The Glory of Gupta Prayaga

Verse 1 (skanda.7.298.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ऋषितोयापश्चिमे तु तत्र गव्यूतिमात्रतः। संगालेश्वरनामास्ति सर्वपातकनाशनः

īśvara uvāca| ṛṣitoyāpaścime tu tatra gavyūtimātrataḥ| saṁgāleśvaranāmāsti sarvapātakanāśanaḥ

Ishvara said: West of Rishitoya, at a distance of just one gavyuti, there is a place named Sangaleshvara, the destroyer of all sins.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.298.2)

गुप्तस्तत्र प्रयागश्च देवो वै माधवस्तथा। जाह्नवी यमुना चैव देवी तत्र सरस्वती

guptastatra prayāgaśca devo vai mādhavastathā| jāhnavī yamunā caiva devī tatra sarasvatī

There is the hidden Prayaga, and the god Madhava too; and there the Jahnavi, the Yamuna, and the goddess Sarasvati are present.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.298.3)

अन्यानि तत्र तीर्थानि बहूनि च वरानने। स्नात्वा दृष्ट्वा पूजयित्वा मुक्तः स्यात्सर्वकिल्बिषैः

anyāni tatra tīrthāni bahūni ca varānane| snātvā dṛṣṭvā pūjayitvā muktaḥ syātsarvakilbiṣaiḥ

And there are many other tirthas there too, O fair-faced one; having bathed, beheld, and worshipped, one becomes freed from all sins.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.298.4)

पार्वत्युवाच। कथय त्वं महेशान सर्वदेवनमस्कृत। तीर्थराजः प्रयागस्तु कथं विष्णुः सनातनः

pārvatyuvāca| kathaya tvaṁ maheśāna sarvadevanamaskṛta| tīrtharājaḥ prayāgastu kathaṁ viṣṇuḥ sanātanaḥ

Parvati said: Tell me, O Mahesha, worshipped by all gods, how is Prayaga, the king of tirthas, the eternal Vishnu?

Verse 5 (skanda.7.298.5)

कथं गंगा च यमुना तथा देवी सरस्वती। अन्यान्यपि बहून्येव तीर्थानि वृषभध्वज

kathaṁ gaṁgā ca yamunā tathā devī sarasvatī| anyānyapi bahūnyeva tīrthāni vṛṣabhadhvaja

How, O bull-bannered one, do the Ganga, the Yamuna, the goddess Sarasvati, and many other tirthas too

Verse 6 (skanda.7.298.6)

समायातानि तत्रैव संगालेश्वरसंनिधौ। संगालेशेति किं नाम ह्येतन्मे वद कौतुकम्

samāyātāni tatraiva saṁgāleśvarasaṁnidhau| saṁgāleśeti kiṁ nāma hyetanme vada kautukam

come together right there, in the presence of Sangaleshvara? What is this name 'Sangalesha'? Tell me this, for I am curious.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.298.7)

ईश्वर उवाच। पुरा वै लिंगपतने सर्वदेवसमागमे। सार्धत्रितयकोटीनि पुण्यानि सुरसुन्दरि

īśvara uvāca| purā vai liṁgapatane sarvadevasamāgame| sārdhatritayakoṭīni puṇyāni surasundari

Ishvara said: O beautiful one among the gods, formerly, when the linga fell, at the gathering of all the gods, three and a half crores of holy—

Verse 8 (skanda.7.298.8)

तीर्थानि तीर्थराजोऽयं प्रयागः समुपस्थितः। आत्मानं गोपयामास तीर्थकोटिभिरावृतम्

tīrthāni tīrtharājo'yaṁ prayāgaḥ samupasthitaḥ| ātmānaṁ gopayāmāsa tīrthakoṭibhirāvṛtam

tirthas came together; and this king of tirthas, Prayaga, having arrived, hid himself, surrounded by crores of tirthas.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.298.9)

ततस्तत्र समायाता ब्रह्मविष्णुपुरोगमाः। विबुधास्तीर्थराजं तं ददृशुर्दिव्यचक्षुषा

tatastatra samāyātā brahmaviṣṇupurogamāḥ| vibudhāstīrtharājaṁ taṁ dadṛśurdivyacakṣuṣā

Then Brahma, Vishnu, and the foremost gods came there, and those wise ones beheld that king of tirthas with divine sight.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.298.10)

तीर्थकोटिभिराकीर्णं पवित्रं पापनाशनम्। लिंगस्य पतनं श्रुत्वा महादुःखेन संवृताः

tīrthakoṭibhirākīrṇaṁ pavitraṁ pāpanāśanam| liṁgasya patanaṁ śrutvā mahāduḥkhena saṁvṛtāḥ

Thronged with crores of tirthas, pure, destroying sin—hearing of the linga's fall, they were overcome with great sorrow,

Verse 11 (skanda.7.298.11)

स्थिताः सर्वे तदा देवि ब्रह्माद्याः सुरसत्तमाः

sthitāḥ sarve tadā devi brahmādyāḥ surasattamāḥ

and, O Goddess, all the best of gods, Brahma and the rest, remained there.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.298.12)

एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु देवो रुद्रः सनातनः। निरानंदः समायातो वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह

etasminneva kāle tu devo rudraḥ sanātanaḥ| nirānaṁdaḥ samāyāto vākyametaduvāca ha

At that very time the eternal god Rudra arrived, joyless, and spoke this word:

Verse 13 (skanda.7.298.13)

शृणुध्वं वचनं देवा ब्रह्मविष्णुपुरोगमाः। ऋषिशापान्निपतितं मम लिंगमनुत्तमम्। तस्माल्लिंगं पूजयत सर्वकामार्थसिद्धये

śṛṇudhvaṁ vacanaṁ devā brahmaviṣṇupurogamāḥ| ṛṣiśāpānnipatitaṁ mama liṁgamanuttamam| tasmālliṁgaṁ pūjayata sarvakāmārthasiddhaye

'Listen to my words, O gods, Brahma, Vishnu and the rest: through a sage's curse my unsurpassed linga has fallen; therefore worship that linga, for the fulfilment of all desires and aims.'

Verse 14 (skanda.7.298.14)

एवमुक्त्वा महादेवो देशे तस्मिन्स्थितः प्रिये। ब्राह्मं च वैष्णवं रौद्रं तत्र कुण्डत्रयं स्मृतम्

evamuktvā mahādevo deśe tasminsthitaḥ priye| brāhmaṁ ca vaiṣṇavaṁ raudraṁ tatra kuṇḍatrayaṁ smṛtam

Having said this, the great god remained in that very region, O dear one; there three tanks are remembered—the Brahma, the Vaishnava, and the Raudra,

Verse 15 (skanda.7.298.15)

चतुर्थं त्रिसंगमाख्यं नदीनां यत्र संगमः। गंगायाश्च सरस्वत्याः सूर्यपुत्र्यास्तथैव च

caturthaṁ trisaṁgamākhyaṁ nadīnāṁ yatra saṁgamaḥ| gaṁgāyāśca sarasvatyāḥ sūryaputryāstathaiva ca

and a fourth called Trisangama, where the rivers—the Ganga, the Sarasvati, and the Daughter of the Sun as well—meet together.

Verse 16 (skanda.7.298.16)

कोटिरेका च तीर्थानां ब्रह्मकुण्डे व्यवस्थिता। तथा च वैष्णवे कुण्डे कोटिरेका प्रकीर्तिता

koṭirekā ca tīrthānāṁ brahmakuṇḍe vyavasthitā| tathā ca vaiṣṇave kuṇḍe koṭirekā prakīrtitā

One crore of tirthas abide in the Brahma tank; and likewise, in the Vaishnava tank, one crore is proclaimed.

Verse 17 (skanda.7.298.17)

सार्धकोटिस्तु संप्रोक्ता शिवकुण्डे प्रकीर्तिता। पश्चिमे ब्रह्मकुण्डं च पूर्वे वै वैष्णवं स्मृतम्

sārdhakoṭistu saṁproktā śivakuṇḍe prakīrtitā| paścime brahmakuṇḍaṁ ca pūrve vai vaiṣṇavaṁ smṛtam

In the Shiva tank one and a half crores are declared. To the west is the Brahma tank, and to the east the Vaishnava tank is remembered,

Verse 18 (skanda.7.298.18)

मध्यभागे स्थितं यच्च रुद्रकुण्डं प्रकीर्तितम्। कुण्डमध्याद्विनिर्गत्य यत्र गंगा वरानने

madhyabhāge sthitaṁ yacca rudrakuṇḍaṁ prakīrtitam| kuṇḍamadhyādvinirgatya yatra gaṁgā varānane

and what stands in the middle portion is proclaimed the Rudra tank; issuing from the midst of the tanks, O fair-faced one, where the Ganga

Verse 19 (skanda.7.298.19)

सूर्यपुत्र्या समेता च तत्त्रिसंगम उच्यते। अनयोरंतरे सूक्ष्मे तत्र गुप्ता सरस्वती

sūryaputryā sametā ca tattrisaṁgama ucyate| anayoraṁtare sūkṣme tatra guptā sarasvatī

joins with the Daughter of the Sun, that is called the Trisangama; in the subtle interval between these two, there the Sarasvati lies hidden.

Verse 20 (skanda.7.298.20)

एषु सन्निहितो नित्यं प्रयागस्तीर्थनायकः। अत्रागत्य नरो यस्तु माघमासे वरानने

eṣu sannihito nityaṁ prayāgastīrthanāyakaḥ| atrāgatya naro yastu māghamāse varānane

In these, Prayaga, the chief of tirthas, is ever present; O fair-faced one, whatever man, coming here in the month of Magha—

Verse 21 (skanda.7.298.21)

स्नायात्प्रभातसमये मकरस्थे रवौ प्रिये। किञ्चिदभ्युदिते सूर्ये शृणु तस्य च यत्फलम्

snāyātprabhātasamaye makarasthe ravau priye| kiñcidabhyudite sūrye śṛṇu tasya ca yatphalam

bathes at dawn, while the sun stands in Makara, just as the sun rises a little—hear now what is its fruit.

Verse 22 (skanda.7.298.22)

आद्येनैकेन स्नानेन पापं यन्मनसा कृतम्। व्यपोहति नरः सम्यक्छ्रद्धायुक्तो जितेन्द्रियः

ādyenaikena snānena pāpaṁ yanmanasā kṛtam| vyapohati naraḥ samyakchraddhāyukto jitendriyaḥ

By the very first bath, a man properly endowed with faith and self-control dispels the sin committed by the mind;

Verse 23 (skanda.7.298.23)

वाचिकं तु द्वितीयेन कायिकं तु तृतीयकात्। संसर्गजं चतुर्थेन रहस्यं पञ्चमेन तु

vācikaṁ tu dvitīyena kāyikaṁ tu tṛtīyakāt| saṁsargajaṁ caturthena rahasyaṁ pañcamena tu

by the second, verbal sin; by the third, bodily sin; by the fourth, sin born of association; and by the fifth, secret sin—

Verse 24 (skanda.7.298.24)

उपपातकानि षष्ठेन स्नानेनैव व्यपोहति

upapātakāni ṣaṣṭhena snānenaiva vyapohati

and by the sixth bath alone he dispels the minor sins.

Verse 25 (skanda.7.298.25)

अभिषेकेण कुण्डानां सप्तकृत्वो वरानने। महांति चैव पापानि क्षाल्यंते पुरुषैः सदा

abhiṣekeṇa kuṇḍānāṁ saptakṛtvo varānane| mahāṁti caiva pāpāni kṣālyaṁte puruṣaiḥ sadā

O fair-faced one, by bathing seven times in the tanks, even great sins are ever washed away from men.

Verse 26 (skanda.7.298.26)

यः स्नाति सकलं मासं प्रयागे गुप्तसंज्ञके। ब्रह्मादिभिर्न तद्वक्तुं शक्यते कल्पकोटिभिः

yaḥ snāti sakalaṁ māsaṁ prayāge guptasaṁjñake| brahmādibhirna tadvaktuṁ śakyate kalpakoṭibhiḥ

Whoever bathes for a whole month at the Prayaga called Gupta—that fruit cannot be told even by Brahma and the rest, even over crores of kalpas.

Verse 27 (skanda.7.298.27)

यानि कानि च तीर्थानि प्रभासे संति भामिनि। तेभ्योऽतिवल्लभं तीर्थं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्

yāni kāni ca tīrthāni prabhāse saṁti bhāmini| tebhyo'tivallabhaṁ tīrthaṁ sarvapāpapraṇāśanam

O lovely one, whatever tirthas there are in Prabhasa, dearer than all of them is this tirtha, the destroyer of all sins.

Verse 28 (skanda.7.298.28)

एषां संरक्षणार्थाय मया वै तत्र मातरः। पूजनीयाः प्रयत्नेन नैवेद्यैर्विविधैः शुभैः

eṣāṁ saṁrakṣaṇārthāya mayā vai tatra mātaraḥ| pūjanīyāḥ prayatnena naivedyairvividhaiḥ śubhaiḥ

For the protection of these, the Mother-goddesses should be worshipped there by me, with effort, with various auspicious offerings,

Verse 29 (skanda.7.298.29)

कृष्णपक्षे चतुर्दश्यां श्रद्धायुक्तेन चेतसा। तासामनुचरा देवि भूतप्रेताश्च कोटिशः

kṛṣṇapakṣe caturdaśyāṁ śraddhāyuktena cetasā| tāsāmanucarā devi bhūtapretāśca koṭiśaḥ

on the fourteenth of the dark fortnight, with a mind full of faith; their attendants, O Goddess, are bhutas and pretas numbering in the crores.

Verse 30 (skanda.7.298.30)

तेषां भयविनाशाय ता मातॄश्च प्रपूजयेत्। अस्मिंस्तीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा ब्रह्महत्यां व्यपोहति

teṣāṁ bhayavināśāya tā mātṝśca prapūjayet| asmiṁstīrthe naraḥ snātvā brahmahatyāṁ vyapohati

For the dispelling of their fear, one should worship those Mothers; a man, bathing at this tirtha, dispels even the sin of brahmin-slaying.

Verse 31 (skanda.7.298.31)

यः कश्चित्कुरुते श्राद्धं पितॄनुद्दिश्य भक्तितः। उद्धरेच्च पितुर्वर्गं मातुर्वर्गं नरोत्तमः

yaḥ kaścitkurute śrāddhaṁ pitṝnuddiśya bhaktitaḥ| uddharecca piturvargaṁ māturvargaṁ narottamaḥ

Whoever performs shraddha for the sake of the ancestors with devotion, that best of men delivers both his father's line and his mother's line.

Verse 32 (skanda.7.298.32)

वृषभस्तत्र दातव्यः सम्यग्यात्राफलेप्सुभिः। एवं यः कुरुते यात्रां तस्य फलमनन्तकम्

vṛṣabhastatra dātavyaḥ samyagyātrāphalepsubhiḥ| evaṁ yaḥ kurute yātrāṁ tasya phalamanantakam

A bull should be given there by those who desire the full fruit of the pilgrimage; whoever thus undertakes the pilgrimage, his fruit is endless.

Verse 33 (skanda.7.298.33)

एवं गुप्तप्रयागस्य माहात्म्यं कथितं तव। श्रुत्वाभिनन्द्य पुरुषः प्राप्नुयाच्छंकरालयम्

evaṁ guptaprayāgasya māhātmyaṁ kathitaṁ tava| śrutvābhinandya puruṣaḥ prāpnuyācchaṁkarālayam

Thus has the glory of Gupta Prayaga been told to you; a man who, having heard it, rejoices, attains the abode of Shankara.