The Account of Parvatishvara

Verse 1 (skanda.4.90.1)

अगस्त्य उवाच ।। ।। पार्वतीहृदयानंद पार्वतीश समुद्भवम् ।। कथयेह यदुद्दिष्टं भवता प्रागघापहम्

agastya uvāca || || pārvatīhṛdayānaṁda pārvatīśa samudbhavam || kathayeha yaduddiṣṭaṁ bhavatā prāgaghāpaham

Agastya said: Tell here that account, indicated by you earlier, of the origin of Parvatishvara, the delight of Parvati's heart, which destroys former sins.

Verse 2 (skanda.4.90.2)

।। स्कंद उवाच ।। शृण्वगस्ते यदा मेना हिमाचलपतिव्रता ।। गिरींद्रजां सुतामाह पुत्रि तेस्य महेशितुः

|| skaṁda uvāca || śṛṇvagaste yadā menā himācalapativratā || girīṁdrajāṁ sutāmāha putri tesya maheśituḥ

Skanda said: Listen, O Agastya — when Mena, the devoted wife of the lord of the Himalayas, said to her daughter, the mountain's daughter: "O daughter, of that great Lord —"

Verse 3 (skanda.4.90.3)

किं स्थानं वसतिर्वा का को बंधुर्वेत्सि किंचन ।। प्रायो गृहं न जामातुरस्य कोपि च कुत्रचित्

kiṁ sthānaṁ vasatirvā kā ko baṁdhurvetsi kiṁcana || prāyo gṛhaṁ na jāmāturasya kopi ca kutracit

"— what is his abode or dwelling? Who are his kinsmen? Do you know anything at all? This son-in-law of ours, it seems, has no house anywhere at all."

Verse 4 (skanda.4.90.4)

निशम्येति वचो मातुरतिह्रीणा गिरींद्रजा ।। आसाद्यावसरं शंभुं नत्वा गौरी व्यजिज्ञपत्

niśamyeti vaco māturatihrīṇā girīṁdrajā || āsādyāvasaraṁ śaṁbhuṁ natvā gaurī vyajijñapat

Hearing this word of her mother, the mountain's daughter, exceedingly abashed, finding an opportunity, bowed to Shambhu and Gauri said —

Verse 5 (skanda.4.90.5)

मया श्वश्रूगृहं कांत गम्यमद्य विनिश्चितम् ।। नाथात्र नैव वस्तव्यं नय मां स्वं निकेतनम्

mayā śvaśrūgṛhaṁ kāṁta gamyamadya viniścitam || nāthātra naiva vastavyaṁ naya māṁ svaṁ niketanam

"My beloved, I have now resolved that I must go today to my mother-in-law's house. My lord, we should not stay here — take me to your own dwelling."

Verse 6 (skanda.4.90.6)

गिरींद्रजागिरं श्रुत्वा गिरीश इति तत्त्ववित् ।। हित्वा हिमगिरिं प्राप्तो निजमानंदकाननम्

girīṁdrajāgiraṁ śrutvā girīśa iti tattvavit || hitvā himagiriṁ prāpto nijamānaṁdakānanam

Hearing this word of the mountain's daughter, Girisha, that knower of truth, left Himagiri and reached his own Anandavana (Grove of Bliss).

Verse 7 (skanda.4.90.7)

प्राप्यानंदवनं देवी परमानंदकारणम्।। विस्मृत्य पितृसंवासं जाता चानंदरूपिणी

prāpyānaṁdavanaṁ devī paramānaṁdakāraṇam|| vismṛtya pitṛsaṁvāsaṁ jātā cānaṁdarūpiṇī

Having reached Anandavana, the very cause of supreme bliss, the goddess, forgetting her father's dwelling, herself became the very embodiment of bliss.

Verse 8 (skanda.4.90.8)

अथ विज्ञापयांचक्रे गौरी गिरिशमेकदा ।। अच्छिन्नानंदसंदोहः कुतः क्षेत्रेऽत्र तद्वद

atha vijñāpayāṁcakre gaurī giriśamekadā || acchinnānaṁdasaṁdohaḥ kutaḥ kṣetre'tra tadvada

Then, once, Gauri said to Girisha: "Whence comes this unbroken abundance of bliss here in this sacred field — tell me that."

Verse 9 (skanda.4.90.9)

इति गौरीरितं श्रुत्वा प्रत्युवाच पिनाकधृक् ।। पंचक्रोशपरीमाणे क्षेत्रेस्मिन्मुक्तिसद्मनि

iti gaurīritaṁ śrutvā pratyuvāca pinākadhṛk || paṁcakrośaparīmāṇe kṣetresminmuktisadmani

Hearing what Gauri had said, the bow-bearer replied: "In this liberation-abode field, extending five krosas,"

Verse 10 (skanda.4.90.10)

तिलांतरं न देव्यस्ति विना लिंगं हि कुत्रचित् ।। एकैकं परितो लिंगं क्रोशं क्रोशं च यावनिः

tilāṁtaraṁ na devyasti vinā liṁgaṁ hi kutracit || ekaikaṁ parito liṁgaṁ krośaṁ krośaṁ ca yāvaniḥ

"there is not, O goddess, even a sesame-seed's space anywhere without a linga; one linga after another surrounds it at every krosa's distance, as far as the boundary extends —"

Verse 11 (skanda.4.90.11)

अन्यत्रापि हि सा देवि भवेदानंदकारणम् ।। अत्रानंदवने देवि परमानंदजन्मनि

anyatrāpi hi sā devi bhavedānaṁdakāraṇam || atrānaṁdavane devi paramānaṁdajanmani

"— that itself, O goddess, could be a cause of bliss anywhere else too. But here, in this Anandavana, the very birthplace of supreme bliss —"

Verse 12 (skanda.4.90.12)

परमानंदरूपाणि संति लिंगान्यनेकशः ।। चतुर्दशसु लोकेषु कृतिनो ये वसंति हि

paramānaṁdarūpāṇi saṁti liṁgānyanekaśaḥ || caturdaśasu lokeṣu kṛtino ye vasaṁti hi

"— there exist many lingas in the very form of supreme bliss, which the meritorious ones dwelling in the fourteen worlds —"

Verse 13 (skanda.4.90.13)

तैः स्वनाम्नेह लिंगानि कृत्वाऽऽपि कृतकृत्यता ।। अत्र येन महादेवि लिंगं संस्थापितं मम

taiḥ svanāmneha liṁgāni kṛtvā''pi kṛtakṛtyatā || atra yena mahādevi liṁgaṁ saṁsthāpitaṁ mama

"— have established here, each in his own name, and thereby attained fulfilment. O great goddess, whoever has established a linga for me here,"

Verse 14 (skanda.4.90.14)

वेत्ति तच्छ्रेयसः संख्यां शेषोपि न विशेषवित्

vetti tacchreyasaḥ saṁkhyāṁ śeṣopi na viśeṣavit

"the number of his merits is known to none — even Shesha himself is not a full knower of its measure."

Verse 15 (skanda.4.90.15)

परिच्छेदव्यतीतस्यानंदस्य परकारणम् ।। अतस्त्विदं परं क्षेत्रं लिर्गैर्भूयोभिरद्रिजे

paricchedavyatītasyānaṁdasya parakāraṇam || atastvidaṁ paraṁ kṣetraṁ lirgairbhūyobhiradrije

"This is the supreme cause of that bliss which is beyond all limitation; therefore, O daughter of the mountain, this supreme field is filled with yet more lingas."

Verse 16 (skanda.4.90.16)

निशम्येति महादेवी पुनः पादौ प्रणम्य च ।। देह्यनुज्ञां महादेव लिंगसंस्थापनाय मे

niśamyeti mahādevī punaḥ pādau praṇamya ca || dehyanujñāṁ mahādeva liṁgasaṁsthāpanāya me

Hearing this, the great goddess, again bowing at his feet, said: "O great god, give me permission to establish a linga."

Verse 17 (skanda.4.90.17)

पत्युराज्ञां समासाद्य यच्छेच्छ्रेयः पतिव्रता ।। न तस्याः श्रेयसो हानिः संवर्तेपि कदाचन

patyurājñāṁ samāsādya yacchecchreyaḥ pativratā || na tasyāḥ śreyaso hāniḥ saṁvartepi kadācana

Having received her husband's command, a devoted wife who bestows what is auspicious — her own auspiciousness never diminishes in any circumstance whatsoever.

Verse 18 (skanda.4.90.18)

इति प्रसाद्य देवेशमाज्ञां प्राप्य महेशितुः ।। लिंगं संस्थापितं गौर्या महादेव समीपतः

iti prasādya deveśamājñāṁ prāpya maheśituḥ || liṁgaṁ saṁsthāpitaṁ gauryā mahādeva samīpataḥ

Thus, having pleased the lord of gods, and having received the command of Mahesha, Gauri established a linga near Mahadeva.

Verse 19 (skanda.4.90.19)

तल्लिंगदर्शनात्पुंसां ब्रह्महत्यादिपातकम् ।। विलीयेत न संदेहो देहबंधोपि नो पुनः

talliṁgadarśanātpuṁsāṁ brahmahatyādipātakam || vilīyeta na saṁdeho dehabaṁdhopi no punaḥ

By the mere sight of that linga, the sins of men beginning with the killing of a brahmin dissolve without doubt, and there is no further bondage to the body.

Verse 20 (skanda.4.90.20)

तत्र लिंगे वरो दत्तो देवदेवेन यः पुनः ।। निशामय मुने तं तु भक्तानां हितकाम्यया

tatra liṁge varo datto devadevena yaḥ punaḥ || niśāmaya mune taṁ tu bhaktānāṁ hitakāmyayā

Hear also, O sage, out of a wish for the welfare of devotees, the boon that the god of gods further gave to that linga.

Verse 21 (skanda.4.90.21)

लिंगं यः पार्वतीशाख्यं काश्यां संपूजयिष्यति ।। तद्देहावसितिं प्राप्य काशीलिंगं भविष्यति

liṁgaṁ yaḥ pārvatīśākhyaṁ kāśyāṁ saṁpūjayiṣyati || taddehāvasitiṁ prāpya kāśīliṁgaṁ bhaviṣyati

Whoever shall worship in Kashi the linga named Parvatisha shall, upon leaving his body, himself become a Kashi-linga —

Verse 22 (skanda.4.90.22)

काशीलिंगत्वमासाद्य मामेवानुप्रवेक्ष्यति ।। चैत्रशुक्लतृतीयायां पार्वतीशसमर्चनात्

kāśīliṁgatvamāsādya māmevānupravekṣyati || caitraśuklatṛtīyāyāṁ pārvatīśasamarcanāt

and having attained the state of a Kashi-linga, shall merge into me alone. By worshipping Parvatisha on the third day of the bright fortnight of Chaitra,

Verse 23 (skanda.4.90.23)

इह सौभाग्यमाप्नोति परत्र च शुभां गतिम् ।। पार्वतीश्वरमाराध्य योषिद्वा पुरुषोपि वा

iha saubhāgyamāpnoti paratra ca śubhāṁ gatim || pārvatīśvaramārādhya yoṣidvā puruṣopi vā

one attains fortune in this world and an auspicious course hereafter. Worshipping Parvatishvara, whether woman or man,

Verse 24 (skanda.4.90.24)

न गर्भमाविशेद्भूयो भवेत्सौभाग्यभाजनम् ।। पार्वतीशस्य लिंगस्य नामापि परिगृह्णतः

na garbhamāviśedbhūyo bhavetsaubhāgyabhājanam || pārvatīśasya liṁgasya nāmāpi parigṛhṇataḥ

never again enters a womb, and becomes a vessel of fortune. Even of one who merely takes the name of the Parvatisha linga,

Verse 25 (skanda.4.90.25)

अपि जन्मसहस्रस्य पापं क्षयति तत्क्षणात् ।। पार्वतीशस्य माहात्म्यं यः श्रोष्यति नरोत्तमः ।। ऐहिकामुष्मिकान्कामान्स प्राप्स्यति महामतिः

api janmasahasrasya pāpaṁ kṣayati tatkṣaṇāt || pārvatīśasya māhātmyaṁ yaḥ śroṣyati narottamaḥ || aihikāmuṣmikānkāmānsa prāpsyati mahāmatiḥ

even the sin of a thousand births is destroyed that very instant. Whatever excellent man shall hear this glory of Parvatisha, that great-minded one shall attain all desires, both worldly and otherworldly.