Skandapurana 6.3.26

Yudhiṣṭhira said: / Regarding Jāleśvara as well, which was mentioned by you before, O best of twice-born, / how can it be holy and attended by seers and perfected beings? .. 26.1 ..

The glorious Mārkaṇḍeya said: / There has never been, nor will there ever be, a sacred ford superior to Jāleśvara; / listen to me as I narrate its origin, O son of Pāṇḍu! .. 26.2 ..

In ancient times, all the hosts of seers, and the hosts of Maruts along with Indra, / being tormented by all the Asuras, were repeatedly brought to destruction .. 26.3 ..

by those headed by Bāṇāsura, led by Jambha and Śumbha. / Being slain in many ways, they went to Brahmā for refuge .. 26.4 ..

with aerial chariots resembling mountains, with horses resembling elephants, / with chariots resembling cities, yoked with lions and tigers; .. 26.5 ..

others went on turtles and crocodiles, and others on foot. / Having reached that supreme place, which cannot be attained by the unrighteous, .. 26.6 ..

having seen the lotus-born god, the benefactor of all the world, / they all went there and praised [him] with concentrated minds. .. 26.7 ..

The gods said: / 'Victory to the immeasurable! Victory to the indivisible! Victory to the cause of creation! / O lotus-born one, O best among the gods, we have come to you for refuge.' .. 26.8 ..

Having heard those words of the gods whose minds were purified, / the god, the Grandfather, replied in a voice deep as thunder: .. 26.9 ..

'What is the reason for your arrival, O gods, and the pallor of all of you? / By whom have you all been insulted? Speak quickly, O immortals!' .. 26.10 ..

The gods said: / 'There is a Dānava named Bāṇa of great valor, arrogant with might. / By him all that is ours has been taken, and we have been deprived of wealth and jewels.' .. 26.11 ..

Having heard the words of the gods, Brahmā, the grandfather of the worlds, / the lord of the gods, pondered what action [should be taken] for his destruction: .. 26.12 ..

'The wicked Dānava cannot be slain by all the denizens of heaven, / neither by me nor by Viṣṇu, except by the god Śaṅkara. .. 26.13 ..

Let us all go right there where the god Maheśvara is; / he is the refuge for all, and no other exists.' .. 26.14 ..

Having spoken thus with all the gods, Brahmā, the foremost knower of the Vedas, / with the learned brahmins, went to where Maheśvara was.

And with lavish hymns of praise he praised Parameśvara.

The gods said: / 'Victory to you, O Lord of the gods of gods! Victory to you who bear Umā in half your body! / O bull-seated one, mighty-armed one, adorned with the crescent moon!

Homage to you who hold the tip of a spear in hand! Homage to you who bear the khaṭvāṅga! / Victory, O Lord of beings, O God, destroyer of Dakṣa's sacrifice!

O Five-Syllabled One, homage, O God whose body consists of the five elements! / O Īśāna who comprises five faces, you are praised indeed by the Vedas!

You always perform creation, maintenance, and destruction; homage to you! / O Eight-Formed One, destroyer of Smara, remember the truth as you are praised!

O God, your fivefold body is chanted by the brahmins / as Sadyojāta, Vāmadeva, likewise Aghora, Īśāna, and Tatpuruṣa.

In a vast network of gold, you sing like a swan, O Hara!' / Thus praised by the hosts of sages, and by the gods and asuras led by Brahmā,

delighted and serene of mind, he spoke to the assembly of gods.

Īśvara said: / 'Welcome to the gods and brahmins! Today night has turned into a beautiful dawn. / Tell me quickly, what should we do? Who else is to be served by gods and asuras?

What sorrow, what anguish is there? From where has fear come upon you? / Tell me, fortunate ones, the purpose that is in your mind.'

Thus addressed by Rudra, the best of the gods replied, / showing their bodies, ashamed and with faces turned downward:

'There is a terrible dānava of great valor, arrogant with strength, / renowned by the name Bāṇa, to whom belongs that great Tripura.

Indeed, severe austerity was practiced by him for a thousand years; / Brahmā was pleased with him for his restraint and self-control,

and granted those impenetrable cities that go wherever desired: / one of iron, one of silver, and another of gold.

The triple city, created by Brahmā, wanders about moving at will, / and relying on his very strength, the dānavas dwell in Tripura.

The great asuras torment the entire triple world, O God. / Without provocation they wield staffs, nooses, and swords as weapons; / Tripura, occupied by the dānavas, wanders like a wheel.

Somewhere visible or invisible, it appears like a mirage.

Wherever that divine, great Tripura of that haughty one falls, / there remain no brahmins, no gods, no cows, and no living creatures.

Nothing at all is seen where that triad of cities might fall; / rivers, villages, and many regions have been reduced to ashes.

Gold, silver, gems, and pearls, / and whatever splendid jewel of a woman there is, all that he drags away by force.

Neither by weapon nor by missile, neither by day nor by night, O Hara, / can he be slain in any way by the hosts of gods.

Therefore burn it down, O Mahādeva, for you are our ultimate refuge; / thus you should grant this favor to all, O Lord of gods,

so that the gods, gandharvas, and seers rich in austerity / may attain supreme comfort; you ought to do that, O Lord.'

Īśvara said: / 'I shall do all this; do not fall into despair. / In a very short time I shall bring about what brings you joy.'

Having consoled those gods, all led by Indra, / the Lord of gods contemplated the destruction of Tripura:

'How, and by what means, should Tripura be slain by me? / Setting aside that sole Nārada, no other means is prescribed.'

Having thus composed himself, he then meditated upon Nārada. / At that very instant that [sage] of great austerity arrived, moving like the wind,

the divine one holding a waterpot, carrying a triple staff, skilled in knowledge, / adorned with a meditation band, a rosary, and an umbrella,

his head bound with matted hair, brilliant as the blazing sun. / Having circumambulated [him] thrice, he fell to the ground like a staff.

With folded hands, the divine sage Nārada, / high-minded, praised Śarva with devotion through a great hymn.

Nārada said: / 'Victory, O Śambhu, O Virūpākṣa! Victory, O God, three-eyed one! / Victory, O Śaṅkara, O Īśāna, O Lord of the Rudras, homage be to you!

You are the master, you are the creator of the world, you alone are the cause of dissolution, O all-pervading one! / You alone are the lord of the worlds, the slayer of the afflictions of the wicked!

Protect us, O Lord of the gods, eternal one whose form is the three Vedas! / O you whose form is existence, enemy of mundane existence, grant fearlessness to those who worship you!

For the destruction of mundane existence, O Bhava, I resort to you as refuge. / Why was I contemplated, O God? Let your command be given to me, O Lord!

Whose mind shall I agitate? Or who should fall to the earth today? / With whom shall I engage in strife today, O foremost of victors?'

Hearing Nārada's words, Maheśvara, the god of gods, / with blossoming eyes, spoke this speech:

'Welcome to you, best of sages, who are always fond of strife, / knower of the truth of vīṇā-playing, eternal son of Brahmā!

Go quickly, Nārada, to where that great Tripura is, / belonging to Bāṇa, the lord of dānavas, which causes fear to all the worlds.

Its masters are equal to deities; the women there are equal to apsarases. / And by their brilliance that great Tripura wanders about.

It cannot be breached in any way by any means, O best of the twice-born. / Go and quickly delude [them] in many ways through different doctrines.'

Nārada said: / 'At your word, O Lord of gods, I shall cause division in that foremost city, / which could not be breached by many means by the gods along with Indra.'

Having spoken thus, O king, he went to that foremost city of Bāṇa, / extending for a hundred yojanas, endowed with prosperity and growth,

crowded with created wonders, variegated with various minerals, / covered with numerous mansions, and radiant with many temples.

Equipped with gateways and arched portals, adorned with door leaves and bolts, / furnished with many mechanical devices, radiant with ramparts and moats,

Provided with step-wells, wells, and reservoirs, and temples of the gods, / thronged with geese and kāraṇḍava ducks, ornamented with clusters of lotus beds,

Rich with the beauty of numerous groves, decorated with various birds, / thus filled with a multitude of good qualities was the excellent city of Bāṇa.

In its center stood Bāṇa’s divine palace of immense proportions, / having seven courtyards, beautifully adorned, entirely embellished with gold,

Rich in the luster of pearl garlands, decorated with diamonds and lapis lazuli, / covered with pavements of gold plates, splendid with jeweled floors,

Thronged with chariots and the heavy breathing of intoxicated elephants, / and with the sounds of neighing horses and the tinkling of women’s anklets,

Guarded by ferocious Dānavas arrogant with power, / their hands armed with swords and lances, carrying vajras, elephant goads, and arrows.

Thus filled with a host of virtues was the supreme palace of Bāṇa, / resembling the peak of Kailāsa, like the residence of Mahendra.

Nārada swiftly moved through the sky facing toward the city. / Reaching the gateway, he spoke these words to the chamberlain:

“O chamberlain of great intellect, skilled in royal affairs! / Report quickly to Bāṇa that Nārada is waiting at the door.”

Having bowed at the feet of Nārada with haste, / he proceeded to make a representation to Bāṇa who was sitting in the assembly.

His slender body trembling, his face covered with his hand, / he uttered these words in the hearing of all the warriors:

“Worshiped by gods, gandharvas, yakṣas, kinnaras, and dānavas, / fond of strife, difficult to propitiate—Nārada stands at the door!”

Having heard those words of the doorkeeper, Bāṇa, full of haste, / the great Daitya then spoke to the doorkeeper in astonishment:

Bāṇa said:
“The glorious son of Brahmā, radiant, unbearable, unassailable— / usher him in! Why has he been made to wait outside?”

Having heard that command uttered by his lord, going with great speed, / he brought in Nārada who had arrived at the palace.

Seeing the celestial seer Nārada approaching, who is worshiped by the gods, / rising up boldly and filled with joy, he bowed at the feet of the sage.

He gave him a seat, the arghya offering, water for the feet, and ritual worship according to the rule, / and presented his kingdom and himself, along with his kinsmen.

The demon Bāṇa himself also inquired after the welfare of the sage.

Nārada said:
“Well done, well done, O mighty-armed one, enhancer of the lineage of Danu! / Who else in the three worlds is praiseworthy besides you, O best of Danu’s line?

I have been honored by you, O foremost among Danu’s sons, with splendid wealth and gems, / and even with your kingdom and yourself! Who else would worship thus?

Indeed, I have no concern with enjoyment; enjoy your trouble-free kingdom. / Eager for a darśana of you, I have arrived after seeing Lord Maheśvara.

I have heard that Tripura revolves in the world because of the chastity of women. / Desiring to see them, I have come to see your wives, O lord of the Dānavas.

If you approve, show them to me quickly and without delay.” / Hearing the words of Nārada, and glancing at the chamberlain,

The elder who attends the inner apartments, staff in hand and endowed with virtues, / the king, glad at heart, spoke, filling the quarters with his voice:

“O chamberlain, show the queen to Nārada here, / accompanied by all the attendants of the inner apartments, without any hesitation.”

Placing his master’s order first, taking Nārada by the hand, / entering, he told the queen: “This is Nārada who has arrived.”

Seeing the best of sages, the queen paid homage at his feet, / and offered a bright golden seat, arghya, water for the feet, and the rest.

Pleased with her, the blessed one gave her a supreme blessing: / “O queen, no other woman in the three worlds is seen equal to you,

Devoted to your husband, of virtuous conduct, endowed with truth and purity, / by whose power Tripura revolves constantly like a wheel!”

Hearing those nectar-like words of Nārada, the queen, / foremost among the upholders of dharma, questioned the seer with devotion about dharma:

The queen said:
“O holy one, by what observances are the gods pleased in the human world? / What gifts are given that yield great fruit?

And what fasts have been declared by the wise regarding the dharma of women, / by performing which virtuous women go to heaven?

Tell me all that accurately, O illustrious one! / I wish to hear everything; speak without hesitation.”

Nārada said:
“Well said, well said, O blessed lady! This question has been appropriately framed by you, / hearing which the increase of dharma arises for all women.

By which fasts and gifts a husband and son become obedient / and one is continually honored by relatives—those I shall tell you,

By which an unfortunate woman becomes fortunate, and a fortunate woman becomes unfortunate, / a mother of sons becomes childless, and a childless woman gains sons,

A maiden obtains a husband, and another is bereft of a husband. / They arise from things done and left undone; learn that, O beautiful one!

A cow made of sesame seeds, gold, silver, cows, and two garments, / water, gift of land, fragrant scents, incense, and unguents,

Wooden clogs, leather shoes, an umbrella, auspicious fans, / foot-massage, head-massage, ritual ablution, beds, and seats—

Those who give these do not approach Yama. / Honey, black gram, milk, clarified butter, salt, jaggery, medicine,

Water, gift of land, winter rice, and sugarcane juice, / two smooth reddish garments to a married couple on the day of Lalitā,

Good fortune arises both in this world and the next, / [when given] to a brahmin who is accomplished in good conduct, handsome, and endowed with virtues.

On which lunar day this should be given, that I tell you, O queen: / The woman who, pure in her observance, in the morning on the first lunar day,

gives firewood to a brahmin, saying, 'May the Fire-Eater be pleased with me'— / for thirty-six births, in the joints of her major and minor limbs,

neither impurity nor fever arises, O beloved of the king. / But the woman who, filled with joy, on the second lunar day

gives butter to an eminent twice-born, will have a delicate body. / She who offers salt to an excellent vipra on the third lunar day,

saying, 'May the goddess Gaurī be pleased with me'—listen to the fruit of her merit: / having obtained a husband while a virgin, she, like Umā with him,

sports, never becoming a widow, and attains great fame. / Having undertaken a fast at night, she should indeed give modakas to a vipra on the fourth lunar day,

saying, 'May the lord of gods, Gaṇanātha, Vināyaka, be pleased with me.' / By that fruit, O spirited lady, in all undertakings

no obstacle ever arises for her; so said the Grandfather. / Then, having reached the fifth lunar day, she who gives sesame seeds to a brahmin,

she will be endowed with beauty, just like Tilottamā. / On the sixth lunar day, she who always gives the fruit of the madhūka tree,

dedicating it to the god born of fire, to a brahmin who has mastered the Vedas, / her son, like Skanda, the foremost among the hosts of gods,

is born as a great king, worshipped in all worlds. / She who on the seventh lunar day worships an excellent twice-born with gold,

dedicating it to the lord of the universe, the god of gods, the Day-Maker— / the meritorious fruit of that which is declared by the best of the twice-born,

that I will tell you, O queen; listen with an attentive mind, O virtuous woman: / ringworm, white leprosy, leprosy, skin-circles, and scabies

do not occur here upon her limbs, even if acquired through past deeds. / And the spirited lady who gives a black cow on the eighth lunar day

to a brahmin endowed with good conduct, saying, 'May Maheśvara be pleased with me'— / the sin acquired across her births is destroyed, and she becomes endowed with wealth;

there is no doubt about this, because this gift is unsurpassed. / The woman who devotedly causes fragrant incense to be given to a vipra

on the ninth lunar day, dedicating it to Kātyāyanī—hear what fruit ensues: / her brother, father, son, or husband, having entered an excellent battle,

does not perish, protected by that gift. / O goddess, she who gives sugarcane juice on the tenth lunar day

to a brahmin free from deformity, dedicating it to the World-Protectors, / through that gift she always becomes dear to all the world;

there is no doubt about this; thus spoke Śaṅkara. / Having fasted on the eleventh lunar day, she who gives water on the twelfth,

dedicating it to Nārāyaṇa, to a brahmin devoted to Viṣṇu, / she would always delight and please people through touch and speech,

because a gift of water becomes endless in Maharloka. / She who offers anointing of the feet and anointing of the head to a twice-born, dedicating it to Kāma,

giving it on the thirteenth lunar day with supreme devotion, / into whatever womb she may be born again in a rebirth after dying,

in that very one she will never be separated from her husband. / Likewise, on the fourteenth lunar day she should give a vessel and shoes

to a brahmin, dedicating them to Dharma; her realms are free from affliction. / And thus at the end of each fortnight, she should satisfy excellent twice-born in a śrāddha;

an unbroken lineage is always born [to her] on earth, O queen. / Thus has the majesty of lunar days been told to you in connection with gift-giving.

Likewise, hear the rite of worshipping the lords of the forest: / The rose-apple, the neem tree, the tinduka, and the madhuka,

the mango, the āmalaka, the silk-cotton tree, the banyan and sacred fig, / the śamī, bilva, āmalī tree, the plantain, and the trumpet-flower tree—

by approaching these and other most sacred trees, one attains heaven.

Nārada said: / The woman who performs this unsurpassed observance in the month of Caitra— / other [observances] are not worth a sixteenth part of that observance,

by hearing which, O fortunate lady, she sees no misfortune. / Just as frost, reaching the sun, melts away upon the earth,

so sorrow and ill fortune dissolve from this observance. / Whereby one worships Lalitā, called Madhukā,

hear that rite, O fortunate lady, as it is told, which brings happiness: / On the bright third lunar day of Caitra, well-bathed and pure in mind,

having an image of Śaṅkara with Umā made out of madhūka wood, / and having it consecrated according to rule by excellent twice-born,

with fragrant flowers, incense, camphor, and saffron, / the spirited lady should worship the god according to rule, accompanied by mantras:

the feet with 'Obeisance to Śiva', the penis with [obeisance] to Manmatha, / the belly with [obeisance] to Kālodara, the throat to Nīlakaṇṭha,

having worshipped the head for the Self of All, she should afterwards worship Umā: / the belly with [obeisance] to Kṣāmodarā, and the throat to Sukaṇṭhā,

the head to Saubhāgyadāyinī; afterwards she should offer the arghya.

'Obeisance to you, O lord of the gods, lover of Umā, lord of the world; / by this arghya, destroy all my ill fortune, O Lord.' / Thus is the mantra for the arghya.

Having offered the arghya, then afterwards [she should offer] a water-pot filled with water, / served with a vessel of madhūka, together with gold according to her means:

'This water-pot filled with water, endowed with good fortune, / is given to you, O Lalitā, increasing good fortune and [prosperity].' / Thus is the mantra for giving the water-pot.

With this mantra she should give an excellent water-pot to a vipra. / She should avoid salt until another bright third lunar day.

Having asked forgiveness of the goddess, the ruler of gods, she herself should eat sacrificial food at night. / Together with this rule, she should proceed month after month.

It ends on the third day of the bright fortnight of Phālguna. / Salt should be given in Vaiśākha, and clarified butter is given in Jyeṣṭha.

In the month of Āṣāḍha, niṣpāva beans; milk is to be given in Śrāvaṇa; / green gram is to be given in Nabhasya (Bhādrapada), and likewise winter rice in Āśvayuja.

In Kārttika, a vessel of sugar and a water pot filled with sugarcane juice; / in Mārgaśīrṣa, cotton and a water pot accompanied with clarified butter;

in Pauṣa, saffron is to be given; in Māgha, a vessel filled with sesame seeds; / when the month of Phālguna arrives, a vessel filled with sweetmeats.

That which is to be given on a subsequent third day should be abstained from on the preceding one. / The procedure for all these [vows] is the same, O darling of my heart.

One should worship that very image of the madhūka tree. / Everything is then given to that brahmin priest.

Then, at the end of the year, hear the rite of concluding the vow: / Having then approached the madhūka tree, furnished with many provisions,

one should bury an image made of madhūka wood in the middle of the madhūka [grove]. / Stationed there, one should worship the all-[pervading one] who bears Umā as half his body,

with abundant offerings of worship, again and again with saffron, / with smooth garlands of flowers, with safflower blossoms, and with saffron filaments;

having clothed that image in two bright safflower-colored garments resembling flax flowers, / [and honoring] twelve married couples,

with pairs of shoes, umbrellas, necklaces with pendants, / bracelets, rings, and couches spread with auspicious coverings,

their limbs anointed with saffron, and worshipped with many flowers, / he should feed them with various precious foods while they sit in a madhūka bower.

When they have finished eating and arisen, having rested them on the beds, he should ask their forgiveness. / For everything is rooted in the guru; the guru should be recognized as the Great Lord.

When the guru is pleased, then the entire world with gods and asuras is pleased. / Whatever is dearest in the world, whatever is beloved in one’s home—

all that should be given to the guru by one desiring his own welfare. / This is to be given by the wealthy; as for others, what should be given is declared as follows:

Duly worshiping one married couple with auspicious vows, / and a second couple being the guru and his wife, one should avoid stinginess with wealth.

Then one should beg forgiveness from the goddess, the god, and the brahmin guru, [saying]: / 'O goddess Lalitā, just as you are never separated from Śambhu,

even so let non-separation from my husband and sons be granted to me.' / Having performed in this manner the third-day vow known as Madhūka,

Indrāṇī attained her status as Indra’s wife, an excellent son, / good fortune among all worlds, and the highest happiness of all prosperity.

Whatever maiden observes this vow according to this rule / obtains a handsome husband, just as Indrāṇī obtained Śatakratu (Indra).

An unfortunate woman becomes fortunate, and a fortunate woman becomes blessed with sons. / One blessed with sons attains imperishable [bliss] and never experiences sorrow.

Misfortune caused by many births is surely destroyed. / Upon dying, she reaches heaven and rejoices with Umā.

Having enjoyed desired pleasures for fully a hundred billion kalpas, / upon returning to birth in the mortal world, she would obtain an earthly king as her husband.

Fortunate and endowed with beauty, she will give birth to an earthly king as her son.

All this, the foremost vow among vows, has been told to you. / Ask something else, O fortunate lady, whatever desire dwells in your heart.

Thus ends the twenty-sixth chapter, entitled 'Description of the Procedure and Greatness of the Madhūkatṛtīyā Vow,' in the Narmadāmāhātmya of the Revākhaṇḍa in the fifth book, the Āvantyakhaṇḍa, of the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, a collection of eighty-one thousand [verses].