The Glory of Tryambakeshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.7.91.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ततो गच्छेन्महादेवि त्र्यंबकेश्वरमव्ययम्। तत्पंचमं समाख्यातं रुद्राणामादिदैवतम्

īśvara uvāca| tato gacchenmahādevi tryambakeśvaramavyayam| tatpañcamaṁ samākhyātaṁ rudrāṇāmādidaivatam

Ishvara said: Then, O great Goddess, one should go to the imperishable Tryambakeshvara; that is declared the fifth, the primal deity of the Rudras.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.91.2)

शिखंडीश्वरमाख्यातं पूर्वं त्रेतायुगे प्रिये। तच्चाद्याहं प्रवक्ष्यामि यथा संज्ञायते नरैः

śikhaṇḍīśvaramākhyātaṁ pūrvaṁ tretāyuge priye| taccādyāhaṁ pravakṣyāmi yathā saṁjñāyate naraiḥ

Formerly, in the Treta Yuga, O beloved, it was called Shikhandishvara. I shall now tell how it came to be known by that name among men.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.91.3)

अस्ति सांबपुरं देवि तत्रस्थं परमेश्वरि। तस्यैवोत्तरदिग्भागे स्थानं कापालिकं स्मृतम्

asti sāmbapuraṁ devi tatrasthaṁ parameśvari| tasyaivottaradigbhāge sthānaṁ kāpālikaṁ smṛtam

There is, O Goddess, O Parameshvari, a place called Sambapura; to the very north of it lies the place remembered as Kapalika.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.91.4)

कपालेश्वरनामा च यत्रेशो लिंगमूर्तिमान्। संस्थितः पापनाशाय दर्शनात्स्पर्शनान्नृणाम्

kapāleśvaranāmā ca yatreśo liṅgamūrtimān| saṁsthitaḥ pāpanāśāya darśanātsparśanānnṛṇām

Where the Lord, embodied in the Linga, by the name Kapaleshvara, stands for the destruction of the sin of men, through sight and through touch.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.91.5)

तस्मादीशानदिग्भागे धनुषां षोडशांतरे। त्र्यंबकेश्वरनामा च तत्र रुद्रः स्थितः स्वयम्

tasmādīśānadigbhāge dhanuṣāṁ ṣoḍaśāntare| tryambakeśvaranāmā ca tatra rudraḥ sthitaḥ svayam

From there, in the northeast direction, at a distance of sixteen bows, the Rudra himself abides there by the name Tryambakeshvara.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.91.6)

सर्वानुग्रहकर्त्ता च सर्वकामफलप्रदः। पुरा यत्रातपद्देवि तपो घोरं सुदुष्करम्। गुरुर्नामा ऋषिवरो देवदानवदुःसहम्

sarvānugrahakarttā ca sarvakāmaphalapradaḥ| purā yatrātapaddevi tapo ghoraṁ sudurkaram| gururnāmā ṛṣivaro devadānavaduḥsaham

He is the bestower of all grace, and the giver of the fruit of every desire; where formerly, O Goddess, the best of sages, named Guru, performed a terrible and most difficult austerity, unbearable even to gods and demons.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.91.7)

कोटीनां त्रितयं येन त्र्यंबको मंत्रनायकः। जप्तो दिव्येन विधिना त्रिकालं पूज्य शंकरम्

koṭīnāṁ tritayaṁ yena tryambako mantranāyakaḥ| japto divyena vidhinā trikālaṁ pūjya śaṁkaram

By whom the Tryambaka mantra, lord of mantras, was recited thirty million times, by divine rule, worshipping Shankara three times daily.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.91.8)

ततः प्रसाद्य देवेशं दिव्यैश्वर्यमवाप सः। चक्रे नाम स्वयं तस्य त्र्यंबकेश्वरमव्ययम्

tataḥ prasādya deveśaṁ divyaiśvaryamavāpa saḥ| cakre nāma svayaṁ tasya tryambakeśvaramavyayam

Then, having propitiated the Lord of gods, he obtained divine lordship; he himself gave the imperishable name Tryambakeshvara.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.91.9)

जप्त्वा तु त्र्यंबकं मंत्रं यतः सिद्धिमवाप सः। दिव्याष्टगुणमैश्वर्यं तेनासौ त्र्यंबकेश्वरः

japtvā tu tryambakaṁ mantraṁ yataḥ siddhimavāpa saḥ| divyāṣṭaguṇamaiśvaryaṁ tenāsau tryambakeśvaraḥ

Having recited the Tryambaka mantra, by which he attained siddhi, and eightfold divine lordship — by that he became Tryambakeshvara.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.91.10)

सर्वपातक विध्वंसी दर्शनात्स्पर्शनादपि। यस्त्र्यंबकं जपेद्विप्रस्त्र्यंबकेश्वरसंनिधौ। स प्राप्नोति महासिद्धिं प्रत्यक्षं रुद्र एव सः

sarvapātaka vidhvaṁsī darśanātsparśanādapi| yastryambakaṁ japedviprastryambakeśvarasaṁnidhau| sa prāpnoti mahāsiddhiṁ pratyakṣaṁ rudra eva saḥ

He destroys all sins, through sight and even through touch. The brahmin who recites the Tryambaka mantra in the presence of Tryambakeshvara attains great siddhi; he himself becomes, manifestly, Rudra.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.91.11)

दर्शनादपि तस्याथ पापं याति सहस्रधा। यस्तं पूजयते भक्त्या विधिना भावमास्थितः। वामदेवेन मंत्रेण स मुक्तः पातकैर्भवेत्

darśanādapi tasyātha pāpaṁ yāti sahasradhā| yastaṁ pūjayate bhaktyā vidhinā bhāvamāsthitaḥ| vāmadevena mantreṇa sa muktaḥ pātakairbhavet

Even by mere sight of him, sin departs a thousandfold; he who worships him with devotion, duly, established in right feeling, with the Vamadeva mantra, becomes freed from sins.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.91.12)

चैत्रशुक्लचतुर्दश्यां तत्र यो जागृयान्निशि। पूजास्तुतिकथाभिश्च स प्राप्नोतीप्सितं फलम्

caitraśuklacaturdaśyāṁ tatra yo jāgṛyānniśi| pūjāstutikathābhiśca sa prāpnotīpsitaṁ phalam

He who keeps vigil there at night on the bright fourteenth of Chaitra, with worship, praise, and sacred tales, obtains the fruit he desires.

Verse 13 (skanda.7.91.13)

धेनुस्तत्रैव दातव्या सम्यग्यात्राफलेप्सुभिः

dhenustatraiva dātavyā samyagyātrāphalepsubhiḥ

A cow should indeed be given there by those desiring the full fruit of the pilgrimage.

Verse 14 (skanda.7.91.14)

इति ते कथितं देवि माहात्म्यं पापनाशनम्। त्र्यंबकेश्वररुद्रस्य नृणां पुण्यफलप्रदम्

iti te kathitaṁ devi māhātmyaṁ pāpanāśanam| tryambakeśvararudrasya nṛṇāṁ puṇyaphalapradam

Thus has been told to you, O Goddess, the sin-destroying glory of Tryambakeshvara-Rudra, bestower of the fruit of merit upon men.