The Greatness of Suvarnabindu Tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.5.362.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। तस्याग्रे पावनं तीर्थं स्वर्णबिन्द्विति विश्रुतम्। यत्र स्नात्वा दिवं यान्ति मृताश्च न पुनर्भवम्।

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| tasyāgre pāvanaṁ tīrthaṁ svarṇabindviti viśrutam| yatra snātvā divaṁ yānti mṛtāśca na punarbhavam||

Shri Markandeya said: Ahead of that lies a purifying tirtha renowned as Suvarnabindu, where those who bathe and die go to heaven and are not born again.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.362.2)

तत्र तीर्थे तु यः स्नात्वा दत्ते विप्राय काञ्चनम्। तेन यत्तु फलं प्रोक्तं तच्छृणुष्व महीपते।

tatra tīrthe tu yaḥ snātvā datte viprāya kāñcanam| tena yattu phalaṁ proktaṁ tacchṛṇuṣva mahīpate||

O lord of the earth, hear now the fruit declared for one who, having bathed at that tirtha, gives gold to a brahmin.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.362.3)

सर्वेषामेव रत्नानां काञ्चनं रत्नमुत्तमम्। अग्नितेजःसमुद्भूतं तेन तत्परमं भुवि।

sarveṣāmeva ratnānāṁ kāñcanaṁ ratnamuttamam| agnitejaḥsamudbhūtaṁ tena tatparamaṁ bhuvi||

Of all gems, gold is the foremost gem, for it is born of the radiance of fire; therefore it is supreme on earth.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.362.4)

तेनैव दत्ता पृथिवी सशैलवनकानना। सपत्तनपुरा सर्वा काञ्चनं यः प्रयच्छति।

tenaiva dattā pṛthivī saśailavanakānanā| sapattanapurā sarvā kāñcanaṁ yaḥ prayacchati||

By him who gives gold, the entire earth is deemed given - with its mountains, forests, and woodlands, with all its towns and cities.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.362.5)

मानसं वाचिकं पापं कर्मणा यत्पुरा कृतम्। तत्सर्वं नश्यति क्षिप्रं स्वर्णदानेन भारत।

mānasaṁ vācikaṁ pāpaṁ karmaṇā yatpurā kṛtam| tatsarvaṁ naśyati kṣipraṁ svarṇadānena bhārata||

O descendant of Bharata, whatever sin was previously committed by mind, speech, or deed - all of it is swiftly destroyed by the gift of gold.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.362.6)

स्वर्णदानं तु यो दत्त्वा ह्यपि वालाग्रमात्रकम्। तत्र तीर्थे मृतो याति दिवं नास्त्यत्र संशयः।

svarṇadānaṁ tu yo dattvā hyapi vālāgramātrakam| tatra tīrthe mṛto yāti divaṁ nāstyatra saṁśayaḥ||

Whoever gives a gift of gold there, even as little as the tip of a hair, goes to heaven upon death - of this there is no doubt.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.362.7)

तत्र विद्याधरैः सिद्धैर्विमानवरमास्थितः। पूज्यमानो वसेत्तावद्यावदाभूतसम्प्लवम्।

tatra vidyādharaiḥ siddhairvimānavaramāsthitaḥ| pūjyamāno vasettāvadyāvadābhūtasamplavam||

There, honored by Vidyadharas and Siddhas, mounted upon an excellent celestial chariot, he dwells until the dissolution of the universe.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.362.8)

पूर्णे तत्र ततः काले प्राप्य मानुष्यमुत्तमम्। सुवर्णकोटिसहिते गृहे वै जायते द्विजः।

pūrṇe tatra tataḥ kāle prāpya mānuṣyamuttamam| suvarṇakoṭisahite gṛhe vai jāyate dvijaḥ||

When that time is complete, having attained an excellent human birth, he is born a twice-born in a household possessed of a hundred million pieces of gold.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.362.9)

सर्वव्याधिविनिर्मुक्तः सर्वलोकेषु पूजितः। जीवेद्वर्षशतं साग्रं राजसं सत्सु विश्रुतः।

sarvavyādhivinirmuktaḥ sarvalokeṣu pūjitaḥ| jīvedvarṣaśataṁ sāgraṁ rājasaṁ satsu viśrutaḥ||

Free from all disease, honored in every world, renowned as a man of majesty among the virtuous, he lives for more than a hundred years.