The Glory of Stambhatirtha and the Story of Somanatha

Verse 1 (skanda.1.83.1)

।। नारद उवाच ।। ।। अथातः संप्रवक्ष्यामि सोमनाथमहिं स्फुटम् ।। शृण्वन्यां कीर्त यिष्यामि पापमोक्षमवाप्नुयात्॥

|| nārada uvāca || || athātaḥ saṁpravakṣyāmi somanāthamahiṁ sphuṭam || śṛṇvanyāṁ kīrta yiṣyāmi pāpamokṣamavāpnuyāt||

Narada said: Now I shall clearly declare the glory of Somanatha. Whoever hears this shall attain release from sin.

Verse 2 (skanda.1.83.2)

पुरा त्रेतायुगे पार्थ चौडदेशसमुद्भवौ ।। ऊर्जयंतश्च प्रालेयो विप्रावास्तां महाद्युती॥

purā tretāyuge pārtha cauḍadeśasamudbhavau || ūrjayaṁtaśca prāleyo viprāvāstāṁ mahādyutī||

O Partha, long ago, in the Treta age, there were two exceedingly radiant brahmins, born in the land of Chauda, named Urjayanta and Praleya.

Verse 3 (skanda.1.83.3)

तावेकदा पुराणार्थे श्लोकमेकमपश्यताम् ।। तं दृष्ट्वा सर्वशास्त्रज्ञावास्तां कंटकितत्वचौ॥

tāvekadā purāṇārthe ślokamekamapaśyatām || taṁ dṛṣṭvā sarvaśāstrajñāvāstāṁ kaṁṭakitatvacau||

One day, seeing a certain verse in a Purana, those two, though already learned in every scripture, felt the hair on their bodies stand on end.

Verse 4 (skanda.1.83.4)

प्रभासाद्यानि तीर्थानि पुलस्त्यायाह पद्मभूः । न यैस्तत्राप्लुतं चैव किं तैस्तीर्थमुपासितम्॥

prabhāsādyāni tīrthāni pulastyāyāha padmabhūḥ | na yaistatrāplutaṁ caiva kiṁ taistīrthamupāsitam||

Padmabhu, Brahma, had said to Pulastya: "As for the tirthas beginning with Prabhasa — those who have not bathed there, what tirtha, indeed, have they truly worshipped at all?"

Verse 5 (skanda.1.83.5)

इति श्लोकं पठित्वा तौ पुनःपुनरभिष्टुतम् ।। तर्ह्येव च प्रभासाय निःसृतौ स्नातुमुत्तमौ॥

iti ślokaṁ paṭhitvā tau punaḥpunarabhiṣṭutam || tarhyeva ca prabhāsāya niḥsṛtau snātumuttamau||

Reading this verse again and again, praising it repeatedly, those two excellent brahmins set out that very moment to bathe at Prabhasa.

Verse 6 (skanda.1.83.6)

तौ वनानि नदीश्चैव व्यतिक्रम्य शनैःशनैः ।। महर्षिगणसंकीर्णामुत्तीणौ नर्मदां शिवाम्॥

tau vanāni nadīścaiva vyatikramya śanaiḥśanaiḥ || maharṣigaṇasaṁkīrṇāmuttīṇau narmadāṁ śivām||

Slowly crossing forests and rivers, they made their way across the auspicious Narmada, thronged with hosts of great sages.

Verse 7 (skanda.1.83.7)

गुप्तक्षेत्रस्य माहात्म्यं महीसागरसंगमम् ।। तत्र स्नात्वा प्रभासाय तन्मध्येन प्रतस्थतुः॥

guptakṣetrasya māhātmyaṁ mahīsāgarasaṁgamam || tatra snātvā prabhāsāya tanmadhyena pratasthatuḥ||

There, bathing at the confluence of the Mahi and the sea, endowed with the greatness of Guptakshetra, they proceeded onward through that same region toward Prabhasa.

Verse 8 (skanda.1.83.8)

ततो मार्गस्य शून्यत्वात्तृट्क्षुधापीडितौ भृशम् ।। आस्तां विचेतनौ विप्रौ सिद्धलिंगसमीपतः॥

tato mārgasya śūnyatvāttṛṭkṣudhāpīḍitau bhṛśam || āstāṁ vicetanau viprau siddhaliṁgasamīpataḥ||

Then, the road being desolate and empty, tormented by extreme thirst and hunger, those two brahmins collapsed, senseless, near the linga of Siddhesha.

Verse 9 (skanda.1.83.9)

सिद्धनाथं नमस्कृत्य संप्रयातौ सुधैर्यतः ।। क्षुधावेगेन तीव्रेण तृषा मध्यार्कतापितौ॥

siddhanāthaṁ namaskṛtya saṁprayātau sudhairyataḥ || kṣudhāvegena tīvreṇa tṛṣā madhyārkatāpitau||

Having bowed to Siddhanatha, they pressed onward with great fortitude, but, scorched by the midday sun, overwhelmed by the fierce force of hunger and thirst,

Verse 10 (skanda.1.83.10)

सहसा पतितौ भूमौ स्थूणपादौ विमूर्छितौ ।। ततो मुहूर्तात्प्रालेय ऊर्जयंतमभाषत॥

sahasā patitau bhūmau sthūṇapādau vimūrchitau || tato muhūrtātprāleya ūrjayaṁtamabhāṣata||

— they suddenly collapsed onto the ground, their legs stiffening like pillars, and they fainted. Then, after a while, Praleya spoke to Urjayanta:

Verse 11 (skanda.1.83.11)

किंचिद्विश्वस्य धैर्याच्च सखे किं न श्रुतं त्वया ।। यथा यथा विवर्णांगो जायते तीर्थयात्रया॥

kiṁcidviśvasya dhairyācca sakhe kiṁ na śrutaṁ tvayā || yathā yathā vivarṇāṁgo jāyate tīrthayātrayā||

"My friend, have you not heard this — that just as a man's limbs grow ever more discolored through the hardship of pilgrimage —"

Verse 12 (skanda.1.83.12)

तथातथा भवेद्दानैर्दीनः सोमेश्वरो हरः ।। तथाऽऽस्तां लुंठमानौ तावेवमुक्ते श्रुतेऽपि च॥

tathātathā bhaveddānairdīnaḥ someśvaro haraḥ || tathā''stāṁ luṁṭhamānau tāvevamukte śrute'pi ca||

"— so too does Someshvara Hara, humbled by his devotee's gifts, become pleased?" Though this was said and heard, both continued to writhe upon the ground.

Verse 13 (skanda.1.83.13)

लुंठमानो जगामैव प्रालेयः किंचिदंतरे ।। उत्थितं सहसा लिंगं भूमिं भित्त्वा सुदुर्दृशम्॥

luṁṭhamāno jagāmaiva prāleyaḥ kiṁcidaṁtare || utthitaṁ sahasā liṁgaṁ bhūmiṁ bhittvā sudurdṛśam||

Writhing along, Praleya came, by chance, upon a spot a little farther off, where he saw a linga, suddenly risen from the very earth, most rare and wondrous to behold.

Verse 14 (skanda.1.83.14)

खे वाणी चाभवत्तत्र पुष्पवर्षपुरःसरा ।। प्रालेय तव हेतोस्तु सोमनाथसमं फलम् ।। उत्थितं सागरतटे लिंगं तिष्ठात्र सुव्रत॥

khe vāṇī cābhavattatra puṣpavarṣapuraḥsarā || prāleya tava hetostu somanāthasamaṁ phalam || utthitaṁ sāgarataṭe liṁgaṁ tiṣṭhātra suvrata||

Then a voice came from the sky, accompanied by a shower of flowers: "O Praleya, for your sake alone has this linga risen upon the shore of the sea, bearing merit equal to that of Somanatha itself. O keeper of a noble vow, remain here."

Verse 15 (skanda.1.83.15)

।। प्रालेय उवाच ।। ।। यद्येवं सत्यमेतच्च तथाप्यात्मा प्रकल्पितः॥

|| prāleya uvāca || || yadyevaṁ satyametacca tathāpyātmā prakalpitaḥ||

Praleya said: "Even if this be true, I have nonetheless already resolved within my own heart —"

Verse 16 (skanda.1.83.16)

प्रभासाय प्रयातव्यं यदाऽऽ मृत्योर्मया स्फुटम् ।। ततश्चैवोर्ज्जयंतोऽपि मूर्छाभावाल्लुठन्पुरः॥

prabhāsāya prayātavyaṁ yadā'' mṛtyormayā sphuṭam || tataścaivorjjayaṁto'pi mūrchābhāvālluṭhanpuraḥ||

"— that I shall go on to Prabhasa itself, come what may, even unto death." At that same moment, Urjayanta too, in his swoon, had been writhing onward ahead,

Verse 17 (skanda.1.83.17)

अपश्यदुत्थितं लिंगं स चैवं प्रत्यपद्यत ।। ततः प्रत्यक्षतां प्राप्तो भवश्चक्रे तयोर्दृढे॥

apaśyadutthitaṁ liṁgaṁ sa caivaṁ pratyapadyata || tataḥ pratyakṣatāṁ prāpto bhavaścakre tayordṛḍhe||

— and he too saw that risen linga, and he likewise remained resolute in his own vow. Then, seeing the steadfastness of both, Lord Bhava himself appeared before them, visible to their very eyes.

Verse 18 (skanda.1.83.18)

दृष्ट्या तनू ततो यातौ प्रभासं शिवसद्म च ।। तावेतौ सोमनाथौ द्वौ सिद्धेश्वरसमीपतः॥

dṛṣṭyā tanū tato yātau prabhāsaṁ śivasadma ca || tāvetau somanāthau dvau siddheśvarasamīpataḥ||

Strengthened by that vision, both of them then went on to Prabhasa, the abode of Shiva. And these two, in the form of Somanatha, remained established near Siddheshvara here.

Verse 19 (skanda.1.83.19)

ऊर्जयंतः प्रतीच्यां च प्रालेयस्येश्वरोऽपरः ।। सोमकुडांभसि शनैः स्नात्वार्णवमहीजले॥

ūrjayaṁtaḥ pratīcyāṁ ca prāleyasyeśvaro'paraḥ || somakuḍāṁbhasi śanaiḥ snātvārṇavamahījale||

Urjayanta stands in the west, and the other lord of Praleya — bathing slowly in the waters of their Somakunda, and in the waters of the confluence of the ocean and the Mahi,

Verse 20 (skanda.1.83.20)

सोमनाथद्वयं पश्येज्जन्मपापात्प्रमुच्यते ।। ब्रह्मात्र स्थापयित्वा तु हाटकेश्वर संज्ञितम्॥

somanāthadvayaṁ paśyejjanmapāpātpramucyate || brahmātra sthāpayitvā tu hāṭakeśvara saṁjñitam||

— whoever beholds these two forms of Somanatha is freed from the sins accumulated across many births. Here, Brahma, having established a linga renowned by the name Hatakeshvara —

Verse 21 (skanda.1.83.21)

महीनगरके लिंगं पातालात्सुमनोहरम् ।। तुष्टाव देवं प्रयतः स्तुतिं तां शृणु पांडव॥

mahīnagarake liṁgaṁ pātālātsumanoharam || tuṣṭāva devaṁ prayataḥ stutiṁ tāṁ śṛṇu pāṁḍava||

— brought that most beautiful linga up from the netherworld and established it at Mahinagara, and, having purified himself, praised that god. O Pandava, hear that hymn of praise:

Verse 22 (skanda.1.83.22)

नमस्ते भगवन्रुद्र भास्करामिततेजसे ।। नमो भवाय रुद्राय रसायांबुमयाय ते॥

namaste bhagavanrudra bhāskarāmitatejase || namo bhavāya rudrāya rasāyāṁbumayāya te||

"Salutation to you, O Lord Rudra, of boundless splendor like the sun. Salutation to you as Bhava, as Rudra, as the essence and form of water."

Verse 23 (skanda.1.83.23)

शर्वाय क्षितिरूपाय सदा सुरभिणे नमः ।। ईशाय वायवे तुभ्यं संस्पर्शाय नमोनमः॥

śarvāya kṣitirūpāya sadā surabhiṇe namaḥ || īśāya vāyave tubhyaṁ saṁsparśāya namonamaḥ||

"Salutation to you as Sharva, as the form of the earth, ever fragrant. Salutation, salutation to you as Isha, as Vayu, the wind, and as the very essence of touch."

Verse 24 (skanda.1.83.24)

पशूनां पतये चापि पावकायातितेजसे ।। भीमाय व्योमरूपाय शब्दमात्राय ते नमः॥

paśūnāṁ pataye cāpi pāvakāyātitejase || bhīmāya vyomarūpāya śabdamātrāya te namaḥ||

"Salutation to you as Pashupati, Lord of creatures, and as Pavaka, fire of surpassing splendor. Salutation to you as Bhima, as the form of space, and as the very essence of sound."

Verse 25 (skanda.1.83.25)

महादेवाय सोमाय अमृताय नमोऽस्तु ते ।। उग्राय यजमानाय नमस्ते कर्मयोगिने॥

mahādevāya somāya amṛtāya namo'stu te || ugrāya yajamānāya namaste karmayogine||

"Salutation to you as Mahadeva, as Soma, and as immortal nectar. Salutation to you as Ugra, as the very sacrificer, and as the yogi of action."

Verse 26 (skanda.1.83.26)

इत्येवं नामभिर्दिव्यैः स्तव एष उदीरितः ।। यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि पितामहकृतं स्तवम्॥

ityevaṁ nāmabhirdivyaiḥ stava eṣa udīritaḥ || yaḥ paṭhecchṛṇuyādvāpi pitāmahakṛtaṁ stavam||

Thus was this hymn recited, with these divine names. Whoever recites or hears this hymn composed by the Grandsire Brahma,

Verse 27 (skanda.1.83.27)

हाटकेश्वरलिंगस्य नित्यं च प्रयतो नरः ।। अष्टमूर्तेः स सायुज्यं लभते नात्र संशयः॥

hāṭakeśvaraliṁgasya nityaṁ ca prayato naraḥ || aṣṭamūrteḥ sa sāyujyaṁ labhate nātra saṁśayaḥ||

— and who, pure of heart, daily worships the linga of Hatakeshvara, attains union with the Eightfold Form, Shiva — of this there is no doubt whatever.

Verse 28 (skanda.1.83.28)

हाटकेश्वरलिंगं च प्रयतो यः स्मरेदपि ।। तस्य स्याद्वरदो ब्रह्मा तेनेदं स्थापितं जय॥

hāṭakeśvaraliṁgaṁ ca prayato yaḥ smaredapi || tasya syādvarado brahmā tenedaṁ sthāpitaṁ jaya||

Whoever, being pure, so much as remembers the linga of Hatakeshvara has Brahma himself as his boon-giver. It was for this very reason, O victorious one, that Brahma established it here.

Verse 29 (skanda.1.83.29)

एवंविधानि तीर्थानि महीसागरसंगमे ।। बहूनि संति पुण्यानि संक्षेपाद्वर्णितानि मे॥

evaṁvidhāni tīrthāni mahīsāgarasaṁgame || bahūni saṁti puṇyāni saṁkṣepādvarṇitāni me||

Thus do many such meritorious tirthas exist at the confluence of the Mahi and the sea, which I have described to you here in brief.