12 Shree Vasudeva Mahatmyam With English Translation Shree Swaminarayano vijayatetaram Auailable at Shree Narnarayandev Sahitya Series No - 48 Shree Swaminrayan mandir, In the memory of new temple of Shree Narnarayan Dev Kothar Lord Shri Narnarayan Dev Opp City police Station Bhuj - Kutch Pi.No. 370001 Shree Vasudev mahatmyam Sanskrit with English Translation All Rights reserved © Shree Swaminarayan Mandir - Bhuj First Edition :- Copies :- 3000. ISBN -13 978-81-909956-1-0 Samvat :- 2066 Vaishakh Sud 5 Date :- 18 - 5 - 2010 Translator Price :- Rs. 60 M. A. Alwar Typing & set by :- By inspiration of Param Pujya 1008 Dr. Swami Satyaprasad dasji Sri Kaushlendraprasadji Maharaj. Printed in India at Published by Shree Narnarayan Dev Printing press Mahant Purani Swami Dharmnandan dasji Shree Swaminarayan Temple - Bhuj Bhuj 34 Chapter 1 Shree Vasudeva Mahatmyam With English Translation Chapter 1 Forward god and praise of non-attachment is highly im- pressive and the above the Vasudeva Mahatmya It is well known that the Vasudeva is my favorite one. This the Vasudeva Mahatmya Mahatmya “Parabrahm Lord Vasudev’s impor- is being read all over the village and thousands of tance is depicted here hence without any doubt is listeners heartily believe that their ‘Istadev’ (de- rich in virtues. This important narration is told to ity) is only Shree Swaminarayan and he is worthy saint Narad muni by god himself utmost valuable. to be devoted. Lord Sahajanad Swami has himself confirmed that this Vasudeva Mahatmya is the root of Udhavah Aksharnivasi Shastri Swami Shree sect. it is also admired by Lord Sahajanand Swami Dharmajivandasji has published it Gujarati. as it compromises all the methods of how to wor- ship the god by his devotee. This volume has Today the spread of Uahadev thrown light on the religion, knowledge, non- at- (Swaminarayan) Sect is fast developing. The devo- tachment and importance of bhakti (devotion). tees in thousands of abroad or local make their As well the non-violence in chapter 28 of lives worthy by praying to him. Originally written Gadhada middle, if really praised and its pride in Sanskrit with a view of understanding it easily to be taken, one has no need of further reading it is being translated in Gujerati and so many ad- of extra reading. ditions have been published so that the Gujarati knowing devotees can easily understand. It is a The authentic eight scriptures believed by dialogue between god and the devotee, but it is Lord Sahajanand in Vachanaramit, of them highly observed that NIR are not benefited, so if Vasudev praised by him as the virtues of Shree Vasudev Mahatmya is published with English translation are described in the Vacchanamrit. Moreover it more number of devotees can understand, hence has dealt with four varnas, four ashrams and rules it is being translated in English by authentic knowl- and regulations and the knowledge of soul and edge by having Sanskrit and English learned per- 6 Shree Vasudeva Mahatmyam5 With English Translation sons. Hence the proper stuff of the Vasudeva Introduction to the Vasudeva Mahatmya Mahatmya is being preserved properly with the (found in the Skanda Purana) view to being useful this the Vasudeva Mahatmya is being translated and published in English by According to the Indian tradition, the Vedas Bhuj Temple, first of all, which is worthy to be enjoy the most exalted position in Indian literature. taken proud of. All branches of knowledge are said to have origi- nated from the Vedas only. However, it is very With a view to propagating it wide by difficult for the common man to understand the Swaminarayan temple –Bhuj about this, most cov- Vedas because of the difficult language in which its eted volume three additions in Gujarati language literature has been formed. Therefore, our ancient have been published, but English translation was sages authored the ‘Itihasa-s’ and ‘Purana-s’ to reach not available here before, so Swaminarayan the messages of the Vedas to the masses and thus Satsang Stanmore situated Europe has taken in help them lead a virtuous life and also guide them hand this work and with its’ active co-operation, in their quest for liberation. While the Ramayana this volume is being published by Swaminarayan and Mahabharata are known as ‘Itihasa-s’, the temple-Bhuj with a prayer that all the devotees Purana-s are eighteen in number. Some of the im- portant Purana-s are the Vishnu Purana, Skanda may be benefited by its reading, by and large our Purana, Bhavishya Purana and so on. blessings to all the persons who have extended their active co-operation in getting this the The Purana-s speak about different mytho- Vasudeva Mahatmya translated and published. logical stories in a very attractive manner. Through these stories, they convey the tenets of Dharma Mahant Purani and give us counseling regarding the way of life we Swami Dharmnandan dasji have to follow. They also let us know more about Shree Swaminarayan Temple - Bhuj the paths of liberation like ‘Jnana’, ‘Bhakti’, Shree Vasudeva Mahatmyam78 With English Translation Sharanagathi’ and so on, and also guide us in prac- sacrifices in which animals were killed and offered ticing these paths. to the sacrificial fire. He won many debates over the Brahmins who argued there was nothing wrong The Skanda Purana is one of the premier- in killing animals as long as they were within the most Purana among the eighteen principal Purana- purview of the Sastras. One of the main instances s. The principal speaker in this Purana is Lord Bhagavan Shree Swaminarayan quoted while win- Skanda, also known by such other names like ning the debates in this regard were instances found Shanmuka, Subramanya and so on. This Purana in the Vasudeva Mahatmya, where a great sage is is divided into different ‘Khanda-s’ or divisions like considered to be a sinner since he supported the Vishnu-Khada, Shiva-Khanda etc. The Vishnu- killing of animals as part of the Vedic sacrifices. Khanda deals with the episodes that speak about the ‘leela-s’ (pastimes) that depict the greatness and Apart from this, we also see the description supremacy of Lord Vishnu or Narayana. of the Goloka, the blissful and exalted abode of the Supreme Lord Narayana in this part of the Skanda Among the many ‘Mahatmya-s’ found in the Purana. Vishnu-Khanda, the ‘Vasudeva Mahatmya’ is one of the most important Mahatmya-s that we come The Mandala of the Lord Maha-Vishnu is also across. These Mahatmya-s explain the greatness described here in a minute manner. Further, the of particular aspects connected to the Lord. As far method of worship of the Lord is also prescribed as the Swaminarayana Sampradaya is concerned, here. It is based on this part of the Purana, that the ‘Vasudeva Mahatmya’ is one of the most im- Bhagavan Shree Swaminarayan has prescribed the portant texts. It seems that Bhagavan Shree method of worship to be followed by all His fol- Swaminarayan advocated that all of his followers lowers. The details of the duties and responsibili- study the ‘Vasudeva Mahatmya’ with great devo- ties of the four classes of people viz. Brahmana-s, tion and dedication. During His time, Bhagavan Kshatriya-s, Vaidhya-s and Shudra-s are also de- Shree Swaminarayan strongly opposed those Vedic scribed in great detail. The general principles as Shree Vasudeva Mahatmyam9 10 With English Translation well as the special principles to be followed by men well-versed in Indian languages. This effort to and women during their various stages of life like translate Vasudeva Mahatmya into English is aimed childhood, youth, old age etc too are described in a at reaching the noble message of the Vasudeva very beautiful manner. Finally the procedure of Mahatmya to all the Hari-Bhaktas’s (devotees) re- performing the “Ashtanga Yoga” (Yoga having the siding abroad as well as those in India too who eight aspects) and the procedure to meditate and know English. The Publishers are happy to bring worship the Lord is explained in a very concise and out this edition during this an auspicious occasion. beautiful manner. At the end, the lineage of the They also hope to bring out the English versions of knowledge of Vasudeva Mahatmya is described in all the other works belonging to the Swaminarayan the final chapter. Sampradaya in the near future by the grace of Bhagavan Shree NaraNarayan Dev and Bhagavan Thus, the Vasudeva Mahatmya is one of the Shree Swaminarayan. most important and relevant Puranic texts in today’s context. It is more venerable to those who belong Dr. Swami Satya prasad dasji to the Swaminarayan Sampradaya since Bhagavan Vedantacharya - Bhuj Shree Swaminarayan Himself used to quote this text and has advised that all devotees study and chant this great literature. Since the Original text is in Sanskrit language, it was not accessible to people not knowing San- skrit language. Later it was translated into Gujarati and Hindi. Thus it could reach a large number of devotees knowing these languages. However, nowadays, there are many devotees belonging to the Sampradaya in foreign countries. They are not Shree Vasudeva Mahatmyam12 With English Translation Chapter 1 ¸ÉÒ º´ÉÉʨÉxÉɮɪÉhÉÉä Ê´ÉVɪÉiÉäiɮɨÉ ºÉ´Éæ¹ÉÉÆ ¨ÉxÉÖVÉÉxÉÉÆ iÉÖ nÖù¹Eò®ÉhªÉä´É iÉÉÊxÉ iÉÖ * ¤ÉɽÖô±ªÉÉSSÉÉxiɮɪÉÉhÉÉÆ iÉÊiºÉÊrù®Ê{É nÖù±ÉǦÉÉ **3** ¸ÉÒ´ÉɺÉÖnäù´É¨ÉɽôÉi¨ªÉ¨É |ɪÉixÉäxÉÉÊ{É ¨É½ôiÉÉ {ÉÖ¯ñ¹ÉèvÉêªÉǶÉÉʱÉʦÉ: * |ÉlɨÉÉä%vªÉɪÉ: ºÉÉÊvÉiÉÉxªÉÊ{É ÊºÉrù¬ÊxiÉ iÉÉÊxÉ EòɱÉäxÉ ¦ÉڪɺÉÉ **4** +iÉÉä ¦É´ÉÉxÉ ÊuùVÉÉiÉÒxÉɨÉɸɨÉÉhÉÉÆ SÉ ºÉ´ÉǶÉ: * ¶ÉÉèxÉEò =´ÉÉSÉ ¥É´ÉÒiÉÖ ºÉÖEò®Éä{ÉɪÉÆ ºjÉÒ¶ÉÚpùÉnäù®{ÉÒ½ô xÉ: **5** VÉÒ´ÉÉxÉÉÆ ¸ÉäªÉºÉä ºÉÉèiÉä ! ¤É½ÖôvÉÉ ºÉÉvÉxÉÉÊxÉ iÉä * EÞòiÉäxÉ ªÉäxÉÉ{ªÉ±{ÉäxÉ ªÉäxÉ EäòxÉÉÊ{É näùʽôxÉÉ * vɨÉÉæ YÉÉxÉÆ SÉ ´Éè®ÉMªÉÆ ªÉÉèMÉÉÊnùxªÉÖÊnùiÉÉÊxÉ xÉ: **1** +xiɮɪÉè®Ê´É½ôiÉÆ ¨É½ônäù´É ¡ò±ÉÆ ¦É´ÉäiÉ **6** <ÊiɽôɺÉè¤ÉǽÖôÊ´ÉvÉè̴ɺ{ɹ]ôÉlÉÉÇÊxÉ iÉÉÊxÉ SÉ * ¨ÉÉääIɺªÉ ºÉÉvÉxÉÆ iÉÉnÞùEÂò ºÉÖÊ´ÉSÉɪÉÇ ¨É½ôɨÉiÉä ! * ºÉ´ÉÉÇhªÉÊ{É ¨É½ôɤÉÖräù ! ¸ÉÖiÉÉxªÉº¨ÉÉʦɮÉnù®ÉiÉ **2** ʽôiÉÉªÉ ºÉ´ÉÇVÉÒ´ÉÉxÉÉÆ EÞò{ɪÉÉ ´ÉHÖò¨É½Çô漃 **7** However, these aspects are extremely difficult to practically Shree Vasudeva-Mahatmyam implement, due to the impediments that trouble us from time Chapter 1: The question of Sage Savarni to time.