The Glory of Karanjeshvara Tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.5.195.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। ततो गच्छेत्तु राजेन्द्र करञ्जेश्वरमुत्तमम्। यत्र सिद्धो महाभागो दैत्यो लोकेषु विश्रुतः

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| tato gacchettu rājendra karañjeśvaramuttamam| yatra siddho mahābhāgo daityo lokeṣu viśrutaḥ

Shri Markandeya said: O Rajendra, one should next go to the excellent Karanjeshvara tirtha, where a daitya, illustrious and renowned throughout the worlds, attained perfection.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.195.2)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच। योऽसौ सिद्धो महाभाग तत्र तीर्थे महातपाः। कस्य पुत्रः कथं सिद्धः कस्मिन्काले वद द्विज

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca| yo'sau siddho mahābhāga tatra tīrthe mahātapāḥ| kasya putraḥ kathaṁ siddhaḥ kasminkāle vada dvija

Yudhishthira said: O twice-born, that illustrious one of great austerity who attained perfection at that tirtha — whose son was he, how did he attain it, and in what age? Tell me, O brahmin.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.195.3)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच। पुरा कृतयुगे राजन्मानसो ब्रह्मणः सुतः। वेदवेदाङ्गतत्त्वज्ञो मरीचिर्नाम नामतः

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca| purā kṛtayuge rājanmānaso brahmaṇaḥ sutaḥ| vedavedāṅgatattvajño marīcirnāma nāmataḥ

Markandeya said: O king, in ancient times, in the Krita Yuga, there was a mind-born son of Brahma, versed in the truths of the Vedas and Vedangas, named Marichi.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.195.4)

तस्यापि तपसो राशेः कालेन महतानघ। पुत्रोऽथ मानसो जातः साक्षाद्ब्रह्मेव चापरः

tasyāpi tapaso rāśeḥ kālena mahatānagha| putro'tha mānaso jātaḥ sākṣādbrahmeva cāparaḥ

O sinless one, after a long span of time, that mass of austerity, Marichi, too begot a mind-born son, who was, as it were, a second Brahma incarnate.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.195.5)

क्षमा दमो दया दानं सत्यं शौचमथार्जवम्। मरीचेश्च गुणा ह्येते सन्ति तस्य च भारत

kṣamā damo dayā dānaṁ satyaṁ śaucamathārjavam| marīceśca guṇā hyete santi tasya ca bhārata

O Bharata, forbearance, self-control, compassion, generosity, truthfulness, purity, and honesty — these very qualities that were in Marichi were present in his son as well.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.195.6)

एवं गुणगणाकीर्णं कश्यपं द्विजसत्तमम्। ज्ञात्वा प्रजापतिर्दक्षो भार्यार्थे स्वसुतां ददौ

evaṁ guṇagaṇākīrṇaṁ kaśyapaṁ dvijasattamam| jñātvā prajāpatirdakṣo bhāryārthe svasutāṁ dadau

Knowing Kashyapa, that foremost of the twice-born, to be filled with this host of virtues, Prajapati Daksha gave him his own daughters in marriage.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.195.7)

अदितिर्दितिर्दनुश्चैव तथाप्येवं दशापराः। यासां पुत्राश्च संजाताः पौत्राश्च भरतर्षभ

aditirditirdanuścaiva tathāpyevaṁ daśāparāḥ| yāsāṁ putrāśca sañjātāḥ pautrāśca bharatarṣabha

O bull of the Bharatas, Aditi, Diti, Danu, and likewise ten other wives — from them sons and grandsons were born.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.195.8)

अदितिर्जनयामास पुत्रानिन्द्रपुरोगमान्। जातास्तस्य महाबाहो कश्यपस्य प्रजापतेः

aditirjanayāmāsa putrānindrapurogamān| jātāstasya mahābāho kaśyapasya prajāpateḥ

O mighty-armed one, Aditi bore sons led by Indra, all born of Prajapati Kashyapa.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.195.9)

यैस्तु लोकत्रयं व्याप्तं स्थावरं जङ्गमं महत्। तथान्यस्य महाभागो दनोः पुत्रो व्यजायत

yaistu lokatrayaṁ vyāptaṁ sthāvaraṁ jaṅgamaṁ mahat| tathānyasya mahābhāgo danoḥ putro vyajāyata

By whom the vast three worlds, moving and unmoving, became pervaded; and likewise, to the illustrious Danu, another son was born.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.195.10)

सर्वलक्षणसम्पन्नः करञ्जो नाम नामतः। बाल एव महाभाग चचार स महत्तपः

sarvalakṣaṇasampannaḥ karañjo nāma nāmataḥ| bāla eva mahābhāga cacāra sa mahattapaḥ

That son, endowed with every auspicious mark, was named Karanja; O illustrious one, even as a child he undertook great austerity.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.195.11)

नर्मदातटमाश्रित्य चातिघोरमनुत्तमम्। दिव्यं वर्षसहस्रं च कृच्छ्रचान्द्रायणं नृप

narmadātaṭamāśritya cātighoramanuttamam| divyaṁ varṣasahasraṁ ca kṛcchracāndrāyaṇaṁ nṛpa

O king, taking refuge on the bank of the Narmada, he performed the exceedingly fierce and supreme Krichchhra-Chandrayana observance for a thousand divine years.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.195.12)

शाकमूलफलाहारः स्नानहोमपरायणः। ततस्तुष्टो महादेव उमया सहितः किल

śākamūlaphalāhāraḥ snānahomaparāyaṇaḥ| tatastuṣṭo mahādeva umayā sahitaḥ kila

Living on greens, roots, and fruits, devoted to bathing and oblation, he at last pleased Mahadeva, who came there together with Uma.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.195.13)

वरेण छन्दयामास त्रिपुरान्तकरः प्रभुः। भोः करञ्ज महासत्त्व परितुष्टोऽस्मि तेऽनघ

vareṇa chandayāmāsa tripurāntakaraḥ prabhuḥ| bhoḥ karañja mahāsattva parituṣṭo'smi te'nagha

The lord, destroyer of Tripura, invited him to choose a boon: O sinless Karanja, O being of great strength, I am well pleased with you.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.195.14)

वरं वृणीष्व ते दद्मि ह्यमरत्वमृते मम

varaṁ vṛṇīṣva te dadmi hyamaratvamṛte mama

Choose a boon — I shall grant you anything except my own immortality.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.195.15)

करञ्ज उवाच। यदि तुष्टो महादेव यदि देयो वरो मम। तर्हि पुत्राश्च पौत्राश्च सन्तु मे धर्मवत्सलाः

karañja uvāca| yadi tuṣṭo mahādeva yadi deyo varo mama| tarhi putrāśca pautrāśca santu me dharmavatsalāḥ

Karanja said: O Mahadeva, if you are pleased, if a boon is to be given to me, then let my sons and grandsons be devoted to righteousness.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.195.16)

तथेत्युक्त्वा महादेव उमया सहितस्तदा। वृषारूढो गणैः सार्द्धं तत्रैवान्तरधीयत

tathetyuktvā mahādeva umayā sahitastadā| vṛṣārūḍho gaṇaiḥ sārddhaṁ tatraivāntaradhīyata

Saying "So be it," Mahadeva, together with Uma, mounted upon his bull, then vanished from that very place along with his attendants.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.195.17)

गते चादर्शनं देवे सोऽपि दैत्यो मुदान्वितः। स्वनाम्नात्र महादेवं स्थापयित्वा ययौ गृहम्

gate cādarśanaṁ deve so'pi daityo mudānvitaḥ| svanāmnātra mahādevaṁ sthāpayitvā yayau gṛham

When the god had vanished from sight, that daitya, filled with joy, established Mahadeva there under his own name, and returned to his home.

Verse 18 (skanda.5.195.18)

तदाप्रभृति तत्तीर्थं सर्वतीर्थेष्वनुत्तमम्। स्नानमात्रानरस्तत्र मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः

tadāprabhṛti tattīrthaṁ sarvatīrtheṣvanuttamam| snānamātrānarastatra mucyate sarvapātakaiḥ

From that time onward, that tirtha became supreme among all tirthas; there, by mere bathing, a man is freed from all sins.

Verse 19 (skanda.5.195.19)

तत्र तीर्थे तु यः स्नात्वा तर्पयेत्पितृदेवताः। सोऽग्निष्टोमस्य यज्ञस्य फलं प्राप्नोत्यसंशयम्

tatra tīrthe tu yaḥ snātvā tarpayetpitṛdevatāḥ| so'gniṣṭomasya yajñasya phalaṁ prāpnotyasaṁśayam

Whoever bathes at that tirtha and offers libations to the ancestral deities, obtains, without doubt, the fruit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice.

Verse 20 (skanda.5.195.20)

अनाशकं तु यः कुर्यात्तस्मिंस्तीर्थे नराधिप। अनिवर्त्या गतिस्तस्य रुद्रलोकं स गच्छति

anāśakaṁ tu yaḥ kuryāttasmiṁstīrthe narādhipa| anivartyā gatistasya rudralokaṁ sa gacchati

O lord of men, whoever undertakes fasting unto death at that tirtha attains an irreversible destination, going to the world of Rudra.

Verse 21 (skanda.5.195.21)

अथवाग्निजले प्राणान्यस्त्यजेद्धर्मनन्दन। अयुतद्वितयं वस्ते वर्षाणां शिवमन्दिरे

athavāgnijale prāṇānyastyajeddharmanandana| ayutadvitayaṁ vaste varṣāṇāṁ śivamandire

O son of Dharma, or whoever gives up his life in fire or water there dwells for twenty thousand years in the abode of Shiva.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.195.22)

ततश्चैव क्षये जाते जायते विमले कुले। वेदवेदाङ्गतत्त्वज्ञः सर्वशास्त्रविशारदः

tataścaiva kṣaye jāte jāyate vimale kule| vedavedāṅgatattvajñaḥ sarvaśāstraviśāradaḥ

Thereafter, when that span comes to its end, he is born into a spotless lineage, versed in the truths of the Vedas and Vedangas, and skilled in every branch of learning.

Verse 23 (skanda.5.195.23)

राजा वा राजतुल्यो वा जीवेच्च शरदः शतम्। पुत्रपौत्रसमोपेतः सर्वव्याधिविवर्जितः

rājā vā rājatulyo vā jīvecca śaradaḥ śatam| putrapautrasamopetaḥ sarvavyādhivivarjitaḥ

He lives for a hundred autumns as a king or one equal to a king, blessed with sons and grandsons, and free from every disease.

Verse 24 (skanda.5.195.24)

एवं ते सर्वमाख्यातं पृष्टं यद्यत्त्वयानघ। तीर्थस्य तु फलं तस्य स्नानदानेषु भारत

evaṁ te sarvamākhyātaṁ pṛṣṭaṁ yadyattvayānagha| tīrthasya tu phalaṁ tasya snānadāneṣu bhārata

O sinless one, thus everything you asked has been told; O Bharata, this is the fruit of that tirtha in bathing and giving.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.195.25)

एतत्पुण्यं पापहरं धन्यं दुःस्वप्ननाशनम्। पठतां शृण्वतां चैव तीर्थमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम्

etatpuṇyaṁ pāpaharaṁ dhanyaṁ duḥsvapnanāśanam| paṭhatāṁ śṛṇvatāṁ caiva tīrthamāhātmyamuttamam

This sacred, sin-destroying, blessed account, which dispels evil dreams — this supreme glory of the tirtha is for those who recite and hear it.

Verse 26 (skanda.5.195.26)

यस्तु श्रावयते श्राद्धे पठेत्पितृपरायणः। अक्षयं जायते पुण्यमित्येवं शङ्करोऽब्रवीत्

yastu śrāvayate śrāddhe paṭhetpitṛparāyaṇaḥ| akṣayaṁ jāyate puṇyamityevaṁ śaṅkaro'bravīt

Whoever has this recited at a shraddha rite, or reads it devoted to the ancestors, obtains imperishable merit — thus spoke Shankara.