The Glory of Dhautapapa Tirtha, Where Brahmin-Slaying Cannot Enter

Verse 1 (skanda.5.339.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। धौतपापं ततो गच्छेद्भृगुतीर्थसमीपतः । वृषेण तु भृगुस्तत्र भूयोभूयो धुतस्ततः ॥ १ ॥

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| dhautapāpaṁ tato gacchedbhṛgutīrthasamīpataḥ | vṛṣeṇa tu bhṛgustatra bhūyobhūyo dhutastataḥ || 1 ||

Sri Markandeya said: Thereafter one should go to Dhautapapa, near Bhrigutirtha, where Bhrigu was repeatedly shaken by the bull.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.339.2)

धौतपापं तु तत्तेन नाम्ना लोकेषु विश्रुतम् । तत्र स्थितो महादेवस्तुष्ट्यर्थं भृगुसत्तमे ॥ २ ॥

dhautapāpaṁ tu tattena nāmnā lokeṣu viśrutam | tatra sthito mahādevastuṣṭyarthaṁ bhṛgusattame || 2 ||

By that name, 'Dhautapapa,' it became renowned in the worlds. There Mahadeva stationed himself, to please that best of the Bhrigus.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.339.3)

तत्र तीर्थे तु यः स्नात्वा शाठ्येनापि नरेश्वर । मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो नात्र कार्या विचारणा ॥ ३ ॥

tatra tīrthe tu yaḥ snātvā śāṭhyenāpi nareśvara | mucyate sarvapāpebhyo nātra kāryā vicāraṇā || 3 ||

O lord of men, whoever bathes at that tirtha, even if deceitfully, is freed from all sins; of this there is no need for doubt.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.339.4)

यस्तु सम्यग्विधानेन तत्र स्नात्वार्चयेच्छिवम् । देवान्पितॄन्समभ्यर्च्य मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः ॥ ४ ॥

yastu samyagvidhānena tatra snātvārcayecchivam | devānpitṝnsamabhyarcya mucyate sarvapātakaiḥ || 4 ||

Whoever bathes there according to the proper rites, worships Shiva, and duly worships the gods and ancestors, is freed from all sins.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.339.5)

ब्रह्महत्या गवां वध्या तत्र तीर्थे युधिष्ठिर । प्रविशेन्न सदा भीता प्रविष्टापि क्षयं व्रजेत् ॥ ५ ॥

brahmahatyā gavāṁ vadhyā tatra tīrthe yudhiṣṭhira | praviśenna sadā bhītā praviṣṭāpi kṣayaṁ vrajet || 5 ||

O Yudhishthira, the sin of brahmin-slaying or cow-slaying can never enter that tirtha, ever fearful of it; and even if it did enter, it would go to destruction there.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.339.6)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच। आश्चर्यभूतं लोकेऽस्मिन्कथयस्व द्विजोत्तम । प्रविशेन्न ब्रह्महत्या यथा वै धौतपाप्मनि ॥ ६ ॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca| āścaryabhūtaṁ loke'sminkathayasva dvijottama | praviśenna brahmahatyā yathā vai dhautapāpmani || 6 ||

Yudhishthira said: 'O best of brahmins, tell me this wonder of the world — how it is that brahmin-slaying cannot enter Dhautapapa.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.339.7)

ब्रह्महत्यासमं पापं भविता नेह किंचन । कथं वा धौतपापे तु प्रविष्टं नश्यते द्विज । एतद्विस्तरतः सर्वं पृच्छामि वद कौतुकात् ॥ ७ ॥

brahmahatyāsamaṁ pāpaṁ bhavitā neha kiṁcana | kathaṁ vā dhautapāpe tu praviṣṭaṁ naśyate dvija | etadvistarataḥ sarvaṁ pṛcchāmi vada kautukāt || 7 ||

There is no sin here equal to brahmin-slaying; how then, O brahmin, does it perish upon entering Dhautapapa? I ask all this in detail — tell me out of my curiosity.'

Verse 8 (skanda.5.339.8)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच। आदिसर्गे पुरा शम्भुर्ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः । विकारं पञ्चमं दृष्ट्वा शिरोऽश्वमुखसन्निभम् ॥ ८ ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca| ādisarge purā śambhurbrahmaṇaḥ parameṣṭhinaḥ | vikāraṁ pañcamaṁ dṛṣṭvā śiro'śvamukhasannibham || 8 ||

Markandeya said: At the beginning of creation, long ago, Shambhu, seeing the fifth, deformed head of Brahma, the Supreme Being — resembling a horse's face —

Verse 9 (skanda.5.339.9)

अङ्गुष्ठाङ्गुलियोगेन तच्छिरस्तेन कृन्तितम् । कृत्तमात्रे तु शिरसि ब्रह्महत्याऽभवत्तदा ॥ ९ ॥

aṅguṣṭhāṅguliyogena tacchirastena kṛntitam | kṛttamātre tu śirasi brahmahatyā'bhavattadā || 9 ||

— with the joining of thumb and finger, he severed that head. The moment that head was severed, the sin of brahmin-slaying arose.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.339.10)

ब्रह्महत्यायुतश्चासीदुत्तरे नर्मदातटे । धुनितं तु यतो राजन्वृषेण धर्ममूर्तिना ॥ १० ॥

brahmahatyāyutaścāsīduttare narmadātaṭe | dhunitaṁ tu yato rājanvṛṣeṇa dharmamūrtinā || 10 ||

He was then beset by brahmin-slaying, on the northern bank of the Narmada, where, O king, he was shaken loose from it by the bull, who is the very form of dharma.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.339.11)

तत्र धौतेश्वरीं देवीं स्थापितां वृषभेण तु । ददर्श भगवाञ्छम्भुः सर्वदैवतपूजिताम् ॥ ११ ॥

tatra dhauteśvarīṁ devīṁ sthāpitāṁ vṛṣabhena tu | dadarśa bhagavāñchambhuḥ sarvadaivatapūjitām || 11 ||

There, the blessed Shambhu beheld the goddess Dhauteshvari, established by the bull, worshipped by all the gods.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.339.12)

दृष्ट्वा धौतेश्वरीं दुर्गां ब्रह्महत्याविनाशिनीम् । तत्र विश्रममाणश्च शङ्करस्त्रिपुरान्तकः ॥ १२ ॥

dṛṣṭvā dhauteśvarīṁ durgāṁ brahmahatyāvināśinīm | tatra viśramamāṇaśca śaṅkarastripurāntakaḥ || 12 ||

Seeing Dhauteshvari, an aspect of Durga, destroyer of brahmin-slaying, Shankara, the destroyer of Tripura, rested there —

Verse 13 (skanda.5.339.13)

स शङ्करो ब्रह्महत्याविहीनं मेने त्मानं तस्य तीर्थस्य भावात् । सुविस्मितो देवदेवो वरेण्यो दृष्ट्वा दूरे ब्रह्महत्यां च तीर्थात् ॥ १३ ॥

sa śaṅkaro brahmahatyāvihīnaṁ mene tmānaṁ tasya tīrthasya bhāvāt | suvismito devadevo vareṇyo dṛṣṭvā dūre brahmahatyāṁ ca tīrthāt || 13 ||

— that Shankara, by the very power of that tirtha, considered himself free of the sin of brahmin-slaying; the adorable god of gods was greatly astonished, seeing the brahmin-slaying sin held far off from the tirtha.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.339.14)

विधौतपापं महितं धर्मशक्त्या विशेन्न हत्या देवीभयात्प्रभीता । रक्ताम्बरा रक्तमाल्योपयुक्ता कृष्णा नारी रक्तदामप्रसक्ता ॥ १४ ॥

vidhautapāpaṁ mahitaṁ dharmaśaktyā viśenna hatyā devībhayātprabhītā | raktāmbarā raktamālyopayuktā kṛṣṇā nārī raktadāmaprasaktā || 14 ||

Dhautapapa, glorified by the power of dharma, could not be entered by the personified sin of slaying, terrified by fear of the goddess — that sin appearing as a dark woman, clad in red garments, adorned with red garlands, clinging to a red wreath.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.339.15)

मां वाञ्छन्ती स्कन्धदेशं रहस्ये दूरे स्थिता तीर्थवर्यप्रभावात् । संचिन्त्य देवो मनसा स्मरारिर्वासाय बुद्धिं तत्र तीर्थे चकार ॥ १५ ॥

māṁ vāñchantī skandhadeśaṁ rahasye dūre sthitā tīrthavaryaprabhāvāt | saṁcintya devo manasā smarārirvāsāya buddhiṁ tatra tīrthe cakāra || 15 ||

'Desiring to cling to the god's shoulder,' she stood far off in secret, by the power of this excellent tirtha. Reflecting on this in his mind, the god, the enemy of Kama, resolved to dwell at that tirtha.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.339.16)

विमृश्य देवो बहुशः स्थितः स्वयं विधौतपापः प्रथितः पृथिव्याम् । बभूव तत्रैव निवासकारी विधूतपापनिकटप्रदेशे ॥ १६ ॥

vimṛśya devo bahuśaḥ sthitaḥ svayaṁ vidhautapāpaḥ prathitaḥ pṛthivyām | babhūva tatraiva nivāsakārī vidhūtapāpanikaṭapradeśe || 16 ||

After much reflection, the god himself remained there, and himself became renowned on earth as 'one washed of sin'; he became a dweller there, in the region near Vidhutapapa.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.339.17)

तदाप्रभृति राजेन्द्र ब्रह्महत्याविनाशनम् । विधौतपापं तत्तीर्थं नर्मदायां व्यवस्थितम् ॥ १७ ॥

tadāprabhṛti rājendra brahmahatyāvināśanam | vidhautapāpaṁ tattīrthaṁ narmadāyāṁ vyavasthitam || 17 ||

From that time onward, O lord of kings, that tirtha, Vidhautapapa, destroyer of brahmin-slaying, has stood established on the Narmada.

Verse 18 (skanda.5.339.18)

आश्वयुक्शुक्लनवमी तत्र तीर्थे विशिष्यते । दिनत्रयं तु राजेन्द्र सप्तम्यादिविशेषतः ॥ १८ ॥

āśvayukśuklanavamī tatra tīrthe viśiṣyate | dinatrayaṁ tu rājendra saptamyādiviśeṣataḥ || 18 ||

At that tirtha, the ninth of the bright fortnight of Ashvayuja is especially distinguished; O lord of kings, a period of three days, beginning specially with the seventh, is likewise important.

Verse 19 (skanda.5.339.19)

समुपोष्याष्टमीं भक्त्या साङ्गं वेदं पठेत्तु यः । अहोरात्रेण चैकेन ऋग्यजुःसामसंज्ञकम् ॥ १९ ॥

samupoṣyāṣṭamīṁ bhaktyā sāṅgaṁ vedaṁ paṭhettu yaḥ | ahorātreṇa caikena ṛgyajuḥsāmasaṁjñakam || 19 ||

Whoever, having fasted devoutly on the eighth, recites the Veda with all its ancillary branches — the Rig, Yajus, and Sama — within a single day and night,

Verse 20 (skanda.5.339.20)

अभ्यसन्ब्रह्महत्याया मुच्यते नात्र संशयः । वृषलीगमनं चैव यश्च गुर्वङ्गनागमः ॥ २० ॥

abhyasanbrahmahatyāyā mucyate nātra saṁśayaḥ | vṛṣalīgamanaṁ caiva yaśca gurvaṅganāgamaḥ || 20 ||

— through this practice he is freed from the sin of brahmin-slaying, of this there is no doubt. Likewise the sin of going to a low-caste woman, or of going to the guru's wife —

Verse 21 (skanda.5.339.21)

स्नात्वा ब्रह्मरसोत्कृष्टे कुम्भेनैव प्रमुच्यते । वन्ध्या स्त्रीजननी या तु काकवन्ध्या मृतप्रजा ॥ २१ ॥

snātvā brahmarasotkṛṣṭe kumbhenaiva pramucyate | vandhyā strījananī yā tu kākavandhyā mṛtaprajā || 21 ||

— is removed by bathing with the excellent pot filled with Brahma-rasa. A barren woman, one who has borne only once, or one whose children have died —

Verse 22 (skanda.5.339.22)

सापि कुम्भोदकैः स्नाता जीवत्पुत्रा प्रजावती । अपठस्तु नरोपोष्य ऋग्यजुःसामसम्भवाम् ॥ २२ ॥

sāpi kumbhodakaiḥ snātā jīvatputrā prajāvatī | apaṭhastu naropoṣya ṛgyajuḥsāmasambhavām || 22 ||

— such a woman too, bathed with the waters of that pot, becomes blessed with living children and progeny. An unlearned man, having fasted, may recite —

Verse 23 (skanda.5.339.23)

ऋचमेकां जपन्विप्रस्तथा पर्वणि यो नृप । अनृचोपोष्य गायत्रीं जपेद्वै वेदमातरम् ॥ २३ ॥

ṛcamekāṁ japanvipraḥ tathā parvaṇi yo nṛpa | anṛcopoṣya gāyatrīṁ japedvai vedamātaram || 23 ||

— a single verse, O king, on the parva day. One without even that knowledge, having fasted, may recite the Gayatri, the mother of the Vedas —

Verse 24 (skanda.5.339.24)

जपन्नवम्यां विप्रेन्द्रो मुच्यते पापसञ्चयात् । एवं तु कथितं तात पुराणोक्तं महर्षिभिः ॥ २४ ॥

japannavamyāṁ viprendro mucyate pāpasañcayāt | evaṁ tu kathitaṁ tāta purāṇoktaṁ maharṣibhiḥ || 24 ||

— reciting it on the ninth, that best of brahmins is freed from his accumulated sins. Thus, O son, has it been told, as declared in the Purana by the great sages.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.339.25)

धौतपापं महापुण्यं शिवेन कथितं मम । प्राणत्यागं तु यः कुर्याज्जले वाग्नौ स्थलेऽपि वा ॥ २५ ॥

dhautapāpaṁ mahāpuṇyaṁ śivena kathitaṁ mama | prāṇatyāgaṁ tu yaḥ kuryājjale vāgnau sthale'pi vā || 25 ||

Dhautapapa, greatly meritorious, was declared to me by Shiva himself. Whoever gives up his life there, in water, fire, or even on land,

Verse 26 (skanda.5.339.26)

स गच्छति विमानेन ज्वलनार्कसमप्रभः । हंसबर्हिप्रयुक्तेन सेव्यमानोऽप्सरोगणैः ॥ २६ ॥

sa gacchati vimānena jvalanārkasamaprabhaḥ | haṁsabarhiprayuktena sevyamāno'psarogaṇaiḥ || 26 ||

— he goes forth in a chariot, radiant as blazing fire and the sun, yoked with swans and peacocks, attended by hosts of apsarases.

Verse 27 (skanda.5.339.27)

शिवस्य परमं स्थानं यत्सुरैरपि दुर्लभम् । क्रीडते स्वेच्छया तत्र यावच्चन्द्रार्कतारकम् ॥ २७ ॥

śivasya paramaṁ sthānaṁ yatsurairapi durlabham | krīḍate svecchayā tatra yāvaccandrārkatārakam || 27 ||

He attains Shiva's supreme abode, difficult even for the gods to attain; there he sports at will, for as long as the sun, moon, and stars endure.

Verse 28 (skanda.5.339.28)

धौतपापे तु या नारी कुरुते प्राणसंक्षयम् । तत्क्षणादेव सा पार्थ पुरुषत्वमवाप्नुयात् ॥ २८ ॥

dhautapāpe tu yā nārī kurute prāṇasaṅkṣayam | tatkṣaṇādeva sā pārtha puruṣatvamavāpnuyāt || 28 ||

O son of Pritha, whatever woman gives up her life at Dhautapapa attains the state of manhood at that very instant.

Verse 29 (skanda.5.339.29)

अथ किं बहुनोक्तेन शुभं वा यदि वाशुभम् । तदक्षयफलं सर्वं धौतपापे कृतं नृप ॥ २९ ॥

atha kiṁ bahunoktena śubhaṁ vā yadi vāśubham | tadakṣayaphalaṁ sarvaṁ dhautapāpe kṛtaṁ nṛpa || 29 ||

Now, what need is there of saying more? Whether auspicious or inauspicious, whatever is done at Dhautapapa, O king, all of it bears imperishable fruit.

Verse 30 (skanda.5.339.30)

संन्यसेन्नियमेनान्नं संन्यसेद्विषयादिकम् । फलमूलादिकं चैव जलमेकं न संत्यजेत् ॥ ३० ॥

saṁnyasenniyamenānnaṁ saṁnyasedviṣayādikam | phalamūlādikaṁ caiva jalamekaṁ na saṁtyajet || 30 ||

One should renounce food according to the rules, should renounce worldly objects and the like, and should renounce fruits, roots, and so on — save water alone, which one should not give up.

Verse 31 (skanda.5.339.31)

एवं यः कुरुते पार्थ रुद्रलोकं स गच्छति । तत्र भुक्त्वाखिलान्भोगाञ्जायते भुवि भूपतिः ॥ ३१ ॥

evaṁ yaḥ kurute pārtha rudralokaṁ sa gacchati | tatra bhuktvākhilānbhogāñjāyate bhuvi bhūpatiḥ || 31 ||

O son of Pritha, whoever acts thus goes to the realm of Rudra; having enjoyed all pleasures there, he is born on earth as a king.