The Greatness of Shveta-Varaha Tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.5.306.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। उत्तरे नर्मदाकूले तीर्थं परमशोभनम् । जयवाराहमाहात्म्यं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् ॥

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| uttare narmadākūle tīrthaṁ paramaśobhanam | jayavārāhamāhātmyaṁ sarvapāpapraṇāśanam ||

Shri Markandeya said: On the northern bank of the Narmada there is a most beautiful tirtha, whose greatness as Jaya-Varaha destroys all sins.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.306.2)

उद्धृता जगती येन सर्वदेवनमस्कृता । लोकानुग्रहबुद्ध्या च संस्थितो नर्मदातटे ॥

uddhṛtā jagatī yena sarvadevanamaskṛtā | lokānugrahabuddhyā ca saṁsthito narmadātaṭe ||

He who raised up the earth, who is bowed to by all the gods, took his place on the bank of the Narmada out of a wish to bless the worlds.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.306.3)

तत्र तीर्थे तु यः स्नात्वा वीक्षते मधुसूदनम् । मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो दशजन्मानुकीर्तनात् ॥

tatra tīrthe tu yaḥ snātvā vīkṣate madhusūdanam | mucyate sarvapāpebhyo daśajanmānukīrtanāt ||

One who bathes at that tirtha and beholds Madhusudana is freed from all sins through the recitation of his ten births.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.306.4)

मत्स्यः कूर्मो वराहश्च नरसिंहोऽथ वामनः । रामो रामश्च कृष्णश्च बुद्धः कल्किश्च ते दश ॥

matsyaḥ kūrmo varāhaśca narasiṁho'tha vāmanaḥ | rāmo rāmaśca kṛṣṇaśca buddhaḥ kalkiśca te daśa ||

The fish, the tortoise, the boar, the man-lion, the dwarf, Rama, Rama (Parashurama), Krishna, the Buddha, and Kalki — these are the ten.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.306.5)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच। मत्स्येन किं कृतं तात कूर्मेण मुनिसत्तम । वराहेण च किं कर्म नरसिंहेन किं कृतम् ॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca| matsyena kiṁ kṛtaṁ tāta kūrmeṇa munisattama | varāheṇa ca kiṁ karma narasiṁhena kiṁ kṛtam ||

Yudhishthira said: O father, O best of sages, what did the fish do, what did the tortoise do? What deed did the boar perform, and what did the man-lion do?

Verse 6 (skanda.5.306.6)

वामनेन च रामेण राघवेण च किं कृतम् । बुद्धरूपेण किं वापि कल्किना किं कृतं वद ॥

vāmanena ca rāmeṇa rāghaveṇa ca kiṁ kṛtam | buddharūpeṇa kiṁ vāpi kalkinā kiṁ kṛtaṁ vada ||

What did Vamana do, what did Rama (Parashurama) do, and what did Raghava (Rama) do? What was done in the form of the Buddha, and what shall Kalki do — tell me.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.306.7)

एवमुक्तस्तु विप्रेन्द्रो धर्मपुत्रेण धीमता । उवाच मधुरां वाणीं तदा धर्मसुतं प्रति ॥

evamuktastu viprendro dharmaputreṇa dhīmatā | uvāca madhurāṁ vāṇīṁ tadā dharmasutaṁ prati ||

Thus questioned by the wise son of Dharma, that foremost of brahmins then spoke sweetly to the son of Dharma —

Verse 8 (skanda.5.306.8)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। मीनो भूत्वा पुरा कल्पे प्रीत्यर्थं ब्रह्मणो विभुः । समर्पयत्समुद्धृत्य वन्दान्मग्नान्महार्णवे ॥

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| mīno bhūtvā purā kalpe prītyarthaṁ brahmaṇo vibhuḥ | samarpayatsamuddhṛtya vandānmagnānmahārṇave ||

Shri Markandeya said: In a former age, the Lord, taking the form of a fish for Brahma's sake, raised up the Vedas that had sunk into the great ocean and restored them.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.306.9)

अमृतोत्पादने राजन्कूर्मो भूत्वा जगद्गुरुः । मन्दरं धारयामास तथा देवीं वसुंधराम् ॥

amṛtotpādane rājankūrmo bhūtvā jagadguruḥ | mandaraṁ dhārayāmāsa tathā devīṁ vasuṁdharām ||

O king, at the churning that produced nectar, the teacher of the world, taking the form of a tortoise, bore up Mount Mandara, and likewise upheld the goddess Earth.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.306.10)

उज्जहार धरां मग्नां पातालतलवासिनीम् । वाराहं रूपमास्थाय देवदेवो जनार्दनः ॥

ujjahāra dharāṁ magnāṁ pātālatalavāsinīm | vārāhaṁ rūpamāsthāya devadevo janārdanaḥ ||

Assuming the form of a boar, Janardana, the god of gods, lifted up the earth, which had sunk down and come to dwell at the bottom of the netherworld.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.306.11)

नरस्यार्द्धतनुं कृत्वा सिंहस्यार्द्धतनुं तथा । हिरण्यकशिपोर्वक्षो विददार नखाङ्कुशैः ॥

narasyārddhatanuṁ kṛtvā siṁhasyārddhatanuṁ tathā | hiraṇyakaśiporvakṣo vidadāra nakhāṅkuśaiḥ ||

Taking half the body of a man and half of a lion, he tore open Hiranyakashipu's chest with his hook-like claws.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.306.12)

जटी वामनरूपेण स्तूयमानो द्विजोत्तमैः । तद्दिव्यं रूपमास्थाय क्रमित्वा मेदिनीं क्रमैः ॥

jaṭī vāmanarūpeṇa stūyamāno dvijottamaiḥ | taddivyaṁ rūpamāsthāya kramitvā medinīṁ kramaiḥ ||

Matted-haired, in the form of the dwarf, praised by the foremost brahmins, assuming that divine form he strode across the earth with his steps.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.306.13)

कृतवांश्च बलिं पश्चात्पातालतलवासिनम् । स्थापयित्वा सुरान् सर्वान् गतो विष्णुः स्वकं पुरम् ॥

kṛtavāṁśca baliṁ paścātpātālatalavāsinam | sthāpayitvā surān sarvān gato viṣṇuḥ svakaṁ puram ||

He then made Bali a dweller in the depths of the netherworld; having reinstated all the gods, Vishnu returned to his own abode.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.306.14)

जमदग्निसुतो रामो भूत्वा शस्त्रभृतां वरः । क्षत्रियान् पृथिवीपालानवधीद्धैहयादिकान् ॥

jamadagnisuto rāmo bhūtvā śastrabhṛtāṁ varaḥ | kṣatriyān pṛthivīpālānavadhīddhaihayādikān ||

Becoming Rama, son of Jamadagni, foremost among the wielders of weapons, he slew the kshatriya rulers of the earth, beginning with the Haihayas.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.306.15)

कश्यपाय महीं दत्त्वा सपर्वतवनाकराम् । तपस्तपति देवेशो महेन्द्रेऽद्यापि भारत ॥

kaśyapāya mahīṁ dattvā saparvatavanākarām | tapastapati deveśo mahendre'dyāpi bhārata ||

Having given the earth, with its mountains, forests, and mines, to Kashyapa, O descendant of Bharata, that lord of gods still today performs austerity upon Mount Mahendra.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.306.16)

ततो दाशरथी रामो रावणं देवकण्टकम् । सगणं समरे हत्वा राज्यं दत्त्वा विभीषणे ॥

tato dāśarathī rāmo rāvaṇaṁ devakaṇṭakam | sagaṇaṁ samare hatvā rājyaṁ dattvā vibhīṣaṇe ||

Then Rama, son of Dasharatha, slew in battle Ravana, that thorn in the side of the gods, together with his kinsmen, and, having bestowed the kingdom upon Vibhishana,

Verse 17 (skanda.5.306.17)

पालयित्वा नयाद्भूमिं मखैः संतर्प्य देवताः । स्वर्गं गतो महातेजा रामो राजीवलोचनः ॥

pālayitvā nayādbhūmiṁ makhaiḥ saṁtarpya devatāḥ | svargaṁ gato mahātejā rāmo rājīvalocanaḥ ||

ruled the earth with justice, satisfied the gods with sacrifices, and then, the greatly radiant, lotus-eyed Rama went to heaven.

Verse 18 (skanda.5.306.18)

वसुदेवगृहे भूयः संकर्षणसहायवान् । अवतीर्णो जगन्नाथो वासुदेवो युधिष्ठिर ॥

vasudevagṛhe bhūyaḥ saṁkarṣaṇasahāyavān | avatīrṇo jagannātho vāsudevo yudhiṣṭhira ||

O Yudhishthira, then, in the house of Vasudeva, with Sankarshana as his companion, the lord of the universe descended as Vasudeva (Krishna).

Verse 19 (skanda.5.306.19)

सोऽवधीत्तव सामर्थ्याद्वधार्थं दुष्टभूभृताम् । चाणूरकंसकेशीनां जरासंधस्य भारत ॥

so'vadhīttava sāmarthyādvadhārthaṁ duṣṭabhūbhṛtām | cāṇūrakaṁsakeśīnāṁ jarāsaṁdhasya bhārata ||

O descendant of Bharata, by your own strength combined with his, he slew Chanura, Kamsa, Keshi, and Jarasandha, to destroy the wicked kings.

Verse 20 (skanda.5.306.20)

तेन त्वं सुसहायेन हत्वा शत्रून्नरेश्वर । भोक्ष्यसे पृथिवीं सर्वां भ्रातृभिः सह संभृताम् ॥

tena tvaṁ susahāyena hatvā śatrūnnareśvara | bhokṣyase pṛthivīṁ sarvāṁ bhrātṛbhiḥ saha saṁbhṛtām ||

O lord of men, with that excellent ally, having slain your enemies, you shall enjoy the whole earth, gathered together with your brothers.

Verse 21 (skanda.5.306.21)

तथा बुद्धत्वमपरं नवमं प्राप्स्यतेऽच्युतः । शान्तिमान्देवदेवेशो मधुहन्ता मधुप्रियः ॥

tathā buddhatvamaparaṁ navamaṁ prāpsyate'cyutaḥ | śāntimāndevadeveśo madhuhantā madhupriyaḥ ||

In the same way, Achyuta shall attain, in his ninth form, the state of the Buddha — peaceable, lord of the gods of gods, slayer of Madhu, yet fond of sweetness.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.306.22)

तेन बुद्धस्वरूपेण देवेन परमेष्ठिना । भविष्यति जगत्सर्वं मोहितं सचराचरम् ॥

tena buddhasvarūpeṇa devena parameṣṭhinā | bhaviṣyati jagatsarvaṁ mohitaṁ sacarācaram ||

By that god in the form of the Buddha, the Supreme Being, the whole world, with all that moves and does not move, shall be deluded.

Verse 23 (skanda.5.306.23)

न श्रोष्यन्ति पितुः पुत्रास्तदाप्रभृति भारत । न गुरोर्बान्धवाः शिष्या भविष्यत्यधरोत्तरम् ॥

na śroṣyanti pituḥ putrāstadāprabhṛti bhārata | na gurorbāndhavāḥ śiṣyā bhaviṣyatyadharottaram ||

O descendant of Bharata, from that time on, sons will not heed their fathers, nor disciples their teachers; all order among kinsmen shall be turned upside down.

Verse 24 (skanda.5.306.24)

जितो धर्मो ह्यधर्मेण चासत्येन ऋतं जितम् । जिताश्चौरैश्च राजानः स्त्रीभिश्च पुरुषा जिताः ॥

jito dharmo hyadharmeṇa cāsatyena ṛtaṁ jitam | jitāścauraiśca rājānaḥ strībhiśca puruṣā jitāḥ ||

Dharma shall be overcome by adharma, and truth overcome by falsehood; kings shall be overcome by thieves, and men overcome by women.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.306.25)

सीदन्ति चाग्निहोत्राणि गुरौ पूजा प्रणश्यति । सीदन्ति मानवा धर्माः कलौ प्राप्ते युधिष्ठिर ॥

sīdanti cāgnihotrāṇi gurau pūjā praṇaśyati | sīdanti mānavā dharmāḥ kalau prāpte yudhiṣṭhira ||

Fire-offerings shall languish, reverence for the teacher shall perish; O Yudhishthira, when the Kali age arrives, the duties of mankind shall languish.

Verse 26 (skanda.5.306.26)

द्वादशे दशमे वर्षे नारी गर्भवती भवेत् । कन्यास्तत्र प्रसूयन्ते ब्राह्मणो हरिपिङ्गलः ॥

dvādaśe daśame varṣe nārī garbhavatī bhavet | kanyāstatra prasūyante brāhmaṇo haripiṅgalaḥ ||

At the age of twelve or ten, a woman shall become pregnant; and girls shall give birth at that age; brahmins shall be tawny-eyed and yellowish-hued —

Verse 27 (skanda.5.306.27)

भविष्यति ततः कल्किर्दशमे जन्मनि प्रभुः ॥

bhaviṣyati tataḥ kalkirdaśame janmani prabhuḥ ||

then, in that time, the Lord Kalki shall appear as the tenth incarnation.

Verse 28 (skanda.5.306.28)

एतत्ते कथितं राजन्देवस्य परमेष्ठिनः । कारणं दश जन्मनां सर्वपापक्षयंकरम् ॥

etatte kathitaṁ rājandevasya parameṣṭhinaḥ | kāraṇaṁ daśa janmanāṁ sarvapāpakṣayaṁkaram ||

O king, thus I have told you the account of the ten births of the Supreme Being, which destroys all sins.