The Glory of Rukmini's Pool

Verse 1 (skanda.7.456.1)

॥ प्रह्लाद उवाच ॥ ततो गच्छेद्द्विजश्रेष्ठाः सप्तकुण्डान्सुविश्रुतान्। सर्वपापप्रशमनानृद्धिबुद्धिविवर्द्धनान्॥

prahlāda uvāca| tato gacchedvijaśreṣṭhāḥ saptakuṇḍānsuviśrutān| sarvapāpapraśamanānṛddhibuddhivivarddhanān||

Prahlada said: Thereafter, O foremost of brahmins, one should go to the renowned seven pools, which quell all sins and increase prosperity and wisdom.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.456.2)

आराधितः स च यदा हरिराविर्बभूव ह। संस्तूयमानो मुनिभिर्लक्ष्म्या सह जगत्पतिः॥

ārādhitaḥ sa ca yadā harirāvirbabhūva ha| saṁstūyamāno munibhirlakṣmyā saha jagatpatiḥ||

When that Hari, thus worshipped, manifested himself as the Lord of the universe together with Lakshmi, praised by the sages,

Verse 3 (skanda.7.456.3)

अर्हणं च तदा चक्रुर्हरये सुरगङ्गया। वामपार्श्वे स्थितां पद्मामभिषेक्तुं समुद्यताम्॥

arhaṇaṁ ca tadā cakrurharaye suragaṅgayā| vāmapārśve sthitāṁ padmāmabhiṣektuṁ samudyatām||

then they worshipped Hari with the celestial Ganga's water, and made ready to anoint Padma (Lakshmi), who stood at his left side.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.456.4)

सनकाद्या ब्रह्मसुताः सप्तैते मनसा द्विजाः। पृथक्पृथग्ह्रदान्कृत्वा सिषिचुः सागरोद्भवाम्॥

sanakādyā brahmasutāḥ saptaite manasā dvijāḥ| pṛthakpṛthagdhradānkṛtvā siṣicuḥ sāgarodbhavām||

Sanaka and the other seven sons of Brahma, those brahmins, each fashioning a separate pool from their own minds, poured water upon Lakshmi, born of the ocean.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.456.5)

ततो लक्ष्मीह्रदाः प्रोक्ता देव्या नात्रैव संज्ञिताः। प्राप्ते तु द्वापरस्यांते रुक्मिणीसंश्रयेण तु॥

tato lakṣmīhradāḥ proktā devyā nātraiva saṁjñitāḥ| prāpte tu dvāparasyānte rukmiṇīsaṁśrayeṇa tu||

From then on they were called 'Lakshmi's pools,' known by that name of the goddess; but at the end of the Dvapara age, on account of their becoming a refuge for Rukmini,

Verse 6 (skanda.7.456.6)

रुक्मिणीह्रदमित्येवं कलौ ख्यातिं गताः पुनः। भृगुणा सेवितं यस्माद्भृगुतीर्थमिति स्मृतम्॥

rukmiṇīhradamityevaṁ kalau khyātiṁ gatāḥ punaḥ| bhṛguṇā sevitaṁ yasmādbhṛgutīrthamiti smṛtam||

in the Kali age they came to be known again as 'Rukmini's pools.' Since Bhrigu once frequented it, it is also remembered as 'Bhrigu-tirtha.'

Verse 7 (skanda.7.456.7)

तस्मिन्गत्वा महाभागाः प्रक्षाल्य चरणौ मृदा। आचम्य च कुशान्गृह्य प्राङ्मुखो नियतः शुचिः॥

tasmingatvā mahābhāgāḥ prakṣālya caraṇau mṛdā| ācamya ca kuśāngṛhya prāṅmukho niyataḥ śuciḥ||

Going there, O illustrious ones, washing the feet with clay, sipping water for purification, taking up darbha grass, facing east, restrained and pure,

Verse 8 (skanda.7.456.8)

संपूर्णं चार्घ्यमादाय फलपुष्पाक्षतादिभिः। रजतं च शिरे कृत्वा मन्त्रमेतमुदीरयेत्॥

sampūrṇaṁ cārghyamādāya phalapuṣpākṣatādibhiḥ| rajataṁ ca śire kṛtvā mantrametamudīrayet||

taking up a complete offering with fruit, flowers, unbroken rice, and the like, and bearing silver upon the head, one should utter this mantra:

Verse 9 (skanda.7.456.9)

भक्त्या चार्घ्यं प्रदास्यामि ह्रदे रुक्मिणिसंज्ञिते। सर्वपापविनाशाय रुक्मिण्याः प्रीणनाय च॥

bhaktyā cārghyaṁ pradāsyāmi hrade rukmiṇisaṁjñite| sarvapāpavināśāya rukmiṇyāḥ prīṇanāya ca||

'With devotion I offer this water of welcome in this pool called Rukmini, for the destruction of all my sins and for the pleasure of Rukmini.'

Verse 10 (skanda.7.456.10)

स्नानं कुर्य्यात्ततो विप्राः कृत्वा शिरसि तारकम्। देवान्मनुप्यान्सन्तर्प्य पितॄनथ विशेषतः॥

snānaṁ kuryāttato viprāḥ kṛtvā śirasi tārakam| devānmanuṣyānsantarpya pitṝnatha viśeṣataḥ||

Then, O brahmins, one should bathe, marking the head with a tilak; one should offer libations to gods and to humankind, and especially to the ancestors.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.456.11)

श्राद्धं ततः प्रकुर्वीत विप्रानाहूय भक्तितः। दक्षिणां च ततो दद्याद्रजतं रुक्ममेव च॥

śrāddhaṁ tataḥ prakurvīta viprānāhūya bhaktitaḥ| dakṣiṇāṁ ca tato dadyādrajataṁ rukmameva ca||

Then, having devotedly summoned brahmins, one should perform the shraddha rite, and afterward give silver and gold as the sacrificial fee.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.456.12)

विशेषतः प्रदेयानि फलानि रसवन्ति च। दम्पत्योर्भोजनं दद्यान्मिष्टान्नेन द्विजोत्तमाः॥

viśeṣataḥ pradeyāni phalāni rasavanti ca| dampatyorbhojanaṁ dadyānmiṣṭānnena dvijottamāḥ||

Juicy fruits especially should be given. O best of brahmins, one should feed the couple (brahmin and his wife) with delicious food.

Verse 13 (skanda.7.456.13)

विप्रपत्न्यस्तु संपूज्याः स्त्रियश्चान्याः स्वशक्तितः। कञ्चुकै रक्तवस्त्रैश्च रुक्मिणी प्रीयतामिति॥

viprapatnyastu sampūjyāḥ striyaścānyāḥ svaśaktitaḥ| kañcukai raktavastraiśca rukmiṇī prīyatāmiti||

Brahmins' wives and other women should be honoured, according to one's means, with tunics and red garments, saying: 'May Rukmini be pleased.'

Verse 14 (skanda.7.456.14)

एवं कृते द्विजश्रेष्ठाः कृतकृत्यो भवेन्नरः। सर्वान्कामानवाप्नोति विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति॥

evaṁ kṛte dvijaśreṣṭhāḥ kṛtakṛtyo bhavennaraḥ| sarvānkāmānavāpnoti viṣṇulokaṁ sa gacchati||

O foremost of brahmins, having done this, a man becomes fulfilled in all his purposes, obtains all his desires, and goes to the realm of Vishnu.

Verse 15 (skanda.7.456.15)

वसते च सदा गेहे लक्ष्मीस्तस्य न संशयः। आरोग्यं मनसस्तुष्टिर्न चोद्वेगः कदाचन॥

vasate ca sadā gehe lakṣmīstasya na saṁśayaḥ| ārogyaṁ manasastuṣṭirna codvegaḥ kadācana||

Lakshmi always dwells in his home — of this there is no doubt; he enjoys health and contentment of mind, and is never troubled by anxiety.

Verse 16 (skanda.7.456.16)

पितॄणामक्षया तृप्तिः प्रजा भवति निश्चला। हीनसत्त्वो नैव भवेद्दीर्घायुश्च भवेन्नरः॥

pitṝṇāmakṣayā tṛptiḥ prajā bhavati niścalā| hīnasattvo naiva bhaveddīrghāyuśca bhavennaraḥ||

His ancestors receive imperishable satisfaction, his offspring become steadfast; that man never becomes weak of spirit, and lives a long life.

Verse 17 (skanda.7.456.17)

आढ्यो भवति सर्वत्र यः स्नातो रुक्मिणी ह्रदे। न लक्ष्म्या मुच्यते विप्रा नालक्ष्म्या व्रियते नरः॥

āḍhyo bhavati sarvatra yaḥ snāto rukmiṇī hrade| na lakṣmyā mucyate viprā nālakṣmyā vriyate naraḥ||

Whoever bathes in Rukmini's pool becomes prosperous everywhere; O brahmins, he is never abandoned by Lakshmi, nor is he ever overtaken by ill fortune.

Verse 18 (skanda.7.456.18)

न वैरं कलहस्तस्य यः स्नातो रुक्मिणीह्रदे। गमनागमनं न स्यात्संसारभ्रमणं तथा॥

na vairaṁ kalahastasya yaḥ snāto rukmiṇīhrade| gamanāgamanaṁ na syātsaṁsārabhramaṇaṁ tathā||

Whoever bathes in Rukmini's pool has no enmity or strife, and need not wander through the round of worldly rebirth again and again.

Verse 19 (skanda.7.456.19)

दुःखशोकौ कुतस्तस्य यः स्नातो रुक्मिणीह्रदे। सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो महाभयविवर्जितः॥

duḥkhaśokau kutastasya yaḥ snāto rukmiṇīhrade| sarvapāpavinirmukto mahābhayavivarjitaḥ||

How could sorrow or grief touch one who has bathed in Rukmini's pool? He becomes freed of all sin and rid of every great fear.

Verse 20 (skanda.7.456.20)

सर्वान्कामानिह प्राप्य याति विष्णुपदं नरः॥

sarvānkāmāniha prāpya yāti viṣṇupadaṁ naraḥ||

Having obtained all his desires here, a man attains the state of Vishnu.