The Netherworld Opening and the Origin of the Sunanda Group of Mothers

Verse 1 (skanda.7.16.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। पातालविवरस्यापि माहात्म्यं शृणु सांप्रतम्। पूर्वपृष्टं महादेवि ब्रह्मणा विश्वकर्मणा

īśvara uvāca| pātālavivarasyāpi māhātmyaṁ śṛṇu sāṁpratam| pūrvapṛṣṭaṁ mahādevi brahmaṇā viśvakarmaṇā

Īśvara said: Now hear also the glory of the netherworld's opening, O great Goddess, which was once asked by Brahmā of Viśvakarman.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.16.2)

तमोभावे समुत्पन्ने जातास्तत्रैव राक्षसाः। सूर्यस्य द्वेषिणः सर्वे ह्यसंख्याता महाबलाः

tamobhāve samutpanne jātāstatraiva rākṣasāḥ| sūryasya dveṣiṇaḥ sarve hyasaṁkhyātā mahābalāḥ

When the state of darkness arose, at that very time demons were born there, all haters of the Sun, innumerable and of great strength.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.16.3)

ते तु दृष्ट्वा महात्मानं समुद्यंतं दिवाकरम्। ते धूम्रप्रमुखाः सर्वे जहसुः सूर्यमंजसा

te tu dṛṣṭvā mahātmānaṁ samudyaṁtaṁ divākaram| te dhūmrapramukhāḥ sarve jahasuḥ sūryamaṁjasā

They, beholding the great-souled Sun rising, all of them led by Dhūmra, openly laughed at the Sun.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.16.4)

अस्माकमंतकः कोऽयं विद्यते पापकर्मकृत्। इत्यूचुर्विविधा वाचः सूर्यस्याग्रे स्थितास्तदा

asmākamaṁtakaḥ ko'yaṁ vidyate pāpakarmakṛt| ityūcurvividhā vācaḥ sūryasyāgre sthitāstadā

'Who is this, doer of sinful deeds, who exists to be our destroyer?' — speaking such various words, they then stood before the Sun.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.16.5)

इति श्रुत्वा तदा देवः क्रोधस्फुरिताधरः। राक्षसानां वचश्चैव भक्ष्यमाणो दिवाकरः

iti śrutvā tadā devaḥ krodhasphuritādharaḥ| rākṣasānāṁ vacaścaiva bhakṣyamāṇo divākaraḥ

Hearing this, the god's lips quivered with anger; Divākara, as it were, was consumed by the words of the demons.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.16.6)

ततः क्रोधाभिभूतेन चक्षुषा चावलोकयत्। स क्रूररक्षःक्षयकृत्तिमिरद्विपकेसरी

tataḥ krodhābhibhūtena cakṣuṣā cāvalokayat| sa krūrarakṣaḥkṣayakṛttimiradvipakesarī

Then, overcome with anger, he gazed with his eyes. He who destroys cruel demons, a lion to the elephant of darkness—

Verse 7 (skanda.7.16.7)

महांशुमान्खगः सूर्यस्तद्विनाशमचिंतयत्। अजानन्नंततश्छिद्रं राक्षसानां दिवस्पतिः

mahāṁśumānkhagaḥ sūryastadvināśamaciṁtayat| ajānannaṁtataśchidraṁ rākṣasānāṁ divaspatiḥ

The Sun, of great rays, coursing through the sky, pondered their destruction. The lord of the day, not knowing at that time any weakness by which the demons might be ended—

Verse 8 (skanda.7.16.8)

स धर्मविच्युतान्दृष्ट्वा पापोपहतचेतसः। एवं संचिंत्य भगवान्दध्यौ ध्यानं प्रभाकरः

sa dharmavicyutāndṛṣṭvā pāpopahatacetasaḥ| evaṁ saṁciṁtya bhagavāndadhyau dhyānaṁ prabhākaraḥ

Seeing them fallen from righteousness, their minds afflicted by sin, thus pondering, the blessed Prabhākara entered into meditation.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.16.9)

अजानंस्तेजसा ग्रस्तं त्रैलोक्यं रजनीचरैः। ततस्ते भानुना दृष्टाः क्रोधाध्मातेन चक्षुषा

ajānaṁstejasā grastaṁ trailokyaṁ rajanīcaraiḥ| tataste bhānunā dṛṣṭāḥ krodhādhmātena cakṣuṣā

Unaware that the three worlds were being consumed by the night-wanderers, through his own radiance nonetheless. Then Bhānu looked upon them with eyes inflamed by anger.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.16.10)

निपेतुरंबरभ्रष्टाः क्षीणपुण्या इव ग्रहाः। राक्षसैर्वेष्टितो धूम्रो निपतञ्छुशुभेंऽबरात्

nipeturaṁbarabhraṣṭāḥ kṣīṇapuṇyā iva grahāḥ| rākṣasairveṣṭito dhūmro nipatañchuśubheṁ'bharāt

Falling from the sky, they were like planets whose merit had run out. Encircled by demons, Dhūmra began falling from the auspicious sky.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.16.11)

अर्द्धपक्वं यथा तालफलं कपिभिरावृतम्। यदृच्छया निपेतुस्ते यंत्रमुक्ता यथोपलाः

arddhapakvaṁ yathā tālaphalaṁ kapibhirāvṛtam| yadṛcchayā nipetuste yaṁtramuktā yathopalāḥ

Like a half-ripe palm fruit surrounded by monkeys, they fell of their own accord, like stones released from a catapult.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.16.12)

ततो वायु वशाद्भ्रष्टा भित्त्वा भूमिं रसातलम्। जग्मुस्ते क्षेत्रमासाद्य प्रभासं वरवर्णिनि

tato vāyu vaśādbhraṣṭā bhittvā bhūmiṁ rasātalam| jagmuste kṣetramāsādya prabhāsaṁ varavarṇini

Then, falling under the sway of the wind, piercing through the earth, they entered the netherworld. Having reached the field of Prabhāsa, O fair-colored one, they went there.

Verse 13 (skanda.7.16.13)

यत्र चार्कस्थलो देवः सर्वसिद्धिप्रदायकः। तत्सान्निध्यस्थितं देवि पातालविवरं महत्

yatra cārkasthalo devaḥ sarvasiddhipradāyakaḥ| tatsānnidhyasthitaṁ devi pātālavivaraṁ mahat

Where the god Arkasthala, bestower of every perfection, resides — right in his vicinity, O Goddess, is that great opening to the netherworld.

Verse 14 (skanda.7.16.14)

अन्यानि कोटिशः संति तानि लुप्तानि भामिनि। कृतस्मरात्समारभ्य यावदर्कस्थलो रविः

anyāni koṭiśaḥ saṁti tāni luptāni bhāmini| kṛtasmarātsamārabhya yāvadarkasthalo raviḥ

There are countless millions of others, but they are hidden, O radiant one, from Kṛtasmara up to the Sun of Arkasthala.

Verse 15 (skanda.7.16.15)

देवमातुर्वरं प्राप्य सिद्धयोऽष्टौ व्यवस्थिताः। एतस्मिन्नंतरे देवि सूर्यक्षेत्रमुदाहृतम्

devamāturvaraṁ prāpya siddhayo'ṣṭau vyavasthitāḥ| etasminnaṁtare devi sūryakṣetramudāhṛtam

Having obtained the boon of the Mother of the gods, the eight siddhis are established here. Within this span, O Goddess, is what is declared to be the field of the Sun.

Verse 16 (skanda.7.16.16)

सूर्यस्य तेजसो देवि मध्यभागं हि तत्स्मृतम्। सर्वं हेममयं देवि नापुण्यस्तत्र वीक्षते

sūryasya tejaso devi madhyabhāgaṁ hi tatsmṛtam| sarvaṁ hemamayaṁ devi nāpuṇyastatra vīkṣate

This is remembered as the middle portion of the Sun's radiance, O Goddess. All of it is made of gold, yet the impure person cannot perceive it there.

Verse 17 (skanda.7.16.17)

विवराणां शतं चैकं स्पर्शाश्चैव तु कोटिशः। तत्र संति महादेवि सिद्धेशस्तु प्ररक्षति

vivarāṇāṁ śataṁ caikaṁ sparśāścaiva tu koṭiśaḥ| tatra saṁti mahādevi siddheśastu prarakṣati

A hundred and one openings, and countless points of contact, exist there, O great Goddess; Siddheśa keeps guard over it.

Verse 18 (skanda.7.16.18)

इदं क्षेत्रं महादेवि प्रियं सूर्यस्य सर्वदा। सूर्यपर्वणिसंप्राप्ते कुरुक्षेत्राधिकं प्रिये

idaṁ kṣetraṁ mahādevi priyaṁ sūryasya sarvadā| sūryaparvaṇisaṁprāpte kurukṣetrādhikaṁ priye

This field, O great Goddess, is ever dear to the Sun. When a solar festival day arrives, O beloved, it surpasses even Kurukṣetra.

Verse 19 (skanda.7.16.19)

ब्राह्मी चैव हिरण्या च संगमश्च महोदधेः। एतत्त्रिसंगमं देवि कोटितीर्थ फलप्रदम्

brāhmī caiva hiraṇyā ca saṁgamaśca mahodadheḥ| etattrisaṁgamaṁ devi koṭitīrtha phalapradam

The confluence of the Brāhmī and Hiraṇyā rivers with the great ocean — this triple confluence, O Goddess, grants the fruit of a myriad sacred fords.

Verse 20 (skanda.7.16.20)

देवमाता च तत्रैव मंकीशस्तत्र तिष्ठति। नागस्थानं नगस्थानं तत्रैव समुदाहृतम्

devamātā ca tatraiva maṁkīśastatra tiṣṭhati| nāgasthānaṁ nagasthānaṁ tatraiva samudāhṛtam

The Mother of the gods too abides right there, and Maṅkīśa stands there as well. The Abode of Serpents and the Abode of the Mountain are likewise declared to be there.

Verse 21 (skanda.7.16.21)

इति संक्षेपतः प्रोक्तमर्कस्थलमहोदयम्। राक्षसानां च संपातादभूच्च विवरं यथा

iti saṁkṣepataḥ proktamarkasthalamahodayam| rākṣasānāṁ ca saṁpātādabhūcca vivaraṁ yathā

Thus, in brief, the greatness of Arkasthala has been told, and how that opening came to be through the falling of the demons.

Verse 22 (skanda.7.16.22)

अन्यानि तत्र देवेशि लुप्तानि विवराणि वै। एवं तु प्रकटं तत्र दृश्यतेऽद्यापि भामिनि

anyāni tatra deveśi luptāni vivarāṇi vai| evaṁ tu prakaṭaṁ tatra dṛśyate'dyāpi bhāmini

Other openings there, O sovereign Goddess, are hidden; but this one remains visible there openly even today, O radiant one.

Verse 23 (skanda.7.16.23)

श्रीमुखं नाम तद्द्वारं रक्ष्यते मातृभिः प्रिये। वर्षमेकं चतुर्द्दश्यां नियमाद्यस्तु पूजयेत्

śrīmukhaṁ nāma taddvāraṁ rakṣyate mātṛbhiḥ priye| varṣamekaṁ caturddaśyāṁ niyamādyastu pūjayet

The name of that gateway is Śrīmukha, guarded by the Mātṛs, O beloved. Whoever worships there duly on the fourteenth for a full year—

Verse 24 (skanda.7.16.24)

तत्र मातृगणान्देवि सुनंदाद्यान्विधानतः। पशुपुष्पोपहारैश्च धूपदीपैस्तथोत्तमैः। विप्राणां भोजनैर्देवि तस्य सिद्धिर्भविष्यति

tatra mātṛgāndevi sunaṁdādyānvidhānataḥ| paśupuṣpopahāraiśca dhūpadīpaistathottamaiḥ| viprāṇāṁ bhojanairdevi tasya siddhirbhaviṣyati

there, worshipping the host of Mātṛs beginning with Sunandā, duly, with offerings of animals, flowers, and gifts, with excellent incense and lamps, and by feeding brāhmaṇas — O Goddess, he shall attain perfection.

Verse 25 (skanda.7.16.25)

तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन तत्रार्कस्थलसंनिधौ। पूजयेन्मातरः सर्वा यदीच्छेत्सिद्धिमात्मनः

tasmātsarvaprayatnena tatrārkasthalasaṁnidhau| pūjayenmātaraḥ sarvā yadīcchetsiddhimātmanaḥ

Therefore, with every effort, near that Arkasthala, one should worship all the Mātṛs, if one desires perfection for oneself.

Verse 26 (skanda.7.16.26)

एतास्तु मातरो देवि सुनंदागणनामतः। ख्यातिं यांति प्रभासे तु क्षेत्रेस्मिन्वरवर्णिनि

etāstu mātaro devi sunaṁdāgaṇanāmataḥ| khyātiṁ yāṁti prabhāse tu kṣetresminvaravarṇini

These Mātṛs, O Goddess, become renowned by the name of the Sunandā group in this field of Prabhāsa, O fair-colored one.

Verse 27 (skanda.7.16.27)

एतत्संक्षेपतः प्रोक्तं पातालोत्तरमध्यतः। तच्छ्रुत्वा मुच्यते देवि सर्वापद्भ्यो नरोत्तमः

etatsaṁkṣepataḥ proktaṁ pātālottaramadhyataḥ| tacchrutvā mucyate devi sarvāpadbhyo narottamaḥ

This has been told in brief concerning the region north of the netherworld's opening. Having heard it, O Goddess, an excellent man is freed from all calamities.