Tilodakī-prabhāva-varṇanam — The Power of the Tilodaki

Verse 1 (skanda.2.184.1)

व्यास उवाच भगवन्ब्रूहि तत्त्वेन कथं निर्बंधतो मुनिः विश्वामित्रो निजं शिष्यं कौत्सं क्रोधेन तादृशम्

vyāsa uvāca bhagavanbrūhi tattvena kathaṁ nirbaṁdhato muniḥ viśvāmitro nijaṁ śiṣyaṁ kautsaṁ krodhena tādṛśam

Vyasa said: Lord, tell me truly, how did the sage Vishvamitra, out of insistence, so press his own disciple Kautsa in anger,

Verse 2 (skanda.2.184.2)

दुष्प्राप्यमर्थं यत्नेन बहु प्रार्थितवांस्तदा एतत्सर्वं च कथय मयि यद्यस्ति ते कृपा

duṣprāpyamarthaṁ yatnena bahu prārthitavāṁstadā etatsarvaṁ ca kathaya mayi yadyasti te kṛpā

demanding of him with such effort so hard-to-obtain a sum? Tell me all this, if you have compassion for me.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.184.3)

अगस्त्य उवाच शृणु द्विज कथामेतां सावधानेंद्रियः स्वयम् विश्वामित्रो मुनिश्रेष्ठः स दिव्यज्ञानलोचनः

agastya uvāca śṛṇu dvija kathāmetāṁ sāvadhāneṁdriyaḥ svayam viśvāmitro muniśreṣṭhaḥ sa divyajñānalocanaḥ

Agastya said: Listen, O brahmin, to this tale with your senses attentive; that best of sages Vishvamitra, whose eye was divine knowledge,

Verse 4 (skanda.2.184.4)

निजाश्रमे तपो दुर्गं चकार प्रयतो व्रती एकदा तमथो द्रष्टुं दुर्वासा मुनिरागतः

nijāśrame tapo durgaṁ cakāra prayato vratī ekadā tamatho draṣṭuṁ durvāsā munirāgataḥ

performed, self-controlled and true to his vow, a formidable austerity in his own hermitage; one day the sage Durvasa came to see him.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.184.5)

आगत्य च क्षुधाक्रांत उच्चैः प्रोवाच स द्विजः भोजनं दीयतां मह्यं क्षुधापीडितचेतसे पायसं शुचि चोष्णं च शीघ्रं क्षुधार्त्तिने द्विज

āgatya ca kṣudhākrāṁta uccaiḥ provāca sa dvijaḥ bhojanaṁ dīyatāṁ mahyaṁ kṣudhāpīḍitacetase pāyasaṁ śuci coṣṇaṁ ca śīghraṁ kṣudhārttine dvija

Having arrived, overcome with hunger, that brahmin said loudly: 'Give me food, for my mind is afflicted with hunger — pure, warm milk-rice, quickly, O brahmin, to one tormented by hunger.'

Verse 6 (skanda.2.184.6)

इति श्रुत्वा वचः क्षिप्रं विश्वामित्रः प्रयत्नतः स्थाल्यां पायसमादाय तं समर्प्य ततः स्वयम्

iti śrutvā vacaḥ kṣipraṁ viśvāmitraḥ prayatnataḥ sthālyāṁ pāyasamādāya taṁ samarpya tataḥ svayam

Having heard this word, Vishvamitra quickly and diligently brought milk-rice in a vessel and himself presented it to him.

Verse 7 (skanda.2.184.7)

तदादायोत्थितं दृष्ट्वा दुर्वासास्तं विलोकयन् उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं मुनिं लक्षणतत्परः

tadādāyotthitaṁ dṛṣṭvā durvāsāstaṁ vilokayan uvāca madhuraṁ vākyaṁ muniṁ lakṣaṇatatparaḥ

Seeing him rise up having taken it, Durvasa, skilled in reading signs, looking at him, spoke a gentle word:

Verse 8 (skanda.2.184.8)

क्षणं सहस्व विप्रेन्द्र यावत्स्नात्वा व्रजाम्यहम् तिष्ठतिष्ठ क्षणं तिष्ठ आगच्छाम्येष साप्रतम्

kṣaṇaṁ sahasva viprendra yāvatsnātvā vrajāmyaham tiṣṭhatiṣṭha kṣaṇaṁ tiṣṭha āgacchāmyeṣa sāpratam

'Bear with me a moment, O chief of brahmins, while I go and bathe; wait, wait, wait a moment — I shall come back right now.'

Verse 9 (skanda.2.184.9)

इत्युक्त्वा स जगामैव दुर्वासाः स्वाश्रमं तदा

ityuktvā sa jagāmaiva durvāsāḥ svāśramaṁ tadā

Having said this, Durvasa then simply went away to his own hermitage.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.184.10)

विश्वामित्रस्तपोनिष्ठस्तदा सानुरिवाऽचलः दिव्यं वर्षसहस्रं स तस्थौ स्थिरमतिस्तदा

viśvāmitrastaponiṣṭhastadā sānurivā’calaḥ divyaṁ varṣasahasraṁ sa tasthau sthiramatistadā

Vishvamitra, then firm in his austerity, unmoving like a mountain with its ridge, stood there, firm of mind, for a thousand celestial years,

Verse 11 (skanda.2.184.11)

तस्य शुश्रूषणपरो मुनिः कौत्सो यतव्रतः बभूव परमोदारमतिर्विगतमत्सरः

tasya śuśrūṣaṇaparo muniḥ kautso yatavrataḥ babhūva paramodāramatirvigatamatsaraḥ

and the sage Kautsa, devoted to serving him, of strict vow, remained with him then, of most generous mind and free from envy.

Verse 12 (skanda.2.184.12)

पुनरागत्य स मुनिर्दुर्वासा गतकल्मषः भुक्त्वा च पायसं सद्यः स जगाम निजाश्रमम्

punarāgatya sa munirdurvāsā gatakalmaṣaḥ bhuktvā ca pāyasaṁ sadyaḥ sa jagāma nijāśramam

That sage Durvasa, his impurity gone, having come again, ate the milk-rice at once and went to his own hermitage.

Verse 13 (skanda.2.184.13)

तस्मिन्गते मुनिवरे विश्वामित्रस्तपोनिधिः कौत्सं विद्यावतां श्रेष्ठं विससर्ज गृहान्प्रति

tasmingate munivare viśvāmitrastaponidhiḥ kautsaṁ vidyāvatāṁ śreṣṭhaṁ visasarja gṛhānprati

When that excellent sage had gone, Vishvamitra, that treasury of austerity, sent Kautsa, the best of the learned, back toward his home.

Verse 14 (skanda.2.184.14)

स विसृष्टो गुरुं प्राह दक्षिणा प्रार्थ्यतामिति विश्वामित्रस्तु तं प्राह किं दास्यसि दक्षिणाम् दक्षिणा तव शुश्रूषा गृहं व्रज यतव्रत

sa visṛṣṭo guruṁ prāha dakṣiṇā prārthyatāmiti viśvāmitrastu taṁ prāha kiṁ dāsyasi dakṣiṇām dakṣiṇā tava śuśrūṣā gṛhaṁ vraja yatavrata

Being dismissed, he said to his guru: 'Let a fee be requested of me.' But Vishvamitra said to him: 'What fee will you give? Your service itself is your fee — go home, O you of strict vows.'

Verse 15 (skanda.2.184.15)

पुनःपुनर्गुरुं प्राह शिष्यो निर्बन्धवान्यदा तदा गुरुर्गुरुक्रुद्धः शिष्यं प्राह च निष्ठुरम्

punaḥpunarguruṁ prāha śiṣyo nirbandhavānyadā tadā gururgurukruddhaḥ śiṣyaṁ prāha ca niṣṭhuram

But when the disciple, insistent, said this to his guru again and again, then the guru, greatly angered, spoke harshly to his disciple:

Verse 16 (skanda.2.184.16)

सुवर्णस्य सुवर्णस्य चतुर्दश समाहर कोटीर्मे दक्षिणा विप्र पश्चाद्गच्छ गृहं प्रति

suvarṇasya suvarṇasya caturdaśa samāhara koṭīrme dakṣiṇā vipra paścādgaccha gṛhaṁ prati

'Bring me fourteen crores of gold, of fine gold, as my fee, O brahmin; then go home.'

Verse 17 (skanda.2.184.17)

इत्युक्तो गुरुणा कौत्सो विचार्य समुपागमत् काकुत्स्थं दिग्विजेतारं ययाचे गुरुदक्षिणाम्

ityukto guruṇā kautso vicārya samupāgamat kākutsthaṁ digvijetāraṁ yayāce gurudakṣiṇām

Thus addressed by his guru, Kautsa, having reflected, approached Kakutstha, conqueror of all directions, and begged of him the guru's fee.

Verse 18 (skanda.2.184.18)

इत्युक्तं ते मुनिवर त्वया पृष्टं हि यत्पुनः अतोऽन्यच्छृणु ते वच्मि तीर्थकारणमुत्तमम्

ityuktaṁ te munivara tvayā pṛṣṭaṁ hi yatpunaḥ ato’nyacchṛṇu te vacmi tīrthakāraṇamuttamam

Thus has been told, O excellent sage, that which you again asked; now hear from me another matter — the excellent origin of a sacred ford.

Verse 19 (skanda.2.184.19)

तस्माद्दक्षिणदिग्भागे संभेदः सिद्धसेवितः तिलोदकीसरय्वोश्च संगत्या भुवि संश्रुतः

tasmāddakṣiṇadigbhāge saṁbhedaḥ siddhasevitaḥ tilodakīsarayvośca saṁgatyā bhuvi saṁśrutaḥ

To the south of that place is a confluence frequented by siddhas, renowned on earth as the meeting of the Tilodaki and the Sarayu.

Verse 20 (skanda.2.184.20)

तत्र स्नात्वा महाभाग भवन्ति विरजा नराः दशानामश्वमेधानां कृतानां यत्फलं भवेत् तदाप्नोति स धर्मात्मा तत्र स्नात्वा यतव्रतः

tatra snātvā mahābhāga bhavanti virajā narāḥ daśānāmaśvamedhānāṁ kṛtānāṁ yatphalaṁ bhavet tadāpnoti sa dharmātmā tatra snātvā yatavrataḥ

Having bathed there, O greatly fortunate one, men become free of passion; whatever fruit arises from ten Ashvamedha sacrifices, that righteous, self-controlled man obtains by bathing there.

Verse 21 (skanda.2.184.21)

स्वर्णादिकं च यो दद्याद्ब्राह्मणे वेदपारगे शुभां गतिमवाप्नोति अग्निवच्चैव दीप्यते

svarṇādikaṁ ca yo dadyādbrāhmaṇe vedapārage śubhāṁ gatimavāpnoti agnivaccaiva dīpyate

Whoever gives gold and the like there to a brahmin versed in the Vedas attains an auspicious destination and shines forth like fire.

Verse 22 (skanda.2.184.22)

तिलोदकीसरय्वोश्च संगमे लोकविश्रुते दत्त्वान्नं च विधानेन न स भूयोऽभिजायते

tilodakīsarayvośca saṁgame lokaviśrute dattvānnaṁ ca vidhānena na sa bhūyo’bhijāyate

Having duly given food at the world-renowned confluence of the Tilodaki and the Sarayu, one is not born again.

Verse 23 (skanda.2.184.23)

उपवासं च यः कृत्वा विप्रान्संतर्पयेन्नरः सौत्रामणेश्च यज्ञस्य फलमाप्नोति मानवः

upavāsaṁ ca yaḥ kṛtvā viprānsaṁtarpayennaraḥ sautrāmaṇeśca yajñasya phalamāpnoti mānavaḥ

Whatever man, having fasted, satisfies brahmins there, obtains the fruit of the Sautramani sacrifice.

Verse 24 (skanda.2.184.24)

एकाहारस्तु यस्तिष्ठेन्मासं तत्र यतव्रतः यावज्जीवकृतं पापं सहसा तस्य नश्यति

ekāhārastu yastiṣṭhenmāsaṁ tatra yatavrataḥ yāvajjīvakṛtaṁ pāpaṁ sahasā tasya naśyati

Whoever, self-controlled, remains there for a month taking only a single meal a day — the sin accumulated over his whole life is instantly destroyed.

Verse 25 (skanda.2.184.25)

नभस्य कृष्णामावस्यां यात्रा सांवत्सरी भवेत् रामेण निर्मिता पूर्वं नदी सिंधुरिवापरा

nabhasya kṛṣṇāmāvasyāṁ yātrā sāṁvatsarī bhavet rāmeṇa nirmitā pūrvaṁ nadī siṁdhurivāparā

On the new-moon of the dark fortnight of Nabhasya, the annual festival takes place; this river was formerly made by Rama, ocean-like,

Verse 26 (skanda.2.184.26)

सिंधुजानां तुरंगाणां जलपानाय सुव्रत तिलवच्छ्याममुदकं यतस्तस्यां सदा बभौ

siṁdhujānāṁ turaṁgāṇāṁ jalapānāya suvrata tilavacchyāmamudakaṁ yatastasyāṁ sadā babhau

O you of good vows, for the watering of sea-born horses, so that its water always appeared dark like sesame seeds,

Verse 27 (skanda.2.184.27)

तिलोदकीति विख्याता पुण्यतोया सदा नदी संगमादन्यतो यस्यां तिलोदक्यां शुचिव्रतः स्नातो विमुच्यते पापैः सप्तजन्मार्जितैरपि

tilodakīti vikhyātā puṇyatoyā sadā nadī saṁgamādanyato yasyāṁ tilodakyāṁ śucivrataḥ snāto vimucyate pāpaiḥ saptajanmārjitairapi

hence that ever-sacred-watered river became known as Tilodaki; one of pure observance, having bathed in this Tilodaki even apart from the confluence, is freed even from sins acquired over seven births.

Verse 28 (skanda.2.184.28)

तस्मात्तिलोदकीस्नानं सर्वपापहरं मुने कर्त्तव्यं सुप्रयत्नेन प्राणिभिर्धर्मकांक्षिभिः स्नानं दानं व्रतं होमं सर्वमक्षयतां व्रजेत्

tasmāttilodakīsnānaṁ sarvapāpaharaṁ mune karttavyaṁ suprayatnena prāṇibhirdharmakāṁkṣibhiḥ snānaṁ dānaṁ vrataṁ homaṁ sarvamakṣayatāṁ vrajet

Therefore, O sage, bathing in the Tilodaki, which removes all sin, should be diligently performed by beings desiring righteousness; bathing, charity, vows and fire-oblation — all become imperishable there.

Verse 29 (skanda.2.184.29)

इति विविधविधानैस्तीर्थयात्रांक्रमेण प्रथितगुणविकासः प्राप्तपुण्योविधाय हरिमुपहृतभावः पूजयन्सर्वतीर्थं व्रजति परमधाम न्यस्तपापः कथञ्चित्

iti vividhavidhānaistīrthayātrāṁkrameṇa prathitaguṇavikāsaḥ prāptapuṇyovidhāya harimupahṛtabhāvaḥ pūjayansarvatīrthaṁ vrajati paramadhāma nyastapāpaḥ kathañcit

Thus, having in due order made the pilgrimage through various rites, one whose virtue has become manifest, having attained merit, offering his devotion, worshipping Hari — having in some way cast off his sin, he attains, together with the fruit of all sacred fords, the supreme abode.