The Greatness of Sankarshana

Verse 1 (skanda.5.256.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच - ततो गच्छेत्तु राजेन्द्र तीर्थं परमशोभनम्। उत्तरे नर्मदाकूले यज्ञवाटस्य मध्यतः

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca - tato gacchettu rājendra tīrthaṁ paramaśobhanam| uttare narmadākūle yajñavāṭasya madhyataḥ

Shri Markandeya said: "Then, O Rajendra, one should go to a most beautiful ford, on the northern bank of the Narmada, in the midst of a sacrificial enclosure."

Verse 2 (skanda.5.256.2)

संकर्षणमिति ख्यातं पृथिव्यां पापनाशनम्। तपश्चीर्णं पुरा राजन्बलभद्रेण तत्र वै

saṁkarṣaṇamiti khyātaṁ pṛthivyāṁ pāpanāśanam| tapaścīrṇaṁ purā rājanbalabhadreṇa tatra vai

It is known on earth as Sankarshana, destroyer of sin; austerity was formerly performed there, O king, by Balabhadra himself.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.256.3)

गीर्वाणा अपि तत्रैव संनिधौ नृपनन्दन। उमया सहितः शम्भुः स्थितस्तत्रैव केशवः

gīrvāṇā api tatraiva saṁnidhau nṛpanandana| umayā sahitaḥ śambhuḥ sthitastatraiva keśavaḥ

The gods too are present right there, O joy of kings; Shambhu together with Uma dwells there, and Keshava too resides there.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.256.4)

बलभद्रेण राजेन्द्र प्राणिनामुपकारतः। स्थापितः परया भक्त्या शङ्करः पापनाशनः

balabhadreṇa rājendra prāṇināmupakārataḥ| sthāpitaḥ parayā bhaktyā śaṅkaraḥ pāpanāśanaḥ

By Balabhadra, O Rajendra, for the benefit of living beings, Shankara the destroyer of sin was established there with supreme devotion.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.256.5)

यस्तत्र स्नाति वै भक्त्या जितक्रोधो जितेन्द्रियः। एकादश्यां सिते पक्षे मधुना स्नापयेच्छिवम्

yastatra snāti vai bhaktyā jitakrodho jitendriyaḥ| ekādaśyāṁ site pakṣe madhunā snāpayecchivam

Whoever bathes there with devotion, having conquered anger and the senses, should bathe Shiva with honey on the eleventh day of the bright fortnight.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.256.6)

श्राद्धं तत्रैव यो भक्त्या पितॄणामथ दापयेत्। स याति परमं स्थानं बलभद्रवचो यथा

śrāddhaṁ tatraiva yo bhaktyā pitṝṇāmatha dāpayet| sa yāti paramaṁ sthānaṁ balabhadravaco yathā

Whoever, with devotion, performs the shraddha there for the ancestors — he goes to the supreme abode, just as Balabhadra himself declared.