Skandapurana 2.5: mārgaśīrṣamāsamāhātmyam

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Table of Contents

Note on the month of Mārgaśīrṣa

References regarding Mṛgaśiras/Invakā

Mṛgaśiras

On the bright ninth of Mārgaśīrṣa, Sampāti announced to the monkeys that she was dwelling in Rāvaṇa's abode in the tenth month. 27 / On the eleventh, Hanūmān leaped a hundred yojanas from Mount Mahendra; / on that very night he searched through Laṅkā. / At the end of that night, Hanūmān indeed had the darśana of Sītā. 29 / On the twelfth, Hanūmān stationed himself in the śiṃśapā tree; / on that night there was conversation with Jānakī to gain her trust. 30 / On the thirteenth, battle then took place with Akṣa and the others. / On the fourteenth, the monkey was bound by Indrajit with the Brahmā weapon; 31 / the burning of Laṅkā was done with his fire-lit tail. / On the full moon day occurred the monkey's return to Mount Mahendra. - Padmapurāṇa 5.36.32

The great Kārttikī at Puṣkara, and at Kānyakubja likewise further... 128 ... the great [full moon] in Mārgaśīrṣa would be... - Bhaviṣyapurāṇa 2.2.8.128

Nārada 1.18 (The observance and concluding rite for the full moon day of Mārgaśīrṣa),

"On the full moon of Mārgaśīrṣa, an āḍhaka measure of salt accompanied by gold / should be given to a tranquil brahmin for the fulfillment of all desires." — Nārada Purāṇa 1.124.67.

"Milk in the month of Āśvayuja, ghee mixed with curd in Kārtika, / cow-urine in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa, and clarified butter in Pauṣa should be consumed." — Matsya Purāṇa 60.35.

"Then was born the son named Pūṣan on an auspicious day in Mārgaśīrṣa; / he, devoted to the science of astronomy, worshiped the sun. (115)
By the grace of the God of gods, he attained liberation in the sun. / Therefore, O king of the gods, worship the sun in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa!" — Bhaviṣya Purāṇa 3.4.8.116.

Beginning of the narration of the Lakṣmīnārāyaṇasaṃhitā by the sage of the Ūrja-vow, starting from the second day of the bright half of Mārgaśīrṣa. — Lakṣmīnārāyaṇasaṃhitā 2.40.29.

Homage to the holy Gaṇeśa.

Now begins the Māhātmya of the Month of Mārgaśīrṣa.

Sūta said:

To Kṛṣṇa, the son of Devakī, who brings joy to the universe,

who grants enjoyment and liberation, Mādhava, compassionate to his devotees, I bow. (1)

To the God of gods seated comfortably on Śvetadvīpa, the lord of Ramā,

the four-faced one [Brahmā] bowed and then questioned his father: (2)

Brahmā said:

"O Hṛṣīkeśa, upholder of the universe, whose praise and renown bring merit,

declare what is asked, O Lord of gods, omniscient Lord of all! (3)

You formerly said, 'Among months I am Mārgaśīrṣa.'

I desire to know the greatness (māhātmya) of that month in truth. (4)

Who is its deity? What is the gift? How is the ritual ablution, and what is the rule?

What must be done there by men, and what must be eaten, O lord of Ramā? (5)

What is to be recited, and what worship, meditation, mantras, and so forth [are prescribed]?

Whatever rite is performed there, tell all of that to me, O Acyuta!" (6)

The Blessed One said:

"Well asked by you, O Brahmā, benefactor of all worlds!

When it is observed, all sacrificial rites, public works, and the like are accomplished. (7)

Whatever merit there is in all sacrifices, whatever fruit in all sacred fords (tīrthas),

that fruit one fully obtains when [the vow is] performed in Mārgaśīrṣa, O son. (8)

Whatever reward a person gains through gifts such as the tulāpuruṣa,

that reward, my son, is truly obtained merely by hearing this māhātmya. (9)

Not by sacrifices, study, gifts, and the like, nor by baths in all the tīrthas,

nor by renunciation and yoga have I become subject to men (2.5.1.10)

as I am won over in the month of Mārgaśira through ritual ablution, giving, worship, / meditation, silence, recitation of mantras, and similar acts;

I am not won so in other [months]—this is a secret that has been declared." (11)

The gods residing in heaven, having made [other vows] with other duties and the like,

kept Mārgaśīrṣa hidden, knowing it to be the cause of attaining Me. // 12

Whatever people of meritorious deeds are devoted to My bhakti,

by them Mārgaśīrṣa, which bestows Me, must certainly be observed. // 13

Those men in the courtyard of Bhārata who do not observe Mārgaśīrṣa

should be known as embodiment of sin, deluded by the age of Kali. // 14

Whatever fruit a man obtains even in eight months,

that fruit is attained, O child, in Māgha when the sun enters Makara. // 15

A hundred times the merit of Māgha is obtained in the month of Vaiśākha;

a thousand times that when the sun is in Tulā; // 16

ten million times that merit when the sun is in Vṛścika;

Mārgaśīrṣa is greater than that and is ever dear to Me. // 17

Whatever mortal, rising at dawn, performs ritual ablution according to the rule,

I, being pleased, give even Myself to him, O little son. // 18

Here too they cite this narrative; listen, O son:

There was a great-souled [cowherd] renowned on earth as Nandagopa. // 19

In his delightful Gokula there were cowherd maidens by the thousands;

their minds were attached to My form in ancient times, O sinless one. // 20

The resolve to bathe in Mārgaśīrṣa was given to them by Me.

Then the ritual ablution was performed by them in the morning according to rule; // 21

worship was offered, sacrificial food was eaten, and obeisance was paid by them.

By the rite performed in this way, I became pleased then, O sinless one; // 22

indeed, having been pleased, the boon of My own self was given to them by Me.

Therefore, Mārgaśīrṣa should indeed be observed by men according to the rule. // 23

Thus ends the first chapter, named 'The Description of the Fruit of the Mārgaśīrṣa Ablution Performed by the Gopīs,' in the Mārgaśīrṣamāhātmya, in the dialogue between Brahmā and Viṣṇu, in the second [book], the Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa consisting of eighty-one thousand verses. // 1

Brahmā said:

You have spoken of Mārgaśīrṣa, combined with rules, as bestowing You.

What is its rite, O Lord of gods? Tell me everything, O Keśava. // 1

The Blessed Lord said:

Rising at the end of the night, having touched water according to the rule,

and bowing to one's guru, one should remember Me unweariedly. // 2

Pure and with restrained speech, one should chant [My names] with devotion through the thousand names.

Having evacuated urine and feces outside the village according to rule, // 3

having performed purification according to proper custom, having sipped water, restrained and pure,

and having performed ritual ablution according to rule after first cleaning the teeth, // 4

taking soil from the root of a tulasī plant together with its leaves,

consecrating it with the root mantra or with the Gāyatrī, O wise one, // 5

having smeared one's limbs with the mantra itself, one should bathe in the waters for the expiation of sins.

Ritual ablution is prescribed either with uncollected waters or with drawn waters. // 6

A wise man, knowing the mantra, should imagine a sacred ford with this mantra:

'Om, obeisance to Nārāyaṇa' is stated to be the root mantra. // 7

With darbha grass in hand, according to rule, having sipped water, facing front, pure,

having marked out a square measuring four cubits on all sides,

the discerning one should invoke the Gaṅgā with these mantras: // 8

'You are born from Viṣṇu's foot; you belong to Viṣṇu; Viṣṇu is your deity;

protect us from this sin extending from birth to the end of death. // 9

Vāyu has spoken of thirty-five million sacred fords;

those, O Jāhnavī, belong to you in heaven, on earth, and in the atmosphere. // 10

Nandinī indeed is your name among the gods, and Nalinī,

the daughter of Dakṣa, soaring in the sky, all-pervading in the view of yogins, // 11

Vidyādharī, Suprasannā, and likewise Lokaprasādinī,

Kṣemā, and Jāhnavī, Śāntā, and Śāntipradāyinī.' // 12

One should always recite these holy names at the time of ritual ablution;

the Gaṅgā who flows through the three paths is ever present there. // 13

With [the soil] consecrated seven times, held in cupped hands,

having folded one's hands at the head, three, four, five, or seven times,

one should in like manner perform ablution with earth, having addressed it according to the prescribed rule: // 14

'O bearer of wealth, traversed by horses, traversed by chariots, traversed by Viṣṇu!

O earth, take away my sin, whatever misdeed has been done by me! // 15

You were raised up by Varāha, by black [Viṣṇu] of a hundred arms.'

Homage to you, the producing fire-drill of all beings, O faithful one! 16

Having bathed thus, and then having sipped water according to the rule,

rising and putting on two white garments on the bank, 17

having sipped water, he should make water-offerings to the gods, the ancestors, and the seers.

Having wrung out his cloth, sipped water, and wrapped himself in a clean-washed garment, 18

taking pure and pleasing clay, O best of the twice-born,

and consecrating it with a mantra, the Vaiṣṇava should then

unweariedly apply the vertical marks on his forehead and other limbs according to their proper number. 19

O Brahmā, a brahmin should always wear twelve marks;

four marks are prescribed for kings, O son, and two for vaiśyas; 20

and one mark is ordained for women and śūdras. 20

On the forehead, belly, chest, hollow of the throat,

on both flanks, both arms, both ears, the back, the sacrum, and the head:

twelve tilakas are declared, O sinless one, always for a brahmin. 21

A kṣatriya should wear marks on the forehead, chest, and both arms;

a vaiśya on the forehead and heart; on the forehead alone for śūdras and women. 22

He should meditate on Keśava on the forehead, then on Nārāyaṇa on the belly,

on Mādhava on the chest, and on Govinda on the hollow of the throat, 23

on Viṣṇu on the right flank, and on Madhusūdana on the arm,

on Trivikrama at the base of the ear, on Vāmana on the left side, 24

on Śrīdhara on the left arm, and on Hṛṣīkeśa on the [left] ear;

Padmanābha should be on the back, and he should place Dāmodara on the sacrum. 25

With the water used for washing the hands, [he should meditate] on Vāsudeva on the head.

Thus should it be done for a brahmin; learn now for a kṣatriya: 26

He should meditate on Keśava on the forehead, and on Mādhava on the chest,

and, O child, he should remember Madhusūdana on both arms. 27

The rule for a kṣatriya has been stated; hear the duty of a vaiśya:

He should meditate on Keśava on the forehead, and on Mādhava on the heart. 28

A woman and a śūdra should remember Keśava on the region of the forehead.

According to this rule, one should apply the marks for my satisfaction. 29

Black is said to bring peace, and red brings subjugation;

they say yellow brings prosperity, and white brings auspicious liberation. 30

Single-minded devotees, highly fortunate, devoted to the welfare of all the world,

make a mark having an intervening space, in the shape of Hari's foot. 31

Endowed with an opening in the middle, this is indeed Hari's temple:

upright, gentle, straight, slender, well-proportioned at the sides, and charming. 32

The vile twice-born who makes a vertical mark without a space

casts out me together with Lakṣmī who reside there. 33

Those vile twice-born who make a solid vertical mark without an opening

have imprinted a dog's foot on their forehead—there is no doubt. 34

Therefore, endowed with a space, with a generous opening, and auspicious,

a brahmin should constantly wear the mark for the sake of attaining Hari's realm. 35

Thus ends the second chapter, entitled “The Explanation of the Rule for Applying the Marks,” in the Mārgaśīrṣamāhātmya of the dialogue between Brahmā and Viṣṇu, in the second Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa of the glorious Skandapurāṇa containing eighty-one thousand verses. 2

Brahmā said:

How many kinds of marks are to be made? Tell me, O Keśava!

Great curiosity has arisen in me to hear about marks. 1

The Blessed Lord said:

Listen, O son, I shall tell you. The mark is declared to be threefold:

with soil from the tulasī plant, with holy gopīcandana, 2

or with haricandana the mark is to be made by the wise.

Taking earth from the root of the holy kṛṣṇa-tulasī, the devotee

should wear vertical marks; Hari is pleased with that. 3

Understand the majesty of gopīcandana as I speak: 4

If a man takes clay originating from Dvāravatī in his hand

and daily applies a vertical mark on the broad surface of his forehead, the fruit of his ritual actions becomes ten million times greater. 5

Even if devoid of ritual acts, devoid of mantras, devoid of faith, or performed at an inappropriate time,

if he applies gopīcandana on his forehead, he always attains the imperishable fruit of that deed. 6

If a twice-born constantly wears on his forehead the charming mark made from gopīcandana, every day, by night and by day, at all times, 7

he attains more than the religious merit gained in Kurujāṅgala during a solar eclipse or in Prayāga during the month of Māgha; he dwells like a god in my abode. 7

In whatever house gopīcandana is kept, and if a man wears it with devotion on his forehead—

In that house, O four-faced one, I, the slayer of Kaṃsa, dwell forever together with Śrī.

He who wears the purifying clay arisen from Dvāravatī, which removes the defilements of the Kali age,

daily on his forehead with my mantra, would not see Yama, even though laden with sin.

O son, upon whose arms, forehead, chest, and head gopīcandana is present at the time of death,

he goes to the world of me, the Lord of Kamalā, even if he were a killer of cows, children, or a slayer of a brahmin.

The planets do not torment him, nor do hosts of rākṣasas, yakṣas, piśācas, serpents, or chieftains of bhūtas,

upon whose forehead plate, O son, gopīcandana remains, by my power.

On whose forehead an upright, gentle ūrdhvapuṇḍra is seen,

even if he is an outcaste, he is pure in soul and worthy of worship without a doubt.

One who performs rites unbathed, impure, and joined with sin,

becomes purified instantly through contact with gopīcandana.

Whether he is impure, devoid of proper conduct, or commits great sin,

a man marked with the ūrdhvapuṇḍra always becomes pure.

For the sake of my pleasure, or for auspiciousness, or for protection, O four-faced one,

and during my worship and oblation, evening and morning, collected in mind,

my devotee should always wear the ūrdhvapuṇḍra, which removes worldly existence.

If a mortal wearing the ūrdhvapuṇḍra dies anywhere,

even a dog-eater, mounted on an aerial chariot, is glorified in my world.

Whenever a mortal wearing the ūrdhvapuṇḍra eats anyone's food,

then I deliver twenty generations of his family from hell.

He who, having looked in a mirror or in water, carefully applies

the ūrdhvapuṇḍra, O fortunate one, attains the supreme goal.

The ring finger is said to grant peace; the middle finger brings long life;

the thumb is declared to bestow nourishment; the forefinger gives liberation.

He who gives a piece of gopīcandana to a Vaiṣṇava,