The Glory of Donation before the Eleven Rudras

Verse 1 (skanda.6.277.1)

ऋषय ऊचुः कि नामानो द्विजास्ते च वाराणस्याः समागताः एकादशप्रकारोऽसौ येषां रुद्रः प्रभक्तितः तत्संज्ञाश्च समाचक्ष्व विस्तरेण महामुने

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ ki nāmāno dvijāste ca vārāṇasyāḥ samāgatāḥ ekādaśaprakāro'sau yeṣāṁ rudraḥ prabhaktitaḥ tatsaṁjñāśca samācakṣva vistareṇa mahāmune

The sages said: What were the names of those brahmins who came from Varanasi, by whose deep devotion Rudra took on this eleven-fold form? Tell us their names, O great sage, in detail.

Verse 2 (skanda.6.277.2)

सूत उवाच एकस्तेषां मृगव्याधो विख्यातो भुवनत्रये द्वितीयः सर्वसंज्ञश्च निंदितश्च तृतीयकः

sūta uvāca ekasteṣāṁ mṛgavyādho vikhyāto bhuvanatraye dvitīyaḥ sarvasaṁjñaśca niṁditaśca tṛtīyakaḥ

Suta said: One of them, Mrigavyadha, is renowned in the three worlds; the second is named Sarva; the third is called Nindita.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.277.3)

महायशाश्चतुर्थस्तु कथ्यते मुनिसत्तमाः अजैकपाद इत्युक्तः पंचमो मुनि सत्तमाः

mahāyaśāścaturthastu kathyate munisattamāḥ ajaikapāda ityuktaḥ paṁcamo muni sattamāḥ

O foremost of sages, the fourth is called Mahayashas; the fifth is spoken of as Ajaikapada.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.277.4)

अहिर्बुध्न्यस्तथा षष्ठः पिनाकी सप्तमस्तथा परं तपस्तथान्यस्तु दहनो नवमस्तथा

ahirbudhnyastathā ṣaṣṭhaḥ pinākī saptamastathā paraṁ tapastathānyastu dahano navamastathā

The sixth is Ahirbudhnya; the seventh, likewise, is Pinaki; another, the eighth, is Parantapa; and the ninth is Dahana.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.277.5)

ईश्वरो दशमः प्रोक्तः कपाली चांति मस्तथा तेषामेतानि नामानि स्थितान्येव हि यानि च रुद्राणामपि तान्येव विहितानि हरेण तु

īśvaro daśamaḥ proktaḥ kapālī cāṁti mastathā teṣāmetāni nāmāni sthitānyeva hi yāni ca rudrāṇāmapi tānyeva vihitāni hareṇa tu

The tenth is declared to be Ishvara; and the last, the eleventh, is Kapali. These very names, which stand fixed for them, were ordained by Hara himself for these Rudras.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.277.6)

ऋषय ऊचुः कानि दानानि शस्यानि तदर्थं वद नो द्रुतम् जपश्चैव पुरा प्रोक्तस्त्वया कार्यो यथैव च

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ kāni dānāni śasyāni tadarthaṁ vada no drutam japaścaiva purā proktastvayā kāryo yathaiva ca

The sages said: Tell us quickly what donations are recommended for their sake, and also, as you declared before, what japa is to be performed.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.277.7)

सूत उवाच तदुद्दिश्य प्रदातव्यमेकैकस्य पृथक्पृथक् प्रत्यक्षाश्च महाभाग दातव्या धेनवः क्रमात्

sūta uvāca taduddiśya pradātavyamekaikasya pṛthakpṛthak pratyakṣāśca mahābhāga dātavyā dhenavaḥ kramāt

Suta said: O most fortunate ones, dedicated donations must be given separately to each one of them; real, tangible cows are to be given in order.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.277.8)

मृगव्याधाय प्रत्यक्षा गौर्देया च गुडोद्भवा कपालिने प्रदातव्या नवनीतसमुद्भवा

mṛgavyādhāya pratyakṣā gaurdeyā ca guḍodbhavā kapāline pradātavyā navanītasamudbhavā

To Mrigavyadha, an actual living cow is to be given, and also one made of molasses; to Kapali, one made of fresh butter is to be given.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.277.9)

अजपादाय चाज्योत्था अहिर्बुध्न्याय हेमजा पिनाकिने प्रदातव्या धेनुर्लवणसम्भवा

ajapādāya cājyotthā ahirbudhnyāya hemajā pinākine pradātavyā dhenurlavaṇasambhavā

To Ajaikapada, one arisen from ghee; to Ahirbudhnya, one made of gold; to Pinaki, a cow made of salt is to be given.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.277.10)

परंतपाय विप्रेन्द्रास्तथैव रसस म्भवा अन्नजा दहनायोक्ता ईश्वराय जलोद्भवा

paraṁtapāya viprendrāstathaiva rasasa mbhavā annajā dahanāyoktā īśvarāya jalodbhavā

O foremost of brahmins, to Parantapa, likewise, one made of juice; to Dahana, one made of grain is declared; to Ishvara, one made of water.

Verse 11 (skanda.6.277.11)

एता ददाति यो विप्रा एतेषां च महात्मनाम् चक्रवर्ती भवेन्नूनमेतदाह पितामहः

etā dadāti yo viprā eteṣāṁ ca mahātmanām cakravartī bhavennūnametadāha pitāmahaḥ

O brahmins, whoever gives these to these great souls surely becomes a universal sovereign — thus has the Grandsire declared.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.277.12)

अन्यत्रापि प्रदत्ताश्च किं पुनर्भवसंनिधौ तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन एता देयाः प्रयत्नतः

anyatrāpi pradattāśca kiṁ punarbhavasaṁnidhau tasmātsarvaprayatnena etā deyāḥ prayatnataḥ

Given even elsewhere, these bring great merit — how much more so in the presence of Bhava himself! Therefore these should be given with every effort, diligently.

Verse 13 (skanda.6.277.13)

धेनवो यो न शक्तः स्यादेका देया प्रयत्नतः सर्वेषामेव रुद्राणां भर्तृयज्ञवचो यथा

dhenavo yo na śaktaḥ syādekā deyā prayatnataḥ sarveṣāmeva rudrāṇāṁ bhartṛyajñavaco yathā

Whoever is unable to give all these cows should at least give one, with effort, dedicated to all the Rudras together — thus is the word of Bhartriyajna.