The Greatness of Indra Tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.5.273.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। ततो गच्छेत्तु राजेन्द्र तीर्थं परमशोभनम्। इन्द्रतीर्थेतिविख्यातं नर्मदादक्षिणे तटे।

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| tato gacchettu rājendra tīrthaṁ paramaśobhanam| indratīrthetivikhyātaṁ narmadādakṣiṇe taṭe||

Shri Markandeya said: Thereafter, O lord of kings, one should go to a most beautiful tirtha, renowned as Indra-tirtha, on the southern bank of the Narmada.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.273.2)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच। नर्मदादक्षिणे कूले इन्द्रतीर्थं कथं भवेत्। श्रोतुमिच्छामि विप्रेन्द्र ह्यादिमध्यान्तविस्तरैः।

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca| narmadādakṣiṇe kūle indratīrthaṁ kathaṁ bhavet| śrotumicchāmi viprendra hyādimadhyāntavistaraiḥ||

Yudhishthira said: How did the Indra-tirtha come to be on the southern bank of the Narmada? O best of brahmins, I wish to hear it in full, from beginning to middle to end.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.273.3)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचनं धर्मपुत्रस्य धीमतः। कथयामास तद्वत्तमितिहासं पुरातनम्।

etacchrutvā tu vacanaṁ dharmaputrasya dhīmataḥ| kathayāmāsa tadvattamitihāsaṁ purātanam||

Having heard this speech of the wise son of Dharma, he told that ancient history in full.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.273.4)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। विश्वासयित्वा सुचिरं धर्मशत्रुं महाबलम्। वृत्रं जित्वाथ हत्वा तु गच्छमानं शचीपतिम्।

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| viśvāsayitvā suciraṁ dharmaśatruṁ mahābalam| vṛtraṁ jitvātha hatvā tu gacchamānaṁ śacīpatim||

Shri Markandeya said: Having long deceived the powerful enemy of Dharma, Vritra, and then, having conquered and slain him, Shachi's lord Indra, as he departed -

Verse 5 (skanda.5.273.5)

निष्क्राममाणं मार्गेण ब्रह्महत्या दुरासदा। अहोरात्रमविश्रान्ता जगाम भुवनत्रयम्।

niṣkrāmamāṇaṁ mārgeṇa brahmahatyā durāsadā| ahorātramaviśrāntā jagāma bhuvanatrayam||

- as he was departing along the way, the sin of brahmin-slaying, hard to escape, unresting day and night, pursued him through the three worlds.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.273.6)

यतोयतो ब्रह्महणं याति यानेन शोभनम्। दिशो भागं सुरैः सार्द्धं ततो हत्या न मुञ्चति।

yatoyato brahmahaṇaṁ yāti yānena śobhanam| diśo bhāgaṁ suraiḥ sārddhaṁ tato hatyā na muñcati||

Wherever the slayer of the brahmin went in his beautiful chariot, taking a portion of the directions together with the gods, the sin did not release him from there.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.273.7)

ब्रह्महत्या सुरापानं स्तेयं गुर्वगनागमः। पातकानां गतिर्दृष्टा न तु विश्वासघातिनाम्।

brahmahatyā surāpānaṁ steyaṁ gurvaganāgamaḥ| pātakānāṁ gatirdṛṣṭā na tu viśvāsaghātinām||

Brahmin-slaying, drinking liquor, theft, and violating the guru's bed - a path of atonement is seen even for these sinners, but not for those who betray trust.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.273.8)

पापकर्ममुखं दृष्ट्वा स्नानदानैर्विशुध्यति। नारी वा पुरुषो वापि नैव विश्वासघातिनः।

pāpakarmamukhaṁ dṛṣṭvā snānadānairviśudhyati| nārī vā puruṣo vāpi naiva viśvāsaghātinaḥ||

Having faced sinful action, whether woman or man, one is purified by bathing and gifts - but never those who have betrayed trust.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.273.9)

एवमादीनि चान्यानि श्रुत्वा वाक्यानि देवराट्। वचनं तद्विधैरुक्तं विषादमगमत्परम्।

evamādīni cānyāni śrutvā vākyāni devarāṭ| vacanaṁ tadvidhairuktaṁ viṣādamagamatparam||

Having heard these and other such words, the king of gods fell into supreme despair at this speech spoken by such sages.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.273.10)

त्यक्त्वा राज्यं सुरैः सार्धं जगाम तप उत्तमम्। पुत्रदारगृहं राज्यं वसूनि विविधानि च।

tyaktvā rājyaṁ suraiḥ sārdhaṁ jagāma tapa uttamam| putradāragṛhaṁ rājyaṁ vasūni vividhāni ca||

Abandoning the kingdom, together with the gods, he went to perform supreme austerity - abandoning son, wife, home, kingdom, and various treasures.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.273.11)

फलान्येतानि धर्मस्य शोभयन्ति जनेश्वरम्। फलं धर्मस्य भुञ्जेति सुहृत्स्वजनबान्धवाः।

phalānyetāni dharmasya śobhayanti janeśvaram| phalaṁ dharmasya bhuñjeti suhṛtsvajanabāndhavāḥ||

These fruits of dharma adorn a lord of men; his friends, kinsmen, and relatives say, 'Enjoy the fruit of dharma' -

Verse 12 (skanda.5.273.12)

पश्यतां सर्वमेतेषां पापमेकेन भुज्यते। परं हि सुखमुत्सृज्य कर्शयन्वै कलेवरम्।

paśyatāṁ sarvameteṣāṁ pāpamekena bhujyate| paraṁ hi sukhamutsṛjya karśayanvai kalevaram||

- while all these merely look on, for the sin is borne by one alone. Forsaking supreme happiness, he wasted away his own body.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.273.13)

देवराजो जगामासौ तीर्थान्यायतनानि च। गङ्गातीर्थेषु सर्वेषु यामुनेषु तथैव च।

devarājo jagāmāsau tīrthānyāyatanāni ca| gaṅgātīrtheṣu sarveṣu yāmuneṣu tathaiva ca||

The king of gods went to the tirthas and sacred abodes - to all the Ganga tirthas, and likewise to the Yamuna tirthas -

Verse 14 (skanda.5.273.14)

सारस्वतेषु सर्वेषु सामुद्रेषु पृथक्पृथक्। नदीषु देवखातेषु तडागेषु सरःसु च।

sārasvateṣu sarveṣu sāmudreṣu pṛthakpṛthak| nadīṣu devakhāteṣu taḍāgeṣu saraḥsu ca||

- to all the Sarasvati tirthas, and to the various ocean shores separately, to rivers, divine tanks, ponds, and lakes -

Verse 15 (skanda.5.273.15)

पापं न मुञ्चते सर्वे पश्चाद्देवसमागमे। रेवाप्रभवतीर्थेषु कूलयोरुभयोरपि।

pāpaṁ na muñcate sarve paścāddevasamāgame| revāprabhavatīrtheṣu kūlayorubhayorapi||

- the sin did not release him at all. Afterward, meeting with the gods, at the tirthas arising from the Reva, on both its banks -

Verse 16 (skanda.5.273.16)

पूजयन्वै महादेवं स्कन्दतीर्थं समासदत्। तव स्थित्वोपवासैश्च कृच्छ्रचान्द्रायणादिभिः।

pūjayanvai mahādevaṁ skandatīrthaṁ samāsadat| tava sthitvopavāsaiśca kṛcchracāndrāyaṇādibhiḥ||

- worshipping Mahadeva, he reached the Skanda-tirtha; staying there with fasts, and hardships like the Chandrayana penance -

Verse 17 (skanda.5.273.17)

कर्शयन्वै स्वकं देहं न लेभे शर्म वै क्वचित्। ग्रीष्मे पञ्चाग्निमध्यस्थो वर्षासु स्थण्डिलेशयः।

karśayanvai svakaṁ dehaṁ na lebhe śarma vai kvacit| grīṣme pañcāgnimadhyastho varṣāsu sthaṇḍileśayaḥ||

- wasting away his own body, he found no comfort anywhere. In summer standing amid the five fires, in the rains lying on the bare ground -

Verse 18 (skanda.5.273.18)

आर्द्रवासास्तु हेमन्ते चचार विपुलं तपः। एवं तु तपतस्तस्य इन्द्रस्य विदितात्मनः।

ārdravāsāstu hemante cacāra vipulaṁ tapaḥ| evaṁ tu tapatastasya indrasya viditātmanaḥ||

- and in winter clad in wet garments, he performed extensive austerity. Thus, as that wise-souled Indra was performing austerity -

Verse 19 (skanda.5.273.19)

वत्सराणां सहस्राणि गतानि दश भारत। ततस्त्वेकादशे प्राप्ते वर्षे तु नृपसत्तम।

vatsarāṇāṁ sahasrāṇi gatāni daśa bhārata| tatastvekādaśe prāpte varṣe tu nṛpasattama||

- O Bharata, ten thousand years passed. Then, O best of kings, when the eleventh year arrived -

Verse 20 (skanda.5.273.20)

सहसा भगवान्देवस्तु तुतोष परमेश्वरः। तथा ब्रह्मर्षयः सिद्धा ब्रह्मविष्णुपुरोगमाः।

sahasā bhagavāndevastu tutoṣa parameśvaraḥ| tathā brahmarṣayaḥ siddhā brahmaviṣṇupurogamāḥ||

- then suddenly the Lord, the Supreme God, was pleased; likewise the Brahmarshis and the siddhas, led by Brahma and Vishnu -

Verse 21 (skanda.5.273.21)

तत्राजग्मुः सुराः सर्वे यत्र देवः शतक्रतुः। दृष्ट्वा समागतान् देवानृषींश्चैव महामतिः।

tatrājagmuḥ surāḥ sarve yatra devaḥ śatakratuḥ| dṛṣṭvā samāgatān devānṛṣīṁścaiva mahāmatiḥ||

- came there, where Indra of a hundred sacrifices was. Seeing the gods and sages assembled, that great-minded one -

Verse 22 (skanda.5.273.22)

उवाच प्रणतो भूत्वा सर्वदेवपुरोहितः। विदितं सर्वमेतेषां यथा वृत्रवधः कृतः।

uvāca praṇato bhūtvā sarvadevapurohitaḥ| viditaṁ sarvameteṣāṁ yathā vṛtravadhaḥ kṛtaḥ||

- bowing down, spoke, the priest of all the gods: 'All this is known to these gods - how the slaying of Vritra was done -'

Verse 23 (skanda.5.273.23)

युष्माकं चाज्ञया पूर्वं ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः। तथाप्येवं ब्रह्महणं मत्वा पापस्य कारिणम्।

yuṣmākaṁ cājñayā pūrvaṁ brahmaviṣṇumaheśvarāḥ| tathāpyevaṁ brahmahaṇaṁ matvā pāpasya kāriṇam||

'- and, O Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshvara, it was done formerly by your own command. Yet, thus considering him a slayer of a brahmin and a doer of sin -'

Verse 24 (skanda.5.273.24)

भ्रमन्तं सर्वतीर्थेषु ब्रह्महत्या न मुञ्चति। न नन्दति जगत्सर्वं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्।

bhramantaṁ sarvatīrtheṣu brahmahatyā na muñcati| na nandati jagatsarvaṁ trailokyaṁ sacarācaram||

'- as he wanders through all the tirthas, the sin of brahmin-slaying does not release him. The whole world does not rejoice, the three worlds with all that moves and moves not.'

Verse 25 (skanda.5.273.25)

यथा विहीनचन्द्रार्कं तथा राज्यमनायकम्। तस्मात्सर्वे सुरश्रेष्ठा विज्ञाप्यं मम सम्प्रति।

yathā vihīnacandrārkaṁ tathā rājyamanāyakam| tasmātsarve suraśreṣṭhā vijñāpyaṁ mama samprati||

'- just as the sky is without splendour without moon and sun, so is a kingdom without a leader. Therefore, O best of gods, I now wish to submit this to you all -'

Verse 26 (skanda.5.273.26)

कुर्वन्तु शक्रं निर्दोषं तथा सर्वे महर्षयः। बृहस्पतिमुखोद्गीर्णं श्रुत्वा तद्वचनं शुभम्।

kurvantu śakraṁ nirdoṣaṁ tathā sarve maharṣayaḥ| bṛhaspatimukhodgīrṇaṁ śrutvā tadvacanaṁ śubham||

'- let all of you, together with all the great sages, make Indra free of fault.' Having heard this auspicious speech uttered from the mouth of Brihaspati -

Verse 27 (skanda.5.273.27)

ततः प्रोवाच भगवान्ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः। एतत्पापं महाघोरं ब्रह्महत्यासमुद्भवम्।

tataḥ provāca bhagavānbrahmā lokapitāmahaḥ| etatpāpaṁ mahāghoraṁ brahmahatyāsamudbhavam||

- then the Lord Brahma, the grandsire of the worlds, spoke: 'This very terrible sin, born from the slaying of a brahmin -'

Verse 28 (skanda.5.273.28)

दैवतेभ्योऽथ भूतेभ्यश्चतुर्भागं क्षिपाम्यहम्। एवं मुक्त्वा क्षिपच्चैनो जलोपरि महामतिः।

daivatebhyo'tha bhūtebhyaścaturbhāgaṁ kṣipāmyaham| evaṁ muktvā kṣipaccaino jalopari mahāmatiḥ||

'- one-fourth of it I shall cast upon the gods and other beings.' Having thus divided the sin, the great-minded one cast it -

Verse 29 (skanda.5.273.29)

अवगाह्य ततः पेया आपो वै नान्यथा बुधैः। धरायामक्षिपद्भागं द्वितीयं पद्मसंभवः।

avagāhya tataḥ peyā āpo vai nānyathā budhaiḥ| dharāyāmakṣipadbhāgaṁ dvitīyaṁ padmasaṁbhavaḥ||

- upon the waters; therefore the wise should never drink water without first settling and purifying it. The lotus-born one cast a second portion upon the earth -

Verse 30 (skanda.5.273.30)

अभक्ष्या तेन संजाता सदाकालं वसुंधरा। तदार्धमर्द्धं नारीणां द्वितीयेऽह्नि युधिष्ठिर।

abhakṣyā tena saṁjātā sadākālaṁ vasuṁdharā| tadārdhamarddhaṁ nārīṇāṁ dvitīye'hni yudhiṣṭhira||

- by that the earth became, in places, forever unfit to bear fruit. O Yudhishthira, thereafter a further portion upon women, on the second day -

Verse 31 (skanda.5.273.31)

निक्षिप्य भगवान्देवः पुनरन्यज्जगाद ह। असंग्राह्या त्वसंग्राह्या तेन जाता रजस्वला।

nikṣipya bhagavāndevaḥ punaranyajjagāda ha| asaṁgrāhyā tvasaṁgrāhyā tena jātā rajasvalā||

- the Lord God cast it, and spoke again: 'By this she shall become untouchable, untouchable, for a time' - by that, women became subject to their monthly courses -

Verse 32 (skanda.5.273.32)

चतुर्दिनानि सा प्राज्ञैः पापस्य महतो महात्। चतुर्थं तु ततो भागं विभज्य परमेश्वरः।

caturdināni sā prājñaiḥ pāpasya mahato mahāt| caturthaṁ tu tato bhāgaṁ vibhajya parameśvaraḥ||

- for four days, according to the wise, on account of that great sin. Then the Supreme Lord, having divided the fourth portion -

Verse 33 (skanda.5.273.33)

कृषिगोरक्ष्यवाणिज्यैः शूद्रसेवाकरे द्विजे। ततोऽभिनन्दयामासुः सर्वे देवा महर्षयः।

kṛṣigorakṣyavāṇijyaiḥ śūdrasevākare dvije| tato'bhinandayāmāsuḥ sarve devā maharṣayaḥ||

- placed it in agriculture, cattle-herding, and trade, and in the brahmin who serves shudras. Then all the gods and great sages -

Verse 34 (skanda.5.273.34)

देवेन्द्रं वाग्भिरिष्टाभिर्नर्मदाजलसंस्थितम्। वरेण छन्दयामास ततस्तुष्टो महेश्वरः।

devendraṁ vāgbhiriṣṭābhirnarmadājalasaṁsthitam| vareṇa chandayāmāsa tatastuṣṭo maheśvaraḥ||

- congratulated Devendra, standing in the waters of the Narmada, with pleasing words. Then, pleased, Maheshvara invited him to choose a boon.

Verse 35 (skanda.5.273.35)

वरं दास्यामि देवेश वरं वृणु यथेप्सितम्।

varaṁ dāsyāmi deveśa varaṁ vṛṇu yathepsitam||

'I shall grant you a boon, O Lord of gods; choose the boon you desire.'

Verse 36 (skanda.5.273.36)

इन्द्र उवाच। यदि तुष्टोऽसि देवेश यदि देयो वरो मम। अत्र संस्थापयिष्यामि सदा संनिहितो भव।

indra uvāca| yadi tuṣṭo'si deveśa yadi deyo varo mama| atra saṁsthāpayiṣyāmi sadā saṁnihito bhava||

Indra said: O Lord of gods, if you are pleased, if a boon is to be given to me, I shall establish you here; be ever present in this place.

Verse 37 (skanda.5.273.37)

एवमस्त्विति चोक्त्वा तं ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः। जग्मुराकाशमाविश्य स्तूयमाना महर्षिभिः।

evamastviti coktvā taṁ brahmaviṣṇumaheśvarāḥ| jagmurākāśamāviśya stūyamānā maharṣibhiḥ||

'So be it,' having said this to him, Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshvara, praised by the great sages, entered the sky and departed.

Verse 38 (skanda.5.273.38)

गतेषु देवदेवेषु देवराजः शतक्रतुः। स्थापयित्वा महादेवं जगाम त्रिदशालयम्।

gateṣu devadeveṣu devarājaḥ śatakratuḥ| sthāpayitvā mahādevaṁ jagāma tridaśālayam||

When the gods of gods had departed, Indra of a hundred sacrifices, having installed Mahadeva there, went to the abode of the thirty gods.

Verse 39 (skanda.5.273.39)

इन्द्रतीर्थे तु यः स्नात्वा तर्पयेत्पितृदेवताः। महापातकयुक्तोऽपि मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः।

indratīrthe tu yaḥ snātvā tarpayetpitṛdevatāḥ| mahāpātakayukto'pi mucyate sarvapātakaiḥ||

Whoever bathes at the Indra-tirtha and offers tarpana to the ancestor-deities, even if burdened with great sins, is freed from all sins.

Verse 40 (skanda.5.273.40)

इन्द्रतीर्थे तु यः स्नात्वा पूजयेत्परमेश्वरम्। सोऽश्वमेधस्य यज्ञस्य पुष्कलं फलमश्नुते।

indratīrthe tu yaḥ snātvā pūjayetparameśvaram| so'śvamedhasya yajñasya puṣkalaṁ phalamaśnute||

Whoever bathes at the Indra-tirtha and worships the Supreme Lord obtains the abundant fruit of the Ashvamedha sacrifice.

Verse 41 (skanda.5.273.41)

एतत्ते कथितं सर्वं तीर्थमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम्। श्रुतमात्रेण येनैव मुच्यन्ते पातकैर्नराः।

etatte kathitaṁ sarvaṁ tīrthamāhātmyamuttamam| śrutamātreṇa yenaiva mucyante pātakairnarāḥ||

All this excellent greatness of the tirtha has been told to you - by the mere hearing of which men are freed from sins.