Skandapurana 3.1.51

English (machine translation) 3.1.51

Language: English

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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without sandals or umbrella, abstaining from betel,

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

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

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

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daily reading with respect on the road the Setumāhātmya,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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He should always perform righteousness and avoid prohibited actions;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Then there is expiation for all sins whatsoever.

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Prahlāda, Nārada, Vyāsa, Ambarīṣa, Śuka,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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then one should bathe in that very ocean for liberation.

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

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

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

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Vālmīki, Nārada, and the Vālakhilya sages,

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Nala, Nīla, Gavākṣa, Gavaya, Gandhamādana,

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Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, and the illustrious, fortunate Sītā—

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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casting off wet clothes and wrapped in dry garments,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Going along the western route, at Cakratīrtha located there,

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

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

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

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Then having reached Ṛṇamocanatīrtha, which yields great fruit,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Then, having reached Nāgakuṇḍa, which destroys all sins,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Afterward, having reached Rāmeśvara and worshipped the Supreme Lord,

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

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

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

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having bowed to Rāmanātha, Rāmacandra, and the others,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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to the god Rāmeśvara according to one's means.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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)

Linked texts (1)

Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit