The Glory of Agnipaleshvara

Verse 1 (padma.6.139.1)

महादेव उवाच। साभ्रमत्युत्तरे कूले अग्नितीर्थमिति श्रुतम् । तस्याश्चोत्तरपूर्वेण नातिदूरे कृतास्पदम्

mahādeva uvāca sābhramatyuttare kūle agnitīrthamiti śrutam tasyāścottarapūrveṇa nātidūre kṛtāspadam

Mahadeva said: 'On the northern bank of the Sabarmati is a ford renowned as Agnitirtha. Not far to its northeast lies established another place.'

Verse 2 (padma.6.139.2)

तीर्थं पालेश्वरं नाम चंडी यत्र प्रतिष्ठिता । पीठं तद्योगमातॄणां सर्वसिद्धिविधायकम्

tīrthaṁ pāleśvaraṁ nāma caṁḍī yatra pratiṣṭhitā pīṭhaṁ tadyogamātṝṇāṁ sarvasiddhividhāyakam

'That ford is named Paleshvara, where Chandi is installed. It is the seat of the Yoga-mothers, granting every accomplishment.'

Verse 3 (padma.6.139.3)

यत्र ताः सर्वदेवानां कार्यार्थे मातरः स्थिताः । परमं यत्नमास्थाय लोकानुग्रहकारणात्

yatra tāḥ sarvadevānāṁ kāryārthe mātaraḥ sthitāḥ paramaṁ yatnamāsthāya lokānugrahakāraṇāt

'There those Mother-goddesses abide, undertaking supreme effort for the sake of the gods work, for the welfare of all the worlds.'

Verse 4 (padma.6.139.4)

त्रिरात्रमुषितो भूत्वा तस्मिंस्तीर्थे दृढव्रतः । अभिगच्छेत्तमीशानं देवेशं चंडिकेश्वरम्

trirātramuṣito bhūtvā tasmiṁstīrthe dṛḍhavrataḥ abhigacchettamīśānaṁ deveśaṁ caṁḍikeśvaram

'Having dwelt three nights at that ford, holding a firm vow, one should go before that lord Ishana, Chandikeshvara, lord of the gods.'

Verse 5 (padma.6.139.5)

साभ्रमत्यां कृतस्नानो मातृतीर्थस्य संनिधौ । समाधिविधिना युक्तो गच्छेद्वै मातृमंडलम्

sābhramatyāṁ kṛtasnāno mātṛtīrthasya saṁnidhau samādhividhinā yukto gacchedvai mātṛmaṁḍalam

'Having bathed in the Sabarmati, near the Matritirtha, joined with the discipline of meditation, one should approach the circle of the Mothers.'

Verse 6 (padma.6.139.6)

गोसहस्रप्रदानस्य फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः । अग्नितीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा चामुंडादर्शने कृते

gosahasrapradānasya phalaṁ prāpnoti mānavaḥ agnitīrthe naraḥ snātvā cāmuṁḍādarśane kṛte

'Such a man obtains the fruit of donating a thousand cows. Bathing at Agnitirtha, and beholding Chamunda,'

Verse 7 (padma.6.139.7)

न भयं जायते तस्य रक्षोभूतपिशाचजम् । गोखुरा च नदी यत्र साभ्रमत्यां तु संगता

na bhayaṁ jāyate tasya rakṣobhūtapiśācajam gokhurā ca nadī yatra sābhramatyāṁ tu saṁgatā

'he never has any fear born of rakshasas, ghosts, or pishachas. Where the river Gokhura joins the Sabarmati,'

Verse 8 (padma.6.139.8)

तत्र तीर्थसहस्राणि तिष्ठंतीति सुरेश्वरि । श्राद्धं तत्र प्रकर्त्तव्यं तिलचूर्णेन पार्वति

tatra tīrthasahasrāṇi tiṣṭhaṁtīti sureśvari śrāddhaṁ tatra prakarttavyaṁ tilacūrṇena pārvati

'there, O queen of gods, a thousand sacred fords abide. O Parvati, shraddha should be performed there with powdered sesame.'

Verse 9 (padma.6.139.9)

पिंडान्दत्त्वा द्विजान्भोज्य अक्षयं पदमाप्नुयात् । यत्र कुकर्दमो राजा पापिष्ठो दुर्द्धरः खलः

piṁḍāndattvā dvijānbhojya akṣayaṁ padamāpnuyāt yatra kukardamo rājā pāpiṣṭho durddharaḥ khalaḥ

'Offering the funeral rice-ball and feeding brahmins, a man attains an imperishable state. There was a king there named Kukardama, most sinful, unruly, and wicked.'

Verse 10 (padma.6.139.10)

मूढोऽहंकारसंयुक्तो द्विजानां परिनिंदकः । गोघ्नोऽपि बलहा चैव पापिष्ठो दुर्दमः सदा

mūḍho'haṁkārasaṁyukto dvijānāṁ pariniṁdakaḥ goghno'pi balahā caiva pāpiṣṭho durdamaḥ sadā

'Foolish, filled with pride, an unrelenting reviler of brahmins, a killer of cows and of the innocent, he was ever sinful and uncontrollable.'

Verse 11 (padma.6.139.11)

राज्यं च कुर्वतस्तस्य पुरे पिंडारसंज्ञके । तदा मृत्तिः समापन्ना धर्मे योगे सुरेश्वरि

rājyaṁ ca kurvatastasya pure piṁḍārasaṁjñake tadā mṛttiḥ samāpannā dharme yoge sureśvari

'While ruling in the city named Pindara, O queen of gods, his death came about, wholly bereft of dharma.'

Verse 12 (padma.6.139.12)

मृतोऽसौ तत्र संजातः प्रेतरूपो महेश्वरि । पीतास्यः शुष्कतुंडश्च पीतरोमाऽथ कर्कशः

mṛto'sau tatra saṁjātaḥ pretarūpo maheśvari pītāsyaḥ śuṣkatuṁḍaśca pītaromā'tha karkaśaḥ

'O great goddess, dying, he was born there in preta-form — his face sallow, his mouth parched, his hair yellowed, and his nature harsh.'

Verse 13 (padma.6.139.13)

उच्चस्तरो बहुरोमा क्षुत्पिपासाप्रपीडितः । वायुभक्षं प्रकुर्वाणः प्रगच्छति इतस्ततः

uccastaro bahuromā kṣutpipāsāprapīḍitaḥ vāyubhakṣaṁ prakurvāṇaḥ pragacchati itastataḥ

'Tall of stature, covered in thick hair, sorely tormented by hunger and thirst, feeding only upon the wind, he wandered here and there.'

Verse 14 (padma.6.139.14)

बहुप्रेतैः समायुक्तो हाहेति करुणो रुदन् । किं कर्तव्यमिति प्राहुः प्रेतास्ते वै समीपगाः

bahupretaiḥ samāyukto hāheti karuṇo rudan kiṁ kartavyamiti prāhuḥ pretāste vai samīpagāḥ

'Surrounded by many pretas, he wept, crying alas, alas in pitiful tones. The pretas who came near him asked: What is to be done now?'

Verse 15 (padma.6.139.15)

तेऽपि तदा रोदमानाः क्षुत्पिपासादि पीडिताः । अन्ये प्रेता दुरात्मानो राज्ञः संगतिमाययुः

te'pi tadā rodamānāḥ kṣutpipāsādi pīḍitāḥ anye pretā durātmāno rājñaḥ saṁgatimāyayuḥ

'They too, at that time, were weeping, tormented by hunger and thirst. Other wicked pretas as well came to join the company of that king.'

Verse 16 (padma.6.139.16)

राज्ञा सार्द्धं च गच्छंति लोकान्विजनकान्बहून् । नोदकमथवा चान्नं न मार्गे दृश्यते कदा

rājñā sārddhaṁ ca gacchaṁti lokānvijanakānbahūn nodakamathavā cānnaṁ na mārge dṛśyate kadā

'Together with the king, they wandered through many desolate lands; never was water or food to be found, nor even any path anywhere in sight.'

Verse 17 (padma.6.139.17)

ते प्रेता दुष्टरूपाश्च विचरंति महीतले । भक्षंति शवमांसानि पिबंति रुधिरं सदा

te pretā duṣṭarūpāśca vicaraṁti mahītale bhakṣaṁti śavamāṁsāni pibaṁti rudhiraṁ sadā

'Those pretas, hideous of form, roamed about the earth; they fed upon the flesh of corpses and forever drank blood.'

Verse 18 (padma.6.139.18)

एवं कुकर्दमो राजा सदा तैः परिवारितः । कदाचिद्दैवयोगेन गुरोराश्रममन्वगात्

evaṁ kukardamo rājā sadā taiḥ parivāritaḥ kadāciddaivayogena gurorāśramamanvagāt

'Thus was King Kukardama ever surrounded by them. Once, by some working of fate, he happened upon the hermitage of a certain teacher.'

Verse 19 (padma.6.139.19)

पूर्वजन्मकृतं पुण्यं तेन योगेन संगतः । पार्वत्युवाच। किं कृतं तेन वै पुण्यं वद विश्वेश्वर प्रभो

pūrvajanmakṛtaṁ puṇyaṁ tena yogena saṁgataḥ pārvatyuvāca kiṁ kṛtaṁ tena vai puṇyaṁ vada viśveśvara prabho

'It was through merit accumulated in a former birth that he came to be joined with that fateful encounter.' Parvati said: 'O lord of the universe, tell me, what merit had he performed?'

Verse 20 (padma.6.139.20)

अयं पापी दुरात्मा च ब्राह्मणानां च दुःखदः । सत्संगतिः कथं जाता तन्मे दुस्तरतो वद

ayaṁ pāpī durātmā ca brāhmaṇānāṁ ca duḥkhadaḥ satsaṁgatiḥ kathaṁ jātā tanme dustarato vada

'He was sinful, wicked of soul, and a tormentor of brahmins — how did such a one come to attain the company of the good? Tell me this, hard as it may be to explain.'

Verse 21 (padma.6.139.21)

महादेव उवाच। एतेन नरदेवेन पूर्वजन्मनि यत्कृतम् । तत्सर्वं कथयिष्यामि शृणु त्वं नगनंदिनि

mahādeva uvāca etena naradevena pūrvajanmani yatkṛtam tatsarvaṁ kathayiṣyāmi śṛṇu tvaṁ naganaṁdini

Mahadeva said: 'I shall tell you all that this king did in his former birth. Listen, O daughter of the mountain.'

Verse 22 (padma.6.139.22)

पूर्वजन्मन्ययं देवि ब्राह्मणो वेदपाठकः । संपूज्य च महादेवं कृत्वा चातिथिपूजनम्

pūrvajanmanyayaṁ devi brāhmaṇo vedapāṭhakaḥ saṁpūjya ca mahādevaṁ kṛtvā cātithipūjanam

'In his former birth, O goddess, this man was a brahmin who recited the Veda. Having worshipped Mahadeva, and having honored his guests,'

Verse 23 (padma.6.139.23)

भोजनं कुरुते नित्यमसौ वाडवसत्तमः । तेन पुण्यप्रभावेन पुरो पिंडारसंज्ञके

bhojanaṁ kurute nityamasau vāḍavasattamaḥ tena puṇyaprabhāvena puro piṁḍārasaṁjñake

'that excellent brahmin took his own meal only afterward, every day. By the power of that very merit, in the city named Pindara —'

Verse 24 (padma.6.139.24)

राजा वै तत्र संजातः कुकर्दम इति श्रुतः । कर्मणा मनसा चैव न कृतं पुण्यमेव च

rājā vai tatra saṁjātaḥ kukardama iti śrutaḥ karmaṇā manasā caiva na kṛtaṁ puṇyameva ca

'he was born as the king known as Kukardama. But by deed and by mind he performed no merit at all.'

Verse 25 (padma.6.139.25)

तेन देवाभियोगेन मृतो वै प्रेतराडभूत् । शुष्कास्यः शुष्करूपश्च पीतवर्णः करालकः

tena devābhiyogena mṛto vai pretarāḍabhūt śuṣkāsyaḥ śuṣkarūpaśca pītavarṇaḥ karālakaḥ

'By that very working of fate, dying, he became a king among pretas — parched of face, withered of form, sallow in color, and hideous.'

Verse 26 (padma.6.139.26)

पूर्वजन्मकृतं पुण्यं न नश्यति सुरेश्वरि । तेन पुण्याभियोगेन संगतो गुरुणाश्रमे

pūrvajanmakṛtaṁ puṇyaṁ na naśyati sureśvari tena puṇyābhiyogena saṁgato guruṇāśrame

'O queen of gods, merit accumulated in a former birth never perishes. It was through that very working of merit that he came to be joined with a teacher at his hermitage.'

Verse 27 (padma.6.139.27)

कहोडो वर्तते तत्र तेन दृष्टोऽथ प्रेतराट् । शुष्कास्यः शुष्करूपश्च पीतवर्णः करालकः

kahoḍo vartate tatra tena dṛṣṭo'tha pretarāṭ śuṣkāsyaḥ śuṣkarūpaśca pītavarṇaḥ karālakaḥ

'There dwelt the sage Kahoda. He beheld that king of pretas — parched of face, withered of form, sallow in color, and hideous.'

Verse 28 (padma.6.139.28)

गंभीराक्षो महापापी दुष्टैः प्रेतैश्च संयुतः । ऊर्द्ध्वरोमा जटायुक्तः कालरूपो भयंकरः

gaṁbhīrākṣo mahāpāpī duṣṭaiḥ pretaiśca saṁyutaḥ ūrddhvaromā jaṭāyuktaḥ kālarūpo bhayaṁkaraḥ

'Deep-eyed, most sinful, surrounded by wicked pretas, his hair standing on end, matted-locked, dreadful of form like Death itself.'

Verse 29 (padma.6.139.29)

एवं दृष्ट्वा तदा देवि विह्वलो वाडवोऽभवत् । कहोड उवाच। अस्मिन्मनोरमे चाहं स्थाने वै परमाद्भुते

evaṁ dṛṣṭvā tadā devi vihvalo vāḍavo'bhavat kahoḍa uvāca asminmanorame cāhaṁ sthāne vai paramādbhute

'Seeing him thus, O goddess, that brahmin became deeply agitated.' Kahoda said: 'In this lovely and most wondrous place,'

Verse 30 (padma.6.139.30)

अग्निपालेश्वरे तीर्थे नित्यं तिष्ठामि भूमिप । यजमानस्त्वमस्माकं कथं जातोऽसि प्रेतराट्

agnipāleśvare tīrthe nityaṁ tiṣṭhāmi bhūmipa yajamānastvamasmākaṁ kathaṁ jāto'si pretarāṭ

'at the ford of Agnipaleshvara, I ever abide, O lord of the earth. You were our patron once — how have you become the king of pretas?'

Verse 31 (padma.6.139.31)

दुरात्मा दुष्टरूपश्च कालरूपो भयंकरः । केन कर्मविपाकेन जातो वै भूतले शुभे

durātmā duṣṭarūpaśca kālarūpo bhayaṁkaraḥ kena karmavipākena jāto vai bhūtale śubhe

'wicked of soul, hideous of form, dreadful as Death — by the ripening of what deed have you come to be so upon this auspicious earth?'

Verse 32 (padma.6.139.32)

प्रेत उवाच। शृणु वाडव मे पापं पूर्वजन्मनि यत्कृतम् । अहं कुकर्दमो राजा पुरे पिंडारसंज्ञके

preta uvāca śṛṇu vāḍava me pāpaṁ pūrvajanmani yatkṛtam ahaṁ kukardamo rājā pure piṁḍārasaṁjñake

The preta said: 'Listen, O brahmin, to the sin I committed in my former birth. I was King Kukardama of the city named Pindara.'

Verse 33 (padma.6.139.33)

तत्रस्थेन मया देव यत्कृतं तच्छृणुष्व हि । ब्रह्मणां हिंसनं चैव पुराऽसत्यादिभाषणम्

tatrasthena mayā deva yatkṛtaṁ tacchṛṇuṣva hi brahmaṇāṁ hiṁsanaṁ caiva purā'satyādibhāṣaṇam

'Hear now, O god, what I did while I dwelt there — I did violence to brahmins, and always before spoke falsehood and the like.'

Verse 34 (padma.6.139.34)

प्रजानां पीडनं चैव जीवानां हिंसनं सदा । गवां वै दुःखकर्ताऽहं ब्राह्मणव्रतलोपनः

prajānāṁ pīḍanaṁ caiva jīvānāṁ hiṁsanaṁ sadā gavāṁ vai duḥkhakartā'haṁ brāhmaṇavratalopanaḥ

'I oppressed my subjects, and forever committed violence against living beings; I brought suffering upon cows, and disrupted the vows of brahmins.'

Verse 35 (padma.6.139.35)

अस्नातः सर्वदा विप्र सज्जनानां विदूषकः । विष्णुनिंदापरो नित्यं वैष्णवानां च निंदकः

asnātaḥ sarvadā vipra sajjanānāṁ vidūṣakaḥ viṣṇuniṁdāparo nityaṁ vaiṣṇavānāṁ ca niṁdakaḥ

'O brahmin, I always remained unbathed, a corrupter of the virtuous; I was ever devoted to reviling Vishnu, and I reviled his devotees too.'

Verse 36 (padma.6.139.36)

दुराचारो दुरात्मा च वृषलीसंयुतः सदा । तत्र तत्र प्रभुंजानो नाऽहं शौचपरायणः

durācāro durātmā ca vṛṣalīsaṁyutaḥ sadā tatra tatra prabhuṁjāno nā'haṁ śaucaparāyaṇaḥ

'I was of evil conduct, wicked of soul, ever consorting with degraded women; I ate here and there, indifferent, never devoted to purity.'

Verse 37 (padma.6.139.37)

तेन कर्माभियोगेन मृतो वै द्विजराट्ततः । प्रेतयोनिं प्रपन्नोऽस्मि दुःखी जातो ह्यनेकधा

tena karmābhiyogena mṛto vai dvijarāṭtataḥ pretayoniṁ prapanno'smi duḥkhī jāto hyanekadhā

'By the force of those very deeds, dying, O foremost of brahmins, I came into a preta's existence, born into suffering in countless ways.'

Verse 38 (padma.6.139.38)

यस्य माता पिता नास्ति यस्य स्वजनबांधवाः । तस्य बंधुर्गुरुर्माता पितापि गुरुरेव च

yasya mātā pitā nāsti yasya svajanabāṁdhavāḥ tasya baṁdhurgururmātā pitāpi gurureva ca

'One who has no mother, no father, no kinsmen or relatives — for him, the teacher alone is kinsman, the teacher alone is mother, and the teacher alone is father too.'

Verse 39 (padma.6.139.39)

इति ज्ञात्वा तु भो ब्रह्मन्मुक्तिं दातुं त्वमर्हसि

iti jñātvā tu bho brahmanmuktiṁ dātuṁ tvamarhasi

'Knowing this, O brahmin, you alone are worthy to grant me liberation.'

Verse 40 (padma.6.139.40)

कहोड उवाच। शृणु त्वं नृपतिश्रेष्ठ करिष्ये वचनं तव । मुक्तिं यास्यति वै सद्यो भवांस्त्विह न संशयः

kahoḍa uvāca śṛṇu tvaṁ nṛpatiśreṣṭha kariṣye vacanaṁ tava muktiṁ yāsyati vai sadyo bhavāṁstviha na saṁśayaḥ

Kahoda said: 'Listen, O best of kings, I shall fulfill your request. You shall attain liberation here at once — of this there is no doubt.'

Verse 41 (padma.6.139.41)

एकादश पुरोगाश्च प्रेता ये तव संगताः । ते चापि मुक्तिमायांति सुतीर्थेऽस्मिन्विशेषतः

ekādaśa purogāśca pretā ye tava saṁgatāḥ te cāpi muktimāyāṁti sutīrthe'sminviśeṣataḥ

'The eleven leading pretas who accompany you shall also, at this excellent ford, attain liberation, in particular.'

Verse 42 (padma.6.139.42)

तदा वै तेन विप्रेण तीर्थे गत्वा सुरेश्वरि । सर्वैश्चकारयामास तिलपिंडोदकक्रियाः

tadā vai tena vipreṇa tīrthe gatvā sureśvari sarvaiścakārayāmāsa tilapiṁḍodakakriyāḥ

Then, O queen of gods, that brahmin went to the ford and had the rites of sesame, funeral rice-ball, and water performed for all of them.

Verse 43 (padma.6.139.43)

न मासो न तिथिर्देवी तीर्थे गत्वा पुनः पुनः । कर्त्तव्यं श्राद्धकर्मादि ब्रह्मणोक्तं पुरा मम

na māso na tithirdevī tīrthe gatvā punaḥ punaḥ karttavyaṁ śrāddhakarmādi brahmaṇoktaṁ purā mama

'O goddess, there is no need there for a particular month or lunar day — one should go to the ford again and again and perform shraddha and the like; so Brahma once told me.'

Verse 44 (padma.6.139.44)

कृते कर्मणि देवेशि मुक्तास्ते तीर्थराजके । विमानवरमारूढास्ते गता मामकीं पुरीम्

kṛte karmaṇi deveśi muktāste tīrtharājake vimānavaramārūḍhāste gatā māmakīṁ purīm

'O queen of gods, once the rite was performed, they were all liberated at that king of sacred fords. Mounting a splendid celestial chariot, they departed for my own city.'

Verse 45 (padma.6.139.45)

संगता गोखुरा यत्र साभ्रमत्या सुरेश्वरि । तत्र स्नानं च दानं च कोटियज्ञफलं लभेत्

saṁgatā gokhurā yatra sābhramatyā sureśvari tatra snānaṁ ca dānaṁ ca koṭiyajñaphalaṁ labhet

'O queen of gods, where the Gokhura river joins the Sabarmati, bathing and giving charity there yields the fruit of ten million sacrifices.'

Verse 46 (padma.6.139.46)

यत्राग्नितीर्थं वर्तेत कपालेश्वरसंज्ञकम् । तत्र मुक्तिस्तु संप्रोक्ता सत्यं सत्यं भवेद्ध्रुवम्

yatrāgnitīrthaṁ varteta kapāleśvarasaṁjñakam tatra muktistu saṁproktā satyaṁ satyaṁ bhaveddhruvam

'Where Agnitirtha stands, known also as Kapaleshvara, there liberation alone is proclaimed — truly, truly, this shall surely come to pass.'