The Kauravas' Visit to the Field of Hatakeshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.6.72.1)

सूत उवाच॥ तत्रैव स्थापितं लिंगं धृतराष्ट्रेण भूभुजा॥ दुर्योधनेन चालोक्य सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते

sūta uvāca tatraiva sthāpitaṁ liṁgaṁ dhṛtarāṣṭreṇa bhūbhujā duryodhanena cālokya sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate

Suta said: There King Dhritarashtra installed a linga, and Duryodhana too; whoever beholds it is freed from all sins.

Verse 2 (skanda.6.72.2)

ऋषय ऊचुः॥ कस्मिन्काले नरेन्द्रेण धृतराष्ट्रेण भूभुजा॥ तत्र संस्थापितं लिंगं वद त्वं रौमहर्षणे

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ kasminkāle narendreṇa dhṛtarāṣṭreṇa bhūbhujā tatra saṁsthāpitaṁ liṁgaṁ vada tvaṁ raumaharṣaṇe

The sages said: "At what time did King Dhritarashtra install the linga there? Tell us, O son of Romaharshana."

Verse 3 (skanda.6.72.3)

सूत उवाच॥ आसीद्भानुमतीनाम बलभद्रसुता पुरा॥ सर्वलक्षणसंपन्ना रूपौदार्यगुणान्विता

sūta uvāca āsīdbhānumatīnāma balabhadrasutā purā sarvalakṣaṇasaṁpannā rūpaudāryaguṇānvitā

Suta said: There was formerly a daughter of Balabhadra named Bhanumati, endowed with every auspicious mark and possessed of beauty, nobility, and virtue.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.72.4)

तां ददावथ पत्न्यर्थे धार्तराष्ट्राय धीमते॥ दुर्योधनाय संमन्त्र्य विष्णुना सह यादवः

tāṁ dadāvatha patnyarthe dhārtarāṣṭrāya dhīmate duryodhanāya saṁmantrya viṣṇunā saha yādavaḥ

Having taken counsel with Vishnu, the Yadava gave her in marriage to the wise son of Dhritarashtra, Duryodhana.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.72.5)

अथ नागपुरात्सर्वे भीष्मद्रोणादयश्च ये॥ कौरवाः प्रस्थितास्तूर्णं पुरीं द्वारवतीं प्रति

atha nāgapurātsarve bhīṣmadroṇādayaśca ye kauravāḥ prasthitāstūrṇaṁ purīṁ dvāravatīṁ prati

Then all the Kauravas, headed by Bhishma and Drona, set out swiftly from Nagapura toward the city of Dvaravati.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.72.6)

तथा पांडुसुताः पंच परिवारसमन्विताः॥ सौभ्रात्रं मन्यमानास्ते दुर्योधनसमन्विताः॥ जग्मुर्द्वारवतीं हृष्टाः सैन्येन महतान्विताः

tathā pāṁḍusutāḥ paṁca parivārasamanvitāḥ saubhrātraṁ manyamānāste duryodhanasamanvitāḥ jagmurdvāravatīṁ hṛṣṭāḥ sainyena mahatānvitāḥ

Likewise the five sons of Pandu, with their families, regarding it as an occasion of brotherly affection, went joyfully to Dvaravati together with Duryodhana, accompanied by a great army.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.72.7)

अथ क्रमेण गच्छंतस्ते सर्वे कुरुपाण्डवाः॥ आनर्तविषयं प्राप्ता धनधान्यसमाकुलम्

atha krameṇa gacchaṁtaste sarve kurupāṇḍavāḥ ānartaviṣayaṁ prāptā dhanadhānyasamākulam

Then, as all the Kurus and Pandavas journeyed on by stages, they reached the land of Anarta, abounding in wealth and grain.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.72.8)

सर्वपापहरं पुण्यं यत्र तत्क्षेत्रमुत्तमम्॥ हाटकेश्वरदेवस्य विख्यातं भुवनत्रये

sarvapāpaharaṁ puṇyaṁ yatra tatkṣetramuttamam hāṭakeśvaradevasya vikhyātaṁ bhuvanatraye

There is that most excellent, sin-destroying, holy field of the god Hatakeshvara, renowned throughout the three worlds.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.72.9)

अथ प्राह विशुद्धात्मा वृद्धः कुरुपितामहः॥ धृतराष्ट्रं महीपालं सपुत्रं प्रहसन्निव

atha prāha viśuddhātmā vṛddhaḥ kurupitāmahaḥ dhṛtarāṣṭraṁ mahīpālaṁ saputraṁ prahasanniva

Then the pure-souled, aged grandsire of the Kurus, almost smiling, spoke to King Dhritarashtra and his sons:

Verse 10 (skanda.6.72.10)

भीष्म उवाच॥ एतद्वत्स पुरा दृष्टं मया क्षेत्रमनुत्तमम्॥ हाटकेश्वरदेवस्य सर्वपातकनाशनम्

bhīṣma uvāca etadvatsa purā dṛṣṭaṁ mayā kṣetramanuttamam hāṭakeśvaradevasya sarvapātakanāśanam

Bhishma said: "My child, I saw this unsurpassed, all-sin-destroying sacred field of the god Hatakeshvara long ago."

Verse 11 (skanda.6.72.11)

अत्राहं चैव निर्मुक्तः स्त्रीहत्योद्भवपातकात्॥ तस्मादत्रैव राजेंद्र तिष्ठामः पंचवासरान्

atrāhaṁ caiva nirmuktaḥ strīhatyodbhavapātakāt tasmādatraiva rājeṁdra tiṣṭhāmaḥ paṁcavāsarān

"Here I myself was freed from the sin arising from the killing of a woman; therefore, O king of kings, let us stay right here five days,"

Verse 12 (skanda.6.72.12)

येन सर्वाणि पश्यामस्तीर्थान्यायतनानि च॥ यान्यत्र संति पुण्यानि मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम्

yena sarvāṇi paśyāmastīrthānyāyatanāni ca yānyatra saṁti puṇyāni munīnāṁ bhāvitātmanām

"so that we may see all the sacred fords and shrines that are here, the holy places of the purified sages."

Verse 13 (skanda.6.72.13)

अथ तद्वचनाद्राजा धृतराष्ट्रोंऽबिकासुतः॥ शतसंख्यैः सुतैः सार्धं कौतूहलसमन्वितः

atha tadvacanādrājā dhṛtarāṣṭroṁ'bikāsutaḥ śatasaṁkhyaiḥ sutaiḥ sārdhaṁ kautūhalasamanvitaḥ

Then, at his word, King Dhritarashtra, son of Ambika, filled with eagerness, together with his hundred sons,

Verse 14 (skanda.6.72.14)

जगाम सत्वरं तत्र यत्र तत्क्षेत्रमुत्तमम्॥ तपस्विगणसंकीर्णं युक्तं चैवाश्रमैः शुभैः

jagāma satvaraṁ tatra yatra tatkṣetramuttamam tapasvigaṇasaṁkīrṇaṁ yuktaṁ caivāśramaiḥ śubhaiḥ

went swiftly to that excellent sacred field, crowded with hosts of ascetics and furnished with auspicious hermitages,

Verse 15 (skanda.6.72.15)

ब्रह्मघोषेण महता नादितं सर्वतोदिशम्॥ वह्निपूजोत्थधूम्रेण कलुषीकृतपादपम्॥ क्रीडामृगैश्च संकीर्णं धावद्भिर्बहुभिस्तथा

brahmaghoṣeṇa mahatā nāditaṁ sarvatodiśam vahnipūjotthadhūmreṇa kaluṣīkṛtapādapam krīḍāmṛgaiśca saṁkīrṇaṁ dhāvadbhirbahubhistathā

resounding on every side with the great murmur of Vedic recitation, its trees darkened by the smoke rising from fire-worship, and thronged with many tame deer running about at play.

Verse 16 (skanda.6.72.16)

ततो निवार्य सैन्यं स्वमुपद्रवभयान्नृपः॥ पञ्चभिः पांडवैः सार्धं शतसंख्यैस्तथा सुतैः

tato nivārya sainyaṁ svamupadravabhayānnṛpaḥ pañcabhiḥ pāṁḍavaiḥ sārdhaṁ śatasaṁkhyaistathā sutaiḥ

Then the king, restraining his own army for fear of disturbance, together with the five Pandavas and his hundred sons,

Verse 17 (skanda.6.72.17)

भीष्मेण सोमदत्तेन बाह्लीकेन समन्वितः॥ द्रोणाचार्येण वीरेण तत्पुत्रेण कृपेण च

bhīṣmeṇa somadattena bāhlīkena samanvitaḥ droṇācāryeṇa vīreṇa tatputreṇa kṛpeṇa ca

accompanied by Bhishma, Somadatta, Bahlika, the heroic teacher Drona, his son, and Kripa,

Verse 18 (skanda.6.72.18)

सौबलेन च कर्णेन तथान्यैरपि पार्थिवैः॥ परिवारपरित्यक्तैस्तस्मिन्क्षेत्रे चचार सः

saubalena ca karṇena tathānyairapi pārthivaiḥ parivāraparityaktaistasminkṣetre cacāra saḥ

and by Shakuni, Karna, and other kings — all having left their retinues behind — he wandered about in that sacred field.

Verse 19 (skanda.6.72.19)

तेऽपि सर्वे महात्मानः क्षत्रियास्तत्र संस्थिताः॥ चक्रुर्धर्मक्रियाः सर्वाः श्रद्धापूतेन चेतसा

te'pi sarve mahātmānaḥ kṣatriyāstatra saṁsthitāḥ cakrurdharmakriyāḥ sarvāḥ śraddhāpūtena cetasā

All those great-souled kshatriyas, having taken up residence there, performed every religious observance with hearts purified by faith.

Verse 20 (skanda.6.72.20)

स्नानं चक्रुर्विधानेन तीर्थेषु द्विजसत्तमाः॥ भ्रांत्वाभ्रांत्वा सुपुण्येषु श्रुत्वाश्रुत्वा द्विजन्मनाम्

snānaṁ cakrurvidhānena tīrtheṣu dvijasattamāḥ bhrāṁtvābhrāṁtvā supuṇyeṣu śrutvāśrutvā dvijanmanām

O best of brahmins, they bathed by prescribed rite in the sacred fords, wandering again and again to the most holy of them, hearing their glory again and again from the brahmins.

Verse 21 (skanda.6.72.21)

दानानि च विशिष्टानि ददुरिष्टानि चापरे॥ दीनेभ्यः कृपणेभ्यश्च तपस्विभ्यो विशेषतः

dānāni ca viśiṣṭāni daduriṣṭāni cāpare dīnebhyaḥ kṛpaṇebhyaśca tapasvibhyo viśeṣataḥ

Some gave choice and desired gifts, especially to the poor, the destitute, and the ascetics.

Verse 22 (skanda.6.72.22)

चक्रुः श्राद्धक्रियाश्चान्ये पितॄनुद्दिश्य भक्तितः॥ पितॄणां तर्पणं चान्ये तिलमिश्रजलेन च

cakruḥ śrāddhakriyāścānye pitṝnuddiśya bhaktitaḥ pitṝṇāṁ tarpaṇaṁ cānye tilamiśrajalena ca

Others devotedly performed shraddha-rites for their ancestors, and others offered libations to the ancestors with water mixed with sesame.

Verse 23 (skanda.6.72.23)

अन्ये होमक्रिया भूपा जपमन्ये निरर्गलम्॥ स्वाध्यायमपरे शान्ताः सम्यक्छ्रद्धासमन्विताः

anye homakriyā bhūpā japamanye nirargalam svādhyāyamapare śāntāḥ samyakchraddhāsamanvitāḥ

Other kings performed fire-oblations, others recited japa without restraint, and others, tranquil and filled with true faith, performed their Vedic study.

Verse 24 (skanda.6.72.24)

देवतायतनान्यन्ये माहात्म्यसहितानि च॥ श्रुत्वा पूर्वनृपाणां च पूजयंति विशेषतः

devatāyatanānyanye māhātmyasahitāni ca śrutvā pūrvanṛpāṇāṁ ca pūjayaṁti viśeṣataḥ

Others, having heard of the glories of the shrines of the gods and of former kings, worshipped them with special reverence.

Verse 25 (skanda.6.72.25)

बलिदानैः सुवस्त्रैश्च गन्धपुष्पोपलेपनैः॥ मार्जनैध्वजदानैश्च तथा प्रेक्षणकैः शुभैः

balidānaiḥ suvastraiśca gandhapuṣpopalepanaiḥ mārjanaidhvajadānaiśca tathā prekṣaṇakaiḥ śubhaiḥ

With offerings of bali, fine garments, fragrant pastes and flowers, with cleaning, gifts of banners, and auspicious performances,

Verse 26 (skanda.6.72.26)

मंडनैः पुष्पमालाभिः समंताद्द्विजसत्तमाः॥ हस्त्यश्वरथदानैश्च गोर्भिर्वस्त्रैश्च कांचनैः॥ कृतार्था ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे कृतास्तैस्तत्र भक्तितः

maṁḍanaiḥ puṣpamālābhiḥ samaṁtāddvijasattamāḥ hastyaśvarathadānaiśca gorbhirvastraiśca kāṁcanaiḥ kṛtārthā brāhmaṇāḥ sarve kṛtāstaistatra bhaktitaḥ

with decorations and garlands of flowers all about, O best of brahmins, and with gifts of elephants, horses, chariots, cows, garments, and gold, all the brahmins there were made content by them, with devotion.

Verse 27 (skanda.6.72.27)

एवं स्नात्वा तथाऽभ्यर्च्य देवान्विप्रान्नृपोत्तमाः॥ धृतराष्ट्रसमायुक्ता जग्मुः स्वशिबिरं ततः

evaṁ snātvā tathā'bhyarcya devānviprānnṛpottamāḥ dhṛtarāṣṭrasamāyuktā jagmuḥ svaśibiraṁ tataḥ

Thus, having bathed and worshipped the gods and the brahmins, those excellent kings, together with Dhritarashtra, then returned to their own camp,

Verse 28 (skanda.6.72.28)

शंसन्तो विस्मयाविष्टास्तीर्थान्यायतनानि च॥ तस्मिन्क्षेत्रे द्विजांश्चैव तापसान्संशितव्रतान्

śaṁsanto vismayāviṣṭāstīrthānyāyatanāni ca tasminkṣetre dvijāṁścaiva tāpasānsaṁśitavratān

filled with wonder, praising the sacred fords and shrines, and the brahmins and rigorously-vowed ascetics of that sacred field.