Adhyaya 50

Verse 1

ऋषय ऊचुः । भवता कथितं सर्वं यत्किंचित्पृष्टमेव च । इदानीमपि पृच्छाम एकं वद महामते

The sages said: “You have explained everything that we asked, and whatever else was inquired. Even now, we ask one more thing—tell us, O great-minded one.”

Verse 2

एतेषां खलु तीर्थानां सेवनाद्यत्फलं लभेत् । सर्वेषां किल कृत्वैकं कर्म केन च लभ्यते

Indeed, what fruit does one obtain by resorting to and serving these sacred pilgrimage places? And by performing what single act can one gain the combined merit of them all?

Verse 3

एतन्नो ब्रूहि सर्वज्ञ कर्मैवं यदि वर्तते । सूत उवाच । कर्मयोगः किल प्रोक्तो वर्णानां द्विजपूर्वशः

“Tell us this, O all-knowing one—if action is indeed to be practiced in this way.” Sūta said: “It is taught that the Yoga of action is prescribed for the social orders, beginning with the twice-born.”

Verse 4

नानाविधो महाभागास्तत्र चैकं विशिष्यते । हरिभक्तिः कृता येन मनसा वचसा गिरा

Among the many kinds of blessed persons, one stands out as foremost: the one who has cultivated devotion to Hari with mind, speech, and utterance.

Verse 5

जितं तेन जितं तेन जितमेव न संशयः । हरिरेव समाराध्यः सर्वदेवेश्वरेश्वरः

By that, victory is won—by that, victory is won; indeed it is victory, without doubt. Hari alone is to be worshipped, the supreme Lord over the lords of all the gods.

Verse 6

हरिनाममहामंत्रैर्नश्येत्पापपिशाचकम् । हरेः प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा सकृदप्यमलाशयाः

By the great mantra of Hari’s Name, the demonic spirit of sin is destroyed. Even by circumambulating Hari just once, one becomes pure-hearted.

Verse 7

सर्वतीर्थसमाप्लावं लभंते यन्न संशयः । प्रतिमां च हरेर्दृष्ट्वा सर्वतीर्थफलं लभेत्

Without any doubt, one attains the merit of bathing at all sacred pilgrimage sites; and by beholding the image of Hari (Viṣṇu), one obtains the fruit of all holy places.

Verse 8

विष्णुनामपरं जप्त्वा सर्वमंत्रफलं लभेत् । विष्णुप्रसादतुलसीमाघ्राय द्विजसत्तमाः

By repeatedly chanting the supreme Name of Viṣṇu, one obtains the fruit of all mantras. O best of the twice-born, smell the tulasī sanctified by Viṣṇu’s grace.

Verse 9

प्रचंडं विकरालं तद्यमस्यास्यं न पश्यति । सकृत्प्रणामी कृष्णस्य मातुः स्तन्यं पिबेन्नहि

One who bows even once to Kṛṣṇa does not behold the fierce and terrifying face of Yama; indeed, such a person would never drink the milk of Kṛṣṇa’s mother again.

Verse 10

हरिपादे मनो येषां तेभ्यो नित्यं नमोनमः । पुल्कसः श्वपचो वापि ये चान्ये म्लेच्छजातयः

Constant salutations, again and again, to those whose minds rest at the feet of Hari—whether they are Pulkaśas, dog-cookers (outcastes), or any others born among the so-called mleccha peoples.

Verse 11

तेऽपि वंद्या महाभागा हरिपादैकसेवकाः । किं पुनर्ब्राह्मणाः पुण्या भक्ता राजर्षयस्तथा

Even they are worthy of reverence—those most fortunate ones who serve only the feet of Hari. How much more, then, are virtuous Brahmins, devoted devotees, and royal sages worthy of honor!

Verse 12

हरौ भक्तिं विधायैव गर्भवासं न पश्यति । हरेरग्रे स्वनैरुच्चैर्नृत्यंस्तन्नामकृन्नरः

A man who establishes devotion (bhakti) to Hari does not behold again the dwelling in the womb. Dancing before Hari and loudly chanting His Name, he is freed from such rebirth.

Verse 13

पुनाति भुवनं विप्रा गंगादि सलिलं यथा । दर्शनात्स्पर्शनात्तस्य आलापादपि भक्तितः

O brāhmaṇas, just as the waters of the Gaṅgā and other sacred rivers purify the world, so too does he purify—through devotion—even by merely being seen, touched, or spoken with.

Verse 14

ब्रह्महत्यादिभिः पापैर्मुच्यते नात्र संशयः । हरेः प्रदक्षिणं कुर्वन्नुच्चैस्तन्नामकृन्नरः

He is freed even from sins such as brahmin-slaying—of this there is no doubt. A man who performs circumambulation (pradakṣiṇa) of Hari and loudly recites His Name is liberated.

Verse 15

करतालादिसंधानं सुस्वरं कलशब्दितम् । ब्रह्महत्यादिकं पापं तेनैव करतालितम्

The well-timed accompaniment of hand-clapping and the like—melodious and sweet-sounding—by that very clapping strikes down and removes even sins such as brahma-hatyā and other grave wrongs.

Verse 16

हरिभक्तिकथामुक्त्वा ख्यायिकां शृणुयाच्च यः । तस्य संदर्शनादेव पूतो भवति मानवः

Whoever, having spoken a tale of devotion to Hari, also listens to that narrative—by merely seeing such a person, a human being becomes purified.

Verse 17

किं पुनस्तस्य पापानामाशंका मुनिपुंगवाः । तीर्थानां च परं तीर्थं कृष्णनाम महर्षयः

What need is there, O best of sages, to fear his sins at all? For the name of Kṛṣṇa, O great seers, is the supreme pilgrimage—higher than all sacred tīrthas.

Verse 18

तीर्थीकुर्वंति जगतीं गृहीतं कृष्णनाम यैः । तस्मान्मुनिवराः पुण्यं नातः परतरं विदुः

Those who have taken up the name of Kṛṣṇa make the whole earth a sacred pilgrimage-place. Therefore, O best of sages, they know no merit higher than this.

Verse 19

विष्णुप्रसादनिर्माल्यं भुक्त्वा धृत्वा च मस्तके । विष्णुरेव भवेन्मर्त्यो यमशोकविनाशनः

A mortal who partakes of Viṣṇu’s consecrated remnants (prasāda) and places them upon the head becomes, as it were, Viṣṇu Himself—destroying the sorrow associated with Yama (death and judgment).

Verse 20

अर्चनीयो नमस्कार्यो हरिरेव न संशयः । ये महाविष्णुमव्यक्तं देवं वापि महेश्वरम्

Hari alone is worshipful and worthy of reverent salutation—of this there is no doubt. Those who, instead, deem the great Viṣṇu as the Unmanifest, or even Maheśvara as God in that sense, as the supreme…

Verse 21

एकीभावेन पश्यंति न तेषां पुनरुद्भवः । तस्मादनादिनिधनं विष्णुमात्मानमव्ययम्

They behold Him in oneness; for them there is no rebirth. Therefore realize Viṣṇu as the Self—beginningless, endless, and imperishable.

Verse 22

हरिं चैकं प्रपश्यध्वं पूजयध्वं तथैव हि । ये समानं प्रपश्यंति हरिं वै देवतांतरम्

Behold Hari alone, and worship Him indeed. Those who regard Hari as equal to any other deity are in error.

Verse 23

ते यांति नरकान्घोरांन्न तांस्तु गणयेद्धीरः । मूर्खं वा पंडितं वापि ब्राह्मणं केशवप्रियम्

They go to dreadful hells; therefore the steadfast should not count them among the worthy—be one a fool or a scholar—if a brāhmaṇa is not dear to Keśava.

Verse 24

श्वपाकं वा मोचयति नारायणः स्वयं प्रभुः । नारायणात्परो नास्ति पापराशि दवानलः

Nārāyaṇa, the Lord Himself, can liberate even a śvapāka (an outcaste). None is higher than Nārāyaṇa—He is the forest-fire that burns up heaps of sin.

Verse 25

कृत्वापि पातकं घोरं कृष्णनाम्ना विमुच्यते । स्वयं नारायणो देवः स्वनाम्नि जगतां गुरुः

Even after committing a dreadful sin, one is released through the Name of Kṛṣṇa. For Nārāyaṇa Himself is the Divine Lord—the teacher of the worlds through His own Name.

Verse 26

आत्मनोऽभ्यधिकां शक्तिं स्थापयामास सुव्रताः । अत्र ये विवदंते वै आयासलघुदर्शनात्

The well-disciplined, steadfast in sacred vows, established a power surpassing their own. Yet those who argue here do so only from a shallow view, judging merely by what seems easy or difficult.

Verse 27

फलानां गौरवाच्चापि ते यांति नरकं बहु । तस्माद्धरौ भक्तिमान्स्याद्धरिनामपरायणः

Because of excessive attachment to the weight of rewards, they fall into great hells. Therefore, one should be devoted to Hari and take refuge in the chanting of Hari’s Name.

Verse 28

पूजकं पृष्ठतो रक्षेन्नामिनं वक्षसि प्रभुः । हरिनाममहावज्रं पापपर्वतदारणे

The Lord protects the worshipper from behind, and He protects the chanter of His Name in front, upon the chest. The great Name of Hari is a mighty thunderbolt that splits the mountain of sin.

Verse 29

तस्य पादौ तु सफलौ तदर्थं गतिशालिनौ । तावेव धन्यावाख्यातौ यौ तु पूजाकरौ करौ

Truly, his feet are fruitful, for they move with purpose toward that sacred aim; and indeed, those hands are proclaimed blessed which perform acts of worship.

Verse 30

उत्तमांगमुत्तमांगं तद्धरौ नम्रमेव यत् । सा जिह्वा या हरिं स्तौति तन्मनस्तत्पदानुगम्

That head is truly the highest head which bows down to Hari’s feet. That tongue is the true tongue which praises Hari; and that mind is the true mind which follows in the path of His feet.

Verse 31

तानि लोमानि चोच्यंते यानि तन्नाम्नि चोत्थितम् । कुर्वंति तच्च नेत्रांबु यदच्युतप्रसंगतः

Those hairs are so called because they arise in connection with His Name; and that indeed becomes ‘water of the eyes’—tears—when one is engaged in discourse about Acyuta (Viṣṇu).

Verse 32

अहो लोका अतितरां दैवदोषेण वंचिताः । नामोच्चारणमात्रेण मुक्तिदं न भजंति वै

Alas—people are greatly deluded by the fault of fate; they do not, indeed, take refuge in that which grants liberation, even though it is attained merely by uttering the divine Name.

Verse 33

वंचितास्ते च कलुषाः स्त्रीणां संगप्रसंगतः । प्रतिष्ठंति च लोमानि येषां नो कृष्णशब्दने

Deceived and defiled are those who, through excessive attachment to the company of women, do not even have their body-hairs stand on end when the name of Kṛṣṇa is uttered.

Verse 34

ते मूर्खा ह्यकृतात्मानः पुत्रशोकादि विह्वलाः । रुदंति बहुलालापैर्न कृष्णाक्षरकीर्तने

Indeed, those fools—undisciplined in soul and overwhelmed by grief such as the loss of a son—weep with many lamenting words, but not in the chanting of Kṛṣṇa’s sacred syllables, His Name.

Verse 35

जिह्वां लब्ध्वापि लोकेऽस्मिन्कृष्णनामजपेन्नहि । लब्ध्वापि मुक्तिसोपानं हेलयैव च्यवंति ते

Even after gaining a tongue in this world, they do not chant the Name of Kṛṣṇa. Even after finding the staircase to liberation, they fall—through sheer negligence alone.

Verse 36

तस्माद्यत्नेन वै विष्णुं कर्मयोगेन मानवः । कर्मयोगार्च्चितो विष्णुः प्रसीदत्येव नान्यथा

Therefore, with earnest effort, a person should worship Viṣṇu through karma-yoga; for Viṣṇu, when honored by karma-yoga, becomes gracious—there is no other way.

Verse 37

तीर्थादप्यधिकं तीर्थं विष्णोर्भजनमुच्यते । सर्वेषां खलु तीर्थानां स्नानपानावगाहनैः

A pilgrimage more sacred than any tīrtha is said to be the worship of Viṣṇu; for all tīrthas are approached through bathing, drinking, and immersing in their waters.

Verse 38

यत्फलं लभते मर्त्यस्तत्फलं कृष्णसेवनात् । यजंते कर्मयोगेन धन्या एव नरा हरिम्

Whatever reward a mortal attains, that very reward arises from serving Kṛṣṇa. Blessed indeed are those people who worship Hari through the discipline of karma-yoga.

Verse 39

तस्माद्भजध्वं मुनयः कृष्णं परममंगलम्

Therefore, O sages, worship Kṛṣṇa, the supremely auspicious one.

Verse 50

इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे विष्णुभक्तिप्रशंसनं नाम पंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the fiftieth chapter, titled “Praise of Devotion to Viṣṇu,” in the Svarga-khaṇḍa of the Śrī Padma Mahāpurāṇa.