The Greatness of Ravi Tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.5.280.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। ततो गच्छेन्महीपाल रवितीर्थमनुत्तमम् । यत्र देवः सहस्रांशुस्तपस्तप्त्वा दिवं गतः ।

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| tato gacchenmahīpāla ravitīrtham anuttamam| yatra devaḥ sahasrāṁśus tapas taptvā divaṁ gataḥ||

Shri Markandeya said: Thereafter, O lord of the earth, one should go to the unsurpassed Ravi Tirtha, where the thousand-rayed god, having performed austerities, went to heaven.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.280.2)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच। कथं देवो जगद्धाता सर्वदेवनमस्कृतः । तपस्तपति देवेशस्तापसो भास्करो रविः ।

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca| kathaṁ devo jagaddhātā sarvadevanamaskṛtaḥ| tapas tapati deveśas tāpaso bhāskaro raviḥ||

Yudhishthira said: How does the god who upholds the world, worshipped by all gods, the lord of gods, the radiant Ravi, practise austerity as an ascetic?

Verse 3 (skanda.5.280.3)

आराध्यः सर्वभूतानां सर्वदेवैश्च पूजितः । प्रत्यक्षो दृश्यते लोके सृष्टिसंहारकारकः ।

ārādhyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ sarvadevaiś ca pūjitaḥ| pratyakṣo dṛśyate loke sṛṣṭisaṁhārakārakaḥ||

Worshipped by all beings, honoured by all gods, visibly seen in the world, the maker of creation and dissolution -

Verse 4 (skanda.5.280.4)

आदित्यत्वं कथं प्राप्तः कथं भास्कर उच्यते । सर्वमेतत्समासेन कथयस्व ममानघ ।

ādityatvaṁ kathaṁ prāptaḥ kathaṁ bhāskara ucyate| sarvam etat samāsena kathayasva mamānagha||

How did he attain the status of Aditya? Why is he called Bhaskara? Tell me all this in brief, O sinless one.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.280.5)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच। महाप्रश्नो महाराज यस्त्वया परिपृच्छितः । तत्सर्वं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि नमस्कृत्य स्वयम्भुवम् ।

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca| mahāpraśno mahārāja yas tvayā paripṛcchitaḥ| tat sarvaṁ sampravakṣyāmi namaskṛtya svayambhuvam||

Markandeya said: O great king, a great question you have asked; I shall answer it all fully, having bowed to the Self-born.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.280.6)

आसीदिदं तमोभूतमप्रज्ञातमलक्षणम् । अप्रतर्क्यमविज्ञेयं प्रसुप्तमिव सर्वतः ।

āsīd idaṁ tamobhūtam aprajñātam alakṣaṇam| apratarkyam avijñeyaṁ prasuptam iva sarvataḥ||

This universe was once wrapped in darkness, unrecognized, without characteristic, beyond reasoning, unknowable, as if asleep on every side.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.280.7)

ततस्तेजश्च दिव्यं च तप्तपिण्डमनुत्तमम् । आकाशात्तु यथैवोल्का सृष्टिहेतोरधोमुखी ।

tatas tejaś ca divyaṁ ca taptapiṇḍam anuttamam| ākāśāt tu yathaivolkā sṛṣṭihetor adhomukhī||

Then a supreme, divine, molten mass of light appeared, like a meteor falling downward from the sky for the sake of creation.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.280.8)

तत्तेजसोऽन्तः पुरुषः संजातः सर्वभूषितः । स शिवोऽपाणिपादश्च येन सर्वमिदं ततम् ।

tattejaso 'ntaḥ puruṣaḥ saṁjātaḥ sarvabhūṣitaḥ| sa śivo 'pāṇipādaś ca yena sarvam idaṁ tatam||

Within that radiance a Purusha arose, fully adorned - that Shiva, without hands or feet, by whom all this is pervaded.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.280.9)

तस्योत्पन्नस्य भूतस्य तेजो रूपस्य भारत । पश्चात्प्रजापतिर्भूयः कालः कालान्तरेण वै ।

tasyotpannasya bhūtasya tejo rūpasya bhārata| paścāt prajāpatir bhūyaḥ kālaḥ kālāntareṇa vai||

O Bharata, from that being of radiant form who had arisen, afterward Prajapati emerged, and then, in time, further time unfolded.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.280.10)

अग्निर्जातः स भूतानां मनुष्यासुररक्षसाम् । सर्वदेवाधिदेवश्च आदित्यस्तेन चोच्यते ।

agnir jātaḥ sa bhūtānāṁ manuṣyāsurarakṣasām| sarvadevādhidevaś ca ādityas tena cocyate||

Agni was born, belonging to beings, men, asuras, and rakshasas; he is the supreme god over all gods, and is therefore called Aditya.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.280.11)

आदौ तस्य नमस्कारोऽन्येषां च तदनन्तरम् । क्रियते दैवतैः सर्वैस्तेन सर्वैर्महर्षिभिः ।

ādau tasya namaskāro 'nyeṣāṁ ca tadanantaram| kriyate daivataiḥ sarvais tena sarvair maharṣibhiḥ||

To him first is homage paid, and to others only after; this is done by all the gods and by all the great sages.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.280.12)

तिस्रः सन्ध्यास्त्रयो देवाः सांनिध्याः सूर्यमण्डले । नमस्कृतेन सूर्येण सर्वे देवा नमस्कृताः ।

tisraḥ sandhyās trayo devāḥ sānnidhyāḥ sūryamaṇḍale| namaskṛtena sūryeṇa sarve devā namaskṛtāḥ||

The three twilights, and the three gods, are present in the orb of the sun; by paying homage to the sun, all gods are honoured.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.280.13)

न दिवा न भवेद्रात्रिः षण्मासा दक्षिणायनम् । अयनं चोत्तरं चापि भास्करेण विना नृप ।

na divā na bhaved rātriḥ ṣaṇmāsā dakṣiṇāyanam| ayanaṁ cottaraṁ cāpi bhāskareṇa vinā nṛpa||

O king, without Bhaskara there would be no day, no night, no six-month southern course, nor the northern course either.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.280.14)

स्नानं दानं जपो होमः स्वाध्यायो देवतार्चनम् । न वर्तते विना सूर्यं तेन पूज्यतमो रविः ।

snānaṁ dānaṁ japo homaḥ svādhyāyo devatārcanam| na vartate vinā sūryaṁ tena pūjyatamo raviḥ||

Bathing, giving, muttered prayer, oblation, personal Vedic recitation, worship of deities - none function without the sun; therefore Ravi is most worthy of worship.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.280.15)

शब्दगाः श्रुतिमुख्याश्च ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः । प्रत्यक्षो भगवान्देवो दृश्यते लोकपावनः ।

śabdagāḥ śrutimukhyāś ca brahmaviṣṇumaheśvarāḥ| pratyakṣo bhagavān devo dṛśyate lokapāvanaḥ||

Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshvara are known through the primary utterances of the shrutis; but this blessed god is seen directly, the purifier of the world.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.280.16)

उत्पत्तिः प्रलयस्थानं निधानं बीजमव्ययम् । हेतुरेको जगन्नाथो नान्यो विद्येत भास्करात् ।

utpattiḥ pralayasthānaṁ nidhānaṁ bījam avyayam| hetur eko jagannātho nānyo vidyeta bhāskarāt||

The origin, the place of dissolution, the repository, the imperishable seed, the sole cause, the lord of the world - none other than Bhaskara exists as such.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.280.17)

एवमात्मभवं कृत्वा जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम् । लोकानां तु हितार्थाय स्थापयेद्धर्मपद्धतिम् ।

evam ātmabhavaṁ kṛtvā jagat sthāvarajaṅgamam| lokānāṁ tu hitārthāya sthāpayed dharmapaddhatim||

Thus, having brought into being the world of the moving and unmoving from himself, for the welfare of the worlds he established the path of dharma.

Verse 18 (skanda.5.280.18)

नर्मदातटमाश्रित्य स्थापयित्वात्मनस्तनुम् । सहस्रांशुं निधिं धाम्नां जगामाकाशमव्ययम् ।

narmadātaṭam āśritya sthāpayitvātmanas tanum| sahasrāṁśuṁ nidhiṁ dhāmnāṁ jagāmākāśam avyayam||

Resorting to the bank of the Narmada, and having installed his own form there, the thousand-rayed one, treasury of splendours, went to the imperishable sky.

Verse 19 (skanda.5.280.19)

तत्र तीर्थे तु यः स्नात्वा पूजयेत्परमेश्वरम् । सहस्रकिरणं देवं नाममन्त्रविधानतः ।

tatra tīrthe tu yaḥ snātvā pūjayet parameśvaram| sahasrakiraṇaṁ devaṁ nāmamantravidhānataḥ||

One who bathes at that tirtha and worships the thousand-rayed lord god with name-mantras according to prescribed rite -

Verse 20 (skanda.5.280.20)

तेन तप्तं हुतं तेन तेन सर्वमनुष्ठितम् । तेन सम्यग्विधानेन सम्प्राप्तं परमं पदम् ।

tena taptaṁ hutaṁ tena tena sarvam anuṣṭhitam| tena samyagvidhānena samprāptaṁ paramaṁ padam||

By him has austerity been performed, by him has oblation been offered, by him has everything been accomplished; by that proper rite he has attained the highest state.

Verse 21 (skanda.5.280.21)

ते धन्यास्ते महात्मानस्तेषां जन्म सुजीवितम् । स्नात्वा ये नर्मदातोये देवं पश्यन्ति भास्करम् ।

te dhanyās te mahātmānas teṣāṁ janma sujīvitam| snātvā ye narmadātoye devaṁ paśyanti bhāskaram||

Blessed are they, great souls, their birth well-lived, who, bathing in the waters of the Narmada, behold the god Bhaskara.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.280.22)

तथा देवस्य राजेन्द्र ये कुर्वन्ति प्रदक्षिणम् । अनन्यभक्त्या सततं त्रिरक्षरसमन्विताः ।

tathā devasya rājendra ye kurvanti pradakṣiṇam| ananyabhaktyā satataṁ trirakṣarasamanvitāḥ||

Likewise, O king of kings, those who, with unswerving devotion, constantly circumambulate the god, joined with the three-syllabled mantra -

Verse 23 (skanda.5.280.23)

तेन पूतशरीरास्ते मन्त्रेण गतपातकाः । यत्पुण्यं च भवेत्तेषां तदिहैकमनाः शृणु ।

tena pūtaśarīrās te mantreṇa gatapātakāḥ| yat puṇyaṁ ca bhavet teṣāṁ tad ihaikamanāḥ śṛṇu||

By that mantra their bodies become purified and their sins depart; hear now, with single mind, what merit accrues to them.

Verse 24 (skanda.5.280.24)

ससमुद्रगुहा तेन सशैलवनकानना । प्रदक्षिणीकृता सर्वा पृथिवी नात्र संशयः ।

sasamudraguhā tena saśailavanakānanā| pradakṣiṇīkṛtā sarvā pṛthivī nātra saṁśayaḥ||

By that the entire earth, with its oceans and caves, its mountains and forests and groves, is deemed circumambulated - of this there is no doubt.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.280.25)

मन्त्रमूलमिदं सर्वं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् । तेन मन्त्रविहीनं तु कार्यं लोके न सिध्यति ।

mantramūlam idaṁ sarvaṁ trailokyaṁ sacarācaram| tena mantravihīnaṁ tu kāryaṁ loke na sidhyati||

This entire three-fold world, with the moving and unmoving, is rooted in mantra; therefore any act devoid of mantra does not succeed in the world.

Verse 26 (skanda.5.280.26)

यथा काष्ठमयो हस्ती यथा चर्ममयो मृगः । कार्यार्थं नैव सिध्येत तथा कर्म ह्यमन्त्रकम् ।

yathā kāṣṭhamayo hastī yathā carmamayo mṛgaḥ| kāryārthaṁ naiva sidhyeta tathā karma hy amantrakam||

Just as a wooden elephant, or a leather deer, cannot serve any real purpose, so is a rite performed without mantra.

Verse 27 (skanda.5.280.27)

भस्महुतं पार्थ यथा तोयविवर्जितम् । निष्फलं जायते दानं तथा मन्त्रविवर्जितम् ।

bhasmahutaṁ pārtha yathā toyavivarjitam| niṣphalaṁ jāyate dānaṁ tathā mantravivarjitam||

Just as an oblation poured on cold ashes, O Partha, devoid of any liquid, is fruitless, so too a gift bereft of mantra becomes fruitless.

Verse 28 (skanda.5.280.28)

काष्ठपाषाणलोष्टेषु मृन्मयेषु विशेषतः । मन्त्रेण लोके पूजां तु कुर्वन्ति न ह्यमन्त्रतः ।

kāṣṭhapāṣāṇaloṣṭeṣu mṛnmayeṣu viśeṣataḥ| mantreṇa loke pūjāṁ tu kurvanti na hy amantrataḥ||

In wood, stone, clods of earth, and especially in clay images, worship in the world is performed with mantra, never without mantra.

Verse 29 (skanda.5.280.29)

द्वादशाब्दान्नमस्काराद्भक्त्या यल्लभते फलम् । मन्त्रयुक्तनमस्कारात्सकृत्तल्लभते फलम् ।

dvādaśābdān namaskārād bhaktyā yal labhate phalam| mantrayuktanamaskārāt sakṛt tal labhate phalam||

The fruit gained through twelve years of devoted prostration is obtained by a single mantra-joined prostration.

Verse 30 (skanda.5.280.30)

संक्रान्तौ च व्यतीपाते अयने विषुवे तथा । नर्मदाया जले स्नात्वा यस्तु पूजयते रविम् ।

saṅkrāntau ca vyatīpāte ayane viṣuve tathā| narmadāyā jale snātvā yas tu pūjayate ravim||

At the solstice, at vyatipata, at the change of ayana, and at the equinox, whoever, having bathed in the water of the Narmada, worships Ravi -

Verse 31 (skanda.5.280.31)

द्वादशाब्देन यत्पापमज्ञानज्ञानसंचितम् । तत्क्षणान्नश्यते सर्वं वह्निना तु तुषं यथा ।

dvādaśābdena yat pāpam ajñānajñānasañcitam| tatkṣaṇān naśyate sarvaṁ vahninā tu tuṣaṁ yathā||

Whatever sin, accumulated over twelve years, knowingly or unknowingly, is destroyed instantly, all of it, as chaff is destroyed by fire.

Verse 32 (skanda.5.280.32)

चन्द्रसूर्यग्रहे स्नात्वा सोपवासो जितेन्द्रियः । तत्रादित्यमुखं दृष्ट्वा मुच्यते सर्वकिल्बिषैः ।

candrasūryagrahe snātvā sopavāso jitendriyaḥ| tatrādityamukhaṁ dṛṣṭvā mucyate sarvakilbiṣaiḥ||

Bathing during a lunar or solar eclipse, fasting, with senses controlled, and beholding the face of Aditya there, one is freed from all sins.

Verse 33 (skanda.5.280.33)

माघमासे तु सम्प्राप्ते सप्तम्यां नृपसत्तम । सोपवासो जितक्रोध उषित्वा सूर्यमन्दिरे ।

māghamāse tu samprāpte saptamyāṁ nṛpasattama| sopavāso jitakrodha uṣitvā sūryamandire||

O best of kings, when the month of Magha arrives, on the seventh lunar day, fasting, with anger conquered, having stayed overnight at the temple of the Sun -

Verse 34 (skanda.5.280.34)

प्रातः स्नात्वा विधानेन ददात्यर्घं दिवाकरे । विधिना मन्त्रयुक्तेन स लभेत्पुण्यमुत्तमम् ।

prātaḥ snātvā vidhānena dadāty arghaṁ divākare| vidhinā mantrayuktena sa labhet puṇyam uttamam||

Having bathed in the morning as prescribed, he offers argha to the sun; by this mantra-joined rite he obtains the highest merit.

Verse 35 (skanda.5.280.35)

पितृदेवमनुष्याणां कृत्वा ह्युदकतर्पणम् । मन्दिरे देवदेवस्य ततः पूजां समाचरेत् ।

pitṛdevamanuṣyāṇāṁ kṛtvā hy udakatarpaṇam| mandire devadevasya tataḥ pūjāṁ samācaret||

Having performed water-offerings for ancestors, gods, and men, he should then perform worship in the temple of the god of gods.

Verse 36 (skanda.5.280.36)

गन्धैः पुष्पैस्तथा धूपैर्दीपनैवेद्यशोभनैः । पूजयित्वा जगन्नाथं ततो मन्त्रमुदीरयेत् ।

gandhaiḥ puṣpais tathā dhūpair dīpanaivedyaśobhanaiḥ| pūjayitvā jagannāthaṁ tato mantram udīrayet||

Worshipping the lord of the world with fragrances, flowers, incense, lamps and lovely food-offerings, he should then recite the mantra.

Verse 37 (skanda.5.280.37)

विष्णुः शक्रो यमो धाता मित्रोऽथ वरुणस्तथा । विवस्वान्सविता पूषा चण्डांशुर्भर्ग एव च ।

viṣṇuḥ śakro yamo dhātā mitro 'tha varuṇas tathā| vivasvān savitā pūṣā caṇḍāṁśur bharga eva ca||

Vishnu, Shakra, Yama, Dhata, Mitra, and Varuna; Vivasvan, Savita, Pusha, Chandamshu, and Bharga -

Verse 38 (skanda.5.280.38)

इति द्वादशनामानि जपन्कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणाम् । यत्फलं लभते पार्थ तदिहैकमनाः शृणु ।

iti dvādaśanāmāni japan kṛtvā pradakṣiṇām| yat phalaṁ labhate pārtha tad ihaikamanāḥ śṛṇu||

These twelve names, reciting them while performing circumambulation, O Partha, hear with single mind what fruit is gained.

Verse 39 (skanda.5.280.39)

दरिद्रो व्याधितो मूको बधिरो जड एव च । न भवेत्सप्त जन्मानि इत्येवं शङ्करोऽब्रवीत् ।

daridro vyādhito mūko badhiro jaḍa eva ca| na bhavet sapta janmāni ity evaṁ śaṅkaro 'bravīt||

For seven births he shall never become poor, diseased, dumb, deaf, or dull-witted - so said Shankara.

Verse 40 (skanda.5.280.40)

एवं ज्ञात्वा विधानेन जपन्मन्त्रं विचक्षणः । आराधयेद्रविं भक्त्या य इच्छेत्पुण्यमुत्तमम् ।

evaṁ jñātvā vidhānena japan mantraṁ vicakṣaṇaḥ| ārādhayed raviṁ bhaktyā ya icchet puṇyam uttamam||

Knowing this, whoever wisely wishes for supreme merit should, reciting the mantra as prescribed, worship Ravi with devotion.

Verse 41 (skanda.5.280.41)

मन्त्रहीनां तु यः कुर्याद्भक्तिं देवस्य भारत । स विडम्बति चात्मानं पशुकीटपतङ्गवत् ।

mantrahīnāṁ tu yaḥ kuryād bhaktiṁ devasya bhārata| sa viḍambati cātmānaṁ paśukīṭapataṅgavat||

O Bharata, whoever offers devotion to the god without mantra merely mocks himself, like a beast, a worm, or a moth.

Verse 42 (skanda.5.280.42)

तत्र तीर्थे तु यः कश्चित्त्यजते देहमुत्तमम् । स गतस्तत्र देवैस्तु पूज्यमानो महर्षिभिः ।

tatra tīrthe tu yaḥ kaścit tyajate deham uttamam| sa gatas tatra devais tu pūjyamāno maharṣibhiḥ||

Whoever gives up this excellent body at that tirtha, having gone there, is honoured by gods and great sages.

Verse 43 (skanda.5.280.43)

स्वेच्छया सुचिरं कालमिह लोके नृपो भवेत् ।

svecchayā suciraṁ kālam iha loke nṛpo bhavet||

By his own will, for a very long time, he becomes a king in this world.

Verse 44 (skanda.5.280.44)

पुत्रपौत्रसमायुक्तो हस्त्यश्वरथसङ्कुलः । दासीदासशतोपेतो जायते विपुले कुले ।

putrapautrasamāyukto hastyaśvarathasaṅkulaḥ| dāsīdāsaśatopeto jāyate vipule kule||

Blessed with sons and grandsons, thronged with elephants, horses and chariots, attended by hundreds of maidservants and menservants, he is born into a great family.