Adhyaya 37: The Threefold Discipline (Mental, Physical, Verbal) and the Salvific Power of Hearing Nārāyaṇa’s Name

Verse 1

धरण्युवाच । कथमाराध्यसे देव भक्तिमद्भिर्नरैर्विभो । स्त्रीभिर्वा सर्वमेतन्मे शंस त्वं भूतभावन ॥ ३७.१ ॥

Dharanī (Earth) said: “O God, O all-pervading Lord—how are you to be worshipped by devoted men, or by women? Tell me all of this, O nurturer of beings.”

Verse 2

श्रीवराह उवाच । भावसाध्योऽस्म्यहं देवि न वित्तैर्न जपैरहम् । साध्यस्तथापि भक्तानां कायक्लेशं वदामि ते ॥ ३७.२ ॥

Śrī Varāha said: “O Goddess, I am attainable through inner disposition (bhāva), not through wealth, nor through muttered recitations (japa). Yet for devotees I am indeed attainable; therefore I shall tell you about bodily hardship (kāya-kleśa), austerities involving physical strain.”

Verse 3

कर्मणा मनसा वाचा मच्चित्तो यो नरो भवेत् । तस्य व्रतानि धास्यामि विविधानि निबोध मे ॥ ३७.३ ॥

Whoever becomes devoted to Me through deed, thought, and speech—his various observances of vows (vrata) I shall set forth; understand them from Me.

Verse 4

अहिंसा सत्यमस्तेयं ब्रह्मचर्यमकल्कता । एतानि मानस्यानाहुर्व्रतानि तु धराधरे ॥ ३७.४ ॥

Non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, brahmacarya (disciplined continence), and freedom from moral taint—these are said to be the vows of the mind, O Bearer of the Earth.

Verse 5

एकभक्तं तथा नक्तमुपवासादिकं च यत् । तत्सर्वं कायिकं पुंसां व्रतं भवति नान्यथा ॥ ३७.५ ॥

The practice of taking a single meal (ekabhakta), the night-only meal (nakta), and whatever pertains to fasting and related observances—all of that is a bodily vow (kāyika) for people, and not otherwise.

Verse 6

मौनं चाध्ययनं चैव देवस्तुत्यर्थकीर्तितात् । निवृत्तिश्चापि पैशुन्याद् वाचिकं व्रतमुत्तमम् ॥३७.६॥

Silence (mauna) and the study of sacred texts, as well as the meaningful utterance of praise of the gods; and refraining from slander—this is declared to be the highest verbal vow, the discipline of speech.

Verse 7

अत्रापि श्रूयते चान्यदृषिरुग्रतपाः पुरा । ब्रह्मपुत्रः पुरा कल्पे अरुणिर्नाम नामतः ॥ ३७.७ ॥

Here too another account is heard: in ancient times there was a sage of fierce austerities, named Aruṇi, said to have been a son of Brahmā in an earlier kalpa.

Verse 8

सोऽरण्यमगमत्किञ्चित् तपोर्थी द्विजसत्तमः । तपस्तेपे ततस्तस्मिन्नुपवासपरायणः ॥ ३७.८ ॥

Then the best of the twice-born, seeking the practice of tapas, went a little way into the forest. There, devoted to fasting, he undertook austerities in that very place.

Verse 9

देविकायास्तटे रम्ये सोऽवसद् ब्राह्मणः किल । कदाचिदभिषेकाय स जगाम महानदीम् ॥ ३७.९ ॥

On the lovely bank of the Devikā, that brāhmaṇa, it is said, dwelt. At one time, for the purpose of abhiṣeka—ritual bathing—he went to the great river.

Verse 10

तत्र स्नात्वा जपन् विप्रो ददर्शायान्तमग्रतः । व्याधं महाधनुःपाणिमुग्रनेत्रं विभीषणम् ॥ ३७.१० ॥

There, having bathed and while reciting japa, the brāhmaṇa saw before him a hunter approaching—holding a great bow in his hand, with fierce eyes and a terrifying appearance.

Verse 11

तं द्विजं हन्तुमायात स वल्कलानां जिघृक्षया । तं दृष्ट्वा क्षुभितो विप्रो ब्रह्मघ्नस्य भयादिति । ध्यायन् नारायणं देवं तस्थौ तत्रैव स द्विजः ॥ ३७.११ ॥

He approached intending to kill that twice-born, driven by the desire to seize his bark-garments. Seeing him, the brāhmaṇa was shaken with fear of a “slayer of a brāhmaṇa”; meditating on the god Nārāyaṇa, he remained standing right there.

Verse 12

तं दृष्ट्वा अन्तर्गतहरिं व्याधो भीत इवाग्रतः । विहाय सशरं चापं ततो वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ ३७.१२ ॥

Seeing Hari, who had entered within, the hunter stood before him as if frightened; casting aside his bow with the arrow, he then spoke these words.

Verse 13

व्याध उवाच । हन्तुमिच्छुरहं ब्रह्मन् भवन्तं प्रागिहागतः । इदानीं दर्शनात् तुभ्यं सा मतिः क्वापि मे गता ॥ ३७.१३ ॥

The hunter said: “O brāhmaṇa, I had come here earlier with the intention to kill you. But now, upon seeing you, that resolve of mine has vanished somewhere.”

Verse 14

ब्राह्मणानां सहस्राणि सस्त्रीणामयुतानि च । निहतानि मया ब्रह्मन् निहतौ च कुटम्बिनौ ॥ ३७.१४ ॥

“Thousands of brāhmaṇas and tens of thousands of armed men have been slain by me, O Brahmin; and I have also killed two householders.”

Verse 15

नरकेऽभ्यधिकं चित्तं कदाचिदपि विद्यते । इदानीं तप्तुमिच्छामि तपोऽहं त्वत्समीपतः । उपदेशप्रदानेन प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि ॥ ३७.१५ ॥

“At times, a mind even more tormented than (one in) hell can arise. Now I wish to undertake tapas—ascetic austerity—staying near you. By granting instruction, you ought to bestow your favor upon me.”

Verse 16

एवमुक्तोऽप्यसौ विप्रो नोत्तरं प्रत्यपद्यत । ब्रह्महा पापकर्मेति मत्वा ब्राह्मणपुङ्गवः ॥ ३७.१६ ॥

Though thus addressed, that brāhmaṇa offered no reply. The foremost of brāhmaṇas, deeming him a slayer of a brāhmaṇa and a doer of sinful deeds, formed this judgment.

Verse 17

अनुक्तोऽपि स धर्मेप्सुर्व्याधस्तत्रैव तस्थिवान् । स्नात्वा नद्यां द्विजः सोऽपि वृक्षमूलमुपाश्रितः ॥ ३७.१७ ॥

Though not addressed further, that hunter—intent upon dharma—remained right there. And that twice-born man too, having bathed in the river, took shelter at the foot of a tree.

Verse 18

कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य तां नदीमगमत्किल । व्याघ्रो बुभुक्षितः शान्तं तं विप्रं हन्तुमुद्यतः ॥ ३७.१८ ॥

Then, after some time, he is said to have reached that river. A tiger, tormented by hunger, prepared to kill that peaceful brāhmaṇa.

Verse 19

अन्तर्जलगतं विप्रं यावद् व्याघ्रो जिघृक्षति । तावद् व्याधेन विद्धोऽसौ सद्यः प्राणैर्वियोजितः ॥ ३७.१९ ॥

While the brāhmaṇa remained within the water, and just as the tiger was about to seize him, at that very moment it was struck by a hunter and immediately separated from its life-breaths (it died).

Verse 20

तस्माद् व्याघ्रशरीरात् तु उत्थाय पुरुषः किल । विप्रश्चान्तरजले मग्नः श्रुत्वा तं शब्दमाकुलम् । नमो नारायणायेति वाक्यमुच्चैरुवाच ह ॥ ३७.२० ॥

Then, it is said, a man rose up from the tiger’s body; and the brāhmaṇa, submerged in the waters, upon hearing that agitated sound, uttered aloud: “Namo Nārāyaṇāya” (“Obeisance to Nārāyaṇa”).

Verse 21

व्याघ्रेणापि श्रुतो मन्त्रः प्राणैः कण्ठस्थितैस्ततः । श्रुतमात्रे जहौ प्राणान् पुरुषश्चाभवच्छुभः ॥ ३७.२१ ॥

Even the tiger heard the mantra; then, with its vital breaths lodged in the throat, at the very moment of hearing it, it gave up its life-breaths—and it became a blessed person.

Verse 22

सोऽब्रवीद्यामि तं देशं यत्र विष्णुः सनातनः । त्वत्प्रसादाद् द्विजश्रेष्ठ मुक्तपाप्मा निरामयः ॥ ३७.२२ ॥

He said, “I shall go to that region where Viṣṇu, the Eternal, resides. By your favor, O best of the twice-born, I am freed from sin and free from illness.”

Verse 23

इत्युक्तो ब्राह्मणः प्राह कोऽसि त्वं पुरुषर्षभ । सोऽब्रवीत्तस्य राजेन्द्रः प्रतापी पूर्वजन्मनि । दीर्घबाहुरिति ख्यातः सर्वधर्मविशारदः ॥ ३७.२३ ॥

Thus addressed, the brāhmaṇa said: “Who are you, O best of men?” He replied: “O king of kings, in a former birth I was a mighty ruler, famed by the name Dīrghabāhu, fully learned in every aspect of dharma.”

Verse 24

अहं जानामि वेदांश्च अहं वेद्मि शुभाशुभम् । ब्राह्मणे नैव मे कार्यं किं वस्तु ब्राह्मणा इति ॥ ३७.२४ ॥

“I know the Vedas, and I discern what is auspicious and inauspicious. I have no business with a brāhmaṇa—what, indeed, is a brāhmaṇa as a ‘thing’?”

Verse 25

तस्यैवं वादिनो विप्राः सर्वे क्रोधसमन्विताः । ऊचुः शापं दुराधर्षः क्रूरो व्याघ्रो भविष्यसि ॥ ३७.२५ ॥

As he spoke in this manner, all the brāhmaṇas, filled with wrath, pronounced a curse: “You, hard to overcome, shall become a fierce tiger.”

Verse 26

अवमानात् तु विप्राणां सत्यान्तं स्मरणं तव । मृत्युकालेन सम्मूढ केशवेण भविष्यति ॥ ३७.२६ ॥

But because of your contempt for the vipras (brāhmaṇas), your remembrance—though grounded in truth—will, at the time of death, become confused; and that remembrance will be with Keśava, that is, directed toward Keśava.

Verse 27

इत्युक्तोऽहं पुरा तैस्तु ब्राह्मणैर्वेदपारगैः । तमेव सर्वं संप्राप्तो ब्रह्मशापं सुपुष्कलम् ॥ ३७.२७ ॥

Thus, long ago, I was addressed in this way by those brāhmaṇas who had mastered the Vedas, and I fully encountered that very consequence—a most mighty and weighty curse pronounced by a brāhmaṇa.

Verse 28

ततस्ते ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे प्रणिपत्य महामुने । उक्ताऽनुग्रहहेतोर्वै ऊचुस्ते मामिमं पुरा ॥ ३७.२८ ॥

Then all those brāhmaṇas, having bowed down, O great sage, spoke to you—formerly—this address concerning me, indeed for the sake of your favor.

Verse 29

षष्ठान्नकालिकस्याग्रे यस्ते स्थास्यति कश्चन । स भक्ष्यस्ते तु भविता कञ्चित्कालं नराधम ॥ ३७.२९ ॥

Whoever stands before you at the time of the sixth meal, that vile man (narādhama) will, for some time, become your food—indeed, be devoured by you.

Verse 30

यदेषुघातं लब्ध्वा तु प्राणैः कण्ठगतैर्भवान् । श्रोष्यसे द्विजवक्त्रात् तु नमो नारायणेतिहि । तदा स्वर्गगतिस्तुभ्यं भविता नात्र संशयः ॥ ३७.३० ॥

When you have received the stroke of the arrow and your vital breaths have reached your throat (at the point of death), and you then hear from the mouth of a brāhmaṇa the words “namo Nārāyaṇa,” at that time your passage to heaven will come about—of this there is no doubt.

Verse 31

परवक्त्रगतस्यापि विष्णोर्नाम श्रुतं मया । लब्धद्वेषस्य विप्राणां प्रत्यक्षं तव सत्तम ॥ ३७.३१ ॥

“Even when it came from another’s mouth, I have heard the name of Viṣṇu. O best of the virtuous, the enmity that has arisen among the brāhmaṇas is evident before you.”

Verse 32

यः पुनर्ब्राह्मणान् पूज्य स्ववक्त्रेण नमो हरिम् । वदन् प्राणं विमुच्येत मुक्तावसौ वीतकिल्बिषः ॥ ३७.३२ ॥

But whoever, having honored the brāhmaṇas, utters with his own mouth “obeisance to Hari,”—if, while speaking thus, he relinquishes his life-breath—he is released; in liberation he is one whose demerit has been removed.

Verse 33

सत्यं सत्यं पुनः सत्यमुत्क्षिप्य भुजमुच्यते । जङ्गमा ब्राह्मणा देवाः कूटस्थः पुरुषोत्तमः ॥ ३७.३३ ॥

“Truth—truth—again truth,” thus it is declared, raising the arm in solemn emphasis: the Brāhmaṇas are the ‘moving’ gods; and Puruṣottama, the Supreme Person, is the immutable, abiding reality (kūṭastha).

Verse 34

एवमुक्त्वा गतः स्वर्गं स राजा वीतकल्मषः । ब्राह्मणोऽपि सदायुक्तस्तं व्याधं प्रत्यभाषत ॥ ३७.३४ ॥

Having spoken thus, that king—freed from all taint—departed for heaven; and the brāhmaṇa too, ever disciplined, addressed that hunter in reply.

Verse 35

ऋषिरुवाच । जिघृक्षोर्मृगराजस्य यत्त्वया रक्षितो ह्यहम् । तत्पुत्र तुष्टस्ते दद्मि वरं वरय सुव्रत ॥ ३७.३५ ॥

The Ṛṣi said: “When the lion, king of beasts, was about to seize me, you protected me. Therefore, my son, I am pleased with you. I grant you a boon—choose a boon, O you of good vow.”

Verse 36

व्याध उवाच । एष एव वरो मह्यं यत् त्वं मां भाषसे द्विज । अतः परं वरेणाहं किं करोमि प्रशाधि माम् ॥ ३७.३६ ॥

The hunter said: “This alone is the boon for me—that you, O twice-born (dvija), speak with me. Beyond this, what shall I do with a boon? Instruct me.”

Verse 37

ऋषिरुवाच । अहं त्वया पुरा पुत्र प्रार्थितोऽस्मि तपोऽर्थिना । बहुपातकयुक्तेन घोररूपेण चानघ ॥ ३७.३७ ॥

The Ṛṣi said: “Formerly, my son, you entreated me, seeking the fruit of austerity. You were burdened with many sins and bore a dreadful form, and yet your intention was blameless.”

Verse 38

इदानीं तव पापानि देविकाभिषवेण च । मद्दर्शनेन च चिरं विष्णुनामश्रुतेन च ॥ नष्टानि शुद्धदेहोऽसि साम्प्रतं नात्र संशयः ॥ ३७.३८ ॥

Now your sins have been destroyed—by the purifying ablution at Devikā, by beholding me, and by long hearing the Name of Viṣṇu. At present your body is purified; of this there is no doubt.

Verse 39

इदानीं वरमेकं त्वं गृहीाण मम सन्निधौ । तपः कुरुष्व साधो त्वं चिरकालं यदीच्छसि ॥ ३७.३९ ॥

Now, in my presence, accept a single boon. O worthy one, undertake ascetic practice (tapas) for a long time, if you so desire.

Verse 40

व्याध उवाच । य एष भवता प्रोक्तो विष्णुर्नारायणः प्रभुः । स कथं प्राप्यते मर्त्यैरेष एव वरो मम ॥ ३७.४० ॥

The hunter said: “This Viṣṇu—Nārāyaṇa, the sovereign Lord—whom you have described: how is he to be attained by mortals? This alone is the boon I ask.”

Verse 41

ऋषिरुवाच । तमुद्दिश्य व्रतं कुर्याद् यत्किञ्चित्पुरुषोऽच्युतम् । स परं तमवाप्नोति भक्त्या युक्तः पुमानिति ॥ ३७.४१ ॥

The seer said: “Directing one’s intention toward him—the Imperishable Acyuta—a person should undertake whatever sacred vow (vrata) is possible. Endowed with devotion (bhakti), that person attains the supreme state.”

Verse 42

एवं ज्ञात्वा भवान् पुत्र व्रतमेतत् समाचर । न भक्षयामि सकटं न वदाम्यनृतं क्वचित् ॥ ३७.४२ ॥

“Having understood thus, O son, you should undertake this vow. I do not consume ‘sakaṭa’ (what is forbidden), and I do not speak untruth at any time.”

Verse 43

एतत्ते व्रतमादिष्टं मया व्याधवर ध्रुवम् । तत्रैवं तपसा युक्तस्तिष्ठ त्वं यावदिच्छसि ॥ ३७.४३ ॥

O best of hunters, this sacred observance (vrata) has been firmly enjoined upon you by me. Therefore remain there, disciplined and endowed with ascetic ardor (tapas), and stay for as long as you wish.

Verse 44

श्रीवराह उवाच । एवं चिन्तान्वितं मत्वा वरदो ब्राह्मणोऽभवत् । मोक्षार्थिनमथो बुद्ध्वा वञ्चयित्वा गतो मुनिः ॥ ३७.४४ ॥

Śrī Varāha said: Understanding him to be thus absorbed in anxious reflection, the boon‑granting brāhmaṇa appeared. Then, recognizing him as one who sought mokṣa (liberation), the sage deceived him and departed.