The Glory of Gopyaditya

Verse 1 (skanda.7.118.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ततो गच्छेन्महादेवि गोप्यादित्यमनुत्तमम्। भूतेशाद्वायवे भागे धनुषां त्रिंशकेन्तरे॥

īśvara uvāca| tato gacchenmahādevi gopyādityamanuttamam| bhūteśādvāyave bhāge dhanuṣāṃ triṃśakentare||

Ishvara said: Thereafter, O great goddess, one should go to the unsurpassed Gopyaditya, situated in the north-western direction from Bhutesha, at a distance of thirty bow-lengths.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.118.2)

बलातिबलदैत्यघ्न्या दक्षिणाग्नेयसंस्थितम्। धनुषां दशके देवि संस्थितं पापनाशनम्॥

balātibaladaityaghnyā dakṣiṇāgneyasaṃsthitam| dhanuṣāṃ daśake devi saṃsthitaṃ pāpanāśanam||

O goddess, it is situated to the south-east of Balatibaladaityaghni, at ten bow-lengths, the destroyer of sin.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.118.3)

तस्योत्पत्तिं प्रवक्ष्यामि महापापहरां शुभाम्। यां श्रुत्वा मानवो भक्त्या दुःखशोकैः प्रमुच्यते॥

tasyotpattiṃ pravakṣyāmi mahāpāpaharāṃ śubhām| yāṃ śrutvā mānavo bhaktyā duḥkhaśokaiḥ pramucyate||

I shall relate its origin, auspicious and remover of great sin, hearing which with devotion a man is freed from sorrow and grief.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.118.4)

पुरा कृष्णो महातेजा यदा प्रभासमागतः। सहितो यादवैः सर्वैः षट्पञ्चाशतिकोटिभिः॥

purā kṛṣṇo mahātejā yadā prabhāsamāgataḥ| sahito yādavaiḥ sarvaiḥ ṣaṭpañcāśatikoṭibhiḥ||

Formerly, when Krishna of great radiance came to Prabhasa, together with all the Yadavas, fifty-six crore in number—

Verse 5 (skanda.7.118.5)

षोडशैव सहस्राणि गोप्यस्तत्र समागताः। लक्षमेकं तथा षष्टिरेते कृष्णसुताः प्रिये॥

ṣoḍaśaiva sahasrāṇi gopyastatra samāgatāḥ| lakṣamekaṃ tathā ṣaṣṭirete kṛṣṇasutāḥ priye||

sixteen thousand gopis gathered there, and, O beloved, these sons of Krishna numbered one lakh and sixty.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.118.6)

तत्र प्राभासिके क्षेत्रे संस्थिताः पापनाशने। यादवस्थलमासाद्य यावद्रैवतको गिरि॥

tatra prābhāsike kṣetre saṃsthitāḥ pāpanāśane| yādavasthalamāsādya yāvadraivatako giri||

They settled there in the sin-destroying field of Prabhasa, occupying Yadavasthala as far as Mount Raivataka.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.118.7)

तत्र द्वादशवर्षाणि संस्थितास्ते महाबलाः। क्षेत्रं पवित्रमादाय शिवलिंगानि ते पृथक्। स्थापयाञ्चक्रिरे सर्वे ह्यंकितानि स्वनामभिः॥

tatra dvādaśavarṣāṇi saṃsthitāste mahābalāḥ| kṣetraṃ pavitramādāya śivaliṃgāni te pṛthak| sthāpayāñcakrire sarve hyaṃkitāni svanāmabhiḥ||

Those mighty ones remained there for twelve years; taking hold of that sacred field, they all separately established Shiva-lingas, each one marked with his own name.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.118.8)

एवं समग्रं तत्क्षेत्रं यावद्द्वादशयोजनम्। ध्वजलिंगांकितं चक्रुः सर्वे यादवपुंगवाः॥

evaṃ samagraṃ tatkṣetraṃ yāvaddvādaśayojanam| dhvajaliṃgāṃkitaṃ cakruḥ sarve yādavapuṃgavāḥ||

Thus did all those foremost Yadavas mark the whole of that field, extending twelve yojanas, with banners and lingas.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.118.9)

हस्तहस्तान्तरे देवि प्रासादाः क्षेत्र मध्यतः। सुवर्णकलशोपेताः पताकाकुलितांबराः। विराजंते तु तत्रस्थाः कीर्तिस्तंभा हरेरिव॥

hastahastāntare devi prāsādāḥ kṣetra madhyataḥ| suvarṇakalaśopetāḥ patākākulitāṃbarāḥ| virājaṃte tu tatrasthāḥ kīrtistaṃbhā hareriva||

O goddess, at every cubit's distance in the midst of the field, temples fitted with golden pinnacles, their banners filling the sky, stood there resplendent, like pillars proclaiming the glory of Hari.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.118.10)

ततो गोप्यो महादेवि आद्या याः षोडश स्मृताः। तासां नामानि ते वक्ष्ये तानि ह्मेकमनाः शृणु॥

tato gopyo mahādevi ādyā yāḥ ṣoḍaśa smṛtāḥ| tāsāṃ nāmāni te vakṣye tāni hmekamanāḥ śṛṇu||

Then, O great goddess, of the gopis, I shall tell you the names of those sixteen who are remembered as the foremost; listen to them with a single mind.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.118.11)

लंबिनी चन्द्रिका कान्ता क्रूरा शान्ता महोदया। भीषणी नन्दिनीऽशोका सुपर्णा विमलाऽक्षया॥

laṃbinī candrikā kāntā krūrā śāntā mahodayā| bhīṣaṇī nandinī'śokā suparṇā vimalā'kṣayā||

Lambini, Chandrika, Kanta, Krura, Shanta, Mahodaya, Bhishani, Nandini, Ashoka, Suparna, Vimala, Akshaya,

Verse 12 (skanda.7.118.12)

शुभदा शोभना पुण्या हंसस्यैताः कलाः स्मृताः। हंस एव मतः कृष्णः परमात्मा जनार्दनः॥

śubhadā śobhanā puṇyā haṃsasyaitāḥ kalāḥ smṛtāḥ| haṃsa eva mataḥ kṛṣṇaḥ paramātmā janārdanaḥ||

Shubhada, Shobhana, and Punya—these are remembered as the digits (kalas) of the Hamsa; Krishna, the supreme self, Janardana, is himself held to be that Hamsa.

Verse 13 (skanda.7.118.13)

तस्यैताः शक्तयो देवि षोडशैव प्रकीर्तिताः। चन्द्ररूपी ततः कृष्णः कलारूपास्तु ताः स्मृताः॥

tasyaitāḥ śaktayo devi ṣoḍaśaiva prakīrtitāḥ| candrarūpī tataḥ kṛṣṇaḥ kalārūpāstu tāḥ smṛtāḥ||

O goddess, these sixteen are proclaimed as his powers (shaktis); thus Krishna has the form of the moon, and they are remembered as having the form of his digits.

Verse 14 (skanda.7.118.14)

संपूर्णमण्डला तासां मालिनी षोडशी कला। प्रतिपत्तिथिमारभ्य विचरत्यासु चन्द्रमाः॥

saṃpūrṇamaṇḍalā tāsāṃ mālinī ṣoḍaśī kalā| pratipattithimārabhya vicaratyāsu candramāḥ||

Among them, Malini is the sixteenth digit, of the full orb; the moon moves through them, beginning with the first lunar day.

Verse 15 (skanda.7.118.15)

षोडशैव कला यास्ता गोपीरूपा वरानने। एकैकशस्ताः संभिन्नाः सहस्रेण पृथक्पृथक्॥

ṣoḍaśaiva kalā yāstā gopīrūpā varānane| ekaikaśastāḥ saṃbhinnāḥ sahasreṇa pṛthakpṛthak||

O fair-faced one, those very sixteen digits took the form of the gopis; each one of them, separately, multiplied a thousandfold.

Verse 16 (skanda.7.118.16)

एवं ते कथितं देवि रहस्यं ज्ञानसंभवम्। एवं यो वेद पुरुषः स ज्ञेयो वैष्णवो बुधैः॥

evaṃ te kathitaṃ devi rahasyaṃ jñānasaṃbhavam| evaṃ yo veda puruṣaḥ sa jñeyo vaiṣṇavo budhaiḥ||

Thus, O goddess, has this mystery, born of knowledge, been told to you. Whatever man knows this in this way is to be known by the wise as a true Vaishnava.

Verse 17 (skanda.7.118.17)

अथ ताभिः कृताञ्ज्ञात्वा प्रासादान्यादवैः पृथक्। ततो गोप्योऽपि ताः सर्वाः सहस्राणि तु षोडश। कृष्णमाज्ञाप्य भावेन स्थापयांचक्रिरे रविम्॥

atha tābhiḥ kṛtāñjñātvā prāsādānyādavaiḥ pṛthak| tato gopyo'pi tāḥ sarvāḥ sahasrāṇi tu ṣoḍaśa| kṛṣṇamājñāpya bhāvena sthāpayāṃcakrire ravim||

Then, taking note of the temples separately built by the Yadavas, all those sixteen thousand gopis too, having obtained Krishna's sanction, established the Sun with devotion.

Verse 18 (skanda.7.118.18)

ऋषिभिर्नारदाद्यैस्तास्तथा क्षेत्रनिवासिभिः। तं प्रतिष्ठापयामासुः प्रतिष्ठाविधिना रविम्॥

ṛṣibhirnāradādyaistāstathā kṣetranivāsibhiḥ| taṃ pratiṣṭhāpayāmāsuḥ pratiṣṭhāvidhinā ravim||

Together with the sages headed by Narada and with the inhabitants of the sacred field, they installed that Sun according to the rite of consecration.

Verse 19 (skanda.7.118.19)

प्रतिष्ठिते ततः सूर्ये ददुर्दानानि भूरिशः। ततः क्षेत्रनिवासिभ्यो गोभूहेमांबराणि च॥

pratiṣṭhite tataḥ sūrye dadurdānāni bhūriśaḥ| tataḥ kṣetranivāsibhyo gobhūhemāṃbarāṇi ca||

When the Sun had been consecrated, they gave abundant gifts of cows, land, gold, and garments to the inhabitants of the sacred field.

Verse 20 (skanda.7.118.20)

ततस्त ऋषयः सर्वे संतुष्टा हृष्टमानसाः। चक्रुर्नाम रवेस्तत्र गोप्यादित्येति विश्रुतम्। सर्वपाप हरं देवं महासौभाग्यदायकम्॥

tatasta ṛṣayaḥ sarve saṃtuṣṭā hṛṣṭamānasāḥ| cakrurnāma ravestatra gopyādityeti viśrutam| sarvapāpa haraṃ devaṃ mahāsaubhāgyadāyakam||

Then all those sages, satisfied and glad at heart, gave that Sun—the god who removes all sin and bestows great good fortune—the name renowned there as Gopyaditya.

Verse 21 (skanda.7.118.21)

एवं कृते कृतार्थास्ताः संप्राप्यातिमहद्यशः। जग्मुर्यथागतं सर्वा द्वारकां कृष्णसंयुताः॥

evaṃ kṛte kṛtārthāstāḥ saṃprāpyātimahadyaśaḥ| jagmuryathāgataṃ sarvā dvārakāṃ kṛṣṇasaṃyutāḥ||

This having been done, they, their purpose accomplished, having gained exceedingly great fame, all returned to Dvaraka the way they had come, together with Krishna.

Verse 22 (skanda.7.118.22)

पुनः कालान्तरे देवि शापाद्दुर्वाससः प्रिये। यादवस्थलतां प्राप्ताः प्रभासे पापनाशने॥

punaḥ kālāntare devi śāpāddurvāsasaḥ priye| yādavasthalatāṃ prāptāḥ prabhāse pāpanāśane||

Again, after some time, O beloved goddess, on account of the curse of Durvasas, they came once more to that Yadavasthala, in the sin-destroying Prabhasa.

Verse 23 (skanda.7.118.23)

एवं ते कथितो देवि गोप्यादित्यसमुद्भवः। माहात्म्यं तस्य ते वच्मि पूजावन्दनजं क्रमात्॥

evaṃ te kathito devi gopyādityasamudbhavaḥ| māhātmyaṃ tasya te vacmi pūjāvandanajaṃ kramāt||

Thus, O goddess, has the origin of Gopyaditya been told to you. I shall now tell you, in due order, the glory born of worship and homage to him.

Verse 24 (skanda.7.118.24)

अस्मिन्मित्रवने देवि यो गोपीभिः प्रतिष्ठितः। तस्य दर्शनमात्रेण दुःखशोकैः प्रमुच्यते॥

asminmitravane devi yo gopībhiḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ| tasya darśanamātreṇa duḥkhaśokaiḥ pramucyate||

O goddess, he who was established by the gopis in this Mitravana—by the mere sight of him, one is freed from sorrow and grief.

Verse 25 (skanda.7.118.25)

सुतप्तेनेह तपसा यज्ञैर्वा बहुदक्षिणैः। तां गतिं ते नरा यान्ति ये गोपीरविमाश्रिताः॥

sutapteneha tapasā yajñairvā bahudakṣiṇaiḥ| tāṃ gatiṃ te narā yānti ye gopīravimāśritāḥ||

Those men who take refuge in the Gopi-Sun attain that same state which is attained here through well-performed austerity, or through sacrifices rich in gifts.

Verse 26 (skanda.7.118.26)

येन सर्वात्मना भावो गोप्यादित्ये निवेशितः। महेश्वरि कृतार्थत्वात्स श्लाघ्यो धन्य एव सः॥

yena sarvātmanā bhāvo gopyāditye niveśitaḥ| maheśvari kṛtārthatvātsa ślāghyo dhanya eva saḥ||

O Maheshvari, he who has fixed his devotion wholly and with his whole soul upon Gopyaditya—on account of his fulfilment, he is praiseworthy, he indeed is blessed.

Verse 27 (skanda.7.118.27)

अपि नः स कुले धन्यो जायते कुलपावनः। भाग्यवान्भक्तिभावेन येन भानुरुपासितः॥

api naḥ sa kule dhanyo jāyate kulapāvanaḥ| bhāgyavānbhaktibhāvena yena bhānurupāsitaḥ||

He by whom the Sun has been worshipped with devotion is fortunate, a purifier of his lineage, and is born blessed, even were he to be born in our own family.

Verse 28 (skanda.7.118.28)

सप्तम्यां पूजयेद्यस्तु माघे मास्युषसि प्रिये। सप्तावरान्सप्त पूर्वान्पितॄन्सोप्युद्धरेन्नरः॥

saptamyāṃ pūjayedyastu māghe māsyuṣasi priye| saptāvarānsapta pūrvānpitṝnsopyuddharennaraḥ||

O beloved, whoever worships him at dawn on the seventh day in the month of Magha, that man delivers even seven generations of ancestors before him and seven after him.

Verse 29 (skanda.7.118.29)

छिनत्ति रोगान्दुश्चेष्टान्दुर्जयाञ्जयति ह्यरीन्॥

chinatti rogānduśceṣṭāndurjayāñjayati hyarīn||

He cuts away diseases and ill conduct, and conquers even unconquerable enemies.

Verse 30 (skanda.7.118.30)

न सप्तम्यां स्पृशेत्तैलं नीलवस्त्रं न धारयेत्। न चाप्यामलकैः स्नानं न कुर्यात्कलहं क्वचित्॥

na saptamyāṃ spṛśettailaṃ nīlavastraṃ na dhārayet| na cāpyāmalakaiḥ snānaṃ na kuryātkalahaṃ kvacit||

On the seventh day one should not touch oil, nor wear blue-dyed cloth, nor bathe with amalaka, nor engage in any quarrel whatsoever.

Verse 31 (skanda.7.118.31)

नीलरक्तेन वस्त्रेण यत्कर्म कुरुते द्विजः। स्नानं दानं जपो होमः स्वाध्यायः पितृतर्पणम्। वृथा तस्य महायज्ञा नीलसूत्रस्य धारणात्॥

nīlaraktena vastreṇa yatkarma kurute dvijaḥ| snānaṃ dānaṃ japo homaḥ svādhyāyaḥ pitṛtarpaṇam| vṛthā tasya mahāyajñā nīlasūtrasya dhāraṇāt||

Whatever a twice-born does while wearing indigo-dyed cloth—bathing, giving of gifts, japa, fire-offering, Vedic recitation, or the tarpana of ancestors—all his great rites become fruitless on account of wearing indigo thread.

Verse 32 (skanda.7.118.32)

नीलीरक्तं यदा वस्त्रं विप्रस्त्वंगेषु धारयेत्। अहोरात्रोषितो भूत्वा पञ्चगव्येन शुद्ध्यति॥

nīlīraktaṃ yadā vastraṃ viprastvaṃgeṣu dhārayet| ahorātroṣito bhūtvā pañcagavyena śuddhyati||

When a Brahmin wears upon his body a garment dyed with indigo, he is purified by fasting for a day and night and then partaking of the five products of the cow.

Verse 33 (skanda.7.118.33)

रोमकूपे यदा गच्छेद्रसं नीलस्य कस्यचित्। पतितस्तु भवेद्विप्रस्त्रिभिः कृच्छ्रैर्व्यपोहति॥

romakūpe yadā gacchedrasaṃ nīlasya kasyacit| patitastu bhavedviprastribhiḥ kṛcchrairvyapohati||

When the dye of any indigo substance reaches even the pores of his skin, the Brahmin becomes fallen, and removes the taint through three performances of the krichchhra penance.

Verse 34 (skanda.7.118.34)

नीलमध्यं यदा गच्छेत्प्रमादाद्ब्राह्मणः क्वचित्। अहोरात्रोषितो भूत्वा पञ्चगव्येन शुद्ध्यति॥

nīlamadhyaṃ yadā gacchetpramādādbrāhmaṇaḥ kvacit| ahorātroṣito bhūtvā pañcagavyena śuddhyati||

If ever, through carelessness, a Brahmin should pass into the midst of indigo, he is purified by fasting for a day and night and then partaking of the five products of the cow.

Verse 35 (skanda.7.118.35)

नीलदारु यदा भिद्येद्ब्राह्मणानां शरीरके। शोणितं दृश्यते तत्र द्विजश्चान्द्रायणं चरेत्॥

nīladāru yadā bhidyedbrāhmaṇānāṃ śarīrake| śoṇitaṃ dṛśyate tatra dvijaścāndrāyaṇaṃ caret||

When indigo-wood cuts into the body of a Brahmin and blood is seen there, the twice-born should perform the chandrayana penance.

Verse 36 (skanda.7.118.36)

कुर्यादज्ञानतो यस्तु नीलं वै दन्तधावनम्। कृत्वा कृच्छ्रद्वयं तस्य शुद्धिरुक्ता मनीषिभिः॥

kuryādajñānato yastu nīlaṃ vai dantadhāvanam| kṛtvā kṛcchradvayaṃ tasya śuddhiruktā manīṣibhiḥ||

Whoever unknowingly cleans his teeth with an indigo twig—for him the wise have declared purification through the performance of two krichchhra penances.

Verse 37 (skanda.7.118.37)

इत्येतत्कथितं देवि गोप्यादित्यमहोदय। पापघ्नं सर्वजन्तूनां श्रुतं सर्वार्थसाधकम्॥

ityetatkathitaṃ devi gopyādityamahodaya| pāpaghnaṃ sarvajantūnāṃ śrutaṃ sarvārthasādhakam||

Thus, O goddess, has this been told—the great glory of Gopyaditya, destroyer of sin for all beings, which, when heard, accomplishes all aims.

Verse 38 (skanda.7.118.38)

गवां शतसहस्रैस्तु दत्तैर्यत्कुरुजांगले। पुण्यं भवति देवेशि तद्गोप्यादित्यदर्शने॥

gavāṃ śatasahasraistu dattairyatkurujāṃgale| puṇyaṃ bhavati deveśi tadgopyādityadarśane||

O goddess of gods, whatever merit accrues from giving a hundred thousand cows in Kurujangala, that same merit is obtained merely by the sight of Gopyaditya.