Adhyaya 159: The Procedure and Merit of Circumambulating Mathurā

Verse 1

अथ मथुराप्रदक्षिणा विध्यादिकम् ॥ धरण्युवाच ॥ श्रुतं सुबहुशो देव तीर्थानां गुणविस्तरम् ॥ प्रोच्यमानं तु पुण्याख्यं त्वत्प्रसादाज्जनार्दन ॥

Then (begins) the procedure and related rules for circumambulating Mathurā. The Earth said: “O God, I have heard many times the detailed excellences of the sacred fords (tīrthas), proclaimed as meritorious—through your favor, O Janārdana.”

Verse 2

न दानैर्न तपोभिश्च न यज्ञैस्तादृशं फलम् ॥ भूमेः प्रदक्षिणायाश्च यादृशं तीर्थसेवया ॥

Neither by gifts, nor by austerities, nor by sacrifices is a result obtained like that which comes from circumambulating the Earth and from devoted attendance upon sacred sites (tīrthas).

Verse 3

भुवश्च चतुरन्तायास्तीर्थप्रक्रमणं हरे ॥ सर्वतीर्थाभिगमनमस्ति दुर्गतरे नृणाम् ॥

O Hari, the undertaking of tīrthas across the Earth with its four quarters—going to all sacred sites—is exceedingly difficult for human beings.

Verse 4

अस्ति कश्चिदुपायोऽत्र येन सम्यगवाप्यते ॥ प्रसादसुमुखो भूत्वा तत्सर्वं कथयस्व मे ॥

Is there some means here by which it may be properly attained? Becoming gracious and favorable, tell me all of that.

Verse 5

श्रीवराह उवाच ॥ भद्रे शृणु महत्पुण्यं पृथिव्यां सर्वतोदिशम् ॥ परिक्रम्य यथाध्वानं प्रमाणगणितं शुभम् ॥

Śrī Varāha said: “O auspicious one, listen to the great merit (puṇya) described for the Earth in all directions—how, by circumambulating, the auspicious measure of the route is calculated.”

Verse 6

भूम्याः परिक्रमॆ सम्यक्योजनानां प्रमाणकम् ॥ षष्टिकोṭिसहस्राणि षष्टिकोṭिशतानि च ॥

In the proper circumambulation of the Earth, the measure in yojanas is: sixty crores of thousands, and likewise sixty crores of hundreds.

Verse 7

तीर्थान्येतानि देवाश्च तारकाश्च नभस्थले ॥ गणितानि समस्तानि वायुना जगदायुषा ॥

These sacred fords (tīrthas), the gods, and the stars in the expanse of the sky—all of them have been reckoned by Vāyu, the life-breath of the world.

Verse 8

ब्रह्मणा लोमशेनैव नारदेन ध्रुवेण च ॥ जाम्बवत्याश्च पुत्रेण रावणेन हनूमता ॥

This has been undertaken and reckoned by Brahmā, by Lomaśa, by Nārada, and by Dhruva; and also by the son of Jāmbavatī, by Rāvaṇa, and by Hanūmān.

Verse 9

एतैरनेकधा देवैः ससागरवना मही ॥ क्रमिता बलिना चैव बाह्यमण्डलरेखया ॥

By these deities in many ways, the Earth—together with its oceans and forests—has been traversed; and likewise by Bali, along the line of the outer circle (the perimeter).

Verse 10

योगसिद्धैस्तथा कैश्चिन्मार्कण्डेयमुखैरपि ॥ क्रमिता न क्रमिष्यन्ति न पूर्वे नापरे जनाः ॥

It has also been traversed by certain yoga-accomplished beings, such as Mārkaṇḍeya and others; yet people—neither those of former times nor those to come—will generally traverse it in full.

Verse 11

अल्पसत्त्वबलोपेतैः प्राणिभिश्चाल्पबुद्धिभिः ॥ मनसापि न शक्यंते गमनस्य च का कथा ॥

For beings of scant vitality and strength, and of slight understanding, even the journey cannot be conceived in the mind—how much less can the actual going be undertaken.

Verse 12

सप्तद्वीपे च तीर्थानां भ्रमणाद्यत्फलं भवेत् ॥ प्राप्यते चाधिकं तस्मान्मथुरायाः परिक्रमॆ ॥

Whatever merit might arise from wandering among the sacred tīrthas throughout the seven continents, a merit greater than that is obtained through the circumambulation of Mathurā.

Verse 13

मथुरां समनुप्राप्य यस्तु कुर्यात्प्रदक्षिणम् ॥ प्रदक्षिणीकृता तेन सप्तद्वीपा वसुन्धरा ॥

But whoever, having reached Mathurā, performs the circumambulation—by him the Earth, with its seven continents, is as though circumambulated.

Verse 14

तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन सर्वकामानभीप्सुभिः ॥ कर्तव्या मथुरां प्राप्य नरैः सम्यक्प्रदक्षिणा ॥

Therefore, those who seek all aims should, with every effort, having reached Mathurā, duly perform the circumambulation.

Verse 15

धरण्युवाच ॥ यथाविधानक्रमणं मथुरायामवाप्यते ॥ प्रदक्षिणाफलं सम्यगनुक्रमविधिं वद ॥

Dharanī said: “Explain the proper sequential procedure: how, in accordance with the prescribed rules, the circumambulation in Mathurā is to be carried out, and what its fruit is.”

Verse 16

श्रीवराह उवाच ॥ पुरा सप्तर्षिभिः पृष्टो ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः ॥ इदमेव पुरा प्रोक्तं यथा पृष्टा त्वया ह्यहम् ॥

Śrī Varāha said: “Formerly, Brahmā—the grandsire of the worlds—was questioned by the Seven Ṛṣis; and this very matter was explained long ago, just as you have asked me now.”

Verse 17

श्रुत्वा सर्वपुराणोक्तं तीर्थानुक्रमणं परम् ॥ पृथिव्याश्चतुरन्तायास्तथा तद्वक्तुमुद्यतः ॥

Having heard the supreme, sequential enumeration of sacred tīrthas as stated in the Purāṇas, he then became ready to declare it—likewise with reference to the Earth extending to its four quarters.

Verse 18

सर्वदेवेषु यत्पुण्यं सर्वतीर्थेषु यत्फलम् ॥ सर्वदानॆषु यत्प्रोक्तमिष्टापूर्त्तेषु चैव हि ॥

Whatever merit (puṇya) there is in relation to all deities, whatever fruit there is in all tīrthas, and whatever is declared in all forms of giving—and indeed in iṣṭa and pūrta works as well—

Verse 19

इत्युक्त्वा ऋषयो जग्मुरभिवाद्य स्वयम्भुवम् ॥ आगत्य मथुरां देवीमाश्रमांश्चक्रिरे द्विजाः ॥

Having spoken thus, the Ṛṣis departed after paying reverence to Svayambhū (Brahmā). Then, arriving at divine Mathurā, the twice-born established hermitages (āśramas) there.

Verse 20

ध्रुवेण सहिताश्चासन्कामयाना स्तु तद्दिनम् ॥ कुमुदस्य तु मासस्य नवम्यां शुक्लपक्षके ॥

And they were accompanied by Dhruva, desiring (to undertake the observance) on that day—on the ninth lunar day (navamī) in the bright fortnight (śukla-pakṣa) of the month called Kumuda.

Verse 21

मथुरोपक्रमं कृत्वा सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते।

Having undertaken the Mathurā observance—the prescribed rite and commencement of the pilgrimage—one is released from all sins.

Verse 22

अन्तरा भ्रमणेनैव सुग्रीवेण महात्मना ॥ तथा च पूर्वं देवेन्द्रैः पञ्चभिः पाण्डुनन्दनैः।

Indeed, by the intermediate circumambulation alone—performed by the great-souled Sugrīva; and likewise formerly by five Indras among the gods, the sons of Pāṇḍu.

Verse 23

यत्फलं लभ्यते विप्रास्तस्माच्छतगुणोत्तरम् ॥ प्रक्रमान्मथुरायास्तु सत्यमेतद्वदामि वः।

O Brahmins, whatever reward is obtained by other means, from undertaking the Mathurā observance it is a hundredfold greater. This I declare to you as true.