The Closing Glory of the Avanti Pilgrimage

Verse 1 (skanda.5.71.1)

व्यास उवाच। भगवन्भवता सर्वं कथितं देवमूर्तिना। अवंतीतीर्थमाहात्म्यं पवित्रं वेदसंमितम्

vyāsa uvāca| bhagavanbhavatā sarvaṁ kathitaṁ devamūrtinā| avaṁtītīrthamāhātmyaṁ pavitraṁ vedasaṁmitam

Vyasa said: O Lord, of divine form, everything has been told by you — this sacred greatness of the Avanti tirtha, equal to the Veda.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.71.2)

भूयस्तु श्रोतुमिच्छामि त्वत्तो ब्रह्मविदां वर। महाकालवने रम्ये अवंत्यां भुवि सत्तम। तीर्थानि कतिसंख्यानि विद्यंते ह्यत्र सुव्रत

bhūyastu śrotumicchāmi tvatto brahmavidāṁ vara| mahākālavane ramye avaṁtyāṁ bhuvi sattama| tīrthāni katisaṁkhyāni vidyaṁte hyatra suvrata

I wish to hear yet more from you, best among knowers of Brahman — in the beautiful Mahakala forest, in Avanti on this earth, O worthy one, how many tirthas exist here, O one of good vows?

Verse 3 (skanda.5.71.3)

सनत्कुमार उवाच। श्रूयतां भो द्विजश्रेष्ठ कथां पापहरां पराम्

sanatkumāra uvāca| śrūyatāṁ bho dvijaśreṣṭha kathāṁ pāpaharāṁ parām

Sanatkumara said: Listen, O best of brahmins, to this supreme sin-removing tale.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.71.4)

उमामहेश्वरसंवादं नारदस्य च धीमतः। नारदेन पुरा पृष्टं प्रश्नमेतद्द्विजोत्तम

umāmaheśvarasaṁvādaṁ nāradasya ca dhīmataḥ| nāradena purā pṛṣṭaṁ praśnametaddvijottama

This is the dialogue of Uma and Maheshvara, and of the wise Narada; O best of brahmins, this question was once asked by Narada.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.71.5)

नारद उवाच। भगवंच्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि महाकालवने शुभे। तीर्थानि यानि वर्तंते तानि नो वद विस्तरात्

nārada uvāca| bhagavaṁcchrotumicchāmi mahākālavane śubhe| tīrthāni yāni vartaṁte tāni no vada vistarāt

Narada said: 'My lord, I wish to hear — in the auspicious Mahakala forest, whatever tirthas exist, tell us of them in detail.'

Verse 6 (skanda.5.71.6)

इति पृष्टस्तदा विप्र नारदेन पुराऽनघ। उवाच श्लक्ष्णया वाचा उमया सहितो हरः

iti pṛṣṭastadā vipra nāradena purā'nagha| uvāca ślakṣṇayā vācā umayā sahito haraḥ

O brahmin, sinless one, thus questioned then by Narada of old, Hara, together with Uma, spoke in a gentle voice.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.71.7)

श्रीमहादेव उवाच। शृणुष्व भो ऋषिश्रेष्ठ महाकालवने शुभे। तीर्थानि यानि तिष्ठंति तानि वक्ष्यामि सुव्रत

śrīmahādeva uvāca| śṛṇuṣva bho ṛṣiśreṣṭha mahākālavane śubhe| tīrthāni yāni tiṣṭhaṁti tāni vakṣyāmi suvrata

Shri Mahadeva said: 'Listen, O best of sages, in the auspicious Mahakala forest, whatever tirthas stand there — those I shall tell, O one of good vows.'

Verse 8 (skanda.5.71.8)

पुष्कराद्यानि तीर्थानि यानि कानि महीतले। तानि सर्वाणि वर्तंते महाकालवनोत्तमे

puṣkarādyāni tīrthāni yāni kāni mahītale| tāni sarvāṇi vartaṁte mahākālavanottame

'Whatever tirthas exist on this earth, beginning with Pushkara — all of them exist in the best of the Mahakala forests.'

Verse 9 (skanda.5.71.9)

असंख्यातसहस्राणि कोटिकोटीनि सत्तम। रुद्रसरे निमज्जंति कोटितीर्थं तथोच्यते

asaṁkhyātasahasrāṇi koṭikoṭīni sattama| rudrasare nimajjaṁti koṭitīrthaṁ tathocyate

'Innumerable thousands, crores upon crores, O worthy one, immerse themselves in Rudra-saras; it is therefore called Koti-tirtha.'

Verse 10 (skanda.5.71.10)

नीहारकणिकावृष्टिं गिरौ वर्षंति किन्नराः। हेमंते चैव दृश्यंते तीर्थे पैशाचमोचने

nīhārakaṇikāvṛṣṭiṁ girau varṣaṁti kinnarāḥ| hemaṁte caiva dṛśyaṁte tīrthe paiśācamocane

'The kinnaras rain down a shower of frost-particles upon the mountain; and in the winter season they are seen at the Pishacha-mochana tirtha.'

Verse 11 (skanda.5.71.11)

न हि संख्यां विजानामि तीर्थानां भुवि सत्तम। कियंति संति तीर्थानि लिंगानि च तथैव च

na hi saṁkhyāṁ vijānāmi tīrthānāṁ bhuvi sattama| kiyaṁti saṁti tīrthāni liṁgāni ca tathaiva ca

'O worthy one, I do not indeed know the count of the tirthas on this earth — how many tirthas there are, and lingas as well.'

Verse 12 (skanda.5.71.12)

तथापि च प्राधान्येन कथयिष्यामि सत्तम। संवत्सरस्य यावंति अहानि च द्विजोत्तम

tathāpi ca prādhānyena kathayiṣyāmi sattama| saṁvatsarasya yāvaṁti ahāni ca dvijottama

'Nevertheless, by their principal ones, I shall tell them, O worthy one: as many as are the days of the year, O best of brahmins...'

Verse 13 (skanda.5.71.13)

तावंति प्रापणीयानि प्रसिद्धानि परंतप। वत्सरे परिपूर्णे च जायतेऽवंतियात्रिका

tāvaṁti prāpaṇīyāni prasiddhāni paraṁtapa| vatsare paripūrṇe ca jāyate'vaṁtiyātrikā

'...that many renowned tirthas are to be visited, O scorcher of foes; when the year is completed, the Avanti pilgrimage comes to fruition.'

Verse 14 (skanda.5.71.14)

विधिवत्कुरुते यस्तु साक्षाच्छंभुर्भवेच्च सः। मन्वंतरसहस्रेषु काशीवासे च यत्फलम्

vidhivatkurute yastu sākṣācchaṁbhurbhavecca saḥ| manvaṁtarasahasreṣu kāśīvāse ca yatphalam

'Whoever performs it duly becomes Shambhu himself, in visible form; the fruit that comes from dwelling in Kashi for a thousand manvantaras...'

Verse 15 (skanda.5.71.15)

तत्फलं जायतेऽवंत्यां वैशाखे पंचभिर्दिनैः। अवंतीयात्रा कर्तव्या प्रयत्नेन मुमुक्षुणा

tatphalaṁ jāyate'vaṁtyāṁ vaiśākhe paṁcabhirdinaiḥ| avaṁtīyātrā kartavyā prayatnena mumukṣuṇā

'...that same fruit comes about in Avanti within five days of the month of Vaishakha; the pilgrimage of Avanti should be undertaken with effort by one who seeks liberation.'

Verse 16 (skanda.5.71.16)

माधवेऽपि विशेषेण ह्यवंतीस्नानमाचरेत्। यो हि वैशाखमासाद्य अवंत्यां व्यास मानवः

mādhave'pi viśeṣeṇa hyavaṁtīsnānamācaret| yo hi vaiśākhamāsādya avaṁtyāṁ vyāsa mānavaḥ

'Especially in the month of Madhava too, one should perform the Avanti bathing-rite; O Vyasa, whatever man, having reached Avanti in the month of Vaishakha...'

Verse 17 (skanda.5.71.17)

संवत्सरव्रती स्नातस्तीर्थे तीर्थे यथाविधि। दत्त्वा दानानि सर्वाणि समूलं फलमश्नुते

saṁvatsaravratī snātastīrthe tīrthe yathāvidhi| dattvā dānāni sarvāṇi samūlaṁ phalamaśnute

'...observing the vow for a full year, bathing at tirtha after tirtha according to rule, and giving every kind of gift, obtains the fruit in full measure, together with its root.'

Verse 18 (skanda.5.71.18)

भुक्त्वा भोगान्सुविपुलाञ्छिवलोके महीयते

bhuktvā bhogānsuvipulāñchivaloke mahīyate

'...having enjoyed most abundant pleasures, he is exalted in the world of Shiva.'

Verse 19 (skanda.5.71.19)

माहात्म्यमेतच्छिवभक्तिवर्द्धनं यशस्करं पुण्यविवर्द्धनं च। यः श्रावयेद्वा शृणुयाच्च भक्त्या कुलं समुद्धृत्य हरः पदं व्रजेत्

māhātmyametacchivabhaktivarddhanaṁ yaśaskaraṁ puṇyavivarddhanaṁ ca| yaḥ śrāvayedvā śṛṇuyācca bhaktyā kulaṁ samuddhṛtya haraḥ padaṁ vrajet

This greatness increases devotion to Shiva, brings fame, and increases merit; whoever recites it to others with devotion, or hears it, having uplifted his lineage, goes to the abode of Hara.