The Greatness of Suvarnashila Tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.5.259.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। ततो गच्छेन्महीपालं सौवर्णशिलमुत्तमम्। प्रख्यातमुत्तरे कूले सर्वपापक्षयंकरम्।

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| tato gacchenmahīpālaṁ sauvarṇaśilamuttamam| prakhyātamuttare kūle sarvapāpakṣayaṁkaram||

Shri Markandeya said: Thereafter, O king, one should go to the excellent Suvarnashila, renowned on the northern bank, destroyer of all sins.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.259.2)

समन्ताच्छतपातेन मुनिसङ्घैः पुरा कृतम्। रेवायां दुर्लभं स्थानं सङ्गमस्य समीपतः।

samantācchatapātena munisaṅghaiḥ purā kṛtam| revāyāṁ durlabhaṁ sthānaṁ saṅgamasya samīpataḥ||

Anciently made sacred on all sides by hundreds of prostrations by assemblies of sages - this is a rare place on the Reva, near the confluence.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.259.3)

विभक्तं हस्तमात्रं च पुण्यक्षेत्रं नराधिप। सुवर्णशिलके स्नात्वा पूजयित्वा महेश्वरम्।

vibhaktaṁ hastamātraṁ ca puṇyakṣetraṁ narādhipa| suvarṇaśilake snātvā pūjayitvā maheśvaram||

O king, this sacred field, measuring but a single cubit apart - having bathed at Suvarnashilaka and worshipped Maheshvara -

Verse 4 (skanda.5.259.4)

नत्वा तु भास्करं देवं होतव्यं च हुताशने। बिल्वेनाज्यविमिश्रेण बिल्वपत्रैरथापि वा।

natvā tu bhāskaraṁ devaṁ hotavyaṁ ca hutāśane| bilvenājyavimiśreṇa bilvapatrairathāpi vā||

- and bowing to the god Bhaskara, one should offer oblation in the sacred fire, with bilva fruit mixed with ghee, or else with bilva leaves.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.259.5)

प्रीयतां मे जगन्नाथो व्याधिर्नश्यतु मे ध्रुवम्। द्विजाय काञ्चने दत्ते यत्फलं तच्छृणुष्व मे।

prīyatāṁ me jagannātho vyādhirnaśyatu me dhruvam| dvijāya kāñcane datte yatphalaṁ tacchṛṇuṣva me||

'May the Lord of the universe be pleased with me, may my disease surely be destroyed.' Hear from me the fruit that comes when gold is given to a brahmin.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.259.6)

बहुस्वर्णस्य यत्प्रोक्तं यागस्य फलमुत्तमम्। तथासौ लभते सर्वं काञ्चनं यः प्रयच्छति।

bahusvarṇasya yatproktaṁ yāgasya phalamuttamam| tathāsau labhate sarvaṁ kāñcanaṁ yaḥ prayacchati||

Whatever supreme fruit is declared for a sacrifice involving much gold - all of that is obtained by one who gives gold here.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.259.7)

तेन दानेन पूतात्मा मृतः स्वर्गमवाप्नुयात्। रुद्रस्यानुचरस्तावद्यावदिन्द्राश्चतुर्दश।

tena dānena pūtātmā mṛtaḥ svargamavāpnuyāt| rudrasyānucarastāvadyāvadindrāścaturdaśa||

By that gift, his soul purified, at death he attains heaven; he remains an attendant of Rudra for as long as fourteen Indras reign.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.259.8)

ततः स्वर्गावतीर्णस्तु जायते विशदे कुले। धनधान्यसमोपेतः पुनः स्मरति तज्जलम्।

tataḥ svargāvatīrṇastu jāyate viśade kule| dhanadhānyasamopetaḥ punaḥ smarati tajjalam||

Then, descending from heaven, he is born in a distinguished family, endowed with wealth and grain, and remembers again that water of the tirtha.