Chapter 37 - The Greatness of Viṣṇu

[Full title: The Greatness of Viṣṇu (viṣṇumāhātmya): The Story of Gulika, The Hunter]

[See notes regarding the story of Gulika below]

Sanaka said:

1. O leading Brāhmaṇa (viprendra), listen once again to the greatness (māhātmya) of the lord of Lakṣmī (kamalāpati). What person is not delighted to hear the nectarine stories of Hari (harikathāmṛta)?

2. To men blinded by sensual objects (viṣaya-andha), to those whose minds are agitated by the feelings of ‘mine-ness’ (mamatā-ākula-cetas), the only thing that destroys all sins (sarvapāpa-praṇāśana) is the name of Hari.

3. If anyone, even for once, does not bow to Viṣṇu the destroyer of the sins of men, know him to be a Cāṇḍāla (one who cooks dog’s flesh for food). Never shall anyone converse with him.

4. O excellent Brāhmaṇa, if no worship of Hari is performed in any house, know that to be on a par with the cremation ground. Never shall one enter it.

5. Those who are devoid of the worship of Hari, those who hate the Vedas, and those who are engaged in the hatred of cows and Brāhmaṇas are said to be Rākṣasas

6. O leading Brāhmaṇa, if anyone is engaged in the hatred of the Brāhmaṇas—no matter who he is—and he worships Govinda, that worship is futile.

7. O highly blessed one, if any one were to worship Janārdana for the destruction of another man’s welfare, the very same act of worship immediately kills the worshippers.

8. If a worshipper of Hari commits a sin, he alone is the hater of Viṣṇu, so say the persons who are experts in the interpretations of principles.

9. Those who are engaged in the worship of Viṣṇu anḍ are interested in blessing (and obliging) the world, and those who are always engaged in the righteous activities are considered to be persons in the eternal form of Viṣṇu.

10. Devotion to Viṣṇu is the result of the merits accumulated in the course of ten million births. How can they who have steady devotion to Viṣṇu be sinfully inclined?

11. Within a moment the sins accumulated in the course of crores of births, perish, if people are engaged in the worship of Viṣṇu. How can they have sinful intentions?

12. Those who are devoid of devotion to Viṣṇu are said to be Cāṇḍālas. If the Cāṇḍālas are ḍevotionally engaged in the worship of Hari, they are verily excellent persons.

13. Service to Hari is reputed to be the destroyer of all miseries of men blinded by sensuous objects. It yields both worldly pleasures and salvation.

14. If a man worships Viṣṇu as a result of his association, or due to real love, or due to fear, or out of covetousness or due to ignorance, he enjoys inexhaustible happiness.

15. He who drinks even a drop of the water that has washed the feet of Hari, becomes a great favourite of Viṣṇu. He is equal to one who has taken his ablutions in all the sacred waters.

16. The water that has washed the feet of Hari is remembered as something that subdues premature death, that destroys all ailments and that removes all miseries.

17. Nārāyaṇa is the greatest splendour (or the Supreme abode), the most excellent of all luminaries. Salvation is perpetual to those noble-souled ones who seek refuge in Nārāyaṇa.

18. In this context, they cite the following ancient mythological anecdote. It is destructive of all sins of those who read and listen to this.

19. Formerly, in the Kṛta Yuga, there was a hunter named Gulika. He always attempted to abduct other men’s wives or to take away other men’s wealth.

20. He was always engaged in censuring others. He regularly tortured all creatures. He killed Brāhmaṇas and cows in hundreds and thousands.

21. O Brāhmaṇa, this lord of demonic fellows was always eager to rob godly assets and other men’s wealth.

22. So many great sins were committed by him, that it is impossible to enumerate them even in the course of crores of years.

23-24. Once this great sinner who could be compared to the god of death in regard to his dealings with creatures, went to the capital city of the King of Sauvīra. It was filled with all kinds of riches. It was richly decorated with well-adorned women and lakes of translucent water as well as trading centres. It was comparable to the city of gods.

25. There was a beautiful temple of Keśava situated in the middle of a park therein. On seeing that it was covered with golden domes resembling pots, the hunter was very much pleased.

26. The hunter who resembled god of Death and who was ardently longing for stealing, made up his mind thus “I shall take away much of the gold from here” and he went into the temple.

27. There he saw Uttaṅka, the storehouse of austerities, the quiescent excellent Brāhmaṇa, an adept in the interpretation of the principles, and engaged in rendering service to Viṣṇu.

28-29. The Brāhmaṇa who was devoid of desire, was alone. He was eager to meditate. O sage, yet, the hunter regarded him as one who would put obstacles in his act of stealing. Desirous of taking away the collected treasures of the lord, the dare-devil who was very haughty, took out his sword and began to kill Uttaṅka.

30. The hunter pressed down his chest under his foot and caught hold of his matted hair with his hand. On seeing that the hunter had decided to kill him, Uttaṅka spoke thus:—

Uttaṅka said:—

31. O my good man, in vain do you try to kill me, utterly sinless. O intelligent man, tell me in what way I have offended you.

32. My gentle friend, powerful persons in the world chastise the offenders and teach them a lesson. But good men do not kill even the sinners in vain.

33. Good men of calm minds perceive the good qualities present even in the offending fools. And they do not offend them in return.

34. They call him the excellent man, the person who continues to be forbearing even when he is being harassed.^[1] He is the favourite of Viṣṇu for ever.

35. Even at the time of death, a good man thinks of the welfare of others, but he does not become inimical (to his offender). Even when cut, the sandal tree renders the face (i.e. edge) of the hatchet fragrant.

36. Alas! fate is very powerful. It afflicts people in many ways, for even a man who has eschewed all intimate contacts (with worldly affairs) is being harassed by the wicked-minded.

37. Alas! (many) in the world oppress the people in many ways without reason. Even a man who has eschewed all intimate contact (with worldly affairs) is harassed by back-biters and calumniators. There too they harass the good men and never their equals.

38. In this universe, the hunter, the fisherman and the calumniator are the causeless (unreasonable) enemies of the deer, the fish and the good people who maintain themselves with grass, water and contentment.

39. Alas! the Māyā is very powerful. It deludes the entire universe and makes all people miserable for the sake of sons, friends and women.

40. By looting other people’s wealth you have maintained your wife and women dependents. In the end, you have to leave everyone and go alone.

41. “My mother”, “My father”, “My wife,” “My sons” “This is mine”. Thus the feelings of ‘My-ness’ of all creatures harass them in vain.

42. One has (the benefits of having) the kinsmen only as long as one earns wealth. It is the Dharma and Adharma (merits and sins) that remain with one both here and hereafter and not anything else.

43. (Defective) Men who are nourished by means of wealth earned through Dharma as well as Adharma by a person, consign him (that very person) to flames and enjoy rich food soaked in ghee.

44. Only the Dharma and the Adharma follow the man who goes to the other world, not his wealth, nor his sons, nor any of his kinsmen.

45. Lust of men indulging in sinful activities increases (day by day). Lust of men of meritorious deeds becomes reduced and quelled.

46. All people are always unnecessarily worried anḍ agitated over the problem of earning wealth, etc.

47. “What is destined to happen does definitely happen. What is not to occur shall never occur”.^[2] If people come to this decision, no anxiety worries them at all.

48. The whole of this universe consisting of the mobile and immobile beings is under the control of fate. Only fate and none else can know the happening of birth and death.

49. Wherever one may stay, whatever is destined to happen certainly happens. Being ignorant and unaware of it, the whole world exerts itself in vain.

50. Alas! the misery of men who are worried due to the feelings of ‘My-ness’! Even by committing great sins (those people) assiduously go on feeding others,

51. It is the kinsmen who enjoy all wealth earned by one. Alone and perplexed, one experiences the adverse effects of all one’s sins.”

52. As the sage said this, Gulika, the hunter became frightened. He let off the sage and with palms joined in reverence repeatedly begged of the sage to forgive him.

53. By the mere presence of Hari and thanks to the power of the association of the good, the hunter became free from sins. Repenting for his misdeeds he said thus:—

54. “O leading Brāhmaṇa, many great sins have been committed by me. All of them have perished at your very sight.

55. Alas! I have been sinfully inclined. I have continuously committed great sins. O holy lord, how is my redemption possible? To whom shall I approach for refuge?

56. I have been born as a hunter due to the sins accumulated in the previous births. By committing sins here too (I do not know) what state I shall attain?

57. Alas! My span of life gets reduced quickly. Many sins have been accumulated. I have not atoned for them. What will be my state after death? What will be my next birth?

58. Alas! Why did the creator make me one defiled by hundreds of sins? I am perpetually becoming more and more sinful. How shall I reap the adverse effects of those sins? For how many births am I to be one committing terribly fierce deeds?”

59. Thus censuring his own self, the hunter became scorched by means of the fire of his own mental agony. He died instantaneously.

60. On seeing the fallen hunter, the kind-hearted highly intelligent (sage) Uttaṅka sprinkled him with the water that had washed the feet of Viṣṇu.

61. Thanks to the contact with the water from the feet of Viṣṇu the hunter became free from his sins. Seated in a divine aerial car, he spoke to the sage thus:—

Gulika said:

62. O leading sage Uttaṅka of holy rites, you are my preceptor. I have been freed from the slough of great sins. Thanks to your favour.

63. O leading sage, thanks to your instructions, my distress has gone. Similarly, all sins have been quelled quickly.

64. O sage, since the water from the feet of Viṣṇu has been sprinkled on me by you, I have been enabled to attain the greatest region of Viṣṇu.

65. O Brāhmaṇa, I have been redeemed from this sinful body by you. Hence, O learned one, I bow down unto you. Forgive the misdeed committed by me (or the maltreatment given by me to you)”.

66. After saying this he showered the leading sage with divine flowers. After circumambulating him thrice, he prostrated himself before him.

67. Thereafter, he got into the aerial chariot equipped with all desirable things and occupied by the groups of celestial damsels. He then went to the abode of Hari.

68. On seeing this, Uttaṅka, the storehouse of austerities, became surprised. Keeping the palms joined over his head in reverence, he eulogised the lord of Kamalā (Goddess Lakṣmī).

69. Eulogised by him, Mahāviṣṇu granted him an excellent boon. Thanks to that boon Uttaṅka attained the highest region (Mokṣa).

Notes regarding the story of Gulika:

The story of Gulika, the wicked hunter is given to illustrate how even the worst sinners attain to Mokṣa by seeking refuge in Lord Nārāyaṇa. The story resembles the Vālmīki episode in which Nārada reminds Vālmīki that he alone and none of his relatives should have to answer for his sin. The hunter Gulika repented so deeply due to this admonition that he fell down dead at the shock of the consequences of his sins. The Brāhmaṇa Uttaṅka immediately sprinkled him with water touching Viṣṇu’s feet and the wicked hunter, being absolved of all sins paid homage to his Guru Uttaṅka and attained Mokṣa.

In the Nārada Purāṇa Gulika is a fictitious figure and Uttaṅka is in no way related to the sage of the same name in Mahābhārata Ādi. chapter 3 or of the Uttaṅkopākhyāna in Mahābhārata Aśva. chapters. 53.58 or the sage who urged King Kuvalayāśva to kill demon Dhundhu (Mahābhārata Vana. chapters. 201-204).

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Bodhyamāna in the text is obviously a misprint for bādhyamāna.

[2]:

Cf. the famous Subhāṣita in the Hitopadeśa:

yadabhāvi na tad bhāvi bhāvi cenna tadanyathā /
iti cintā-viṣaghno'yam agadaḥ kim na pīyate //