The Glory of the Vidyadhara Tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.5.11.1)

अथातः संप्रवक्ष्यामि तीर्थं विद्याधरस्य तु। तत्र स्नात्वा शुचिर्भूत्वा विद्याधरपतिर्भवेत्

athātaḥ saṁpravakṣyāmi tīrthaṁ vidyādharasya tu| tatra snātvā śucirbhūtvā vidyādharapatirbhavet

Now hereafter I shall declare the tirtha of the Vidyadhara; having bathed there and become pure, one becomes lord of the Vidyadharas.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.11.2)

व्यास उवाच। कथं तीर्थमिदं क्षेत्रे जातमत्र महामुने। प्रसादाद्ब्रूहि मे ब्रह्मञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि सांप्रतम्

vyāsa uvāca| kathaṁ tīrthamidaṁ kṣetre jātamatra mahāmune| prasādādbrūhi me brahmañchrotumicchāmi sāṁpratam

Vyasa said: How did this tirtha come to be in this sacred field, O great sage? Tell me by your grace, O Brahmin; I wish to hear it now.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.11.3)

सनत्कुमार उवाच। विद्याधरपतिः कश्चिदासीद्रूपधरः पुरा। ग्रथिता पारिजातस्य माला तेन मनोरमा

sanatkumāra uvāca| vidyādharapatiḥ kaścidāsīdrūpadharaḥ purā| grathitā pārijātasya mālā tena manoramā

Sanatkumara said: There once was a certain lord of the Vidyadharas, of beautiful form; he had woven a lovely garland of Parijata flowers.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.11.4)

गृहीत्वा च स तां मालां गतो वासववेश्मनि। नृत्यंती वासवस्याग्रे दृष्टा तेन च मेनका

gṛhītvā ca sa tāṁ mālāṁ gato vāsavaveśmani| nṛtyaṁtī vāsavasyāgre dṛṣṭā tena ca menakā

Taking that garland, he went to the abode of Vasava; there he saw Menaka dancing before Vasava.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.11.5)

दत्ता तस्यै तदा तेन सा माला नृत्यमाश्रितः। सा मेनकास्तुताऽस्थाने मालया मोहिता भवत्

dattā tasyai tadā tena sā mālā nṛtyamāśritaḥ| sā menakāstutā'sthāne mālayā mohitā bhavat

He then gave that garland to Menaka as she was absorbed in dancing; honoured thus at the wrong moment, she grew distracted by the garland.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.11.6)

कोपाविष्टेन शक्रेण शप्तो विद्याधरस्तदा। पृथिव्यां गच्छ पापिष्ठ नृत्यभंगस्त्वया कृतः

kopāviṣṭena śakreṇa śapto vidyādharastadā| pṛthivyāṁ gaccha pāpiṣṭha nṛtyabhaṁgastvayā kṛtaḥ

Overcome with anger, Shakra then cursed the Vidyadhara: 'Go down to the earth, O wretch; you have broken the dance.'

Verse 7 (skanda.5.11.7)

विद्याधरपदं त्यक्त्वा मम शापाच्च सांप्रतम्। एवमुक्तस्तु शक्रेण वाक्यं विद्याधरोऽब्रवीत

vidyādharapadaṁ tyaktvā mama śāpācca sāṁpratam| evamuktastu śakreṇa vākyaṁ vidyādharo'bravīta

'By my curse, relinquish your rank as a Vidyadhara now.' Thus addressed by Shakra, the Vidyadhara spoke this word.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.11.8)

अजानता मया नाथ अपराधः कृतोऽधुना। अनुग्रहमतो देव कुरु मे त्वं प्रसादतः

ajānatā mayā nātha aparādhaḥ kṛto'dhunā| anugrahamato deva kuru me tvaṁ prasādataḥ

'O Lord, this offence has now been committed by me unknowingly; therefore, O god, show me your grace.'

Verse 9 (skanda.5.11.9)

एवमुक्तः स शक्रो वै विद्याधरमुवाच ह। गच्छावंतीं त्वमद्यैव यत्रास्ते गांगटी गुहा

evamuktaḥ sa śakro vai vidyādharamuvāca ha| gacchāvaṁtīṁ tvamadyaiva yatrāste gāṁgaṭī guhā

Thus addressed, Shakra then said to the Vidyadhara: 'Go this very day to Avanti, where the Gangati cave is.'

Verse 10 (skanda.5.11.10)

तस्याश्चोत्तरभागे तु विद्यते तीर्थमुत्तमम्। ख्यातं तत्त्रिषु लोकेषु नाम्ना विद्याधरं शुभम्

tasyāścottarabhāge tu vidyate tīrthamuttamam| khyātaṁ tattriṣu lokeṣu nāmnā vidyādharaṁ śubham

'On its northern side there exists a most excellent tirtha, renowned in the three worlds by the auspicious name Vidyadhara.'

Verse 11 (skanda.5.11.11)

भक्त्या तत्र कृते स्नाने विद्याधरपतिर्भवेत्। अतस्त्वमपि तत्रैव कुरु स्नानं प्रयत्नतः

bhaktyā tatra kṛte snāne vidyādharapatirbhavet| atastvamapi tatraiva kuru snānaṁ prayatnataḥ

'By bathing there with devotion, one becomes lord of the Vidyadharas; therefore you too should bathe there diligently.'

Verse 12 (skanda.5.11.12)

एवमुक्तः स शक्रेण आगतोऽवंतिमंडले। स्नानं कृत्वा च तेनैव तीर्थे तस्मिन्मनोरमे

evamuktaḥ sa śakreṇa āgato'vaṁtimaṁḍale| snānaṁ kṛtvā ca tenaiva tīrthe tasminmanorame

Thus addressed by Shakra, he came to the region of Avanti; and having bathed in that most delightful tirtha...

Verse 13 (skanda.5.11.13)

प्रभावात्तस्य तीर्थस्य पुनः प्राप्तं पदं स्वकम्। एवं व्यास समाख्यातं तीर्थं विद्याधरं शुभम्

prabhāvāttasya tīrthasya punaḥ prāptaṁ padaṁ svakam| evaṁ vyāsa samākhyātaṁ tīrthaṁ vidyādharaṁ śubham

...through the power of that tirtha he regained his own rank once again. Thus, O Vyasa, has the auspicious Vidyadhara tirtha been declared.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.11.14)

तत्र पुष्पाणि यो दद्याच्चंदनं च विलेपनम्। लभेत्समस्तभोगान्स इहलोके परत्र च

tatra puṣpāṇi yo dadyāccaṁdanaṁ ca vilepanam| labhetsamastabhogānsa ihaloke paratra ca

Whoever offers flowers there, and sandal-paste as an unguent, obtains every enjoyment in this world and the next.