The Greatness of Markandeshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.5.255.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच - ततो गच्छेन्महीपाल तीर्थं परमरोचनम्। मार्कण्डेशमिति ख्यातं नर्मदादक्षिणे तटे

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca - tato gacchenmahīpāla tīrthaṁ paramarocanam| mārkaṇḍeśamiti khyātaṁ narmadādakṣiṇe taṭe

Shri Markandeya said: "Then, O king, one should go to a most delightful ford, known as Markandesha, on the southern bank of the Narmada."

Verse 2 (skanda.5.255.2)

उत्तमं सर्वतीर्थानां गीर्वाणैर्वन्दितं शिवम्। गुह्याद्गुह्यतरं पुत्र नाख्यातं कस्यचिन्मया

uttamaṁ sarvatīrthānāṁ gīrvāṇairvanditaṁ śivam| guhyādguhyataraṁ putra nākhyātaṁ kasyacinmayā

It is the foremost of all fords, worshipped by the gods, auspicious; more secret than the secret, O son — it has not been declared by me to anyone.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.255.3)

स्थापितं तु मया पूर्वं स्वर्गसोपानसंनिभम्। ज्ञानं तत्रैव मे जातं प्रसादाच्छङ्करस्य च

sthāpitaṁ tu mayā pūrvaṁ svargasopānasaṁnibham| jñānaṁ tatraiva me jātaṁ prasādācchaṅkarasya ca

It was established by me long ago, resembling a stairway to heaven; knowledge arose in me right there, by the grace of Shankara.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.255.4)

अन्यस्तत्रैव यो गत्वा द्रुपदामन्तर्जले जपेत्। स पातकैरशेषश्च मुच्यते पाण्डुनन्दन

anyastatraiva yo gatvā drupadāmantarjale japet| sa pātakairaśeṣaśca mucyate pāṇḍunandana

Whoever else, going there and reciting the Drupada mantra while submerged in the water — he, O joy of Pandu, is freed from all his sins without remainder.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.255.5)

वाचिकैर्मानसैश्च वा कर्मजैरपि पातकैः। पिण्डिकां चाप्यवष्टभ्य याम्यामाशां च संस्थितः

vācikairmānasaiśca vā karmajairapi pātakaiḥ| piṇḍikāṁ cāpyavaṣṭabhya yāmyāmāśāṁ ca saṁsthitaḥ

From sins committed by speech or mind, or those born of action — having grasped the linga and stood facing the southern quarter,

Verse 6 (skanda.5.255.6)

योजयेच्छूलिनं भक्त्या द्वात्रिंशद्बहुरूपिणम्। देहपाते शिवं गच्छेदिति मे निश्चयो नृप

yojayecchūlinaṁ bhaktyā dvātriṁśadbahurūpiṇam| dehapāte śivaṁ gacchediti me niścayo nṛpa

one should devotedly worship Shulin in his thirty-two manifold forms; at the fall of the body he goes to Shiva — this is my firm conviction, O king.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.255.7)

आज्येन बोधयेद्दीपमष्टम्यां निशि भारत। स्वर्गलोकमवाप्नोति इत्येवं शङ्करोऽब्रवीत्

ājyena bodhayeddīpamaṣṭamyāṁ niśi bhārata| svargalokamavāpnoti ityevaṁ śaṅkaro'bravīt

One should light a lamp with ghee on the eighth night, O Bharata; thus one obtains the world of heaven — so said Shankara.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.255.8)

श्राद्धं तत्रैव यो भक्त्या कुर्वीत नृपनन्दन। पितरस्तस्य तृप्यन्ति यावदाभूतसम्प्लवम्

śrāddhaṁ tatraiva yo bhaktyā kurvīta nṛpanandana| pitarastasya tṛpyanti yāvadābhūtasamplavam

Whoever, O joy of kings, performs the shraddha there with devotion — his ancestors are satisfied until the dissolution of all created beings.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.255.9)

इङ्गुदैर्बदरैर्बिल्वैरक्षतेन जलेन वा। तर्पयेत्तत्र यो वंश्यानाप्नुयाज्जन्मनः फलम्

iṅgudairbadarairbilvairakṣatena jalena vā| tarpayettatra yo vaṁśyānāpnuyājjanmanaḥ phalam

With ingudi fruits, jujubes, bilva leaves, unbroken rice, or water — whoever there offers tarpana to his lineage attains the true fruit of his birth.