The Glory of the Origin of the Dhara Tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.6.170.1)

॥ सूत उवाच ॥ ॥ तथान्यदपि संजातमाश्चर्यं यदभूद्द्विजाः ॥ विश्वामित्रेण सा शक्तिर्वसिष्ठाय विसर्जिता

sūta uvāca tathānyadapi saṁjātamāścaryaṁ yadabhūddvijāḥ viśvāmitreṇa sā śaktirvasiṣṭhāya visarjitā

Suta said: O brahmins, another marvel came to pass as well — that power which had been unleashed by Vishvamitra against Vasishtha,

Verse 2 (skanda.6.170.2)

वधार्थं तस्य विप्रर्षेर्वसिष्ठेन च धीमता ॥ स्तंभिताऽथर्वणैर्मन्त्रैः प्रस्वेदः समजायत

vadhārthaṁ tasya viprarṣervasiṣṭhena ca dhīmatā staṁbhitā'tharvaṇairmantraiḥ prasvedaḥ samajāyata

sent for the destruction of that brahmin-sage, being paralysed by the wise Vasishtha through Atharvan mantras — sweat then broke out upon her.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.170.3)

स्वेदात्समभवत्तोयं शीतलं तदजायत ॥ पादाभ्यां निर्गतं तोयमत्र दृश्यमजायत

svedātsamabhavattoyaṁ śītalaṁ tadajāyata pādābhyāṁ nirgataṁ toyamatra dṛśyamajāyata

From that sweat there arose cool water; that water, flowing out from the feet, became visible there.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.170.4)

विदार्य भूमिं संजाता जलधारा सुशीतला ॥ निर्मलं पावनं स्वच्छं गंगांभ इव निःसृतम्

vidārya bhūmiṁ saṁjātā jaladhārā suśītalā nirmalaṁ pāvanaṁ svacchaṁ gaṁgāṁbha iva niḥsṛtam

Splitting the earth open, a most cool stream of water was formed, pure, purifying, and clear, flowing forth as though it were the very water of the Ganga.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.170.5)

गंगा प्रत्यक्षतां याता तीर्थैः सर्वैः समन्विता ॥ पूरितं वारिणा कुण्डं निर्मलं शीतलं शिवम्

gaṁgā pratyakṣatāṁ yātā tīrthaiḥ sarvaiḥ samanvitā pūritaṁ vāriṇā kuṇḍaṁ nirmalaṁ śītalaṁ śivam

The Ganga herself became manifest there, joined together with all the sacred fords; a pool, pure, cool, and auspicious, was filled with that water.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.170.6)

तस्यां या कुरुते स्नानं नारी वंध्या द्विजोत्तमाः ॥ सद्यः पुत्रवती सा स्याद्रौद्रे कलियुगे द्विजाः

tasyāṁ yā kurute snānaṁ nārī vaṁdhyā dvijottamāḥ sadyaḥ putravatī sā syādraudre kaliyuge dvijāḥ

O best of brahmins, whatever barren woman bathes in it becomes instantly blessed with a son, O brahmins, even in this fearsome Kali age.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.170.7)

अन्योऽपि कुरुते स्नानं सर्वतीर्थफलं लभेत्

anyo'pi kurute snānaṁ sarvatīrthaphalaṁ labhet

Whoever else bathes there also obtains the fruit of all sacred fords together.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.170.8)

स्नात्वा तत्र तु यो देवीं पश्येच्च विधिना नरः ॥ धनं धान्यं तथा पुत्रान्राज्योत्थं च सुखं लभेत्

snātvā tatra tu yo devīṁ paśyecca vidhinā naraḥ dhanaṁ dhānyaṁ tathā putrānrājyotthaṁ ca sukhaṁ labhet

And whatever man, having bathed there, beholds the goddess according to the prescribed rite, obtains wealth, grain, sons, and the happiness that comes from sovereignty.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.170.9)

या नारी दुर्भगा वन्ध्या साऽपि पुत्रवती भवेत् ॥ चैत्रे मासि सिताष्टम्यां भक्तियोगसमन्विता ॥ महानिशायां तत्रैव नैवेद्यबलिपिंडिकाम्

yā nārī durbhagā vandhyā sā'pi putravatī bhavet caitre māsi sitāṣṭamyāṁ bhaktiyogasamanvitā mahāniśāyāṁ tatraiva naivedyabalipiṁḍikām

Whatever woman is unfortunate or barren shall likewise become blessed with a son, if, in the month of Chaitra, on the bright eighth day, filled with devotion, at the hour of the great midnight, right there, with the offering-cake of the oblation,

Verse 10 (skanda.6.170.10)

प्रसन्नया कुमार्या तु स्वयं चाऽथ करोति या ॥ गृह्णाति या च वै नारी पिंडिकां बलिसंयुताम्

prasannayā kumāryā tu svayaṁ cā'tha karoti yā gṛhṇāti yā ca vai nārī piṁḍikāṁ balisaṁyutām

prepared by a willing young maiden, she herself performs the rite, or, as a woman, receives that offering-cake together with the oblation.

Verse 11 (skanda.6.170.11)

शतवर्षा तु या नारी पिंडिकां भक्षयेद्द्विजाः ॥ साऽपि पुत्रवती च स्याद्यदि वृद्धतमा भवेत्

śatavarṣā tu yā nārī piṁḍikāṁ bhakṣayeddvijāḥ sā'pi putravatī ca syādyadi vṛddhatamā bhavet

O brahmins, even a woman a hundred years old, should she eat of that cake, shall likewise become blessed with a son, however aged she may be.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.170.12)

किं पुनर्यौवनोपेता सौभाग्येन समन्विता ॥ पुत्रसौख्यवती नारी देव्या वै दर्शनेन च

kiṁ punaryauvanopetā saubhāgyena samanvitā putrasaukhyavatī nārī devyā vai darśanena ca

How much more so, then, a woman endowed with youth and good fortune — she attains the happiness of sons merely through the sight of the goddess.

Verse 13 (skanda.6.170.13)

सर्वेषां नागराणां तु भावजा देवता स्मृता ॥ सा सार्धाष्टद्विपंचाशद्गोत्राणां कुलदेवता

sarveṣāṁ nāgarāṇāṁ tu bhāvajā devatā smṛtā sā sārdhāṣṭadvipaṁcāśadgotrāṇāṁ kuladevatā

She is held to be the deity born of devotion for all the Nagaras; she is the family deity of fifty-eight and a half gotras.

Verse 14 (skanda.6.170.14)

एतस्मात्कारणाद्यात्रा नागरैः सुकृता भवेत् ॥ न विना नागरैर्यात्रां तुष्टिं याति सुरेश्वरी

etasmātkāraṇādyātrā nāgaraiḥ sukṛtā bhavet na vinā nāgarairyātrāṁ tuṣṭiṁ yāti sureśvarī

For this reason, pilgrimage to her is properly performed by the Nagaras; without the Nagaras, the sovereign goddess finds no satisfaction in the pilgrimage.