Snāna Mantra to Tripurahara (Brahma Purāṇa)

Tripurahara Snāna Mantra · tripura-hara snāna mantra, “the bathing mantra to the destroyer of the three cities”

The Snāna Mantra to Tripurahara is the mantra a pilgrim says to Bhagavān Śiva while bathing in the Mārkaṇḍeya-hrada, the pool of Mārkaṇḍeya in the Purushottama-kshetra. It is found in the Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 57, where Brahmā tells the munis the rules of the pañcatīrtha, the five tīrthas of that kshetra, and the Mārkaṇḍeya-hrada is the first of them. Facing the north, the pilgrim bathes three times and calls on Śiva as Tripurahara, the destroyer of the three cities, to lift him out of the ocean of saṃsāra and to destroy his pāpa (sin). With the pūjā of Mārkaṇḍeyeśvara that follows, the bath gives the fruit of ten aśvamedhas, Śivaloka, and in the end moksha.

The setting

Brahmā begins: “Now I will tell the fruit of bathing and giving dāna in the five tīrthas, and of seeing the deities there.” The first place he names is the pool called Mārkaṇḍeya. There the pilgrim turns to face the north, makes himself pure (śuci), and bathes three times while saying the mantra.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 57

The mantra

“O Tripurahara, 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 pātaka (sin) perish.”

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 57

The rite that goes with it

  1. Bathe in water up to the navel, three times, saying the mantra.
  2. Then, according to rule, offer tarpaṇa with sesame and water (tilodaka) 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.
  5. Make sāshṭāṅga namaskāra, lying full length before him.
  6. Praise him thus: “O Trinetra, the three-eyed! O Candrabhūshaṇa, adorned with the moon! O Virūpāksha! Protect me. O Mahādeva, namaskāra to you.”

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 57

The phala

One who bathes thus in the Mārkaṇḍeya-hrada and sees Śaṅkara:

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

From the Mārkaṇḍeya-hrada the pilgrim goes on to the kalpa-vṛksha, the banyan, and to the other places of the pañcatīrtha.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 57

Sources

  • Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 57