Greatness of Brahmavarta Tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.5.186.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। ततो गच्छेच्च राजेन्द्र तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम् । ब्रह्मावर्तमिति ख्यातं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| tato gacchecca rājendra tīrthaṁ trailokyaviśrutam | brahmāvartamiti khyātaṁ sarvapāpapraṇāśanam

Sri Markandeya said: Thence, O king of kings, one should go to the tirtha renowned throughout the three worlds, called Brahmavarta, the destroyer of all sins.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.186.2)

तत्र संनिहितो ब्रह्मा नित्यसेवी युधिष्ठिर । ऊर्ध्वबाहुर्निरालम्बचकार भ्रमणं सदा

tatra saṁnihito brahmā nityasevī yudhiṣṭhira | ūrdhvabāhurnirālambacakāra bhramaṇaṁ sadā

O Yudhishthira, Brahma dwells there in perpetual devotion; with arms raised and without support, he continually circumambulates it.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.186.3)

एकाहारवशेऽतिष्ठद्द्वादशाब्दं महाव्रती । अत्र तीर्थे विधानेन चिन्तयन् वै महेश्वरम्

ekāhāravaśe'tiṣṭhaddvādaśābdaṁ mahāvratī | atra tīrthe vidhānena cintayan vai maheśvaram

Observing a great vow and subsisting on a single meal, he remained there for twelve years, duly meditating upon Maheshvara at this tirtha.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.186.4)

तेन तत्पुण्यमाख्यातं ब्रह्मावर्तमिति प्रभो । तत्र स्नात्वा विधानेन तर्पयेत्पितृदेवताः

tena tatpuṇyamākhyātaṁ brahmāvartamiti prabho | tatra snātvā vidhānena tarpayetpitṛdevatāḥ

O lord, because of him that holy place came to be proclaimed 'Brahmavarta'; having bathed there, one should duly offer libations to the ancestors and gods.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.186.5)

अर्चयेद्देवमीशानं विष्णुं वा परमेश्वरम् । यत्फलं सर्वयज्ञानां विधिवद्दक्षिणावताम्

arcayeddevamīśānaṁ viṣṇuṁ vā parameśvaram | yatphalaṁ sarvayajñānāṁ vidhivaddakṣiṇāvatām

One should worship the god Ishana, or Vishnu the Supreme Lord. Whatever fruit belongs to all sacrifices duly performed together with sacrificial fees,

Verse 6 (skanda.5.186.6)

तत्फलं समवाप्नोति तत्तीर्थस्य प्रभावतः । यस्मिंस्तीर्थे तु यो देवो दानवो वा द्विजोऽथ वा

tatphalaṁ samavāpnoti tattīrthasya prabhāvataḥ | yasmiṁstīrthe tu yo devo dānavo vā dvijo'tha vā

that fruit one obtains through the power of that tirtha. In whatever tirtha a god, a demon, or a brahmin

Verse 7 (skanda.5.186.7)

सिद्धस्तेनैव तन्नाम्ना ख्यातं लोके महच्च तत् । न जलं न स्थलं नाम क्षेत्रं वा ह्यूषराणि च

siddhastenaiva tannāmnā khyātaṁ loke mahacca tat | na jalaṁ na sthalaṁ nāma kṣetraṁ vā hyūṣarāṇi ca

attained perfection, by that very name that great tirtha became renowned in the world. Neither water, nor land, nor a named region, nor barren waste —

Verse 8 (skanda.5.186.8)

पवित्रत्वं लभन्त्येते पौरुषेण विना नृणाम् । सामर्थ्यान्निश्चयाद्धैर्यात्सिध्यन्ति पुरुषा नृप

pavitratvaṁ labhantyete pauruṣeṇa vinā nṛṇām | sāmarthyānniścayāddhairyātsidhyanti puruṣā nṛpa

these attain sanctity for men only through human effort. O king, it is by capability, resolve, and fortitude that men attain perfection.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.186.9)

प्रमादात्तस्य लोभेन पतन्ति नरके ध्रुवम्

pramādāttasya lobhena patanti narake dhruvam

Through negligence and through greed, men surely fall into hell.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.186.10)

संनिरुध्येन्द्रियग्रामं यत्र यत्र वसेन्मुनिः । तत्र तत्र कुरुक्षेत्रं नैमिषं पुष्कराणि च

saṁnirudhyendriyagrāmaṁ yatra yatra vasenmuniḥ | tatra tatra kurukṣetraṁ naimiṣaṁ puṣkarāṇi ca

Wherever a sage, having subdued the multitude of senses, dwells, that place becomes as sacred as Kurukshetra, Naimisha, and Pushkara.