The Glory of Nandikeshvara Tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.5.235.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। ततो गच्छेत्तु राजेन्द्र नन्दिकेश्वरमुत्तमम्। यत्र सिद्धो महानन्दी तत्ते सर्वं वदाम्यहम्

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| tato gacchettu rājendra nandikeśvaramuttamam| yatra siddho mahānandī tatte sarvaṁ vadāmyaham

Shri Markandeya said: Then go, O king of kings, to the excellent Nandikeshvara, where the great Nandi attained accomplishment; I shall tell you all of it.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.235.2)

रेवायां पुरतः कृत्वा पुरा नन्दी गणेश्वरः। तपस्तपञ्जयं कुर्वंस्तीर्थात्तीर्थं जगाम ह

revāyāṁ purataḥ kṛtvā purā nandī gaṇeśvaraḥ| tapastapañjayaṁ kurvaṁstīrthāttīrthaṁ jagāma ha

Long ago, Nandi, lord of the ganas, keeping the Reva before him, performing austerity that overcomes all, journeyed from tirtha to tirtha.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.235.3)

दधिस्कन्दं मधुस्कन्दं यावत्त्यक्त्वा तु गच्छति। तावत्तुष्टो महादेवो नन्दिनाथमुवाच ह

dadhiskandaṁ madhuskandaṁ yāvattyaktvā tu gacchati| tāvattuṣṭo mahādevo nandināthamuvāca ha

Just as he had passed beyond Dadhiskanda and Madhuskanda and moved on, Mahadeva, well pleased, spoke to lord Nandi:

Verse 4 (skanda.5.235.4)

ईश्वर उवाच। भोभोः प्रसन्नो नन्दीश वरं वृणु यथेप्सितम्। तपसा तेन तुष्टोऽहं तीर्थयात्राकृतेन ते

īśvara uvāca| bhobhoḥ prasanno nandīśa varaṁ vṛṇu yathepsitam| tapasā tena tuṣṭo'haṁ tīrthayātrākṛtena te

Ishvara said: "O Nandisha, I am pleased; ask a boon as you wish. I am gratified by the austerity performed in your tirtha-pilgrimage."

Verse 5 (skanda.5.235.5)

नन्दीश्वर उवाच। न चाहं कामये वित्तं न चाहं कुलसन्ततिम्। मुक्त्वा न कामये कामं तव पादाम्बुजात्परम्

nandīśvara uvāca| na cāhaṁ kāmaye vittaṁ na cāhaṁ kulasantatim| muktvā na kāmaye kāmaṁ tava pādāmbujātparam

Nandishvara said: "I desire neither wealth nor progeny for my lineage. Apart from your lotus feet, I desire nothing else at all."

Verse 6 (skanda.5.235.6)

कृमिकीटपतङ्गेषु तिर्यग्योनिं गतस्य वा। जन्म जन्मान्तरेऽप्यस्तु भक्तिस्त्वयि ममाचला

kṛmikīṭapataṅgeṣu tiryagyoniṁ gatasya vā| janma janmāntare'pyastu bhaktistvayi mamācalā

"Whether as a worm, an insect, a moth, or born into any animal womb — in birth after birth, may my devotion to you remain unshaken."

Verse 7 (skanda.5.235.7)

तथेत्युक्त्वा महादेवः परया कृपया नृप। गृहीत्वा तं करे सिद्धं जगाम निलयं हरः

tathetyuktvā mahādevaḥ parayā kṛpayā nṛpa| gṛhītvā taṁ kare siddhaṁ jagāma nilayaṁ haraḥ

Saying "So be it," O king, Mahadeva, with supreme grace, took the now-accomplished Nandi by the hand and led him to his own abode.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.235.8)

तस्मिंस्तीर्थे तु यः स्नात्वा भक्त्या त्र्यक्षं प्रपूजयेत्। अग्निष्टोमस्य यज्ञस्य फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः

tasmiṁstīrthe tu yaḥ snātvā bhaktyā tryakṣaṁ prapūjayet| agniṣṭomasya yajñasya phalaṁ prāpnoti mānavaḥ

There at that tirtha, whoever bathes and, with devotion, worships the three-eyed one, attains the fruit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.235.9)

तत्र तीर्थे तु यः स्नात्वा प्राणत्यागं करोति चेत्। शिवस्यानुचरो भूत्वा मोदते कल्पमक्षयम्

tatra tīrthe tu yaḥ snātvā prāṇatyāgaṁ karoti cet| śivasyānucaro bhūtvā modate kalpamakṣayam

There at that tirtha, whoever bathes and gives up his life, becomes an attendant of Shiva and rejoices, imperishably, for a whole kalpa.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.235.10)

ततः कालेन महता जायते विमले कुले। वेदवेदाङ्गतत्त्वज्ञो जीवेच्च शरदां शतम्

tataḥ kālena mahatā jāyate vimale kule| vedavedāṅgatattvajño jīvecca śaradāṁ śatam

Then, after a great span of time, he is born in a spotless family, learned in the truths of the Veda and its branches, and he lives for a hundred autumns.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.235.11)

एतत्ते कथितं तात तीर्थमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम्। दुर्लभं मर्त्यसंज्ञस्य सर्वपापक्षयंकरम्

etatte kathitaṁ tāta tīrthamāhātmyamuttamam| durlabhaṁ martyasaṁjñasya sarvapāpakṣayaṁkaram

Thus, my child, I have told you the excellent glory of this tirtha — rare for mortal beings, and destroying every sin.