तस्य पादौ तु सफलौ तदर्थं गतिशालिनौ । तावेव धन्यावाख्यातौ यौ तु पूजाकरौ करौ
His feet are truly fruitful, and for that purpose they are fit for movement; those hands alone are called blessed which perform worship.
उत्तमांगमुत्तमांगं तद्धरौ नम्रमेव यत् । सा जिह्वा या हरिं स्तौति तन्मनस्तत्पदानुगम्
That head is the highest which bows to Hari; that tongue is blessed which praises Hari, and that mind which follows His feet.
तानि लोमानि चोच्यंते यानि तन्नाम्नि चोत्थितम् । कुर्वंति तच्च नेत्रांबु यदच्युतप्रसंगतः
Those hairs are praised which stand on end at His name, and those tears are shed from the eyes due to the grace of Acyuta.
अहो लोका अतितरां दैवदोषेण वंचिताः । नामोच्चारणमात्रेण मुक्तिदं न भजंति वै
Alas, people are greatly deceived by fate; though merely uttering the name grants liberation, they do not take it up.
वंचितास्ते च कलुषाः स्त्रीणां संगप्रसंगतः । प्रतिष्ठंति च लोमानि येषां नो कृष्णशब्दने
Those impure ones are deceived, attached to the company of women; the hairs of those do not stand on end at the sound of Kṛṣṇa's name.
ते मूर्खा ह्यकृतात्मानः पुत्रशोकादि विह्वलाः । रुदंति बहुलालापैर्न कृष्णाक्षरकीर्तने
They are fools, unrestrained, overwhelmed by grief for sons and the like; they weep with many words but do not praise Kṛṣṇa's name.
जिह्वां लब्ध्वापि लोकेऽस्मिन्कृष्णनामजपेन्नहि । लब्ध्वापि मुक्तिसोपानं हेलयैव च्यवंति ते
Even having obtained a tongue in this world, they do not recite Kṛṣṇa's name; even having gained the ladder to liberation, they fall away through neglect.
तस्माद्यत्नेन वै विष्णुं कर्मयोगेन मानवः । कर्मयोगार्च्चितो विष्णुः प्रसीदत्येव नान्यथा
Therefore, a person should diligently worship Viṣṇu through the yoga of action; Viṣṇu, worshiped by the yoga of action, is truly pleased, not otherwise.
तीर्थादप्यधिकं तीर्थं विष्णोर्भजनमुच्यते । सर्वेषां खलु तीर्थानां स्नानपानावगाहनैः
The worship of Viṣṇu is said to be a holy place greater than any holy place; by bathing, drinking, or immersing in all the holy places,
यत्फलं लभते मर्त्यस्तत्फलं कृष्णसेवनात् । यजंते कर्मयोगेन धन्या एव नरा हरिम्
Whatever result a mortal gains, that same result comes from serving Kṛṣṇa; only the blessed men worship Hari through the yoga of action.
तस्माद्भजध्वं मुनयः कृष्णं परममंगलम्
Therefore, O sages, worship Kṛṣṇa, the supreme auspiciousness.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे विष्णुभक्तिप्रशंसनं नाम पंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the fiftieth chapter named 'The Praise of Devotion to Viṣṇu' in the Svarga-khaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
ऋषय ऊचु- कर्मयोगः कथं सूत येन चाराधितो हरिः । प्रसीदति महाभाग वद नो वदतां वर
The sages said: O Sūta, how is the discipline of action by which Hari is worshipped? O most fortunate one, tell us, O best of speakers, how he is pleased.
येनासौ भगवानीशः समाराध्यो मुमुक्षुभिः । तद्वदाखिललोकानां रक्षणं धर्मसंग्रहम्
By what means is the Lord, the Supreme Being, to be worshipped by those seeking liberation? Tell us this for the protection of all worlds and the preservation of righteousness.
तं कर्मयोगं वद नः सूत मूर्तिमयस्तु यः । इति शुश्रूषवो विप्रा भवदग्रे व्यवस्थिताः
O Sūta, tell us about that discipline of action which is embodied. Thus, eager to listen, the Brahmins stand before you.
सूत उवाच- एवमेव पुरा पृष्टो व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः । ऋषिभिरग्निसंकाशैर्व्यासस्तानाह तच्छृणु
Sūta said: In just this way, Vyāsa, the son of Satyavatī, was questioned in ancient times by sages radiant like fire. Vyāsa answered them; listen to that.
व्यास उवाच- शृणुध्वंमृषयः सर्वे वक्ष्यमाणं सनातनम् । कर्मयोगं ब्राह्मणानामात्यंतिकफलप्रदम्
Vyāsa said: Listen, O sages, to what I am about to declare, the eternal discipline of action for Brahmins, which grants the ultimate fruit.
आम्नायसिद्धमखिलं ब्राह्मणार्थं प्रदर्शितम् । ऋषीणां शृण्वतां पूर्वं मनुराह प्रजापतिः
All that is established in the tradition has been shown for the sake of Brahmins. In former times, Manu, the progenitor, spoke this to the listening sages.
सर्वव्याधिहरं पुण्यमृषिसंघैर्निषेवितम् । समाहितधियो यूयं शृणुध्वं गदतो मम
It removes all diseases, is meritorious, and practiced by assemblies of sages. With concentrated minds, listen to my words.
कृतोपनयनो वेदानधीयीत द्विजोत्तमः । गर्भाष्टमेऽष्टमेवाब्दे स्वसूत्रोक्तविधानतः
Having undergone the initiation, the best of twice-born should study the Vedas, in the eighth year from conception or birth, according to the prescribed rule of his own tradition.
दंडी च मेखली सूत्री कृष्णाजिनधरो मुनिः । भिक्षाहारो गुरुहितो वीक्ष्यमाणो गुरोर्मुखम्
He should carry a staff, wear a girdle, bear the sacred thread, don a black antelope skin, live as a sage, subsist on alms, act for the benefit of his teacher, and gaze upon the teacher’s face.
कार्पासमुपवीतार्थं निर्मितं ब्रह्मणा पुरा । ब्राह्मणानां त्रिवृत्सूत्रं कौशं वा वस्त्रमेव वा
For the sacred thread, cotton was fashioned by Brahmā in ancient times, a threefold thread for Brahmins, or it may be made of kusa grass or cloth.
सदोपवीती चैव स्यात्सदाबद्ध शिखो द्विजः । अन्यथा यत्कृतं कर्म्म तद्भवत्ययथाकृतम्
A twice-born should always wear the sacred thread and always keep the topknot tied. Otherwise, any action performed becomes improper.
वसेदविकृतं वासः कार्पासं वा कषायकम् । तदेव परिधानीयं शुक्लं तांतवमुत्तमम्
He should wear unaltered garments, or cotton dyed with ochre. That alone should be worn, white and made of fine thread, as the best.
उत्तरं तु समाम्नातं वासः कृष्णाजिनं शुभम् । अभावे गावयमपि रौरवं वा विधीयते
The upper garment prescribed is the auspicious black antelope skin. In its absence, one may use cowhide or sheep’s wool as prescribed.
उद्धृत्य दक्षिणं बाहुं सव्यबाहौ समर्पितम् । उपवीतं भवेन्नित्यं निवीतं कंठसज्जने
Having raised the right arm and placed it over the left, the sacred thread should always be worn as upavīta; when placed around the neck, it is nivīta.
सव्यबाहुं समुद्धृत्य दक्षिणे तु धृतं द्विजाः । प्राचीनावीतमित्युक्तं पित्र्येकर्मणि योजयेत्
By raising the left arm and holding it on the right, O twice-born, it is called prācīnāvīta and should be used for ancestral rites.
अग्न्यागारे गवां गोष्ठे होमे तप्ये तथैव च । स्वाध्याये भोजने नित्यं ब्राह्मणानां च सन्निधौ
In the fire chamber, in the cowshed, during sacrifice, austerity, study, eating, and always in the presence of Brahmins,
उपासने गुरूणां च संध्ययोः साधुसंगमे । उपवीती भवेन्नित्यं विधिरेष सनातनः
During worship, in the presence of teachers, at the time of twilight, and in the company of the virtuous, one should always wear the sacred thread; this is the eternal rule.
मौंजी त्रिवृत्समां श्लिष्टां कुर्याद्विप्रस्य मेखलाम् । मुंजाभावे कुशेनाहुर्ग्रंथिनैकेन वा त्रिभिः
He should make a girdle for the Brahmin from threefold twisted muñja grass; in the absence of muñja, it is said to be made from kusa grass or with one or three knots.