The Glory of Nagasthana

Verse 1 (skanda.7.186.1)

ततो गच्छेन्महादेवि नागस्थानमनुत्तमम्। मंकीशात्पश्चिमे भागे संगमत्रितयं गतम्

tato gacchenmahādevi nāgasthānamanuttamam| maṁkīśātpaścime bhāge saṁgamatritayaṁ gatam

Then, O great Goddess, one should go to the incomparable Nagasthana, situated in the western part from Mankishvara, at the triple confluence.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.186.2)

पापघ्नं सर्वजंतूनां पातालविवरं महत्

pāpaghnaṁ sarvajaṁtūnāṁ pātālavivaraṁ mahat

It is the great cavern-gateway to the netherworld, destroying the sins of all creatures.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.186.3)

बलभद्रः पुरा देवि श्रुत्वा कृष्णस्य पंचताम्। भल्लतीर्थे तु भल्लेन ततः प्रभासमागतः

balabhadraḥ purā devi śrutvā kṛṣṇasya paṁcatām| bhallatīrthe tu bhallena tataḥ prabhāsamāgataḥ

O goddess, in former times Balabhadra, having heard of Krishna's death by the hunter's arrow at Bhallatirtha, then came to Prabhasa.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.186.4)

क्षेत्रं महाप्रभावं हि ज्ञात्वा सर्वार्थसिद्धिदम्। यादवानां क्षयं कृत्वा ततो वैराग्यमेयिवान्

kṣetraṁ mahāprabhāvaṁ hi jñātvā sarvārthasiddhidam| yādavānāṁ kṣayaṁ kṛtvā tato vairāgyameyivān

Knowing that field of great power, bestowing accomplishment of all aims, and after the destruction of the Yadavas, he attained renunciation.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.186.5)

शेषनागेशरूपेण निष्क्रम्य च शरीरतः। गच्छन्गच्छंस्तदा प्राप्य तीर्थं त्रैसंगमं परम्

śeṣanāgeśarūpeṇa niṣkramya ca śarīrataḥ| gacchangacchaṁstadā prāpya tīrthaṁ traisaṁgamaṁ param

Emerging from his body in the form of the serpent-lord Shesha, going onward, he then reached that supreme tirtha of the triple confluence.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.186.6)

पातालस्य तदा दृष्ट्वा द्वारं विवररूपकम्। प्रविष्टोऽथ जगामाशु यत्रानंतः स्वयं स्थितः

pātālasya tadā dṛṣṭvā dvāraṁ vivararūpakam| praviṣṭo'tha jagāmāśu yatrānaṁtaḥ svayaṁ sthitaḥ

Then, beholding the cavern-shaped gateway to the netherworld, he entered it and swiftly went to where Ananta himself abided.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.186.7)

यतो नागस्वरूपेण स्थानेऽस्मिंश्च समाविशत्। तत्प्रभृत्येव देवेशि नागस्थानमिति श्रुतम्

yato nāgasvarūpeṇa sthāne'smiṁśca samāviśat| tatprabhṛtyeva deveśi nāgasthānamiti śrutam

Since he entered this place in serpent-form, from that time, O goddess of gods, it became known by the name Nagasthana.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.186.8)

नागरादित्यपूर्वेण यत्र कायो विसर्जितः। तदद्यापि प्रसिद्धं वै शेषस्थानमिति श्रुतम्

nāgarādityapūrveṇa yatra kāyo visarjitaḥ| tadadyāpi prasiddhaṁ vai śeṣasthānamiti śrutam

To the east of Nagaraditya, where he relinquished his body, that place is still today renowned by the name Sheshasthana.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.186.9)

अतः स्नात्वा महादेवि तत्र तीर्थे त्रिसंगमे। नागस्थानं समभ्यर्च्य पञ्चम्यामकृताशनः

ataḥ snātvā mahādevi tatra tīrthe trisaṁgame| nāgasthānaṁ samabhyarcya pañcamyāmakṛtāśanaḥ

Therefore, O great Goddess, having bathed at that tirtha of the triple confluence, and having duly worshipped Nagasthana on the fifth day while fasting,

Verse 10 (skanda.7.186.10)

श्राद्धं कृत्वा यथाशक्त्या दत्त्वा विप्राय दक्षिणाम्। विमुक्तः सर्वदुःखेभ्यो रुद्रलोकं स गच्छति

śrāddhaṁ kṛtvā yathāśaktyā dattvā viprāya dakṣiṇām| vimuktaḥ sarvaduḥkhebhyo rudralokaṁ sa gacchati

having performed the ancestral rite according to one's ability and given a fee to a brahmin, one is freed from all sorrows and goes to the world of Rudra.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.186.11)

पायसं मधुसंमिश्रं भक्ष्यभोज्यैः समन्वितम्। शेषनागं समुद्दिश्य विप्रं यस्तत्र भोजयेत्। कोटिभोज्यं कृतं तेन जायते नात्र संशयः

pāyasaṁ madhusaṁmiśraṁ bhakṣyabhojyaiḥ samanvitam| śeṣanāgaṁ samuddiśya vipraṁ yastatra bhojayet| koṭibhojyaṁ kṛtaṁ tena jāyate nātra saṁśayaḥ

Whoever there feeds a brahmin, dedicated to Sheshanaga, with rice-pudding mixed with honey together with various foods and delicacies — by him the merit of feeding a crore is accomplished; in this there is no doubt.