The Glory of Shiveshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.5.108.1)

श्रीहर उवाच। सप्तत्रिंशत्तमं विद्धि शिवेश्वरमनंतकम्। यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण जायंते सर्वसंपदः॥

śrīhara uvāca| saptatriṁśattamaṁ viddhi śiveśvaramanaṁtakam| yasya darśanamātreṇa jāyaṁte sarvasaṁpadaḥ||

Shri Hara said: Know the thirty-seventh, the boundless Shiveshvara, by the mere sight of whom all prosperity arises.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.108.2)

राजा रिपुंजयोनाम ब्रह्मकल्पे पुराभवत्। महाकालवने रम्ये प्रजापालनतत्परः॥

rājā ripuṁjayonāma brahmakalpe purābhavat| mahākālavane ramye prajāpālanatatparaḥ||

There was formerly, in the Brahma-kalpa, a king named Ripunjaya, in the delightful Mahakala forest, devoted to the protection of his subjects.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.108.3)

देवपूजां व्रतं दानं ध्यानं स्वाध्यायसत्क्रियाम्। प्रजापालनकं कृत्वा न स जानाति किंचन॥

devapūjāṁ vrataṁ dānaṁ dhyānaṁ svādhyāyasatkriyām| prajāpālanakaṁ kṛtvā na sa jānāti kiṁcana||

Besides the worship of the gods, vows, gifts, meditation, Vedic study and good rites, together with the protection of his subjects, he knew nothing else.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.108.4)

स प्रजाः पालयामास पुत्रवत्परिपालिताः। प्रजास्ताः सुखसंवृद्धा जरामृत्युविवर्जिताः॥

sa prajāḥ pālayāmāsa putravatparipālitāḥ| prajāstāḥ sukhasaṁvṛddhā jarāmṛtyuvivarjitāḥ||

He protected his subjects as if they were his own sons; those subjects, thriving in happiness, were free from old age and death.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.108.5)

पुत्रिणो धनधान्याढ्याः सर्वकामसमन्विताः। तस्यैव तेजसा व्याप्तं महाकालपुरं प्रिये॥

putriṇo dhanadhānyāḍhyāḥ sarvakāmasamanvitāḥ| tasyaiva tejasā vyāptaṁ mahākālapuraṁ priye||

They had sons, were rich in wealth and grain, and possessed of every desire; O beloved, the city of Mahakala was pervaded by his very splendour alone.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.108.6)

एतस्मिन्नंतरे पृथ्वीं तस्मिञ्छासति पार्वति। महाकालवनं देवि स्वपुरं चिह्नितं मया। विना चोज्जयिनीं गंतुं न रतिं प्राप कुत्रचित्॥

etasminnaṁtare pṛthvīṁ tasmiñchāsati pārvati| mahākālavanaṁ devi svapuraṁ cihnitaṁ mayā| vinā cojjayinīṁ gaṁtuṁ na ratiṁ prāpa kutracit||

Meanwhile, O Parvati, while he ruled the earth — the Mahakala forest, O Devi, marked out by me as my own city — apart from going to Ujjayini I found delight nowhere else.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.108.7)

तदा मया गणेशस्तु शिवसंज्ञो गणाग्रणीः। चिंतितस्तत्क्षणात्प्राप्तः किं करोमीत्युवाच ह॥

tadā mayā gaṇeśastu śivasaṁjño gaṇāgraṇīḥ| ciṁtitastatkṣaṇātprāptaḥ kiṁ karomītyuvāca ha||

Then I thought of the foremost of the ganas, named Shiva; he arrived that very instant and said, "What shall I do?"

Verse 8 (skanda.5.108.8)

मयाप्युक्तो गणेशो हि गच्छ पुत्र मम प्रियम्। महाकालपुरं व्याप्तं राजा रिपुञ्जयेन हि॥

mayāpyukto gaṇeśo hi gaccha putra mama priyam| mahākālapuraṁ vyāptaṁ rājā ripuñjayena hi||

I said to that lord of the ganas: "Go, dear son; the city of Mahakala is occupied by King Ripunjaya."

Verse 9 (skanda.5.108.9)

इत्युक्तः स मया देवि तथेत्युक्ता कृतांजलिः। गतोऽसौ मानुषे लोके ममाज्ञाहर्षिताननः॥

ityuktaḥ sa mayā devi tathetyuktā kṛtāṁjaliḥ| gato'sau mānuṣe loke mamājñāharṣitānanaḥ||

Thus addressed by me, O Devi, he said "so be it," with joined palms, and went to the human world, his face brightened by joy at my command.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.108.10)

गते शिवगणे देवि संतुष्टोऽहं शुचिस्मिते। युक्तिज्ञानवृतो दक्षः प्रभोर्भृत्यो हि दुर्लभः॥

gate śivagaṇe devi saṁtuṣṭo'haṁ śucismite| yuktijñānavṛto dakṣaḥ prabhorbhṛtyo hi durlabhaḥ||

When the gana named Shiva had gone, O Devi of the pure smile, I was content; a servant skilled and versed in strategy and knowledge is indeed hard for a master to find.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.108.11)

ततः स भिक्षु रूपेण बह्वोषधिपरिग्रहः। गृहीत्वा दुंदुभिं स्कंधे वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्॥

tataḥ sa bhikṣu rūpeṇa bahvoṣadhiparigrahaḥ| gṛhītvā duṁdubhiṁ skaṁdhe vacanaṁ cedamabravīt||

Then, in the form of a mendicant, carrying many medicinal herbs, bearing a drum on his shoulder, he spoke these words:

Verse 12 (skanda.5.108.12)

कश्च भूतविषग्रस्तो नानादोषैः समाश्रितः। कस्य को व्याधिरत्युग्रो यमहं प्रशमं नये॥

kaśca bhūtaviṣagrasto nānādoṣaiḥ samāśritaḥ| kasya ko vyādhiratyugro yamahaṁ praśamaṁ naye||

"Who is possessed by spirits or poison, afflicted by various ailments? Whose is the fierce disease that I may cure?"

Verse 13 (skanda.5.108.13)

कोऽपुत्रः पुत्रवानस्तु मन्मंत्रबलमाश्रितः। वैद्योऽस्मि सर्वयुक्तिज्ञः सर्वकामप्रदायकः॥

ko'putraḥ putravānastu manmaṁtrabalamāśritaḥ| vaidyo'smi sarvayuktijñaḥ sarvakāmapradāyakaḥ||

"Who is childless yet wishes for a child, taking refuge in the power of my mantra? I am a physician, skilled in every remedy, granter of every desire."

Verse 14 (skanda.5.108.14)

तस्य वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य कौतूहलसमन्वितः। सवृद्धबालनारीको जनस्तमभिजग्मिवान्॥

tasya vākyaṁ samākarṇya kautūhalasamanvitaḥ| savṛddhabālanārīko janastamabhijagmivān||

Hearing his words, filled with curiosity, people together with the aged, children and women approached him.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.108.15)

तेषां स नाशयामास व्याधिं दुर्जयमप्यति। ते च तस्मै सुमहतीं पूजां चक्रुः सुहर्षिताः। हेमरत्नांबरधनैर्धान्यग्रामपुरादिभिः॥

teṣāṁ sa nāśayāmāsa vyādhiṁ durjayamapyati| te ca tasmai sumahatīṁ pūjāṁ cakruḥ suharṣitāḥ| hemaratnāṁbaradhanairdhānyagrāmapurādibhiḥ||

He destroyed their diseases, however difficult to conquer; and they, greatly delighted, offered him great worship with gold, jewels, garments, wealth, grain, villages, towns and the like.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.108.16)

एवं स न्यवसत्तत्र वर्षाणि च चतुर्द्दश। नृपतेरंतरप्रेक्षी न चांतर मवाप सः॥

evaṁ sa nyavasattatra varṣāṇi ca caturddaśa| nṛpateraṁtaraprekṣī na cāṁtara mavāpa saḥ||

Thus he dwelt there for fourteen years, watching for an opportunity against the king, but he did not find the opening.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.108.17)

अहोऽतिदुष्करो राजा अहो लोकपरायणः। अहो तेजोनिधिर्वीरो दुर्जयोऽसौ महामतिः॥

aho'tiduṣkaro rājā aho lokaparāyaṇaḥ| aho tejonidhirvīro durjayo'sau mahāmatiḥ||

"Ah, how very hard to overcome is this king! Ah, how devoted he is to his people! Ah, this hero, a treasury of splendour, is unconquerable and of great wisdom!"

Verse 18 (skanda.5.108.18)

एवं स चिंतयंस्तत्र भिक्षु रूपी शिवो गणः। जीर्णोद्यानलताजालगहने संवृतः स्थितः॥

evaṁ sa ciṁtayaṁstatra bhikṣu rūpī śivo gaṇaḥ| jīrṇodyānalatājālagahane saṁvṛtaḥ sthitaḥ||

Thinking thus, that gana of Shiva in the form of a mendicant remained hidden there, concealed in the dense tangle of creepers of an old garden.

Verse 19 (skanda.5.108.19)

अत्रांतरे तु नृपतेस्तस्य लोकव्रतस्य तु। महिषी निर्जरा राज्ञः प्राणेभ्योपि गरीयसी॥

atrāṁtare tu nṛpatestasya lokavratasya tu| mahiṣī nirjarā rājñaḥ prāṇebhyopi garīyasī||

Meanwhile, that king devoted to his people had a chief queen, ageless in her beauty, dearer to the king than his very life,

Verse 20 (skanda.5.108.20)

रूपेणाप्रतिमा लोके सा चापुत्रा सुतार्थिनी। सपत्नीबहुला देवी श्रुत्वा भिक्षुं समाश्रिता॥

rūpeṇāpratimā loke sā cāputrā sutārthinī| sapatnībahulā devī śrutvā bhikṣuṁ samāśritā||

unrivalled in beauty in the world, childless and desirous of a son; oppressed by many co-wives, that queen, having heard of the mendicant, took refuge in him.

Verse 21 (skanda.5.108.21)

सर्वकामप्रदं ज्ञात्वा नाग राणां सकौतुकम्। स्वां सखीं प्रेषयामास सुनंदांनाम भामिनी॥

sarvakāmapradaṁ jñātvā nāga rāṇāṁ sakautukam| svāṁ sakhīṁ preṣayāmāsa sunaṁdāṁnāma bhāminī||

Knowing him to grant every desire, that lovely woman, amid the curious ladies of the harem, sent her own friend, named Sunanda.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.108.22)

भिक्षोरायतने गुप्तमंतःपुरमतंद्रिता। तया चासादितो भिक्षुर्विचिंत्य नगरं तदा। उवाच चिंतापरमं भिक्षुं भिक्षासमन्वितम्॥

bhikṣorāyatane guptamaṁtaḥpuramataṁdritā| tayā cāsādito bhikṣurviciṁtya nagaraṁ tadā| uvāca ciṁtāparamaṁ bhikṣuṁ bhikṣāsamanvitam||

Unwearied, she went secretly from the inner apartments to the mendicant's dwelling; having found him and considered the city, she then spoke to the mendicant, deeply troubled, as he was occupied with his begging.

Verse 23 (skanda.5.108.23)

प्रणम्य प्रांजलिर्भूत्वा कार्यार्थं विगतव्यथा। भगवन्महिषी राज्ञः प्राणेभ्योऽपि गरीयसी। वंध्या पुत्रार्थिनी देवी गुप्तं त्वां द्रष्टुमिच्छति॥

praṇamya prāṁjalirbhūtvā kāryārthaṁ vigatavyathā| bhagavanmahiṣī rājñaḥ prāṇebhyo'pi garīyasī| vaṁdhyā putrārthinī devī guptaṁ tvāṁ draṣṭumicchati||

Bowing down, with joined palms, freed from anxiety for the sake of her purpose, she said: "O Lord, the king's queen, dearer to him than his own life, being barren and desirous of a son, wishes to see you secretly."

Verse 24 (skanda.5.108.24)

भवान्कृपाकरः प्रायः प्रजानामीहितप्रदः। एवं श्रुत्वा शिवगणो लब्ध्वा रन्ध्र मुवाच ह॥

bhavānkṛpākaraḥ prāyaḥ prajānāmīhitapradaḥ| evaṁ śrutvā śivagaṇo labdhvā randhra muvāca ha||

"You are indeed compassionate, generally granting the desires of your people." Hearing this, the gana of Shiva, having found his opportunity, spoke.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.108.25)

भिक्षुरुवाच। भद्रे केयं तव मतिर्विपरीतप्रलापिनी। अविज्ञातो नरपतेर्गृहमेहीति भाषसे। अविज्ञातः पुरे दृष्टः साहसी पुरुषो भवेत्॥

bhikṣuruvāca| bhadre keyaṁ tava matirviparītapralāpinī| avijñāto narapatergṛhamehīti bhāṣase| avijñātaḥ pure dṛṣṭaḥ sāhasī puruṣo bhavet||

The mendicant said: "O gentle one, what is this contrary, senseless talk of yours? You say, 'Come, unknown, to the king's house'? An unknown man seen in the city would be taken for a rogue."

Verse 26 (skanda.5.108.26)

एवं मत्वा व्रज क्षिप्रं स्वमेवांतःपुरं शुभे। नाहं तत्रागमिष्यामि यावन्न नृपतेर्वचः॥

evaṁ matvā vraja kṣipraṁ svamevāṁtaḥpuraṁ śubhe| nāhaṁ tatrāgamiṣyāmi yāvanna nṛpatervacaḥ||

"Knowing this, go quickly, O auspicious one, to your own inner apartments; I shall not go there unless there is a command from the king."

Verse 27 (skanda.5.108.27)

सा तु तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा भिक्षोः क्षुभितमानसा। जगामान्तःपुरं तूर्णं देव्यै तच्च न्यवेदयत्॥

sā tu tasya vacaḥ śrutvā bhikṣoḥ kṣubhitamānasā| jagāmāntaḥpuraṁ tūrṇaṁ devyai tacca nyavedayat||

Hearing the mendicant's words, she, her mind agitated, quickly went to the inner apartments and reported this to the queen.

Verse 28 (skanda.5.108.28)

सखीवचस्तु सा श्रुत्वा देवी दीना उवाच ताम्। सुनन्दे क उपायोस्ति राजा येन प्रवर्त्तते। भिक्षोरानयने क्षिप्रं यावन्नासौ व्रजेत्क्वचित्॥

sakhīvacastu sā śrutvā devī dīnā uvāca tām| sunande ka upāyosti rājā yena pravarttate| bhikṣorānayane kṣipraṁ yāvannāsau vrajetkvacit||

Hearing her friend's words, the grieving queen said to her: "O Sunanda, what means is there by which the king might be made to act, so that the mendicant may be brought quickly, before he goes away anywhere?"

Verse 29 (skanda.5.108.29)

उवाच सा तां युक्त्यैव सुनंदा युक्तभाषिणी। त्वं तस्य वल्लभा राज्ञः प्राणेभ्योपि गरीयसी॥

uvāca sā tāṁ yuktyaiva sunaṁdā yuktabhāṣiṇī| tvaṁ tasya vallabhā rājñaḥ prāṇebhyopi garīyasī||

Sunanda, skilled in speech, replied to her tactfully: "You are the beloved of the king, dearer to him than his own life."

Verse 30 (skanda.5.108.30)

तस्मादस्वस्थचित्तत्वं राज्ञः स्वं संप्रदर्शय। हेतुना तेन राजा च वाक्यं तव करिष्यति॥

tasmādasvasthacittatvaṁ rājñaḥ svaṁ saṁpradarśaya| hetunā tena rājā ca vākyaṁ tava kariṣyati||

"Therefore show yourself to the king as one whose mind is troubled; for that reason the king will do as you wish."

Verse 31 (skanda.5.108.31)

एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु देव्या दर्शनलालसः। जगामांतःपुरं राजा प्रियां दीनां ददर्श ह। तामपृच्छत्ततो राजा स्नेहार्द्रीकृतमानसः॥

etasminneva kāle tu devyā darśanalālasaḥ| jagāmāṁtaḥpuraṁ rājā priyāṁ dīnāṁ dadarśa ha| tāmapṛcchattato rājā snehārdrīkṛtamānasaḥ||

At that very time, the king, longing to see the queen, went to the inner apartments and saw his beloved looking wretched; then, his heart melted with affection, the king questioned her.

Verse 32 (skanda.5.108.32)

राजोवाच। किमिदं देवि ते रूपं विमनस्केव भाषसे। भग्नासि केन दुःखेन कस्यापकृतमीदृशम्॥

rājovāca| kimidaṁ devi te rūpaṁ vimanaskeva bhāṣase| bhagnāsi kena duḥkhena kasyāpakṛtamīdṛśam||

The king said: "What is this appearance of yours, O Devi? Why do you speak as if troubled in mind? By what sorrow are you broken? Whose wrongdoing is this?"

Verse 33 (skanda.5.108.33)

नृपस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा राज्ञी वचनमब्रवीत्। न पुत्रा नृप मे संति तेन मे नास्ति निर्वृतिः॥

nṛpasya vacanaṁ śrutvā rājñī vacanamabravīt| na putrā nṛpa me saṁti tena me nāsti nirvṛtiḥ||

Hearing the king's words, the queen spoke: "O king, I have no sons; therefore I have no peace."

Verse 34 (skanda.5.108.34)

क्रीडनं पीडनायैव तेषां ये पुत्रवर्जिताः। अपुत्रा जगतो दीना दुःखिताः पुत्रवर्जिताः। अपुत्रे च गतिर्नास्ति सुतापुत्रविवर्जिते॥

krīḍanaṁ pīḍanāyaiva teṣāṁ ye putravarjitāḥ| aputrā jagato dīnā duḥkhitāḥ putravarjitāḥ| aputre ca gatirnāsti sutāputravivarjite||

"For those without sons, sport itself becomes torment; the sonless are wretched in the world, sorrowful, bereft of sons; for one bereft of offspring and son, there is no refuge."

Verse 35 (skanda.5.108.35)

सुखिनस्ते जना लोके ये बालं पांसुभूषितम्। परिष्वजंति स्वसुतमस्फुटाक्षरभाषकम्॥

sukhinaste janā loke ye bālaṁ pāṁsubhūṣitam| pariṣvajaṁti svasutamasphuṭākṣarabhāṣakam||

"Happy are those people in the world who embrace their own child, covered in dust, babbling indistinct words."

Verse 36 (skanda.5.108.36)

अनेन कारणेनास्मि निर्वेदं परमं गता। उपायो हि मया दृष्टः पुत्रार्थे मम सांप्रतम्॥

anena kāraṇenāsmi nirvedaṁ paramaṁ gatā| upāyo hi mayā dṛṣṭaḥ putrārthe mama sāṁpratam||

"For this reason I have come to utmost despair; but now I have found a means for obtaining a son."

Verse 37 (skanda.5.108.37)

इह भिक्षुः समायातो देवरूपी सनातनः। तस्य चाव्याहता शक्तिः श्रूयते सर्ववस्तुषु॥

iha bhikṣuḥ samāyāto devarūpī sanātanaḥ| tasya cāvyāhatā śaktiḥ śrūyate sarvavastuṣu||

"Here has come a mendicant, eternal, of divine form; his unobstructed power is renowned in all matters."

Verse 38 (skanda.5.108.38)

सस्त्रीबालो जनश्चात्र शरणं यस्य गच्छति। तस्य भिक्षोः प्रसादेन सुतवत्यो वयं नृप। भविष्यामोऽत्र संदेहो न मे मनसि वर्त्तते॥

sastrībālo janaścātra śaraṇaṁ yasya gacchati| tasya bhikṣoḥ prasādena sutavatyo vayaṁ nṛpa| bhaviṣyāmo'tra saṁdeho na me manasi varttate||

"Whoever, with wife and children, takes refuge in him here — by that mendicant's grace, O king, we too shall become mothers of sons; there is no doubt of this in my mind."

Verse 39 (skanda.5.108.39)

तस्याः स वचनं श्रुत्वा जीर्णोद्यानं जगाम ह। प्रियया सहितो राजा तं च भिक्षुं ददर्श ह॥

tasyāḥ sa vacanaṁ śrutvā jīrṇodyānaṁ jagāma ha| priyayā sahito rājā taṁ ca bhikṣuṁ dadarśa ha||

Hearing her words, the king, together with his beloved, went to the old garden and saw that mendicant.

Verse 40 (skanda.5.108.40)

दृष्टमात्रो नृपतिना भिक्षुर्लिगत्वमागतः। दृष्ट्वा सुमहदाश्चर्यं भक्तिनम्रो महीपतिः। पूजयामास विधिवत्तल्लिंगं भिक्षु रूपकम्॥

dṛṣṭamātro nṛpatinā bhikṣurligatvamāgataḥ| dṛṣṭvā sumahadāścaryaṁ bhaktinamro mahīpatiḥ| pūjayāmāsa vidhivattalliṁgaṁ bhikṣu rūpakam||

The very moment the king beheld him, the mendicant took the form of a linga; seeing this very great wonder, the king, bowing in devotion, duly worshipped that linga which had been in the mendicant's form.

Verse 41 (skanda.5.108.41)

अपुत्रोऽस्मीत्युवाचेदं धन्येयं महिषी मम। देहि मे तनयं देव शिवो भवान्महेश्वरः॥

aputro'smītyuvācedaṁ dhanyeyaṁ mahiṣī mama| dehi me tanayaṁ deva śivo bhavānmaheśvaraḥ||

He said: "I am without a son; blessed is this my queen. O God, give me a son — you, O Shiva, are Maheshvara himself."

Verse 42 (skanda.5.108.42)

इत्युक्तो राजसिंहेन भिक्षुर्लिंगा कृतिस्तदा। प्रत्युवाच महीपालं पुत्रस्ते भविता नृप॥

ityukto rājasiṁhena bhikṣurliṁgā kṛtistadā| pratyuvāca mahīpālaṁ putraste bhavitā nṛpa||

Thus addressed by that lion among kings, the mendicant, then in the form of the linga, replied to the king: "A son shall be born to you, O king."

Verse 43 (skanda.5.108.43)

ततःप्रभृति राजासौ सकलत्रो महामतिः। सर्वभावेन तं देवं जगाम शरणं मुदा॥

tataḥprabhṛti rājāsau sakalatro mahāmatiḥ| sarvabhāvena taṁ devaṁ jagāma śaraṇaṁ mudā||

From then on, that wise king, together with his queen, took refuge in that God with his whole being, joyfully.

Verse 44 (skanda.5.108.44)

देवदेवस्य माहात्म्यात्पुत्रो जातो महाबलः। धर्मात्मा च यशस्वी च सार्वभौमो गुणाधिकः॥

devadevasya māhātmyātputro jāto mahābalaḥ| dharmātmā ca yaśasvī ca sārvabhaumo guṇādhikaḥ||

By the greatness of the God of gods, a mighty son was born, righteous, glorious, a universal sovereign, endowed with virtues.

Verse 45 (skanda.5.108.45)

अथाहं मन्दराद्देवि कौतुकात्तु समागतः। लिंगाकारं गणं दृष्ट्वा राजानं सेवकं तथा॥

athāhaṁ mandarāddevi kautukāttu samāgataḥ| liṁgākāraṁ gaṇaṁ dṛṣṭvā rājānaṁ sevakaṁ tathā||

Then, O Devi, out of curiosity I came from Mandara, and saw the gana in the form of a linga, and the king as his devoted servant.

Verse 46 (skanda.5.108.46)

योगैश्वर्येण च मया कृतं वै पुरमात्मनः। नानारत्नप्रभोद्द्योतं नानासिद्धिनिषेवितम्। तच्छिवं शाश्वतं स्थानं दत्तं देवि तदा मया॥

yogaiśvaryeṇa ca mayā kṛtaṁ vai puramātmanaḥ| nānāratnaprabhoddyotaṁ nānāsiddhiniṣevitam| tacchivaṁ śāśvataṁ sthānaṁ dattaṁ devi tadā mayā||

By my yogic power I made for him a city of his own, radiant with the splendour of many jewels, attended by many siddhis; that auspicious, eternal abode I then gave him, O Devi,

Verse 47 (skanda.5.108.47)

मार्कंडेयेश्वराद्देवादुत्तरे वरवर्णिनि। तदाप्रभृति देवोऽसौ शिवेश्वर इति स्मृतः॥

mārkaṁḍeyeśvarāddevāduttare varavarṇini| tadāprabhṛti devo'sau śiveśvara iti smṛtaḥ||

north of the God Markandeyeshvara, O fair one; from then on that God has been known as Shiveshvara.

Verse 48 (skanda.5.108.48)

येऽर्चयिष्यन्ति सततं शिवेश्वरमनुत्तमम्। निर्धूतसर्वपापास्ते भविष्यंति गणोत्तमाः॥

ye'rcayiṣyanti satataṁ śiveśvaramanuttamam| nirdhūtasarvapāpāste bhaviṣyaṁti gaṇottamāḥ||

Those who continually worship the peerless Shiveshvara, cleansed of all sin, shall become the foremost of the ganas.

Verse 49 (skanda.5.108.49)

विदित्वार्भगुरुं लोकं ये द्रक्ष्यंति शिवेश्वरम्। अन्तकाले प्रदास्यामि तेषां ज्ञानमनुत्तमम्॥

viditvārbhaguruṁ lokaṁ ye drakṣyaṁti śiveśvaram| antakāle pradāsyāmi teṣāṁ jñānamanuttamam||

Knowing the world to be a heavy burden, those who behold Shiveshvara — to them, at the time of death, I shall grant supreme knowledge.

Verse 50 (skanda.5.108.50)

मोक्षं सुदुर्लभं मत्वा संसारं चातिभीषणम्। अपुनर्भवहेतुत्वात्संसेव्योऽसौ शिवेश्वरः॥

mokṣaṁ sudurlabhaṁ matvā saṁsāraṁ cātibhīṣaṇam| apunarbhavahetutvātsaṁsevyo'sau śiveśvaraḥ||

Considering moksha exceedingly hard to attain and samsara utterly terrible, this Shiveshvara is to be devotedly served, since he is the cause of freedom from rebirth.

Verse 51 (skanda.5.108.51)

सर्वावस्थोऽपि यो मर्त्यः संश्रयेत्तं शिवेश्वरम्। स तां गतिमवाप्नोति यज्ञैर्दानैर्हि या गतिः॥

sarvāvastho'pi yo martyaḥ saṁśrayettaṁ śiveśvaram| sa tāṁ gatimavāpnoti yajñairdānairhi yā gatiḥ||

Whatever mortal, in any condition, takes refuge in that Shiveshvara attains that same state which is attained through sacrifices and gifts.

Verse 52 (skanda.5.108.52)

आख्यानं प्रयतो मर्त्त्यो य इदं श्रावयेच्छुचिः। पठेद्वा वाचयेद्वापि स मुच्येत्सर्वकिल्विषैः॥

ākhyānaṁ prayato marttyo ya idaṁ śrāvayecchuciḥ| paṭhedvā vācayedvāpi sa mucyetsarvakilviṣaiḥ||

The pure mortal who devoutly causes this account to be heard, or who recites or reads it, is freed from all sins.

Verse 53 (skanda.5.108.53)

एष ते कथिता देवि प्रभावः पापनाशनः। शिवेश्वरस्य देवस्य कुसुमेश मतः शृणु॥

eṣa te kathitā devi prabhāvaḥ pāpanāśanaḥ| śiveśvarasya devasya kusumeśa mataḥ śṛṇu||

O Devi, this sin-destroying power has been told to you. Now hear of Kusumesha, deemed the God next in order after Shiveshvara.