Skanda Purana — Reva Khanda — Chapter 55
SkP-RK 55.1
युधिष्ठिर उवाच: धेनुः कतिविधा प्रोक्ता कस्मिन् काले च दीयते । सर्वोपस्करसंयुक्ता त्वत्त इच्छामि वेदितुम्
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: dhenuḥ katividhā proktā kasmin kāle ca dīyate / sarvopaskarasaṃyuktā tvatta icchāmi veditum
Yudhiṣṭhira said: Of how many kinds is the milk-cow said to be, and at what time is it given, furnished with all its accessories? I wish to learn this from you.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.2
मार्कण्डेय उवाच: शृणु राजन् महाबाहो कथ्यमानं निबोध मे । कथयामि तवाख्यानम् आदिकल्पे कृते युगे
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca: śṛṇu rājan mahābāho kathyamānaṃ nibodha me / kathayāmi tavākhyānam ādikalpe kṛte yuge
Mārkaṇḍeya said: Listen, O king of mighty arms, attend to what is being told by me; I shall relate to you the tale, (set) in the first eon, in the Kṛta age.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.3
चक्रवर्ती शशाङ्को ऽभूत् सर्वधर्मभृतां वरः । न च वर्णयितुं शक्यः सत्यधर्मव्रते स्थितः
cakravartī śaśāṅko 'bhūt sarvadharmabhṛtāṃ varaḥ / na ca varṇayituṃ śakyaḥ satyadharmavrate sthitaḥ
There was a universal emperor, Śaśāṅka, the best of all upholders of dharma; he could not (even) be described, so firm was he in the vow of truth and dharma.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.4
बुभुजे स महीमेतामेकच्छत्रां समाहितः । नवखण्डां सप्तद्वीपा यथा शक्रो ऽमरावतीम्
bubhuje sa mahīmetāmekacchatrāṃ samāhitaḥ / navakhaṇḍāṃ saptadvīpā yathā śakro 'marāvatīm
Composed in mind, he enjoyed this earth of nine regions and seven continents under a single umbrella, as Śakra (enjoys) Amarāvatī.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.5
हरिश्चन्द्रस्य तस्यापि संवादश् चक्रवर्तिनः । हरिश्चन्द्रः कुरुक्षेत्रे गवाम् अयुतम् उत्तमम्
hariścandrasya tasyāpi saṃvādaś cakravartinaḥ / hariścandraḥ kurukṣetre gavām ayutam uttamam
There is an account of that emperor Hariścandra too: Hariścandra, at Kurukṣetra, (gave) ten thousand excellent cows,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.6
हेमभारमलङ्कारसर्वरत्नविभूषितम् । ब्रह्मर्षिर् मुद्गलो नाम स्वयं ब्रह्म प्रतिष्ठितः
hemabhāramalaṅkārasarvaratnavibhūṣitam / brahmarṣir mudgalo nāma svayaṃ brahma pratiṣṭhitaḥ
(each) adorned with a load of gold and with ornaments and all manner of jewels — (to) the brahmin-sage named Mudgala, himself established in brahman,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
SkP-RK 55.7
मुद्गलाश् च द्विजाः सर्वे सत्यधर्मपरायणाः । शतमष्टोत्तरं साग्रं ब्राह्मणा ब्रह्मवादिनः
mudgalāś ca dvijāḥ sarve satyadharmaparāyaṇāḥ / śatamaṣṭottaraṃ sāgraṃ brāhmaṇā brahmavādinaḥ
and all the Mudgala twice-born, devoted to truth and dharma, brahmins who expound brahman, a full hundred and eight (of them).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.8
हरिश्चन्द्रो ददौ तेभ्यो राहुसूर्यसमागमे । द्विजान् सम्पूज्य विधिच्छ्रद्धया परया युतः
hariścandro dadau tebhyo rāhusūryasamāgame / dvijān sampūjya vidhicchraddhayā parayā yutaḥ
Hariścandra gave (these) to them at the conjunction of Rāhu and the sun, having honoured the twice-born according to rule, filled with the highest faith,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.9
अर्चयित्वा महेशानं स्थानं परमसिद्धिदम् । चक्रपाणिं हृषीकेशं मुदा परमया युतः
arcayitvā maheśānaṃ sthānaṃ paramasiddhidam / cakrapāṇiṃ hṛṣīkeśaṃ mudā paramayā yutaḥ
having worshipped Maheśāna, the abode that grants the highest attainment, (and) Hṛṣīkeśa the discus-bearer, filled with the greatest joy.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.10
सरस्वत्यां नृपश्रेष्ठ तिलदर्भान्वितस्य तु । दानस्यास्य प्रभावेण लोकास्तेनाखिला जिताः
sarasvatyāṃ nṛpaśreṣṭha tiladarbhānvitasya tu / dānasyāsya prabhāveṇa lokāstenākhilā jitāḥ
On the Sarasvatī, O best of kings, by the power of this gift, given together with sesame and darbha grass, all the worlds were won by him.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.11
अन्तरिक्षे पुरी प्राप्ता सर्वलोकमनोहरा । हरिश्चन्द्रपुरी ख्याता सा ऽस्मिल् लोके चराचरे
antarikṣe purī prāptā sarvalokamanoharā / hariścandrapurī khyātā sā 'smil loke carācare
A city was obtained in the sky, delighting all the worlds; it is known as Hariścandra's city in this world of moving and unmoving things.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.12
सत्यदानसर्वत्यागैर् इत्यादिभिर् अलंकृतः । हरिश्चन्द्रसमो राजा न भूतो न भविष्यति
satyadānasarvatyāgair ityādibhir alaṃkṛtaḥ / hariścandrasamo rājā na bhūto na bhaviṣyati
Adorned with truth, giving, complete renunciation and the like, a king equal to Hariścandra has not been and will not be.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.13
एवं गाथा पुरा गीता शक्राद्यैः सुरसत्तमैः । शशाङ्को ऽप्यकरोत् सर्वं नर्मदातीरमाश्रितः
evaṃ gāthā purā gītā śakrādyaiḥ surasattamaiḥ / śaśāṅko 'pyakarot sarvaṃ narmadātīramāśritaḥ
Thus was this verse sung of old by Śakra and the other foremost gods. Śaśāṅka too did all of it, resorting to the bank of the Narmadā:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.14
दानं यज्ञ तपः सत्यं पर्वते ऽमरकण्टके । ददौ चार्धप्रसूतां ब्राह्मणाय महात्मने
dānaṃ yajña tapaḥ satyaṃ parvate 'marakaṇṭake / dadau cārdhaprasūtāṃ brāhmaṇāya mahātmane
giving, sacrifice, austerity, truth, on the mountain Amarakaṇṭaka; and he gave a half-calved cow to a great-souled brahmin.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.15
दानस्यास्य प्रभावेण हरिश्चन्द्राधिको ऽभवत् । अनेकभाविकं पापं दग्ध्वा तूलौघवच्छिखी
dānasyāsya prabhāveṇa hariścandrādhiko 'bhavat / anekabhāvikaṃ pāpaṃ dagdhvā tūlaughavacchikhī
By the power of this gift he became greater than Hariścandra, having burnt up the sin of many existences as fire burns a mass of cotton.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.16
यावद् वत्सस्य पादौ द्वौ मुखं योनौ प्रदृश्यते । तावद् गौः पृथिवी ज्ञेया सशैलवनकानना
yāvad vatsasya pādau dvau mukhaṃ yonau pradṛśyate / tāvad gauḥ pṛthivī jñeyā saśailavanakānanā
As long as the calf's two feet and its mouth are seen in the womb, so long the cow is to be known as the earth with its mountains, woods and forests.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.17
स्वर्णशृङ्गी रौप्यखुरी सवत्सा कांस्यदोहना । नर्मदास्नानयुक्ता तु सकुशा तिलसंयुता
svarṇaśṛṅgī raupyakhurī savatsā kāṃsyadohanā / narmadāsnānayuktā tu sakuśā tilasaṃyutā
Gold-horned, silver-hoofed, with a calf, with a bronze milk-pail, joined with a bath in the Narmadā, with kuśa grass and with sesame —
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.18
ॐकारामरयोर् मध्ये कोटितीर्थे नराधिपः । एताः सहस्रसख्याता ब्राह्मणेभ्यो न्यवेदयत्
oṃkārāmarayor madhye koṭitīrthe narādhipaḥ / etāḥ sahasrasakhyātā brāhmaṇebhyo nyavedayat
between Oṃkāra and Amareśvara, at Koṭitīrtha, the king presented these, a thousand in number, to the brahmins.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.19
एतस्मिन्न् अन्तरे नेदुर्देवदुन्दुभयो दिवि । तत्क्षणाद् यानम् आरूढो ज्वलन् मणिगणैर् इव
etasminn antare nedurdevadundubhayo divi / tatkṣaṇād yānam ārūḍho jvalan maṇigaṇair iva
At that moment the gods' drums resounded in the sky; that instant he was mounted on a chariot, blazing as it were with masses of gems,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.20
स्तूयमानः समीपस्थैर् असंख्यातैर् विमानिभिः । धृतस्वर्णातपत्रस् तु वीज्यमानस् तु चामरैः
stūyamānaḥ samīpasthair asaṃkhyātair vimānibhiḥ / dhṛtasvarṇātapatras tu vījyamānas tu cāmaraiḥ
praised by countless beings in celestial cars standing near, a golden parasol held over him, fanned with yak-tail whisks.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.21
योजनानां सहस्रेण हरिश्चन्द्रो ऽप्य् अधः स्थितः । तद् दृष्ट्वा तादृशं कर्म शशाङ्कस्य विशाम्पतेः
yojanānāṃ sahasreṇa hariścandro 'py adhaḥ sthitaḥ / tad dṛṣṭvā tādṛśaṃ karma śaśāṅkasya viśāmpateḥ
Hariścandra stood a thousand yojanas below. Seeing that such a deed of Śaśāṅka, the lord of the people,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.22
स विनिन्द्य कुरुक्षेत्रं विस्मयाविष्टचेतनः । महानद्यां शशाङ्केन राहुसोमसमागमे
sa vinindya kurukṣetraṃ vismayāviṣṭacetanaḥ / mahānadyāṃ śaśāṅkena rāhusomasamāgame
he, his mind seized with amazement, condemned Kurukṣetra: "The gift given by Śaśāṅka on the great river at the conjunction of Rāhu and the moon
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.23
दत्तं दानं न सामान्यं भवेद् इति समासतः । विषण्णवदनो भूत्वा हरिश्चन्द्रो नृपोत्तमः
dattaṃ dānaṃ na sāmānyaṃ bhaved iti samāsataḥ / viṣaṇṇavadano bhūtvā hariścandro nṛpottamaḥ
cannot be an ordinary gift" — thus, in short. Becoming downcast of face, Hariścandra, best of kings,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.24
ब्रह्मलोकं गतः क्षिप्रं यत्र लोकेश्वरः प्रभुः । अभिवाद्य यथा न्यायं पप्रच्छ स पितामहम्
brahmalokaṃ gataḥ kṣipraṃ yatra lokeśvaraḥ prabhuḥ / abhivādya yathā nyāyaṃ papraccha sa pitāmaham
went swiftly to the world of Brahmā, where the lord of the worlds dwells, and having saluted him as is proper, he questioned the Grandfather.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.25
दानेन निर्जिता देवाः शशाङ्केन महात्मना । किं च पुण्यमिदं ब्रह्मन् कुरुक्षेत्राद् विशिष्यते
dānena nirjitā devāḥ śaśāṅkena mahātmanā / kiṃ ca puṇyamidaṃ brahman kurukṣetrād viśiṣyate
“The gods were vanquished by the great-souled Śaśāṅka through giving. And what is this holy place, O Brahmā, that surpasses Kurukṣetra?”
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
SkP-RK 55.26
अमरेश्वरतीर्थं तु नाम रेवासमुद्भवम् । केनापि न समं भूतम् उपर्युपरि दीप्यते
amareśvaratīrthaṃ tu nāma revāsamudbhavam / kenāpi na samaṃ bhūtam uparyupari dīpyate
“But the sacred ford named Amareśvara, arisen from the Revā, has come to be equal to none; it shines brighter and brighter.”
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.27
इति श्रुत्वा वचस् तस्य हरिश्चन्द्रस्य धीमतः । उवाच वचनं ब्रह्मा हरिश्चन्द्रं नृपोत्तमम्
iti śrutvā vacas tasya hariścandrasya dhīmataḥ / uvāca vacanaṃ brahmā hariścandraṃ nṛpottamam
Having heard that speech of the wise Hariścandra, Brahmā spoke these words to Hariścandra, best of kings:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.28
विषादं त्यज राजेन्द्र गहना कर्मणां गतिः । शशाङ्कसदृशो राजा न दृष्टो न श्रुतो मया
viṣādaṃ tyaja rājendra gahanā karmaṇāṃ gatiḥ / śaśāṅkasadṛśo rājā na dṛṣṭo na śruto mayā
“Cast off your dejection, lord of kings; the course of (past) deeds is impenetrable. A king the like of Śaśāṅka I have neither seen nor heard of.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.29
एवं वक्तुं न योग्यो ऽहं न देवापि सवासवाः । अनेकानि सहस्राणि पुरा वै चक्रवर्तिना
evaṃ vaktuṃ na yogyo 'haṃ na devāpi savāsavāḥ / anekāni sahasrāṇi purā vai cakravartinā
I am not fit to speak thus, nor are the gods together with Indra. Formerly, indeed, by that universal monarch many thousands—
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
SkP-RK 55.30
इष्टानि च विधानेन पर्वते ऽमरकण्टके । राहुसूर्यसमायोगे तीर्थलक्षाणि भारत
iṣṭāni ca vidhānena parvate 'marakaṇṭake / rāhusūryasamāyoge tīrthalakṣāṇi bhārata
—and hundreds of thousands of sacred fords were worshipped according to rule on the mountain Amarakaṇṭaka, at the conjunction of Rāhu and the sun, O Bhārata.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
SkP-RK 55.31
सरस्वतीं कुरुक्षेत्रं पुष्करं नैमिषं तथा । तीर्थान्य् एतानि चान्यानि स्नानं कर्तुं समाययुः
sarasvatīṃ kurukṣetraṃ puṣkaraṃ naimiṣaṃ tathā / tīrthāny etāni cānyāni snānaṃ kartuṃ samāyayuḥ
The Sarasvatī, Kurukṣetra, Puṣkara and likewise Naimiṣa—these sacred fords and others came together (there) to take their bath.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.32
मेकलायां हरिश्चन्द्र कोटितीर्थे नराधिप । तीर्थानां त्यज राजेन्द्र साम्यं मेकलया सह
mekalāyāṃ hariścandra koṭitīrthe narādhipa / tīrthānāṃ tyaja rājendra sāmyaṃ mekalayā saha
In Mekalā, Hariścandra, at Koṭitīrtha, O ruler of men—give up, lord of kings, (any thought of) the equality of (other) sacred fords with Mekalā.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.33
वाराणस्या कुरुक्षेत्रं तोलितं च मया पुरा । तीर्थानि न समं यान्ति तीर्थस्यास्य प्रभावतः
vārāṇasyā kurukṣetraṃ tolitaṃ ca mayā purā / tīrthāni na samaṃ yānti tīrthasyāsya prabhāvataḥ
Formerly I weighed Kurukṣetra against Vārāṇasī; (yet) the sacred fords do not come level with this ford, by reason of its power.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SkP-RK 55.34
ख्यातमात्रं कुरुक्षेत्रं लोकयात्राप्रवर्तकम् । पुराणं न श्रुतं यैस् तु मिथ्याज्ञानसमन्वितैः
khyātamātraṃ kurukṣetraṃ lokayātrāpravartakam / purāṇaṃ na śrutaṃ yais tu mithyājñānasamanvitaiḥ
Kurukṣetra is renowned merely (by report), a promoter of the world's traffic; but the Purāṇa has not been heard by those who are possessed of false knowledge.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
SkP-RK 55.35
सेव्यतां कल्पगा देवी यदीच्छेत् परमं पदम् । नमस्कृत्य विधातारम् अयोध्याधिपतिस् तदा
sevyatāṃ kalpagā devī yadīcchet paramaṃ padam / namaskṛtya vidhātāram ayodhyādhipatis tadā
Let the goddess who goes for an aeon be served, if one desires the highest state.” Then the lord of Ayodhyā, having made obeisance to the Creator, (departed).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain