The Glory of Kutumbeshvara and the Shivaratri Vow

Verse 1 (skanda.5.67.1)

शृणु व्यास परं तीर्थं भुवि विख्यातमुत्तमम्। कुटुम्बेश्वरेति विख्यातो नाम्ना चैव महेश्वरः

śṛṇu vyāsa paraṁ tīrthaṁ bhuvi vikhyātamuttamam| kuṭumbeśvareti vikhyāto nāmnā caiva maheśvaraḥ

Listen, Vyasa, to another supreme tirtha, renowned as excellent on earth; it is known by the name Kutumbeshvara — Maheshvara himself.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.67.2)

तस्य तीर्थवरं तीर्थं सर्वतीर्थफलप्रदम्। यस्मिंस्तीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा कुटुम्बी जायते ध्रुवम्

tasya tīrthavaraṁ tīrthaṁ sarvatīrthaphalapradam| yasmiṁstīrthe naraḥ snātvā kuṭumbī jāyate dhruvam

That tirtha of his, foremost among tirthas, grants the fruit of all tirthas; a man who bathes there certainly becomes blessed with family.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.67.3)

कुटुम्बार्थं तपस्तेपे पुरा दक्षः प्रजापतिः। नारदेन पुरा व्यास पुत्रषष्टिर्विवासिता

kuṭumbārthaṁ tapastepe purā dakṣaḥ prajāpatiḥ| nāradena purā vyāsa putraṣaṣṭirvivāsitā

Of old, Daksha Prajapati performed austerity for the sake of offspring; for, O Vyasa, his sixty sons had of old been turned away by Narada, toward renunciation.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.67.4)

प्रजाकामः स धर्मात्मा सुचिरं व्रतमाचरत्। सपत्नीको महातेजा निराहारो जितेन्द्रियः

prajākāmaḥ sa dharmātmā suciraṁ vratamācarat| sapatnīko mahātejā nirāhāro jitendriyaḥ

Desiring progeny, that righteous soul observed a long vow; together with his wife, of great splendour, without food, his senses mastered...

Verse 5 (skanda.5.67.5)

अस्मिंस्तीर्थे शुचिः स्नातो जपन्ब्रह्म सनातनम्। वर्षाणामयुतं व्यास तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम्

asmiṁstīrthe śuciḥ snāto japanbrahma sanātanam| varṣāṇāmayutaṁ vyāsa tapastepe sudāruṇam

...bathing purely at this tirtha, reciting the eternal Brahman-mantra, O Vyasa, he performed extremely severe austerity for ten thousand years.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.67.6)

तेन तीर्थप्रसादेन लभेत्स बहुलां प्रजाम्। प्रजापतिरिति ख्यातो जातो दक्षः प्रतापवान्

tena tīrthaprasādena labhetsa bahulāṁ prajām| prajāpatiriti khyāto jāto dakṣaḥ pratāpavān

By the grace of that tirtha he obtained abundant progeny; that powerful Daksha became renowned by the name Prajapati.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.67.7)

ब्रह्माऽपि तत्र वै पश्चात्तपः कृत्वा सुदुष्करम्। निष्कलं कमलं रूपं प्राप्तवांस्तत्क्षणाद्विधिः

brahmā'pi tatra vai paścāttapaḥ kṛtvā suduṣkaram| niṣkalaṁ kamalaṁ rūpaṁ prāptavāṁstatkṣaṇādvidhiḥ

Brahma too, afterward, having performed extremely arduous austerity there, at once obtained that formless, lotus-born form.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.67.8)

महादेवोऽपि तत्रैव प्राप्तवान्ब्रह्मणः पदम्। चतुर्मुखधरं लिंगं दृश्यतेऽद्यापि सत्तम

mahādevo'pi tatraiva prāptavānbrahmaṇaḥ padam| caturmukhadharaṁ liṁgaṁ dṛśyate'dyāpi sattama

Mahadeva too obtained there the station of Brahma; O worthy one, a linga bearing four faces is seen there even today.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.67.9)

भद्रपीठधरा देवी भद्रकालीति विश्रुता। तत्रैव च सदा व्यास क्रीडति स्म धृतव्रता

bhadrapīṭhadharā devī bhadrakālīti viśrutā| tatraiva ca sadā vyāsa krīḍati sma dhṛtavratā

The goddess who bears the sacred seat, renowned as Bhadrakali, O Vyasa, ever sports there, firm in her vow.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.67.10)

द्वारे तिष्ठति तत्रैव भैरवः क्षेत्रपालकः। पादेन खंजतां यातः पुरा दैत्यवरार्दितः

dvāre tiṣṭhati tatraiva bhairavaḥ kṣetrapālakaḥ| pādena khaṁjatāṁ yātaḥ purā daityavarārditaḥ

At that very gateway stands Bhairava, guardian of the sacred field, who of old was made lame in his foot, tormented by a mighty demon.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.67.11)

पुत्रवत्पालितो देव्या सदा तिष्ठति तत्स्थले। ये ते देवगणाः सर्वे तस्मिंस्तीर्थे प्रतिष्ठिताः

putravatpālito devyā sadā tiṣṭhati tatsthale| ye te devagaṇāḥ sarve tasmiṁstīrthe pratiṣṭhitāḥ

Nurtured like a son by the Goddess, he ever abides in that same place; and all those hosts of gods are also established at that tirtha.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.67.12)

ऋषयोऽपि महाभागाः सदा पर्वणिपर्वणि। आयांति चैव संध्यार्थं बहुपुत्रप्रदे सरे

ṛṣayo'pi mahābhāgāḥ sadā parvaṇiparvaṇi| āyāṁti caiva saṁdhyārthaṁ bahuputraprade sare

The greatly blessed sages too, at every sacred festival, come for the evening worship, to that lake which grants abundant sons.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.67.13)

अस्मिंस्तीर्थे सदाचाराः स्नानं कुर्वन्ति ये नराः। न तेषां दुर्लभं किंचिज्जायते जन्मजन्मनि

asmiṁstīrthe sadācārāḥ snānaṁ kurvanti ye narāḥ| na teṣāṁ durlabhaṁ kiṁcijjāyate janmajanmani

Whatever men of good conduct bathe at this tirtha, nothing remains hard to attain for them, birth after birth.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.67.14)

महाबाधासु घोरासु महामारीषु तत्परैः। हवनं क्रियते नित्यं सर्षपैः राजिकैर्यवैः

mahābādhāsu ghorāsu mahāmārīṣu tatparaiḥ| havanaṁ kriyate nityaṁ sarṣapaiḥ rājikairyavaiḥ

In terrible great afflictions and great pestilences, those devoted to it ever perform fire-oblation with mustard seed, black mustard, and barley...

Verse 15 (skanda.5.67.15)

पायसैर्विविधैर्भोगैस्तेषां दोषो न जायते। दुर्भिक्षे राज्यभ्रंशे च संग्रामे भृशदारुणे

pāyasairvividhairbhogaisteṣāṁ doṣo na jāyate| durbhikṣe rājyabhraṁśe ca saṁgrāme bhṛśadāruṇe

...and with rice-pudding and various other offerings — no fault comes to them. In famine, in the loss of a kingdom, and in exceedingly terrible battle...

Verse 16 (skanda.5.67.16)

पूजयेत्क्षेत्रपालं च सर्वापदि समाहितः। सर्वदुःखविनिर्मुक्तो जायते नात्र संशयः

pūjayetkṣetrapālaṁ ca sarvāpadi samāhitaḥ| sarvaduḥkhavinirmukto jāyate nātra saṁśayaḥ

...one should worship Kshetrapala, composed of mind, in every calamity; he becomes freed from every sorrow — of this there is no doubt.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.67.17)

स्नात्वा कुटुंबके तीर्थे पूजयित्वा महेश्वरम्। दानं कूष्मांडकं दद्याद्ब्राह्मणाय तपस्विने

snātvā kuṭuṁbake tīrthe pūjayitvā maheśvaram| dānaṁ kūṣmāṁḍakaṁ dadyādbrāhmaṇāya tapasvine

Having bathed at the Kutumbaka tirtha and worshipped Maheshvara, one should give the gift of a pumpkin-gourd to an ascetic brahmin.

Verse 18 (skanda.5.67.18)

सौवर्णमणिमुक्ताभिर्वासोऽलंकारसंयुतम्। धनधान्यसमायुक्तः कुटुंबी जायते नरः

sauvarṇamaṇimuktābhirvāso'laṁkārasaṁyutam| dhanadhānyasamāyuktaḥ kuṭuṁbī jāyate naraḥ

[Or a gift of] garments and ornaments joined with gold, jewels, and pearls — the man thereby becomes blessed with family, endowed with wealth and grain.

Verse 19 (skanda.5.67.19)

फाल्गुने च सिते पक्षे या वै चतुर्दशी भवेत्। त्रयोदशीयुता व्यास शिवरात्रिस्तथोच्यते

phālgune ca site pakṣe yā vai caturdaśī bhavet| trayodaśīyutā vyāsa śivarātristathocyate

In the bright fortnight of Phalguna, whatever fourteenth day occurs joined with the thirteenth, O Vyasa, that is called Shivaratri.

Verse 20 (skanda.5.67.20)

तद्दिने च नरः स्नात्वा रात्रौ जागरणं चरेत्। बिल्वोदकेन गंधेन बहुपुष्पफलैस्तथा

taddine ca naraḥ snātvā rātrau jāgaraṇaṁ caret| bilvodakena gaṁdhena bahupuṣpaphalaistathā

On that day a man should bathe and keep vigil through the night; with bilva-leaves, water, sandal-paste, and abundant flowers and fruits...

Verse 21 (skanda.5.67.21)

धूपैर्दीपैश्च नैवेद्यैर्वासोऽलंकारकादिभिः। पूजयेद्यो नरो भक्त्या गिरीशं सगणं परम्

dhūpairdīpaiśca naivedyairvāso'laṁkārakādibhiḥ| pūjayedyo naro bhaktyā girīśaṁ sagaṇaṁ param

...with incense, lamps, food-offerings, garments, ornaments, and the rest, whoever with devotion worships the Mountain-Lord together with his hosts, the Supreme...

Verse 22 (skanda.5.67.22)

तस्य पापं क्षयं याति शिवलोके महीयते। द्वादशैकादशीपुण्यं लभते भुवि मानवः

tasya pāpaṁ kṣayaṁ yāti śivaloke mahīyate| dvādaśaikādaśīpuṇyaṁ labhate bhuvi mānavaḥ

...his sin is destroyed, and he is exalted in the world of Shiva. A man obtains on earth the merit of twelve Ekadashis...

Verse 23 (skanda.5.67.23)

अश्वमेधफलं तस्य जागरे च क्षणेक्षणे। ततस्तु प्रातरुत्थाय स्नानदानादिकाः क्रियाः

aśvamedhaphalaṁ tasya jāgare ca kṣaṇekṣaṇe| tatastu prātarutthāya snānadānādikāḥ kriyāḥ

...and the fruit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice for every moment of the vigil. Then, having risen at dawn, the rites of bathing, charity, and the rest...

Verse 24 (skanda.5.67.24)

कृत्वा तु विधिवद्व्यास शिवपूजार्चनं तथा। विप्रांश्च भोजयेत्सप्त तस्य पुण्यफलं शृणु

kṛtvā tu vidhivadvyāsa śivapūjārcanaṁ tathā| viprāṁśca bhojayetsapta tasya puṇyaphalaṁ śṛṇu

...having duly performed, O Vyasa, along with worship of Shiva, and having fed seven brahmins — hear now the fruit of his merit.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.67.25)

कपिलानां सवत्सानां सहस्राणि चतुर्दश। वाजपेयसहस्रस्य फलं प्राप्नोति नान्यथा

kapilānāṁ savatsānāṁ sahasrāṇi caturdaśa| vājapeyasahasrasya phalaṁ prāpnoti nānyathā

The fruit of fourteen thousand tawny cows with their calves, and of a thousand Vajapeya sacrifices, he obtains — not otherwise.