The Glory of the Svarnarekha: Mriganana's Divine Face and Marriage to King Bhoja

Verse 1 (skanda.7.372.1)

राजोवाच। कथं त्वं हरिणीरूपे जाता मानुषरूपिणी। केन संवर्धिता बाल्ये कथं ते रूपमीदृशम्

rājovāca| kathaṁ tvaṁ hariṇīrūpe jātā mānuṣarūpiṇī| kena saṁvardhitā bālye kathaṁ te rūpamīdṛśam

The king said: How did you, though in the form of a doe, come to be born in human shape? By whom were you raised in childhood, and how did you come to have such a form?

Verse 2 (skanda.7.372.2)

मृग्युवाच। शृणु देव प्रवक्ष्यामि यद्वृत्तं कन्यके वने। ऋषिरुद्दालकोनाम गंगाकूले महातपाः

mṛgyuvāca| śṛṇu deva pravakṣyāmi yadvṛttaṁ kanyake vane| ṛṣiruddālakonāma gaṁgākūle mahātapāḥ

The deer-woman said: Listen, O lord, and I shall tell what happened to me as a girl in the forest. On the bank of the Ganga there was a sage of great austerity, named Uddalaka.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.372.3)

प्रभाते मूत्रमुत्सृष्टुं गतो देव वनांतरे। मूत्रांते पतितो भूमौ वीर्यबिंदुर्द्विजन्मनः

prabhāte mūtramutsṛṣṭuṁ gato deva vanāṁtare| mūtrāṁte patito bhūmau vīryabiṁdurdvijanmanaḥ

O lord, at dawn he went into the forest to relieve himself. As he finished, a drop of that twice-born one's seed fell upon the ground.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.372.4)

यावत्स चलितो विप्रः शौचं कृत्वा प्रयत्नतः। तावन्मृगी समायाता दृष्ट्वा पुष्पवनांतरात्

yāvatsa calito vipraḥ śaucaṁ kṛtvā prayatnataḥ| tāvanmṛgī samāyātā dṛṣṭvā puṣpavanāṁtarāt

As soon as that brahmin, having carefully performed his purification, moved away, a doe, having seen it from within the flowering grove, came there.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.372.5)

चापल्याद्भक्षितं वीर्यं दृष्टं ब्रह्मर्षिणा स्वयम्। यस्मादश्नाति मे वीर्यं तस्माद्गर्भो भविष्यति

cāpalyādbhakṣitaṁ vīryaṁ dṛṣṭaṁ brahmarṣiṇā svayam| yasmādaśnāti me vīryaṁ tasmādgarbho bhaviṣyati

Out of restlessness, she ate that seed — witnessed by the brahmarshi himself. He said: Since she is eating my seed, from this a pregnancy shall arise.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.372.6)

ममरूपा तववक्त्रा नारी गर्भे भविष्यति। वर्द्धयिष्यति देव्यस्तां रसैर्दिव्यैः सुतां तव

mamarūpā tavavaktrā nārī garbhe bhaviṣyati| varddhayiṣyati devyastāṁ rasairdivyaiḥ sutāṁ tava

In her womb shall be a woman of my form, but with your face; the goddesses shall nurture that daughter of yours with divine essences.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.372.7)

केनापि दैवयोगेन ज्ञानं तस्या भविष्यति। एवमुद्दालकादेव संजाताहं मृगानना। प्रविश्याग्नौ मृता पूर्वं त्वया सार्द्धं नराधिप

kenāpi daivayogena jñānaṁ tasyā bhaviṣyati| evamuddālakādeva saṁjātāhaṁ mṛgānanā| praviśyāgnau mṛtā pūrvaṁ tvayā sārddhaṁ narādhipa

By some working of fate, wisdom too shall come to her. Thus, from Uddalaka alone, I, deer-faced, came to be — I who, O lord of men, had earlier died entering the fire together with you.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.372.8)

तस्माज्जातं सतीत्वं मे सप्तजन्मनि वै प्रभो। यत्त्वया कुर्वता राज्यं पापं वै समुपार्जितम्

tasmājjātaṁ satītvaṁ me saptajanmani vai prabho| yattvayā kurvatā rājyaṁ pāpaṁ vai samupārjitam

From that, O lord, my status as a sati has arisen across seven births; for in ruling your kingdom, you had accumulated sin.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.372.9)

क्षत्त्रधर्मं परित्यज्य पलायनपरो मृतः। तदेनो हि मया दग्धं चिताग्नौ नृपसत्तम

kṣattradharmaṁ parityajya palāyanaparo mṛtaḥ| tadeno hi mayā dagdhaṁ citāgnau nṛpasattama

Abandoning your kshatriya duty, you died fleeing. O finest of kings, that very sin was burnt away by me in the fire of the funeral pyre.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.372.10)

पतिं गृहीत्वा या नारी मृतमग्नौ विशेद्यदि। सा तारयति भर्तारमात्मानं च कुलद्वयम्

patiṁ gṛhītvā yā nārī mṛtamagnau viśedyadi| sā tārayati bhartāramātmānaṁ ca kuladvayam

If a woman, taking up her dead husband, enters the fire, she saves her husband, herself, and both families.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.372.11)

गोग्रहे देशभंगे च संग्रामे सम्मुखे मृतः। स सूर्यमण्डलं भित्त्वा ब्रह्मलोके महीयते

gograhe deśabhaṁge ca saṁgrāme sammukhe mṛtaḥ| sa sūryamaṇḍalaṁ bhittvā brahmaloke mahīyate

One who dies facing the enemy in battle, defending cattle or defending the land, pierces through the very disc of the sun and is exalted in the world of Brahma.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.372.12)

अनाशकं यो विदधाति मर्त्त्यो दिनेदिने यज्ञसहस्रपुण्यम्। स याति यानेन गणान्वितेन विधूय पापानि सुरैः स पूज्यते

anāśakaṁ yo vidadhāti marttyo dinedine yajñasahasrapuṇyam| sa yāti yānena gaṇānvitena vidhūya pāpāni suraiḥ sa pūjyate

The mortal who keeps a total fast attains, day upon day, the merit of a thousand sacrifices; he goes upon a celestial vehicle with attending hosts, having washed away his sins, and is honored by the gods.

Verse 13 (skanda.7.372.13)

गंगाजले प्रयागे वा केदारे पुष्करे च ये। वस्त्रापथे प्रभासे च मृतास्ते स्वर्गगामिनः

gaṁgājale prayāge vā kedāre puṣkare ca ye| vastrāpathe prabhāse ca mṛtāste svargagāminaḥ

Those who die in the waters of the Ganga, or at Prayaga, Kedara, Pushkara, or at Vastrapatha and Prabhasa, go to heaven.

Verse 14 (skanda.7.372.14)

द्वारावत्यां कुरुक्षेत्रे योगाभ्यासेन ये मृताः। हरिरित्यक्षरं मृत्यौ येषां ते स्वर्गगामिनः

dvārāvatyāṁ kurukṣetre yogābhyāsena ye mṛtāḥ| haririti akṣaraṁ mṛtyau yeṣāṁ te svargagāminaḥ

Those who die at Dvaravati or Kurukshetra through the practice of yoga, and those on whose lips, at the moment of death, are the syllables 'Hari' — they go to heaven.

Verse 15 (skanda.7.372.15)

पूजयित्वा हरिं ये तु भूमौ दर्भतिलैः सह। तिलांश्च पञ्चलोहं च दत्त्वा ये तु पयस्विनीम्

pūjayitvā hariṁ ye tu bhūmau darbhatilaiḥ saha| tilāṁśca paṁcalohaṁ ca dattvā ye tu payasvinīm

Those who worship Hari upon the ground with kusha grass together with sesame seeds, and those who give sesame, the five metals, and a milk-yielding cow —

Verse 16 (skanda.7.372.16)

ये मृता राजशार्दूल ते नराः स्वर्ग गामिनः। उत्पाद्य पुत्रान्संस्थाप्य पितृपैतामहे पदे

ye mṛtā rājaśārdūla te narāḥ svarga gāminaḥ| utpādya putrānsaṁsthāpya pitṛpaitāmahe pade

O tiger among kings, such men, when they die, go to heaven; and those who, having begotten sons, establish them in the place of father and grandfather,

Verse 17 (skanda.7.372.17)

निर्मला निष्कलंका ये ते मृताः स्वर्गगामिनः। व्रतोपवासनिरताः सत्याचारपरायणाः। अहिंसानिरताः शांतास्ते नराः स्वर्गगामिनः

nirmalā niṣkalaṁkā ye te mṛtāḥ svargagāminaḥ| vratopavāsaniratāḥ satyācāraparāyaṇāḥ| ahiṁsāniratāḥ śāṁtāste narāḥ svargagāminaḥ

those who are pure and unblemished, when they die, go to heaven; those devoted to vows and fasting, wholly given to truthful conduct, devoted to non-violence, and at peace — such men go to heaven.

Verse 18 (skanda.7.372.18)

सापवादो रणं त्यक्त्वा मृतो यस्मान्नराधिप। सप्तयोनिषु ते जन्म तस्माज्जातं मया सह

sāpavādo raṇaṁ tyaktvā mṛto yasmānnarādhipa| saptayoniṣu te janma tasmājjātaṁ mayā saha

But since, O king, you died disgraced, having abandoned the battle, your birth occurred across seven wombs, and mine arose together with yours.

Verse 19 (skanda.7.372.19)

त्वां विना मे पतिर्मा भून्मरणे याचितं मया। तदांतरिक्षे राजेन्द्र वागुवाचाशरीरिणी। आदौ पापफलं भुक्त्वा पश्चात्स्वर्गं गमिष्यसि

tvāṁ vinā me patirmā bhūnmaraṇe yācitaṁ mayā| tadāṁtarikṣe rājeṁdra vāguvācāśarīriṇī| ādau pāpaphalaṁ bhuktvā paścātsvargaṁ gamiṣyasi

'Let there be no husband for me but you' — this I prayed for at the moment of death. Then, O lord of kings, a bodiless voice spoke in the sky: First you shall experience the fruit of sin, and only afterward shall you go to heaven.

Verse 20 (skanda.7.372.20)

यदि वस्त्रापथे गत्वा शिरः कश्चिद्विमुंचति। स्वर्णरेखाजले राजन्मानुषं स्यान्मुखं मम

yadi vastrāpathe gatvā śiraḥ kaścidvimuṁcati| svarṇarekhājale rājanmānuṣaṁ syānmukhaṁ mama

If someone goes to Vastrapatha and releases that head into the waters of the Svarnarekha, O king, then my face shall become human.

Verse 21 (skanda.7.372.21)

अहं मानुषवक्त्राऽस्मि पापच्छायाऽऽवृतं मुखम्। दृश्यते मृगवक्त्राभं तस्माच्छीघ्रं विमुंचय

ahaṁ mānuṣavaktrā'smi pāpacchāyā''vṛtaṁ mukham| dṛśyate mṛgavaktrābhaṁ tasmācchīghraṁ vimuṁcaya

I am, in truth, human-faced — but my face, covered over by the shadow of sin, appears in the likeness of a deer's face. Therefore have it released at once.

Verse 22 (skanda.7.372.22)

इति श्रुत्वा वचो राजा सारस्वतमुदैक्षत। जनो विहस्य सानन्दं सर्वं सत्यं मृगीवचः

iti śrutvā vaco rājā sārasvatamudaikṣata| jano vihasya sānandaṁ sarvaṁ satyaṁ mṛgīvacaḥ

Hearing these words, the king looked toward Sarasvata. The people, smiling with joy, said: everything the deer-woman has spoken is true.

Verse 23 (skanda.7.372.23)

इत्युक्त्वाऽऽह द्विजेन्द्रः स एवं कुरु नृपोत्तम। एवं राज्ञा समादिष्टः प्रतीहारो ययौ वनम्

ityuktvā''ha dvijendraḥ sa evaṁ kuru nṛpottama| evaṁ rājñā samādiṣṭaḥ pratīhāro yayau vanam

Having said this, that foremost of brahmins said: Do just so, O finest of kings. Thus commanded by the king, the doorkeeper set out for the forest.

Verse 24 (skanda.7.372.24)

वस्त्रापथे महातीर्थे भवं द्रष्टुं त्वरान्वितः। त्वक्सारजालिर्महती स्वर्णरेखाजलोपरि

vastrāpathe mahātīrthe bhavaṁ draṣṭuṁ tvarānvitaḥ| tvaksārajālirmahatī svarṇarekhājalopari

Full of haste, he went to behold Bhava at the great tirtha of Vastrapatha. Above the waters of the Svarnarekha lay a great mass of bamboo fiber,

Verse 25 (skanda.7.372.25)

वर्त्तते तच्छिरो यत्र वंशप्रोतं महावने। सारस्वतस्य शिष्येण कुशलेन निवेदितम्

varttate tacchiro yatra vaṁśaprotaṁ mahāvane| sārasvatasya śiṣyeṇa kuśalena niveditam

in which that head, pierced by the bamboo, remained fixed within that great forest — just as the skillful disciple of Sarasvata had reported.

Verse 26 (skanda.7.372.26)

तीर्थं वस्त्रापथं गत्वा भवस्याग्रे महानदी। जाले तत्र शिरो दृष्टं तच्च तोये विमोचितम्

tīrthaṁ vastrāpathaṁ gatvā bhavasyāgre mahānadī| jāle tatra śiro dṛṣṭaṁ tacca toye vimocitam

Having gone to the tirtha of Vastrapatha, before Bhava, the head was seen caught in the mass amid that great river's water, and it was released there into the waters.

Verse 27 (skanda.7.372.27)

स्नात्वा संपूज्य तीर्थेशं प्रतीहारः समभ्यगात्। शिष्येण सहितो वेगाद्रथेनादित्यवर्चसा

snātvā saṁpūjya tīrtheśaṁ pratīhāraḥ samabhyagāt| śiṣyeṇa sahito vegādrathenādityavarcasā

Having bathed and worshipped the lord of the tirtha, the doorkeeper, together with the disciple, returned swiftly on a chariot radiant as the sun.

Verse 28 (skanda.7.372.28)

यदागतः प्रतीहारस्तदा सारस्वतेन सा। वृता चान्द्रायणेनैव मासमेकं निरन्तरम्

yadāgataḥ pratīhārastadā sārasvatena sā| vṛtā cāndrāyaṇenaiva māsamekaṁ nirantaram

When the doorkeeper had returned, Sarasvata then had her observe the Chandrayana vow continuously for one full month.

Verse 29 (skanda.7.372.29)

संपूर्णे तु व्रते तस्या दिव्यं वक्त्रं सुलोचनम्। सुशोभनं दीर्घकेशं दीर्घकर्णं शुभद्विजम्

saṁpūrṇe tu vrate tasyā divyaṁ vaktraṁ sulocanam| suśobhanaṁ dīrghakeśaṁ dīrghakarṇaṁ śubhadvijam

When her vow was complete, her face became divine, with beautiful eyes, most splendid, with long hair, long ears, and lovely teeth,

Verse 30 (skanda.7.372.30)

कम्बुग्रीवं पद्मगंधं सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम्। व्रतांते मूर्च्छिता बाला गतज्ञाना वभूव सा

kambugrīvaṁ padmagaṁdhaṁ sarvalakṣaṇasaṁyutam| vratāṁte mūrcchitā bālā gatajñānā vabhūva sā

with a conch-like neck and the fragrance of a lotus, endowed with every auspicious mark. At the end of the vow, the young woman fell into a swoon and lost all awareness.

Verse 31 (skanda.7.372.31)

न देवी न च गंधर्वी नासुरी न च किंनरी। यादृशी सा तदा जाता तीर्थभावेन सुन्दरी

na devī na ca gaṁdharvī nāsurī na ca kiṁnarī| yādṛśī sā tadā jātā tīrthabhāvena sundarī

Neither a goddess, nor a gandharva-woman, nor a demon-woman, nor a kinnari — such loveliness did she then attain, through the power of the tirtha.

Verse 32 (skanda.7.372.32)

परिणीता तु सा तेन भोजराजेन सुन्दरी। मृगीमुखीति विख्याता देवी सा भुवनेश्वरी

pariṇītā tu sā tena bhojarājena sundarī| mṛgīmukhīti vikhyātā devī sā bhuvaneśvarī

That beautiful woman was married by King Bhoja. Renowned by the name Mrigimukhi, she was in truth the very goddess, mistress of the worlds.

Verse 33 (skanda.7.372.33)

न जानाति पुनः किंचिद्यद्वृत्तं राजमन्दिरे। कृता सा पट्टमहिषी भोजराजेन धीमता

na jānāti punaḥ kiṁciyadvṛttaṁ rājamandire| kṛtā sā paṭṭamahiṣī bhojarājena dhīmatā

She no longer remembered anything of what had happened in the royal palace. The wise King Bhoja made her his chief queen.

Verse 34 (skanda.7.372.34)

ईश्वर उवाच। देशानां प्रवरो देशो गिरीणां प्रवरो गिरिः। क्षेत्राणामुत्तमं क्षेत्रं वनानामुत्तमं वनम्

īśvara uvāca| deśānāṁ pravaro deśo girīṇāṁ pravaro giriḥ| kṣetrāṇāmuttamaṁ kṣetraṁ vanānāmuttamaṁ vanam

Ishvara said: This is the foremost of lands, the foremost of mountains, the best of fields, and the best of forests.

Verse 35 (skanda.7.372.35)

गंगा सरस्वती तापी स्वर्णरेखाजले स्थिता। ब्रह्मा विष्णुश्च सूर्यश्च सर्व इन्द्रादयः सुराः

gaṁgā sarasvatī tāpī svarṇarekhājale sthitā| brahmā viṣṇuśca sūryaśca sarva indrādayaḥ surāḥ

Ganga, Sarasvati, and Tapi abide within the waters of the Svarnarekha; Brahma, Vishnu, the Sun, and all the gods beginning with Indra —

Verse 36 (skanda.7.372.36)

नागा यक्षाश्च गन्धर्वा अस्मिन्क्षेत्रे व्यवस्थिताः। ब्रह्मांडं निर्मितं येन त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्

nāgā yakṣāśca gaṁdharvā asminkṣetre vyavasthitāḥ| brahmāṇḍaṁ nirmitaṁ yena trailokyaṁ sacarācaram

the nagas, yakshas, and gandharvas all abide in this field. By this alone was the universe fashioned, the three worlds together with all that moves and all that does not.

Verse 37 (skanda.7.372.37)

देवा ब्रह्मादयो जाताः स भवोऽत्र व्यवस्थितः। शिवो भवेति विख्यातः स्वयं देवस्त्रिलोचनः

devā brahmādayo jātāḥ sa bhavo'tra vyavasthitaḥ| śivo bhaveti vikhyātaḥ svayaṁ devastrilocanaḥ

From whom the gods beginning with Brahma arose — that very Bhava abides here, the three-eyed god himself, renowned as Shiva Bhava.

Verse 38 (skanda.7.372.38)

वेवेति स्कन्दरचनाद्भवानी चात्र संस्थिता। अतो यन्नाधिकं प्रोक्तं तीर्थं देवि मया तव

veveti skaṁdaracanādbhavānī cātra saṁsthitā| ato yannādhikaṁ proktaṁ tīrthaṁ devi mayā tava

Bhavani too, spoken of in this very composition of Skanda, is established here. That is why, O Goddess, I have told you of no tirtha greater than this one.

Verse 39 (skanda.7.372.39)

तस्मिञ्जले स्नानपरो नरो यदि संध्यां विधायानु करोति तर्पणम्। श्राद्धं पितॄणां च ददाति दक्षिणां भवोद्भवं पश्यति मुच्यते भवात्

tasmiñjale snānaparo naro yadi saṁdhyāṁ vidhāyānu karoti tarpaṇam| śrāddhaṁ pitṝṇāṁ ca dadāti dakṣiṇāṁ bhavodbhavaṁ paśyati mucyate bhavāt

If a man, intent on bathing in that water, performs his twilight rite and thereafter the water-offering, performs shraddha for his ancestors and gives dakshina, and beholds this source of Bhava, he is freed from worldly existence.

Verse 40 (skanda.7.372.40)

अथ यदि भवपूजां दिव्यपुष्पैः करोति तदनु शिवशिवेति स्तोत्रपाठं च गीतम्। सुरवर गणवृन्दैः स्तूयमानो विमानैः सुरवरशिवरूपो मानवो याति नाकम्

atha yadi bhavapūjāṁ divyapuṣpaiḥ karoti tadanu śivaśiveti stotrapāṭhaṁ ca gītam| suravara gaṇavṛndaiḥ stūyamāno vimānaiḥ suravaraśivarūpo mānavo yāti nākam

And if he then worships Bhava with divine flowers, and thereafter recites and sings the hymn beginning 'Shiva, Shiva,' that man, praised by hosts of the finest gods, mounted upon celestial chariots, taking on a form like that of the greatest of gods, Shiva himself, goes to heaven.