The Siddhi of Chitreshvari-pitha and the Close of the Hatakeshvara Glory

Verse 1 (skanda.6.154.1)

सूत उवाच। या नारी तत्र सत्कुण्डे स्नात्वा तां पार्वतीं पुनः ॥ दृष्ट्वा स्नाति ततस्तीर्थे तस्मिन्रूपमये शुभे

sūta uvāca yā nārī tatra satkuṇḍe snātvā tāṁ pārvatīṁ punaḥ dṛṣṭvā snāti tatastīrthe tasminrūpamaye śubhe

Suta said: The woman who, having bathed in that excellent tank, then beholds that image of Parvati and bathes in that auspicious beauty-giving tirtha —

Verse 2 (skanda.6.154.2)

पुनश्च पार्वतीं पश्येच्छ्रद्धया परया युता ॥ सद्यः सा मुच्यते कृत्स्नैराजन्ममरणांतिकैः

punaśca pārvatīṁ paśyecchraddhayā parayā yutā sadyaḥ sā mucyate kṛtsnairājanmamaraṇāṁtikaiḥ

— and, filled with the deepest reverence, beholds Parvati once again — she is instantly freed from all sins, from birth right up to death.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.154.3)

तत्रैवास्ति जयानाम पार्वत्याः किंकरी द्विजाः ॥ तया तत्र कृतं कुण्डं गौरीकुण्डसमीपतः

tatraivāsti jayānāma pārvatyāḥ kiṁkarī dvijāḥ tayā tatra kṛtaṁ kuṇḍaṁ gaurīkuṇḍasamīpataḥ

O brahmins, there too dwells Parvati's handmaiden named Jaya; by her a tank was made right next to Gaurikunda.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.154.4)

या तत्र कुरुते स्नानं तृतीयादिवसेऽबला ॥ सुतसौभाग्यसंपन्ना सा भवेत्पतिवल्लभा

yā tatra kurute snānaṁ tṛtīyādivase'balā sutasaubhāgyasaṁpannā sā bhavetpativallabhā

The woman who bathes there on the third day becomes blessed with sons and good fortune, and dear to her husband.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.154.5)

तथान्यदपि तत्रास्ति विजयाकुण्डमुत्तमम् ॥ तत्र स्नाताऽपि वंध्या स्त्री जायते पुत्रसंयुता

tathānyadapi tatrāsti vijayākuṇḍamuttamam tatra snātā'pi vaṁdhyā strī jāyate putrasaṁyutā

There is also another excellent tank there, Vijaya-kunda, bathing in which even a barren woman becomes blessed with a son.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.154.6)

न च पश्यति पुत्राणां कदाचिद्व्यसनं द्विजाः ॥ न वियोगं न दुःखं च स्वप्नांते च कदाचन

na ca paśyati putrāṇāṁ kadācidvyasanaṁ dvijāḥ na viyogaṁ na duḥkhaṁ ca svapnāṁte ca kadācana

O brahmins, she never sees, even in a dream, any misfortune, separation, or sorrow befalling her sons.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.154.7)

काकवंध्याऽपि या नारी तत्र स्नानं समाचरेत्॥ सा पुत्रान्विविधाँल्लब्ध्वा स्वर्गलोके महीयते

kākavaṁdhyā'pi yā nārī tatra snānaṁ samācaret sā putrānvividhā~llabdhvā svargaloke mahīyate

Even a woman who has borne but a single child — if she bathes there, she obtains many sons and is honored in the world of heaven.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.154.8)

ऋषय ऊचुः। एतेषां सूत तीर्थानां तीर्थमस्ति सुसिद्धिदम्॥ क्वचित्किंञ्चिद्भवेत्सिद्धिर्यत्र स्नानाच्छरीरजा

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ eteṣāṁ sūta tīrthānāṁ tīrthamasti susiddhidam kvacitkiṁñcidbhavetsiddhiryatra snānāccharīrajā

The sages said: O Suta, among these tirthas, is there one that grants the highest siddhi — some place where, merely by bathing, a bodily attainment might be won?

Verse 9 (skanda.6.154.9)

सूत उवाच। सप्तविंशतिलिंगानि यानि संति द्विजोत्तमाः ॥ तेषां मध्येऽभवत्सिद्धिरेकस्मिन्निखिला द्विजाः

sūta uvāca saptaviṁśatiliṁgāni yāni saṁti dvijottamāḥ teṣāṁ madhye'bhavatsiddhirekasminnikhilā dvijāḥ

Suta said: O best of brahmins, among the twenty-seven lingas that are there, complete siddhi is obtained in only one of them.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.154.10)

एकस्य सत्त्वयुक्तस्य वीरव्रतयुतस्य च ॥ आश्विनस्य चतुर्दश्यां कृष्णायां द्विजसत्तमाः

ekasya sattvayuktasya vīravratayutasya ca āśvinasya caturdaśyāṁ kṛṣṇāyāṁ dvijasattamāḥ

O foremost of brahmins, whatever man, endowed with sattva and observing the hero's vow (vira-vrata), on the fourteenth of the dark half of Ashvina —

Verse 11 (skanda.6.154.11)

अर्धरात्रे विधानेन तेषां पूजां करोति यः ॥ प्रागुक्तं जपनं भक्त्या स क्रमात्साधकोत्तमः

ardharātre vidhānena teṣāṁ pūjāṁ karoti yaḥ prāguktaṁ japanaṁ bhaktyā sa kramātsādhakottamaḥ

— worships them at midnight according to the rite, and devotedly performs the recitation described earlier in due order, becomes a foremost adept.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.154.12)

अंगन्यासं विधायोच्चैः क्षुरिकासूक्तमुच्चरत् ॥ तेषामग्रे पुनः सम्यक्पूजयित्वा च शंकरम्

aṁganyāsaṁ vidhāyoccaiḥ kṣurikāsūktamuccarat teṣāmagre punaḥ samyakpūjayitvā ca śaṁkaram

Having performed the ritual placing of the limbs (anganyasa), reciting the Kshurika hymn aloud, and having again duly worshipped Shankara before them —

Verse 13 (skanda.6.154.13)

पृथगेकैकशो भक्त्या पूजयेद्दिक्पतींश्च वै

pṛthagekaikaśo bhaktyā pūjayeddikpatīṁśca vai

— he should also worship, one by one, each of the guardians of the directions.

Verse 14 (skanda.6.154.14)

अथाऽऽगत्य गणेशो वै विकरालो भयानकः ॥ लंबोदरो वै नग्नश्च कृष्णदन्तसमुद्भवः

athā''gatya gaṇeśo vai vikarālo bhayānakaḥ laṁbodaro vai nagnaśca kṛṣṇadantasamudbhavaḥ

Then Ganesha himself appears there — terrible, fearsome, pot-bellied, naked, and possessed of black teeth.

Verse 15 (skanda.6.154.15)

खड्गहस्तोऽब्रवीद्युद्धं प्रकुरुष्व मया समम् ॥ मुक्त्वैतत्कपटं भूमौ यदि वीरोऽसि सात्त्विकः

khaḍgahasto'bravīdyuddhaṁ prakuruṣva mayā samam muktvaitatkapaṭaṁ bhūmau yadi vīro'si sāttvikaḥ

Sword in hand, he says: "If you are truly a sattvic hero, abandon this deceit and fight with me here on the ground."

Verse 16 (skanda.6.154.16)

ततस्तत्कर्षणाच्चापि यस्तेनाशु प्रताड्यते ॥ स तेनैव शरीरेण नीयते तेन तत्पदम्

tatastatkarṣaṇāccāpi yastenāśu pratāḍyate sa tenaiva śarīreṇa nīyate tena tatpadam

Then, whoever in that struggle is quickly struck down by him is carried, in that very body, by him to that supreme state.

Verse 17 (skanda.6.154.17)

यत्र स्थाने जरामृत्युर्न शोकश्च कदाचन ॥ तथा चित्रेश्वरीपीठे सिद्धिरेकस्य कीर्तिता

yatra sthāne jarāmṛtyurna śokaśca kadācana tathā citreśvarīpīṭhe siddhirekasya kīrtitā

In that place there is never old age, death, or sorrow. Likewise, at the Chitreshvari-pitha too, the siddhi of a single path has been told.

Verse 18 (skanda.6.154.18)

माघकृष्णचतुर्दश्यां यः पीठं तत्र पूजयेत् ॥ आगमोक्तविधानेन सम्यक्छ्रद्धासमन्वितः

māghakṛṣṇacaturdaśyāṁ yaḥ pīṭhaṁ tatra pūjayet āgamoktavidhānena samyakchraddhāsamanvitaḥ

Whoever, on the fourteenth of the dark half of Magha, worships that seat according to the rite laid down in the Agama, duly filled with faith —

Verse 19 (skanda.6.154.19)

पश्चात्कपालमादाय महामांसप्रपूरितम् ॥ अहमस्य करोम्यद्य महामांसस्य विक्रयम्

paścātkapālamādāya mahāmāṁsaprapūritam ahamasya karomyadya mahāmāṁsasya vikrayam

— should then take up a skull-bowl filled with flesh, and declare: "Today I offer this great flesh-offering for sale."

Verse 20 (skanda.6.154.20)

सिद्धिमूल्ये न गृह्णातु कश्चिच्चेदस्ति सात्त्विकः ॥ ततश्च याचते यश्च प्रगृह्णाति च सद्द्विजाः

siddhimūlye na gṛhṇātu kaściccedasti sāttvikaḥ tataśca yācate yaśca pragṛhṇāti ca saddvijāḥ

If one is truly sattvic, let him not accept it in exchange for siddhi; but thereafter, O good brahmins, whoever asks for it and accepts it —

Verse 21 (skanda.6.154.21)

स तमादाय निर्याति यत्र देवो महेश्वरः ॥ हाटकेश्वरजं लिंगं चित्रशर्मप्रतिष्ठितम्

sa tamādāya niryāti yatra devo maheśvaraḥ hāṭakeśvarajaṁ liṁgaṁ citraśarmapratiṣṭhitam

— takes it and departs to where the god Maheshvara is — that linga of Hatakeshvara, established by Chitrasharma.

Verse 22 (skanda.6.154.22)

तस्य स्थानस्य मध्यस्थो यस्तं पूजयते नरः ॥ शिवरात्रौ निशीथे च पुष्पलक्षणभक्तितः ॥ सुसिद्धिमाप्नुयात्तूर्णं स शरीरेण तत्क्षणात्

tasya sthānasya madhyastho yastaṁ pūjayate naraḥ śivarātrau niśīthe ca puṣpalakṣaṇabhaktitaḥ susiddhimāpnuyāttūrṇaṁ sa śarīreṇa tatkṣaṇāt

Whatever man, standing in the midst of that place, worships him at midnight on Shivaratri with due offerings of flowers and marks of devotion — he swiftly attains the highest siddhi, in that very body, at that very instant.

Verse 23 (skanda.6.154.23)

सिद्धिस्थानानि सर्वाणि तस्मिन्क्षेत्रे स्थितानि वै॥ वीरव्रतप्रयुक्तानां मानवानां द्विजोत्तमाः

siddhisthānāni sarvāṇi tasminkṣetre sthitāni vai vīravrataprayuktānāṁ mānavānāṁ dvijottamāḥ

O best of brahmins, all these siddhi-granting places, for men who observe the hero's vow, are situated within that same field.

Verse 24 (skanda.6.154.24)

ऋषय ऊचुः। तामसो यस्त्वया प्रोक्तः सिद्धिमार्गो महामते ॥ अनर्हो ब्राह्मणेन्द्राणां श्रोत्रियाणां विशेषतः

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ tāmaso yastvayā proktaḥ siddhimārgo mahāmate anarho brāhmaṇendrāṇāṁ śrotriyāṇāṁ viśeṣataḥ

The sages said: O sage of great wisdom, this path to siddhi you have described, being of the tamasic kind, is unfit for the foremost of brahmins — especially for the learned (shrotriya) brahmins.

Verse 25 (skanda.6.154.25)

शुद्धान्तः करणैः सूत भूतहिंसाविवर्जितैः ॥ यथा संप्राप्यते मोक्षो ब्राह्मणैः सुचिरादपि

śuddhāntaḥ karaṇaiḥ sūta bhūtahiṁsāvivarjitaiḥ yathā saṁprāpyate mokṣo brāhmaṇaiḥ sucirādapi

O Suta, by what means, through purity of heart and abstention from harming living beings, do brahmins attain liberation, even if only after a very long time —

Verse 26 (skanda.6.154.26)

तत्त्वं ब्रूहि महाभाग मोक्षोपायं द्विजन्मनाम्

tattvaṁ brūhi mahābhāga mokṣopāyaṁ dvijanmanām

— that means of liberation for the twice-born, O illustrious one, please tell us truly.

Verse 27 (skanda.6.154.27)

सूत उवाच। रुद्रैर्दशभिः संयुक्तमानंदेश्वरकं तथा ॥ स्नात्वा तदग्रतः कुण्डे शास्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणा

sūta uvāca rudrairdaśabhiḥ saṁyuktamānaṁdeśvarakaṁ tathā snātvā tadagrataḥ kuṇḍe śāstradṛṣṭena karmaṇā

Suta said: Having bathed, according to the rite seen in the scriptures, in the tank before that Anandeshvara accompanied by the ten Rudras —

Verse 28 (skanda.6.154.28)

संसिद्धिमाप्नुयान्मर्त्यो दुर्लभां त्रिदशैरपि ॥ माघमासे नरः स्नात्वा विश्वामित्रह्रदे नरः

saṁsiddhimāpnuyānmartyo durlabhāṁ tridaśairapi māghamāse naraḥ snātvā viśvāmitrahrade naraḥ

— a mortal attains that perfection which is hard to obtain even for the gods. And, having bathed in the month of Magha in the Vishvamitra pool, a man —

Verse 29 (skanda.6.154.29)

प्रत्यूषे तिलपात्रं च ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत् ॥ सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो ब्रह्म लोके महीयते

pratyūṣe tilapātraṁ ca brāhmaṇāya nivedayet sarvapāpavinirmukto brahma loke mahīyate

— should at dawn offer a vessel of sesame seeds to a brahmin; freed from all sin, he is then honored in the world of Brahma.

Verse 30 (skanda.6.154.30)

यद्यपि स्याद्दुराचारः सर्वाशी सर्वविक्रयी ॥ सुपर्णाख्यस्य देवस्य पुरतः श्रद्धयाऽन्वितः

yadyapi syāddurācāraḥ sarvāśī sarvavikrayī suparṇākhyasya devasya purataḥ śraddhayā'nvitaḥ

Even should he be one of evil conduct, an eater of anything, or a seller of anything whatsoever — if, filled with faith, before the god named Suparna —

Verse 31 (skanda.6.154.31)

प्रायोपवेशनं कृत्वा ह्युपवासपरो नरः ॥ यस्त्यजेन्मानवः प्राणान्न स भूयोऽभिजायते

prāyopaveśanaṁ kṛtvā hyupavāsaparo naraḥ yastyajenmānavaḥ prāṇānna sa bhūyo'bhijāyate

— he performs prayopavesha (fasting unto death), and, devoted to the fast, gives up his life — that man is not born again.

Verse 32 (skanda.6.154.32)

एवं सिद्धित्रयं प्रोक्तं ब्राह्मणानां हितावहम् ॥ सात्त्विकं ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठाः शंसितं त्रिदशैरपि

evaṁ siddhitrayaṁ proktaṁ brāhmaṇānāṁ hitāvaham sāttvikaṁ brāhmaṇaśreṣṭhāḥ śaṁsitaṁ tridaśairapi

O foremost of brahmins, thus have been told these three sattvic means of siddhi, beneficial for brahmins, praised even by the gods.

Verse 33 (skanda.6.154.33)

अन्यानि तत्र तीर्थानि देवतायतनानि च ॥ तानि स्वर्गप्रदान्याहुर्मुनयः शंसितव्रताः

anyāni tatra tīrthāni devatāyatanāni ca tāni svargapradānyāhurmunayaḥ śaṁsitavratāḥ

The other tirthas and shrines of the deities there, the sages of praised vows have declared, bestow heaven.

Verse 34 (skanda.6.154.34)

एतद्वः सर्वमाख्यातं क्षेत्रमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् ॥ हाटकेश्वरदेवस्य सर्वपातकनाशनम्

etadvaḥ sarvamākhyātaṁ kṣetramāhātmyamuttamam hāṭakeśvaradevasya sarvapātakanāśanam

All this has now been related to you — this excellent glory of the field of the god Hatakeshvara, the destroyer of every sin.

Verse 35 (skanda.6.154.35)

योऽत्र सर्वेषु तीर्थेषु स्नात्वा पश्यति भक्तितः ॥ सर्वाण्यायतनान्येव स पापोऽपि विमुच्यते

yo'tra sarveṣu tīrtheṣu snātvā paśyati bhaktitaḥ sarvāṇyāyatanānyeva sa pāpo'pi vimucyate

Whoever bathes in all these tirthas here and devotedly beholds all the shrines — he, even if a sinner, is set free.

Verse 36 (skanda.6.154.36)

एतत्खंडं पुराणस्य प्रथमं परिकीर्तितम् ॥ कार्तिकेयप्रणीतस्य सर्वपापहरं शुभम्

etatkhaṁḍaṁ purāṇasya prathamaṁ parikīrtitam kārtikeyapraṇītasya sarvapāpaharaṁ śubham

This has been proclaimed as the first section of this Purana, composed by Kartikeya, auspicious and destructive of every sin.

Verse 37 (skanda.6.154.37)

यश्चैतत्कीर्तयेद्भक्त्या शृणुयाद्वा समाहितः ॥ इह भुक्त्वा सुविपुलान्भोगान्याति त्रिविष्टपम्

yaścaitatkīrtayedbhaktyā śṛṇuyādvā samāhitaḥ iha bhuktvā suvipulānbhogānyāti triviṣṭapam

Whoever recites this with devotion, or listens to it with a focused mind, enjoys most abundant pleasures here and then goes to heaven.

Verse 38 (skanda.6.154.38)

सर्वतीर्थेषु यत्पुण्यं सर्वदानैश्च यत्फलम् ॥ तत्फलं समवाप्नोति शृण्वञ्छ्रद्धासमन्वितः

sarvatīrtheṣu yatpuṇyaṁ sarvadānaiśca yatphalam tatphalaṁ samavāpnoti śṛṇvañchraddhāsamanvitaḥ

Whatever merit lies in all the tirthas, and whatever fruit comes from every kind of gift — that same fruit is obtained by one who listens with faith.

Verse 39 (skanda.6.154.39)

श्रुत्वा पुराणमेतद्धि जन्मकोटिसमुद्भवात् ॥ पातकाद्विप्रमुच्येत कुलानामुद्धरेच्छतम्

śrutvā purāṇametaddhi janmakoṭisamudbhavāt pātakādvipramucyeta kulānāmuddharecchatam

By hearing this Purana, one is freed from the sins accumulated across a hundred million births, and delivers a hundred generations of his lineage.

Verse 40 (skanda.6.154.40)

ततो व्यासः पूजनीयो वस्त्रदानादिभूषणैः ॥ गोभूहिरण्यनिर्वापैर्दानैश्च विविधैरपि

tato vyāsaḥ pūjanīyo vastradānādibhūṣaṇaiḥ gobhūhiraṇyanirvāpairdānaiśca vividhairapi

Therefore Vyasa should be worshipped with gifts of cloth and ornaments, and with offerings of cows, land, and gold, and with various other gifts as well.

Verse 41 (skanda.6.154.41)

तेन संपूजितो व्यासः कृष्णद्वैपायनः मनुः ॥ साक्षात्सत्यवतीपुत्रो येन व्यासः सुपूजितः

tena saṁpūjito vyāsaḥ kṛṣṇadvaipāyanaḥ manuḥ sākṣātsatyavatīputro yena vyāsaḥ supūjitaḥ

By this, the sage Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa, who is in person the son of Satyavati, is duly worshipped — and great is the merit of one by whom Vyasa is well worshipped.

Verse 42 (skanda.6.154.42)

एकमप्यक्षरं यस्तु गुरुः शिष्ये निवेदयेत्॥ पृथिव्यां नास्ति तद्द्रव्यं यद्दत्त्वा ह्यनृणी भवेत्

ekamapyakṣaraṁ yastu guruḥ śiṣye nivedayet pṛthivyāṁ nāsti taddravyaṁ yaddattvā hyanṛṇī bhavet

For even a single syllable that a guru imparts to his disciple, there exists no wealth on this earth by giving which the disciple could become free of that debt.

Verse 43 (skanda.6.154.43)

एतत्पवित्रमायुष्यं धन्यं स्व स्त्ययनं महत्॥ यच्छ्रुत्वा सर्वदुःखेभ्यो मुच्यते नात्र संशयः

etatpavitramāyuṣyaṁ dhanyaṁ sva styayanaṁ mahat yacchrutvā sarvaduḥkhebhyo mucyate nātra saṁśayaḥ

This is pure, life-giving, blessed, and a great source of well-being; hearing it, one is freed from every sorrow — of this there is no doubt.