The Greatness of Brahmakunda

Verse 1 (skanda.6.92.1)

सूत उवाच॥ अग्नितीर्थस्य माहात्म्यमेतद्वः परिकीर्तितम्॥ ब्रह्मकुंडसमुत्पत्तिरधुना श्रूयतां द्विजाः

sūta uvāca agnitīrthasya māhātmyametadvaḥ parikīrtitam brahmakuṁḍasamutpattiradhunā śrūyatāṁ dvijāḥ

Suta said: O brahmins, this greatness of Agnitirtha has been declared to you; now hear of the origin of Brahmakunda.

Verse 2 (skanda.6.92.2)

यदा संस्थापितो ब्रह्मा मार्कंडेन महात्मना॥ तदा विनिर्मितं तत्र कुण्डं शुचिजलान्वितम्

yadā saṁsthāpito brahmā mārkaṁḍena mahātmanā tadā vinirmitaṁ tatra kuṇḍaṁ śucijalānvitam

When the great sage Markandeya established Brahma there, a tank filled with pure water was made there.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.92.3)

प्रोक्तं च कार्तिके मासि कृत्तिकास्थे निशाकरे॥ सम्यग्भीष्मव्रतं कृत्वा स्नात्वात्र सलिले शुभे

proktaṁ ca kārtike māsi kṛttikāsthe niśākare samyagbhīṣmavrataṁ kṛtvā snātvātra salile śubhe

And it was declared that in the month of Kartika, when the moon stands in the Krittika constellation, one who duly observes the Bhishma-vrata and bathes in this auspicious water...

Verse 4 (skanda.6.92.4)

पूजयिष्यति यो देवं पद्मयोनिं ततः परम्॥ स शूद्रोऽपि तनुं त्यक्त्वा ब्रह्मयोनौ प्रयास्यति

pūjayiṣyati yo devaṁ padmayoniṁ tataḥ param sa śūdro'pi tanuṁ tyaktvā brahmayonau prayāsyati

...and then worships the lotus-born god Brahma — even a shudra, upon giving up his body, shall attain birth in a brahmin womb.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.92.5)

ब्राह्मणोऽपि यदि स्नानं तत्र कुण्डे करिष्यति॥ कृत्वा भीष्मव्रतं सम्यग्ब्रह्मलोकं प्रयास्यति

brāhmaṇo'pi yadi snānaṁ tatra kuṇḍe kariṣyati kṛtvā bhīṣmavrataṁ samyagbrahmalokaṁ prayāsyati

If a brahmin too should bathe in that tank, having duly observed the Bhishma-vrata, he shall attain Brahmaloka.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.92.6)

एवं प्रवदतस्तस्य मार्कंडेयस्य सन्मुनेः॥ श्रुतं तत्सकलं वाक्यं पशुपालेन केनचित्

evaṁ pravadatastasya mārkaṁḍeyasya sanmuneḥ śrutaṁ tatsakalaṁ vākyaṁ paśupālena kenacit

While the virtuous sage Markandeya was speaking thus, some cowherd overheard his entire discourse.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.92.7)

ततः श्रद्धाप्रयुक्तेन तेन तद्भीष्मपंचकम्॥ यथावद्विहितं सम्यक्कार्तिके मासि संस्थिते

tataḥ śraddhāprayuktena tena tadbhīṣmapaṁcakam yathāvadvihitaṁ samyakkārtike māsi saṁsthite

Then, moved by faith, when the month of Kartika arrived, he duly and properly performed that Bhishma-panchaka vrata as prescribed.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.92.8)

ततश्च कृत्तिकायोगे पूर्णिमायां यथाविधि॥ संपूज्य पद्मजं पश्चात्पूजितः पुरुषोत्तमः

tataśca kṛttikāyoge pūrṇimāyāṁ yathāvidhi saṁpūjya padmajaṁ paścātpūjitaḥ puruṣottamaḥ

And on the full-moon day, when it coincided with Krittika, having duly worshipped the lotus-born Brahma, he then also worshipped Purushottama.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.92.9)

ततः कालविपाकेन स पंचत्वमुपागतः॥ ब्राह्मणस्य गृहे जातः पुरेऽत्रैव द्विजोत्तमाः॥ जातिस्मरः प्रभायुक्तः पितृमातृप्रतुष्टिदः

tataḥ kālavipākena sa paṁcatvamupāgataḥ brāhmaṇasya gṛhe jātaḥ pure'traiva dvijottamāḥ jātismaraḥ prabhāyuktaḥ pitṛmātṛpratuṣṭidaḥ

Then, in the course of time, he passed away, and, O best of brahmins, he was born in the house of a brahmin in this very city — one who remembered his former birth, radiant, and one who brought joy to his parents.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.92.10)

एवं प्रगच्छतस्तस्य वृद्धिं तत्र पुरोत्तमे॥ पितृमातृसमुद्भूतो यादृक्स्नेहो व्यवस्थितः

evaṁ pragacchatastasya vṛddhiṁ tatra purottame pitṛmātṛsamudbhūto yādṛksneho vyavasthitaḥ

As he thus grew up in that excellent city, the same affection that naturally arises between parents and child remained established in him.

Verse 11 (skanda.6.92.11)

अन्यदेहोद्भवे वापि तस्य शूद्रेपरिस्थितः॥ स तस्य धनसंपन्नः सदैव कुरुते द्विजः

anyadehodbhave vāpi tasya śūdreparisthitaḥ sa tasya dhanasaṁpannaḥ sadaiva kurute dvijaḥ

Toward that father of his former body — the one who remained in a shudra state — that now wealthy brahmin always continued to act with kindness.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.92.12)

उपकारप्रदानं च यत्किंचित्तस्य संमतम्॥ अन्यस्मिन्दिवसे शूद्रः स पिता पूर्वजन्मनः॥ तस्य पञ्चत्वमापन्नः संप्राप्ते चायुषः क्षये

upakārapradānaṁ ca yatkiṁcittasya saṁmatam anyasmindivase śūdraḥ sa pitā pūrvajanmanaḥ tasya pañcatvamāpannaḥ saṁprāpte cāyuṣaḥ kṣaye

He kept giving whatever assistance seemed fitting to him. Then one day, that shudra father of his former birth, his lifespan exhausted, passed away.

Verse 13 (skanda.6.92.13)

अथ तस्य महाशोकं स कृत्वा तदनंतरम्॥ चकार प्रेतकार्याणि निःशेषाणि प्रभक्तितः

atha tasya mahāśokaṁ sa kṛtvā tadanaṁtaram cakāra pretakāryāṇi niḥśeṣāṇi prabhaktitaḥ

Then, grieving greatly for him, he thereafter performed all of that man's funeral rites in full, with great devotion.

Verse 14 (skanda.6.92.14)

अथ तस्य समालोक्य तादृशं तद्विचेष्टितम्॥ पृष्टः स कौतुकाविष्टैः पितृमातृसुतादिभिः

atha tasya samālokya tādṛśaṁ tadviceṣṭitam pṛṣṭaḥ sa kautukāviṣṭaiḥ pitṛmātṛsutādibhiḥ

Then, observing such conduct of his, his own parents, son, and others, filled with curiosity, questioned him.

Verse 15 (skanda.6.92.15)

कस्मात्त्वमस्य नीचस्य पशुपालस्य सर्वदा॥ अतिस्नेहसमायुक्तो निःस्पृहस्यापि शंस नः

kasmāttvamasya nīcasya paśupālasya sarvadā atisnehasamāyukto niḥspṛhasyāpi śaṁsa naḥ

"Why are you always so deeply attached to this lowly cowherd, even though he desired nothing from you? Tell us."

Verse 16 (skanda.6.92.16)

तस्यापि प्रेतकार्याणि मृतस्यापि करोषि किम्॥ एतन्नः सर्वमाचक्ष्व न चेद्गुह्यं व्यवस्थितम्

tasyāpi pretakāryāṇi mṛtasyāpi karoṣi kim etannaḥ sarvamācakṣva na cedguhyaṁ vyavasthitam

"And why, when he died, did you perform his funeral rites as well? If this is not something to be kept secret, tell us all of this."

Verse 17 (skanda.6.92.17)

तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा किंचिल्लज्जासमन्वितः॥ तानब्रवीच्छृणुध्वं च कथयिष्याम्यसंशयम्

teṣāṁ tadvacanaṁ śrutvā kiṁcillajjāsamanvitaḥ tānabravīcchṛṇudhvaṁ ca kathayiṣyāmyasaṁśayam

Hearing their words, he, somewhat abashed, said to them: "Listen, I shall tell you everything without hesitation."

Verse 18 (skanda.6.92.18)

अहमस्यान्यदेहत्वे पुत्र आसं सुसंमतः॥ पशुपालनकर्मज्ञः प्राणेभ्यो वल्लभः सदा

ahamasyānyadehatve putra āsaṁ susaṁmataḥ paśupālanakarmajñaḥ prāṇebhyo vallabhaḥ sadā

"In another body, I was this man's son, well regarded, skilled in the work of tending cattle, and always dearer to him than his own life."

Verse 19 (skanda.6.92.19)

कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य मार्कंडस्य महामुनेः॥ श्रुतं प्रवदतो वाक्यं ब्रह्मकुण्डसमुद्भवम्

kasyacittvatha kālasya mārkaṁḍasya mahāmuneḥ śrutaṁ pravadato vākyaṁ brahmakuṇḍasamudbhavam

"At one time I heard the words spoken by the great sage Markanda concerning the origin of Brahmakunda."

Verse 20 (skanda.6.92.20)

कार्तिक्यां कृत्तिकायोगे भीष्मपञ्चककृन्नरः॥ सम्यक्छ्रद्धासमुत्पन्नो योऽत्र स्नानं करिष्यति

kārtikyāṁ kṛttikāyoge bhīṣmapañcakakṛnnaraḥ samyakchraddhāsamutpanno yo'tra snānaṁ kariṣyati

"He had said that whoever, in Kartika at the time of Krittika-yoga, performs the Bhishma-panchaka vrata and, filled with true faith, bathes here..."

Verse 21 (skanda.6.92.21)

दृष्ट्वा पितामहं देवं पूजयित्वा जनार्दनम्॥ स भविष्यति शूद्रोऽपि ब्राह्मणश्चान्यजन्मनि

dṛṣṭvā pitāmahaṁ devaṁ pūjayitvā janārdanam sa bhaviṣyati śūdro'pi brāhmaṇaścānyajanmani

"...and beholds the God Grandsire and worships Janardana — such a person, even if a shudra, shall become a brahmin in his next birth."

Verse 22 (skanda.6.92.22)

तन्मया विहितं सम्यक्स्नात्वा तत्र शुभावहे॥ सुकुण्डे कार्तिके मासि तेन जातोऽस्मि सद्द्विजः

tanmayā vihitaṁ samyaksnātvā tatra śubhāvahe sukuṇḍe kārtike māsi tena jāto'smi saddvijaḥ

"So I duly bathed in that auspicious, beautiful tank in the month of Kartika and performed that vrata; that is why I have been born as a true brahmin."

Verse 23 (skanda.6.92.23)

चन्द्रोदयस्य विप्रर्षेरन्वये भुवि विश्रुते॥ संस्मरन्पूर्विकां जाति तेन स्नेहो मम स्थितः॥ तस्योपरि महान्नित्यं शूद्रस्यापि निरर्गलः

candrodayasya viprarṣeranvaye bhuvi viśrute saṁsmaranpūrvikāṁ jāti tena sneho mama sthitaḥ tasyopari mahānnityaṁ śūdrasyāpi nirargalaḥ

"I have been born into the family of the brahmin-seer Chandrodaya, renowned on earth; and it is precisely because I remember my former birth that my great, unbroken affection remains fixed upon him, shudra though he was."

Verse 24 (skanda.6.92.24)

अतोऽहं कृत्तिकायोगे कार्तिक्यां भक्तिसंयुतः॥ ज्ञात्वा करोमि भीष्मस्य पंचकं व्रतमुत्तमम्

ato'haṁ kṛttikāyoge kārtikyāṁ bhaktisaṁyutaḥ jñātvā karomi bhīṣmasya paṁcakaṁ vratamuttamam

"Therefore I too, in Kartika at the time of Krittika-yoga, knowing this and filled with devotion, observe that supreme Bhishma-panchaka vrata."

Verse 25 (skanda.6.92.25)

सूत उवाच॥ एवं तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा ते चान्ये च द्विजोत्तमाः॥ भीष्मस्य पञ्चकं चक्रुः सम्यक्छ्रद्धासमन्विताः

sūta uvāca evaṁ tasya vacaḥ śrutvā te cānye ca dvijottamāḥ bhīṣmasya pañcakaṁ cakruḥ samyakchraddhāsamanvitāḥ

Suta said: Having heard his words in this way, those and other excellent brahmins too, filled with true faith, began to observe the Bhishma-panchaka vrata.

Verse 26 (skanda.6.92.26)

ततःप्रभृति तत्कुण्डं विख्यातं धरणीतले॥ स्थितमुत्तरदिग्भागे ब्रह्मकुण्डमिति स्मृतम्

tataḥprabhṛti tatkuṇḍaṁ vikhyātaṁ dharaṇītale sthitamuttaradigbhāge brahmakuṇḍamiti smṛtam

From that time onward, that tank, situated in the northern quarter, has been famed and known on earth by the name Brahmakunda.

Verse 27 (skanda.6.92.27)

यः स्नानं सर्वदा तत्र ब्राह्मणः प्रकरोति वै॥ स संभवति विप्रेंद्रो जायमानः पुनः पुनः

yaḥ snānaṁ sarvadā tatra brāhmaṇaḥ prakaroti vai sa saṁbhavati vipreṁdro jāyamānaḥ punaḥ punaḥ

The brahmin who always bathes there is born as a foremost brahmin, again and again, in every birth.