The Glory of the Shipra

Verse 1 (skanda.5.50.1)

सनत्कुमार उवाच। पापनाशिनी विख्याता यथा शिप्रा पयस्विनी। तथाहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि समासेन परंतप॥

sanatkumāra uvāca| pāpanāśinī vikhyātā yathā śiprā payasvinī| tathāhaṁ saṁpravakṣyāmi samāsena paraṁtapa||

Sanatkumara said: O scorcher of foes, I shall now relate in brief how the milk-abounding Shipra became renowned as the destroyer of sin.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.50.2)

पुरा कृतयुगे व्यास दमनोनाम वै नृपः। कीकटेषु समाख्यातो राजा परमकोपनः॥

purā kṛtayuge vyāsa damanonāma vai nṛpaḥ| kīkaṭeṣu samākhyāto rājā paramakopanaḥ||

Long ago, in the Krita Yuga, O Vyasa, there was a king named Damana, known as ruler in Kikata, extremely wrathful,

Verse 3 (skanda.5.50.3)

उत्पथी सर्वधर्माणां गोब्राह्मणविनिंदकः। सुरापी हेमहारी मत्सरी गुरुतल्पगः॥

utpathī sarvadharmāṇāṁ gobrāhmaṇaviniṁdakaḥ| surāpī hemahārī matsarī gurutalpagaḥ||

a transgressor of all dharmas, a reviler of cows and brahmins, a drinker of liquor, a thief of gold, envious, a violator of his guru's bed,

Verse 4 (skanda.5.50.4)

प्रजासर्वस्वहर्ता च परदाराभिमर्शकः। धूर्तको धूर्तंसंगी च पिशुनस्तस्कराकृतिः॥

prajāsarvasvahartā ca paradārābhimarśakaḥ| dhūrtako dhūrtaṁsaṁgī ca piśunastaskarākṛtiḥ||

a plunderer of all his subjects' wealth, a molester of others' wives, a rogue and companion of rogues, a slanderer, of the very form of a thief,

Verse 5 (skanda.5.50.5)

गोग्रहः पुरभेदी च बंदी बंदिजनप्रियः। कुत्सितः कोपपूर्णश्च वेदशास्त्रविवर्जितः॥

gograhaḥ purabhedī ca baṁdī baṁdijanapriyaḥ| kutsitaḥ kopapūrṇaśca vedaśāstravivarjitaḥ||

a rustler of cattle, a breacher of cities, a jailer fond of imprisoning people, despicable, full of wrath, devoid of Vedic learning,

Verse 6 (skanda.5.50.6)

साधुसंगपरित्यागी दुष्टो दुष्टजनप्रियः। कुलांगनापरित्यागी पण्यस्त्रीवृषलीपतिः॥

sādhusaṁgaparityāgī duṣṭo duṣṭajanapriyaḥ| kulāṁganāparityāgī paṇyastrīvṛṣalīpatiḥ||

one who shunned the company of the virtuous, wicked, fond of the wicked, one who abandoned women of good family, a consort of harlots and low-caste women,

Verse 7 (skanda.5.50.7)

धर्मनिंदाकरो नित्यमधर्मे रमते मतिः। न हूयंते न पूज्यंते न श्रूयंते कथा बुधैः॥

dharmaniṁdākaro nityamadharme ramate matiḥ| na hūyaṁte na pūjyaṁte na śrūyaṁte kathā budhaiḥ||

a reviler of dharma, his mind ever delighting in adharma; in his realm no oblations were offered, no worship performed, and the wise no longer heard sacred tales,

Verse 8 (skanda.5.50.8)

वेदा यज्ञाश्च देवानां मूर्तिः पद्भ्यां च ताड्यते। एवं दुष्टतरो राजा न भूतो न भविष्यति॥

vedā yajñāśca devānāṁ mūrtiḥ padbhyāṁ ca tāḍyate| evaṁ duṣṭataro rājā na bhūto na bhaviṣyati||

the Vedas and sacrifices had fallen away, and the very images of the gods were struck with the feet; such a wicked king has never been, nor shall ever be.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.50.9)

स एकदा वने घोरे मृगयावनगोचरः। इतस्ततो भ्रममाणो व्याधैः परिवृतः खलः॥

sa ekadā vane ghore mṛgayāvanagocaraḥ| itastato bhramamāṇo vyādhaiḥ parivṛtaḥ khalaḥ||

That wicked one, once in a terrible forest, roaming for the sake of hunting, wandering here and there, surrounded by hunters,

Verse 10 (skanda.5.50.10)

न लब्ध्वा खेटकं किंचित्क्षुधार्तस्तृषितः खलः। एकाकी विगतोऽसंगो महाकालवनांतिके॥

na labdhvā kheṭakaṁ kiṁcitkṣudhārtastṛṣitaḥ khalaḥ| ekākī vigato'saṁgo mahākālavanāṁtike||

having caught no game at all, tormented by hunger and thirst, that wicked one, alone and without companions, found himself near Mahakalavana.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.50.11)

रात्रिः समागता तत्र घोरा घोरनिषेविता। वृक्षमूलमुपावृत्य शयनार्थी क्षुधार्दितः॥

rātriḥ samāgatā tatra ghorā ghoraniṣevitā| vṛkṣamūlamupāvṛtya śayanārthī kṣudhārditaḥ||

There a terrible night came on, haunted by terrible beings; tormented by hunger, seeking to lie down, he sought shelter at the foot of a tree.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.50.12)

तत्राश्वं विटपे बद्ध्वा स्वयमेव न्यषीदत। तदैव काले वृक्षाद्वै सर्पः पपात मस्तके॥

tatrāśvaṁ viṭape baddhvā svayameva nyaṣīdata| tadaiva kāle vṛkṣādvai sarpaḥ papāta mastake||

There, having tied his horse to a branch, he himself sat down. At that very moment, a serpent fell from the tree onto his head.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.50.13)

किमिदं कुत आश्चर्यं कृत्वा हस्तेन वारितः। तेन वारयिता राजा दष्टोंऽगुष्ठे तदाऽहिना॥

kimidaṁ kuta āścaryaṁ kṛtvā hastena vāritaḥ| tena vārayitā rājā daṣṭoṁ'guṣṭhe tadā'hinā||

'What is this? From where, this wonder?' — warding it off with his hand, the king who warded it off was then bitten on the thumb by that serpent.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.50.14)

दष्टमात्रे च नृपतिर्व्यथितः क्षितिमागतः। कियत्काले व्यथाविष्टो मुमोह क्षीणमंगलः॥

daṣṭamātre ca nṛpatirvyathitaḥ kṣitimāgataḥ| kiyatkāle vyathāviṣṭo mumoha kṣīṇamaṁgalaḥ||

The very moment he was bitten, the king, in agony, fell to the ground; after some time, overcome with pain, his good fortune exhausted, he lost consciousness.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.50.15)

एतत्क्षणात्प्रेतभूतो घोरे नरकसंचये। यमदूतैस्ताड्यमानो विविधास्त्रैः स्वकर्मजैः॥

etatkṣaṇātpretabhūto ghore narakasaṁcaye| yamadūtaistāḍyamāno vividhāstraiḥ svakarmajaiḥ||

In that very instant he became a departed spirit, cast into a terrible mass of hells, struck by the messengers of Yama with various weapons born of his own deeds.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.50.16)

हर्षिताश्च गणाः सर्वे यमराजस्य किंकराः। बद्ध्वा पाशैश्च तं निन्युः पापिष्ठं यममंदिरे॥

harṣitāśca gaṇāḥ sarve yamarājasya kiṁkarāḥ| baddhvā pāśaiśca taṁ ninyuḥ pāpiṣṭhaṁ yamamaṁdire||

All the hosts, the servants of Yamaraja, rejoiced; binding that most sinful one with nooses, they led him to Yama's abode.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.50.17)

एतस्मिन्नंतरे व्यास क्रव्यादैः खादितं शवम्। किंचिच्छेषतरं प्रातर्वायसेनाभिलक्षितम्॥

etasminnaṁtare vyāsa kravyādaiḥ khāditaṁ śavam| kiṁciccheṣataraṁ prātarvāyasenābhilakṣitam||

Meanwhile, O Vyasa, that corpse, eaten by flesh-eating creatures, its small remainder was spotted the next morning by a crow,

Verse 18 (skanda.5.50.18)

तत्र गत्वानयन्मांसं तुंडेन वियदुद्गतः। ततोऽन्यैर्वायसैर्भग्नो भ्राम्यमाण इतस्ततः॥

tatra gatvānayanmāṁsaṁ tuṁḍena viyadudgataḥ| tato'nyairvāyasairbhagno bhrāmyamāṇa itastataḥ||

The crow went there, took up a piece of flesh in its beak, and rose into the sky; then, harried and driven off by other crows, it wandered here and there,

Verse 19 (skanda.5.50.19)

तत्राटतो हि यत्रास्ते दिव्या शिप्रा पयस्विनी। किंचित्कर्मविपाकेन वायसास्यगतं पलम्॥

tatrāṭato hi yatrāste divyā śiprā payasvinī| kiṁcitkarmavipākena vāyasāsyagataṁ palam||

and it flew to where the divine, milk-abounding Shipra flows; and, through the ripening of some past deed, that piece of flesh held in the crow's beak,

Verse 20 (skanda.5.50.20)

पतितं वै जले तस्याः शिप्रायास्तस्य कायजम्। तेन पुण्यप्रभावेन शिवोऽजायत तत्क्षणात्॥

patitaṁ vai jale tasyāḥ śiprāyāstasya kāyajam| tena puṇyaprabhāvena śivo'jāyata tatkṣaṇāt||

—that flesh born of his body—fell into the water of the Shipra; and by the power of that merit, Shiva himself instantly appeared,

Verse 21 (skanda.5.50.21)

त्रिनेत्रोथ जटाजृटी व्याघ्रांबरपरीवृतः। शूलहस्तो वृषारूढो भालचंद्रो ह्युमापतिः॥

trinetrotha jaṭājṛṭī vyāghrāṁbaraparīvṛtaḥ| śūlahasto vṛṣārūḍho bhālacaṁdro hyumāpatiḥ||

three-eyed, matted-haired, clad in a tiger's skin, trident in hand, mounted on his bull, the moon upon his brow — the Lord of Uma.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.50.22)

इत्याश्चर्यमयं रूपं दृष्ट्वा दूताश्च धर्षिताः। तद्गणैस्ताडिता भग्ना धर्मराज्ञे शशंसिरे॥

ityāścaryamayaṁ rūpaṁ dṛṣṭvā dūtāśca dharṣitāḥ| tadgaṇaistāḍitā bhagnā dharmarājñe śaśaṁsire||

Beholding this wondrous form, the messengers were overwhelmed; struck and routed by his hosts, they went to Dharmaraja and reported it.

Verse 23 (skanda.5.50.23)

श्रूयतां भो महाराज धर्मराज नमोस्तु ते। दूतानां यद्वचो रम्यं बह्वाश्चर्यमयं परम्॥

śrūyatāṁ bho mahārāja dharmarāja namostu te| dūtānāṁ yadvaco ramyaṁ bahvāścaryamayaṁ param||

'Listen, O great king Dharmaraja, salutation to you' — such was the delightful, most wondrous speech of the messengers:

Verse 24 (skanda.5.50.24)

कीकटाधिमतिर्मंदः पापिष्ठो वृषलीपतिः। दमनो नाम राजाभूत्समस्ते क्षितिमंडले॥

kīkaṭādhimatirmaṁdaḥ pāpiṣṭho vṛṣalīpatiḥ| damano nāma rājābhūtsamaste kṣitimaṁḍale||

'There was a king of Kikata, foolish, most sinful, a consort of low-caste women, named Damana, renowned throughout the whole earth.'

Verse 25 (skanda.5.50.25)

यानि कानि च पापानि ब्रह्महत्यासमानि च। तानि सर्वाणि तेनापि कृतानि भुवि सत्तम॥

yāni kāni ca pāpāni brahmahatyāsamāni ca| tāni sarvāṇi tenāpi kṛtāni bhuvi sattama||

'O excellent one, whatever sins there are, equal even to the killing of a brahmin — all of these were committed by him on earth.'

Verse 26 (skanda.5.50.26)

मर्यादाभेदको मूढो वर्णाश्रमसुधर्मिणाम्। कुसंगी द्यूतकोन्मादी बहुव्यंगभरः खलः॥

maryādābhedako mūḍho varṇāśramasudharmiṇām| kusaṁgī dyūtakonmādī bahuvyaṁgabharaḥ khalaḥ||

'A foolish breaker of the bounds set for those righteous in the varna-ashrama order; keeping evil company, mad for gambling, that wicked one, laden with many vices—'

Verse 27 (skanda.5.50.27)

यमदंडपरः पापी अस्माकं हर्षवर्धनः। स कथं शिवरूपी स्यात्किमाश्चर्यमतः परम्॥

yamadaṁḍaparaḥ pāpī asmākaṁ harṣavardhanaḥ| sa kathaṁ śivarūpī syātkimāścaryamataḥ param||

'—sinful, deserving Yama's rod, a source of our own delight — how could he now bear the form of Shiva? What wonder could be greater than this?'

Verse 28 (skanda.5.50.28)

यावंतः पतिताः पूर्वे पापिनः सर्व एव हि। कृष्णेन तारिताः सर्वे ब्रह्मपुत्रार्थिना तदा॥

yāvaṁtaḥ patitāḥ pūrve pāpinaḥ sarva eva hi| kṛṣṇena tāritāḥ sarve brahmaputrārthinā tadā||

'As many sinners as had fallen before, all of them indeed were once saved by Krishna, who was then seeking a brahmin's son.'

Verse 29 (skanda.5.50.29)

तदाप्रभृति सर्वाणि कुंडानि नरकस्य वै। शुष्काणि चैव दृश्यंते ग्रीष्मांते वै ह्रदा यथा॥

tadāprabhṛti sarvāṇi kuṁḍāni narakasya vai| śuṣkāṇi caiva dṛśyaṁte grīṣmāṁte vai hradā yathā||

'From that time on, all the cauldrons of hell appear dried up, like lakes at the end of summer.'

Verse 30 (skanda.5.50.30)

न चैवार्तरवं किंचिच्छ्रूयते तव मंदिरे। अस्माकं जीवनं नास्ति किमुपायं वदस्व नः॥

na caivārtaravaṁ kiṁcicchrūyate tava maṁdire| asmākaṁ jīvanaṁ nāsti kimupāyaṁ vadasva naḥ||

'No cry of anguish at all is heard now in your abode; we have no livelihood — tell us, what is the remedy for us?'

Verse 31 (skanda.5.50.31)

एक एवागतो लोके वृत्तिदो नो यमाधिप। सोऽपि शिवत्वमापन्नः कस्मान्नो जीव्यते कथम्॥

eka evāgato loke vṛttido no yamādhipa| so'pi śivatvamāpannaḥ kasmānno jīvyate katham||

'O lord Yama, only this one had come into our hands in this world, providing our livelihood; and he too has attained Shiva-hood — by what means, then, are we to live?'

Verse 32 (skanda.5.50.32)

धर्मराजस्तदाश्रुत्य किंकराणां परं वचः। चिरं ध्यात्वा स्वकानूचे देशकालोचितं वचः॥

dharmarājastadāśrutya kiṁkarāṇāṁ paraṁ vacaḥ| ciraṁ dhyātvā svakānūce deśakālocitaṁ vacaḥ||

Dharmaraja, having heard this astonishing word of his servants, meditated for a long while, and then spoke a word suited to the time and place.

Verse 33 (skanda.5.50.33)

धर्मराज उवाच। श्रूयतां भो गणाः सर्वैः श्रुतिरेकाग्रमानसैः। येन पुण्यप्रभावेन पापिष्ठः शिवतां गतः॥

dharmarāja uvāca| śrūyatāṁ bho gaṇāḥ sarvaiḥ śrutirekāgramānasaiḥ| yena puṇyaprabhāvena pāpiṣṭhaḥ śivatāṁ gataḥ||

Dharmaraja said: Listen, all you hosts, with one-pointed and attentive minds, to the power of merit by which this most sinful one attained the state of Shiva.

Verse 34 (skanda.5.50.34)

भुवि पुण्यतमे देशे महाकालवने शुभे। शिप्रानाम सरिच्छ्रेष्ठा सर्वपापहरा परा॥

bhuvi puṇyatame deśe mahākālavane śubhe| śiprānāma saricchreṣṭhā sarvapāpaharā parā||

In the most sacred region on earth, the auspicious Mahakalavana, there is the river named Shipra, best of rivers, the supreme remover of all sin.

Verse 35 (skanda.5.50.35)

येषां शिप्रोदकस्पर्शो जायते भुवि किंकराः। न तेषां पातकं किंचिन्मृतः शिवपुरं व्रजेत्॥

yeṣāṁ śiprodakasparśo jāyate bhuvi kiṁkarāḥ| na teṣāṁ pātakaṁ kiṁcinmṛtaḥ śivapuraṁ vrajet||

O servants, whoever on this earth comes to touch the waters of the Shipra — no sin at all remains for them, and upon death they go to Shiva's city.

Verse 36 (skanda.5.50.36)

मनसा वपुषा वाचा पापानि विविधानि च। तत्क्षणात्प्रलयं यांति शिप्रासरिन्निषेवणात्॥

manasā vapuṣā vācā pāpāni vividhāni ca| tatkṣaṇātpralayaṁ yāṁti śiprāsarinniṣevaṇāt||

Whatever various sins have been committed by mind, body or speech — they are instantly dissolved through devotion to the river Shipra.

Verse 37 (skanda.5.50.37)

शिप्राशिप्रेति यो ब्रूते यत्र कुत्रापि मानवः। स एव शिवतां याति न जाने स्नानजं फलम्॥

śiprāśipreti yo brūte yatra kutrāpi mānavaḥ| sa eva śivatāṁ yāti na jāne snānajaṁ phalam||

Whatever man, wherever he may be, utters 'Shipra, Shipra' — he alone attains the state of Shiva; the fruit born of bathing there, I cannot even fathom.

Verse 38 (skanda.5.50.38)

यत्र कीटपतंगाश्च शिप्रावारिचराश्च ये। मृताः शिवपुरं यान्ति शिप्रानीरनिषेवणात्॥

yatra kīṭapataṁgāśca śiprāvāricarāśca ye| mṛtāḥ śivapuraṁ yānti śiprānīraniṣevaṇāt||

Even insects and moths, and those creatures that move in the waters of the Shipra, upon death go to Shiva's city, through their devotion to those waters.

Verse 39 (skanda.5.50.39)

कृत्वान्यत्र महापापं येऽन्ते शिप्रातटं श्रिताः। महापातकिनोऽप्येते मृता यांति शिवालयम्॥

kṛtvānyatra mahāpāpaṁ ye'nte śiprātaṭaṁ śritāḥ| mahāpātakino'pyete mṛtā yāṁti śivālayam||

Even those who, having committed grave sin elsewhere, take refuge at the end upon the banks of the Shipra — even these great sinners, upon death, go to Shiva's abode.

Verse 40 (skanda.5.50.40)

माधवे मासि संप्राप्ते निमज्जंति नरोत्तमाः। न तेषां निरयं किंचिच्छिवरूपाश्चरंति ते॥

mādhave māsi saṁprāpte nimajjaṁti narottamāḥ| na teṣāṁ nirayaṁ kiṁcicchivarūpāścaraṁti te||

When the month of Madhava arrives, the best of men who plunge into her — for them there is no hell at all; they move about in the very form of Shiva.

Verse 41 (skanda.5.50.41)

वायसेनाहृतं मांसं तस्य राज्ञः कृतागसः। शिप्रागाधजले क्षिप्तं का तत्र परिदेवना॥

vāyasenāhṛtaṁ māṁsaṁ tasya rājñaḥ kṛtāgasaḥ| śiprāgādhajale kṣiptaṁ kā tatra paridevanā||

The flesh of that guilty king, carried off by a crow, was cast into the unfathomable waters of the Shipra — what wonder is there in that outcome?

Verse 42 (skanda.5.50.42)

वापीकूपतडागादि अधिकाधिकसत्फलम्। तस्माद्दशगुणं पुण्यं नदीषु उपजायते॥

vāpīkūpataḍāgādi adhikādhikasatphalam| tasmāddaśaguṇaṁ puṇyaṁ nadīṣu upajāyate||

Step-wells, wells, tanks and the like grant progressively greater merit; ten times greater than that, merit arises in the rivers.

Verse 43 (skanda.5.50.43)

तस्माद्दशगुणा तापी गोदा पुण्या ततोधिका। तस्माद्दशगुणा रेवा गंगा पुण्या ततोऽधिका। तस्माद्दशगुणा शिप्रा पवित्रा पापनाशिनी॥

tasmāddaśaguṇā tāpī godā puṇyā tatodhikā| tasmāddaśaguṇā revā gaṁgā puṇyā tato'dhikā| tasmāddaśaguṇā śiprā pavitrā pāpanāśinī||

Ten times greater than that is the Tapi; the Godavari is more meritorious than that; ten times greater than that is the Reva; the Ganga is more meritorious than that; and ten times greater than that is the Shipra, pure and the destroyer of sin.

Verse 44 (skanda.5.50.44)

दमनस्य शरीरस्य मांसं शिप्रासमागतम्। तेन पुण्यप्रभावेन शिवरूपधरोऽभवत्॥

damanasya śarīrasya māṁsaṁ śiprāsamāgatam| tena puṇyaprabhāvena śivarūpadharo'bhavat||

The flesh of Damana's body, having come to the Shipra — by the power of that merit, he came to bear the very form of Shiva.

Verse 45 (skanda.5.50.45)

ईदृशा च नदी रम्या अवन्त्यां भुवि वर्तते। वांछंति देवताः सर्वास्तस्या दुर्लभदर्शनम्॥

īdṛśā ca nadī ramyā avantyāṁ bhuvi vartate| vāṁchaṁti devatāḥ sarvāstasyā durlabhadarśanam||

Such a lovely river exists on this earth, in Avanti; all the gods long even for a rare glimpse of her.

Verse 46 (skanda.5.50.46)

धर्मराजवचः श्रुत्वा गणा विस्मयमागताः। मनसा च निरातंकाः शिप्रां शरणमागताः॥

dharmarājavacaḥ śrutvā gaṇā vismayamāgatāḥ| manasā ca nirātaṁkāḥ śiprāṁ śaraṇamāgatāḥ||

Having heard Dharmaraja's words, the hosts were struck with wonder; free of fear in their minds, they went for refuge to the Shipra.

Verse 47 (skanda.5.50.47)

सनत्कुमार उवाच। तदाप्रभृति विख्याता शिप्रेयं पापनाशिनी। गीयते च पुराणेषु यस्या माहात्म्यमुत्तमम्॥

sanatkumāra uvāca| tadāprabhṛti vikhyātā śipreyaṁ pāpanāśinī| gīyate ca purāṇeṣu yasyā māhātmyamuttamam||

Sanatkumara said: From that time on, this Shipra has been renowned as the destroyer of sin; her supreme glory is sung of in the Puranas.

Verse 48 (skanda.5.50.48)

दमनस्य च निर्मुक्तिः शिप्रामाहात्म्यमुत्तमम्। यमदूतानां संवादं श्रुत्वा मुक्तिर्न संशयः॥

damanasya ca nirmuktiḥ śiprāmāhātmyamuttamam| yamadūtānāṁ saṁvādaṁ śrutvā muktirna saṁśayaḥ||

The liberation of Damana is itself the supreme glory of the Shipra; having heard this dialogue of Yama's messengers, liberation is certain, beyond doubt.