The Glory of Gopreksheshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.5.228.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। काशीगङ्गातटे कूले तीर्थं परमशोभनम्। सर्वपापहरं पार्थ गोप्रेक्षेश्वरमुत्तमम्। गोदेहान्निःसृतं लिङ्गं पुण्यं भूमितले नृप

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| kāśīgaṅgātaṭe kūle tīrthaṁ paramaśobhanam| sarvapāpaharaṁ pārtha gopreksheśvaramuttamam| godehānniḥsṛtaṁ liṅgaṁ puṇyaṁ bhūmitale nṛpa

Shri Markandeya said: On the bank of the Kashi-Ganga is a most beautiful tirtha, O Partha — the excellent Gopreksheshvara, remover of every sin; a sacred linga, O king, that emerged from a cow's own body upon the earth.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.228.2)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच। गोदेहान्निःसृतं कस्माल्लिङ्गं पापक्षयंकरम्। काशीगङ्गातटे कूले मणिनागसमीपतः। संक्षेपात्कथ्यतां विप्र गोप्रेक्षेश्वरसम्भवम्

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca| godehānniḥsṛtaṁ kasmālliṅgaṁ pāpakṣayaṁkaram| kāśīgaṅgātaṭe kūle maṇināgasamīpataḥ| saṁkṣepātkathyatāṁ vipra gopreksheśvarasambhavam

Yudhishthira said: How did this linga, arising from a cow's body, come to destroy sin, on the bank of the Kashi-Ganga near Maninaga? Tell me briefly, O brahmin, the origin of Gopreksheshvara.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.228.3)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। कामधेनुस्तपस्तत्र पुरा पार्थ चकार ह। ध्यायते परया भक्त्या देवदेवं महेश्वरम्

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| kāmadhenustapastatra purā pārtha cakāra ha| dhyāyate parayā bhaktyā devadevaṁ maheśvaram

Shri Markandeya said: Long ago, O Partha, Kamadhenu performed austerity there, meditating with supreme devotion on Maheshvara, the god of gods.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.228.4)

तुष्टस्तस्या जगन्नाथ कपिलाय महेश्वरः। निःसृतो देहमध्यात्तु अच्छेद्यः परमेश्वरः

tuṣṭastasyā jagannātha kapilāya maheśvaraḥ| niḥsṛto dehamadhyāttu acchedyaḥ parameśvaraḥ

Pleased with her, O lord of the world, Maheshvara — the imperishable Supreme Lord — emerged from the midst of Kapila's own body.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.228.5)

तुष्टो देवि जगन्मातः कपिले परमेश्वरि। आराधनं कृतं यस्मात्तद्वदाशु शुभानने

tuṣṭo devi jaganmātaḥ kapile parameśvari| ārādhanaṁ kṛtaṁ yasmāttadvadāśu śubhānane

"I am pleased, O goddess, O mother of the world, O Kapila, O supreme lady. Tell me at once, O fair-faced one, for what purpose you performed this worship."

Verse 6 (skanda.5.228.6)

सुरभ्युवाच। लोकानामुपकाराय सृष्टाहं परमेष्ठिना। लोककार्याणि सर्वाणि सिध्यन्ति मत्प्रसादतः

surabhyuvāca| lokānāmupakārāya sṛṣṭāhaṁ parameṣṭhinā| lokakāryāṇi sarvāṇi sidhyanti matprasādataḥ

Surabhi said: "I was created by the Grandsire for the benefit of the worlds; by my grace all the affairs of the worlds are accomplished."

Verse 7 (skanda.5.228.7)

लोकाः स्वर्गं प्रयास्यन्ति मत्प्रसादेन शङ्कर। तीर्थे त्वं भव मे शम्भो लोकानां हितकाम्यया

lokāḥ svargaṁ prayāsyanti matprasādena śaṅkara| tīrthe tvaṁ bhava me śambho lokānāṁ hitakāmyayā

"By my grace, O Shankara, people shall go to heaven. O Shambhu, dwell in this tirtha of mine, for the welfare of the worlds."

Verse 8 (skanda.5.228.8)

तथेति भगवानुक्त्वा तीर्थे तत्रावसन्मुदा। तदाप्रभृति तत्तीर्थं विख्यातं वसुधातले। स्नानेनैकेन राजेन्द्र पापसङ्घं व्यपोहति

tatheti bhagavānuktvā tīrthe tatrāvasanmudā| tadāprabhṛti tattīrthaṁ vikhyātaṁ vasudhātale| snānenaikena rājendra pāpasaṅghaṁ vyapohati

Saying "So be it," the Blessed Lord dwelt there in that tirtha with joy. From that time onward that tirtha became renowned upon the earth; O king of kings, with a single bathing it destroys a whole mass of sins.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.228.9)

गोप्रेक्षेश्वरगोदानं यस्तु भक्त्या च कारयेत्। योग्ये द्विजोत्तमे देया योग्या धेनुः सकाञ्चना

gopreksheśvaragodānaṁ yastu bhaktyā ca kārayet| yogye dvijottame deyā yogyā dhenuḥ sakāñcanā

Whoever, with devotion, causes the gift of a cow to be made at Gopreksheshvara — a worthy cow, together with gold, should be given to a worthy, excellent brahmin,

Verse 10 (skanda.5.228.10)

सवत्सा तरुणी शुभ्रा बहुक्षीरा सवस्त्रका। कृष्णपक्षे चतुर्दश्यामष्टम्यां वा प्रदापयेत्

savatsā taruṇī śubhrā bahukṣīrā savastrakā| kṛṣṇapakṣe caturdaśyāmaṣṭamyāṁ vā pradāpayet

with her calf, young, bright, abundant in milk, and accompanied by a cloth — this should be given on the fourteenth or eighth day of the dark fortnight.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.228.11)

सर्वेषु चैव मासेषु कार्त्तिके च विशेषतः। दापयेत्परया भक्त्या द्विजे स्वाध्यायतत्परे

sarveṣu caiva māseṣu kārttike ca viśeṣataḥ| dāpayetparayā bhaktyā dvije svādhyāyatatpare

In every month, but especially in Karttika, one should make the gift with supreme devotion to a brahmin devoted to Vedic study.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.228.12)

विधिना च प्रदद्याद्यो विधिना यस्तु गृह्णते। तावुभौ पुण्यकर्माणौ प्रेक्षकः पुण्यभाजनम्

vidhinā ca pradadyādyo vidhinā yastu gṛhṇate| tāvubhau puṇyakarmāṇau prekṣakaḥ puṇyabhājanam

Both he who gives according to the rite and he who receives according to the rite perform a meritorious act; even the onlooker becomes a sharer in the merit.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.228.13)

पिण्डदानं प्रकुर्याद्यः प्रेतानां भक्तिसंयुतः। पिण्डेनैकेन राजेन्द्र प्रेता यान्ति परां गतिम्

piṇḍadānaṁ prakuryādyaḥ pretānāṁ bhaktisaṁyutaḥ| piṇḍenaikena rājendra pretā yānti parāṁ gatim

Whoever, filled with devotion, offers the pinda to the departed — with a single pinda, O king of kings, the departed attain the highest state.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.228.14)

भक्त्या प्रणामं रुद्रस्य ये कुर्वन्ति दिने दिने। तेषां पापं प्रलीयेत भिन्नपात्रे जलं यथा

bhaktyā praṇāmaṁ rudrasya ye kurvanti dine dine| teṣāṁ pāpaṁ pralīyeta bhinnapātre jalaṁ yathā

Those who, with devotion, bow to Rudra day after day — their sin dissolves away, as water does from a cracked vessel.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.228.15)

तत्र तीर्थे तु यो राजन्वृषभं च समुत्सृजेत्। पितरश्चोद्धृतास्तेन शिवलोके महीयते

tatra tīrthe tu yo rājanvṛṣabhaṁ ca samutsṛjet| pitaraścoddhṛtāstena śivaloke mahīyate

There at that tirtha, O king, whoever performs the vrishotsarga (frees a consecrated bull), by that his ancestors are delivered, and he himself is exalted in the world of Shiva.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.228.16)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच। वृषोत्सर्गे कृते तात फलं यज्जायते नृणाम्। तत्सर्वं कथयस्वाशु प्रयत्नेन द्विजोत्तम

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca| vṛṣotsarge kṛte tāta phalaṁ yajjāyate nṛṇām| tatsarvaṁ kathayasvāśu prayatnena dvijottama

Yudhishthira said: Father, whatever fruit arises for men from performing the vrishotsarga — tell me all of that quickly and with care, O best of the twice-born.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.228.17)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। सर्वलक्षणसम्पूर्णे वृषे चैव तु यत्फलम्। तदहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणुष्व धर्मनन्दन

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| sarvalakṣaṇasampūrṇe vṛṣe caiva tu yatphalam| tadahaṁ sampravakṣyāmi śṛṇuṣva dharmanandana

Shri Markandeya said: I shall now declare fully the fruit that comes from a bull perfect in every mark — listen, O son of Dharma.

Verse 18 (skanda.5.228.18)

कार्त्तिके चैव वैशाखे पूर्णिमायां नराधिप। रुद्रस्य सन्निधौ भूत्वा शुचिः स्नातो जितेन्द्रियः

kārttike caiva vaiśākhe pūrṇimāyāṁ narādhipa| rudrasya sannidhau bhūtvā śuciḥ snāto jitendriyaḥ

In Karttika or Vaishakha, on the full-moon day, O lord of men, being pure, bathed, and self-controlled, in the presence of Rudra,

Verse 19 (skanda.5.228.19)

वृषस्यैव समुत्सर्गं कारयेत्प्रीयतां हरः। सांनिध्ये कारयेत्पुत्र चतस्रो वत्सिकाः शुभाः

vṛṣasyaiva samutsargaṁ kārayetprīyatāṁ haraḥ| sānnidhye kārayetputra catasro vatsikāḥ śubhāḥ

one should have the release of the bull performed, praying "May Hara be pleased." In his presence, my son, one should also have four auspicious young cows given,

Verse 20 (skanda.5.228.20)

दत्त्वा तु विप्रमुख्याय सर्वलक्षणसंयुताः। प्रीयतां च महादेवो ब्रह्मा विष्णुर्महेश्वरः

dattvā tu vipramukhyāya sarvalakṣaṇasaṁyutāḥ| prīyatāṁ ca mahādevo brahmā viṣṇurmaheśvaraḥ

giving those cows, perfect in every mark, to a foremost brahmin — "May Mahadeva, Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara be pleased."

Verse 21 (skanda.5.228.21)

वृषभे रोमसंख्या या सर्वाङ्गेषु नराधिप। तावद्वर्षप्रमाणं तु शिवलोके महीयते

vṛṣabhe romasaṅkhyā yā sarvāṅgeṣu narādhipa| tāvadvarṣapramāṇaṁ tu śivaloke mahīyate

As many hairs, O lord of men, as there are on the bull's entire body — for that many years he is exalted in the world of Shiva.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.228.22)

शिवलोके वसित्वा तु यदा मर्त्येषु जायते। कुले महति सम्भूतिर्धनधान्यसमाकुले

śivaloke vasitvā tu yadā martyeṣu jāyate| kule mahati sambhūtirdhanadhānyasamākule

Having dwelt in the world of Shiva, when he is born among mortals, his birth occurs in a great family, abundant in wealth and grain,

Verse 23 (skanda.5.228.23)

नीरोगो रूपवांश्चैव विद्याढ्यः सत्यवाक्शुचिः। गोप्रेक्षेश्वरमाहात्म्यं मया ख्यातं युधिष्ठिर। गोदेहान्निःसृतं लिङ्गं काशीगङ्गातटे

nīrogo rūpavāṁścaiva vidyāḍhyaḥ satyavākśuciḥ| gopreksheśvaramāhātmyaṁ mayā khyātaṁ yudhiṣṭhira| godehānniḥsṛtaṁ liṅgaṁ kāśīgaṅgātaṭe

He is free of disease, handsome, learned, truthful, and pure. Thus, O Yudhishthira, I have declared to you the glory of Gopreksheshvara — the linga that emerged from a cow's body on the bank of the Kashi-Ganga.