Veṅkaṭācala-māhātmya · Chapter 12
Source।। अथ स्वामिपुष्करिणी स्नानात्तामिस्रादिनरकनिस्तारः ।। ।। ऋषय ऊचुः ।। ।। सूत सर्वार्थतत्त्वज्ञ वेदवेदांगपारग ।। श्रीस्वामिपुष्करिण्याश्च वैभवं वद नः प्रभो ।। ।। १ ।। यस्याः स्मरणमात्रेण मुक्तः स्यान्मानवो भुवि ।। २ ।। ।। श्रीसूत उवाच ।। ।। स्वामितीर्थं प्रशंसन्ति स्नांति वा कथयंति ये ।। अष्टाविंशतिभेदांस्ते नरकान्नोपभुञ्जते ।। ३ ।। तामिस्रमन्धतामिस्रं महारौरवरौरवौ ।। कुम्भीपाकं कालसूत्रमसिपत्रवनं तथा ।। ४ ।। कृमिभक्षोऽन्धकूपश्च संदंशः शाल्मली तथा ।। लालाभक्षो ह्यवीचिश्च सारमेयादनं तथा ।। ५ ।। तथैव वज्रकणकः क्षारकर्दमपातनम् ।। रक्षोगणाशनं चापि शूलप्रोतनिरोधनम्।। ६ ।। तिरोधानाभिधं विप्रास्तथा सूचीमुखाभिधम् ।। पूयशोणितभक्षं च विषाग्निपरिपीडनम् ।। ७ ।। अष्टाविंशतिसंख्यातमेतन्नरकसंचयम्।। न याति मनुजो विप्राः स्वामितीर्थनिमज्जनात् ।। ८ ।। वित्तापत्यकलत्राणां योऽन्येषामपहारकः ।। स कालपाशबद्धोऽयं यमदूतैर्भयानकैः ।। ९ ।। तामिस्रे नरके घोरे पात्यते बहुवत्सरम् ।। स्नाति चेत्स्वामितीर्थे स तस्मिन्नासौ निपात्यते ।। 2.1.12.१० ।। मातरं पितरं विप्रान्यो द्वेष्टि पुरुषाधमः ।। स कालसूत्रनरके विस्तृतायुतयोजने ।। ११ ।। अधस्तादग्निसन्तप्ते उपर्यर्कमरीचिभिः ।। खले ताम्रमये विप्राः पात्यते क्षुधयार्दितः ।। १२ ।। स्नाति चेत्पुष्करिण्यां वै तस्मिन्नाऽसौ निपात्यते ।। यो वेदमार्गमुल्लंघ्य वर्तते कुपथे नरः ।। १३ ।। सोऽसिपत्रवने घोरे पात्यते यमकिंकरैः ।। स्नाति चेत्स्वामितीर्थे तु तस्मिन्नाऽसौ निपात्यते ।। १४ ।। योऽश्नाति पंक्तिभेदेन पक्वं सूपादिकं नरः ।। अकृत्वा पंचयज्ञान्वा भुंक्ते मोहेन स द्विजाः ।। १५ ।। पात्यतेऽयं यमभटैर्नरके कृमिभोजने ।। भक्ष्यमाणः कृमिशतैर्भक्षयन्कृमिसंचयान् ।। १६ ।। स्वयं च कृमिभूतः संस्तिष्ठेद्यावदघक्षयम् ।। स्नाति चेत्स्वामितीर्थे वै तस्मिन्नाऽसौ निपात्यते ।। १७ ।। यो हरेद्विप्रवित्तानि स्नेहेन बलतोऽपि वा ।। अन्येषामपि वित्तानि राजा तत्पुरुषोऽपि वा ।। १८ ।। अयोमयाग्निकुंडेषु संदंशैः सोऽपि पीडितः ।। संदंशे नरके घोरे पात्यते यमपूरुषैः ।। १९ ।। स्नाति चेत्स्वामितीर्थे तु तस्मिन्नासौ निपात्यते ।। अगम्यां योभिगच्छेत स्त्रियं वै पुरुषाधमः ।। 2.1.12.२० ।। अगम्यं पुरुषं योषिदभिगच्छेत वा द्विजाः ।। तावयोमयनारीं च पुरुषं चाप्ययोमयम् ।। २१ ।। तप्तावालिङ्ग्य तिष्ठन्तौ यावच्चन्द्रदिवाकरम् ।। सूच्याख्ये नरके घोरे पात्येते यमकिंकरैः ।। २२ ।। स्नाति चेत्स्वामितीर्थे च तस्मिन्नासौ निपाप्यते ।। बाधते सर्वजन्तून्यो नानोपायैरुपद्रवैः ।। २३ ।। शाल्मलीनरके घोरे पात्यते बहुकण्टके ।। स्नाति चेत्स्वामितीर्थे तु तस्मिन्नासौ निपात्यते ।। २४ ।। राजा वा राजभृत्यो वा यः पाषण्डमनुद्रुतः ।। भेदको धर्मसेतूनां वैतरण्यां निपात्यते ।। २५ ।। स्नाति चेत्स्वामितीर्थे तु तस्मिन्नासौ निपात्यते ।। वृषलीसङ्गदुष्टो वा शौचाद्याचारवर्जितः ।। २६ ।। त्यक्तलज्जस्त्यक्तवेदः पशुचर्यारतः सदा ।। स पूयविष्ठामूत्रासृक्छ्लेष्मपित्तादिपूरिते ।। २७ ।। अतिबीभत्सनरके पात्यते यमकिंकरैः ।। स्नाति चेत्स्वामितीर्थे तु तस्मिन्नासौ निपात्यते ।। २८ ।। यः श्वभिर्मृगयुर्वन्यान्बाणैर्वा बाधते मृगान् ।। स विध्यमानो बाणौघैः परत्र यमकिंकरैः ।। २९ ।। प्राणरोधाख्यनरके पात्यते यमकिंकरैः ।। स्नाति चेत्स्वामितीर्थे तु तस्मिन्नासौ निपात्यते।। 2.1.12.३० ।। दाम्भिको यः पशून्यज्ञे विध्यनुष्ठानवर्जितः ।। हन्त्यसौ परलोकेषु वैशसे नरके द्विजाः ।।३१।। कर्त्यमानो यमभटैः पात्यते यमकिंकरैः ।। स्नाति चेत्पुष्करिण्यां वै तस्मिन्नासौ निपात्यते ।।३२।। आत्मभार्यां सवर्णां यो रेतः पाययते यदि ।। परत्र रेतःपायी स रेतःकुण्डे निपात्यते ।। ३३ ।। स्नाति चेत्पुष्करिण्यां वै तस्मिन्नासौ निपात्यते ।। यो दस्युर्मार्गमाश्रित्य गरदो ग्रामदाहकः ।। ।। ३४ ।। वणिग्द्रव्यापहारी च स परत्र द्विजोत्तमाः ।। वज्रदंष्ट्राभिधे घोरे पात्यते नरके चिरम् ।। ३५ ।। स्नाति चेत्स्वामितीर्थे तु तस्मिन्नासौ निपात्यते ।। विद्यन्ते यानि चान्यानि नरकाणि परत्र वै ।। ३६ ।। तानि नाप्नोति मनुजः स्वामितीर्थनिमज्जनात् ।। पुष्करिण्यां सकृत्स्नानादश्वमेधफलं लभेत् ।। ३७ ।। आत्मविद्या भवेत्साक्षान्मुक्तिश्चापि चतुर्विधा ।। न पापे रमते बुद्धिर्न भवेदुःखमेव वा ।। ३८ ।। तुलापुरुषदानेन यत्फलं लभ्यते नरैः ।। तत्फलं लभ्यते पुम्भिः स्वामितीर्थनिमज्जनात् ।। ३९ ।। गोसहस्रप्रदानेन यत्पुण्यं हि भवेन्नृणाम् ।। तत्पुण्यं लभते मर्त्यः स्वामितीर्थनिमजनात् ।। 2.1.12.४० ।। धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां यं यमिच्छति पूरुषः ।। तं तं सद्यः समाप्नोति स्वामितीर्थनिमज्जनात् ।। ४१ ।। महापातकयुक्तो वा युक्तो वा सर्वपातकैः ।। सद्यः पूतो भवेद्विप्राः स्वामितीर्थनिमज्जनात् ।। ४२ ।। प्रज्ञा लक्ष्मीर्यशः संपज्ज्ञानं धर्मो विरक्तता ।। मनःशुद्धिर्भवेन्नृणां स्वामितीर्थनिषेवणात् ।। ४३ ।। ब्रह्महत्याऽयुतं चापि सुरापानायुतं तथा ।। अयुतं गुरुदाराणां गमनं पापकारिणाम् ।। ।। ४४ ।। स्तेयायुतं सुवर्णानां तत्संसर्गाश्च कोटिशः ।। शीघ्रं विलयमायान्ति स्वामितीर्थनिमज्जनात् ।। ४५ ।। ब्रह्महत्यासमानानि सुरापानसमानि च ।। गुरुस्त्रीगमनेनापि यानि तुल्यानि चास्तिकाः ।। ४६ ।। सुवर्णस्तेयतुल्यानि तत्संसर्गसमानि च ।। तानि सर्वाणि नश्यन्ति स्वामितीर्थनिमज्जनात् ।। ४७ ।। ।। अथ स्वामितीर्थमहिमाश्रद्धालूनां महानरकप्राप्तिः ।। ।। उक्तेष्वेतेषु सन्देहो न कर्त्तव्यः कदाचन ।। जिह्वाग्रे परशुं तप्तं प्रक्षिपंति च किंकराः ।। ४८ ।। अर्थवादमिमं सर्वं ब्रुवन्वै नरकं व्रजेत् ।। सूकरः स हि विज्ञेयः सर्वकर्मबहिष्कृतः ।। ४९ ।। अहो मौर्ख्यमहो मौर्ख्यमहो मौर्ख्यं द्विजोत्तमाः ।। स्वामितीर्थाभिधे तीर्थे सर्वपातकनाशने ।। 2.1.12.५० ।। अद्वैतज्ञानदे पुंसां भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायिनि ।। इष्टकामप्रदे नित्यं तथैवाज्ञाननाशने ।। ५१ ।। स्थितेऽपि तद्विहायायं रमतेन्यत्र वै जनः ।। अहो मोहस्य माहात्म्यं मया वक्तुं न शक्यते ।। ५२ ।। स्नातस्य स्वामितीर्थे तु नान्तकाद्भयमस्ति वै ।। स्वामितीर्थं च पश्यंति तत्र स्नांति च ये नराः ।। ५३ ।। स्तुवन्ति च प्रशंसंति स्पृशंति च नमन्ति च ।। न पिबन्ति हि ते स्तन्यं मातॄणां द्विजपुंगवाः ।। ५४ ।। एवं वः कथितं विप्राः स्वामितीर्थस्य वैभवम् ।। भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं नृणां सर्वपापनिबर्हणम् ।।५५।। इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां द्वितीये वैष्णवखण्डे श्रीवेंकटाचलमाहात्म्ये श्री स्वामिपुष्करिणीतीर्थमहिमानुवर्णनं नाम द्वादशोऽध्यायः ।। १२ ।।
|| atha svāmipuṣkariṇī snānāttāmisrādinarakanistāraḥ || || ṛṣaya ūcuḥ || || sūta sarvārthatattvajña vedavedāṃgapāraga || śrīsvāmipuṣkariṇyāśca vaibhavaṃ vada naḥ prabho || || 1 || yasyāḥ smaraṇamātreṇa muktaḥ syānmānavo bhuvi || 2 || || śrīsūta uvāca || || svāmitīrthaṃ praśaṃsanti snāṃti vā kathayaṃti ye || aṣṭāviṃśatibhedāṃste narakānnopabhuñjate || 3 || tāmisramandhatāmisraṃ mahārauravarauravau || kumbhīpākaṃ kālasūtramasipatravanaṃ tathā || 4 || kṛmibhakṣo'ndhakūpaśca saṃdaṃśaḥ śālmalī tathā || lālābhakṣo hyavīciśca sārameyādanaṃ tathā || 5 || tathaiva vajrakaṇakaḥ kṣārakardamapātanam || rakṣogaṇāśanaṃ cāpi śūlaprotanirodhanam|| 6 || tirodhānābhidhaṃ viprāstathā sūcīmukhābhidham || pūyaśoṇitabhakṣaṃ ca viṣāgniparipīḍanam || 7 || aṣṭāviṃśatisaṃkhyātametannarakasaṃcayam|| na yāti manujo viprāḥ svāmitīrthanimajjanāt || 8 || vittāpatyakalatrāṇāṃ yo'nyeṣāmapahārakaḥ || sa kālapāśabaddho'yaṃ yamadūtairbhayānakaiḥ || 9 || tāmisre narake ghore pātyate bahuvatsaram || snāti cetsvāmitīrthe sa tasminnāsau nipātyate || 2.1.12.10 || mātaraṃ pitaraṃ viprānyo dveṣṭi puruṣādhamaḥ || sa kālasūtranarake vistṛtāyutayojane || 11 || adhastādagnisantapte uparyarkamarīcibhiḥ || khale tāmramaye viprāḥ pātyate kṣudhayārditaḥ || 12 || snāti cetpuṣkariṇyāṃ vai tasminnā'sau nipātyate || yo vedamārgamullaṃghya vartate kupathe naraḥ || 13 || so'sipatravane ghore pātyate yamakiṃkaraiḥ || snāti cetsvāmitīrthe tu tasminnā'sau nipātyate || 14 || yo'śnāti paṃktibhedena pakvaṃ sūpādikaṃ naraḥ || akṛtvā paṃcayajñānvā bhuṃkte mohena sa dvijāḥ || 15 || pātyate'yaṃ yamabhaṭairnarake kṛmibhojane || bhakṣyamāṇaḥ kṛmiśatairbhakṣayankṛmisaṃcayān || 16 || svayaṃ ca kṛmibhūtaḥ saṃstiṣṭhedyāvadaghakṣayam || snāti cetsvāmitīrthe vai tasminnā'sau nipātyate || 17 || yo haredvipravittāni snehena balato'pi vā || anyeṣāmapi vittāni rājā tatpuruṣo'pi vā || 18 || ayomayāgnikuṃḍeṣu saṃdaṃśaiḥ so'pi pīḍitaḥ || saṃdaṃśe narake ghore pātyate yamapūruṣaiḥ || 19 || snāti cetsvāmitīrthe tu tasminnāsau nipātyate || agamyāṃ yobhigaccheta striyaṃ vai puruṣādhamaḥ || 2.1.12.20 || agamyaṃ puruṣaṃ yoṣidabhigaccheta vā dvijāḥ || tāvayomayanārīṃ ca puruṣaṃ cāpyayomayam || 21 || taptāvāliṅgya tiṣṭhantau yāvaccandradivākaram || sūcyākhye narake ghore pātyete yamakiṃkaraiḥ || 22 || snāti cetsvāmitīrthe ca tasminnāsau nipāpyate || bādhate sarvajantūnyo nānopāyairupadravaiḥ || 23 || śālmalīnarake ghore pātyate bahukaṇṭake || snāti cetsvāmitīrthe tu tasminnāsau nipātyate || 24 || rājā vā rājabhṛtyo vā yaḥ pāṣaṇḍamanudrutaḥ || bhedako dharmasetūnāṃ vaitaraṇyāṃ nipātyate || 25 || snāti cetsvāmitīrthe tu tasminnāsau nipātyate || vṛṣalīsaṅgaduṣṭo vā śaucādyācāravarjitaḥ || 26 || tyaktalajjastyaktavedaḥ paśucaryārataḥ sadā || sa pūyaviṣṭhāmūtrāsṛkchleṣmapittādipūrite || 27 || atibībhatsanarake pātyate yamakiṃkaraiḥ || snāti cetsvāmitīrthe tu tasminnāsau nipātyate || 28 || yaḥ śvabhirmṛgayurvanyānbāṇairvā bādhate mṛgān || sa vidhyamāno bāṇaughaiḥ paratra yamakiṃkaraiḥ || 29 || prāṇarodhākhyanarake pātyate yamakiṃkaraiḥ || snāti cetsvāmitīrthe tu tasminnāsau nipātyate|| 2.1.12.30 || dāmbhiko yaḥ paśūnyajñe vidhyanuṣṭhānavarjitaḥ || hantyasau paralokeṣu vaiśase narake dvijāḥ ||31|| kartyamāno yamabhaṭaiḥ pātyate yamakiṃkaraiḥ || snāti cetpuṣkariṇyāṃ vai tasminnāsau nipātyate ||32|| ātmabhāryāṃ savarṇāṃ yo retaḥ pāyayate yadi || paratra retaḥpāyī sa retaḥkuṇḍe nipātyate || 33 || snāti cetpuṣkariṇyāṃ vai tasminnāsau nipātyate || yo dasyurmārgamāśritya garado grāmadāhakaḥ || || 34 || vaṇigdravyāpahārī ca sa paratra dvijottamāḥ || vajradaṃṣṭrābhidhe ghore pātyate narake ciram || 35 || snāti cetsvāmitīrthe tu tasminnāsau nipātyate || vidyante yāni cānyāni narakāṇi paratra vai || 36 || tāni nāpnoti manujaḥ svāmitīrthanimajjanāt || puṣkariṇyāṃ sakṛtsnānādaśvamedhaphalaṃ labhet || 37 || ātmavidyā bhavetsākṣānmuktiścāpi caturvidhā || na pāpe ramate buddhirna bhaveduḥkhameva vā || 38 || tulāpuruṣadānena yatphalaṃ labhyate naraiḥ || tatphalaṃ labhyate pumbhiḥ svāmitīrthanimajjanāt || 39 || gosahasrapradānena yatpuṇyaṃ hi bhavennṛṇām || tatpuṇyaṃ labhate martyaḥ svāmitīrthanimajanāt || 2.1.12.40 || dharmārthakāmamokṣāṇāṃ yaṃ yamicchati pūruṣaḥ || taṃ taṃ sadyaḥ samāpnoti svāmitīrthanimajjanāt || 41 || mahāpātakayukto vā yukto vā sarvapātakaiḥ || sadyaḥ pūto bhavedviprāḥ svāmitīrthanimajjanāt || 42 || prajñā lakṣmīryaśaḥ saṃpajjñānaṃ dharmo viraktatā || manaḥśuddhirbhavennṛṇāṃ svāmitīrthaniṣevaṇāt || 43 || brahmahatyā'yutaṃ cāpi surāpānāyutaṃ tathā || ayutaṃ gurudārāṇāṃ gamanaṃ pāpakāriṇām || || 44 || steyāyutaṃ suvarṇānāṃ tatsaṃsargāśca koṭiśaḥ || śīghraṃ vilayamāyānti svāmitīrthanimajjanāt || 45 || brahmahatyāsamānāni surāpānasamāni ca || gurustrīgamanenāpi yāni tulyāni cāstikāḥ || 46 || suvarṇasteyatulyāni tatsaṃsargasamāni ca || tāni sarvāṇi naśyanti svāmitīrthanimajjanāt || 47 || || atha svāmitīrthamahimāśraddhālūnāṃ mahānarakaprāptiḥ || || ukteṣveteṣu sandeho na karttavyaḥ kadācana || jihvāgre paraśuṃ taptaṃ prakṣipaṃti ca kiṃkarāḥ || 48 || arthavādamimaṃ sarvaṃ bruvanvai narakaṃ vrajet || sūkaraḥ sa hi vijñeyaḥ sarvakarmabahiṣkṛtaḥ || 49 || aho maurkhyamaho maurkhyamaho maurkhyaṃ dvijottamāḥ || svāmitīrthābhidhe tīrthe sarvapātakanāśane || 2.1.12.50 || advaitajñānade puṃsāṃ bhuktimuktipradāyini || iṣṭakāmaprade nityaṃ tathaivājñānanāśane || 51 || sthite'pi tadvihāyāyaṃ ramatenyatra vai janaḥ || aho mohasya māhātmyaṃ mayā vaktuṃ na śakyate || 52 || snātasya svāmitīrthe tu nāntakādbhayamasti vai || svāmitīrthaṃ ca paśyaṃti tatra snāṃti ca ye narāḥ || 53 || stuvanti ca praśaṃsaṃti spṛśaṃti ca namanti ca || na pibanti hi te stanyaṃ mātṝṇāṃ dvijapuṃgavāḥ || 54 || evaṃ vaḥ kathitaṃ viprāḥ svāmitīrthasya vaibhavam || bhuktimuktipradaṃ nṛṇāṃ sarvapāpanibarhaṇam ||55|| iti śrīskāṃde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ dvitīye vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍe śrīveṃkaṭācalamāhātmye śrī svāmipuṣkariṇītīrthamahimānuvarṇanaṃ nāma dvādaśo'dhyāyaḥ || 12 ||
English translation
[ Redemption from Tāmisra and other Hells Through Holy Bath in Svāmipuṣkariṇī ]:—
The sages said :
1-2. O Sūta conversant with the essence of all things, O master of Vedas and Vedāṅgas , O holy lord, describe to us the greatness of Śrī Svāmipuṣkariṇī, merely by remembering which a man on the earth shall become liberated.
Śrī Sūta said :
3-8. Those who praise, those who take their holy bath in and those who speak about Svāmitīrtha never experience the tortures of the hells of twenty-eight types, [1] viz. Tāmisra, Andhatāmisra , Raurava , Mahāraurava , Kuṃbhīpāka, Kālasūtra , Asipatravana , Kṛmibhakṣa , Andhakūpa , Sandaṃśa , Śālmalī , Lālābhakṣa , Avīci , Sārameyādana, Vajrakaṇaka, Kṣārakardamapātana, Rakṣogaṇāśana, Śūlaprotanirodhana, Tirodhāna, Sūcīmukha , Pūyaśoṇitabhakṣa, Viṣāgniparipīḍana etc. (a few missing). O Brāhmaṇas , by taking holy dip in Svāmitīrtha a man does not fall into any of the hells numbering twenty-eight.
9-10. If anyone steals wealth, children or wives of others, he is bound with Kālapāśa (Noose of the god of Death) by the terrible messengers of Yama and he is dropped into the terrible hell Tāmisra. He is kept there for a number of years. If the person takes his holy bath in Svāmitīrtha, he is not thrown into that (hell).
11-13a. A base man who is antagonistic to his mother, father or Brāhmaṇas is thrown into the hell Kālasūtra which extends over ten thousand Yojanas . He is cast into a copper-threshing mill which is heated by fire from below and by the Sun’s rays from above while the victim is afflicted with hunger. If he takes his holy bath in Puṣkariṇī , he is not thrown into that (hell).
13b-14. A man who transgresses the path laid down in the Vedas and clings to evil ways is thrown into the terrible hell Asipatravana by the servants of Yama. If he takes his bath in Svāmitīrtha, he is not cast into that (hell).
15-17. A man who (exclusively) eats sauce of ground peas etc. in a different row, a man who, due to delusion, takes food without performing the five Yajñas , O Brāhmaṇas, is thrown into the hell Kṛmibhojana by the soldiers of Yama. He will be eaten by hundreds of worms. He will be compelled to eat the worms. He himself will be turned into a worm and will stay there till the sins are exhausted. If he takes his holy bath in Svāmitīrtha, he is not thrown into that (hell).
18-20a. If any person takes away the wealth of a Brāhmaṇa with (showy) friendliness or through force, if a king or his officer takes away the wealth of others (illegally), be is tortured by means of tongs heated in fire pits full of red hot iron balls in the terrible shell Sandaṃśa by Yama’s men. If he takes his holy bath in Svāmitīrtha, he is not thrown into that (hell).
20b-23a. If a base man carnally approaches a forbidden woman or if a woman carnally approaches a forbidden man, O Brāhmaṇa, they are compelled to embrace red hot iron (dummy of a) woman or man as the case may be. They will stand like this as long as the moon and the sun last. They are thrown into the terrible hell named Sūcī by the servants of Yama. If he or she takes the holy bath in Svāmitīrtha, they are not thrown into that (hell).
23b-24. A person who harasses or torments any creature in diverse ways and modes of affliction, is thrown into the terrible hell Śālmalī full of thorns. If he takes his holy bath in Svāmitīrtha, he is not thrown into that (hell).
25-26a. If a king or his servant closely follows a heretic, if anyone breaks the boundaries of piety and virtue, be is thrown into Vaitaraṇī . If he takes his holy bath in Svāmitīrtha, he is not thrown into that (hell).
26b-28. A person defiled by the contact of a Śūdra woman, a person devoid of cleanliness and good conduct, a person bereft of shame, a person who has abandoned (i.e. flouted the authority of) the Vedas, a person of perpetual brutish activities is thrown into Atibībhatsa (‘extremely hideous’) hell filled with putrid matter, faeces, urine, blood, phlegm, bile etc. by the servants of Yama. If he takes his holy bath in Svāmitīrtha, he is not thrown into that (hell).
29-30. If a person going on a hunt torments deer and wild animals through hounds and arrows, he will be pierced through by volleys of arrows in the other world by the servants of Yama. He is thrown into the hell named Prāṇarodha by the servants of Yama. If he takes his holy bath in Svāmitīrtha he is not thrown into that (hell).
31-32. If a hypocrite kills animals in a Yajña without the rites performed in accordance with the injunctions, O Brāhmaṇas, he is cast into the hell Vaiśasa in the other world by the servants of Yama. He is cut, shorn and chipped by the soldiers of Yama. If he takes bath in Puṣkariṇī, he is not thrown into that (hell).
33-34a. If a person compels his own wife of the same caste to drink semen virile, in the other world he is thrown into a pit of semen virile and compelled to drink it. If he takes his holy bath in Puṣkariṇī, he is not thrown into that (hell).
34b-36a. If a person waylays men and robs them, if a person administers poison, if a person burns down a whole village, or if a person steals the merchandise of a trader, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, in the other world he is thrown into the terrible hell named Vajradaṃṣṭra and kept there for a long time. If he takes his holy bath in Svāmitīrtha, he is not thrown into that (hell).
36b-37. There are many other hells in the other world, but by taking a bath into Svāmitīrtha a man does not fall into them.
By taking bath once in Puṣkariṇī one derives the benefit of a horse-sacrifice.
38. (By him) knowledge of the soul shall be attained directly as well as the four types of salvation. (His) intellect does not revel in sin nor shall there be any misery.
39. The benefit that is obtained by men through Tulāpuruṣadāna (i.e. making a gift of some stipulated articles weighed against the donor) is obtained by persons by taking holy plunge in Svāmitīrtha.
40. The benefit that is obtained by men by means of a gift of a thousand cows is obtained by men by taking holy bath in Svāmitīrtha.
41. By taking a holy dip in Svāmitīrtha a person immediately attains whatever he desires among (the objectives in life such as) virtue, wealth, pleasure and salvation.
42. Whether one has committed great sins or even has committed all sins, O Brāhmaṇas, one becomes purified immediately by taking bath in Svāmitīrtha.
43. By taking holy bath in Svāmitīrtha men shall obtain intellect, fortune, fame, wealth, knowledge, virtue, detachment and purity of mind.
44-45. Ten thousand sins of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter, ten thousand sins of imbibing liquor, ten thousand sins of carnally approaching the preceptor’s wife committed by habitual sinners, ten thousand sins of theft of gold and crores of the sins of associating with these sinners—all these are quickly dissolved by taking holy plunge in Svāmitīrtha.
46-47. All the sins on a par with the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter, the sin of drinking liquor, the sin of carnally approaching the wife of the preceptor, the sin of stealing gold and the sin of associating with these sinners—O believers in Veda , all these perish by taking holy bath in Svāmitīrtha.
[ If Persons have no Faith in the Greatness of Svāmitīrtha, They will Fall into Great Hells ]:—
48-49. No doubt should be entertained in the matter mentioned above. Otherwise the servants (of Yama) will place heated axe at the tip of his tongue. If anyone says that this is exaggerated praise, he shall fall into a hell. He should be known as a pig excluded from all holy rites.
50-52. Alas, the folly, alas, the silliness, the stupidity of (ordinary) people, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, who try to revel in other places and avoid this holy spot even while there is the Tīrtha named Svāmitīrtha which is destructive of all sins, which bestows the knowledge of non-duality on men, which yields worldly pleasures and salvation, which grants all desired objects always and is destructive of ignorance! Alas, the extent of (their) delusion which cannot be adequately expressed by me!
53-54. One who has taken his bath in Svāmitīrtha need not be afraid of the god of Death. Those men who visit Svāmitīrtha and take bath therein, eulogize it, praise it, touch it or bow down to it, do not drink the breast-milk of mothers (again) (i.e. get Mokṣa ), O Brāhmaṇas.
55. Thus, O Brāhmaṇas, the greatness of Svāmitīrtha has been narrated to you. It yields worldly pleasures and salvation to men. It dispels all sins.
[1]: [1] : The different types of hells, the tortures therein and sins for which they are meant are detailed in different Purāṇas like MkP, PdP and others. They differ in some details from this chapter. These deterrent punishments are proclaimed in order to dissuade people from committing immoral acts.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 13871, revision 71012 (2016-06-09T20:31:28Z). English is G. V. Tagare’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-skanda-purana/d/doc370691.html and the archival publication witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.