The Glory of the Naga Tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.5.65.1)

व्यास उवाच। नागतीर्थं त्वया ब्रह्मन्पुरा प्रोक्तं यशस्विना। तस्य तीर्थवरस्याऽपि महिमानं च सत्तम

vyāsa uvāca| nāgatīrthaṁ tvayā brahmanpurā proktaṁ yaśasvinā| tasya tīrthavarasyā'pi mahimānaṁ ca sattama

Vyasa said: O glorious Brahmin, of old you spoke of the Naga-tirtha; and, O worthy one, the greatness of that foremost tirtha too...

Verse 2 (skanda.5.65.2)

भूयस्तु श्रोतुमिच्छामि त्वत्तो ब्रह्मविदां वर। कियत्काले समाख्यातमेतद्विस्तरतो वद

bhūyastu śrotumicchāmi tvatto brahmavidāṁ vara| kiyatkāle samākhyātametadvistarato vada

...I wish to hear yet more from you, best among knowers of Brahman. In what age was this declared? Tell it in detail.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.65.3)

सनत्कुमार उवाच। शृणु ब्रह्मन्प्रवक्ष्यामि तवाग्रे नागतीर्थजाम्। कथां पुण्यतमां तुभ्यं भुवि पापहरां पराम्

sanatkumāra uvāca| śṛṇu brahmanpravakṣyāmi tavāgre nāgatīrthajām| kathāṁ puṇyatamāṁ tubhyaṁ bhuvi pāpaharāṁ parām

Sanatkumara said: Listen, O Brahmin, I shall tell before you the tale born of the Naga-tirtha, most sacred on earth, supreme remover of sin.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.65.4)

यस्याः श्रवणमात्रेण शापमुक्तो भवेन्नरः। पुरा नागाः परिभ्रष्टा मातुः शापात्परंतप

yasyāḥ śravaṇamātreṇa śāpamukto bhavennaraḥ| purā nāgāḥ paribhraṣṭā mātuḥ śāpātparaṁtapa

By the mere hearing of which a man is freed from a curse. Of old, O scorcher of foes, the serpents were cast down by their mother's curse.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.65.5)

जनमेजयेन दग्धास्ते मोक्षिता ह्यास्तिकेन च। पप्रच्छुस्ते द्विजश्रेष्ठ जरत्कार्वात्मजं तदा

janamejayena dagdhāste mokṣitā hyāstikena ca| papracchuste dvijaśreṣṭha jaratkārvātmajaṁ tadā

Burned by Janamejaya, they were freed by Astika; then, O best of brahmins, they questioned Jaratkaru's son.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.65.6)

नागा ऊचुः। ब्रह्मंस्तव प्रसादेन मोक्षिता हव्यवाहनात्। जनमेजयस्य यज्ञेऽस्मिन्देवराजस्य संनिधौ

nāgā ūcuḥ| brahmaṁstava prasādena mokṣitā havyavāhanāt| janamejayasya yajñe'smindevarājasya saṁnidhau

The serpents said: 'O Brahmin, by your grace we have been freed from the fire, in the presence of the king of gods, at this sacrifice of Janamejaya.'

Verse 7 (skanda.5.65.7)

अस्माकं भूतिमन्विच्छन्वासस्यार्थं परंतप। यस्मिन्स्थाने सदा ब्रह्मन्निवासो जायतेऽभयः

asmākaṁ bhūtimanvicchanvāsasyārthaṁ paraṁtapa| yasminsthāne sadā brahmannivāso jāyate'bhayaḥ

'O scorcher of foes, desiring our welfare, we now seek a place for dwelling — O Brahmin, tell us the place where a fearless abode may ever be found.'

Verse 8 (skanda.5.65.8)

आस्तीक उवाच। श्रूयतां मातुलश्रेष्ठा युष्माकं हितमुत्तमम्। महाकालवने रम्ये या वै कुशस्थली स्मृता

āstīka uvāca| śrūyatāṁ mātulaśreṣṭhā yuṣmākaṁ hitamuttamam| mahākālavane ramye yā vai kuśasthalī smṛtā

Astika said: 'Listen, O foremost of my maternal uncles, to your supreme benefit: in the beautiful Mahakala forest is that which is remembered as Kushasthali...'

Verse 9 (skanda.5.65.9)

तस्यां हि दक्षिणे भागे पूर्वतीर्थं सनातनम्। नागालयं पुरा प्रोक्तं यत्र संनिहितो हरिः

tasyāṁ hi dakṣiṇe bhāge pūrvatīrthaṁ sanātanam| nāgālayaṁ purā proktaṁ yatra saṁnihito hariḥ

'...in its southern portion is the eternal, primeval tirtha, of old declared the abode of the serpents, where Hari himself abides near at hand.'

Verse 10 (skanda.5.65.10)

योगनिद्रां समासाद्य शेते ब्रह्म सनातनम्। शेषशायीति विख्यातः सर्वलोकेषु गीयते

yoganidrāṁ samāsādya śete brahma sanātanam| śeṣaśāyīti vikhyātaḥ sarvalokeṣu gīyate

'Having entered yogic sleep, the eternal Brahman reclines there; renowned as Sheshashayi, he is sung of in all the worlds.'

Verse 11 (skanda.5.65.11)

कल्पदोषो न तत्रैव बाधते सर्वदेहिनाम्। बकदाल्भ्य ऋषिस्तत्र तपस्तेपे धृतव्रतः

kalpadoṣo na tatraiva bādhate sarvadehinām| bakadālbhya ṛṣistatra tapastepe dhṛtavrataḥ

'There the taint of the world's dissolution afflicts no embodied being. There the sage Baka Dalbhya, firm in his vow, performed austerity.'

Verse 12 (skanda.5.65.12)

लोमशश्च महातेजास्तत्रैव प्रतितिष्ठति। दीर्घायुष्ट्वं समापन्नो मार्कंडेयो महामुनिः

lomaśaśca mahātejāstatraiva pratitiṣṭhati| dīrghāyuṣṭvaṁ samāpanno mārkaṁḍeyo mahāmuniḥ

'There the greatly resplendent Lomasha abides established; there the great sage Markandeya attained long life.'

Verse 13 (skanda.5.65.13)

न वर्तते कालचक्रं महाकालप्रतापतः। कपिलः सिद्धिमापन्नो यत्र तीर्थवरोत्तमे

na vartate kālacakraṁ mahākālapratāpataḥ| kapilaḥ siddhimāpanno yatra tīrthavarottame

'Owing to Mahakala's majesty, the wheel of time does not turn there; in that most excellent tirtha, Kapila attained perfection.'

Verse 14 (skanda.5.65.14)

हरिश्चंद्रो विमुक्तोऽभूद्गर्ह्यचण्डालयोनितः। सप्तर्षिप्रवरा ये ते निर्वाणपदवीं गताः

hariścaṁdro vimukto'bhūdgarhyacaṇḍālayonitaḥ| saptarṣipravarā ye te nirvāṇapadavīṁ gatāḥ

'Harishchandra was freed there from a base rebirth as an outcaste; and the foremost among the Seven Sages attained the state of liberation there too.'

Verse 15 (skanda.5.65.15)

एतस्मात्कारणात्सर्वैस्तत्र विश्रम्यतां सदा। मातुः शापोद्भवो दोषो युष्माकं नैव बाधते

etasmātkāraṇātsarvaistatra viśramyatāṁ sadā| mātuḥ śāpodbhavo doṣo yuṣmākaṁ naiva bādhate

'For this very reason let all of you rest there forever; the taint arising from your mother's curse shall never afflict you there.'

Verse 16 (skanda.5.65.16)

एतत्ते वचनं श्रुत्वा महर्षेरास्तिकस्य च। आगच्छंस्तत्र ते शीघ्रं वासार्थं पन्नगोत्तमाः

etatte vacanaṁ śrutvā maharṣerāstikasya ca| āgacchaṁstatra te śīghraṁ vāsārthaṁ pannagottamāḥ

Having heard these words of the great sage Astika, those foremost serpents quickly came there to dwell.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.65.17)

एलापत्रः कंबलश्च कर्कोटकधनंजयौ। वासुकिः पन्नगश्रेष्ठस्तक्षको नील एव च

elāpatraḥ kaṁbalaśca karkoṭakadhanaṁjayau| vāsukiḥ pannagaśreṣṭhastakṣako nīla eva ca

Elapatra and Kambala, Karkotaka and Dhananjaya, Vasuki foremost of serpents, Takshaka, and Nila as well...

Verse 18 (skanda.5.65.18)

पद्मकश्चार्बुदश्चैव नागास्ते सर्व एव हि। अत्रागत्य स्वस्वस्थानानि चक्रुस्ते सुचिरव्रताः

padmakaścārbudaścaiva nāgāste sarva eva hi| atrāgatya svasvasthānāni cakruste suciravratāḥ

...and Padmaka and Arbuda — all these serpents, coming here, took up their own abodes, firm in their long-observed vows.

Verse 19 (skanda.5.65.19)

तत्र रम्याणि तीर्थानि जातानि परमाणि च। नवानि चक्रुः कुंडानि तीर्थभूतानि सत्तम

tatra ramyāṇi tīrthāni jātāni paramāṇi ca| navāni cakruḥ kuṁḍāni tīrthabhūtāni sattama

There, beautiful and supreme tirthas came into being; O worthy one, they made nine new kundas, which became sacred tirthas.

Verse 20 (skanda.5.65.20)

महापुण्यप्रदान्याहुर्महापापहराणि च। यत्र सिद्धाश्च गंधर्वा ऋषयः संशितव्रताः

mahāpuṇyapradānyāhurmahāpāpaharāṇi ca| yatra siddhāśca gaṁdharvā ṛṣayaḥ saṁśitavratāḥ

They are said to bestow great merit and to remove great sin, where perfected beings, gandharvas, and sages of the strictest vows...

Verse 21 (skanda.5.65.21)

अप्सरोगणसंघैश्च सेव्यंते च सदा वरैः। यत्र शेषो महानागः पुरा प्रोक्तो महर्षिणा

apsarogaṇasaṁghaiśca sevyaṁte ca sadā varaiḥ| yatra śeṣo mahānāgaḥ purā prokto maharṣiṇā

...are ever attended by excellent hosts of apsaras — where the great serpent Shesha was declared of old by the great sage...

Verse 22 (skanda.5.65.22)

शेषशायी ह्यलं विष्णुर्भगवान्कमलेक्षणः। तत्र सर्वाणि तीर्थानि तिष्ठंति भुवि सर्वदा

śeṣaśāyī hyalaṁ viṣṇurbhagavānkamalekṣaṇaḥ| tatra sarvāṇi tīrthāni tiṣṭhaṁti bhuvi sarvadā

...to be none other than the Blessed Sheshashayi Vishnu, the lotus-eyed. There all tirthas abide upon the earth forever.

Verse 23 (skanda.5.65.23)

श्वेतद्वीपेति विख्याता मणिविक्रांतभूमिका। यत्र पुण्याश्च वै वृक्षाः पुष्पिताश्चैव सर्वशः

śvetadvīpeti vikhyātā maṇivikrāṁtabhūmikā| yatra puṇyāśca vai vṛkṣāḥ puṣpitāścaiva sarvaśaḥ

That place is renowned as Shvetadvipa, its ground overspread with jewels, where sacred trees stand in blossom on every side.

Verse 24 (skanda.5.65.24)

हंसकारंडकाकादि पिककोकिलसारसाः। पद्मखंडगणास्तत्र नृत्यंति च शिखंडिनः

haṁsakāraṁḍakākādi pikakokilasārasāḥ| padmakhaṁḍagaṇāstatra nṛtyaṁti ca śikhaṁḍinaḥ

Swans, karandava-ducks, crows and the like, kokilas and cuckoos, cranes — they flock amid the lotus-beds there, and peacocks dance.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.65.25)

निधिरेष महापद्मो नीलोत्पलसुगंधिना। वासितो वायुना शुभ्रः किन्नरोद्गारनादितः

nidhireṣa mahāpadmo nīlotpalasugaṁdhinā| vāsito vāyunā śubhraḥ kinnarodgāranāditaḥ

This is the treasure called Mahapadma, sweet with the fragrance of blue lotuses; pure white, perfumed by the breeze, resounding with the songs of kinnaras.

Verse 26 (skanda.5.65.26)

यत्र सुसंस्कृता नार्यो विहरंति सुरांगनाः। नागकन्याभी रम्याभिर्मंडितं परमाद्भुतम्

yatra susaṁskṛtā nāryo viharaṁti surāṁganāḥ| nāgakanyābhī ramyābhirmaṁḍitaṁ paramādbhutam

There well-adorned celestial nymphs disport themselves; the place, most wondrous, is adorned with lovely serpent-maidens.

Verse 27 (skanda.5.65.27)

यत्र स्नात्वा नरो याति वैकुंठं धाम शोभनम्। शेषशायी हरिर्यत्र शेते हि च रमापतिः

yatra snātvā naro yāti vaikuṁṭhaṁ dhāma śobhanam| śeṣaśāyī hariryatra śete hi ca ramāpatiḥ

Bathing there, a man goes to the splendid abode of Vaikuntha, where Hari, reclining on Shesha, lord of Rama, rests.

Verse 28 (skanda.5.65.28)

तत्र रमासरो नाम तीर्थं परमशोभनम्। यत्र स्नात्वा नरो नित्यं श्रीमान्भवति नाऽन्यथा

tatra ramāsaro nāma tīrthaṁ paramaśobhanam| yatra snātvā naro nityaṁ śrīmānbhavati nā'nyathā

There is the tirtha called Rama-sara, supremely beautiful; bathing there, a man ever becomes prosperous — never otherwise.

Verse 29 (skanda.5.65.29)

एवं व्यास परं स्थानं सर्वपापहरं परम्। अत्रैव च परं तीर्थं बलेराश्रममद्भुतम्

evaṁ vyāsa paraṁ sthānaṁ sarvapāpaharaṁ param| atraiva ca paraṁ tīrthaṁ balerāśramamadbhutam

Thus, O Vyasa, is this supreme place, supreme remover of every sin; and here too is another supreme tirtha, the wondrous hermitage of Bali.

Verse 30 (skanda.5.65.30)

अत्र स्नानादिकं कार्यं यत्र संनिहितो हरिः। सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा नरो भवति तत्क्षणात्

atra snānādikaṁ kāryaṁ yatra saṁnihito hariḥ| sarvapāpaviśuddhātmā naro bhavati tatkṣaṇāt

Here the rites of bathing and the rest should be performed, where Hari abides near at hand; a man's soul is purified of all sin at that very instant.

Verse 31 (skanda.5.65.31)

कियत्प्रमाणमात्रां च ये ददति वसुंधराम्। तनूरुहाणि यावंति तावत्कालसुसंख्यया

kiyatpramāṇamātrāṁ ca ye dadati vasuṁdharām| tanūruhāṇi yāvaṁti tāvatkālasusaṁkhyayā

Whatever measure of land people give in charity here, for that many ages — for as many years as there are hairs on the body given...

Verse 32 (skanda.5.65.32)

अक्षय्या लभ्यते वृद्धिस्तेषां लोकाः सनातनाः। श्रावणे मासि दर्शे च पंचम्यां सोमवासरे

akṣayyā labhyate vṛddhisteṣāṁ lokāḥ sanātanāḥ| śrāvaṇe māsi darśe ca paṁcamyāṁ somavāsare

...an imperishable increase is theirs, and eternal worlds. In the month of Shravana, on the new-moon day, and on the fifth day falling on a Monday...

Verse 33 (skanda.5.65.33)

नागानां पूजनं कार्यं श्राद्धं दर्शे विधीयते। अक्षयं जायते श्राद्धं वांछितार्थं भवेत्ततः

nāgānāṁ pūjanaṁ kāryaṁ śrāddhaṁ darśe vidhīyate| akṣayaṁ jāyate śrāddhaṁ vāṁchitārthaṁ bhavettataḥ

...worship of the serpents should be performed, and shraddha is prescribed on the new-moon day; thereby the shraddha becomes imperishable, and one's desired object is fulfilled.