Greatness of the Confluence of the Kaveri

Verse 1 (skanda.5.184.1)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच। कावेरीति च विख्याता त्रिषु लोकेषु सत्तम । माहात्म्यं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तस्या मार्कण्ड तत्त्वतः

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca| kāverīti ca vikhyātā triṣu lokeṣu sattama | māhātmyaṁ śrotumicchāmi tasyā mārkaṇḍa tattvataḥ

Yudhishthira said: O virtuous one, there is a river renowned as the Kaveri in the three worlds; O Markandeya, I wish to hear her greatness in truth.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.184.2)

कीदृशं दर्शनं तस्याः फलं स्पर्शेऽथवा विभो । स्नाने जाप्येऽथवा दान उपवासे तथा मुने

kīdṛśaṁ darśanaṁ tasyāḥ phalaṁ sparśe'thavā vibho | snāne jāpye'thavā dāna upavāse tathā mune

O lord, what is the fruit of seeing her, of touching her, of bathing, of reciting japa, of giving, or of fasting there, O sage?

Verse 3 (skanda.5.184.3)

कथयस्व महाभाग कावेरीसङ्गमे फलम् । धर्मः श्रुतोऽथ दृष्टो वा कथितो वा कृतोऽपि वा

kathayasva mahābhāga kāverīsaṅgame phalam | dharmaḥ śruto'tha dṛṣṭo vā kathito vā kṛto'pi vā

Tell me, O illustrious one, the fruit obtained at the confluence of the Kaveri. Does merit come from dharma merely heard, or seen, or spoken of, or performed,

Verse 4 (skanda.5.184.4)

अनुमोदितो वा विप्रेन्द्र पुनातीति श्रुतं मया । यथा धर्मप्रसङ्गे तु मुने धर्मोऽपि जायते

anumodito vā viprendra punātīti śrutaṁ mayā | yathā dharmaprasaṅge tu mune dharmo'pi jāyate

or merely approved of? I have heard it purifies in any case — just as, O sage, even in the course of discussing dharma, dharma itself arises.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.184.5)

स्वर्गश्च नरकश्चैव इत्येवं वैदिकी श्रुतिः

svargaśca narakaścaiva ityevaṁ vaidikī śrutiḥ

'Heaven and hell' — such indeed is the Vedic teaching.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.184.6)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। साधु साधु महाभाग यत्पृष्टोऽहं त्वयाधुना । शृणुष्वैकमना भूत्वा कावेरीफलमुत्तमम्

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| sādhu sādhu mahābhāga yatpṛṣṭo'haṁ tvayādhunā | śṛṇuṣvaikamanā bhūtvā kāverīphalamuttamam

Sri Markandeya said: Well asked indeed, O illustrious one, is this question you have now put; listen with a single-pointed mind to the supreme fruit of the Kaveri.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.184.7)

अस्ति यक्षो महासत्त्वः कुबेरोनाम विश्रुतः । सोऽपि तीर्थप्रभावेन राजन्यक्षाधिपोऽभवत्

asti yakṣo mahāsattvaḥ kuberonāma viśrutaḥ | so'pi tīrthaprabhāvena rājanyakṣādhipo'bhavat

There is a Yaksha of great might renowned by the name Kubera; O king, he too became lord of the Yakshas through the power of this very tirtha.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.184.8)

तच्छृणुष्व विधानेन भक्त्या परमया नृप । सिद्धिं प्राप्तो महाभाग कावेरीसङ्गमेन तु

tacchṛṇuṣva vidhānena bhaktyā paramayā nṛpa | siddhiṁ prāpto mahābhāga kāverīsaṅgamena tu

O king, hear it duly and with supreme devotion — O illustrious one, it was through the Kaveri confluence that he attained perfection.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.184.9)

कावेर्या नर्मदायास्तु सङ्गमे लोकविश्रुते । तत्र स्नात्वा शुचिर्भूत्वा कुबेरः सत्यविक्रमः

kāveryā narmadāyāstu saṅgame lokaviśrute | tatra snātvā śucirbhūtvā kuberaḥ satyavikramaḥ

Bathing at the world-renowned confluence of the Kaveri and the Narmada, and becoming pure, Kubera, of true valor,

Verse 10 (skanda.5.184.10)

विधिवन्नियमं कृत्वा शास्त्रयुक्त्या नरोत्तम । आराधयन्महादेवमेकचित्तः सनातनम्

vidhivanniyamaṁ kṛtvā śāstrayuktyā narottama | ārādhayanmahādevamekacittaḥ sanātanam

O best of men, duly observing his vow according to scriptural rule, worshipped the eternal Mahadeva with a single-pointed mind.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.184.11)

एकाहारो वसन्मासं तथा षष्ठाह्नकालिकः । पक्षोपवासी न्यवसत्कंचित्कालं नृपोत्तम

ekāhāro vasanmāsaṁ tathā ṣaṣṭhāhnakālikaḥ | pakṣopavāsī nyavasatkaṁcitkālaṁ nṛpottama

O best of kings, he lived on a single meal for a month, then ate only every sixth day, and for a time observed a fortnight's fast.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.184.12)

मूलशाकफलैश्चान्यं कालं नयति बुद्धिमान् । किंचित्कालं वसंस्तत्र तीर्थे शैवालभोजनः

mūlaśākaphalaiścānyaṁ kālaṁ nayati buddhimān | kiṁcitkālaṁ vasaṁstatra tīrthe śaivālabhojanaḥ

That wise one passed some time on roots, greens, and fruits; for another while he dwelt at that tirtha feeding only on water-moss.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.184.13)

पराकेणानयत्कालं कृच्छ्रेणापि च मानद । चान्द्रायणेन चाप्यन्यमन्यं वाय्वम्बुभोजनः

parākeṇānayatkālaṁ kṛcchreṇāpi ca mānada | cāndrāyaṇena cāpyanyamanyaṁ vāyvambubhojanaḥ

O honored one, he passed a period on the Paraka fast, another on the Krichchhra penance, another on the Chandrayana fast, and yet another subsisting on air and water alone.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.184.14)

एवं तत्र नरश्रेष्ठ कामरागविवर्जितः । स्थितो वर्षशतं साग्रं कर्षयन्स्वं तथा वपुः

evaṁ tatra naraśreṣṭha kāmarāgavivarjitaḥ | sthito varṣaśataṁ sāgraṁ karṣayansvaṁ tathā vapuḥ

O best of men, thus free of desire and passion, he remained there wasting his own body for more than a hundred years.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.184.15)

ततो वर्षशतस्यान्ते देवदेवो महेश्वरः । तुष्टस्तु परया भक्त्या तमुवाच हसन्निव

tato varṣaśatasyānte devadevo maheśvaraḥ | tuṣṭastu parayā bhaktyā tamuvāca hasanniva

Then, at the end of a hundred years, Maheshvara, the god of gods, pleased by his supreme devotion, spoke to him as if smiling —

Verse 16 (skanda.5.184.16)

भोभो यक्ष महासत्त्व वरं वरय सुव्रत । परितुष्टोऽस्मि ते भक्त्या तव दास्ये यथेप्सितम्

bhobho yakṣa mahāsattva varaṁ varaya suvrata | parituṣṭo'smi te bhaktyā tava dāsye yathepsitam

'O mighty Yaksha, O one of excellent vows, choose a boon; I am well pleased by your devotion, and shall give you whatever you desire.'

Verse 17 (skanda.5.184.17)

यक्ष उवाच। यदि तुष्टोऽसि देवेश उमया सह शङ्कर । अद्यप्रभृति सर्वेषां यक्षाणामधिपो भवे

yakṣa uvāca| yadi tuṣṭo'si deveśa umayā saha śaṅkara | adyaprabhṛti sarveṣāṁ yakṣāṇāmadhipo bhave

The Yaksha said: 'O lord of gods, if you together with Uma are pleased, O Shankara, may I from this day become lord of all the Yakshas.'

Verse 18 (skanda.5.184.18)

अक्षयश्चाव्ययश्चैव तव भक्तिपुरःसरः । धर्मे मतिं च मे नित्यं ददस्व परमेश्वर

akṣayaścāvyayaścaiva tava bhaktipuraḥsaraḥ | dharme matiṁ ca me nityaṁ dadasva parameśvara

'May that lordship be imperishable and unfailing, ever preceded by devotion to you; O Supreme Lord, ever grant me a mind fixed on dharma.'

Verse 19 (skanda.5.184.19)

ईश्वर उवाच। यत्त्वया प्रार्थितं सर्वं फलं धर्मस्य तत्तथा । इत्येवमुक्त्वा तं तत्र जगामादर्शनं हरः

īśvara uvāca| yattvayā prārthitaṁ sarvaṁ phalaṁ dharmasya tattathā | ityevamuktvā taṁ tatra jagāmādarśanaṁ haraḥ

Ishvara said: 'All that you have asked shall come to you, together with the fruit of dharma.' Having said this, Hara vanished right there.

Verse 20 (skanda.5.184.20)

सोऽपि स्नात्वा विधानेन संतर्प्य पितृदेवताः । आमन्त्रयित्वा तत्तीर्थं कृतार्थश्च गृहं ययौ

so'pi snātvā vidhānena saṁtarpya pitṛdevatāḥ | āmantrayitvā tattīrthaṁ kṛtārthaśca gṛhaṁ yayau

He too, having duly bathed and offered libations to the ancestors and gods, took leave of that tirtha and, his purpose fulfilled, went home.

Verse 21 (skanda.5.184.21)

पूजितस्तत्र यक्षैस्तु सोऽभिषिक्तो विधानतः । चकार विपुलं तत्र राज्यमीप्सितमुत्तमम्

pūjitastatra yakṣaistu so'bhiṣikto vidhānataḥ | cakāra vipulaṁ tatra rājyamīpsitamuttamam

Honored there by the Yakshas, he was duly consecrated, and he ruled there a vast, desired, and supreme kingdom.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.184.22)

तत्र चान्ये सुराः सिद्धा यक्षगन्धर्वकिंनराः । गणाश्चाप्सरसां तत्र ऋषयश्च तथानघ

tatra cānye surāḥ siddhā yakṣagandharvakiṁnarāḥ | gaṇāścāpsarasāṁ tatra ṛṣayaśca tathānagha

O sinless one, there also dwell other gods, Siddhas, Yakshas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras, hosts of Apsaras, and sages likewise,

Verse 23 (skanda.5.184.23)

कावेरीसङ्गमं तेन सर्वपापहरं विदुः । स्वर्गाणामपि सर्वेषां द्वारमेतद्युधिष्ठिर

kāverīsaṅgamaṁ tena sarvapāpaharaṁ viduḥ | svargāṇāmapi sarveṣāṁ dvārametadyudhiṣṭhira

and for that reason they know the Kaveri confluence to be the destroyer of all sins; O Yudhishthira, this is the gateway to all the heavens.

Verse 24 (skanda.5.184.24)

ते धन्यास्ते महात्मानस्तेषां जन्म सुजीवितम् । कावेरीसङ्गमे स्नात्वा यैर्दत्तं हि तिलोदकम्

te dhanyāste mahātmānasteṣāṁ janma sujīvitam | kāverīsaṅgame snātvā yairdattaṁ hi tilodakam

Blessed are they, great of soul, their birth and life fulfilled, who have bathed at the Kaveri confluence and offered libations of sesame-water.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.184.25)

दश पूर्वे परे तात मातृतः पितृतस्तथा । पितरः पितामहास्तेन उद्धृता नरकार्णवात्

daśa pūrve pare tāta mātṛtaḥ pitṛtastathā | pitaraḥ pitāmahāstena uddhṛtā narakārṇavāt

O son, ten generations before and ten after, on both the mother's and the father's side — the ancestors and forefathers — are thereby delivered from the ocean of hell.

Verse 26 (skanda.5.184.26)

तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन तत्र स्नायीत मानवः । अर्चयेदीश्वरं देवं यदीच्छेच्छाश्वतीं गतिम्

tasmātsarvaprayatnena tatra snāyīta mānavaḥ | arcayedīśvaraṁ devaṁ yadīcchecchāśvatīṁ gatim

Therefore a person should bathe there with every effort, and worship the god Ishvara if he desires the eternal destination.

Verse 27 (skanda.5.184.27)

कावेरीसङ्गमे राजन्स्नानदानार्चनं नरैः । कृतं भक्त्या नरश्रेष्ठ अश्वमेधाधिकं फलम्

kāverīsaṅgame rājansnānadānārcanaṁ naraiḥ | kṛtaṁ bhaktyā naraśreṣṭha aśvamedhādhikaṁ phalam

O king, bathing, giving, and worship performed with devotion by men at the Kaveri confluence, O best of men, yield a fruit exceeding the Ashvamedha sacrifice.

Verse 28 (skanda.5.184.28)

होमेन चाक्षयः स्वर्गो जपादायुर्विवर्धते । ध्यानतो नित्यमायाति पदं शिवकलात्मकम्

homena cākṣayaḥ svargo japādāyurvivardhate | dhyānato nityamāyāti padaṁ śivakalātmakam

By fire-oblation, imperishable heaven is gained; by japa, life is prolonged; by meditation, one forever attains the state that partakes of Shiva's nature.

Verse 29 (skanda.5.184.29)

अग्निप्रवेशं यः कुर्यात्तस्मिंस्तीर्थे नरेश्वर । अग्निलोके वसेत्तावद्यावदाभूतसम्प्लवम्

agnipraveśaṁ yaḥ kuryāttasmiṁstīrthe nareśvara | agniloke vasettāvadyāvadābhūtasamplavam

O lord of men, whoever enters fire at that tirtha dwells in the world of Agni until the dissolution of all creation.

Verse 30 (skanda.5.184.30)

अनाशकं तु यः कुर्यात्तस्मिंस्तीर्थे नराधिप । तस्य पुण्यफलं यद्वै तच्छृणुष्व नरोत्तम

anāśakaṁ tu yaḥ kuryāttasmiṁstīrthe narādhipa | tasya puṇyaphalaṁ yadvai tacchṛṇuṣva narottama

O lord of men, whoever fasts unto death at that tirtha — hear, O best of men, the meritorious fruit of that.

Verse 31 (skanda.5.184.31)

गन्धर्वाप्सरःसंकीर्णे विमाने सूर्यसन्निभे । वीज्यमानो वरस्त्रीभिर्दैवतैः सह मोदते

gandharvāpsaraḥsaṁkīrṇe vimāne sūryasannibhe | vījyamāno varastrībhirdaivataiḥ saha modate

In an aerial chariot resplendent as the sun, thronged with Gandharvas and Apsaras and fanned by lovely women, he rejoices together with the gods.

Verse 32 (skanda.5.184.32)

षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि षष्टिवर्षशतानि च । क्रीडते रुद्रलोकस्थस्तदन्ते भुवि चागतः

ṣaṣṭivarṣasahasrāṇi ṣaṣṭivarṣaśatāni ca | krīḍate rudralokasthastadante bhuvi cāgataḥ

He sports in the world of Rudra for sixty thousand years and six thousand years, and at the end of that returns to the earth.

Verse 33 (skanda.5.184.33)

भोगवान्दानशीलश्च जायते पृथिवीपतिः । आधिशोकविनिर्मुक्तो जीवेच्च शरदां शतम्

bhogavāndānaśīlaśca jāyate pṛthivīpatiḥ | ādhiśokavinirmukto jīvecca śaradāṁ śatam

He is born as a lord of the earth, prosperous and given to charity, and, freed from anguish and grief, lives a hundred autumns.

Verse 34 (skanda.5.184.34)

एवं गुणगणाकीर्णा कावेरी सा सरिन्नृप । त्रिषु लोकेषु विख्याता नर्मदासङ्गमे सदा

evaṁ guṇagaṇākīrṇā kāverī sā sarinnṛpa | triṣu lokeṣu vikhyātā narmadāsaṅgame sadā

O king, thus that river Kaveri, replete with a multitude of virtues, is ever renowned in the three worlds at her confluence with the Narmada.

Verse 35 (skanda.5.184.35)

जितवाक्कायचित्ताश्च ध्येयध्यानरतास्तथा । कावेरीसङ्गमे तात तेऽपि मोक्षमवाप्नुयुः

jitavākkāyacittāśca dhyeyadhyānaratāstathā | kāverīsaṅgame tāta te'pi mokṣamavāpnuyuḥ

O son, those who master speech, body, and mind, and who delight in meditation on the object of meditation, attain liberation even at the Kaveri confluence.

Verse 36 (skanda.5.184.36)

शृणु तेऽन्यत्प्रवक्ष्यामि आश्चर्यं नृपसत्तम । त्रिषु लोकेषु का त्वन्या दृश्यते सरिता समा

śṛṇu te'nyatpravakṣyāmi āścaryaṁ nṛpasattama | triṣu lokeṣu kā tvanyā dṛśyate saritā samā

O best of kings, hear another wonder I shall now tell — what other river in the three worlds is seen equal to her?

Verse 37 (skanda.5.184.37)

लब्धं यैर्नर्मदातोयं ये च कुर्युः प्रदक्षिणम् । ये पिबन्ति जलं तत्र ते पुण्या नात्र संशयः

labdhaṁ yairnarmadātoyaṁ ye ca kuryuḥ pradakṣiṇam | ye pibanti jalaṁ tatra te puṇyā nātra saṁśayaḥ

Those who have obtained the water of the Narmada, who circumambulate her, and who drink her water there, are meritorious — of this there is no doubt.

Verse 38 (skanda.5.184.38)

न तेषां सन्ततिच्छेदो दश जन्मानि पञ्च च । तेषां पापं विलीयेत हिमं सूर्योदये यथा

na teṣāṁ santaticchedo daśa janmāni pañca ca | teṣāṁ pāpaṁ vilīyeta himaṁ sūryodaye yathā

For fifteen births their lineage is not cut off; their sin dissolves just as frost melts at sunrise.

Verse 39 (skanda.5.184.39)

गङ्गायमुनसङ्गे वै यत्फलं लभते नरः । तत्फलं लभते मर्त्यः कावेरीस्नानमाचरन्

gaṅgāyamunasaṅge vai yatphalaṁ labhate naraḥ | tatphalaṁ labhate martyaḥ kāverīsnānamācaran

Whatever fruit a man obtains by bathing at the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna, that same fruit a mortal obtains by bathing in the Kaveri.

Verse 40 (skanda.5.184.40)

भौमे तु भूतजायोगे व्यतीपाते च संक्रमे । राहुसोमसमायोगे तदेवाष्टगुणं स्मृतम्

bhaume tu bhūtajāyoge vyatīpāte ca saṁkrame | rāhusomasamāyoge tadevāṣṭaguṇaṁ smṛtam

On a Tuesday under a suitable lunar conjunction, at a Vyatipata, at a solstice, or at the union of Rahu and the Moon, that same fruit is declared to be eightfold.

Verse 41 (skanda.5.184.41)

अशीतिश्च यवाः प्रोक्ता गङ्गायामुनसङ्गमे । कावेरीनर्मदायोगे तदेवाष्टगुणं स्मृतम्

aśītiśca yavāḥ proktā gaṅgāyāmunasaṅgame | kāverīnarmadāyoge tadevāṣṭaguṇaṁ smṛtam

At the Ganga-Yamuna confluence, merit equal to eighty barley-grains is declared; at the Kaveri-Narmada confluence that same merit is declared eightfold.

Verse 42 (skanda.5.184.42)

गङ्गा षष्टिसहस्रैस्तु क्षेत्रपालैः प्रपूज्यते । तदर्धैरन्यतीर्थानि रक्षन्ते नात्र संशयः

gaṅgā ṣaṣṭisahasraistu kṣetrapālaiḥ prapūjyate | tadardhairanyatīrthāni rakṣante nātra saṁśayaḥ

The Ganga is honored by sixty thousand field-guardians; by half that number, other tirthas are, without doubt, protected.

Verse 43 (skanda.5.184.43)

अमरेश्वरे तु सरितां ये योगाः परिकीर्तिताः । ते त्वशीतिसहस्रैस्तु क्षेत्रपालैस्तु रक्षिताः

amareśvare tu saritāṁ ye yogāḥ parikīrtitāḥ | te tvaśītisahasraistu kṣetrapālaistu rakṣitāḥ

But the river-confluences declared at Amareshvara are protected by eighty thousand field-guardians.

Verse 44 (skanda.5.184.44)

तथामरेश्वरे याम्ये लिङ्गं वै चपलेश्वरम् । द्वितीयं चण्डहस्ताख्यं द्वे लिङ्गे तीर्थरक्षके

tathāmareśvare yāmye liṅgaṁ vai capaleśvaram | dvitīyaṁ caṇḍahastākhyaṁ dve liṅge tīrtharakṣake

Likewise, to the south of Amareshvara, is the linga called Chapaleshvara, and a second called Chandahasta — these two lingas are the guardians of the tirtha.

Verse 45 (skanda.5.184.45)

शिवेन स्थापिते पूर्वं कावेर्याद्यभिरक्षके । लक्षेण रक्षिता देवी नर्मदा बहुकल्पगा

śivena sthāpite pūrvaṁ kāveryādyabhirakṣake | lakṣeṇa rakṣitā devī narmadā bahukalpagā

They were established formerly by Shiva for the protection of the Kaveri and other rivers; the goddess Narmada, who endures through many kalpas, is guarded by a hundred thousand protectors.

Verse 46 (skanda.5.184.46)

धनुषां षष्ट्यभियुतैः पुरुषैरीशयोजितैः । ओं कारशतसाहस्रैः पर्वतश्चाभिरक्षितः

dhanuṣāṁ ṣaṣṭyabhiyutaiḥ puruṣairīśayojitaiḥ | oṁ kāraśatasāhasraiḥ parvataścābhirakṣitaḥ

The mountain is guarded by sixty thousand men, bow-length in measure, appointed by Isha, together with a hundred thousand recitations of the syllable Om.

Verse 47 (skanda.5.184.47)

अन्यदेशकृतं पापमस्मिन् क्षेत्रे विनश्यति । अस्मिंस्तीर्थे कृतं पापं वज्रलेपो भविष्यति

anyadeśakṛtaṁ pāpamasmin kṣetre vinaśyati | asmiṁstīrthe kṛtaṁ pāpaṁ vajralepo bhaviṣyati

Sin committed in another land is destroyed in this sacred field; but sin committed at this very tirtha becomes fixed and ineradicable, like a coating of diamond-cement.

Verse 48 (skanda.5.184.48)

एषा ते कथिता तात कावेरी सरितां वरा । रुद्रदेहसमुत्पन्ना तेन पुण्या सरिद्वरा

eṣā te kathitā tāta kāverī saritāṁ varā | rudradehasamutpannā tena puṇyā saridvarā

O son, thus this excellent river Kaveri has been described to you; she arose from the body of Rudra, and for that reason this excellent river is most meritorious.