Skandapurana 3.1.51

Sūta said:

Now, therefore, I will explain the procedure for the pilgrimage to the Setu, O brahmins,

hearing which a man is instantly freed from all sins. // 1

Having bathed and sipped water, purified in mind, having performed his daily rites, the wise man,

for the pleasure of Rāmanātha and for the satisfaction of Rāghava, // 2

having fed according to his means brahmins who have mastered the Vedas,

his whole body smeared with sacred ash, his forehead marked with the tripuṇḍra, // 3

or smeared with gopīcandana, wearing an ūrdhvapuṇḍra on his forehead,

adorned with a rosary of rudrākṣa beads, pure, holding the pavitra grass in his hand, // 4

having resolved with devotion: "I will undertake the pilgrimage to the Setu,"

should set out from his home in silence, chanting the eight-syllabled mantra, // 5

or, with a restrained mind, should chant the five-syllabled mantra.

Eating havis food once a day, with anger conquered and senses subdued, // 6

without sandals or umbrella, abstaining from betel,

avoiding oil massages and abstaining from intercourse with women, // 7

endowed with proper conduct such as purity, devoted to twilight worship,

practicing the worship of the Gāyatrī, meditating on Rāma at the three twilights, // 8

daily reading with respect on the road the Setumāhātmya,

or reciting the Rāmāyaṇa, or another Purāṇa, // 9

avoiding useless words, he should proceed to the Setu for purification.

He must not accept gifts, nor should he abandon his traditional conduct. // 10

On the way, he should perform worship of Śiva, Viṣṇu, and others according to his ability;

he should perform rites such as the Vaiśvadeva according to his strength. // 11

He should perform duties such as the brahmayajña and the worship of fire;

he should give food, drink, and the like to guests according to his ability. // 12

He should also give alms to ascetics, giving up deceit regarding wealth;

on the road, he should recite the names and hymns of Śiva, Viṣṇu, and others. // 13

He should always perform righteousness and avoid prohibited actions;

endowed with such observances, he should then go to the base of the Setu. // 14

Having gone there, collected in mind, he should first offer a stone;

having invoked the ocean there, he should then bow down. // 15

He should offer arghya to the ocean, and then pray;

then he should request permission, and then take a ritual ablution in the great ocean. // 16

For the sages, the gods, the monkeys, and also for the ancestors,

he should make water-offerings, O brahmins, remembering Hari in his mind. // 17

The Number of Stones:

He should offer seven stones, or one, O best of brahmins;

by offering a stone, the ritual ablution becomes fruitful, not otherwise. // 18

Mantra for Offering the Stone:

"O Kṛtyā, born from Pippalāda, terrifying to the world,

a stone is given to you by me; let it be taken as food!" // 19

Mantra for Praying for Presence:

"You are all-illuminating, you are Ghṛtācī, you are all-pervading, O lord of subjects;

establish your presence for me, O god, in the ocean of salt water!" // 20

Mantra of Obeisance:

"Obeisance to you, protector of the universe! Obeisance, O Viṣṇu, lord of waters!

Obeisance to the golden-horned one! Obeisance to the lord of rivers!"

Having recited thus to the ocean, the clear one, he should then bow down. // 21

Mantra for Arghya:

"O glorious one made of all jewels, mine of all jewel-mines,

you are preeminent in all jewels; accept this arghya, O great ocean!" // 22

Mantra for Requesting Permission:

"O support of the entire universe, holder of the conch, discus, and mace,

grant me permission, O god, to resort to your sacred ford!" // 23

Mantra of Prayer:

He should remember Sugrīva in the eastern direction and Nala in the southern; // 24

in the western, the one named Mainda, and likewise Dvivida in the northern;

also Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, and the renowned Sītā; // 25

he should remember Aṅgada, the son of the Wind, and Vibhīṣaṇa in the center:

"Whatever sacred fords on earth have entered you, O great ocean, // 26

grant me the fruit of my ritual ablution, and protect me from all sin!"

With the two [mantras beginning] "Hiraṇyaśṛṅga", one should remember Nārāyaṇa at the navel.

Meditating upon the god Nārāyaṇa during ritual ablutions and other rites,

one attains the world of Brahmā and is not born here again.

Then there is expiation for all sins whatsoever.

Prahlāda, Nārada, Vyāsa, Ambarīṣa, Śuka,

and other devotees of the Lord one should contemplate with a single mind.

The Mantra for Ritual Ablution

The origin of the Vedas, who is the source of the Veda and Vasiṣṭha, lord of rivers, womb of the jewels of the ocean,

fire and splendour, and splendour to the earth, the seed-bearer, Viṣṇu, the navel of immortality;

this [water of yours] is not equalled by any other waters that enter the ocean;

entering with head [submerged], I cast off the sin from my body, like a serpent its worn-out skin.

One should bow again, O twice-born ones, to the ocean, to the breeze,

to the ocean that consists of all sacred fords, pure, the lord of rivers.

Uttering again [the mantra beginning] "Dvau samudrau", one should perform the ritual ablution.

"The sacred fords in the belly of the cosmic egg are touched by your rays, O Sun;

by that truth, grant me a sacred ford at the Setu, O maker of day!"

By the sequence beginning with "Sugrīva in the eastern direction" and so on,

remembering [them], O twice-born ones, one should again perform a third ritual ablution at the Setu.

If a man sets out on a journey starting from Devīpattana,

then, in the middle of Navapāṣāṇa at the liberation-giving Setu,

he should bathe in the ocean to remove his heap of sins.

If one goes along the path of Darbhaśayyā to the liberation-giving Setu,

then one should bathe in that very ocean for liberation.

The Rule of Water-Oblation

Pippalāda, the Poet [Uśanas], Kaṇva, the Finisher [Yama], the Lord of Life,

Manyu, Kālarātri, Vidyā, and the Lord of Days,

Vasiṣṭha, Vāmadeva, Parāśara, Umā's Lord [Śiva],

Vālmīki, Nārada, and the Vālakhilya sages,

Nala, Nīla, Gavākṣa, Gavaya, Gandhamādana,

Mainda, Dvivida, Śarabha, and Ṛṣabha,

Sugrīva, Hanūmat, and Vegadarśana,

Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, and the illustrious, fortunate Sītā—

having uttered the mantras in proper order, one should offer water-oblations to these three times.

And each of the names of the pervasive Lord ending in the dative case, O twice-born ones,

and [to] the gods, seers, and ancestors, according to rule, with water and sesame seeds;

and uttering the names ending in the accusative case, one should offer water-oblations, O twice-born ones.

Wearing a purifying ring of darbha, standing in the water with a serene mind, one should offer water-oblations;

from offering water-oblations, one obtains the fruit of ritual ablution in all sacred fords.

Having thus offered water-oblations to them and bowed, he should come up out of the water;

casting off wet clothes and wrapped in dry garments,

having sipped water and wearing a purifying ring of darbha, he should perform the śrāddha according to rule.

And he should offer rice-balls to the ancestors with sesame seeds and grains of rice.

This śrāddha for one who is unable has been proclaimed by me, O best of the twice-born;

a wealthy man should indeed perform the śrāddha with food of six flavours.

A prosperous person should make gifts of cows, land, sesame seeds, gold, and the like.

At Rāmacandra's Dhanuṣkoṭi, one should perform [the rites] in this very manner;

beginning with the gift of stones and ending with water-oblations, O twice-born ones,

just as the twice-born performed them according to rule at Setumūla.

Having gone then to Cakratīrtha, one should perform a ritual ablution there as well,

and behold the god Hari Nārāyaṇa, the sovereign of the Setu.

Going along the western route, at Cakratīrtha located there,

having bathed, one should behold with devotion the god who reclines on darbha grass.

Then having reached Kapitīrtha, one should perform a ritual ablution there as well;

then having reached Sītākuṇḍa, one should perform a ritual ablution there as well.

Then having reached Ṛṇamocanatīrtha, which yields great fruit,

having bathed and bowed to Rāma, the Lord who delights the daughter of Janaka,

he should go to Lakṣmaṇatīrtha, and having shaved [all hair] above the neck,

he should bathe there as well, reflecting upon his misdeeds.

Having then bathed in Rāmatīrtha, he should go to the temple of the deity,

and having bathed in Pāpavināśana, and likewise in Gaṅgā and Yamunā.

and in the Sāvitrī, Sarasvatī, and Gāyatrī, O best of brahmins,

and having bathed in Hanumatkuṇḍa, one should then bathe in [the pool of] great fruit.

Then, having reached Brahmakuṇḍa, one should bathe according to the rules. (56)

Then, having reached Nāgakuṇḍa, which destroys all sins,

a man should perform his ritual ablution, O brahmins, which destroys the afflictions of hell.

All the rivers, beginning with the Gaṅgā, and indeed all sacred fords, (57)

dwell perpetually in Nāgakuṇḍa for the appeasement of their own sins.

This excellent, auspicious sacred ford on Rāma's bridge, granting liberation, (58)

was established by the eight great Nāgas, beginning with Ananta.

Having reached Agastyakuṇḍa, one should then bathe in that peerless [pool]. (59)

Then, having approached Agnitīrtha, which destroys all bad karma,

having bathed and performed libations according to rule, one should perform a śrāddha, remembering the ancestors. (60)

Having given cows, land, gold, grain, and the like to brahmins according to one's capacity (61ab)

on the bank of Agnitīrtha, one is released from all sins. (61cd)

Alternatively, whatever sacred fords, beginning with Cakratīrtha, (62ab)

have been enumerated, O chiefs of brahmins, which remove all sins, (62cd)

one should bathe in them in succession, or bathe according to one's inclination.

Having thus bathed in all the sacred fords, one should perform śrāddha and the other rites. (63)

Afterward, having reached Rāmeśvara and worshipped the Supreme Lord,

having approached Setumādhava, as well as Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, (64)

Sītā, the son of the wind (Hanumān), and the other excellent monkeys,

and having bathed in all the sacred fords there according to the vows, (65)

having bowed to Rāmanātha, Rāmacandra, and the others,

and having paid homage to Dhanuṣkoṭi, a person should then go to bathe [there]. (66)

There one should observe the previously mentioned rules, such as the offering of stones,

and give gifts at Dhanuṣkoṭi according to one's wealth: (67)

umbrellas, cows, and various garments, reverently (68ab)

to brahmins who know the Veda, according to one's wealth. (68cd)

Then, having reached Koṭitīrtha, one should bathe according to the rules.

Then one should bow to the god Rāmeśvara, whose emblem is the bull. (69)

If one has the means, one should give a priestly gift of gold to the brahmins,

sesame seeds, grain, a cow, land, garments, and rice grains. (70)

Free from greed for wealth, one should give according to one's means (71ab)

incense, a lamp, food offering, and implements of worship (71cd)

to the god Rāmeśvara according to one's means.

Having praised the god Rāmeśvara and bowed with devotion, (72)

having taken leave, one should then go to the presence of Setumādhava.

Having offered incense and the like to him and taken leave of Mādhava, (73)

observing the previously mentioned rules, one should return to one's own home.

One should feed brahmins with dishes full of the six flavors. (74)

By that alone, Rāmanātha, being pleased, grants him his desired wish;

there is no hell for him, and poverty is destroyed; (75)

the lineage of that man flourishes, O best of brahmins;

having quickly cast off worldly existence, he attains even union [with the Divine]. (76)

If one is unable to come here, whatever collection of texts in the Śruti, Smṛti, and Āgama (77ab)

is very meritorious and proclaims the greatness of the Setu, (77cd)

one should cause that text to be recited, O brahmins, which destroys great sins,

or one should read this Setumāhātmya with devotion. (78)

Thereby one undoubtedly obtains the meritorious fruit of bathing at the Setu.

This has been declared by the wise regarding the blind, the lame, and others. (79)

Śrī Sūta said:

Thus the sequence of the pilgrimage to the Setu has been told to you, O twice-born brahmins.

Reading or hearing this, one is freed from all suffering. (80)

Thus ends the fifty-first chapter, entitled 'Description of the Sequence of Pilgrimage' in the Setumāhātmya of the third Brahmakhaṇḍa in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa of eighty-one thousand verses. (51)