The Glory of the Shankhavarta Tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.7.335.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ततः पश्चिमतो गच्छेन्न्यंकुमत्यास्तटे शुभे। दक्षिणां दिशमाश्रित्य स्थितं तीर्थं महाप्रभम्

īśvara uvāca| tataḥ paścimato gacchennyaṁkumatyāstaṭe śubhe| dakṣiṇāṁ diśamāśritya sthitaṁ tīrthaṁ mahāprabham

Ishvara said: Then one should go westward, to the auspicious bank of the river Nyankumati, to the greatly radiant tirtha situated toward the south.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.335.2)

शंखावर्त्तमितिख्यातं यत्र चित्रांकिता शिला। स्वयंभूता महादेवि रक्तगर्भा सुशोभना

śaṁkhāvarttamitikhyātaṁ yatra citrāṁkitā śilā| svayaṁbhūtā mahādevi raktagarbhā suśobhanā

It is known as Shankhavarta, where there is a marvellously marked rock, self-manifested, O great Goddess, red at its core, and beautiful.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.335.3)

छिन्ने त्वद्यापि तत्रैव सुरक्तं संप्रदृश्यते। विष्णुक्षेत्रं हि तत्प्रोक्तं शंखो यत्र हतः पुरा

chinne tvadyāpi tatraiva suraktaṁ saṁpradṛśyate| viṣṇukṣetraṁ hi tatproktaṁ śaṁkho yatra hataḥ purā

When cut, even today a deep red colour is seen there. It is declared to be Vishnu's field, where the demon Shankha was slain of old.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.335.4)

वेदापहारी देवेशि विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना। कृतं शखोदकं तीर्थं शंखाकारं तु दृश्यते

vedāpahārī deveśi viṣṇunā prabhaviṣṇunā| kṛtaṁ śakhodakaṁ tīrthaṁ śaṁkhākāraṁ tu dṛśyate

O Deveshi, that stealer of the Vedas was slain by the all-powerful Vishnu; the tirtha of Shankhodaka was made there, which is seen shaped like a conch.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.335.5)

तत्र स्नात्वा नरो देवि मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया। सप्त जन्मानि विप्रत्वं शूद्रस्यापि प्रजा यते

tatra snātvā naro devi mucyate brahmahatyayā| sapta janmāni vipratvaṁ śūdrasyāpi prajā yate

O Devi, a man who bathes there is freed from the sin of killing a brahmin; even a shudra attains brahminhood for seven births.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.335.6)

पूर्वं तत्रैव गत्वा च ततो रुद्रगयां व्रजेत्। गोदानं तत्र देयं तु सम्यग्यात्राफलेप्सुभिः

pūrvaṁ tatraiva gatvā ca tato rudragayāṁ vrajet| godānaṁ tatra deyaṁ tu samyagyātrāphalepsubhiḥ

One should first go there, and then proceed to Rudragaya; those who desire the full fruit of the pilgrimage should give a cow in gift there.