The Glory of Krishna-tirtha and Sage Ramakrishna

Verse 1 (skanda.2.15.1)

श्रीसूत उवाच । वेंकटाख्ये महापुण्ये सर्वपातकनाशने । कृष्णतीर्थस्य माहात्म्यं शृणुध्वं सुसमाहिताः ।

śrīsūta uvāca veṁkaṭākhye mahāpuṇye sarvapātakanāśane kṛṣṇatīrthasya māhātmyaṁ śṛṇudhvaṁ susamāhitāḥ

Shri Suta said: On the exceedingly meritorious mountain called Venkata, destroyer of every sin, hear now, with a focused mind, the glory of the Krishna-tirtha,

Verse 2 (skanda.2.15.2)

यत्र मज्जनमात्रेण कृतघ्नोऽपि विमुच्यते । पितॄन्मातॄर्गुरूंश्चावमन्यंते मोहमोहिताः ।

yatra majjanamātreṇa kṛtaghno'pi vimucyate pitṝnmātṝrgurūṁścāvamanyaṁte mohamohitāḥ

where merely by immersion even an ungrateful man is set free. Those who, deluded by delusion, dishonor their mother, father, and teachers,

Verse 3 (skanda.2.15.3)

ये चाप्यन्ये दुरात्मानः कृतघ्ना निरपत्रपाः । ते सर्वे कृष्णतीर्थेस्मिञ्छुद्ध्यन्ति स्नानमात्रतः ।

ye cāpyanye durātmānaḥ kṛtaghnā nirapatrapāḥ te sarve kṛṣṇatīrthesmiñchuddhyanti snānamātrataḥ

and whatever other wicked-souled, ungrateful, and shameless men there be — all of them are purified in this Krishna-tirtha by bathing alone.

Verse 4 (skanda.2.15.4)

कृष्णनामा मुनिः पूर्वं वेंकटाहृयभूधरे । अवर्तत तपः कुर्वन्विष्णुं ध्यायन्समाहितः ।

kṛṣṇanāmā muniḥ pūrvaṁ veṁkaṭāhṛyabhūdhare avartata tapaḥ kurvanviṣṇuṁ dhyāyansamāhitaḥ

Long ago, a sage named Krishna performed austerity upon this mountain called Venkata, meditating with focused mind upon Vishnu.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.15.5)

स तत्र कल्पयामास स्नानार्थं तीर्थमुत्तमम् । तत्र स्नात्वा सकृन्मर्त्यः कृतघ्नोऽपि विमुच्यते ।

sa tatra kalpayāmāsa snānārthaṁ tīrthamuttamam tatra snātvā sakṛnmartyaḥ kṛtaghno'pi vimucyate

He fashioned there an excellent tirtha for bathing. Bathing there even once, even an ungrateful man is set free.

Verse 6 (skanda.2.15.6)

अत्रेतिहासं वक्ष्यामि पुराणं पापनाशनम् । यस्य श्रवणमात्रेण नरो मुक्तिमवाप्नुयात् ।

atretihāsaṁ vakṣyāmi purāṇaṁ pāpanāśanam yasya śravaṇamātreṇa naro muktimavāpnuyāt

Here I shall relate an ancient, sin-destroying tale, by the mere hearing of which a man attains liberation.

Verse 7 (skanda.2.15.7)

पुरा बभूव विप्रेन्द्रो रामकृष्णो महामुनिः । सत्यवाञ्छीलवान्वाग्मी सर्वभूतदयान्वितः ।

purā babhūva viprendro rāmakṛṣṇo mahāmuniḥ satyavāñchīlavānvāgmī sarvabhūtadayānvitaḥ

Long ago there lived an excellent brahmin, the great sage Ramakrishna, truthful, of good conduct, eloquent, and full of compassion for all beings,

Verse 8 (skanda.2.15.8)

शत्रुमित्रसमो दान्तस्तपस्वी विजितेंद्रियः । परे ब्रह्मणि निष्णातो ब्रह्मतत्त्वैकसंश्रयः ।

śatrumitrasamo dāntastapasvī vijiteṁdriyaḥ pare brahmaṇi niṣṇāto brahmatattvaikasaṁśrayaḥ

regarding friend and foe alike, self-controlled, an ascetic who had conquered his senses, absorbed in the supreme Brahman, and taking refuge solely in the truth of Brahman.

Verse 9 (skanda.2.15.9)

एवंप्रभावः स मुनिस्तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम् । स वै निश्चलसर्वांगस्तिष्ठन्सर्वत्र भूतले ।

evaṁprabhāvaḥ sa munistapastepe sudāruṇam sa vai niścalasarvāṁgastiṣṭhansarvatra bhūtale

That sage of such great power performed the most severe austerity. Holding every limb of his body perfectly still, remaining thus fixed upon the earth,

Verse 10 (skanda.2.15.10)

परमाण्वन्तरं वापि न स्वस्थानाच्चचाल सः । स्थित्वा तत्र तपस्यंतमनेकशतवत्सरान् ।

paramāṇvantaraṁ vāpi na svasthānāccacāla saḥ sthitvā tatra tapasyaṁtamanekaśatavatsarān

he did not move even the width of a single atom from his place. Remaining thus fixed, performing austerity there for many hundreds of years,

Verse 11 (skanda.2.15.11)

तं चाक्रमत वल्मीकं छादितांगं चकार वै । वल्मीकाक्रान्तदेहोऽपि रामकृष्णो महामुनिः ।

taṁ cākramata valmīkaṁ chāditāṁgaṁ cakāra vai valmīkākrāntadeho'pi rāmakṛṣṇo mahāmuniḥ

an anthill grew up and covered him, enveloping his entire body. Even with his body thus covered by the anthill, that great sage Ramakrishna,

Verse 12 (skanda.2.15.12)

अकरोत्तप एवासौ वल्मीकं न त्वबुध्यत । तस्मिंश्च तप्यति तपो वासवो मुनिपुंगवे ।

akarottapa evāsau valmīkaṁ na tvabudhyata tasmiṁśca tapyati tapo vāsavo munipuṁgave

continued only his austerity, unaware of it at all. While that finest of sages was performing his austerity, Indra,

Verse 13 (skanda.2.15.13)

विसृज्य मेघजालानि वर्षयामास वेगवान् । एवं दिनानि सप्तायं ववर्ष च निरन्तरम् ।

visṛjya meghajālāni varṣayāmāsa vegavān evaṁ dināni saptāyaṁ vavarṣa ca nirantaram

releasing masses of clouds, began to pour down rain with great force. Thus he rained down without cease for seven days.

Verse 14 (skanda.2.15.14)

धारावर्षेण महता वृष्यमाणोपि वै मुनिः । तद्वर्षं प्रतिजग्राह निमीलितविलोचनः ।

dhārāvarṣeṇa mahatā vṛṣyamāṇopi vai muniḥ tadvarṣaṁ pratijagrāha nimīlitavilocanaḥ

Drenched though he was by that great torrential downpour, the sage, his eyes closed, endured that rain unmoved.

Verse 15 (skanda.2.15.15)

महता स्तनितेनाशु तदा बधिरयन्छ्रुतीः । वल्मीकस्योपरिष्टाद्वै निपपात महाशनिः ।

mahatā stanitenāśu tadā badhirayanchrutīḥ valmīkasyopariṣṭādvai nipapāta mahāśaniḥ

Then, with a great roar that deafened every ear, a mighty thunderbolt fell down upon that anthill.

Verse 16 (skanda.2.15.16)

तस्मिन्वर्षति पर्जन्ये शीतवातादिदुःसहे ।

tasminvarṣati parjanye śītavātādiduḥsahe

Thus, as the cloud poured down its rain, amid a bitter, unbearable cold wind and the like,

Verse 17 (skanda.2.15.17)

वल्मीकशिखरं ध्वस्तं बभूवाशनिताडितम् । तदाप्रादुरभूद्देवः शङ्खचक्रगदाधरः ।

valmīkaśikharaṁ dhvastaṁ babhūvāśanitāḍitam tadāprādurabhūddevaḥ śaṅkhacakragadādharaḥ

struck by the thunderbolt, the top of that anthill was shattered. Then there appeared the Lord, bearer of the conch, discus, and mace,

Verse 18 (skanda.2.15.18)

विनतानन्दनारूढो वनमालाविभूषितः । रामकृष्णस्य तपसा तोषितो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ।

vinatānandanārūḍho vanamālāvibhūṣitaḥ rāmakṛṣṇasya tapasā toṣito vākyamabravīt

mounted upon Garuda, son of Vinata, adorned with a garland of forest flowers, pleased by Ramakrishna's austerity, and he spoke these words—

Verse 19 (skanda.2.15.19)

तपोनिधे रामकृष्ण वेदशास्त्रार्थपारग । मदाविर्भावदिवसे यः स्नाति मनुजोत्तमः ।

taponidhe rāmakṛṣṇa vedaśāstrārthapāraga madāvirbhāvadivase yaḥ snāti manujottamaḥ

'O treasure-house of austerity, Ramakrishna, master of the meaning of the Vedas and scriptures — whatever excellent man bathes here on this day of my manifestation,

Verse 20 (skanda.2.15.20)

तस्य पुण्यफलं वक्तुं शेषेणापि न शक्यते । मकरस्थे रवौ विप्र पौर्णमास्यां महातिथौ ।

tasya puṇyaphalaṁ vaktuṁ śeṣeṇāpi na śakyate makarasthe ravau vipra paurṇamāsyāṁ mahātithau

the merit of his fruit even Sheshanaga could not fully describe. O brahmin, when the sun stands in Capricorn, on that great full-moon day,

Verse 21 (skanda.2.15.21)

पुष्यनक्षत्रयुक्तायां स्नानकालो विधीयते । तद्दिने स्नाति यो मर्त्यः कृष्णतीर्थं महामतिः ।

puṣyanakṣatrayuktāyāṁ snānakālo vidhīyate taddine snāti yo martyaḥ kṛṣṇatīrthaṁ mahāmatiḥ

joined with the Pushya nakshatra, the time for bathing is thus appointed. Whatever man of good understanding bathes in this Krishna-tirtha on that day,

Verse 22 (skanda.2.15.22)

सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः सर्वान्कामाँल्लभेत सः । मदाविर्भावदिवसे कृष्णतीर्थजले शुभे ।

sarvapāpavinirmuktaḥ sarvānkāmām̐llabheta saḥ madāvirbhāvadivase kṛṣṇatīrthajale śubhe

is freed of every sin and attains all his desires. On the day of my manifestation, in the auspicious waters of this Krishna-tirtha,

Verse 23 (skanda.2.15.23)

स्नातुं तत्र समायांति स्वपापपरिशुद्धये । देवा मनुष्याः सर्वे च दिक्पालाश्च महौजसः ।

snātuṁ tatra samāyāṁti svapāpapariśuddhaye devā manuṣyāḥ sarve ca dikpālāśca mahaujasaḥ

there come to bathe, for the purification of their own sins — gods, men, and the mighty guardians of the quarters, all of them.

Verse 24 (skanda.2.15.24)

एते सर्वे महात्मानः कोटिसूर्यसमप्रभाः । ते सर्वे कृष्णतीर्थेस्मिन्स्नानात्पूता भवंति हि ।

ete sarve mahātmānaḥ koṭisūryasamaprabhāḥ te sarve kṛṣṇatīrthesminsnānātpūtā bhavaṁti hi

All these great souls, radiant as ten million suns, become purified merely by bathing in this Krishna-tirtha.

Verse 25 (skanda.2.15.25)

त्वन्नाम्नेदं महातीर्थं लोके प्रख्यातिमेष्यति । इत्युक्त्वा श्रीनिवासश्च तत्रैवान्तरधीयत ।

tvannāmnedaṁ mahātīrthaṁ loke prakhyātimeṣyati ityuktvā śrīnivāsaśca tatraivāntaradhīyata

By your very name shall this great tirtha become renowned in the world.' Having said this, Srinivasa vanished from that very place.

Verse 26 (skanda.2.15.26)

एवं प्रभावं तत्तीर्थं महापापविशोधनम् । बुद्धिशुद्धिप्रदं पुसां सर्वैश्वर्यप्रदायकम् ।

evaṁ prabhāvaṁ tattīrthaṁ mahāpāpaviśodhanam buddhiśuddhipradaṁ pusāṁ sarvaiśvaryapradāyakam

That tirtha, possessed of such power, washes away the gravest of sins, grants men purity of understanding, and bestows every kind of prosperity.

Verse 27 (skanda.2.15.27)

एवं वः कथितं विप्राः कृष्णतीर्थस्य वैभवम् । शृण्वतां पठतां चैव विष्णुलोकप्रदायकम् ।

evaṁ vaḥ kathitaṁ viprāḥ kṛṣṇatīrthasya vaibhavam śṛṇvatāṁ paṭhatāṁ caiva viṣṇulokapradāyakam

Thus, O brahmins, have I told you this glory of the Krishna-tirtha, which grants the world of Vishnu to those who hear or recite it.