The Fruits of Hearing the Glory of Arbuda Khanda

Verse 1 (skanda.7.447.1)

॥ पुलस्त्य उवाच ॥ एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि॥ अर्बुदस्य महाराज माहात्म्यं हि समासतः

|| pulastya uvāca || etatte sarvamākhyātaṁ yanmāṁ tvaṁ paripṛcchasi|| arbudasya mahārāja māhātmyaṁ hi samāsataḥ

Pulastya said: All that you asked of me has been related to you — O great king, this is the greatness of Arbuda, told in brief.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.447.2)

विस्तरेण च संख्या स्यादपि वर्षशतैरपि॥ असंख्यानीह तीर्थानि पुण्यान्यायतनानि च॥ पदेपदे गृहाण्येव निर्मितानि महर्षिभिः

vistareṇa ca saṁkhyā syādapi varṣaśatairapi|| asaṁkhyānīha tīrthāni puṇyānyāyatanāni ca|| padepade gṛhāṇyeva nirmitāni maharṣibhiḥ

A full account, even after a hundred years, could not fully number them. Here are countless holy fords and sacred shrines, and at every step, dwellings built by the great sages.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.447.3)

न तत्तीर्थं न सा सिद्धिर्न स वृक्षो महीपते॥ न सा नदी न देवेशो यस्य तत्रास्ति न स्थितिः

na tattīrthaṁ na sā siddhirna sa vṛkṣo mahīpate|| na sā nadī na deveśo yasya tatrāsti na sthitiḥ

O lord of earth, there is no holy ford, no accomplishment, no tree, no river, and no lord of the gods that does not have its abode there.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.447.4)

ये वसंति महाराज सुरम्येऽर्बुदपर्वते॥ नूनं ते पुण्यकर्माणो न वसंति त्रिविष्टपे

ye vasaṁti mahārāja suramye'rbudaparvate|| nūnaṁ te puṇyakarmāṇo na vasaṁti triviṣṭape

O great king, those who dwell upon that most lovely Mount Arbuda are surely of virtuous deeds — indeed, they do not dwell in heaven (preferring to remain here).

Verse 5 (skanda.7.447.5)

किं तस्य जीवितेनार्थः किं धनैः किं जपैर्नृप॥ यो न पश्यति मन्दात्मा समन्तादर्बुदाचलम्

kiṁ tasya jīvitenārthaḥ kiṁ dhanaiḥ kiṁ japairnṛpa|| yo na paśyati mandātmā samantādarbudācalam

O king, what use is there in the life, wealth, or recitations of that dull-witted man who does not behold Mount Arbuda from every side?

Verse 6 (skanda.7.447.6)

अपि कीटपतंगा ये पशवः पक्षिणो मृगाः॥ स्वेदजाश्चाण्डजाश्चापि ह्युद्भिज्जाश्च जरायुजाः

api kīṭapataṁgā ye paśavaḥ pakṣiṇo mṛgāḥ|| svedajāścāṇḍajāścāpi hyudbhijjāśca jarāyujāḥ

Be they insects and moths, beasts, birds, or deer, born of sweat, born of eggs, born of plants, or born of a womb —

Verse 7 (skanda.7.447.7)

तस्मिन्मृता महाराज निष्कामाः कामतोऽपि वा॥ ते यान्ति शिवसायुज्यं जरा मरणवर्जितम्

tasminmṛtā mahārāja niṣkāmāḥ kāmato'pi vā|| te yānti śivasāyujyaṁ jarā maraṇavarjitam

O great king, whatever beings die there, whether free of desire or full of desire, attain union with Shiva, free from old age and death.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.447.8)

यश्चैतच्छुणुयान्नित्यं पुराणं श्रद्धयान्वितः॥ अर्बुदस्य महाराज स यात्राफलमश्नुते

yaścaitacchuṇuyānnityaṁ purāṇaṁ śraddhayānvitaḥ|| arbudasya mahārāja sa yātrāphalamaśnute

Whoever, filled with faith, constantly listens to this Purana, O great king, obtains the fruit of pilgrimage to Arbuda.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.447.9)

तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन यात्रां तत्र समाचरेत्॥ य इच्छेदात्मनः सिद्धिमिह लोके परत्र च

tasmātsarvaprayatnena yātrāṁ tatra samācaret|| ya icchedātmanaḥ siddhimiha loke paratra ca

Therefore, whoever desires accomplishment for himself, in this world and in the next, should undertake the pilgrimage there with all diligence.