The Chapter of Questions

Verse 1 (skanda.7.1.1)

व्यास उवाच। यश्चाद्यः पुरुषः पुराण इति यः संस्तूयते सर्वतः सोमेशः सुरसंयुतः क्षितितले यैर्वीक्षितो हीक्षणैः। ते तीर्त्वा विततांतरं भवभयं भूत्याऽभिसंभूषिताः स्वर्गं यानवरैः प्रयांति सुकृतैर्यज्ञै यथा यज्विनः

vyāsa uvāca| yaścādyaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇa iti yaḥ saṁstūyate sarvataḥ someśaḥ surasaṁyutaḥ kṣititale yairvīkṣito hīkṣaṇaiḥ| te tīrtvā vitatāṁtaraṁ bhavabhayaṁ bhūtyā'bhisaṁbhūṣitāḥ svargaṁ yānavaraiḥ prayāṁti sukṛtairyajñai yathā yajvinaḥ

Vyasa said: He who, primeval among beings, is praised everywhere as the ancient Purusha, Someśa accompanied by the gods — those on earth who behold him with reverent eyes cross the vast ocean of worldly fear and, adorned with prosperity, journey to heaven in the finest of celestial cars, just as sacrificers attain it through their meritorious deeds and sacrifices.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.1.2)

प्रसरद्बिन्दुनादाय शुद्धामृतमयात्मने। षड्त्रिंशत्तत्त्वदेहाय नमश्चिन्मात्रमूर्तये

prasaradbindunādāya śuddhāmṛtamayātmane| ṣaḍtriṁśattattvadehāya namaścinmātramūrtaye

Salutation to him whose form is pure consciousness, who possesses the expanding bindu and nada, whose self is made of pure nectar, and whose body consists of the thirty-six principles (tattvas).

Verse 3 (skanda.7.1.3)

अमृतेनोदरस्थेन म्रियंते सर्वदेवताः। कंठस्थित विषेणापि यो जीवति स पातु वः

amṛtenodarasthena mriyaṁte sarvadevatāḥ| kaṁṭhasthita viṣeṇāpi yo jīvati sa pātu vaḥ

He by whose belly-held nectar even all the gods could die, yet who himself lives on though poison lodges in his throat — may he protect you all.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.1.4)

सत्रान्ते सूतमनघं नैमिषेया महर्षयः। पुराणसंहितां पुण्यां पप्रच्छुः रोमहर्षणम्

satrāṁte sūtamanaghaṁ naimiṣeyā maharṣayaḥ| purāṇasaṁhitāṁ puṇyāṁ papracchuḥ romaharṣaṇam

At the close of the great sacrificial session, the sages of the Naimisha forest questioned the sinless Suta, Romaharshana, about the sacred collection of the Purana.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.1.5)

त्वया सूत महाबुद्धे भगवान्ब्रह्मवित्तमः। इतिहासपुराणार्थे व्यासः सम्यगुपासितः

tvayā sūta mahābuddhe bhagavānbrahmavittamaḥ| itihāsapurāṇārthe vyāsaḥ samyagupāsitaḥ

O wise Suta, you have faithfully served the blessed Vyasa, foremost among knowers of Brahman, in matters concerning history and the Puranas.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.1.6)

तस्य ते सर्वरोमाणि वचसा हर्षितानि यत्। द्वैपायनस्यानुभावात्ततोऽभू रोमहर्षणः

tasya te sarvaromāṇi vacasā harṣitāni yat| dvaipāyanasyānubhāvāttato'bhū romaharṣaṇaḥ

Because of the power of Dvaipayana's words, every hair on your body once stood in rapture — and from this you came to be called Romaharshana, 'the hair-raiser'.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.1.7)

भवंतमेव प्रथमं व्याजहार स्वयं प्रभुः। मुनीनां संहितां वक्तुं व्यासः पौराणिकीं कथाम्

bhavaṁtameva prathamaṁ vyājahāra svayaṁ prabhuḥ| munīnāṁ saṁhitāṁ vaktuṁ vyāsaḥ paurāṇikīṁ kathām

It was you whom the Lord Vyasa himself first commanded to recite this Puranic collection-narrative before the sages.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.1.8)

त्वं हि स्वायंभुवे यज्ञे सुत्याहे वितते हरिः। संभूतः संहितां वक्तुं स्वांशेन पुरुषोत्तमः

tvaṁ hi svāyaṁbhuve yajñe sutyāhe vitate hariḥ| saṁbhūtaḥ saṁhitāṁ vaktuṁ svāṁśena puruṣottamaḥ

For it was in Svayambhuva's great sacrifice, during the extended Sutya rite, that Hari, the Supreme Person, himself took birth in a partial form to recite this collection.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.1.9)

तस्माद्भवंतं पृच्छामः पुराणे स्कंदकीर्तिते। प्रभासक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये ब्राह्मी यात्रा श्रुता पुरा

tasmādbhavaṁtaṁ pṛcchāmaḥ purāṇe skaṁdakīrtite| prabhāsakṣetramāhātmye brāhmī yātrā śrutā purā

Therefore we ask you: in this Purana proclaimed by Skanda, within the glory of the Prabhasa field, we have already heard of the Brahmi pilgrimage.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.1.10)

अधुना वैष्णवीं रौद्रीं यात्रां सर्वार्थसंयुताम्। वक्तुमर्हसि चास्माकं पुराणार्थविशारद

adhunā vaiṣṇavīṁ raudrīṁ yātrāṁ sarvārthasaṁyutām| vaktumarhasi cāsmākaṁ purāṇārthaviśārada

Now, O expert in the meaning of the Puranas, you should kindly tell us of the Vaishnavi and Raudri pilgrimages, replete with every purpose and meaning.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.1.11)

मुनीनां वचनं श्रुत्वा सूतः पौराणिकोत्तमः। प्रणम्य शिरसा प्राह व्यासं सत्यवतीसुतम्

munīnāṁ vacanaṁ śrutvā sūtaḥ paurāṇikottamaḥ| praṇamya śirasā prāha vyāsaṁ satyavatīsutam

Having heard the sages' words, Suta, foremost among the reciters of the Puranas, bowed his head in reverence and, invoking Vyasa, the son of Satyavati, spoke.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.1.12)

रोमहर्षण उवाच। श्रीवत्सांकं जगद्योनिं हरिमोंकाररूपिणम्। अप्रमेयं गुरुं देवं निर्मलं निर्मलाश्रयम्

romaharṣaṇa uvāca| śrīvatsāṁkaṁ jagadyoniṁ harimoṁkārarūpiṇam| aprameyaṁ guruṁ devaṁ nirmalaṁ nirmalāśrayam

Romaharshana said: To Hari, marked with the Shrivatsa sign, the womb of the universe, of the form of Om, immeasurable, the teacher, the god, the stainless one, the refuge of purity—

Verse 13 (skanda.7.1.13)

हंसं शुचिषदं व्योम व्यापकं सर्वदं शिवम्। उदासीनं निरायासं निष्प्रपञ्चं निरञ्जनम्

haṁsaṁ śuciṣadaṁ vyoma vyāpakaṁ sarvadaṁ śivam| udāsīnaṁ nirāyāsaṁ niṣprapañcaṁ nirañjanam

who is the swan (Hamsa), who dwells in purity, who is the sky itself and all-pervading, the giver of all, auspicious, indifferent to worldly concerns, effortless, free of manifestation, and unstained—

Verse 14 (skanda.7.1.14)

शून्यं बिंदुस्वरूपं तु ध्येयं ध्यानविवर्जितम्। अस्ति नास्तीति यं प्राहुः सुदूरे चांतिके च यत्

śūnyaṁ biṁdusvarūpaṁ tu dhyeyaṁ dhyānavivarjitam| asti nāstīti yaṁ prāhuḥ sudūre cāṁtike ca yat

who is emptiness itself, of the form of the bindu, fit to be meditated upon yet beyond all meditation, of whom some say 'he is' and others 'he is not', who is at once utterly distant and utterly near—

Verse 15 (skanda.7.1.15)

मनोग्राह्यं परं धाम पुरुषाख्यं जगन्मयम्। हृत्पंकजसमासीनं तेजोरूपं निरिंद्रियम्

manogrāhyaṁ paraṁ dhāma puruṣākhyaṁ jaganmayam| hṛtpaṁkajasamāsīnaṁ tejorūpaṁ niriṁdriyam

who is the supreme abode graspable only by the mind, known as Purusha, pervading the universe, seated in the lotus of the heart, of the form of radiance, and beyond the senses—

Verse 16 (skanda.7.1.16)

एवंविधं नमस्कृत्य परमात्मानमीश्वरम्। कथां वदिष्ये द्विविधां द्विशरीरां तथैव तु

evaṁvidhaṁ namaskṛtya paramātmānamīśvaram| kathāṁ vadiṣye dvividhāṁ dviśarīrāṁ tathaiva tu

Having bowed to such a Supreme Self and Lord, I shall now recount a narrative that is twofold, and likewise possessed of two bodies,

Verse 17 (skanda.7.1.17)

दिव्यभाषासमोपेतां वेदाधिष्ठानसंयुताम्। पञ्चसंधिसमायुक्तां षडलंकारभूषिताम्

divyabhāṣāsamopetāṁ vedādhiṣṭhānasaṁyutām| pañcasaṁdhisamāyuktāṁ ṣaḍalaṁkārabhūṣitām

endowed with a divine language, grounded upon the Vedas, joined with the five junctures of dramatic structure, and adorned with six ornaments,

Verse 18 (skanda.7.1.18)

सप्तसाधनसंयुक्तां रसाष्टगुणरंजिताम्। गुणैर्नवभिराकीर्णां दशदोषविवर्जिताम्

saptasādhanasaṁyuktāṁ rasāṣṭaguṇaraṁjitām| guṇairnavabhirākīrṇāṁ daśadoṣavivarjitām

possessed of the seven means of narration, colored by the eight qualities of aesthetic flavor, replete with nine merits, and free from the ten faults,

Verse 19 (skanda.7.1.19)

विभाषाभूषितां तद्वदेकायत्तां मनोहराम्। पञ्चकारणसंयुक्तां चतुष्करणसम्मताम्

vibhāṣābhūṣitāṁ tadvadekāyattāṁ manoharām| pañcakāraṇasaṁyuktāṁ catuṣkaraṇasammatām

adorned with special idiom, likewise bound into a single coherent thread and enchanting, joined with the five causes, and endorsed by the four instrumental means,

Verse 20 (skanda.7.1.20)

पुनश्च द्विविधां तद्वज्ज्ञानसंदोहदायिनीम्। व्यासेन कथितां पुण्यां शृणुध्वं पापनाशिनीम्

punaśca dvividhāṁ tadvajjñānasaṁdohadāyinīm| vyāsena kathitāṁ puṇyāṁ śṛṇudhvaṁ pāpanāśinīm

And again, likewise twofold, bestowing a wealth of knowledge — listen now to this meritorious, sin-destroying narrative as told by Vyasa.

Verse 21 (skanda.7.1.21)

यां श्रुत्वा पापकर्मापि गच्छेद्धि परमां गतिम्। दुःखत्रयविनिर्मुक्तः सर्वातंकविवर्जितः

yāṁ śrutvā pāpakarmāpi gaccheddhi paramāṁ gatim| duḥkhatrayavinirmuktaḥ sarvātaṁkavivarjitaḥ

Hearing which, even one of sinful deeds attains the supreme goal, freed from the three kinds of suffering and rid of all affliction.

Verse 22 (skanda.7.1.22)

न नास्तिके कथां पुण्यामिमां ब्रूयात्कदाचन। श्रद्दधानाय शांताय कीर्तनीया द्विजातये

na nāstike kathāṁ puṇyāmimāṁ brūyātkadācana| śraddadhānāya śāṁtāya kīrtanīyā dvijātaye

This meritorious narrative should never be told to an unbeliever; it is to be recited only to the faithful, the tranquil, and the twice-born.

Verse 23 (skanda.7.1.23)

निषेकादिः श्मशानांतो मंत्रैर्यस्योदितो विधिः। तस्य शास्त्रेऽधिकारोऽस्ति ज्ञेयो नान्यस्य कस्यचित्

niṣekādiḥ śmaśānāṁto maṁtrairyasyodito vidhiḥ| tasya śāstre'dhikāro'sti jñeyo nānyasya kasyacit

One should know that only he for whom the sacraments — from conception unto the cremation ground — have been enjoined by mantras has the right to this scripture, and none other.

Verse 24 (skanda.7.1.24)

चतुःपक्षावदातस्य विशुद्धिर्ब्राह्मणस्य च। सद्वृत्तस्याधिकारोऽस्ति शास्त्रेऽस्मिन्वेदसम्मते

catuḥpakṣāvadātasya viśuddhirbrāhmaṇasya ca| sadvṛttasyādhikāro'sti śāstre'sminvedasammate

Only he whose four generations are unblemished, who possesses the purity befitting a brahmin, and who is of good conduct, has the right to this Veda-sanctioned scripture.

Verse 25 (skanda.7.1.25)

यथा सुराणां प्रवरो देवदेवो महेश्वरः। नदीनां च यथा गंगा वर्णानां ब्राह्मणो यथा

yathā surāṇāṁ pravaro devadevo maheśvaraḥ| nadīnāṁ ca yathā gaṁgā varṇānāṁ brāhmaṇo yathā

Just as among the gods, Maheshvara, the god of gods, is foremost; just as among rivers, the Ganga; just as among the classes, the brahmin;

Verse 26 (skanda.7.1.26)

अक्षराणां तु सर्वेषामोंकारः प्रथमो यथा। पूज्यानां तु यथा माता गुरूणां च यथा पिता। तथैव सर्वशास्त्राणां प्रधानं स्कन्दकीर्तितम्

akṣarāṇāṁ tu sarveṣāmoṁkāraḥ prathamo yathā| pūjyānāṁ tu yathā mātā gurūṇāṁ ca yathā pitā| tathaiva sarvaśāstrāṇāṁ pradhānaṁ skaṁdakīrtitam

just as among all syllables, Om is the first; just as among the venerable, the mother, and among teachers, the father — so too, among all scriptures, this Purana proclaimed by Skanda is supreme.

Verse 27 (skanda.7.1.27)

पुरा कैलासशिखरे ब्रह्मादीनां च सन्निधौ। स्कांदं पुराणं कथितं पार्वत्यग्रे पिनाकिना

purā kailāsaśikhare brahmādīnāṁ ca saṁnidhau| skāṁdaṁ purāṇaṁ kathitaṁ pārvatyagre pinākinā

Long ago, on the peak of Kailasa, in the presence of Brahma and the other gods, the wielder of the Pinaka bow, Shiva, related this Skanda Purana before Parvati.

Verse 28 (skanda.7.1.28)

पार्वत्या षण्मुखस्याग्रे तेन नंदिगणाय वै। नंदिना तु कुमाराय तेन व्यासाय धीमते

pārvatyā ṣaṇmukhasyāgre tena naṁdigaṇāya vai| naṁdinā tu kumārāya tena vyāsāya dhīmate

Parvati told it before Shanmukha, Kartikeya; he told it to the ganas led by Nandi; Nandi told it to Kumara; and he told it to the wise Vyasa.

Verse 29 (skanda.7.1.29)

व्यासेन मे समाख्यातं भवद्भ्योऽहं प्रकीर्तये

vyāsena me samākhyātaṁ bhavadbhyo'haṁ prakīrtaye

What Vyasa related to me, that I now declare to you.

Verse 30 (skanda.7.1.30)

यूयं सद्भावसंयुक्ता यतः सर्वे महर्षयः। तेन मे भाषितुं श्रद्धा भवतां स्कंदसंहिताम्

yūyaṁ sadbhāvasaṁyuktā yataḥ sarve maharṣayaḥ| tena me bhāṣituṁ śraddhā bhavatāṁ skaṁdasaṁhitām

Since all of you great sages are possessed of true faith, I too feel a devout eagerness to recount to you this Skanda-collection.