Continued from this post "Shree Ashtakshara-Mantra in "Shree Varaha-Purana""...
The following is the Chapter 49 from "Shree Varaha-Purana". On first glance the Chapter is dedicated to Shree Padmanabha Dwadashi, but actually it says about the The Glory of Shree Vishnu-Archana even in cases of those who don't have Shree Vishnu-Bhakti at all, mechanically following to some Paddhati.
The second subtext is Shree Narayana-Mantras
Mahatmya (see Verses 31-32 below) and the third subtext is The Mahatmya of Uttama-Bhakti (see Verse 39 about Shree Prahlada).
This Chapter also has a number of other subtexts, I have enumerated only the crucial ones.
And the Chapter of course stigmatizes and denounces those morons, who don't understand The Glory (and Karmic effects) of Bhagavan Shree Vishnu Worship.
"SHREE VARAHA-PURANA", CHAPTER 49,
"SHREE PADMANABHA-DVADASHI-MAHATMYA"
Durvasas said:
49.1. In the same manner, on the Dvadashi day in the bright half of the month of Asvayuja (Tula) Lord Padmanabha should be worshipped.
49.2-3. The feet should be worshipped as Padmanabha, the waist as Padmayoni, the belly as Sarvadeva, the chest as Puskaraksa, the hands as Avyaya, the weapons as before, and head as Prabhava, and then, as already described earlier, the pot should be placed and over it the golden image of Padmanabha.
49.4. After performing worship with sandal, flowers etc., early in the morning the next day it should be gifted to a brahmin.
49.5. Listen to the result accruing from the observance of this.
49.6. In the Krita-Yuga there was a valiant king named Bhadrashva. His kingdom also came to be known by his name Bhadrashva.
49.7. Once sage Agastya came to him and said that he would stay with him for a week. The king, with bowing head, agreed with pleasure.
49.8. The king's wife by name Kantimati was so beautiful that she had the splendour of a dozen suns.
49.9. She had five hundred co-wives but they were all devoted to her and they attended on her like servants.
49.10-11. Agastya saw her in her radiant beauty, the co-wives earnestly serving her and the king being delighted at her happiness.
49.12. He was very glad to see all this and exclaimed, "O Lord of the worlds, how good in this.
49.13. On the second day seeing the beaming queen, Agastya exclaimed, "The whole world has been acquired".
49.14-15. On the third day, seeing her he said, "Fools do not know Lord Visnu, Who by a single day's propitiation has given this king this gift".
49.16-18. On the fourth day, he threw up his arms and exclaimed, "Well done, Lord of the world, well done, women and Sudras, well done, Brahmins, well done Ksatriyas, well done vaishyas, well done Bhadrasva, well done Agastya. Well done Prahlada, well done Dhruva. Saying thus Agastya danced in joy before the king".
49.19. The king with his queen, seeing him thus immersed in joy, asked him the cause of his delight.
Agastya said:
49.20-21. "You are a foolish king, all your followers are fools, your priests are also so, since they do not understand me.
49.22. Told thus, the king with folded hands, requested him to be sympathetic and tell him clearly so that he could understand.
Agastya said:
49.23. "In the former life, this queen was a servant in the house of the vaishya Haridatta, and you were her husband, a sudra serving in the same household.
49.24-25. The vaishya, observing Dvadasi in the month of Asvayuja, went the temple of Lord Shree Vishnu and after worshipping there with flowers, incense etc., left you both there to keep guard and to keep the lamps burning.
49.26. When the vaishya was gone, you were both engaging yourselves in keeping the lamps burning throughout night.
49.27-28. In course of time both of you died, and due to the merit you had acquired (by attending to the duty assigned to you by the vaishya in the temple), you were born in the family of Priyavrata and this queen, who was originally servant of the vaishya, became your wife.
49.29-30. If this is the result of simply keeping the lamp burning in the temple for another's sake, it is beyond words to state the effect of doing such a thing for one's own sake. Hence, I said "O Lord of the worlds, how good is this!"
49.31-32. "The merit acquired by the worship for one year in Krita-Yuga, is acquired by the same for half a year in Treta-Yuga, by quarter of a year in Dvapara-Yuga and by the mere utterance of the Name "NARAYANA" in Kali-Yuga".
49.33. Hence, I exclaimed "the whole world has been acquired".
49.34. The result of burning the lamp before Bhagavan Shree Vishnu for author's sake is what has been gained by you. Hence, I exclaimed: "Fools do not know the effect of serving Bhagavan Shree Hari".
49.35. Since the brahmins and ksatriyas perform with devotion sacrifices of various kinds they were hailed by me.
49.36. I do not find in this world anything more worthy than the worship of Vishnu. Hence, l congratulated myself saying: "O Agastya, well done".
49.37. That woman is blessed who attends on her husband, because that kind of service is an indirect service of God. A sudra who does so, is even more blessed.
49.38. That woman and that sudra are blessed, if they attend on the twice-born. Hence, I said, "Well done, women and sudras".
49.39. Although born in the Asura clan, Prahlada proclaimed that he knew none other than Purushottama (Bhagavan Shree Narayana). Hence I said "Well done Prahlada."
49.40-41. Dhruva who belonged to the line of Brahma, went to the forest when he was but a boy, and there worshipping Lord Shree Vishnu attained an extremely glorious position. Hence I said 'Well done Dhruva".
49.42. Hearing these words of the great Agastya, the king sought his advice, but the sage was leaving for the PushkaraTirtha.
49.43. Bhadrasva followed him to get his advice, and he was then told about this Dvadasivrata by the sage.
Durvasas said:
49.44. "O sage, I have told you this much". Agastya then told the king
49.45. "I am leaving for Puskara, but you will be blessed with good sons". So saying, the sage suddenly disappeared.
49.46. By observing this Padmanabha-Dvadashi as prescribed and with fasting, the king attained the height of glory in this world.
49.47. Enjoying all pleasures surrounded by children and grandchildren, he finally reached the World of Vishnu (Shree Vishnu-Loka) with the blessings of Bhagavan Shree Padmanabha.
OCR by Vishnudut1926, Moscow, Febraury 2017
Cited from
"SHREE VARAHA-PURANA", 2 Volumes, Motilal Banasirdass, 2003 - http://vishnudut1926.blogspot.ru/2013/01/blog-post_5114.html
