The Glory of Prayageshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.5.129.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। प्रयागेश्वरसंज्ञं तु सर्वकामकरं परम्। अष्टाधिकं विजानीहि पंचाशत्तममीश्वरम्॥

īśvara uvāca| prayāgeśvarasaṁjñaṁ tu sarvakāmakaraṁ param| aṣṭādhikaṁ vijānīhi paṁcāśattamamīśvaram||

Ishvara said: "Know the fifty-eighth lord, called Prayageshvara, supreme, the granter of all desires."

Verse 2 (skanda.5.129.2)

आसीत्प्रथमकल्पे तु मनुः स्वायंभुवः पुरा। तस्य प्रियव्रतः पुत्रो यज्वा परमधार्मिकः॥

āsītprathamakalpe tu manuḥ svāyaṁbhuvaḥ purā| tasya priyavrataḥ putro yajvā paramadhārmikaḥ||

"In the first kalpa there was, long ago, Svayambhuva Manu; his son was Priyavrata, a sacrificer, supremely righteous."

Verse 3 (skanda.5.129.3)

स चेष्ट्वा बहुभिर्यज्ञैः समाप्तवरदक्षिणैः। सप्तद्वीपेषु संप्राप्य भरतादीन्सुतान्प्रिये॥

sa ceṣṭvā bahubhiryajñaiḥ samāptavaradakṣiṇaiḥ| saptadvīpeṣu saṁprāpya bharatādīnsutānpriye||

"He, having performed many sacrifices completed with excellent fees, and having obtained across the seven continents sons headed by Bharata, O dear one -"

Verse 4 (skanda.5.129.4)

स्वयं विशालां बदरीं गत्वा तेपे महत्तपः। कालेन बहुना तत्र नारदः समुपस्थितः॥

svayaṁ viśālāṁ badarīṁ gatvā tepe mahattapaḥ| kālena bahunā tatra nāradaḥ samupasthitaḥ||

"- himself went to Vishala Badari and performed great austerity; after a long time, Narada arrived there."

Verse 5 (skanda.5.129.5)

पूजितो विष्टरार्घेण राज्ञा प्रियव्रतेन च। स पृष्टः पूजयित्वा तु किमाश्चर्यं वदस्व मे॥

pūjito viṣṭarārgheṇa rājñā priyavratena ca| sa pṛṣṭaḥ pūjayitvā tu kimāścaryaṁ vadasva me||

"Honored with a seat and an offering by King Priyavrata, he, having been worshipped, was asked: 'Tell me some wonder.'"

Verse 6 (skanda.5.129.6)

इत्युक्तः कथयामास नारदो मुनिसत्तमः। श्वेतद्वीपे मया राजन्कन्या दृष्टा सरोवरे॥

ityuktaḥ kathayāmāsa nārado munisattamaḥ| śvetadvīpe mayā rājankanyā dṛṣṭā sarovare||

"Thus addressed, Narada, best of sages, related: 'In Shvetadvipa, O king, I saw a maiden at a lake."

Verse 7 (skanda.5.129.7)

सा च पृष्टा विशालाक्षी कस्माद्वससि निर्जने। कासि भद्रे कथं वासि किंवा कार्यमिह त्वया॥

sā ca pṛṣṭā viśālākṣī kasmādvasasi nirjane| kāsi bhadre kathaṁ vāsi kiṁvā kāryamiha tvayā||

"'I asked that wide-eyed one: "Why do you dwell in this solitary place? Who are you, good lady? How do you live? What business have you here?""

Verse 8 (skanda.5.129.8)

कर्त्तव्यं चारुसर्वांगि तन्ममाचक्ष्व शोभने। एवमुक्ता मया सा हि मां दृष्ट्वा मीलितेक्षणम्॥

karttavyaṁ cārusarvāṁgi tanmamācakṣva śobhane| evamuktā mayā sā hi māṁ dṛṣṭvā mīlitekṣaṇam||

"'"Tell me your task, O fair-limbed, beautiful one." Thus addressed by me, she, having looked at me, closed her eyes -"

Verse 9 (skanda.5.129.9)

स्मृत्वा तूष्णीं स्थिता यावत्तावन्मे ज्ञानमुत्तमम्। विस्मृताः सर्ववेदाश्च सर्वशास्त्राणि चैव हि॥

smṛtvā tūṣṇīṁ sthitā yāvattāvanme jñānamuttamam| vismṛtāḥ sarvavedāśca sarvaśāstrāṇi caiva hi||

"- and, meditating, remained silent; and as she did so, my supreme knowledge - all the Vedas and all the shastras - was forgotten by me."

Verse 10 (skanda.5.129.10)

ततोऽहं विस्मयाविष्टश्चिंतामोहसमन्वितः। तामेव शरणं गत्वा यावत्पश्यामि पार्थिव॥

tato'haṁ vismayāviṣṭaściṁtāmohasamanvitaḥ| tāmeva śaraṇaṁ gatvā yāvatpaśyāmi pārthiva||

"O king, then, overcome with astonishment and beset with anxious confusion, I went to her alone for refuge, and as I looked -"

Verse 11 (skanda.5.129.11)

तावद्दिव्यः पुमांस्तस्याः शरीरे समदृश्यत। तस्यापि पुंसो ह्रदये द्वितीयस्तस्य चोरसि। तस्यापि हृदये चान्यस्तृतीयस्तु व्यवस्थितः॥

tāvaddivyaḥ pumāṁstasyāḥ śarīre samadṛśyata| tasyāpi puṁso hradaye dvitīyastasya corasi| tasyāpi hṛdaye cānyastṛtīyastu vyavasthitaḥ||

"- I beheld a divine person within her body; and within that person's heart a second one, upon his chest; and within that one's heart yet another, a third, stationed there."

Verse 12 (skanda.5.129.12)

ततः पृष्टा मया देवी सा कुमारी कथंचन। वेदा नष्टा ममाशेषा भद्रे किं ब्रूहि कारणम्॥

tataḥ pṛṣṭā mayā devī sā kumārī kathaṁcana| vedā naṣṭā mamāśeṣā bhadre kiṁ brūhi kāraṇam||

"Then I somehow asked that maiden goddess: 'All my Vedas are lost, good lady - tell me, what is the reason?'"

Verse 13 (skanda.5.129.13)

कन्योवाच। माताहं सर्ववेदानां सावित्रीनाम नामतः। मां न जानासि येन त्वमतो वेदा हृतास्तव॥

kanyovāca| mātāhaṁ sarvavedānāṁ sāvitrīnāma nāmataḥ| māṁ na jānāsi yena tvamato vedā hṛtāstava||

"The maiden said: 'I am the mother of all the Vedas, named Savitri. Since you did not recognize me, your Vedas have been taken away.'"

Verse 14 (skanda.5.129.14)

एवमुक्ते मया पृष्टा विस्मयेन महीपते। वेदानां त्वं तु माता वै कथयस्व ममानघे॥

evamukte mayā pṛṣṭā vismayena mahīpate| vedānāṁ tvaṁ tu mātā vai kathayasva mamānaghe||

"When she had spoken thus, O king, I asked her in astonishment: 'You indeed are the mother of the Vedas, O sinless one - tell me -"

Verse 15 (skanda.5.129.15)

त्वदीय हृदये देवि क एते पुरुषास्त्रयः॥

tvadīya hṛdaye devi ka ete puruṣāstrayaḥ||

"'- who, O Devi, are these three persons within your heart?'"

Verse 16 (skanda.5.129.16)

कन्योवाच। य एष मच्छरीरस्थः शुभांगश्चारु शोभनः। एष ऋग्वेदनामा तु यजुर्वेदो द्वितीयकः॥

kanyovāca| ya eṣa maccharīrasthaḥ śubhāṁgaścāru śobhanaḥ| eṣa ṛgvedanāmā tu yajurvedo dvitīyakaḥ||

"The maiden said: 'This one who dwells in my body, beautiful-limbed and lovely, he is named Rigveda; the second is Yajurveda."

Verse 17 (skanda.5.129.17)

सामवेदस्तृतीयस्तु त्रयो वेदा मयि स्थिताः। त्रयोऽग्नयस्त्रयो देवा मच्छरीरे स्थिता द्विज॥

sāmavedastṛtīyastu trayo vedā mayi sthitāḥ| trayo'gnayastrayo devā maccharīre sthitā dvija||

"'The third is Samaveda - the three Vedas dwell in me; three fires and three gods, O brahmin, dwell in my body.'"

Verse 18 (skanda.5.129.18)

इत्युक्त्वा सा तदा कन्या पश्यतो मम भूपते। अंतर्द्धानं गता सद्यस्ततोऽहं विस्मितोऽभवम्॥

ityuktvā sā tadā kanyā paśyato mama bhūpate| aṁtarddhānaṁ gatā sadyastato'haṁ vismito'bhavam||

"Having said this, O king, that maiden, even as I watched, vanished at once; then I became astonished."

Verse 19 (skanda.5.129.19)

किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि शरणं यामि कं प्रभुम्। कथमाविर्भविष्यंति वेदाः शास्त्राणि सांप्रतम्॥

kiṁ karomi kva gacchāmi śaraṇaṁ yāmi kaṁ prabhum| kathamāvirbhaviṣyaṁti vedāḥ śāstrāṇi sāṁpratam||

"'What shall I do, where shall I go, to what lord shall I go for refuge? How shall the Vedas and shastras now come forth again?'"

Verse 20 (skanda.5.129.20)

कामिकस्तीर्थराजस्तु प्रयागः श्रूयते श्रुतौ। अहं तत्र गमिष्यामि ज्ञानं सम्यग्भविष्यति॥

kāmikastīrtharājastu prayāgaḥ śrūyate śrutau| ahaṁ tatra gamiṣyāmi jñānaṁ samyagbhaviṣyati||

"'Prayaga, king of the tirthas, granter of desires, is spoken of in the Shruti; I shall go there - my knowledge will be fully restored.'"

Verse 21 (skanda.5.129.21)

नष्टवेदेन रैभ्येण प्राप्ता सिद्धिरनुत्तमा। सावित्री श्रूयते तत्र अक्षय्यवटसन्निधौ॥

naṣṭavedena raibhyeṇa prāptā siddhiranuttamā| sāvitrī śrūyate tatra akṣayyavaṭasannidhau||

"'Even Raibhya, whose Vedas were lost, attained supreme accomplishment there; and Savitri, it is said, resides there near the Akshaya Vata.'"

Verse 22 (skanda.5.129.22)

एवं मनसि संध्याय गतोऽहं नृपसत्तम। प्रयागं कामिकं तीर्थं सर्वदेवनमस्कृतम्॥

evaṁ manasi saṁdhyāya gato'haṁ nṛpasattama| prayāgaṁ kāmikaṁ tīrthaṁ sarvadevanamaskṛtam||

"Having thus resolved in my mind, O best of kings, I went to Prayaga, the desire-granting tirtha, honored by all the gods."

Verse 23 (skanda.5.129.23)

तपस्तीव्रं मया तत्र तप्तं परमदुष्करम्। अथाजगाम राजेंद्र प्रयागो मूर्त्तिमान्स्वयम्॥

tapastīvraṁ mayā tatra taptaṁ paramaduṣkaram| athājagāma rājeṁdra prayāgo mūrttimānsvayam||

"There I performed severe austerity, most difficult to accomplish. Then, O lord of kings, Prayaga himself came, in embodied form."

Verse 24 (skanda.5.129.24)

उक्तोऽहं प्रणयात्तेन न मां तापय नारद। ब्रह्मपुत्र प्रयागोऽहं भीषितस्तपसा तव॥

ukto'haṁ praṇayāttena na māṁ tāpaya nārada| brahmaputra prayāgo'haṁ bhīṣitastapasā tava||

"He said to me with affection: 'Do not torment me, Narada. I am Prayaga, son of Brahma, made fearful by your austerity."

Verse 25 (skanda.5.129.25)

भवतः पार्श्वमायातः प्रणयेन तपोधन। धन्योऽसि सर्वथा ब्रह्मंस्तपसा च विशेषतः॥

bhavataḥ pārśvamāyātaḥ praṇayena tapodhana| dhanyo'si sarvathā brahmaṁstapasā ca viśeṣataḥ||

"'I have come to your side out of affection, O treasure of austerity. You are blessed in every way, O brahmin, especially through your tapas."

Verse 26 (skanda.5.129.26)

मया सार्धं त्वया ब्रह्मन्गतिः कार्याऽविकल्पतः। महाकालवने रम्ये तत्र ते ज्ञानमुत्तमम्। भविष्यति न संदेहो मम कीर्तिश्च सुस्थिरा॥

mayā sārdhaṁ tvayā brahmangatiḥ kāryā'vikalpataḥ| mahākālavane ramye tatra te jñānamuttamam| bhaviṣyati na saṁdeho mama kīrtiśca susthirā||

"'You must go with me without hesitation, O brahmin, to the delightful Mahakalavana; there your supreme knowledge shall be restored - of this there is no doubt - and my own fame shall become firmly established.'"

Verse 27 (skanda.5.129.27)

एवं हि ब्रुवतस्तस्य प्रयागस्य नृपोत्तम। प्रादुर्बभूव सहसा पीतवासा जनार्द्दनः॥

evaṁ hi bruvatastasya prayāgasya nṛpottama| prādurbabhūva sahasā pītavāsā janārddanaḥ||

"While Prayaga was speaking thus, O best of kings, suddenly Janardana, clad in yellow garments, appeared."

Verse 28 (skanda.5.129.28)

शङ्खचक्रगदापाणिर्गरुडस्थो वियद्गतः। उवाच मेघगंभीरं वाक्यं स पुरुषोत्तमः॥

śaṅkhacakragadāpāṇirgaruḍastho viyadgataḥ| uvāca meghagaṁbhīraṁ vākyaṁ sa puruṣottamaḥ||

"With conch, discus and mace in hand, mounted on Garuda, moving through the sky, that Supreme Person spoke in a voice deep as a cloud -"

Verse 29 (skanda.5.129.29)

एहि नारद गच्छामः प्रयागो यत्र यास्यति। कृष्णस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा मया प्रोक्तो जनार्दनः॥

ehi nārada gacchāmaḥ prayāgo yatra yāsyati| kṛṣṇasya vacanaṁ śrutvā mayā prokto janārdanaḥ||

"- 'Come, Narada, let us go where Prayaga will go.' Hearing Krishna's words, I said to Janardana -"

Verse 30 (skanda.5.129.30)

ज्ञानं मे देहि देवेश कथं यास्यामि तद्वनम्। महाकालं जगन्नाथ श्रुतज्ञानविवर्जितः॥

jñānaṁ me dehi deveśa kathaṁ yāsyāmi tadvanam| mahākālaṁ jagannātha śrutajñānavivarjitaḥ||

"- 'Grant me knowledge, O lord of gods; how shall I go to that forest, Mahakala, O lord of the universe, bereft as I am of the knowledge of the Shruti?'"

Verse 31 (skanda.5.129.31)

इत्युक्तः श्रीधरेणाहं महाकालवनं नृप। आनीतस्तत्क्षणाच्छीघ्रं प्रयागसहितस्तदा॥

ityuktaḥ śrīdhareṇāhaṁ mahākālavanaṁ nṛpa| ānītastatkṣaṇācchīghraṁ prayāgasahitastadā||

"Thus addressed, O king, I was at once, that very instant, brought by Shridhara, together with Prayaga, to Mahakalavana."

Verse 32 (skanda.5.129.32)

घंटेश्वरस्य पूर्वे तु नवनद्यास्तु दक्षिणे। तत्र लिंगमनादि तु ज्योतीरूपं सनातनम्॥

ghaṁṭeśvarasya pūrve tu navanadyāstu dakṣiṇe| tatra liṁgamanādi tu jyotīrūpaṁ sanātanam||

"East of Ghanteshvara, and south of the Nine Rivers, there stood the beginningless linga, eternal, of the form of light."

Verse 33 (skanda.5.129.33)

प्रयागः पूजयामास पश्यतो मम भूपते। लिंगेनोक्तं प्रसन्नेन किमर्थं त्वमिहागतः॥

prayāgaḥ pūjayāmāsa paśyato mama bhūpate| liṁgenoktaṁ prasannena kimarthaṁ tvamihāgataḥ||

"Prayaga worshipped it there, O king, even as I watched; and the linga, being pleased, said: 'For what purpose have you come here?'"

Verse 34 (skanda.5.129.34)

प्रयाग प्रयतो भूत्वा प्रसन्नोऽहं सदा तव। दर्शनं च मदीयं तु विफलं न भविष्यति॥

prayāga prayato bhūtvā prasanno'haṁ sadā tava| darśanaṁ ca madīyaṁ tu viphalaṁ na bhaviṣyati||

"'O Prayaga, being ever devoted, I am always pleased with you; the sight of me shall never go in vain.'"

Verse 35 (skanda.5.129.35)

इत्युक्तस्तेन लिंगेन मदर्थं प्रार्थितस्तदा। ज्ञानं देहि द्विजायास्मै नारदाय महात्मने॥

ityuktastena liṁgena madarthaṁ prārthitastadā| jñānaṁ dehi dvijāyāsmai nāradāya mahātmane||

"Thus addressed by the linga, Prayaga then prayed on my behalf: 'Grant knowledge to this brahmin, the great soul Narada."

Verse 36 (skanda.5.129.36)

नष्टा वेदाश्च शास्त्राणि सावित्र्या दर्शनात्प्रभो॥

naṣṭā vedāśca śāstrāṇi sāvitryā darśanātprabho||

"'His Vedas and shastras were destroyed, O Lord, by the sight of Savitri.'"

Verse 37 (skanda.5.129.37)

ततो लिंगात्समुत्तस्थौ ब्रह्मा वेदैर्वृतस्तदा। षडंगैः सरहस्यैश्च पुराणैः सहितस्तदा॥

tato liṁgātsamuttasthau brahmā vedairvṛtastadā| ṣaḍaṁgaiḥ sarahasyaiśca purāṇaiḥ sahitastadā||

"Then Brahma rose up from the linga, surrounded by the Vedas, together with the six Vedic limbs, the esoteric texts, and the Puranas."

Verse 38 (skanda.5.129.38)

इत्युक्तोऽहं तदा देव्या सावित्र्या नृपसत्तम। लिंगस्यास्य प्रभावेण प्रयागाभ्यर्थितस्य वै॥

ityukto'haṁ tadā devyā sāvitryā nṛpasattama| liṁgasyāsya prabhāveṇa prayāgābhyarthitasya vai||

"Then, O best of kings, I was addressed by the goddess Savitri, through the power of this linga, at the entreaty of Prayaga -"

Verse 39 (skanda.5.129.39)

प्रतिभास्यंति ते वेदा धर्मशास्त्राणि नारद। इत्युक्ते वचने भूयः प्राप्ता वेदा मया नृप॥

pratibhāsyaṁti te vedā dharmaśāstrāṇi nārada| ityukte vacane bhūyaḥ prāptā vedā mayā nṛpa||

"- 'Your Vedas and the dharma-shastras shall reappear, O Narada.' When these words were spoken, O king, I regained the Vedas once more."

Verse 40 (skanda.5.129.40)

ज्ञानं षडंगसहितं शास्त्राणि विविधानि च। लब्धज्ञानेन राजेंद्र मया प्रोक्तं वचस्तदा॥

jñānaṁ ṣaḍaṁgasahitaṁ śāstrāṇi vividhāni ca| labdhajñānena rājeṁdra mayā proktaṁ vacastadā||

"- knowledge together with the six limbs, and various shastras. Having obtained this knowledge, O lord of kings, I then spoke these words -"

Verse 41 (skanda.5.129.41)

प्रयागेनार्चितो देवो मम ज्ञानस्य कारणात्। प्रयागेश्वरसंज्ञस्तु ख्यातिं लोकेषु यास्यति॥

prayāgenārcito devo mama jñānasya kāraṇāt| prayāgeśvarasaṁjñastu khyātiṁ lokeṣu yāsyati||

"- 'The god worshipped by Prayaga, being the cause of my knowledge, shall become renowned in the worlds under the name Prayageshvara.'"

Verse 42 (skanda.5.129.42)

तदाप्रभृति तल्लिंगं तीर्थकोटिशतैर्वृतम्। स्वर्गापवर्गफलदं तत्र त्वं गंतुमर्हसि॥

tadāprabhṛti talliṁgaṁ tīrthakoṭiśatairvṛtam| svargāpavargaphaladaṁ tatra tvaṁ gaṁtumarhasi||

"From that time on, that linga has been surrounded by hundreds of millions of tirthas, granting the fruits of heaven and liberation; you ought to go there."

Verse 43 (skanda.5.129.43)

किमनेनाश्वमेधेन इष्टेन नृपसत्तम। अश्वमेधशतफलं जायते तस्य दर्शनात्॥

kimanenāśvamedhena iṣṭena nṛpasattama| aśvamedhaśataphalaṁ jāyate tasya darśanāt||

"What need is there, O best of kings, of performing this ashvamedha sacrifice? The fruit of a hundred ashvamedhas is obtained merely by beholding it."

Verse 44 (skanda.5.129.44)

तपसा किं सुतप्तेन कायक्लेशकरेण तु। वाञ्छितं लभते सद्यः प्रयागेश्वरदर्शनात्॥

tapasā kiṁ sutaptena kāyakleśakareṇa tu| vāñchitaṁ labhate sadyaḥ prayāgeśvaradarśanāt||

"What need is there of austerity, well-performed though causing bodily suffering? One obtains one's desire at once through the sight of Prayageshvara."

Verse 45 (skanda.5.129.45)

ईश्वर उवाच। नारदस्य वचः श्रुत्वा स्वायंभुवसुतो नृपः। प्रियव्रतो महादेवि महाकालवनं गतः॥

īśvara uvāca| nāradasya vacaḥ śrutvā svāyaṁbhuvasuto nṛpaḥ| priyavrato mahādevi mahākālavanaṁ gataḥ||

Ishvara said: "Hearing Narada's words, O Mahadevi, King Priyavrata, son of Svayambhuva, went to Mahakalavana."

Verse 46 (skanda.5.129.46)

ददर्श तत्र तल्लिंगं नवनद्यास्तु दक्षिणे। दर्शनात्तस्य लिंगस्य मत्समीपं समागतः॥

dadarśa tatra talliṁgaṁ navanadyāstu dakṣiṇe| darśanāttasya liṁgasya matsamīpaṁ samāgataḥ||

"He beheld that linga there, south of the Nine Rivers; by the sight of that linga he came into my presence."

Verse 47 (skanda.5.129.47)

मया संमानितो देवि गणानामधिपः कृतः। ये पश्यंति नरा भक्त्या प्रयागेश्वरमीश्वरम्। ते धन्या मानुषे लोके क्लिश्यन्त्यन्ये निरर्थकाः॥

mayā saṁmānito devi gaṇānāmadhipaḥ kṛtaḥ| ye paśyaṁti narā bhaktyā prayāgeśvaramīśvaram| te dhanyā mānuṣe loke kliśyantyanye nirarthakāḥ||

"I honored him, O Devi, and made him a lord of the ganas. Those men who behold the lord Prayageshvara with devotion are blessed in the world of men; others merely suffer in vain."

Verse 48 (skanda.5.129.48)

या गतिर्योगयुक्तस्य सत्त्वस्थस्य मनीषिणः। सा गतिर्जायते सम्यक्प्रयागेश्वरदर्शनात्॥

yā gatiryogayuktasya sattvasthasya manīṣiṇaḥ| sā gatirjāyate samyakprayāgeśvaradarśanāt||

"The destination that a wise man united in yoga, abiding in sattva, attains - that same destination arises perfectly through the sight of Prayageshvara."

Verse 49 (skanda.5.129.49)

माघमासे समेष्यंति प्रयागेश्वरदर्शनम्। कर्त्तुं ये मानुषास्तेषामश्वमेधः पदेपदे॥

māghamāse sameṣyaṁti prayāgeśvaradarśanam| karttuṁ ye mānuṣāsteṣāmaśvamedhaḥ padepade||

"Those men who gather in the month of Magha to have the darshan of Prayageshvara obtain the fruit of an ashvamedha at every step."

Verse 50 (skanda.5.129.50)

एष ते कथितो देवि प्रभावः पापनाशनः। प्रयागेश्वरदेवस्य शृणु सिद्धेश्वरं परम्॥

eṣa te kathito devi prabhāvaḥ pāpanāśanaḥ| prayāgeśvaradevasya śṛṇu siddheśvaraṁ param||

"This, O Devi, is the sin-destroying power of the god Prayageshvara that I have told you; now hear of the supreme Siddheshvara."