Matsya Purana 188: adhyāyaḥ 188

188.1

tripuravināśārthaṃ rudrasya bāṇapure gamanam.
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca.
yanmāṃ pṛcchasi kaunteya! tanme kathayataḥ śruṇu.
etasminnantare rudro narmadā taṭamāśritaḥ .. 188.1 ..

Mārkaṇḍeya said —Hear from me Yudhiṣṭhira! what you have asked me to explain The spot on the banks of the Narmadā where the Lord is enshrined is renowned as Maheśvara in all the three worlds and at the very same place He devised His plans of annihilating Tripura.—1 2

188.2

nāmnā maheśvaraṃ sthānaṃ triṣu lokeṣu viśrutam.
tasminsthāne mahādevo cintayattripure vadham .. 188.2 ..

188.3

gāṇḍīvaṃ mandaraṃ kṛtvā guṇaṃ kṛtvā ca vāsukim.
sthānaṃ kṛtvā tu vaiśākhaṃ viṣṇuṃ kṛtvā śarottamam .. 188.3 ..

The Lord seated there lifted up the mount Mandarāchala to serve as His Gāṇḍīva bow He then put the snake Vāsukī in place of the bowstring and Svāmikārtika in place of the quiver Viṣṇu in place of the arrow and the fire at the tip of it (the arrow) Afterwards the wind was made to propel the arrow The four Vedas took the place of the horses Some overcome by the fury of the fire with their hands folded and uplifted began to pray as follows:—

188.4

śalyecāgniṃ pratiṣṭhāpya mukhe vāyuṃ samarpayan.
hayāṃśca caturo vedān sarvadevamayaṃ ratham .. 188.4 ..

188.5

abhīṣavo'śvinau devāvakṣovajradharaḥ svayam.
sa tasyājñāṃ samādāya toraṇe dhanadaḥ sthitaḥ .. 188.5 ..

188.6

yamastu dakṣiṇe haste vāme kālastu dāruṇaḥ.
cakre tvamarakoṭyastu gandharvā loka viśrutāḥ .. 188.6 ..

188.7

prajāpatī rathaśreṣṭhe brahmā caiva tu sārathiḥ.
evaṃ kṛtvā tu deveśaḥ sarvadevamayaṃ ratham .. 188.7 ..

188.8

so'tiṣṭhat sthāṇubhūtastu sahasra parivatsarān.
yadā trīṇi sametāni antarikṣe sthitāni vai .. 188.8 ..

188.9

triparvāṇi triśalyena tadā tāni vyabhedayat.
śaraḥ pravoditastena rudreṇa tripuraṃ prati .. 188.9 ..

188.10

bhraṣṭatejā striyo jātā balantāsāṃ vyaśīryata.
utpātāśca pure tasmin prādurbhūtāḥ sahasraśaḥ .. 188.10 ..

188.11

tripurasya vināśāya kālarūpā bhavaṃstadā.
aṭṭahāsaṃ pramuñcanti hayāḥ kāṣṭhamayāstadā .. 188.11 ..

188.12

nimeṣonmeṣaṇañcaiva kurvante citrarūpiṇaḥ.
svapne paśyanti cātmānaṃ raktāmbara vibhūṣitam .. 188.12 ..

188.13

svapne tu sarve paśyanti viparītāni yāni tu.
etān paśyanti utpātāstatra sthāne tu ye janāḥ .. 188.13 ..

188.14

teṣāṃ balañca buddhiśca hara kopena nāśite.
tataḥ sāṃvartako vāyuryugānta pratimo mahān .. 188.14 ..

188.15

samīrito'nalastena uttamāṅgena dhāvati.
jvalanti pādapāstatra patanti śikharāṇi ca.. 188.15 ..

188.16

sarvato vyākulībhūtaṃ hāhākāramacetanam.
bhagnodyānāni sarvāṇi kṣipraṃ tat pratyabhajyata .. 188.16 ..

188.17

tenaiva pīḍitaṃ sarvaṃ jvalitaṃ trikhikhaiḥ kharaiḥ.
drumāścārāma khaṇḍāni gṛhāṇi vividhāni ca .. 188.17 ..

188.18

daśa dikṣu pravṛtto'yaṃ samṛddho havyavāhanaḥ.
manaḥ śilānāṃ puñjāni diśo daśa vibhāgaśaḥ .. 188.18 ..

188.19

śikhāśatairanekaistu prajajvāla hutāśanaḥ.
sarvaṃ kiṃśukavarṇābhaṃ jvalitaṃ dṛśyate puram .. 188.19 ..

188.20

gṛhād gṛhāntaraṃ naiva gantuṃ dhūmena śakyate.
harakopānalairdagdhaṃ krandamānaṃ suduḥkhitam .. 188.20 ..

188.21

pradīptaṃ sarvato dikṣu dahyate tripuraṃ puram.
prāsāda śikharāgrāṇi vyaśoryanta sahasraśaḥ .. 188.21 ..

188.22

nānāmaṇivicitrāṇi vimānānyapyanekadhā.
gṛhāṇi caiva ramyāṇi dahyante dīptavahninā .. 188..22 ..

188.23

dhāvanti drumakhaṇḍeṣu valabhīṣu tatā janāḥ.
devāgāreṣu sarveṣu prajvalantaḥ pradhāvitāḥ .. 188.23 ..

188.24

krandanti cānalaspṛṣṭā rudanti vividhaiḥ svaraiḥ.
dahyante dānavāstatra śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ .. 188.24 ..

188.25

haṃsakāraṇḍavākīrṇā nalinyaḥ saha paṅkajāḥ.
dṛśyante'naladagdhāni purodyānāni dīrghikāḥ .. 189.25 ..

188.26

amlāna-paṅkajacchannā vistīrṇāṃ yojanāyatāḥ.
girikūṭanibhāstatra prāsādā ratnabhūṣitāḥ .. 188..26 ..

188.27

patantyanalanirdagdhā nistoyā jaladā iva.
varastrī bālavṛddheṣu goṣu pakṣiṣu vājiṣu .. 188.27 ..

188.28

nirdayo vyadahadvahnirharakrodhena preritaḥ.
sahasraśaḥ prabuddhāśca suptāśca bahavo janāḥ .. 188.28 ..

188.29

putramāliṅgya te gāḍhaṃ dahyante tripurāgninā.
atha tasmin pure dīpte striyaścāpsarasopamāḥ .. 188.29 ..

188.30

agnijvālāhatāstatra hyapatan dharaṇītale.
kācicchyāmā viśālākṣī muktāvalivibhūṣitā .. 188.30 ..

188.31

dhūmenākulitā sā tu patitā dharaṇītale.
kācit kanakavarṇābhā indranīlavibhūṣitā .. 188.31 ..

188.32

bhartāraṃ patitaṃ dṛṣṭvā patitā tasya copari.
kācidādityasaṅkāśā pramuktā ca gṛhe sthitā .. 188..32 ..

188.33

agnijvālāhatā sā tu patitā gatacetanā.
utthito dānavastatra khaḍgahasto mahābalaḥ .. 188.33 ..

188.34

vaiśvānarahataḥ so'pi patito dharaṇītale.
meghavarṇāparā nārī hārakeyūra bhūṣitā .. 188.34 ..

188.35

śvetarūpadharā nārī bālaṃ stanyaṃ nyadhāpayat.
dahyantaṃ bālakaṃ dṛṣṭvā rudate meghaśabdavat .. 188.35 ..

188.36

evaṃ sa tu dahantagnirharakrodhena preritaḥ.
kāciccandraprabhā saumyā vajravaiḍhūryabhūṣitā .. 188.36 ..

188.37

sutamāliṅgya vepantī dagdhā patati bhūtale.
kācit kundenduvarṇābhā yā śayānā gṛhe sthitā .. 188.37 ..

188.38

gṛhe prajvalite sā tu pratibuddhā suduḥkhitā.
paśyantī jvalitaṃ sarvaṃ svasuto me divaṅgataḥ .. 188.38 ..

188.39

sutaṃ sandagdhamāliṃgya patitā dharaṇītale.
kācit suvarṇavarṇābhā nīlaratnairvibhūṣitā .. 188.39 ..

188.40

dhūmenākulitā sā tu prasuptā dharaṇītale.
anyā gṛhītahastā tu sakhi! dahyati bālikām .. 188.40 ..

188.41

anekadivyaratnāḍhyā dṛṣṭvā dahanamohitā.
śirasi hyañjaliṃ kṛtvā vijñāpayati pāvakam .. 188.41 ..

188.42

bhagavan. yadi vairante puruṣeṣvapakāriṣu.
striyaḥ kimaparādhante gṛhapañjarakokilāḥ .. 188.42 ..

"Agni! if thou art angry with male population hostile to thee, what is the fault of the women confined in the houses like so many domesticated Kokilas pent up in cages? O sinner, merciless! why art thou enraged with the women. Thou art devoid of right understanding shame and heroic virtues and truth. O sinner! hast thou not heard commonly said in the world that the women of the enemy should not be killed? To consume is thy attribute but thou hast no mercy and right understanding. Even a Mlechchha is moved to compassion to see a burning woman. This attribute of consumption is also useless in thee. It is simply thy vice, for what is the good of thy killing women? O sinner, wicked, merciless, miserable wretch Agni! thou art indeed most unfortunate. Thou burnest us by force.—41-48.

188.43

pāpanirdayanirlajja! kaste kopaḥ striyaḥ prati.
na dākṣiṇyaṃ na te lajjā na satyaṃ śauryyavarjitam .. 188.43 ..

188.44

anena hyapasargeṇa tūpālambhaṃ śikhinyadāt.
kiṃ tvayā na śrutaṃ loke hyabadhyāḥ śatruyoṣitaḥ .. 188.44 ..

188.45

kintu tubhyaṃ guṇā hyete dahanotsādanaṃ prati.
na kāruṇyaṃ dayā vāpi dākṣiṇyaṃ na striyaḥ prati .. 188.45 ..

188.46

dayāṃ kurvanti mlecchāpi dahantīṃ vīkṣya yoṣitam.
mlecchānāmapi kaṣṭo'si durnivāro hyacetanaḥ .. 188.46 ..

188.47

ete caiva guṇāstubhyaṃ dahanotsādanaṃ prati.
asāvapi durācāraḥ strīṇāṃ kiṃ te nipātane .. 188.47 ..

188.48

duṣṭanirghṛṇa nirlajja! hutāśin! mandabhāgyaka!.
nirāśatvaṃ durāvāsa balāddahasi nirdaya! .. 188.48 ..

188.49

evaṃ vilapyamānāstā jalpantyaśca bahūnyapi.
anyāḥ krośanti saṃkruddhā bālaśokena mohitāḥ .. 188.49 ..

She was rendered senseless after thus wailing and thinking of her children for a long time. The fire like an old foe of the precious lives also dried up the wells and the tanks.—49-50.

188.50

dahate nirdayo vahniḥ saṃkruddhaḥ pūrvaśatruvat.
puṣkariṇyāṃ jalaṃ dagdhaṃ kūpeṣvapi tathaiva ca .. 188.50 ..

188.51

asmān sandahya mleccha! tvaṃ kāṃ gatiṃ prāpayiṣyasi.
evaṃ pralapatāṃ tāsāṃ vahnirvacanamabravīt .. 188.51 ..

"Mlechchha! what will be thy faith after burning us? Hearing such speech of the ladies the Agni said "I am not consuming you of my own will. I have been born to cause destruction. I have no mercy. I make my way everywhere freely through the glory of Śiva." Afterwards Bāṇāsura also saw Tripura burning.—51-53.

188.52

agniruvāca.
svavaśenaiva yuṣmākaṃ vināśantu karomyaham.
ahamādeśakartā vai nāhaṃ kartāsmyanugraham .. 188.52 ..

188.53

rudrakrodasamāviṣṭo viviśāmi yathecchayā.
tato bāṇo mahātejā stripuraṃ vīkṣya dīpitam .. 188.53 ..

188.54

siṃhāsanasthaḥ provāca hyahaṃ devairvināśitaḥ.
alpasatvairdurācārairīśvarasya niveditam .. 188.54 ..

He said from his throne "The wicked Devas of little valour have worked out my ruin which is decidedly due to the glory of Śiva. The Lord is consuming me without any examination of the reasons for his action. No one can kill me without the aid of Śiva."—54-55.

188.55

aparīkṣya tvahaṃ dagdhaḥ śaṅkareṇa mahātmanā.
nānyaḥ śaktastu mā hantuṃ varjayitvā trilocanam .. 188.55 ..

188.56

utthitaḥ śirasā kṛtvā liṅgaṃ tribhuvaneśvaram.
nirgataḥ sapuradvārāt parityajya suhṛt sutān .. 188.56 ..

Saying so the demon king abandoned his sons, friends, &c., and set out of the town with the idol of Śiva placed on his head, putting many women and various kinds of jewels in front of the idol. He stood up on the aerial track and after making his salutations to the Lord of the three worlds said "Deva! I have given up this town and you should not kill me. Deva! if you, however, feel disposed to kill me do not consume this idol of my worship which I have always adored with great devotion. Deva! I have been a slave of Thy feet in every past life and now I offer my prayer to Thee, composed in these Toṭaka stanzas. O Śiva, Śaṅkara, Śarba, Hara, Bhīma, Maheśvara, the Destroyer of Kāma, the Annihilator of Tripura, the wielder of the Trident! I salute Thee. O Pramadāpriya, the one saluted by the demons as well as by the Devas, having a most illustrious face wider than that of a horse, a monkey and a lion, I salute Thee. The Devas and the demons cause me pain. Deva! I am always engaged in my devotion to Thee. I have not the wealth in shape of sons, wife, horses, &c. I only depend on my attachment to Thee. I am greatly oppressed and feel as if I were in hell. My inborn vice does not show signs of decline and my understanding leaves off virtues. The vices can only be abandoned by Thy grace."—56-66.

188.57

ratnāni yānyanarghāṇi striyo nānāvidhāstathā.
gṛhītvā śirasā liṅgaṃ gacchan gaganamaṇḍalam .. 188.57 ..

188.58

stuvaṃśca devadeveśaṃ trilokādhipatiṃ śivam.
tyaktvā purī mayā deva! yadi badhyo'smi śaṅkara .. 188.58 ..

188.59

tvatprasādān mahādeva! mā me liṅgaṃ vinaśyatu.
arcitaṃ hi mayā deva!bhaktyā paramayā sadā .. 188.59 ..

188.60

tvatkopādyadi badhyo'haṃ tadidaṃ mā vinaśyatu.
ślādhyametanmahādeva! tvatkopāddahanaṃ mama .. 188.60 ..

188.61

pratijanma mahādeva! tvatpādanirato hyaham.
tro(to)ṭakacchandasā devaṃ staumi tvāṃ parameśvara .. 188.61 ..

188.62

śivaśaṅkaraśarvaharāya namo bhava bhīma maheśvara śarva namaḥ.
kusumāyudhadehavināśakara tripurāntaka andhaka śūladhara .. 188.62 ..

188.63

pramadāpriya kānta vibhakta namaḥ sasurāsurasiddhagaṇairnamita.
hayavānarasiddhagajendramukhādatibhāsvaradīrghaviśālamukha .. 188.63 ..

188.64

upalabdhumaśakyatarairamarairasuraiḥ prathito'smi ca bāhuśataiḥ.
praṇato'smi bhavaṃ bhavabhaktirato calacandrakalākuladeva namaḥ .. 188.64 ..

188.65

na ca putrakalatrahayādi dhanaṃ mama tu tvadanusmaraṇaṃ śaraṇam.
vyathito'smi tu bāhuśatairbahubhirgamitā ca mahānarakasya gatiḥ .. 188.65 ..

188.66

na nivartati janma na pāpamatiḥ śucikarmanibaddhamapi tyajati.
anukampati vibhramati sati mama caiva kukarma nivārayati .. 188.66 ..

188.67

yaḥ paṭhettroṭakandivyaṃ prāyaḥ śucimānasaḥ.
bāṇasyeva yathā rudrastasyāpi varado bhavet.. 188.67 ..

One who would recite this prayer will be granted some handsome boon like the one granted to Bāṇāsura by the Lord.—67. Mahâdeva, on hearing the above beautiful prayer said joyfully — 68

188.68

imaṃ stavaṃ mahādivyaṃ śrutvā devo maheśvaraḥ.
prasannastu tadā tasya svayaṃ devo maheśvaraḥ .. 188.68 ..

188.69

maheśvara uvāca.
na bhetavyaṃ tvayā vatsa! sauvarṇe tiṣṭha dānava!.
putrapautrasuhṛdbandhu bhāryābandhujanaiḥ saha .. 188.69 ..

"Son! Be not afraid Get into the golden Pura and carry your family and relations with you Vânâsura! you will not be killed by the Devas from now till the time of your doom" The Lord thus again granted such a boon to that demon, and told him to roam about in the world fearlessly and also quenched the raging fire—69 71

188.70

adya prabhṛti bāṇa! tvamabadhyastridaśairapi.
bhūyastasya varo datto devadevena pāṇḍava!.. 188.70 ..

188.71

akṣayaścāvyayo loke vicarasvākutobhayaḥ.
tato nivārayāmāsa rudraḥ saptaśikhaṃ tadā .. 188.71 ..

188.72

tṛtīyaṃ rakṣitaṃ tasya puraṃ tena mahātmanā.
bhramattu gagane divyaṃ rudratejaḥ prabhāvataḥ .. 188.72 ..

"For this reason the Lord did not consume his third Pura, which is sailing about the sky by the power of Śiva The other two Puras fell down to the ground after being reduced to the ashes Śrīśaila mount was formed on the spot where the first city fell and similarly Amarakaṇṭaka sprang up on the spot where the second Pura fell down"—72 74

188.73

evaṃ tu tripuraṃ dagdhaṃ śaṅkareṇa mahātmanā.
jvālamālāpradīptaṃ tatpatitaṃ dharaṇītale .. 188.73 ..

188.74

ekaṃ nipatitaṃ tatra śrīśaile tripurāntake.
dvitīyaṃ patitaṃ tasmin parvate'marakaṇṭake .. 188.74 ..

188.75

dagdheṣu teṣu rājendra! rudrakoṭiḥ pratiṣṭhitā.
jvalattadapattatra tena jvāleśvaraḥ smṛtaḥ .. 188.75 ..

"Rājendra! On the top of those Puras the groups of Rudras were enshrined The spot where the burning Pura fell down is marked by the famous Jwâleśvara When the tongues of fire flashed into the sky from the burning city, there was a tremendous uproar among the Devas and the demons when the Lord took down His arrow from His bow All this happened on the Mount Amarakaṇṭaka—75 77

188.76

ūrdhvena prasthitāstasya divyajvālā divaṅgatāḥ.
hāhākārastadā jāto devāsurakṛto mahān .. 188.76 ..

188.77

śaramastaṃ bhavadrudro māheśvarapurottame.
evaṃ vṛttaṃ tadā tasmin parvate'marakaṇṭake .. 188.77 ..

188.78

caturdaśākhyaṃ bhuvanaṃ bhuktvā pāṇḍunandana!.
varṣakoṭisahasrantu triṃśatkoṭyastathāparāḥ .. 188.78 ..

Consequently, the people observing fasts, &c, are born as sole monarchs in this world after a period of 30 crores and a thousand years when they have enjoyed the pleasures of the fourteen worlds'—78 79

188.79

tato mahītalaṃ prāpya rājā bhavati dhārmikaḥ.
pṛthivīmekacchatreṇa bhuṅkte sa tu na saṃśayaḥ .. 188.79 ..

188.80

evaṃ puṇyo mahārāja! parvato'marakaṇṭake.
candrasūryoparāge tu gacched yo'marakaṇṭakam .. 188.80 ..

O King Yudhiṣṭhira! in this way the sacred place Amarakaṇṭaka is the most sanctified and therefore one who goes there on the occasion of a solar or a lunar eclipse and gets the merits ten times more than that of the Aśwamedha sacrifice One attains heaven by worshipping Maheśvara there The sin of killing a Brâhmaṇa is driven away by going there on the occasion of a solar eclipse This is the glory of the sacred Mount Amarakaṇṭaka—80 82

188.81

aśvamedhāddaśaguṇaṃ pravadanti manīṣiṇaḥ.
svargalokamavāpnoti dṛṣṭvā tatra maheśvaram .. 188.81 ..

188.82

brahmahatyā gamiṣyanti rāhugraste divākare.
tadevaṃ nikhilaṃ puṇyaṃ parvate'marakaṇṭake .. 188.82 ..

188.83

manasāpi smaredyastāṃ giri tvamarakaṇṭakam.
cāndrāyaṇaśataṃ sāgrāṃ labhate nātra saṃśayaḥ .. 188.83 ..

One who thinks of this Mount Amarakaṇṭaka with devotion undoubtedly gets the benefit of a hundred Chândrâyana ordinances—83

188.84

trayāṇāmapilokānāṃ vikhyāto'marakaṇṭakaḥ.
eṣa puṇyo giriśreṣṭhaḥ siddhagandharvasevitaḥ .. 188.84 ..

Amarakaṇṭaka is renowned in all the three worlds It is adorned by the Siddhas, the Gandharvas, &c—84

188.85

nānādrumalatākīrṇo nānāpuṣpopaśobhitaḥ.
mṛgavyāghrasahasraistu sevyamāno mahāgiriḥ .. 188.85 ..

It abounds with various kinds of flowers creepers deer, Siddhas and the Lord Śiva is enshrined there in company of His noble consort Pārvatī It is pervaded by Brahmâ Viṣṇu, Indra, Vidyâdhara, Ṛiṣis, Kinnaras and Yakṣas The serpent Vâsuki loiters there One who circumambulates that sacred Amarakaṇṭaka gets the benefit of the Puṇḍarīka sacrifice—85 88

188.86

yatra sannihito devo devyā saha maheśvaraḥ.
brahmā viṣṇustathā cendro vidyādharagaṇaiḥ saha .. 189.86 ..

188.87

ṛṣibhiḥ kinnarairyakṣairnityameva niṣevitaḥ.
vāsuktiḥ sahitastatra krīḍate yannagottame .. 188.87 ..

188.88

pradakṣiṇantu yaḥ kuryāt parvate'marakaṇṭake .
pauṇḍarīkasya yajñasya phalaṃ prāpnoti mānavaḥ .. 188.88 ..

188.89

tatra jvāleśvaraṃ nāma tīrthaṃ siddhaniṣevitam.
tatra snātvā divaṃ yānti ye mṛtāste punarbhavāḥ .. 188.89 ..

The Lord Jwâleśvara is also adored by the Siddhas there People dying there after bathing in the sacred waters attain heaven King Yudhiṣṭhira, hear the benefits attained by those who die there on the occasion of an eclipse—solar or lunar—89 90

188.90

jvāleśvare mahārāja! yastu prāṇān parityajet.
candrasūryyoparāgeṣu tasyāpi śrṛṇu yat phalam .. 189.90 ..

188.91

sarvakarmmavinirmukte jñānavijñānasaṃyutaḥ.
rudralokamavāpnoti yāvadābhūtasaṃplavam .. 188.91 ..

Such blessed one after being liberated from all actions and endowed with supreme intellect go and reside in the region of Rudra till the end of the cycle—91 Crores of Ṛiṣis practise asceticism on the either side of Amaresvara. This Mount Amarakantaka is one yojana in extent all round. Those who bathe in the sacred Narmadâ with or without an object in view, are liberated from all their sins and go to the realm of Rudra.—92-94.

188.92

amareśvaradevasya parvatasya ubhe taṭe.
tatra tā ṛṣikoṭyastu tapastapyanti suvrata! .. 188.92 ..

188.93

samantādyojanakṣetro giriścāmarakaṇṭakaḥ.
akāmo vā sakāmo vā narmadāyāṃ śubhe jale
snātvā mucyati taiḥ pāpai rudralokaṃ sa gacchati.. 188.93 ..