The Legends of Kapoteshvara and Bilveshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.2.53.1)

मुनय ऊचुः । कपोतेशस्थली चापि कथं ख्याता महामुने । को वा कपोतः कश्चेश एतन्नो वक्तुमर्हसि

munaya ūcuḥ kapoteśasthalī cāpi kathaṁ khyātā mahāmune ko vā kapotaḥ kaśceśa etanno vaktumarhasi

The sages said: 'O great sage, how did Kapoteshasthali become renowned? Who is the dove, and who its lord? This you should tell us.'

Verse 2 (skanda.2.53.2)

जैमिनिरुवाच । पुरा कुशस्थली सा वै असेव्या सर्वजंतुभिः । तीक्ष्णधारैः कुशाग्रैस्तु परितः कंटकैश्चिता

jaiminiruvāca purā kuśasthalī sā vai asevyā sarvajaṁtubhiḥ tīkṣṇadhāraiḥ kuśāgraistu paritaḥ kaṁṭakaiścitā

Jaimini said: Formerly that Kushasthali was unfit to be dwelt in by any creature, covered all around with thorns and sharp-tipped kusha grass.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.53.3)

निस्तरुर्निर्जलाधारा पिशाचवसतिर्यथा । यदा पूर्वं भगवतो नान्यो देवोऽपि पूज्यते

nistarurnirjalādhārā piśācavasatiryathā yadā pūrvaṁ bhagavato nānyo devo'pi pūjyate

Treeless, waterless, like the abode of demons — when, of old, no other god at all was worshipped except the Lord,

Verse 4 (skanda.2.53.4)

पूज्यः स्यामहमप्येवं स्पर्धासीद्धूर्जटेस्तदा । चिंतयन्निति तस्यैव विष्णोर्भक्तौ मनोऽदधत्

pūjyaḥ syāmahamapyevaṁ spardhāsīddhūrjaṭestadā ciṁtayanniti tasyaiva viṣṇorbhaktau mano'dadhat

'May I too become worshipped thus' — such was Dhurjati's rivalry then; and, thinking so, he set his mind upon devotion to that very Vishnu.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.53.5)

सर्वनिर्विषये देशे स्थित्वाऽहं निष्परिग्रहः । सुमहत्तप आस्थाय तोषयिष्यामि तं हरिम्

sarvanirviṣaye deśe sthitvā'haṁ niṣparigrahaḥ sumahattapa āsthāya toṣayiṣyāmi taṁ harim

'Dwelling in a land utterly free of sensory objects, possessing nothing, undertaking the greatest austerity, I shall satisfy that Hari.'

Verse 6 (skanda.2.53.6)

किं वदेयं रमेशाय का स्तुतिः शारदापतेः । सर्वब्रह्मांडनाथस्य किं वान्यत्तुष्टिकारकम्

kiṁ vadeyaṁ rameśāya kā stutiḥ śāradāpateḥ sarvabrahmāṁḍanāthasya kiṁ vānyattuṣṭikārakam

'What shall I say to the Lord of Rama? What praise befits the Lord of Sharada? What else could satisfy the Master of all the cosmic eggs?'

Verse 7 (skanda.2.53.7)

तस्मान्न बाह्यं वस्त्वन्यदुपयोगाय तस्य वै । अंतर्यागं समास्थाय निर्व्यलीकेन चेतसा

tasmānna bāhyaṁ vastvanyadupayogāya tasya vai aṁtaryāgaṁ samāsthāya nirvyalīkena cetasā

'Therefore no outer thing at all serves his purpose; resorting instead to inner worship, with a guileless mind,'

Verse 8 (skanda.2.53.8)

भक्तेभ्य आत्मप्रददं चराचरगुरुं हरिम् । आराधयिष्ये सर्वेषां पूज्यः स्यां तत्प्रसादतः

bhaktebhya ātmapradadaṁ carācaraguruṁ harim ārādhayiṣye sarveṣāṁ pūjyaḥ syāṁ tatprasādataḥ

'— I shall worship Hari, who gives his own self to his devotees, the guru of all that moves and moves not, so that by his grace I too may become worshipped by all.'

Verse 9 (skanda.2.53.9)

तत इत्यभिसंधाय ययौ पुण्यां कुशस्थलीम् । समीपे नीलगोत्रस्य सर्वद्वंद्वविवर्जितः

tata ityabhisaṁdhāya yayau puṇyāṁ kuśasthalīm samīpe nīlagotrasya sarvadvaṁdvavivarjitaḥ

Having thus resolved, he went to the holy Kushasthali, near the range of the Nila mountain, freed from all the pairs of opposites.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.53.10)

ततस्तेपे तपस्तीव्रं वायुभक्षो महेश्वरः । कपोत इव सूक्ष्मोऽभूदष्टमूर्तिरपि प्रभुः

tatastepe tapastīvraṁ vāyubhakṣo maheśvaraḥ kapota iva sūkṣmo'bhūdaṣṭamūrtirapi prabhuḥ

Then Maheshvara performed severe austerity, feeding on air alone; the Lord, though of eight forms, became as small and subtle as a dove.

Verse 11 (skanda.2.53.11)

ततः प्रसन्नो भगवानैश्वर्यं प्रददौ तदा । येनात्मतुल्यः संजातः पूजासंमाननादिषु

tataḥ prasanno bhagavānaiśvaryaṁ pradadau tadā yenātmatulyaḥ saṁjātaḥ pūjāsaṁmānanādiṣu

Then the Lord, pleased, granted him lordship, by which he became their equal in worship and honour and the rest.

Verse 12 (skanda.2.53.12)

तपःप्रभावात्तस्यासीत्स्थली वृन्दावनोपमा । सरस्तडागसरसी नदीभिः शोभितांतरा

tapaḥprabhāvāttasyāsītsthalī vṛndāvanopamā sarastaḍāgasarasī nadībhiḥ śobhitāṁtarā

By the power of that austerity the place became like Vrindavana, its interior adorned with lakes, ponds and rivers,

Verse 13 (skanda.2.53.13)

नानाद्रुमैर्लताभिश्च सर्वर्तुफलपुष्पकैः । मधुमत्तद्विरेफाणां झंकारैर्मुखराशया

nānādrumairlatābhiśca sarvartuphalapuṣpakaiḥ madhumattadvirephāṇāṁ jhaṁkārairmukharāśayā

filled with manifold trees and creepers bearing the fruits and flowers of every season, resounding with the hum of bees drunk on nectar,

Verse 14 (skanda.2.53.14)

नानापक्षिगणाकीर्णा सर्वजंतुसुखाश्रया । कपोतसदृशो जातो यतः स तपसा शिवः

nānāpakṣigaṇākīrṇā sarvajaṁtusukhāśrayā kapotasadṛśo jāto yataḥ sa tapasā śivaḥ

thronged with flocks of various birds, a happy refuge for every creature — since Shiva, through his austerity, had become like a dove,

Verse 15 (skanda.2.53.15)

मुरारेराज्ञया सोऽत्र कपोतेश्वरतां गतः । तदाज्ञयाऽत्र वसति मृडान्या त्र्यंबकः सदा

murārerājñayā so'tra kapoteśvaratāṁ gataḥ tadājñayā'tra vasati mṛḍānyā tryaṁbakaḥ sadā

by Murari's command he attained here the state of Kapoteshvara; and by that same command Tryambaka dwells here always with Mridani.

Verse 16 (skanda.2.53.16)

येऽर्चयन्ति कपोतेशं स्तुवन्ति प्रणमंति वा । निर्धूतकल्मषास्ते वै प्रयांति पुरुषोत्तमम्

ye'rcayanti kapoteśaṁ stuvanti praṇamaṁti vā nirdhūtakalmaṣāste vai prayāṁti puruṣottamam

Those who worship, praise, or bow to Kapotesha, their sins washed away, surely go on to Purushottama.

Verse 17 (skanda.2.53.17)

अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि बिल्वेशमहिमां द्विजाः । पातालवासिनः पूर्वं दैत्या भित्त्वा महीतलम्

ataḥ paraṁ pravakṣyāmi bilveśamahimāṁ dvijāḥ pātālavāsinaḥ pūrvaṁ daityā bhittvā mahītalam

Now next, O Brahmins, I shall tell the glory of Bilvesha. Formerly the Daityas dwelling in Patala, breaking through the earth's surface,

Verse 18 (skanda.2.53.18)

उपद्रवंति भूर्लोकं भक्षयन्ति जनांस्तथा । भारावतरणार्थाय देवकीगर्भसंभवः

upadravaṁti bhūrlokaṁ bhakṣayanti janāṁstathā bhārāvataraṇārthāya devakīgarbhasaṁbhavaḥ

harassed the earthly world and began devouring its people; then, to relieve the earth of its burden, the Lord who had taken birth from Devaki's womb,

Verse 19 (skanda.2.53.19)

पालयामास पृथिवीं यदा स भगवान्प्रभुः । यादवैः पांडवैः सार्द्धं तदा तत्स्थानमागतः

pālayāmāsa pṛthivīṁ yadā sa bhagavānprabhuḥ yādavaiḥ pāṁḍavaiḥ sārddhaṁ tadā tatsthānamāgataḥ

while protecting the earth, came, together with the Yadavas and Pandavas, to that place.

Verse 20 (skanda.2.53.20)

तीर्थराजस्य सलिले स्नात्वा तं नीलमाधवम् । दूरात्प्रणम्य मनसा दैत्यद्वारमुपागतः

tīrtharājasya salile snātvā taṁ nīlamādhavam dūrātpraṇamya manasā daityadvāramupāgataḥ

Having bathed in the waters of the king of sacred fords, and bowed from afar in his mind to Nilamadhava, he came to the gate of the Daityas.

Verse 21 (skanda.2.53.21)

दृष्ट्वा तद्विवरं घोरमप्रवेश्यं तु मानवैः । भ्रांत्या संमोहयँल्लोकान्प्रथयञ्छिवपूज्यताम्

dṛṣṭvā tadvivaraṁ ghoramapraveśyaṁ tu mānavaiḥ bhrāṁtyā saṁmohayam̐llokānprathayañchivapūjyatām

Seeing that terrible cavern impassable for men, and, deluding the people by illusion while proclaiming the worship of Shiva,

Verse 22 (skanda.2.53.22)

बैल्वं फलं समादाय तत्रावाह्य त्रिलोचनम् । पूजयित्वा पुरारातिं तुष्टावासुरसूदनः

bailvaṁ phalaṁ samādāya tatrāvāhya trilocanam pūjayitvā purārātiṁ tuṣṭāvāsurasūdanaḥ

taking up a bilva fruit, he invoked the three-eyed one there, and, having worshipped the Enemy of Tripura, the Slayer of Asuras praised him thus —

Verse 23 (skanda.2.53.23)

श्री भगवानुवाच । नमस्ते त्रिगुणातीत गुणत्रयविभागकृत् । त्रयीमय त्रयातीत त्रिकालज्ञानिने नमः

śrī bhagavānuvāca namaste triguṇātīta guṇatrayavibhāgakṛt trayīmaya trayātīta trikālajñānine namaḥ

The Blessed Lord said: 'Salutation to you, who are beyond the three gunas, yet the maker of their division; embodiment of the triple Veda, beyond the triad, knower of the three times — salutation to you.'

Verse 24 (skanda.2.53.24)

शशिसूर्याग्निनेत्राय ब्रह्मण्याय वरात्मने । अष्टैश्वर्यनिधानाय तुभ्यमष्टात्मने नमः

śaśisūryāgninetrāya brahmaṇyāya varātmane aṣṭaiśvaryanidhānāya tubhyamaṣṭātmane namaḥ

'To you whose eyes are moon, sun and fire, devoted to Brahmins, of excellent nature, the treasury of the eight lordly powers, of eightfold form — salutation to you.'

Verse 25 (skanda.2.53.25)

यस्य रूपं तमःपारे तमोनाशनमव्ययम् । अज्ञानानां तमश्छिन्नं तस्मै वितमसे नमः

yasya rūpaṁ tamaḥpāre tamonāśanamavyayam ajñānānāṁ tamaśchinnaṁ tasmai vitamase namaḥ

'To him whose form, beyond darkness, imperishable, is the destroyer of darkness; who has severed the darkness of ignorance — salutation to that darkness-free one.'

Verse 26 (skanda.2.53.26)

एवं स्वमात्मनात्मानं स्तुत्वा स भगवान्प्रभुः । तस्य प्रसादाद्विवरं सुप्रवेशमपश्यत

evaṁ svamātmanātmānaṁ stutvā sa bhagavānprabhuḥ tasya prasādādvivaraṁ supraveśamapaśyata

Thus having praised his own self by his own self, that Lord — by his grace the cavern was seen to have become easy to enter.

Verse 27 (skanda.2.53.27)

तेन मार्गेण पातालं ससैन्योऽभ्यगमत्प्रभुः । हत्वा तत्र बलोदग्रान्दैत्यान्भारावतारणः

tena mārgeṇa pātālaṁ sasainyo'bhyagamatprabhuḥ hatvā tatra balodagrāndaityānbhārāvatāraṇaḥ

By that path the Lord entered Patala together with his army; and there, having slain the mighty Daityas, the reliever of the earth's burden,

Verse 28 (skanda.2.53.28)

पुनरागम्य तत्रैव स्थित्वा स वृषभध्वजम् । संपूज्य भगवान्द्वाररोधाय स्थापयञ्छिवम्

punarāgamya tatraiva sthitvā sa vṛṣabhadhvajam saṁpūjya bhagavāndvārarodhāya sthāpayañchivam

returned again, and, remaining there, having duly worshipped the bull-bannered Shiva, stationed him to block the gate —

Verse 29 (skanda.2.53.29)

इदमाह महाबुद्धिर्भक्तिवश्यो गदाधरः । धूर्जटे तिष्ठ प्रासादे रुन्धानोऽसुर निर्गमम्

idamāha mahābuddhirbhaktivaśyo gadādharaḥ dhūrjaṭe tiṣṭha prāsāde rundhāno'sura nirgamam

the wise mace-bearer, ever subject to devotion, said: 'O Dhurjati, remain in this shrine, blocking the demons' way out.'

Verse 30 (skanda.2.53.30)

त्वदन्यः कः क्षमः शंभो कर्बूरबलनाशने । स्थापयित्वा महादेवं ततो द्वारावतीं ययौ

tvadanyaḥ kaḥ kṣamaḥ śaṁbho karbūrabalanāśane sthāpayitvā mahādevaṁ tato dvārāvatīṁ yayau

'Who, O Shambhu, but you is capable of destroying this fierce host?' Having thus stationed Mahadeva, he then went on to Dvaravati.

Verse 31 (skanda.2.53.31)

ततःप्रभृति बिल्वेशः पृथिव्यां ख्यातिमागतः । पूर्वविधिः स बिल्वेशः क्षेत्रराजस्य भो द्विजाः

tataḥprabhṛti bilveśaḥ pṛthivyāṁ khyātimāgataḥ pūrvavidhiḥ sa bilveśaḥ kṣetrarājasya bho dvijāḥ

From then on Bilvesha became renowned on earth; O Brahmins, that Bilvesha is the first ordained guardian of the field's king.

Verse 32 (skanda.2.53.32)

तं दृष्ट्वा पापहंतारं मृड्रानीपतिमव्ययम् । सर्वान्कामानवाप्नोति विपत्तिं दुस्तरां जयेत्

taṁ dṛṣṭvā pāpahaṁtāraṁ mṛḍrānīpatimavyayam sarvānkāmānavāpnoti vipattiṁ dustarāṁ jayet

Beholding him, the destroyer of sin, the imperishable husband of Mridani, a man obtains every desire and conquers even insurmountable calamity.

Verse 33 (skanda.2.53.33)

कपोतबिल्वेश्वरयोर्माहात्म्यं कथितं तु वः । अतः परं भो मुनयः किमन्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छथ

kapotabilveśvarayormāhātmyaṁ kathitaṁ tu vaḥ ataḥ paraṁ bho munayaḥ kimanyacchrotumicchatha

Thus has the glory of Kapoteshvara and Bilveshvara been told to you. O sages, what else do you wish to hear beyond this?