The Glory of the Pandava Well

Verse 1 (skanda.7.232.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ततो गच्छेन्महादेवि कूपं त्रैलोक्यपूजितम्। पश्चिमे तस्य तीर्थस्य पांडवानां महात्मनाम्

īśvara uvāca| tato gacchenmahādevi kūpaṁ trailokyapūjitam| paścime tasya tīrthasya pāṁḍavānāṁ mahātmanām

Ishvara said: Then, O great Goddess, one should go to the well worshipped by the three worlds, belonging to the great-souled Pandavas, to the west of that tirtha.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.232.2)

यदाऽरण्यमनुप्राप्ताः पांडवाः पृथिवीतले। भ्रममाणा महादेवि प्रभासं क्षेत्रमागताः

yadā'raṇyamanuprāptāḥ pāṁḍavāḥ pṛthivītale| bhramamāṇā mahādevi prabhāsaṁ kṣetramāgatāḥ

When the Pandavas, having reached the forest, wandering over the earth, O great Goddess, arrived at the field of Prabhasa,

Verse 3 (skanda.7.232.3)

ततस्ते न्यवसंस्तत्र किंचित्कालं समाहिताः। गत्वा क्षेत्रं महापुण्यं ततः कृष्णाऽब्रवीदिदम्

tataste nyavasaṁstatra kiṁcitkālaṁ samāhitāḥ| gatvā kṣetraṁ mahāpuṇyaṁ tataḥ kṛṣṇā'bravīdidam

they then went to that greatly meritorious field and dwelt there for some time, composed in mind. Then Krishna [Draupadi] said this:

Verse 4 (skanda.7.232.4)

ब्राह्मणानां सहस्राणि भुंजते भवतां गृहे। दूरे जलाश्रयश्चैव न तावंतश्च किंकराः

brāhmaṇānāṁ sahasrāṇi bhuṁjate bhavatāṁ gṛhe| dūre jalāśrayaścaiva na tāvaṁtaśca kiṁkarāḥ

'Thousands of brahmins eat in your household, yet the water-source is far away, and there are not enough servants.'

Verse 5 (skanda.7.232.5)

तस्माज्जलाश्रयः कार्यं आश्रमस्य समीपतः। यत्र स्नानं करिष्यामि युष्माकं संप्रसादतः

tasmājjalāśrayaḥ kāryaṁ āśramasya samīpataḥ| yatra snānaṁ kariṣyāmi yuṣmākaṁ saṁprasādataḥ

'Therefore a water-source should be made near the hermitage, where, by your grace, I may bathe.'

Verse 6 (skanda.7.232.6)

ततस्तु पांडवाः सर्वे सहितास्ते वरानने। अखनंस्तत्र ते कूपं द्रौपदीवाक्यप्रेरिताः

tatastu pāṁḍavāḥ sarve sahitāste varānane| akhanaṁstatra te kūpaṁ draupadīvākyapreritāḥ

Then, O fair-faced one, all the Pandavas together, urged by Draupadi's word, dug a well there.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.232.7)

अथाजगाम तत्रैव भगवान्देवकीसुतः। श्रुत्वा समागतान्पार्थान्द्वारावत्याः सबांधवः

athājagāma tatraiva bhagavāndevakīsutaḥ| śrutvā samāgatānpārthāndvārāvatyāḥ sabāṁdhavaḥ

Then the Blessed Lord, son of Devaki, having heard that the Parthas had gathered there, came there from Dvaravati together with his kinsmen —

Verse 8 (skanda.7.232.8)

प्रद्युम्नेन च सांबेन गदेन निषधेन च। युयुधानेन रामेण चारुदेष्णेन धीमता

pradyumnena ca sāṁbena gadena niṣadhena ca| yuyudhānena rāmeṇa cārudeṣṇena dhīmatā

—with Pradyumna, Samba, Gada, Nishadha, Yuyudhana, Rama, and the wise Charudeshna,

Verse 9 (skanda.7.232.9)

अन्यैः परिवृतः शूरैर्यादवैर्युद्ध दुर्मदैः। ते समेत्य यथान्यायं समस्ता यदुपुंगवाः

anyaiḥ parivṛtaḥ śūrairyādavairyuddha durmadaiḥ| te sametya yathānyāyaṁ samastā yadupuṁgavāḥ

—surrounded by other heroic Yadavas unconquerable in war. All those foremost Yadavas, having duly met the Pandavas,

Verse 10 (skanda.7.232.10)

ततः कथावसाने च कस्मिंश्चित्कारणांतरे। वासुदेवः पांडुसुतमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्

tataḥ kathāvasāne ca kasmiṁścitkāraṇāṁtare| vāsudevaḥ pāṁḍusutamidaṁ vacanamabravīt

then, at the close of their conversation, on some further occasion, Vasudeva spoke this word to the son of Pandu:

Verse 11 (skanda.7.232.11)

युधिष्ठिर महाबाहो किं ते कामकरोम्यहम्। राज्यं धान्यं धनं चापि अथवा रिपुनाशनम्

yudhiṣṭhira mahābāho kiṁ te kāmakaromyaham| rājyaṁ dhānyaṁ dhanaṁ cāpi athavā ripunāśanam

'O mighty-armed Yudhishthira, what desire of yours shall I fulfil? Kingdom, grain, wealth, or else the destruction of your foes?'

Verse 12 (skanda.7.232.12)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच। शक्तस्त्वं यादवश्रेष्ठ सर्वकर्मस्वसंशयः। प्रतिज्ञातं त्वया पूर्वं वर्षैर्द्वादशभिः प्रियम्

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca| śaktastvaṁ yādavaśreṣṭha sarvakarmasvasaṁśayaḥ| pratijñātaṁ tvayā pūrvaṁ varṣairdvādaśabhiḥ priyam

Yudhishthira said: 'You are capable, O best of the Yadavas, without doubt, in all undertakings. You promised before that in twelve years you would grant what is dear...'

Verse 13 (skanda.7.232.13)

तन्नास्ति त्रिषु लोकेषु यन्न सिद्ध्यति भूतले। त्वयि तुष्टे जगन्नाथ सर्वदेवनमस्कृते

tannāsti triṣu lokeṣu yanna siddhyati bhūtale| tvayi tuṣṭe jagannātha sarvadevanamaskṛte

'—for there is nothing in the three worlds, O lord of the universe, revered by all gods, that does not become accomplished on earth when you are pleased.'

Verse 14 (skanda.7.232.14)

अवश्यं यदि तुष्टोऽसि मम सर्वजगत्पते। अत्र सांनिध्यमागच्छ कूपे नित्यं जनार्दन

avaśyaṁ yadi tuṣṭo'si mama sarvajagatpate| atra sāṁnidhyamāgaccha kūpe nityaṁ janārdana

'If you are truly pleased with me, O lord of all worlds, then, O Janardana, take up your abiding presence here, in this well, forever.'

Verse 15 (skanda.7.232.15)

अत्रागत्य नरो यस्तु भक्त्या स्नानं समाचरेत्। स यातु वैष्णवं स्थानं प्रसादात्तव केशव

atrāgatya naro yastu bhaktyā snānaṁ samācaret| sa yātu vaiṣṇavaṁ sthānaṁ prasādāttava keśava

'Whatever man comes here and bathes with devotion, O Keshava, may he attain the Vaishnava realm by your grace.'

Verse 16 (skanda.7.232.16)

ईश्वर उवाच। एवं भविष्यतीत्युक्त्वा तदाऽमन्त्र्य युधिष्ठिरम्। प्रययौ द्वारकां कृष्णः सर्वलोकनमस्कृतः

īśvara uvāca| evaṁ bhaviṣyatītyuktvā tadā'mantrya yudhiṣṭhiram| prayayau dvārakāṁ kṛṣṇaḥ sarvalokanamaskṛtaḥ

Ishvara said: Saying 'so it shall be,' and then taking leave of Yudhishthira, Krishna, revered by all the worlds, set out for Dvaraka.

Verse 17 (skanda.7.232.17)

तस्मिञ्छ्राद्धं नरः कृत्वा वाजिमेधफलं लभेत्। प्रसादाद्देवदेवस्य विष्णोरमिततेजसः

tasmiñchrāddhaṁ naraḥ kṛtvā vājimedhaphalaṁ labhet| prasādāddevadevasya viṣṇoramitatejasaḥ

A man who performs shraddha there obtains the fruit of a horse-sacrifice, by the grace of the god of gods, Vishnu of boundless splendor.

Verse 18 (skanda.7.232.18)

तदर्धं तर्पणेनैव स्नानात्पादमवाप्नुयात्। तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन तत्र श्राद्धं समाचरेत्

tadardhaṁ tarpaṇenaiva snānātpādamavāpnuyāt| tasmātsarvaprayatnena tatra śrāddhaṁ samācaret

Half of that fruit is obtained by tarpana alone, and a quarter by bathing alone. Therefore one should perform shraddha there with every effort.

Verse 19 (skanda.7.232.19)

ज्येष्ठस्य पौर्णमास्यां यः स्नानं श्राद्धं करिष्यति। सावित्रीं चैव संपूज्य स यास्यति परमं पदम्

jyeṣṭhasya paurṇamāsyāṁ yaḥ snānaṁ śrāddhaṁ kariṣyati| sāvitrīṁ caiva saṁpūjya sa yāsyati paramaṁ padam

He who bathes and performs shraddha on the full moon of Jyeshtha, and duly worships Savitri, attains the supreme state.

Verse 20 (skanda.7.232.20)

गोदानं तत्र देयं तु सम्यग्यात्राफलेप्सुभिः

godānaṁ tatra deyaṁ tu samyagyātrāphalepsubhiḥ

Those who desire the full fruit of the pilgrimage should give a cow in gift there.