The Glory of Kapotaka (the Pigeon's Sacrifice)

Verse 1 (padma.6.162.1)

महादेव उवाच। ततो गच्छेत्तथा देवि तीर्थं कापोतिकं पुनः । यत्र साभ्रमती तोयं प्राचीनं संप्रवर्त्तते

mahādeva uvāca tato gacchettathā devi tīrthaṃ kāpotikaṃ punaḥ yatra sābhramatī toyaṃ prācīnaṃ saṃpravarttate

Mahadeva said: One should then go on, O goddess, to the tirtha called Kapotika, where the water of the Sabarmati flows toward the east.

Verse 2 (padma.6.162.2)

पिंडं ददाति यस्तत्र पितृतर्पणपूर्वकम् । वन्यैः फलैस्तथा पुष्पैः सदा पर्वणि पर्वणि

piṃḍaṃ dadāti yastatra pitṛtarpaṇapūrvakam vanyaiḥ phalaistathā puṣpaiḥ sadā parvaṇi parvaṇi

Whoever offers rice-balls there, preceded by libations to the ancestors, with forest fruits and flowers, on every sacred occasion,

Verse 3 (padma.6.162.3)

काकादिभ्यश्च श्वादिभ्यो बलिं संददते तु यः । यमस्य पंथानं सोऽपि ससुखं निस्तरेन्नरः

kākādibhyaśca śvādibhyo baliṃ saṃdadate tu yaḥ yamasya paṃthānaṃ so'pi sasukhaṃ nistarennaraḥ

and whoever offers a portion to crows and to dogs and the like, that man crosses even the path of Yama with ease.

Verse 4 (padma.6.162.4)

तत्र तीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा वैशाख्यां गौरसर्षपैः । पूजयेद्देवमीशानं प्राचीनेश्वरमुत्तमम्

tatra tīrthe naraḥ snātvā vaiśākhyāṃ gaurasarṣapaiḥ pūjayeddevamīśānaṃ prācīneśvaramuttamam

Bathing at that tirtha, in the month of Vaishakha, one should worship, with white mustard seeds, the excellent god Ishana as Prachinesvara,

Verse 5 (padma.6.162.5)

आत्मानं तारयेत्सोऽथ पितॄनथ पितामहान् । कपोतो यत्र चात्मानं दत्त्वा चातिथये मुदा

ātmānaṃ tārayetso'tha pitṝnatha pitāmahān kapoto yatra cātmānaṃ dattvā cātithaye mudā

and thereby deliver himself, and his fathers, and his grandfathers -- at the very place where a pigeon, gladly giving his own self to a guest,

Verse 6 (padma.6.162.6)

स्तुतो देवगणैः सर्वैर्विमानेन दिवं गतैः । तदा प्रभृति तत्तीर्थं कापोतमिति विश्रुतम्

stuto devagaṇaiḥ sarvairvimānena divaṃ gataiḥ tadā prabhṛti tattīrthaṃ kāpotamiti viśrutam

was praised by all the hosts of gods, and went to heaven in a celestial chariot; from that time this tirtha became renowned as Kapotaka.

Verse 7 (padma.6.162.7)

तत्र स्नात्वा नरः पीत्वा ब्रह्महत्यां व्यपोहति । पार्वत्युवाच। कपोतेन कथं दत्तं शरीरं च वद प्रभो । निमित्तं किं तथा देव नाहं वेद्मि सुरेश्वर

tatra snātvā naraḥ pītvā brahmahatyāṃ vyapohati pārvatyuvāca kapotena kathaṃ dattaṃ śarīraṃ ca vada prabho nimittaṃ kiṃ tathā deva nāhaṃ vedmi sureśvara

Bathing and drinking there, a man dispels even the sin of killing a brahmin. Parvati said: How did the pigeon give up his body? Tell me, O lord; and for what reason, O god? I do not know, O lord of the gods.

Verse 8 (padma.6.162.8)

महादेव उवाच। अत्र तीर्थेति देवेशि वटो वै परमो महान् । तस्य शाखा ह्यनंताश्च दृश्यंते विपुला भुवि

mahādeva uvāca atra tīrtheti deveśi vaṭo vai paramo mahān tasya śākhā hyanaṃtāśca dṛśyaṃte vipulā bhuvi

Mahadeva said: At this tirtha, O queen of the gods, there stands a supremely great banyan tree, whose branches, countless and vast, are seen spreading upon the earth.

Verse 9 (padma.6.162.9)

तत्र जीवा वसंतीह पक्षिणो बहवस्तथा । कपोतेन गृहं तत्र कारितं तु सुरेश्वरि

tatra jīvā vasaṃtīha pakṣiṇo bahavastathā kapotena gṛhaṃ tatra kāritaṃ tu sureśvari

There many living creatures dwell, and many birds as well; and there, O queen of the gods, a pigeon had made his home.

Verse 10 (padma.6.162.10)

तत्र तिष्ठति पक्षीशो नित्यं विष्णुपरायणः । कुटुंबेन समायुक्तो शाखायां वसति ध्रुवम्

tatra tiṣṭhati pakṣīśo nityaṃ viṣṇuparāyaṇaḥ kuṭuṃbena samāyukto śākhāyāṃ vasati dhruvam

There that lord among birds dwelt, ever devoted to Vishnu; together with his family he lived, without fail, upon a branch.

Verse 11 (padma.6.162.11)

एकस्मिन्वासरे देवि द्वादश्यां विष्णुवासरे । श्येनस्तत्र समायातो ह्यतिथित्वेन भामिनि

ekasminvāsare devi dvādaśyāṃ viṣṇuvāsare śyenastatra samāyāto hyatithitvena bhāmini

One day, O goddess, on the twelfth day, the very day sacred to Vishnu, a hawk came there as a guest, O lady --

Verse 12 (padma.6.162.12)

कपोत भो देहि मांसं तव शारीरकं मम । नोचेच्छापं प्रदास्यामि इत्युक्तं नगनंदिनि

kapota bho dehi māṃsaṃ tava śārīrakaṃ mama nocecchāpaṃ pradāsyāmi ityuktaṃ naganaṃdini

and said: 'O pigeon, give me flesh -- your very body is mine; otherwise I shall give you a curse.' Thus he spoke, O daughter of the mountain.

Verse 13 (padma.6.162.13)

अद्य वै वासरे विष्णोः क्षुधार्तोऽहं समागतः । तस्माद्देयं हि मांसं तत्क्षुधार्ताय मम प्रभो

adya vai vāsare viṣṇoḥ kṣudhārto'haṃ samāgataḥ tasmāddeyaṃ hi māṃsaṃ tatkṣudhārtāya mama prabho

'Today, on this very day of Vishnu, I have come tormented by hunger. Therefore flesh must be given, O lord, to me who am so afflicted by hunger.'

Verse 14 (padma.6.162.14)

श्येनोक्तं तत्तु वै श्रुत्वा कपोतो वैष्णवो महान् । तेन दत्तं तदा देवि शरीरं नात्र संशयः

śyenoktaṃ tattu vai śrutvā kapoto vaiṣṇavo mahān tena dattaṃ tadā devi śarīraṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ

Hearing these words of the hawk, that great devotee of Vishnu, the pigeon, then gave up his own body, O goddess -- there is no doubt of this.

Verse 15 (padma.6.162.15)

तेन दानप्रभावेन तीर्थं जातं सुरोत्तमे । कापोतकं महत्तीर्थं पावनानां च पावनम्

tena dānaprabhāvena tīrthaṃ jātaṃ surottame kāpotakaṃ mahattīrthaṃ pāvanānāṃ ca pāvanam

By the power of that gift, O best of gods, this great tirtha, Kapotaka, arose, the purifier of all things purifying.

Verse 16 (padma.6.162.16)

अत्र तीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा कृत्वा वै शिवपूजनम् । ददाति चातिथिभ्यश्च मिष्टमन्नं सुरोत्तमे

atra tīrthe naraḥ snātvā kṛtvā vai śivapūjanam dadāti cātithibhyaśca miṣṭamannaṃ surottame

O best of gods, whatever man bathes at this tirtha, performs the worship of Shiva, and gives sweet food to guests,

Verse 17 (padma.6.162.17)

इहलोके सुखं भुक्त्वा याति विष्णोः सनातनम् । दत्त्वा वै स्वशरीरं तु कपोतोऽथ महात्मने

ihaloke sukhaṃ bhuktvā yāti viṣṇoḥ sanātanam dattvā vai svaśarīraṃ tu kapoto'tha mahātmane

having enjoyed happiness in this world, goes to the eternal abode of Vishnu. And having given up his own body to that great-souled guest, the pigeon

Verse 18 (padma.6.162.18)

स गतो वैष्णवं तत्र यावच्चंद्र दिवाकरौ । अतो गत्वा तु भो देवि अतिथिं पूजयेत्सदा । पूजिते चातिथौ तत्र सर्वं च लभते ध्रुवम्

sa gato vaiṣṇavaṃ tatra yāvaccaṃdra divākarau ato gatvā tu bho devi atithiṃ pūjayetsadā pūjite cātithau tatra sarvaṃ ca labhate dhruvam

attained the world of Vishnu, for as long as the moon and sun shall endure. Therefore, O goddess, having come here, one should always honor a guest; when a guest is duly honored there, everything is certainly obtained.