The Greatness of Shesha

Verse 1 (skanda.7.241.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। तत्रैव संस्थितं पश्येद्बलभद्रकलेवरम्। शेषरूपेण यत्रासौ प्रात्यजत्स्वकलेवरम्

īśvara uvāca| tatraiva saṁsthitaṁ paśyedbalabhadrakalevaram| śeṣarūpeṇa yatrāsau prātyajatsvakalevaram

Ishvara said: There, right at that spot, one should behold Balabhadra's form — the place where he, in the form of Shesha, gave up his body.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.241.2)

गतस्त्रैसंगमे तीर्थे तत्र पातालवर्त्मना। अस्मिन्मित्रवने देवि गव्यूतिद्वयविस्तृते

gatastraisaṁgame tīrthe tatra pātālavartmanā| asminmitravane devi gavyūtidvayavistṛte

He went to the Traisangama tirtha, and from there, by the subterranean path, came to this Mitravana, O Devi, which extends over two gavyutis.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.241.3)

कलेवरं स्थितं देवि लिंगाकारं महाप्रभम्। रेवत्या सहितं तत्र शेषनामेति विश्रुतम्

kalevaraṁ sthitaṁ devi liṅgākāraṁ mahāprabham| revatyā sahitaṁ tatra śeṣanāmeti viśrutam

There, O Devi, his body remains in the form of a linga, of great splendour, together with Revati, renowned by the name Shesha.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.241.4)

यत्र सिद्धः पुरा देवि जरानामा तु कौलिकः। विष्णुहंता भल्लतीर्थे सोऽस्मिन्स्थाने लयं गतः

yatra siddhaḥ purā devi jarānāmā tu kaulikaḥ| viṣṇuhaṁtā bhallatīrthe so'sminsthāne layaṁ gataḥ

There, in ancient times, the hunter named Jara, a kaulika who attained siddhi, and who had slain Vishnu at Bhallatirtha — he too merged into this very place.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.241.5)

तत्प्रभृत्येव सकले शेष इत्यभिविश्रुतः। चैत्रे शुक्लत्रयोदश्यां यस्तं पूजयते नरः। स पुत्रपौत्रपशुमान्वर्षं क्षेमेण गच्छति

tatprabhṛtyeva sakale śeṣa ityabhiviśrutaḥ| caitre śuklatrayodaśyāṁ yastaṁ pūjayate naraḥ| sa putrapautrapaśumānvarṣaṁ kṣemeṇa gacchati

From that time, this whole place became renowned by the name Shesha. Whoever worships him on the thirteenth day of the bright fortnight of Chaitra passes the year in wellbeing, blessed with sons, grandsons, and cattle.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.241.6)

मसूरिकादिरोगेभ्यः शिशूनां न भयं भवेत्। विस्फोटकादिरोगेभ्यो न भयं जायते क्वचित्

masūrikādirogebhyaḥ śiśūnāṁ na bhayaṁ bhavet| visphoṭakādirogebhyo na bhayaṁ jāyate kvacit

Children need not fear diseases such as smallpox, and no fear of pox-related ailments ever arises.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.241.7)

अस्मिन्क्षेत्रे महासिद्धे सिद्धयज्ञस्तु यः स्मृतः। वर्णानां सांतरालानां सर्वेषां चातिवल्लभः

asminkṣetre mahāsiddhe siddhayajñastu yaḥ smṛtaḥ| varṇānāṁ sāṁtarālānāṁ sarveṣāṁ cātivallabhaḥ

In this greatly accomplished field, the sacrifice known as siddhayajna is held most dear by all the varnas and the intermediate classes alike.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.241.8)

पशुपुष्पोपहारैश्च बलिदानैः पृथग्विधैः। संतुष्टिं शीघ्रमायाति शेषोऽशेषाघनाशनः

paśupuṣpopahāraiśca balidānaiḥ pṛthagvidhaiḥ| saṁtuṣṭiṁ śīghramāyāti śeṣo'śeṣāghanāśanaḥ

Through offerings of animals, flowers, and various kinds of sacrificial gifts, Shesha, the destroyer of all sins without exception, is swiftly satisfied.