The Efficacy of Campaka Flower

1. O preceptor, through your grace I have heard this (description of the) greatness of Ganga. Now, I desire to listen to the fruit of Vishnu's worship. Vyasa said:

2-3. O dear, listen to the excellent fruit of the worship of the lord of Lakshmi, hearing which all men obtain excellent knowledge. O brahmana, listen to the rules according to which the Eternal One should be worshipped in the twelve months like Magha. I shall (now) tell them.

4-8. When the auspicious month of Magha, the best of all months, comes, the best devotee of Vishnu should give up (eating) flesh and coitus. He should everyday bathe in the morning; he should also avoid (the use of) oils; he should avoid taking food twice (a day) and also the food of others in the month of Magha. A man, wearing a white garment, should, with a firm mind, begin worshipping Vishnu in the morning after having performed the five major sacrifices (viz. brahmayajna etc.). With lukewarm, pure water he should give bath to (the image of) the immutable Vishnu. He should besmear the parts of the body (of the image) of Vishnu with loose (i.e. soft) sandal. He should worship these of the lord of the world, the chief of gods, the Disc-holder. He should dry the vessels that are washed.

9-11. Having bathed (the image of) the lord of the world with lukewarm water, he should carefully dry his body with a divine garment.' O best brahmana, I (shall) tell about the fruit which he who bathes (the image of) Vishnu with lukewarm water in the month of Magha, gets. Freed from all sins committed in former existences, he enjoys all pleasure in this world, and (to enjoy) the remaining pleasure he goes to Vishnu's abode.

12-14. Listen to the religious merit of (i.e. obtained by) him who, after having washed the vessels and having purified them with water, would worship the (image of) the lord of the world. Free from all diseases, he, enjoying all desired objects here (i.e. in this world), would finally dwell for thousands of yugas in Vishnu's abode. In the morning and in the entire evening a devotee of Vishnu should place a smokeless, burning fire in front of (the image of) the Disc-holder (i.e. Vishnu).

15-19. Listen to the fruit of, i.e. obtained by, that devotee of Vishnu, who would burn fire in the morning and in the evening before (the image of) Vishnu in the month of Magha to keep off cold. He, along with his sons and grandsons, enjoys all desired objects in this world, and in the end goes to Vishnu's city, difficult to be reached even by deities. As is his soul (to him) so is Vishnu. There is no doubt about this. A man should keep away cold from (the imags of) Vishnu sleeping on the bed as he keeps away cold from himself. What does the best god, being pleased, not give to him who would bathe (the image of) Vishnu with milk during the month of Magha? In the same way he should remove the cold (of the image) of the Disc-holder with a divine garment.

20-26. I shall tell the fruit of (i.e. obtained by) him who would worship (the image of) Vishnu after bathing him (it) with cocoanut water and milk in the month of Magha. He, having lifted up a crore of men of his family sinking due to their own acts in the ocean of hell, difficult to cross, goes to the position of the Disc-holder (i.e. Vishnu). O best brahmana, especially during the worship of Vishnu on the fifth day of the bright half in the month of Magha, so also on the Ekadashi day and the fifth day1 (in the dark fortnight) rice boiled in milk along with a lamp should be offered to Mura's enemy, the god of gods along with (his spouse) Lakshmi. O Jaimini, O devotee of Vishnu, I shall tell you about the fruit of (i.e. obtained by) him who, everyday in the month of Magha, offers rice boiled in milk along with incense to the Disc-holder (i.e. Vishnu). (Please) listen. Having at the end (of his life) gone to Vishnu's city, he enjoys (there) charming pleasures for four periods of Manu due to the grace of the Disc-holder. Again having come to the earth he would be a sovereign emperor. (There) he enjoys pleasures for a very long time and when dead (i.e. after death) goes to Vishnu's abode.

27-29. O Jaimini, a devotee of Vishnu, who is unable to give (rice boiled in milk) to the enemy of Mura on the fifth day, the seventh day or the eleventh day, should offer him best food. O best brahmana, the bright half is especially superior to the dark half. On the days (mentioned above) of the bright half one should give food to Vishnu. Vishnu is not difficult to be attained by him who would give rice boiled in milk along with cakes to Vishnu, the conqueror of demons, at least on one day in Magha.

30-33. There is no doubt that whatever is offered by a man to please a brahmana in the month of Magha, would be inexhaustible for him. O brahmana, there is no destruction of the (fruit of the) act, good or bad, done in the month of Magha, even after hundreds of ages of Manu. He who would worship Vishnu with campaka flowers in the month of Magha would, after being freed from all sins, go to the highest abode. He stays in Vishnu's abode for as many thousand yugas as the number of campaka flowers offered to Vishnu by him.

1. The reading should have been 'saptamydm' in place of 'paricamyam', as it rightly occurs in line 27 a below.

34-37. That fruit which is (obtained) by giving gold.equal (in weight) to Meru, is obtained by worshipping Vishnu with (only) one campaka flower. O best brahmana, a campaka flower is always dear to Vishnu. Especially in the month of Magha it is pure and dear to Vishnu. He who has not worshipped Vishnu with divine campaka flowers, would be without gems, without gold etc. in every birth. I am specially telling you the fruit of (the offering of) a campaka flower. O best brahmana, listen to it, the excellent one, along with its history.

38-44. O brahmana, a king named Suvarna, knowing all holy texts, became powerful in the entire Aryavarta1 due to his vigour. O brahmana sage, he, mad with royal glory, knowledge and youth, was always engaged in sins. By the words of his heretic ministers, he, through his greed for money, punished the good (even) without their fault, O brahmana. He, without sacrifices and gifts (i.e. who did not perform sacrifices and give gifts), surrounded by music and musical instruments squandered ail the wealth obtained unjustly. He, always deluded by sins, did not support his kinsmen, did not feed deities and brahmanas, and did not gratify the suppliants. He, always attached to sins, never honoured a guest. That king, the abode of sins, everyday went (away) from a temple. Was anyone among the indiscriminate ones able to count, even for hundreds of years, the other sins which he had committed?

45-52. Once that wicked-hearted king, deluded by lust, went to a prostitute's house at night. Seeing the king coming, (the prostitute) named Ujjvala, suddenly getting up from the bed saluted him. Having washed his pair of feet with water from a golden pitcher, she, embracing the king with her arms, seated him on the bed. That king, sprinkled with the streams of the nectar of her love, and being curious remained on that bed. Then that harlot who was quite young, herself gave, with a smile, campaka flowers to the king. A flower from the garland of flowers dropped on the ground from the hand of the king, and pervaded the atmosphere with its fragrance. Seeing the flower that had fallen down, the king, through great confusion said (the words) 'Namo Ndrayanaya (salutation to Narayana)' preceded by the syllable 'Orri' All the sins of the king perished due to (his having uttered) the word 'Narayana' and due to the offering of the campaka flower.

1. Aryavarta: Abode of the noble or the excellent (Aryas). Name of the region extending from the eastern to the western sea, and bounded on the north and south by the Himalaya and the Vindhya respectively.

53-58. All the villagers also gathered there and killed him that night in the prostitute's invincible house. Yama, who was very angry, sent his servants to take the king, the greatest sinner (to his abode). The messengers ordered by him, with their eyes red due to anger and having nooses and mallets in their hands came there very speedily. Yama's messengers exerted to take him to their abode. Then Narayana's (i.e. Vishnu's) servants holding conches, discs and maces, and mounted upon Garuda came to take the king (to Vishnu's abode). Seeing the king bound by a noose, the very powerful servants of Vishnu struck Yama's messengers with discs and maces. Putting him into a divine chariot, they blew excellent conches.

59-61. Then the king who had got in the chariot, who was adorned with tulasl (leaves and) flowers, who had put on yellow silken garments, who was adorned with golden ornaments, who was being praised by hosts of sages, masters of the Vedas and the Vedangas, who was surrounded by Vishnu's messengers, came to Vishnu's world. Then, O best brahmana, Vishnu himself got up, embraced the king with his four long arms and said to him: The lord said:

62-65. O king, O best among all meritorious souls, tell (me) about (your) welfare. Now let us know what still remains to be attained by you. I always look after him who would even once say:'Salutation to Narayana.' He is my brother; he is my father. I accomplish all the desired objects, like a father to his son, of the man who would sometime remember my name 'Narayana'. O best king, you are my devotee. Therefore, disclose your desire. What wonderful object shall I give you now? The king said:

66-73a. O ocean of pity, you have undoubtedly given (me) everything. Even a sinner like me has reached your inaccessible place. By these words of him Lakshmi's lord was pleased, and he affectionately made him sit. Listen to it (i.e. that account). He, full of pity, himself adorned him with golden ornaments fashioned by Visvakarman. Vishnu, the extremely tolerant one, gratified the king with various kinds of eatables, very difficult to be had even by the divine ones. In this way the king lived in Vishnu's abode everyday for thousands of Manu's ages and nine hundred years. The righteous king protected his subjects. With great devotion he always worshipped Vishnu with charming campaka flowers and various kinds of offerings of eatables. When the span of his life was over the king died in the water of Ganga and obtained liberation by the grace of Vishnu. Vyasa said:

73b-78. O brahmana, I have told you this efficacy of campaka flowers. Sinful persons have been liberated after worshipping Vishnu with campaka flowers. O brahmana sage, revered Vishnu, worshipped with a full-blown campaka flower gives the highest position in a short time. Those who worship the highest soul intentionally or even without an intention are freed from all sins, and they also go to the highest position. When Vishnu is pleased, nobody is a sinner, since that king, even though he had committed a sin, crossed this deep worldly ocean through Vishnu's favour and attained liberation. That man who, abandoning sin, would, with devotion and great respect, worship Narayana (i.e. Vishnu), having large eyes like lotus-petals, with divine, fragrant campaka flowers would go (to Vishnu).

1-8. O Jaimini, O brahmana sage, I (shall) tell you the mode in which Vishnu should always be worshipped. Listen to it attentively. A wise man, having got up from his bed in the morning and taking a pot (full) of water, and covering his head with (a piece of) cloth, should go to a place outside (the town). There, the wise man, keeping mum, putting the sacred thread on his ear, should sit in the northern direction and urinate and excrete. He should not urinate or excrete in a temple of a deity, on the way, in cowpens, places where four roads meet, on the main road, in a ploughed soil, at the root of darbhas, in a courtyard, on the sandy bank of a river, at the root of a fig tree standing on a sacred spot, so also in a forest, in lakes and wells. A wise man should urinate and excrete till he does not see the sun, the moon, brahmanas and the ten quarters. To cleanse himself he should not take the clay from inside the holes dug by mice etc. or (from) ploughed soil. A wise man should purify himself with water after bringing it from (a place of) water. A wise man does not purify himself by keeping his foot in water.

9-10. A wise man should answer the nature's call at night by facing the south. Covering his head with (a piece of) cloth he should answer the nature's call. A wise man should apply one (layer of) clay to his organ of generation, three (layers) to his anus, seven to his left hand, and ten to both the hands.

11-21. The wise should apply six (layers of) clay to both the feet. A wise man should brush his teeth after having (thus) purified himself. The cleansing of the teeth along with that of the lips etc. should be done. He should not brush his teeth by facing the south or the west. If he would do so, he would be a resident of hell. O brahmana, he should brush his teeth with the middle finger or the ring-finger or the thumb but never with the forefinger. A wise man should not brush his teeth with a twig of asvattha or fig tree or of dhatri tree; so also with that of devadaru or asura tree (for by doing so) the entire fruit of his daily rites perishes. O Jaimini, the manes of him, so also gods and divine sages, being disappointed with him who brushes his teeth at the time of his bath go (away). The deities do not accept the worship of (i.e. offered by) him, and the manes do not accept the (libations of) water of (i.e. offered by) him who brushes his teeth in the noon or the afternoon. He who brushes his teeth at the time of his bath in a lake, should be known to be a candala till he sees Gahga. The manes of him who brushes his teeth after the revered sun has risen, eat that stick with which he brushes his teeth and being grieved, go (away). A man brushing his teeth on a fast day or a sraddha day does not get the fruit of it (i.e. of the fast or the sraddha), O brahmana. O best brahmana, he should clean his teeth in the morning and his tongue with (a piece of) cloth. He should have twelve rinsings with water.

22-24. O Jaimini, the man who brushes his teeth in this manner on a fast day or the day of (offering of) sraddha to the manes, gets the entire fruit. Doing the purification in this manner, the wise one should go into his house and abandon the night-garment. Then the wise, pure one, seated at the door of the chamber of the deity should remember the infinite god, the highest lord, Vishnu.

25-30. 'O Rama, O you of a dark body, O Vishnu, O Narayana, O you full of pity, O Janardana, O you abode of the world, O Kesava, remove my sin. O you wearing a yellow garment, O infinite one, O Padmanabha, O you full of the world, O Vamana, O god, O lord, be the refuge of him who has sought your shelter. O Damodara, O greatest of the Yadus, O!shri Krishna, O ocean of pity, O lotus-eyed one, O lord of gods, O Vasudeva, favour me. O Garuda-bannered one, O Govinda, O supporter of all, O holder of the mace, O you having the conch in your hand, O you having:the disc in your hand, O you having a lotus in your hand, remove (my) calamities. O you pleasure of Lakshmi, O Vishnu, O Hrsikesa, O best of gods, O Purushottama, O enemy of Karhsa, O enemy of Kaitabha, remove (my) fear. O Shripati (i.e. lord of Lakshmi), O Shridhara, O lord, O Shrida, O Shrikara, O Madhava, O highest Brahman, O highest abode, O immutable one, be my refuge.'

31. O best brahmana, having thus remembered Vishnu, the wiseman with the palms of his hands joined, having gone into the house, speaks like this:

32-35. 'O god, O Shripati, O Krishna, O son of Devaki, O lord, O master of the world, abandon your sleep. It is the morning time.' Then the wise man should think in his mind that Devaki's son along with Laksm I is seated on the bed after having given up sleep. Then the devotee of Vishnu should give to Krishna, a divine, covered pot full of water for washing his face. The intelligent ones serve the highest lord as servants serve their master for their livelihood.

36. Obrahmana sage, the desired object of him who serves the lord of the world as his servant, is soon accomplished.

37-39. As the servants serve their master through fear, so the wise ones always serve Vishnu, the lord. O brahmana, he who, being fearless, serves him with this desire of him, is just a bad servant. He would not be (a devotee). Therefore, O best brahmana, a man desiring final beatitude, should always render service to the lord of Laksml.

40-44. In the morning a devotee of Vishnu should take off from the body of Vishnu (i.e. his image) the used flowers, the garment worn during the night, and stale sandal also. Then the wise man should himself sweep the temple. He should slowly clean it with a groom. That man would live in Vishnu's house for as many hundred periods of Manu as the number of particles of dust that go out of the temple. Even a murderer of a brahmana, who sweeps the temple of Vishnu, goes to the highest position. What is the use of saying much? He should smear the temple with wool and cowdung. In that temple a wise man should recollect Vishnu.

45-51. O Jaimini, I shall tell you in brief about the religious merit of him who smears Vishnu's temple. Listen to it. He would happily live in Vishnu's house for as many thousands of kalpas as the dust particles that perish (i.e. are removed). One who sweeps and smears Vishnu's temple obtains the highest abode. Then what to say about him who knows how to worship the lord? When due to a calamity due to Indra he is not able to do it himself, then he should appoint his wife in Vishnu's temple. Or he should appoint his devoted son of good character, or his brother or sister in the god's temple. He should himself very carefully wash the things (needed) for Vishnu's worship with pure water seven times or three times. There is no doubt that copper vessels are purified with acid, the vessels of bell-metal are purified with ash, and iron-vessels with fire.

52. Vishnu is not pleased with a rich man who bathes Vishnu, the lord of the world, with water in an iron pot.

53. If (he does so) through ignorance, he is purified by means of a bath in Ganga. O best brahmana, in prosperity (i.e. when one is wealthy) one should always follow a rule.

54-62a. It is laid down in the holy texts that there is no rule in adversity. O best brahmana, when a conch which is carefully washed, touches the ground, it becomes pure after washing it a hundred times. Having in this way carefully washed the materials for worship, he should take materials for his bath and should go to a lake. If he comes home without taking a bath, the hosts of his manes do not accept the libations offered by him on that day. That man who foolishly puts in an obstacle for him who goes for bathing or for taking a meal, would be a resident of hell. There is no doubt that the manes of him who, having gone to a lake for a bath, would urinate or excrete (there) would eat urine and feces. Then having bathed and offered libations according to the rules, a wise man, remembering Vishnu, should come home. Then, O brahmana, the best brahmana after having washed both his feet in the courtyard should enter the temple of the deity. The religious merit earned during a year, of him who would enter the temple without washing his feet, perishes that moment only.

62b-67. Therefore, a wise man, having come after having bathed, should wash his feet in the courtyard and then enter the temple of the deity. Having sat down, the wise man should wash the pair of his feet with his left hand. Then he should carefully wash both his hands, O brahmana. O best branmana, Lakshmi certainly abandons the fool who washes one of his feet with another or with his right hand. Then the intelligent one, having sat down, and with full concentration should commence the worship of Vishnu, giving all desired objects. After sitting upon a pure seat of deer-hide or tiger-hide, or merely on a cloth-seat, or also on the seat of darbhas or of flowers, he should worship Lakshmi's lord.

68-79. A learned brahmana should never worship Vishnu (after sitting) on a wooden seat. 'O Earth, you are held by Vishnu, you sustain all people. Therefore, O you who bear everything, give me an excellent seat to stay.' Speakinglike this the worshipper of Vishnu should sit on the seat after spreading it out. He should never worship Vishnu by facing the South. Having poured water very fragrant and purified with a hymn into a conch, he should bathe the master, Laksml's lord, along with Lakshmi. O best brahmana, Jaimini, I shall tell you the fruit of (i.e. obtained by) him who bathes (the image of) the revered Janardana with (water from) a conch. Listen. Being free from the sins of the murder of a brahmana, a cow, a woman, or of causing abortion or drinking liquor, he goes to Vaikuntha, and (there) enjoys all pleasures. O brahmana, if a man on seeing (the image of) Vishnu, would worship (it) him, he quickly obtains whatever (he desires) through the grace of Lakshmi's lord. O best brahmana, a wise man should, in the absence of a conch, put the fragrant water and tulasi (leaves) in a pot, and should bathe (the image of) Vishnu. Then having bathed (the image of the) god and having put (it) him on an excellent seat, he should smear his entire body with fragrant sandal. The man who treats the body of the Discholder with the mire of tulasi wood (tulasl-plant), has Vishnu always pleased with him. 'O lord of the world, this garland of tulasi leaves, giving pleasure by means of its fragrance is offered to you. Always be very well pleased.' O best brahmana, what does the great Vishnu, adorned with the garland of tulasi leaves to the accompaniment of this hymn, and pleased, not give? Then he should make the solemn observance with the hymns from the Veda.

80-89. The wise ones should then fix the directions with hymns from the Puranas: 'May Krishna protect in the east. May Devaki's son protect in the south-east. May the enemy of demons protect in the south. May Madhusudana protect in the southwest. May the Srlmat (i.e. having Lakshmi) protect in the intermediate directions. May (Shridhara protect upwards. May the universal soul, of the form of the tortoise and full of pity protect from below. May all those who cause obstacles at the time of (Vishnu's) worship, go away, being struck by the missile of Vishnu's name.' Having thus fixed the directions he, bowing and with his palms joined, makes a solemn vow by means of the hymn to be told (hereafter): 'O god of gods, O Janardana, make this worship commenced by me free from obstacles and successful. Be pleased, O highest god.' Having made a solemn vow (like this) a devotee of Vishnu, knowing everything, should assign the various parts of his body to different deities, and should meditate, with his heart on god Vishnu, resembling a fresh cloud, having eyes like lotuses, wearing a yellow garment, having a very charming, smiling face, adorned with the garlands of kadamba flowers, having very large arms, having ear-rings with the row of peacock's feathers on his head, deluding the ten directions with the sweet sound of his flute, surrounded by cowherdesses, and living in the charming Vrindavana. Having thus meditated upon the lord of gods, Vishnu, giving all desired objects, the devotee of Vishnu should then devoutly invoke him.

90-92a. The wise one should then offer water for washing his feet, materials of worship and water for sipping to Krishna who is invoked and who grants the four goals of human life. The wise one should worship Shri Krishna, Devaki's son and the lord of all gods, with tender tulasl leaves or charming flowers.

92b-101. 'Salutations to Matsya (incarnation), to Kurma incarnation. Repeated salutations to Varaha (incarnation). Salutation to you, Hari; repeated salutations to Vamana. Salutation to the powerful Rama, Rama, Rama. Repeated salutations to pure Buddha (the enlightened one), having pity. Salutation to you, Kalki; salutation to you of many forms. Salutation to you, Narayana, Krishna, Govinda, the holder of the aarnga bow, to Damodara, to the lord, to the god of gods. Salutation to Hrslkesa, to Santa (the tranquil one), to Vyomapada (whose feet are extended in the heaven). Salutation to the lord of Laksml. Salutation to (you) having lotus-like eyes. Salutation to you Ananta, to you having mace in your hand, to you, Garuda-bannered (one), to you having the disc in your hand. Repeated salutations to you having the lotus in your hand, to Acyuta. Salutation to you, the enemy of demons and giving all desired objects. I always salute Madhava, Suresa (lord of gods), Vishnu, the highest soul, the one having a crown and ear-rings. Salutation to you, the revered one.' The wise one (shouldjinvoke Vishnu's) vehicle called Garuda with the hymn: 'Salutation to Garuda. Salutation to (his) conch, to (his) disc. Repeated salutations to (his) mace. Repeated salutations to (his) lotus, to his sword Nandaka.

102-104. Having thus worshipped the lord of gods along with his consort and vehicle and weapons, the wise one should repeat the eight-syllabled formula. The wise one having then devoutly repeated the eight-syllabled formula, should offer Vishnu many excellent eatables. The devotee of Vishnu should also offer god Vishnu incense, lamp, tambula and other presents.

105. The desired object of him who would offer Vishnu excellent incense made fragrant with sandal and agaru, is accomplished quickly, O best brahmana.

106. O brahmana, he who offers Vishnu incense made fragrant with ghee, would, after being free from crores of sins, go to Vishnu's abode.

107. He who would offer Vishnu incense made fragrant with resin, goes to the highest abode, inaccessible even to gods.

108. Vishnu in a moment removes all the sins of him who offers him a lamp with ghee or Sheshamum oil.

109. O best brahmana, O Jaimini, he who would give a tambula made fragrant with camphor to Vishnu, gets liberation.

110. He who gives a tambula with khadira, ultimately goes to Vishnu's place after having enjoyed all pleasure here (i.e. in this world).

111. A man, after offering a tambula with sastimadhurika (?) and nutmeg to Vishnu, would obtain heaven.

112-113. O Jaimini, the devotee of Vishnu, should go round him (i.e. his image) after keeping water in a conch, to the accompaniment of the hymn which will be told (now). 'O Janardana, friend of the world, O you protector of those who seek your refuge, O lord, give me the status of the servant of the servant of your servant.'

114-119. O Jaimini, I shall tell you in brief the fruit of the religious merit of him who would go round (the image of) Vishnu "With (i.e. repeating) this hymn. At every step of the going round (the image of) Vishnu sins like the murder of a brahmana, and (other) major sins perish. For as many thousands of kalpas a man rejoices with Vishnu as the steps he would devoutly walk while going round Vishnu. When a man slowly walks step by step while going round Vishnu, he obtains the fruit of a horse-sacrifice at every step. A crore-fold greater fruit would be obtained by going round (the image of) Vishnu than the fruit (obtained by) go3428 Padma Puraria ing round all (other images) in the worldly existence. Even he who goes round himself in front of (the image of) Vishnu, gets the same fruit. What is the use of many other words?

120-123. An intelligent man, while going round (the Linga of) Shiva, should not cross the receptacle for receiving the water with which the Linga has been bathed. By crossing it (i.e. if a man crosses it) his worship (of Shiva) would be fruitless. O best brahmana, he who would even once go round Vishnu, would certainly become a sovereign emperor in every birth. O brahmana, he who would go round Vishnu twice, obtains Indra's position within three days. There is no doubt about this. The man who would go round (the image of) Vishnu twice, would enter, after being freed from all sins, Vishnu's body.

124-125. O Jaimini, he who after entering a temple, would wave a conch over (the image of) Vishnu, would be honoured by gods. The sin in the body of him who would salute (the image of) Vishnu (by prostrating himself) like a staff on the ground, is reduced to ash that moment only.

126. Laksml's lord Vishnu gives him who would salute Janardana with his palms joined and placed on his head, the highest position.

127-129a. O brahmana sage, listen to the efficacy which I am telling, of the religious merit of those men who drop their entire body (i.e. prostrate themselves) on the ground and salute Vishnu. For as many thousands of kalpas as the dust particles with which their bodies are decorated, these men stay with Vishnu. Then the flowers taken off from (the image of) Vishnu are offered to the devotees of Vishnu.

129b-131. I shall tell you about these devotees of Vishnu. O best one, O Jaimini, listen. 'May Suka, Suta, so also Vyasa, Narada, sage Kapila, Prahlada, Ambarisa, so also Akrura and Uddhava, Bibhisana, Hanuman, and other devotees of Vishnu also accept the flowers taken off from (the image of) Vishnu, giving all desired objects.'

132-133. Saying so the devotee should drop on the ground the flowers taken off from (the image of) Vishnu. Then he himself devoutly accepts the flowers taken off from (the image of) Vishnu. O best brahmana, he on whose head are seen the excellent flowers taken off from (the image of) Vishnu, should be known to be actually Vishnu himself.

134-138. All deities take the offerings of eatables to Vishnu, and flowers taken off from (the image of) him, which are difficult to be had, and which destroy sins. Then what need one say about human beings? O Jaimini, all the sins remaining in the body of the devotee of Vishnu, who smells a tulasi leaf, perish. The diseases in the body of him, into whose nose the fragrance of a tulasi leaf enters, instantly perish. O best brahmana, joy always exists in the house of him who rejoices after smelling the fragrance of a tulasi leaf. A wise man, with his palms joined, having praised the lord of the world with eulogies, should recite this hymn:

139-140. 'O Narayana, O you of the form of the world, O you lord of the world, go home. O god, go to your place. Always be pleased. O lord of the world, O you full of the world, may the worship which I offered according to my capacity ba faultless through your grace.'

141. Then the wise one should devoutly take the water (flowing) from the feet of Vishnu, the highest soul, and destroying all sins.

142. He who carries (on his body) even a drop of water (flowing) from Vishnu's feet, has bathed at all holy places. I have told you the truth.

143. He should touch the water (flowing) from the feet of Vishnu. It would give him the fruit of a bath in Ganga, since the water of Ganga is the water (flowing) from the feet of Vishnu.

144. For him who would touch the water (flowing) from Vishnu's feet there is no untimely death nor any fear from a disease.

145-147. May even sinful men drink everyday the medicine of the water (flowing) from the feet of Vishnu for the destruction of their sins and diseases. O brahmana, the sin in the body of that man who would drink the water (flowing) from Vishnu's feet perishes just in a moment. As by a medicine (the disease) in a human body is very much destroyed, in exactly the same way all the sin is destroyed by the water (flowing) from Vishnu's feet.

148-149. O brahmana, I shall tell you about the religious merit of (i.e. obtained by) him who would carry on his head the pure water (flowing) from Vishnu's feet along with a tulasi leaf. He, freed from all sins like the murder of a brahmana, and assuming Vishnu's form, ultimately goes to Vishnu's city and rejoices with him.

150. A greater fruit would be obtained by touching the water (flowing) from Vishnu's feet than by giving gold equal to the measure of Meru (mountain).

151-154. A man who touches the water (flowing) from Vishnu's feet obtains that fruit which men get by giving a crore of horses, or which one would get by giving the earth with the seven islands to brahmanas. A greater fruit would be obtained by touching the water (flowing) from the feet of Vishnu than the one that would be (obtained) by performing thousands of horsesacrifices. A man would get a bigger fruit by touching the water (flowing) from the feet of Vishnu than the religious merit declared (to be got) by giving a hundred wells. What is the use of speaking much in this matter? I shall tell it in brief.

155-160a. A man becomes free due to the touch of the water (flowing) from Vishnu's feet. O best brahmana, I am repeatedly telling (this) firmly. He who touches the water (flowing) from Vishnu's feet, does not get rebirth. He who would devoutly eat the remnants of the eatables offered to Vishnu, which destroy all the sins, would go to the highest position. The body of him who, O best brahmana, eats the eatables offered to Vishnu, which are difficult to be had, abandons the sins even like the murder of a brahmana. The land of liberation, difficult to be obtained even by deities like the greatest god, would be obedient to him like a maid, who eats the articles of food offered to Vishnu. Vishnu soon takes him to his own body, who worships Vishnu without abandoning any of the eatables offered to Vishnu.

160b-169. How can I tell you the efficacy of the eatables offered to great Vishnu, on the enjoyer of which even Vishnu is dependent, O lord of brahmanas? O brahmana, he who would devoutly offer excellent worship to Shri Vishnu in this manner, even without the proper religious ceremony, every month, also would be dear to Vishnu, and would obtain the same fruit which he who knows the religious ceremony would get after performing the worship of Vishnu with the proper religious ceremony. O brahmana, O lord, if there is no devotion, then the lord would not be pleased even if he is worshipped with many offerings of eatables. There is no doubt that one gets as much fruit as is his devotion to the god. That worship of Vishriu which men perform without devotion would be a worship at a wrong time, O best brahmana. Knowledge is the root of devotion. Devotion is the root of Vishnu. For the coming up of the liberation due to worship, the root is the propitiation of Vishnu. All that, even very little which a man does with faith, would be inexhaustible, O wise one; (for) every act is accompanied by faith. O brahmana, he who devoutly worships Vishnu even (with) little water, obtains the position of Vishnu, since Vishnu is dependent on his devotees.

170. O brahmana, this entire world is worthless. Worship of Vishnu is the only truth. Therefore, a man desiring his good should worship Krishna of infinite forms.

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