Greatness of Daru Tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.5.185.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। नर्मदोत्तरकूले तु दारुतीर्थमनुत्तमम् । यत्र सिद्धो महाभाग तपस्तप्त्वा द्विजोत्तमः

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| narmadottarakūle tu dārutīrthamanuttamam | yatra siddho mahābhāga tapastaptvā dvijottamaḥ

Sri Markandeya said: On the northern bank of the Narmada is the unsurpassed Daru Tirtha, where, O illustrious one, an excellent brahmin attained perfection through austerity.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.185.2)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच। कोऽसौ द्विजवरश्रेष्ठः सिद्धस्तत्र महामुने । दारुकेति सुतः कस्य एतन्मे वक्तुमर्हसि

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca| ko'sau dvijavaraśreṣṭhaḥ siddhastatra mahāmune | dāruketi sutaḥ kasya etanme vaktumarhasi

Yudhishthira said: O great sage, who was that most excellent brahmin who attained perfection there? Whose son was he, called Daru? You should tell me this.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.185.3)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। भार्गवे विपुले वंशे धीमतो देवशार्मणः । दारुर्नाम महाभागो वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| bhārgave vipule vaṁśe dhīmato devaśārmaṇaḥ | dārurnāma mahābhāgo vedavedāṅgapāragaḥ

Sri Markandeya said: In the great lineage of Bhrigu, son of the wise Devasharma, was the illustrious one named Daru, who had mastered the Vedas and their auxiliary sciences.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.185.4)

ब्रह्मचारी गृहस्थश्च वानप्रस्थो विधिक्रमात् । यतिधर्मविधानेन चचार विपुलतपः

brahmacārī gṛhasthaśca vānaprastho vidhikramāt | yatidharmavidhānena cacāra vipulatapaḥ

He duly passed in order through the stages of celibate student, householder, and forest-dweller; then, by the rule of the ascetic's discipline, he performed vast austerities.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.185.5)

ध्यायन्वै स महादेवं निराहारो युधिष्ठिर । उवास तीर्थे तस्मिन् वै यावत्प्राणपरिक्षयम्

dhyāyanvai sa mahādevaṁ nirāhāro yudhiṣṭhira | uvāsa tīrthe tasmin vai yāvatprāṇaparikṣayam

O Yudhishthira, meditating upon Mahadeva and taking no food, he dwelt at that very tirtha until the exhaustion of his life-breath.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.185.6)

तस्य नाम्ना तु तत्तीर्थं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् । तत्र स्नात्वा विधानेन अर्चयेत्पितृदेवताः

tasya nāmnā tu tattīrthaṁ triṣu lokeṣu viśrutam | tatra snātvā vidhānena arcayetpitṛdevatāḥ

By his name that tirtha became renowned in the three worlds; having bathed there, one should duly worship the ancestors and the gods.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.185.7)

सत्यवादी जितक्रोधः सर्वभूतहिते रतः । सर्वान्कामानवाप्नोति राजन्नत्रैव सवर्था

satyavādī jitakrodhaḥ sarvabhūtahite rataḥ | sarvānkāmānavāpnoti rājannatraiva savarthā

O king, one who speaks truth, has conquered anger, and delights in the welfare of all beings, obtains here, in every way, all his desires.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.185.8)

यः कुर्यादुपवासं च सत्यशौचपरायणः । सौत्रामणिफलं चास्य सम्भवत्यविचारितम्

yaḥ kuryādupavāsaṁ ca satyaśaucaparāyaṇaḥ | sautrāmaṇiphalaṁ cāsya sambhavatyavicāritam

Whoever, devoted to truth and purity, observes a fast, obtains for himself, beyond question, the fruit of the Sautramani sacrifice.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.185.9)

ऋग्वेदजापी ऋग्वेदी साम वा सामपारगः । यजुर्वेदी यजुर्जप्त्वा लभते फलमुत्तमम्

ṛgvedajāpī ṛgvedī sāma vā sāmapāragaḥ | yajurvedī yajurjaptvā labhate phalamuttamam

One who recites the Rigveda, or is versed in the Samaveda, or a Yajurvedin who has recited the Yajurveda, obtains here the highest fruit.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.185.10)

प्राणांस्त्यजति यो मर्त्यस्तस्मिंस्तीर्थे विधानतः । अनिवर्तिका गतिस्तस्य इत्येवं शङ्करोऽब्रवीत्

prāṇāṁstyajati yo martyastasmiṁstīrthe vidhānataḥ | anivartikā gatistasya ityevaṁ śaṅkaro'bravīt

Whatever mortal duly gives up his breath at that tirtha attains a destiny of non-return — so spoke Shankara.