The Greatness of the Kedareshvara Jyotirlinga

Verse 1 (shiva.kotirudra.19.1)

सूत उवाच । नरनारायणाख्यौ याववतारौ हरेर्द्विजाः । तेपाते भारते खण्डे बदर्याश्रम एव हि ॥ 19.1 ॥

sūta uvāca naranārāyaṇākhyau yāvavatārau harerdvijāḥ tepāte bhārate khaṇḍe badaryāśrama eva hi

Suta said: O brahmins, those two incarnations of Hari known as Nara and Narayana practiced austerity in the land of Bharata, at Badarikashrama itself.

Verse 2 (shiva.kotirudra.19.2)

ताभ्यां सम्प्रार्थितः शम्भुः पार्थिवे पूजनाय वै । आयाति नित्यं तल्लिङ्गे भक्ताधीनतया शिवः ॥ 19.2 ॥

tābhyāṁ samprārthitaḥ śambhuḥ pārthive pūjanāya vai āyāti nityaṁ talliṅge bhaktādhīnatayā śivaḥ

At their entreaty, Shambhu himself came daily to accept worship at that earthen linga; Shiva, ever submissive to his devotees, did so out of love.

Verse 3 (shiva.kotirudra.19.3)

एवं पूजयतोः शम्भुं तयोर्विष्ण्ववतारयोः । चिरकालो व्यतीयाय शैवयोर्धर्मपुत्रयोः ॥ 19.3 ॥

evaṁ pūjayatoḥ śambhuṁ tayorviṣṇvavatārayoḥ cirakālo vyatīyāya śaivayordharmaputrayoḥ

As those two incarnations of Vishnu, devotees of Shiva and sons of Dharma, thus worshipped Shambhu, a long span of time passed.

Verse 4 (shiva.kotirudra.19.4)

एकस्मिन्समये तत्र प्रसन्नः परमेश्वरः । प्रत्युवाच प्रसन्नोऽस्मि वरो मे व्रियतामिति ॥ 19.4 ॥

ekasminsamaye tatra prasannaḥ parameśvaraḥ pratyuvāca prasanno’smi varo me vriyatāmiti

Once, the Supreme Lord, pleased there, responded: 'I am pleased; ask of me a boon.'

Verse 5 (shiva.kotirudra.19.5)

इत्युक्ते च तदा तेन नरो नारायणः स्वयम् । ऊचतुर्वचनं तत्र लोकानां हितकाम्यया ॥ 19.5 ॥

ityukte ca tadā tena naro nārāyaṇaḥ svayam ūcaturvacanaṁ tatra lokānāṁ hitakāmyayā

When he said this, Nara and Narayana themselves, desiring the welfare of all beings, spoke these words.

Verse 6 (shiva.kotirudra.19.6)

नरनारायणावूचतुः । यदि प्रसन्नो देवेश यदि देयो वरस्त्वया । स्थीयतां स्वेन रूपेण पूजार्थं शङ्कर स्वयम् ॥ 19.6 ॥

naranārāyaṇāvūcatuḥ yadi prasanno deveśa yadi deyo varastvayā sthīyatāṁ svena rūpeṇa pūjārthaṁ śaṅkara svayam

Nara and Narayana said: O lord of gods, if you are pleased and wish to grant us a boon, then, O Shankara, remain here forever in your own form, to be worshipped.

Verse 7 (shiva.kotirudra.19.7)

सूत उवाच । इत्युक्तस्तु तदा ताभ्यां केदारे हिमसंश्रये । स्वयं च शङ्करस्तस्थौ ज्योतीरूपो महेश्वरः ॥ 19.7 ॥

sūta uvāca ityuktastu tadā tābhyāṁ kedāre himasaṁśraye svayaṁ ca śaṅkarastasthau jyotīrūpo maheśvaraḥ

Suta said: At their entreaty, Shankara himself, the great lord in his form of light, established himself at Kedara, in the refuge of the snowy mountains.

Verse 8 (shiva.kotirudra.19.8)

ताभ्यां च पूजितश्चैव सर्वदुःखभयापहः । लोकानामुपकारार्थं भक्तानां दर्शनाय वै ॥ 19.8 ॥

tābhyāṁ ca pūjitaścaiva sarvaduḥkhabhayāpahaḥ lokānāmupakārārthaṁ bhaktānāṁ darśanāya vai

Worshipped by both of them, he who removes every sorrow and fear established himself there for the benefit of all beings and for granting sight of himself to his devotees.

Verse 9 (shiva.kotirudra.19.9)

स्वयं स्थितस्तदा शम्भुः केदारेश्वरसंज्ञकः । भक्ताभीष्टप्रदो नित्यं दर्शनादर्चनादपि ॥ 19.9 ॥

svayaṁ sthitastadā śambhuḥ kedāreśvarasaṁjñakaḥ bhaktābhīṣṭaprado nityaṁ darśanādarcanādapi

Established there in person, Shambhu became known by the name Kedareshvara, who ever fulfills the desires of his devotees through the mere sight or worship of him.

Verse 10 (shiva.kotirudra.19.10)

देवाश्च पूजयन्तीह ऋषयश्च पुरातनाः । मनोऽभीष्टफलं ते ते सुप्रसन्नान्महेश्वरात् ॥ 19.10 ॥

devāśca pūjayantīha ṛṣayaśca purātanāḥ mano’bhīṣṭaphalaṁ te te suprasannānmaheśvarāt

The gods and the ancient sages worship here, and from the well-pleased Maheshvara obtain the fruit their hearts desire.

Verse 11 (shiva.kotirudra.19.11)

भवस्य पूजनान्नित्यं बदर्याश्रमवासिनः । प्राप्नुवन्ति यतः सो हि भक्ताभीष्टप्रदः सदा ॥ 19.11 ॥

bhavasya pūjanānnityaṁ badaryāśramavāsinaḥ prāpnuvanti yataḥ so hi bhaktābhīṣṭapradaḥ sadā

By the daily worship of Bhava, those who dwell at Badarikashrama attain their desires, for he ever grants his devotees whatever they wish.

Verse 12 (shiva.kotirudra.19.12)

तद्दिनं हि समारभ्य केदारेश्वर एव च । पूजितो येन भक्त्या वै दुःखं स्वप्नेऽपि दुर्लभम् ॥ 19.12 ॥

taddinaṁ hi samārabhya kedāreśvara eva ca pūjito yena bhaktyā vai duḥkhaṁ svapne’pi durlabham

From that day on, whoever has worshipped Kedareshvara with devotion has found sorrow rare even in dream.

Verse 13 (shiva.kotirudra.19.13)

यो वै हि पाण्डवान्दृष्ट्वा माहिषं रूपमास्थितः । मायामास्थाय तत्रैव पलायनपरोऽभवत् ॥ 19.13 ॥

yo vai hi pāṇḍavāndṛṣṭvā māhiṣaṁ rūpamāsthitaḥ māyāmāsthāya tatraiva palāyanaparo’bhavat

Seeing the Pandavas approach, he assumed the form of a buffalo and, resorting to that very illusion, took to flight from that place.

Verse 14 (shiva.kotirudra.19.14)

धृतश्च पाण्डवैस्तत्र ह्यवाङ्मुखतया स्थितः । पुच्छं चैव धृतं तैस्तु प्रार्थितश्च पुनःपुनः ॥ 19.14 ॥

dhṛtaśca pāṇḍavaistatra hyavāṅmukhatayā sthitaḥ pucchaṁ caiva dhṛtaṁ taistu prārthitaśca punaḥpunaḥ

The Pandavas seized him there; he stood with his face turned away, and, holding him fast by the tail, they entreated him again and again.

Verse 15 (shiva.kotirudra.19.15)

तद्रूपेण स्थितस्तत्र भक्तवत्सलनामभाक् । नयपाले शिरोभागो गतस्तद्रूपतः स्थितः ॥ 19.15 ॥

tadrūpeṇa sthitastatra bhaktavatsalanāmabhāk nayapāle śirobhāgo gatastadrūpataḥ sthitaḥ

He who bears the name Bhaktavatsala, ever affectionate to his devotees, remained there in that very buffalo form; his head went to Nepal and remained established there in that same form.

Verse 16 (shiva.kotirudra.19.16)

तथैव पूजनान्नित्यमाज्ञां चैवाप्यदात्तथा । पूजितश्च स्वयं शम्भुस्तत्र तस्थौ वरानदात् ॥ 19.16 ॥

tathaiva pūjanānnityamājñāṁ caivāpyadāttathā pūjitaśca svayaṁ śambhustatra tasthau varānadāt

In this same way he also gave the command for daily worship to be performed; Shambhu himself, thus worshipped, remained established there, granting boons.

Verse 17 (shiva.kotirudra.19.17)

पूजयित्वा गतास्ते तु पाण्डवा मुदितास्तदा । लब्ध्वा चित्तेप्सितं सर्वं विमुक्ताः सर्वदुःखतः ॥ 19.17 ॥

pūjayitvā gatāste tu pāṇḍavā muditāstadā labdhvā cittepsitaṁ sarvaṁ vimuktāḥ sarvaduḥkhataḥ

Having worshipped him, obtaining every desire of their hearts, and released from all sorrow, the Pandavas then departed, rejoicing.

Verse 18 (shiva.kotirudra.19.18)

तत्र नित्यं हरः साक्षात्क्षेत्रे केदारसंज्ञके । भारतीभिः प्रजाभिश्च तथैव परिपूज्यते ॥ 19.18 ॥

tatra nityaṁ haraḥ sākṣātkṣetre kedārasaṁjñake bhāratībhiḥ prajābhiśca tathaiva paripūjyate

There, in the region called Kedara, Hara himself is thus ever worshipped by the people of Bharata.

Verse 19 (shiva.kotirudra.19.19)

तत्रत्यं वलयं यो वै ददाति हरवल्लभः । हररूपान्तिकं तच्च हररूपसमन्वितम् ॥ 19.19 ॥

tatratyaṁ valayaṁ yo vai dadāti haravallabhaḥ hararūpāntikaṁ tacca hararūpasamanvitam

The sacred token of that place, given by one dear to Hara, is regarded as being close to Hara's own form and imbued with that very form.

Verse 20 (shiva.kotirudra.19.20)

तथैव रूपं दृष्ट्वा च सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते । जीवन्मुक्तो भवेत्सोऽपि यो गतो बदरीवने ॥ 19.20 ॥

tathaiva rūpaṁ dṛṣṭvā ca sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate jīvanmukto bhavetso’pi yo gato badarīvane

Seeing that form, one is released from every sin; whoever goes to the Badari forest likewise becomes liberated while yet alive.

Verse 21 (shiva.kotirudra.19.21)

दृष्ट्वा रूपं नरस्यैव तथा नारायणस्य हि । केदारेश्वरशम्भोश्च मुक्तिभागी न संशयः ॥ 19.21 ॥

dṛṣṭvā rūpaṁ narasyaiva tathā nārāyaṇasya hi kedāreśvaraśambhośca muktibhāgī na saṁśayaḥ

Having beheld the forms of Nara and Narayana, and of Kedareshvara Shambhu, one undoubtedly becomes fit for liberation.

Verse 22 (shiva.kotirudra.19.22)

केदारेशस्य भक्ता ये मार्गस्थास्तस्य वै मृताः । तेऽपि मुक्ता भवन्त्येव नात्र कार्या विचारणा ॥ 19.22 ॥

kedāreśasya bhaktā ye mārgasthāstasya vai mṛtāḥ te’pi muktā bhavantyeva nātra kāryā vicāraṇā

Even those devotees of Kedaresha who die upon the very path leading to him attain liberation — of this there is no need for doubt.

Verse 23 (shiva.kotirudra.19.23)

गत्वा तत्र प्रीतियुक्तः केदारेशं प्रपूज्य च । तत्रत्यमुदकं पीत्वा पुनर्जन्म न विन्दति ॥ 19.23 ॥

gatvā tatra prītiyuktaḥ kedāreśaṁ prapūjya ca tatratyamudakaṁ pītvā punarjanma na vindati

Going there with devotion, duly worshipping Kedaresha, and drinking the water of that place, one does not undergo rebirth.

Verse 24 (shiva.kotirudra.19.24)

खण्डेऽस्मिन् भारते विप्रा नरनारायणेश्वरः । केदारेशः प्रपूज्यश्च सर्वैर्जीवैः सुभक्तितः ॥ 19.24 ॥

khaṇḍe’smin bhārate viprā naranārāyaṇeśvaraḥ kedāreśaḥ prapūjyaśca sarvairjīvaiḥ subhaktitaḥ

O brahmins, in this land of Bharata, Nara-Narayaneshvara and Kedaresha are worthy of worship by all beings with true devotion.

Verse 25 (shiva.kotirudra.19.25)

अस्य खण्डस्य स स्वामी सर्वेशोऽपि विशेषतः । सर्वकामप्रदः शम्भुः केदाराख्यो न संशयः ॥ 19.25 ॥

asya khaṇḍasya sa svāmī sarveśo’pi viśeṣataḥ sarvakāmapradaḥ śambhuḥ kedārākhyo na saṁśayaḥ

The lord of this land, the ruler of all, the fulfiller of every desire, is without doubt Shambhu himself, known as Kedara.

Verse 26 (shiva.kotirudra.19.26)

एतद्वचः समाख्यातं यत्पृष्टमृषिसत्तमाः । श्रुत्वा पापं हरेत्सर्वं नात्र कार्या विचारणा ॥ 19.26 ॥

etadvacaḥ samākhyātaṁ yatpṛṣṭamṛṣisattamāḥ śrutvā pāpaṁ haretsarvaṁ nātra kāryā vicāraṇā

O foremost of sages, this account, which you asked of me, has now been told; by hearing it, every sin is removed — of this there is no need for doubt.