Skandapurana 2.8.3
English (machine translation) 2.8.3
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Sūta said:
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Having heard these words from the pot-born [Agastya] with respect,
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the wise sage Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana spoke sweet words. // 1
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Vyāsa said:
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O venerable one, this excellent māhātmya of the sacred ford is wondrous;
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having heard it from you, my mind has attained supreme joy. // 2
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Tell me, who am listening, accurately of another excellent sacred ford;
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my listening mind finds no satiety, O you of noble vows! // 3
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Agastya said:
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Listen, O twice-born, I shall tell of another unsurpassed sacred ford
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known as Svargadvāra, which constantly removes all sins. // 4
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No one is able to describe at length the māhātmya of Svargadvāra;
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therefore, child, hear it in brief, O you of noble vows! // 5
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Beginning from Sahasradhārā to the east in the water of the Sarayū,
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the extent of Svargadvāra is declared by learned experts in the Purāṇas
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to be six hundred and thirty-six bows.
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A sacred ford equal to Svargadvāra has never existed nor will ever exist: // 7
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true, true, again true—my statement is not untrue.
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There is no sacred ford equal to Svargadvāra in the entire orb of the universe. // 8
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Leaving aside all heavenly and earthly sacred fords,
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they come in the morning and remain there, taking refuge [in it], O one of good vows! // 9
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Therefore, a morning ritual ablution should especially be performed here
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by one who desires for oneself the fruit of bathing in all sacred fords. // 2.8.3.10
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Living beings who surrender their life breaths within Svargadvāra, O twice-born,
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go to the supreme abode of Viṣṇu; of this there is no doubt. // 11
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Behold this door to liberation, which brings about the attainment of heaven for men;
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therefore, this unexcelled sacred ford is known as Svargadvāra. // 12
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Svargadvāra is very difficult to attain even for the gods; there is no doubt.
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Whatever a human being desires there, that he obtains. // 13
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At Svargadvāra is the supreme perfection; at Svargadvāra is the supreme destiny.
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Whatever is muttered, given, offered in fire, seen, whatever austerity is performed,
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meditation, study, and every gift becomes imperishable. // 14
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Whatever sin was accumulated previously through a thousand other births,
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all of that goes to destruction for one who has entered Svargadvāra. // 15
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Brahmins, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdras, mixed castes,
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worms, mlecchas, and whatever other mixed [creatures] born of sin, // 16
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insects, ants, and whatever other beasts and birds,
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who meet their demise in time at Svargadvāra—listen, O twice-born!— // 17
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all the birds [become] wielders of the mace Kaumodakī, having Garuḍa on their banners;
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in that auspicious city of Viṣṇu, men become Viṣṇu [himself]. // 18
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Whether without desire or with desire, or even having come to the sacred ford,
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giving up one's life breaths at Svargadvāra, one is glorified in the world of Viṣṇu. // 19
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The sages, gods, siddhas, sādhyas, yakṣas, and the hosts of Maruts
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who made the division merely with the sacred thread— // 2.8.3.20
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the hosts of deities manifest their presence here at midday;
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therefore, they perform the ritual ablution there at midday with reverence. // 21
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Those with conquered senses who undertake fasting at Svargadvāra,
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and those who fast for a month, go to the supreme abode. // 22
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Those men devoted to giving food, giving gems, giving land,
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and giving cows and garments to brahmins, go to the abode of Hari. // 23
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Where perfected souls, great sages, and the ancestors
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all go to heaven, it is therefore called Svargadvāra. // 24
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And dividing his body fourfold, the god of gods, Hari himself,
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as Rāghava, ever delights here together with his brothers. // 25
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Abandoning the world of Brahmā, the eternal four-faced
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Grandfather ever delights right here along with the gods. // 26
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Dwelling in his abode on Kailāsa, Śiva is stationed right there. // 27
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Even a heap of sinful deeds the size of Meru and Mandara,
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upon reaching Svargadvāra, all goes to destruction. // 28
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The destination attained through knowledge and austerity, the destination of sacrifice-performers,
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that auspicious destination is ordained for those who die at Svargadvāra. // 29
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By hosts of seers, gods, and asuras devoted to recitation and oblations,
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and by ascetics desirous of liberation, Svargadvāra is resorted to. // 2.8.3.30
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Whatever fruit there is in dwelling in Kāśī for sixty thousand years,
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that fruit [is obtained] in half a twinkling of an eye in the Kali age in the city of the son of Daśaratha. // 31
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The destination of those endowed with yoga who cast off their bodies in Vārāṇasī,
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that destination [is attained] by a mere ritual ablution in the Sarayū on the day of Hari. // 32
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No one who has died at Svargadvāra ever sees hell;
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indeed, graced by Keśava, all go to the supreme destination. // 33
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Whatever sacred fords there are on the earth, in the atmosphere, and in heaven,
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this [sacred ford] surpasses all those sacred fords, O best of the twice-born! // 34
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Having attained devotion to Viṣṇu, those who are firmly resolved delight,
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having withdrawn according to their power the desire situated in sense objects. // 35
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When one's power is applied from all sides and one's capacity rests in austerity,
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there is no return for them, even after hundreds of crores of kalpas. // 36
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A wise man who dwells [here], even if struck down by hundreds of weapons,
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goes to that supreme abode, having reached which he does not grieve. // 37
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He who departs [from life] at Svargadvāra goes to the supreme destination.
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One should not differentiate between the northern or the southern course of the sun;
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all time is auspicious for those who take refuge in Svargadvāra.
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By mere ritual ablution, the sins of embodied beings are dissolved.
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Whatever sins people commit with their bodies on earth,
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Ayodhyā is declared with reverence as the supreme abode for them. // 2.8.3.40
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Especially in the month of Jyeṣṭha, on the fifteenth day of the bright fortnight,
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the annual pilgrimage of Candrahari is traditionally remembered by the gods.
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On that [occasion], the concluding rite of the thousand moons should be performed with effort
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by those observing vows, O brahmin, yielding more fruit than all sacrifices.
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When that is done, heaven is attained by men due to the destruction of great sins. // 43
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Śrī Vyāsa said:
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"O Lord, tell me in truth of that auspicious Candrahari,
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his origin, and likewise the rule for the concluding rite of the moon-vow." // 44
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Agastya said:
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"Having bowed to Viṣṇu whose abode is Ayodhyā, the cool-rayed [moon], eager,
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that treasury of nectar, came to witness directly the māhātmya of the sacred ford.
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Having arrived here, the moon then performed a pilgrimage to the sacred ford
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in proper order and according to the rules, filled with various wonders.
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Then, having worshipped Viṣṇu with austerity difficult to perform,
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and having obtained his grace, preceded by his own name,
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he consecrated Hari; therefore he is remembered as Candrahari.
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By the grace of Vāsudeva, that place became wonderful.
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For that is the most secret abode of Vāsudeva, O one of good vows,
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the Lord of all beings, and [the giver] of liberation at all times.
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Here, O brahmin, the perfected ones are always established in the vow of Govinda,
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bearing various sectarian marks, constantly desiring the world of Viṣṇu.
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Liberated in self and with senses subdued, they practice the supreme yoga. // 2.8.3.50
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The merit one attains [here] is not obtained anywhere else in such a way.
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Giving, vow, and oblations—all attain imperishability.
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The attainment of the fruit of all desires always comes to living beings;
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therefore, here living beings should diligently perform in order
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giving and other acts, the worship of brahmins, and especially of a married couple.
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The fruit exceeding all sacrifices, plunging into all sacred fords,
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whatever religious merit arises for men from beholding all gods—
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all that merit arises for living beings from the darśana of this [deity].
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Therefore this great sacred field is celebrated in the Purāṇas and other texts.
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And here the rule for the concluding rite is to be performed by men, led by brahmins,
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in front of Candrahari, known as the Candrasahasravrata.
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When two and a half years, five fortnights, two days,
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and the eighth part of a day have passed, one intercalary month occurs.
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Then, in eighty-three years
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accompanied by four months, a thousand moons are completed. A man who lives that long
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should perform the concluding rite and the pilgrimage with effort.
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Whatever supreme merit is spoken of for those who continually offer sacrifices,
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whatever merit is in speaking truth, whatever merit is in giving gold—
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that merit, O brahmin, is obtained [through this] by those who live for a thousand [moons].
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Such a meritorious vow, bestowing all happiness, is declared here.
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Having bathed purely on the fourteenth day after cleaning the teeth,
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having observed celibacy, with speech, body, and mind restrained,
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having done likewise on the full-moon day, one should cause worship of the moon to be performed. // 2.8.3.60
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First, the Mothers should be worshipped in the order of Gaurī and the rest;
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one should worship the officiating priests with devotion, preceded by the Vṛddhiśrāddha.
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Purified, an image resembling the lunar disc should be made,
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a thousand in number, or half of that, or half of that,
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or half of that, or half of that, according to one's wealth;
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or it should be made according to faith, or according to one's wealth,
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or sixteen auspicious [images] should be diligently fashioned.
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Then one should perform worship of the moon according to the rules prescribed in the āgamas.
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Each auspicious image should be made of sixteen māṣas [of gold].
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The fire oblation should be performed with the Soma mantra according to one's wealth.
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He should install the image and recite the Soma mantra. // 65
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He should diligently have the [hymn on the] origin of Soma and the Soma-sūkta recited.
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Then he should perform the worship of the Moon according to the injunctions declared in the āgamas. // 66
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He should perform the nyāsa of the Moon, the nyāsa of the digits [of the Moon], and [sprinkle] water on the maṇḍala.
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He should likewise perform the nyāsa of the eleven sense-organs in accordance with the rules. // 67
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A maṇḍala resembling the lunar disc should be made with auspicious rice grains;
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and in the center a water pot filled with cow's milk should be placed. // 68
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In the squares outside, he should set full jars;
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and in the maṇḍala, worship of the Moon should be performed with the names in order: // 69
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"Obeisance to Himāṃśu, and obeisance indeed to Somacandra; // 54
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perpetual obeisance to Candra, to Vidhu, to the friend of the night-lotus; // 2.8.3.70
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obeisance to Sudhāṃśu, to Soma, and indeed to the Lord of Herbs;
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obeisance to the Lotus-born (Abja), to the Hare-marked (Mṛgāṅka), obeisance to the Treasure of Digits; // 71
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obeisance to the Lord of Asterisms, to the Husband of Night;
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constant obeisance to the Long-lived One (Jaivātṛka), and indeed to the King of the Twice-born." // 72
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Thus the Moon should be praised in order with these sixteen names. // 73
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Then, having restrained his mind, he should offer according to the rules, accompanied by mantras,
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water from a conch shell together with flowers, fruits, and sandalwood paste: // 74
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"Obeisance to you who are born again and again at the end of each month;
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O Hare-marked one, accept this my arghya together with Rohiṇī." // 75
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Having thus worshipped the Moon according to the rules, he should bow down.
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Sixteen other water pots filled with milk and containing gems,
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covered with cloths, should be given to a brahmin for peace.
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Then he should perform an ablution with rice-milk (pāyasa) and water. // 77
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The satisfaction of the officiating priests' minds should be made according to his wealth.
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He should feed the brahmin there, especially along with his family. // 78
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A brahmin couple should be zealously honored with clothes,
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and then a generous, excellent gift of dakṣiṇā should be made. // 79
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Images should be presented to the brahmins along with cows,
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and gold, silver, clothing, and especially food
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should thus be given with joy to a brahmin for the great pleasure of the Moon. // 2.8.3.80
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The wise man should spend the remainder of the day according to the rule of fasting.
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On the following day, he should perform worship of the Lord;
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he should eat together with his kinsmen and conclude his vow. // 81
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The person who thus performs the excellent vow of a thousand moons,
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even if he is a killer of a brahmin, a drinker of liquor, a thief, or one who violates the teacher's bed,
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is purified in soul by this vow and goes to the world of the Moon. // 82
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Whatever kind [of person] he may be, O brahmin, he becomes dear to Nārāyaṇa;
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the man who performs this with discipline has accomplished his purpose. // 83
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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
Linked texts (1)
- Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit