The Glory of Vaishvanareshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.7.78.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ततो गच्छेन्महादेवि देवं वैश्वानरेश्वरम्। तस्यैवाग्नेयकोणस्थं धनुषां पंचके स्थितम्

īśvara uvāca| tato gacchenmahādevi devaṁ vaiśvānareśvaram| tasyaivāgneyakoṇasthaṁ dhanuṣāṁ paṁcake sthitam

Ishvara said: Thereafter, O great Goddess, one should go to the god Vaishvanareshvara, situated in the south-eastern corner of that same place, at a distance of five bow-lengths.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.78.2)

पापघ्नं सर्वजंतूनां दर्शनात्स्पर्शनादपि। तत्र कश्चिच्छुकः पूर्वं नीडं देवि चकार ह

pāpaghnaṁ sarvajaṁtūnāṁ darśanātsparśanādapi| tatra kaściccchukaḥ pūrvaṁ nīḍaṁ devi cakāra ha

It destroys the sins of all creatures merely by sight or touch. O Devi, formerly a certain parrot once built its nest there.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.78.3)

प्रासादे भार्यया सार्द्धं निवसन्सुचिरं स्थितः। ततस्तौ दंपती नित्यं प्रदक्षिणं प्रचक्रतुः

prāsāde bhāryayā sārddhaṁ nivasansuciraṁ sthitaḥ| tatastau daṁpatī nityaṁ pradakṣiṇaṁ pracakratuḥ

It dwelt in that shrine together with its mate for a long time; then that pair, day after day, used to circumambulate it.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.78.4)

कुलायस्य वशाद्देवि न तु भक्त्या कथंचन। कालेन महता तौ च पंचत्वं समुपस्थितौ

kulāyasya vaśāddevi na tu bhaktyā kathaṁcana| kālena mahatā tau ca paṁcatvaṁ samupasthitau

O Devi, this was done only because of their nest, not at all out of devotion. After a long time, the two of them met their death.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.78.5)

जातौ तेन प्रभावेन उक्तौ जातिस्मरौ भुवि। लोपामुद्रागस्त्यनामप्रसिद्धिं परमां गतौ

jātau tena prabhāveṇa uktau jātismarau bhuvi| lopāmudrāgastyanāmaprasiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatau

By that very power, they were born on this earth as ones said to remember their former births, and attained the highest renown under the names Lopamudra and Agastya.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.78.6)

अथ गाथा पुरी गीता अगस्त्येन महात्मना। स्मरता पूर्वदेहं तु विस्मयेनानुभूतिजा

atha gāthā purī gītā agastyena mahātmanā| smaratā pūrvadehaṁ tu vismayenānubhūtijā

Then, remembering his former body, the great soul Agastya, in wonder, sang this ancient verse born of his own experience:

Verse 7 (skanda.7.78.7)

कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणं सम्यग्वह्नीशं यः प्रपश्यति। नूनं प्रसिद्धिमाप्नोति इतश्चाहं यथा पुरा

kṛtvā pradakṣiṇaṁ samyagvahnīśaṁ yaḥ prapaśyati| nūnaṁ prasiddhimāpnoti itaścāhaṁ yathā purā

'Whoever duly circumambulates and beholds Vahnisha certainly attains renown, just as I myself did, in this very way, in my former life.'

Verse 8 (skanda.7.78.8)

एवं देवि तवाख्यातं माहात्म्यं वह्निदैवतम्। श्रुतं पापहरं नृणां सर्वकामफलप्रदम्

evaṁ devi tavākhyātaṁ māhātmyaṁ vahnidaivatam| śrutaṁ pāpaharaṁ nṛṇāṁ sarvakāmaphalapradam

Thus, O Devi, I have related to you the glory of this fire-deity, hearing which removes the sins of men and grants the fruit of all desires.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.78.9)

घृतेन तं तु संस्नाप्य विधिना वै समर्चयेत्। हेम दद्याच्च विप्रेंद्र सम्यक्छ्रद्धासमन्वितः

ghṛtena taṁ tu saṁsnāpya vidhinā vai samarcayet| hema dadyācca vipreṁdra samyakśraddhāsamanvitaḥ

One should bathe it with ghee and worship it duly according to rule, and give gold to the foremost of Brahmins, endowed with proper faith.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.78.10)

एवं कृत्वा विधानेन सम्यग्यात्राफलं लभेत्। वह्निलोकं तु संप्राप्य मोदते कालमक्षयम्

evaṁ kṛtvā vidhānena samyagyātrāphalaṁ labhet| vahnilokaṁ tu saṁprāpya modate kālamakṣayam

Having thus performed worship according to rule, one obtains the complete fruit of pilgrimage, and, attaining the world of Fire, rejoices there for an imperishable span of time.