Greatness of Patreshvara Tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.5.187.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। पत्त्रेश्वरं ततो गच्छेत्सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् । यत्र सिद्धो महाभागश्चित्रसेनसुतो बली

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| pattreśvaraṁ tato gacchetsarvapāpapraṇāśanam | yatra siddho mahābhāgaścitrasenasuto balī

Sri Markandeya said: Thence one should go to Patreshvara, the destroyer of all sins, where the illustrious, mighty son of Chitrasena attained perfection.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.187.2)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच। कोऽसौ सिद्धस्तदा ब्रह्मंस्तस्मिंस्तीर्थे महातपाः । पुत्रः कस्य तु को हेतुरेतदिच्छामि वेदितुम्

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca| ko'sau siddhastadā brahmaṁstasmiṁstīrthe mahātapāḥ | putraḥ kasya tu ko heturetadicchāmi veditum

Yudhishthira said: O brahmin, who was that one of great austerity who attained perfection at that tirtha? Whose son was he, and what was the cause? This I wish to know.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.187.3)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। चित्रोनाम महातेजा इन्द्रस्य दयितः पुरा । तस्य पुत्रो नृपश्रेष्ठ पत्त्रेश्वर इति श्रुतः

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| citronāma mahātejā indrasya dayitaḥ purā | tasya putro nṛpaśreṣṭha pattreśvara iti śrutaḥ

Sri Markandeya said: Formerly there was one of great splendor named Chitra, beloved of Indra. O best of kings, his son was known by the name Patreshvara.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.187.4)

रूपवान् सुभगश्चैव सर्वशत्रुभयंकरः । इन्द्रस्य दयितोऽत्यर्थं जय इत्येव चापरः

rūpavān subhagaścaiva sarvaśatrubhayaṁkaraḥ | indrasya dayito'tyarthaṁ jaya ityeva cāparaḥ

He was handsome and fortunate, a terror to all enemies, exceedingly dear to Indra, and also known by another name, Jaya.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.187.5)

स कदाचित्सभामध्ये सर्वदेवसमागमे । मेनकानृत्यगीतेन मोहितः सुचिरं किल

sa kadācitsabhāmadhye sarvadevasamāgame | menakānṛtyagītena mohitaḥ suciraṁ kila

Once, in the midst of an assembly, at a gathering of all the gods, he became enchanted for a long while by Menaka's dance and song.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.187.6)

तिष्ठते गतमर्यादो गतप्राण इव क्षणात् । तावत्सुरपतिर्देवः शशापाथाजितेन्द्रियम्

tiṣṭhate gatamaryādo gataprāṇa iva kṣaṇāt | tāvatsurapatirdevaḥ śaśāpāthājitendriyam

Losing all restraint, he stood as if lifeless for a moment; thereupon the lord of the gods cursed him, whose senses were unconquered —

Verse 7 (skanda.5.187.7)

यस्मात्त्वं स्वर्गसंस्थोऽपि मर्त्यधर्ममुपेयिवान् । तस्मान्मर्त्ये चिरं कालं क्षपयिष्यस्यसंशयम्

yasmāttvaṁ svargasaṁstho'pi martyadharmamupeyivān | tasmānmartye ciraṁ kālaṁ kṣapayiṣyasyasaṁśayam

'Since you, though dwelling in heaven, have taken on the ways of a mortal, you shall, without doubt, spend a long time among mortals.'

Verse 8 (skanda.5.187.8)

एवमुक्तः सुरेन्द्रेण चित्रसेनसुतो युवा । वेपमानः सुरश्रेष्ठः कृताञ्जलिरुवाच ह

evamuktaḥ surendreṇa citrasenasuto yuvā | vepamānaḥ suraśreṣṭhaḥ kṛtāñjaliruvāca ha

Thus addressed by the lord of the gods, the young son of Chitrasena, that foremost of celestials, trembling, spoke with folded hands —

Verse 9 (skanda.5.187.9)

पत्त्रेश्वर उवाच। मया पापेन मूढेन अजितेन्द्रियचेतसा । प्राप्तं वै यत्फलं तस्य प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि

pattreśvara uvāca| mayā pāpena mūḍhena ajitendriyacetasā | prāptaṁ vai yatphalaṁ tasya prasādaṁ kartumarhasi

Patreshvara said: 'Whatever fruit has come upon me, sinful, deluded, my mind with senses unconquered — show your grace regarding that.'

Verse 10 (skanda.5.187.10)

शक्र उवाच। नर्मदातटमाश्रित्य द्वादशाब्दं जितेन्द्रियः । आराधय शिवं शान्तं पुनः प्राप्स्यसि सद्गतिम्

śakra uvāca| narmadātaṭamāśritya dvādaśābdaṁ jitendriyaḥ | ārādhaya śivaṁ śāntaṁ punaḥ prāpsyasi sadgatim

Shakra said: 'Taking refuge on the bank of the Narmada, with senses subdued, worship the peaceful Shiva for twelve years; you shall attain a good destiny again.'

Verse 11 (skanda.5.187.11)

सत्यशौचरतानां च धर्मिष्ठानां जितात्मनाम् । लोकोऽयं पापिनां नैव इति शास्त्रस्य निश्चयः

satyaśaucaratānāṁ ca dharmiṣṭhānāṁ jitātmanām | loko'yaṁ pāpināṁ naiva iti śāstrasya niścayaḥ

'This world belongs to those devoted to truth and purity, the righteous, the self-controlled — never to sinners; this is the settled teaching of the scriptures.'

Verse 12 (skanda.5.187.12)

एवमुक्ते महाराज सहस्राक्षेण धीमता । गन्धर्वतनयो धीमान्प्रणम्यागात्तु भूतलम्

evamukte mahārāja sahasrākṣeṇa dhīmatā | gandharvatanayo dhīmānpraṇamyāgāttu bhūtalam

O great king, thus addressed by the wise thousand-eyed Indra, the wise son of the Gandharva bowed and descended to the earth.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.187.13)

रेवाया विमले तोये ब्रह्मावर्तसमीपतः । स्नात्वा जप्त्वा विधानेन अर्चयित्वा च शङ्करम्

revāyā vimale toye brahmāvartasamīpataḥ | snātvā japtvā vidhānena arcayitvā ca śaṅkaram

Bathing in the pure waters of the Reva near Brahmavarta, duly reciting japa, and worshipping Shankara,

Verse 14 (skanda.5.187.14)

वाय्वम्बुपिण्याकफलैश्च पुष्पैः पर्णैश्च मूलाशनयावकेन । तताप पञ्चाग्नितपोभिरुग्रैस्ततश्च तोषं समगात्स देवः

vāyvambupiṇyākaphalaiśca puṣpaiḥ parṇaiśca mūlāśanayāvakena | tatāpa pañcāgnitapobhirugraistataśca toṣaṁ samagātsa devaḥ

subsisting on air, water, oil-cake, fruits, flowers, leaves, roots, and barley-gruel, he performed fierce austerity by the five fires, and then that god became pleased.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.187.15)

पिनाकपाणिं वरदं त्रिशूलिनमुमापतिं ह्यन्धकनाशनं च । चन्द्रार्धमौलिं गजकृत्तिवाससं दृष्ट्वा पपाताग्रगतं समीक्ष्य

pinākapāṇiṁ varadaṁ triśūlinamumāpatiṁ hyandhakanāśanaṁ ca | candrārdhamauliṁ gajakṛttivāsasaṁ dṛṣṭvā papātāgragataṁ samīkṣya

Beholding before him the bearer of the Pinaka bow, the boon-giver, the trident-holder, Uma's consort, the destroyer of Andhaka, crowned with the crescent moon and clad in an elephant-hide, he fell prostrate upon the ground.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.187.16)

ईश्वर उवाच। वरं वृणीष्व भद्रं ते वरदोऽहं तवानघ । यमिच्छसि ददाम्यद्य नात्र कार्या विचारणा

īśvara uvāca| varaṁ vṛṇīṣva bhadraṁ te varado'haṁ tavānagha | yamicchasi dadāmyadya nātra kāryā vicāraṇā

Ishvara said: 'Choose a boon, blessed one; I am your boon-giver, O sinless one. Whatever you desire, I grant it today — there is no need to hesitate.'

Verse 17 (skanda.5.187.17)

पत्त्रेश्वर उवाच। यदि तुष्टोऽसि देवेश यदि देयो वरो मम । अत्र त्वं सततं तीर्थे मम नाम्ना भव प्रभो

pattreśvara uvāca| yadi tuṣṭo'si deveśa yadi deyo varo mama | atra tvaṁ satataṁ tīrthe mama nāmnā bhava prabho

Patreshvara said: 'O lord of gods, if you are pleased, if a boon is to be given to me, then, O lord, remain here forever at this tirtha in my name.'

Verse 18 (skanda.5.187.18)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा महादेवो हर्षगद्गदया गिरा । तथेत्युक्त्वा ययौ हृष्ट उमया सह शङ्करः

etacchrutvā mahādevo harṣagadgadayā girā | tathetyuktvā yayau hṛṣṭa umayā saha śaṅkaraḥ

Hearing this, Mahadeva, his voice choked with joy, said 'so be it,' and Shankara, delighted, settled there together with Uma.

Verse 19 (skanda.5.187.19)

सोऽपि तत्तीर्थमाप्लुत्य गते देवे दिवं प्रति । स्नात्वा जाप्यविधानेन तर्पयित्वा पितॄन् पुनः

so'pi tattīrthamāplutya gate deve divaṁ prati | snātvā jāpyavidhānena tarpayitvā pitṝn punaḥ

When the god had departed toward the heavens, he too bathed at that tirtha, and, by the rule of japa, again offered libations to the ancestors,

Verse 20 (skanda.5.187.20)

स्थापयामास देवेशं तस्मिंस्तीर्थे विधानतः । पत्त्रेश्वरं तु विख्यातं त्रिषु लोकेषु भारत

sthāpayāmāsa deveśaṁ tasmiṁstīrthe vidhānataḥ | pattreśvaraṁ tu vikhyātaṁ triṣu lokeṣu bhārata

and duly installed the lord of gods at that tirtha; and, O Bharata, it became renowned as Patreshvara throughout the three worlds.

Verse 21 (skanda.5.187.21)

इन्द्रलोकं गतः शापान्मुक्तः सोऽपि नरेश्वर । हृष्टः प्रमुदितो रम्यं जयशब्दादिमङ्गलैः

indralokaṁ gataḥ śāpānmuktaḥ so'pi nareśvara | hṛṣṭaḥ pramudito ramyaṁ jayaśabdādimaṅgalaiḥ

O lord of men, freed from the curse, he too attained Indra's world, joyful and delighted, amid cries of victory and other auspicious sounds.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.187.22)

एष ते कथितः प्रश्नः पृष्टो यो वै युधिष्ठिर । तत्र स्नानेन चैकेन सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते

eṣa te kathitaḥ praśnaḥ pṛṣṭo yo vai yudhiṣṭhira | tatra snānena caikena sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate

O Yudhishthira, this is the answer to the very question you asked; by a single bath there, one is freed from all sins.

Verse 23 (skanda.5.187.23)

यस्त्वर्चयेन्महादेवं तस्मिंस्तीर्थे युधिष्ठिर । स्नात्वाभ्यर्च्य पितॄन् देवान् सोऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत्

yastvarcayenmahādevaṁ tasmiṁstīrthe yudhiṣṭhira | snātvābhyarcya pitḥn devān so'śvamedhaphalaṁ labhet

O Yudhishthira, whoever worships Mahadeva at that tirtha, bathing and honoring the ancestors and gods, obtains the fruit of the Ashvamedha sacrifice.

Verse 24 (skanda.5.187.24)

मृतो वर्षशतं साग्रं क्रीडित्वा च शिवे पुरे । राजा वा राजतुल्यो वा पश्चान्मर्त्येषु जायते

mṛto varṣaśataṁ sāgraṁ krīḍitvā ca śive pure | rājā vā rājatulyo vā paścānmartyeṣu jāyate

Having died and sported in Shiva's city for more than a hundred years, he is afterward born among mortals as a king or one equal to a king.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.187.25)

वेदवेदाङ्गतत्त्वज्ञो जीवेच्च शरदः शतम् । व्याधिशोकविनिर्मुक्तः पुनः स्मरति तज्जलम्

vedavedāṅgatattvajño jīvecca śaradaḥ śatam | vyādhiśokavinirmuktaḥ punaḥ smarati tajjalam

He becomes learned in the truths of the Vedas and Vedangas, lives a hundred autumns free of disease and sorrow, and ever afterward remembers that sacred water.