Skandapurana 2.8.3

Sūta said:

Having heard these words from the pot-born [Agastya] with respect,

the wise sage Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana spoke sweet words. // 1

Vyāsa said:

O venerable one, this excellent māhātmya of the sacred ford is wondrous;

having heard it from you, my mind has attained supreme joy. // 2

Tell me, who am listening, accurately of another excellent sacred ford;

my listening mind finds no satiety, O you of noble vows! // 3

Agastya said:

Listen, O twice-born, I shall tell of another unsurpassed sacred ford

known as Svargadvāra, which constantly removes all sins. // 4

No one is able to describe at length the māhātmya of Svargadvāra;

therefore, child, hear it in brief, O you of noble vows! // 5

Beginning from Sahasradhārā to the east in the water of the Sarayū,

the extent of Svargadvāra is declared by learned experts in the Purāṇas

to be six hundred and thirty-six bows.

A sacred ford equal to Svargadvāra has never existed nor will ever exist: // 7

true, true, again true—my statement is not untrue.

There is no sacred ford equal to Svargadvāra in the entire orb of the universe. // 8

Leaving aside all heavenly and earthly sacred fords,

they come in the morning and remain there, taking refuge [in it], O one of good vows! // 9

Therefore, a morning ritual ablution should especially be performed here

by one who desires for oneself the fruit of bathing in all sacred fords. // 2.8.3.10

Living beings who surrender their life breaths within Svargadvāra, O twice-born,

go to the supreme abode of Viṣṇu; of this there is no doubt. // 11

Behold this door to liberation, which brings about the attainment of heaven for men;

therefore, this unexcelled sacred ford is known as Svargadvāra. // 12

Svargadvāra is very difficult to attain even for the gods; there is no doubt.

Whatever a human being desires there, that he obtains. // 13

At Svargadvāra is the supreme perfection; at Svargadvāra is the supreme destiny.

Whatever is muttered, given, offered in fire, seen, whatever austerity is performed,

meditation, study, and every gift becomes imperishable. // 14

Whatever sin was accumulated previously through a thousand other births,

all of that goes to destruction for one who has entered Svargadvāra. // 15

Brahmins, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdras, mixed castes,

worms, mlecchas, and whatever other mixed [creatures] born of sin, // 16

insects, ants, and whatever other beasts and birds,

who meet their demise in time at Svargadvāra—listen, O twice-born!— // 17

all the birds [become] wielders of the mace Kaumodakī, having Garuḍa on their banners;

in that auspicious city of Viṣṇu, men become Viṣṇu [himself]. // 18

Whether without desire or with desire, or even having come to the sacred ford,

giving up one's life breaths at Svargadvāra, one is glorified in the world of Viṣṇu. // 19

The sages, gods, siddhas, sādhyas, yakṣas, and the hosts of Maruts

who made the division merely with the sacred thread— // 2.8.3.20

the hosts of deities manifest their presence here at midday;

therefore, they perform the ritual ablution there at midday with reverence. // 21

Those with conquered senses who undertake fasting at Svargadvāra,

and those who fast for a month, go to the supreme abode. // 22

Those men devoted to giving food, giving gems, giving land,

and giving cows and garments to brahmins, go to the abode of Hari. // 23

Where perfected souls, great sages, and the ancestors

all go to heaven, it is therefore called Svargadvāra. // 24

And dividing his body fourfold, the god of gods, Hari himself,

as Rāghava, ever delights here together with his brothers. // 25

Abandoning the world of Brahmā, the eternal four-faced

Grandfather ever delights right here along with the gods. // 26

Dwelling in his abode on Kailāsa, Śiva is stationed right there. // 27

Even a heap of sinful deeds the size of Meru and Mandara,

upon reaching Svargadvāra, all goes to destruction. // 28

The destination attained through knowledge and austerity, the destination of sacrifice-performers,

that auspicious destination is ordained for those who die at Svargadvāra. // 29

By hosts of seers, gods, and asuras devoted to recitation and oblations,

and by ascetics desirous of liberation, Svargadvāra is resorted to. // 2.8.3.30

Whatever fruit there is in dwelling in Kāśī for sixty thousand years,

that fruit [is obtained] in half a twinkling of an eye in the Kali age in the city of the son of Daśaratha. // 31

The destination of those endowed with yoga who cast off their bodies in Vārāṇasī,

that destination [is attained] by a mere ritual ablution in the Sarayū on the day of Hari. // 32

No one who has died at Svargadvāra ever sees hell;

indeed, graced by Keśava, all go to the supreme destination. // 33

Whatever sacred fords there are on the earth, in the atmosphere, and in heaven,

this [sacred ford] surpasses all those sacred fords, O best of the twice-born! // 34

Having attained devotion to Viṣṇu, those who are firmly resolved delight,

having withdrawn according to their power the desire situated in sense objects. // 35

When one's power is applied from all sides and one's capacity rests in austerity,

there is no return for them, even after hundreds of crores of kalpas. // 36

A wise man who dwells [here], even if struck down by hundreds of weapons,

goes to that supreme abode, having reached which he does not grieve. // 37

He who departs [from life] at Svargadvāra goes to the supreme destination.

One should not differentiate between the northern or the southern course of the sun;

all time is auspicious for those who take refuge in Svargadvāra.

By mere ritual ablution, the sins of embodied beings are dissolved.

Whatever sins people commit with their bodies on earth,

Ayodhyā is declared with reverence as the supreme abode for them. // 2.8.3.40

Especially in the month of Jyeṣṭha, on the fifteenth day of the bright fortnight,

the annual pilgrimage of Candrahari is traditionally remembered by the gods.

On that [occasion], the concluding rite of the thousand moons should be performed with effort

by those observing vows, O brahmin, yielding more fruit than all sacrifices.

When that is done, heaven is attained by men due to the destruction of great sins. // 43

Śrī Vyāsa said:

"O Lord, tell me in truth of that auspicious Candrahari,

his origin, and likewise the rule for the concluding rite of the moon-vow." // 44

Agastya said:

"Having bowed to Viṣṇu whose abode is Ayodhyā, the cool-rayed [moon], eager,

that treasury of nectar, came to witness directly the māhātmya of the sacred ford.

Having arrived here, the moon then performed a pilgrimage to the sacred ford

in proper order and according to the rules, filled with various wonders.

Then, having worshipped Viṣṇu with austerity difficult to perform,

and having obtained his grace, preceded by his own name,

he consecrated Hari; therefore he is remembered as Candrahari.

By the grace of Vāsudeva, that place became wonderful.

For that is the most secret abode of Vāsudeva, O one of good vows,

the Lord of all beings, and [the giver] of liberation at all times.

Here, O brahmin, the perfected ones are always established in the vow of Govinda,

bearing various sectarian marks, constantly desiring the world of Viṣṇu.

Liberated in self and with senses subdued, they practice the supreme yoga. // 2.8.3.50

The merit one attains [here] is not obtained anywhere else in such a way.

Giving, vow, and oblations—all attain imperishability.

The attainment of the fruit of all desires always comes to living beings;

therefore, here living beings should diligently perform in order

giving and other acts, the worship of brahmins, and especially of a married couple.

The fruit exceeding all sacrifices, plunging into all sacred fords,

whatever religious merit arises for men from beholding all gods—

all that merit arises for living beings from the darśana of this [deity].

Therefore this great sacred field is celebrated in the Purāṇas and other texts.

And here the rule for the concluding rite is to be performed by men, led by brahmins,

in front of Candrahari, known as the Candrasahasravrata.

When two and a half years, five fortnights, two days,

and the eighth part of a day have passed, one intercalary month occurs.

Then, in eighty-three years

accompanied by four months, a thousand moons are completed. A man who lives that long

should perform the concluding rite and the pilgrimage with effort.

Whatever supreme merit is spoken of for those who continually offer sacrifices,

whatever merit is in speaking truth, whatever merit is in giving gold—

that merit, O brahmin, is obtained [through this] by those who live for a thousand [moons].

Such a meritorious vow, bestowing all happiness, is declared here.

Having bathed purely on the fourteenth day after cleaning the teeth,

having observed celibacy, with speech, body, and mind restrained,

having done likewise on the full-moon day, one should cause worship of the moon to be performed. // 2.8.3.60

First, the Mothers should be worshipped in the order of Gaurī and the rest;

one should worship the officiating priests with devotion, preceded by the Vṛddhiśrāddha.

Purified, an image resembling the lunar disc should be made,

a thousand in number, or half of that, or half of that,

or half of that, or half of that, according to one's wealth;

or it should be made according to faith, or according to one's wealth,

or sixteen auspicious [images] should be diligently fashioned.

Then one should perform worship of the moon according to the rules prescribed in the āgamas.

Each auspicious image should be made of sixteen māṣas [of gold].

The fire oblation should be performed with the Soma mantra according to one's wealth.

He should install the image and recite the Soma mantra. // 65

He should diligently have the [hymn on the] origin of Soma and the Soma-sūkta recited.

Then he should perform the worship of the Moon according to the injunctions declared in the āgamas. // 66

He should perform the nyāsa of the Moon, the nyāsa of the digits [of the Moon], and [sprinkle] water on the maṇḍala.

He should likewise perform the nyāsa of the eleven sense-organs in accordance with the rules. // 67

A maṇḍala resembling the lunar disc should be made with auspicious rice grains;

and in the center a water pot filled with cow's milk should be placed. // 68

In the squares outside, he should set full jars;

and in the maṇḍala, worship of the Moon should be performed with the names in order: // 69

"Obeisance to Himāṃśu, and obeisance indeed to Somacandra; // 54

perpetual obeisance to Candra, to Vidhu, to the friend of the night-lotus; // 2.8.3.70

obeisance to Sudhāṃśu, to Soma, and indeed to the Lord of Herbs;

obeisance to the Lotus-born (Abja), to the Hare-marked (Mṛgāṅka), obeisance to the Treasure of Digits; // 71

obeisance to the Lord of Asterisms, to the Husband of Night;

constant obeisance to the Long-lived One (Jaivātṛka), and indeed to the King of the Twice-born." // 72

Thus the Moon should be praised in order with these sixteen names. // 73

Then, having restrained his mind, he should offer according to the rules, accompanied by mantras,

water from a conch shell together with flowers, fruits, and sandalwood paste: // 74

"Obeisance to you who are born again and again at the end of each month;

O Hare-marked one, accept this my arghya together with Rohiṇī." // 75

Having thus worshipped the Moon according to the rules, he should bow down.

Sixteen other water pots filled with milk and containing gems,

covered with cloths, should be given to a brahmin for peace.

Then he should perform an ablution with rice-milk (pāyasa) and water. // 77

The satisfaction of the officiating priests' minds should be made according to his wealth.

He should feed the brahmin there, especially along with his family. // 78

A brahmin couple should be zealously honored with clothes,

and then a generous, excellent gift of dakṣiṇā should be made. // 79

Images should be presented to the brahmins along with cows,

and gold, silver, clothing, and especially food

should thus be given with joy to a brahmin for the great pleasure of the Moon. // 2.8.3.80

The wise man should spend the remainder of the day according to the rule of fasting.

On the following day, he should perform worship of the Lord;

he should eat together with his kinsmen and conclude his vow. // 81

The person who thus performs the excellent vow of a thousand moons,

even if he is a killer of a brahmin, a drinker of liquor, a thief, or one who violates the teacher's bed,

is purified in soul by this vow and goes to the world of the Moon. // 82

Whatever kind [of person] he may be, O brahmin, he becomes dear to Nārāyaṇa;

the man who performs this with discipline has accomplished his purpose. // 83

Thus ends the third chapter, named 'Description of the Procedure for the Concluding Rite of the Vow of a Thousand Moons', in the Ayodhyāmāhātmya in the second Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa of the glorious Skandamahāpurāṇa of eighty-one thousand verses. // 3