The Glory of Kapila Tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.5.194.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। ततो गच्छेच्च राजेन्द्र कपिलातीर्थमुत्तमम्। स्नानमात्रान्नरो भक्त्या मुच्यते सर्वकिल्बिषैः

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| tato gaccheccha rājendra kapilātīrthamuttamam| snānamātrānnaro bhaktyā mucyate sarvakilbiṣaiḥ

Shri Markandeya said: O Rajendra, one should next go to the excellent Kapila tirtha, where by mere bathing, a man devotedly becomes freed from all sins.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.194.2)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच। आश्चर्यभूतं लोकेषु कथितं द्विजसत्तम। नर्मदेश्वरमाहात्म्यं कापिलं कथयस्व मे

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca| āścaryabhūtaṁ lokeṣu kathitaṁ dvijasattama| narmadeśvaramāhātmyaṁ kāpilaṁ kathayasva me

Yudhishthira said: O best of the twice-born, tell me of the Kapila glory of Narmadeshvara, which is spoken of among the worlds as a wonder.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.194.3)

यस्मिन् कालेऽथ सम्बन्धे उत्पन्नं तीर्थमुत्तमम्। सर्वपापहरं पुण्यं तीर्थं जातं कथं प्रभो

yasmin kāle'tha sambandhe utpannaṁ tīrthamuttamam| sarvapāpaharaṁ puṇyaṁ tīrthaṁ jātaṁ kathaṁ prabho

O lord, at what time, and through what connection, did this excellent and sacred tirtha, remover of all sins, come into being?

Verse 4 (skanda.5.194.4)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच। शृणु वक्ष्येऽद्य ते राजन्कपिलातीर्थमुत्तमम्। येन ते विस्मयः सर्वः श्रुत्वा गच्छति भारत

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca| śṛṇu vakṣye'dya te rājankapilātīrthamuttamam| yena te vismayaḥ sarvaḥ śrutvā gacchati bhārata

Markandeya said: O king, listen, I shall now tell you of the excellent Kapila tirtha, O Bharata, by hearing which all your wonder will be resolved.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.194.5)

पुरा कृतयुगस्यादौ ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः। उत्पादयित्वा सकलं भूतग्रामं चतुर्विधम्

purā kṛtayugasyādau brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ| utpādayitvā sakalaṁ bhūtagrāmaṁ caturvidham

In ancient times, at the beginning of the Krita Yuga, Brahma, grandsire of the worlds, having created the entire fourfold host of beings,

Verse 6 (skanda.5.194.6)

जपहोमपरो भक्त्या क्षणं ध्यात्वा च तिष्ठति। ज्वलमानात्तु कपिला तावत्कुण्डात्समुत्थिता

japahomaparo bhaktyā kṣaṇaṁ dhyātvā ca tiṣṭhati| jvalamānāttu kapilā tāvatkuṇḍātsamutthitā

engaged in recitation and oblation, remained still for a moment in devout meditation, when from the blazing sacrificial pit, Kapila the cow arose.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.194.7)

अग्निज्वालोज्ज्वलैः शृङ्गैस्त्रिनेत्रा सुपयस्विनी। अग्निपूर्णा ह्यग्निमुखा अग्निघ्राणाग्निलोचना

agnijvālojjvalaiḥ śṛṅgaistrinetrā supayasvinī| agnipūrṇā hyagnimukhā agnighrāṇāgnilocanā

With horns blazing like flames of fire, three-eyed, richly yielding milk; filled with fire, fire-mouthed, fire-nostrilled, fire-eyed,

Verse 8 (skanda.5.194.8)

अग्निखुरा ह्यग्निपृष्ठा अग्निसर्वाङ्गसंस्थितिः। सर्वलक्षणसम्पूर्णा घण्टाललितनिःस्वना

agnikhurā hyagnipṛṣṭhā agnisarvāṅgasaṁsthitiḥ| sarvalakṣaṇasampūrṇā ghaṇṭālalitaniḥsvanā

fire-hooved, fire-backed, fire pervading every limb; complete with every auspicious mark, and resonant with the sweet tinkling of bells.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.194.9)

दृष्ट्वा तु तां महाभागां कपिलां कुण्डमध्यगाम्। ब्रह्मा लोकगुरुस्तात प्रणम्येदमुवाच ह

dṛṣṭvā tu tāṁ mahābhāgāṁ kapilāṁ kuṇḍamadhyagām| brahmā lokagurustāta praṇamyedamuvāca ha

Seeing that illustrious Kapila, standing in the midst of the sacrificial pit, O child, Brahma, guru of the worlds, bowed and spoke thus.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.194.10)

नमस्ते कपिले पुण्ये सर्वलोकनमस्कृते। मङ्गल्ये मङ्गले देवि त्रिषु लोकेष्वनुपमे

namaste kapile puṇye sarvalokanamaskṛte| maṅgalye maṅgale devi triṣu lokeṣvanupame

Salutations to you, O sacred Kapila, saluted by all the worlds; O auspicious goddess, you are unequalled in the three worlds.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.194.11)

त्वं लक्ष्मीस्त्वं स्मृतिर्मेधा त्वं धृतिस्त्वं वरानने। उमादेवीति विख्याता त्वं सती नात्र संशयः

tvaṁ lakṣmīstvaṁ smṛtirmedhā tvaṁ dhṛtistvaṁ varānane| umādevīti vikhyātā tvaṁ satī nātra saṁśayaḥ

You are Lakshmi, you are memory and intelligence, you are fortitude, O fair-faced one; you are, without doubt, the chaste one known as Uma Devi.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.194.12)

वैष्णवी त्वं महादेवी ब्रह्माणी त्वं वरानने। कुमारी त्वं महाभागे भक्तिः श्रद्धा तथैव च

vaiṣṇavī tvaṁ mahādevī brahmāṇī tvaṁ varānane| kumārī tvaṁ mahābhāge bhaktiḥ śraddhā tathaiva ca

You are Vaishnavi, you are Mahadevi, you are Brahmani, O fair one; O illustrious one, you are Kumari, and likewise devotion and faith themselves.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.194.13)

कालरात्रिस्तु भूतानां कुमारी परमेश्वरी। त्वं लवस्त्वं त्रुटिश्चैव मुहूर्तं लक्षमेव च

kālarātristu bhūtānāṁ kumārī parameśvarī| tvaṁ lavastvaṁ truṭiścaiva muhūrtaṁ lakṣameva ca

You are the Night of Dissolution for all beings, the supreme sovereign maiden; you are the smallest instant, the fraction, the moment, and the hundred-thousandth part of time.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.194.14)

संवत्सरस्त्वं मासस्त्वं कालस्त्वं च क्षणस्तथा। नास्ति किंचित्त्वया हीनं त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे

saṁvatsarastvaṁ māsastvaṁ kālastvaṁ ca kṣaṇastathā| nāsti kiṁcittvayā hīnaṁ trailokye sacarācare

You are the year, you are the month, you are time itself, and you are the instant; in these three worlds, moving and unmoving, nothing exists apart from you.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.194.15)

एवं स्तुता तु मानेन कपिला परमेष्ठिना। तमुवाच महाभागं प्रहृष्य पद्मसम्भवम्

evaṁ stutā tu mānena kapilā parameṣṭhinā| tamuvāca mahābhāgaṁ prahṛṣya padmasambhavam

Thus praised with honour by the supreme lord Brahma, Kapila, delighted, spoke to that illustrious lotus-born one.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.194.16)

प्रसन्ना तव वाक्येन देवदेव जगद्गुरो। किं करोमि प्रियं तेऽद्य ब्रूहि सर्वं पितामह

prasannā tava vākyena devadeva jagadguro| kiṁ karomi priyaṁ te'dya brūhi sarvaṁ pitāmaha

O god of gods, guru of the universe, I am pleased by your words; O grandsire, tell me now — what pleasing act shall I perform for you?

Verse 17 (skanda.5.194.17)

ब्रह्मोवाच। जगद्धिताय जनिता मया त्वं परमेश्वरि। स्वर्गान्मर्त्यं ततो याहि लोकानां हितकाम्यया

brahmovāca| jagaddhitāya janitā mayā tvaṁ parameśvari| svargānmartyaṁ tato yāhi lokānāṁ hitakāmyayā

Brahma said: O supreme goddess, I created you for the welfare of the universe; therefore, out of desire for the good of the worlds, go from heaven to the mortal realm.

Verse 18 (skanda.5.194.18)

सर्वदेवमयी त्वं तु सर्वलोकमयी तथा। विधिना ये प्रदास्यन्ति तेषां वासस्त्रिविष्टपे

sarvadevamayī tvaṁ tu sarvalokamayī tathā| vidhinā ye pradāsyanti teṣāṁ vāsastriviṣṭape

You embody all the gods, and you embody all the worlds as well; those who duly give you in gift shall dwell in heaven.

Verse 19 (skanda.5.194.19)

एवमुक्त्वा ततो देवी ब्रह्माणं परमेश्वरी। वन्द्यमाना सुरैः सिद्धैराजगाम धरातलम्

evamuktvā tato devī brahmāṇaṁ parameśvarī| vandyamānā suraiḥ siddhairājagāma dharātalam

Having thus spoken, the supreme goddess, honoured by gods and siddhas, then descended from Brahma's presence to the surface of the earth.

Verse 20 (skanda.5.194.20)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच। यदायातेह सा तात ब्राह्मणो वचनाच्छुभा। तदा देवाश्च लोकाश्च कथमङ्गेषु संस्थिताः

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca| yadāyāteha sā tāta brāhmaṇo vacanācchubhā| tadā devāśca lokāśca kathamaṅgeṣu saṁsthitāḥ

Yudhishthira said: O father, when that auspicious one came here at Brahma's word, how then did the gods and the worlds come to be situated within her limbs?

Verse 21 (skanda.5.194.21)

कथं वा संस्थितागत्य कपिला सा द्विजोत्तम। तीर्थे वा ह्यूषरे क्षेत्र एतन्मे कथय द्विज

kathaṁ vā saṁsthitāgatya kapilā sā dvijottama| tīrthe vā hyūṣare kṣetra etanme kathaya dvija

O best of the twice-born, and where did that Kapila settle upon arriving — at a tirtha, on barren ground, or in a sacred field? Tell me this, O twice-born one.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.194.22)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच। सा तदा ब्रह्मणा चोक्ता धात्रा लोकस्य भारत। ब्रह्मलोकाद्गता पुण्यां नर्मदां लोकपावनीम्

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca| sā tadā brahmaṇā coktā dhātrā lokasya bhārata| brahmalokādgatā puṇyāṁ narmadāṁ lokapāvanīm

Markandeya said: O Bharata, thus instructed by Brahma, the creator of the world, she went from Brahmaloka to the sacred, world-purifying Narmada.

Verse 23 (skanda.5.194.23)

तपः कृत्वा सुविपुलं नर्मदातटमाश्रिता। चचार पृथिवीं सर्वां सशैलवनकाननाम्

tapaḥ kṛtvā suvipulaṁ narmadātaṭamāśritā| cacāra pṛthivīṁ sarvāṁ saśailavanakānanām

Taking refuge on the bank of the Narmada and performing extensive austerity, she then roamed the entire earth, with all its mountains, forests, and groves.

Verse 24 (skanda.5.194.24)

तदाप्रभृति राजेन्द्र कपिलातीर्थमुत्तमम्। सर्वपापहरं ख्यातमृषिसङ्घैर्निषेवितम्

tadāprabhṛti rājendra kapilātīrthamuttamam| sarvapāpaharaṁ khyātamṛṣisaṅghairniṣevitam

O Rajendra, from that time onward, the excellent Kapila tirtha became renowned as the destroyer of all sin, and was frequented by hosts of sages.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.194.25)

तत्तीर्थे विधिवत्स्नात्वा कपिलायाः प्रयच्छति। पृथ्वी तेन भवेद्दत्ता सशैलवनकानना

tattīrthe vidhivatsnātvā kapilāyāḥ prayacchati| pṛthvī tena bhaveddattā saśailavanakānanā

Whoever bathes duly at that tirtha and then makes the gift of a Kapila cow, by him the entire earth, with its mountains, forests, and groves, is deemed to have been given.

Verse 26 (skanda.5.194.26)

तां तु पश्यति यो भक्त्या दीयमानां द्विजोत्तमे। तस्य वर्षशतं पापं नश्यते नात्र संशयः

tāṁ tu paśyati yo bhaktyā dīyamānāṁ dvijottame| tasya varṣaśataṁ pāpaṁ naśyate nātra saṁśayaḥ

Whoever, with devotion, witnesses her being given to a foremost brahmin — his sins of a hundred years are destroyed, without doubt.

Verse 27 (skanda.5.194.27)

भूर्भुवः स्वर्महश्चैव जनः सत्यं तपस्तथा। ते तत्पृष्ठं समाश्रित्य स्थिता लोका नृपोत्तम

bhūrbhuvaḥ svarmahaścaiva janaḥ satyaṁ tapastathā| te tatpṛṣṭhaṁ samāśritya sthitā lokā nṛpottama

O best of kings, the worlds Bhu, Bhuvah, Svah, Mahah, Janah, Satyam, and Tapah — all these worlds rest, established upon her back.

Verse 28 (skanda.5.194.28)

मुखे ह्यग्निः स्थितो देवो दन्तेषु च भुजङ्गमाः। धाता विधाता ह्योष्ठौ च जिह्वायां तु सरस्वती

mukhe hyagniḥ sthito devo danteṣu ca bhujaṅgamāḥ| dhātā vidhātā hyoṣṭhau ca jihvāyāṁ tu sarasvatī

In her mouth dwells the god Agni, in her teeth reside the serpents; on her two lips are Dhata and Vidhata, and on her tongue, Sarasvati.

Verse 29 (skanda.5.194.29)

सहस्रकिरणौ देवौ चन्द्रादित्यौ सुलोचनौ। नासिकामध्यगश्चैव मारुतो नृपसत्तम

sahasrakiraṇau devau candrādityau sulocanau| nāsikāmadhyagaścaiva māruto nṛpasattama

O best of kings, the thousand-rayed sun and moon are her beautiful eyes; and in the midst of her nostrils dwells the wind-god Maruta.

Verse 30 (skanda.5.194.30)

ललाटे तु महादेवो ह्यश्विनौ कर्णसंस्थितौ। नरनारायणौ शृङ्गे शृङ्गमध्ये पितामहः

lalāṭe tu mahādevo hyaśvinau karṇasaṁsthitau| naranārāyaṇau śṛṅge śṛṅgamadhye pitāmahaḥ

On her forehead resides Mahadeva, in her ears dwell the Ashvins; on her horns are Nara and Narayana, and between her horns sits the grandsire Brahma.

Verse 31 (skanda.5.194.31)

कम्बलोऽधिगतस्तात पाशधृग्वरुणस्तथा। यमश्च भगवान्देव आश्रित्य चोदरं श्रितः

kambalo'dhigatastāta pāśadhṛgvaruṇastathā| yamaśca bhagavāndeva āśritya codaraṁ śritaḥ

O child, the serpent Kambala resides there, as does noose-bearing Varuna; and the illustrious god Yama, taking refuge, dwells in her belly.

Verse 32 (skanda.5.194.32)

खुरेषु पन्नगाश्चैवं पुच्छाग्रे सूर्यरश्मयः। एवम्भूतां हि कपिलां सर्वदेवमयीं नृप

khureṣu pannagāścaivaṁ pucchāgre sūryaraśmayaḥ| evambhūtāṁ hi kapilāṁ sarvadevamayīṁ nṛpa

In her hooves reside the serpents, and at the tip of her tail are the rays of the sun. O king, such is Kapila, embodying all the gods —

Verse 33 (skanda.5.194.33)

ये धारयन्ति च गृहे धन्यास्ते नात्र संशयः। प्रातरुत्थाय यस्तस्याः कुरुते तु प्रदक्षिणाम्

ye dhārayanti ca gṛhe dhanyāste nātra saṁśayaḥ| prātarutthāya yastasyāḥ kurute tu pradakṣiṇām

those who keep her in their home are, without doubt, blessed; and whoever rises at dawn and circumambulates her,

Verse 34 (skanda.5.194.34)

प्रदक्षिणा कृता तेन सशैलवनकानना। कपिलापञ्चगव्येन यः स्नापयति शङ्करम्

pradakṣiṇā kṛtā tena saśailavanakānanā| kapilāpañcagavyena yaḥ snāpayati śaṅkaram

by him the entire earth, with its mountains, forests, and groves, is deemed to have been circumambulated. Whoever bathes Shankara with the panchagavya of Kapila,

Verse 35 (skanda.5.194.35)

उपवासपरो यस्तु तस्मिंस्तीर्थे नराधिप। स्नात्वा ह्युक्तविधानेन तर्पयेत्पितृदेवताः

upavāsaparo yastu tasmiṁstīrthe narādhipa| snātvā hyuktavidhānena tarpayetpitṛdevatāḥ

O lord of men, whoever, fasting, bathes at that tirtha and, following the prescribed rite, offers libations to the ancestral deities,

Verse 36 (skanda.5.194.36)

तस्य ते वंशजाः सर्वे दश पूर्वे दशापरे। तृप्ता रोहन्ति वै स्वर्गे ध्यायन्तोऽस्य मनोरथान्

tasya te vaṁśajāḥ sarve daśa pūrve daśāpare| tṛptā rohanti vai svarge dhyāyanto'sya manorathān

all his descendants — ten generations before and ten after — become satisfied and dwell in heaven, contemplating the fulfilment of his desires.

Verse 37 (skanda.5.194.37)

एष ते विधिरुद्दिष्टः सम्भवो नृपसत्तम। तीर्थस्य च फलं पुण्यं किमन्यत्परिपृच्छसि

eṣa te vidhiruddiṣṭaḥ sambhavo nṛpasattama| tīrthasya ca phalaṁ puṇyaṁ kimanyatparipṛcchasi

O best of kings, this rite and its origin have been declared to you; this is the sacred fruit of the tirtha — what more would you ask?

Verse 38 (skanda.5.194.38)

धन्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं सर्वदुःखघ्नमुत्तमम्। यच्छ्रुत्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मुच्यते नात्र संशयः

dhanyaṁ yaśasyamāyuṣyaṁ sarvaduḥkhaghnamuttamam| yacchrutvā sarvapāpebhyo mucyate nātra saṁśayaḥ

This account is blessed, glorious, life-giving, and supreme in destroying every sorrow; hearing it, one is freed from all sins, without doubt.