[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Purāṇas](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana) › [Skandapurana](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda) › 16.257 # Skandapurana 16.257 Skandapurāṇa 16.257 - **Language:** Sanskrit ### [16.257.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.1) .. īśvara uvāca .. .. tato gacchenmahādevi tritakūpamiti smṛtam.. naṃdādityasya pūrveṇa yojanatritayena tu .. 1 .. > Īśvara said: / Then one should proceed, O great goddess, to what is known as Tritakūpa, / three yojanas to the east of Nandāditya. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.2) purā babhūva rājendraḥ saurāṣṭraviṣaye sudhīḥ .. ātreya iti vikhyāto vedavedāṃgapāragaḥ ..2.. > Formerly in the country of Saurāṣṭra there was an intelligent lord of kings / known as Ātreya, who had mastered the Vedas and Vedāṅgas. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.3) tasya putratrayaṃ jajña ṛtukālābhigāminaḥ .. ekataścadvitaścaiva tritaścaiveti bhāmini ..3.. > To him, approaching his wife at the fertile season, three sons were born, / Ekata, Dvita, and Trita, O lovely lady. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.4) tritasteṣāṃ kaniṣṭho'bhūdvedavedāṃgapāragaḥ .. sarvaireva guṇairyukto mūrkho jyeṣṭhau babhūvatuḥ .. 4 .. > Trita was the youngest among them, a master of the Vedas and Vedāṅgas, / endowed with all virtues; the two eldest were foolish. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.5) kasyacittvathakālasya ātreyo dvija sattamaḥ .. tapaḥ kṛtvā tu vipulaṃ kāladharmamupeyivān.. 5 .. > Then, after some time, Ātreya, best of the twice-born, / having performed extensive austerity, succumbed to the law of time. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.6) tatasteṣāṃ trito rājā babhūva guṇavattaraḥ .. dhuramākarṣayāmāsa putro'yaṃ tasya yā purā .. 6.. > Then Trita, the king among them, became superior in virtue; / as his son, he took up the burden that \[the father\] had carried earlier. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.7) tasya buddhiḥ samutpannā kathaṃ yajñaṃ karomyaham .. sannimaṃtrya dvijaśreṣṭhānyajñakarmasvadhiṣṭhitān .. 7 .. > The thought arose in his mind: 'How shall I perform a sacrifice, / having invited the foremost brahmins established in sacrificial rites, > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.8) indrādīṃśca surānsarvānāvāhya vidhipūrvakam .. dakṣiṇārthaṃ dvijendrāṇāṃ prabhāsaṃ sa jagāma ha .. gṛhītvā bhrātarau jyeṣṭhau gavārthaṃ prasthito dvijaḥ .. 8 .. > and having invoked all the gods, Indra and the others, according to the rule?' / For the sacrificial fees of the foremost brahmins, he went to Prabhāsa; / taking his two elder brothers, the twice-born set forth to obtain cows. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.9) yasya yasya gṛhe yāti sa trito vedapāragaḥ .. tatra tatra varāṃ pūjāṃ lebhe gāścaiva puṣkalāḥ .. 9 .. > To whichever house Trita, the master of the Vedas, went, / there he received excellent honor and abundant cows. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.10) evaṃ sa godhanaṃ prāpya bhrātṛbhyāṃ sahitastadā .. gṛhāya prasthito devi nirvṛtiṃ paramāṃ gataḥ .. 7.1.257.10 .. > Having thus obtained wealth in cows, accompanied by his two brothers, / he set out for home, O goddess, having attained supreme contentment. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.11) tritastābhyāṃ puro yāti pṛṣṭhato bhrātarau ca tau .. godhanaṃ cālayaṃtaste prabhāsaṃ kṣetramāgatāḥ .. 11 .. > Trita walked ahead of the two, and the two brothers behind, / driving the cattle, arrived at the sacred field of Prabhāsa. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.12) atha tadgodhanaṃ dṛṣṭvā bhūri dānārthamāhṛtam .. bhrātṛbhyāṃ tritaye ceti pāpā matirajāyata .. 12 .. > Then, seeing that abundance of cattle brought for the sake of donation, / a sinful thought arose in the two brothers regarding Trita: > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.13](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.13) parasparamūcatustau bhrātarau duṣṭacetasau .. trito yajñeṣu kuśalo vedeṣu kuśalastathā.. 13 .. > Those two brothers, evil-minded, said to each other: / 'Trita is skilled in sacrifices and skilled in the Vedas; > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.14](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.14) mānyaḥ pūjyaśca sarvatra āvāṃ mūrkhau nirarthakau .. etaddhi godhanaṃ sarvaṃ trito dāsyati sanmakhe .. 14 .. > he is respected and honored everywhere, while we two are foolish and useless. / Indeed, Trita will give away all this cattle at the holy sacrifice; > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.15](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.15) asmākaṃ pitṛparyāto yadāptaṃ tatsamaṃ bhavet.. tasmādatraiva yukto'sya vadho vai tritayajñinaḥ .. 15 .. > what has come down from our ancestors should be shared equally. / Therefore, the murder of this Trita, the sacrificer, is truly appropriate right here.' > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.16](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.16) evaṃ tau niścayaṃ kṛtvā prasthitau bhrātarāvubhau .. tritastu purato yāti nirvikalpa ṛjuḥ sudhīḥ ..16.. > Having made this resolve, both brothers set forth; / but Trita walked ahead, free from doubt, straightforward, and intelligent. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.17) anu tatra samuttasthau vyāghro raudratarākṛtiḥ .. vyāditāsyo ravaṃ devi vyanadbhairavaṃ tataḥ .. 17 .. > Next, a tiger of most ferocious appearance arose there; / with gaping jaws, O goddess, it then uttered a terrifying roar. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.18) tasya śabdena tā gāvo naṣṭā jagmurdiśo daśa .. andhakūpo mahāṃstatra pradeśe dāruṇo'bhavat .. 18 .. > At its sound, those cows scattered and fled in the ten directions. / In that place there was a large, dreadful, blind well. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.19](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.19) ekato dāruṇo vyāghraḥ kūpo'nyatra sudāruṇaḥ .. dṛṣṭvā te bhrātaraḥ sarve bhayodvignāḥ pradudruvuḥ..19 .. > On one side was the dreadful tiger, elsewhere the exceedingly terrible well; / seeing them, all the brothers fled, agitated with fear. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.20](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.20) atha te viṣamaṃ prāpya taṭaṃ kūpasya bhāmini .. sthitā yāvadgato vyāghrastato gaṃtuṃ mano dadhuḥ .. 7.1.257.20 .. > Then, reaching the uneven edge of the well, O lovely lady, / they stood until the tiger was gone, and then set their minds on departing. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.21) atha tābhyāṃ trito devi bhrātṛbhyāṃ nṛpasattama .. prakṣipto dāruṇe kūpe jīrṇe toyavivarjite .. 21 .. > Then Trita, O goddess, best of kings, was thrown by the two brothers / into the dreadful, dilapidated, waterless well. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.22](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.22) tatastadgodhanaṃ gṛhya prasthitau hṛṣṭamānasau .. tritastu patitastatra kūpe jalavivarjite .. 22 .. > Then, taking that wealth in cows, they departed with delighted minds; / but Trita had fallen there into the well devoid of water. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.23](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.23) cintayāmāsa medhāvī nāhaṃ śocāmi jīvitum .. mayāhūtā dvijaśreṣṭhā yajñārthaṃ vedapāragāḥ .. indrādyāśca surāḥ sarve sa kratuḥ syānna me tvataḥ .. 23 .. > The wise one thought: 'I do not grieve for my life. / The foremost brahmins, masters of the Vedas, were invited by me for the sacrifice, / along with all the gods, Indra and the others; lest my sacrifice be undone, \[I must act\].' > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.24](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.24) sa evaṃ cintayāmāsa vedavedāṃgapāragaḥ .. mānasaṃ yajñamārabhya tatraiva varavarṇini .. 24 .. > Thus the master of the Vedas and Vedāṅgas reflected, / and beginning a mental sacrifice right there, O woman of excellent complexion, > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.25](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.25) svayameva sa sūktāni proktvā proktvā dvijottamaḥ .. kṛtavānbālukāhomaṃ tena tuṣṭāśca devatāḥ .. 25 .. > the best of the twice-born recited hymns himself again and again / and offered oblations of sand; and by that the deities were pleased. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.26](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.26) śraddhāṃ tasya viditvā tu bhūyastṛptāstu devatāḥ .. āgatya brāhmaṇaṃ procuḥ kūpamadhye vyavasthitam .. .. 26 .. > Knowing his faith, the deities were exceedingly satisfied; / arriving, they addressed the brahmin standing inside the well. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.27](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.27) .. devā ūcuḥ .. .. bhobho vipra tvayā nūnaṃ sarve saṃtarpitā vayam .. mānasena tu yajñena tasmādbrūhi manogatam .. 27 .. > The gods said: / 'O brahmin, truly we all have been thoroughly gratified by you / through this mental sacrifice; therefore, speak what is in your heart!' > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.28](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.28) .. brāhmaṇa uvāca .. .. yadi devāḥ prasannā me kūpānniṣkamaṇe tvaham .. yaṣṭā svaṃ maṃdiraṃ gatvā devayajñaṃ karomyaham.. 28 .. > The brahmin said: / 'If the gods are pleased with me, may I emerge from the well; / having gone to my own home, I shall perform the sacrifice to the gods.' > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.29](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.29) .. īśvara uvāca .. atha devaiḥ samādiṣṭā tasminkūpe sarasvatī .. nirgatya vasudhāṃ bhittvā pūrayāmāsa vāriṇā .. 29 .. > Īśvara said: / Then, commanded by the gods, Sarasvatī / burst through the earth into that well and filled it with water. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.30](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.30) atha niṣkramya vipro'sau yātaḥ svabhavanaṃ prati .. tataḥ prabhṛti deveśi tritakūpaḥ sa ucyate .. 7.1.257.30 .. > Then that brahmin emerged and went toward his own house. / From then on, O ruler of the gods, that \[well\] is called Tritakūpa. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.31](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.31) snātvā tatra śucirbhūtvā tvatha saṃtarpayetpitṝn .. aśvamedhamavāpnoti sarvapāpavivarjitaḥ .. 31 .. > Having bathed there and become pure, one should gratify the ancestors; / rid of all sins, he obtains \[the fruit of\] a horse sacrifice. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.32](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.32) tila dānaṃ tu deveśi tatra śastaṃ sakāñcanam .. pitṝṇāṃ vallabhaṃ tīrthaṃ nityaṃ caiva tu bhāmini .. 32 .. > A gift of sesamum seeds along with gold is commended there, O ruler of the gods; / this sacred ford is always dear to the ancestors, O lovely lady. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.33](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.33) agniṣvāttā barhiṣada āyaṃtuna iti smṛtāḥ .. ye divyāḥ pitaro devi teṣāṃ sāṃnidhyamatra hi .. 33 .. > Those celebrated as Agniṣvāttas and Barhiṣads, / who are divine ancestors, O goddess—their presence is indeed here. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.34](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.34) darśanādapi tīrthasya tasya vai surasattame .. mucyante prāṇinaḥ pāpādājanmamaraṇāṃtikāt .. .. 34 .. > Merely from the darśana of that sacred ford, O best among the gods, / living beings are freed from sin accumulated from birth until death. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.35](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.35) tasmātsarvaprayatnena tatra snānaṃ samācaret .. prabhāsaṃ kṣetramāsādya yadīcchecchreya ātmanaḥ .. 35 .. > Therefore, with every effort one should perform ritual ablution there, > having reached Prabhāsa kṣetra, if one desires one's own welfare. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ### [16.257.257](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257.257) iti śrīskāṃde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ saptame prabhāsakhaṃḍe prathame prabhāsakṣetramāhātmye tritakūpamāhātmyavarṇanaṃnāma saptapañcāśaduttaradviśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ .. 257.. > Thus ends the two hundred fifty-seventh chapter, named 'Description of the Māhātmya of Tritakūpa', in the first \[part\], the Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya, in the seventh \[book\], the Prabhāsakhaṇḍa, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, a collection of eighty-one thousand \[verses\]. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.16.257.1) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmyam](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.sthala.prabhasakshetramahatmyam.268.1) — Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.16.257) · Pramāṇa