The Glory of Shri Shaila

Verse 1 (padma.6.19.1)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।श्रीशैलः पर्वतो रम्यः कुत्र तिष्ठति नारद । किं तत्र वर्त्तते तीर्थं कस्य देवस्य पूजनम् । कस्यां दिशि समाख्यातो लोकेषु च वदाधुना

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca śrīśailaḥ parvato ramyaḥ kutra tiṣṭhati nārada kiṁ tatra varttate tīrthaṁ kasya devasya pūjanam kasyāṁ diśi samākhyāto lokeṣu ca vadādhunā

Yudhishthira said: O Narada, where does the lovely mountain Shri Shaila stand? What tirtha is there, whose worship is it? In which direction, and by what name among the worlds, is it known — tell me now.

Verse 2 (padma.6.19.2)

नारद उवाच ।शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि श्रीशैलं पर्वतोत्तमम् । यं श्रुत्वा मुच्यते लोको बालहत्यादि पातकात्

nārada uvāca śṛṇu rājanpravakṣyāmi śrīśailaṁ parvatottamam yaṁ śrutvā mucyate loko bālahatyādi pātakāt

Narada said: Listen, O king, I shall describe Shri Shaila, the finest of mountains, hearing of which a person is freed from sins such as the killing of a child.

Verse 3 (padma.6.19.3)

तत्पर्वतवनं रम्यं मुनिभिश्चोपसेवितम् । नानाद्रुमलताकीर्णं नानापुष्पोपशोभितम्

tatparvatavanaṁ ramyaṁ munibhiścopasevitam nānādrumalatākīrṇaṁ nānāpuṣpopaśobhitam

That mountain's forest is most lovely, attended by sages, thronged with many trees and creepers, and adorned with many flowers.

Verse 4 (padma.6.19.4)

हंसकोकिलनादैश्च मयूरध्वनिनादितम् । श्रीवृक्षैश्च कपित्थैश्च शिरीषै राजवृक्षकैः

haṁsakokilanādaiśca mayūradhvanināditam śrīvṛkṣaiśca kapitthaiśca śirīṣai rājavṛkṣakaiḥ

It resounds with the calls of swans and cuckoos, echoing with the cries of peacocks; there are shri-trees, wood-apple, shirisha, and golden-shower trees,

Verse 5 (padma.6.19.5)

पारिजातकपुष्पैश्च कदंबोदुंबरैस्तथा । नानापुष्पैः सुगंधाढ्यैर्वासितं तद्वनं गिरौ

pārijātakapuṣpaiśca kadaṁboduṁbaraistathā nānāpuṣpaiḥ sugaṁdhāḍhyairvāsitaṁ tadvanaṁ girau

parijata blossoms, kadamba and fig trees as well — that forest on the mountain is fragrant with many sweet-scented flowers.

Verse 6 (padma.6.19.6)

सर्वाभिरृषिपत्नीभिः सशिष्याभिः सुसेवितम् । केचिदभ्यासयुक्ताश्च केचिद्व्याख्यानतत्पराः

sarvābhirṛṣipatnībhiḥ saśiṣyābhiḥ susevitam kecidabhyāsayuktāśca kecidvyākhyānatatparāḥ

It is well attended by all the sages' wives, together with their disciples; some are engaged in practice, some devoted to expounding scripture.

Verse 7 (padma.6.19.7)

केचिदूर्ध्वभुजास्तत्र अंगुष्ठाग्रैः स्थिताः परे । शिवध्यानरताः केचित्केचिद्विष्णुपरायणाः

kecidūrdhvabhujāstatra aṁguṣṭhāgraiḥ sthitāḥ pare śivadhyānaratāḥ kecitkecidviṣṇuparāyaṇāḥ

Some stand there with arms raised, some balance on their toe-tips; some are absorbed in meditation on Shiva, some are wholly devoted to Vishnu.

Verse 8 (padma.6.19.8)

निराहाराश्च केप्यत्र केचित्पर्णाशने रताः । कंदमूलफलाहाराः केचिन्मौनव्रताः स्थिताः

nirāhārāśca kepyatra kecitparṇāśane ratāḥ kaṁdamūlaphalāhārāḥ kecinmaunavratāḥ sthitāḥ

Some there are without food, some devoted to eating only leaves; some subsist on roots, bulbs, and fruit; some remain under vows of silence.

Verse 9 (padma.6.19.9)

एकपादाः स्थिताः केचित्केचित्पद्मासने स्थिताः । केचिच्चैव निराहारास्तपस्तेपुः सुदुष्करम्

ekapādāḥ sthitāḥ kecitkecitpadmāsane sthitāḥ keciccaiva nirāhārāstapastepuḥ suduṣkaram

Some stand on one foot, some sit in lotus posture; and some, without any food at all, perform the most difficult austerities.

Verse 10 (padma.6.19.10)

आश्रमाणि च पुण्यानि नद्यश्च विविधाः शुभाः । देवखातान्यनेकानि तडागानि बहूनि च

āśramāṇi ca puṇyāni nadyaśca vividhāḥ śubhāḥ devakhātānyanekāni taḍāgāni bahūni ca

There are sacred hermitages, many auspicious rivers, many divine reservoirs, and many tanks besides.

Verse 11 (padma.6.19.11)

पर्वतोऽयं महाराज दृश्यते किल सर्वतः । मल्लिकार्जुनको राजन्यत्र तिष्ठति नित्यशः

parvato'yaṁ mahārāja dṛśyate kila sarvataḥ mallikārjunako rājanyatra tiṣṭhati nityaśaḥ

O great king, this mountain is truly visible from every side; O king, where Mallikarjuna dwells forever,

Verse 12 (padma.6.19.12)

तच्चैव शिखरं रम्यं पर्वतोपरि सेवितम् । शृंगदर्शनमात्रेण मुक्तिरेव न संशयः

taccaiva śikharaṁ ramyaṁ parvatopari sevitam śṛṁgadarśanamātreṇa muktireva na saṁśayaḥ

that very lovely peak is worshipped upon the mountain; by the mere sight of that peak, liberation is certain, without doubt.

Verse 13 (padma.6.19.13)

दक्षिणां दिशमाश्रित्य वर्त्तते पर्वतोत्तमः । अत्र गंगा महद्रम्या पातालेति समाश्रिता

dakṣiṇāṁ diśamāśritya varttate parvatottamaḥ atra gaṁgā mahadramyā pātāleti samāśritā

This finest of mountains lies toward the southern direction; here the great, lovely Ganga flows, having taken refuge as if from the netherworld.

Verse 14 (padma.6.19.14)

तत्र च स्नानमात्रेण महापापैः प्रमुच्यते । श्रीशैलशिखरं दृष्ट्वा वाराणस्यां मृतौ ध्रुवम्

tatra ca snānamātreṇa mahāpāpaiḥ pramucyate śrīśailaśikharaṁ dṛṣṭvā vārāṇasyāṁ mṛtau dhruvam

There, by mere bathing, a person is freed from great sins; having seen the peak of Shri Shaila, one who dies at Varanasi attains liberation for certain.

Verse 15 (padma.6.19.15)

केदारे ह्युदकं पीत्वा पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते । तापसानां महत्स्थानं योगिनां च तथैव च

kedāre hyudakaṁ pītvā punarjanma na vidyate tāpasānāṁ mahatsthānaṁ yogināṁ ca tathaiva ca

Having drunk the water at Kedara, there is no rebirth again; it is a great place for ascetics, and for yogis as well.

Verse 16 (padma.6.19.16)

तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन दर्शनं तस्य कारयेत् । अयं विज्ञानदेवोऽसौ महापातकनाशनः

tasmātsarvaprayatnena darśanaṁ tasya kārayet ayaṁ vijñānadevo'sau mahāpātakanāśanaḥ

Therefore, with every effort, one should arrange to see it; this is the very god of knowledge, the destroyer of great sins.

Verse 17 (padma.6.19.17)

सिद्धपुरं च नगरं रम्यं स्वर्गसुखावहम् । नित्यमप्सरसो यत्र गायंति च रमंति च

siddhapuraṁ ca nagaraṁ ramyaṁ svargasukhāvaham nityamapsaraso yatra gāyaṁti ca ramaṁti ca

There is a lovely city there named Siddhapura, bringing the bliss of heaven, where Apsaras ever sing and sport.

Verse 18 (padma.6.19.18)

अतः पर्वताराजोऽयं दर्शने सौख्यकारकः । तस्य तैर्दर्शनं कार्यं मुक्तिमिच्छंति ये नराः

ataḥ parvatārājo'yaṁ darśane saukhyakārakaḥ tasya tairdarśanaṁ kāryaṁ muktimicchaṁti ye narāḥ

Therefore this king of mountains brings happiness merely by being seen; those who desire liberation should be sure to behold it.