Shrunu Sushroni vakshyaami Sheshasya Naga Rupinah, Mahatmyam cha prabhuti cha sarva paapa pranaashanam/ Devi Sushroni! The great significance of Shesha Naaga Parvata is now being described as this indeed is such as to extinguish all kinds by sins and misdemeanors that normally human beings commit. In the days of Satya Yuga; there was a Sacred Place named Chamareshwara in the Himalaya Range of Mountains. Quite a few of Celestial Beings like Deva-Siddha-Gandharvas were lined up there for worshipping Parameshwara. Etasminnantare kaschidwaaarupa dharo Bali, Daiyendro bhum Maha Veeryastapogarvena garvitah, Atrasthaam samuha Devaannirayaa maasa shaktitah/ (Among such worshippers was King Bali Daitya who on account of prowess and dominance assumed Vaayu Rupa and tormented Devas) Then the hapless Indra and Devas approached Shambu Deva for refuge.They prayed to Maha Deva as follows: Namaste Deva devaaya Shambhave Paramatmane, Jagsthiti vinaashaaya hetu bhutaayavai namah/ Twam Maataa Sarva Bhutaanaam twamevaJagataam Pitaa, Twam suhrud -bandhurevaasi tato naanya Jagatraye/ Anaadhaanaam tu naadhastavamagateenaam gatistathaa, Aateenaam aartihaa twam vai twameva sharanam Vibho/ (Our sincere and devotion-ful greetings to you Paramatma! You are the Jagat-Sthiti-Vinaasha or the cause of Universal Existence, Presrvation and Destruction alike; You are the Mother Figure as also the Sustainer and the Father of Creation; the Supreme Creator and the Friend-Philosopher-Guide and ultimate refuge point of mortals and immortals. You are the ‘Anaadha Nadha’ and we beseech you for our safety and merciful compassion.) Iti stuwa Maha Deva praaduraaseet daya nidhih, Uvacha shlathayaa vaachaa Devan vai duhkha bhaajinah/ Saravashrutam maya Devaa Daiyendra swaduraatunah, Mayaa samvardhitaa Daityaacchettum naarhaah Suradhipaah/ Tasmad brajaddhvam sharanam sharanaarti pranaashanam, Bhagavantam Chaturbaahum Shankha Chakra Gadaadharam, Ksheera saagara madhyastamSeshashaayinamevacha/ (As Deva ganas prayed to Maha Deva that he should save them from the harassment from Daityas, Bhagavan Shiva explained to them that he himself was the preserver and promoter of the Daityas and as such that it would not be appopriate for him to take action against them; however his advice would be to approach Chaturbhuja Vishnu adorned with Sahankha-Chakra-Gada-Saranga resting on Shesha Naaga in yoga nidra on Ksheera saagara and that he would be the correct Deity to take refuge from.) Having advised thus Maha deva disappeared and thrilled by the Darshana of Maha deva himself, Devas proceeded to Vaikuntha and made their supplications thus:
Namo namo Anantaaya Rupaateetaayavai namah, Namah Sarva rupaaya sarvaatitaaya vai namah/ Ganeshaaya Gunajnaaya Gunateetaaya vai namah, Sarveshaaya cha Sarvasmai cha namah/Vedaaya Vedarupaaya Vedagamyaatenamah, Dhyanaaya Dhyanagamyaaya Dhyanaatitaayavai Namah/ Jagatkarte namastubhyam Jagadvatre chavainamah, Jagatpaaolana samstahta chittaya Chitswarupine/ (Ananta, Rupaateeta, Sarva Swarupa, Sarva ateeta, Jagat sthiti-Vinashaka Karana bhuta, our high reverences; Ganesha, Gunajna, Gunaatita, Sarvesha- do accept our prostrations to you; Veda Swarupa, Veda Swaupa, Veda Gamya! Dhyana Swarupa, Dhyana gamya, Dhyaana ateeta; Jagat karta, Jagat vaktri, Jajat palaka ad Jagat harta, Chitta, Chitswarupine! Our danda pranamas or prostrations to you)
As Maha Vishnu was extolled thus, he was highly pleased and assured Devas thus: Gacchavam Deva devesha naakam shoka haram param, Tam dushtam sakulam hanmi Vatarupam duraasadam/ ( Devadeva Indra! You and all the Devas may return to Swarga without worries; I shall assume Vayu Rupa and terminate the Daityas and their Chief Maha Bali. Ityuktwa tadaddh Vishnu bhaktaanaamaarti naashanah, Paataalaat Giriraajevai pradurbuto Bhagatprabhuh/ (Having thus pacified Devendra and Devas, Maha Vishnu who is popular as ‘Arti naashaka’ or the ever smasher of the griefs of the needy travelled in the form of winds along the slopes of the high mountains and reappeared deep down at Patala Loka). Sheshasharudhah Chaturbaahuh sa Lakshmikopi saayudhah, Ajnaapayaamaas tadaa shesham shata phanaanvitam/ (Maha Vishnu as always carried by Sesha Naaga Deva shining with four hands and the Ayudhas or armoury and accompanied by Devi Lakshmi instructed Shesha Naag as follows) Vaatam piba phanotbhutamsahasra vadanaistathaa, Praanaam starpaya Nagesha yatah stavam Pava naashanah/ (Nagesha! Do first devour the Vayu Rupa Daitya and having snubbed his life force, you will achieve the encomium of ‘Pava naashana’ the powerful terminator of winds.) As Bhagavan Vishnu instructed Maha Sesha Naaga, he assumed Vayu Swarupa and sniffed out the Maha Bali Daitya in seconds who too was in Wind Form and thus the terrible harassment experienced by Devendra and Devas was finally terminated. Maha Vishnu then instructed Adi Shesha Deva as follows: Atra tishtha Phanendra twam bhayam naashayavaatajam, Tadaa prabhuti Deveshi Naagobhu cchesha sanjakah/ Sushramaabhidho Naago varnito yogisattamah, Yatra snaatwaashramam yaati sukhena manujah Priye/ (Phanendra! You do reside here only and ensure to dismiss all difficulties arising out of fierce winds to visitors to this Holy Kshetra. Then Sesha Naag started residing at this place and as such this moutain had come to be referred to as Sesha Naag Parvata and Yoga sheshthas acclaimed it as ‘Sushras’! Any traveller arriving at this place would enjoy Great Tranquility especially after a refreshing Snaana and attain divinity!) Sukhenaatra pluto lokaamstat ssamaannagopisya shramah, Swashramopi budhaih prokto Naaga raajopi Sundari/(As Maha Sesha continued to reside here and engage himself in Loka Raksha, in course of time his transfer of residence created ‘Shrama’ or weariness; that why was he was nick named ‘Swaashrama Naga Raja’) No doubt, he got tired but Devas were able to secure ‘Swaashrama’ or great relief! That is why humans have come to get safety and thanks to the continuous visits of Devas reaped the great advantage of Paapa Vimukti. Darshanaa sprushyanaa snaanaat daanaat japa tapaattathaa, Swadhyaaya stutihyanantam punyamaapnuyaat/ (Persons visiting the Sesha Naaga Parvata are certain to reap Ananta Koti Punya by their darshana, sparshana, snaanna, daana, japa, tapa, swaadhyaya, stuti, pujas) Kamalaa pujanaadyatra sthiraam prapnoti vaigiraam, Smaranaadapi Deveshi muchyate paapa sanchayah/( Worship with lotus flowers to the Sacred Mountain would bestow excellent ‘Vaak Shuddhi’; indeed even smarana or remembrance would yield ‘Paapa Vimukti’. Bahunaatra kimuktena Naagaraajasya Sundari, Brahma haamuchyate muchyate sadyah paanaaddaana jalasyavai/ (Sundari! The fruits of Sesha Naaga darshana are endless. Drinking the waters from this place and performing charities here would demolish Brahma hatyadi blemishes too instantly.) Mahagonasa naamaana maruhe yatraarohana maatre na gacche Yamamandiram/ (Merely ascending the Maha Gonasa Parvata or at least put a foot forward towards the ascent would certainly avoid journey to Yama Mandira!)
