The Glory of Stambheshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.1.70.1)

॥नारद उवाच॥ कुमारेण स्थापितोऽत्र कुमारेशस्ततः सुराः॥ प्रणम्य गुहमूचुश्च प्रबद्धकरसंपुटाः

||nārada uvāca|| kumāreṇa sthāpito'tra kumāreśastataḥ surāḥ|| praṇamya guhamūcuśca prabaddhakarasaṁpuṭāḥ

Narada said: Then, after Kumaresha had been established here by Kumara, the gods, bowing to Guha with joined palms, said —

Verse 2 (skanda.1.70.2)

किंचिद्विज्ञापयष्यामो वयं त्वां श्रृणु तत्त्वतः॥ पूर्वप्रसिद्ध आचारः प्रोच्यते जयिनामयम्

kiṁcidvijñāpayaṣyāmo vayaṁ tvāṁ śrṛṇu tattvataḥ|| pūrvaprasiddha ācāraḥ procyate jayināmayam

"We shall submit something to you; hear it truly. This is the custom well established of old, declared for those who are victorious:"

Verse 3 (skanda.1.70.3)

जयंति ये रणे शत्रूंस्तैः कार्यः स्तंभचिह्नकः॥ तस्मात्तव जयोद्द्योतनिमित्तं स्तंममुत्तमम्

jayaṁti ye raṇe śatrūṁstaiḥ kāryaḥ staṁbhacihnakaḥ|| tasmāttava jayoddyotanimittaṁ staṁmamuttamam

"— those who conquer their enemies in battle should set up a victory-pillar. Therefore, as a sign proclaiming your victory, an excellent pillar —"

Verse 4 (skanda.1.70.4)

नक्षिपाम वयं यावत्त्मनुज्ञातुमर्हसि॥ विश्वकर्मकृतं यच्च तृतीयं लिंगमुत्तमम्

nakṣipāma vayaṁ yāvattmanujñātumarhasi|| viśvakarmakṛtaṁ yacca tṛtīyaṁ liṁgamuttamam

"— we shall not erect it until you grant permission. And the excellent third linga, made by Vishvakarma —"

Verse 5 (skanda.1.70.5)

तस्य स्तंभाग्रतसतं च संस्थापय शिवात्मज॥ एवमुक्ते सुरैः स्कन्दस्ततेत्याह महामनाः

tasya staṁbhāgratasataṁ ca saṁsthāpaya śivātmaja|| evamukte suraiḥ skandastatetyāha mahāmanāḥ

"— establish it before that pillar, O son of Shiva." When the gods had spoken thus, Skanda, of great mind, said, "So be it."

Verse 6 (skanda.1.70.6)

ततो हृष्टाः सुरगणाः शक्राद्याः स्तंभमुत्तमम्॥ जांबूनदमयं शुभ्रं रणभूमौ विनिक्षिपुः

tato hṛṣṭāḥ suragaṇāḥ śakrādyāḥ staṁbhamuttamam|| jāṁbūnadamayaṁ śubhraṁ raṇabhūmau vinikṣipuḥ

Then the delighted hosts of gods, headed by Shakra, set up on the battlefield a radiant, excellent pillar made of jambunada gold.

Verse 7 (skanda.1.70.7)

परितः स्थंडिलं दिक्षु सर्वरत्नमयं तु ते॥ तत्र हृष्टाश्चाप्सरसो ननृतुर्दशधा शुभाः

paritaḥ sthaṁḍilaṁ dikṣu sarvaratnamayaṁ tu te|| tatra hṛṣṭāścāpsaraso nanṛturdaśadhā śubhāḥ

All around it, in every direction, they made an altar-ground entirely of gems; there the joyful, auspicious Apsaras danced in ten different ways.

Verse 8 (skanda.1.70.8)

मातरो मंगलान्यस्य जगुः स्कन्दस्य नंदिताः॥ इंद्राद्या ननृतुस्तत्र स्वयं विष्णुश्च वादकः

mātaro maṁgalānyasya jaguḥ skandasya naṁditāḥ|| iṁdrādyā nanṛtustatra svayaṁ viṣṇuśca vādakaḥ

The Mothers, delighted, sang auspicious songs for Skanda; Indra and the others danced there, and Vishnu himself played the instruments.

Verse 9 (skanda.1.70.9)

पेतुः खात्पुष्पवर्षाणि देववाद्यानि सस्वनुः॥ एवं स्तंभं समारोप्य जयाख्यं विश्वनंदकः

petuḥ khātpuṣpavarṣāṇi devavādyāni sasvanuḥ|| evaṁ staṁbhaṁ samāropya jayākhyaṁ viśvanaṁdakaḥ

Showers of flowers fell from the sky, and divine instruments resounded. Thus, having raised up the pillar named "Jaya," the one who delights the whole world —

Verse 10 (skanda.1.70.10)

स्तम्भेश्वरस्ततो देवः स्थापितस्त्र्यक्षसूनुना॥ विरिंचिप्रमुखैर्देवैर्जातानन्दैः समं तदा

stambheśvarastato devaḥ sthāpitastryakṣasūnunā|| viriṁcipramukhairdevairjātānandaiḥ samaṁ tadā

— the god Stambheshvara was then established by the son of the Three-Eyed One, together with Brahma and the other gods, who had all become filled with joy,

Verse 11 (skanda.1.70.11)

हरिहरादित्युक्तैस्तैः सेन्द्रैर्मुनिगणैरपि॥ तस्यैव पश्चिमे भागे शक्त्यग्रेण महात्मना

hariharādityuktaistaiḥ sendrairmunigaṇairapi|| tasyaiva paścime bhāge śaktyagreṇa mahātmanā

— along with those called Hari and Hara, and along with the hosts of sages with Indra. Then, on the western side of that very pillar, the great-souled one, with the point of his spear,

Verse 12 (skanda.1.70.12)

गुहेन निर्मितः कूपो गंगा तत्र तलोद्भवा॥ माघस्य च चतुर्दश्यां कृष्णायां पितृतर्पणम्

guhena nirmitaḥ kūpo gaṁgā tatra talodbhavā|| māghasya ca caturdaśyāṁ kṛṣṇāyāṁ pitṛtarpaṇam

— made a well, and the Ganga arose there from its depths. And on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Magha, offerings should be made to the ancestors.

Verse 13 (skanda.1.70.13)

कूपे स्नानं नरः कृत्वा भक्त्या यः पांडुनंदन॥ गयाश्राद्धेन यत्पुण्यं तत्फलं लभते स्फुटम्

kūpe snānaṁ naraḥ kṛtvā bhaktyā yaḥ pāṁḍunaṁdana|| gayāśrāddhena yatpuṇyaṁ tatphalaṁ labhate sphuṭam

O son of Pandu, whatever man devotedly bathes in this well obtains, clearly, that same fruit as the merit gained through the shraddha performed at Gaya.

Verse 14 (skanda.1.70.14)

स्तंभेश्वरं ततो देवं गन्धपुष्पैः प्रपूजयेत्॥ वाजपेयफलं प्राप्य मोदते रुद्रसद्मानि

staṁbheśvaraṁ tato devaṁ gandhapuṣpaiḥ prapūjayet|| vājapeyaphalaṁ prāpya modate rudrasadmāni

Then, having worshipped the god Stambheshvara with scent and flowers, he obtains the fruit of the Vajapeya sacrifice and rejoices in the abodes of Rudra.

Verse 15 (skanda.1.70.15)

पौर्णमास्याममावास्यां महीसागरसंगमे॥ श्राद्धं कृत्वा च योऽभ्यर्च्चेंत्स्तंभेश्वरमकल्मषः

paurṇamāsyāmamāvāsyāṁ mahīsāgarasaṁgame|| śrāddhaṁ kṛtvā ca yo'bhyarcceṁtstaṁbheśvaramakalmaṣaḥ

Whoever, on the full moon or the new moon, at the confluence of Mahi and Sagara, performs shraddha and, free of stain, worships Stambheshvara —

Verse 16 (skanda.1.70.16)

पितरस्तस्य तृप्यंति तृप्ता यच्छंति चाशिषः॥ स भित्त्वा सर्वपापानि रुद्रलोके महीयते

pitarastasya tṛpyaṁti tṛptā yacchaṁti cāśiṣaḥ|| sa bhittvā sarvapāpāni rudraloke mahīyate

— his ancestors become satisfied, and, satisfied, bestow their blessings; he, having destroyed all his sins, is glorified in Rudraloka.

Verse 17 (skanda.1.70.17)

इत्याह भगवान्रुद्रः स्कन्दस्य प्रीतये पुरा॥ एवमेव चतुर्थं च स्थापितं लिंगमुत्तमम्

ityāha bhagavānrudraḥ skandasya prītaye purā|| evameva caturthaṁ ca sthāpitaṁ liṁgamuttamam

Thus spoke the blessed Rudra of old, for the delight of Skanda; and in this way the excellent fourth linga was established.

Verse 18 (skanda.1.70.18)

प्रणेमुर्देवताः सर्वे साधुसाध्विति ते जगुः

praṇemurdevatāḥ sarve sādhusādhviti te jaguḥ

All the gods bowed down, and they exclaimed, "Well done, well done!"