Pilgrim’s Stotra to Mārkaṇḍeyeśvara (Brahma Purāṇa)

Mārkaṇḍeyeśvara Stuti · mārkaṇḍeya-īśvara stuti, “the praise of the lord of Mārkaṇḍeya”

The Pilgrim’s Stotra to Mārkaṇḍeyeśvara is the short praise that every pilgrim to the Purushottama-kshetra offers to Bhagavān Śiva as Mārkaṇḍeyeśvara, at the first of the five tīrthas, the Mārkaṇḍeya-hrada. It is found in the Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 57, where Brahmā tells the munis the rules of the pañcatīrtha. After bathing in the pool with a mantra to Tripurahara, offering tarpaṇa and going round the temple, the pilgrim worships Mārkaṇḍeyeśvara and praises him as the three-eyed one, adorned with the moon, Virūpāksha, Mahādeva. One who bathes thus and has darśana of Śaṅkara gains the fruit of ten aśvamedhas, goes to Śiva-loka, and in the end attains moksha.

The temple and the pool

Brahmā tells the munis that after the pralaya, when Bhagavān Vishṇu had shown Mārkaṇḍeya Maharshi his glory, the muni asked that the dispute between the followers of Śiva and of Vishṇu might cease: “I will build a Śiva temple here. In this your kshetra I will install Śaṅkara. May the world know that Hari and Hara are one.” Jagannātha answered: “The liṅga in the form of Bhuvaneśvara is the cause of the world. At my command install Īśvara here at once. There is no difference between the two of us; the world, not knowing this, disputes. Build this temple of mine in your own name. To the north of it a tīrtha named Mārkaṇḍeya-hrada will come into being, which removes every pāpa.” Then the all-pervading Janārdana withdrew. The Śiva of that temple is Mārkaṇḍeyeśvara.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 56

The rite

In answer to the munis’ question on the pañcatīrtha, Brahmā gives the fruit of bathing, dāna and the darśana of the deities at the five tīrthas, beginning with the Mārkaṇḍeya-hrada:

  1. At the pool called Mārkaṇḍeya, turn to face the north, be pure, and bathe three times, saying this mantra: “O Tripurahara, destroyer of the three cities, protect me, who am drowned in the ocean of saṃsāra, seized by pāpa and bereft of understanding. Namaskāra to you, whose form is auspicious, who are tranquil, who remove all pāpa. Īśvara, see, I am bathing; may my pāpa perish.”
  2. Bathe in water up to the navel, then, according to rule, offer tarpaṇa with sesame and water to the devas, the ṛshis, the pitṛs and the rest.
  3. Go round the temple three times in pradakshiṇa.
  4. Worship Mārkaṇḍeyeśvara with the mūla-mantra and the Aghora-mantra and make sāshṭāṅga namaskāra.
  5. Please him with the stotra.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 57

The stotra

“O Trinetra, three-eyed one! O Candrabhūshaṇa, adorned with the moon! O Virūpāksha! Protect me. O Mahādeva, namaskāra to you.”

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 57

The phalaśruti

One who bathes thus in the Mārkaṇḍeya-hrada and has darśana of Śaṅkara:

  • gains the fruit of ten aśvamedhas;
  • is freed from all pāpa and goes to Śiva-loka;
  • enjoys great joys there until the pralaya;
  • is then born in this world, the karma-bhūmi, as a brāhmaṇa rich in the learning of the Vedas and Vedāṅgas;
  • attains sālokya and sārūpya with Śaṅkara, and yoga;
  • and after that attains moksha.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 57

Sources

  • Brahma Purāṇa, Chapters 56–57