The Greatness of Markandeshvara Tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.5.322.1)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच। नर्मदादक्षिणे कूले त्वच्चिह्नेनोपलक्षितम्। तीर्थमेतन्ममाख्याहि सम्भवं च महामुने॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca| narmadādakṣiṇe kūle tvaccihnenopalakṣitam| tīrthametanmamākhyāhi sambhavaṁ ca mahāmune||

Yudhishthira said: O great sage, tell me of this tirtha on the southern bank of the Narmada, marked by your own sign, and of its origin.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.322.2)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच। पुरा कृतयुगस्यादौ दक्षिणे गिरिमुत्तमम्। विन्ध्यं सर्वगुणोपेतं नियतो नियताशनः॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca| purā kṛtayugasyādau dakṣiṇe girimuttamam| vindhyaṁ sarvaguṇopetaṁ niyato niyatāśanaḥ||

Markandeya said: Formerly, at the beginning of the Krita Yuga, on the excellent southern mountain Vindhya, endowed with every quality, disciplined and taking regulated food, I -

Verse 3 (skanda.5.322.3)

ऋषिसङ्घैः कृतातिथ्यो दण्डके न्यवसं चिरम्। उषित्वा सुचिरं कालं वर्षाणामयुतं सुखी॥

ṛṣisaṅghaiḥ kṛtātithyo daṇḍake nyavasaṁ ciram| uṣitvā sucira kālaṁ varṣāṇāmayutaṁ sukhī||

- having received the hospitality of assemblies of sages, dwelt for a long time in the Dandaka forest; I lived there happily for ten thousand years.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.322.4)

तानृषीन् समनुज्ञाप्य शिष्यैरनुगतस्ततः। निवृत्तः सुमहाभाग नर्मदाकूलमागतः॥

tānṛṣīn samanujñāpya śiṣyairanugatastataḥ| nivṛttaḥ sumahābhāga narmadākūlamāgataḥ||

Having taken leave of those sages, accompanied by my disciples, O most illustrious one, I then returned and came to the bank of the Narmada.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.322.5)

पुण्यं च रमणीयं च सर्वपापविनाशनम्। कृत्वाहमास्पदं तत्र द्विजसंघसमायुतः॥

puṇyaṁ ca ramaṇīyaṁ ca sarvapāpavināśanam| kṛtvāhamāspadaṁ tatra dvijasaṁghasamāyutaḥ||

Having made that holy, delightful place, which destroys all sin, my abode, together with an assembly of brahmins,

Verse 6 (skanda.5.322.6)

ब्रह्मचारिभिराकीर्णं गार्हस्थ्ये सुप्रतिष्ठितैः। वानप्रस्थैश्च यतिभिर्यताहारैर्यतात्मभिः॥

brahmacāribhirākīrṇaṁ gārhasthye supratiṣṭhitaiḥ| vānaprasthaiśca yatibhiryatāhārairyatātmabhiḥ||

- thronged with celibate students, with those well established in the householder's stage, with forest-dwellers, and with ascetics of restrained diet and self-controlled minds,

Verse 7 (skanda.5.322.7)

तपस्विभिर्महाभागैः कामक्रोधविवर्जितैः। तत्राहं वर्षमयुतं तपः कृत्वा सुदारुणम्॥

tapasvibhirmahābhāgaiḥ kāmakrodhavivarjitaiḥ| tatrāhaṁ varṣamayutaṁ tapaḥ kṛtvā sudāruṇam||

- and with illustrious ascetics free from desire and anger, there I performed extremely severe austerity for ten thousand years,

Verse 8 (skanda.5.322.8)

आराधयं वासुदेवं प्रभुं कर्तारमीश्वरम्। जपंस्तपोभिर्नियमैर्नर्मदाकूलमाश्रितः॥

ārādhayaṁ vāsudevaṁ prabhuṁ kartāramīśvaram| japaṁstapobhirniyamairnarmadākūlamāśritaḥ||

worshipping the lord Vasudeva, creator and ruler, through austerities, recitation, and vows, dwelling upon the bank of the Narmada.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.322.9)

ततस्तौ वरदौ देवौ समायातौ युधिष्ठिर। प्रत्यक्षौ भास्करौ राजन्नुमाश्रीभ्यां विभूषितौ॥

tatastau varadau devau samāyātau yudhiṣṭhira| pratyakṣau bhāskarau rājannumāśrībhyāṁ vibhūṣitau||

O Yudhishthira, then those two boon-granting gods came, manifest like two suns, O king, adorned by Uma and Shri.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.322.10)

प्रणम्याहं ततो देवौ भक्तियुक्तो वचोऽब्रुवम्। भवन्तौ प्रार्थयामि स्म वरार्हौ वरदौ शिवौ॥

praṇamyāhaṁ tato devau bhaktiyukto vaco'bruvam| bhavantau prārthayāmi sma varārhau varadau śivau||

Then, having bowed to those two gods, filled with devotion, I spoke this word: "I entreat you two, worthy of granting boons, bestowers of blessings, auspicious ones -

Verse 11 (skanda.5.322.11)

धर्मस्थितिं महाभागौ भक्तिं वानुत्तमां युवाम्। अजरो व्याधिरहितः पञ्चविंशतिवर्षवत्। अस्मिन्स्थाने सदा स्थेयं सह देवैरसंशयम्॥

dharmasthitiṁ mahābhāgau bhaktiṁ vānuttamāṁ yuvām| ajaro vyādhirahitaḥ pañcaviṁśativarṣavat| asminsthāne sadā stheyaṁ saha devairasaṁśayam||

- O illustrious ones, may I have steadfastness in dharma and supreme devotion to you both. Ageless, free from disease, ever like a youth of twenty-five years, may I dwell, without doubt, forever in this place together with the gods."

Verse 12 (skanda.5.322.12)

एवमुक्तौ मया पार्थ तौ देवौ कृष्णशङ्करौ। मामूचतुः प्रहृष्टौ तौ निवासार्थं युधिष्ठिर॥

evamuktau mayā pārtha tau devau kṛṣṇaśaṅkarau| māmūcatuḥ prahṛṣṭau tau nivāsārthaṁ yudhiṣṭhira||

O Partha, when this was said by me, those two gods, Krishna and Shankara, delighted, spoke to me, O Yudhishthira, concerning my dwelling there -

Verse 13 (skanda.5.322.13)

देवावूचतुः। अस्मिन्स्थाने स्थितौ विद्धि सह देवैः सवासवैः। एवमुक्त्वा ततो देवौ तत्रैवान्तरधीयताम्॥

devāvūcatuḥ| asminsthāne sthitau viddhi saha devaiḥ savāsavaiḥ| evamuktvā tato devau tatraivāntaradhīyatām||

The two gods said: "Know that we, together with the gods and with Indra, dwell in this very place." Having said this, the two gods then vanished right there.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.322.14)

अहं च स्थापयित्वा तौ शङ्करं कृष्णमव्ययम्। कृतकृत्यस्ततो जातः सम्पूज्य सुसमाहितः॥

ahaṁ ca sthāpayitvā tau śaṅkaraṁ kṛṣṇamavyayam| kṛtakṛtyastato jātaḥ sampūjya susamāhitaḥ||

And I, having established those imperishable ones, Shankara and Krishna, having worshipped them with a well-composed mind, thereupon became fulfilled.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.322.15)

तस्मिंस्तीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा पूजयेत्परमेश्वरम्। मार्कण्डेश्वरनाम्ना वै विष्णुं त्रिभुवनेश्वरम्॥

tasmiṁstīrthe naraḥ snātvā pūjayetparameśvaram| mārkaṇḍeśvaranāmnā vai viṣṇuṁ tribhuvaneśvaram||

Having bathed at that tirtha, a man should worship the supreme lord, and, under the name Markandeshvara, Vishnu, lord of the three worlds.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.322.16)

स गच्छेत्परमं स्थानं वैष्णवं शैवमेव च। घृतेन पयसा वाथ दध्ना च मधुना तथा॥

sa gacchetparamaṁ sthānaṁ vaiṣṇavaṁ śaivameva ca| ghṛtena payasā vātha dadhnā ca madhunā tathā||

He attains the supreme abode, both Vaishnava and Shaiva. With ghee, with milk, or with curd and honey -

Verse 17 (skanda.5.322.17)

नार्मदेनोदकेनाथ गन्धधूपैः सुशोभनैः। पुष्पोपहारैश्च तथा नैवेद्यैर्नियतात्मवान्॥

nārmadenodakenātha gandhadhūpaiḥ suśobhanaiḥ| puṣpopahāraiśca tathā naivedyairniyatātmavān||

- with the water of the Narmada, with fine sandal-paste and incense, and with offerings of flowers and food, being self-controlled -

Verse 18 (skanda.5.322.18)

एवं विष्णोः प्रकुर्वीत जागरं भक्तितत्परः। स्नानादीनि तथा राजन्प्रयतः शुचिमानसः॥

evaṁ viṣṇoḥ prakurvīta jāgaraṁ bhaktitatparaḥ| snānādīni tathā rājanprayataḥ śucimānasaḥ||

One should thus, devoted to Vishnu, keep a vigil, and, O king, restrained and pure of mind, perform the bathing and the rest.

Verse 19 (skanda.5.322.19)

ज्येष्ठे मासि सिते पक्षे चतुर्दश्यामुपोषितः। द्वादश्यां कारयेद्देवपूजनं वैष्णवो नरः॥

jyeṣṭhe māsi site pakṣe caturdaśyāmupoṣitaḥ| dvādaśyāṁ kārayeddevapūjanaṁ vaiṣṇavo naraḥ||

In the month of Jyeshtha, in the bright fortnight, fasting on the fourteenth, a Vaishnava man should perform the god's worship on the twelfth.

Verse 20 (skanda.5.322.20)

एवं कृत्वा चतुर्दश्यामेकादश्यां नरोत्तम। वैष्णवं लोकमाप्नोति विष्णुतुल्यो भवेन्नरः॥

evaṁ kṛtvā caturdaśyāmekādaśyāṁ narottama| vaiṣṇavaṁ lokamāpnoti viṣṇutulyo bhavennaraḥ||

O best of men, having thus performed this on the fourteenth and the eleventh, a man attains the Vaishnava realm, and becomes equal to Vishnu.

Verse 21 (skanda.5.322.21)

माहेश्वरे च राजेन्द्र गणवन्मोदते पुरे। श्राद्धं च कुरुते तत्र पितॄनुद्दिश्य सुस्थिरः॥

māheśvare ca rājendra gaṇavanmodate pure| śrāddhaṁ ca kurute tatra pitṝnuddiśya susthiraḥ||

O lord of kings, in the realm of Maheshvara too, he rejoices like one of Shiva's attendants. He who there, steadfast, performs the shraddha dedicated to the ancestors,

Verse 22 (skanda.5.322.22)

तस्य ते ह्यक्षयां तृप्तिं प्राप्नुवन्ति न संशयः। नर्मदायां द्विजः स्नात्वा मौनी नियतमानसः॥

tasya te hyakṣayāṁ tṛptiṁ prāpnuvanti na saṁśayaḥ| narmadāyāṁ dvijaḥ snātvā maunī niyatamānasaḥ||

- his ancestors, without doubt, attain imperishable satisfaction. A brahmin, having bathed in the Narmada, remaining silent, with a controlled mind,

Verse 23 (skanda.5.322.23)

उपास्य सन्ध्यां तत्रस्थो जपं कृत्वा सुशोभनम्। तर्पयित्वा पितॄन्देवान्मनुष्यांश्च यथाविधि॥

upāsya sandhyāṁ tatrastho japaṁ kṛtvā suśobhanam| tarpayitvā pitṝndevānmanuṣyāṁśca yathāvidhi||

- remaining there, should perform the twilight worship, recite a beautiful japa, and duly offer libations to ancestors, gods, and men.

Verse 24 (skanda.5.322.24)

कृष्णस्य पुरतः स्थित्वा मार्कण्डेशस्य वा पुनः। ऋग्यजुःसाममन्त्रांश्च जपेदत्र प्रयत्नतः॥

kṛṣṇasya purataḥ sthitvā mārkaṇḍeśasya vā punaḥ| ṛgyajuḥsāmamantrāṁśca japedatra prayatnataḥ||

Standing before Krishna, or again before Markandeshvara, one should recite there, with diligence, the mantras of Rig, Yajus, and Sama.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.322.25)

ऋचमेकां जपेद्यस्तु ऋग्वेदस्य फलं लभेत्। यजुर्वेदस्य यजुषा साम्ना सामफलं लभेत्॥

ṛcamekāṁ japedyastu ṛgvedasya phalaṁ labhet| yajurvedasya yajuṣā sāmnā sāmaphalaṁ labhet||

He who recites one Rig verse obtains the fruit of the Rig-veda; through a Yajus verse, the fruit of the Yajur-veda; through a Sama chant, the fruit of the Sama.

Verse 26 (skanda.5.322.26)

एकस्मिन्भोजिते विप्रे कोटिर्भवति भोजिता। मृतप्रजा तु या नारी वन्ध्या स्त्रीजननी तथा॥

ekasminbhojite vipre koṭirbhavati bhojitā| mṛtaprajā tu yā nārī vandhyā strījananī tathā||

By feeding one brahmin, the merit is as if a crore of brahmins had been fed. A woman whose offspring die, who is barren, or who bears only daughters -

Verse 27 (skanda.5.322.27)

रुद्रांस्तु विधिवज्जप्त्वा ब्राह्मणो वेदतत्त्ववित्। लिङ्गस्य दक्षिणे पार्श्वे स्थापयेत्कलशं शिवम्॥

rudrāṁstu vidhivajjaptvā brāhmaṇo vedatattvavit| liṅgasya dakṣiṇe pārśve sthāpayetkalaśaṁ śivam||

- a brahmin, knower of the essence of the Veda, having duly recited the Rudra mantras, should place an auspicious pitcher on the right side of the Linga.

Verse 28 (skanda.5.322.28)

रुद्रैकादशभिर्मन्त्रैः स्नापयेत्कलशाम्भसा। पुत्रमाप्नोति राजेन्द्र दीर्घायुषमकल्मषम्॥

rudraikādaśabhirmantraiḥ snāpayetkalaśāmbhasā| putramāpnoti rājendra dīrghāyuṣamakalmaṣam||

One should perform the ablution with the pitcher's water using the eleven Rudra mantras. O lord of kings, thus she obtains a son of long life, free from blemish.

Verse 29 (skanda.5.322.29)

मार्कण्डेश्वरवृक्षान्यो दूरस्थानपि पश्यति। ब्रह्महत्यादिपापेभ्यो मुच्यते शङ्करोऽब्रवीत्॥

mārkaṇḍeśvaravṛkṣānyo dūrasthānapi paśyati| brahmahatyādipāpebhyo mucyate śaṅkaro'bravīt||

Whoever beholds the trees of Markandeshvara even from afar is freed from the sins of killing a brahmin and the like - so Shankara declared.

Verse 30 (skanda.5.322.30)

य इदं शृणुयाद्भक्त्या पठेद्वा नृपसत्तम। सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा जायते नात्र संशयः॥

ya idaṁ śṛṇuyādbhaktyā paṭhedvā nṛpasattama| sarvapāpaviśuddhātmā jāyate nātra saṁśayaḥ||

O best of kings, whoever hears this with devotion, or recites it, without doubt becomes one whose soul is purified of all sin.

Verse 31 (skanda.5.322.31)

इदं यशस्यमायुष्यं धन्यं दुःखप्रणाशनम्। पठतां शृण्वतां वापि सर्वपापप्रमोचनम्॥

idaṁ yaśasyamāyuṣyaṁ dhanyaṁ duḥkhapraṇāśanam| paṭhatāṁ śṛṇvatāṁ vāpi sarvapāpapramocanam||

This account brings fame, extends life, is auspicious, and destroys sorrow; for those who recite it, and those who hear it, it grants release from all sin.