The Greatness of Prabhasa

Verse 1 (skanda.5.253.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच - ततो गच्छेत्तु राजेन्द्र प्रभासेश्वरमुत्तमम्। विख्यातं त्रिषु लोकेषु स्वर्गसोपानमुत्तमम्

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca - tato gacchettu rājendra prabhāseśvaramuttamam| vikhyātaṁ triṣu lokeṣu svargasopānamuttamam

Shri Markandeya said: "Then, O Rajendra, one should go to the excellent Prabhaseshvara, renowned in the three worlds, the finest stairway to heaven."

Verse 2 (skanda.5.253.2)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच - प्रभासं तात मे ब्रूहि कथं जातं महाफलम्। स्वर्गसोपानदं दृश्यं संक्षेपात्कथयस्व मे

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca - prabhāsaṁ tāta me brūhi kathaṁ jātaṁ mahāphalam| svargasopānadaṁ dṛśyaṁ saṁkṣepātkathayasva me

Yudhishthira said: "Tell me, father, of Prabhasa, how it arose, of great fruit; tell me in brief of that vision granting the stairway to heaven."

Verse 3 (skanda.5.253.3)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच - दुर्भगा रविपत्नी च प्रभानामेति विश्रुता। तया चाराधितः शम्भुरुग्रेण तपसा पुरा

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca - durbhagā ravipatnī ca prabhānāmeti viśrutā| tayā cārādhitaḥ śambhurugreṇa tapasā purā

Shri Markandeya said: "There was an unfortunate wife of the Sun, known by the name Prabha; by her Shambhu was worshipped, long ago, with fierce austerity."

Verse 4 (skanda.5.253.4)

वायुभक्षा स्थिता वर्षं वर्षं ध्यानपरायणा। ततस्तुष्टो महादेवः प्रभायाः पाण्डुनन्दन

vāyubhakṣā sthitā varṣaṁ varṣaṁ dhyānaparāyaṇā| tatastuṣṭo mahādevaḥ prabhāyāḥ pāṇḍunandana

Living on air alone, year after year, intent on meditation — then, O joy of Pandu, Mahadeva became pleased with Prabha.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.253.5)

ईश्वर उवाच - कस्मात्संक्लिश्यसे बाले कथ्यतां यद्विवक्षितम्। अहं हि भास्करोऽप्येको नानात्वं नैव विद्यते

īśvara uvāca - kasmātsaṁkliśyase bāle kathyatāṁ yadvivakṣitam| ahaṁ hi bhāskaro'pyeko nānātvaṁ naiva vidyate

Ishvara said: "Why do you torment yourself, child? Say what you wish to say. I myself am Bhaskara too — there is no difference between us."

Verse 6 (skanda.5.253.6)

प्रभोवाच - नान्यो देवः स्त्रियः शम्भो विना भर्त्रा क्वचित्प्रभो। सगुणो निर्गुणो वापि धनाढ्यो वाप्यकिंचनः

prabhovāca - nānyo devaḥ striyaḥ śambho vinā bhartrā kvacitprabho| saguṇo nirguṇo vāpi dhanāḍhyo vāpyakiṁcanaḥ

Prabha said: "There is no other god for a woman, O Shambhu, apart from her husband, anywhere, O Lord — whether he be virtuous or without virtue, wealthy or destitute,"

Verse 7 (skanda.5.253.7)

प्रियो वा यदि वा द्वेष्यः स्त्रीणां भर्तैव दैवतम्। दुर्भगत्वेन दग्धाहं सखीमध्ये सुरेश्वर। भर्त्तर्यल्लब्धसौख्यास्मि तेन क्लिश्याम्यहं भृशम्

priyo vā yadi vā dveṣyaḥ strīṇāṁ bhartaiva daivatam| durbhagatvena dagdhāhaṁ sakhīmadhye sureśvara| bharttaryallabdhasaukhyāsmi tena kliśyāmyahaṁ bhṛśam

"beloved or despised — the husband alone is the deity of women. I am consumed by misfortune among my companions, O Lord of gods; since I have not gained happiness from my husband, I suffer greatly on that account."

Verse 8 (skanda.5.253.8)

ईश्वर उवाच - वल्लभा भास्करस्यैव मत्प्रसादाद्भविष्यसि

īśvara uvāca - vallabhā bhāskarasyaiva matprasādādbhaviṣyasi

Ishvara said: "By my grace you shall become the beloved wife of Bhaskara himself."

Verse 9 (skanda.5.253.9)

पार्वत्युवाच - अप्रमाणं भवद्वाक्यं भास्करोऽपि करिष्यति। वृथा क्लेशो भवेदस्याः प्रभायाः परमेश्वर

pārvatyuvāca - apramāṇaṁ bhavadvākyaṁ bhāskaro'pi kariṣyati| vṛthā kleśo bhavedasyāḥ prabhāyāḥ parameśvara

Parvati said: "Your word may go unfulfilled — will Bhaskara indeed do this? This Prabha's suffering would then be in vain, O Parameshvara."

Verse 10 (skanda.5.253.10)

उमावाक्यान्महेशानध्यातस्तिमिरनाशनः। आगतो गगनाद्भानुर्नर्मदोत्तररोधसि

umāvākyānmaheśānadhyātastimiranāśanaḥ| āgato gaganādbhānurnarmadottararodhasi

At Uma's word, Bhanu — meditated upon by Mahesha, destroyer of darkness — came down from the sky to the northern bank of the Narmada.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.253.11)

भानुरुवाच - आहूतोऽस्मि कथं देव ह्यघासुरनिषूदन

bhānuruvāca - āhūto'smi kathaṁ deva hyaghāsuraniṣūdana

Bhanu said: "Why have I been summoned, O god, destroyer of the demon Agha?"

Verse 12 (skanda.5.253.12)

ईश्वर उवाच - प्रभां पालय भो भानो संतोषेण परेण हि

īśvara uvāca - prabhāṁ pālaya bho bhāno saṁtoṣeṇa pareṇa hi

Ishvara said: "O Bhanu, cherish Prabha with the utmost contentment."

Verse 13 (skanda.5.253.13)

उमोवाच - प्रभाया मन्दिरे नित्यं स्थीयतां हिमनाशन। अग्रपत्नी समस्तानां भार्याणां क्रियतां रवे

umovāca - prabhāyā mandire nityaṁ sthīyatāṁ himanāśana| agrapatnī samastānāṁ bhāryāṇāṁ kriyatāṁ rave

Uma said: "O destroyer of frost, dwell always in Prabha's abode; make her, O Sun, the foremost among all your wives."

Verse 14 (skanda.5.253.14)

भानुरुवाच - एवं देवि करिष्यामि तव वाक्यं वरानने। एतच्छ्रुत्वा प्रभाहूता प्रत्युवाच महेश्वरम्

bhānuruvāca - evaṁ devi kariṣyāmi tava vākyaṁ varānane| etacchrutvā prabhāhūtā pratyuvāca maheśvaram

Bhanu said: "So shall I do, O goddess, fair of face, as your word bids." Hearing this, Prabha, thus summoned, replied to Maheshvara —

Verse 15 (skanda.5.253.15)

प्रभोवाच - स्वांशेन स्थीयतां देव मन्मथारे उमापते। एकांशः स्थाप्यतामत्र तीर्थस्योन्मीलनाय च

prabhovāca - svāṁśena sthīyatāṁ deva manmathāre umāpate| ekāṁśaḥ sthāpyatāmatra tīrthasyonmīlanāya ca

Prabha said: "O enemy of Manmatha, Lord of Uma, let the god remain here with his own portion; and let one portion be established here for the manifesting of the ford."

Verse 16 (skanda.5.253.16)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच - सर्वदेवमयं लिङ्गं स्थापितं तत्र पाण्डव। प्रभासेश इति ख्यातं सर्वलोकेषु दुर्लभम्

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca - sarvadevamayaṁ liṅgaṁ sthāpitaṁ tatra pāṇḍava| prabhāseśa iti khyātaṁ sarvalokeṣu durlabham

Shri Markandeya said: A linga composed of all the gods was established there, O Pandava, known as Prabhasesha, rare of attainment in all the worlds.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.253.17)

अन्यानि यानि तीर्थानि काले तानि फलन्ति वै। प्रभासेशस्तु राजेन्द्र सद्यः कामफलप्रदः

anyāni yāni tīrthāni kāle tāni phalanti vai| prabhāseśastu rājendra sadyaḥ kāmaphalapradaḥ

Other fords bear fruit in due course of time; but Prabhasesha, O Rajendra, grants the fruit of one's desire at once.

Verse 18 (skanda.5.253.18)

माघमासे सिते पक्षे सप्तम्यां च विशेषतः। अश्वं यः स्पर्शयेत्तत्र यथोक्तब्राह्मणे नृप

māghamāse site pakṣe saptamyāṁ ca viśeṣataḥ| aśvaṁ yaḥ sparśayettatra yathoktabrāhmaṇe nṛpa

Especially in the month of Magha, in the bright fortnight, on the seventh day — whoever there, O king, has a horse touched to a brahmin as prescribed,

Verse 19 (skanda.5.253.19)

इन्द्रत्वं प्राप्यते तेन भास्करस्याथवा पदम्। स्नात्वा परमया भक्त्या दानं दद्याद्द्विजातये

indratvaṁ prāpyate tena bhāskarasyāthavā padam| snātvā paramayā bhaktyā dānaṁ dadyāddvijātaye

attains thereby the state of Indra, or the station of Bhaskara. Having bathed with supreme devotion, one should give a gift to a brahmin —

Verse 20 (skanda.5.253.20)

गोप्रदाता लभेत्स्वर्गं सत्यलोकं वरेश्वर। सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरीं शुभ्रां क्षीरिणीं तरुणीं शुभाम्

gopradātā labhetsvargaṁ satyalokaṁ vareśvara| sarvāṅgasundarīṁ śubhrāṁ kṣīriṇīṁ taruṇīṁ śubhām

the giver of a cow attains heaven and the world of Truth, O lord among lords — a cow beautiful in every limb, radiant, milk-giving, young, and auspicious,

Verse 21 (skanda.5.253.21)

सवत्सां घण्टासंयुक्तां कांस्यपात्रावदोहिनीम्। ददते ये नृपश्रेष्ठ न ते यान्ति यमालयम्

savatsāṁ ghaṇṭāsaṁyuktāṁ kāṁsyapātrāvadohinīm| dadate ye nṛpaśreṣṭha na te yānti yamālayam

together with her calf, fitted with a bell, to be milked into a bronze vessel — those who give thus, O best of kings, do not go to the abode of Yama.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.253.22)

अथ यः परया भक्त्या स्नानं देवस्य कारयेत्। स प्राप्नोति परं लोकं यावदाभूतसम्प्लवम्

atha yaḥ parayā bhaktyā snānaṁ devasya kārayet| sa prāpnoti paraṁ lokaṁ yāvadābhūtasamplavam

Now, whoever with supreme devotion performs the bathing of the god attains the supreme world, until the dissolution of all created beings.

Verse 23 (skanda.5.253.23)

दौर्भाग्यं नाशमायाति स्नानमात्रेण पाण्डव। तत्र तीर्थे तु यो भक्त्या कन्यादानं प्रयच्छति

daurbhāgyaṁ nāśamāyāti snānamātreṇa pāṇḍava| tatra tīrthe tu yo bhaktyā kanyādānaṁ prayacchati

Misfortune is destroyed by mere bathing, O Pandava. And whoever there, with devotion, makes the gift of a maiden,

Verse 24 (skanda.5.253.24)

ब्राह्मणाय विवाहेन दापयेत्पाण्डुनन्दन। समानवयसे देया कुलशीलधनैस्तथा

brāhmaṇāya vivāhena dāpayetpāṇḍunandana| samānavayase deyā kulaśīladhanaistathā

should give her in marriage to a brahmin, O joy of Pandu; she should be given to one of equal age, endowed with lineage, character, and wealth.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.253.25)

ये ददन्ते महाराज ह्यपि पातकसंयुताः। तेषां पापानि लीयन्ते ह्युदके लवणं यथा

ye dadante mahārāja hyapi pātakasaṁyutāḥ| teṣāṁ pāpāni līyante hyudake lavaṇaṁ yathā

Those who give thus, O great king, even if bound by sins — their sins dissolve away, just as salt does in water.

Verse 26 (skanda.5.253.26)

स्वामिद्रोहकृतं पापं निक्षेपस्यापहारिणि। मित्रघ्ने च कृतघ्ने च कूटसाक्ष्यसमुद्भवम्

svāmidrohakṛtaṁ pāpaṁ nikṣepasyāpahāriṇi| mitraghne ca kṛtaghne ca kūṭasākṣyasamudbhavam

The sin committed in betraying one's master, in embezzling a deposit entrusted to one, in betraying a friend, in ingratitude, and that arising from false witness,

Verse 27 (skanda.5.253.27)

तद्ग्रामोद्यानभेदोत्थं परदारनिषेवणम्। वार्द्धुषिकस्य यत्पापं यत्पापं स्तेयसम्भवम्

tadgrāmodyānabhedotthaṁ paradāraniṣevaṇam| vārddhuṣikasya yatpāpaṁ yatpāpaṁ steyasambhavam

that arising from destroying a village or a garden, from consorting with another's wife, the sin of the usurer, whatever sin arises from theft,

Verse 28 (skanda.5.253.28)

कूपभेदोद्भवं यच्च बैडालव्रतधारिणः। दाम्भिकं वृक्षच्छेदोत्थं विवाहस्य निषेधजम्

kūpabhedodbhavaṁ yacca baiḍālavratadhāriṇaḥ| dāmbhikaṁ vṛkṣacchedotthaṁ vivāhasya niṣedhajam

that arising from fouling a well, that of one who feigns virtue like a cat, hypocrisy, that arising from felling a tree, and that born of obstructing a marriage,

Verse 29 (skanda.5.253.29)

आरामस्थतरुच्छेदमगम्यागमनोद्भवम्। स्वभार्यात्यजने यच्च परभार्यासमीहनात्

ārāmasthatarucchedamagamyāgamanodbhavam| svabhāryātyajane yacca parabhāryāsamīhanāt

the felling of a tree in a garden, that born of illicit union, that of abandoning one's own wife, and that of coveting another man's wife,

Verse 30 (skanda.5.253.30)

ब्रह्मस्वहरणे यच्च गरदे गोविघातिनि। विद्याविक्रयणोत्थं च संसर्गाद्यच्च पातकम्

brahmasvaharaṇe yacca garade govighātini| vidyāvikrayaṇotthaṁ ca saṁsargādyacca pātakam

that of seizing a brahmin's property, of poisoning, of killing a cow, that born of selling sacred knowledge, and sin arising from evil association,

Verse 31 (skanda.5.253.31)

श्वबिडालवधाद्घोरं सर्पशूद्रोद्भवं तथा। भूमिहर्तुश्च यत्पापं भूमिहारिणि चैव हि

śvabiḍālavadhādghoraṁ sarpaśūdrodbhavaṁ tathā| bhūmihartuśca yatpāpaṁ bhūmihāriṇi caiva hi

the terrible sin arising from killing a dog or a cat, likewise that arising from killing a serpent or a shudra, the sin of the one who steals land, and of the despoiler of land alike,

Verse 32 (skanda.5.253.32)

मा ददस्वेति यत्पापं गोवह्निब्राह्मणेषु च। तत्पापं याति विलयं कन्यादानेन पाण्डव

mā dadasveti yatpāpaṁ govahnibrāhmaṇeṣu ca| tatpāpaṁ yāti vilayaṁ kanyādānena pāṇḍava

and the sin of saying "do not give" regarding a cow, a fire, or brahmins — that sin, O Pandava, is dissolved by the gift of a maiden.

Verse 33 (skanda.5.253.33)

स गत्वा भास्करं लोकं रुद्रलोके शुभे व्रजेत्। क्रीडते रुद्रलोकस्थो यावदिन्द्राश्चतुर्दश

sa gatvā bhāskaraṁ lokaṁ rudraloke śubhe vrajet| krīḍate rudralokastho yāvadindrāścaturdaśa

Having gone there, he attains the world of Bhaskara and proceeds to the auspicious world of Rudra; dwelling in Rudra's world he sports there for as long as fourteen Indras reign.

Verse 34 (skanda.5.253.34)

सर्वपापक्षये जाते शिवे भवति भावना। एतद्व्रजति यस्तीर्थं प्रभासं पाण्डुनन्दन

sarvapāpakṣaye jāte śive bhavati bhāvanā| etadvrajati yastīrthaṁ prabhāsaṁ pāṇḍunandana

When all sin is destroyed, his mind becomes fixed upon Shiva. Whoever, O joy of Pandu, goes to this ford, Prabhasa,

Verse 35 (skanda.5.253.35)

सर्वतीर्थफलं प्राप्य सोऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत्। गोप्रदानं महापुण्यं सर्वपापक्षयं परम्। प्रशस्तं सर्वकालं हि चतुर्दश्यां विशेषतः

sarvatīrthaphalaṁ prāpya so'śvamedhaphalaṁ labhet| gopradānaṁ mahāpuṇyaṁ sarvapāpakṣayaṁ param| praśastaṁ sarvakālaṁ hi caturdaśyāṁ viśeṣataḥ

having obtained the fruit of all fords, attains the fruit of the Ashvamedha. The gift of a cow is a great merit, the supreme destroyer of all sin, praiseworthy at all times, but especially on the fourteenth day.