The Glory of the Triple Shrine and the Sacred Tanks

Verse 1 (skanda.1.88.1)

॥नारद उवाच॥ अथान्यत्संप्रवक्ष्यामि शालामाहात्म्य मुत्तमम्॥ संस्थापिते पुरा स्थाने प्रोक्तोहं द्विजपुंगवैः

nārada uvāca athānyatsaṁpravakṣyāmi śālāmāhātmya muttamam saṁsthāpite purā sthāne proktohaṁ dvijapuṁgavaiḥ

Narada said: "Now I shall further declare the supreme glory of the shrine-hall. When this place was first established, the foremost among the brahmins addressed me thus:"

Verse 2 (skanda.1.88.2)

स्थानस्य रक्षणार्थाय उपायं कुरु सुव्रत॥ ततो मया प्रतिज्ञातं करिष्ये स्थान रक्षणम्

sthānasya rakṣaṇārthāya upāyaṁ kuru suvrata tato mayā pratijñātaṁ kariṣye sthāna rakṣaṇam

"'O man of good vows, devise some means for the protection of this place.' Then I made this vow: 'I shall bring about the protection of this place.'"

Verse 3 (skanda.1.88.3)

आराधिता मया पश्चाद्ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः॥ त्रयस्त्वेकाग्रचित्तेन ततस्तुष्टाः सुरोत्तमाः

ārādhitā mayā paścādbrahmaviṣṇumaheśvarāḥ trayastvekāgracittena tatastuṣṭāḥ surottamāḥ

"Then I worshipped Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara — all three together — with an undivided mind; and thereupon those foremost gods were pleased,"

Verse 4 (skanda.1.88.4)

समागम्याथ मां प्रोचुर्नारद व्रियतां वरः॥ प्रोक्तं तानार्च्य च मया क्रियतां स्थानरक्षणम्

samāgamyātha māṁ procurnārada vriyatāṁ varaḥ proktaṁ tānārcya ca mayā kriyatāṁ sthānarakṣaṇam

"—and coming before me they said: 'Narada, choose your boon.' Having worshipped them, I replied: 'Let this place's protection be secured.'"

Verse 5 (skanda.1.88.5)

अयमेव वरो मह्यं देयो देवैः सुतोषितैः॥ स्थानलोपो यथा न स्याद्यथा कीर्तिर्भवेन्मम

ayameva varo mahyaṁ deyo devaiḥ sutoṣitaiḥ sthānalopo yathā na syādyathā kīrtirbhavenmama

"'Let this alone be the boon that you gods, so well pleased, grant me — that this place shall never fall into ruin, and that my fame shall thereby endure.'"

Verse 6 (skanda.1.88.6)

एवमस्त्विति देवेशैः प्रतिज्ञातं तदा मुने॥ स्वांशेन प्रकरिप्याम द्विजानां तव रक्षणम्

evamastviti deveśaiḥ pratijñātaṁ tadā mune svāṁśena prakaripyāma dvijānāṁ tava rakṣaṇam

"'So be it,' the lords of the gods then vowed, O sage: 'We shall ourselves, through a portion of our being, provide for the protection of your brahmins.'"

Verse 7 (skanda.1.88.7)

एवमुक्त्वा कला मुक्ता देवैस्त्रिपुरुषैः स्वयम्॥ अंतर्धानं ततः प्राप्ताः सर्वेऽपि सुरसत्तमाः

evamuktvā kalā muktā devaistripuruṣaiḥ svayam aṁtardhānaṁ tataḥ prāptāḥ sarve'pi surasattamāḥ

"Having spoken thus, those three gods themselves released a portion of their divine essence; and then all those foremost gods vanished from sight."

Verse 8 (skanda.1.88.8)

ततो मया द्विजैः सार्धं शालाग्रे स्थानरक्षणम्॥ स्थापिताश्च पृथग्देवास्त्रयस्त्रिभुवनेश्वराः

tato mayā dvijaiḥ sārdhaṁ śālāgre sthānarakṣaṇam sthāpitāśca pṛthagdevāstrayastribhuvaneśvarāḥ

"Then, together with the brahmins, I established the protection of the place at the front of the hall, and the three gods, lords of the three worlds, were installed there separately."

Verse 9 (skanda.1.88.9)

पीड्यमाना यदा विप्राः केनापि च भवंति हि॥ पूर्वाह्ने चापि ऋग्वेदं मध्याह्ने च यजूं ष्यथ

pīḍyamānā yadā viprāḥ kenāpi ca bhavaṁti hi pūrvāhne cāpi ṛgvedaṁ madhyāhne ca yajūṁ ṣyatha

"Whenever the brahmins are oppressed by anyone, then, reciting the Rig Veda in the forenoon, the Yajur Veda at midday,"

Verse 10 (skanda.1.88.10)

यामे तृतीये सामानि तारस्वरमधीत्य च॥ शापं यस्य प्रदास्यंति शालाग्रे भृशरोषिताः

yāme tṛtīye sāmāni tārasvaramadhītya ca śāpaṁ yasya pradāsyaṁti śālāgre bhṛśaroṣitāḥ

"—and the Samans in the third watch of the day, chanting them in a raised voice — whomever they, greatly enraged, curse there at the front of the hall—"

Verse 11 (skanda.1.88.11)

सप्ताहाद्वर्षमध्याद्वा त्रिवर्षाद्भस्मतां व्रजेत्॥ प्रतिज्ञाता स्थानरक्षा यदि वो नारदाग्रतः

saptāhādvarṣamadhyādvā trivarṣādbhasmatāṁ vrajet pratijñātā sthānarakṣā yadi vo nāradāgrataḥ

"—that person shall, within a week, within a year, or within three years, be reduced to ashes — if indeed you have vowed before Narada to protect this place."

Verse 12 (skanda.1.88.12)

सत्येन तेन नो वैरी भस्मीभवतु ह क्षणात्॥ अनेन शाप मंत्रेण भस्मीभवति निश्चितम्

satyena tena no vairī bhasmībhavatu ha kṣaṇāt anena śāpa maṁtreṇa bhasmībhavati niścitam

"'By that very truth, let our enemy be reduced to ashes this very instant.' By this curse-mantra, he is turned to ashes without fail."

Verse 13 (skanda.1.88.13)

शालां त्रिपुरुषां तत्र यः पश्यति दिनेदिने॥ अर्चयेत्तोषयेच्चासौ स्वर्गलोके महीयते

śālāṁ tripuruṣāṁ tatra yaḥ paśyati dinedine arcayettoṣayeccāsau svargaloke mahīyate

"Whoever beholds that Triple-God shrine-hall day after day, and worships and pleases it, is glorified in the world of heaven."

Verse 14 (skanda.1.88.14)

इति त्रिपुरुषशालामाहात्म्यम्॥ नारद उवाच॥ अथान्यत्संप्रवक्ष्यामि मदीयसरसो महत्

iti tripuruṣaśālāmāhātmyam nārada uvāca athānyatsaṁpravakṣyāmi madīyasaraso mahat

"Thus ends the glory of the Tripurusha-shala, the Triple-God hall. Narada said: 'Now I shall further declare the great glory of my own lake.'"

Verse 15 (skanda.1.88.15)

माहात्म्यमतुलं पार्थ देवानामपि दुर्लभम्॥ मया पूर्वं सरः खातं दर्भांकुरशलाकया

māhātmyamatulaṁ pārtha devānāmapi durlabham mayā pūrvaṁ saraḥ khātaṁ darbhāṁkuraśalākayā

"'It is a glory beyond compare, O Partha, difficult to attain even for the gods. In ancient times, I myself dug this lake with nothing more than a single sprout of darbha-grass.'"

Verse 16 (skanda.1.88.16)

मृत्तिका ताम्रपात्रेण त्यक्ता बाह्ये ततः स्वयम्॥ सर्वेषामेव तीर्थानामाहृत्योदक मुत्तमम्

mṛttikā tāmrapātreṇa tyaktā bāhye tataḥ svayam sarveṣāmeva tīrthānāmāhṛtyodaka muttamam

"'The earth I dug out I myself carried away outside in a copper vessel; and then, having gathered the finest waters of every tirtha,'"

Verse 17 (skanda.1.88.17)

तत्तत्र सरसि क्षिप्तं तेन संपूरितं सरः॥ आश्विने मासि संप्राप्ते भानुवारे नरः शुचिः

tattatra sarasi kṣiptaṁ tena saṁpūritaṁ saraḥ āśvine māsi saṁprāpte bhānuvāre naraḥ śuciḥ

"'—that water was poured into the lake, and by it the lake was filled full.' When the month of Ashvina arrives, on a Sunday, a man made pure,"

Verse 18 (skanda.1.88.18)

श्राद्धं यः कुरुते तत्र स्नात्वा दानं विशेषतः॥ पितरस्तस्य तृप्यंति यावदाभूतसंप्लवम्

śrāddhaṁ yaḥ kurute tatra snātvā dānaṁ viśeṣataḥ pitarastasya tṛpyaṁti yāvadābhūtasaṁplavam

"—who, having bathed there, performs the shraddha and gives gifts especially, for him the ancestors remain satisfied until the very dissolution of the universe."

Verse 19 (skanda.1.88.19)

नारदीयं सरो ह्येतद्विख्यात जगतीतले॥ महता पुण्ययोगेन देवैरपि हि लभ्यते

nāradīyaṁ saro hyetadvikhyāta jagatītale mahatā puṇyayogena devairapi hi labhyate

"This Naradiya lake is renowned throughout the earth; even the gods attain it only through a great accumulation of merit."

Verse 20 (skanda.1.88.20)

यदत्र दीयते दानं हूयते यच्च पावके॥ सर्वं तदक्षयं विद्याज्जपानशनसाधनात्

yadatra dīyate dānaṁ hūyate yacca pāvake sarvaṁ tadakṣayaṁ vidyājjapānaśanasādhanāt

"Whatever gift is given here, and whatever is offered into the sacred fire — know all of it to become imperishable, through the practice of recitation and fasting."

Verse 21 (skanda.1.88.21)

नारदीये सरःश्रेष्ठे स्नात्वा यो नारदेश्व रम्॥ पूजयेच्छ्रद्धया मर्त्यः सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते

nāradīye saraḥśreṣṭhe snātvā yo nāradeśva ram pūjayecchraddhayā martyaḥ sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate

"Whatever mortal bathes in the excellent Naradiya lake and worships Naradeshvara with faith is released from every sin."

Verse 22 (skanda.1.88.22)

अत्र तीर्थे पुरा पार्थ सर्वनागैस्तपः कृतम्॥ कद्रूशापस्य मोक्षार्थमात्मनो हितका म्यया

atra tīrthe purā pārtha sarvanāgaistapaḥ kṛtam kadrūśāpasya mokṣārthamātmano hitakā myayā

"At this tirtha, O Partha, in ancient times austerity was performed by all the serpents, seeking release from the curse of Kadru, for their own welfare."

Verse 23 (skanda.1.88.23)

ततः सिद्धिं परां प्राप्ता एतर्त्तार्थप्रभावतः॥ ततो नागेश्वरं लिंगं स्थापयामासुरूर्जितम्

tataḥ siddhiṁ parāṁ prāptā etarttārthaprabhāvataḥ tato nāgeśvaraṁ liṁgaṁ sthāpayāmāsurūrjitam

"Then they attained supreme perfection through the power of this tirtha; and thereupon they established there the mighty linga called Nageshvara."

Verse 24 (skanda.1.88.24)

नारदादुत्तरे भागे सर्वे नागाः प्रहर्षिताः॥ नारदीये सरःश्रेष्ठे यः स्नात्वा पूजयेद्धरम्

nāradāduttare bhāge sarve nāgāḥ praharṣitāḥ nāradīye saraḥśreṣṭhe yaḥ snātvā pūjayeddharam

"To the north of Narada's own linga, all the serpents, greatly rejoicing, established this. Whoever bathes in the excellent Naradiya lake and worships Hara,"

Verse 25 (skanda.1.88.25)

नागेश्वरं महाभक्त्या तस्य पुण्यमनन्तकम्॥ तेषां सर्पभयं नास्ति नागानां वचनं यथा

nāgeśvaraṁ mahābhaktyā tasya puṇyamanantakam teṣāṁ sarpabhayaṁ nāsti nāgānāṁ vacanaṁ yathā

"—that is, worships Nageshvara with great devotion, his merit becomes boundless; and, by the very word of the serpents themselves, he has no fear of snakes."

Verse 26 (skanda.1.88.26)

इति नारदीयसरोमाहात्म्यम्॥ अपरद्वारकानाम देवी चात्रास्ति पांडव

iti nāradīyasaromāhātmyam aparadvārakānāma devī cātrāsti pāṁḍava

"Thus ends the glory of the Naradiya lake. There is also here, O Pandava, a goddess named Aparadvaraka, the Lady of the Western Gate."

Verse 27 (skanda.1.88.27)

॥नारद उवाच॥ सा च ब्रह्मांडद्वारे वै सदैव विहितालया॥ चतुर्विंशतिकोटीभिर्देवीभिः परिरक्षिता

nārada uvāca sā ca brahmāṁḍadvāre vai sadaiva vihitālayā caturviṁśatikoṭībhirdevībhiḥ parirakṣitā

Narada said: "And she has her dwelling ever fixed at the gateway of the cosmic egg, guarded by twenty-four crores of goddesses."

Verse 28 (skanda.1.88.28)

ततो दीर्घं तपस्तप्त्वा मयानीतात्र तोषिता॥ अपरस्मिंस्ततो द्वारे स्था पिता परमेश्वरी

tato dīrghaṁ tapastaptvā mayānītātra toṣitā aparasmiṁstato dvāre sthā pitā parameśvarī

"Having performed long austerity, I pleased her and brought her here; and she was then installed as Parameshvari at the western gate."

Verse 29 (skanda.1.88.29)

पूर्वस्मिन्नगरद्वारे स्थापिता द्वारवासिनी॥ नवमी चैत्रमासस्य कृष्णपक्षे भवेत्तु या

pūrvasminnagaradvāre sthāpitā dvāravāsinī navamī caitramāsasya kṛṣṇapakṣe bhavettu yā

"Dvaravasini, the Dweller of the Gate, was established at the eastern gate of the city. On whatever ninth day falls in the dark fortnight of the month of Chaitra,"

Verse 30 (skanda.1.88.30)

कुण्डे स्नानं नरः कृत्वा तां च देवीं प्रपूजयेत्॥ बलिबाकुलनैवेद्यैर्गन्धधूपादिपूजनैः

kuṇḍe snānaṁ naraḥ kṛtvā tāṁ ca devīṁ prapūjayet balibākulanaivedyairgandhadhūpādipūjanaiḥ

"—a man, having bathed in the sacred pool, should worship that goddess with offerings, with bakula flowers, with naivedya, and with fragrant paste, incense, and the like."

Verse 31 (skanda.1.88.31)

सप्तजन्मकृतं पापं नाशमायाति तत्क्षणात्॥ यान्यान्प्रार्थयते कामांस्तांस्ताना प्नोति मानवः

saptajanmakṛtaṁ pāpaṁ nāśamāyāti tatkṣaṇāt yānyānprārthayate kāmāṁstāṁstānā pnoti mānavaḥ

"The sin accumulated over seven births is destroyed that very instant. Whatever desires a person prays for, all of them he obtains."

Verse 32 (skanda.1.88.32)

वन्ध्या च लभते पुत्रं स्नानमात्रेण तत्र वै॥ नवम्यां चैत्रमासस्य पुष्पधूपार्घ्यपूजया

vandhyā ca labhate putraṁ snānamātreṇa tatra vai navamyāṁ caitramāsasya puṣpadhūpārghyapūjayā

"Even a barren woman obtains a son merely by bathing there, on the ninth day of the month of Chaitra, through worship with flowers, incense, and an offering of arghya."

Verse 33 (skanda.1.88.33)

विघ्नानि नाशयेद्देवी सर्व सिद्धिं प्रयच्छति॥ भक्तानां तत्क्षणादेव सत्यमेतन्न संशयः

vighnāni nāśayeddevī sarva siddhiṁ prayacchati bhaktānāṁ tatkṣaṇādeva satyametanna saṁśayaḥ

"The goddess destroys the obstacles of her devotees and grants them every accomplishment, that very instant — this is true, and there is no doubt of it."

Verse 34 (skanda.1.88.34)

उत्तरद्वारकां चापि पूज्यैवं विधिवन्नरः॥ एतदेव फलं सोपि प्राप्नुयान्मान वोत्तमः

uttaradvārakāṁ cāpi pūjyaivaṁ vidhivannaraḥ etadeva phalaṁ sopi prāpnuyānmāna vottamaḥ

"And a man who, in this same way, duly worships the goddess of the northern gate obtains this very same fruit, being reckoned among the best of men."

Verse 35 (skanda.1.88.35)

पूर्वद्वारे तु वै देवी या स्थिता द्वारवासिनी॥ तस्याः पूजनमात्रेण प्राप्नुयाद्वांछितं फलम्

pūrvadvāre tu vai devī yā sthitā dvāravāsinī tasyāḥ pūjanamātreṇa prāpnuyādvāṁchitaṁ phalam

"And the goddess who stands at the eastern gate as Dvaravasini — by worshipping her alone, one obtains the fruit one desires."

Verse 36 (skanda.1.88.36)

आश्विने मासि संप्राप्ते नव रात्रे विशेषतः॥ उपोष्य नवरात्रं च स्नात्वा कुण्डे समाहितः

āśvine māsi saṁprāpte nava rātre viśeṣataḥ upoṣya navarātraṁ ca snātvā kuṇḍe samāhitaḥ

"When the month of Ashvina arrives, especially during the nine nights of Navaratri, having fasted throughout those nine nights and bathed in the pool with a composed mind,"

Verse 37 (skanda.1.88.37)

पूजयेद्देवतां भक्त्या पुष्पधूपान्नतर्पणैः॥ अपुत्रो लभते पुत्रान्निर्धनो लभते धनम्

pūjayeddevatāṁ bhaktyā puṣpadhūpānnatarpaṇaiḥ aputro labhate putrānnirdhano labhate dhanam

"—one should worship the goddess with devotion, offering flowers, incense, food, and libations. The childless obtain children, the poor obtain wealth,"

Verse 38 (skanda.1.88.38)

वन्ध्या प्रसूयते पार्थ नात्र कार्या विचारणा

vandhyā prasūyate pārtha nātra kāryā vicāraṇā

"—and a barren woman, O Partha, bears a child; there is no need for doubt about this."