The Greatness of Chandra-Prabhāsa Tīrtha

Verse 1 (skanda.7.404.1)

पुलस्त्य उवाच ततो गच्छेत चंद्रेशं प्रभासं नृपसत्तम प्रभा तत्र पुरा प्राप्ता चंद्रेण सुमहात्मना

pulastya uvāca tato gaccheta caṁdreśaṁ prabhāsaṁ nṛpasattama prabhā tatra purā prāptā caṁdreṇa sumahātmanā

Pulastya said: Then, O best of kings, one should go to Chandresha-Prabhasa, where formerly the great-souled Chandra obtained splendor (prabhā).

Verse 2 (skanda.7.404.2)

दक्षस्य कन्यका राजन्सप्तविंशतिसंख्यया ऊढाश्चंद्रेण ताः सर्वा अश्विनीप्रमुखाः पुरा

dakṣasya kanyakā rājansaptaviṁśatisaṁkhyayā ūḍhāścaṁdreṇa tāḥ sarvā aśvinīpramukhāḥ purā

O king, the daughters of Daksha, twenty-seven in number, headed by Ashvini, were all formerly wedded by Chandra.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.404.3)

तासां मध्ये च रोहिण्या सह रेमे स नित्यदा

tāsāṁ madhye ca rohiṇyā saha reme sa nityadā

Among them, he always sported only with Rohini.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.404.4)

त्यक्ताः सर्वाश्च चंद्रेण दक्षकन्याः सुदुःखिताः गत्वा स्वपितरं नत्वा प्राहुरस्राविलेक्षणाः

tyaktāḥ sarvāśca caṁdreṇa dakṣakanyāḥ suduḥkhitāḥ gatvā svapitaraṁ natvā prāhurasrāvilekṣaṇāḥ

Abandoned by Chandra, all the daughters of Daksha, greatly aggrieved, went to their father, and, bowing, spoke with tear-filled eyes:

Verse 5 (skanda.7.404.5)

वयं त्यक्ताः प्रजानाथ निर्दोषाः पतिना ततः शरणं त्वामनुप्राप्ता दुःखेन महतान्विताः

vayaṁ tyaktāḥ prajānātha nirdoṣāḥ patinā tataḥ śaraṇaṁ tvāmanuprāptā duḥkhena mahatānvitāḥ

O lord of creatures, we, faultless, have been abandoned by our husband; afflicted with great sorrow, we have come to you for refuge.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.404.6)

गतिर्भव सुरश्रेष्ठ सर्वेषां त्वं हितं कुरु अस्माकमुपदिश्यैनं चंद्रं च रोहिणीरतम्

gatirbhava suraśreṣṭha sarveṣāṁ tvaṁ hitaṁ kuru asmākamupadiśyainaṁ caṁdraṁ ca rohiṇīratam

Be our refuge, O best of gods; do good for us all — instruct this Chandra, who is devoted only to Rohini.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.404.7)

पुलस्त्य उवाच स तासां वचनं श्रुत्वा गतो यत्र निशाकरः अब्रवीच्च समं पश्य सर्वासु तनयासु मे

pulastya uvāca sa tāsāṁ vacanaṁ śrutvā gato yatra niśākaraḥ abravīcca samaṁ paśya sarvāsu tanayāsu me

Pulastya said: Having heard their words, he (Daksha) went to where the moon was, and said: Look equally upon all my daughters.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.404.8)

अथ व्रीडासमायुक्तश्चंद्रस्तं प्रत्यभाषत तव वाक्यं करिष्यामि दक्ष गच्छ नमोस्तु ते

atha vrīḍāsamāyuktaścaṁdrastaṁ pratyabhāṣata tava vākyaṁ kariṣyāmi dakṣa gaccha namo'stu te

Then Chandra, filled with shame, replied to him: I shall do as you say, O Daksha; go now, salutations to you.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.404.9)

गते दक्षे ततो भूयश्चंद्रमा रोहिणीरतः त्यक्त्वा च कन्यकाः सर्वाः प्रजापतिसमुद्भवाः

gate dakṣe tato bhūyaścaṁdramā rohiṇīrataḥ tyaktvā ca kanyakāḥ sarvāḥ prajāpatisamudbhavāḥ

But when Daksha had gone, Chandra, again devoted to Rohini, once more abandoned all the daughters born of Prajapati.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.404.10)

अथ गत्वा पुनः सर्वा दक्षमूचुः सुदुःखिताः न कृतं तव वाक्यं वै चंद्रेणैव दुरात्मना

atha gatvā punaḥ sarvā dakṣamūcuḥ suduḥkhitāḥ na kṛtaṁ tava vākyaṁ vai caṁdreṇaiva durātmanā

Then again, greatly aggrieved, they all went and said to Daksha: Your word has indeed not been honored by that evil-minded Chandra.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.404.11)

दौर्भाग्यदुःखसंतप्ता मरिष्याम न संशयः अनेन जीवितेनापि मरणं निश्चयं भवेत्

daurbhāgyaduḥkhasaṁtaptā mariṣyāma na saṁśayaḥ anena jīvitenāpi maraṇaṁ niścayaṁ bhavet

Tormented by the sorrow of misfortune, we shall surely die; even this life of ours is certain to end in death.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.404.12)

पुलस्त्य उवाच अथ रोषसमायुक्तो दक्षो गत्वाऽब्रवीद्विधुम् मम वाक्यं त्वया चंद्र यस्मात्पाप कृतं न हि

pulastya uvāca atha roṣasamāyukto dakṣo gatvā'bravīdvidhum mama vākyaṁ tvayā caṁdra yasmātpāpa kṛtaṁ na hi

Pulastya said: Then Daksha, filled with rage, went and said to the moon: Since my word, O sinful Chandra, was not honored by you,

Verse 13 (skanda.7.404.13)

क्षयमेष्यसि तस्मात्त्वं यक्ष्मणा नास्ति संशयः एवं दत्त्वा ततः शापं गतो दक्षः स्वमालयम्

kṣayameṣyasi tasmāttvaṁ yakṣmaṇā nāsti saṁśayaḥ evaṁ dattvā tataḥ śāpaṁ gato dakṣaḥ svamālayam

therefore you shall waste away by consumption — there is no doubt. Having thus given the curse, Daksha then went to his own abode.

Verse 14 (skanda.7.404.14)

यक्ष्मणा व्यापितश्चंद्रः क्षयं याति दिनेदिने क्षीणो द्युतिविहीनस्तु चिंतयामास चंद्रमाः

yakṣmaṇā vyāpitaścaṁdraḥ kṣayaṁ yāti dinedine kṣīṇo dyutivihīnastu ciṁtayāmāsa caṁdramāḥ

Afflicted by consumption, Chandra wasted away day by day; diminished and bereft of luster, the moon reflected.

Verse 15 (skanda.7.404.15)

कि कर्त्तव्यं मया तत्र ह्यस्मिञ्छापे सुदारुणे अथ किं पूजयिष्यामि सर्वकामप्रदं शिवम्

ki karttavyaṁ mayā tatra hyasmiñchāpe sudāruṇe atha kiṁ pūjayiṣyāmi sarvakāmapradaṁ śivam

What should I do now in this most terrible curse? Or rather, let me worship Shiva, the granter of all desires.

Verse 16 (skanda.7.404.16)

स एवं निश्चयं कृत्वा गतोर्बुदमथाचलम् तपस्तेपे जितक्रोधो जपहोमपरायणः

sa evaṁ niścayaṁ kṛtvā gatorbudamathācalam tapastepe jitakrodho japahomaparāyaṇaḥ

Having made this resolve, he went to Mount Arbuda, and, having conquered anger, performed austerity, devoted to japa and homa.

Verse 17 (skanda.7.404.17)

तस्मै तुष्टो महादेवो वर्षाणामयुते गते अब्रवीद्वरदोऽस्मीति ततोऽस्मै दर्शनं ददौ

tasmai tuṣṭo mahādevo varṣāṇāmayute gate abravīdvarado'smīti tato'smai darśanaṁ dadau

When ten thousand years had passed, Mahadeva, pleased with him, said, I am the giver of boons, and gave him his vision.

Verse 18 (skanda.7.404.18)

ईश्वर उवाच वरं वरय भद्रं ते यत्ते मनसि वर्तते तव दास्याम्यहं चंद्र यद्यपि स्यात्सुदुर्ल्लभम्

īśvara uvāca varaṁ varaya bhadraṁ te yatte manasi vartate tava dāsyāmyahaṁ caṁdra yadyapi syātsudurllabham

Ishvara said: Choose a boon, blessed be you — whatever is in your mind; I shall give it to you, O Chandra, even if it be most difficult to obtain.

Verse 19 (skanda.7.404.19)

चंद्र उवाच व्याधिक्षयं सुरश्रेष्ठ कुरु मे त्रिपुरांतक यक्ष्मणा व्यापितो देहो ममायं च जगत्पते

caṁdra uvāca vyādhikṣayaṁ suraśreṣṭha kuru me tripurāṁtaka yakṣmaṇā vyāpito deho mamāyaṁ ca jagatpate

Chandra said: O best of gods, destroyer of Tripura, remove my disease; this body of mine, O lord of the universe, is afflicted with consumption.

Verse 20 (skanda.7.404.20)

ईश्वर उवाच दक्षशापेन ते चंद्र यक्ष्मा काये व्यवस्थितः न शक्तो ह्यन्यथा कर्तुं शापस्तस्य महात्मनः

īśvara uvāca dakṣaśāpena te caṁdra yakṣmā kāye vyavasthitaḥ na śakto hyanyathā kartuṁ śāpastasya mahātmanaḥ

Ishvara said: By Daksha's curse, O Chandra, consumption has settled in your body; I am not able to undo the curse of that great soul.

Verse 21 (skanda.7.404.21)

तस्मात्त्वं तस्य ताः सर्वाः कन्यका मम वाक्यतः निशाकर समं पश्य तव व्याधिर्गमिष्यति

tasmāttvaṁ tasya tāḥ sarvāḥ kanyakā mama vākyataḥ niśākara samaṁ paśya tava vyādhirgamiṣyati

Therefore, O night-maker, at my word, look equally upon all his daughters; then your disease shall depart.

Verse 22 (skanda.7.404.22)

कृष्णे क्षयश्च ते चंद्र शुक्ले वृद्धिर्भविष्यति वरं वरय भद्रं ते अन्यमिष्टं सुदुर्ल्लभम्

kṛṣṇe kṣayaśca te caṁdra śukle vṛddhirbhaviṣyati varaṁ varaya bhadraṁ te anyamiṣṭaṁ sudurllabham

In the dark fortnight you shall wane, O Chandra, and in the bright fortnight you shall wax. Choose another boon, blessed be you, however difficult to obtain.

Verse 23 (skanda.7.404.23)

चंद्र उवाच चंद्रग्रहे नरो योऽत्र सोमवारे च शंकर भक्त्या स्नानं करोत्येव स यातु परमां गतिम्

caṁdra uvāca caṁdragrahe naro yo'tra somavāre ca śaṁkara bhaktyā snānaṁ karotyeva sa yātu paramāṁ gatim

Chandra said: O Shankara, whatever man here performs bathing with devotion at a lunar eclipse, or on a Monday, let him attain the supreme goal.

Verse 24 (skanda.7.404.24)

पिण्डदानेन देवेश स्वर्गं गच्छंतु पूर्वजाः प्रसादात्तव देवेश तीर्थं भवतु मुक्तिदम्

piṁḍadānena deveśa svargaṁ gacchaṁtu pūrvajāḥ prasādāttava deveśa tīrthaṁ bhavatu muktidam

By the offering of pinda, O lord of gods, let ancestors go to heaven; by your grace, O lord of gods, let this tīrtha become a giver of liberation.

Verse 25 (skanda.7.404.25)

ईश्वर उवाच भविष्यंति नरोऽत्रैव विपाप्मानो निशाकर यस्मात्प्रभा त्वया प्राप्ता तीर्थेऽस्मिन्विमलोदके

īśvara uvāca bhaviṣyaṁti naro'traiva vipāpmāno niśākara yasmātprabhā tvayā prāptā tīrthe'sminvimalodake

Ishvara said: Men here shall indeed become free from sin, O night-maker, since splendor was obtained by you at this tīrtha of stainless water.

Verse 26 (skanda.7.404.26)

प्रभासतीर्थं विख्यातं तस्मादेतद्भविष्यति यत्र सोमग्रहे प्राप्ते सोमवारे विशेषतः

prabhāsatīrthaṁ vikhyātaṁ tasmādetadbhaviṣyati yatra somagrahe prāpte somavāre viśeṣataḥ

Therefore this shall become known as Prabhasa-tirtha — where, especially when a lunar eclipse occurs on a Monday,

Verse 27 (skanda.7.404.27)

करिष्यंति नराः स्नानं ते यास्यंति परां गतिम् येऽत्र श्राद्धं करिष्यंति पिंडदानं तथा नराः

kariṣyaṁti narāḥ snānaṁ te yāsyaṁti parāṁ gatim ye'tra śrāddhaṁ kariṣyaṁti piṁḍadānaṁ tathā narāḥ

men who bathe shall attain the highest goal; those men who here perform shraddha and the offering of pinda,

Verse 28 (skanda.7.404.28)

गयाश्राद्धसमं पुण्यं तेषां चंद्र भविष्यति तथा दानं प्रकर्तव्यं सोम लोकैर्ग्रहे तव

gayāśrāddhasamaṁ puṇyaṁ teṣāṁ caṁdra bhaviṣyati tathā dānaṁ prakartavyaṁ soma lokairgrahe tava

for them, O Chandra, the merit shall equal that of shraddha performed at Gaya; likewise, O Soma, at your eclipse, people should give gifts.

Verse 29 (skanda.7.404.29)

पुलस्त्य उवाच एवमुक्त्वा विरूपाक्षस्तत्रैवांतरधीयत चन्द्रोऽपि बुभुजे सर्वाः पत्नीश्च दक्षसंभवाः

pulastya uvāca evamuktvā virūpākṣastatraivāṁtaradhīyata candro'pi bubhuje sarvāḥ patnīśca dakṣasaṁbhavāḥ

Pulastya said: Having said this, Virupaksha [Shiva] vanished right there. And Chandra too then enjoyed all his wives born of Daksha.