The Glory of Kotarakshi (Siddha-kshetra)

Verse 1 (padma.6.159.1)

महादेव उवाच। तस्माद्दूरतरे देवि सिद्धक्षेत्रमनुत्तमम् । अनिरुद्धो वृतः पूर्वं उषार्थे चित्रलेखया

mahādeva uvāca tasmāddūratare devi siddhakṣetramanuttamam aniruddho vṛtaḥ pūrvaṃ uṣārthe citralekhayā

Mahadeva said: Further beyond that, O goddess, is the unsurpassed Siddha-kshetra. There, formerly, Aniruddha was chosen by Chitralekha for the sake of Usha,

Verse 2 (padma.6.159.2)

नीतो बाणासुरपुरं तिष्ठति स्म गृहे पुरा । पाशैर्बाणैश्च संरुद्धः कोटराक्षीमथास्मरत्

nīto bāṇāsurapuraṃ tiṣṭhati sma gṛhe purā pāśairbāṇaiśca saṃruddhaḥ koṭarākṣīmathāsmarat

and was carried off to the city of Banasura, where he remained confined in a chamber, bound with snares and arrows -- and there he remembered Kotarakshi,

Verse 3 (padma.6.159.3)

साक्षाद्या वैष्णवी शक्तिः सदा रक्षण तत्परा । सेयं देवी नदीतीरे कृष्णेनात्र प्रतिष्ठिता

sākṣādyā vaiṣṇavī śaktiḥ sadā rakṣaṇa tatparā seyaṃ devī nadītīre kṛṣṇenātra pratiṣṭhitā

who is none other than the very Vaishnavi Shakti herself, ever intent upon protection. That same goddess was established here, on the riverbank, by Krishna,

Verse 4 (padma.6.159.4)

जित्वा बाणासुरं संख्ये द्वारकां प्रतिगच्छता । अनिरुद्धस्य स्तोत्रेण साक्षात्सांनिध्यमागता

jitvā bāṇāsuraṃ saṃkhye dvārakāṃ pratigacchatā aniruddhasya stotreṇa sākṣātsāṃnidhyamāgatā

when, having defeated Banasura in battle, he was returning to Dvaraka; through Aniruddha's hymn of praise she came to be present here in person.

Verse 5 (padma.6.159.5)

तत्र तीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा वर्षमेकं प्रयत्नतः । कोटराक्षीमुखं दृष्ट्वा लक्ष्मीमाप्नोति पुष्कलाम्

tatra tīrthe naraḥ snātvā varṣamekaṃ prayatnataḥ koṭarākṣīmukhaṃ dṛṣṭvā lakṣmīmāpnoti puṣkalām

Whatever man bathes diligently at that tirtha for a full year, and beholds the face of Kotarakshi, obtains abundant fortune.

Verse 6 (padma.6.159.6)

सिद्धतीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा दृष्ट्वा कोटरवासिनीम् । सिंहयुक्तेन यानेन रुद्रलोके महीयते

siddhatīrthe naraḥ snātvā dṛṣṭvā koṭaravāsinīm siṃhayuktena yānena rudraloke mahīyate

A man who bathes at Siddha-tirtha and beholds her who dwells in the hollow, Kotaravasini, is honored in the world of Rudra, borne there upon a lion-yoked chariot.

Verse 7 (padma.6.159.7)

यस्यां वै स्मरणादेव मुक्तः सोऽपि वरानने । अतोयेऽत्र प्रगच्छंति ते नरा मुक्तिभागिनः

yasyāṃ vai smaraṇādeva muktaḥ so'pi varānane atoye'tra pragacchaṃti te narā muktibhāginaḥ

By the mere remembrance of her, even he, Aniruddha, was released, O fair-faced one. Therefore whoever comes here becomes a partaker of liberation.

Verse 8 (padma.6.159.8)

तत्र गत्वा विशेषेण स्नानं कृत्वा तु पार्वति । कोटराक्ष्यास्ततः स्तोत्रं पठेद्वै बुद्धिपूर्वकम्

tatra gatvā viśeṣeṇa snānaṃ kṛtvā tu pārvati koṭarākṣyāstataḥ stotraṃ paṭhedvai buddhipūrvakam

Going there, and especially having bathed, O Parvati, one should then recite the hymn to Kotarakshi with full understanding:

Verse 9 (padma.6.159.9)

कोटराक्षी विश्वरूपा महामाया बलाधिका । त्रिपुरा त्रिपुरघ्नी च शिवा वै शिवरूपिणी

koṭarākṣī viśvarūpā mahāmāyā balādhikā tripurā tripuraghnī ca śivā vai śivarūpiṇī

'Kotarakshi, the universal-formed, the great illusion, of surpassing strength; Tripura, and the slayer of Tripura; Shiva, of Shiva's own form;'

Verse 10 (padma.6.159.10)

कन्या सारस्वती प्रोक्ता दुर्गा दुर्गतिहारिणी । भैरवी भैरवाक्षी च लक्ष्मी देवी जनप्रिया

kanyā sārasvatī proktā durgā durgatihāriṇī bhairavī bhairavākṣī ca lakṣmī devī janapriyā

'the Maiden; called Sarasvati; Durga, remover of misfortune; Bhairavi and Bhairavakshi; and Lakshmi, the goddess beloved of the people.'

Verse 11 (padma.6.159.11)

एतानि बहुधोक्तानि नामानि च सुरेश्वरि । ये पठंति नरश्रेष्ठास्ते यांति शिवसन्निधौ

etāni bahudhoktāni nāmāni ca sureśvari ye paṭhaṃti naraśreṣṭhāste yāṃti śivasannidhau

These names, spoken in many forms, O queen of the gods -- those best of men who recite them attain the presence of Shiva.

Verse 12 (padma.6.159.12)

अनिरुद्धकृतं स्तोत्रं ये जपंति मनीषिणः । मुच्यंते कष्टबंधात्ते सत्यंसत्यं वरानने

aniruddhakṛtaṃ stotraṃ ye japaṃti manīṣiṇaḥ mucyaṃte kaṣṭabaṃdhātte satyaṃsatyaṃ varānane

Those wise ones who recite the hymn composed by Aniruddha are freed from the bondage of hardship -- truly, truly, O fair-faced one.

Verse 13 (padma.6.159.13)

तीर्थानां परमं तीर्थं कोटरानिर्मितं भुवि । दर्शनादेव नश्यंति पापानां राशयस्तथा

tīrthānāṃ paramaṃ tīrthaṃ koṭarānirmitaṃ bhuvi darśanādeva naśyaṃti pāpānāṃ rāśayastathā

This is the supreme among tirthas on earth, made by Kotara herself; by the mere sight of it, entire heaps of sin are destroyed.