The Divine Tree Found and the Carpenter's Vow

Verse 1 (skanda.2.58.1)

जैमिनिरुवाच । ततः प्रववृते सुत्या नृपतेर्वाजिमेधिका । तस्यां त्रैलोक्यमभवदेकसद्मनिभं द्विजाः

jaiminiruvāca tataḥ pravavṛte sutyā nṛpatervājimedhikā tasyāṁ trailokyamabhavadekasadmanibhaṁ dvijāḥ

Jaimini said: Then the pressing-day rites of the king's horse-sacrifice proceeded; in them, O twice-born, the three worlds became as if a single household.

Verse 2 (skanda.2.58.2)

शास्त्रैः स्तोत्रैर्दिवस्पृग्भिर्वर्णक्रमसमुज्ज्वलैः । यथापदस्वरन्यासैरन्ये शब्दास्तिरोहिताः

śāstraiḥ stotrairdivaspṛgbhirvarṇakramasamujjvalaiḥ yathāpadasvaranyāsairanye śabdāstirohitāḥ

With sky-touching scriptural recitations and hymns, blazing with the correct sequence of syllables and proper placement of accent, every other sound was drowned out.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.58.3)

दीनेभ्योऽवारितं तत्र दीयन्ते वाञ्छितानि वै । नटनर्त्तकसूतानां साभूत्कल्पद्रुमोपमा

dīnebhyo'vāritaṁ tatra dīyante vāñchitāni vai naṭanarttakasūtānāṁ sābhūtkalpadrumopamā

There desired things were given unstintingly to the poor; for actors, dancers and bards that assembly became like a wish-fulfilling tree.

Verse 4 (skanda.2.58.4)

तन्मध्येऽवभृथे स्नातुं कृता यत्रोपकारिका । दक्षिणे तटभूदेशे बिल्वेश्वरसमीपतः

tanmadhye'vabhṛthe snātuṁ kṛtā yatropakārikā dakṣiṇe taṭabhūdeśe bilveśvarasamīpataḥ

In its midst a bathing-place was made for the concluding ablution, on the southern shore, near Bilveshvara.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.58.5)

नियुक्ताः सेवका राज्ञा ससंभ्रममुपस्थिताः । न्यवेदयन्त नृपतिं कृतांजलिपुटा द्विजाः

niyuktāḥ sevakā rājñā sasaṁbhramamupasthitāḥ nyavedayanta nṛpatiṁ kṛtāṁjalipuṭā dvijāḥ

The servants appointed by the king arrived there in haste; with joined palms those attendants reported to the king.

Verse 6 (skanda.2.58.6)

देव दृष्टो महान्वृक्षस्तटभूमौ महोदधेः । प्रविष्टाग्रसमुद्रांतः कल्लोलप्लवमूलकः

deva dṛṣṭo mahānvṛkṣastaṭabhūmau mahodadheḥ praviṣṭāgrasamudrāṁtaḥ kallolaplavamūlakaḥ

"O lord, a great tree has been seen on the shore of the ocean, its tip thrust into the sea, its root borne upon the waves."

Verse 7 (skanda.2.58.7)

मंजिष्ठवर्णः सर्वत्र शंखचक्रांकितः प्लवन् । स्नानवेश्मसमीपेऽसौ दृष्टोऽस्माभिः परोऽद्भुतः

maṁjiṣṭhavarṇaḥ sarvatra śaṁkhacakrāṁkitaḥ plavan snānaveśmasamīpe'sau dṛṣṭo'smābhiḥ paro'dbhutaḥ

"Red as madder everywhere, marked with conch and discus, afloat — this most wondrous thing we have seen near the bathing-house."

Verse 8 (skanda.2.58.8)

न दृष्टपूर्वो वृक्षोऽयमुद्यत्सूर्यनिभोंऽशुना । गंधेन वासयन्सर्वा तटभूमिं सुगंधिना

na dṛṣṭapūrvo vṛkṣo'yamudyatsūryanibhoṁ'śunā gaṁdhena vāsayansarvā taṭabhūmiṁ sugaṁdhinā

"Never before seen is this tree, radiant with rays like the rising sun, perfuming the whole shoreline with its fragrance."

Verse 9 (skanda.2.58.9)

द्रुमः साधारणो नायं लक्ष्यते देवभूरुहः । कश्चिद्देवस्तरुव्याजादागतो लक्ष्यते धुवम्

drumaḥ sādhāraṇo nāyaṁ lakṣyate devabhūruhaḥ kaściddevastaruvyājādāgato lakṣyate dhuvam

"This is no ordinary tree — it seems to be a tree of the gods; surely some deity has come here under the guise of a tree."

Verse 10 (skanda.2.58.10)

नियुक्तानां वचः श्रुत्वा राजा नारदमब्रवीत् । तत्किं निमित्तं यद्दृष्टं तरुश्रेष्ठं वदंति ते

niyuktānāṁ vacaḥ śrutvā rājā nāradamabravīt tatkiṁ nimittaṁ yaddṛṣṭaṁ taruśreṣṭhaṁ vadaṁti te

Hearing the words of his appointed servants, the king said to Narada: "What is the reason for this — this excellent tree they say has been seen?"

Verse 11 (skanda.2.58.11)

नारदः प्रहसन्वाक्यमुवाच नृपसत्तमम् । पूर्णाहुतिः समाप्नोतु यथा स्यात्सफलः क्रतुः

nāradaḥ prahasanvākyamuvāca nṛpasattamam pūrṇāhutiḥ samāpnotu yathā syātsaphalaḥ kratuḥ

Narada, smiling, said to the best of kings: "Let the final oblation be completed, so that the sacrifice may bear fruit."

Verse 12 (skanda.2.58.12)

उपस्थितं ते तद्भाग्यं स्वप्ने यद्दृष्टवान्पुरा । श्वेतद्वीपे विश्वमूर्तिर्दृष्टो यो विष्णुरव्ययः

upasthitaṁ te tadbhāgyaṁ svapne yaddṛṣṭavānpurā śvetadvīpe viśvamūrtirdṛṣṭo yo viṣṇuravyayaḥ

"That good fortune of yours has now arrived, which you once beheld in a dream — the imperishable Vishnu, the universal form seen in Shvetadvipa."

Verse 13 (skanda.2.58.13)

तदंगस्खलितं रोम तरुत्वमुपपद्यते । अंशावतारः स्थास्नुर्यः पृथिव्यां परमेष्ठिनः

tadaṁgaskhalitaṁ roma tarutvamupapadyate aṁśāvatāraḥ sthāsnuryaḥ pṛthivyāṁ parameṣṭhinaḥ

"A hair fallen from his body has taken the form of a tree; this is the abiding partial-incarnation of the Supreme Lord upon the earth."

Verse 14 (skanda.2.58.14)

तद्रूपावतरं याति भगवान्भक्तवत्सलः । द्रुमो ह्यपौरुषो योसौ भाजनं नास्य दर्शने

tadrūpāvataraṁ yāti bhagavānbhaktavatsalaḥ drumo hyapauruṣo yosau bhājanaṁ nāsya darśane

"The Lord, who loves his devotees, descends in that very form; for this tree, not made by human hands, is a fit vessel for his vision alone."

Verse 15 (skanda.2.58.15)

त्वामृते पुरुषव्याघ्र पृथिव्यां नृपसत्तम । त्वद्भाग्यवशतः सर्वलोकानां नयनातिथिः

tvāmṛte puruṣavyāghra pṛthivyāṁ nṛpasattama tvadbhāgyavaśataḥ sarvalokānāṁ nayanātithiḥ

"O tiger among men, best of kings! Except through you, on this earth — by the power of your good fortune alone he shall become a guest to the eyes of all the worlds."

Verse 16 (skanda.2.58.16)

भविष्यति महाराज सर्वकल्मषनाशनः । समाप्यावभृथस्नानं तटांते सरितां पतेः

bhaviṣyati mahārāja sarvakalmaṣanāśanaḥ samāpyāvabhṛthasnānaṁ taṭāṁte saritāṁ pateḥ

"He shall be, O great king, the destroyer of all sins. Complete the concluding bath at the shore of the lord of rivers,

Verse 17 (skanda.2.58.17)

उत्सवं सुमहत्कृत्वा कृतकौतुकमंगलम् । महावेद्यां स्थापयात्र यज्ञेशं तरुरूपिणम्

utsavaṁ sumahatkṛtvā kṛtakautukamaṁgalam mahāvedyāṁ sthāpayātra yajñeśaṁ tarurūpiṇam

"— and, holding a very great festival with the auspicious rites performed, establish here on the great altar the Lord of the sacrifice in the form of the tree."

Verse 18 (skanda.2.58.18)

विचार्येत्थं मुदा युक्तौ तावुभौ नृपनारदौ । सुसमृद्धौ तत्र यातौ यत्रासौ भगवद्द्रुमः

vicāryetthaṁ mudā yuktau tāvubhau nṛpanāradau susamṛddhau tatra yātau yatrāsau bhagavaddrumaḥ

Having thus deliberated, the king and Narada, filled with joy and great splendor, went to the place where that divine tree lay.

Verse 19 (skanda.2.58.19)

तं दृष्ट्वा हर्षिताः सर्वे ब्रह्म साक्षादुपस्थितम् । मेनिरे जन्मसाफल्यं जीवन्मुक्ता महोदयाः

taṁ dṛṣṭvā harṣitāḥ sarve brahma sākṣādupasthitam menire janmasāphalyaṁ jīvanmuktā mahodayāḥ

Seeing it, all rejoiced; taking it for Brahman itself present before them, those greatly fortunate ones felt their birth fulfilled, as though liberated while yet living.

Verse 20 (skanda.2.58.20)

इन्द्रद्युम्नोऽपि नृपतिर्ममज्जामृतसागरे । स्वप्ने दृष्ट्वा जगन्नाथं यथासौ भगवत्प्रियः

indradyumno'pi nṛpatirmamajjāmṛtasāgare svapne dṛṣṭvā jagannāthaṁ yathāsau bhagavatpriyaḥ

King Indradyumna too sank into an ocean of nectar, for, being dear to the Lord, just as he had beheld the Lord of the universe in his dream,

Verse 21 (skanda.2.58.21)

तथा ददर्श तं वृक्षं चक्षुःशाखं चतुर्भुजम् । स्वकं श्रमं मन्यमानः सफलं नृपसत्तमः

tathā dadarśa taṁ vṛkṣaṁ cakṣuḥśākhaṁ caturbhujam svakaṁ śramaṁ manyamānaḥ saphalaṁ nṛpasattamaḥ

— so now he saw that very tree, with branches like eyes and four arms; and the best of kings deemed his own labor fruitful.

Verse 22 (skanda.2.58.22)

जहौ शोकं नीलमणिमाधवांतर्धिजं द्विजाः । पुनः पुनः प्रणम्यैनं हर्षाश्रुनयनो नृपः

jahau śokaṁ nīlamaṇimādhavāṁtardhijaṁ dvijāḥ punaḥ punaḥ praṇamyainaṁ harṣāśrunayano nṛpaḥ

He gave up the grief born of Nilamani-Madhava's vanishing, O Brahmins; the king, his eyes filled with tears of joy, bowed to it again and again.

Verse 23 (skanda.2.58.23)

द्विजैराहारयामास तरुं कल्लोललोलितम् । शंखकाहालमुरजढक्कापटहनिःस्वनैः

dvijairāhārayāmāsa taruṁ kallolalolitam śaṁkhakāhālamurajaḍhakkāpaṭahaniḥsvanaiḥ

Together with the Brahmins he had that wave-tossed tree brought to the shore, amid the sounds of conches, horns, drums, kettledrums and tabors,

Verse 24 (skanda.2.58.24)

गीतवादित्रनिनदैर्जयशब्दैः सहस्रशः । सुगंधिपुष्पांजलिभिराकाशात्पतितैर्मुहुः

gītavāditraninadairjayaśabdaiḥ sahasraśaḥ sugaṁdhipuṣpāṁjalibhirākāśātpatitairmuhuḥ

with the resounding of songs and instruments, with a thousand cries of victory, with handfuls of fragrant flowers falling again and again from the sky,

Verse 25 (skanda.2.58.25)

परितो धूपपात्रैश्च कृष्णागुरुसुधूपितैः । वेश्याभिर्यौवनोन्मत्तसुरूपाभिः प्रचालितैः

parito dhūpapātraiśca kṛṣṇāgurusudhūpitaiḥ veśyābhiryauvanonmattasurūpābhiḥ pracālitaiḥ

surrounded by censers fragrant with black aloe-wood incense, fanned by courtesans intoxicated with youth and lovely of form,

Verse 26 (skanda.2.58.26)

रत्नदण्डप्रकीर्णैश्च वीज्यमानं समंततः । पताकाभिर्दिव्यपट्टदुकूलाभिः सुशोभितम्

ratnadaṇḍaprakīrṇaiśca vījyamānaṁ samaṁtataḥ patākābhirdivyapaṭṭadukūlābhiḥ suśobhitam

fanned on every side with jewel-handled fans, and beautifully adorned with banners of divine silk and fine cloth.

Verse 27 (skanda.2.58.27)

राजर्षिराजवृन्दैश्च तुरगैः पत्तिभिर्वृतम् । मागधैर्वंद्यमानं तु स्तूयमानं महर्षिभिः

rājarṣirājavṛndaiśca turagaiḥ pattibhirvṛtam māgadhairvaṁdyamānaṁ tu stūyamānaṁ maharṣibhiḥ

surrounded by hosts of royal sages and kings, by horses and foot-soldiers, hailed by court bards and praised by great sages,

Verse 28 (skanda.2.58.28)

ऋत्विग्भिर्ब्राह्मणैश्चैव विद्वद्भिः श्रोत्रियैस्तथा । राजन्यैर्वैश्यकुलजैः सच्छूद्रैः परिचारितम्

ṛtvigbhirbrāhmaṇaiścaiva vidvadbhiḥ śrotriyaistathā rājanyairvaiśyakulajaiḥ sacchūdraiḥ paricāritam

attended by officiating priests and Brahmins, by learned Vedic scholars, by kshatriyas, those born of vaishya families, and by virtuous shudras,

Verse 29 (skanda.2.58.29)

स्तोत्रैर्बहुविधैः श्रौतैः स्मार्तैः पौराणिकैस्तथा । स्तूयमानं तरुं विष्णोर्भूर्लोके परिवेष्टितम्

stotrairbahuvidhaiḥ śrautaiḥ smārtaiḥ paurāṇikaistathā stūyamānaṁ taruṁ viṣṇorbhūrloke pariveṣṭitam

praised with hymns of many kinds — Shrauta, Smarta and Puranic — that tree of Vishnu, now encircled here on the earth,

Verse 30 (skanda.2.58.30)

स्रग्गन्धालंकृतं दिव्यं महावेदीं विनिन्यतुः। वितानवरचित्रायां वेष्टितायां निरंतरम्

sraggandhālaṁkṛtaṁ divyaṁ mahāvedīṁ vininyatuḥ vitānavaracitrāyāṁ veṣṭitāyāṁ niraṁtaram

adorned with garlands and fragrance, wrapped continuously beneath a splendid canopy, the two of them brought it to the great altar.

Verse 31 (skanda.2.58.31)

वेद्यां तं स्थापयामासुरिंद्रद्युम्नस्य शासनात् । वचसा नारदस्यैनं पूजयामास पार्थिवः

vedyāṁ taṁ sthāpayāmāsuriṁdradyumnasya śāsanāt vacasā nāradasyainaṁ pūjayāmāsa pārthivaḥ

By Indradyumna's command they established it upon the altar; and, at Narada's word, the king worshipped it,

Verse 32 (skanda.2.58.32)

सहस्रैरुपचाराणां दिव्यरूपैर्नृपोत्तमः । पूजावसाने पप्रच्छ नारदं मुनिसत्तमम्

sahasrairupacārāṇāṁ divyarūpairnṛpottamaḥ pūjāvasāne papraccha nāradaṁ munisattamam

with a thousand offerings of divine kind, that best of kings; and at the close of the worship he asked Narada, the best of sages —

Verse 33 (skanda.2.58.33)

कीदृश्यः प्रतिमा विष्णोर्घटयिष्यति कः पुनः । तच्छ्रुत्वा तं मुनिः प्राह अचिंत्यमहिमा गुरुः

kīdṛśyaḥ pratimā viṣṇorghaṭayiṣyati kaḥ punaḥ tacchrutvā taṁ muniḥ prāha aciṁtyamahimā guruḥ

"What form will Vishnu's image take, and who indeed will fashion it?" Hearing this, the sage said: "The Guru's greatness is beyond thought.

Verse 34 (skanda.2.58.34)

को वेद तस्य चेष्टां वै सर्वलोकोत्तरां नृप । स्रष्टा यो जगतां तस्याप्येषा संशयगोचरा

ko veda tasya ceṣṭāṁ vai sarvalokottarāṁ nṛpa sraṣṭā yo jagatāṁ tasyāpyeṣā saṁśayagocarā

"Who, O king, knows his ways, transcending all the worlds? Even for Brahma, the creator of the worlds, this remains uncertain."

Verse 35 (skanda.2.58.35)

विचारयंतौ तावित्थं यावन्नारदपार्थिवौ । अशरीरा ततो वाणी शुश्रुवे चांतरिक्षतः

vicārayaṁtau tāvitthaṁ yāvannāradapārthivau aśarīrā tato vāṇī śuśruve cāṁtarikṣataḥ

While Narada and the king were thus deliberating, a disembodied voice was then heard from the sky,

Verse 36 (skanda.2.58.36)

तत्र विस्मयमानानां सर्वेषामेव शृण्वताम् । अपौरुषेयो भगवानविचारपथे स्थितः

tatra vismayamānānāṁ sarveṣāmeva śṛṇvatām apauruṣeyo bhagavānavicārapathe sthitaḥ

heard by all present there, who listened in astonishment: "The Lord is not made by human hands; he stands beyond the path of reasoning."

Verse 37 (skanda.2.58.37)

सुगुप्तायां महावेद्यां स्वयं सोऽवतरिष्यति । प्रच्छाद्यतां दिनान्येषा यावत्पंचदशानि वै

suguptāyāṁ mahāvedyāṁ svayaṁ so'vatariṣyati pracchādyatāṁ dinānyeṣā yāvatpaṁcadaśāni vai

"He himself shall descend upon the great altar once it is well secluded; let this be kept screened for fifteen days."

Verse 38 (skanda.2.58.38)

उपस्थितोऽयं यो वृद्धः शस्त्रपाणिस्तु वर्द्धकिः । एनमंतः प्रवेश्यैव द्वारं बध्नंतु यत्नतः

upasthito'yaṁ yo vṛddhaḥ śastrapāṇistu varddhakiḥ enamaṁtaḥ praveśyaiva dvāraṁ badhnaṁtu yatnataḥ

"Let this aged carpenter, who has arrived with tools in hand, be admitted within, and then let the door be carefully sealed."

Verse 39 (skanda.2.58.39)

बहिर्वाद्यानि कुर्वंतु यावत्तु घटना भवेत् । श्रुतो हि घटनाशब्दो बाधिर्यांधत्वदायकः

bahirvādyāni kurvaṁtu yāvattu ghaṭanā bhavet śruto hi ghaṭanāśabdo bādhiryāṁdhatvadāyakaḥ

"Let instruments be played outside for as long as the construction continues; for hearing the sound of the making brings deafness and blindness,

Verse 40 (skanda.2.58.40)

नरके वसतिं चैव कुर्यात्संताननाशनम् । नांतःप्रवेशनं कुर्यान्न पश्येच्च कदाचन

narake vasatiṁ caiva kuryātsaṁtānanāśanam nāṁtaḥpraveśanaṁ kuryānna paśyecca kadācana

"— and dwelling in hell and the destruction of one's line. Let no one enter within, nor look inside, at any time."

Verse 41 (skanda.2.58.41)

नियुक्तादन्यः पश्येच्चेद्राज्ञो राष्ट्रस्य चैव ह । द्रष्टुश्चापि महाभीतिरंधता चक्षुषोर्युगे

niyuktādanyaḥ paśyeccedrājño rāṣṭrasya caiva ha draṣṭuścāpi mahābhītiraṁdhatā cakṣuṣoryuge

"Should anyone but the one appointed look, great terror shall befall the king and the kingdom, and the eyes of the one who looked shall both go blind."

Verse 42 (skanda.2.58.42)

तस्मान्नावेक्षणं कार्यं यावत्प्रतिमनिर्मितिः । निर्व्यूढस्तु स्वयं दैवः कृत्यांते तु वदिष्यति

tasmānnāvekṣaṇaṁ kāryaṁ yāvatpratimanirmitiḥ nirvyūḍhastu svayaṁ daivaḥ kṛtyāṁte tu vadiṣyati

"Therefore no looking is to be done until the image is completed. Once the making is finished, the god himself shall declare, at its close —

Verse 43 (skanda.2.58.43)

यत्कार्यं प्रयत्नेन सर्वलोकसुखावहम् । तच्छ्रुत्वा नारदाद्यास्ते यथोक्तं विष्णुना स्वयम्

yatkāryaṁ prayatnena sarvalokasukhāvaham tacchrutvā nāradādyāste yathoktaṁ viṣṇunā svayam

"— that this work, achieved through effort, shall bring happiness to all the worlds." Hearing this, spoken by Vishnu himself, Narada and the others

Verse 44 (skanda.2.58.44)

चिकीर्षंति तथा कर्त्तुं तत्रायातश्च वर्द्धकिः । प्रोवाच नृपतिं सोऽथ स्वप्ने दृष्टास्तु यास्त्वया

cikīrṣaṁti tathā karttuṁ tatrāyātaśca varddhakiḥ provāca nṛpatiṁ so'tha svapne dṛṣṭāstu yāstvayā

resolved to act exactly as directed; and there the carpenter arrived. He then said to the king: "The forms you saw in your dream —

Verse 45 (skanda.2.58.45)

ता एवाहं घटिष्यामि दारुणा दिव्यरूपिणा । इत्युक्त्वांतर्दधे वेद्यां वृद्धवर्द्धकिरूपधृक्

tā evāhaṁ ghaṭiṣyāmi dāruṇā divyarūpiṇā ityuktvāṁtardadhe vedyāṁ vṛddhavarddhakirūpadhṛk

"— those very forms I shall fashion from the wood, in their divine shape." So saying, wearing the guise of the aged carpenter, he vanished within upon the altar —

Verse 46 (skanda.2.58.46)

वंचनार्थं मनुष्याणां साक्षान्नारायणो विभुः

vaṁcanārthaṁ manuṣyāṇāṁ sākṣānnārāyaṇo vibhuḥ

— he who was, in truth, the all-pervading Narayana himself, for the purpose of beguiling mankind.