The Greatness of Nageshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.5.254.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच - ततो गच्छेन्महीपाल नर्मदादक्षिणे तटे। स्थापितं वासुकीशं तु समस्ताघौघनाशनम्

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca - tato gacchenmahīpāla narmadādakṣiṇe taṭe| sthāpitaṁ vāsukīśaṁ tu samastāghaughanāśanam

Shri Markandeya said: "Then, O king, one should go to the southern bank of the Narmada, where Vasukisha was established, destroyer of the entire mass of sin."

Verse 2 (skanda.5.254.2)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच - कस्माच्च कारणात्तात रेवाया दक्षिणे तटे। वासुकीशस्थापितो वै विस्तराद्वद मे गुरो

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca - kasmācca kāraṇāttāta revāyā dakṣiṇe taṭe| vāsukīśasthāpito vai vistarādvada me guro

Yudhishthira said: "For what reason, father, was Vasukisha established on the southern bank of the Reva? Tell me this in detail, O guru."

Verse 3 (skanda.5.254.3)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच - एतत्सर्वं समास्थाय नृत्यं शम्भुश्चकार वै

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca - etatsarvaṁ samāsthāya nṛtyaṁ śambhuścakāra vai

Shri Markandeya said: "Having assumed this whole array, Shambhu performed a dance."

Verse 4 (skanda.5.254.4)

श्रमादजायत स्वेदो गङ्गातोयविमिश्रितम्। पतन्तमुरगोऽश्नाति हरमौलिविनिर्गतम्

śramādajāyata svedo gaṅgātoyavimiśritam| patantamurago'śnāti haramaulivinirgatam

From that exertion sweat arose, mingled with the water of the Ganga; a serpent, come forth from Hara's crest, ate it as it fell.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.254.5)

मन्दाकिनी ततः क्रुद्धा व्यालस्योपरि भारत। प्राप्नुह्यजगरत्त्वं हि भुजङ्ग क्षुद्रजन्तुक

mandākinī tataḥ kruddhā vyālasyopari bhārata| prāpnuhyajagarattvaṁ hi bhujaṅga kṣudrajantuka

Then, O Bharata, Mandakini, enraged at the serpent, said: "Become a python, O petty little serpent!"

Verse 6 (skanda.5.254.6)

वासुकिरुवाच - अनुग्राह्योऽस्मि ते पापो दुर्नयोऽहं हरादृते। त्रैलोक्यपावनी पुण्या सरित्त्वं शुभलक्षणा

vāsukiruvāca - anugrāhyo'smi te pāpo durnayo'haṁ harādṛte| trailokyapāvanī puṇyā sarittvaṁ śubhalakṣaṇā

Vasuki said: "I am to be forgiven; I am sinful, ill-conducted, helpless without Hara. You, O river of auspicious marks, are the sacred purifier of the three worlds."

Verse 7 (skanda.5.254.7)

संसारच्छेदनकरी ह्यार्तानामार्तिनाशनी। स्वर्गद्वारे स्थिता त्वं हि दयां कुरु मयीश्वरि

saṁsāracchedanakarī hyārtānāmārtināśanī| svargadvāre sthitā tvaṁ hi dayāṁ kuru mayīśvari

"You sever the chain of worldly existence, and remove the pain of the afflicted; you stand at the gate of heaven — have mercy on me, O goddess."

Verse 8 (skanda.5.254.8)

गङ्गोवाच - कुरुष्व विपुलं विन्ध्यं तपस्त्वं शङ्करं प्रति। ततः प्राप्स्यसि स्वं स्थानं पन्नगत्वं ममाज्ञया

gaṅgovāca - kuruṣva vipulaṁ vindhyaṁ tapastvaṁ śaṅkaraṁ prati| tataḥ prāpsyasi svaṁ sthānaṁ pannagatvaṁ mamājñayā

Ganga said: "Perform extensive austerity toward Shankara at the Vindhya; then, by my command, you shall regain your own rightful state, your serpent-nature."

Verse 9 (skanda.5.254.9)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच - ततोऽसौ त्वरितो विन्ध्यं नागो गत्वा नगं शुभम्। तपस्तप्तुं समारेभे शङ्कराराधनोद्यतः

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca - tato'sau tvarito vindhyaṁ nāgo gatvā nagaṁ śubham| tapastaptuṁ samārebhe śaṅkarārādhanodyataḥ

Shri Markandeya said: Then that serpent quickly went to the Vindhya, the auspicious mountain, and began to perform austerity, intent on the worship of Shankara.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.254.10)

नित्यं दध्यौ महादेवं त्र्यक्षं डमरुकोद्यतम्। ततो वर्षशते पूर्ण उपरुद्धो जगद्गुरुः। आगतस्तत्समीपं तु श्लक्ष्णां वाणीमुदाहरत्

nityaṁ dadhyau mahādevaṁ tryakṣaṁ ḍamarukodyatam| tato varṣaśate pūrṇa uparuddho jagadguruḥ| āgatastatsamīpaṁ tu ślakṣṇāṁ vāṇīmudāharat

He constantly meditated on the three-eyed Mahadeva, the bearer of the damaru. Then, when a full hundred years had passed, the Guru of the universe, moved by his austerity, drew near him and uttered a gentle voice —

Verse 11 (skanda.5.254.11)

वरं वरय मे वत्स पन्नग त्वं कृतादर

varaṁ varaya me vatsa pannaga tvaṁ kṛtādara

"Choose a boon from me, O child; O serpent, you have shown me due honor."

Verse 12 (skanda.5.254.12)

वासुकिरुवाच - यदि तुष्टोऽसि मे देव वरं दास्यसि शङ्कर। प्रसादात्तव देवेश भूयान्निष्पापता मम। तीर्थं किंचित्समाख्याहि सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्

vāsukiruvāca - yadi tuṣṭo'si me deva varaṁ dāsyasi śaṅkara| prasādāttava deveśa bhūyānniṣpāpatā mama| tīrthaṁ kiṁcitsamākhyāhi sarvapāpapraṇāśanam

Vasuki said: "If you are pleased with me, O god, and will grant a boon, O Shankara — by your grace, O Lord of gods, may abundant freedom from sin be mine; and declare to me some ford that destroys all sin."

Verse 13 (skanda.5.254.13)

ईश्वर उवाच - पन्नग त्वं महाबाहो रेवां गच्छ शुभंकरीम्। याम्ये तस्यास्तटे पुण्ये स्नानं कुरु यथाविधि

īśvara uvāca - pannaga tvaṁ mahābāho revāṁ gaccha śubhaṁkarīm| yāmye tasyāstaṭe puṇye snānaṁ kuru yathāvidhi

Ishvara said: "O mighty-armed serpent, go to the auspicious Reva; on her southern, sacred bank, bathe according to rule."

Verse 14 (skanda.5.254.14)

इत्युक्त्वान्तर्दधे देवो वासुकिस्त्वरयान्वितः। रूपेणाजगरेणैव प्रविष्टो नर्मदाजलम्

ityuktvāntardadhe devo vāsukistvarayānvitaḥ| rūpeṇājagareṇaiva praviṣṭo narmadājalam

Having said this, the god vanished; Vasuki, filled with haste, entered the waters of the Narmada in the very form of a python.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.254.15)

मार्गेण तस्य संजातं जाह्नव्याः स्रोत उत्तमम्। निर्धूतकल्मषः सर्पः संजातो नर्मदाजले

mārgeṇa tasya saṁjātaṁ jāhnavyāḥ srota uttamam| nirdhūtakalmaṣaḥ sarpaḥ saṁjāto narmadājale

By his path an excellent stream of the Jahnavi came into being; the serpent, cleansed of impurity, was reborn in the waters of the Narmada.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.254.16)

स्थापितः शङ्करस्तत्र नर्मदायां युधिष्ठिर। ततो नागेश्वरं लिङ्गं प्रसिद्धं पापनाशनम्

sthāpitaḥ śaṅkarastatra narmadāyāṁ yudhiṣṭhira| tato nāgeśvaraṁ liṅgaṁ prasiddhaṁ pāpanāśanam

Shankara was established there in the Narmada, O Yudhishthira; thence [came] the renowned linga Nageshvara, destroyer of sin.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.254.17)

अष्टम्यां वा चतुर्दश्यां स्नापयेन्मधुना शिवम्। विमुक्तकल्मषः सद्यो जायते नात्र संशयः

aṣṭamyāṁ vā caturdaśyāṁ snāpayenmadhunā śivam| vimuktakalmaṣaḥ sadyo jāyate nātra saṁśayaḥ

On the eighth or the fourteenth day one should bathe Shiva with honey; instantly, without doubt, one becomes free of impurity.

Verse 18 (skanda.5.254.18)

अपुत्रा ये नराः पार्थ स्नानं कुर्वन्ति सङ्गमे। ते लभन्ते सुताञ्छ्रेष्ठान् कार्त्तवीर्योपमाञ्छुभान्

aputrā ye narāḥ pārtha snānaṁ kurvanti saṅgame| te labhante sutāñchreṣṭhān kārttavīryopamāñchubhān

Those men, O Partha, who are without sons and bathe at the confluence — they obtain excellent, auspicious sons, comparable to Kartavirya.

Verse 19 (skanda.5.254.19)

श्राद्धं तत्रैव यः कुर्यादुपवासपरायणः। कुर्वन्प्रमोचयेत्प्रेतान्नरकान्नृपनन्दन

śrāddhaṁ tatraiva yaḥ kuryādupavāsaparāyaṇaḥ| kurvanpramocayetpretānnarakānnṛpanandana

Whoever, devoted to fasting, performs the shraddha there — in doing so releases the departed from the hells, O joy of kings.

Verse 20 (skanda.5.254.20)

सर्पाणां च भयं वंशे ज्ञातिवर्गे न जायते। निर्दोषं नन्दते तस्य कुलं नागप्रसादतः

sarpāṇāṁ ca bhayaṁ vaṁśe jñātivarge na jāyate| nirdoṣaṁ nandate tasya kulaṁ nāgaprasādataḥ

Fear of serpents does not arise in his lineage, in his circle of kinsmen; by the Naga's grace his family, free of blemish, prospers.

Verse 21 (skanda.5.254.21)

एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं तव स्नेहान्नृपोत्तम

etatte sarvamākhyātaṁ tava snehānnṛpottama

All this, O best of kings, has been declared to you out of affection for you.