The Greatness of Madhyameshvara

Verse 1 (padma.3.36.1)

नारद उवाच । वाराणस्यां महाराज मध्यमेशं परात्परम् । तस्मिन्स्थाने महादेवो देव्या सह महेश्वरः ।

nārada uvāca vārāṇasyāṁ mahārāja madhyameśaṁ parātparam tasminsthāne mahādevo devyā saha maheśvaraḥ

Narada said: In Varanasi, O great king, is Madhyamesha, higher than the highest. In that place, Mahadeva, the great Lord, together with the Goddess —

Verse 2 (padma.3.36.2)

रमते भगवान्नित्यं रुद्रैश्च परिवारितः । तत्र पूर्वं हृषीकेशो विश्वात्मा देवकीसुतः ।

ramate bhagavānnityaṁ rudraiśca parivāritaḥ tatra pūrvaṁ hṛṣīkeśo viśvātmā devakīsutaḥ

the Blessed One dwells there eternally, surrounded by the Rudras. There, formerly, Hrishikesha, the soul of the universe, the son of Devaki —

Verse 3 (padma.3.36.3)

उवास वत्सरं कृष्णः सदा पाशुपतैर्युतः । भस्मोद्धूलितसर्वांगो रुद्राध्ययनतत्परः ।

uvāsa vatsaraṁ kṛṣṇaḥ sadā pāśupatairyutaḥ bhasmoddhūlitasarvāṁgo rudrādhyayanatatparaḥ

Krishna dwelt there for a year, ever in the company of Pashupata ascetics, his whole body smeared with ash, devoted to the study of Rudra.

Verse 4 (padma.3.36.4)

आराधयन्हरिः शंभुं कृत्वा पाशुपतंव्रतम् । तस्य ते बहवः शिष्याः ब्रह्मचर्यपरायणाः ।

ārādhayanhariḥ śaṁbhuṁ kṛtvā pāśupataṁvratam tasya te bahavaḥ śiṣyāḥ brahmacaryaparāyaṇāḥ

Hari worshipped Shambhu, having undertaken the Pashupata vow. He had many disciples, devoted to a life of celibacy,

Verse 5 (padma.3.36.5)

लब्ध्वा तद्वदनाज्ज्ञानं दृष्टवंतो महेश्वरम् । तस्य देवो महादेवः प्रत्यक्षं नीललोहितः ।

labdhvā tadvadanājjñānaṁ dṛṣṭavaṁto maheśvaram tasya devo mahādevaḥ pratyakṣaṁ nīlalohitaḥ

who, obtaining knowledge from his mouth, beheld Maheshvara. To that Krishna, Mahadeva, the blue-red god, appeared in visible form.

Verse 6 (padma.3.36.6)

ददौ कृष्णस्य भगवान्वरदो वरमुत्तमम् । येऽर्चयंति च गोविंदं मद्भक्ता विधिपूर्वकम् ।

dadau kṛṣṇasya bhagavānvarado varamuttamam ye'rcayaṁti ca goviṁdaṁ madbhaktā vidhipūrvakam

The blessed boon-giver granted Krishna a supreme boon: 'Whoever, being my devotees, shall worship Govinda according to rule —

Verse 7 (padma.3.36.7)

तेषां तदैश्वरं ज्ञानमुत्पत्स्यति जगन्मयम् । नमस्योऽर्चयितव्यश्च ध्यातव्यो मत्परैर्जनैः ।

teṣāṁ tadaiśvaraṁ jñānamutpatsyati jaganmayam namasyo'rcayitavyaśca dhyātavyo matparairjanaiḥ

for them that divine, world-pervading knowledge shall arise. He is to be venerated, worshipped, and meditated upon by those devoted to me.'

Verse 8 (padma.3.36.8)

भविष्यंति न संदेहो मत्प्रसादाद्द्विजातयः । येऽत्र द्रक्ष्यंति देवेशं स्नात्वा देवं पिनाकिनम् ।

bhaviṣyaṁti na saṁdeho matprasādāddvijātayaḥ ye'tra drakṣyaṁti deveśaṁ snātvā devaṁ pinākinam

'By my grace they shall become twice-born — of this there is no doubt.' Those who, having bathed here, behold the lord of gods, the wielder of the Pinaka —

Verse 9 (padma.3.36.9)

ब्रह्महत्यादिकं पापं तेषामाशु विनश्यति । प्राणांस्त्यक्ष्यंति ये र्मत्याः पापकर्मरता अपि ।

brahmahatyādikaṁ pāpaṁ teṣāmāśu vinaśyati prāṇāṁstyakṣyaṁti ye rmatyāḥ pāpakarmaratā api

their sin, beginning with the killing of a Brahmin, is quickly destroyed. Those mortals who give up their lives here, even if devoted to sinful deeds —

Verse 10 (padma.3.36.10)

ते यांति तत्परं स्थानं नात्र कार्या विचारणा । धन्यास्तु खलु ते विज्ञा मंदाकिन्यां कृतोदकाः ।

te yāṁti tatparaṁ sthānaṁ nātra kāryā vicāraṇā dhanyāstu khalu te vijñā maṁdākinyāṁ kṛtodakāḥ

they go to that supreme abode — there should be no doubt about this. Blessed indeed and wise are those who, having made their water-offering in the Mandakini —

Verse 11 (padma.3.36.11)

अर्चयित्वा महादेवं मध्यमेश्वरमीश्वरम् । ज्ञानं दानं तपः श्राद्धं पिंडनिर्वपणं त्विह ।

arcayitvā mahādevaṁ madhyameśvaramīśvaram jñānaṁ dānaṁ tapaḥ śrāddhaṁ piṁḍanirvapaṇaṁ tviha

worshipped the great Lord Madhyameshvara. Knowledge, charity, austerity, the shraddha rite, and the offering of the funeral pinda performed here —

Verse 12 (padma.3.36.12)

एकैकशः कृतं कर्म पुनात्यासप्तमं कुलम् । सन्निहत्यामुपस्पृश्य राहुग्रस्ते दिवाकरे ।

ekaikaśaḥ kṛtaṁ karma punātyāsaptamaṁ kulam sannihatyāmupaspṛśya rāhugraste divākare

each of these deeds, done singly, purifies seven generations of one's family. Touching the waters of Sannihatya when the sun is seized by an eclipse —

Verse 13 (padma.3.36.13)

यत्फलं लभते मर्त्त्यस्तस्माद्दशगुणं त्विह । एवमुक्तं महाराज माहात्म्यं मध्यमेश्वरे । यः शृणोति परं भक्त्या स याति परमं पदम् ।

yatphalaṁ labhate marttyastasmāddaśaguṇaṁ tviha evamuktaṁ mahārāja māhātmyaṁ madhyameśvare yaḥ śṛṇoti paraṁ bhaktyā sa yāti paramaṁ padam

whatever fruit a mortal obtains there, he obtains tenfold here. Thus, O great king, has the greatness of Madhyameshvara been told; whoever hears it with supreme devotion attains the supreme state.