The Greatness of Varāha-tīrtha

Verse 1 (skanda.7.403.1)

पुलस्त्य उवाच ततो गच्छेन्नृपश्रेष्ठ तीर्थं पापप्रणाशनम् वाराहस्य हरेरिष्टं सदा वाससुखप्रदम्

pulastya uvāca tato gacchennṛpaśreṣṭha tīrthaṁ pāpapraṇāśanam varāhasya hareriṣṭaṁ sadā vāsasukhapradam

Pulastya said: Then, O best of kings, one should go to the tīrtha that destroys sin, beloved of Hari in his Varāha (Boar) form, ever bestowing the bliss of residence.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.403.2)

वाराहेणावतारेण पृथ्वी तत्र समुद्धृता हरिणोक्ता स्थिरा तिष्ठ न भेतव्यं कदाचन

vārāheṇāvatāreṇa pṛthvī tatra samuddhṛtā hariṇoktā sthirā tiṣṭha na bhetavyaṁ kadācana

By the Varāha incarnation, the earth was lifted up there; Hari said to her: Remain steady, and never be afraid.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.403.3)

अहं चेतो गमिष्यामि वैकुण्ठे च पुनः शुभे वरं वरय कल्याणि यद्यदिष्टं सुदुर्लभम्

ahaṁ ceto gamiṣyāmi vaikuṇṭhe ca punaḥ śubhe varaṁ varaya kalyāṇi yadyadiṣṭaṁ sudurlabham

I shall now go again to auspicious Vaikuntha. Choose a boon, O auspicious one — whatever you desire, however hard to obtain.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.403.4)

पृथिव्युवाच यदि देयो वरो मह्यं शंखचक्रगदाधर अनेन वपुषा तिष्ठ ह्यस्मिंस्तीर्थे सदा हरे

pṛthivyuvāca yadi deyo varo mahyaṁ śaṅkhacakragadādhara anena vapuṣā tiṣṭha hyasmiṁstīrthe sadā hare

Prithvi (the Earth) said: O bearer of conch, discus and mace, if a boon is to be given to me, then, O Hari, remain always in this very form at this tīrtha.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.403.5)

हरिरुवाच अनेन वपुषा देवि पर्वतेऽर्बुदसंज्ञके अहं स्थास्यामि ते वाक्यात्सदा लोकहिते रतः

hariruvāca anena vapuṣā devi parvate'rbudasaṁjñake ahaṁ sthāsyāmi te vākyātsadā lokahite rataḥ

Hari said: O goddess, in this very form, on the mountain named Arbuda, I shall abide at your word, ever devoted to the welfare of the world.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.403.6)

ममाग्रे यो ह्रदः पुण्यः सुनिर्मलजलान्वितः माघमासे सिते पक्ष एकादश्यां समाहितः

mamāgre yo hradaḥ puṇyaḥ sunirmalajalānvitaḥ māghamāse site pakṣa ekādaśyāṁ samāhitaḥ

In front of me there is a sacred lake, filled with utterly pure water — in the month of Magha, in the bright fortnight, on Ekadashi, with a gathered mind,

Verse 7 (skanda.7.403.7)

तत्र स्नात्वा नरो भक्त्या मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया तत्र श्राद्धं करिष्यंति मनुष्याः श्रद्धयान्विताः

tatra snātvā naro bhaktyā mucyate brahmahatyayā tatra śrāddhaṁ kariṣyaṁti manuṣyāḥ śraddhayānvitāḥ

bathing there with devotion, a man is freed even from the sin of killing a Brahmin; those people endowed with faith who perform shraddha there —

Verse 8 (skanda.7.403.8)

पितॄणां जायते तृप्तिर्यावदाभूतसंप्लवम् तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन स्नानं तत्र समाचरेत्

pitṝṇāṁ jāyate tṛptiryāvadābhūtasaṁplavam tasmātsarvaprayatnena snānaṁ tatra samācaret

their ancestors attain satisfaction lasting until the dissolution of the elements. Therefore, with all effort, one should perform ablution there.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.403.9)

पुलस्त्य उवाच इत्युक्त्वांतर्दधे राजन्गोविंदो गरुडध्वजः तस्मिन्दिने नृपश्रेष्ठ स्नात्वा व्रतं समाचरेत्

pulastya uvāca ityuktvāṁtardadhe rājangoviṁdo garuḍadhvajaḥ tasmindine nṛpaśreṣṭha snātvā vrataṁ samācaret

Pulastya said: Having spoken thus, Govinda of the Garuda-banner vanished, O king. On that day, O best of kings, one should bathe and observe the vow.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.403.10)

तर्पणं पिंडदानं च यः कुर्याद्भक्तितत्परः स याति विष्णुसालोक्यं पूर्वजैः सह पार्थिव

tarpaṇaṁ piṁḍadānaṁ ca yaḥ kuryādbhaktitatparaḥ sa yāti viṣṇusālokyaṁ pūrvajaiḥ saha pārthiva

Whoever, intent on devotion, performs tarpana and pindadana attains fellowship with Vishnu's realm together with his ancestors, O king.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.403.11)

तत्र दानं प्रशंसंति गत्वा ब्राह्मणसत्तमे अस्मिंस्तीर्थे नृपश्रेष्ठ गोदानं च करोति यः

tatra dānaṁ praśaṁsaṁti gatvā brāhmaṇasattame asmiṁstīrthe nṛpaśreṣṭha godānaṁ ca karoti yaḥ

There the gift given to an excellent Brahmin is praised; whoever, O best of kings, gives a cow as gift at this tīrtha —

Verse 12 (skanda.7.403.12)

रोमसंख्यानि वर्षाणि स्वर्गे तिष्ठति मानवः तस्मात्सर्वात्मना राजन्गोदानं च समाचरेत्

romasaṁkhyāni varṣāṇi svarge tiṣṭhati mānavaḥ tasmātsarvātmanā rājangodānaṁ ca samācaret

that man dwells in heaven for as many years as there are hairs on the cow's body. Therefore, O king, one should give the gift of a cow with one's whole being.

Verse 13 (skanda.7.403.13)

एकादश्यां विशेषेण कर्त्तव्यं स्नानमुत्तमम् दानं कुर्याद्यथाशक्त्या स याति परमां गतिम्

ekādaśyāṁ viśeṣeṇa karttavyaṁ snānamuttamam dānaṁ kuryādyathāśaktyā sa yāti paramāṁ gatim

On Ekadashi especially, the excellent bathing should be performed; one should give gifts according to one's ability — thus one attains the highest goal.