Anjana's Attainment of the Boon and the Determination of the Bathing-Time at Akasha Ganga

Verse 1 (skanda.2.40.1)

श्रीसूत उवाच । अंजनापि वरं लब्ध्वा भर्त्रा साकं मुमोद ह । ब्रह्मादीनागतान्दृष्ट्वा विस्मयाविष्टमानसा ।

śrīsūta uvāca aṁjanāpi varaṁ labdhvā bhartrā sākaṁ mumoda ha brahmādīnāgatāndṛṣṭvā vismayāviṣṭamānasā

Shri Suta said: Anjana too, having obtained the boon, rejoiced along with her husband, her mind filled with wonder at seeing Brahma and the others who had come.

Verse 2 (skanda.2.40.2)

पत्या साकं ततः स्वस्था चांजना मंजुभाषिणी । ब्रह्मादिभिरनुज्ञातो व्यासो वेदविदां वरः ।

patyā sākaṁ tataḥ svasthā cāṁjanā maṁjubhāṣiṇī brahmādibhiranujñāto vyāso vedavidāṁ varaḥ

Then, composed, together with her husband, the sweetly-speaking Anjana was addressed by Vyasa, foremost among knowers of the Veda, permitted by Brahma and the others,

Verse 3 (skanda.2.40.3)

अञ्जना तामुवाचेदं मेघगम्भीरया गिरा ।

añjanā tāmuvācedaṁ meghagambhīrayā girā

who spoke to her in a voice deep as thunder.

Verse 4 (skanda.2.40.4)

व्यास उवाच । अञ्जने शृणु मद्वाक्यं सर्वलोकोपकारकम् । मतङ्गस्य ऋषेर्वाक्यं श्रुत्वा निर्मलचेतसा ।

vyāsa uvāca añjane śṛṇu madvākyaṁ sarvalokopakārakam mataṅgasya ṛṣervākyaṁ śrutvā nirmalacetasā

Vyasa said: O Anjana, hear my words, beneficial to all the worlds. Having heard the words of the sage Matanga with a pure mind,

Verse 5 (skanda.2.40.5)

यस्मात्तु वेंकटं गत्वा तपः कृत्वा सुदुष्करम् । प्रसूयते त्वया पुत्रः शूरस्त्रैलोक्यविक्रमः ।

yasmāttu veṁkaṭaṁ gatvā tapaḥ kṛtvā suduṣkaram prasūyate tvayā putraḥ śūrastrailokyavikramaḥ

since, having gone to Venkata and performed most difficult austerity, a heroic son of valor renowned throughout the three worlds shall be born to you,

Verse 6 (skanda.2.40.6)

इदं तीर्थोत्तमं तस्मात्प्रत्यक्षदिवसे तव । गंगाद्यानि च तीर्थानि समायांति जगत्त्रये ।

idaṁ tīrthottamaṁ tasmātpratyakṣadivase tava gaṁgādyāni ca tīrthāni samāyāṁti jagattraye

therefore this excellent sacred ford — on the day of your son's manifestation, the Ganga and all other sacred fords of the three worlds come here.

Verse 7 (skanda.2.40.7)

वेंकटाद्रिसमं तीर्थं ब्रह्माण्डे नास्ति किञ्चन । तत्राप्यत्यन्तपुण्या वै स्वामिपुष्करिणी शुभा ।

veṁkaṭādrisamaṁ tīrthaṁ brahmāṇḍe nāsti kiñcana tatrāpyatyantapuṇyā vai svāmipuṣkariṇī śubhā

There is no sacred ford in the universe equal to Venkatadri; and even there, the auspicious Svami Pushkarini is most exceedingly holy.

Verse 8 (skanda.2.40.8)

ततोऽधिकमिदं तीर्थं प्रत्यक्षं दिवसे तव । स्नानार्थं ये समायांति चित्राऋक्षसमन्विते ।

tato'dhikamidaṁ tīrthaṁ pratyakṣaṁ divase tava snānārthaṁ ye samāyāṁti citrāṛkṣasamanvite

Even more than that is this sacred ford, on the manifest day of your son's birth; those who come here to bathe when the moon is joined with the Chitra constellation,

Verse 9 (skanda.2.40.9)

मेषं पूषणि संप्राप्ते पूर्णिमायां शुभे दिने । शृणु तेषां फलं देवि वक्ष्यामि तव सुव्रते ।

meṣaṁ pūṣaṇi saṁprāpte pūrṇimāyāṁ śubhe dine śṛṇu teṣāṁ phalaṁ devi vakṣyāmi tava suvrate

when the sun has entered Aries, on the auspicious full-moon day — hear their fruit, O goddess, I shall tell you, O woman of good vows.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.40.10)

गंगादिसर्वतीर्थेषु द्वादशाब्दं वरानने । यत्फलं विद्यते देवि तत्फलं भवति धुवम् ।

gaṁgādisarvatīrtheṣu dvādaśābdaṁ varānane yatphalaṁ vidyate devi tatphalaṁ bhavati dhuvam

O fair one, whatever fruit is obtained by bathing twelve years in the Ganga and all other sacred fords — that same fruit surely comes here.

Verse 11 (skanda.2.40.11)

दानानि कुर्वतां पुंसां तेषां शृणु फलोन्नतिम् । स्थाने तूक्तं फलं देवि विद्धि तेषां वरानने ।

dānāni kurvatāṁ puṁsāṁ teṣāṁ śṛṇu phalonnatim sthāne tūktaṁ phalaṁ devi viddhi teṣāṁ varānane

Hear the exalted fruit for men who give gifts here; know, O goddess, O fair one, that the fruit stated for gifts elsewhere is multiplied here.

Verse 12 (skanda.2.40.12)

अञ्जनोवाच । कार्याणि यानि दानानि वेंकटाद्रौ नगोत्तमे । तानि सर्वाणि विप्रेन्द्र वद वेदविदां वर ।

añjanovāca kāryāṇi yāni dānāni veṁkaṭādrau nagottame tāni sarvāṇi viprendra vada vedavidāṁ vara

Anjana said: What gifts are to be given on Venkatadri, best of mountains — tell me all of these, O foremost of brahmins, O best of Veda-knowers.

Verse 13 (skanda.2.40.13)

व्यास उवाच । अन्नदानं वस्त्रदानं द्वयमेतत्प्रशस्यते । पितुः श्राद्धं विशेषेण वेंकटाद्रौ नगोत्तमे ।

vyāsa uvāca annadānaṁ vastradānaṁ dvayametatpraśasyate pituḥ śrāddhaṁ viśeṣeṇa veṁkaṭādrau nagottame

Vyasa said: Gift of food and gift of clothing — these two are praised; especially the shraddha rite for one's father, performed on Venkatadri, the best of mountains.

Verse 14 (skanda.2.40.14)

सुवर्णं ये प्रयच्छन्ति प्रीतये मधुघातिनः । सर्वलोकं समासाद्य मोदन्ते मुनिसत्तमाः ।

suvarṇaṁ ye prayacchanti prītaye madhughātinaḥ sarvalokaṁ samāsādya modante munisattamāḥ

Those who give gold for the pleasure of the slayer of Madhu, attaining every world, rejoice as the best of sages.

Verse 15 (skanda.2.40.15)

शालग्रामशिलादानं ये कुर्वन्ति नगोत्तमे । अंगभंगमवाप्नोति स्वानुभूतिं च विन्दति ।

śālagrāmaśilādānaṁ ye kurvanti nagottame aṁgabhaṁgamavāpnoti svānubhūtiṁ ca vindati

Those who give the Shaligrama stone as a gift on that best of mountains attain release from the bonds of the body and realize their own true self.

Verse 16 (skanda.2.40.16)

यो ददाति द्विजेन्द्राय गोदानं च कुटुम्बिने । रोमसंख्याप्रमाणेन विष्णुलोके विराजते ।

yo dadāti dvijendrāya godānaṁ ca kuṭumbine romasaṁkhyāpramāṇena viṣṇuloke virājate

He who gives the gift of a cow to a foremost brahmin householder shines in the world of Vishnu for as many years as there are hairs on the cow's body.

Verse 17 (skanda.2.40.17)

भूमिं ददाति यो देवि ब्राह्मणाय कुटुम्बिने । तस्याश्च पुण्यफलं वक्तुं कः शक्तो दिवि वा भुवि ।

bhūmiṁ dadāti yo devi brāhmaṇāya kuṭumbine tasyāśca puṇyaphalaṁ vaktuṁ kaḥ śakto divi vā bhuvi

He who gives land, O goddess, to a brahmin householder — who indeed, in heaven or on earth, is capable of describing the fruit of that merit?

Verse 18 (skanda.2.40.18)

कन्यां ददाति यो देवि श्रोत्रियाय द्विजातये । विष्णुलोकं समासाद्य मोदते पितृभिः सह ।

kanyāṁ dadāti yo devi śrotriyāya dvijātaye viṣṇulokaṁ samāsādya modate pitṛbhiḥ saha

He who gives a daughter in marriage, O goddess, to a learned twice-born of Vedic study, attaining the world of Vishnu, rejoices together with his ancestors.

Verse 19 (skanda.2.40.19)

प्रपां कुर्वन्ति ये देवि शीतलोदकसंयुताम् । तेषां पुण्यफलं वक्तुं शेषेणापि न शक्यते ।

prapāṁ kurvanti ye devi śītalodakasaṁyutām teṣāṁ puṇyaphalaṁ vaktuṁ śeṣeṇāpi na śakyate

O goddess, those who build a water-shed furnished with cool water — even Shesha is unable to describe the fruit of their merit.

Verse 20 (skanda.2.40.20)

तिलं ददाति विप्राय श्रोत्रियाय कुटुंबिने । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति ।

tilaṁ dadāti viprāya śrotriyāya kuṭuṁbine sarvapāpavinirmukto viṣṇulokaṁ sa gacchati

He who gives sesame to a learned brahmin householder, freed from all sin, goes to the world of Vishnu.

Verse 21 (skanda.2.40.21)

धान्यदानं प्रशंसन्ति विप्रा वेदविदां वराः । बहुपुत्रा भविष्यन्ति धान्यदानं प्रकुर्वताम् ।

dhānyadānaṁ praśaṁsanti viprā vedavidāṁ varāḥ bahuputrā bhaviṣyanti dhānyadānaṁ prakurvatām

Brahmins, the best among knowers of the Veda, praise the gift of grain; those who give the gift of grain shall have many sons.

Verse 22 (skanda.2.40.22)

गन्धचम्पकपुष्पादीञ्छत्रव्यजनचामरान् । ताम्बूलघनसारादीन्यो ददाति द्विजातये ।

gandhacampakapuṣpādīñchatravyajanacāmarān tāmbūlaghanasārādīnyo dadāti dvijātaye

He who gives fragrant champaka flowers and the like, parasols, fans, chowries, betel-leaf, camphor and such things to a twice-born,

Verse 23 (skanda.2.40.23)

भुक्त्वा भोगं चिरं कालं स्वर्गलोकं ततो व्रजेत् । दिव्यवर्षसहस्रं च भुक्त्वा भोगाननेकशः ।

bhuktvā bhogaṁ ciraṁ kālaṁ svargalokaṁ tato vrajet divyavarṣasahasraṁ ca bhuktvā bhogānanekaśaḥ

having enjoyed pleasure for a long time, thereafter goes to the world of heaven, and having enjoyed manifold pleasures for a thousand divine years,

Verse 24 (skanda.2.40.24)

सार्वभौमस्ततो भूत्वा तत्र भुक्त्वा चिरं महीम् । ततो विप्रत्वमासाद्य वेदवेदान्तपारगः ।

sārvabhaumastato bhūtvā tatra bhuktvā ciraṁ mahīm tato vipratvamāsādya vedavedāntapāragaḥ

then, becoming a universal sovereign, having enjoyed the earth there for a long time, thereafter attaining brahminhood, mastering the Vedas and Vedanta,

Verse 25 (skanda.2.40.25)

ततो मुक्तिं समायाति प्रसादाच्चक्रपाणिनः । इत्येतत्कथितं देवि वेंकटाचलवैभवम् ।

tato muktiṁ samāyāti prasādāccakrapāṇinaḥ ityetatkathitaṁ devi veṁkaṭācalavaibhavam

then attains liberation by the grace of the wielder of the discus. Thus, O goddess, has this glory of Venkatachala been related.

Verse 26 (skanda.2.40.26)

य एतच्छृणुयान्नित्यं यश्चापि परिकीर्तयेत् । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति ।

ya etacchṛṇuyānnityaṁ yaścāpi parikīrtayet sarvapāpavinirmukto viṣṇulokaṁ sa gacchati

Whoever constantly hears this, and whoever also proclaims it, freed from all sin, goes to the world of Vishnu.

Verse 27 (skanda.2.40.27)

इत्येतत्कथितं पूर्वं व्यासेनैव महात्मना । शृणुयाद्वा पठेद्वापि कृतकृत्यो भविष्यति ।

ityetatkathitaṁ pūrvaṁ vyāsenaiva mahātmanā śṛṇuyādvā paṭhedvāpi kṛtakṛtyo bhaviṣyati

Thus this was formerly related by the great soul Vyasa himself; whoever hears or recites it shall become fulfilled.

Verse 28 (skanda.2.40.28)

तस्यैव वंशजाः सर्वे मुक्तिं यान्ति न संशयः ।

tasyaiva vaṁśajāḥ sarve muktiṁ yānti na saṁśayaḥ

All the descendants of his lineage attain liberation — there is no doubt.