The Greatness of the Deity Named Suparna

Verse 1 (skanda.6.83.1)

सूत उवाच। तत्राश्चर्यमभूत्पूर्वं यत्तद्ब्राह्मणसत्तमाः ॥ अहं वः कीर्तयिष्यामि पुराणे यदुदाहृतम्

sūta uvāca tatrāścaryamabhūtpūrvaṁ yattadbrāhmaṇasattamāḥ ahaṁ vaḥ kīrtayiṣyāmi purāṇe yadudāhṛtam

Suta said: O best of brahmins, I shall now relate to you a wondrous event that occurred there long ago, as it is told in the Purana.

Verse 2 (skanda.6.83.2)

वेणुर्नाम महीपालः पुरासीत्सूर्यवंशजः ॥ सदैव पापसंयुक्तो दुर्मेधाः कामपीडितः

veṇurnāma mahīpālaḥ purāsītsūryavaṁśajaḥ sadaiva pāpasaṁyukto durmedhāḥ kāmapīḍitaḥ

Long ago there was a king named Venu, born in the solar dynasty, who was ever given to sin, dull of understanding, and tormented by lust.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.83.3)

शासनानि प्रदत्तानि ब्राह्मणानां महात्मनाम् ॥ अन्यैः पार्थिवशार्दूलैस्तेन तानि हृतान्यलम्

śāsanāni pradattāni brāhmaṇānāṁ mahātmanām anyaiḥ pārthivaśārdūlaistena tāni hṛtānyalam

The land-grants that other excellent kings had bestowed upon great brahmins, he forcibly seized every one.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.83.4)

विध्वंसिताः स्त्रियो नैका विधवाश्च विशेषतः कुमार्यो रूपवत्यश्च तथा निज कुलोद्भवाः

vidhvaṁsitāḥ striyo naikā vidhavāśca viśeṣataḥ kumāryo rūpavatyaśca tathā nija kulodbhavāḥ

He violated many women—widows especially—and beautiful maidens too, even those born within his own family.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.83.5)

देवताराधनं पूजां कर्तुं नैव ददाति सः ॥ न च यज्ञं न होमं च स्वाध्यायं न च पापकृत्

devatārādhanaṁ pūjāṁ kartuṁ naiva dadāti saḥ na ca yajñaṁ na homaṁ ca svādhyāyaṁ na ca pāpakṛt

That sinner allowed no one to perform the worship or adoration of the gods, nor sacrifice, nor fire-oblation, nor sacred study.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.83.6)

प्रोवाचाथ जनान्सर्वान्मां पूजयत सर्वदा ॥ न मामभ्यधिकोऽन्योऽस्ति देवो वा ब्राह्मणोऽपि वा

provācātha janānsarvānmāṁ pūjayata sarvadā na māmabhyadhiko'nyo'sti devo vā brāhmaṇo'pi vā

He proclaimed to all the people: "Worship me always; there is no god, nor even any brahmin, greater than I."

Verse 7 (skanda.6.83.7)

मया तुष्टेन सर्वेषां संपत्स्यति हृदि स्थितम् ॥ इह लोकेष्वसंदिग्धं शुभं वा यदि वाऽशुभम्

mayā tuṣṭena sarveṣāṁ saṁpatsyati hṛdi sthitam iha lokeṣvasaṁdigdhaṁ śubhaṁ vā yadi vā'śubham

"Only when I am pleased will whatever lies in your hearts, be it fair or foul, be fulfilled for you in this world—of that there is no doubt."

Verse 8 (skanda.6.83.8)

तेन शस्त्रविहीनानां विश्वस्तानां वधः कृतः ॥ संत्यक्ताः शरणं प्राप्ताः पुरुषा भयविह्वलाः

tena śastravihīnānāṁ viśvastānāṁ vadhaḥ kṛtaḥ saṁtyaktāḥ śaraṇaṁ prāptāḥ puruṣā bhayavihvalāḥ

He slew even the unarmed and the trusting, and abandoned men who, overwhelmed by fear, had come to him for refuge.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.83.9)

नष्टो महाहवं दृष्ट्वा शत्रुसंघानुपस्थितान् ॥ क्षात्रं धर्मं परित्यज्य प्राणरक्षार्थमेव हि

naṣṭo mahāhavaṁ dṛṣṭvā śatrusaṁghānupasthitān kṣātraṁ dharmaṁ parityajya prāṇarakṣārthameva hi

Seeing the great battle and the massed enemies before him, he would abandon the warrior's duty and flee, solely to save his own life.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.83.10)

अचौराः प्रगृहीताश्च चौराः संरक्षिताः सदा ॥ साधवः क्लेशिता नित्यं तेषां संहरता धनम्

acaurāḥ pragṛhītāśca caurāḥ saṁrakṣitāḥ sadā sādhavaḥ kleśitā nityaṁ teṣāṁ saṁharatā dhanam

The innocent were seized, while thieves were always kept safe under his protection; and honest folk were forever tormented, their wealth plundered.

Verse 11 (skanda.6.83.11)

न कृतं च व्रतं तेन श्रद्धापूतेन चेतसा ॥ न दत्तं ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च न च यष्टं कदाचन

na kṛtaṁ ca vrataṁ tena śraddhāpūtena cetasā na dattaṁ brāhmaṇebhyaśca na ca yaṣṭaṁ kadācana

Never with a heart purified by faith did he keep a vow, nor give any gift to brahmins, nor ever perform a sacrifice.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.83.12)

एवं तस्य नरेन्द्रस्य पापासक्तस्य नित्यशः ॥ कुष्ठव्याधिरभूदुग्रो वंशोच्छेदश्च सद्द्विजाः

evaṁ tasya narendrasya pāpāsaktasya nityaśaḥ kuṣṭhavyādhirabhūdugro vaṁśocchedaśca saddvijāḥ

O worthy brahmins, thus that king, ever devoted to sin, was afflicted with a dreadful leprosy, and his very lineage came to an end.

Verse 13 (skanda.6.83.13)

ततस्तं व्याधिना ग्रस्तं पुत्रपौत्रविवर्जितम् ॥ दायादाः सहसोपेता राज्यं जह्रुस्ततः परम्

tatastaṁ vyādhinā grastaṁ putrapautravivarjitam dāyādāḥ sahasopetā rājyaṁ jahrustataḥ param

Then, seized by disease and bereft of sons and grandsons, his kinsmen swiftly banded together and seized his kingdom from him.

Verse 14 (skanda.6.83.14)

तं च निर्वासयामासुस्तस्माद्देशात्पदातिकम् ॥ एकाकिनं परित्यक्तं सर्वैरपि सुहृद्गणैः

taṁ ca nirvāsayāmāsustasmāddeśātpadātikam ekākinaṁ parityaktaṁ sarvairapi suhṛdgaṇaiḥ

They banished him from that land on foot, alone, forsaken even by all his circle of friends.

Verse 15 (skanda.6.83.15)

सोऽपि सर्वैः परित्यक्तस्तेन पापेन कर्मणा ॥ कलत्रैरपि चात्मीयैः स्मृत्वा पूर्वविचेष्टितम्

so'pi sarvaiḥ parityaktastena pāpena karmaṇā kalatrairapi cātmīyaiḥ smṛtvā pūrvaviceṣṭitam

He too, on account of that sinful conduct, was abandoned by all, even by his own wives, who remembered his former deeds.

Verse 16 (skanda.6.83.16)

एकाकी भ्रममाणोऽथ सोऽपि कष्टवशं गतः ॥ क्षुत्तृष्णासुपरिश्रांतः क्षेत्रेऽत्रैव समागतः

ekākī bhramamāṇo'tha so'pi kaṣṭavaśaṁ gataḥ kṣuttṛṣṇāsupariśrāṁtaḥ kṣetre'traiva samāgataḥ

Wandering alone, he then fell into great distress, and, utterly exhausted by hunger and thirst, arrived at this very sacred place.

Verse 17 (skanda.6.83.17)

ततः प्रासादमासाद्य सुपर्णाख्यसमुद्भवम् ॥ यावत्प्राप्तः परित्यक्तस्ताव त्प्राणैरुपोषितः

tataḥ prāsādamāsādya suparṇākhyasamudbhavam yāvatprāptaḥ parityaktastāva tprāṇairupoṣitaḥ

Then, having reached the temple of the deity called Suparna—reaching just that far, forsaken as he was and able to go no further—he expired there, fasting.

Verse 18 (skanda.6.83.18)

ततो दिव्यवपुर्भूत्वाविमानवरमाश्रितः ॥ जगाम शिवलोकं स दुर्लभं धार्मिकैरपि

tato divyavapurbhūtvāvimānavaramāśritaḥ jagāma śivalokaṁ sa durlabhaṁ dhārmikairapi

Then, taking on a divine body and mounting a fine celestial chariot, he went to Shiva's world—a realm hard to attain even for the righteous.

Verse 19 (skanda.6.83.19)

सेव्यमानोप्सरोभिश्च स्तूयमानश्च किन्नरैः ॥ गीयमानश्च गन्धर्वैः शिवपार्श्वे व्यवस्थितः

sevyamānopsarobhiśca stūyamānaśca kinnaraiḥ gīyamānaśca gandharvaiḥ śivapārśve vyavasthitaḥ

Attended by apsaras, praised by kinnaras, and sung of by gandharvas, he took his place at Shiva's side.

Verse 20 (skanda.6.83.20)

अथ तं संनिधौ दृष्ट्वा गौरी पप्रच्छ सादरम्॥ कोऽयं देव समायातः सुकृती तव मन्दिरे ॥ अनेन किं कृतं कर्म यत्प्राप्तोऽत्र विभूतिधृक्

atha taṁ saṁnidhau dṛṣṭvā gaurī papraccha sādaram ko'yaṁ deva samāyātaḥ sukṛtī tava mandire anena kiṁ kṛtaṁ karma yatprāpto'tra vibhūtidhṛk

Then, seeing him nearby, Gauri asked with reverence: "O Lord, who is this blessed one who has come to your temple? What deed has he performed, that he has arrived here bearing such splendor?"

Verse 21 (skanda.6.83.21)

श्रीभगवानुवाच। एष पापसमाचारः सदाऽसीत्पृथिवीपतिः ॥ वेणुसंज्ञो धरापृष्ठे कुष्ठव्याधिसमाकुलः

śrībhagavānuvāca eṣa pāpasamācāraḥ sadā'sītpṛthivīpatiḥ veṇusaṁjño dharāpṛṣṭhe kuṣṭhavyādhisamākulaḥ

Shri Bhagavan said: "This is King Venu, who was ever of sinful conduct upon the earth, and who became afflicted with leprosy."

Verse 22 (skanda.6.83.22)

स संत्यक्तो निजैर्दारैः शत्रुवर्गेण धर्षितः ॥ भ्रममाणः समायातः सुपर्णाख्यस्य मन्दिरे

sa saṁtyakto nijairdāraiḥ śatruvargeṇa dharṣitaḥ bhramamāṇaḥ samāyātaḥ suparṇākhyasya mandire

"Abandoned by his own wives, oppressed by his enemies, he came wandering to the temple of the deity called Suparna."

Verse 23 (skanda.6.83.23)

उपवासपरिश्रांतः सांनिध्यं मम यत्र च ॥ सर्वप्राणैः परित्यक्तस्तस्मिन्नायतने शुभे

upavāsapariśrāṁtaḥ sāṁnidhyaṁ mama yatra ca sarvaprāṇaiḥ parityaktastasminnāyatane śubhe

"Worn out by fasting, in that very holy sanctuary where my presence abides, all his life-breaths there departed from him."

Verse 24 (skanda.6.83.24)

तत्प्रभावादिह प्राप्तः सत्यमेतन्मयोदितम् ॥ अन्योऽप्यनशनं कृत्वा प्राणान्यस्तत्र संत्यजेत्

tatprabhāvādiha prāptaḥ satyametanmayoditam anyo'pyanaśanaṁ kṛtvā prāṇānyastatra saṁtyajet

"By that power alone he has arrived here—this I speak in truth. Should any other likewise fast and give up his life there,"

Verse 25 (skanda.6.83.25)

स सर्वाभ्यधिकां भूतिं प्राप्नुयाद्वरवर्णिनि ॥ यानेतान्वीक्षसे देवि गणान्मे पार्श्वसंस्थितान्

sa sarvābhyadhikāṁ bhūtiṁ prāpnuyādvaravarṇini yānetānvīkṣase devi gaṇānme pārśvasaṁsthitān

"-- he too, O fair one, would attain the highest splendor of all. O goddess, these attendants you see stationed at my side—"

Verse 26 (skanda.6.83.26)

एतैस्तत्र कृतं सर्वैर्देवि प्रायोपवेशनम् ॥ अपि कीटपतंगा ये पशवः पक्षिणो मृगाः ॥ प्रासादे तत्र निर्मुक्ताः प्राणैर्यांति ममांतिकम्

etaistatra kṛtaṁ sarvairdevi prāyopaveśanam api kīṭapataṁgā ye paśavaḥ pakṣiṇo mṛgāḥ prāsāde tatra nirmuktāḥ prāṇairyāṁti mamāṁtikam

"-- all of them, O goddess, performed the fast unto death there. Even insects, moths, beasts, birds, and deer that give up their lives freed in that temple come likewise into my very presence."

Verse 27 (skanda.6.83.27)

सूत उवाच। तच्छ्रुत्वा पार्वती वाक्यं प्रोक्तं देवेन शम्भुना ॥ विस्मयाविष्टहृदया साधु साध्विति साऽब्रवीत्

sūta uvāca tacchrutvā pārvatī vākyaṁ proktaṁ devena śambhunā vismayāviṣṭahṛdayā sādhu sādhviti sā'bravīt

Suta said: Hearing these words spoken by the god Shambhu, Parvati's heart was filled with wonder, and she exclaimed, "Well said, well said!"

Verse 28 (skanda.6.83.28)

ततःप्रभृति लोकेऽत्र पुरुषा मुक्तिमिच्छवः ॥ दूरतोऽपि समभ्येत्य स्वान्प्राणांस्तत्र तत्यजुः

tataḥprabhṛti loke'tra puruṣā muktimicchavaḥ dūrato'pi samabhyetya svānprāṇāṁstatra tatyajuḥ

From that time onward, men in this world desiring liberation began to come there even from afar and give up their lives.

Verse 29 (skanda.6.83.29)

प्रायोपवेशनं कृत्वा श्रद्धया परया युताः ॥ गच्छन्ति च परां सिद्धिमपि पापपरायणाः

prāyopaveśanaṁ kṛtvā śraddhayā parayā yutāḥ gacchanti ca parāṁ siddhimapi pāpaparāyaṇāḥ

Undertaking the fast unto death with the utmost faith, even those given wholly to sin attain the highest perfection.

Verse 30 (skanda.6.83.30)

एतद्वः सर्वमाख्यातं सर्वपातकनाशनम् ॥ सुपर्णाख्यस्य माहात्म्यं यन्मया स्वपितुः श्रुतम्

etadvaḥ sarvamākhyātaṁ sarvapātakanāśanam suparṇākhyasya māhātmyaṁ yanmayā svapituḥ śrutam

Thus I have related to you all this greatness of the deity called Suparna, destroyer of every sin, exactly as I heard it myself from my own father.