The Account of the Vanished Tirthas

Verse 1 (skanda.6.106.1)

ऋषय ऊचुः । भूपृष्ठे पांसुभिस्तस्मिन्प्रेतैस्तैः परिपूरिते । यानि तीर्थानि लुप्तानि लिङ्गानि च वदस्व नः

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ bhūpṛṣṭhe pāṁsubhistasminpretaistaiḥ paripūrite yāni tīrthāni luptāni liṅgāni ca vadasva naḥ

The sages said: "When that surface of the earth had been filled with dust by those pretas, tell us which tirthas and lingas were thereby lost."

Verse 2 (skanda.6.106.2)

सूत उवाच । असंख्यातानि तीर्थानि तथा लिंगानि च द्विजाः । लोपं गतानि वक्ष्यामि प्राधान्येन प्रबोधत

sūta uvāca asaṁkhyātāni tīrthāni tathā liṁgāni ca dvijāḥ lopaṁ gatāni vakṣyāmi prādhānyena prabodhata

Suta said: There were countless tirthas, O brahmins, and lingas as well, that came to be lost; I shall relate them to you chiefly — listen attentively.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.106.3)

तत्र लोपं गतं तीर्थं चक्रतीर्थमिति स्मृतम् । यत्र चक्रं पुरा न्यस्तं विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना

tatra lopaṁ gataṁ tīrthaṁ cakratīrthamiti smṛtam yatra cakraṁ purā nyastaṁ viṣṇunā prabhaviṣṇunā

Among them, the tirtha that was lost is remembered as Chakratirtha, where the discus was once placed by the mighty Vishnu.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.106.4)

मातृतीर्थं तथैवान्यत्सर्वकामप्रदं नृणाम् । यत्र ता मातरो दिव्याः कार्तिकेयप्रतिष्ठिताः

mātṛtīrthaṁ tathaivānyatsarvakāmapradaṁ nṛṇām yatra tā mātaro divyāḥ kārtikeyapratiṣṭhitāḥ

And likewise another, the Matri-tirtha, granting all desires to men, where those divine Mother-goddesses, established by Kartikeya, dwelt.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.106.5)

मुचुकुन्दस्य राजर्षेस्तथान्यल्लिंगमुत्तमम् । तत्र लोपं गतं विप्राः सगरस्य तु भूपतेः

mucukundasya rājarṣestathānyalliṁgamuttamam tatra lopaṁ gataṁ viprāḥ sagarasya tu bhūpateḥ

And the most excellent linga of the royal sage Muchukunda, too, O brahmins, was lost there — as was that of King Sagara.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.106.6)

इक्ष्वाकोर्वसुषेणस्य ककुत्स्थस्य महात्मनः । ऐलस्य चन्द्रदेवस्य काशिराजस्य सन्मतेः

ikṣvākorvasuṣeṇasya kakutsthasya mahātmanaḥ ailasya candradevasya kāśirājasya sanmateḥ

those of Ikshvaku, of Vasushena, of the great soul Kakutstha, of Aila, of Chandradeva, and of the wise king of Kashi,

Verse 7 (skanda.6.106.7)

अग्निवेशस्य रैभ्यस्य च्यवनस्य भृगोस्तथा । आश्रमो याज्ञवल्क्यस्य तत्र लोपं समाययौ

agniveśasya raibhyasya cyavanasya bhṛgostathā āśramo yājñavalkyasya tatra lopaṁ samāyayau

those of Agnivesha, of Raibhya, of Chyavana, and of Bhrigu — and the hermitage of Yajnavalkya — all came to be lost there.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.106.8)

हारीतस्य महर्षेश्च हर्यश्वस्य महात्मनः । कुत्सस्य च वसिष्ठस्य नारदस्य त्रितस्य च

hārītasya maharṣeśca haryaśvasya mahātmanaḥ kutsasya ca vasiṣṭhasya nāradasya tritasya ca

those of the great sage Harita, of the great soul Haryashva, of Kutsa, of Vasishtha, of Narada, and of Trita,

Verse 9 (skanda.6.106.9)

तथैव ऋषिपत्नीनां तत्र लिंगानि भूरिशः । कात्यायन्याश्च शांडिल्या मैत्रेय्याश्च तथा पुरा

tathaiva ṛṣipatnīnāṁ tatra liṁgāni bhūriśaḥ kātyāyanyāśca śāṁḍilyā maitreyyāśca tathā purā

and likewise the numerous lingas of the sages' wives — of Katyayani, Shandili, and Maitreyi as well, in former times,

Verse 10 (skanda.6.106.10)

अन्यासां मुनिपत्नीनां यासां संख्या न विद्यते । तत्राश्चर्यमभूदन्यत्पूर्यमाणे महीतले

anyāsāṁ munipatnīnāṁ yāsāṁ saṁkhyā na vidyate tatrāścaryamabhūdanyatpūryamāṇe mahītale

and of other sages' wives too, whose number is beyond counting — all these were lost. Then another wonder occurred there, while the earth was being filled.

Verse 11 (skanda.6.106.11)

पांसुभी राक्षसैर्यैस्तैः प्रेतैर्ब्राह्मणसत्तमाः । तद्वोऽहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि श्रोतव्यं सुसमाहितैः

pāṁsubhī rākṣasairyaistaiḥ pretairbrāhmaṇasattamāḥ tadvo'haṁ saṁpravakṣyāmi śrotavyaṁ susamāhitaiḥ

I shall now relate to you, O best of brahmins, what happened with that dust cast by those rakshasas turned pretas — listen with full attention.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.106.12)

दृष्ट्वा पांसुमयीं वृष्टिं मुक्तां प्रेतैः समंततः । मातृवर्गेण तेनाथ प्रमुक्तः प्रचुरोऽनिलः

dṛṣṭvā pāṁsumayīṁ vṛṣṭiṁ muktāṁ pretaiḥ samaṁtataḥ mātṛvargeṇa tenātha pramuktaḥ pracuro'nilaḥ

Seeing the shower of dust released on every side by the pretas, a mighty wind was then unleashed by the host of Mothers.

Verse 13 (skanda.6.106.13)

तेन पांसुकृता वृष्टिः समंतान्मथिता बहिः । तस्या भूमेः पतत्येव न किंचित्तत्र पूर्यते

tena pāṁsukṛtā vṛṣṭiḥ samaṁtānmathitā bahiḥ tasyā bhūmeḥ patatyeva na kiṁcittatra pūryate

By that wind, the shower of dust was scattered outward on every side; none of it settles on that ground — nothing there is ever filled.

Verse 14 (skanda.6.106.14)

ततस्ते व्यंतराः खिन्ना निराशास्तस्य पूरणे । भूतास्तस्य पुरो गत्वा चुक्रुशुः कुशभूपतेः

tataste vyaṁtarāḥ khinnā nirāśāstasya pūraṇe bhūtāstasya puro gatvā cukruśuḥ kuśabhūpateḥ

Then those vetalas, weary and despairing of ever filling it, went as beings before King Kusha and cried out —

Verse 15 (skanda.6.106.15)

अस्माभिर्विहिता तत्र पांसुवृष्टिर्महीपते । नीयते शतधाऽन्यत्र मातृमुक्तेन वायुना

asmābhirvihitā tatra pāṁsuvṛṣṭirmahīpate nīyate śatadhā'nyatra mātṛmuktena vāyunā

"This dust-shower we have made here, O lord of the earth, is being scattered a hundredfold elsewhere by the wind released by the Mothers.

Verse 16 (skanda.6.106.16)

स त्वं तासां विघातार्थमुपायं भूप चिंतय । येन तां पांसुभिर्भूमिं पूरयामः समंततः

sa tvaṁ tāsāṁ vighātārthamupāyaṁ bhūpa ciṁtaya yena tāṁ pāṁsubhirbhūmiṁ pūrayāmaḥ samaṁtataḥ

So you, O king, must devise some means to counter them, by which we may fill up that ground with dust on every side."

Verse 17 (skanda.6.106.17)

तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ततः कुशमहीपतिः । रुद्रमाराधयामास तत्क्षेत्रं प्राप्य सद्द्विजाः

teṣāṁ tadvacanaṁ śrutvā tataḥ kuśamahīpatiḥ rudramārādhayāmāsa tatkṣetraṁ prāpya saddvijāḥ

Hearing their words, King Kusha, having reached that field, then propitiated Rudra, O good brahmins.

Verse 18 (skanda.6.106.18)

ततस्तस्य गतस्तुष्टिं वर्षांते भगवान्हरः । प्रोवाच प्रार्थयाभीष्टं यत्ते मनसि वांछितम्

tatastasya gatastuṣṭiṁ varṣāṁte bhagavānharaḥ provāca prārthayābhīṣṭaṁ yatte manasi vāṁchitam

Then, when the lord Hara had become satisfied with him at the end of a year, he said: "Ask for the boon that is in your heart."

Verse 19 (skanda.6.106.19)

कुश उवाच । यथा संपूर्यते चाशु पांसुभिर्भूमिमंडलम् । एतत्प्रेतप्रमुक्तैश्च प्रसादात्ते तथा कुरु

kuśa uvāca yathā saṁpūryate cāśu pāṁsubhirbhūmimaṁḍalam etatpretapramuktaiśca prasādātte tathā kuru

Kusha said: "By your grace, grant that the surface of the earth may swiftly be filled with dust by these pretas — do it in that way.

Verse 20 (skanda.6.106.20)

मया प्रेतगणादेव निर्दिष्टास्तस्य पूरणे । मातृसंरक्ष्यमाणं तच्छक्यं चैतन्न पूरितुम्

mayā pretagaṇādeva nirdiṣṭāstasya pūraṇe mātṛsaṁrakṣyamāṇaṁ tacchakyaṁ caitanna pūritum

I have appointed them, from among the host of pretas, to fill it; but that ground, being protected by the Mothers, cannot be filled.

Verse 21 (skanda.6.106.21)

तत्र राक्षसजैर्मंत्रैः संति लिंगानि च प्रभो । प्रतिष्ठितानि तत्स्पर्शाद्दर्शनात्स्याज्जनक्षयः

tatra rākṣasajairmaṁtraiḥ saṁti liṁgāni ca prabho pratiṣṭhitāni tatsparśāddarśanātsyājjanakṣayaḥ

There are lingas there, my lord, established by mantras born of the rakshasas; by mere contact with them, or by the sight of them, the destruction of people occurs.

Verse 22 (skanda.6.106.22)

अचलत्वात्तथा देव लिंगानां शास्त्रसद्भयात् । अन्यदुत्पाटनाद्यं च नैव कुर्मः कथंचन

acalatvāttathā deva liṁgānāṁ śāstrasadbhayāt anyadutpāṭanādyaṁ ca naiva kurmaḥ kathaṁcana

And, O god, because lingas are fixed and immovable, and out of fear of violating scripture, we do not, in any way, undertake to uproot them or do anything of that sort.

Verse 23 (skanda.6.106.23)

तस्माल्लिंगकृतो नाशो ब्राह्मणानां तपस्विनाम् । यथा न स्यात्सुरश्रेष्ठ तथा नीतिर्विधीयताम्

tasmālliṁgakṛto nāśo brāhmaṇānāṁ tapasvinām yathā na syātsuraśreṣṭha tathā nītirvidhīyatām

Therefore, best of gods, let some policy be devised, so that the destruction of ascetic brahmins caused by these lingas may no longer occur."

Verse 24 (skanda.6.106.24)

ततश्च भगवान्रुद्रस्ताः समाहूय मातरः । प्रोवाच त्यज्यतां स्थानं भवत्यो यत्र संस्थिताः

tataśca bhagavānrudrastāḥ samāhūya mātaraḥ provāca tyajyatāṁ sthānaṁ bhavatyo yatra saṁsthitāḥ

Then the lord Rudra summoned those Mothers and said: "Let this place, where you now dwell, be abandoned.

Verse 25 (skanda.6.106.25)

तत्र पांसुभिरव्यग्राः करिष्यंति दिवानिशम् । प्रेताः कुशसमादेशाद्वृष्टिं लोकहिताय च

tatra pāṁsubhiravyagrāḥ kariṣyaṁti divāniśam pretāḥ kuśasamādeśādvṛṣṭiṁ lokahitāya ca

There, undisturbed, the pretas shall carry out, day and night, at Kusha's command, the shower of dust for the benefit of the people."

Verse 26 (skanda.6.106.26)

मातर ऊचुः । त्यक्ष्यामश्च तवादेशात्तत्स्थानं वृषभध्वज । परं दर्शय चास्माकं किंचिदन्यत्तथाविधम्

mātara ūcuḥ tyakṣyāmaśca tavādeśāttatsthānaṁ vṛṣabhadhvaja paraṁ darśaya cāsmākaṁ kiṁcidanyattathāvidham

The Mothers said: "At your command we shall abandon that place, O bull-bannered one; but show us some other place of a similar kind.

Verse 27 (skanda.6.106.27)

क्षेत्रेऽत्रैव निवत्स्यामो येन स्कन्दकृते वयम् । तेन संस्थापिताश्चात्र प्रोक्ताः स्थेयं सदा ततः

kṣetre'traiva nivatsyāmo yena skandakṛte vayam tena saṁsthāpitāścātra proktāḥ stheyaṁ sadā tataḥ

We shall dwell right in this field, for we were established here for Skanda's sake, and were told that we should abide here always."

Verse 28 (skanda.6.106.28)

ततः प्रोवाच भगवांस्तस्मात्स्थानान्महत्तरम् । स्थानं दास्यामि सर्वासां पृथक्त्वेन शुभावहम्

tataḥ provāca bhagavāṁstasmātsthānānmahattaram sthānaṁ dāsyāmi sarvāsāṁ pṛthaktvena śubhāvaham

Then the lord said: "I shall give to each of you separately a place greater than that one, and auspicious.

Verse 29 (skanda.6.106.29)

अष्टषष्टिस्तु क्षेत्राणां मदीयानां समंततः । संस्थितास्ति महाभागा येषु मत्संस्थितिः सदा

aṣṭaṣaṣṭistu kṣetrāṇāṁ madīyānāṁ samaṁtataḥ saṁsthitāsti mahābhāgā yeṣu matsaṁsthitiḥ sadā

There are sixty-eight fields of mine, everywhere, O most fortunate ones, in which my presence always dwells.

Verse 30 (skanda.6.106.30)

अष्टषष्टिविभागेन भूत्वा सर्वाः पृथक्पृथक् । तेषु तिष्ठथ मद्वाक्यात्पूजामग्र्यामवाप्स्यथ

aṣṭaṣaṣṭivibhāgena bhūtvā sarvāḥ pṛthakpṛthak teṣu tiṣṭhatha madvākyātpūjāmagryāmavāpsyatha

Divided into sixty-eight portions, each separately, dwell in those, by my word, and you shall obtain foremost worship."

Verse 31 (skanda.6.106.31)

तस्य देवस्य तच्छ्रुत्वा वाक्यं ता मातरस्तदा । प्रहृष्टास्तत्परित्यज्य स्थानं स्कन्दविनिर्मितम्

tasya devasya tacchrutvā vākyaṁ tā mātarastadā prahṛṣṭāstatparityajya sthānaṁ skandavinirmitam

Hearing that word of the god, those Mothers, delighted, then abandoned that place made by Skanda,

Verse 32 (skanda.6.106.32)

अष्टषष्टिविभागेन भूत्वा रूपैः पृथग्विधैः । अष्टषष्टिषु क्षेत्रेषु तस्य ताः संस्थिताः सदा

aṣṭaṣaṣṭivibhāgena bhūtvā rūpaiḥ pṛthagvidhaiḥ aṣṭaṣaṣṭiṣu kṣetreṣu tasya tāḥ saṁsthitāḥ sadā

and, dividing themselves into sixty-eight portions, taking various forms, they became established forever in those sixty-eight fields.

Verse 33 (skanda.6.106.33)

ततस्ताभिर्विनिर्मुक्तं तत्सर्वं भूमिमण्डलम् । पांसुभिः पूरितं प्रेतैर्दिवारात्रमतंद्रितैः

tatastābhirvinirmuktaṁ tatsarvaṁ bhūmimaṇḍalam pāṁsubhiḥ pūritaṁ pretairdivārātramataṁdritaiḥ

Then, freed from them, that whole circle of the earth was filled with dust by the tireless pretas, day and night.

Verse 34 (skanda.6.106.34)

एवं तस्य वरं दत्त्वा भगवान्वृषवाहनः । जगामादर्शनं पश्चात्सार्धं सवर्गगणैर्द्विजाः

evaṁ tasya varaṁ dattvā bhagavānvṛṣavāhanaḥ jagāmādarśanaṁ paścātsārdhaṁ savargagaṇairdvijāḥ

Thus, having granted him this boon, the lord whose mount is the bull then vanished from sight, together with his host of attendants.

Verse 35 (skanda.6.106.35)

कुतोऽपि ब्राह्मणैः सर्वेस्तापसैश्च प्रशंसितः । लब्धाशी प्रययौ तस्मादयोध्यानगरीं प्रति

kuto'pi brāhmaṇaiḥ sarvestāpasaiśca praśaṁsitaḥ labdhāśī prayayau tasmādayodhyānagarīṁ prati

Praised everywhere by all the brahmins and ascetics, having obtained what he desired, he then set out from there toward the city of Ayodhya.