The Glory of Agastyeshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.5.35.1)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । स्वर्णक्षुरे नरः स्नात्वा दृष्ट्वा देवं महेश्वरम् । कपिलाशतदानस्य फलमप्यधिकं भवेत्

sanatkumāra uvāca svarṇakṣure naraḥ snātvā dṛṣṭvā devaṁ maheśvaram kapilāśatadānasya phalamapyadhikaṁ bhavet

Sanatkumāra said: "A man who bathes at Svarṇakṣura and beholds the great god obtains a fruit even greater than the gift of a hundred tawny cows."

Verse 2 (skanda.5.35.2)

वाप्यां पितामह स्यापि यः स्नायाद्विजितेंद्रियः । हंसयुक्तेन यानेन ब्रह्मलोकं स गच्छति

vāpyāṁ pitāmaha syāpi yaḥ snāyādvijiteṁdriyaḥ haṁsayuktena yānena brahmalokaṁ sa gacchati

He who, self-controlled, bathes also in the Grandsire's step-well, goes to the world of Brahmā in a chariot yoked with swans.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.35.3)

तैलाभिधानमातॄणां रात्रौ यच्छति यो बलिम् । तस्य सिद्धिर्भवे त्सद्यो मृतः शिवपुरं यजेत्

tailābhidhānamātṝṇāṁ rātrau yacchati yo balim tasya siddhirbhave tsadyo mṛtaḥ śivapuraṁ yajet

He who offers, at night, an oil-oblation named for the Mothers, obtains accomplishment at once; after death, he attains Śivapura.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.35.4)

विष्णुवाप्यां नरः स्नात्वा चैत्रे वा फाल्गुनेऽथवा । जागरं यस्तु कुर्वीत सोपवासो जितेन्द्रियः । मुच्यते सर्व पापेभ्यो विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति

viṣṇuvāpyāṁ naraḥ snātvā caitre vā phālgune'thavā jāgaraṁ yastu kurvīta sopavāso jitendriyaḥ mucyate sarva pāpebhyo viṣṇulokaṁ sa gacchati

A man who bathes at Viṣṇuvāpī, in Caitra or in Phālguna, and, self-controlled, keeps a night-vigil while fasting, is freed from all sins and goes to the world of Viṣṇu.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.35.5)

अभयेश्वरदेवस्य भक्त्या नियतमानसः । पूजाबन्धमथो दृष्ट्वा रुद्रलोकं स गच्छति

abhayeśvaradevasya bhaktyā niyatamānasaḥ pūjābandhamatho dṛṣṭvā rudralokaṁ sa gacchati

He whose mind is disciplined in devotion to the god Abhayeśvara, having witnessed the bound worship-rite, goes to the world of Rudra.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.35.6)

लोके तु जायते दाता सार्वभौमो महीपतिः । यस्त्वगस्त्वेश्वरं गच्छेदेकचित्तो नरो मुने

loke tu jāyate dātā sārvabhaumo mahīpatiḥ yastvagastveśvaraṁ gacchedekacitto naro mune

He becomes, in this world, a generous universal sovereign. O sage, the man who, with single-pointed mind, goes to Agastyeśvara --

Verse 7 (skanda.5.35.7)

दृष्ट्वागस्त्येश्वरं देवं सोपवासो जितेंद्रियः । अगस्त्योदयवेलायां मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः

dṛṣṭvāgastyeśvaraṁ devaṁ sopavāso jiteṁdriyaḥ agastyodayavelāyāṁ mucyate sarvapātakaiḥ

"-- having beheld the god Agastyeśvara, fasting and self-controlled, at the time of Agastya's rising, is freed from all sins."

Verse 8 (skanda.5.35.8)

कृत्वागस्त्यं च सौवर्णं रौप्यं वाथ स्वशक्तितः । पञ्चरत्नसमायुक्तं वस्त्रेण च समन्वितम्

kṛtvāgastyaṁ ca sauvarṇaṁ raupyaṁ vātha svaśaktitaḥ pañcaratnasamāyuktaṁ vastreṇa ca samanvitam

Having made an image of Agastya of gold or silver, according to one's means, endowed with the five jewels and furnished with a garment --

Verse 9 (skanda.5.35.9)

तत्कालीनैः फलैः पुष्पैः पूजनीयो विधानतः । विधानं तस्य वक्ष्यामि चातुर्वर्ण्ये द्विजोत्तम

tatkālīnaiḥ phalaiḥ puṣpaiḥ pūjanīyo vidhānataḥ vidhānaṁ tasya vakṣyāmi cāturvarṇye dvijottama

"-- it should be duly worshipped with seasonal fruits and flowers. O best of the twice-born, I shall declare its rite, applicable to all four social orders."

Verse 10 (skanda.5.35.10)

सप्तधान्यानि मुख्यानि तावन्त्येव फलानि च । एकं धान्यं फलं चैकमग्रे त्याज्यं भवेन्मुने

saptadhānyāni mukhyāni tāvantyeva phalāni ca ekaṁ dhānyaṁ phalaṁ caikamagre tyājyaṁ bhavenmune

"Take the seven principal grains, and likewise that many fruits; O sage, one grain and one fruit should be offered each day in front of the image."

Verse 11 (skanda.5.35.11)

यावद्वै सप्त वर्षाणि व्रतमेवं समाचरेत्

yāvadvai sapta varṣāṇi vratamevaṁ samācaret

This vow should be observed thus for seven years.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.35.12)

अर्घ्यमन्त्रः । काशपुष्पप्रतीकाश वह्निमारुतसं भव । मित्रावरुणयोः पुत्र कुम्भयोने नमोऽस्तु ते

arghyamantraḥ kāśapuṣpapratīkāśa vahnimārutasaṁ bhava mitrāvaruṇayoḥ putra kumbhayone namo'stu te

The mantra for the offering-water: "O you who resemble the kāśa-flower in hue, born of fire and wind, son of Mitra and Varuṇa, born of a pot — homage to you."

Verse 13 (skanda.5.35.13)

दत्तेऽर्घे यत्फलं व्यास तद्वै ह्येकमनाः शृणु । पुत्रवान्धनवांश्चैव जायते नात्र संशयः

datte'rghe yatphalaṁ vyāsa tadvai hyekamanāḥ śṛṇu putravāndhanavāṁścaiva jāyate nātra saṁśayaḥ

O Vyāsa, hear with single-pointed attention the fruit of having offered this arghya: one is born blessed with sons and wealth — of this there is no doubt.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.35.14)

मृतः स्वर्गमवाप्नोति संपन्ने जायतेकुले । मर्त्यलोकं पुनः प्राप्य महायोगीश्वरो भवेत्

mṛtaḥ svargamavāpnoti saṁpanne jāyatekule martyalokaṁ punaḥ prāpya mahāyogīśvaro bhavet

After death he attains heaven; he is born in a prosperous family; having again reached the mortal world, he becomes a great lord of yogis.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.35.15)

यश्चैतच्छृणुयान्नित्यं पठेद्वा सुसमाहितः । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो मुनिलोके स मोदते

yaścaitacchṛṇuyānnityaṁ paṭhedvā susamāhitaḥ sarvapāpavinirmukto muniloke sa modate

And whoever, well composed, ever hears this or recites it, freed from all sins, rejoices in the world of sages.