Garuda Purana

ह्रस्वं तथा वर्तुलं नीलवर्णं सूक्ष्मं मुखं मुखचक्रं सुशुद्धम् । सुवेणुयुक्तं वासुदेवाभिधेयं दानं कलौ दुर्लभं तस्य भद्रे ॥ ३,२६.

Short, round, blue in color, with a subtle mouth and pure mouth-wheel, adorned with fine veins, the stone called Vāsudeva is rare to give in the Kali age, O blessed one.

दाने तस्याः शक्त्य भावे च देवि स्नात्वा तीर्थे वासुदेवाभिधस्य । सम्यक्श्राव्यं लक्षणं वै शिलायास्तयोस्तुल्यं फलमाहुर्महान्तः ॥ ३,२६.

If one lacks the power to give, O goddess, after bathing at the tīrtha called Vāsudeva, one should properly listen to the characteristics of the stone; the result of both is said by the great ones to be equal.

दक्षिणे श्रीनिवासस्य यमतीर्थं च संस्मृतम् । तत्रास्ते यमराजस्तु पूजां कर्तुं हरेः सदा ॥ ३,२६.

To the south of Śrīnivāsa is remembered Yama tīrtha, where Yama Rāja always remains to perform worship of Hari.

तत्र स्नानं च दानं चाप्यक्षयं परमं स्मृतम् । शालग्रामशिलादानं कार्यं तत्र महामुने ॥ ३,२६.

There, bathing and giving gifts are regarded as supremely inexhaustible; the donation of a Śālagrāma stone should be performed there, O great sage.

पट्टाभिरामसंज्ञायाः शिलाया दानमिष्यते । तच्चूतफलवत्स्थूलं वदनत्रयसंयुतम् ॥ ३,२६.

The gift of a stone named Paṭṭābhirāma is desired; it is as large as a mango fruit and possesses three faces.

शिरश्चक्रेण रहितं सप्तचक्रैः समन्वितम् । नीलवर्णं स्वर्णरेखं गोशुराद्यैः समन्वितम् ॥ ३,२६.

It is without a disc on the head, endowed with seven discs, dark in color, marked with a golden line, and accompanied by cow-hoof and other marks.

पट्टवर्धनरामं तु दुर्लभं बहुभाग्यदम् । पट्टवर्धनरामं तु यो ददाति च तत्र वै । पट्टाभिषिक्तो भवति नात्र कार्या विचारणा ॥ ३,२६.

The Paṭṭavardhana Rāma is rare and bestows great fortune; whoever gives the Paṭṭavardhana Rāma there is anointed as king—of this there is no doubt.

श्रीनिवासस्य नैरृत्ये नैरृतं तीर्थमुत्तमम् । आस्ते हि निरृतिस्तत्र पूजां कुर्तुं च सर्वदा ॥ ३,२६.

In the southwest of Śrīnivāsa lies the supreme Nairṛta tīrtha; Nirṛti herself always resides there to receive worship.

तत्र स्नानं प्रकर्तव्यं पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते । शालग्रामशिलायाश्चः पुरुषोत्तमसंज्ञिकाम् ॥ ३,२६.

There, one should bathe; rebirth does not occur for him. And the Śālagrāma stone there is known as Puruṣottama.

मूर्तिं ददाति यो मर्त्यः स याति परमां गतिम् । औदुंबरफलाकारं प्रसन्नवदनं शुभम् ॥ ३,२६.

Whoever gives this form to a mortal attains the highest state; it is auspicious, shaped like a fig fruit, with a pleasant face.

चक्रद्व्यसमायुक्तं शिरश्चक्रसमन्वितम् । सुवर्णबिन्दुसंयुक्तं वज्राङ्कुशसमान्वतम् ॥ ३,२६.

It is endowed with two discs, a disc on the head, marked with a golden dot, and accompanied by marks of a thunderbolt and goad.

तन्मूर्तिदानं दुर्लभं तत्र देवः प्रीणाति यस्माच्छ्रीनिवासो महात्मा । यदा दानं दुर्घटं स्याच्च देवि तदा श्रोतव्यं लक्षणं तस्य मूर्तेः ॥ ३,२६.

The gift of that form is rare; there the great soul Śrīnivāsa is pleased. When the gift is difficult to obtain, O goddess, the characteristics of that form should be heard.

पाशिनैरृतयोर्मध्ये शेषतीर्थं परं स्मृतम् । तत्र स्नात्वा शेषमूर्तिं प्रददाति द्विजातये ॥ ३,२६.

Between the Pāśin and Nairṛta tīrthas, the supreme Śeṣa tīrtha is remembered; there, after bathing, one should give the Śeṣa form to a twice-born.

स याति परमं लोकं पुनरावृत्तिवर्जितम् । औदुंबरफलाकारं कुण्डलाकृतिमेव च ॥ ३,२६.

He attains the supreme world, free from return; it is shaped like a fig fruit and has the form of a coil.

शेषवद्वदनं तस्य तस्मिंश्चक्रद्वयं स्मृतम् । फलं तमेकचक्रेण संयुतं वल्मिकान्वितम् ॥ ३,२६.

Its face resembles Śeṣa; there, two discs are remembered. That fruit is joined with a single disc and has an anthill mark.

किञ्चिद्वर्णसमायुक्तं शेषमूर्ति मतिस्फुटम् । सुप्ता प्रबुद्धा द्विविधा शेषमूर्तिरुदाहृता ॥ ३,२६.

The Śeṣa form is clearly recognized by its slight coloration; the Śeṣa form is said to be of two kinds: sleeping and awakened.

फणोन्नता प्रबुद्धा स्यात्सप्तलक्षफणान्विता । तत्रापि दुर्लभा सुप्ता महाभाग्यकरीस्मृता ॥ ३,२६.

The awakened one has raised hoods and is endowed with seven hundred thousand hoods; even among these, the sleeping form is rare and considered highly auspicious.

इह लोके परत्रापि मोक्षदा नात्र संशयः । नवचक्रादुपक्रम्य विंशत्यन्तं च यत्र सः ॥ ३,२६.

In this world and the next, it bestows liberation—there is no doubt of this. Beginning with nine discs and up to twenty, wherever it is found—

अनन्त इति विज्ञेयो ह्यनन्तफलदायकः । विश्वंभरः स विज्ञेयो विंशत्यूर्ध्वं वरानने ॥ ३,२६.

It is to be known as Ananta, the bestower of endless fruits; beyond twenty, O beautiful one, it is known as Viśvambhara.

तत्रापि केसरैश्चैक्रर्लक्षणैश्च समन्वितम् । कलौ तु दुर्लभं नणां तद्दानं चातिदुर्लभम् ॥ ३,२६.

There too, it is endowed with marks of manes and other auspicious signs; in the Kali age, its gift is extremely rare among men.

स्नानं कृत्वा शेषतीर्थे विशुद्धेनैव चेतसा । एतेषां लक्षणं श्रुत्वा प्रयाति परमां गतिम् ॥ ३,२६.

Having bathed at the Śeṣa tīrtha with a pure mind, after hearing the characteristics of these forms, one attains the highest state.

ततः परं महाभागे वारुणं तीर्थमुत्तमम् । तत्रास्ते वरुणो देवः पूजां कर्तुं हरेः सदा ॥ ३,२६.

Next, O highly fortunate one, is the supreme Varuna tirtha; there, Varuna, the deity, always resides to perform worship of Hari.

तत्र स्नानं प्रकर्तव्यं दातव्यं दानमुत्तमम् । शिशुमारं च मत्स्यं च त्रिविक्रममथापि वा । दातव्यं भूतिकामेन तीर्थेस्मिन्विरवर्णिनि ॥ ३,२६.

There, one should bathe and give the highest form of charity; for the sake of prosperity, one should offer a Shishumara, a fish, or even a Trivikrama at this tirtha, O one of spotless complexion.

जंबूफलसमाकारा पुच्छे सूक्ष्मा सबिन्दुका । चक्रत्रया च वदने पुच्छोपरि सचक्रका ॥ ३,२६.

With a tail shaped like a jambu fruit, fine and dotted, and three wheels on its face, and wheels above the tail, so is its form.

श्रीवत्सबिन्दुमालाढ्या मत्स्यमूर्तिरुदाहृता । पुच्छादधश्चक्रयुतं शिशुमारमुदाहृतम् ॥ ३,२६.

The fish form is described as adorned with a row of Srivatsa marks and dots; the Shishumara is described as having wheels below the tail.

वक्रचक्रयुतश्चेत्स्यात्त्रिविक्रम उदाहृतः । एतेषां लक्षणं श्रुत्वा वारुणे तीर्थ उत्तमे ॥ ३,२६.

Trivikrama is described as furnished with curved wheels; having heard these characteristics, at the supreme Varuna tirtha—

एतद्दानफलं प्राप्य मोदते विष्णुमन्दिरे । पूर्वौक्ता मूर्तयो यस्मिन् गृहे तिष्ठन्ति भामिनि । भागीरथी तीर्थवरा संनिधत्ते न संशयः ॥ ३,२६.

Having attained the fruit of such gifts, one rejoices in Vishnu's temple; wherever these previously mentioned forms reside in a house, O beautiful one, the Bhagirathi, the best of tirthas, is present there without doubt.

स्वामि पुष्करिणीस्नानं दुर्घटं तु कलौ नृणाम् । तत्र स्थितानां तीर्थानां स्नानं चाप्यतिदुर्घटम् ॥ ३,२६.

Bathing in the Svamipushkarini is difficult for people in the Kali age; likewise, bathing in the tirthas located there is exceedingly difficult.

शालग्रामशिलादानं दुर्घटं च तथा स्मृताम् । स्वामिपुष्करिणीतीरे कन्यादानं सुदुर्घटम् ॥ ३,२६.

Giving a Shalagrama stone is also considered difficult; giving a maiden at the bank of Svamipushkarini is extremely difficult.