The Greatness of Mangaleshvara (Angaraka) Tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.5.303.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। ततो गच्छेन्महीपाल तीर्थमङ्गारकं शिवम् । उत्तरे नर्मदाकूले सर्वपापक्षयंकरम् ॥

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| tato gacchenmahīpāla tīrthamaṅgārakaṁ śivam | uttare narmadākūle sarvapāpakṣayaṁkaram ||

Shri Markandeya said: O lord of the earth, from there one should go to the auspicious Angaraka Tirtha, on the northern bank of the Narmada, the destroyer of all sins.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.303.2)

चतुर्थ्यङ्गारकदिने संकल्प्य कृतनिश्चयः । स्नायादस्तं गते सूर्ये सन्ध्योपासनतत्परः ॥

caturthyaṅgārakadine saṁkalpya kṛtaniścayaḥ | snāyādastaṁ gate sūrye sandhyopāsanatatparaḥ ||

On the day of the fourth lunar tithi falling on a Tuesday, having made a firm resolve, one should bathe after sunset, intent upon the evening worship.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.303.3)

पूजयेल्लोहितं भक्त्या गन्धमाल्यविभूषणैः । संस्थाप्यस्थण्डिले देवं रक्तचन्दनचर्चितम् ॥

pūjayellohitaṁ bhaktyā gandhamālyavibhūṣaṇaiḥ | saṁsthāpyasthaṇḍile devaṁ raktacandanacarcitam ||

One should devotedly worship the ruddy god (Mangala) with fragrance, garlands, and ornaments, installing him upon an altar and anointing him with red sandal paste.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.303.4)

अङ्गारकायेति नमः कर्णिकायां प्रपूजयेत् । कुजाय भूमिपुत्राय रक्ताङ्गाय सुवाससे ॥

aṅgārakāyeti namaḥ karṇikāyāṁ prapūjayet | kujāya bhūmiputrāya raktāṅgāya suvāsase ||

Saying "homage to Angaraka," one should worship at the lotus's pericarp — "to Kuja, to the son of the Earth, to the red-limbed one, to the beautifully robed one",

Verse 5 (skanda.5.303.5)

हरकोपोद्भवायेति स्वेदजायातिबाहवे । सर्वकामप्रदायेति पूर्वादिषु दलेषु च ॥

harakopodbhavāyeti svedajāyātibāhave | sarvakāmapradāyeti pūrvādiṣu daleṣu ca ||

"to him born of Hara's wrath, to the sweat-born one, to the mighty-armed one, to the granter of every desire" — thus on the petals in the eastern and other directions.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.303.6)

एवं सम्पूज्य विधिवद्दद्यादर्घ्यं विधानतः । भूमिपुत्र महावीर्य स्वेदोद्भव पिनाकिनः ॥

evaṁ sampūjya vidhivaddadyādarghyaṁ vidhānataḥ | bhūmiputra mahāvīrya svedodbhava pinākinaḥ ||

Having thus duly worshipped, one should offer the argha oblation according to rule — "O son of the Earth, O one of great valor, O one born of Pinakin's (Shiva's) sweat,

Verse 7 (skanda.5.303.7)

अङ्गारक महातेजा लोहिताङ्ग नमोऽस्तु ते । करकं वारिसंयुक्तं शालितंदुलपूरितम् ॥

aṅgāraka mahātejā lohitāṅga namo'stu te | karakaṁ vārisaṁyuktaṁ śālitaṁdulapūritam ||

O Angaraka, O greatly radiant one, O red-limbed one, homage to you." Then a jar filled with water and heaped with rice grains,

Verse 8 (skanda.5.303.8)

सहिरण्यं सवस्त्रं च मोदकोपरि संस्थितम् । ब्राह्मणाय निवेद्यं तत्कुजो मे प्रीयतामिति ॥

sahiraṇyaṁ savastraṁ ca modakopari saṁsthitam | brāhmaṇāya nivedyaṁ tatkujo me prīyatāmiti ||

together with gold, cloth, and sweets placed atop it, should be offered to a brahmin with the words: "By this may Kuja be pleased with me."

Verse 9 (skanda.5.303.9)

अर्घं दत्त्वा विधानेन रक्तचन्दनवारिणा । रक्तपुष्पसमाकीर्णं तिलतंदुलमिश्रितम् ॥

arghaṁ dattvā vidhānena raktacandanavāriṇā | raktapuṣpasamākīrṇaṁ tilataṁdulamiśritam ||

Having duly offered the argha with water mixed with red sandal, and rice strewn with red flowers and mixed with sesame —

Verse 10 (skanda.5.303.10)

कृत्वा ताम्रमये पात्रे मण्डले वर्तुले शुभे । कृत्वा शिरसि तत्पात्रं जानुभ्यां धरणीं गतः ॥

kṛtvā tāmramaye pātre maṇḍale vartule śubhe | kṛtvā śirasi tatpātraṁ jānubhyāṁ dharaṇīṁ gataḥ ||

having placed it in a copper vessel, within an auspicious round mandala, and having set that vessel upon one's head, kneeling upon the ground —

Verse 11 (skanda.5.303.11)

मन्त्रपूतं महाभाग दद्यादर्घ्यं विचक्षणः । ततो भुञ्जीत मौनेन क्षारतिलाम्लवर्जितम् ॥

mantrapūtaṁ mahābhāga dadyādarghyaṁ vicakṣaṇaḥ | tato bhuñjīta maunena kṣāratilāmlavarjitam ||

O greatly fortunate one, the wise man should offer the argha, consecrated by mantra. Then he should eat in silence, food free of alkali, sesame, and sour things,

Verse 12 (skanda.5.303.12)

स्निग्धं मृदुसमधुरमात्मनः श्रेय इच्छता । एवं चतुर्थे सम्प्राप्ते चतुर्थ्यङ्गारके नृप ॥

snigdhaṁ mṛdusamadhuramātmanaḥ śreya icchatā | evaṁ caturthe samprāpte caturthyaṅgārake nṛpa ||

unctuous, soft, and sweet — one desiring his own welfare. O king, thus when the fourth such Tuesday-fourth comes round —

Verse 13 (skanda.5.303.13)

सौवर्णं कारयेद्देवं यथाशक्ति सुरूपिणम् । स्थापयेत्ताम्रके पात्रे गुडपीठसमन्विते ॥

sauvarṇaṁ kārayeddevaṁ yathāśakti surūpiṇam | sthāpayettāmrake pātre guḍapīṭhasamanvite ||

one should, according to one's means, have a beautiful golden image made and install it in a copper vessel set upon a pedestal of jaggery.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.303.14)

गन्धपुष्पादिभिर्देवं पूजयेद्गुडसंस्थितम् । ईशान्यां स्थापयेद्देवं गुडतोयसमन्वितम् ॥

gandhapuṣpādibhirdevaṁ pūjayedguḍasaṁsthitam | īśānyāṁ sthāpayeddevaṁ guḍatoyasamanvitam ||

One should worship that god, set upon jaggery, with fragrance, flowers, and the like. In the northeast, one should place the god together with jaggery-water.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.303.15)

कासारेण तथाग्नेय्यां स्थापयेत्करकं परम् । रक्ततन्दुलसंमिश्रं नैरृत्यां वायुगोचरे ॥

kāsāreṇa tathāgneyyāṁ sthāpayetkarakaṁ param | raktatandulasaṁmiśraṁ nairṛtyāṁ vāyugocare ||

In the southeast one should place another jar filled with water; in the southwest, one mixed with red rice; and in the northwest —

Verse 16 (skanda.5.303.16)

स्थापयेन्मोदकैः सार्धं चतुर्थं करकं बुधः । सूत्रेण वेष्टितग्रीवं गन्धमाल्यैरलंकृतम् ॥

sthāpayenmodakaiḥ sārdhaṁ caturthaṁ karakaṁ budhaḥ | sūtreṇa veṣṭitagrīvaṁ gandhamālyairalaṁkṛtam ||

the wise man should place a fourth jar together with sweets, its neck wound with thread, and adorned with fragrant garlands.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.303.17)

शङ्खतूर्यनिनादेन जयशब्दादिमङ्गलैः । रक्ताम्बरधरं विप्रं रक्तमाल्यानुलेपनम् ॥

śaṅkhatūryaninādena jayaśabdādimaṅgalaiḥ | raktāmbaradharaṁ vipraṁ raktamālyānulepanam ||

With the sound of conches and trumpets, and auspicious cries of victory, one should honour a brahmin clad in red garments, adorned with red garlands and red unguents —

Verse 18 (skanda.5.303.18)

वेदिमध्यगतं वापि महदासनसंस्थितम् । सुरूपं सुभगं शान्तं सर्वभूतहिते रतम् ॥

vedimadhyagataṁ vāpi mahadāsanasaṁsthitam | surūpaṁ subhagaṁ śāntaṁ sarvabhūtahite ratam ||

seated in the middle of the altar or upon a large seat, handsome, fortunate, tranquil, and devoted to the welfare of all beings,

Verse 19 (skanda.5.303.19)

वेदविद्याव्रतस्नातं सर्वशास्त्रविशारदम् । पूजयित्वा यथान्यायं वाचयेत्पाण्डुनन्दन ॥

vedavidyāvratasnātaṁ sarvaśāstraviśāradam | pūjayitvā yathānyāyaṁ vācayetpāṇḍunandana ||

graduated in the vow of Vedic learning, skilled in every scripture — having duly worshipped him, O joy of Pandu, one should have him recite the auspicious verses.

Verse 20 (skanda.5.303.20)

रक्तां गां च ततो दद्याद्रक्तेनानडुहा सह । प्रीयतां भूमिजो देवः सर्वदैवतपूजितः ॥

raktāṁ gāṁ ca tato dadyādraktenānaḍuhā saha | prīyatāṁ bhūmijo devaḥ sarvadaivatapūjitaḥ ||

Then one should give a red cow together with a red bull, saying: "May the earth-born god, worshipped by all deities, be pleased."

Verse 21 (skanda.5.303.21)

विप्रं प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य पत्नीपुत्रसमन्वितः । पितृमातृसुहृत्सार्द्धं क्षमाप्य च विसर्जयेत् ॥

vipraṁ pradakṣiṇīkṛtya patnīputrasamanvitaḥ | pitṛmātṛsuhṛtsārddhaṁ kṣamāpya ca visarjayet ||

Together with one's wife and son, one should circumambulate the brahmin, and, together with one's parents and friends, seek his forgiveness and take leave of him.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.303.22)

एवं कृतस्य तस्याथ तस्मिंस्तीर्थे विशेषतः । यत्पुण्यं फलमुद्दिष्टं तत्ते सर्वं वदाम्यहम् ॥

evaṁ kṛtasya tasyātha tasmiṁstīrthe viśeṣataḥ | yatpuṇyaṁ phalamuddiṣṭaṁ tatte sarvaṁ vadāmyaham ||

I shall now tell you all the meritorious fruit declared for one who, at that tirtha, performs this rite in this manner.

Verse 23 (skanda.5.303.23)

सप्त जन्मानि राजेन्द्र सुरूपः सुभगो भवेत् । तीर्थस्यास्य प्रभावेन नात्र कार्या विचारणा ॥

sapta janmāni rājendra surūpaḥ subhago bhavet | tīrthasyāsya prabhāvena nātra kāryā vicāraṇā ||

O foremost of kings, by the power of this tirtha he becomes handsome and fortunate for seven births — of this there should be no doubt.

Verse 24 (skanda.5.303.24)

अकामो वा सकामो वा तत्र तीर्थे मृतो नरः । अङ्गारकपुरं याति देवगन्धर्वपूजितः ॥

akāmo vā sakāmo vā tatra tīrthe mṛto naraḥ | aṅgārakapuraṁ yāti devagandharvapūjitaḥ ||

Whether desiring or free of desire, a man who dies at that tirtha goes to the city of Angaraka, honoured there by gods and Gandharvas.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.303.25)

उपभुज्य यथान्यायं दिव्यान्भोगाननुत्तमान् । इह मानुष्यलोके वै राजा भवति धार्मिकः ॥

upabhujya yathānyāyaṁ divyānbhogānanuttamān | iha mānuṣyaloke vai rājā bhavati dhārmikaḥ ||

There, having duly enjoyed supreme divine pleasures, he then becomes, in this world of men, a righteous king.

Verse 26 (skanda.5.303.26)

सुरूपः सुभगश्चैव सर्वव्याधिविवर्जितः । जीवेद्वर्षशतं साग्रं सर्वलोकनमस्कृतः ॥

surūpaḥ subhagaścaiva sarvavyādhivivarjitaḥ | jīvedvarṣaśataṁ sāgraṁ sarvalokanamaskṛtaḥ ||

Handsome and fortunate, free of every ailment, honoured by all people, he lives for a full hundred years and more.