The Glory of Kusumeshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.5.109.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। अष्टात्रिंशत्तमं विद्धि कुसुमेश्वरसंज्ञकम्। देवं स्वर्गप्रदं देवि महापातकनाशनम्॥

īśvara uvāca| aṣṭātriṁśattamaṁ viddhi kusumeśvarasaṁjñakam| devaṁ svargapradaṁ devi mahāpātakanāśanam||

Ishvara said: Know the thirty-eighth as the one named Kusumeshvara, O Devi, a God who bestows heaven, the destroyer of great sins.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.109.2)

पुरा वैवस्वते कल्पे प्राप्ते वाराहसंज्ञके। प्रादुर्भूते विशालाक्षि कैलासादहमागतः॥

purā vaivasvate kalpe prāpte vārāhasaṁjñake| prādurbhūte viśālākṣi kailāsādahamāgataḥ||

Formerly, in the Vaivasvata kalpa, when the age named Varaha had come about, O wide-eyed one, I came from Kailasa.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.109.3)

महाकालवने रम्ये रममाणस्य पार्वति। त्वया सार्द्धं ममाक्षैश्च प्रादुरासीन्महास्वनः॥

mahākālavane ramye ramamāṇasya pārvati| tvayā sārddhaṁ mamākṣaiśca prādurāsīnmahāsvanaḥ||

While sporting in the delightful Mahakala forest, O Parvati, together with you and my attendants, there arose a great sound.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.109.4)

पृष्टोऽहं च तदा श्रुत्वा शब्दं चातीव दुःसहम्। शब्दोत्पत्तिर्मया देवि कथिता सा त्वदग्रतः॥

pṛṣṭo'haṁ ca tadā śrutvā śabdaṁ cātīva duḥsaham| śabdotpattirmayā devi kathitā sā tvadagrataḥ||

I was then asked by you, having heard that utterly unbearable sound; the origin of that sound, O Devi, I told before you.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.109.5)

एते गणेशाः क्रीडंति मध्ये वै वीरको गणः। कुसुमैर्भूषितोऽत्यर्थं ममातीव सुवल्लभः॥

ete gaṇeśāḥ krīḍaṁti madhye vai vīrako gaṇaḥ| kusumairbhūṣito'tyarthaṁ mamātīva suvallabhaḥ||

"These lords of the ganas are sporting; among them is the gana Viraka, adorned exceedingly with flowers, exceedingly dear to me."

Verse 6 (skanda.5.109.6)

कुसुमैर्हन्यतेऽप्यर्थं पूज्यते कुसुमोत्करैः। स एव वीरको देवि सदा मे हर्षदायकः॥

kusumairhanyate'pyarthaṁ pūjyate kusumotkaraiḥ| sa eva vīrako devi sadā me harṣadāyakaḥ||

"He is even struck with flowers, and is worshipped with heaps of flowers; that same Viraka, O Devi, is ever the giver of joy to me,"

Verse 7 (skanda.5.109.7)

नानाश्चर्यगुणाधारो गणेश्वरशतार्चितः। मदीयं वचनं श्रुत्वा त्वयाप्युक्तं वरानने॥

nānāścaryaguṇādhāro gaṇeśvaraśatārcitaḥ| madīyaṁ vacanaṁ śrutvā tvayāpyuktaṁ varānane||

"the abode of many wondrous qualities, worshipped by hundreds of lords of the ganas." Having heard my words, you too said, O fair-faced one:

Verse 8 (skanda.5.109.8)

न दृश्यते विना पुण्यैः पुत्रस्याननपंकजम्। ईदृशस्य सुतस्यापि ममोत्कण्ठा महेश्वर॥

na dṛśyate vinā puṇyaiḥ putrasyānanapaṁkajam| īdṛśasya sutasyāpi mamotkaṇṭhā maheśvara||

"Without merit, the lotus-face of a son is not seen; even for such a son I long, O Maheshvara."

Verse 9 (skanda.5.109.9)

कदाहमीदृशं पुत्रं द्रक्ष्याम्यानन्ददायकम्। मया तव वचः श्रुत्वा हसित्वा च पुनःपुनः। प्रोक्तं पार्वति पुत्रोऽयं प्रदत्तो वीरकोऽधुना॥

kadāhamīdṛśaṁ putraṁ drakṣyāmyānandadāyakam| mayā tava vacaḥ śrutvā hasitvā ca punaḥpunaḥ| proktaṁ pārvati putro'yaṁ pradatto vīrako'dhunā||

"When shall I see such a joy-giving son?" Having heard your words, laughing again and again, I said, O Parvati: "This son Viraka is given to you now."

Verse 10 (skanda.5.109.10)

एष एव सुतस्तेस्तु नयनानन्ददायकः। त्वया मात्रा कृतार्थस्तु वीरकः कुसुमार्चितः॥

eṣa eva sutastestu nayanānandadāyakaḥ| tvayā mātrā kṛtārthastu vīrakaḥ kusumārcitaḥ||

"This is your very own son, giver of joy to the eyes; by you as mother, Viraka, worshipped with flowers, has been fulfilled."

Verse 11 (skanda.5.109.11)

मदीयं वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रेषिता विजया त्वया। दत्तो हरेण मे पुत्रो विजये शीघ्रमानय॥

madīyaṁ vacanaṁ śrutvā preṣitā vijayā tvayā| datto hareṇa me putro vijaye śīghramānaya||

Hearing my words, you sent Vijaya, saying: "Hara has given me a son; O Vijaya, bring him quickly."

Verse 12 (skanda.5.109.12)

विजयोवाच गणपं गणमध्ये च वर्त्तिनम्। एहि वीरक चापल्यात्त्वया देवः प्रकोपितः। किमुन्मत्तवदत्यर्थं नृत्यरागेण मोहितः॥

vijayovāca gaṇapaṁ gaṇamadhye ca varttinam| ehi vīraka cāpalyāttvayā devaḥ prakopitaḥ| kimunmattavadatyarthaṁ nṛtyarāgeṇa mohitaḥ||

Vijaya said to the lord of the ganas, present among the ganas: "Come, Viraka; by your recklessness the God has become angry — why are you thus utterly deluded, like a madman, by your passion for dance?"

Verse 13 (skanda.5.109.13)

इत्युक्तो भयसंत्रस्तः कुसुमैर्भूषितस्तदा। त्वत्समीपं समायातो विजयानुगतः शनैः॥

ityukto bhayasaṁtrastaḥ kusumairbhūṣitastadā| tvatsamīpaṁ samāyāto vijayānugataḥ śanaiḥ||

Thus addressed, terrified with fear, then adorned with flowers, he came near to you, following Vijaya slowly.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.109.14)

भूषितं कुसुमैर्दृष्ट्वा भयत्रस्तं च वीरकम्। त्वया चाकारितो देवि गिरा मधुरवर्णया॥

bhūṣitaṁ kusumairdṛṣṭvā bhayatrastaṁ ca vīrakam| tvayā cākārito devi girā madhuravarṇayā||

Seeing Viraka adorned with flowers and terrified with fear, you called him, O Devi, with a sweet voice —

Verse 15 (skanda.5.109.15)

एह्येहि जातोऽसि मे पुत्रकस्त्वं देवेन दत्तोऽधुना वीरकोसि। उक्तवत्येवमंके निधायाथ तं पर्यचुम्बः कपोले कलंवादिनम्॥

ehyehi jāto'si me putrakastvaṁ devena datto'dhunā vīrakosi| uktavatyevamaṁke nidhāyātha taṁ paryacumbaḥ kapole kalaṁvādinam||

"Come, come, you are born as my son; given now by the God, you are Viraka." Having said this, placing him on your lap, you kissed him on the cheek as he spoke his lisping words.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.109.16)

मूर्धन्युपाघ्राय सम्मार्ज्य गात्राणि सा भूषयामास दिव्यैः स्वयं भूषणैः। किंकिणीमेखलानूपुरैः सन्मणीनिष्ककेयूरहारोत्करैः सद्गुणैः॥

mūrdhanyupāghrāya sammārjya gātrāṇi sā bhūṣayāmāsa divyaiḥ svayaṁ bhūṣaṇaiḥ| kiṁkiṇīmekhalānūpuraiḥ sanmaṇīniṣkakeyūrahārotkaraiḥ sadguṇaiḥ||

Smelling his head, wiping his limbs clean, you yourself adorned him with divine ornaments — with little bells, girdles, anklets, with fine gems, torques, armlets and strings of pearls, with auspicious qualities.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.109.17)

कोमलैः पल्लवैश्चित्रितैश्चारुभिर्दिव्यमन्त्रोद्भवैस्तस्य शुभ्रैस्ततः। भूतिभिश्चाकरोर्मिश्रसिद्धार्थकैरंगरक्षाविधींस्तस्य तुष्टा सती॥

komalaiḥ pallavaiścitritaiścārubhirdivyamantrodbhavaistasya śubhraistataḥ| bhūtibhiścākarormiśrasiddhārthakairaṁgarakṣāvidhīṁstasya tuṣṭā satī||

With soft, colourful, lovely sprouts, and thereafter with divine mantra-born white protective threads, and with sacred ash mixed with white mustard seeds, being pleased, that virtuous one performed the rites of bodily protection for him.

Verse 18 (skanda.5.109.18)

एवमाधाय चोवक्थ कृत्वा स्रजं मूर्ध्नि गोरोचनापत्रभंगोज्वलैः। वत्स गच्छाधुना क्रीड सार्द्धं गणैरप्रमत्तो यथा बालचर्यां शनैः॥

evamādhāya covaktha kṛtvā srajaṁ mūrdhni gorocanāpatrabhaṁgojvalaiḥ| vatsa gacchādhunā krīḍa sārddhaṁ gaṇairapramatto yathā bālacaryāṁ śanaiḥ||

Having thus adorned him and made a garland on his head, radiant with markings drawn in gorochana, you said: "My child, go now, play with the ganas, without carelessness, gently, as befits a child's ways."

Verse 19 (skanda.5.109.19)

सोऽपि सिद्ध्याकुले गण्डशैले मिलद्रत्नजाले वृहच्छालतालाकुले। क्षणं फुल्लमालातमालालिमाले क्षणं वृक्षमूले विलोलालिमाले॥

so'pi siddhyākule gaṇḍaśaile miladratnajāle vṛhacchālatālākule| kṣaṇaṁ phullamālātamālālimāle kṣaṇaṁ vṛkṣamūle vilolālimāle||

He too, on the rocky hillside thronged with siddhas, where clusters of gems mingled, filled with great sala trees, sported for a moment amid rows of blossoming tamala-garlands and swarms of bees, for a moment at the foot of a tree amid restless swarms of bees,

Verse 20 (skanda.5.109.20)

क्षणं स्वल्पपंके जले पंकजाले क्षणं वृक्षखण्डे शुभे निष्कलंके। परिक्रीडते बालको वै विहारी गणेशाधिपो देवतानन्दकारी॥

kṣaṇaṁ svalpapaṁke jale paṁkajāle kṣaṇaṁ vṛkṣakhaṇḍe śubhe niṣkalaṁke| parikrīḍate bālako vai vihārī gaṇeśādhipo devatānandakārī||

for a moment in shallow muddy water amid clusters of lotuses, for a moment in a beautiful, spotless grove of trees — that playful child, the lord of the ganas, delighting the gods, sported thus.

Verse 21 (skanda.5.109.21)

एवं विक्रीडतस्तस्य वीरकस्य गणस्य च। संध्या तमो मयी प्राप्ता विज्ञप्तोऽहं त्वया प्रिये॥

evaṁ vikrīḍatastasya vīrakasya gaṇasya ca| saṁdhyā tamo mayī prāptā vijñapto'haṁ tvayā priye||

While Viraka and the ganas were thus sporting, evening's darkness came upon me; then I was petitioned by you, O beloved:

Verse 22 (skanda.5.109.22)

ऐश्वर्यं दीयतामस्य मम पुत्रस्य शंकर। शरीरार्द्धं गणेशत्वं लोकपालत्वमग्रतः॥

aiśvaryaṁ dīyatāmasya mama putrasya śaṁkara| śarīrārddhaṁ gaṇeśatvaṁ lokapālatvamagrataḥ||

"Let lordship be given to this son of mine, O Shankara — half of your own body, the status of lord of the ganas, and foremost lordship over the guardians of the worlds,"

Verse 23 (skanda.5.109.23)

लिंगत्वमक्षयत्वं च स्थानं दिव्यं सुदुर्ल्लभम्। वंद्यमानं यथा देव सिद्धगन्धर्वकिंनरैः। ब्रह्मेन्द्रवरुणादित्यलोकपालेश्वरेश्वरैः॥

liṁgatvamakṣayatvaṁ ca sthānaṁ divyaṁ sudurllabham| vaṁdyamānaṁ yathā deva siddhagandharvakiṁnaraiḥ| brahmendravaruṇādityalokapāleśvareśvaraiḥ||

"the state of a linga, imperishability, and a divine, most difficult-to-attain abode, to be venerated, O God, by siddhas, gandharvas and kinnaras, by Brahma, Indra, Varuna, Aditya, and the lords of the guardians of the world."

Verse 24 (skanda.5.109.24)

एतैरेव गणैः सार्द्धं स्तूयमानं महात्मभिः। अलंकृतो मया यस्मात्कुसुमैर्विविधैः शुभैः॥

etaireva gaṇaiḥ sārddhaṁ stūyamānaṁ mahātmabhiḥ| alaṁkṛto mayā yasmātkusumairvividhaiḥ śubhaiḥ||

"praised together with these same great-souled ganas, since he has been adorned by me with various auspicious flowers,"

Verse 25 (skanda.5.109.25)

कुसुमेश्वरसंज्ञस्तु तस्मात्ख्यातो भवत्विति। मयाप्युक्तं विशालाक्षि वीरकं दयितं मम॥

kusumeśvarasaṁjñastu tasmātkhyāto bhavatviti| mayāpyuktaṁ viśālākṣi vīrakaṁ dayitaṁ mama||

"let him henceforth be famed by the name Kusumeshvara." I too then said, O wide-eyed one, of Viraka, dear to me:

Verse 26 (skanda.5.109.26)

मत्प्रभावसमं दिव्यं सेवितं गणपैः सदा। शृणु गन्धर्वगीतानां माधुर्यममृतोपमम्॥

matprabhāvasamaṁ divyaṁ sevitaṁ gaṇapaiḥ sadā| śṛṇu gandharvagītānāṁ mādhuryamamṛtopamam||

"divine, equal to my own power, ever attended by lords of the ganas. Hear the sweetness of the songs of the gandharvas, like nectar;"

Verse 27 (skanda.5.109.27)

पश्य किन्नरनारीणां गायन्तीनां मनोरमम्। पश्याप्सरःसमूहस्यनृत्यमेतन्निरन्तरम्॥

paśya kinnaranārīṇāṁ gāyantīnāṁ manoramam| paśyāpsaraḥsamūhasyanṛtyametannirantaram||

"behold the enchanting singing of the kinnara women; behold this ceaseless dance of the throngs of apsaras."

Verse 28 (skanda.5.109.28)

विद्याधरैः परिवृतः कुसुमेशो वरानने। विशेषतो मया देवि प्रथमं प्रमथेश्वरः। कुसुमेश्वरतां नीतो यदा कुसुममंडितः॥

vidyādharaiḥ parivṛtaḥ kusumeśo varānane| viśeṣato mayā devi prathamaṁ pramatheśvaraḥ| kusumeśvaratāṁ nīto yadā kusumamaṁḍitaḥ||

Surrounded by vidyadharas, O fair-faced one, Kusumesha — especially, O Devi, made by me first among the pramathas — was brought to the state of Kusumeshvara when adorned with flowers.

Verse 29 (skanda.5.109.29)

स्थानं दत्तं विशालाक्षि शिवलिंगस्य चोत्तरे। वरो दत्तो बहुमतो दुष्प्राप्यस्त्रिदशैरपि॥

sthānaṁ dattaṁ viśālākṣi śivaliṁgasya cottare| varo datto bahumato duṣprāpyastridaśairapi||

A place was given, O wide-eyed one, to the north of the Shiva-linga; a boon was given, highly esteemed, hard to attain even by the gods.

Verse 30 (skanda.5.109.30)

ये त्वां द्रक्ष्यंति गणप कुसुमेश्वरसंज्ञकम्। न तेषां जायते पापं पद्मपत्रे यथा जलम्॥

ye tvāṁ drakṣyaṁti gaṇapa kusumeśvarasaṁjñakam| na teṣāṁ jāyate pāpaṁ padmapatre yathā jalam||

"Those who behold you, O lord of the ganas, named Kusumeshvara, no sin arises for them, just as water does not cling to a lotus leaf."

Verse 31 (skanda.5.109.31)

कुसुमैरर्चयिष्यंति ये नराः कुसुमेश्वरम्। मत्स्थानं ते समासाद्य मोदिष्यंति गतव्यथाः॥

kusumairarcayiṣyaṁti ye narāḥ kusumeśvaram| matsthānaṁ te samāsādya modiṣyaṁti gatavyathāḥ||

"Those men who will worship Kusumeshvara with flowers, having reached my abode, shall rejoice, freed from sorrow."

Verse 32 (skanda.5.109.32)

योऽप्येकं दिवसं मर्त्त्यस्त्वां पश्यति समाहितः। स मुक्तः पातकैः सर्वैर्मम लोकं गमिष्यति॥

yo'pyekaṁ divasaṁ marttyastvāṁ paśyati samāhitaḥ| sa muktaḥ pātakaiḥ sarvairmama lokaṁ gamiṣyati||

"And whatever mortal, with a composed mind, beholds you even for a single day, freed from all sins, shall go to my world."

Verse 33 (skanda.5.109.33)

यः पूजयति भावेन कुसुमैः कुसुमेश्वरम्। स प्राप्स्यति परं स्थानं पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम्॥

yaḥ pūjayati bhāvena kusumaiḥ kusumeśvaram| sa prāpsyati paraṁ sthānaṁ punarāvṛttidurlabham||

"He who worships Kusumeshvara with devotion, with flowers, shall attain the supreme abode, from which return is rare."

Verse 34 (skanda.5.109.34)

एवमादिवरैः पुष्टः कृतोयं कुसुमेश्वरः। कृतकृत्यो गणो देवि लिंगेनेश्वरतां गतः॥

evamādivaraiḥ puṣṭaḥ kṛtoyaṁ kusumeśvaraḥ| kṛtakṛtyo gaṇo devi liṁgeneśvaratāṁ gataḥ||

Thus strengthened with such boons, this Kusumeshvara was made; the gana, O Devi, his purpose fulfilled, attained lordship as a linga.

Verse 35 (skanda.5.109.35)

कुसुमेश्वरदेवस्य प्रभावः कथितस्त्वयम्। अक्रूरेशस्य देवस्य श्रूयतां तदनन्तरम्॥

kusumeśvaradevasya prabhāvaḥ kathitastvayam| akrūreśasya devasya śrūyatāṁ tadanantaram||

The power of the God Kusumeshvara has thus been told. Now hear next of the God Akrureshvara.