Skandapurana 2.1.1
English (machine translation) 2.1.1
- Language
- English
2.1.1.13
Veṅkaṭācalamāhātmya.
Nārada's vision of Yajñavarāha on the summit of Sumeru.
In the holy Naimiṣāraṇya, Śaunaka and the other great seers / performed a twelve-year sacrificial session for the protection of the world. // 1
To them came the story-teller, the pupil of Vyāsa of great intellect, / the sage named Ugraśravas, born of Romaharṣaṇa. // 2
Being duly worshipped by them, Sūta, the best of Purāṇa reciters, / narrated that divine Purāṇa named Skanda. // 3
He related in detail the story of the creation, dissolution, and lineages, / of the deeds of the dynasties, and of the manvantaras. // 4
Having heard the stories of the powers of the sacred fords, those foremost of sages / spoke to the self-controlled Sūta, eager to hear [more] stories. // 5
The seers said:
"O Romaharṣaṇa, all-knowing one, skilled in the meaning of the Purāṇas! / We wish to hear the māhātmya of the great mountains on earth. / Tell us, O fortunate one, which are the foremost mountains?" // 6
Śrī Sūta said:
"Formerly, on the bank of the Ganges, I asked this very question / to Vyāsa, the foremost of great sages; that best of teachers spoke to me." // 7
Vyāsa said:
"Formerly, in the age of the gods, O Sūta, Nārada, the best of sages, / having gone to the summit of Sumeru, shining with various jewels, // 8
and having seen in its center the vast, radiant, divine abode of Brahmā, / saw to its north an excellent pippala tree, // 9
a thousand yojanas high and twice as broad. / At its base was a divine pavilion, adorned with various gems, // 10
adorned with thousands of ruby pillars, / with rows of auspicious emblems made of beryl and pearls, // 11
strown with the nine jewels, beautified by divine archways, / filled with auspicious beasts and birds made of the nine jewels, // 12
having a great gate of topaz, a gateway tower of seven storeys, / beautified by two doors well-fashioned from radiant diamonds. // 13
2.1.1.13_1
Having entered, he saw within a divine pavilion of pearls;
2.1.1.13_2
the great sage ascended a lofty platform of beryl. // 14
2.1.1.13_3
In its center, lofty, peerless, adorned with eight legs,
2.1.1.13_4
he saw a throne covered with pearls, of great splendor. // 15
2.1.1.13_5
In its center was a divine lotus, adorned with a thousand petals,
2.1.1.13_6
white, lustrous as a thousand moons, bright with pericarp and filaments. // 16
2.1.1.13_7
Seated in its center, with the brilliance of ten thousand full moons,
2.1.1.13_8
having the form of Mount Kailāsa, handsome, having a human form, // 17
2.1.1.13_9
four-armed, with noble limbs, an auspicious boar-face,
2.1.1.13_10
bearing the conch, discus, and gestures of granting safety and boons, the Supreme Person, // 18
2.1.1.13_11
the god wearing yellow garments, with eyes long like lotus petals,
2.1.1.13_12
with a gentle face like the full moon, his lotus mouth fragrant with incense, // 19
2.1.1.13_13
sounding with the Sāma Veda, the embodiment of sacrifice, with a snout like a offering ladle and a nose like a sacrificial spoon,
2.1.1.13_14
resembling the ocean of milk, with his face radiant with a diadem, // 20
2.1.1.13_15
with the śrīvatsa mark on his chest, adorned with a bright sacred thread,
2.1.1.13_16
blazing with the splendor of the Kaustubha gem, having an elevated, broad chest, // 21
2.1.1.13_17
endowed with divine ornaments of excellent jewels made of gold,
2.1.1.13_18
radiant like an autumn cloud encircled by garlands of lightning, // 22
2.1.1.13_19
splendid on a footstool pressed by the sole of his left foot,
2.1.1.13_20
ever brilliant with bracelets, armlets, upper-arm bands, and earrings, // 23
2.1.1.13_21
by the four-faced [Brahmā], Vasiṣṭha, Atri, Mārkaṇḍeya, and other lords of sages,
2.1.1.13_22
and by Bhṛgu and many others, served day and night, // 24
2.1.1.13_23
and by the world-guardians headed by Indra, and hosts of gandharvas and apsarases—
2.1.1.13_24
having approached and bowed down to that God of gods thus served, // 25
2.1.1.13_25
and having praised the Supporter of the Earth with divine passages from the Upaniṣads,
2.1.1.13_26
Nārada, exceedingly pleased, stood in the presence of the god. // 26
2.1.1.13_27
Now the arrival of Dharaṇī before Varāha.
2.1.1.13_28
In the meantime, there arose the sound of divine kettledrums. // 27
2.1.1.13_29
Then goddess Dharaṇī came there together with her companions,
2.1.1.13_30
radiant in divine garments resembling an ocean of excellent jewels, // 28
2.1.1.13_31
bent low under the weight of breasts shaped like Sumeru and Mandara,
2.1.1.13_32
dark as fresh dūrvā grass blades, adorned with all ornaments, // 29
2.1.1.13_33
accompanied indeed by her two friends Ilā and Piṅgalā.
2.1.1.13_34
Then, scattering at the feet of the glorious god Varāha
2.1.1.13_35
the heap of flowers brought by those two, the Earth, // 30
2.1.1.13_36
having bowed to the God of gods, stood with joined palms. // 31
2.1.1.13_37
Then the glorious Varāha, having embraced that goddess and placed her on his lap, // 32
2.1.1.13_38
Now the dialogue of Dharaṇī and Varāha.
2.1.1.13_39
asked the Earth about her welfare, his mind disposed to affection. // 33
2.1.1.13_40
Glorious Varāha said:
2.1.1.13_41
"Having placed you, O goddess Earth, upon the comfortable head of Śeṣa,
2.1.1.13_42
and having established the world upon you, and mountains as your helpers,
2.1.1.13_43
I have come here, O goddess. For what purpose have you come here?" // 34
2.1.1.13_44
The Earth said:
2.1.1.13_45
"Having lifted me up from Pātāla onto the lofty, jeweled head of Ananta,
2.1.1.13_46
adorned with a thousand hoods, as if onto a jewel-seat,
2.1.1.13_47
and having made me firmly fixed, O god, and having established the mountains // 35
2.1.1.13_48
capable of bearing me, holy, identical with you, O Supreme Person,
2.1.1.13_49
tell me of the foremost among them, O mighty-armed one, that are my supports." // 36
2.1.1.13_50
Now the description of Śeṣācala surpassing all mountains.
2.1.1.13_51
Glorious Varāha said:
2.1.1.13_52
"Sumeru, Himavat, Vindhya, Mandara, Gandhamādana,
2.1.1.13_53
Sālagrāma, Citrakūṭa, Mālyavat, Pāriyātra, // 37
2.1.1.13_54
Mahendra, Malaya, Sahya, Siṃhādri, and Raivata,
2.1.1.13_55
and the great golden mountain named Añjana, the son of Meru— // 38
2.1.1.13_56
all these excellent mountains are your supports, O Vasundharā,
2.1.1.13_57
which are frequented by me, and by hosts of gods, and by hosts of seers. // 39
2.1.1.13_58
Among these I will declare the foremost in truth; listen, O Mādhavī:
2.1.1.13_59
Sālagrāma, Siṃhādri, and Gandhamādana, the king of mountains..." // 40
2.1.1.13_60
These best of mountains, O goddess, are situated in the northern direction;
2.1.1.13_61
now I shall describe the famous mountains in the south, O Vasundharā: // 41
2.1.1.13_62
Aruṇādri, Hastiśaila, Gṛdhrādri, Ghaṭikācala—
2.1.1.13_63
all these best of mountains stand near the Kṣīranadī. // 42
2.1.1.13_64
To the north of Hastiśaila, at a distance of five yojanas,
2.1.1.13_65
flows the foremost of rivers, named Suvarṇamukharī. // 43
2.1.1.13_66
On its northern bank is a lake called Kamala;
2.1.1.13_67
on its shore dwells the blessed lord Hari, granter of boons to Śuka, // 44
2.1.1.13_68
joined by Balabhadra—Kṛṣṇa, who destroys the distress of his devotees,
2.1.1.13_69
perpetually worshipped by the immaculate hosts of Vaikhānasa sages. // 45
2.1.1.13_70
To the north of Lake Kamala, in an excellent forest,
2.1.1.13_71
at a distance of just two and a half krośas, adorned with yellow-sandal trees,
2.1.1.13_72
is the great abode of Vāsudeva named Śrīveṅkaṭācala. // 46
2.1.1.13_73
Seven yojanas in breadth, one yojana high,
2.1.1.13_74
this lord of mountains is golden, O goddess, possessing peaks of jewels and extending far. // 47
2.1.1.13_75
Hosts of gods beginning with Indra, lords of sages beginning with Vasiṣṭha,
2.1.1.13_76
Siddhas, Sādhyas, and Maruts, Dānavas, Daityas, and Rākṣasas,
2.1.1.13_77
and troops of apsarases beginning with Rambhā dwell there constantly, O earth; // 48
2.1.1.13_78
Nāgas, Garuḍas, and Kinnaras perform austerity there.
2.1.1.13_79
Occupied by these, sacred-looking rivers are there,
2.1.1.13_80
and various divine lakes exist here, O Mādhavī. // 49
2.1.1.13_81
Now the description of the superiority of Svāmipuṣkariṇī over all sacred fords.
2.1.1.13_82
Hear indeed the foremost among all the sacred fords: // 50
2.1.1.13_83
Cakratīrtha, Daivatīrtha, and likewise Viyadgaṅgā,
2.1.1.13_84
Kumāradhārikātīrtha, and Pāpanāśana,
2.1.1.13_85
the sacred ford named Pāṇḍava, and likewise Svāmipuṣkariṇī— // 51
2.1.1.13_86
these seven, they say, are the best on the auspicious Nārāyaṇagiri.
2.1.1.13_87
Foremost among these, O goddess, is the auspicious Svāmipuṣkariṇī. // 52
2.1.1.13_88
On its western bank I reside together with you;
2.1.1.13_89
on its southern bank dwells Śrīnivāsa, the lord of the world. // 53
2.1.1.13_90
Equal to all sacred fords including the Gaṅgā is that lake, O earth ocean-clad;
2.1.1.13_91
whatever sacred fords, lakes, and rivers there are in the three worlds,
2.1.1.13_92
lordship over them has accrued to the Svāmisarovara, O earth. // 54
2.1.1.13_93
To serve the holy Svāmipuṣkariṇī on this divine mountain,
2.1.1.13_94
all the sacred fords reside; I shall tell you their number: // 55
2.1.1.13_95
there are sixty-six crores of sacred fords on this sacred, best of mountains;
2.1.1.13_96
and among them, six sacred fords are paramount, O Vasundharā. // 56
2.1.1.13_97
Among five kingly fords, the great Tumba is like a womb;
2.1.1.13_98
it destroys the fear of entering the womb for those who bathe [there] on this best of mountains. // 57
2.1.1.13_99
Dharaṇī said:
2.1.1.13_100
Six sacred fords on the mountain have been mentioned by you, O mighty-armed one;
2.1.1.13_101
tell me their māhātmya, along with the proper time and the proper injunction,
2.1.1.13_102
and tell [me] the fruits for men who bathe in them, O maintainer of the earth. // 58
2.1.1.13_103
The glorious Varāha said:
2.1.1.13_104
I shall tell the māhātmya of Nārāyaṇādri; hear, O Mādhavī: // 59
2.1.1.13_105
gods, seers, and yogins beginning with Sanaka,
2.1.1.13_106
and wise men declare this mountain to be the abode of the Supreme Self—
2.1.1.13_107
as Añjanādri in the Kṛta age, Nārāyaṇagiri in the Tretā age, / Siṃhaśaila in the Dvāpara, and Śrīveṅkaṭācala in the Kali age. // 60–61
2.1.1.13_108
The wise here declare that mountain to be the abode of the Supreme Self.
2.1.1.13_109
Even one stationed at the end of a thousand yojanas or gone to another continent,
2.1.1.13_110
who bows in devotion facing in the direction of this lord of mountains,
2.1.1.13_111
is freed from all sins and goes to the world of Viṣṇu. // 62
2.1.1.13_112
I will describe to you the māhātmya of the six sacred fords there, according to the proper time. // 63
2.1.1.13_113
Now the māhātmya of Kumāradhārā.
2.1.1.13_114
Listen attentively, O auspicious one, [to what] destroys all sins:
2.1.1.13_115
when the sun resides in Aquarius, in the month of Māgha, on the great lunar day of the full moon, // 64
2.1.1.13_116
joined with the Maghā asterism, on this lord of mountains, O Vasundharā,
2.1.1.13_117
there is a pool named Kumāradhārikā that purifies the world, // 65
2.1.1.13_118
where dwells Pārvatī's son, Kārttikeya, who was born from fire,
2.1.1.13_119
joined with Devasenā, worshipping Śrīnivāsa, O pure one. // 66
2.1.1.13_120
Hear the fruit of merit of one who bathes in it at midday:
2.1.1.13_121
One who bathes with regularity in all sacred fords such as the Gaṅgā, O Earth,
2.1.1.13_122
for twelve years, O supporter of the world, obtains that very fruit.
2.1.1.13_123
One who gives food at that sacred ford according to one's capacity, accompanied by a fee,
2.1.1.13_124
reaps that same fruit, just as the fruit has been described for the ritual ablution.
2.1.1.13_125
Now, the māhātmya of the Tumba sacred ford.
2.1.1.13_126
When the sun is stationed in the Mānasa, on the full moon day, O Earth,
2.1.1.13_127
conjoined with Uttarāphālgunī, at the fourth auspicious period,
2.1.1.13_128
among the five sacred fords, then at Tumba in the mountain cave,
2.1.1.13_129
the person who bathes, O goddess, is not born into a womb again.
2.1.1.13_130
Now, the māhātmya of Ākāśagaṅgā.
2.1.1.13_131
When the sun is in the constellation of Agnivāha, conjoined with the Citrā nakṣatra,
2.1.1.13_132
on the holy lunar day called the full moon, and likewise at dawn,
2.1.1.13_133
having bathed in the river Ākāśagaṅgā, one attains liberation.
2.1.1.13_134
Now, the māhātmya of the Pāṇḍava sacred ford.
2.1.1.13_135
When the sun is in Taurus, in the month of Vaiśākha, on the twelfth lunar day, on a Sunday,
2.1.1.13_136
whether in the bright or dark fortnight, conjoined with Tuesday;
2.1.1.13_137
or in the bright or dark [fortnight] conjoined with Sunday,
2.1.1.13_138
or conjoined with the Puṣya nakṣatra or conjoined with the Hasta constellation:
2.1.1.13_139
the person who bathes here at the sacred ford named Pāṇḍava at morning-time
2.1.1.13_140
incurs no suffering in this world, and enjoys happiness in the next.
2.1.1.13_141
Now, the māhātmya of the Pāpanāśana sacred ford.
2.1.1.13_142
In the bright or dark fortnight, a seventh lunar day falling on Sunday,
2.1.1.13_143
conjoined with the Puṣya nakṣatra or conjoined with the Hasta constellation:
2.1.1.13_144
on that lunar day, O fortunate one, in the one named Pāpanāśana,
2.1.1.13_145
the sacred ford on the summit of the king of mountains, one who bathes with regularity
2.1.1.13_146
—that best of men is released from sins accumulated over ten million births.
2.1.1.13_147
Now, the māhātmya of the Deva sacred ford.
2.1.1.13_148
Hear the supreme secret, O goddess, on the great mountain named Ananta:
2.1.1.13_149
to the northwest of my divine abode, on the peak, in a mountain cave,
2.1.1.13_150
is an exceedingly beautiful pool known as the Deva sacred ford.
2.1.1.13_151
I shall tell you the time for ritual ablution in that most holy [place], O goddess:
2.1.1.13_152
when Puṣya falls on a Thursday, at a Vyatīpāta, and likewise when Śravaṇa falls on a Monday—
2.1.1.13_153
hear the fruit of merit of one who bathes on these days:
2.1.1.13_154
Whatever sins are committed here through knowledge or ignorance,
2.1.1.13_155
all of them are destroyed at the exceedingly purifying Deva sacred ford.
2.1.1.13_156
Merits also increase from bathing in the Deva sacred ford;
2.1.1.13_157
one attains a long life, accompanied by sons and grandsons,
2.1.1.13_158
and at the end, having reached heaven, is exalted in Candraloka.
2.1.1.13_159
The giver of food on those days, O goddess, becomes [equivalent to] a giver of food for life.
2.1.1.13_160
This most secret [truth], O goddess, has been declared to you, O Earth.
2.1.1.13_161
Vyāsa said:
2.1.1.13_162
Having heard, the goddess Earth, her mind inclined with joy,
2.1.1.13_163
praised the supporter of the earth with pleasing words:
2.1.1.13_164
Now, the praise of Varāha by Earth.
2.1.1.13_165
Earth said:
2.1.1.13_166
Obeisance to you, O Lord of the gods of gods, O boar-faced, unswerving one,
2.1.1.13_167
resembling the ocean of milk, diamond-tusked, mighty-armed!
2.1.1.13_168
I was lifted up by you, O God, from the waters of the ocean at the beginning of the kalpa;
2.1.1.13_169
by you of a thousand arms, O Viṣṇu, I uphold the worlds.
2.1.1.13_170
You who are adorned with various divine ornaments and the sacred thread,
2.1.1.13_171
wearing deep red garments, embellished with divine gems,
2.1.1.13_172
whose lotus feet resemble the rising sun, obeisance, obeisance [to you]!
2.1.1.13_173
The tip of whose tusks gleams like the crescent moon, O you of great power and valor,
2.1.1.13_174
whose limbs are anointed with divine sandalwood, wearing earrings of refined gold,
2.1.1.13_175
adorned with golden armlets gleaming with sapphire gems,
2.1.1.13_176
who tore asunder Hiraṇyākṣa with the tip of your diamond tusk, O mighty one,
2.1.1.13_177
whose eyes are charming like lotus blossoms, captivating with the sound of the Sāmas,
2.1.1.13_178
whose self is the parting ornament of the Vedic texts, the soul of all, of beautiful strides,
2.1.1.13_179
praised by the four-faced Brahmā and Śaṃbhu, O wide-eyed one!
2.1.1.13_180
O you whose form is made of all knowledge, beyond the spoken word, salutations, salutations to you!
2.1.1.13_181
O infinite one whose form is bliss, the death of Death, salutations, salutations to you!"
2.1.1.13_182
Having thus praised him, the immovable goddess bowed at the feet of the lord.
2.1.1.13_183
Seeing her bowing, the god, his eyes blossoming wide,
2.1.1.13_184
lifted up the goddess Earth and embraced her with his arms.
2.1.1.13_185
Having smelled Earth's face and seated her on his left lap,
2.1.1.13_186
Now, the arrival of the lord Varāha along with Earth at Śeṣācala:
2.1.1.13_187
Mounting Garuda, the lord of birds, he went to Vṛṣabhācala,
2.1.1.13_188
the lord of the earth being praised by the lords of sages headed by Nārada.
2.1.1.13_189
On the western bank of the Svāmipuṣkariṇī, revered by the world,
2.1.1.13_190
the boar-faced one sits, worshipped there by lords of sages,
2.1.1.13_191
by the highly fortunate Vaikhānasa sages, equal to Brahmā, great souls.
2.1.1.13_192
Now, the occasion of hearing the māhātmya of Veṅkaṭācala:
2.1.1.13_193
Vyāsa said:
2.1.1.13_194
"Having seen him, O Sūta, Nārada spoke in ancient times to the sages;
2.1.1.13_195
that very teaching I heard right there in the assembly of sages.
2.1.1.13_196
Since I was asked by you, O Sūta, about the māhātmya of the mountains,
2.1.1.13_197
I have told it properly just as it was heard in ancient times from Nārada."
2.1.1.13_198
Now, the fruit of hearing this chapter:
2.1.1.13_199
"Whoever reads this purifying, righteous dialogue of us two, O Sūta,
First 200 of 216 passages. Read on
Linked texts (1)
- Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit