The Glory of Ramahrada

Verse 1 (skanda.6.69.1)

सूत उवाच॥ ततो निःक्षत्रिये लोके क्षत्त्रिण्यो वंशकारणात्॥ क्षेत्रजान्ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च सुषुवुस्तनया न्वरान्

sūta uvāca tato niḥkṣatriye loke kṣattriṇyo vaṁśakāraṇāt kṣetrajānbrāhmaṇebhyaśca suṣuvustanayā nvarān

Suta said: Then, with the world made free of kshatriyas, the kshatriya women, for the sake of preserving their lineage, bore excellent sons begotten upon them by brahmins.

Verse 2 (skanda.6.69.2)

ते वृद्धिं च समासाद्य क्षेत्रजाः क्षत्रियोपमाः॥ जगृहुर्मेदिनीं वीर्यात्संनिरस्य द्विजोत्तमान्

te vṛddhiṁ ca samāsādya kṣetrajāḥ kṣatriyopamāḥ jagṛhurmedinīṁ vīryātsaṁnirasya dvijottamān

Those field-born sons, having grown to manhood and resembling kshatriyas in every way, seized the earth by force, driving out the finest brahmins.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.69.3)

ततस्ते ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे परिभूतिपदं गताः॥ प्रोचुर्भार्गवमभ्येत्य दुःखेन महतान्विताः

tataste brāhmaṇāḥ sarve paribhūtipadaṁ gatāḥ procurbhārgavamabhyetya duḥkhena mahatānvitāḥ

Then all those brahmins, brought to a state of disgrace and overwhelmed with great sorrow, went to the descendant of Bhrigu and spoke to him.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.69.4)

रामराम महाबाहो या त्वया वसुधा च नः॥ वाजिमेधे मखे दत्ता क्षत्रियैः सा हता बलात्॥ तस्मान्नो देहि तां भूयो हत्वा तान्क्षत्रियाधमान्॥ कुरु श्रेयोऽभिवृद्धिं तां यद्यस्ति तव पौरुषम्

rāmarāma mahābāho yā tvayā vasudhā ca naḥ vājimedhe makhe dattā kṣatriyaiḥ sā hatā balāt tasmānno dehi tāṁ bhūyo hatvā tānkṣatriyādhamān kuru śreyo'bhivṛddhiṁ tāṁ yadyasti tava pauruṣam

'O Rama, Rama, mighty-armed one! That earth which you gave us at the horse-sacrifice has now been forcibly seized by kshatriyas. Therefore give it back to us once more, having slain those base kshatriyas; grant us this increase of welfare, if any manly courage still remains in you.'

Verse 5 (skanda.6.69.5)

ततो रामः क्रुधाविष्टो भूयस्तैः शवरैः सह॥ पुलिन्दैर्मेदकैश्चैव क्षत्रियांताय निर्ययौ

tato rāmaḥ krudhāviṣṭo bhūyastaiḥ śavaraiḥ saha pulindairmedakaiścaiva kṣatriyāṁtāya niryayau

Then Rama, once again seized with fury, set out together with those Shabaras, Pulindas, and Medas, for the destruction of the kshatriyas.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.69.6)

तत्रैव क्षत्रियान्हत्वा रक्तमादाय तद्बहु॥ तां गर्तां पूरयामास चकार पितृतर्पणम्

tatraiva kṣatriyānhatvā raktamādāya tadbahu tāṁ gartāṁ pūrayāmāsa cakāra pitṛtarpaṇam

There, having slain the kshatriyas and gathering their abundant blood, he filled that same pit once more and performed the offering to his ancestors.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.69.7)

प्रददौ ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च वाजिमेधे धरां पुनः॥ तैश्च निर्वासितस्तत्र जगामोदधिसंनिधौ

pradadau brāhmaṇebhyaśca vājimedhe dharāṁ punaḥ taiśca nirvāsitastatra jagāmodadhisaṁnidhau

And he gave the earth once more to the brahmins at a horse-sacrifice; and, being sent away by them again, he went once more to the shore of the ocean.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.69.8)

एवं तेन कृता पृथ्वी सर्वक्षत्त्रविवर्जिता॥ त्रिःसप्तवारं विप्रेंद्रा द्विजेभ्यश्च निवेदिता

evaṁ tena kṛtā pṛthvī sarvakṣattravivarjitā triḥsaptavāraṁ vipreṁdrā dvijebhyaśca niveditā

Thus, O foremost of brahmins, the earth was rid of every kshatriya by him twenty-one times over, and each time given over anew to the brahmins.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.69.9)

तर्पिताः पितरश्चैव रुधिरेण महात्मना॥ प्रतिज्ञा पालिता तस्माद्विकोपश्च बभूव सः

tarpitāḥ pitaraścaiva rudhireṇa mahātmanā pratijñā pālitā tasmādvikopaśca babhūva saḥ

And by that great soul, his ancestors were satisfied with blood; thus his vow was fulfilled, and he became free of his wrath.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.69.10)

एकविंशतिमे प्राप्ते ततश्च पितृतर्पणे॥ अशरीराऽभवद्वाणी खस्था पितृसमुद्भवा

ekaviṁśatime prāpte tataśca pitṛtarpaṇe aśarīrā'bhavadvāṇī khasthā pitṛsamudbhavā

Then, when the twenty-first offering to the ancestors had been completed, a bodiless voice, arising from the ancestors themselves, sounded from the sky.

Verse 11 (skanda.6.69.11)

रामराम महाभाग त्यजैतत्कर्म गर्हितम्॥ वयं ते तुष्टिमापन्नाः स्ववाक्यपरिपाल नात्

rāmarāma mahābhāga tyajaitatkarma garhitam vayaṁ te tuṣṭimāpannāḥ svavākyaparipāla nāt

'O Rama, Rama, most fortunate one, abandon now this condemned act; we are satisfied with you, through your faithful keeping of your own word.'

Verse 12 (skanda.6.69.12)

यत्त्वया विहितं कर्म नैतदन्यः करिष्यति॥ न कृतं केनचित्पूर्वं पितृवैरसमुद्भवम्

yattvayā vihitaṁ karma naitadanyaḥ kariṣyati na kṛtaṁ kenacitpūrvaṁ pitṛvairasamudbhavam

'This deed which you have performed, no one else shall ever perform; nor has anyone before this done such a thing, born of vengeance for a father.'

Verse 13 (skanda.6.69.13)

तस्मात्तुष्टा वयं वत्स दास्यामश्चित्त वांछितम्॥ प्रार्थयस्व द्रुतं तस्माद्दुर्लभं त्रिदशैरपि

tasmāttuṣṭā vayaṁ vatsa dāsyāmaścitta vāṁchitam prārthayasva drutaṁ tasmāddurlabhaṁ tridaśairapi

'Therefore, O child, we are well pleased, and we shall grant whatever your heart desires; ask swiftly, then, even for what is difficult to obtain even for the gods.'

Verse 14 (skanda.6.69.14)

राम उवाच॥ पितरो यदि तुष्टा मे यच्छंति यदि वांछितम्॥ तस्मात्तीर्थमिदं पुण्यं मन्नाम्ना लोकविश्रुतम्॥ रक्तदोषविनिर्मुक्तं सेवितं वरतापसैः

rāma uvāca pitaro yadi tuṣṭā me yacchaṁti yadi vāṁchitam tasmāttīrthamidaṁ puṇyaṁ mannāmnā lokaviśrutam raktadoṣavinirmuktaṁ sevitaṁ varatāpasaiḥ

Rama said: 'If my ancestors are pleased with me and wish to grant my desire, then let this sacred tirtha become renowned throughout the world by my own name, freed from the taint of blood, and frequented by the finest ascetics.'

Verse 15 (skanda.6.69.15)

पितर ऊचुः॥ पितृतर्पणजा गर्ता त्वया येयं विनिर्मिता॥ रामह्रद इति ख्यातिं प्रयास्यति जगत्त्रये

pitara ūcuḥ pitṛtarpaṇajā gartā tvayā yeyaṁ vinirmitā rāmahrada iti khyātiṁ prayāsyati jagattraye

The ancestors said: 'This very pit, made by you for the offering to the fathers, shall become renowned throughout the three worlds by the name Ramahrada.'

Verse 16 (skanda.6.69.16)

यत्र भक्तियुता लोकास्तर्पयिष्यंति वै पितॄन्॥ तेऽश्वमेधफलं प्राप्य प्रयास्यंति परां गतिम्

yatra bhaktiyutā lokāstarpayiṣyaṁti vai pitṝn te'śvamedhaphalaṁ prāpya prayāsyaṁti parāṁ gatim

'Wherever people, filled with devotion, satisfy their ancestors here, they shall obtain the fruit of the Ashvamedha sacrifice and attain the supreme goal.'

Verse 17 (skanda.6.69.17)

कृष्णपक्षे चतुर्दश्यां मासि भाद्रपदे नरः॥ करिष्यति च यः श्राद्धं भक्त्या शस्त्रहतस्य च

kṛṣṇapakṣe caturdaśyāṁ māsi bhādrapade naraḥ kariṣyati ca yaḥ śrāddhaṁ bhaktyā śastrahatasya ca

'Whatever man, in the month of Bhadrapada, on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight, performs the shraddha rite with devotion for one who was slain by weapons —'

Verse 18 (skanda.6.69.18)

अपि प्रेतत्वमापन्नं नरके वा समाश्रितम्॥ उद्धरिष्यति स प्रेतमपि पापसमन्वितम्

api pretatvamāpannaṁ narake vā samāśritam uddhariṣyati sa pretamapi pāpasamanvitam

'— shall deliver that departed spirit, even one who has fallen into the state of a preta, or lies confined in hell, even one weighed down with sin.'

Verse 19 (skanda.6.69.19)

सूत उवाच॥ एवमुक्त्वा तु रामं ते विरेमुस्तदनंतरम्॥ रामोऽपि च तपस्तेपे तत्रैव क्रोधवर्जितः

sūta uvāca evamuktvā tu rāmaṁ te viremustadanaṁtaram rāmo'pi ca tapastepe tatraiva krodhavarjitaḥ

Suta said: Having spoken thus to Rama, they fell silent thereafter; and Rama too, now free of anger, took up austerities right there.

Verse 20 (skanda.6.69.20)

तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन तत्र शस्त्रहतस्य च॥ तस्मिन्दिने प्रकर्तव्यं श्राद्धं श्रद्धासमन्वितैः

tasmātsarvaprayatnena tatra śastrahatasya ca tasmindine prakartavyaṁ śrāddhaṁ śraddhāsamanvitaiḥ

Therefore, one should, with every effort and full of faith, perform the shraddha rite there on that day for one who was slain by weapons.

Verse 21 (skanda.6.69.21)

उपसर्ग मृतानां च सर्पाग्निविषबन्धनैः॥ तत्र मुक्तिप्रदं श्राद्धं दिने तस्मिन्नुदाहृतम्

upasarga mṛtānāṁ ca sarpāgniviṣabandhanaiḥ tatra muktipradaṁ śrāddhaṁ dine tasminnudāhṛtam

For those who have died through misfortune — by snakebite, fire, poison, or captivity — the shraddha performed there on that day is declared to grant liberation.

Verse 22 (skanda.6.69.22)

यः पितॄंस्तर्पयेत्तत्र प्रेतपक्षे जलैरपि॥ स तेषामनृणो भूत्वा पितृलोके महीयते

yaḥ pitṝṁstarpayettatra pretapakṣe jalairapi sa teṣāmanṛṇo bhūtvā pitṛloke mahīyate

Whoever satisfies his ancestors there, even with water alone, during the fortnight of the pretas, becomes free of debt to them and is honored in the world of the ancestors.

Verse 23 (skanda.6.69.23)

एतद्वः सर्वमाख्यातं रामह्रदसमुद्भवम्॥ माहात्म्यं ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठाः सर्वपातकनाशनम्

etadvaḥ sarvamākhyātaṁ rāmahradasamudbhavam māhātmyaṁ brāhmaṇaśreṣṭhāḥ sarvapātakanāśanam

O foremost of brahmins, this entire greatness arising from Ramahrada, the destroyer of every sin, has now been told to you.

Verse 24 (skanda.6.69.24)

श्राद्धकाले नरो भक्त्या यश्चैतत्पठति स्वयम्॥ स गयाश्राद्धजं कृत्स्नं फलमाप्नोत्यसंशयम्

śrāddhakāle naro bhaktyā yaścaitatpaṭhati svayam sa gayāśrāddhajaṁ kṛtsnaṁ phalamāpnotyasaṁśayam

Whatever man himself recites this with devotion at the time of shraddha obtains, without any doubt, the entire fruit that arises from the shraddha performed at Gaya.

Verse 25 (skanda.6.69.25)

पर्वकाले ऽथवा प्राप्ते पठेद्ब्राह्मणसंनिधौ॥ पितृमेधस्य यज्ञस्य स फलं लभते ऽखिलम्

parvakāle 'thavā prāpte paṭhedbrāhmaṇasaṁnidhau pitṛmedhasya yajñasya sa phalaṁ labhate 'khilam

Or, when some sacred occasion arrives, if he recites it in the presence of brahmins, he obtains the entire fruit of the Pitrimedha sacrifice.

Verse 26 (skanda.6.69.26)

शृणुयाद्वापि यो भक्त्या कीर्त्यमानमिदं नरः॥ सौत्रामणौ कृते कृत्स्नं फलमाप्नोत्यसंशयम्

śṛṇuyādvāpi yo bhaktyā kīrtyamānamidaṁ naraḥ sautrāmaṇau kṛte kṛtsnaṁ phalamāpnotyasaṁśayam

Or whatever man hears this being recited, with devotion, obtains, without any doubt, the entire fruit as though the Sautramani sacrifice itself had been performed.