King Chamatkara Cured of Leprosy at Shankha-tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.6.10.1)

सूत उवाच। आनर्त्ताधिपतिर्भूपश्चमत्कार इति स्मृतः। एतस्मिन्नंतरे प्राप्तस्तत्र हंतुं वने मृगान्

sūta uvāca| ānarttādhipatirbhūpaścamatkāra iti smṛtaḥ| etasminnaṁtare prāptastatra haṁtuṁ vane mṛgān

Suta said: Meanwhile, a king named Chamatkara, the lord of Anarta, arrived there in the forest, to hunt deer.

Verse 2 (skanda.6.10.2)

स ददर्श मृगीं दूरान्निश्चलांगीं तरोरधः। स्तनं सुताय यच्छंतीं विश्वस्तामकुतोभयाम्

sa dadarśa mṛgīṁ dūrānniścalāṁgīṁ taroradhaḥ| stanaṁ sutāya yacchaṁtīṁ viśvastāmakutobhayām

From a distance he saw a doe, standing motionless beneath a tree, giving her breast to her fawn, trusting and utterly without fear.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.10.3)

अथ तां पार्थिवस्तूर्णं शरेणानतपर्वणा। जघानाकर्णकृष्टेन मर्मस्थाने प्रहर्षितः

atha tāṁ pārthivastūrṇaṁ śareṇānataparvaṇā| jaghānākarṇakṛṣṭena marmasthāne praharṣitaḥ

Then the king, filled with delight, swiftly struck her in a vital spot with an arrow of curved joints, drawn back to his very ear.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.10.4)

सहसा सा हता तेन गार्द्ध्रपत्रेण पत्रिणा। दिशो विलोकयामास समंताद्व्यथयार्दिता

sahasā sā hatā tena gārddhrapatreṇa patriṇā| diśo vilokayāmāsa samaṁtādvyathayārditā

Suddenly struck by that vulture-feathered shaft, she gazed about in every direction, tormented by pain.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.10.5)

अथ दृष्ट्वा महीपालं नातिदूरे धनुर्धरम्। प्रोवाचाश्रुपरिक्लिन्नवदना सुतवत्सला

atha dṛṣṭvā mahīpālaṁ nātidūre dhanurdharam| provācāśrupariklinnavadanā sutavatsalā

Then, seeing the king, bow in hand, not far away, that doe, so tender toward her fawn, her face wet with tears, spoke:

Verse 6 (skanda.6.10.6)

मृग्युवाच। अयुक्तं पृथिवीपाल यत्त्वयैतदनुष्ठितम्। हताऽहं बालवत्साऽद्य शरेणानतपर्वणा

mṛgyuvāca| ayuktaṁ pṛthivīpāla yattvayaitadanuṣṭhitam| hatā'haṁ bālavatsā'dya śareṇānataparvaṇā

The doe said: O king of the earth, what you have done is unjust. I, with a young fawn, have today been slain by a curved-jointed arrow.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.10.7)

नाऽहं शोचामि भूपाल मरणं स्वशरीरगम्। यथेमं वालकं दीनं क्षीरास्वादनलंपटम्

nā'haṁ śocāmi bhūpāla maraṇaṁ svaśarīragam| yathemaṁ vālakaṁ dīnaṁ kṣīrāsvādanalaṁpaṭam

O king, I do not grieve for the death that comes to my own body, so much as I grieve for this poor little one, still eager for the taste of milk.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.10.8)

यस्मात्त्वयेदृशं कर्म निर्दयं समनुष्ठितम्। कुष्ठव्याधिसमायुक्तस्तस्मात्सद्यो भविष्यसि

yasmāttvayedṛśaṁ karma nirdayaṁ samanuṣṭhitam| kuṣṭhavyādhisamāyuktastasmātsadyo bhaviṣyasi

Since you have committed so merciless a deed, therefore you shall at once become afflicted with the disease of leprosy.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.10.9)

राजोवाच। स्वधर्म एष भूपानां कुर्वंति मृगसंक्षयम्। तस्मात्स्वधर्मसंयुक्तं न मां त्वं शप्तुमर्हसि

rājovāca| svadharma eṣa bhūpānāṁ kurvaṁti mṛgasaṁkṣayam| tasmātsvadharmasaṁyuktaṁ na māṁ tvaṁ śaptumarhasi

The king said: This is the proper duty of kings — to hunt down deer. Therefore you ought not to curse me for what is joined to my own duty.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.10.10)

मृग्युवाच। सत्यमेतन्महीपाल यत्त्वया परिकीर्तितम्। क्षत्त्रियाणां वधार्थाय मृगाः सृष्टाः स्वयंभुवा

mṛgyuvāca| satyametanmahīpāla yattvayā parikīrtitam| kṣattriyāṇāṁ vadhārthāya mṛgāḥ sṛṣṭāḥ svayaṁbhuvā

The doe said: This that you have said, O king, is true: deer were created by the Self-born Brahma for kshatriyas to hunt.

Verse 11 (skanda.6.10.11)

परं तेन विधिस्तेषांकृतो यस्तं महीपते। शृणुष्वाऽवहितो भूत्वा वदंत्या मम सांप्रतम्

paraṁ tena vidhisteṣāṁkṛto yastaṁ mahīpate| śṛṇuṣvā'vahito bhūtvā vadaṁtyā mama sāṁpratam

But there is a rule that he laid down concerning them, O king; listen attentively now, as I tell it to you.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.10.12)

सुप्तं मैथुनसंयुक्तं स्तनपानक्रियोद्यतम्। हत्वा मृगं जलासक्तं नरः पापेन लिप्यते

suptaṁ maithunasaṁyuktaṁ stanapānakriyodyatam| hatvā mṛgaṁ jalāsaktaṁ naraḥ pāpena lipyate

A man is tainted with sin who kills a deer that is asleep, or engaged in mating, or occupied in giving suck, or intent upon drinking water.

Verse 13 (skanda.6.10.13)

एतस्मात्कारणाच्छापस्तव दत्तो मया नृप। न कामतो न मृत्योर्वा सत्येनात्मानमालभे

etasmātkāraṇācchāpastava datto mayā nṛpa| na kāmato na mṛtyorvā satyenātmānamālabhe

For this reason, O king, I have pronounced this curse upon you — not out of desire, nor out of fear of death; I swear this upon my very self, in truth.

Verse 14 (skanda.6.10.14)

एवमुक्त्वा मृगी प्राणान्सा मुमोच व्यथान्विता। कुष्ठव्याधिसमायुक्तः सोऽपि राजा बभूव ह

evamuktvā mṛgī prāṇānsā mumoca vyathānvitā| kuṣṭhavyādhisamāyuktaḥ so'pi rājā babhūva ha

Having said this, the doe, overcome with pain, gave up her life; and that king too became afflicted with the disease of leprosy.

Verse 15 (skanda.6.10.15)

स दृष्ट्वा कुष्ठसंयुक्तं पार्थिवः स्वं कलेवरम्। ततः स्वान्सेवकानाह समाहूय सुदुःखितः

sa dṛṣṭvā kuṣṭhasaṁyuktaṁ pārthivaḥ svaṁ kalevaram| tataḥ svānsevakānāha samāhūya suduḥkhitaḥ

Seeing his own body now covered with leprosy, the king, greatly distressed, summoned his servants and said:

Verse 16 (skanda.6.10.16)

अहं तपश्चरिष्यामि पूजयिष्यामि शंकरम्। तावद्यावत्प्रणाशो मे कुष्ठव्याधेर्भविष्यति

ahaṁ tapaścariṣyāmi pūjayiṣyāmi śaṁkaram| tāvadyāvatpraṇāśo me kuṣṭhavyādherbhaviṣyati

'I shall practice austerities and worship Shankara, until my disease of leprosy is utterly destroyed.'

Verse 17 (skanda.6.10.17)

यत्किंचित्त्रिषु लोकेषु प्रार्थयंति नराः सुखम्। तत्सर्वं तपसा साध्यं तस्मात्कार्यं मया तपः

yatkiṁcittriṣu lokeṣu prārthayaṁti narāḥ sukham| tatsarvaṁ tapasā sādhyaṁ tasmātkāryaṁ mayā tapaḥ

'Whatever happiness men seek in the three worlds, all of it is attainable through austerity; therefore austerity must be practiced by me.'

Verse 18 (skanda.6.10.18)

अधुनैकोऽहमैकाहमेकैकस्मिन्वनस्पतौ। चरन्भैक्षं तु नियमैश्चरिष्यामि धरातले

adhunaiko'hamaikāhamekaikasminvanaspatau| caranbhaikṣaṁ tu niyamaiścariṣyāmi dharātale

'Now, alone, day by day, I shall move beneath one tree after another upon this earth, begging alms, observing strict vows.'

Verse 19 (skanda.6.10.19)

पांसुना समवच्छन्ने शून्यागारे प्रतिश्रयः। वृक्षमूलनिकेते वा मुक्तसर्वप्रियाप्रियः

pāṁsunā samavacchanne śūnyāgāre pratiśrayaḥ| vṛkṣamūlanikete vā muktasarvapriyāpriyaḥ

'I shall take shelter in an empty, dust-covered dwelling, or at the foot of a tree, free from every attachment to what is pleasant or unpleasant.'

Verse 20 (skanda.6.10.20)

समः शत्रुषु मित्रेषु समलोष्टाश्मकांचनः। भूत्वा कालं नयिष्यामि यावत्कालस्य संस्थितिः

samaḥ śatruṣu mitreṣu samaloṣṭāśmakāṁcanaḥ| bhūtvā kālaṁ nayiṣyāmi yāvatkālasya saṁsthitiḥ

'Even-minded toward enemies and friends alike, regarding a clod of earth, a stone, and gold as the same, I shall pass my time thus, for as long as time itself allows.'

Verse 21 (skanda.6.10.21)

एवं तान्सेवकान्भूपः सोऽभिधाय विसृज्य च। तीर्थयात्रा परो भूत्वा बभ्राम वसुधातले

evaṁ tānsevakānbhūpaḥ so'bhidhāya visṛjya ca| tīrthayātrā paro bhūtvā babhrāma vasudhātale

Having thus spoken to his servants and dismissed them, that king, devoted wholly to pilgrimage, wandered over the earth.

Verse 22 (skanda.6.10.22)

ततः कालेन महता प्राप्य विप्रसमुद्भवम्। उपदेशं नृपः प्राप्तः शंखतीर्थं महोदयम्

tataḥ kālena mahatā prāpya viprasamudbhavam| upadeśaṁ nṛpaḥ prāptaḥ śaṁkhatīrthaṁ mahodayam

Then, after a long time, receiving instruction that had arisen from a brahmin, the king came to the greatly auspicious Shankha-tirtha —

Verse 23 (skanda.6.10.23)

हाटकेश्वरजे क्षेत्रे सर्वव्याधिविनाशकम्। विख्यातं त्रिषु लोकेषु पूरितं स्वच्छवारिणा

hāṭakeśvaraje kṣetre sarvavyādhivināśakam| vikhyātaṁ triṣu lokeṣu pūritaṁ svacchavāriṇā

— in the sacred field of Hatakeshvara, a tirtha that destroys every disease, renowned throughout the three worlds, filled with pure water.

Verse 24 (skanda.6.10.24)

तत्राऽसौ स्नानमात्रेण तत्क्षणात्पार्थिवोतमः। कुष्ठव्याधिवि निर्मुक्तः संजातः सुमहाद्युतिः

tatrā'sau snānamātreṇa tatkṣaṇātpārthivotamaḥ| kuṣṭhavyādhivi nirmuktaḥ saṁjātaḥ sumahādyutiḥ

There, by the mere act of bathing, that best of kings was instantly freed from his disease of leprosy, and became endowed with the greatest splendor.