The Power of Acaleshwara

Verse 1 (skanda.7.391.1)

पुलस्त्य उवाच । ततो गच्छेन्नृपश्रेष्ठ सुपुण्यमचलेश्वरम् । यं दृष्ट्वा सिद्धिमाप्नोति नरः श्रद्धासमन्वितः

pulastya uvāca | tato gacchennṛpaśreṣṭha supuṇyamacaleśvaram | yaṁ dṛṣṭvā siddhimāpnoti naraḥ śraddhāsamanvitaḥ

Pulastya said: O best of kings, then one should go to the most sacred Acaleshwara, seeing whom a man endowed with faith attains accomplishment.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.391.2)

तत्र कृष्णचतुर्दश्यां यः श्राद्धं कुरुते नरः । आश्विने फाल्गुने वापि स याति परमां गतिम्

tatra kṛṣṇacaturdaśyāṁ yaḥ śrāddhaṁ kurute naraḥ | āśvine phālgune vāpi sa yāti paramāṁ gatim

Whatever man performs the ancestral rite there on the fourteenth of the dark fortnight, whether in Ashvina or Phalguna, attains the supreme destination.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.391.3)

यस्तु पूजयते भक्त्या दक्षिणां दिशमास्थितः । पुष्पैः पत्रैः फलैश्चैव सोऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत्

yastu pūjayate bhaktyā dakṣiṇāṁ diśamāsthitaḥ | puṣpaiḥ patraiḥ phalaiścaiva so'śvamedhaphalaṁ labhet

Whoever, standing to the south, worships with devotion using flowers, leaves and fruit, obtains the fruit of the Ashvamedha sacrifice.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.391.4)

पंचामृतेन यस्तत्र तर्पणं कुरुते नरः । सोऽपि देवस्य सांनिध्यं शिवलोकमवाप्नुयात्

paṁcāmṛtena yastatra tarpaṇaṁ kurute naraḥ | so'pi devasya sāṁnidhyaṁ śivalokamavāpnuyāt

Whoever offers libations there with the five nectars also attains the presence of the god and reaches Shivaloka.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.391.5)

प्रदक्षिणांते यस्तस्य प्रणामं कुरुते नरः । नश्यंति सर्वपापानि प्रदक्षिणपदेपदे

pradakṣiṇāṁte yastasya praṇāmaṁ kurute naraḥ | naśyanti sarvapāpāni pradakṣiṇapadepade

Whoever bows to him at the end of circumambulation - all his sins are destroyed with every step of the circumambulation.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.391.6)

तत्राश्चर्यमभूत्पूर्वं तत्त्वं शृणु महामते । मया पूर्वं श्रुतं स्वर्गे नारदाच्छक्रसन्निधौ

tatrāścaryamabhūtpūrvaṁ tattvaṁ śṛṇu mahāmate | mayā pūrvaṁ śrutaṁ svarge nāradācchakrasannidhau

There a wondrous thing happened long ago; O wise one, hear its truth. I formerly heard it in heaven, near Indra, from Narada.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.391.7)

तत्र पूर्वं शुको नीडं वृक्षे चैवाकरोद्द्विजः । गतागतेन नीडस्य कुरुते तं प्रदक्षिणाम्

tatra pūrvaṁ śuko nīḍaṁ vṛkṣe caivākarodddvijaḥ | gatāgatena nīḍasya kurute taṁ pradakṣiṇām

There, long ago, a parrot bird had made its nest in a tree. Coming and going to its nest, it would circumambulate it.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.391.8)

न च भक्त्या महाराज पक्षियोनिसमुद्भवः । अथासौ मृत्युमापन्नः कालेन महता शुकः

na ca bhaktyā mahārāja pakṣiyonisamudbhavaḥ | athāsau mṛtyumāpannaḥ kālena mahatā śukaḥ

O great king, being born of a bird's womb, it did not do so out of devotion. Then, after a long time, that parrot met its death.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.391.9)

संजातः पार्थिवे वंशे राजा वेणुरिति स्मृतः । जातिस्मरो महाराज सर्वशत्रुनिकृन्तनः

saṁjātaḥ pārthive vaṁśe rājā veṇuriti smṛtaḥ | jātismaro mahārāja sarvaśatrunikṛntanaḥ

It was born in a royal lineage, known as King Venu. O great king, he was one who remembered his past births, and the destroyer of all foes.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.391.10)

स तं स्मृत्वा प्रभावं हि प्रदक्षिणासमुद्भवम् । अचलेश्वरमासाद्य प्रदक्षिणामथाकरोत्

sa taṁ smṛtvā prabhāvaṁ hi pradakṣiṇāsamudbhavam | acaleśvaramāsādya pradakṣiṇāmathākarot

Remembering that power which had arisen from circumambulation, he approached Acaleshwara and began to circumambulate.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.391.11)

नक्तं दिनं महाराज नान्यत्किंचित्करोति सः । न तथा तपसे यत्नो न नैवेद्ये कथंचन

naktaṁ dinaṁ mahārāja nānyatkiṁcitkaroti saḥ | na tathā tapase yatno na naivedye kathaṁcana

O great king, day and night he did nothing else. He made no such effort for austerity, nor in any way for the offering of food.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.391.12)

न पुष्पे धूपदाने च प्रदक्षिणापरः सदा । केनचित्त्वथ कालेन मुनयोऽत्र समागताः

na puṣpe dhūpadāne ca pradakṣiṇāparaḥ sadā | kenacittvatha kālena munayo'tra samāgatāḥ

Nor in offering flowers or incense - he was ever devoted only to circumambulation. In the course of time, sages gathered there.

Verse 13 (skanda.7.391.13)

नारदः शौनकश्चैव हारीतो देवलस्तथा । गालवः कपिलो नंदः सुहोत्रः कश्यपो नृपः

nāradaḥ śaunakaścaiva hārīto devalastathā | gālavaḥ kapilo nandaḥ suhotraḥ kaśyapo nṛpaḥ

Narada, Shaunaka, Harita, Devala, Galava, Kapila, Nanda, Suhotra, and King Kashyapa.

Verse 14 (skanda.7.391.14)

एते चान्ये च बहवो देवव्रतपरायणाः । केचित्स्नानं कारयंति तस्य लिंगस्य भक्तितः

ete cānye ca bahavo devavrataparāyaṇāḥ | kecitsnānaṁ kārayanti tasya liṅgasya bhaktitaḥ

These and many others, devoted to sacred vows - some among them, with devotion, performed the ritual bathing of that linga.

Verse 15 (skanda.7.391.15)

अन्ये च विविधां पूजां जपमन्ये समाहिताः । एके नृत्यंति राजेंद्र गायंति च तथा परे

anye ca vividhāṁ pūjāṁ japamanye samāhitāḥ | eke nṛtyanti rājendra gāyanti ca tathā pare

Others were engaged in varied worship, others in focused recitation. O king of kings, some danced, and others sang.

Verse 16 (skanda.7.391.16)

बलिमन्ये प्रयच्छंति स्तुतिं कुर्वंति चापरे । अथाश्चर्यं परं दृष्ट्वा प्रदक्षिणापरं नृपम्

balimanye prayacchanti stutiṁ kurvanti cāpare | athāścaryaṁ paraṁ dṛṣṭvā pradakṣiṇāparaṁ nṛpam

Some offered oblations, and others recited hymns. Then, seeing that king devoted only to circumambulation, they marveled greatly.

Verse 17 (skanda.7.391.17)

परं कौतुकमापन्ना वाक्यमेतदथाब्रुवन् । प्रदक्षिणासमुद्भूतं कारणं ज्ञातुमिच्छवः

paraṁ kautukamāpannā vākyametadathābruvan | pradakṣiṇāsamudbhūtaṁ kāraṇaṁ jñātumicchavaḥ

Filled with great curiosity, they said these words, wishing to know the reason behind his circumambulation.

Verse 18 (skanda.7.391.18)

ऋषय ऊचुः । कस्मात्त्वं पार्थिवश्रेष्ठ प्रदक्षिणापरः सदा । देवस्यास्य विशेषेण सत्यं नो वक्तुमर्हसि

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | kasmāttvaṁ pārthivaśreṣṭha pradakṣiṇāparaḥ sadā | devasyāsya viśeṣeṇa satyaṁ no vaktumarhasi

The sages said: O best of kings, why are you always devoted only to circumambulating this god in particular? Please tell us the truth.

Verse 19 (skanda.7.391.19)

न ददासि जलं लिंगे प्रभूतं सुमनोहरम् । पुष्पधूपादिकं वाथ स्तोत्राणि विविधानि च

na dadāsi jalaṁ liṅge prabhūtaṁ sumanoharam | puṣpadhūpādikaṁ vātha stotrāṇi vividhāni ca

You do not offer abundant, lovely water to the linga, nor flowers and incense, nor various hymns of praise.

Verse 20 (skanda.7.391.20)

समर्थोऽसि तथान्येषां दानानां त्वं महीपते । एतन्नः कौतुकं सर्वं यथावद्वक्तुमर्हसि

samartho'si tathānyeṣāṁ dānānāṁ tvaṁ mahīpate | etannaḥ kautukaṁ sarvaṁ yathāvadvaktumarhasi

O lord of earth, you are certainly capable of other gifts as well. Please tell us truly and fully, satisfying our curiosity.

Verse 21 (skanda.7.391.21)

वेणुरुवाच । यदहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि श्रूयतां द्विजसत्तमाः । पूर्वदेहांतरे वृत्तं सर्वं सत्यं विशेषतः

veṇuruvāca | yadahaṁ saṁpravakṣyāmi śrūyatāṁ dvijasattamāḥ | pūrvadehāṁtare vṛttaṁ sarvaṁ satyaṁ viśeṣataḥ

Venu said: O best of brahmins, hear what I am about to tell; it is all what happened in my previous life, entirely true.

Verse 22 (skanda.7.391.22)

प्रासादेऽस्मिन्पुरा पक्षी शुकोऽहं स्थितवांस्तदा । कृतवांश्च तदा देवं प्रदक्षिणामहर्निशम्

prāsāde'sminpurā pakṣī śuko'haṁ sthitavāṁstadā | kṛtavāṁśca tadā devaṁ pradakṣiṇāmaharniśam

Long ago, in this temple, I dwelt as a parrot bird. At that time I used to circumambulate the deity day and night.

Verse 23 (skanda.7.391.23)

कृपयाऽस्य प्रभावाच्च जातो जातिस्मरस्त्वहम् । अधुना परया भक्त्या यत्करोमि प्रदक्षिणाम्

kṛpayā'sya prabhāvācca jāto jātismarastvaham | adhunā parayā bhaktyā yatkaromi pradakṣiṇām

By his grace and power I was born remembering my past life. Now, with supreme devotion, I perform this circumambulation.

Verse 24 (skanda.7.391.24)

न जाने किं फलं मेऽद्य देवस्यास्य प्रसादतः । एतस्मात्कारणाच्चाहं नान्यत्किंचित्करोमि भोः

na jāne kiṁ phalaṁ me'dya devasyāsya prasādataḥ | etasmātkāraṇāccāhaṁ nānyatkiṁcitkaromi bhoḥ

I do not know what fruit I shall obtain today by this god's grace. For this very reason, good sirs, I do nothing else.

Verse 25 (skanda.7.391.25)

पुलस्त्य उवाच । वेणुवाक्यं ततः श्रुत्वा मुनयः शंसितव्रताः । विस्मयोत्फुल्लनयनाः साधुसाध्विति चाब्रुवन्

pulastya uvāca | veṇuvākyaṁ tataḥ śrutvā munayaḥ śaṁsitavratāḥ | vismayotphullanayanāḥ sādhusādhviti cābruvan

Pulastya said: Then, hearing Venu's words, the sages devoted to sacred vows, their eyes wide with astonishment, exclaimed "Well done, well done!"

Verse 26 (skanda.7.391.26)

ततः प्रदक्षिणपराः सर्वे तत्र महर्षयः । बभूवुर्मुनयः सर्वे श्रद्धया परया युताः

tataḥ pradakṣiṇaparāḥ sarve tatra maharṣayaḥ | babhūvurmunayaḥ sarve śraddhayā parayā yutāḥ

Then all the great sages there became devoted to circumambulation, and all the sages became filled with supreme faith.

Verse 27 (skanda.7.391.27)

सोऽपि राजा महाभागो वेणुः शंभोः प्रसादतः । शाश्वतं स्थानमापन्नो दुर्ल्लभं त्रिदशैरपि

so'pi rājā mahābhāgo veṇuḥ śambhoḥ prasādataḥ | śāśvataṁ sthānamāpanno durllabhaṁ tridaśairapi

That most fortunate king Venu too, through the grace of Shambhu, attained an eternal abode, hard to obtain even for the gods.