The Greatness of Paṅgu-tīrtha

Verse 1 (skanda.7.401.1)

पुलस्त्य उवाच पंगु तीर्थं ततो गच्छेत्सर्वपातकनाशनम् यत्र पूर्वं तपस्तप्तं पंगुना ब्राह्मणेन च

pulastya uvāca paṁgu tīrthaṁ tato gacchetsarvapātakanāśanam yatra pūrvaṁ tapastaptaṁ paṁgunā brāhmaṇena ca

Pulastya said: Then one should go to Paṅgu-tīrtha, destroyer of all sins, where formerly a lame (paṅgu) Brahmin performed austerity.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.401.2)

पंगुनामा द्विजः पूर्वं च्यवनस्यान्वयेऽभवत् अशक्तश्चलितुं भूमौ पंगुभावान्नृपोत्तम

paṁgunāmā dvijaḥ pūrvaṁ cyavanasyānvaye'bhavat aśaktaścalituṁ bhūmau paṁgubhāvānnṛpottama

A Brahmin named Paṅgu was formerly born in the line of Cyavana, O best of kings — unable to walk on the ground because of his lameness.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.401.3)

गृहकृत्यनियुक्तोऽसावेकदा बान्धवैर्नृप पंगुर्गंतुं न शक्तोऽसौ परं दुःखमवाप्तवान्

gṛhakṛtyaniyukto'sāvekadā bāndhavairnṛpa paṁgurgaṁtuṁ na śakto'sau paraṁ duḥkhamavāptavān

Once, O king, when his kinsmen assigned him a household task, Paṅgu, unable to go, fell into great sorrow.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.401.4)

अथासौ तैः परित्यक्तो गत्वार्बुदमथाचलम् एकं सरः समासाद्य तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम्

athāsau taiḥ parityakto gatvārbudamathācalam ekaṁ saraḥ samāsādya tapastepe sudāruṇam

Then, abandoned by them, he went to Mount Arbuda, and reaching a certain lake there, performed severe austerity.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.401.5)

लिंगं संस्थाप्य तत्रैव पूजयामास तं विभुम् गन्धपुष्पादिनैवेद्यैः सम्यक्छ्रद्धासमन्वितः

liṁgaṁ saṁsthāpya tatraiva pūjayāmāsa taṁ vibhum gandhapuṣpādinaivedyaiḥ samyakchraddhāsamanvitaḥ

There he installed a Liṅga and, filled with proper faith, worshipped that Lord with sandal-paste, flowers, and other offerings.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.401.6)

शिवभक्तिपरो जातो वायुभक्षो बभूव ह जपहोमरतो नित्यं पंगुनामा द्विजोत्तमः

śivabhaktiparo jāto vāyubhakṣo babhūva ha japahomarato nityaṁ paṁgunāmā dvijottamaḥ

That excellent Brahmin named Paṅgu became devoted to Shiva, subsisted on air alone, and remained ever intent on japa and homa.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.401.7)

ततस्तुष्टो महादेवो ब्राह्मणं नृपसत्तम पंगुं प्रति महाराज वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह

tatastuṣṭo mahādevo brāhmaṇaṁ nṛpasattama paṁguṁ prati mahārāja vākyametaduvāca ha

Then Mahadeva, pleased, O best of kings, spoke these words to the Brahmin Paṅgu, O great king.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.401.8)

ईश्वर उवाच पंगो तुष्टो महादेवो वरं वरय सुव्रत तव दास्याम्यहं सर्वं यद्यपि स्यात्सुदुर्लभम्

īśvara uvāca paṁgo tuṣṭo mahādevo varaṁ varaya suvrata tava dāsyāmyahaṁ sarvaṁ yadyapi syātsudurlabham

Ishvara said: O Paṅgu, O virtuous one, Mahadeva is pleased — choose a boon. I shall give you anything, however difficult to obtain.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.401.9)

पंगुरुवाच नाम्ना मे ख्यातिमायातु तीर्थमेतत्सुरेश्वर पंगुभावोऽत्र मे यातु प्रसादात्तव शंकर

paṁguruvāca nāmnā me khyātimāyātu tīrthametatsureśvara paṁgubhāvo'tra me yātu prasādāttava śaṁkara

Paṅgu said: O Lord of gods, may this tīrtha become famed by my name; and, O Shankara, by your grace may my lameness leave me here.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.401.10)

तवास्तु सततं चात्र सांनिध्यं सह भार्यया एवमुक्तः स तेनाथ विप्रं प्रति वचोब्रवीत्

tavāstu satataṁ cātra sāṁnidhyaṁ saha bhāryayā evamuktaḥ sa tenātha vipraṁ prati vacobravīt

And may your presence, together with your consort, ever abide here. Thus addressed by him, He then spoke these words to the Brahmin.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.401.11)

ईश्वर उवाच नाम्ना तव द्विजश्रेष्ठ तीर्थमेतद्भविष्यति ख्यातिं तपःप्रभावेन तीर्थं यास्यति सत्तम

īśvara uvāca nāmnā tava dvijaśreṣṭha tīrthametadbhaviṣyati khyātiṁ tapaḥprabhāvena tīrthaṁ yāsyati sattama

Ishvara said: O best of the twice-born, this tīrtha shall be known by your name; by the power of your austerity, O worthy one, it shall attain fame.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.401.12)

चैत्रशुक्लचतुर्द्दश्यां सांनिध्यं मे भवेत्तथा

caitraśuklacaturddaśyāṁ sāṁnidhyaṁ me bhavettathā

And on the fourteenth day of the bright half of Chaitra, my presence shall be here.

Verse 13 (skanda.7.401.13)

पुलस्त्य उवाच स्नानमात्रेण विप्रोऽसौ दिव्यरूपमवाप ह तत्र तस्थौ महादेवो गौर्या सह महेश्वरः

pulastya uvāca snānamātreṇa vipro'sau divyarūpamavāpa ha tatra tasthau mahādevo gauryā saha maheśvaraḥ

Pulastya said: By that bathing alone, the Brahmin attained a divine form. There the great Lord Maheshvara dwelt together with Gauri.

Verse 14 (skanda.7.401.14)

तस्मिन्दिने नृपश्रेष्ठ स्नानं तत्र समाचरेत् स पंगुत्वाद्विनिर्मुक्तो दिव्यरूपमवाप्नुयात्

tasmindine nṛpaśreṣṭha snānaṁ tatra samācaret sa paṁgutvādvinirmukto divyarūpamavāpnuyāt

On that day, O best of kings, one should bathe there; freed from lameness, such a person attains a divine form.