The Greatness of Shukla-tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.5.311.1)

नास्ति लोकेषु तत्तीर्थं पृथिव्यां यन्नरेश्वर। शुक्लतीर्थेन सदृशमुपमानेन गीयते॥

nāsti lokeṣu tattīrthaṁ pṛthivyāṁ yannareśvara| śuklatīrthena sadṛśamupamānena gīyate||

Shri Markandeya said: O lord of men, there is no tirtha among the worlds on earth that is celebrated as comparable in likeness to Shukla-tirtha.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.311.2)

शुक्लतीर्थं महातीर्थं नर्मदायां व्यवस्थितम्। प्रागुदक्प्रवणे देशे मुनिसङ्घनिषेवितम्॥

śuklatīrthaṁ mahātīrthaṁ narmadāyāṁ vyavasthitam| prāgudakpravaṇe deśe munisaṅghaniṣevitam||

Shukla-tirtha is a great tirtha, situated on the Narmada, in a region sloping towards the north-east, and frequented by communities of sages.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.311.3)

वैशाखे च तथा मासि कृष्णपक्षे चतुर्दशी। कैलासादुमया सार्द्धं स्वयमायाति शङ्करः॥

vaiśākhe ca tathā māsi kṛṣṇapakṣe caturdaśī| kailāsādumayā sārddhaṁ svayamāyāti śaṅkaraḥ||

In the month of Vaishakha, on the fourteenth of the dark fortnight, Shankara himself comes from Kailasa together with Uma.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.311.4)

मध्याह्नसमये स्नात्वा पश्यत्यात्मानमात्मना। ब्रह्मविष्ण्विन्द्रसहितः शुक्लतीर्थे समाहितः॥

madhyāhnasamaye snātvā paśyatyātmānamātmanā| brahmaviṣṇvindrasahitaḥ śuklatīrthe samāhitaḥ||

Bathing at midday, together with Brahma, Vishnu, and Indra, composed in mind at Shukla-tirtha, he beholds himself by himself.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.311.5)

कार्त्तिक्यां तु विशेषेण वैशाख्यां च नरोत्तम। ब्रह्मविष्णुमहादेवान् स्नात्वा पश्यति तद्दिने॥

kārttikyāṁ tu viśeṣeṇa vaiśākhyāṁ ca narottama| brahmaviṣṇumahādevān snātvā paśyati taddine||

O best of men, especially on the Kartika and Vaishakha full-moon days, having bathed, a man beholds on that day Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahadeva.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.311.6)

देवराजः सुरैः सार्द्धं वायुमार्गव्यवस्थितः। कृष्णपक्षे चतुर्दश्यां स्नात्वा पश्यति शङ्करम्॥

devarājaḥ suraiḥ sārddhaṁ vāyumārgavyavasthitaḥ| kṛṣṇapakṣe caturdaśyāṁ snātvā paśyati śaṅkaram||

The king of the gods, together with the gods, stationed in the aerial path, having bathed on the fourteenth of the dark fortnight, beholds Shankara.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.311.7)

गन्धर्वाप्सरसो यक्षाः सिद्धविद्याधरोरगाः। तद्दिने तेऽपि देवेशं दृष्ट्वा मुञ्चन्ति किल्बिषम्॥

gandharvāpsaraso yakṣāḥ siddhavidyādharoragāḥ| taddine te'pi deveśaṁ dṛṣṭvā muñcanti kilbiṣam||

Gandharvas, apsarases, yakshas, siddhas, vidyadharas, and nagas - they too, on that day, beholding the lord of gods, are freed from sin.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.311.8)

अर्धयोजनविस्तारं तदर्द्धेनैव चायतम्। शुक्लतीर्थं महापुण्यं महापातकनाशनम्॥

ardhayojanavistāraṁ tadarddhenaiva cāyatam| śuklatīrthaṁ mahāpuṇyaṁ mahāpātakanāśanam||

Half a yojana in breadth, and half that again in length, Shukla-tirtha is greatly meritorious, destroying even the greatest of sins.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.311.9)

यत्र स्थितैः प्रदृश्यन्ते वृक्षाग्राणि नरोत्तमैः। तत्र स्थिता महापापैर्मुच्यन्ते पूर्वसंचितैः॥

yatra sthitaiḥ pradṛśyante vṛkṣāgrāṇi narottamaiḥ| tatra sthitā mahāpāpairmucyante pūrvasaṁcitaiḥ||

Wherever the best of men, standing there, can see the tops of the trees, standing there they become freed from the great sins accumulated in the past.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.311.10)

पापोपपातकैर्युक्तो नरः स्नात्वा प्रमुच्यते। उपार्जिता विनश्येत भ्रूणहत्यापि दुस्त्यजा॥

pāpopapātakairyukto naraḥ snātvā pramucyate| upārjitā vinaśyeta bhrūṇahatyāpi dustyajā||

A man burdened with sins and lesser sins is also freed by bathing there; even the hard-to-shed sin of feticide, once incurred, is destroyed.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.311.11)

यस्मात्तत्रैव देवेश उमया सह तिष्ठति। वैशाख्यां च विशेषेण कैलासादेति शङ्करः॥

yasmāttatraiva deveśa umayā saha tiṣṭhati| vaiśākhyāṁ ca viśeṣeṇa kailāsādeti śaṅkaraḥ||

Because there the lord of gods dwells together with Uma, and especially in the month of Vaishakha, Shankara comes there from Kailasa.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.311.12)

तेन तीर्थं महापुण्यं सर्वपातकनाशनम्। कथितं ब्रह्मणा पूर्वं मया तव तथा नृप॥

tena tīrthaṁ mahāpuṇyaṁ sarvapātakanāśanam| kathitaṁ brahmaṇā pūrvaṁ mayā tava tathā nṛpa||

Therefore this is a greatly meritorious tirtha, destroying all sin, once declared by Brahma - that same account, O king, I have told you.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.311.13)

रजकेन यथा धौतं वस्त्रं भवति निर्मलम्। तथा तत्र वपुःस्नानं पुरुषस्य भवेच्छुचि॥

rajakena yathā dhautaṁ vastraṁ bhavati nirmalam| tathā tatra vapuḥsnānaṁ puruṣasya bhavecchuci||

Just as a garment washed by a launderer becomes spotless, so too a man's bodily bath there becomes purifying.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.311.14)

पूर्वे वयसि पापानि कृत्वा पुष्टानि मानवः। अहोरात्रोषितो भूत्वा शुक्लतीर्थे व्यपोहति॥

pūrve vayasi pāpāni kṛtvā puṣṭāni mānavaḥ| ahorātroṣito bhūtvā śuklatīrthe vyapohati||

Even a man who, in earlier years, has committed and nourished sins, having fasted there for a day and a night, dispels them at Shukla-tirtha.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.311.15)

शुक्लतीर्थे महाराज राकां रेवाजलाञ्जलिम्। कल्पकोटिसहस्राणि दत्त्वा स्युः पितरः शिवाः॥

śuklatīrthe mahārāja rākāṁ revājalāñjalim| kalpakoṭisahasrāṇi dattvā syuḥ pitaraḥ śivāḥ||

O great king, offering a handful of Reva's water at Shukla-tirtha on the full-moon day makes one's ancestors blessed for thousands of crores of kalpas.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.311.16)

न माता न पिता बन्धुः पतनं नरकार्णवे। उद्धरन्ति यथा पुण्यं शुक्लतीर्थे नरेश्वर॥

na mātā na pitā bandhuḥ patanaṁ narakārṇave| uddharanti yathā puṇyaṁ śuklatīrthe nareśvara||

O lord of men, neither mother, nor father, nor kinsman can rescue one from a fall into the ocean of hell, as the merit of Shukla-tirtha rescues him.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.311.17)

तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण न तां गच्छन्ति सद्गतिम्। शुक्लतीर्थे मृतो जन्तुर्देहत्यागेन यां लभेत्॥

tapasā brahmacaryeṇa na tāṁ gacchanti sadgatim| śuklatīrthe mṛto janturdehatyāgena yāṁ labhet||

Not even by austerity and celibacy do people attain that good state which a creature attains by relinquishing the body upon dying at Shukla-tirtha.

Verse 18 (skanda.5.311.18)

कार्त्तिकस्य तु मासस्य कृष्णपक्षे चतुर्दशीम्। घृतेन स्नापयेद्देवमुपोष्य प्रयतो नरः॥

kārttikasya tu māsasya kṛṣṇapakṣe caturdaśīm| ghṛtena snāpayeddevamupoṣya prayato naraḥ||

On the fourteenth of the dark fortnight of the month of Kartika, a disciplined man, having fasted, should bathe the god with ghee.

Verse 19 (skanda.5.311.19)

स्नात्वा प्रभाते रेवायां दद्यात्सघृतकम्बलम्। सहिरण्यं यथाशक्ति देवमुद्दिश्य शङ्करम्॥

snātvā prabhāte revāyāṁ dadyātsaghṛtakambalam| sahiraṇyaṁ yathāśakti devamuddiśya śaṅkaram||

Bathing at dawn in the Reva, he should give, according to his means, a blanket soaked in ghee along with gold, dedicated to the god Shankara.

Verse 20 (skanda.5.311.20)

देवस्य पूरणं कुर्याद्घृतेन घृतकम्बलम्। स गच्छति महातेजाः शिवलोकं मृतो नरः॥

devasya pūraṇaṁ kuryādghṛtena ghṛtakambalam| sa gacchati mahātejāḥ śivalokaṁ mṛto naraḥ||

He should fill a blanket with ghee for the god. That greatly radiant man, upon death, goes to the realm of Shiva.

Verse 21 (skanda.5.311.21)

एकविंशकुलोपेतो यावदाभूतसम्प्लवम्। शुक्लतीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा ह्युमां रुद्रं च योऽर्चयेत्॥

ekaviṁśakulopeto yāvadābhūtasamplavam| śuklatīrthe naraḥ snātvā hyumāṁ rudraṁ ca yo'rcayet||

He dwells there, together with twenty-one generations of his family, until the dissolution of the universe. He who, having bathed at Shukla-tirtha, worships Uma and Rudra -

Verse 22 (skanda.5.311.22)

गन्धपुष्पादिधूपैश्च सोऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत्। मासोपवासं यः कुर्यात्तत्र तीर्थे नरेश्वर॥

gandhapuṣpādidhūpaiśca so'śvamedhaphalaṁ labhet| māsopavāsaṁ yaḥ kuryāttatra tīrthe nareśvara||

- with sandal-paste, flowers, and incense, obtains the fruit of the Ashvamedha sacrifice. O lord of men, whoever observes a month's fast at that tirtha -

Verse 23 (skanda.5.311.23)

मुच्यते स महत्पापैः सप्तजन्मसुसंचितैः। उष्ट्रीक्षीरमविक्षीरं नवश्राद्धे च भोजनम्॥

mucyate sa mahatpāpaiḥ saptajanmasusaṁcitaiḥ| uṣṭrīkṣīramavikṣīraṁ navaśrāddhe ca bhojanam||

- is freed from great sins accumulated over seven births. (The sins of drinking) camel's milk, sheep's milk, eating at a fresh funeral rite,

Verse 24 (skanda.5.311.24)

वृषलीगमनं चैव तथाभक्ष्यस्य भक्षणम्। अविक्रयेऽनृते पापं माहिषेऽयाज्ययाजके॥

vṛṣalīgamanaṁ caiva tathābhakṣyasya bhakṣaṇam| avikraye'nṛte pāpaṁ māhiṣe'yājyayājake||

consorting with a low-caste woman, eating forbidden food, falsehood in trading unsalable goods, drinking buffalo milk, officiating sacrifice for the unworthy,

Verse 25 (skanda.5.311.25)

वार्द्धुष्ये पङ्क्तिगरदे देवब्राह्मणदूषके। एवमादीनि पापानि तथान्यान्यपि भारत॥

vārddhuṣye paṅktigarade devabrāhmaṇadūṣake| evamādīni pāpāni tathānyānyapi bhārata||

usury, poisoning a row of diners, defiling gods and brahmins - these and other sins besides, O Bharata,

Verse 26 (skanda.5.311.26)

चान्द्रायणेन नश्यन्ति शुक्लतीर्थे न संशयः। शुक्लतीर्थे तु यः स्नात्वा तर्पयेत्पितृदेवताः॥

cāndrāyaṇena naśyanti śuklatīrthe na saṁśayaḥ| śuklatīrthe tu yaḥ snātvā tarpayetpitṛdevatāḥ||

- are destroyed at Shukla-tirtha, without doubt, with the merit equal to a Chandrayana vow. He who, having bathed at Shukla-tirtha, offers libations to ancestors and gods,

Verse 27 (skanda.5.311.27)

तस्य ते द्वादशाब्दानि तृप्तिं यान्ति सुतर्पिताः। पादुकोपानहौ छत्रं शय्यामासनमेव च॥

tasya te dvādaśābdāni tṛptiṁ yānti sutarpitāḥ| pādukopānahau chatraṁ śayyāmāsanameva ca||

for twelve years his ancestors, well satisfied, attain contentment. Footwear, sandals, umbrella, bedding, and a seat,

Verse 28 (skanda.5.311.28)

सुवर्णं धनधान्यं च श्राद्धं युक्तहलं तथा। अन्नं पानीयसंहितं तस्मिंस्तीर्थे ददन्ति ये॥

suvarṇaṁ dhanadhānyaṁ ca śrāddhaṁ yuktahalaṁ tathā| annaṁ pānīyasaṁhitaṁ tasmiṁstīrthe dadanti ye||

gold, wealth and grain, a properly-conducted shraddha, and food together with water - those who give these at that tirtha,

Verse 29 (skanda.5.311.29)

हृष्टाः पुष्टा मृता यान्ति शिवलोकं न संशयः। तत्र तीर्थे तु यो भक्त्या शिवमुद्दिश्य भारत॥

hṛṣṭāḥ puṣṭā mṛtā yānti śivalokaṁ na saṁśayaḥ| tatra tīrthe tu yo bhaktyā śivamuddiśya bhārata||

- go, joyful and well-nourished, without doubt to Shivaloka after death. O Bharata, in that tirtha, whoever, with devotion, dedicated to Shiva -

Verse 30 (skanda.5.311.30)

भिक्षामात्रं तथान्नं ये तेऽपि स्वर्यान्ति वै नराः। यज्विनां व्रतिनां चैव तत्र तीर्थनिवासिनाम्॥

bhikṣāmātraṁ tathānnaṁ ye te'pi svaryānti vai narāḥ| yajvināṁ vratināṁ caiva tatra tīrthanivāsinām||

- gives even mere alms or food, those men too go to heaven. To the sacrificers and votaries dwelling there at the tirtha -

Verse 31 (skanda.5.311.31)

अपि वालाग्रमात्रं हि दत्तं भवति चाक्षयम्। अग्निप्रवेशं यः कुर्याच्छुक्लतीर्थे समाहितः॥

api vālāgramātraṁ hi dattaṁ bhavati cākṣayam| agnipraveśaṁ yaḥ kuryācchuklatīrthe samāhitaḥ||

- even a gift as small as the tip of a hair becomes imperishable. He who, composed in mind, enters fire at Shukla-tirtha -

Verse 32 (skanda.5.311.32)

रागद्वेषविनिर्मुक्तो हृदि ध्यात्वा जनार्दनम्। सर्वकामसुसम्पूर्णः स गच्छेद्वारुणं पुरम्॥

rāgadveṣavinirmukto hṛdi dhyātvā janārdanam| sarvakāmasusampūrṇaḥ sa gacchedvāruṇaṁ puram||

- freed from attachment and aversion, meditating on Janardana in his heart, fulfilled of all his desires, goes to the city of Varuna.

Verse 33 (skanda.5.311.33)

न रोगो न जरा तत्र यत्र देवोऽंभसां पतिः। अनाशकं तु यः कुर्यात्तस्मिंस्तीर्थे युधिष्ठिर॥

na rogo na jarā tatra yatra devo'ṁbhasāṁ patiḥ| anāśakaṁ tu yaḥ kuryāttasmiṁstīrthe yudhiṣṭhira||

There is neither disease nor old age there, where the god who is lord of the waters dwells. O Yudhishthira, he who undertakes fasting unto death at that tirtha -

Verse 34 (skanda.5.311.34)

अनिवर्तिका गतिस्तस्य रुद्रलोकादसंशयम्। अवशः स्ववशो वापि जन्तुस्तत्क्षेत्रमण्डले॥

anivartikā gatistasya rudralokādasaṁśayam| avaśaḥ svavaśo vāpi jantustatkṣetramaṇḍale||

- his fate, without doubt, is non-returning from Rudraloka. Whether powerless or of its own will, a creature within that sacred precinct -

Verse 35 (skanda.5.311.35)

मृतः स तु न सन्देहो रुद्रस्यानुचरो भवेत्। शुक्लतीर्थे तु यः कन्यां शक्त्या दद्यादलंकृताम्॥

mṛtaḥ sa tu na sandeho rudrasyānucaro bhavet| śuklatīrthe tu yaḥ kanyāṁ śaktyā dadyādalaṁkṛtām||

- upon dying there, without doubt, becomes an attendant of Rudra. He who, at Shukla-tirtha, gives away, according to his means, an adorned maiden,

Verse 36 (skanda.5.311.36)

विधिना यो नृपश्रेष्ठ कुरुते वृषमोक्षणम्। तस्य यत्फलमुद्दिष्टं पुराणे रुद्रभाषितम्॥

vidhinā yo nṛpaśreṣṭha kurute vṛṣamokṣaṇam| tasya yatphalamuddiṣṭaṁ purāṇe rudrabhāṣitam||

and, O best of kings, who performs, in accordance with rite, the release of a bull - the fruit thereof, declared by Rudra in the Purana,

Verse 37 (skanda.5.311.37)

तदहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणुष्वैकमना नृप। यावन्तो रोमकूपाः स्युः सर्वाङ्गेषु पृथक्पृथक्॥

tadahaṁ sampravakṣyāmi śṛṇuṣvaikamanā nṛpa| yāvanto romakūpāḥ syuḥ sarvāṅgeṣu pṛthakpṛthak||

- that I shall now declare; listen, O king, with a single-pointed mind. As many hair-follicles as there are, separately, upon the whole body -

Verse 38 (skanda.5.311.38)

तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि रुद्रलोके महीयते। शुक्लतीर्थे तु यद्दत्तं ग्रहणे चन्द्रसूर्ययोः॥

tāvadvarṣasahasrāṇi rudraloke mahīyate| śuklatīrthe tu yaddattaṁ grahaṇe candrasūryayoḥ||

- for that many thousands of years he is glorified in Rudraloka. Whatever is given at Shukla-tirtha during an eclipse of the moon or the sun,

Verse 39 (skanda.5.311.39)

वर्धते तद्गुणं तावद्दिनानि दश पञ्च च। शुक्लतीर्थे शुचिर्भूत्वा यः करोति प्रदक्षिणम्॥

vardhate tadguṇaṁ tāvaddināni daśa pañca ca| śuklatīrthe śucirbhūtvā yaḥ karoti pradakṣiṇam||

increases by that many times, over fifteen days. He who, having become pure, performs circumambulation at Shukla-tirtha,

Verse 40 (skanda.5.311.40)

पृथ्वी प्रदक्षिणा तेन कृता यत्तस्य तत्फलम्। शोभनं मिथुनं यस्तु रुद्रमुद्दिश्य पूजयेत्॥

pṛthvī pradakṣiṇā tena kṛtā yattasya tatphalam| śobhanaṁ mithunaṁ yastu rudramuddiśya pūjayet||

obtains the fruit of having circumambulated the whole earth. He who, dedicated to Rudra, worships a beautiful divine couple,

Verse 41 (skanda.5.311.41)

सप्त जन्मानि तस्यैव वियोगो न च वै क्वचित्। एतत्ते कथितं राजन् संक्षेपेण फलं महत्॥

sapta janmāni tasyaiva viyogo na ca vai kvacit| etatte kathitaṁ rājan saṁkṣepeṇa phalaṁ mahat||

- for him there is never any separation for seven births. O king, this great fruit has been declared to you in brief -

Verse 42 (skanda.5.311.42)

शुक्लतीर्थस्य यत्पुण्यं यथा देवाच्छ्रुतं मया। य इदं शृणुयाद्भक्त्या पुराणे विहितं फलम्॥

śuklatīrthasya yatpuṇyaṁ yathā devācchrutaṁ mayā| ya idaṁ śṛṇuyādbhaktyā purāṇe vihitaṁ phalam||

- the merit of Shukla-tirtha, as I heard it from the god himself. Whoever hears with devotion this fruit declared in the Purana

Verse 43 (skanda.5.311.43)

स लभेन्नात्र सन्देहः सत्यं सत्यं पुनः पुनः। पुत्रार्थी लभते पुत्रं धनार्थी लभते धनम्॥

sa labhennātra sandehaḥ satyaṁ satyaṁ punaḥ punaḥ| putrārthī labhate putraṁ dhanārthī labhate dhanam||

- obtains it, without doubt; this is true, true, true again and again. He who desires a son obtains a son; he who desires wealth obtains wealth;

Verse 44 (skanda.5.311.44)

मोक्षार्थी लभते मोक्षं स्नानदानफलं महत्॥

mokṣārthī labhate mokṣaṁ snānadānaphalaṁ mahat||

- he who desires liberation obtains liberation - such is the great fruit of bathing and giving there.