Skandapurana 3.1.1

Now begins the Setumāhātmya, the first [part] in the Brāhmakhaṇḍa. (3.1)

1
Homage to Śrī Gaṇeśa.

Homage to the venerable Veda-Vyāsa.

One should meditate upon Viṣṇu, who wears white garments, is the color of the moon, has four arms,

and has a serene face, for the pacification of all obstacles. (1)

The seers headed by Śaunaka, residing in Naimiṣāraṇya,

were devoted to the eightfold yoga and solely dedicated to the knowledge of Brahman. (1)

Desiring liberation, great-souled, free from possessiveness, expounders of Brahman,

knowers of dharma, free from envy, and committed to the vow of truth, (2)

subdued of senses, subdued of anger, compassionate to all beings,

worshiping eternal Viṣṇu with supreme devotion, (3)

practiced tapas in the greatly meritorious Naimiṣa, which bestows liberation.

Once those great-souled ones held an excellent gathering, (4)

reciting greatly meritorious stories that destroy sins,

and inquiring of one another the means to worldly enjoyment and liberation. (5)

[There were] twenty-six thousand seers of purified soul;

of their disciples and grand-disciples, the count could not be made. (6)

At that moment, the greatly learned disciple of Vyāsa, the great sage,

Sūta, foremost of Purāṇa reciters, arrived at Naimiṣāraṇya. (7)

Seeing that sage arrived, blazing like fire,

the sages headed by Śaunaka worshiped him with water for guests and other offerings. (8)

When that Sūta was comfortably seated on an excellent, auspicious seat,

desiring the welfare of the worlds, they asked him a supreme secret: (9)

“O Sūta, knower of the true nature of dharma and wealth, welcome, O bull among sages!

You have heard the Purāṇas from Vyāsa, the son of Satyavatī. (3.1.1.10)

Therefore, O great sage, you know the meaning of all the Purāṇas.

Which sacred fields are meritorious on the earth, and which sacred fords? (11)

Or how will living beings attain liberation from the ocean of worldly existence?

How does devotion arise in men towards Hari or Hara? (12)

And by what means does the fruit of threefold action become accomplished for a person?

Kindly tell all of this and whatever else [is secret], O Sūta! (13)

For spiritual teachers tell even a secret to an affectionate disciple.”

Thus questioned then by the dwellers of Naimiṣāraṇya, (14)

Sūta began to speak, having first bowed to his guru Vyāsa.

Śrī Sūta said:

“This has been well asked by you, O brahmins, for the benefit of the world. (15)

I shall tell you this secret; listen with respect.

This has not been spoken by me before to anyone, O bulls among sages. (16)

Restraining your minds, O foremost of brahmins, listen with devotion.

There is [a sacred place] named Rāmeśvara, sanctified at Rāmasetu, (17)

the best of all sacred fields and of all sacred fords.

At the mere sight of Rāmasetu, liberation from the ocean of worldly existence is attained; (18)

there is devotion to Hari and Hara, and an increase of merit;

and the accomplishment of threefold action occurs—there is no doubt in this. (19)

Whatever person gazes upon the bridge with devotion during his lifetime,

I shall tell the meritorious fruit of that; listen, O bulls among sages! (3.1.1.20)

Together with twenty million families on the mother's and father's sides,

having enjoyed [bliss] with Śambhu for an eon, he then attains liberation. (21)

The dust particles of the earth can be counted, the stars in the sky can be counted,

but the merit born of the darśana of the bridge cannot be counted even by Śeṣa. (22)

The construction of the bridge is proclaimed as the embodiment of all the gods.

Who is capable of counting the merit of the person who beholds it? (23)

Having seen the bridge, O brahmins, a person is regarded as a performer of all sacrifices,

one who has bathed in all sacred fords, and one who has practiced all tapas. (24) Esoteric aspect of setu
To whatever person one might say, 'Go to the bridge,' O twice-born,

he too obtains that fruit; what need of many words on other matters? (25)

A mortal who performs ritual ablution at the bridge, accompanied by seventy million families,

Reaching the abode of Viṣṇu, he is liberated right there. // 26

The Setu, the Rāmeśvara liṅga, and Mount Gandhamādana—

a person contemplating [these], truly, is released from all sins. // 27

Accompanied by a hundred thousand crores of families on his mother's and father's sides,

reaching the abode of Viṣṇu, he is liberated right there;

or having dwelled in the realm of Śambhu for three kalpas, he is liberated right there. // 28

The condition of [confinement in] a crucible, the well of marrow, likewise the river Vaitaraṇī,

being eaten by dogs, and drinking urine—one who bathes at the Setu does not see. // 29

The heated pike, the heated rock, and the lake of excrement,

and likewise the well of blood—one who bathes at the Setu does not see. // 3.1.1.30

Climbing the thorny silk-cotton tree, eating blood, eating worms,

eating one's own flesh, and entering flames of fire, // 31

a rain of stones, a rain of fire, the hell Kālasūtra,

caustic water and boiling water—a beholder of the Setu will not go to. // 32

A person who bathes at the Setu, O brahmins, even if guilty of the five mortal sins,

accompanied by a hundred crore families on his mother's and father's sides, // 33

dwells in the realm of Viṣṇu for three kalpas and is liberated right there.

Being hung upside down to wither, the hell of immersion in caustic fluid, // 34

torment in a stone press, and falling from the wind,

being smeared with feces, and being sawn through with a saw, // 35

eating feces, drinking semen, burning at the joints,

rolling upon a bed of hot coals, and pounding with a pestle— // 36

these hells, indeed, one who bathes at the Setu does not see.

Thinking with the resolved thought, 'I will perform a bath at the Setu,' // 37

whoever walks a hundred paces, even though a great sinner,

being dragged through many wooden machines, piercing with weapons, // 38

falling and being thrown up, torment with maces and clubs,

being struck by elephant tusks, biting by various serpents, // 39

inhaling smoke, bound with nooses, torment on various pikes,

pouring of caustic water into the mouth and nose, // 3.1.1.40

drinking caustic water, the hell of eating heated iron needles—

to these hells, indeed, he does not go, his sins departed. // 41

Entering cavities filled with caustic water, eating filth,

cutting of sinews, burning of sinews, and fracturing of bones, // 42

eating phlegm, drinking bile, consuming intensely bitter substances,

drinking boiling oil, and drinking caustic water, // 43

drinking astringent water, eating heated stones,

bathing in boiling sand, and grinding of teeth, // 44

lying on heated iron, pouring of heated water,

piercing with needles into the eyes and joints of the mouth, // 45

binding a weight of iron to the penis and testicles,

falling from tree tops into [pits] filled with foul stench, // 46

a bed of weapons with sharp blades, drinking semen and the like—

such dreadful hells one who bathes at the Setu does not see. // 47

He who lies upon the sands of the Setu, covered with its dust—

as many particles of dust cling to his body, O best of brahmins, // 48

so many murders of brahmins are destroyed; there is no doubt here.

He whose entire body is touched by the wind from the middle of the Setu, // 49

ten thousand [sins of] drinking liquor of his are destroyed that very moment.

Whose hair remains in the middle of the Setu after tonsure, // 3.1.1.50

ten thousand [sins of] defiling a guru's bed of his are destroyed that very moment.

Whose bone is deposited in the middle of the Setu by sons and grandsons,

ten thousand [sins of] stealing gold of his are destroyed that very moment. // 51

Remembering whom one should bathe in the middle of the Setu, O best of brahmins,

that person's guilt from association with mortal sinners is dissolved. // 52

A breaker of paths, one who cooks only for himself, a reviler of ascetics and brahmins,

a glutton, and a seller of the Veda—these five are killers of brahmins. // 53

He who, having summoned brahmins, promising 'I shall give wealth' and the like,

afterward says 'There is nothing'—he too is called a killer of a brahmin. // 54

He who, having learned righteousness from someone, bears malice toward him—

or despises brahmins, he too is declared a killer of a brahmin. // 55

A herd of cattle arrived at a reservoir of water to drink water—

whoever turns them away, O brahmins, he too is declared a killer of a brahmin. // 56

Yet having approached the Setu, all of them are released from the multitudes of sins.

Those who are equal to brahmin-killers, and whichever other [sinners exist], O best of the twice-born, // 57

all of them, having come to the Setu, are released; there is no doubt in this.

One who abandons the daily domestic fire-sacrifice, one who eats the food of an idol, // 58

one who has intercourse with a woman who drinks liquor, likewise an eater of a courtesan's food,

and also an eater of food belonging to a multitude, and one who delights in the food of an outcaste: // 59

these are declared equal to liquor-drinkers, excluded from all ritual acts.

By ritual ablution at the Setu, all of them are released, their defilements destroyed. // 3.1.1.60

And whichever others are equal to liquor-drinkers are released through bathing at the Setu.

And [thieves] of tubers, roots, and fruits, of musk and silk garments, // 61

likewise of milk, sandalwood, camphor, and betel nuts,

of honey, clarified butter, copper, bell-metal, and likewise of rudrākṣa beads— // 62

thieves [of these] should be recognized as equal to gold-stealers.

Having come to the sacred field of the Setu, they are released; there is no doubt in this. // 63

And all other thieves, indeed, O twice-born, by ritual ablution at the Setu

are released from all sins; no hesitation should be entertained here. // 64

A sister, a daughter-in-law, and likewise a menstruating woman,

a brother's wife, a friend's wife, a woman who drinks intoxicating drink, another's wife, // 65

a woman of low caste, or a trusting woman—he who approaches [any of these] out of passion

is to be known as a violator of the guru's bed, excluded from all ritual acts. // 66

These and whatever others are equal to violators of the guru's bed,

all of them are completely released by ritual ablution at the Setu, O twice-born. // 67

Those who associate with them, O brahmins, and whatever other sinners exist,

they too would attain liberation by the great ritual ablution at the Setu. // 68

Without a sacrifice, in the world of the gods with Ghṛtācī, Menakā, and others,

let brahmins who desire pleasure bathe [here], which destroys the sins of the virtuous! // 69

Without serving the sun or fire, without worshipping the supreme gods,

a person desiring auspiciousness should perform ritual ablution at the Setu with devotion. // 3.1.1.70

Without giving sesame seeds, land, gold, grain, or rice,

those twice-born who desire heaven should bathe at the Setu. // 71

Without tormenting their own body with fasts and entire observances,

let men who yearn for heaven bathe at the Setu that grants liberation. // 72

For ritual ablution at the Setu grants liberation and similarly grants purification of the mind;

greater than recitation, homa, gift-giving, sacrifice, and even austerity, // 73

ritual ablution at the Setu is proclaimed in the Purāṇa as superior.

A ritual ablution performed without desire at the Setu, which destroys sin, // 74

is declared to give freedom from rebirth; this has been spoken truthfully, O best of the twice-born.

A man who joyfully bathes at the Setu aiming for wealth, // 75

he attains abundant wealth, O bulls among the twice-born.

If he bathes at the Setu for the sake of purification, then he would attain purity. // 76

And if a man should bathe for the sake of pleasure with apsarases in heaven,

then he attains pleasure in the heavenly world with immortal women. // 77

And if one should bathe for liberation at the Setu which grants liberation,

then one attains liberation free from return. // 78

By ritual ablution at the Setu dharma arises; by ritual ablution at the Setu occurs the destruction of sin.

Ritual ablution at the Setu, O best of the twice-born, yields the fruit of all desires; // 79

it is remembered as merit greater than all observances, superior to all sacrifices,

declared greater than all yogas, remembered as superior to all sacred fords. // 3.1.1.80

Those whose attachment tends toward the pleasures in the worlds of Indra and others—

ritual ablution should be performed by them once at the Setu constructed by Rāma, O best of the twice-born. // 81

And in the world of Brahmā, and in Vaikuṇṭha, and even on Kailāsa, the abode of Śiva,

those who might have a desire to rejoice: let them bathe at the Setu with reverence. // 82

Longevity, health, prosperity, abundance of intellect, beauty, and virtue;

going to the further shore of all four Vedas along with their auxiliary branches; // 83

comprehension of all treatises, expert knowledge in all mantras—

whoever should bathe at the Setu, which grants success in all aims, aiming [for any of these], // 84

he attains that very accomplishment; this will be true, there is no doubt here.

Those men on earth who fear poverty and hell,

let all of them perform a ritual ablution at Rāma's Bridge, which bestows liberation.

Whether endowed with faith or devoid of faith, a mortal

who bathes at the bridge incurs no sorrow, either in this world or in the next.

By bathing at the bridge, the accumulation of sin of all [people] is destroyed,

and the mass of their merit grows, just as the moon in the bright fortnight.

Just as various gems increase in the ocean,

so merits increase by bathing at the bridge, O twice-born.

Just as the wish-granting cow grants all desires in the world,

just as the wish-fulfilling jewel would grant the wishes of men,

just as the tree of the immortals would grant what men desire,

so bathing at the bridge will grant all desired things to men.

If a man is unable to make the pilgrimage to the bridge through poverty,

having begged money from a virtuous person, he should perform a ritual ablution at the bridge.

There the giver enjoys merit equal to bathing at the bridge,

and the receiver likewise attains the full fruit.

For the sake of a pilgrimage to the bridge, he should accept money from a brahmin;

he may also accept it from a kṣatriya if brahmins do not give.

Or he may accept it from a vaiśya if kings do not bestow it;

a man should never, under any circumstance, accept it from a śūdra.

The man who sends forth a person going to the bridge,

having given money, grain, or even clothing and the like,

attains the unsurpassed fruit of sacrifices such as the horse sacrifice;

he obtains the fruit of the complete recitation of all four Vedas;