The Greatness of the Chandrabhala and Pashupatinatha Lingas

Verse 1 (shiva.kotirudra.11.1)

ऋषय ऊचुः । सूत सूत महाभाग धन्यस्त्वं शिवसक्तधीः । महाबलस्य लिङ्गस्य श्रावितेयं कथाद्भुता ॥ 11.1 ॥

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ sūta sūta mahābhāga dhanyastvaṁ śivasaktadhīḥ mahābalasya liṅgasya śrāviteyaṁ kathādbhutā

The sages said: O Suta, Suta, most fortunate one, blessed are you, your mind devoted to Shiva! You have made us hear this wondrous story of the Mahabala linga.

Verse 2 (shiva.kotirudra.11.2)

उत्तरस्यां दिशायां च शिवलिङ्गानि यानि च । तेषां माहात्म्यमनघं वद त्वं पापनाशकम् ॥ 11.2 ॥

uttarasyāṁ diśāyāṁ ca śivaliṅgāni yāni ca teṣāṁ māhātmyamanaghaṁ vada tvaṁ pāpanāśakam

Now tell us the sinless, sin-destroying greatness of whatever Shiva-lingas exist in the northern direction.

Verse 3 (shiva.kotirudra.11.3)

सूत उवाच । शृणुतादरतो विप्रा औत्तराणां विशेषतः । माहात्म्यं शिवलिङ्गानां प्रवदामि समासतः ॥ 11.3 ॥

sūta uvāca śṛṇutādarato viprā auttarāṇāṁ viśeṣataḥ māhātmyaṁ śivaliṅgānāṁ pravadāmi samāsataḥ

Suta said: Listen with reverence, O brahmins; I shall relate in brief, in particular, the greatness of the northern Shiva-lingas.

Verse 4 (shiva.kotirudra.11.4)

गोकर्णं क्षेत्रमपरं महापातकनाशनम् । महावनं च तत्रास्ति पवित्रमतिविस्तरम् ॥ 11.4 ॥

gokarṇaṁ kṣetramaparaṁ mahāpātakanāśanam mahāvanaṁ ca tatrāsti pavitramativistaram

Gokarna is another holy place, destroyer of the greatest sins; there also lies a great forest, most sacred and vast.

Verse 5 (shiva.kotirudra.11.5)

तत्रास्ति चन्द्रभालाख्यं शिवलिङ्गमनुत्तमम् । रावणेन समानीतं सद्भक्त्या सर्वसिद्धिदम् ॥ 11.5 ॥

tatrāsti candrabhālākhyaṁ śivaliṅgamanuttamam rāvaṇena samānītaṁ sadbhaktyā sarvasiddhidam

There stands the unsurpassed Shiva-linga called Chandrabhala, brought there by Ravana with true devotion, giver of every attainment.

Verse 6 (shiva.kotirudra.11.6)

तस्य तत्र स्थितिर्वैद्यनाथस्येव मुनीश्वराः । सर्वलोकहितार्थाय करुणासागरस्य च ॥ 11.6 ॥

tasya tatra sthitirvaidyanāthasyeva munīśvarāḥ sarvalokahitārthāya karuṇāsāgarasya ca

O great sages, its presence there is like that of Vaidyanatha — established, that ocean of compassion, for the welfare of all the worlds.

Verse 7 (shiva.kotirudra.11.7)

स्नानं कृत्वा तु गोकर्णे चन्द्रभालं समर्च्य च । शिवलोकमवाप्नोति सत्यं सत्यं न संशयः ॥ 11.7 ॥

snānaṁ kṛtvā tu gokarṇe candrabhālaṁ samarcya ca śivalokamavāpnoti satyaṁ satyaṁ na saṁśayaḥ

Having bathed at Gokarna and duly worshipped Chandrabhala, one attains the world of Shiva — truly, truly, without doubt.

Verse 8 (shiva.kotirudra.11.8)

चन्द्रभालस्य लिङ्गस्य महिमा परमाद्भुतः । न शक्यो वर्णितुं व्यासाद्भक्तिस्नेहरतस्य हि ॥ 11.8 ॥

candrabhālasya liṅgasya mahimā paramādbhutaḥ na śakyo varṇituṁ vyāsādbhaktisneharatasya hi

The utterly wondrous greatness of the Chandrabhala linga cannot be described, even by Vyasa, so devoted is he to loving devotion for it.

Verse 9 (shiva.kotirudra.11.9)

चन्द्रभालमहादेवलिङ्गस्य महिमा महान् । यथाकथञ्चित्सम्प्रोक्तः परलिङ्गस्य वै शृणु ॥ 11.9 ॥

candrabhālamahādevaliṅgasya mahimā mahān yathākathañcitsamproktaḥ paraliṅgasya vai śṛṇu

The great greatness of the Chandrabhala-Mahadeva linga has now been told, however briefly; hear now of another linga.

Verse 10 (shiva.kotirudra.11.10)

दाधीचं शिवलिङ्गं तु मिश्रर्षिवरतीर्थके । दधीचिना मुनीशेन सुप्रीत्या च प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥ 11.10 ॥

dādhīcaṁ śivaliṅgaṁ tu miśrarṣivaratīrthake dadhīcinā munīśena suprītyā ca pratiṣṭhitam

The Shiva-linga called Dadhicha, at the holy ford of Mishrarishivara, was established with great devotion by the sage-lord Dadhichi.

Verse 11 (shiva.kotirudra.11.11)

तत्र गत्वा च तत्तीर्थे स्नात्वा सम्यग्विधानतः । शिवलिङ्गं समर्चेद्वै दाधीचेश्वरमादरात् ॥ 11.11 ॥

tatra gatvā ca tattīrthe snātvā samyagvidhānataḥ śivaliṅgaṁ samarcedvai dādhīceśvaramādarāt

Going there and bathing duly, according to proper rite, in that holy ford, one should reverently worship the Shiva-linga Dadhichesvara.

Verse 12 (shiva.kotirudra.11.12)

दधीचमूर्तिस्तत्रैव समर्च्या विधिपूर्वकम् । शिवप्रीत्यर्थमेवाशु तीर्थयात्राफलार्थिभिः ॥ 11.12 ॥

dadhīcamūrtistatraiva samarcyā vidhipūrvakam śivaprītyarthamevāśu tīrthayātrāphalārthibhiḥ

The image of Dadhichi himself should also be duly worshipped there, by those seeking swiftly the fruit of pilgrimage, for Shiva's pleasure alone.

Verse 13 (shiva.kotirudra.11.13)

एवं कृते मुनिश्रेष्ठाः कृतकृत्यो भवेन्नरः । इह सर्वसुखं भुक्त्वा परत्र गतिमाप्नुयात् ॥ 11.13 ॥

evaṁ kṛte muniśreṣṭhāḥ kṛtakṛtyo bhavennaraḥ iha sarvasukhaṁ bhuktvā paratra gatimāpnuyāt

O foremost sages, doing so, a man becomes fulfilled; having enjoyed every happiness here, he attains the highest state hereafter.

Verse 14 (shiva.kotirudra.11.14)

नैमिषारण्यतीर्थे तु निखिलर्षिप्रतिष्ठितम् । ऋषीश्वरमिति ख्यातं शिवलिङ्गं सुखप्रदम् ॥ 11.14 ॥

naimiṣāraṇyatīrthe tu nikhilarṣipratiṣṭhitam ṛṣīśvaramiti khyātaṁ śivaliṅgaṁ sukhapradam

At the holy ford of Naimisharanya stands a Shiva-linga established by all the sages together, known as Rishishvara, bestower of happiness.

Verse 15 (shiva.kotirudra.11.15)

तद्दर्शनात्पूजनाच्च जनानां पापिनामपि । भुक्तिर्मुक्तिश्च तेषां तु परत्रेह मुनीश्वराः ॥ 11.15 ॥

taddarśanātpūjanācca janānāṁ pāpināmapi bhuktirmuktiśca teṣāṁ tu paratreha munīśvarāḥ

O great sages, by seeing and worshipping it, even sinful people attain both enjoyment and liberation, here and hereafter.

Verse 16 (shiva.kotirudra.11.16)

हत्याहरणतीर्थे तु शिवलिङ्गमघापहम् । पूजनीयं विशेषेण हत्याकोटिविनाशनम् ॥ 11.16 ॥

hatyāharaṇatīrthe tu śivaliṅgamaghāpaham pūjanīyaṁ viśeṣeṇa hatyākoṭivināśanam

At Hatyaharana-tirtha, the ford that removes killing, stands a sin-removing Shiva-linga, especially to be worshipped, destroyer of even a crore of killings.

Verse 17 (shiva.kotirudra.11.17)

देवप्रयागतीर्थे तु ललितेश्वरनामकम् । शिवलिङ्गं सदा पूज्यं नरैः सर्वाघनाशनम् ॥ 11.17 ॥

devaprayāgatīrthe tu laliteśvaranāmakam śivaliṅgaṁ sadā pūjyaṁ naraiḥ sarvāghanāśanam

At the holy ford of Devaprayaga is the Shiva-linga named Lalitesvara, ever to be worshipped by men, destroyer of every sin.

Verse 18 (shiva.kotirudra.11.18)

नयपालाख्यपुर्यां तु प्रसिद्धायां महीतले । लिङ्गं पशुपतीशाख्यं सर्वकामफलप्रदम् ॥ 11.18 ॥

nayapālākhyapuryāṁ tu prasiddhāyāṁ mahītale liṅgaṁ paśupatīśākhyaṁ sarvakāmaphalapradam

In the city renowned on earth called Nayapala, stands the linga called Pashupatishvara, bestower of the fruit of every desire.

Verse 19 (shiva.kotirudra.11.19)

शिरोभागस्वरूपेण शिवलिङ्गं तदस्ति हि । तत्कथां वर्णयिष्यामि केदारेश्वरवर्णने ॥ 11.19 ॥

śirobhāgasvarūpeṇa śivaliṅgaṁ tadasti hi tatkathāṁ varṇayiṣyāmi kedāreśvaravarṇane

That Shiva-linga exists indeed in the form of the head-portion of Shiva; I shall relate its story in the account of Kedareshvara.

Verse 20 (shiva.kotirudra.11.20)

तदारान्मुक्तिनाथाख्यं शिवलिङ्गं महाद्भुतम् । दर्शनादर्चनात्तस्य भुक्तिर्मुक्तिश्च लभ्यते ॥ 11.20 ॥

tadārānmuktināthākhyaṁ śivaliṅgaṁ mahādbhutam darśanādarcanāttasya bhuktirmuktiśca labhyate

Not far from there is the greatly wondrous Shiva-linga called Muktinatha; by seeing and worshipping it, both enjoyment and liberation are obtained.

Verse 21 (shiva.kotirudra.11.21)

इति वश्च समाख्यातं लिङ्गवर्णनमुत्तमम् । चतुर्दिक्षु मुनिश्रेष्ठाः किमन्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छथ ॥ 11.21 ॥

iti vaśca samākhyātaṁ liṅgavarṇanamuttamam caturdikṣu muniśreṣṭhāḥ kimanyacchrotumicchatha

Thus, O foremost sages, this excellent description of the lingas in the four directions has been told to you; what else do you wish to hear?