The Glory of Shankaraditya

Verse 1 (skanda.5.15.1)

सनत्कुमार उवाच। शृणु व्यास महातीर्थं नाम्ना शंकरवापिका। क्रीडमानेन देवेन निर्मितं तीर्थमुत्तमम्

sanatkumāra uvāca| śṛṇu vyāsa mahātīrthaṁ nāmnā śaṁkaravāpikā| krīḍamānena devena nirmitaṁ tīrthamuttamam

Sanatkumara said: Hear, O Vyasa, of the great tirtha named Shankaravapika; this supreme tirtha was fashioned by the god at play.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.15.2)

प्रक्षिप्तं देवदेवेन कपालक्षालनं जलम्। वापीगतं कृतं यस्मादतः शंकरवापिका

prakṣiptaṁ devadevena kapālakṣālanaṁ jalam| vāpīgataṁ kṛtaṁ yasmādataḥ śaṁkaravāpikā

The water with which the God of gods washed the skull-bowl was cast down there; and since it collected into a step-well, it is therefore called Shankaravapika.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.15.3)

अर्काष्टम्यां नरः स्नात्वा दिशासु विदिशासु च। पूर्वादिक्रमतो यावद्वापीमध्ये तथैव च

arkāṣṭamyāṁ naraḥ snātvā diśāsu vidiśāsu ca| pūrvādikramato yāvadvāpīmadhye tathaiva ca

A man, having bathed on Arka-ashtami, in the cardinal and intermediate directions, in order starting from the east, and likewise in the middle of the step-well...

Verse 4 (skanda.5.15.4)

हविष्यान्नयुतान्व्यास दद्याच्च करकान्नवान्। शाकमूलांश्च विप्रेभ्यस्तस्य पुण्यफलं शृणु

haviṣyānnayutānvyāsa dadyācca karakānnavān| śākamūlāṁśca viprebhyastasya puṇyaphalaṁ śṛṇu

...should give, O Vyasa, sacred food and fresh water-filled jars, and vegetables and roots, to Brahmins; hear now the merit that comes of this.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.15.5)

परत्र चेह ये लोकाः सर्वभावसमन्विताः। तत्रतत्र समायाति भुनक्त्यैश्वर्यमुत्तमम्

paratra ceha ye lokāḥ sarvabhāvasamanvitāḥ| tatratatra samāyāti bhunaktyaiśvaryamuttamam

Whatever worlds there are, in this life and beyond, endowed with every excellence, he goes to them, place after place, and enjoys supreme sovereignty.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.15.6)

ये नरा कीर्तयिष्यंति माहात्म्यमतिभाविकाः। रुद्रलोकेऽपि ते पूज्यास्तेभ्योऽपि सततं नमः

ye narā kīrtayiṣyaṁti māhātmyamatibhāvikāḥ| rudraloke'pi te pūjyāstebhyo'pi satataṁ namaḥ

Those devoted men who shall proclaim this glory are honoured even in the world of Rudra; salutation to them, always and ever.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.15.7)

सनत्कुमार उवाच। ततो वै देवदेवेशः पिनाकी वृषभध्वजः। तुष्टाव प्रयतो भूत्वा देवदेवं दिवाकरम्

sanatkumāra uvāca| tato vai devadeveśaḥ pinākī vṛṣabhadhvajaḥ| tuṣṭāva prayato bhūtvā devadevaṁ divākaram

Sanatkumara said: Then indeed the Lord of the lords of gods, Pinakin, the bull-bannered one, made himself pure and diligently praised the god of gods, Divakara.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.15.8)

आजगाम दिवानाथः संतुष्टः प्राह शंकरम्

ājagāma divānāthaḥ saṁtuṣṭaḥ prāha śaṁkaram

The Lord of the day, pleased, came there and spoke to Shankara.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.15.9)

सूर्य उवाच। वरं वरय भूतेश वरदोऽस्मि ददामि ते। तमाह वरदश्चेत्त्वं याच्यमानं कुरुष्व मे

sūrya uvāca| varaṁ varaya bhūteśa varado'smi dadāmi te| tamāha varadaścettvaṁ yācyamānaṁ kuruṣva me

Surya said: 'Choose a boon, O Lord of beings; I am a boon-giver, and I grant it to you.' Shankara said to him: 'If you are indeed a boon-giver, then grant what I ask of you.'

Verse 10 (skanda.5.15.10)

अंशेन स्थीयतामत्र हितार्थं सर्वदेहिनाम्। अवतीर्णो रविस्तत्र श्रुत्वा माहेश्वरं वचः

aṁśena sthīyatāmatra hitārthaṁ sarvadehinām| avatīrṇo ravistatra śrutvā māheśvaraṁ vacaḥ

'Abide here, with a portion of yourself, for the welfare of all embodied beings.' Hearing this word of Maheshvara, the sun descended there.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.15.11)

ततो देवाधिदेवस्य शंकरस्य महौजसः। वाक्येन भास्करस्तत्र ययौ ख्यातिं महाद्युतिः

tato devādhidevasya śaṁkarasya mahaujasaḥ| vākyena bhāskarastatra yayau khyātiṁ mahādyutiḥ

Then, by the word of Shankara, God of gods and of great splendour, the greatly radiant Bhaskara attained fame there.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.15.12)

शंकरादित्यनामेति लोकानुग्रहकारकः। देवा दैत्याश्च गंधर्वा विस्मिताः सह किन्नरैः

śaṁkarādityanāmeti lokānugrahakārakaḥ| devā daityāśca gaṁdharvā vismitāḥ saha kinnaraiḥ

Under the name Shankaraditya he became a bringer of grace to the world; the gods, demons, and gandharvas, together with the kinnaras, were amazed.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.15.13)

अहो धन्यमिदं स्थानं यत्रास्ते त्रिपुरांतकः। भास्करोऽपि च तत्रस्थस्तीर्थमध्ये च वर्तते

aho dhanyamidaṁ sthānaṁ yatrāste tripurāṁtakaḥ| bhāskaro'pi ca tatrasthastīrthamadhye ca vartate

'How wonderful, how blessed is this place, where the destroyer of Tripura abides; and here Bhaskara too dwells, in the very midst of the tirtha.'

Verse 14 (skanda.5.15.14)

ततस्तुष्टाश्च ते सर्वे ब्रह्माद्याः सुरसत्तमाः। देवेशं पूजयामासुरादित्यं शंकरं तथा

tatastuṣṭāśca te sarve brahmādyāḥ surasattamāḥ| deveśaṁ pūjayāmāsurādityaṁ śaṁkaraṁ tathā

Thereafter all those foremost gods, headed by Brahma, delighted, worshipped the Lord of gods, and likewise Aditya-Shankara.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.15.15)

मूर्तिमंतश्च ते देवा अवतीर्य च शोभनम्। स्थापयित्वाऽब्रवीद्वाक्यं येऽत्र स्नास्यंति मानवाः

mūrtimaṁtaśca te devā avatīrya ca śobhanam| sthāpayitvā'bravīdvākyaṁ ye'tra snāsyaṁti mānavāḥ

Those gods, embodied, having descended there in beautiful form and become established, spoke this word: 'Those men who shall bathe here...'

Verse 16 (skanda.5.15.16)

न दुःखं जायते तेषां जरामरण शोकजम्। सर्वयज्ञेषु यत्पुण्यं सर्वदानेषु यत्फलम्। तस्माच्चैवाधिकं ह्यत्र शंकरादित्यदर्शनात्

na duḥkhaṁ jāyate teṣāṁ jarāmaraṇa śokajam| sarvayajñeṣu yatpuṇyaṁ sarvadāneṣu yatphalam| tasmāccaivādhikaṁ hyatra śaṁkarādityadarśanāt

'...shall know no sorrow born of old age, death, or grief. Whatever merit belongs to every sacrifice, whatever fruit belongs to every gift...'

Verse 17 (skanda.5.15.17)

व्याधयो नाधयश्चैव दारिद्र्यं न कदाचन। ऐश्वर्यं चातुलं तेषां जायते भुवि सर्वदा

vyādhayo nādhayaścaiva dāridryaṁ na kadācana| aiśvaryaṁ cātulaṁ teṣāṁ jāyate bhuvi sarvadā

'...even more than that is obtained here from the sight of Shankaraditya. Neither bodily disease, nor mental affliction, nor poverty ever...'

Verse 18 (skanda.5.15.18)

न रोगो न च दारिद्र्यं वियोगो न च बन्धुभिः। जायते मुनिशार्दूल शंकरादित्यदर्शनात्

na rogo na ca dāridryaṁ viyogo na ca bandhubhiḥ| jāyate muniśārdūla śaṁkarādityadarśanāt

'...befalls them; and unequalled sovereignty is ever theirs upon the earth. O tiger among sages, from the sight of Shankaraditya, there is neither disease, nor poverty, nor separation from one's kinsmen.'

Verse 19 (skanda.5.15.19)

इत्येवं देवदेवेन पुरा वै शूलपाणिना। शंकरादित्यनाम्ना च स्थापितं परमं पदम्

ityevaṁ devadevena purā vai śūlapāṇinā| śaṁkarādityanāmnā ca sthāpitaṁ paramaṁ padam

Thus in former times, by the God of gods, the trident-bearer, was this supreme station established, under the name Shankaraditya.