Badarikāśrama-māhātmya · Chapter 3
Source।। स्कन्द उवाच ।। ।। भगवन्सर्वभूतेषु सर्वधर्मविशारद ।। अग्नितीर्थस्य माहात्म्यं कृपया वद मे पितः ।। १ ।। ।। शिव उवाच ।। ।। अतिगुह्यतमं तीर्थं सर्वतीर्थनिषेवितम् ।। संक्षेपात्कथयाम्येतत्तवादरवशादहम्।। २ ।। महापातकिनो ये च अतिपातकिनस्तथा ।। स्नानमात्रेण शुद्ध्यंति विनायासेन पुत्रक ।। ३ ।। प्रायश्चित्तेन यत्पापं न गच्छेन्मरणांतिकम्।। स्नानमात्रेण तीर्थस्य पावकस्य विशुद्ध्यति ।। ४ ।। अत्यंतमलसंबद्धं यथा शुद्ध्यति हाटकम् ।। तथाग्नितीर्थमासाद्य देही पापैर्विशुद्ध्यति ।। ५ ।। कुशाग्रेणोदबिंदुं च पीत्वा वर्षत्रयं नरः ।। अन्यक्षेत्रे तपः कृत्वा तदत्र स्नानमात्रतः ।। ६ ।। ब्राह्मणान्भोजयित्वास्मिन्यथाविभवसंभवैः ।। दरिद्रता कुले तेषां न कदाचित्प्रजायते ।।७ ।। उपवासेन यः प्राणान्वह्नितीर्थे त्यजेन्नरः ।। स भित्त्वा सूर्यलोकादीन्विष्णुलोकं प्रपद्यते ।।८।। चांद्रायणसहस्रैस्तु कृच्छ्रैः कोटिभिरेव च ।। यत्फलं लभते मर्त्यस्तत्स्नानाद्वह्नितीर्थतः ।। ९ ।। पंचधा ये प्रकुर्वंति पापमस्मिन्षडानन ।। जपेन पवनायामैर्विशुद्धिरिति मे मतिः ।। 2.3.3.१० ।। ज्ञानेन मोहवशतः पापं कुर्वन्ति येऽधमाः ।। पैशाचीं योनिमायामति यावदिंद्राश्चतुर्दश ।। ११ ।। अनाश्रमी चाश्रमी वा यावद्देहस्यधारणम् ।। न तीर्थे पावके कुर्यात्पातकं बुद्धिपूर्वकम् ।। १२ ।। स्नानं दानं जपो होमः संध्या देवार्चनं तथा ।। अत्रानंतगुणं प्रोक्तमन्यतीर्थात्षडानन ।। १३ ।। बहूनि संति तीर्थानि पावनानि महांत्यपि ।। वह्नितीर्थसमं तीर्थं न भूतं न भविष्यति ।। १४ ।। न ब्रह्मा न शिवः शेषो न देवा न च तापसाः ।। शक्नुवंति फलं नालं वक्तुं पावकतीर्थजम् ।।१५।। किं तेषां बहुभिर्यज्ञैः किं दानैर्नियमैर्यमैः।। येषां पावकतीर्थेऽस्मिन्स्नानं दशदिनं भवेत् ।। १६ ।। उपवासेन यः प्राणान्वह्नितीर्थे जयेन्नरः ।। उपवासत्रयं कृत्वा पूजयित्वा जनार्द्दनम्।। नरः पावकतीर्थेऽस्मिन्स भवेत्पावकोपमः ।। १७ ।। शिलापंचकमध्यस्थं सान्निध्यं नित्यदा हरेः ।। तत्रैव पावकं तीर्थं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् ।।१८ ।। ।। स्कंद उवाच ।। ।। कथं तत्र शिलाः पंच केन वा तत्र निर्मिताः ।। किं पुण्यं किं फलं तासां वक्तुमर्हस्यशेषतः ।। १९ ।। ।। शिव उवाच ।। ।। नारदी नारसिंही च वाराही गारुडी तथा ।। मार्कंडेयीति विख्याताः शिलाः सर्वार्थसिद्धिदाः ।। 2.3.3.२० ।। नारदो भगवांस्तेपे तपः परमदारुणम्।। दर्शनार्थं महाविष्णोः शिलायां वायुभोजनः ।। २१ ।। षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि शिलायां वृक्षवृत्तिमान्।। तदासौ भगवान्विष्णुस्तत्र ब्राह्मणरूपधृक् ।। २२ ।। जगाम पुरतस्तस्य कृपया मुनिसत्तमम् ।। उवाच वचनं चारु किमिति क्लिश्यते ह्यृषे ।। किं वा तवेप्सितं ब्रूहि तपसा क्षीणकल्मष ।। २३ ।। ।। नारद उवाच ।। ।। को भवान्विजनेऽरण्ये ममानुग्रहतत्परः ।। मनः प्रसन्नतामेति दर्शनात्ते द्विजोत्तम ।। २४ ।। इत्युक्तो नारदेनासौ शंखचक्रगदाधरः ।। पीतांबरलसत्पद्मवनमालाविभूषणः ।। २५ ।। श्रीवत्सकौस्तुभभ्राजत्कमलाविमलालयः ।। सुनंदनप्रमुख्यैः स स्तूयमानो जनार्द्दनः ।। २६ ।। दर्शयामास रूपं स्वं नारदाय कृपार्दितः ।। तं दृष्ट्वा सहसोत्थाय तनुं प्राण इवागतः ।। २७ ।। कृतांजलिपुटो भूत्वा नमस्कृत्य पुनः पुनः ।। तुष्टाव प्रणतो भूत्वा जगतामीश्वरेश्वरम् ।। २८ ।। ।। नारद उवाच ।। ।। यः सर्वसाक्षी जगतामधीश्वरो भक्तेच्छया जातशरीरसंपदः ।। कृपामहांभोनिधिराश्रितानां प्रसीदतां पावनदिव्यमूर्तिः ।। २९ ।। हिताय लोकस्य सतां पुनर्मनः सुतोषणायाचिरमुत्कलादिभिः ।। प्रसन्नलीलाहसितावलोकनः प्रसीदतां सत्त्वनिकायमूर्तिमान् ।। 2.3.3.३० ।। कंदर्प्पलावण्यविलाससुंदरः प्रसन्नगंभीरगिरेंदिरोत्सवः ।। स्वमाश्रितानां वरकल्पपादपः प्रसीदतां दीनदयार्द्रमानसः ।। ३१ ।। यदंघ्रिपद्मार्चननिर्मलांतरा ज्ञानासिना शातितबंधहेतवः ।। विदंति यद्ब्रह्मसुखं गतक्लमाः प्रसीदतां दीनदयार्द्रमानसः ।।३२।। संसारवारांनिधिबद्धसेतुर्यः सृष्टिपालांतविधानहेतुः ।। उपांतनामा गुणलब्धमूर्तिः प्रसीदतां ब्रह्मसुखानुभूतिः ।। ३३ ।। य इंद्रियाधिष्ठितभूतसूक्ष्माद्विकासहेतुर्द्युतिमद्वरिष्ठः ।। जीवात्मतां गच्छति मायया स्वया स एक ईशो भगवान्प्रसीदताम् ।। ३४ ।। स्वदृग्गुणैर्येन विलिप्यते महान्गुणाश्रयं येन च पाञ्चभौतिकम्।। एकोऽपि नानागुणसंप्रयुक्तः प्रसीदतां दीनदयालुवर्यः ।। ३५ ।। यस्यानुवर्तिनो देवा विपदां पदमंबुधिम् ।। कृत्वा वत्सपदं स्वर्गे निरातंका वसंति हि ।।३६।। नमस्ते वासुदेवाय नमः संकर्षणाय च ।। प्रद्युम्नायानिरुद्धाय सर्वभूतात्मने नमः ।। ३७ ।। अद्य मे जीवितं धन्यमद्य मे सफलं तपः ।। अद्य मे सफलं ज्ञानं दर्शनात्ते जनार्दन ।। ३८ ।। ।। श्रीभगवानुवाच ।। ।। तुष्टोऽहं तपसानेन स्तोत्रेण तव नारद ।। त्वत्तो भक्तो न मे कश्चित्त्रिषु लोकेषु विद्यते ।। ३९ ।। वरं वरय भद्रं ते वरदोऽहं तवाग्रतः ।। मद्दर्शनात्ते कामः स्यात्संसिद्धो विद्धि नारद।। 2.3.3.४० ।। ।। नारद उवाच ।। ।। वरदो यदि मे देव वरार्हो यदि वाप्यहम् ।। भक्तिं तव पदांभोजे निश्चलां देहि मे विभो ।। ४१ ।। पच्छिलासन्निधानं च न त्याज्यं ते कदाचन ।। मत्तीर्थदर्शनात्स्पर्शात्स्नानादाचमनात्तथा ।। देहैर्न युज्यते देयस्ततीयस्तु वरो मम ।। ४२ ।। ।। श्रीभगवानुवाच।। ।। एवमस्तु तव स्नेहात्तव तीर्थे वसाम्यहम् ।। चराचराणां जंतूनां विदेहाय न संशयः ।। ४३।। एवमुक्त्वा हरिः साक्षात्तत्रैवांतरधीयत ।। नारदोऽपि महातेजा दिनानि कतिचित्सह ।। बदरीमावसन्हृष्टो ययौ मधुपुरीं ततः ।। ४४ ।। ।। स्कंद उवाच ।। ।। मार्कंडेयशिलायास्तु महिमानं वदस्व मे ।। किं पुण्यं किं फलं तस्याः संज्ञा च तादृशी कथम् ।।४५।। ।।शिव उवाच ।। ।। पुरा त्रेतायुगस्यांते मृकंडुतनयो महान् ।। स्वल्पायुषं निजं ज्ञात्वा जजाप परमं जपम् ।। ४६ ।। द्वादशाक्षरमंत्रेण पूजितो हरिरव्ययः ।। सप्तकल्पायुषं ज्ञात्वा तत्रैवांतरतो ययौ ।। ४७ ।। मार्कंडेयस्ततः श्रुत्वा तीर्थाटनपरिश्रमम् ।। दर्शनं नारदस्यासीन्मथुरायां षडानन ।। ४८ ।। पूजितो वंदितस्तेन नारदो मुनिसत्तमः ।। कथयामास माहात्म्यं बदर्या यत्र केशवः ।। ४९ ।। ।। नारद उवाच ।। ।। किमिति क्लिश्यते साधो तीर्थाटनपरिश्रमैः ।। बदर्याख्यं महाक्षेत्रं सान्निध्यं नित्यदा हरेः ।। 2.3.3.५० ।। तत्र याहि यत्र साक्षाद्धरिं पश्यसि चक्षुषा ।। तच्छ्रुत्वा विस्मयोपेतो विशालामाययावृषिः ।। ५१ ।। स्नात्वा शिलामुपविशञ्जजापाष्टाक्षरं परम् ।। ततःप्रसन्नो भगवाँस्त्रिरात्र्यंते जनार्दनः ।। ५२ ।। शंखचक्रगदापद्मवनमालाविभूषणम् ।। तं दृष्ट्वा सहसोत्थाय प्रेमगद्गदया गिरा ।। तुष्टाव प्रणतो भूत्वा मार्कंडेयो जनार्दनम् ।। ५३ ।। ।। मार्कंडेय उवाच ।। ।। अशाश्वते च संसारे सारे ते चरणांबुजे ।। समुद्धारः कथं नृणां त्राहि मां परमेश्वर ।।५४।। तापत्रयपरिश्रांतमनेकाज्ञानजृंभितम् ।। संसारकुहरे भ्रांतं त्राहि मां कृपयाऽच्युत ।। ५५ ।। अनेकयोनियंत्रेषु निःसृतेस्तनुवेदनाम् ।। गर्भवासकृतां प्राप्तं त्राहि मां करुणांबुधे ।।५६।। कृमिभक्षितसर्वांगं क्षुत्पिपासाकुलं च हि ।। आंत्रमालाकुलेगर्भे त्राहि मां मधुसूदन ।। ५७।। अमेध्यादिभिरालिप्तं निश्चेष्टश्रममाकुलम्।। स्मरंतं निजकर्मोत्थं त्राहि मां मधुसूदन ।। ५८ ।। वचनादाननिःश्वासाशक्तं भयमुपागतम्।। गर्भवासमहादुःखं त्राहि मां मधुसूदन ।। ५९ ।। जरामरणबाल्यादिदुःखसंसारपीडितम् ।। दुःखाब्धौ सुखबुद्धिं मां कृपासिंधो प्रपालय ।। 2.3.3.६० ।। कदाचित्कृमितां प्राप्तं कदाचित्स्वेदजन्मिताम्।। कदाचिदुद्भिज्जत्वं च कदाचिन्नरतां गतम् ।।६१।। सर्वयोनिसमापन्नं विपन्नं विगतप्रभम्।। अनाथं त्वां समापन्नं त्राहि मां कृपयाऽच्युत।।६२।। एवं स्तुतस्ततः कृष्णो मार्कण्डेयेन धीमता ।। प्रीतस्तमाह विप्रर्षे वरं मे व्रियतामिति ।।६३।। ।। श्रीमार्कंडेय उवाच ।। ।। यदि तुष्टो भवान्मह्यं भगवन्दीनवत्सल ।। निश्चलां देहि मे भक्तिं पूजायां दर्शने तव ।। शिलायां तव सान्निध्यमेष एव वरो मम ।।।। ६४ ।। ।। सूत उवाच ।। ।। तथेत्युक्त्वा महाविष्णुर्ययावंतर्हितं द्विज ।। मार्कंडेयस्ततस्तुष्टो जगाम पितुराश्रमम् ।। ६५ ।। उपस्थानमिदं पुण्यं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् ।। शृणुयाच्छ्रावयेन्मर्त्यो गोविन्दे लभते गतिम् ।। ६६ ।। इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां द्वितीये वैष्णवखण्डे शिवकार्तिकेयसंवादे अग्नितीर्थनारदशिलामार्कण्डेयशिलामाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम तृतीयोऽध्यायः ।। ३ ।।
|| skanda uvāca || || bhagavansarvabhūteṣu sarvadharmaviśārada || agnitīrthasya māhātmyaṃ kṛpayā vada me pitaḥ || 1 || || śiva uvāca || || atiguhyatamaṃ tīrthaṃ sarvatīrthaniṣevitam || saṃkṣepātkathayāmyetattavādaravaśādaham|| 2 || mahāpātakino ye ca atipātakinastathā || snānamātreṇa śuddhyaṃti vināyāsena putraka || 3 || prāyaścittena yatpāpaṃ na gacchenmaraṇāṃtikam|| snānamātreṇa tīrthasya pāvakasya viśuddhyati || 4 || atyaṃtamalasaṃbaddhaṃ yathā śuddhyati hāṭakam || tathāgnitīrthamāsādya dehī pāpairviśuddhyati || 5 || kuśāgreṇodabiṃduṃ ca pītvā varṣatrayaṃ naraḥ || anyakṣetre tapaḥ kṛtvā tadatra snānamātrataḥ || 6 || brāhmaṇānbhojayitvāsminyathāvibhavasaṃbhavaiḥ || daridratā kule teṣāṃ na kadācitprajāyate ||7 || upavāsena yaḥ prāṇānvahnitīrthe tyajennaraḥ || sa bhittvā sūryalokādīnviṣṇulokaṃ prapadyate ||8|| cāṃdrāyaṇasahasraistu kṛcchraiḥ koṭibhireva ca || yatphalaṃ labhate martyastatsnānādvahnitīrthataḥ || 9 || paṃcadhā ye prakurvaṃti pāpamasminṣaḍānana || japena pavanāyāmairviśuddhiriti me matiḥ || 2.3.3.10 || jñānena mohavaśataḥ pāpaṃ kurvanti ye'dhamāḥ || paiśācīṃ yonimāyāmati yāvadiṃdrāścaturdaśa || 11 || anāśramī cāśramī vā yāvaddehasyadhāraṇam || na tīrthe pāvake kuryātpātakaṃ buddhipūrvakam || 12 || snānaṃ dānaṃ japo homaḥ saṃdhyā devārcanaṃ tathā || atrānaṃtaguṇaṃ proktamanyatīrthātṣaḍānana || 13 || bahūni saṃti tīrthāni pāvanāni mahāṃtyapi || vahnitīrthasamaṃ tīrthaṃ na bhūtaṃ na bhaviṣyati || 14 || na brahmā na śivaḥ śeṣo na devā na ca tāpasāḥ || śaknuvaṃti phalaṃ nālaṃ vaktuṃ pāvakatīrthajam ||15|| kiṃ teṣāṃ bahubhiryajñaiḥ kiṃ dānairniyamairyamaiḥ|| yeṣāṃ pāvakatīrthe'sminsnānaṃ daśadinaṃ bhavet || 16 || upavāsena yaḥ prāṇānvahnitīrthe jayennaraḥ || upavāsatrayaṃ kṛtvā pūjayitvā janārddanam|| naraḥ pāvakatīrthe'sminsa bhavetpāvakopamaḥ || 17 || śilāpaṃcakamadhyasthaṃ sānnidhyaṃ nityadā hareḥ || tatraiva pāvakaṃ tīrthaṃ sarvapāpapraṇāśanam ||18 || || skaṃda uvāca || || kathaṃ tatra śilāḥ paṃca kena vā tatra nirmitāḥ || kiṃ puṇyaṃ kiṃ phalaṃ tāsāṃ vaktumarhasyaśeṣataḥ || 19 || || śiva uvāca || || nāradī nārasiṃhī ca vārāhī gāruḍī tathā || mārkaṃḍeyīti vikhyātāḥ śilāḥ sarvārthasiddhidāḥ || 2.3.3.20 || nārado bhagavāṃstepe tapaḥ paramadāruṇam|| darśanārthaṃ mahāviṣṇoḥ śilāyāṃ vāyubhojanaḥ || 21 || ṣaṣṭivarṣasahasrāṇi śilāyāṃ vṛkṣavṛttimān|| tadāsau bhagavānviṣṇustatra brāhmaṇarūpadhṛk || 22 || jagāma puratastasya kṛpayā munisattamam || uvāca vacanaṃ cāru kimiti kliśyate hyṛṣe || kiṃ vā tavepsitaṃ brūhi tapasā kṣīṇakalmaṣa || 23 || || nārada uvāca || || ko bhavānvijane'raṇye mamānugrahatatparaḥ || manaḥ prasannatāmeti darśanātte dvijottama || 24 || ityukto nāradenāsau śaṃkhacakragadādharaḥ || pītāṃbaralasatpadmavanamālāvibhūṣaṇaḥ || 25 || śrīvatsakaustubhabhrājatkamalāvimalālayaḥ || sunaṃdanapramukhyaiḥ sa stūyamāno janārddanaḥ || 26 || darśayāmāsa rūpaṃ svaṃ nāradāya kṛpārditaḥ || taṃ dṛṣṭvā sahasotthāya tanuṃ prāṇa ivāgataḥ || 27 || kṛtāṃjalipuṭo bhūtvā namaskṛtya punaḥ punaḥ || tuṣṭāva praṇato bhūtvā jagatāmīśvareśvaram || 28 || || nārada uvāca || || yaḥ sarvasākṣī jagatāmadhīśvaro bhaktecchayā jātaśarīrasaṃpadaḥ || kṛpāmahāṃbhonidhirāśritānāṃ prasīdatāṃ pāvanadivyamūrtiḥ || 29 || hitāya lokasya satāṃ punarmanaḥ sutoṣaṇāyāciramutkalādibhiḥ || prasannalīlāhasitāvalokanaḥ prasīdatāṃ sattvanikāyamūrtimān || 2.3.3.30 || kaṃdarppalāvaṇyavilāsasuṃdaraḥ prasannagaṃbhīragireṃdirotsavaḥ || svamāśritānāṃ varakalpapādapaḥ prasīdatāṃ dīnadayārdramānasaḥ || 31 || yadaṃghripadmārcananirmalāṃtarā jñānāsinā śātitabaṃdhahetavaḥ || vidaṃti yadbrahmasukhaṃ gataklamāḥ prasīdatāṃ dīnadayārdramānasaḥ ||32|| saṃsāravārāṃnidhibaddhaseturyaḥ sṛṣṭipālāṃtavidhānahetuḥ || upāṃtanāmā guṇalabdhamūrtiḥ prasīdatāṃ brahmasukhānubhūtiḥ || 33 || ya iṃdriyādhiṣṭhitabhūtasūkṣmādvikāsaheturdyutimadvariṣṭhaḥ || jīvātmatāṃ gacchati māyayā svayā sa eka īśo bhagavānprasīdatām || 34 || svadṛgguṇairyena vilipyate mahānguṇāśrayaṃ yena ca pāñcabhautikam|| eko'pi nānāguṇasaṃprayuktaḥ prasīdatāṃ dīnadayāluvaryaḥ || 35 || yasyānuvartino devā vipadāṃ padamaṃbudhim || kṛtvā vatsapadaṃ svarge nirātaṃkā vasaṃti hi ||36|| namaste vāsudevāya namaḥ saṃkarṣaṇāya ca || pradyumnāyāniruddhāya sarvabhūtātmane namaḥ || 37 || adya me jīvitaṃ dhanyamadya me saphalaṃ tapaḥ || adya me saphalaṃ jñānaṃ darśanātte janārdana || 38 || || śrībhagavānuvāca || || tuṣṭo'haṃ tapasānena stotreṇa tava nārada || tvatto bhakto na me kaścittriṣu lokeṣu vidyate || 39 || varaṃ varaya bhadraṃ te varado'haṃ tavāgrataḥ || maddarśanātte kāmaḥ syātsaṃsiddho viddhi nārada|| 2.3.3.40 || || nārada uvāca || || varado yadi me deva varārho yadi vāpyaham || bhaktiṃ tava padāṃbhoje niścalāṃ dehi me vibho || 41 || pacchilāsannidhānaṃ ca na tyājyaṃ te kadācana || mattīrthadarśanātsparśātsnānādācamanāttathā || dehairna yujyate deyastatīyastu varo mama || 42 || || śrībhagavānuvāca|| || evamastu tava snehāttava tīrthe vasāmyaham || carācarāṇāṃ jaṃtūnāṃ videhāya na saṃśayaḥ || 43|| evamuktvā hariḥ sākṣāttatraivāṃtaradhīyata || nārado'pi mahātejā dināni katicitsaha || badarīmāvasanhṛṣṭo yayau madhupurīṃ tataḥ || 44 || || skaṃda uvāca || || mārkaṃḍeyaśilāyāstu mahimānaṃ vadasva me || kiṃ puṇyaṃ kiṃ phalaṃ tasyāḥ saṃjñā ca tādṛśī katham ||45|| ||śiva uvāca || || purā tretāyugasyāṃte mṛkaṃḍutanayo mahān || svalpāyuṣaṃ nijaṃ jñātvā jajāpa paramaṃ japam || 46 || dvādaśākṣaramaṃtreṇa pūjito hariravyayaḥ || saptakalpāyuṣaṃ jñātvā tatraivāṃtarato yayau || 47 || mārkaṃḍeyastataḥ śrutvā tīrthāṭanapariśramam || darśanaṃ nāradasyāsīnmathurāyāṃ ṣaḍānana || 48 || pūjito vaṃditastena nārado munisattamaḥ || kathayāmāsa māhātmyaṃ badaryā yatra keśavaḥ || 49 || || nārada uvāca || || kimiti kliśyate sādho tīrthāṭanapariśramaiḥ || badaryākhyaṃ mahākṣetraṃ sānnidhyaṃ nityadā hareḥ || 2.3.3.50 || tatra yāhi yatra sākṣāddhariṃ paśyasi cakṣuṣā || tacchrutvā vismayopeto viśālāmāyayāvṛṣiḥ || 51 || snātvā śilāmupaviśañjajāpāṣṭākṣaraṃ param || tataḥprasanno bhagavā~strirātryaṃte janārdanaḥ || 52 || śaṃkhacakragadāpadmavanamālāvibhūṣaṇam || taṃ dṛṣṭvā sahasotthāya premagadgadayā girā || tuṣṭāva praṇato bhūtvā mārkaṃḍeyo janārdanam || 53 || || mārkaṃḍeya uvāca || || aśāśvate ca saṃsāre sāre te caraṇāṃbuje || samuddhāraḥ kathaṃ nṛṇāṃ trāhi māṃ parameśvara ||54|| tāpatrayapariśrāṃtamanekājñānajṛṃbhitam || saṃsārakuhare bhrāṃtaṃ trāhi māṃ kṛpayā'cyuta || 55 || anekayoniyaṃtreṣu niḥsṛtestanuvedanām || garbhavāsakṛtāṃ prāptaṃ trāhi māṃ karuṇāṃbudhe ||56|| kṛmibhakṣitasarvāṃgaṃ kṣutpipāsākulaṃ ca hi || āṃtramālākulegarbhe trāhi māṃ madhusūdana || 57|| amedhyādibhirāliptaṃ niśceṣṭaśramamākulam|| smaraṃtaṃ nijakarmotthaṃ trāhi māṃ madhusūdana || 58 || vacanādānaniḥśvāsāśaktaṃ bhayamupāgatam|| garbhavāsamahāduḥkhaṃ trāhi māṃ madhusūdana || 59 || jarāmaraṇabālyādiduḥkhasaṃsārapīḍitam || duḥkhābdhau sukhabuddhiṃ māṃ kṛpāsiṃdho prapālaya || 2.3.3.60 || kadācitkṛmitāṃ prāptaṃ kadācitsvedajanmitām|| kadācidudbhijjatvaṃ ca kadācinnaratāṃ gatam ||61|| sarvayonisamāpannaṃ vipannaṃ vigataprabham|| anāthaṃ tvāṃ samāpannaṃ trāhi māṃ kṛpayā'cyuta||62|| evaṃ stutastataḥ kṛṣṇo mārkaṇḍeyena dhīmatā || prītastamāha viprarṣe varaṃ me vriyatāmiti ||63|| || śrīmārkaṃḍeya uvāca || || yadi tuṣṭo bhavānmahyaṃ bhagavandīnavatsala || niścalāṃ dehi me bhaktiṃ pūjāyāṃ darśane tava || śilāyāṃ tava sānnidhyameṣa eva varo mama |||| 64 || || sūta uvāca || || tathetyuktvā mahāviṣṇuryayāvaṃtarhitaṃ dvija || mārkaṃḍeyastatastuṣṭo jagāma piturāśramam || 65 || upasthānamidaṃ puṇyaṃ sarvapāpapraṇāśanam || śṛṇuyācchrāvayenmartyo govinde labhate gatim || 66 || iti śrīskāṃde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ dvitīye vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍe śivakārtikeyasaṃvāde agnitīrthanāradaśilāmārkaṇḍeyaśilāmāhātmyavarṇanaṃnāma tṛtīyo'dhyāyaḥ || 3 ||
English translation
Skanda said :
1. O Lord, O lord of all living beings, O expert in all holy rites, O father, kindly narrate to me the greatness of Agnitīrtha .
Śiva said :
2. This is an extremely secret Tīrtha , resorted to by all the (other) Tīrthas . Out of deference to you I shall relate it succinctly.
3. Those who have committed (the five) Mahāpātakas (great sins), those who have committed sins called Atipātakas , [1] O son, become pure without any exertion merely by bathing (in it).
4. A sin lasting till death, which cannot be dispelled even by expiatory rites, is destroyed merely by ablution in Vahnitīrtha.
5. Just as gold excessively contaminated by impurities becomes pure (in fire), so also by resorting to Agnitīrtha the embodied soul becomes rid of sins.
6. Merely by taking his bath here a man gets the merit which one gets in other holy spots by performing severe penance for three years and taking (nothing but) drops of water from the tip of a Kuśa blade.
7. If people feed Brāhmaṇas here in accordance with their affluence, there shall never be poverty in their families.
8. One who casts off his life in Agnitīrtha by observing fast, breaks through the worlds of the Sun etc. and reaches the world of Viṣṇu .
9. By taking his holy bath in Vahnitīrtha, a man obtains that merit which is acquired by thousands of Cāndrāyaṇas and crores of Kṛcchras . [2]
10. This is my opinion that people who have committed the five kinds of sins, O Six-faced One, will become pure by Japa as well as Prāṇāyāma here.
11. Those base men who knowingly commit sins out of delusion, are born in the wombs of vampires (and stay therein) as long as fourteen Indras (i.e. for a period of a Manvantara ).
12. Whether a person is Āśramī (one who follows the four orders or stages of life) or Anāśramī (non-Āśramī), he should not commit any sin knowingly in Vahnitīrtha as long as he is alive.
13. Holy bath, charitable gift, Japa, Homa , Sandhyā -prayers and worship of the Deities, O Six-faced One, all these performed here, have infinite number of times more merit than those in other Tīrthas.
14. There are many sacred and great Tīrthas. Bui there never was a Tīrtha equal to Vahnitīrtha, nor will there ever be any.
15. Neither Brahmā , nor Śiva , nor Śeṣa , neither Devas nor ascetics are competent enough to recount the merit originating from Vahnitīrtha. They cannot.
16. Of what avail are many Yajñas , charitable gifts, observances and restraints to them, if people can take holy bath in Vahnitīrtha for ten days?
17. One who casts off his life in Vahnitīrtha by observing fast, one who fasts for three (days) and worships Janārdana in Vahnitīrtha becomes comparable to Fire-god .
18. There is perpetual presence of Hari in the middle of the five rocks. It is there alone that Vahnitīrtha is destructive of all sins.
Skanda enquired :
19. How did the five rocks (come) there? By whom were they created there? What is the merit and what is the fruit of them. It behoves you to relate this entirely.
Śiva replied :
20. The five rocks are well-known as Nāradī , Nārasiṃhī , Vārāhī , Gāruḍī and Mārkaṇḍeyī. [3] They yield all Siddhis .
21-23. Nārada , the noble sage, performed a very severe penance for securing the vision of Mahāviṣṇu . He remained standing on a rock taking in air and sustaining himself with the products of trees for sixty thousand years. At that time, Lord Viṣṇu came there in the guise of a Brāhmaṇa . He appeared in front of him with great compassion and spoke these sweet words to the excellent sage: “O sage whose sins have been destroyed through penance, why are you undergoing this great strain? What is it that you wish (to have)? Tell me.”
Nārada said :
24. Who are you, O excellent Brāhmaṇa? In this forest devoid of people, you have come to me with a desire to bless me. My mind is delighted on seeing you.
25-28. On being spoken thus by Nārada, Lord Janārdana who held a conch, a discus and an iron club, who was adorned with garlands of lotus and sylvan flowers, shining along with yellow robes, who appeared splendid with Śrīvatsa scar and Kaustubha jewel, who was the pure abode of Kamalā ( Lakṣmī ) and who was eulogized (by sages) headed by Sanandana , revealed his own form to Nārada with great compassion. On seeing him who came like the vital air into the body, Nārada rose up immediately. With palms joined in reverence he bowed down again and again. In great humility, he eulogized the lord of the chiefs of all the worlds.
Nārada said :
29. May that Lord of sanctifying divine form be pleased, the Lord who is the witness unto all, who is the overlord of the worlds, who richly endows himself with bodies in accordance with the wishes of devotees and who is the ocean of mercifulness for those who resort to him.
30. May the Lord whose form is the abode of Sattvaguṇa be pleased, the Lord who glances with delightfully graceful smiles for the welfare of the world and for producing excessive delight in the minds of the good through (creating therein) eagerness and yearning etc.
31. May the Lord whose mind is moved with pity for the poor be pleased, the Lord who is handsome with the grace and charm of Kandarpa (god of Love), who makes Indirā (Lakṣmī) delighted with his pleasingly majestic words and who is the excellent Kalpa tree for those who resort to him.
32. People whose minds have become devoid of impurities by worshipping his lotus-like feet, cut off all the causes of bondage with the sword of knowledge. They realize the bliss of Brahman and become free from weariness. May that Lord whose mind is filled with pity for the wretched, be pleased.
33. May the Lord, the very experience of the bliss of Brahman, be pleased: the Lord who is the bridge built across the ocean of worldly existence, who is the cause of creation, sustenance and annihilation, who is called Upendra (‘brother of Indra ’) and who has acquired physical forms from Guṇas .
34. Let that one and only Lord and Master be pleased: the Lord who is the cause of development from subtle form of the elements stabilized in the sense-organs(?), who is the most excellent one among the refulgent ones and who assumes the state of individual soul by his own Māyā .
35. May the Lord who is most excellent among those who are merciful towards the wretched and the poor be pleased—the Lord by whom Mahaṭ is spread over (controlled) by his dṛg-guṇas (the qualities of his vision?), by whom the world consisting of five Bhūtas (elements) is made dependent on his guṇas. Though he is one (without a second), he is united with many qualities.
36. Devas are your followers. As such they convert the ocean of miseries into an insignificant pit dug by the hooves of calves and live in heaven without any fear.
37. Obeisance to you, to Vāsudeva . Obeisance to Saṅkarṣaṇa ; bow to Pradyumna , to Aniruddha , [4] to the Ātman of all living beings.
38. Today my life has become blessed; today my penance has become fruitful; today my knowledge has borne fruits, because of your sight, O Janārdana.
Śrī Bhagavān said :
39-40. I am delighted with this penance and eulogy of yours, O Nārada. Nowhere in the three worlds is there a devotee of mine greater than you. Welfare unto you. Choose your boon. I am the bestower of boons standing in front of you. Know this, O Nārada, that your desires will become realized on seeing me.
Nārada said :
41-42. O Lord, if you are (intend) to grant me boons, if I deserve a boon, O Lord, grant me unflinching devotion to your lotus-like feet.
Your presence in my rock should never be stopped by you. (Finally) this is the third boon to be given to me—No one should have union with physical bodies any further (i.e. everyone should be liberated from Saṃsāra ) if he sees or touches my Tīrtha, takes bath in it or drinks its water.
Śrī Bhagavān said :
43. Let it be so. Due to my love for you, I shall reside in your Tīrtha for the purpose of enabling all the creatures, both mobile and immobile, to get rid of their bodies for good. There is no doubt about it.
44. After saying thus Hari vanished there itself. Nārada of great splendour stayed at Badarī along with (the Lord) for a few days. Being delighted he went to Madhupurī ( Mathurā ) from there.
Skanda said :
45. Recount to me the greatness of the rock of Mārkaṇḍeya . What is its merit? What is the benefit therefrom? How did it come to have that designation?
Śiva said :
46. Formerly, at the end of Tretāyuga , the great son of Mṛkaṇḍu , knowing that he would be short-lived, repeated the greatest Japa (i.e. Mantra ).
47. Hari, the immutable one, was worshipped by means of the twelve-syllabled Mantra (viz. oṃ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya ). Realizing that his span of life was seven Kalpas (? i.e. granting him that span of life), Hari went away from there.
48-49. Mārkaṇḍeya heard about the wearisome nature of pilgrimage to Tīrthas. He saw Nārada at Mathurā, O Six-faced One. Nārada, the excellent sage, who was worshipped and saluted by him, told him about the greatness of Badarī where Keśava stayed.
Nārada said :
50. O excellent one, why do you trouble yourself by resorting to tiresome wanderings to various holy places. There is a great holy place named Badarī where Hari is perpetually present.
51. Go there. You will see Hari directly with your physical eyes.
On hearing it, the sage was struck with wonder. He came to Viśālā (Badarī).
52. After taking his holy bath, he sat on a rock and repeated the eight-syllabled Mantra, viz. oṃ narāyaṇāya namaḥ . Lord Janārdana was pleased within three days (and appeared before him).
53. On seeing him holding conch, discus, iron club and lotus and adorned with garlands of sylvan flowers, he got up immediately. Mārkaṇḍeya bowed down to Janārdana and eulogized him with words faltering due to devotion. He eulogized Janārdana.
Mārkaṇḍeya said :
54. In this unstable world your lotus-like feet alone are stable. (Otherwise) how can men be uplifted? Save me, O great Lord.
55. O Acyuta , mercifully save me; I am utterly weary and exhausted on account of the three-fold distress. There are many kinds of ignorance developing (within me). I am disoriented in this hole of the world.
56. O ocean of mercy, I have suffered great pain brought about by the stay in wombs and the egress from many wombs as if from mechanical contrivances.
57. In the womb full of clusters of entrails worms have eaten all parts of my body and I have been overcome and troubled due to hunger and thirst. Save me, O Slayer of Madhu .
58. I have been smeared with unclean filth etc. Due to weariness I have become inactive. I have been confounded. I am thinking of the fruits of my own Karmas . Save me, O Slayer of Madhu.
59. I have been unable to speak, to handle things and even to breathe. I have become frightened. I have experienced great miseries during the stay in wombs. Save me, O Slayer of Madhu.
60. I have been afflicted by the worldly existence full of miseries due to old age, death, infancy etc. I (foolishly) consider this ocean of misery as one of happiness. O ocean of compassion, protect me.
61-62. Sometimes I attained the state of worms. Sometimes I became an insect born of sweat. Sometimes I was a plant or (a germinating seed) and sometimes I was a man. Thus I have been through all sorts of wombs. I have undergone miseries. I have lost lustre. I have become helpless. Now I have resorted to you. O Acyuta, save me.
63. On being thus eulogized by the intelligent Mārkaṇḍeya, Kṛṣṇa became pleased. He said to him: “O Brahminical sage, let the boon be chosen from me.”
Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said .
64. If you are pleased with me, O Lord fond of the wretched and the poor, grant me steady devotion to you in worshipping and seeing you. Let there be your presence in the rock. This is to be my boon.
Sūta said .
65. Saying “so be it” Mahāviṣṇu vanished. O Brāhmaṇa, Thereupon, Mārkaṇḍeya who was pleased, went to his father’s hermitage.
66. This is a holy place which is destructive of all sins. The man who listens to or recites to others (its glory or this episode of Mārkaṇḍeya) will have access to Govinda (or his residence in Vaikuṇṭha ).
[1]: [1] : Atipātakas : Sins due to sexual intercourse with nearest relatives such as brothers and sisters, father and daughter.
[2]: [2] : Cāndrāyaṇa is a penance involving increase and decrease in the intake of morsels of food according to the increase and decrease in the digits of the moon (HD IV, 134-138). Kṛcchra is a general term for several penances (HD IV, 138-141).
[3]: [3] : These rocks are in the Bishenganga i.e. Alakanandā which flows near the temple of Badrīnāth. The Purāṇa writers are experts in creating mythical legends. This Purāṇa writer glorifies the rocks by associating legendary names like Nārada, Nṛsiṃha, Varāha, Garuḍa and Mārkaṇḍeya with these rocks.
[4]: [4] : The influence of Pāñcarātrism is evident by the mention of these four Vyūhas—Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa etc.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 22981, revision 71220 (2016-06-14T01:32:03Z). English is G. V. Tagare’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-skanda-purana/d/doc371635.html and the archival publication witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.