The Greatness of Ankureshvara Tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.5.323.1)

नर्मदादक्षिणे रोधस्यङ्कूरेश्वरमुत्तमम्। तीर्थं सर्वगुणोपेतं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम्॥

narmadādakṣiṇe rodhasyaṅkūreśvaramuttamam| tīrthaṁ sarvaguṇopetaṁ triṣu lokeṣu viśrutam||

Shri Markandeya said: On the southern bank of the Narmada is the excellent tirtha Ankureshvara, endowed with every quality, celebrated in the three worlds.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.323.2)

यत्र सिद्धं महारक्ष आराध्य तु महेश्वरम्। शङ्करं जगतः प्राणं स्मृतिमात्रावहारिणम्॥

yatra siddhaṁ mahārakṣa ārādhya tu maheśvaram| śaṅkaraṁ jagataḥ prāṇaṁ smṛtimātrāvahāriṇam||

Where a great demon, having worshipped Maheshvara, attained perfection - Shankara, the life-breath of the world, who removes sin at the mere thought of him.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.323.3)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच। किं तद्रक्षो द्विजश्रेष्ठ किंनाम कस्य वान्वये। एतद्विस्तरतः सर्वं कथयस्व ममानघ॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca| kiṁ tadrakṣo dvijaśreṣṭha kiṁnāma kasya vānvaye| etadvistarataḥ sarvaṁ kathayasva mamānagha||

Yudhishthira said: O best of brahmins, who was that demon, what was his name, and in whose lineage was he born? O sinless one, tell me all this in detail.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.323.4)

अज्ञानतिमिरान्धा ये पुमांसः पापकारिणः। युष्मद्विधैर्दीपभूतैः पश्यन्ति सचराचरम्॥

ajñānatimirāndhā ye pumāṁsaḥ pāpakāriṇaḥ| yuṣmadvidhairdīpabhūtaiḥ paśyanti sacarācaram||

Men blinded by the darkness of ignorance and given to sin can behold the moving and unmoving world only through such lamp-like beings as you.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.323.5)

धर्मपुत्रवचः श्रुत्वा मार्कण्डेयो मुनीश्वरः। स्मितं कृत्वा बभाषे तां कथां पापप्रणाशनीम्॥

dharmaputravacaḥ śrutvā mārkaṇḍeyo munīśvaraḥ| smitaṁ kṛtvā babhāṣe tāṁ kathāṁ pāpapraṇāśanīm||

Hearing the words of the son of Dharma, Markandeya, lord of sages, smiling, began to relate that sin-destroying tale.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.323.6)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच। मानसो ब्रह्मणः पुत्रः पुलस्त्यो नाम पार्थिव। वेदशास्त्रप्रवक्ता च साक्षाद्वेधा इवापरः॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca| mānaso brahmaṇaḥ putraḥ pulastyo nāma pārthiva| vedaśāstrapravaktā ca sākṣādvedhā ivāparaḥ||

Markandeya said: O king, Brahma had a mind-born son named Pulastya, an expounder of the Vedas and scriptures, as if a second Creator himself.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.323.7)

तृणबिन्दुसुता तस्य भार्यासीत्परमेष्ठिनः। तस्य धर्मप्रसङ्गेन पुत्रो जातो महामनाः॥

tṛṇabindusutā tasya bhāryāsītparameṣṭhinaḥ| tasya dharmaprasaṅgena putro jāto mahāmanāḥ||

The wife of that supreme lord was the daughter of Trinabindu. Through their righteous union, a great-minded son was born,

Verse 8 (skanda.5.323.8)

यस्माद्वेदेतिहासैश्च सषडङ्गपदक्रमाः। विश्रान्ता ब्रह्मणा दत्ता नाम विश्रवसेति च॥

yasmādvedetihāsaiśca saṣaḍaṅgapadakramāḥ| viśrāntā brahmaṇā dattā nāma viśravaseti ca||

- from whom the Vedas, the histories, and the six auxiliary sciences together with their word-sequences found their rest (vishranta); therefore Brahma gave him the name Vishrava.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.323.9)

कस्मिंश्चिदथ काले च भरद्वाजो महामुनिः। स्वसुतां प्रददौ राजन्मुदा विश्रवसे नृप॥

kasmiṁścidatha kāle ca bharadvājo mahāmuniḥ| svasutāṁ pradadau rājanmudā viśravase nṛpa||

At a certain time, the great sage Bharadvaja, O king, joyfully gave his daughter to Vishrava.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.323.10)

स तया रमते सार्धं पौलोम्या मघवा इव। मुदा परमया राजन्ब्राह्मणो वेदवित्तमः॥

sa tayā ramate sārdhaṁ paulomyā maghavā iva| mudā paramayā rājanbrāhmaṇo vedavittamaḥ||

O king, that brahmin, foremost among knowers of the Veda, dwelt with her in supreme joy, as Indra dwells with Paulomi (Shachi).

Verse 11 (skanda.5.323.11)

केनचित्त्वथ कालेन पुत्रः पुत्रगुणैर्युतः। जज्ञे विश्रवसो राजन्नाम्ना वैश्रवणः श्रुतः॥

kenacittvatha kālena putraḥ putraguṇairyutaḥ| jajñe viśravaso rājannāmnā vaiśravaṇaḥ śrutaḥ||

After some time, a son endowed with excellent qualities was born to Vishrava, O king, known by the name Vaishravana.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.323.12)

सोऽपि मौनव्रतं कृत्वा बालभावाद्युधिष्ठिर। सर्वभूताभयं दत्त्वा चचार परमं व्रतम्॥

so'pi maunavrataṁ kṛtvā bālabhāvādyudhiṣṭhira| sarvabhūtābhayaṁ dattvā cacāra paramaṁ vratam||

He too, O Yudhishthira, having taken a vow of silence from childhood, granting safety to all creatures, practised a supreme vow.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.323.13)

तस्य तुष्टो महादेवो ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मर्षिभिः सह। सखित्वं चेश्वरो दत्त्वा धनदत्वं जगाम ह॥

tasya tuṣṭo mahādevo brahmā brahmarṣibhiḥ saha| sakhitvaṁ ceśvaro dattvā dhanadatvaṁ jagāma ha||

Pleased with him, Mahadeva, Brahma, together with the brahmarshis, came to him; Ishvara granted him friendship and the office of the lord of wealth.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.323.14)

यमेन्द्रवरुणानां च चतुर्थस्त्वं भविष्यसि। ब्रह्माप्युक्त्वा जगामाशु लोकपालत्वमीप्सितम्॥

yamendravaruṇānāṁ ca caturthastvaṁ bhaviṣyasi| brahmāpyuktvā jagāmāśu lokapālatvamīpsitam||

"You shall become the fourth, together with Yama, Indra, and Varuna" - having said this, Brahma too quickly departed, and he attained the coveted status of guardian of a world-quarter.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.323.15)

ततस्त्वनन्तरे काले कैकसी नाम राक्षसी। पातालं भूतलं त्यक्त्वा विश्रवं चकमे पतिम्॥

tatastvanantare kāle kaikasī nāma rākṣasī| pātālaṁ bhūtalaṁ tyaktvā viśravaṁ cakame patim||

Thereafter, in due course, a rakshasi named Kaikasi, forsaking both the netherworld and the earth, desired Vishrava as her husband.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.323.16)

पुत्रोऽथ रावणो जातस्तस्या भरतसत्तम। कुम्भकर्णो महारक्षो धर्मात्मा च विभीषणः॥

putro'tha rāvaṇo jātastasyā bharatasattama| kumbhakarṇo mahārakṣo dharmātmā ca vibhīṣaṇaḥ||

O best of the Bharatas, from her was born the son Ravana, the great demon Kumbhakarna, and also the righteous Vibhishana.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.323.17)

कुम्भश्चैव विकुम्भश्च कुम्भकर्णसुतावुभौ। महाबलौ महावीर्यौ महान्तौ पुरुषोत्तम॥

kumbhaścaiva vikumbhaśca kumbhakarṇasutāvubhau| mahābalau mahāvīryau mahāntau puruṣottama||

O best of men, Kumbha and Vikumbha were the two sons of Kumbhakarna, of great strength, great valour, and great stature.

Verse 18 (skanda.5.323.18)

अङ्कूरो राक्षसश्रेष्ठः कुम्भस्य तनयो महान्। विभीषणं च गुणवद्दृष्ट्वैवं राक्षसोत्तमः॥

aṅkūro rākṣasaśreṣṭhaḥ kumbhasya tanayo mahān| vibhīṣaṇaṁ ca guṇavaddṛṣṭvaivaṁ rākṣasottamaḥ||

Ankura, foremost among rakshasas, was the great son of Kumbha. That best of rakshasas, having seen the virtues of Vibhishana in this way -

Verse 19 (skanda.5.323.19)

ततः स यौवनं प्राप्य ज्ञात्वा रक्षः पितामहम्। परं निर्वेदमापन्नश्चचार सुमहत्तपः॥

tataḥ sa yauvanaṁ prāpya jñātvā rakṣaḥ pitāmaham| paraṁ nirvedamāpannaścacāra sumahattapaḥ||

- thereafter, attaining youth, and coming to know of his rakshasa forebears, attained supreme dispassion and undertook the greatest austerity.

Verse 20 (skanda.5.323.20)

दक्षिणं पश्चिमं गत्वा सागरं पूर्वमुत्तरम्। नर्मदायां प्रसङ्गेन ह्यङ्कूरो राक्षसेश्वरः॥

dakṣiṇaṁ paścimaṁ gatvā sāgaraṁ pūrvamuttaram| narmadāyāṁ prasaṅgena hyaṅkūro rākṣaseśvaraḥ||

Having gone to the southern, western, eastern, and northern oceans, Ankura, lord of rakshasas, by chance came to the Narmada.

Verse 21 (skanda.5.323.21)

तपश्चचार सुमहद्दिव्यं वर्षशतं किल। ततस्तुष्टो महादेवः साक्षात्परपुरंजयः॥

tapaścacāra sumahaddivyaṁ varṣaśataṁ kila| tatastuṣṭo mahādevaḥ sākṣātparapuraṁjayaḥ||

There he performed an extremely great and divine austerity for a hundred years. Then Mahadeva, the direct conqueror of the triple city, was pleased with him.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.323.22)

वरेण छन्दयामास राक्षसं वृषकेतनः। वरं वृणीष्व भद्रं ते तव दास्यामि सुव्रत॥

vareṇa chandayāmāsa rākṣasaṁ vṛṣaketanaḥ| varaṁ vṛṇīṣva bhadraṁ te tava dāsyāmi suvrata||

The bull-bannered Shiva offered the rakshasa a boon: "O one of good vows, choose a boon; may good come to you, I shall grant it."

Verse 23 (skanda.5.323.23)

प्रोवाच राक्षसो वाक्यं देवदेवं महेश्वरम्। वरदं सोऽग्रतो दृष्ट्वा प्रणम्य च पुनःपुनः॥

provāca rākṣaso vākyaṁ devadevaṁ maheśvaram| varadaṁ so'grato dṛṣṭvā praṇamya ca punaḥpunaḥ||

Beholding the boon-granting god of gods, Maheshvara, before him, and bowing again and again, the rakshasa spoke these words -

Verse 24 (skanda.5.323.24)

यदि तुष्टो महादेव वरदोऽसि सुरेश्वर। दुर्लभं सर्वभूतानाममरत्वं प्रयच्छ मे॥

yadi tuṣṭo mahādeva varado'si sureśvara| durlabhaṁ sarvabhūtānāmamaratvaṁ prayaccha me||

"O Mahadeva, O lord of the gods, if you are pleased and grant boons, give me immortality, which is hard for all beings to attain.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.323.25)

मम नाम्ना स्थितोऽनेन वरेण त्रिपुरान्तक। सदा संनिहितोऽप्यत्र तीर्थे भवितुमर्हसि॥

mama nāmnā sthito'nena vareṇa tripurāntaka| sadā saṁnihito'pyatra tīrthe bhavitumarhasi||

O destroyer of Tripura, established here under my own name, by this boon may you deign to remain ever present at this tirtha."

Verse 26 (skanda.5.323.26)

ईश्वर उवाच। यावद्विभीषणमतं यावद्धर्मनिषेवणम्। करिष्यसि दृढात्मा त्वं तावदेतद्भविष्यति॥

īśvara uvāca| yāvadvibhīṣaṇamataṁ yāvaddharmaniṣevaṇam| kariṣyasi dṛḍhātmā tvaṁ tāvadetadbhaviṣyati||

Ishvara said: "As long as you, firm of mind, follow the counsel of Vibhishana and practise righteousness, so long shall this be so."

Verse 27 (skanda.5.323.27)

एवमुक्त्वा ययौ देवः सर्वदैवतपूजितः। विमानेनार्कवर्णेन कैलासं धरणीधरम्॥

evamuktvā yayau devaḥ sarvadaivatapūjitaḥ| vimānenārkavarṇena kailāsaṁ dharaṇīdharam||

Having said this, the god, worshipped by all deities, departed on a sun-coloured celestial chariot to Kailasa, the mountain that upholds the earth.

Verse 28 (skanda.5.323.28)

गते चादर्शनं देवे स्नात्वाचम्य विधानतः। स्थापयामास राजेन्द्र ह्यङ्कूरेश्वरमुत्तमम्॥

gate cādarśanaṁ deve snātvācamya vidhānataḥ| sthāpayāmāsa rājendra hyaṅkūreśvaramuttamam||

O lord of kings, when the god had passed from sight, having bathed and sipped water, he duly established the excellent Ankureshvara.

Verse 29 (skanda.5.323.29)

गन्धपुष्पैस्तथा धूपैर्वस्त्रालङ्कारभूषणैः। पताकैश्चामरैश्छत्रैर्जयशब्दादिमंगलैः॥

gandhapuṣpaistathā dhūpairvastrālaṅkārabhūṣaṇaiḥ| patākaiścāmaraiśchatrairjayaśabdādimaṁgalaiḥ||

With sandal-paste and flowers, with incense, with garments, ornaments, and jewels, with banners, chowries, umbrellas, and auspicious cries of victory,

Verse 30 (skanda.5.323.30)

पूजयित्वा सुरेशानं स्तोत्रैर्हृद्यैः सुपुष्कलैः। जगाम भवनं रक्षो यत्र राजा विभीषणः॥

pūjayitvā sureśānaṁ stotrairhṛdyaiḥ supuṣkalaiḥ| jagāma bhavanaṁ rakṣo yatra rājā vibhīṣaṇaḥ||

- having worshipped the lord of gods with heartfelt, ample hymns of praise, that rakshasa went to the palace where King Vibhishana dwelt.

Verse 31 (skanda.5.323.31)

पूजितः स यथान्यायं दानसन्मानगौरवैः। सौदर्ये स्थापितो भावे सोऽवात्सीत्परयामुदा॥

pūjitaḥ sa yathānyāyaṁ dānasanmānagauravaiḥ| saudarye sthāpito bhāve so'vātsītparayāmudā||

Duly honoured with gifts, respect, and esteem, established in a bond of kinship, he dwelt there in supreme joy.

Verse 32 (skanda.5.323.32)

तत्र तीर्थे तु यः स्नात्वा पूजयेत्परमेश्वरम्। अङ्कूरेश्वरनामानं सोऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत्॥

tatra tīrthe tu yaḥ snātvā pūjayetparameśvaram| aṅkūreśvaranāmānaṁ so'śvamedhaphalaṁ labhet||

He who, having bathed at that tirtha, worships the supreme lord named Ankureshvara, obtains the fruit of the Ashvamedha sacrifice.

Verse 33 (skanda.5.323.33)

माण्डव्यखातमारभ्य सङ्गमं वापि यच्छुभम्। रेवाया आमलक्याश्च देवक्षेत्रं महेश्वरम्॥

māṇḍavyakhātamārabhya saṅgamaṁ vāpi yacchubham| revāyā āmalakyāśca devakṣetraṁ maheśvaram||

Beginning from Mandavya-khata, up to the blessed confluence of the Reva and the Amalaka, this is the divine domain of Maheshvara.

Verse 34 (skanda.5.323.34)

माण्डव्यखातात्पश्चिमतस्तीर्थं तदङ्कूरेश्वरम्। तत्र तीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा शुचिः प्रयतमानसः॥

māṇḍavyakhātātpaścimatastīrthaṁ tadaṅkūreśvaram| tatra tīrthe naraḥ snātvā śuciḥ prayatamānasaḥ||

To the west of Mandavya-khata is the tirtha Ankureshvara. Having bathed at that tirtha, a pure man of restrained mind -

Verse 35 (skanda.5.323.35)

सन्ध्यामाचम्य यत्नेन जपं कृत्वाथ भारत। तर्पयित्वा पितॄन्देवान्मनुष्यान् भरतर्षभ॥

sandhyāmācamya yatnena japaṁ kṛtvātha bhārata| tarpayitvā pitṝndevānmanuṣyān bharatarṣabha||

- having sipped water with care, should perform the twilight worship, O Bharata, recite japa, and, O bull among the Bharatas, offer libations to ancestors, gods, and men,

Verse 36 (skanda.5.323.36)

सचैलः क्लिन्नवसनो मौनमास्थाय संयतः। अष्टम्यां वा चतुर्दश्यामुपोष्य विधिवन्नरः॥

sacailaḥ klinnavasano maunamāsthāya saṁyataḥ| aṣṭamyāṁ vā caturdaśyāmupoṣya vidhivannaraḥ||

- with wet garments, keeping silence, self-restrained, having duly fasted on the eighth or fourteenth day -

Verse 37 (skanda.5.323.37)

पूजां यः कुरुते राजंस्तस्य पुण्यफलं शृणु। साग्रं तु योजनशतं तीर्थान्यायतनानि च॥

pūjāṁ yaḥ kurute rājaṁstasya puṇyaphalaṁ śṛṇu| sāgraṁ tu yojanaśataṁ tīrthānyāyatanāni ca||

- and performs worship - O king, hear the meritorious fruit that is his. Whatever tirthas and temples lie within a region of more than a hundred yojanas,

Verse 38 (skanda.5.323.38)

भवन्ति तानि दृष्टानि ततः पापैः प्रमुच्यते। तत्र तीर्थे तु यद्दानं देवमुद्दिश्य दीयते॥

bhavanti tāni dṛṣṭāni tataḥ pāpaiḥ pramucyate| tatra tīrthe tu yaddānaṁ devamuddiśya dīyate||

they are all deemed to have been beheld, and he is freed from sins. At that tirtha, whatever gift is given, dedicated to the god,

Verse 39 (skanda.5.323.39)

स्नात्वा तु विधिवत्पात्रे तदक्षयमुदाहृतम्। होमाद्दशगुणं प्रोक्तं फलं जाप्ये ततोऽधिकम्॥

snātvā tu vidhivatpātre tadakṣayamudāhṛtam| homāddaśaguṇaṁ proktaṁ phalaṁ jāpye tato'dhikam||

- having bathed, and duly given to a worthy recipient, is declared imperishable. The fruit of oblation is said to be tenfold, and of recitation even more.

Verse 40 (skanda.5.323.40)

त्रिगुणं चोपवासेन स्नानेन च चतुर्गुणम्। संन्यासं कुरुते यस्तु प्राणत्यागं करोति वा॥

triguṇaṁ copavāsena snānena ca caturguṇam| saṁnyāsaṁ kurute yastu prāṇatyāgaṁ karoti vā||

By fasting the fruit is threefold, by bathing fourfold. Whoever there takes sannyasa, or relinquishes his life,

Verse 41 (skanda.5.323.41)

अनिवर्तिका गतिस्तस्य रुद्रलोकादसंशयम्। कृमिकीटपतङ्गानां तत्र तीर्थे युधिष्ठिर। अङ्कूरेश्वरनामाख्ये मृतानां सुगतिर्भवेत्॥

anivartikā gatistasya rudralokādasaṁśayam| kṛmikīṭapataṅgānāṁ tatra tīrthe yudhiṣṭhira| aṅkūreśvaranāmākhye mṛtānāṁ sugatirbhavet||

- his fate, without doubt, is a non-returning one from Rudraloka. O Yudhishthira, even worms, insects, and moths that die at that tirtha named Ankureshvara attain a good state.

Verse 42 (skanda.5.323.42)

एतत्ते कथितं राजन्नङ्कूरेश्वरसम्भवम्। तीर्थं सर्वगुणोपेतं परमं पापनाशनम्॥

etatte kathitaṁ rājannaṅkūreśvarasambhavam| tīrthaṁ sarvaguṇopetaṁ paramaṁ pāpanāśanam||

O king, this - the origin of Ankureshvara, and this tirtha endowed with every quality, supremely destructive of sin - all this I have told you.

Verse 43 (skanda.5.323.43)

येऽपि शृण्वन्ति भक्त्येदं कीर्त्यमानं महाफलम्। लभन्ते नात्र सन्देहः शिवस्य भुवनं हि ते॥

ye'pi śṛṇvanti bhaktyedaṁ kīrtyamānaṁ mahāphalam| labhante nātra sandehaḥ śivasya bhuvanaṁ hi te||

Those who, with devotion, hear this greatly fruitful tale as it is recited, without doubt attain the realm of Shiva.