The Glory of the Palasha

Verse 1 (skanda.6.248.1)

वाण्युवाच । पलाशो हरिरूपेण सेव्यते हि पुराविदैः । बहुभिर्ह्युपचारैस्तु ब्रह्मवृक्षस्य सेवनम्

vāṇyuvāca palāśo harirūpeṇa sevyate hi purāvidaiḥ bahubhirhyupacāraistu brahmavṛkṣasya sevanam

Vani said: The Palasha is indeed served in the form of Hari by those versed in ancient lore; the service of the Brahma-tree is performed with many rites.

Verse 2 (skanda.6.248.2)

सर्वकामप्रदं प्रोक्तं महापातकनाशनम् । त्रीणि पत्राणि पालाशे मध्यमं विष्णुशापितम्

sarvakāmapradaṁ proktaṁ mahāpātakanāśanam trīṇi patrāṇi pālāśe madhyamaṁ viṣṇuśāpitam

It is declared to grant all desires and to destroy great sins. The Palasha bears three leaflets, of which the middle one is consecrated to Vishnu,

Verse 3 (skanda.6.248.3)

वामे ब्रह्मा दक्षिणे च हर एकः प्रकीर्तितः । पलाशपात्रे यो भुंक्ते नित्यमेव नरोत्तमः

vāme brahmā dakṣiṇe ca hara ekaḥ prakīrtitaḥ palāśapātre yo bhuṁkte nityameva narottamaḥ

with Brahma on the left leaflet and Hara declared to be on the right. That best of men who always eats from a plate of Palasha leaves,

Verse 4 (skanda.6.248.4)

अश्वमेधसहस्रस्य फलं प्राप्नोत्यसंशयम् । चातुर्मास्ये विशेषेण भोक्तुर्मोक्षप्रदं भवेत्

aśvamedhasahasrasya phalaṁ prāpnotyasaṁśayam cāturmāsye viśeṣeṇa bhokturmokṣapradaṁ bhavet

obtains without doubt the fruit of a thousand Ashvamedha sacrifices; especially during Chaturmasya it becomes a bestower of liberation for the one who eats from it.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.248.5)

पयसा वाथ दुग्धेन रविवारेऽनिशं यदि । चातुर्मास्येऽर्चितो यैस्तु ते यांति परमंपदम्

payasā vātha dugdhena ravivāre'niśaṁ yadi cāturmāsye'rcito yaistu te yāṁti paramaṁpadam

If constantly worshipped on Sunday with water or with milk, then those who thus honour it during Chaturmasya attain the supreme state.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.248.6)

दृश्यते यदि पालाशः प्रातरुत्थाय मानवैः । नरकानाशु निर्धूय गम्यते परमं पदम्

dṛśyate yadi pālāśaḥ prātarutthāya mānavaiḥ narakānāśu nirdhūya gamyate paramaṁ padam

If men, having risen at dawn, behold the Palasha, they quickly shake off the hells and attain the supreme state.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.248.7)

पालाशः सर्वदेवानामाधारो धर्मसाधनम् । यत्र लोभस्तु तस्य स्यात्तत्र पूज्यो महातरुः

pālāśaḥ sarvadevānāmādhāro dharmasādhanam yatra lobhastu tasya syāttatra pūjyo mahātaruḥ

The Palasha is the support of all the gods and an instrument of dharma; wherever it is to be found, that great tree is worthy of worship there.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.248.8)

यथा सर्वेषु वर्णेषु विप्रो मुख्यतमो भवेत् । मध्ये सर्वतरूणां च ब्रह्मवृक्षो महोत्तमः

yathā sarveṣu varṇeṣu vipro mukhyatamo bhavet madhye sarvatarūṇāṁ ca brahmavṛkṣo mahottamaḥ

As, among all the varnas, the brahmin is the foremost, so among all trees the Brahma-tree is the most excellent.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.248.9)

यस्य मूले हरो नित्यं स्कंधे शूलधरःस्वयम् । शाखासु भगवान्रुद्रः पुष्पेषु त्रिपुरांतकः

yasya mūle haro nityaṁ skaṁdhe śūladharaḥsvayam śākhāsu bhagavānrudraḥ puṣpeṣu tripurāṁtakaḥ

In whose root Hara ever dwells, and in the trunk the Trident-bearer himself; in the branches the blessed Rudra, and in the flowers the Slayer of Tripura.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.248.10)

शिवः पत्रेषु वसति फले गणपतिस्तथा । गंगापतिस्त्वचायां तु मज्जायां भगवान्भवः

śivaḥ patreṣu vasati phale gaṇapatistathā gaṁgāpatistvacāyāṁ tu majjāyāṁ bhagavānbhavaḥ

Shiva dwells in the leaves, and likewise Ganapati in the fruit; the Lord of Ganga in the bark, and the blessed Bhava in the pith.

Verse 11 (skanda.6.248.11)

ईश्वरस्तु प्रशाखासु सर्वोऽयं हरवल्लभः । हरः कर्पूरधवलो यथावद्वर्णितः सदा

īśvarastu praśākhāsu sarvo'yaṁ haravallabhaḥ haraḥ karpūradhavalo yathāvadvarṇitaḥ sadā

Ishvara dwells in the twigs; this whole tree is dear to Hara. Hara, white as camphor, is thus ever described in this tree.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.248.12)

तथा ह्ययं ब्रह्मरूपः सितवर्णो महाभगः । चिंतितो रिपुनाशाय पापसंशोषणाय च

tathā hyayaṁ brahmarūpaḥ sitavarṇo mahābhagaḥ ciṁtito ripunāśāya pāpasaṁśoṣaṇāya ca

Thus indeed, in the form of Brahma, white in colour and most glorious, this tree, when meditated upon, serves for the destruction of enemies and for the drying up of sin,

Verse 13 (skanda.6.248.13)

मनोरथप्रदानाय जायते नात्र संशयः । गुरुवारे समायाते चातुर्मास्ये तथैव च

manorathapradānāya jāyate nātra saṁśayaḥ guruvāre samāyāte cāturmāsye tathaiva ca

and for granting one's heart's desire — there is no doubt of this. When Thursday comes, and likewise during Chaturmasya,

Verse 14 (skanda.6.248.14)

पूजितश्च स्तुतो ध्यातः सर्वदुःखविनाशकः

pūjitaśca stuto dhyātaḥ sarvaduḥkhavināśakaḥ

worshipped, praised, and meditated upon, it destroys all sorrow.

Verse 15 (skanda.6.248.15)

देवस्तुत्यो देवबीजं परं यन्मूर्तं ब्रह्म ब्रह्मवृक्षत्वमाप्तम् । नित्यं सेव्यः श्रद्धया स्थाणुरूपश्चातुर्मास्ये सेवितः पापहा स्यात्

devastutyo devabījaṁ paraṁ yanmūrtaṁ brahma brahmavṛkṣatvamāptam nityaṁ sevyaḥ śraddhayā sthāṇurūpaścāturmāsye sevitaḥ pāpahā syāt

Praised by the gods, the supreme seed of the gods, embodied Brahman itself has attained the state of this Brahma-tree. It is ever to be served with faith; in the form of the Immovable One, served during Chaturmasya, it becomes a destroyer of sin.