The Glory of Parnaditya

Verse 1 (skanda.7.259.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ततो गच्छेन्महादेवि पर्णादित्यं सुरेश्वरम्। प्राचीसरस्वतीकूले तटे चोत्तरतः स्थितम्॥

īśvara uvāca| tato gacchet mahādevi parṇādityaṁ sureśvaram| prācīsarasvatīkūle taṭe cottarataḥ sthitam||

Ishvara said: Thereafter, O Mahadevi, one should go to Parnaditya, lord among gods, situated on the northern bank of the Prachi Sarasvati.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.259.2)

पुरा त्रेतायुगे देवि पर्णादो नाम वै द्विजः। प्रभासं क्षेत्रमासाद्य तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम्। आराधयामास रविं भक्त्या परमया युतः॥

purā tretāyuge devi parṇādo nāma vai dvijaḥ| prabhāsaṁ kṣetramāsādya tapastepe sudāruṇam| ārādhayāmāsa raviṁ bhaktyā paramayā yutaḥ||

O Goddess, in the Treta Yuga there was a brahmin named Parnada, who, having reached the field of Prabhasa, performed extremely severe austerity and worshipped the Sun with supreme devotion.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.259.3)

तर्पयित्वा ततः सूर्यं धूपमाल्यविलेपनैः। वेदोक्तैः स्तवनैः सूक्तैर्दिवारात्रं समाहितः॥

tarpayitvā tataḥ sūryaṁ dhūpamālyavilepanaiḥ| vedoktaiḥ stavanaiḥ sūktairdivārātraṁ samāhitaḥ||

Satisfying the Sun with incense, garlands, and unguents, he remained absorbed day and night, praising him with Vedic hymns and eulogies.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.259.4)

एवं च ध्यायतस्तस्य कालेन महता ततः। तुतोष भगवान्सूर्यो वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह॥

evaṁ ca dhyāyatastasya kālena mahatā tataḥ| tutoṣa bhagavānsūryo vākyametaduvāca ha||

As he meditated thus, a long time passed. Then the blessed Sun, being pleased, spoke these words to him.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.259.5)

परितुष्टोऽस्मि विप्रेन्द्र तपसानेन सुव्रत। वरं वरय भद्रं ते नित्यं यन्मनसेप्सितम्॥

parituṣṭo'smi viprendra tapasānena suvrata| varaṁ varaya bhadraṁ te nityaṁ yanmanasepsitam||

"O foremost of brahmins, O one of excellent vows, I am well pleased with this austerity of yours. May you prosper; ask for whatever boon you have always desired in your heart."

Verse 6 (skanda.7.259.6)

ब्राह्मण उवाच। एष एव वरः कामो यत्तुष्टो भगवान्स्वयम्। दर्शनं तव देवेश स्वप्नेष्वपि च दुर्ल्लभम्॥

brāhmaṇa uvāca| eṣa eva varaḥ kāmo yattuṣṭo bhagavānsvayam| darśanaṁ tava deveśa svapneṣvapi ca durllabham||

The brahmin said: "This alone is the fulfillment of my desire, that the Lord himself is pleased. O Lord of gods, your sight is rare even in dreams."

Verse 7 (skanda.7.259.7)

अवश्यं यदि दातव्यो वरो मम दिवाकर। अत्र संनिहतो देव सदा त्वं भव भास्कर॥

avaśyaṁ yadi dātavyo varo mama divākara| atra saṁnihato deva sadā tvaṁ bhava bhāskara||

"Still, O Divakara, if a boon must indeed be given to me, then, O god Bhaskara, may you forever remain present here."

Verse 8 (skanda.7.259.8)

तव प्रसादात्ते यांतु तव लोकं दिवा कर। एवं भविष्यतीत्युक्त्वा ह्यन्तर्धानं गतो रविः॥

tava prasādātte yāṁtu tava lokaṁ divā kara| evaṁ bhaviṣyatītyuktvā hyantardhānaṁ gato raviḥ||

"By your grace, may those who come here attain your world." Saying "So be it," the Sun then vanished from sight.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.259.9)

पर्णादोऽपि स्थितस्तत्र तस्याराधनतत्परः। तत्र भाद्रपदे मासे षष्ठ्यां स्नानं समाचरेत्। पर्णादित्यं ततः पश्येन्न स दुःखमवाप्नुयात्॥

parṇādo'pi sthitastatra tasyārādhanatatparaḥ| tatra bhādrapade māse ṣaṣṭhyāṁ snānaṁ samācaret| parṇādityaṁ tataḥ paśyenna sa duḥkhamavāpnuyāt||

Parnada too remained there, devoted to his worship. Whoever bathes there on the sixth day of the month of Bhadrapada and beholds Parnaditya shall never experience sorrow.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.259.10)

गोशतस्य प्रयागे तु सम्यग्दत्तस्य यत्फलम्। तत्फलं लभते मर्त्यः पर्णादित्यस्य दर्शनात्॥

gośatasya prayāge tu samyagdattasya yatphalam| tatphalaṁ labhate martyaḥ parṇādityasya darśanāt||

The merit that comes from duly giving a hundred cows at Prayaga — that same merit a mortal obtains merely by the sight of Parnaditya.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.259.11)

ये सेवंते महाकुष्ठं पांगुल्यं च विवर्चिकाः। पर्णादित्यं न जानंति नूनं ते मंदबुद्धयः॥

ye sevaṁte mahākuṣṭhaṁ pāṁgulyaṁ ca vivarcikāḥ| parṇādityaṁ na jānaṁti nūnaṁ te maṁdabuddhayaḥ||

Those who, though afflicted with terrible leprosy, lameness, or skin disease, do not know of Parnaditya, are indeed dull-witted.