The Greatness of Mahittha and Naraditya

Verse 1 (skanda.6.60.1)

ऋषय ऊचुः॥ माहित्थेयं त्वयाख्याता या पुरा सूतनन्दन॥ केन संस्थापिता तत्र वद सर्वमशेषतः

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ māhittheyaṁ tvayākhyātā yā purā sūtanandana kena saṁsthāpitā tatra vada sarvamaśeṣataḥ

The sages said: "O son of Suta, tell us in full by whom this Mahittha, whom you spoke of earlier, was established there."

Verse 2 (skanda.6.60.2)

सूत उवाच॥ शोषणीनाम या विद्या पुरागस्त्येन साधिता॥ आथर्वणेन मन्त्रेण स्वयं च परमेश्वरी

sūta uvāca śoṣaṇīnāma yā vidyā purāgastyena sādhitā ātharvaṇena mantreṇa svayaṁ ca parameśvarī

Suta said: "The knowledge named Shoshani, which was long ago mastered by Agastya through an Atharvan mantra, was herself the supreme goddess."

Verse 3 (skanda.6.60.3)

ततः संशोषितस्तेन स समुद्रो महात्मना॥ मित्रावरुणपुत्रेण सा प्रोक्ता पुरतः स्थिता

tataḥ saṁśoṣitastena sa samudro mahātmanā mitrāvaruṇaputreṇa sā proktā purataḥ sthitā

Then the ocean was dried up by that great soul, the son of Mitra and Varuna; and she, standing before him, was addressed thus:

Verse 4 (skanda.6.60.4)

माहित्थं साधितं यस्मात्त्वया मे सकलं शुभम्॥ माहित्थानाम तस्मात्त्वं देवता संभविष्यसि

māhitthaṁ sādhitaṁ yasmāttvayā me sakalaṁ śubham māhitthānāma tasmāttvaṁ devatā saṁbhaviṣyasi

"'Since through you the great feat has been accomplished for me, and all this good has come about, therefore you shall become a deity named Mahittha.'"

Verse 5 (skanda.6.60.5)

चमत्कारपुरक्षेत्रे पूजां प्राप्स्यस्यनुत्तमाम्॥ यस्त्वामाथर्वणैर्मन्त्रैस्तत्रस्थां भक्तिसंयुतः

camatkārapurakṣetre pūjāṁ prāpsyasyanuttamām yastvāmātharvaṇairmantraistatrasthāṁ bhaktisaṁyutaḥ

"'In the sacred field of Chamatkarapura you shall receive supreme worship; whoever, filled with devotion, worships you there with Atharvan mantras --'"

Verse 6 (skanda.6.60.6)

पूजयिष्यति वृद्धिं च सर्वकालमवाप्स्यति॥ तस्मात्तत्र द्रुतं गच्छ मया सार्द्धं पुरोत्तमे

pūjayiṣyati vṛddhiṁ ca sarvakālamavāpsyati tasmāttatra drutaṁ gaccha mayā sārddhaṁ purottame

"'-- he shall attain prosperity for all time. Therefore go there quickly, together with me, to that finest of cities.'"

Verse 7 (skanda.6.60.7)

द्विजानां रक्षणार्थाय नित्यं संनिहिता भव॥ एवं सा तत्र संभूता माहित्था वरदेवता

dvijānāṁ rakṣaṇārthāya nityaṁ saṁnihitā bhava evaṁ sā tatra saṁbhūtā māhitthā varadevatā

"'Remain always present there for the protection of brahmins.'" Thus that boon-granting goddess Mahittha came into being there.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.60.8)

ययाऽयं चलितः शैलः स्वशक्त्या निश्चलीकृतः॥ स्कन्देनेह द्विजश्रेष्ठाः शक्त्या विद्धस्तदग्रतः

yayā'yaṁ calitaḥ śailaḥ svaśaktyā niścalīkṛtaḥ skandeneha dvijaśreṣṭhāḥ śaktyā viddhastadagrataḥ

By whose power this moving mountain was made motionless, O best of the twice-born, when it was struck before her by Skanda's spear.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.60.9)

नरादित्यस्ततश्चान्यो यो नरेण प्रतिष्ठितः॥ षष्ठ्यां तं सूर्यवारेण दृष्ट्वा पापात्प्रमुच्यते

narādityastataścānyo yo nareṇa pratiṣṭhitaḥ ṣaṣṭhyāṁ taṁ sūryavāreṇa dṛṣṭvā pāpātpramucyate

Nearby is another Naraditya, established by Nara (Arjuna); beholding him on the sixth falling on a Sunday, one is freed from sin.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.60.10)

न शत्रूणां पराभूतिं प्रयास्यति यथार्जुनः॥ रोगी विमुच्यते रोगाद्दरिद्रो धनमाप्नुयात्

na śatrūṇāṁ parābhūtiṁ prayāsyati yathārjunaḥ rogī vimucyate rogāddaridro dhanamāpnuyāt

He shall never suffer defeat at the hands of enemies, just as Arjuna did not; a sick man is freed from disease, and a poor man obtains wealth.

Verse 11 (skanda.6.60.11)

तथा गोवर्धनधरं तत्र देवं जनार्दनम्॥ यः पश्येत्कार्तिके शुक्ले संप्राप्ते प्रथमे दिने॥ तस्य गावः प्रभूताः स्युर्नीरोगा द्विसत्तमाः

tathā govardhanadharaṁ tatra devaṁ janārdanam yaḥ paśyetkārtike śukle saṁprāpte prathame dine tasya gāvaḥ prabhūtāḥ syurnīrogā dvisattamāḥ

And, O best of the twice-born, whoever beholds the god Janardana there, bearing Govardhana, when the first day of the bright half of Kartika arrives, shall have abundant, disease-free cattle.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.60.12)

नरसिंहवपुः साक्षात्तथा देवो हरिः स्वयम्॥ तथा विनायकस्तत्र सर्वकामप्रदायकः॥ सर्वविघ्नहरश्चैव स्थापितश्चार्जुनेन हि

narasiṁhavapuḥ sākṣāttathā devo hariḥ svayam tathā vināyakastatra sarvakāmapradāyakaḥ sarvavighnaharaścaiva sthāpitaścārjunena hi

There too the god Hari himself, in the very form of Narasimha, and Vinayaka, the giver of all desires and the remover of every obstacle, were established by Arjuna.

Verse 13 (skanda.6.60.13)

यस्तं पूजयते भक्त्या चतुर्थ्यां मोदकाशनैः॥ स सर्वविघ्ननिर्मुक्तो लभते वांछितं फलम्॥ तत्र स्थितो द्विजेंद्राणां हिताय द्विजसत्तमाः

yastaṁ pūjayate bhaktyā caturthyāṁ modakāśanaiḥ sa sarvavighnanirmukto labhate vāṁchitaṁ phalam tatra sthito dvijeṁdrāṇāṁ hitāya dvijasattamāḥ

Whoever worships him with devotion on the fourth tithi with offerings of sweet modakas is freed from every obstacle and obtains the fruit he desires; he abides there for the welfare of the foremost brahmins, O best of the twice-born.

Verse 14 (skanda.6.60.14)

यस्तमाथर्वणैर्मंत्रैः पूजयेद्द्वादशीदिने॥ कार्तिकस्य सिते पक्षे स याति परमां गतिम्

yastamātharvaṇairmaṁtraiḥ pūjayeddvādaśīdine kārtikasya site pakṣe sa yāti paramāṁ gatim

Whoever worships him with Atharvan mantras on the twelfth tithi of the bright fortnight of Kartika attains the highest state.

Verse 15 (skanda.6.60.15)

तथा तत्र द्विजश्रेष्ठा नरनारायणावुभौ॥ देवौ परमतेजस्वी यस्तौ पश्यति भक्तितः

tathā tatra dvijaśreṣṭhā naranārāyaṇāvubhau devau paramatejasvī yastau paśyati bhaktitaḥ

And there too, O best of the twice-born, are the two gods Nara and Narayana, of supreme radiance; whoever beholds them with devotion,

Verse 16 (skanda.6.60.16)

पूजयेच्च द्विजश्रेष्ठा द्वादश्या दिवसे स्वयम्॥ स याति परमं स्थानं जरामरणवर्जितम्

pūjayecca dvijaśreṣṭhā dvādaśyā divase svayam sa yāti paramaṁ sthānaṁ jarāmaraṇavarjitam

and, O best of the twice-born, himself worships them on the twelfth tithi, attains the supreme abode, free of old age and death.

Verse 17 (skanda.6.60.17)

तीर्थयात्राकृतारंभः कुन्तीपुत्रो धनंजयः॥ हाटकेश्वरजे क्षेत्रे समायातो द्विजोत्तमाः

tīrthayātrākṛtāraṁbhaḥ kuntīputro dhanaṁjayaḥ hāṭakeśvaraje kṣetre samāyāto dvijottamāḥ

O best of the twice-born, Dhananjaya, son of Kunti, having begun a pilgrimage, came to the sacred field of Hatakeshvara.

Verse 18 (skanda.6.60.18)

दृष्ट्वा तत्पावनं क्षेत्रं तीर्थपूगप्रपूरितम्॥ आदित्यं स्थापयामास प्रासादे सुमनोहरे

dṛṣṭvā tatpāvanaṁ kṣetraṁ tīrthapūgaprapūritam ādityaṁ sthāpayāmāsa prāsāde sumanohare

Seeing that sacred field, crowded with a multitude of sacred fords, he established the Sun in a most beautiful temple.

Verse 19 (skanda.6.60.19)

नरनारायणौ देवौ तस्याग्रे स्थापितौ ततः॥ तथा गोवर्धनधरस्तत्र देवः प्रतिष्ठितः

naranārāyaṇau devau tasyāgre sthāpitau tataḥ tathā govardhanadharastatra devaḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ

Then the two gods Nara and Narayana were established before him, and there too the god who bears Govardhana was installed.

Verse 20 (skanda.6.60.20)

नरसिंहं तथैवान्यं श्रद्धया परया युतः॥ एवं संस्थाप्य कौंतेयो देवगृहसुपंचकम्

narasiṁhaṁ tathaivānyaṁ śraddhayā parayā yutaḥ evaṁ saṁsthāpya kauṁteyo devagṛhasupaṁcakam

And likewise, filled with supreme faith, another image of Narasimha; thus the son of Kunti established this excellent group of five temples of the gods.

Verse 21 (skanda.6.60.21)

ततो विप्रान्समाहूय सर्वांस्तान्पुरसंभवान्॥ प्रोवाच प्रणतो भक्त्या धनं दत्त्वा सुपुष्कलम्

tato viprānsamāhūya sarvāṁstānpurasaṁbhavān provāca praṇato bhaktyā dhanaṁ dattvā supuṣkalam

Then, summoning all the brahmins born in that city, giving them abundant wealth, he said to them, bowing with devotion:

Verse 22 (skanda.6.60.22)

मया संस्थापितः सूर्यः सर्वरोगक्षयावहः॥ तथार्पितश्च युष्माकं चिंतनीयं सदैव तु

mayā saṁsthāpitaḥ sūryaḥ sarvarogakṣayāvahaḥ tathārpitaśca yuṣmākaṁ ciṁtanīyaṁ sadaiva tu

"'The Sun has been established by me, bringing about the destruction of every disease, and has been entrusted to you; it must always be cared for by you.'"

Verse 23 (skanda.6.60.23)

विप्रा ऊचुः॥ गच्छ त्वं पांडवश्रेष्ठ सुविश्रब्धः स्वमालयम्॥ वयं सर्वे करिष्यामस्तवश्रेयोऽभिवर्धनम्

viprā ūcuḥ gaccha tvaṁ pāṁḍavaśreṣṭha suviśrabdhaḥ svamālayam vayaṁ sarve kariṣyāmastavaśreyo'bhivardhanam

The brahmins said: "Go, O best of the Pandavas, in full confidence, to your own home; we shall all bring about the increase of your welfare."

Verse 24 (skanda.6.60.24)

ततोऽर्जुनः प्रहृष्टात्मा तेभ्यो दत्त्वा धनं बहु॥ तानामंत्र्य नमस्कृत्य जगाम स्वपुरं प्रति

tato'rjunaḥ prahṛṣṭātmā tebhyo dattvā dhanaṁ bahu tānāmaṁtrya namaskṛtya jagāma svapuraṁ prati

Then Arjuna, filled with joy, having given them much wealth, took leave of them with reverence, and went to his own city.

Verse 25 (skanda.6.60.25)

सूत उवाच॥ एतद्वः सर्वमाख्यातं नरादित्यस्य संभवम्॥ माहात्म्यं ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठाः शृण्वतां पापनाशनम्

sūta uvāca etadvaḥ sarvamākhyātaṁ narādityasya saṁbhavam māhātmyaṁ brāhmaṇaśreṣṭhāḥ śṛṇvatāṁ pāpanāśanam

Suta said: "O best of brahmins, I have thus told you all the origin of Naraditya, and this sin-destroying greatness, for those who listen."