The Eleventh Book. Chapter 18
The Eleventh Book
Chapter Xviii
On The Greatness Of The Dev Pj
p. 1110
1. Nrada spoke :-- "O Bhagavn! I am now very eager to hear the special Pj of Sr Dev. The people get their desires fulfilled if they worship Her."
2-23. Nryana said :-- O Devarsi! I shall now specially speak to you how the World Mother Bhagavat is worshipped; by worshipping Whom one easily gets objects of enjoyments, liberation and the destruction of all evils. Controlling ones speech and making chaman, one must make ones sankalpa and perform Bhtasuddhi, Mtriknysa, sadanganysa, placing conchshell and doing other necessary acts. Offering the ordinary Arghya, one should give special Arghya and with the mantra "Astrya Phat" sprinkle over all the articles brought for worship. Taking the Gurus permission, he is to go on with his Pj. First worship the ptha or seat whereon the Dev would be placed; then perform dhyn (meditation of the Dev). Then with great devotion, offer to the Deva, the seats (sana) and other articles of worship; then perform the bath of the Dev by the water of the Panchmrita (the five nectars). If anybody performs the bath ceremony of Sr Dev with one hundred jars of sugarcane juice, he will not have to incur any future birth.
He who performs this bath, and recites the Veda Mantras, with mango juice or sugarcane juice gets for ever Laksm ever and ever and Sarasvat bound at his doors. He who gets this sacred bath of the Dev with grape juice, along with his relatives and acquaintences dwells in the Dev-loka for as many years as there are atoms in the juice. He who bathes the Dev with the Vedic mantras, and with water scented with camphor, the fragrant aloe wood (aguru), saffron, and musk, becomes freed at once of the sins acquired in his hundred births. He who bathes the Dev with jars of milk, lives in the ocean of milk (ksra samudra) for one Kalpa. So he who does this bathing ceremony with jars of curd, becomes the lord of Dadhikunda (the reservoir of curd). He who performs the Snnams of the Dev with honey, ghee and sugar becomes the lord of these things. He who bathes the Dev with one thousand jars, becomes happy in this world as in the next. Note :-- Make the liquid current flow pure in your body is the esoteric meaning of the bath. If you give Her a pair of silken clothes, you will go to the Vyu-Loka. If you give Her
p. 1111
the jewel ornaments, you will become the Lord of gems and jewels. (Make your mind like the gem.) If anybody gives saffron, sandalpaste, musk, Sindra and laktak (red things), he will go to the Heavens and become there the Indra, the Lord of the Devas, in the next birth. Various flowers ought to be offered in Sr Bhagavats worship; or the flowers of the season offered to the Dev will lead the devotee to Kailsa. The devotee that offers the beautiful Bel leaves to the Dev never experiences anywhere pains and difficulties. The devotee who writes the Vja mantra of My "Hrm Bhuvanesvaryai Namah" with red sandalpaste thrice on the tri-leaves of the Vilva tree leaf and offers this to the lotus feet of the Dev, becomes Manu by the merit of this virtuous act! The devotee becomes the Lord of the whole universe who worships the Dev Bhagavat with ten millions of entire Vilva leaves, fresh, green and spotless.
24-40. If any devotee worships with ten millions of entire fresh green Kunda flowers, with eight scents, he gets surely the Prajpatihood. The worship of the Dev with ten millions of Mallik and Mlat flowers besmeared with eight scents makes a man the four faced (Brahm); and one hundred millions of such flowers will make the devotee a Visnu. In days of yore, Visnu worshipped the Dev in the aforesaid way and so got His Visnuhood. If any devotee worships the Dev with one hundred Kotis of Mallik or Mlat flowers, the man becomes certainly Sutrtm Hiranyagarbha. In ancient days Hiranyagarbha worshipped thus the Dev with great devotion and so he became Hiranyagarbha! (These Hiranyagarbha, Brahm, Visnu and Mahesa were mere ordinary men before. See the Brihadranyaka Upanisada). Note :-- The eight scents refer to Jat mams Kapiyut Saktergandhs takam! So will be the results if Jav, Vandhka and Ddim flowers be offered in the worship. Various other beautiful flowers can be offered duly to the Dev by the devotee. The merits accruing from such offers are not known even to the God svara. The flowers that spring in their proper seasons are to be offered every year to the Dev, repeating Her thousand names enumerated in the Twelfth Book or in the Krma Purna. If the above worship be offered to the Dev, then that man, whether he be a sinner or a great sinner, will be freed from all the sins and after leaving his mortal coil, he will get, no doubt, the lotus feet of the Sr Dev Bhagavat. Offer Dhpa made of black Aguru, camphor, sandalpaste, red sandalpaste, Sihlaka and Guggula, saturated with ghee in such a way as the whole room of Sr Bhagavat scents with pure
p. 1112
fragrant smell. The Dev Bhagavat becomes pleased with this and offers the lordship of the three Lokas to the devotee. The devotee, who offers daily the light of camphor to the Dev, goes to the Srya Loka. There is no doubt in this. With ones whole heart, one should give one hundred or one thousand lights to the Dev. The devotee should offer heaps of food consisting of six Rsas, the plates and dishes for chewing, sucking, licking and drinking, that is, all kinds of food solid, and liquid, mountain-like high. Always give food on golden flat plates and cups and various delicious sweet juicy nice heavenly fruits, nicely arranged on trays, cups and saucers. When Sr Mahdev Bhuvanesvar gets pleased, the whole universe gets pleased. For the whole Universe is all Dev; as a rope is mistaken for a snake, so this Mahdev is mistaken for the universe.
41-59. Offer a jar of drinking Ganges water, cool and nice, scented with camphor to the Dev; then offer betels with camphor, cardamum, cloves, and various delicious scents. These all are to be offered with great devotion so that the Dev may be pleased. Next have music with lovely mridangas, flutes, murajas, Dhahks and dundubhis and so please Her. The Veda mantras are to be recited, the Purnas are to be read and the hymns to be chanted. With whole head and heart offer to the Dev the umbrella and chmara, the two kingly offerings. Then circumambulate round Her and prostrate before Her and ask Her kindness and pray to Her to forgive all faults and shortcomings. The Dev is pleased with anybody who remembers Her even once! What wonder then that She will be pleased with all these offerings! The Mother is naturally merciful to her child. When She is loved with devotion, then She becomes very merciful. There is nothing strange here! On this point I will recite to you the history of Vrihadratha Rjarsi. Hearing which gives rise to Bhakti and Love.
Once in a certain region in the Himlays there lived a bird called Chakravk. It flew over many countries and went once to Ksdhm. As a fruit of his Prrabdha Karma, that bird, desirous to find some rice beans, voluntarily went like an orphan round about the temple of Sr Annaprn Dev. There circumambulating round the Dev Bhagavat the bird left the city Ks, that grants liberation and flew away to another country. In time the bird left his body and went to Heavens. There he assumed a heavenly form of a youth and began to enjoy various pleasures. Thus he enjoyed for two Kalpas. Then he got back to the earth and took his birth as the best in the Ksattriya family. He became celebrated as the king Vrihadratha in
p. 1113
this world. That King was truthful, controlled his senses, and practised Samyama and deep concentration and knew everything of the past, the present and the future. He conquered all the enemies and performed various sacrifices and became the Emperor of the sea-girt earth and acquired the very rare faculty in the knowledge of everything of his previous births. The Munis came to know of this from various rumours and came to the King. The King Vrihadratha duly entertained those guests. The Munis took their seats and asked :-- "O King! We hear that all the events of previous births are vividly reflected in your memory. On this point great doubts have come upon us. Kindly describe in detail. By what Punyam (merits) you have come to know all about previous births and the knowledge of the past, the present and the future. We have come to you to know how you got this wonderful supersensual knowledge. Kindly say to us sincerely everything about this and oblige."
60-71. Nryana said :-- O Brhman! The very religious King Vrihadratha heard them and began to speak out all the secret causes for his knowledge of the past, the present and the future, thus :-- O Munis! Hear how I acquired this knowledge. In my previous birth I was a very low bird chakravk. Once, out of my ignorance, I circumambulated round the temple of the Dev Bhagavat Annapurn at Ks. And, as the result of that, I lived in the Heavens for a period of two Kalpas and I have got this birth and I have got the knowledge of the past, the present and the future. O You of good vows! Who can ascertain what amount of merits accrues from remembering the Feet of the World-Mother. Remembering Her glories, I always shed tears of joy. Those who do not worship the adorable Deity Jagadamb are the Great Sinners and they are treacherous. Fie on their births! The worship of Siva or Visnu is not eternal. Only the Jagadambs worship is eternal. Thus it is stated in the Srutis. What more shall I speak on this worship of the World-Mother, which is void of the best trace of any doubt. Everyone ought to serve devotedly the lotus feet of the Dev Bhagavat. There is no other act more glorious in this world than serving the feet of Jagadamb. It is highly necessary to serve the Highest Deity, whether in Her Saguna or in Her Nirguna aspect. (Eat the sugarcandy, holding it in any way. It makes no difference.) Nryana said :-- Hearing the aforesaid words of the virtuous Rjarsi Vrihadratha, the Munis went back to their respective abodes. Such is the power of the Dev Jagadambik! So who can question about the certainty of the high merits arising from the Jagadambiks worship and who will not reply, when so questioned? Their births are really fruitful who possess faith in the Dev worship;
p. 1114
but of those who have no such faith, there is some wrong mixture, no doubt; in their births.
Here ends the Eighteenth Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the Greatness of the Dev Pj, in the Mahpurnam Sr Mad Dev Bhgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vysa.
Chapter Xviii
On The Greatness Of The Dev Pj
p. 1110
1. Nrada spoke :-- "O Bhagavn! I am now very eager to hear the special Pj of Sr Dev. The people get their desires fulfilled if they worship Her."
2-23. Nryana said :-- O Devarsi! I shall now specially speak to you how the World Mother Bhagavat is worshipped; by worshipping Whom one easily gets objects of enjoyments, liberation and the destruction of all evils. Controlling ones speech and making chaman, one must make ones sankalpa and perform Bhtasuddhi, Mtriknysa, sadanganysa, placing conchshell and doing other necessary acts. Offering the ordinary Arghya, one should give special Arghya and with the mantra "Astrya Phat" sprinkle over all the articles brought for worship. Taking the Gurus permission, he is to go on with his Pj. First worship the ptha or seat whereon the Dev would be placed; then perform dhyn (meditation of the Dev). Then with great devotion, offer to the Deva, the seats (sana) and other articles of worship; then perform the bath of the Dev by the water of the Panchmrita (the five nectars). If anybody performs the bath ceremony of Sr Dev with one hundred jars of sugarcane juice, he will not have to incur any future birth.
He who performs this bath, and recites the Veda Mantras, with mango juice or sugarcane juice gets for ever Laksm ever and ever and Sarasvat bound at his doors. He who gets this sacred bath of the Dev with grape juice, along with his relatives and acquaintences dwells in the Dev-loka for as many years as there are atoms in the juice. He who bathes the Dev with the Vedic mantras, and with water scented with camphor, the fragrant aloe wood (aguru), saffron, and musk, becomes freed at once of the sins acquired in his hundred births. He who bathes the Dev with jars of milk, lives in the ocean of milk (ksra samudra) for one Kalpa. So he who does this bathing ceremony with jars of curd, becomes the lord of Dadhikunda (the reservoir of curd). He who performs the Snnams of the Dev with honey, ghee and sugar becomes the lord of these things. He who bathes the Dev with one thousand jars, becomes happy in this world as in the next. Note :-- Make the liquid current flow pure in your body is the esoteric meaning of the bath. If you give Her a pair of silken clothes, you will go to the Vyu-Loka. If you give Her
p. 1111
the jewel ornaments, you will become the Lord of gems and jewels. (Make your mind like the gem.) If anybody gives saffron, sandalpaste, musk, Sindra and laktak (red things), he will go to the Heavens and become there the Indra, the Lord of the Devas, in the next birth. Various flowers ought to be offered in Sr Bhagavats worship; or the flowers of the season offered to the Dev will lead the devotee to Kailsa. The devotee that offers the beautiful Bel leaves to the Dev never experiences anywhere pains and difficulties. The devotee who writes the Vja mantra of My "Hrm Bhuvanesvaryai Namah" with red sandalpaste thrice on the tri-leaves of the Vilva tree leaf and offers this to the lotus feet of the Dev, becomes Manu by the merit of this virtuous act! The devotee becomes the Lord of the whole universe who worships the Dev Bhagavat with ten millions of entire Vilva leaves, fresh, green and spotless.
24-40. If any devotee worships with ten millions of entire fresh green Kunda flowers, with eight scents, he gets surely the Prajpatihood. The worship of the Dev with ten millions of Mallik and Mlat flowers besmeared with eight scents makes a man the four faced (Brahm); and one hundred millions of such flowers will make the devotee a Visnu. In days of yore, Visnu worshipped the Dev in the aforesaid way and so got His Visnuhood. If any devotee worships the Dev with one hundred Kotis of Mallik or Mlat flowers, the man becomes certainly Sutrtm Hiranyagarbha. In ancient days Hiranyagarbha worshipped thus the Dev with great devotion and so he became Hiranyagarbha! (These Hiranyagarbha, Brahm, Visnu and Mahesa were mere ordinary men before. See the Brihadranyaka Upanisada). Note :-- The eight scents refer to Jat mams Kapiyut Saktergandhs takam! So will be the results if Jav, Vandhka and Ddim flowers be offered in the worship. Various other beautiful flowers can be offered duly to the Dev by the devotee. The merits accruing from such offers are not known even to the God svara. The flowers that spring in their proper seasons are to be offered every year to the Dev, repeating Her thousand names enumerated in the Twelfth Book or in the Krma Purna. If the above worship be offered to the Dev, then that man, whether he be a sinner or a great sinner, will be freed from all the sins and after leaving his mortal coil, he will get, no doubt, the lotus feet of the Sr Dev Bhagavat. Offer Dhpa made of black Aguru, camphor, sandalpaste, red sandalpaste, Sihlaka and Guggula, saturated with ghee in such a way as the whole room of Sr Bhagavat scents with pure
p. 1112
fragrant smell. The Dev Bhagavat becomes pleased with this and offers the lordship of the three Lokas to the devotee. The devotee, who offers daily the light of camphor to the Dev, goes to the Srya Loka. There is no doubt in this. With ones whole heart, one should give one hundred or one thousand lights to the Dev. The devotee should offer heaps of food consisting of six Rsas, the plates and dishes for chewing, sucking, licking and drinking, that is, all kinds of food solid, and liquid, mountain-like high. Always give food on golden flat plates and cups and various delicious sweet juicy nice heavenly fruits, nicely arranged on trays, cups and saucers. When Sr Mahdev Bhuvanesvar gets pleased, the whole universe gets pleased. For the whole Universe is all Dev; as a rope is mistaken for a snake, so this Mahdev is mistaken for the universe.
41-59. Offer a jar of drinking Ganges water, cool and nice, scented with camphor to the Dev; then offer betels with camphor, cardamum, cloves, and various delicious scents. These all are to be offered with great devotion so that the Dev may be pleased. Next have music with lovely mridangas, flutes, murajas, Dhahks and dundubhis and so please Her. The Veda mantras are to be recited, the Purnas are to be read and the hymns to be chanted. With whole head and heart offer to the Dev the umbrella and chmara, the two kingly offerings. Then circumambulate round Her and prostrate before Her and ask Her kindness and pray to Her to forgive all faults and shortcomings. The Dev is pleased with anybody who remembers Her even once! What wonder then that She will be pleased with all these offerings! The Mother is naturally merciful to her child. When She is loved with devotion, then She becomes very merciful. There is nothing strange here! On this point I will recite to you the history of Vrihadratha Rjarsi. Hearing which gives rise to Bhakti and Love.
Once in a certain region in the Himlays there lived a bird called Chakravk. It flew over many countries and went once to Ksdhm. As a fruit of his Prrabdha Karma, that bird, desirous to find some rice beans, voluntarily went like an orphan round about the temple of Sr Annaprn Dev. There circumambulating round the Dev Bhagavat the bird left the city Ks, that grants liberation and flew away to another country. In time the bird left his body and went to Heavens. There he assumed a heavenly form of a youth and began to enjoy various pleasures. Thus he enjoyed for two Kalpas. Then he got back to the earth and took his birth as the best in the Ksattriya family. He became celebrated as the king Vrihadratha in
p. 1113
this world. That King was truthful, controlled his senses, and practised Samyama and deep concentration and knew everything of the past, the present and the future. He conquered all the enemies and performed various sacrifices and became the Emperor of the sea-girt earth and acquired the very rare faculty in the knowledge of everything of his previous births. The Munis came to know of this from various rumours and came to the King. The King Vrihadratha duly entertained those guests. The Munis took their seats and asked :-- "O King! We hear that all the events of previous births are vividly reflected in your memory. On this point great doubts have come upon us. Kindly describe in detail. By what Punyam (merits) you have come to know all about previous births and the knowledge of the past, the present and the future. We have come to you to know how you got this wonderful supersensual knowledge. Kindly say to us sincerely everything about this and oblige."
60-71. Nryana said :-- O Brhman! The very religious King Vrihadratha heard them and began to speak out all the secret causes for his knowledge of the past, the present and the future, thus :-- O Munis! Hear how I acquired this knowledge. In my previous birth I was a very low bird chakravk. Once, out of my ignorance, I circumambulated round the temple of the Dev Bhagavat Annapurn at Ks. And, as the result of that, I lived in the Heavens for a period of two Kalpas and I have got this birth and I have got the knowledge of the past, the present and the future. O You of good vows! Who can ascertain what amount of merits accrues from remembering the Feet of the World-Mother. Remembering Her glories, I always shed tears of joy. Those who do not worship the adorable Deity Jagadamb are the Great Sinners and they are treacherous. Fie on their births! The worship of Siva or Visnu is not eternal. Only the Jagadambs worship is eternal. Thus it is stated in the Srutis. What more shall I speak on this worship of the World-Mother, which is void of the best trace of any doubt. Everyone ought to serve devotedly the lotus feet of the Dev Bhagavat. There is no other act more glorious in this world than serving the feet of Jagadamb. It is highly necessary to serve the Highest Deity, whether in Her Saguna or in Her Nirguna aspect. (Eat the sugarcandy, holding it in any way. It makes no difference.) Nryana said :-- Hearing the aforesaid words of the virtuous Rjarsi Vrihadratha, the Munis went back to their respective abodes. Such is the power of the Dev Jagadambik! So who can question about the certainty of the high merits arising from the Jagadambiks worship and who will not reply, when so questioned? Their births are really fruitful who possess faith in the Dev worship;
p. 1114
but of those who have no such faith, there is some wrong mixture, no doubt; in their births.
Here ends the Eighteenth Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the Greatness of the Dev Pj, in the Mahpurnam Sr Mad Dev Bhgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vysa.
