The Greatness of Karkotakeshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.5.81.1)

श्रीमहादेव उवाच। कर्कोटेश्वरसंज्ञं च दशमं विद्धि पार्वति। यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण विषैर्नैवाभिभूयते

śrīmahādeva uvāca| karkoṭeśvarasaṁjñaṁ ca daśamaṁ viddhi pārvati| yasya darśanamātreṇa viṣairnaivābhibhūyate

Shri Mahadeva said: "Know the tenth, O Parvati, by the name Karkoteshvara; by the mere sight of whom one is never overcome by poisons."

Verse 2 (skanda.5.81.2)

मात्रा च भुजगाः शप्ताः स्ववचोभंगकारणात्। मद्वचो न कृतं यस्माद्भवद्भिः पापकर्मणि

mātrā ca bhujagāḥ śaptāḥ svavacobhaṁgakāraṇāt| madvaco na kṛtaṁ yasmādbhavadbhiḥ pāpakarmaṇi

The serpents were cursed by their mother because her word had been disregarded: "Since you have not obeyed my word in this sinful deed —"

Verse 3 (skanda.5.81.3)

वह्निर्हि धक्ष्यते युष्मान्सत्रे जन्मेजयस्य हि। श्रुत्वा शापं ततो मातुर्मृत्युभीताश्च पन्नगाः

vahnirhi dhakṣyate yuṣmānsatre janmejayasya hi| śrutvā śāpaṁ tato māturmṛtyubhītāśca pannagāḥ

"— fire shall consume you all at the sacrifice of Janamejaya." Hearing this curse of their mother, the serpents, terrified of death —

Verse 4 (skanda.5.81.4)

गताः सर्वे यथास्थानं जीवनार्थं यशस्विनि। हिमशैलं गतः शेषस्तपः कर्त्तुं ततः प्रिये

gatāḥ sarve yathāsthānaṁ jīvanārthaṁ yaśasvini| himaśailaṁ gataḥ śeṣastapaḥ karttuṁ tataḥ priye

— O glorious one, all went their own ways to save their lives; Shesha went to the Himalaya to perform austerity, O beloved.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.81.5)

सर्पश्च कंबलोनाम लोकं पैतामहं गतः। शंखचूडोऽथ नागेंद्रो मणिपूरं गतस्ततः

sarpaśca kaṁbalonāma lokaṁ paitāmahaṁ gataḥ| śaṁkhacūḍo'tha nāgeṁdro maṇipūraṁ gatastataḥ

The serpent named Kambala went to the world of Brahma; and the serpent-lord Shankhachuda went then to Manipura.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.81.6)

यमुनांभसि संलीनः कालियो भयविह्वलः

yamunāṁbhasi saṁlīnaḥ kāliyo bhayavihvalaḥ

Kaliya, overcome with fear, hid himself in the waters of the Yamuna.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.81.7)

एवं ते सर्परा जानो नागाः सुस्मितशोभने। कुरुक्षेत्रे गताः सर्वे तपश्चर्तुं यशस्विनि

evaṁ te sarparā jāno nāgāḥ susmitaśobhane| kurukṣetre gatāḥ sarve tapaścartuṁ yaśasvini

Thus, O fair-smiling one, those serpent-kings, the Nagas, all went to Kurukshetra to perform austerity, O glorious one.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.81.8)

धृतराष्ट्रस्तथा नागः प्रयागमगमत्प्रिये। एलापत्रस्तु नागेंद्रो ब्रह्मलोकं जगाम ह

dhṛtarāṣṭrastathā nāgaḥ prayāgamagamatpriye| elāpatrastu nāgeṁdro brahmalokaṁ jagāma ha

The naga Dhritarashtra went to Prayaga, O beloved; and the serpent-lord Elapatra went to the world of Brahma.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.81.9)

प्रणम्य तमथोवाच मातुरुत्संगसंस्थिताः। मात्रा शप्ता वयं देव क्रुद्धया तव संनिधौ। सा कथं शापकाले तु भवता न निवारि ता

praṇamya tamathovāca māturutsaṁgasaṁsthitāḥ| mātrā śaptā vayaṁ deva kruddhayā tava saṁnidhau| sā kathaṁ śāpakāle tu bhavatā na nivāri tā

Bowing to him, seated in their mother's lap, they said: "O Lord, our angry mother cursed us in your very presence; why did you not restrain her at the time of the curse?"

Verse 10 (skanda.5.81.10)

ब्रह्मोवाच। निषिद्धा नैव ते माता भाविकर्मबलान्मम। सर्पसत्रो हि भविता राज्ञो जन्मेजयस्य च

brahmovāca| niṣiddhā naiva te mātā bhāvikarmabalānmama| sarpasatro hi bhavitā rājño janmejayasya ca

Brahma said: "I did not restrain your mother, on account of the power of destined events to come; for King Janamejaya's serpent-sacrifice is bound to take place."

Verse 11 (skanda.5.81.11)

त्वं च वत्स ममादेशान्महाकालवनं व्रज। शांत्यर्थं सर्वनागानां भक्त्या युक्तस्तु सत्वरम्

tvaṁ ca vatsa mamādeśānmahākālavanaṁ vraja| śāṁtyarthaṁ sarvanāgānāṁ bhaktyā yuktastu satvaram

"You, my child, by my command, go swiftly and with devotion to the Mahakala forest, for the peace of all the Nagas."

Verse 12 (skanda.5.81.12)

समाराधय देवेशं महामायासमीपतः। भविता तत्र ते सिद्धि देवदेवप्रसादतः

samārādhaya deveśaṁ mahāmāyāsamīpataḥ| bhavitā tatra te siddhi devadevaprasādataḥ

"Worship the lord of gods near Mahamaya; there, by the grace of the god of gods, you shall attain accomplishment."

Verse 13 (skanda.5.81.13)

तत्र गत्वाथ कर्कोटः स्वयं देवि समाहितः। देवमाराधयामास महामायापुरःस्थितः

tatra gatvātha karkoṭaḥ svayaṁ devi samāhitaḥ| devamārādhayāmāsa mahāmāyāpuraḥsthitaḥ

Having gone there, O Devi, Karkota, himself composed in mind, standing before Mahamaya, worshipped the god.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.81.14)

तस्य तुष्टोथ देवेशो वरं प्रादाद्य शस्विनि। ये दंदशूकाः क्रूराश्च पापाचारा विषोल्बणाः

tasya tuṣṭotha deveśo varaṁ prādādya śasvini| ye daṁdaśūkāḥ krūrāśca pāpācārā viṣolbaṇāḥ

Pleased with him, the lord of gods granted a boon, O glorious one: "Those biting serpents that are cruel, sinful in conduct, and fierce with poison —"

Verse 15 (skanda.5.81.15)

तेषां विनाशो भविता न तु ये धर्मचारिणः। भक्त्या तवाद्य तुष्टोस्मि त्वं मे सायुज्यतां व्रज

teṣāṁ vināśo bhavitā na tu ye dharmacāriṇaḥ| bhaktyā tavādya tuṣṭosmi tvaṁ me sāyujyatāṁ vraja

"— their destruction shall come to pass, but not that of those who walk in righteousness. Today I am pleased by your devotion; go, attain union with me."

Verse 16 (skanda.5.81.16)

देवे तत्र विलीनोथ नागः कर्कोटकः प्रिये। कर्कोटकेश्वरः ख्यातस्ततो देवो महेश्वरः

deve tatra vilīnotha nāgaḥ karkoṭakaḥ priye| karkoṭakeśvaraḥ khyātastato devo maheśvaraḥ

O beloved, there the serpent Karkotaka merged into that god; and from then on that god, Maheshvara, became renowned as Karkotakeshvara.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.81.17)

तस्य दर्शनमात्रेण व्याधयो यांति संक्षयम्। यस्तं पूजयते देवं भक्त्या युक्तो हि मानवः

tasya darśanamātreṇa vyādhayo yāṁti saṁkṣayam| yastaṁ pūjayate devaṁ bhaktyā yukto hi mānavaḥ

By the mere sight of him, diseases go to their destruction; the man who, endowed with devotion, worships that god —

Verse 18 (skanda.5.81.18)

ऐश्वर्यं जायते तस्य कुलानां तारयेच्छतम्। व्याधितो व्याधितो मुक्तो दुःखी दुःखात्प्रमुच्यते

aiśvaryaṁ jāyate tasya kulānāṁ tārayecchatam| vyādhito vyādhito mukto duḥkhī duḥkhātpramucyate

— attains prosperity, and delivers a hundred generations of his lineage; the diseased is freed from disease, the sorrowful is freed from sorrow.

Verse 19 (skanda.5.81.19)

दर्शनात्तु भवेत्सद्य सर्वपातकवर्जितः। नियमेन प्रपश्यंति ये च कर्कोटकेश्वरम्

darśanāttu bhavetsadya sarvapātakavarjitaḥ| niyamena prapaśyaṁti ye ca karkoṭakeśvaram

By the sight of him alone a man becomes at once free of all sin; those who behold Karkotakeshvara regularly —

Verse 20 (skanda.5.81.20)

ते सर्वकामानाप्स्यंति वसंत्यंते च मत्पुरे। पंचम्यां च चतुर्दश्यां ये पश्यंति रवेर्दिने

te sarvakāmānāpsyaṁti vasaṁtyaṁte ca matpure| paṁcamyāṁ ca caturdaśyāṁ ye paśyaṁti raverdine

— attain all their desires and, in the end, dwell in my own city. Those who behold him on the fifth, or the fourteenth, or on Sunday —

Verse 21 (skanda.5.81.21)

न तेषां तु कुले सर्पाः पीडां कुर्वंति कर्हिचित्। या नारी दुर्भगा सापि सौभाग्यं लभते सदा

na teṣāṁ tu kule sarpāḥ pīḍāṁ kurvaṁti karhicit| yā nārī durbhagā sāpi saubhāgyaṁ labhate sadā

— in their lineage, serpents never cause harm; even an ill-fated woman ever attains good fortune thereby.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.81.22)

गुर्विणी लभते पुत्रमरोगं कुलभूषणम्। शिशुग्रहाश्च नश्यंति नापमृत्युभयं भवेत्

gurviṇī labhate putramarogaṁ kulabhūṣaṇam| śiśugrahāśca naśyaṁti nāpamṛtyubhayaṁ bhavet

A pregnant woman obtains a healthy son, an ornament to the family; the seizing spirits that afflict infants are destroyed, and there is no fear of untimely death.

Verse 23 (skanda.5.81.23)

यंयं काममभिध्यायेन्मन सा भक्तिमान्नरः। तंतं दुर्ल्लभमाप्नोति कर्कोटेश्वरदर्शनात्

yaṁyaṁ kāmamabhidhyāyenmana sā bhaktimānnaraḥ| taṁtaṁ durllabhamāpnoti karkoṭeśvaradarśanāt

Whatever desire, however hard to attain, a devoted man holds in mind, that very desire he obtains through the sight of Karkoteshvara.

Verse 24 (skanda.5.81.24)

एष ते कथितो देवि प्रभावः पापनाशनः। कर्कोटेश्वरदेवस्य शृणु सिद्धेश्वरं परम्

eṣa te kathito devi prabhāvaḥ pāpanāśanaḥ| karkoṭeśvaradevasya śṛṇu siddheśvaraṁ param

This, O Devi, is the sin-destroying glory of the god Karkoteshvara that I have told you; now hear of the supreme Siddheshvara.