Adhyaya 181: Ritual Procedure for Installing and Consecrating a Madhūka-Wood Icon

Verse 1

अथ मधुकाष्ठप्रतिमायामर्चास्थापनम् ॥ सूत उवाच ॥ एवं श्रुत्वा परं स्थानं सा मही संहितव्रता ॥ सर्वक्षेत्रविभागेषु यश्च वै परमो विधिः ॥

Now follows the establishment of worship in an image made of madhukāṣṭha wood. Sūta said: Having thus heard of the supreme abode and of the highest ordinance that applies throughout the divisions of sacred sites, Mahī, steadfast in her vow, continued the dialogue.

Verse 2

संश्रुत्य विस्मयाविष्टा प्रत्युवाच वसुन्धरा ॥ धरण्युवाच ॥ अहो क्षेत्रप्रभावो वै यस्त्वया समुदाहृतः ॥

Having listened, Vasundharā—overcome with wonder—replied. Dharaṇī said: “Ah! truly great is the power of the sacred sites that you have proclaimed.”

Verse 3

यं श्रुत्वा देवतत्त्वेन जातास्मि विगतज्वरा ॥ एकं मे परमं गुह्यं यन्नित्यं हृदि वर्त्तते ॥

Hearing that, I have become steady in the understanding of the divine principle, and my fever has departed. Yet one supreme secret remains to me, ever abiding in my heart.

Verse 4

मम प्रीत्यर्थमखिलं तद्विष्णो वक्तुमर्हसि ॥ कथं तिष्ठसि काष्ठेषु शैलमृन्मयजेषु च ॥

For my satisfaction, O Viṣṇu, you should explain all of that. How do you abide in wooden images, and also in those made of stone, clay, and other earthen materials?

Verse 5

ताम्रे कांस्ये च रौप्ये च तिष्ठसि स्थापितः कथम् ॥ सौवर्णेषु च सर्वेषु तिष्ठसि स्थापितः कथम् ॥

How do you abide when installed in copper, in bronze, and in silver? And how do you abide when installed in all forms made of gold?

Verse 6

ब्रह्मचारी समासाद्य कथं तिष्ठसि माधव ॥ दन्तरत्ने समासाद्य कथं सन्तिष्ठते भवान्

Having approached You as a brahmacārin (celibate student), O Mādhava, how do You abide? And having approached the jewel-like tusk, how is Your presence established?

Verse 7

कथं तिष्ठसि वा सव्ये भित्तिसंस्थो जनार्दनः ॥ भूमिसंस्थो महाभाग विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा

How indeed do You abide on the left, O Janārdana, when established upon a wall? And how do You abide when established upon the ground, O great one—through action prescribed by proper rule?

Verse 8

एवं धरावचः श्रुत्वा प्रत्युवाचादिसूकरः ॥ श्रीवराह उवाच ॥ प्रतिमा यस्य कर्तव्या तदानिय वसुन्धरे

Having heard these words of Dharā (Earth), the Primeval Boar replied. Śrīvarāha said: “For whom an icon (pratimā) is to be made—bring that person forward then, O Vasundharā.”

Verse 9

प्रतिमां कारयेच्चैव लक्षणोक्तां वसुन्धरे ॥ अर्चाशुद्धिं ततः कृत्वा प्रतिष्ठाप्य विधानतः

One should have an icon (pratimā) made with the prescribed characteristics, O Vasundharā. Then, having performed the purification of the object of worship, one should establish it according to the proper ordinance.

Verse 10

कृत्वा तत्प्रतिमां चैव प्रतिष्ठाविधिनार्च्चयेत् ॥ तांस्तु दद्यात्तु गन्धान्श्च ये मया समुदाहृताः

Having made that icon, one should worship it according to the rite of installation (pratiṣṭhā). And one should also offer those fragrances which have been enumerated by me.

Verse 11

कर्पूरं कुङ्कुमं चैव त्वचं चागुरुमेव च ॥ रसं च चन्दनं चैव सिल्हकोशीरकं तथा

Offer camphor and saffron; aromatic bark and agaru as well; also fragrant essence and sandalwood; likewise silhaka and uśīra (vetiver).

Verse 12

एतैर्विलेपनं दद्यादर्चितस्तु विचक्षणः ॥ स्वस्तिकं वर्द्धमानं च श्रीवत्सं कौस्तुभं तथा

With these, the discerning worshipper—having performed worship—should offer the application of unguent. (He should also apply or depict) the svastika, the vardhamāna symbol, the śrīvatsa, and likewise the kaustubha emblem.

Verse 13

विधानपूर्वकं चैव मङ्गल्यं चैव पायसम् ॥ वर्तिस्तिलफलं चैव कर्मण्यानि न संशयः

And, in due procedural order, offer auspicious items and pāyasa (milk-rice). Also offer wicks and sesame offerings; these are ritual acts indeed, without doubt.

Verse 14

एवं सर्वं ततो दद्यात्पूजायां विहितं शुभम् ॥ कर्मणा विधिदृष्टेन शुद्धो भागवतः शुचिः

Thus, one should then offer all auspicious items prescribed in the worship. By action sanctioned by proper rule, the devotee becomes purified—clean and disciplined.

Verse 15

प्राणायामं ततः कृत्वा इमं मन्त्रमुदीरयेत् ॥ योऽसौ भवान्तिष्ठते च सर्वयोगप्रधानतः

Then, having performed prāṇāyāma (breath-regulation), one should recite this mantra: “You indeed, who abide (here), as the foremost principle among all disciplines of yoga…”

Verse 16

ससम्भ्रमं लोके सुप्रतीतस्तिष्ठ काष्ठे स त्वं भुवि ॥ एवं संस्थापनं कृत्वा काष्ठस्य प्रतिमासु च

With reverent haste: “Stand in the world, clearly manifest; you indeed, upon the earth, abide within this wood.” Thus, having performed the installation, one proceeds likewise with the wooden images.

Verse 17

पुनः प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य शुद्धैर्भागवतैः सह ॥ प्रज्वाल्य दीपं तत्रैव चार्चायाः सम्मुखं स्थितः

Then, having again circumambulated (pradakṣiṇa) together with purified devotees, and having kindled a lamp there itself, one stands facing the icon.

Verse 18

नोर्ध्वं न तिर्यगीक्षेत कामक्रोधविवर्जितः ॥ नमो नारायणायेति इमं मन्त्रमुदीरयेत्

Free from desire and anger, one should look neither upward nor sideways; one should recite this mantra: “Namo Nārāyaṇāya” (“Homage to Nārāyaṇa”).

Verse 19

मन्त्रः— योऽसौ भवान्सर्वजनप्रवीर गतिः प्रभुस्त्वं वससि ह्यमोघ ॥ अनेन मन्त्रेण च लोकनाथ संस्थापितस्तिष्ठ च वासुदेव

Mantra: “You who are That—hero among all people; you are the refuge and the sovereign; here you dwell, unfailing. By this mantra, O Lord of the world, being installed, stand here—O Vāsudeva.”

Verse 20

सर्वामेवं ततः कृत्वा मम संस्थापनक्रियाम् ॥ पूज्या भागवताः सर्वे ये तत्र समुपागताः

After doing all of this in this manner—my installation rite—all the Bhāgavata devotees who have gathered there are to be honored.

Verse 21

गन्धमाल्यैरर्चयित्वा उपलेपैश्च भोजनैः ॥ कुर्यात्संस्करणं तेषां विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा

Having worshiped with fragrances and garlands, and with unguents and offerings of food, one should perform their proper consecration and care according to the act prescribed by rule.

Verse 22

एतत्कर्मविधानने मधुकाष्ठस्य सुन्दरी ॥ धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय एतत्ते कथितं मया

O fair one, by this prescribed procedure concerning madhuka-wood, I have told you this for the purpose of establishing dharma.

Verse 23

यस्त्वनेन विधानने अर्च्चां काष्ठस्य स्थापयेत् ॥ स न गच्छति संसारं मम लोकं च गच्छति

But whoever, by this prescribed method, installs a wooden sacred icon, that person does not go to saṃsāra (worldly rebirth) and goes to my realm.

Verse 24

ततः सम्पूजयेद्देवि संसारभवमुक्तये ॥ तत्र काष्ठेषु मधुकमानिय च वसुन्धरे

Thereafter, O Goddess, one should worship fully for release from worldly becoming; and there, O Vasundharā (Earth), bringing madhuka among the pieces of wood, …

Verse 25

कुर्यात्संस्करणं तेषां विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा

One should perform their proper consecration and care according to the act prescribed by rule.