The Glory of Matritirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.5.221.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। ततो गच्छेत्तु राजेन्द्र मातृतीर्थमनुत्तमम्। सङ्गमस्य समीपस्थं नर्मदादक्षिणे तटे॥

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| tato gacchettu rājendra mātṛtīrthamanuttamam| saṅgamasya samīpasthaṁ narmadādakṣiṇe taṭe||

Shri Markandeya said: "O lord of kings, thereafter one should go to the unsurpassed Matritirtha, situated near the confluence, on the southern bank of the Narmada.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.221.2)

मातरस्तत्र राजेन्द्र संजाता नर्मदातटे। उमार्धनारिर्देवेशो व्यालयज्ञोपवीतधृक्॥

mātarastatra rājendra saṁjātā narmadātaṭe| umārdhanārirdeveśo vyālayajñopavītadhṛk||

O lord of kings, there the Mother Goddesses came into being on the bank of the Narmada. The Lord of gods, Uma's half-body, wearing serpents as his sacred thread,

Verse 3 (skanda.5.221.3)

उवाच योगिनीवृन्दं कष्टंकष्टमहो हर। अजेयाः सर्वदेवानां त्वत्प्रसादान्महेश्वर॥

uvāca yoginīvṛndaṁ kaṣṭaṁkaṣṭamaho hara| ajeyāḥ sarvadevānāṁ tvatprasādānmaheśvara||

said to the assembly of Yoginis: "Alas, alas, O Hara! By your grace they are unconquerable even by all the gods, O Maheshvara."

Verse 4 (skanda.5.221.4)

तीर्थमत्र विधानेन प्रख्यातं वसुधातले। एवं भवतु योगिन्य इत्युक्त्वान्तरधाच्छिवः॥

tīrthamatra vidhānena prakhyātaṁ vasudhātale| evaṁ bhavatu yoginya ityuktvāntaradhācchivaḥ||

[Shiva said:] "A tirtha here, by this ordinance, shall be renowned upon the earth. So be it, O Yoginis." Having said this, Shiva vanished.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.221.5)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। तत्र तीर्थे तु यो भक्त्या नवम्यां नियतः शुचिः। उपोष्य परया भक्त्या पूजयेन्मातृगोचरम्॥

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| tatra tīrthe tu yo bhaktyā navamyāṁ niyataḥ śuciḥ| upoṣya parayā bhaktyā pūjayenmātṛgocaram||

Shri Markandeya said: "Whoever, at that tirtha, restrained and pure, with devotion, having fasted on the ninth day with the highest devotion, worships the abode of the Mothers,

Verse 6 (skanda.5.221.6)

तस्य स्युर्मातरः प्रीताः प्रीतोऽयं वृषवाहनः। वन्ध्याया मृतवत्साया अपुत्राया युधिष्ठिर॥

tasya syurmātaraḥ prītāḥ prīto'yaṁ vṛṣavāhanaḥ| vandhyāyā mṛtavatsāyā aputrāyā yudhiṣṭhira||

O Yudhishthira, the Mothers become pleased with him, and this bull-mounted one is pleased. For a barren woman, one whose child has died, or one who is sonless,

Verse 7 (skanda.5.221.7)

स्नापनं चारभेत्तत्र मन्त्रशास्त्रविदुत्तमः। सहिरण्येन कुम्भेन पञ्चरत्नफलान्वितः॥

snāpanaṁ cārabhettatra mantraśāstraviduttamaḥ| sahiraṇyena kumbhena pañcaratnaphalānvitaḥ||

an excellent one, versed in mantra-shastra, should there begin the bathing rite, with a golden pot along with the five jewels and fruits;

Verse 8 (skanda.5.221.8)

स्नापयेत्पुत्रकामायाः कांस्यपात्रेण देशिकः। पुत्रं सा लभते नारी वीर्यवन्तं गुणान्वितम्॥

snāpayetputrakāmāyāḥ kāṁsyapātreṇa deśikaḥ| putraṁ sā labhate nārī vīryavantaṁ guṇānvitam||

the officiant should bathe the woman who desires a son with a bronze vessel; that woman obtains a son, virile and endowed with virtues.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.221.9)

यो यं काममभिध्यायेत्ततः स लभते नृप। मातृतीर्थात्परं तीर्थं न भूतं न भविष्यति॥

yo yaṁ kāmamabhidhyāyettataḥ sa labhate nṛpa| mātṛtīrthātparaṁ tīrthaṁ na bhūtaṁ na bhaviṣyati||

O king, whatever desire one contemplates, that he obtains. There has not been, nor will there ever be, a tirtha greater than Matritirtha."