The Glory of Pareshvara Tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.5.231.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। ततो गच्छेत्तु राजेन्द्र पारेश्वरमनुत्तमम्। पराशरो महात्मा वै नर्मदायास्तटे शुभे

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| tato gacchettu rājendra pāreśvaramanuttamam| parāśaro mahātmā vai narmadāyāstaṭe śubhe

Shri Markandeya said: Then go, O king of kings, to the incomparable Pareshvara. The great-souled Parashara, on the auspicious bank of the Narmada,

Verse 2 (skanda.5.231.2)

तपश्चचार विपुलं पुत्रार्थं पाण्डुनन्दन। हिमवद्दुहिता तेन गौरी नारायणी नृप

tapaścacāra vipulaṁ putrārthaṁ pāṇḍunandana| himavadduhitā tena gaurī nārāyaṇī nṛpa

performed extensive austerity, O son of Pandu, for the sake of a son; by that, O king, Himavan's daughter, Gauri Narayani,

Verse 3 (skanda.5.231.3)

तोषिता परया भक्त्या नर्मदोत्तरके तटे। तस्य तुष्टा महादेवी शङ्करार्धाङ्गधारिणी

toṣitā parayā bhaktyā narmadottarake taṭe| tasya tuṣṭā mahādevī śaṅkarārdhāṅgadhāriṇī

was gratified by his supreme devotion on the northern bank of the Narmada; that great Goddess, who bears half of Shankara's body, became pleased with him.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.231.4)

भोभो ऋषिवर श्रेष्ठ तुष्टाहं तव भक्तितः। वरं याचय मे विप्र पराशर महामते

bhobho ṛṣivara śreṣṭha tuṣṭāhaṁ tava bhaktitaḥ| varaṁ yācaya me vipra parāśara mahāmate

"O excellent, best of sages, I am pleased by your devotion. Ask a boon of me, O brahmin Parashara, O wise one."

Verse 5 (skanda.5.231.5)

पराशर उवाच। परितुष्टासि मे देवि यदि देयो वरो मम। देहि पुत्रं भगवति सत्यशौचगुणान्वितम्

parāśara uvāca| paritustāsi me devi yadi deyo varo mama| dehi putraṁ bhagavati satyaśaucaguṇānvitam

Parashara said: "O goddess, if you are truly pleased with me and a boon is to be given, then grant me, O blessed one, a son endowed with truthfulness and purity,

Verse 6 (skanda.5.231.6)

वेदाभ्यसनशीलं हि सर्वशास्त्रविशारदम्। तीर्थे चात्र भवेद्देवि सन्निधानवरेण तु

vedābhyasanaśīlaṁ hi sarvaśāstraviśāradam| tīrthe cātra bhaveddevi sannidhānavareṇa tu

"devoted to the study of the Veda and skilled in every branch of learning; and, O goddess, through the boon of your abiding presence, remain here at this tirtha."

Verse 7 (skanda.5.231.7)

लोकोपकारहेतोश्च स्थीयतां गिरिनन्दिनि। पराशराभिधानेन नर्मदादक्षिणे तटे

lokopakārahetośca sthīyatāṁ girinandini| parāśarābhidhānena narmadādakṣiṇe taṭe

"For the benefit of the worlds, O daughter of the mountain, dwell here on the southern bank of the Narmada, under the name of Parashara."

Verse 8 (skanda.5.231.8)

श्रीदेव्युवाच। एवं भवतु ते विप्र तत्रैवान्तरधीयत। पराशरो महात्मा वै स्थापयामास पार्वतीम्

śrīdevyuvāca| evaṁ bhavatu te vipra tatraivāntaradhīyata| parāśaro mahātmā vai sthāpayāmāsa pārvatīm

Shri Devi said: "So be it, O brahmin," and then vanished on the spot. The great-souled Parashara then installed Parvati there,

Verse 9 (skanda.5.231.9)

शङ्करं स्थापयामास सुरासुरनमस्कृतम्। अच्छेद्यमप्रतर्क्यं च देवानां तु दुरासदम्

śaṅkaraṁ sthāpayāmāsa surāsuranamaskṛtam| acchedyamapratarkyaṁ ca devānāṁ tu durāsadam

and installed Shankara too, worshipped by both gods and demons, imperishable, inconceivable, and unattainable even by the gods.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.231.10)

पराशरो महात्मा वै कृतार्थो ह्यभवन्नृप

parāśaro mahātmā vai kṛtārtho hyabhavannṛpa

Thus the great-souled Parashara, O king, became fulfilled.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.231.11)

तत्र तीर्थे तु यो भक्त्या शुचिः प्रयतमानसः। स्त्र्यथवा पुरुषो वापि कामक्रोधविवर्जितः

tatra tīrthe tu yo bhaktyā śuciḥ prayatamānasaḥ| stryathavā puruṣo vāpi kāmakrodhavivarjitaḥ

There at that tirtha, whoever, with devotion, pure and disciplined of mind — whether woman or man — free from lust and anger,

Verse 12 (skanda.5.231.12)

माघे चैत्रेऽथ वैशाखे श्रावणे नृपनन्दन। मासि मार्गशिरे चैव शुक्लपक्षे तु सर्वदा

māghe caitre'tha vaiśākhe śrāvaṇe nṛpanandana| māsi mārgaśire caiva śuklapakṣe tu sarvadā

in the months of Magha, Chaitra, Vaishakha, Shravana, or Margashirsha, O prince, always in the bright fortnight,

Verse 13 (skanda.5.231.13)

तत्र गत्वा शुभे स्थाने नर्मदादक्षिणे तटे

tatra gatvā śubhe sthāne narmadādakṣiṇe taṭe

goes to that auspicious place on the southern bank of the Narmada,

Verse 14 (skanda.5.231.14)

उपोष्य परया भक्त्या व्रतमेतत्समाचरेत्। रात्रौ जागरणं कृत्वा दीपदानं स्वशक्तितः

upoṣya parayā bhaktyā vratametatsamācaret| rātrau jāgaraṇaṁ kṛtvā dīpadānaṁ svaśaktitaḥ

and, fasting, observes this vow with supreme devotion; keeping vigil through the night, offering lamps according to one's means,

Verse 15 (skanda.5.231.15)

गीतं नृत्यं तथा वाद्यं कामक्रोधविवर्जितः। प्रभाते विमले प्राप्ते द्विजाः पूज्याः स्वशक्तितः

gītaṁ nṛtyaṁ tathā vādyaṁ kāmakrodhavivarjitaḥ| prabhāte vimale prāpte dvijāḥ pūjyāḥ svaśaktitaḥ

with song, dance and music, free from lust and anger; and when the clear dawn arrives, one should honour brahmins according to one's ability.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.231.16)

सम्पूज्य ब्राह्मणान् पार्थ धनदानहिरण्यतः। वस्त्रेण छत्रदानेन शय्याताम्बूलभोजनैः

sampūjya brāhmaṇān pārtha dhanadānahiraṇyataḥ| vastreṇa chatradānena śayyātāmbūlabhojanaiḥ

honouring brahmins, O Partha, with gifts of wealth and gold, with garments, the gift of an umbrella, a bed, betel, and food,

Verse 17 (skanda.5.231.17)

प्रीणयेन्नर्मदातीरे ब्राह्मणाञ्छंसितव्रतान्। श्राद्धं कार्यं नृपश्रेष्ठ आमैः पक्वैर्जलेन च

prīṇayennarmadātīre brāhmaṇāñchaṁsitavratān| śrāddhaṁ kāryaṁ nṛpaśreṣṭha āmaiḥ pakvairjalena ca

one should gratify brahmins of excellent vows on the bank of the Narmada; and the shraddha, O best of kings, should be performed with raw food, cooked food, and water.

Verse 18 (skanda.5.231.18)

स्त्रीणां चैव तु शूद्राणामामश्राद्धं प्रशस्यते। आमं चतुर्गुणं देयं ब्राह्मणानां युधिष्ठिर

strīṇāṁ caiva tu śūdrāṇāmāmaśrāddhaṁ praśasyate| āmaṁ caturguṇaṁ deyaṁ brāhmaṇānāṁ yudhiṣṭhira

For women and Shudras, the shraddha with raw food alone is recommended; and to brahmins, O Yudhishthira, raw food should be given fourfold.

Verse 19 (skanda.5.231.19)

वेदोक्तेन विधानेन द्विजाः पूज्याः प्रयत्नतः। हस्तमात्रैः कुशैश्चैव तिलैश्चैवाक्षतैर्नृप

vedoktena vidhānena dvijāḥ pūjyāḥ prayatnataḥ| hastamātraiḥ kuśaiścaiva tilaiścaivākṣatairnṛpa

According to the rite laid down in the Veda, brahmins should be worshipped with care, O king, with hand-length kusha grass, sesame, and unbroken rice grains,

Verse 20 (skanda.5.231.20)

विप्रा उदङ्मुखाः कार्याः स्वयं वै दक्षिणामुखः। दर्भेषु निक्षिपेदन्नमित्युच्चार्य द्विजाग्रतः

viprā udaṅmukhāḥ kāryāḥ svayaṁ vai dakṣiṇāmukhaḥ| darbheṣu nikṣipedannamityuccārya dvijāgrataḥ

the brahmins should be seated facing north, while one faces south oneself; placing the food on the kusha grass, one should utter before the brahmins:

Verse 21 (skanda.5.231.21)

प्रेता यान्तु परे लोके तीर्थस्यास्य प्रभावतः। पापं मे प्रशमं यातु एतु वृद्धिं शुभं सदा

pretā yāntu pare loke tīrthasyāsya prabhāvataḥ| pāpaṁ me praśamaṁ yātu etu vṛddhiṁ śubhaṁ sadā

"By the power of this tirtha, may the departed go to the highest world; may my sin be pacified, and may auspiciousness ever increase."

Verse 22 (skanda.5.231.22)

वृद्धिं यातु सदा वंशो ज्ञातिवर्गो द्विजोत्तम। एवमुच्चार्य विप्राय दानं देयं स्वशक्तितः

vṛddhiṁ yātu sadā vaṁśo jñātivargo dvijottama| evamuccārya viprāya dānaṁ deyaṁ svaśaktitaḥ

"May my lineage and my kinsmen ever increase, O best of the twice-born." Having recited thus, one should give a gift to the brahmin according to one's means.

Verse 23 (skanda.5.231.23)

गोभूतिसहिरण्यादि चान्नं वस्त्रं स्वशक्तितः। दातव्यं पाण्डवश्रेष्ठ पारेश्वरवराश्रमे

gobhūtisahiraṇyādi cānnaṁ vastraṁ svaśaktitaḥ| dātavyaṁ pāṇḍavaśreṣṭha pāreśvaravarāśrame

A cow, land, gold, and the like, along with food and clothing, should be given according to one's means, O best of the Pandavas, at the excellent hermitage of Pareshvara.

Verse 24 (skanda.5.231.24)

ये शृण्वन्ति परं भक्त्या मुच्यन्ते सर्वपातकैः

ye śṛṇvanti paraṁ bhaktyā mucyante sarvapātakaiḥ

Those who hear this with supreme devotion are freed from every sin.