The Greatness of Rinamochana Tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.5.363.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। भूमिपाल ततो गच्छेत्तीर्थं परमशोभनम्। विख्यातं त्रिषु लोकेषु पितॄणामृणमोचनम्।

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| bhūmipāla tato gacchettīrthaṁ paramaśobhanam| vikhyātaṁ triṣu lokeṣu pitṝṇāmṛṇamocanam|||

Shri Markandeya said: O lord of the earth, thereafter one should go to a most beautiful tirtha, renowned in the three worlds as the release from the debt owed to the ancestors.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.363.2)

तत्र स्नात्वा विधानेन संतर्प्य पितृदेवताः। मनुष्यश्च नृपश्रेष्ठ दानं दत्त्वानृणो भवेत्।

tatra snātvā vidhānena saṁtarpya pitṛdevatāḥ| manuṣyaśca nṛpaśreṣṭha dānaṁ dattvānṛṇo bhavet|||

Having bathed there according to rule and offered libations to the ancestral deities, O best of kings, a man, by giving gifts, becomes free from debt.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.363.3)

इच्छन्ति पितरः सर्वे स्वार्थहेतोः सुतं यतः। पुन्नाम्नो नरकात्पुत्रोऽस्मानयं मोचयिष्यति।

icchanti pitaraḥ sarve svārthahetoḥ sutaṁ yataḥ| punnāmno narakātputro'smānayaṁ mocayiṣyati|||

All ancestors desire a son for their own sake, thinking, "This son will deliver us from the hell called Put."

Verse 4 (skanda.5.363.4)

पिण्डदानं जलं तात ऋणमुत्तममुच्यते। पितॄणां तद्धि वै प्रोक्तमृणं दैवमतः परम्।

piṇḍadānaṁ jalaṁ tāta ṛṇamuttamamucyate| pitṝṇāṁ taddhi vai proktamṛṇaṁ daivamataḥ param|||

O son, the offering of the funeral cake and water is called the foremost debt. This indeed is declared to be the debt owed to the ancestors; beyond this is the debt owed to the gods.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.363.5)

अग्निहोत्रं तथा यज्ञाः पशुबन्धास्तथेष्टयः। इति देवर्णं प्रोक्तं शृणु मानुष्यकं ततः।

agnihotraṁ tathā yajñāḥ paśubandhāstatheṣṭayaḥ| iti devarṇaṁ proktaṁ śṛṇu mānuṣyakaṁ tataḥ|||

The fire-oblation, sacrifices, animal-offerings, and rites - this is declared to be the debt owed to the gods. Now hear of the debt owed to men.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.363.6)

ब्राह्मणेषु च तीर्थेषु देवायतनकर्मसु। प्रतिश्रुत्य ददेत्तत्तद्व्यवहारः कृतो यथा।

brāhmaṇeṣu ca tīrtheṣu devāyatanakarmasu| pratiśrutya dadettattadvyavahāraḥ kṛto yathā|||

What is promised and given to brahmins, at tirthas, and for the works of temples - this too is a transaction as it was undertaken.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.363.7)

ऋणत्रयमिदं प्रोक्तं पुत्राणां धर्मनन्दन। सत्पुत्रास्ते तु राजेन्द्र स्नाता य ऋणमोचने।

ṛṇatrayamidaṁ proktaṁ putrāṇāṁ dharmanandana| satputrāste tu rājendra snātā ya ṛṇamocane|||

O delight of Dharma, this threefold debt is declared for sons. O best of kings, those who bathe at Rinamochana are indeed true sons.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.363.8)

ऋणत्रयाद्विमुच्यन्ते ह्यपुत्राः पुत्रिणस्तथा। तस्मात्तीर्थवरं प्राप्य पुत्रेण नियतात्मना। पितृभ्यस्तर्पणं कार्यं पिण्डदानं विशेषतः।

ṛṇatrayādvimucyante hyaputrāḥ putriṇastathā| tasmāttīrthavaraṁ prāpya putreṇa niyatātmanā| pitṛbhyastarpaṇaṁ kāryaṁ piṇḍadānaṁ viśeṣataḥ|||

Thus both the sonless and those with sons are freed from the threefold debt. Therefore, having attained this excellent tirtha, a self-controlled son should perform libation for the ancestors, and especially the offering of the funeral cake.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.363.9)

तत्र तीर्थे हुतं दत्तं गुरवस्तोषिता यदि। मृतानां सप्त जन्मानि फलमक्षयमश्नुते।

tatra tīrthe hutaṁ dattaṁ guravastoṣitā yadi| mṛtānāṁ sapta janmāni phalamakṣayamaśnute|||

If oblations are offered there, gifts given, and elders satisfied, the departed obtain imperishable fruit for seven births.