The Skanda Purana

by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words

This page describes The Term ‘Nagara’ which is chapter 114 of the English translation of the Skanda Purana, the largest of the eighteen Mahapuranas, preserving the ancient Indian society and Hindu traditions in an encyclopedic format, detailling on topics such as dharma (virtous lifestyle), cosmogony (creation of the universe), mythology (itihasa), genealogy (vamsha) etc. This is the one hundred fourteenth chapter of the Tirtha-mahatmya of the Nagara-khanda of the Skanda Purana.

Chapter 114 - The Term ‘Nāgara’

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Sūta said:

1-3. O excellent Brāhmaṇas, that Brāhmaṇa who had boils all over the body was utterly ashamed. He went to a dense forest with utter disgust and engaged himself in a severe penance. He had renounced his house etc., and all affection for his wife and sons.

With all controls and restraints he dried up his body. He went near a water reservoir (a lake or a pond) and installed Maheśvara.

4. After a long time, Maheśvara was pleased with him. Appearing before him he said: “Request for anything you like.”

Trijāta said:

5. On account of the default of my mother, O Lord, I have become extremely embarrassed in the midst of the chiefs of Brāhmaṇas and the king of Anarta.

6. Though I am endowed with great learning, O Lord, I am unable to show my face to any one after knowing that I am ‘thrice-born.’

7. O Lord of Devas, do something so as to enable me to become the best of all those Brāhmaṇas:

Śrī Bhagavān said:

8. Certainly you will become the best of all the Brāhmaṇas who stay in Camatkārapura, with my favour, O excellent Brāhmaṇa.

9. Hence, O excellent Brāhmaṇa, wait for some time. When the proper time arrives ī shall take you there.

10. After saying thus, the Lord of Devas vanished from there. The Brāhmaṇa continued his penance, worshipping Hara.

11. O Brāhmaṇas, once thereafter a Brāhmaṇa named Devarāta was born of the family of Maudgalya in Camatkārapura.

12. His son named Kratha was very haughty when he was in the prime of youth. He was very manly but was always very proud.

13. Once, on the fifth lunar day in the dark half of the month of Śrāvaṇa that Brāhmaṇa went to Nāgatīrtha, O Brāhmaṇas, and was roaming in the forest.

14. He saw the highly refulgent son of the leading serpent. He was well-known as Rudramāla. He was accompanied by his mother.

15. The serpent child was very small. On seeing it he thought it was a water-snake and thrashed it with a stick.

16. On being hit by him he shouted very loudly: “Alas mother! Alas father! I am blameless yet I am in trouble.”

17. On hearing a human voice from a serpent, the Brāhmaṇa became afraid and went home hurriedly.

18. Its mother came out of the water reservoir and saw her son felled down on the bank.

19. On seeing the son in such a plight with blood splashed all over his limbs shattered on being struck by a stick, she fell into a swoon.

20. After regaining consciousness, she began to lament piteously in various ways. Her eyes were filled with tears and she was tormented in the height of her grief.

21-27. “Alas! My son, where have you gone forsaking me? why have you gone to a place from where there is no return? Don't you have any affection for me?

By which sinful and wicked-minded one have you been killed? Though you are sinless, you have been slain. With whom is Yama angry today?

On this fifth lunar day, you have been killed and not adored and honoured. Hence, Yama shall be angry with that wicked-minded one along with his city, family and land of birth.

Today my clothes will not become soiled as before when you used to come back to me after playing in dust for a long time and sit on my lap as you pleased.

Excepting you who will be lisping faltering but delightful words that make people laugh, in front of me?

You being not present, O my son, who will accept the lap of your father and cause merriment by pulling your father’s beard?

You were forbidden, O dear one, yet you closely followed me to this mortal world which is full of many defects!"

28. After lamenting thus that Nāga woman who had been angry as well as pained with grief took the dead son and went to the presence of Ananta.

29. Then she placed her dead child in front of him and began to lament like the female osprey wretched in her separation.

30. Even the king of serpents fell into a swoon on seeing the son thrown down. He was afflicted by the grief for his son.

31. On being sprinkled with cool water, he regained consciousness with great difficulty. Like an ordinary man, he began piteous lamentations,

32. In the meantime, all serpents assembled there. They cried miserably with the eyes bedimmed with tears.

33-35. The following Nāgas were present there: Vāsuki, Padmaja, Śaṅkha, the highly poisonous Takṣaka, Śaṅkhacūḍa with the diadem on the head, the terrible Puṇḍarīka, Añjana, Vāmana, the great Kumuda, Kaṃbala, Aśvatara, the serpent Karkoṭaka, Puṣpadanta, Mūṣaka the devourer of mice, Elāpatra, Supatra, Dīrghāsya and Puṣpavāhana.

36. On coming to know that the king of serpents was struck with grief for the son, these and thousands of other serpents came there.

37. Quoting earlier incidents and different kinds of similar instances, they consoled their Lord, the chief serpent.

38. The excellent serpent in his misery got consoled after a long time. Then he performed the cremation rites for his son.

39. When, at the time of offering water libation, all the serpents had assembled for the offering of libation, he spoke to them:

40-41. “Unless and until the utter annihilation of that wicked

slayer of my son is brought about along with his wife, servants and sons, I will not at any cost offer the libation to my son, though urged by you all as well as other kinsmen.”

42. After saying this Śeṣa formally proclaimed his retaliation against the sinful Brāhmaṇa who killed his son with a heavy wooden stick.

43-45 Then the Lord of serpents spoke to all those serpents who were near: “O my excellent friends, all of you, do go to the holy spot of Hāṭakeśvara.

After quickly killing the slayer of my son along with his attendants and members of the family the entire city of Camatkāra should be devoured by you all.

All the excellent serpents should put up their residence there. Manage in such a manner as to make the resettlement of that city impossible.”

46. On being told thus by him, those of the serpents renowned as the most important ones hurriedly went to that excellent Brāhmaṇa at the outset.

47. After eating the sleeping son of Devarāta they ate the entire family with great fury.

48. All of them devoured furiously the others also, children, old people and youth and even the creatures and brutes there.

49. In the meantime, a terribly loud lamentation of the leading Brāhmaṇas rose up there on account of the devouring spree of the serpents.

50. Whatever else was seen on the ground was covered by the terrible serpents of dark-coloured bodies.

51. In the meantime, some who came there were subjected to death. Some who were trembling with the effects of poison fell on the ground.

52. A few others abandoned their children, houses and other things. Greatly afraid they ran far and wide towards the forest.

53. Other Brāhmaṇas conversant with the Mantras endeavoured (to cure the people) all round. Others accepting the medicinal herbs ran about in great fear.

54. Thus all the excellent serpents continued to proceed towards the city so that no Brāhmaṇa stayed behind there.

55. Then all those excellent serpents rendered that city desolate and freely roamed about in the Tīrthas and the shrines.

56. No serpent left the holy spot and went out. No other man dared to enter the holy spot.

57. Thus as a result of murder and devouring a kind of adjustment between the serpents and the human beings occurred based on the exterior and interior (of the holy spot).

58. In the meantime, Śeṣa set aside his grief for the son. In great delight, he offered the water libations along with the others of his class.

59-60. Some of those Brāhmaṇas who were grief-stricken and terribly afraid of the serpents collected together from all the quarters and came to that forest where Trijāta was present. He had been delightfully performing a great penance and had received boons from Hara.

61-62. On seeing all those people overwhelmed with grief on remembering their sons, wives etc., and crying piteously in various ways, he too became agitated. On seeing the persons, the leading Brāhmaṇas hailing from his own city, he also became miserable. He spoke to them with eyes turned turbid with tears:

63-65 “May all the Brāhmaṇas hear my statement now. As soon as I came out of that city, Hara was propitiated by me.

O excellent Brāhmaṇas, I have been granted the boon of accepting anything desired by me. Till today I have not accepted it. I shall now request for it.

I shall request for a boon whereby all the wicked-souled serpents will be destroyed. Those Nāgas of sinful activities have well nigh made our city utterly desolate.”

66. After saying thus, the Brāhmaṇa Trijāta requested Parameśvara: “O Lord grant me that boon now.”

67. Then the Lord of Devas said: “O Brāhmaṇa request for it; even if what is desired by you is very rare I shall grant it.”

Trijāta said:

68-69. O Bull-vehicled One, the entire city of ours has become bereft of people due to the Nāgas. Hence, let them all be destroyed.

Thereby, O most excellent one among Suras, the city can once again be filled with Brāhmaṇas. I too can have the credit of having redeemed my own native land.”

Śrī Bhagavān said:

70. O Brāhmaṇa nothing improper has been committed by those noble-souled serpents whose son free from any defect or crime, was killed by the Brāhmaṇas.

71. O excellent Brāhmaṇa, the murder was committed on the fifth lunar day in particular and that in the month of Śrāvaṇa when serpents are honoured.

72. Hence I shall tell you an excellent Siddha-Mantra at the mere utterance of which the poison of serpents is destroyed.

73. After going there accompanied by all those Brāhmaṇas, O highly esteemed one, do utter that Mantra in a loud voice that can be heard everywhere.

74. If the base serpents do not go to Pātāla after hearing it, they shall undoubtedly become poisonless at your instance.

Trijāta said:

75. O Śarva, tell me that great Mantra that destroys poison, so that I can go to my native land and eliminate the serpents.

Śrī Bhagavān said:

76-77. Gara means poison. That is not present there now. O excellent Brāhmaṇa, you utter “Nagaram, Nagaram” and you will have my favour. Nagaram Na-garam (there is no poison there is no poison). Nagaram is the Mantra. On hearing this if the base serpents still remain there they will be worthy of being killed easily.

78. From now onwards that spot shall be well-known all over the earth by the name “Nagara” and it will increase your reputation.

79-80. If any other Brāhmaṇa of pure race hailing from Nagara and called Nāgara repeats the Mantra named ‘Nagara’ and charges water thrice with it and pours that water into the mouth of any creature bitten by a black serpent and killed thereby, he can be restored to life.

81. A man staying elsewhere and remembering this three-syllabled Mantra (na-ga-ra) at the time of going to sleep cannot be harmed by a serpent.

82. If the poison comes from an immobile thing, or a mobile one or if it is artificial it becomes nectar-like when touched after uttering this Mantra.

83. Other stomach ailments caused by indigestion are entirely eradicated by the power of this Mantra.

84. After saying thus to that Brāhmaṇa the Bull-emblemed Lord went out of sight like a lamp without oil.

85. Along with the other Brāhmaṇas who survived the murderous attack Trijāta quickly and joyously went to the city of Camatkāra.

86. Thus all those Brāhmaṇas accompanied by Trijāta arrived there uttering loudly “Nagaram Nagaram”.

87. They came to the holy spot of Hāṭakeśvara which was pervaded all round by the ruthless and terrible serpents obeying the command of Śeṣa.

88. On hearing the Siddha Mantra given by Siva the serpents were deprived of their poison. Bereft of their vigour, they ran all round.

89. Some of the serpents took shelter in the anthills with diverse kinds of holes and others went to Pātāla.

90-91. Thousands of those serpents who were extremely terrified, who could not even crawl, who were overwhelmed by old age or who were in their infancy were struck with heavy sticks by the Brāhmaṇas who wanted to take revenge.

92. After exterminating all of them, the Brāhmaṇas were rid of their anguish. With that Trijāta at their head they performed the essential things for the holy spot.

93. Thus, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, with the favour of Bharga, the Lord of Devas, (the name of) that place became known as ‘Nagara’ thereafter.

94. If one reads this narrative concerning the ‘Nagara’ always (everyday) he will never have any fear from serpents anywhere.

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