The Greatness of Mahabala

Verse 1 (shiva.kotirudra.8.1)

सूत उवाच । द्विजाः शृणुत सद्भक्त्या शिवलिङ्गानि तानि च । पश्चिमायां दिशायां वै यानि ख्यातानि भूतले ॥ 8.1 ॥

sūta uvāca dvijāḥ śṛṇuta sadbhaktyā śivaliṅgāni tāni ca paścimāyāṁ diśāyāṁ vai yāni khyātāni bhūtale

Suta said: O brahmins, listen with true devotion to those Shiva-lingas that are renowned upon the earth in the western direction.

Verse 2 (shiva.kotirudra.8.2)

कपिलायां नगर्यां तु कालरामेश्वराभिधे । शिवलिङ्गे महादिव्ये दर्शनात्पापहारके ॥ 8.2 ॥

kapilāyāṁ nagaryāṁ tu kālarāmeśvarābhidhe śivaliṅge mahādivye darśanātpāpahārake

In the city of Kapila is the great and divine Shiva-linga named Kalarameshvara, which removes sin by the very sight of it.

Verse 3 (shiva.kotirudra.8.3)

पश्चिमे सागरे चैव महासिद्धेश्वरः स्मृतः । धर्मार्थकामदश्चैव तथा मोक्षप्रदोऽपि हि ॥ 8.3 ॥

paścime sāgare caiva mahāsiddheśvaraḥ smṛtaḥ dharmārthakāmadaścaiva tathā mokṣaprado’pi hi

And on the western ocean is remembered Mahasiddheshvara, giver of dharma, artha and kama, and indeed the bestower of liberation as well.

Verse 4 (shiva.kotirudra.8.4)

पश्चिमाम्बुधितीरस्थं गोकर्णं क्षेत्रमुत्तमम् । ब्रह्महत्यादिपापघ्नं सर्वकामफलप्रदम् ॥ 8.4 ॥

paścimāmbudhitīrasthaṁ gokarṇaṁ kṣetramuttamam brahmahatyādipāpaghnaṁ sarvakāmaphalapradam

Gokarna, situated on the shore of the western ocean, is a most excellent sacred field, destroyer of the sin of killing a brahmin and other sins, granter of the fruit of all desires.

Verse 5 (shiva.kotirudra.8.5)

गोकर्णे शिवलिङ्गानि विद्यन्ते कोटिकोटिशः । असङ्ख्यातानि तीर्थानि तिष्ठन्ति च पदे पदे ॥ 8.5 ॥

gokarṇe śivaliṅgāni vidyante koṭikoṭiśaḥ asaṅkhyātāni tīrthāni tiṣṭhanti ca pade pade

At Gokarna, Shiva-lingas exist by the crore upon crore; countless sacred fords stand there at every step.

Verse 6 (shiva.kotirudra.8.6)

बहुनात्र किमुक्तेन गोकर्णस्थानि सर्वशः । शिवप्रत्यक्षलिङ्गानि तीर्थान्यम्भांसि सर्वशः ॥ 8.6 ॥

bahunātra kimuktena gokarṇasthāni sarvaśaḥ śivapratyakṣaliṅgāni tīrthānyambhāṁsi sarvaśaḥ

What use is there in saying much more? All that stands at Gokarna, everywhere — its lingas are the manifest form of Shiva, and its waters, everywhere, are sacred fords.

Verse 7 (shiva.kotirudra.8.7)

गोकर्णे शिवलिङ्गानां तीर्थानामपि सर्वशः । वर्ण्यते महिमा तात पुराणेषु महर्षिभिः ॥ 8.7 ॥

gokarṇe śivaliṅgānāṁ tīrthānāmapi sarvaśaḥ varṇyate mahimā tāta purāṇeṣu maharṣibhiḥ

O dear one, the greatness of the Shiva-lingas at Gokarna, and of all its sacred fords, is described by the great sages in the Puranas.

Verse 8 (shiva.kotirudra.8.8)

कृते युगे स हि श्वेतस्त्रेतायां सोऽतिलोहितः । द्वापरे पीतवर्णश्च कलौ श्यामो भविष्यति ॥ 8.8 ॥

kṛte yuge sa hi śvetastretāyāṁ so’tilohitaḥ dvāpare pītavarṇaśca kalau śyāmo bhaviṣyati

In the Krita age it is white, in the Treta it is deep red, in the Dvapara it is yellow in colour, and in the Kali age it shall become dark.

Verse 9 (shiva.kotirudra.8.9)

आक्रान्तसप्तपातालकुहरोऽपि महाबलः । प्राप्ते कलियुगे घोरे मृदुतामुपयास्यति ॥ 8.9 ॥

ākrāntasaptapātālakuharo’pi mahābalaḥ prāpte kaliyuge ghore mṛdutāmupayāsyati

Mahabala, though it has spread into the caverns of the seven nether worlds, shall, when the terrible Kali age arrives, become soft.

Verse 10 (shiva.kotirudra.8.10)

महापातकिनश्चात्र समभ्यर्च्य महाबलम् । शिवलिङ्गं च गोकर्णे प्रयाताः शाङ्करं पदम् ॥ 8.10 ॥

mahāpātakinaścātra samabhyarcya mahābalam śivaliṅgaṁ ca gokarṇe prayātāḥ śāṅkaraṁ padam

Even the greatest of sinners, having duly worshipped Mahabala, the Shiva-linga at Gokarna, have gone to the abode of Shankara.

Verse 11 (shiva.kotirudra.8.11)

गोकर्णे तत्र मुनयो गत्वा पुण्यर्क्षवासरे । येऽर्चयन्ति च तं भक्त्या ते रुद्राः स्युर्न संशयः ॥ 8.11 ॥

gokarṇe tatra munayo gatvā puṇyarkṣavāsare ye’rcayanti ca taṁ bhaktyā te rudrāḥ syurna saṁśayaḥ

O sages, those who go to Gokarna on an auspicious day of a meritorious constellation and worship him with devotion — they become Rudras themselves, without doubt.

Verse 12 (shiva.kotirudra.8.12)

यदा कदाचिद्गोकर्णे यो वा को वापि मानवः । पूजयेच्छिवलिङ्गं तत्स गच्छेद् ब्रह्मणः पदम् ॥ 8.12 ॥

yadā kadācidgokarṇe yo vā ko vāpi mānavaḥ pūjayecchivaliṅgaṁ tatsa gacched brahmaṇaḥ padam

Whoever, any man at all, at any time, worships that Shiva-linga at Gokarna — he goes to the abode of Brahma.

Verse 13 (shiva.kotirudra.8.13)

ब्रह्मविष्ण्वादिदेवानां शङ्करो हितकाम्यया । महाबलाभिधानेन देवः सन्निहितः सदा ॥ 8.13 ॥

brahmaviṣṇvādidevānāṁ śaṅkaro hitakāmyayā mahābalābhidhānena devaḥ sannihitaḥ sadā

Out of a desire for the welfare of Brahma, Vishnu and the other gods, the God Shankara ever remains present there under the name Mahabala.

Verse 14 (shiva.kotirudra.8.14)

घोरेण तपसा लब्धं रावणाख्येन रक्षसा । तल्लिङ्गं स्थापयामास गोकर्णे गणनायकः ॥ 8.14 ॥

ghoreṇa tapasā labdhaṁ rāvaṇākhyena rakṣasā talliṅgaṁ sthāpayāmāsa gokarṇe gaṇanāyakaḥ

That linga, obtained through terrible penance by the demon named Ravana, was established at Gokarna by the Lord of the Ganas.

Verse 15 (shiva.kotirudra.8.15)

विष्णुर्ब्रह्मा महेन्द्रश्च विश्वेदेवा मरुद्गणाः । आदित्या वसवो दस्रौ शशाङ्कश्च सतारकः ॥ 8.15 ॥

viṣṇurbrahmā mahendraśca viśvedevā marudgaṇāḥ ādityā vasavo dasrau śaśāṅkaśca satārakaḥ

Vishnu, Brahma, Mahendra, the Vishvedevas, the hosts of the Maruts, the Adityas, the Vasus, the two Dasras, and the moon together with the stars —

Verse 16 (shiva.kotirudra.8.16)

एते विमानगतयो देवाश्च सह पार्षदैः । पूर्वद्वारं निषेवन्ते तस्य वै प्रीतिकारणात् ॥ 8.16 ॥

ete vimānagatayo devāśca saha pārṣadaiḥ pūrvadvāraṁ niṣevante tasya vai prītikāraṇāt

— these gods, traveling in their celestial chariots, together with their attendants, attend at his eastern gate, indeed out of love for him.

Verse 17 (shiva.kotirudra.8.17)

यमो मृत्युः स्वयं साक्षाच्चित्रगुप्तश्च पावकः । पितृभिः सह रुद्रैश्च दक्षिणद्वारमाश्रितः ॥ 8.17 ॥

yamo mṛtyuḥ svayaṁ sākṣāccitraguptaśca pāvakaḥ pitṛbhiḥ saha rudraiśca dakṣiṇadvāramāśritaḥ

Yama, Death himself directly, Chitragupta, and Pavaka, together with the ancestral spirits and the Rudras, attend at the southern gate.

Verse 18 (shiva.kotirudra.8.18)

वरुणः सरितां नाथो गङ्गादिसरितां गणैः । महाबलं च सेवन्ते पश्चिमद्वारमाश्रिताः ॥ 8.18 ॥

varuṇaḥ saritāṁ nātho gaṅgādisaritāṁ gaṇaiḥ mahābalaṁ ca sevante paścimadvāramāśritāḥ

Varuna, lord of the rivers, together with the multitudes of rivers headed by Ganga, serve Mahabala, stationed at the western gate.

Verse 19 (shiva.kotirudra.8.19)

तथा वायुः कुबेरश्च देवेशी भद्रकालिका । मातृभिश्चण्डिकाद्याभिरुत्तरद्वारमाश्रिताः ॥ 8.19 ॥

tathā vāyuḥ kuberaśca deveśī bhadrakālikā mātṛbhiścaṇḍikādyābhiruttaradvāramāśritāḥ

Likewise Vayu, Kubera, and the goddess Bhadrakalika, together with the Mother goddesses headed by Chandika, attend at the northern gate.

Verse 20 (shiva.kotirudra.8.20)

सर्वे देवाः सगन्धर्वाः पितरः सिद्धचारणाः । विद्याधराः किम्पुरुषाः किन्नरा गुह्यकाः खगाः ॥ 8.20 ॥

sarve devāḥ sagandharvāḥ pitaraḥ siddhacāraṇāḥ vidyādharāḥ kimpuruṣāḥ kinnarā guhyakāḥ khagāḥ

All the gods together with the Gandharvas, the ancestral spirits, the Siddhas and Charanas, the Vidyadharas, the Kimpurushas, the Kinnaras, the Guhyakas, the birds —

Verse 21 (shiva.kotirudra.8.21)

नानापिशाचा वेताला दैतेयाश्च महाबलाः । नागाः शेषादयः सर्वे सिद्धाश्च मुनयोऽखिलाः ॥ 8.21 ॥

nānāpiśācā vetālā daiteyāśca mahābalāḥ nāgāḥ śeṣādayaḥ sarve siddhāśca munayo’khilāḥ

— the various Pishachas, the Vetalas, the mighty Daityas, the Nagas headed by Shesha, all the Siddhas, and every sage —

Verse 22 (shiva.kotirudra.8.22)

प्रणुवन्ति च तं देवं प्रणमन्ति महाबलम् । लभन्त ईप्सितान्कामान् रमन्ते च यथासुखम् ॥ 8.22 ॥

praṇuvanti ca taṁ devaṁ praṇamanti mahābalam labhanta īpsitānkāmān ramante ca yathāsukham

— all praise and bow to that God Mahabala; they obtain their desired wishes and take their delight according to their pleasure.

Verse 23 (shiva.kotirudra.8.23)

बहुभिस्तत्र सुतपस्तप्तं सम्पूज्य तं विभुम् । लब्धा हि परमा सिद्धिरिहामुत्रापि सौख्यदा ॥ 8.23 ॥

bahubhistatra sutapastaptaṁ sampūjya taṁ vibhum labdhā hi paramā siddhirihāmutrāpi saukhyadā

Many there, having performed excellent penance and duly worshipped that Lord, have obtained the highest attainment, bestowing happiness both here and hereafter.

Verse 24 (shiva.kotirudra.8.24)

गोकर्णे शिवलिङ्गं तु मोक्षद्वार उदाहृतः । महाबलाभिधानोऽसौ पूजितः संस्तुतो द्विजाः ॥ 8.24 ॥

gokarṇe śivaliṅgaṁ tu mokṣadvāra udāhṛtaḥ mahābalābhidhāno’sau pūjitaḥ saṁstuto dvijāḥ

O brahmins, the Shiva-linga at Gokarna, called by the name Mahabala, worshipped and praised, is proclaimed to be the very gateway to liberation.

Verse 25 (shiva.kotirudra.8.25)

माघासितचतुर्दश्यां महाबलसमर्चनम् । विमुक्तिदं विशेषेण सर्वेषां पापिनामपि ॥ 8.25 ॥

māghāsitacaturdaśyāṁ mahābalasamarcanam vimuktidaṁ viśeṣeṇa sarveṣāṁ pāpināmapi

The worship of Mahabala on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Magha grants liberation especially even to all sinners.

Verse 26 (shiva.kotirudra.8.26)

अस्यां शिवतिथौ सर्वे महोत्सवदिदृक्षवः । आयान्ति सर्वदेशेभ्यश्चातुर्वर्ण्यमहाजनाः ॥ 8.26 ॥

asyāṁ śivatithau sarve mahotsavadidṛkṣavaḥ āyānti sarvadeśebhyaścāturvarṇyamahājanāḥ

On this holy day of Shiva, great multitudes of all four varnas come from every land, desiring to behold the great festival.

Verse 27 (shiva.kotirudra.8.27)

स्त्रियो वृद्धाश्च बालाश्च चतुराश्रमवासिनः । दृष्ट्वा तत्रैत्य देवेशं लेभिरे कृतकृत्यताम् ॥ 8.27 ॥

striyo vṛddhāśca bālāśca caturāśramavāsinaḥ dṛṣṭvā tatraitya deveśaṁ lebhire kṛtakṛtyatām

Women, the aged, children, and dwellers in the four stages of life, coming there and beholding the Lord of gods, attain the fulfilment of all their purpose.

Verse 28 (shiva.kotirudra.8.28)

महाबलप्रभावात्ते तच्च लिङ्गं शिवस्य तु । सम्पूज्यैकाथ चाण्डाली शिवलोकं गता द्रुतम् ॥ 8.28 ॥

mahābalaprabhāvātte tacca liṅgaṁ śivasya tu sampūjyaikātha cāṇḍālī śivalokaṁ gatā drutam

By the power of Mahabala — having once worshipped that linga of Shiva, even an outcaste woman swiftly attained the world of Shiva.