The Glory of the River Pushkaravartaka

Verse 1 (skanda.7.134.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ततो गच्छेन्महादेवि पुष्करावर्तकां नदीम्। ब्रह्मकुंडादुत्तरतो नातिदूरे व्यवस्थिताम्

īśvara uvāca| tato gacchenmahādevi puṣkarāvartakāṁ nadīm| brahmakuṁḍāduttarato nātidūre vyavasthitām

Ishvara said: Then, O great Goddess, one should go to the river Pushkaravartaka, situated not far to the north of Brahmakunda.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.134.2)

पुरा यज्ञे वर्तमाने सोमस्य तु महात्मनः। ब्रह्मा सुरगणैः सार्धं प्रभासं क्षेत्रमागतः

purā yajñe vartamāne somasya tu mahātmanaḥ| brahmā suragaṇaiḥ sārdhaṁ prabhāsaṁ kṣetramāgataḥ

Long ago, when the sacrifice of the great-souled Soma was in progress, Brahma, together with the hosts of gods, came to the field of Prabhasa.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.134.3)

सोमनाथप्रतिष्ठार्थमृक्षराजनिमंत्रितः। प्रतिज्ञातं पुरा तेन ब्रह्मणा लोककारिणा

somanāthapratiṣṭhārthamṛkṣarājanimaṁtritaḥ| pratijñātaṁ purā tena brahmaṇā lokakāriṇā

Invited by the king of the constellations for the consecration of Somanatha, that Brahma, the maker of the worlds, made this vow long ago —

Verse 4 (skanda.7.134.4)

यावत्स्थास्याम्यहं मर्त्ये कस्मिंश्चित्कारणांतरे। तावत्संध्यात्रयं वंद्यं नित्यमेव त्रिपुष्करे

yāvatsthāsyāmyahaṁ martye kasmiṁścitkāraṇāṁtare| tāvatsaṁdhyātrayaṁ vaṁdyaṁ nityameva tripuṣkare

"For as long as I remain in the mortal world for whatever reason, I must ever offer worship at the three twilights at Tripushkara."

Verse 5 (skanda.7.134.5)

एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु लग्नकाल उपस्थिते। आदिष्टं शोभनं कालं ब्राह्मणैर्दैवचिन्तकैः

etasminneva kāle tu lagnakāla upasthite| ādiṣṭaṁ śobhanaṁ kālaṁ brāhmaṇairdaivacintakaiḥ

At that very time, as the auspicious hour approached, the brahmins skilled in astrology declared that fortunate moment.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.134.6)

ततस्तं प्रस्थितं ज्ञात्वा पुष्करे तु पितामहम्। संध्यार्थं रात्रिनाथो वै वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह

tatastaṁ prasthitaṁ jñātvā puṣkare tu pitāmaham| saṁdhyārthaṁ rātrinātho vai vākyametaduvāca ha

Then, learning that the Grandsire had set off for Pushkara to observe the twilight rite, the lord of the night spoke these words to him —

Verse 7 (skanda.7.134.7)

दैवज्ञैः कलितः काल एष एव शुभोदयः। यथा कालात्ययो न स्यात्तथा नीतिर्विधीयताम्

daivajñaiḥ kalitaḥ kāla eṣa eva śubhodayaḥ| yathā kālātyayo na syāttathā nītirvidhīyatām

"This very moment, reckoned by the astrologers, is the auspicious hour; let some arrangement be made so that this time is not missed."

Verse 8 (skanda.7.134.8)

तं ज्ञात्वा सांप्रतं कालं ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः। मनसा चिन्तयामास पुष्कराणि समाहितः

taṁ jñātvā sāṁprataṁ kālaṁ brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ| manasā cintayāmāsa puṣkarāṇi samāhitaḥ

Knowing that the present time had come, Brahma, the grandsire of the worlds, with a composed mind, meditated in thought upon the Pushkaras.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.134.9)

तानि वै स्मृतमात्राणि ब्रह्मणा वरवर्णिनि। प्रादुर्भूतानि तत्रैव नद्यास्तीरे सुशोभने

tāni vai smṛtamātrāṇi brahmaṇā varavarṇini| prādurbhūtāni tatraiva nadyāstīre suśobhane

O fair one, the very moment Brahma called them to mind, those Pushkaras appeared right there upon that beautiful riverbank.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.134.10)

आवर्तास्तत्र सञ्जाता ज्येष्ठमध्यकनीयसः। अथ नामाकरोत्तस्या ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः

āvartāstatra sañjātā jyeṣṭhamadhyakanīyasaḥ| atha nāmākarottasyā brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ

There arose eddies — the eldest, the middle, and the youngest; then Brahma, the grandsire of the worlds, gave that river its name.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.134.11)

पुष्करावर्तका नाम्ना अद्यप्रभृति शोभना। नदी प्रयास्यते लोके ख्यातिं मम प्रसादतः

puṣkarāvartakā nāmnā adyaprabhṛti śobhanā| nadī prayāsyate loke khyātiṁ mama prasādataḥ

"From this day forth, by my grace, this beautiful river shall attain renown in the world under the name Pushkaravartaka."

Verse 12 (skanda.7.134.12)

अत्र स्नात्वा नरो भक्त्या तर्पयिष्यति यः पितॄन्। त्रिपुष्करसमं पुण्यं लप्स्यते स तथेप्सितम्

atra snātvā naro bhaktyā tarpayiṣyati yaḥ pitṝn| tripuṣkarasamaṁ puṇyaṁ lapsyate sa tathepsitam

"Whatever man bathes here and offers oblations to his ancestors with devotion shall obtain merit equal to that of Tripushkara, and whatever else he desires."

Verse 13 (skanda.7.134.13)

श्रावणे शुक्लपक्षस्य तृतीयायां नरोत्तमः। यः पितॄंस्तर्पयेत्तत्र तृप्तिः कल्पायुतं भवेत्

śrāvaṇe śuklapakṣasya tṛtīyāyāṁ narottamaḥ| yaḥ pitṝṁstarpayettatra tṛptiḥ kalpāyutaṁ bhavet

On the third day of the bright fortnight of Shravana, whatever excellent man offers oblations to his ancestors there — their satisfaction shall last for ten thousand kalpas.