SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 8

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'As soon as her sons thus had abandoned their position began their mother Aditi helplessly to lament over the loss of the heavenly kingdom that was seized by the Daityas. (2) When one day the mighty sage Kas'yapa [her husband] after a long time came out of his samâdhi [yogic trance] and came to Aditi's quarters, found he her dispirited and morose. (3) After he, respectfully welcomed by Aditi, had accepted a sitting place, addressed he, thoughtful of her depression, her as follows, o best of the Kurus. (4) 'Has anything unfortunate happened in relation to the brahmins, o gentle one, or are you in the world of today at odds with the dharma or with the people around you subjected to the whims of death? (5) Or has something gone awry my dearest princess, with the religion, the money, or the fulfillment of your desires in this household life which offers even the ones not prone to yoga an opportunity to unify the consciousness? (6) Or had you maybe any unexpected guests in the house, all too attached family members whom you couldn't welcome properly and happened to walk out on you? (7) The home not even welcoming uninvited guests by offering them a glass of water, is, abandoned by them, nothing more than a jackal's den. (8) Or have you during the time of my absence, o finest, for some reason forgotten your oblations of ghee in the fire, my sweet wife? (9) An attached householder achieves by the worship of pûjâ the fulfillment of all his desires and goes to heaven, for it are indeed the brahmins and the fire that are the mouth of Vishnu who is the heart and soul of all the God-conscious [compare B.G. 9: 26]. (10) Are your sons all faring well, o broadminded lady? I can see you are distraught of mind.'

(11) S'rî Aditi said: 'With the twiceborn and the cows, o brahmin, the dharma and the people around me all fares well; your household is the best place for heartening the three of progress [kâma, artha, dharma], dear husband. (12) The fire, the guests, the servants and the beggars were all treated as should; from always thinking of you, o brahmin, nothing was missed. (13) What desire of mine would not be fulfilled o lord, with your good self as the founding father and the reminder of dharma in my heart? (14) Even though the Supreme Controller takes [special] care of the devotees, are you in your goodness from the Asura on equalminded to each who, stemming from either your body or your mind, o son of Marîci, is gifted with one of the three qualities of goodness, passion or slowness, o my lord [compare B.G. 4: 11 and 9: 29]. (15) Therefore, o controller, just consider the wellfare of me, your servitor. We are now, o gentle one, because of our competitors bereft of our opulence and residence; please protect us o master! (16) Exiled by the very same powerful enemies that took away all of our opulence, beauty, reputation and homes, have I drowned in an ocean of trouble. (17) O first of our well-wishers, be so kind to consider our good fortune, o saintly man, so that all we've lost by my sons may be regained.'

(18) S'rî S'uka said: 'This way being beseeched by Aditi said he with a smile to her: 'Alas, how powerful is the mâyâ of Vishnu when one is caught in this love for the world. (19) What is the meaning of this material body made of the elements that is not the soul and of whom and who is the spiritual soul transcendental to the world, the material universe that for sure is the cause indeed of the illusion of having a husband or son and such [see B.G. 2: 13, 5.5: 1, 7.5: 31]? (20) Try to be of respect for Vâsudeva, the spiritual master of the whole world, the Original Person of Janârdana, He who, residing in the core of each his heart, defeats all enemies. (21) Undoubtedly will He, the infallible Lord merciful to the poor, fulfill your desires; to my opinion does nothing compare to the devotional service unto the Supreme Lord [see also 2.3: 10].'

(22) S'rî Aditi said: 'What are the rules I have to follow, o brahmin, so that the Lord of the Universe is pleased and by His grace my desires actually can be fulfilled [see also B.G. 7: 16]? (23) Teach me, o husband, best of the twiceborn, the vidhi [the regulative principles, see 1.17: 24 and 3.11: 21], the process of worship to the principle, so that the Godhead is quickly pleased with me now lamenting with all my sons.'

(24) S'rî Kas'yapa said: 'I will explain to you the form of worship satisfying Kes'ava, about which the almighty one born of the lotus [Brahmâ] spoke when I, desiring offspring, laid this before him [see B.G. 4: 2]. (25) During the bright half of the month Phâlguna [February/March] should one for twelve days, vowed to take milk only [payo-vrata], charged with unalloyed devotion, be of worship unto the Lotuseyed One [see also 7.5: 23-24]. (26) When the moon is dark should one smear oneself with the dirt dug up by a boar if available, and enter a stream of water chanting this mantra: (27) 'O divine mother [earth], desiring a place were you from the bottom of the ocean brought up by the tusk of Lord Varâha [see 3.13: 30]; with my obeisances unto you, please wash away all my sins and their reactions'. (28) After having finished the daily spiritual duties, should God be worshiped with full attention for the deities [see also 7.14: 39-40] in one's shrine, for the sun, the water, the fire and the guru indeed: (29) 'I offer my respectful obeisances unto You o Supreme Lord, o Original Personality and Best of All residing in the heart of all beings, o Vâsudeva the omnipresent witness. (30) My reverence unto You the Unseen One, the Transcendental Person of the Primal Reality, the knower of the twenty-four elements [see glossary], and original cause of the analytic order of yoga. (31) My respects unto You, the Enjoyer of the three types of rituals [of karma, jñâna and upâsanâ or bhakti, or fruitive work, spiritual knowledge and devotional service] with Your two heads [of prâyanîya and udâyanîya, the beginning and the end of the sacrifices], three legs [savana-traya, the three daily soma libations to solar time], four protruding horns [the Vedas to the bull of dharma] and seven hands [the chandas, ways of pleasing, mantras like the Gâyatrî, see also 5.21: 15], my obeisances unto the embodiment of all knowledge. (32) My allegiance unto You known as S'iva and Rudra, You as the reservoir of all potencies and all insight; unto the Supreme Master of the living beings my reverential homage. (33) Unto You as the fourheaded Brahmâ Hiranyagarbha, the source of all life and Supersoul of the Universe, my reverence, I bow for You, the cause of the unified consciousness of Yoga. (34) My esteem for You the Original Godhead and Overseer of all, You I offer my respects who as Nara-Nârâyana-Rishi took the form of a human being - unto that Lord my obeisances. (35) Unto You, blackish like a marakata gem [a kind of emerald], the Controller of Lakshmî, the Killer of Kes'î, unto You clad in yellow, again and again I offer my veneration. (36) You are to all entities the Bestower of all Benedictions, the Most Worshipable one and the Best of all Blessings and for that reason do the ones most sober worship the dust of Your feet as the source of all auspiciousness. (37) He unto whom all the gods and the Goddess of Fortune are engaged in devotional service, may He, the Supreme Lord, be pleased with me who desires nothing less but the celestial bliss of those lotus feet.'

(38) With the help of the necessities of worship engaged with faith and devotion, should one by chanting these mantras, call for the Master of the Senses Hrishîkes'a and honor Him in every respect. (39) This way of reverence with incense, flowers, etc., should one bathe with milk and dress, with a sacred thread and ornaments, the Almighty, and after touching [or offering] water for washing the lotus feet should one with the twelve-syllable mantra [of 'om namo bhagavate vâsudevâya' see also 6.8: 3 and 4.8: 53] [again] with fragrance and smoke and such, be of worship. (40) With rice cooked in milk with ghee and molasses - if available - offered to the deity, should one thus offer Him oblations in the fire chanting the same mantra. (41) So of worship with offering the deity betel nuts with spices as well, should the food of sacrifice [prasâda] by oneself personally be offered to His devotee to eat, with water to wash one's hands and mouth. (42) After repeating the mantra one-hundred-and-eight times, should one, offering various prayers unto the Greatest, next circumambulating Him pay one's respect by prostrating oneself in satisfaction. (43) After taking the remnants of the sacrifice via one's [fore-]head and then depositing them in a sacred place should minimally two learned ones [brahmins] be fed with sweet rice. (44-45) Properly having honored them should then with their permission the remnants of the prasâda be taken by one's kin. Of course should at night celibacy be observed from the first day on, for as long as the payo-vrata takes, and should early in the morning, having bathed, with great attention to the vidhi the bathing as was described with milk be performed. (46) With drinking [milk] only following this vow should one carry on the worship of Vishnu with faith and devotion, as stated offering oblations in the fire as also answering to the obligation to feed the brahmins. (47) This way indeed should one day after day for the full twelve days proceed with the 'vow of drinking only', worshiping the Lord with fire sacrifices before the deity and pleasing the twice-born [and one's kin] with food. (48) Beginning with the day of pratipat ['running to meet'] until the thirteenth day of the bright half of the month, should one, in celibacy sleeping on the floor, care to bathe three times a day. (49) One should refrain from discussing trivia and sensual pleasures superior or inferior, and, being of nonviolence towards all living beings, depend on Vâsudeva as the essence.

(50) Following should on the thirteenth day the Almighty [Vishnu] be bathed with five substances [milk, yogurt, ghee, sugar and honey] proceeding according the vidhi as laid down in the scriptures. (51-52) With the milk and the grains offered should in grand worship the miserly mentality [of not spending] be given up, being of good recitation with many a hymn [or sûkta] for Lord Vishnu residing in the hearts of all; thus with great attention and food offerings should one of worship for the Original Person with everything so richly prepared be of sacrifices highly pleasing to His Personality. (53) Try to understand that in worship of the Lord [vishnu-ârâdhana], the teacher of example [the âcârya] so well versed in the spiritual knowledge and also the priests, should be satisfied with clothes, ornaments and many a cow. (54) O pious lady, all of them and also the brahmins as far as possible and the rest assembled there, should receive the prasâda of the rich food of goodness [B.G. 17: 8] prepared with milk and ghee. (55) The guru and the priests should be financially compensated and by all means should the food even be distributed to the simpleminded and poor whom one also should reward for gathering for the ceremony. (56) After feeding also all the poor, the blind, the averse and so on, should one from that way of understanding pleasing Lord Vishnu, take with one's friends and relatives prasâda oneself. (57) With dance, drum and song, reciting mantras, offering prayers and reading out the stories, should one from the first to the last day worship the Supreme Lord.

(58) This, related by my grandfather [Brahmâ], that I described unto you in all detail, is the supreme process called payo-vrata of honoring the Original Person. (59) O greatly fortunate one, also you will by this process, properly executed, with yourself in pure love unto Lord Kes'ava manage to settle yours in persistence of worship towards the Inexhaustible One. (60) Of all religious ceremonies is this one called sarva-yajña [the one covering all sacrifices] which is thus, with charity pleasing the Lord, understood as the very essence of all austerities, o good lady [*]. (61) Of all regulations is the one as mentioned indeed the most direct and best way to control the senses effectively, because by the austerity, the vows and the sacrifice Adhokshaja, the One beyond the Senses, is pleased [see footnote and 1.2: 8]. (62) And for that reason o blessed one, will the Supreme Lord being very satisfied by your executing this with faith according the to the rules observed vow, soon bestow upon you all benedictions.

S'rî S'uka said: 'As soon as her sons thus had abandoned their position began their mother Aditi helplessly to lament over the loss of the heavenly kingdom that was seized by the Daityas.

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: O King, when Aditi's sons, the demigods, had thus disappeared from heaven and the demons had occupied their places, Aditi began lamenting, as if she had no protector. (Vedabase)

Text 2

When one day the mighty sage Kas'yapa [her husband] after a long time came out of his samâdhi [yogic trance] and came to Aditi's quarters, found he her dispirited and morose.

After many, many days, the great powerful sage Kas'yapa Muni arose from a trance of meditation and returned home to see the âs'rama of Aditi neither jubilant nor festive. (Vedabase)

Text 3

After he, respectfully welcomed by Aditi, had accepted a sitting place, addressed he, thoughtful of her depression, her as follows, o best of the Kurus.

O best of the Kurus, when Kas'yapa Muni had been properly received and welcomed, he took his seat and then spoke as follows to his wife, Aditi, who was very morose. (Vedabase)

Text 4

'Has anything unfortunate happened in relation to the brahmins, o gentle one, or are you in the world of today at odds with the dharma or with the people around you subjected to the whims of death?

O most gentle one, I wonder whether anything inauspicious has now taken place in regard to religious principles, the brâhmanas or the people in general, who are subject to the whims of death. (Vedabase)

Text 5

Or has something gone awry my dearest princess, with the religion, the money, or the fulfillment of your desires in this household life which offers even the ones not prone to yoga an opportunity to unify the consciousness?

O my wife, who are very much attached to household life, if the principles of religion, economic development and satisfaction of the senses are properly followed in household life, one's activities are as good as those of a transcendentalist. I wonder whether there have been any discrepancies in following these principles. (Vedabase)

Text 6

Or had you maybe any unexpected guests in the house, all too attached family members whom you couldn't welcome properly and happened to walk out on you?

I wonder whether because of being too attached to the members of your family, you failed to properly receive uninvited guests, who therefore were not welcomed and went away. (Vedabase)

Text 7

The home not even welcoming uninvited guests by offering them a glass of water, is, abandoned by them, nothing more than a jackal's den.

Homes from which guests go away without having been received even with an offering of a little water are like those holes in the field which are the homes of jackals. (Vedabase)

Text 8

Or have you during the time of my absence, o finest, for some reason forgotten your oblations of ghee in the fire, my sweet wife?

O chaste and auspicious woman, when I left home for other places, were you in so much anxiety that you did not offer oblations of ghee into the fire? (Vedabase)

Text 9

An attached householder achieves by the worship of pûjâ the fulfillment of all his desires and goes to heaven, for it are indeed the brahmins and the fire that are the mouth of Vishnu who is the heart and soul of all the God-conscious [compare B.G. 9: 26].

By worshiping the fire and the brâhmanas, a householder can achieve the desired goal of residing in the higher planets, for the sacrificial fire and the brâhmanas are to be considered the mouth of Lord Vishnu, who is the Supersoul of all the demigods. (Vedabase)

Text 10

Are your sons all faring well, o broadminded lady? I can see you are distraught of mind.'

O great-minded lady, are all your sons faring well? Seeing your withered face, I can perceive that your mind is not tranquil. How is this so? (Vedabase)

Text 11

S'rî Aditi said: 'With the twiceborn and the cows, o brahmin, the dharma and the people around me all fares well; your household is the best place for heartening the three of progress [kâma, artha, dharma], dear husband.

Aditi said: O my respected brâhmana husband, all is well with the brâhmanas, the cows, religion and the welfare of other people. O master of the house, the three principles of dharma, artha and kama flourish in household life, which is consequently full of good fortune. (Vedabase)

Text 12

The fire, the guests, the servants and the beggars were all treated as should; from always thinking of you, o brahmin, nothing was missed.

O beloved husband, the fires, guests, servants and beggars are all being properly cared for by me. Because I always think of you, there is no possibility that any of the religious principles will be neglected. (Vedabase)

Text 13

What desire of mine would not be fulfilled o lord, with your good self as the founding father and the reminder of dharma in my heart?

O my lord, since you are a Prajâpati and are personally my instructor in the principles of religion, where is the possibility that all my desires will not be fulfilled? (Vedabase)

Text 14

Even though the Supreme Controller takes [special] care of the devotees, are you in your goodness from the Asura on equalminded to each who, stemming from either your body or your mind, o son of Marîci, is gifted with one of the three qualities of goodness, passion or slowness, o my lord [compare B.G. 4: 11 and 9: 29].

O son of Marîci, because you are a great personality you are equal toward all the demons and demigods, who are born either from your body or from your mind and who possess one or another of the three qualities - sattva-guna, rajo-guna or tamo-guna. But although the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller, is equal toward all living entities, He is especially favorable to the devotees. (Vedabase)

Text 15

Therefore, o controller, just consider the wellfare of me, your servitor. We are now, o gentle one, because of our competitors bereft of our opulence and residence; please protect us o master!

Therefore, most gentle lord, kindly favor your maidservant. We have now been deprived of our opulence and residence by our competitors, the demons. Kindly give us protection. (Vedabase)

Text 16

Exiled by the very same powerful enemies that took away all of our opulence, beauty, reputation and homes, have I drowned in an ocean of trouble.

The demons, our formidably powerful enemies, have taken away our opulence, our beauty, our fame and even our residence. Indeed, we have now been exiled, and we are drowning in an ocean of trouble. (Vedabase)

Text 17

O first of our well-wishers, be so kind to consider our good fortune, o saintly man, so that all we've lost by my sons may be regained.'

O best of sages, best of all those who grant auspicious benedictions, please consider our situation and bestow upon my sons the benedictions by which they can regain what they have lost. (Vedabase)

Text 18:

S'rî S'uka said: 'This way being beseeched by Aditi said he with a smile to her: 'Alas, how powerful is the mâyâ of Vishnu when one is caught in this love for the world.

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued: When Kas'yapa Muni was thus requested by Aditi, he slightly smiled. "Alas," he said, "how powerful is the illusory energy of Lord Vishnu, by which the entire world is bound by affection for children!" (Vedabase)

Text 19:

What is the meaning of this material body made of the elements that is not the soul and of whom and who is the spiritual soul transcendental to the world, the material universe that for sure is the cause indeed of the illusion of having a husband or son and such [see B.G. 2: 13, 5.5: 1, 7.5: 31]?

Kas'yapa Muni continued: What is this material body, made of five elements? It is different from the spirit soul. Indeed, the spirit soul is completely different from the material elements from which the body is made. But because of bodily attachment, one is regarded as a husband or son. These illusory relationships are caused by misunderstanding. (Vedabase)

Text 20:

Try to be of respect for Vâsudeva, the spiritual master of the whole world, the Original Person of Janârdana, He who, residing in the core of each his heart, defeats all enemies.

My dear Aditi, engage in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the master of everything, who can subdue everyone's enemies, and who sits within everyone's heart. Only that Supreme Person - Krishna, or Vâsudeva - can bestow all auspicious benedictions upon everyone, for He is the spiritual master of the universe. (Vedabase)

Text 21

Undoubtedly will He, the infallible Lord merciful to the poor, fulfill your desires; to my opinion does nothing compare to the devotional service unto the Supreme Lord [see also 2.3: 10].'

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is very merciful to the poor, will fulfill all of your desires, for devotional service unto Him is infallible. Any method other than devotional service is useless. That is my opinion. (Vedabase)

Text 22:

S'rî Aditi said: 'What are the rules I have to follow, o brahmin, so that the Lord of the Universe is pleased and by His grace my desires actually can be fulfilled [see also B.G. 7: 16]?

S'rîmatî Aditi said: O brâhmana, tell me the regulative principles by which I may worship the supreme master of the world so that the Lord will be pleased with me and fulfill all my desires. (Vedabase)

Text 23:

Teach me, o husband, best of the twiceborn, the vidhi [the regulative principles, see 1.17: 24 and 3.11: 21], the process of worship to the principle, so that the Godhead is quickly pleased with me now lamenting with all my sons.'

O best of the brâhmanas, kindly instruct me in the perfect method of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead in devotional service, by which the Lord may very soon be pleased with me and save me, along with my sons, from this most dangerous condition. (Vedabase)

Text 24:

S'rî Kas'yapa said: 'I will explain to you the form of worship satisfying Kes'ava, about which the almighty one born of the lotus [Brahmâ] spoke when I, desiring offspring, laid this before him [see B.G. 4: 2].

S'rî Kas'yapa Muni said: When I desired offspring, I placed inquiries before Lord Brahmâ, who is born from a lotus flower. Now I shall explain to you the same process Lord Brahmâ instructed me, by which Kes'ava, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is satisfied. (Vedabase)

Text 25:

During the bright half of the month Phâlguna [February/March] should one for twelve days, vowed to take milk only [payo-vrata], charged with unalloyed devotion, be of worship unto the Lotuseyed One [see also 7.5: 23-24].

In the bright fortnight of the month of Phâlguna [February and March], for twelve days ending with Dvâdas'î, one should observe the vow of subsisting only on milk and should worship the lotus-eyed Supreme Personality of Godhead with all devotion. (Vedabase)

Text 26:

When the moon is dark should one smear oneself with the dirt dug up by a boar if available, and enter a stream of water chanting this mantra:

If dirt dug up by a boar is available, on the day of the dark moon one should smear this dirt on his body and then bathe in a flowing river. While bathing, one should chant the following mantra. (Vedabase)

Text 27:

'O divine mother [earth], desiring a place were you from the bottom of the ocean brought up by the tusk of Lord Varâha [see 3.13: 30]; with my obeisances unto you, please wash away all my sins and their reactions'.

O mother earth, you were raised by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the form of a boar because of your desiring to have a place to stay. I pray that you kindly vanquish all the reactions of my sinful life. I offer my respectful obeisances unto you. (Vedabase)

Text 28:

After having finished the daily spiritual duties, should God be worshiped with full attention for the deities [see also 7.14: 39-40] in one's shrine, for the sun, the water, the fire and the guru indeed:

Thereafter, one should perform his daily spiritual duties and then, with great attention, offer worship to the Deity of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and also to the altar, the sun, water, fire and the spiritual master. (Vedabase)

Text 29:

'I offer my respectful obeisances unto You o Supreme Lord, o Original Personality and Best of All residing in the heart of all beings, o Vâsudeva the omnipresent witness.

O Supreme Personality of Godhead, greatest of all, who lives in everyone's heart and in whom everyone lives, O witness of everything, O Vasudeva, supreme and all-pervading person, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. (Vedabase)

Text 30:

My reverence unto You the Unseen One, the Transcendental Person of the Primal Reality, the knower of the twenty-four elements [see glossary], and original cause of the analytic order of yoga.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, the Supreme Person. Being very subtle, You are never visible to material eyes. You are the knower of the twenty-four elements, and You are the inaugurator of the sânkhya-yoga system. (Vedabase)

Text 31:

My respects unto You, the Enjoyer of the three types of rituals [of karma, jñâna and upâsanâ or bhakti, or fruitive work, spiritual knowledge and devotional service] with Your two heads [of prâyanîya and udâyanîya, the beginning and the end of the sacrifices], three legs [savana-traya, the three daily soma libations to solar time], four protruding horns [the Vedas to the bull of dharma] and seven hands [the chandas, ways of pleasing, mantras like the Gâyatrî, see also 5.21: 15], my obeisances unto the embodiment of all knowledge.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who have two heads [prâyanîya and udâyanîya], three legs [savana-traya], four horns [the four Vedas] and seven hands [the seven chandas, such as Gâyatrî]. I offer my obeisances unto You, whose heart and soul are the three Vedic rituals [karma-kânda, jñâna-kânda and upâsanâ-kânda] and who expand these rituals in the form of sacrifice. (Vedabase)

Text 32:

My allegiance unto You known as S'iva and Rudra, You as the reservoir of all potencies and all insight; unto the Supreme Master of the living beings my reverential homage.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, Lord S'iva, or Rudra, who are the reservoir of all potencies, the reservoir of all knowledge, and the master of everyone. (Vedabase)

Text 33

Unto You as the fourheaded Brahmâ Hiranyagarbha, the source of all life and Supersoul of the Universe, my reverence, I bow for You, the cause of the unified consciousness of Yoga.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who are situated as Hiranyagarbha, the source of life, the Supersoul of every living entity. Your body is the source of the opulence of all mystic power. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. (Vedabase)

Text 34:

My esteem for You the Original Godhead and Overseer of all, You I offer my respects who as Nara-Nârâyana-Rishi took the form of a human being - unto that Lord my obeisances.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who are the original Personality of Godhead, the witness in everyone's heart, and the incarnation of Nara-Nârâyana Rishi in the form of a human being. O Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. (Vedabase)

Text 35:

Unto You, blackish like a marakata gem [a kind of emerald], the Controller of Lakshmî, the Killer of Kes'î, unto You clad in yellow, again and again I offer my veneration.

My Lord, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who are dressed in yellow garments, whose bodily hue resembles the marakata gem, and who have full control over the goddess of fortune. O my Lord Kes'ava, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. (Vedabase)

Text 36:

You are to all entities the Bestower of all Benedictions, the Most Worshipable one and the Best of all Blessings and for that reason do the ones most sober worship the dust of Your feet as the source of all auspiciousness.

O most exalted and worshipable Lord, best of those who bestow benediction, You can fulfill the desires of everyone, and therefore those who are sober, for their own welfare, worship the dust of Your lotus feet. (Vedabase)

Text 37:

He unto whom all the gods and the Goddess of Fortune are engaged in devotional service, may He, the Supreme Lord, be pleased with me who desires excacty the celestial bliss of those lotus feet.'

All the demigods, as well as the goddess of fortune, engage in the service of His lotus feet. Indeed, they respect the fragrance of those lotus feet. May the Supreme Personality of Godhead be pleased with me. (Vedabase)

Text 38:

With the help of the necessities of worship engaged with faith and devotion, should one by chanting these mantras, call for the Master of the Senses Hrishîkes'a and honor Him in every respect.

Kas'yapa Muni continued: By chanting all these mantras, welcoming the Supreme Personality of Godhead with faith and devotion, and offering Him items of worship [such as pâdya and arghya], one should worship Kes'ava, Hrishîkes'a, Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (Vedabase)

Text 39:

This way of reverence with incense, flowers, etc., should one bathe with milk and dress, with a sacred thread and ornaments, the Almighty, and after touching [or offering] water for washing the lotus feet should one with the twelve-syllable mantra [of 'om namo bhagavate vâsudevâya' see also 6.8: 3 and 4.8: 53] [again] with fragrance and smoke and such, be of worship.

In the beginning, the devotee should chant the dvâdas'âkshara-mantra and offer flower garlands, incense and so on. After worshiping the Lord in this way, one should bathe the Lord with milk and dress Him with proper garments, a sacred thread, and ornaments. After offering water to wash the Lord's feet, one should again worship the Lord with fragrant flowers, incense and other paraphernalia. (Vedabase)

Text 40:

With rice cooked in milk with ghee and molasses - if available - offered to the deity, should one thus offer Him oblations in the fire chanting the same mantra.

If one can afford to, one should offer the Deity fine rice boiled in milk with clarified butter and molasses. While chanting the same original mantra, one should offer all this to the fire. (Vedabase)

Text 41:

So of worship with offering the deity betel nuts with spices as well, should the food of sacrifice [prasâda] by oneself personally be offered to His devotee to eat, with water to wash one's hands and mouth.

One should offer all the prasâda to a Vaishnava or offer him some of the prasâda and then take some oneself. After this, one should offer the Deity acamana and then betel nut and then again worship the Lord. (Vedabase)

Text 42:

After repeating the mantra one-hundred-and-eight times, should one, offering various prayers unto the Greatest, next circumambulating Him pay one's respect by prostrating oneself in satisfaction.

Thereafter, one should silently murmur the mantra 108 times and offer prayers to the Lord for His glorification. Then one should circumambulate the Lord and finally, with great delight and satisfaction, offer obeisances, falling straight like a rod [dandavat]. (Vedabase)

Text 43:

After taking the remnants of the sacrifice via one's [fore-]head and then depositing them in a sacred place should minimally two learned ones [brahmins] be fed with sweet rice.

After touching to one's head all the flowers and water offered to the Deity, one should throw them into a sacred place. Then one should feed at least two brâhmanas with sweet rice. (Vedabase)

Text 44-45:

Properly having honored them should then with their permission the remnants of the prasâda be taken by one's kin. Of course should at night celibacy be observed from the first day on, for as long as the payo-vrata takes, and should early in the morning, having bathed, with great attention to the vidhi the bathing as was described with milk be performed.

One should perfectly honor the respectable brâhmanas one has fed, and then, after taking their permission, one should take prasâda with his friends and relatives. For that night, one should observe strict celibacy, and the next morning, after bathing again, with purity and attention one should bathe the Deity of Vishnu with milk and worship Him according to the methods formerly stated in detail. (Vedabase)

Text 46:

With drinking [milk] only following this vow should one carry on the worship of Vishnu with faith and devotion, as stated offering oblations in the fire as also answering to the obligation to feed the brahmins.

Worshiping Lord Vishnu with great faith and devotion and living only by drinking milk, one should follow this vow. One should also offer oblations to the fire and feed the brâhmanas as mentioned before. (Vedabase)

Text 47:

This way indeed should one day after day for the full twelve days proceed with the 'vow of drinking only', worshiping the Lord with fire sacrifices before the deity and pleasing the twice-born [and one's kin] with food.

In this way, until twelve days have passed, one should observe this payo-vrata, worshiping the Lord every day, executing the routine duties, performing sacrifices and feeding the brâhmanas. (Vedabase)

Text 48:

Beginning with the day of pratipat ['running to meet'] until the thirteenth day of the bright half of the month, should one, in celibacy sleeping on the floor, care to bathe three times a day.

From pratipat until the thirteenth day of the next bright moon [s'ukla-trayodas'î], one should observe complete celibacy, sleep on the floor, bathe three times a day and thus execute the vow. (Vedabase)

Text 49:

One should refrain from discussing trivia and from sensual pleasures superior or inferior, and, being of nonviolence towards all living beings, depend on Vâsudeva as the essence.

During this period, one should not unnecessarily talk of material subjects or topics of sense gratification, one should be completely free from envy of all living entities, and one should be a pure and simple devotee of Lord Vâsudeva. (Vedabase)

Text 50

Following should on the thirteenth day the Almighty [Vishnu] be bathed with five substances [milk, yogurt, ghee, sugar and honey] proceeding according the vidhi as laid down in the scriptures.

Thereafter, following the directions of the s'âstra with help from brâhmanas who know the s'âstra, on the thirteenth day of the moon one should bathe Lord Vishnu with five substances [milk, yogurt, ghee, sugar and honey]. (Vedabase)

Text 51-52:

With the milk and the grains offered should in grand worship the miserly mentality [of not spending] be given up, being of good recitation with many a hymn [or sûkta] for Lord Vishnu residing in the hearts of all; thus with great attention and food offerings should one of worship for the Original Person with everything so richly prepared be of sacrifices highly pleasing to His Personality.

Giving up the miserly habit of not spending money, one should arrange for the gorgeous worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vishnu, who is situated in the heart of every living entity. With great attention, one must prepare an oblation of grains boiled in ghee and milk and must chant the Purusha-sâkta mantra. The offerings of food should be of varieties of tastes. In this way, one should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (Vedabase)

Text 53:

Try to understand that in worship of the Lord [vishnu-ârâdhana], the teacher of example [the âcârya] so well versed in the spiritual knowledge and also the priests, should be satisfied with clothes, ornaments and many a cow.

One should satisfy the spiritual master [âcârya], who is very learned in Vedic literature, and should satisfy his assistant priests [known as hotâ, udgâtâ, adhvaryu and brahma]. One should please them by offering them clothing, ornaments and cows. This is the ceremony called vishnu-ârâdhana, or worship of Lord Vishnu. (Vedabase)

Text 54:

O pious lady, all of them and also the brahmins as far as possible and the rest assembled there, should receive the prasâda of the rich food of goodness [B.G. 17: 8] prepared with milk and ghee.

O most auspicious lady, one should perform all the ceremonies under the direction of learned âcâryas and should satisfy them and their priests. By distributing prasâda, one should also satisfy the brâhmanas and others who have assembled. (Vedabase)

Text 55:

The guru and the priests should be financially compensated and by all means should the food even be distributed to the simpleminded and poor whom one also should reward for gathering for the ceremony.

One should satisfy the spiritual master and assistant priests by giving them cloth, ornaments, cows and also some monetary contribution. And by distributing prasâda one should satisfy everyone assembled, including even the lowest of men, the candâlas [eaters of dog flesh]. (Vedabase)

Text 56:

After feeding also all the poor, the blind, the averse and so on, should one from that way of understanding pleasing Lord Vishnu, take with one's friends and relatives prasâda oneself.

One should distribute vishnu-prasâda to everyone, including the poor man, the blind man, the nondevotee and the non-brâhmana. Knowing that Lord Vishnu is very pleased when everyone is sumptuously fed with vishnu-prasâda, the performer of yajña should then take prasâda with his friends and relatives. (Vedabase)

Text 57

With dance, drum and song, reciting mantras, offering prayers and reading out the stories, should one from the first to the last day worship the Supreme Lord.

Every day from pratipat to trayodas'i, one should continue the ceremony, to the accompaniment of dancing, singing, the beating of a drum, the chanting of prayers and all-auspicious mantras, and recitation of S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam. In this way, one should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (Vedabase)

Text 58:

This, related by my grandfather [Brahmâ], that I described unto you in all detail, is the supreme process called payo-vrata of honoring the Original Person.

This is the religious ritualistic ceremony known as payo-vrata, by which one may worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I received this information from Brahmâ, my grandfather, and now I have described it to you in all details. (Vedabase)

Text 59:

O greatly fortunate one, also you will by this process, properly executed, with yourself in pure love unto Lord Kes'ava manage to settle yours in persistence of worship towards the Inexhaustible One.

O most fortunate lady, establishing your mind in a good spirit, execute this process of payo-vrata and thus worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kes'ava, who is inexhaustible. (Vedabase)

Text 60:

Of all religious ceremonies is this one called sarva-yajña [the one covering all sacrifices] which is thus, with charity pleasing the Lord, understood as the very essence of all austerities, o good lady [*].

This payo-vrata is also known as sarva-yajña. In other words, by performing this sacrifice one can perform all other sacrifices automatically. This is also acknowledged to be the best of all ritualistic ceremonies. O gentle lady, it is the essence of all austerities, and it is the process of giving charity and pleasing the supreme controller. (Vedabase)

Text 61:

Of all regulations is the one as mentioned indeed the most direct and best way to control the senses effectively, because by the austerity, the vows and the sacrifice Adhokshaja, the One beyond the Senses, is pleased [see footnote and 1.2: 8].

This is the best process for pleasing the transcendental Supreme Personality of Godhead, known as Adhokshaja. It is the best of all regulative principles, the best austerity, the best process of giving charity, and the best process of sacrifice. (Vedabase)

Text 62:

And for that reason o blessed one, will the Supreme Lord being very satisfied by your executing this with faith according the to the rules observed vow, soon bestow upon you all benedictions.

Therefore, my dear gentle lady, follow this ritualistic vow, strictly observing the regulative principles. By this process, the Supreme Person will very soon be pleased with you and will satisfy all your desires. (Vedabase)

*: In the west is Lord Vishnu worshiped in every temple of the Caitanya-vaishnavas [Hare Krishnas] according a schedule of twenty-four hours of engagement in performing kîrtana, chanting the Hare Krishna mahâmantra, offering palatable food to Lord Vishnu and distributing this food to Vaishnavas and others.