. Vishnu is always near in a worship and never in other (modes of reaching him). Therefore, in the country Bharata, he is, O goddess, always waited upon by sages and even by gods with rites like penance, sacrifice etc. In this country of Bharata Vishnu is always near.

17-21. One should get rid of sin by purifying (oneself) at the Indradyumna (lake), Kaurmya, the Simha mountain, Karavira, Kasl, Prayaga or (the division of Bharata called) Saumya, or the Salagrama mountain, DvaravatI, Naimisa (forest), so also in Badarikashrama, Paundarika and Dandaka (forest), Mathura, Venkata-giri, Sveta mountain, Garuda mountain, KancI, Anantasayana, Srlranga, Vasava mountain, Narayana mountain, Saumya, Varaha, Vamanashrama. These and others are selfmanifest, and give all desired fruits. The good sages say that in that in which Vishnu himself is near, he is self-manifest.

22-26. The best among the great devotees of Vishnu should install the (idol of) Kesava according to the precept, and should bring about his proximity by (muttering) a (sacred) formula. That installation is excellent. He should worship the god (installed) in it in villages and houses. The good recommend the worship in the house on a Salagrama stone. Praising, repeating the formula, sacrifice, abstract meditation on the magnanimous one, repeating his name, serving him, being marked with his signs (like the disc etc.) would be his worship. O auspicious one, it is divided into nine kinds. For a brahmana doing every act for him, is always laid down. A brahmana, a great devotee of Vishnu is the greatest teacher of men. He is venerable to all people as Vishriu is.

27-35. A brahmana who has gone through the five purificatory rites like being heated (with the Vaisijava marks) and having five motives is said to be a great brahmana. The worship for a ksatriya is laid down through the performance of the various acts. For vaisyas the six types of worship are said to be: Marking (his body) with his (i.e. Vishnu's) marks, service, honouring those who belong to him, repeating the letters of the formula, repeating Vishnu's names, and salutation to him. The worship for a shudra (consists of) five (types): Repeating his names, service to him, worshipping and saluting him and honouring those who belong to him. O dear one, mental worship is common to all men. The worship of the lord of the world should be done according to one's fitness. Vishnu should always be worshipped by brahnanas and others who are devoted to no other deity (than Vishnu), who do not wish to accomplish any other fruit (than securing him), who know the Vedas and the truth about Brahman, who are free from attachment, who desire salvation, who possess devotion for their preceptors, who are well-pleased, who are very good. Men should perform Vishnu's proper worship (i.e. the worship fit) for their castes. The good devotees of Vishnu should do (acts) proper for their castes and stages of life. An intelligent man should always properly perform the rites told in the holy texts and codes of law. He should never transgress the acts prescribed in the holv texts and codes of law.

36-39. That devotee of Vishnu, who does not practise the acts prescribed in the Srutis and Smrtis, becomes a heretic, and would stay in the Raurava hell. Therefore, a man should offer to the lord of the world a worship fit for his caste. One should always practise acts prescribed in the codes of law. O auspicious one the mental worship is common to all men. Only after considering his own fitness a man should carefully perform his duty. The means for all to acquire piety are: Tranquillity, control, austerities, purity, truthfulness, avoiding (eating) flesh, non-stealing, and harmlessness.

40-50. Therefore, one should worship Vishnu according to his caste and stage of life. Getting up at the end of night and having properly rinsed his mouth, and having saluted the elderly persons he should remember Vishnu in his heart. He being pure and controlled in his speech, should devoutly repeatthe thousand names(of Vishnu). Having evacuated the bowels and discharged the urine1 onthe outside of the village, and having properly purified2 himself, he, the restrained and pure one, should properly sip water and should properly bathe after having brushed his teeth. O auspicious one, taking the earth at the root of a tulasl along with its leaf, and having consecrated it with the principal formula and having smeared his body along with (the repetition of) the Gayatri hymn only, he should bathe after offering the expiatory formula. O you very pure one, having invoked there Ganga rising from the feet of Vishnu, and having quickly dipped (into the water) he should repeat the excellent expiatory formula. Having sipped water, he should sprinkle his person with water in the order prescribed in the formula of (i.e. sacred to) Vishnu. Then the wise one having quickly dipped himself, should repeat the primary formula twenty-eight times or one hundred and eight times. The devotee of Vishnu having consecrated himself with the formula (to be repeated) in water, should offer his prayers. Having sipped water, he should gratify deities, sages and dead ancestors. Having pressed his garment, having sipped water, he, the alert devotee of Vishnu, and the best brahmana, having put on a washed garment should take pure, charming clay and having consecrated it with a formula only, have on his forehead etc. the proper number of the upright sectarian marks. The wise one should then perform (i.e. offer) the sandhya P^yer^ndrecite Savitri (hymn).

1. The reading is definitely 'Mala-mutra' and not 'Mula-mantra'.

2_Aghamarsana: Lit. expiatory, removing or destroying sin; usually applied to a prayer repeated by brahmanas (the 190th hymn of the tenth Maridalaoftheljgveda).

51-55. He controlled in speech and mind, should go home and wash his feet. Having sipped water with a concentrated mind, he should enter the hall where worship is offered. Having placed (the idol of) the lord, the god Laksml-Narayana on a charming, very bright seat, adorned with a heap of flowers, he should worship him properly with sandal, flowers and sacred rice grains. The brahmana, with his mind controlled, should worship (the idol of) Vishnu — either installed or self-manifest — devoutly, properly and as deserved, according to the way told in Srutis and Smrtis. The devotee of Vishnu should do what is advised by his preceptor. The shrauta way is Vaikhanasa and the Smarta is that of Vasishtha.

56-59. What is laid down in Pancaratra is called divine text. The rite should not be dropped; (for) the propitiation of Vishnu is the highest. He should gladly and according to his ability offer worship to Vishnu with invocation, seat, (offering) materials of worship etc., sandal, flowers, sacred rice grains, incense, lamps, offerings of eatables, tambtila etc. and salutations. The devotee of Vishriu should propitiate the deity with sixteen modes of paying homage to the accompaniment at every re of the two hymns — Purusa-sukta and the principal hymn. Again during the various modes of worship he should offer a handful of flowers.

60-70. With the (various) positions of fingers the devotee of Vishnu should invoke the lord of the earth. So also he should offer a seat with a flower and the finger-position. With the two principal hymns he should offer at every mode of worship lamp, materials of worship, (water for) sipping, a bath with pure water in vessels, and auspicious substances mixed with tulasi-leaves. Then with fragrant oil he should smear the idol. He should also rub and clean his body with musk and sandal. Having bathed with auspicious, fragrant water with (the accompaniment of) hymns, and having properly decorated (himself) with divine ornaments and garments, he should then offer madhuparka, so also sandal made fragrant. He should devoutly and properly offer fragrant, good flowers, incense, and very beautiful lamp having eight or ten limbs (i.e. wicks). He should also give various kinds of eatables, mixed with rice boiled with milk and cakes. He should also devoutly offer camphor with tambula.

Having waved the lamps he should worship (i.e. offer) a garland of flowers. Having taken himself round (the idol) and having saluted and praised (it) with excellent hymns, he should offer auspicious materials of worship after making (the idol) lie on the lap of Garuda. Having repeated auspicious names, he should then perform a sacrifice. He should make an offering into the fire-circle with the remaining of eatables offered to Vishnu. He should (repeat) every re (of) the Purusa-sukta and the Shrisiikta invoking auspiciousness. He should offer into the Vedic fire oblation mixed with ghee. He should devoutly offer (it) with the gem of a hymn as (already) mentioned.

71-81. Meditating upon great Vishnu of the form of sacrifice one hundred and eight times or twenty-eight times, he should offer the oblation. After meditating upon the lord (i.e. Vishnu) resembling pure gold, holding a conch, a disc and a mace, consisting of the entire Vedas, Vedanta, Angas and Uparigas, seated with goddess Lakshmi, he should perform a sacrifice. He should offer the oblation with (Vishnu's) names (uttered) after each offering. The best devotee of Vishnu should assign (offerings) to the eternal devotees. Then in due order, he should offer oblations to and particularly worship the Saktis like Bhfl, Lila, Vimala etc. first and then the deities like Ananta, Garuda etc. Then Vasudeva etc. and deities like Sakti, so also images like that of Kesava, Samkarsana etc., Matsya, Kurma etc. and the weapons like the disc, so also gods like Vishriu, and deities like the Moon, the guardians of the quarters like Indra, so also deities like Dharma should be offered oblations to and worshipped. The best devotee of Vishnu, being calm, should everyday, in his daily rite of worship offer the sacrifice to Vishnu. In the worship in the house, he, by offering properly the five sacrifices, should duly offer the oblation and then sip water. Seated on the white seat with the skin of the black antelope and darbhas placed on it he should bring about comfort for (being able to enjoy) pleasures by the use of hymns. Properly seated in the position of Padma he should Purify the elements of the body. o2-90. With his senses controlled, he should, with a hymn, Practise the three (kinds of) breath-control. Then facing the n°rth he should bring about the expansion of the heart-lotus by means of the Sun of knowledge. The best devotee of Vishnu should one by one, imagine in its pericarp, full of the three, the triad of the orbs of the sun, the moon, and the fire. On them he should imagine a seat full of many gems. He should (mentally) arrange at the end of the root of the heart-lotus a lotus with eight (kinds of) grandeur, having brilliance like that of the young sun. and full of the syllables of the mystic formula. Then the pure devotee, of a calm mind, should meditate upon lord Vishnu who is seated on it with goddess (Lakshmi), who resembles a crore of moons, who has four hands, a beautiful body, who holds a conch, a disc and a mace, whose eyes are large like lotuspetals, who is distinguished with all (auspicious) marks, on whose chest are Srlvatsa and Kaustubha, who has put on a yellow garment, beautiful ornaments, who is adorned with divine ornaments, whose body is smeared with divine sandal, who is graced with divine flowers, is adorned with the garland of woodflowers and delicate leaves of tulasi, who resembles a crore of suns in lustre, whose body is embraced by Lakshmi having al! (good) marks, who is auspicious; having thus meditated, he should repeat the hymn.

91-96. Having with devotion mentally worshipped (Vishnu) a thousand or hundred times, or according to his capacity, he should stop. He should devoutly honour those who belong to him (i.e. his devotees), that have come at that time, and having pleased them by (givingthem) food, drink etc., he should dismiss them after following them (a few steps). Having worshipped the dead ancestors he should duly gratify the deities. Having honoured the guests and servants, the couple should eat. He should always avoid the worship of yaksas, demons and spirits. A brahmana who through folly worships them, would certainlybecome a candala. Resorting to yaksas, goblins and deities enjoying liquor and flesh is said to be equivalent to drinking liquor. The worship of ghosts of brahmanas, vampires, yaksas and spirits is the means for men of reaching the very fierce hell, Kumbhipaka.

97-106. Due to the worship of yaksas and spirits all the religious merit earned during crores of existences by (performance of) sacrifices and (giving) gifts, is lost instantly. Due to the worship of yaksas and spirits, a woman or a man becomes an insect for thousands of crores of kalpas and hundreds of crores of kalpas and sinks in feces along with his dead ancestors. He who eats the food offered to yaksas, goblins or vicious deities would be the eater of pus and blood. The brahmana (who eats food) assigned to yaksas, hosts of spirits, cruel ghosts of brahmanas, (would instantly become) a candala only. That woman who would worship yaksas, goblins, serpents, demons, goes with her face turned down to the fierce Kalasutra hell. One having lived there along with one's dead ancestors, and licking urine and feces till deluge, and with one's body being eaten by insects, is then born within ten days in hundred (satasamkhyaya? ) on the earth. Therefore, one should avoid the worship of yaksas etc. and of (vicious) deities. One should even avoid an independent worship of brahmanas well-versed in Vedas. Having worshipped god Narayana Hari, venerable to the world, a man should worship the installation of the god covered on all sides. With the remnant of what is enjoyed by Vishnu, he should throw an offering to them.

107-115. The devotee of Vishnushould also perform a sacrifice with (materials) that have remained after it (i.e. Vishnu's worship). He should offer an oblation to the deities after having properly made an offering to Vishnu. He should also offer everything to his dead ancestors and should secure immortality. Harassing beings leads wise men to hell. O daughter of the (Himalaya) Mountain, know that which, without being given, is taken by men to be a theft and is the cause of hell. A man who eats prohibited articles of food like garlic, (drinks) liquor etc., (eats)radish, red garlic, Sheshamum-flour, pot-herb, bilva, kosataklfruit, bottle-gourd, egg-plant, bijali-fruit, kavaca fruit, and other prohibited articles of food as noted in the holy texts, reaches a strange, inauspicious hell. The food of the non-devotees of Vishnu, that of the fallen, that which is not offered to Vishnu would be like the flesh of a dog. He who cats the food of (i.e. offered to) yaksas, demons and spirits, so also (he who enjoys) wine, liquor and onion goes to a hell where the food is Pus and blood. A man (goes to hell) by means of these — installing, touching or coming in contact with them. They too just go to a hell where the food is feces, urine and insects. So also a man (goes to hell) due to contact with the fallen and the heretics.

116-117. Knowing the ancient best Purusa (i.e. Vishnu), the entire enjoyerof all sacrifices, a man should perform his daily and occasional obligatory rites, so also those that are performed through the desire for some object (optional). O goddess, those who desire heaven, should never worship yaksas, demons, spirits, goblins and Bhairavas.

118-124. A brahmana should avoid worshipping yaksas, demons and spirits. (For by doing so) for three hundred crores of kalpas he remains in the state of a goblin. Therefore, the worship of demons and spirits is prohibited. Due to the worship of yaksas and groups of spirits he goes to the Raurava hell (and stays there) for thousands of crores of kalpas and hundreds of crores of kalpas. He, being without the marks like the conch, the disc and other marks most dear to Vishnu, and fallen from all pious acts would go to hell. By means of illicit intercourse, harm (to others), snatching another's wealth, by eating prohibited articles of food, he would instantly reach hell. (If) a man abandoning the woman whose hand he has sought, goes to another woman, that is illicit intercourse; it is the cause of instantly going to hell. A man similarly goes to hell only due to the contact with the fallen, the heretics and also those who do impious deeds. He should even avoid the contact of those who come in contact with such persons.

125. The devotee of Vishnu should avoid a family full of sins. Seeking solitude, he should abandon the village mixed with (i.e. full of) great sins.

126-131. Similarly, he who desires absolute solitude, should even abandon that region. The means to attain Vishnu is said to be doing one's own duty, having knowledge, devotion etc. That brahmana wlio practises his duties and knowledge in accordance with Vishnu's order, and is highly devoted to Vishnu, would be the one who solicits solitude. The devotee of Vishnu should properly avoid a prohibited act with a sinful thought (i.e. by looking upon it as a sinful act). Soliciting solitariness he should even mentally abandon (acts according to) the holy text due to blemish. Similarly he who desires absolute solitude, should avoid (acts) looking upon them as fit to be abandoned. Acts are said to be of three kinds: daily, occasional (both obligatory) and (those which are) performed through the desire for some object (i.e. optional).

The sages have declared knowledge also to be like that in the world: the discrimination between what ought and ought not to be done; thinking about the other world; the means to accomplish it; the knowledge of Vishnu's nature only. A devotee should be full of devotion. It is said to be of nine kinds:

132-140. The auspicious marks of Sudarsana (disc); the upright sectarian mark on the forehead; repeating the formula of (i.e. taught by) the good preceptor; worshipping Vishnuproperly; recollection of Vishnu; glorification of Vishnu; service of the highest soul; salutation before him; and honouring those who belong to him; resorting to his favour and a holy place. (Thus) devotion is said to be of nine kinds. That with which the devotee of Vishnu seeks the shelter of god Vishnu, should be known as pious resignation. It is declared to be of three kinds: It is said to be of three types in the world: tamasi (vicious), rajasi (passionate) and sattvikl (sincere). Fulfilment is also divided into three (kinds); it is common to all (human) beings. Looking upon these four as fit to be abandoned(? ), the devotee of Vishnu should give it(? ) up. Brahman only, being the means, would cling to Vishnu's devotee(? ). The best among the great devotees of Vishnu should practise acts, knowledge through love for the lord, and abandoning (i.e. not looking upon) them as means. With devotion he -should worship Vishnu three times (a day). O you auspicious one, he should especially worship him at the time of an occasional obligatory (rite). On everyday of the month of Kartika he should worship him (i.e. Vishnu) with jasmine flowers. He of a controlled mind and a firm vow, should continuously offer a lamp. Having fed brahmanas he would, in the end, attain absorption into Vishnu.

141-145. O goddess, in Dhanu-month, he should every morning continuously worship the lord of gods with lotuses and white and black karavlra flowers. He should offer incense, lamps and eatables according to his capacity. At the conclusion he should feed brahmanas who are the best among the great devotees of Vishnu. He undoubtedly gets the fruit of a thousand horsesacrifices. In the month of Magha, (every morning) when the sun has risen, he should particularly bathe in a river, and worship Vishnu with flowers and lotuses, O you of an auspicious face. He should offer rice cooked in milk and eatables with ghee (to Vishnu). Having bathed (every morning) he should continuously worship Vishnu (everyday) for a month. In conclusion he should offer sugar with water.

146-151. O you of an auspicious appearance, he should devoutly honour Vishnu's devotees at the end of the month. Similarly in the month of Caitra he should daily worship the lord of the world with campaka flowers and also with bakula flowers; and should offer food prepared in jaggery. Being well concentrated, he should feed brahmanas at the end of the month. He would (thus) obtain (the fruit of) the worship performed for a thousand years. In Vaishakha he should worship the god with great lotuses having hundred petals. O goddess, having worshipped him in the proper manner, he should devoutly offer him water mixed with molasses along with curd, food and fruits. O Parvati, the lord of the world, along with Lakshmi, is pleased. In the month of Jyestha, he, having worshipped Hrsikesa with white lotuses, trumpet (-flowers), and blue lotuses, and having devoutly offered him food with mangoes, he would be the giver of a crore of cows.

152-157. Having fed Vishnu's devotees, he would obtain complete immortality. In (the month of) Asadha he should everyday worship devoutly Acyuta, Lakshmi's husband, and the god of gods with clove-flowers, and offer him rice boiled in milk. At the end of the month he should feed brahmanas, the best among great devotees of Vishnu. Undoubtedly he obtains (the merit) of the worship for sixty thousand years. In the month of Sravana he should worship Vishnu with punnaga flower, and ketaki petals. Having worshipped Vishnu with devotion, he would not obtain birth again. Devoutly he should give cakes mixed with sugar and ghee. He should feed brahmanas; similarly he would obtain full immortality. In Sravana he should worship the lord with kunda and kurabaka (flowers). He should devoutly offer milk and food mixed with jaggery. Everyday he would obtain the fruit of the gift of a crore of cows.

158-170. In the month of Asvina he should worship Vishnu with blue lotuses. He should devoutly offer him milk mixed with cakes. Being delighted and surrounded by his own people, he reaches Vishnu's world for thousands of crores of kalpas and hundreds of crores of kalpas. O goddess, in the same way, in the month of Kartika he would obtain absorption (into Vishnu) on devoutly worshipping Acyuta with tender tulasl-leaves. With devotion, and in due order, he should devoutly and duly offer food with milk, ghee and sugar, so also rice boiled in milk and cakes. O you of an excellent face, one should, according to one's capacity, particularly worship Vishnu on the new-moon day, Saturday, constellation sacred to Vishnu, the Sun's passage, portentous calamity, and lunar or solar eclipse. The best brahmana should offer a sacrifice to Vishnu according to his capacity on the day of Jupiter's passage (from one to another constellation) and constellations of Vishnu's birth. He should offer a handful of flowers, approved by the Vedas, for every re. He should also break the fast with the oblation of rice, 1 barley and pulse boiled for presentation to the gods and the manes, or with rice cooked in milk. He should feed Vishnu's devotees and give them presents according to his capacity. Having emancipated a crore of (the members of) his family, he would obtain Vishnu's position. If the best devotee of Vishnu is unable to worship Vishnu, he should, along with the repetition of hymns sacred to Vishnu, 2 everyday offer a sacrifice with a thousand handfuls of flowers. Or the wise man should worship the lord to please him (offering a handful of flowers) with every verse. Or continuously for seven nights he should (recite) the gem of a hymn one thousand and eight times, and should worship him with an offering. The wise man should especially honour the best among the great devotees of Vishriu. At the end he should, according to his wealth, take an ablution. A brahmana should take an ablution to the accompaniment of the repetition of hymns sacred to Vishnu.

171-174. The best brahmana, having duly and according to his capacity, bathed here, and having devoutly washed his feet in another vessel, should worship (Vishnu) with incense, flowers etc. and garments, ornaments etc; so also he should worship him with a tambula, fruits according to his capacity. Having fed (a brahmana) with food, drink etc. and having repeatedly saluted him, he should follow him to the boundary (of the village), and having saluted him who is dismissed, he should again salute him devoutly, and slowly return. With his mind controlled, he, having entered his house, should again worship the lord of beings.

1. Caru: An oblation of rice, barley, and pulse boiled for presentation to the gods and the manes.

2. (Vaisnava) anuvaka: repeating (hymns) sacred to Vishnu.

175-179. Thus till he is alive, he should diligently worship Vishnu. O auspicious one, he should especially always honour those that belong to him. O goddess, of all worships that of Vishnu is the best. Therefore, honouring those that beloxig to him, is the best. He who would worship Vishnu, but would not honour those who belong to him should not be reckoned as Vishnu's devotee, but is known to be a hypocrite. Therefore, a man should always with (i.e. making an) effort honour those that belong to him. By means of honouring the best devotee of Vishnu, he overcomes the entire stream of difficulties. O goddess, thus I have described the excellent daily and occasional (obligatory) worship of Vishnu, so also that of those who belong to him.

180. O goddess, I have also described to you, his valour, nature, the accomplishment of the fruit, his residence, body so also the group of the four (kinds of) acts etc. What else do you desire to hear?

 

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