The Greatness of the Holy Fig Tree

Vyasa said:

1-2. O best brahmana, a devotee of Vishriu should everyday in (the month of) Phalguna devoutly worship Shri Krishna saluted by gods. Listen properly to the fruit which I shall tell, of (i.e. obtained by) him who would bathe Devaki's son with clarified butter in Phalguna.

3-6. He, having received the fruit of all sacrifices and of all gifts, and freed from all sins goes in the end to Vishnu's place. Having enjoyed pleasures in Vishnu's abode for thousands of crores of yugas, he, having obtained excellent knowledge, obtains liberation there only. He who offers, in winter, sweet-meat made of Sheshamum-seeds to Krishna, of the form of a cowherd, would go to Vishnu's abode. He who would offer sweet balls made with ghee to Vishnu, the highest soul, would drink nectar in heaven for a period of hundreds of Manu's ages.

7-9. Vishnu, with his mind pleased, cuts off the bond of the mundane existence of him who offers pleasing candied sugar to Vishnu, O Jaimini. O brahmana, a man should offer a beautiful fruit to the god. In the end he goes to Indra's city and would be honoured by gods. What does he who, the devoted one, would offer pure sugar to Krishna, not obtain through Vasudeva's grace, O brahmana?

10-12. Listen to the fruit of (i.e. obtained by) him who offers a very ripe, sweet, badari-fruit to Krishna in the month of Phalguna? Along with his sons and grandsons he enjoys all pleasures here (i.e. in this world), and getting into a beautiful chariot, goes to Vishnu's abode in the end. A man should not give a badari-fruit with jaggery to Vishnu. O best brahmana, if, through ignorance, he would give it, he would be a resident of hell.

13-16. O brahmana, listen from me who am telling it, to the fruit of (i.e. obtained by) him who offers a very ripe pomegranate to Vishnu in the month of Phalguna. The lucky one stays for as many ages of Manu as there are seeds in the pomegranate in Vishnu's abode. O best brahmana, he who offers a mixture of flour and molasses ground and boiled together to Vishnu in the month of Phalguna, should be known to be the performer of a thousand horse-sacrifices. O best brahmana, the man who would bathe (the image of) Vishnu with honey in the month of Caitra, obtains the highest position of Vishnu.

17-18. The Sun's son (i.e. Yama) never makes an inquiry of him who would bathe (the image of) Narayana, Anamaya with honey (in the month of Caitra). The name of him who would bathe (the image of) Laksmfs lord with a kirhsuka flower, is not written by Chitragupta in his record.

19-21. When in Caitra Krishna, the lord of the worlds, is worshipped with tilaka flowers by a man, then he is not reborn on the earth. A man worshipping Krishna, the crest-jewel of all gods, with a black asoka flower, never meets with a calamity. He who with a pleased mind, worships in the spring, the lord with fragrant vernal (flowers), is honoured even by gods.

22. The lord, seated on the altar, himself gets up and honours him who would worship Vishnu with divine, unbroken sprouts.

23-24. A man who would worship Vishnu with fresh, tender dhatrii leaves, soon obtains his desired object. He who would worship lord Vishnu with bilva leaves, with flower of white thornapple and flowers of sun-plant, crosses the ocean of the worldly existence.

25. O brahmana, all gods like Indra day and night honour him who would offer an excellent plantain fruit to Vishnu.

26. O brahmana, he who would devoutly offer wheat-flour to Vishnu of the form of a cowherd, is freed from all sins.

27-32. When the sacred month of Vaishakha, dear to Vishnu, arrives, a devotee of Vishnu should abandon flesh, coitus and oil. In the month of Vaishakha a devotee of Vishnu should bathe in the morning, should avoid the food of others, and should not eat twice (a day). In the morning, O brahmana, he should worship Vishnu according to the mode mentioned already. In (the month of) Vaishakha he should bathe (the image of) Vishnu with water made fragrant with flowers. Till twilight he should bathe (the image of Vishnu) in cold water. Thrice a day (i.e. at dawn, in the noon and at sunset) he should devoutly worship the lord with various offerings of eatables. O brahmana sage, what would the lord of Lakshmi, the highest god, decorated with the garlands of damana in Vaishakha, and (therefore) pleased, not give (to the devotee)? Which wise man is able to measure the religious merit of him who would offer barley-food to the Disc-holder (i.e. Vishnu) in the month of Vaishakha?

33-34. All that is offered to Vishnu only in the month of Vaishakha to please him, would be inexhaustible. O brahmana, any other good act done in the month of Vaishakha to please Vishnu, does not perish.

35-38. A man who puts up a place where water is distributed to travellers in the month of Vaishakha to please Vishnu, everyday gets the fruit of a horse-sacrifice. Vaishakha is a month difficult to be had. It gives the fruits of all acts. Abandoning even hundreds of other acts Vishnu should be worshipped during that month. He who worships Vishnu even for a day in Vaishakha, obtains that fruit which is obtained by having worshipped Vishnu for six years. A man should worship Vishnu of the form of the holy fig tree everyday in Vaishakha for securing the four goals of human life.

39-42. He who would worship the holy fig tree with a handful of water, would, after being free from crores of sins, go to the highest place. What would the lord in the form of the holy fig tree not give to him who binds the roots (i.e. puts up a platform around the roots) of the holy fig tree with stones etc., O brahmana sage? He also, who, on seeing the holy fig tree, salutes it, goes to the highest place. (The span of) his life increases. There is no doubt about this. O Jaimini, there is no want or excess in the rite which, O brahmana, a man performs at the root of the holy fig tree.

43-55. O Jaimini, all holy places like the Three-streamed (Ganga) are present there where even one holy fig tree, the best among the trees, stands. O brahmana, he who would worship the holy fig tree, worships Vishnu, since the lord himself is of the form of the holy fig tree. There is no act in the world doing which he who, a fool, through disrespect, hurts the holy fig tree, is purified, O best brahmana. This holy fig tree, the lord of trees, is glorified to be Vishnu's form. Therefore, there is no savior of those who hurt a holy fig tree. O brahmana, Vishnu would remove the sin remaining in the body of him who seeing a holy fig tree, afterwards touches it and salutes it. Yama himself extracts with fish-hooks the eyes of him who sees him who harms a holy fig tree, and though capable, would not ward him off. Yama himself cuts off with a knife the tongue of him who, a fool, would not say: 'Do not cut off the holy fig tree.' That man who hurts even one small branch of a holy fig tree, obtains the fruit of a crore of murders of brahmanas. That fierce sin which is involved in the murder of a brahmana, in violating the wife of one's preceptor, in drinking liquor, so also in snatching others' deposits, that sin which is involved in causing an abortion, in killing a cow, in the murder of a woman, in adultery, in killing him who has sought one's refuge, so also in killing one's friend, in not speaking in confidence, in killing one's husband, in censuring others, in eating on a day of (i.e. sacred to) Vishnu, is committed by men by cutting off a holy fig tree. No sinner, comparable to him who hurts a holy fig tree, Vishnu's form, is heard on the earth.

56. I am telling the importance of the holy fig tree along with its history. O best brahmaria, O dear, listen to it attentively.

57-63. O brahmana, formerly in Tretayuga there was a brahmana devoted to Vishnu and engaged in the welfare of all beings. He was always delighted in honouring his relatives; he was always delighted in offering a lamp (to Vishnu). He spoke the truth; he had conquered his anger. He was harmless and without religious hypocrisy. O best brahmana, he, striving after final emancipation, always worshipped lord Vishnu, the highest god, with great devotion. The lord, knowing his very firm devotion, took away his entire wealth with some motive. Yet that very intelligent, best brahmana, everyday worshipped the noble Vishnu with great devotion. O brahmana, all his wealth earned with difficulty, perished. The brahmana, knowing the highest truth, seeing that also with grief that cannot be conceived by mind, gave up eating (food) after making his mind firm in the worship of the great Vishnu.

64-67. Knowing the devotion of that brahmana Vishnu, giving tranquillity, also again brought about the destruction of his relatives. O best brahmana, the brahmana's relatives, deluded by Vishnu's Maya, always commenced doing harm (to others). The brahmana accomplished by means of restrictions and pleased, always worshipped Vishnu with great devotion. The brahmana, having made arrangement to secure money for the worship of Vishnu, (worshipped) Madhava, the lord of the world, and gave up grief for his relatives.

68-69. O Jaimini, great Vishnu, though kind to him, being curious, took away even his sons day by day. Yet that best brahmana everyday worshipped Vishnu, the destroyer of distress, with double the former devotion.

70-73. O brahmana, then his wife, extremely distressed due to grief and affliction, and being deluded by Vishnu' s Maya, went to her father's house. That lonely brahmana, highly given to Vishnu's devotion, never minded any calamity on account of his good heart. O best brahmana, once he, the best among Vishnu's devotees, taking an axe on his shoulder went to a forest. The brahmana, having no clothes, warded off cold everyday in winter after bringing wood from the forest.

74-77. Once the best brahmana was unable to go to the forest. (So) he cut off a branch of a holy fig tree standing in the courtyard (of his house). Meantime great Vishnu, the best of gods, with his mind distressed by agony came out of the holy fig tree. In front of him the brahmana happily saw Vishnu, the highest god, having four arms, large eyes like lotus-petals, having worn a yellow garment, having ear-rings, good hair, and having his weapons like the lotus etc., resembling a new cloud, very much reddened in the evening, due to large streams of blood flowing (from his body), (resembling) fire, and invisible (even) to the hosts of gods. The brahmana with his pair of eyes charming due to streams of tears of joy, praised (him) with soft words. The brahmaria said:

78-85. O Hari, Murari, the only lord of the world, Govinda, Damodara, Madhava, lord of Lakshmi, Kesava, enemy of Kesin, Narayaria, infinite one, lord, be pleased. How can I describe your advent? In this world there is none else except you. O Acyuta, having given one the entire world full of virtues or having given compassion whereby one looks upon one's own (persons) and others as equal, why do you, O Vishnu, why do you take away the devotion for you, which resides in one's body? By getting (i.e. if I get) wealth I shall give (i.e. part with) my joy. Devotion given to the great is very blessed. Since I constantly look upon the greatest sinner as a noble one, a sinner (like me) never sees your pair of feet meditated upon by gods. Though I am the greatest among the unhappy, yet I myself, with my eyes, am actually seeing you, like Indra, the soul of the worlds. I do not know even a small worship of you. Nor have I ever given any wealth to you. Yet, O Kesava, in front of me you, the only adorable one, are seen in a bodily form. You have given me this tree of devotion. It is full of piety, material welfare, and desire of sensual enjoyments. O lord, it, sprinkled with the water of your sight, has today borne the fruit of final emancipation. O Kesava, O you of a universal form, of all the heads in the world my head will be the best. O god of gods, my mind now goes to the couple of your lotus-like feet. Vyasa said:

86. That brahmana, having thus praised Jagannatha (i.e. lord of the world), Narayana, Anamaya, again, with the palms of his hands joined, devoutly spoke to him thus:

The brahmaria said:

87-88. O god of gods, O lord of the world, O you who favour the world, with these strokes of the whip your body is wet with blood. In a battle you killed the members of the family of the demons. O lord, on the earth who is able to kill you? This is very wonderful. The lord said:

89-90. O dear, you have undoubtedly spoken the truth. Neither a demon nor a fiend can kill me. O brahmana, I am just of the form of the holy fig tree. You cut me off with an axe. Therefore, there was now bleeding from my body. Vyasa said:

91-94. Hearing these words of him the brahmaria, distressed with fear, censured himself in many ways. " Fie upon me, the unfortunate one and the greatest among sinners, who caused great grief to the heart of the lord of the three worlds. Vishnu removes all sins and he was hurt by me. Who can make me go beyond this sin? He, on whose being pleased sinners are honoured by gods, is distressed due to the trouble given by me. Oh, I am doomed!

95-96. I, a sinner, have caused pain to the heart of him whom gods like Brahma please with great devotion. What is the use of austerities, mutterings of hymns, or life in the house to me, (since) this only giver of piety, material welfare, of sensual enjoyments and liberation is distressed with pain."

97-98. O best brahmana, speaking like this he decided to put that axe only at his throat (i.e. to cut off his throat with that axe), to please Vishnu. Seeing his great devotion, the kind lord of Lakshmi, loving his devotees, quickly took it away from his hand. The lord said:

99-100. O dear, how (i.e. why) do you do such a very dreadful act? I am never pleased with men who commit suicide? I am very much pleased with your devotion. O best one, do not entertain fear. O best brahmana, choose a boon that is in your mind.

The brahmana said:

101. O highest god, I caused great pain to you. O lord, may it not remain in your body. This is the boon I choose, O lord. The lord said:

102-105a. O dear, O brahmana, you did this act through ignorance. You should not, therefore, even regard it as a great offence. I am always obedient to you, since you are the greatest among devotees. Everyday I know your errors (i.e. you erred). Yet your devotion for me always increased. Therefore, O dear, I now desire to be free from your debt. Giving up all fear, choose a boon in front of (i.e. from) me. The brahmana said:

105b-106a. O Vishnu, O best god, may I have very strong devotion for you in every birth. Vyasa said:

106b-108a. Hearing these words of him spoken due to affection for Vishnu, (Vishnu) being pleased, then gave him the garland that was (put) around his own neck. Then as a father embraces his son, he embraced the brahmana, with his four long arms, and spoke (these) soft words (to him): The lord said:

108b-114. O brahmana, since you are my devotee, therefore you will soon have all prosperity. O brahmana, O best one, everyday propitiate me in the form of the Asvattha tree with the employment of (proper) rites. I shall accomplish all your desired objects. Speaking like this to the best brahmaija and embracing him again, Vishnu, the abode of compassion, disappeared just there. That best devotee of Vishnu, that brahmana, having received the garland from the neck of Vishnu, regarded himself as having done his duty and remained in his own house. Then, O brahmana sage, Kubera himself, by Vishnu's order, showered much wealth into his house. The architect (of gods) Visvakarman fashioned for him, by Vishnu's order, an excellent palace like that of Indra.

It was having male and female servants. It was adorned with various things.

115-118. His abode crowded with crores of elephants and horses, shone. Even his relatives who were dead, were (again) united with him. His wife who had disrespected him, came home of her own accord. O brahmana, his wife whose sons were dead, had stable progeny due to the favour of Vishnu, and she was highly devoted to her husband. That best brahmana, having, for a long time, along with his sons and grandsons, enjoyed all pleasures, attained at the end of his life along with his wife liberation. Vyasa said:

119-120. The excellent, holy fig tree is actually Vishnu himself. Those men who worship it, never face any calamity. O best man, Vishnu, being pleased, gives him who, meditating upon Vishnu, worships the holy fig tree, the highest position.

 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

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