The Story of Lomasha: The Greatness of Shiva-Worship

Verse 1 (skanda.1.47.1)

॥ नारद उवाच॥ अथ ते ददृशुः पार्थ संयमस्थं महामुनिम्॥ क्रियायोगसमायुक्तं तपोमूर्तिधरं यथा

nārada uvāca atha te dadṛśuḥ pārtha saṁyamasthaṁ mahāmunim kriyāyogasamāyuktaṁ tapomūrtidharaṁ yathā

Narada said: "Then, O Partha, they beheld that great sage established in self-restraint, joined with the discipline of ritual practice, as if he wore the very form of austerity made flesh,

Verse 2 (skanda.1.47.2)

जटास्त्रिषवणस्नानकपिलाः शिरसा तदा॥ धारयन्तं लोमशाख्यमाज्यसिक्तमिवानलम्

jaṭāstriṣavaṇasnānakapilāḥ śirasā tadā dhārayantaṁ lomaśākhyamājyasiktamivānalam

"matted-locked, bathing three times a day, tawny of hair, and known by the name Lomasha, as if he were fire itself sprinkled with ghee.

Verse 3 (skanda.1.47.3)

सव्यहस्ते तृणौघं च च्छायार्थे विप्रसत्तमम्॥ दक्षिणे चाक्षमालां च बिभ्रतं मैत्रमार्गगम्

savyahaste tṛṇaughaṁ ca cchāyārthe viprasattamam dakṣiṇe cākṣamālāṁ ca bibhrataṁ maitramārgagam

"In his left hand that finest of Brahmins held a bundle of grass for shade; in his right, a rosary, walking the path of universal friendship,

Verse 4 (skanda.1.47.4)

अहिंसयन्दुरुक्ताद्यैः प्राणिनो भूमिचारिणः॥ यः सिद्धिमेति जप्येन स मैत्रो मुनिरुच्यते

ahiṁsayanduruktādyaiḥ prāṇino bhūmicāriṇaḥ yaḥ siddhimeti japyena sa maitro munirucyate

"causing no pain, not even by harsh words, to any creature moving on the earth — he who attains perfection through recitation is called a sage of universal friendship.

Verse 5 (skanda.1.47.5)

बकभूपद्विजोलूकगृध्रकूर्मा विलोक्य च॥ नेमुः कलापग्रामे तं चिरंतनतपोनिधिम्

bakabhūpadvijolūkagṛdhrakūrmā vilokya ca nemuḥ kalāpagrāme taṁ ciraṁtanataponidhim

Seeing him, the heron, the king, the sage, the owl, the vulture, and the tortoise bowed there in Kalapa-grama to that ancient treasury of austerity.

Verse 6 (skanda.1.47.6)

स्वागतासनसत्कारेणामुना तेऽति सत्कृताः॥ यथोचितं प्रतीतास्तमाहुः कार्यं हृदि स्थितम्

svāgatāsanasatkāreṇāmunā te'ti satkṛtāḥ yathocitaṁ pratītāstamāhuḥ kāryaṁ hṛdi sthitam

Honored greatly by him with welcome, seats, and courtesy, they, delighted, told him, fittingly, the matter that lay in their hearts.

Verse 7 (skanda.1.47.7)

॥कूर्म उवाच॥ इन्द्रद्युम्नोऽयमवनीपतिः सत्रिजनाग्रणीः॥ कीर्तिलोपान्निरस्तोऽयं वेधसा नाकपृष्ठतः

kūrma uvāca indradyumno'yamavanīpatiḥ satrijanāgraṇīḥ kīrtilopānnirasto'yaṁ vedhasā nākapṛṣṭhataḥ

Kurma said: "This is King Indradyumna, foremost among sacrificers, cast down from the vault of heaven by the Creator for the fading of his fame.

Verse 8 (skanda.1.47.8)

मार्कंडेयादिभिः प्राप्य कीर्त्युद्धारंच सत्तम॥ नायं कामयते स्वर्गं पुनःपातादिभीषणम्

mārkaṁḍeyādibhiḥ prāpya kīrtyuddhāraṁca sattama nāyaṁ kāmayate svargaṁ punaḥpātādibhīṣaṇam

"Having regained his fame through Markandeya and the others, O virtuous one, he no longer desires that heaven, fearsome as it is with the prospect of falling again.

Verse 9 (skanda.1.47.9)

भवतानुगृहीतोऽयमिहेच्छति महोदयम्॥ प्रणोद्यस्तदयं भूपः शिष्यस्ते भगवन्मया॥ त्वत्सकाशमिहानीतो ब्रूहि साध्वस्य वांछितम्

bhavatānugṛhīto'yamihecchati mahodayam praṇodyastadayaṁ bhūpaḥ śiṣyaste bhagavanmayā tvatsakāśamihānīto brūhi sādhvasya vāṁchitam

"Favored now by you, he desires the highest good here. O blessed one, urged on by me, this king has become your disciple; brought here into your presence, tell him what is good for what he seeks."

Verse 10 (skanda.1.47.10)

परोपकरणं नाम साधूनां व्रतमाहितम्॥ विशेषतः प्रणोद्यानां शिष्यवृत्तिमुपेयुषाम्

paropakaraṇaṁ nāma sādhūnāṁ vratamāhitam viśeṣataḥ praṇodyānāṁ śiṣyavṛttimupeyuṣām

"Helping others is indeed the settled vow of the virtuous — most of all toward those who, thus urged, come forward to take up the way of a disciple.

Verse 11 (skanda.1.47.11)

अप्रणोद्येषु पापेषु साधु प्रोक्तमसंशयम्॥ विद्वेषं मरणं चापि कुरुतेऽन्यतरस्य च

apraṇodyeṣu pāpeṣu sādhu proktamasaṁśayam vidveṣaṁ maraṇaṁ cāpi kurute'nyatarasya ca

"For sinners who cannot be so urged, what is fitting for the virtuous is, without doubt, either enmity, or else the death of one party or the other.

Verse 12 (skanda.1.47.12)

अप्रमत्तः प्रणोद्येषु मुनिरेष प्रयच्छति॥ तदेवेति भवानेवं धर्मं वेत्ति कुतो वयम्

apramattaḥ praṇodyeṣu munireṣa prayacchati tadeveti bhavānevaṁ dharmaṁ vetti kuto vayam

"This sage, ever watchful, gives just this to those fit to be urged forward — that alone is right. This dharma you yourself know; how should we know it?"

Verse 13 (skanda.1.47.13)

॥लोमश उवाच॥ कूर्म युक्तमिदं सर्वं त्वयाभिहितमद्य नः॥ धर्मशास्त्रोपनतं तत्स्मारिताः स्म पुरातनम्

lomaśa uvāca kūrma yuktamidaṁ sarvaṁ tvayābhihitamadya naḥ dharmaśāstropanataṁ tatsmāritāḥ sma purātanam

Lomasha said: "Kurma, all that you have told us today is fitting, drawn straight from the dharma-shastras; you have reminded us of an ancient truth.

Verse 14 (skanda.1.47.14)

ब्रूहि राजन्सुविश्रब्धं सन्देहं हृदयस्थितम्॥ कस्ते किमब्रवीच्छेषं वक्ष्याम्यहं न संशयः

brūhi rājansuviśrabdhaṁ sandehaṁ hṛdayasthitam kaste kimabravīccheṣaṁ vakṣyāmyahaṁ na saṁśayaḥ

"Tell me, O king, in full confidence, whatever doubt lies in your heart; whatever anyone else has told you, I shall tell you the rest, without doubt."

Verse 15 (skanda.1.47.15)

॥इन्द्रद्युम्न उवाच॥ भगवन्प्रथमः प्रश्रस्तावदेव ममोच्यताम्॥ ग्रीष्मकालेऽपि मध्यस्थै रवौ किं न तवाश्रमः

indradyumna uvāca bhagavanprathamaḥ praśrastāvadeva mamocyatām grīṣmakāle'pi madhyasthai ravau kiṁ na tavāśramaḥ

Indradyumna said: "O blessed one, let my very first question first be told: even in the heat of summer, with the sun overhead, why have you built yourself no hermitage?

Verse 16 (skanda.1.47.16)

कुटीमात्रोऽपि यच्छाया तृणैः शिरसि पाणिगैः

kuṭīmātro'pi yacchāyā tṛṇaiḥ śirasi pāṇigaiḥ

"Not even a mere hut — your only shade is grass held over your own head by your own hand."

Verse 17 (skanda.1.47.17)

॥लोमश उवाच॥ मर्तव्यमस्त्यवश्यं च काय एष पतिष्यति॥ कस्यार्थे क्रियते गेहमनित्यभवमध्यगैः

lomaśa uvāca martavyamastyavaśyaṁ ca kāya eṣa patiṣyati kasyārthe kriyate gehamanityabhavamadhyagaiḥ

Lomasha said: "Death must surely come — this body will fall. For whose sake, then, should a house be built, dwelling as we do amid this impermanent existence?

Verse 18 (skanda.1.47.18)

यस्य मृत्युर्भवेन्मित्रं पीतं वाऽमृतमुत्तमम्॥ तस्यैतदुचितं वक्तुमिदं मे श्वो भविष्यति

yasya mṛtyurbhavenmitraṁ pītaṁ vā'mṛtamuttamam tasyaitaducitaṁ vaktumidaṁ me śvo bhaviṣyati

"Only one whose friend is death itself, or who has drunk the highest nectar, may fittingly say, 'This shall be mine tomorrow.'

Verse 19 (skanda.1.47.19)

इदं युगसहस्रेषु भविष्यमभविद्दिनम्॥ तदप्यद्यत्वमापन्नं का कथामरणावधेः

idaṁ yugasahasreṣu bhaviṣyamabhaviddinam tadapyadyatvamāpannaṁ kā kathāmaraṇāvadheḥ

"A day that was to come only after a thousand ages has arrived this very day; what then is there to say of death's own limit?

Verse 20 (skanda.1.47.20)

कारणानुगतं कार्यमिदं शुक्रादभूद्वपुः॥ कथं विशुद्धिमायाति क्षालितांगारवद्वद

kāraṇānugataṁ kāryamidaṁ śukrādabhūdvapuḥ kathaṁ viśuddhimāyāti kṣālitāṁgāravadvada

"This body, an effect that follows its cause, arose from seed; how could it ever attain purity — tell me — any more than charcoal scrubbed clean?

Verse 21 (skanda.1.47.21)

तदस्यापि कृते पापं शत्रुषड्वर्गनिर्जिताः॥ कथंकारं न लज्जन्ते कुर्वाणा नृपसत्तम

tadasyāpi kṛte pāpaṁ śatruṣaḍvarganirjitāḥ kathaṁkāraṁ na lajjante kurvāṇā nṛpasattama

"For the sake of this body alone, men, overcome by the six inner enemies, commit sin — how, O best of kings, do they feel no shame in doing so?

Verse 22 (skanda.1.47.22)

तद्ब्रह्मण इहोत्पन्नः सिकताद्वयसम्भवः॥ निगमोक्तं पठञ्छृण्वन्निदं जीविष्यते कथम्

tadbrahmaṇa ihotpannaḥ sikatādvayasambhavaḥ nigamoktaṁ paṭhañchṛṇvannidaṁ jīviṣyate katham

"Sprung here from the very source of all, as if grown from a mere grain of sand — even while reading and hearing what scripture itself declares, how could he still think that he will live forever?

Verse 23 (skanda.1.47.23)

तथापि वैष्णवी माया मोहयत्यविवेकिनम्॥ हृदयस्थं न जानंति ह्यपि मृत्यु शतायुषः

tathāpi vaiṣṇavī māyā mohayatyavivekinam hṛdayasthaṁ na jānaṁti hyapi mṛtyu śatāyuṣaḥ

"And yet Vishnu's own maya bewilders the undiscerning; even a man granted a hundred years does not know the death that dwells within his own heart.

Verse 24 (skanda.1.47.24)

दन्ताश्चलाश्चला लक्ष्मीर्यौवनं जीवितं नृप॥ चलाचलमतीवेदं दानमेवं गृहं नृणाम्

dantāścalāścalā lakṣmīryauvanaṁ jīvitaṁ nṛpa calācalamatīvedaṁ dānamevaṁ gṛhaṁ nṛṇām

"The teeth are unstable, fortune is unstable, youth and life itself, O king — all of this is exceedingly unstable, and so too is the household of men.

Verse 25 (skanda.1.47.25)

इति विज्ञाय संसारसारं च चलाचलम्॥ कस्यार्थे क्रियते राजन्कुटजादि परिग्रहः

iti vijñāya saṁsārasāraṁ ca calācalam kasyārthe kriyate rājankuṭajādi parigrahaḥ

"Knowing the very essence of samsara to be thus unstable, O king, for whose sake, then, should any hut or the like be built at all?"

Verse 26 (skanda.1.47.26)

॥इन्द्रद्युम्न उवाच॥ चिरायुर्भगवानेव श्रूयते भुवनत्रये॥ तदर्थमहमायातस्तत्किमेवं वचस्तव

indradyumna uvāca cirāyurbhagavāneva śrūyate bhuvanatraye tadarthamahamāyātastatkimevaṁ vacastava

Indradyumna said: "You yourself, O blessed one, are renowned through all three worlds for your long life; it is for this very reason I have come — why then do you speak such words?"

Verse 27 (skanda.1.47.27)

॥लोमश उवाच॥ प्रतिकल्पं मच्छरीरादेकरोमपरिक्षयः॥ जायते सर्वनाशे च मम भावि प्रमापणम्

lomaśa uvāca pratikalpaṁ maccharīrādekaromaparikṣayaḥ jāyate sarvanāśe ca mama bhāvi pramāpaṇam

Lomasha said: "At the end of every kalpa a single hair falls from my body; and at the great dissolution of all things, my own death is fated to come.

Verse 28 (skanda.1.47.28)

पश्य जानुप्रदेशं मे द्व्यंगुलं रोमवर्जितम्॥ जातं वपुस्तद्बिभेमि मर्तव्ये सति किं गृहैः

paśya jānupradeśaṁ me dvyaṁgulaṁ romavarjitam jātaṁ vapustadbibhemi martavye sati kiṁ gṛhaiḥ

"See, here beside my knee, this patch two fingers wide has already gone bare; I fear even this body of mine, when death is certain all the same — what use, then, is a house?"

Verse 29 (skanda.1.47.29)

॥नारद उवाच॥ इत्थं निशम्य तद्वाक्यं स प्रहस्यातिविस्मितः॥ भूपालस्तस्य पप्रच्छ कारणं तादृशायुषः

nārada uvāca itthaṁ niśamya tadvākyaṁ sa prahasyātivismitaḥ bhūpālastasya papraccha kāraṇaṁ tādṛśāyuṣaḥ

Narada said: "Hearing this word, that king, laughing and greatly astonished, then asked him the cause of so long a life.

Verse 30 (skanda.1.47.30)

॥इन्द्रद्युम्न उवाच॥ पृच्छामि त्वामहं ब्रह्मन्यदायुरिदमीदृशम्॥ तव दीर्घं प्रभावोऽसौ दानस्य तपसोऽथवा

indradyumna uvāca pṛcchāmi tvāmahaṁ brahmanyadāyuridamīdṛśam tava dīrghaṁ prabhāvo'sau dānasya tapaso'thavā

Indradyumna said: "I ask you, O Brahman — this long life of yours, is it the power of giving, or of austerity?"

Verse 31 (skanda.1.47.31)

॥लोमश उवाच॥ श्रृणु भूप प्रवक्ष्यामि पूर्वजन्मसमुद्भवाम्॥ शिवधर्मयुतां पुण्यां कथां पापप्रणाशनीम्

lomaśa uvāca śrṛṇu bhūpa pravakṣyāmi pūrvajanmasamudbhavām śivadharmayutāṁ puṇyāṁ kathāṁ pāpapraṇāśanīm

Lomasha said: "Listen, O king, I shall tell you a sacred story, sprung from a former birth, bound up with the dharma of Shiva, and destroying sin.

Verse 32 (skanda.1.47.32)

अहमासं पुरा शूद्रो दरिद्रोऽतीवभूतले॥ भ्रमामि वसुधापृष्ठे ह्यशनपीडितो भृशम्

ahamāsaṁ purā śūdro daridro'tīvabhūtale bhramāmi vasudhāpṛṣṭhe hyaśanapīḍito bhṛśam

"Long ago I was a Shudra, exceedingly poor upon this earth; greatly tormented by hunger, I wandered over the face of the land.

Verse 33 (skanda.1.47.33)

ततो मया महल्लिंगं जालिमध्यगतं तदा॥ मध्याह्नेऽस्य जलाधारो दृष्टश्चैवा विदूरतः

tato mayā mahalliṁgaṁ jālimadhyagataṁ tadā madhyāhne'sya jalādhāro dṛṣṭaścaivā vidūrataḥ

"Then I saw a great linga caught within a net; at midday I saw, not far off, its vessel of water.

Verse 34 (skanda.1.47.34)

ततः प्रविश्य तद्वारि पीत्वा स्नात्वा च शांभवम्॥ तल्लिंगं स्नापितं पूजा विहिता कमलैः शुभैः

tataḥ praviśya tadvāri pītvā snātvā ca śāṁbhavam talliṁgaṁ snāpitaṁ pūjā vihitā kamalaiḥ śubhaiḥ

"Then, entering that water, drinking and bathing there, I bathed that Shaiva linga and worshipped it with fine lotuses.

Verse 35 (skanda.1.47.35)

अथ क्षुत्क्षामकंठोऽहं श्रीकंठं तं नमस्य च॥ पुनः प्रचलितो मार्गे प्रमीतो नृपसत्तम

atha kṣutkṣāmakaṁṭho'haṁ śrīkaṁṭhaṁ taṁ namasya ca punaḥ pracalito mārge pramīto nṛpasattama

"Then, my throat parched with hunger, having bowed to that Shrikantha, I set out again upon my way, and there I died, O best of kings.

Verse 36 (skanda.1.47.36)

ततोऽहं ब्राह्मणगृहे जातो जातिस्मरः सुतः॥ स्नापनाच्छिवलिंगस्य सकृत्कमलपूजनात्

tato'haṁ brāhmaṇagṛhe jāto jātismaraḥ sutaḥ snāpanācchivaliṁgasya sakṛtkamalapūjanāt

"Then, through that bathing of the Shiva-linga and that single worship with lotuses, I was born, remembering my past births, as a son in a Brahmin's house.

Verse 37 (skanda.1.47.37)

स्मरन्विलसितं मिथ्या सत्याभासमिदं जगत्॥ अविद्यामयमित्येवं ज्ञात्वा मूकत्वमास्थितः

smaranvilasitaṁ mithyā satyābhāsamidaṁ jagat avidyāmayamityevaṁ jñātvā mūkatvamāsthitaḥ

"Remembering the false play of this world, this mere semblance of truth, and knowing it to be woven of nothing but ignorance, I took up a vow of silence.

Verse 38 (skanda.1.47.38)

तेन विप्रेण वार्धक्ये समाराध्य महेश्वरम्॥ प्राप्तोऽहमिति मे नाम ईशान इति कल्पितम्

tena vipreṇa vārdhakye samārādhya maheśvaram prāpto'hamiti me nāma īśāna iti kalpitam

"That Brahmin, in his old age, had worshipped Maheshvara and thereby obtained me — and so my name was given as Ishana.

Verse 39 (skanda.1.47.39)

ततः स विप्रो वात्सल्यादगदान्सुबहून्मम॥ चकार व्यपनेष्यामि मूकत्वमिति निश्चयः

tataḥ sa vipro vātsalyādagadānsubahūnmama cakāra vyapaneṣyāmi mūkatvamiti niścayaḥ

"Then that Brahmin, out of parental love, applied many remedies to me, resolved: 'I shall rid him of his muteness.'

Verse 40 (skanda.1.47.40)

मंत्रवादान्बहून्वैद्यानुपायानपरानपि॥ पित्रोस्तथा महामायासंबद्धमनसोस्तथा

maṁtravādānbahūnvaidyānupāyānaparānapi pitrostathā mahāmāyāsaṁbaddhamanasostathā

"Many spells, physicians, and other remedies besides — of my parents, whose minds were bound fast by great delusion —

Verse 41 (skanda.1.47.41)

निरीक्ष्य मूढतां हास्यमासीन्मनसि मे तदा॥ तथा यौवनमासाद्य निशि हित्वा निजं गृहम्

nirīkṣya mūḍhatāṁ hāsyamāsīnmanasi me tadā tathā yauvanamāsādya niśi hitvā nijaṁ gṛham

"seeing their folly, laughter would rise then in my own mind. And so, having come to youth, at night, leaving my own house,

Verse 42 (skanda.1.47.42)

संपूज्य कमलैः शंभुं ततः शयनमभ्यगाम्॥ ततः प्रमीते पितरि मूढइत्यहमुज्झितः

saṁpūjya kamalaiḥ śaṁbhuṁ tataḥ śayanamabhyagām tataḥ pramīte pitari mūḍhaityahamujjhitaḥ

"I would worship Shambhu with lotuses, and then return to my bed. Then, when my father died, my kinsmen, thinking me a fool, cast me aside —

Verse 43 (skanda.1.47.43)

संबंधिभिः प्रतीतोऽथ फलाहारमवस्थितः॥ प्रतीतः पूजयामीशमब्जैर्बहुविधैस्तथा

saṁbaṁdhibhiḥ pratīto'tha phalāhāramavasthitaḥ pratītaḥ pūjayāmīśamabjairbahuvidhaistathā

"and, content, I lived on fruit alone; content, I went on worshipping Ishvara in this same way, with lotuses of every kind.

Verse 44 (skanda.1.47.44)

अथ वर्षशतस्यांते वरदः शशिशेखरः॥ प्रत्यक्षो याचितो देहि जरामरणसंक्षयम्

atha varṣaśatasyāṁte varadaḥ śaśiśekharaḥ pratyakṣo yācito dehi jarāmaraṇasaṁkṣayam

"Then, at the end of a hundred years, the moon-crested giver of boons appeared before me; I begged of him: 'Grant me freedom from old age and death.'

Verse 45 (skanda.1.47.45)

॥ईश्वर उवाच॥ अजरामरता नास्ति नामरूपभृतोयतः॥ ममापि देहपातः स्यादवधिं कुरु जीविते

īśvara uvāca ajarāmaratā nāsti nāmarūpabhṛtoyataḥ mamāpi dehapātaḥ syādavadhiṁ kuru jīvite

Ishvara said: "There is no such thing as agelessness and deathlessness, for whoever bears name and form; even my own body must one day fall — set instead some limit to your life."

Verse 46 (skanda.1.47.46)

इति शंभोर्वचः श्रुत्वा मया वृतिमिदं तदा॥ कल्पांते रोमपातोऽस्तु मरणं सर्वसंक्षये

iti śaṁbhorvacaḥ śrutvā mayā vṛtimidaṁ tadā kalpāṁte romapāto'stu maraṇaṁ sarvasaṁkṣaye

"Hearing this word of Shambhu, I then chose this: 'Let a single hair fall at the end of every kalpa, and let death come only at the great dissolution of all things,

Verse 47 (skanda.1.47.47)

ततस्तव गणो भूयामिति मेऽभीप्सितो वरः॥ तथेत्युक्त्वा स भगवान्हरश्चादर्शनं गतः

tatastava gaṇo bhūyāmiti me'bhīpsito varaḥ tathetyuktvā sa bhagavānharaścādarśanaṁ gataḥ

"'and let me then become your own gana' — this alone was the boon I desired. 'So be it,' said the blessed Hara, and vanished from sight.

Verse 48 (skanda.1.47.48)

अहं तपसिनिष्ठश्च ततः प्रभृति चाभवम्॥ ब्रह्महत्यादिभिः पापैर्मुच्यते शिवपूजनात्

ahaṁ tapasiniṣṭhaśca tataḥ prabhṛti cābhavam brahmahatyādibhiḥ pāpairmucyate śivapūjanāt

"I have remained established in austerity ever since. Through the worship of Shiva one is freed even from sins such as the slaying of a Brahmin —

Verse 49 (skanda.1.47.49)

ब्रध्नाब्जैरितरैर्वपि कमलैर्नात्र संशयः॥ एवं कुरु महाराज त्वमप्याप्स्यसि वांछितम्

bradhnābjairitarairvapi kamalairnātra saṁśayaḥ evaṁ kuru mahārāja tvamapyāpsyasi vāṁchitam

"whether with sun-lotuses or with other lotuses besides — of this there is no doubt. Do thus, great king, and you too shall attain your heart's desire.

Verse 50 (skanda.1.47.50)

हरभक्तस्य लोकस्य त्रिलोक्यां नास्ति दुर्लभम्॥ बहिःप्रवृत्तिं सगृह्य ज्ञानकर्मेन्द्रियादि च

harabhaktasya lokasya trilokyāṁ nāsti durlabham bahiḥpravṛttiṁ sagṛhya jñānakarmendriyādi ca

"For the world devoted to Hara, nothing at all in the three worlds is hard to attain; giving up outward activity, together with the organs of knowledge and of action,

Verse 51 (skanda.1.47.51)

लयः सदाशिवे नित्यमतर्यो गोऽयमुच्यते॥ दुष्करत्वाद्वहिर्योगं शिव एव स्वयं जगौ

layaḥ sadāśive nityamataryo go'yamucyate duṣkaratvādvahiryogaṁ śiva eva svayaṁ jagau

"eternal, unsurpassable dissolution in Sadashiva — this alone is called the true goal. Because outer yoga is so hard to achieve, Shiva himself declared —

Verse 52 (skanda.1.47.52)

पंचभिश्चार्चनं भूतैर्विशिष्टफलदं ध्रुवम्॥ क्लेशकर्मविपाकाद्यैराशयैश्चाप्य संयुतम्

paṁcabhiścārcanaṁ bhūtairviśiṣṭaphaladaṁ dhruvam kleśakarmavipākādyairāśayaiścāpya saṁyutam

"that worship performed with the five elements surely grants a fruit of its own special kind, even for a man still bound by affliction, action, its ripening, and their latent traces.

Verse 53 (skanda.1.47.53)

ईशानमाराध्य जपन्प्रणवं मुक्तिपाप्नुयात्॥ सर्वपापक्षये जाते शिवे भवति भावना

īśānamārādhya japanpraṇavaṁ muktipāpnuyāt sarvapāpakṣaye jāte śive bhavati bhāvanā

"Worshipping Ishana, reciting the syllable Om, a man attains liberation. Only when every sin is destroyed does devotion to Shiva truly arise.

Verse 54 (skanda.1.47.54)

पापोपहतबुद्धीनां शिवे वार्तापि दुर्लभा॥ दुर्लभं भारते जन्म दुर्लभं शिवपूजनम्

pāpopahatabuddhīnāṁ śive vārtāpi durlabhā durlabhaṁ bhārate janma durlabhaṁ śivapūjanam

"For those whose minds are wounded by sin, even talk of Shiva is hard to come by. Rare is birth in Bharata, rare is the worship of Shiva,

Verse 55 (skanda.1.47.55)

दुर्लभं जाह्नवीस्नानं शिवे भक्तिः सुदुर्लभा॥ दुर्लभं ब्राह्मणे दानं दुर्लभं वह्निपूजनम्

durlabhaṁ jāhnavīsnānaṁ śive bhaktiḥ sudurlabhā durlabhaṁ brāhmaṇe dānaṁ durlabhaṁ vahnipūjanam

"rare is bathing in the Ganga, and devotion to Shiva is rarer still. Rare is giving to a Brahmin, rare is the worship of fire,

Verse 56 (skanda.1.47.56)

अल्पपुण्यैश्च दुष्प्रापं पुरुषोत्तमपूजनम्

alpapuṇyaiśca duṣprāpaṁ puruṣottamapūjanam

"and for those of little merit, the worship of the Supreme Person is hard indeed to attain.

Verse 57 (skanda.1.47.57)

लक्षेण धनुषां योगस्तदर्धेन हुताशनः॥ पात्रं शतसहस्रेण रेवा रुद्रश्च षष्टिभिः

lakṣeṇa dhanuṣāṁ yogastadardhena hutāśanaḥ pātraṁ śatasahasreṇa revā rudraśca ṣaṣṭibhiḥ

"The merit of a hundred thousand bow-lengths of sacred ground equals a fire kindled with half as many; a hundred thousand worthy recipients equal the river Reva, and sixty Revas equal Rudra himself —

Verse 58 (skanda.1.47.58)

इति दमुक्तमखिलं मया तव महीपते॥ यथायुरभवद्दीर्घं समाराध्य महेश्वरम्

iti damuktamakhilaṁ mayā tava mahīpate yathāyurabhavaddīrghaṁ samārādhya maheśvaram

"thus, O lord of the earth, have I told you all of this — how this long life of mine came to be, through the worship of Maheshvara.

Verse 59 (skanda.1.47.59)

न दुर्लभं न दुष्प्रापं न चासाध्यं महात्मनाम्॥ शिवभक्तिकृतां पुंसां त्रिलोक्यामिति निश्चितम्

na durlabhaṁ na duṣprāpaṁ na cāsādhyaṁ mahātmanām śivabhaktikṛtāṁ puṁsāṁ trilokyāmiti niścitam

"For great souls devoted to Shiva, nothing at all in the three worlds is rare, nothing hard to attain, nothing beyond accomplishing — this is certain.

Verse 60 (skanda.1.47.60)

नंदीश्वरस्य तेनैव वपुषा शिवपूजनात्॥ सिद्धिमालोक्य को राजञ्छंकरं न नमस्यति

naṁdīśvarasya tenaiva vapuṣā śivapūjanāt siddhimālokya ko rājañchaṁkaraṁ na namasyati

"Beholding the very perfection Nandishvara attained, in that same body, through the worship of Shiva — who, O king, would not bow before Shankara?

Verse 61 (skanda.1.47.61)

श्वेतस्य च महीपस्य श्रीकंठं च नमस्यतः॥ कालोपि प्रलयं यातः कस्तमीशं न पूजयेत्

śvetasya ca mahīpasya śrīkaṁṭhaṁ ca namasyataḥ kālopi pralayaṁ yātaḥ kastamīśaṁ na pūjayet

"And King Shveta too, bowing before Shrikantha — when even Death itself was made to yield before him, who indeed would not worship that Ishvara?

Verse 62 (skanda.1.47.62)

यदिच्छया विश्वमिदं जायते व्यवतिष्ठते॥ तथा संलीयते चांते कस्तं न शरणं व्रजेत्

yadicchayā viśvamidaṁ jāyate vyavatiṣṭhate tathā saṁlīyate cāṁte kastaṁ na śaraṇaṁ vrajet

"He by whose very will this universe arises, endures, and at the end likewise dissolves — who would not take refuge in him?

Verse 63 (skanda.1.47.63)

एतद्रहस्यमिदमेव नृणां प्रधानं कर्तव्यमत्र शिवपूजनमेव भूप॥ यस्यांतरायपदवीमुपयांति लोकाः सद्योः नरः शिवनतः शिवमेव सत्यम्

etadrahasyamidameva nṛṇāṁ pradhānaṁ kartavyamatra śivapūjanameva bhūpa yasyāṁtarāyapadavīmupayāṁti lokāḥ sadyoḥ naraḥ śivanataḥ śivameva satyam

"This alone is the secret; this alone, O king, is here the foremost duty of men — the worship of Shiva, and nothing else; those who take refuge in him pass at once beyond the very path of every obstacle. A man bowed before Shiva is Shiva himself — this alone is the truth."