The Glory of Abhayeshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.5.119.1)

श्रीरुद्र उवाच। अष्टाधिकं विजानीहि चत्वारिंशत्तमं प्रिये। यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण न भवस्य भयं भवेत्॥

śrīrudra uvāca| aṣṭādhikaṁ vijānīhi catvāriṁśattamaṁ priye| yasya darśanamātreṇa na bhavasya bhayaṁ bhavet||

Shri Rudra said: Know the forty-eighth, O beloved, by the mere sight of whom there shall be no fear of worldly existence.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.119.2)

कल्पावसाने प्रथमे पाद्मे पद्मनिभेक्षणे। नष्टचंद्रार्कनक्षत्रे नष्टभूमित्रिविष्टपे। ब्रह्मा वै चिंतयामास कथं सृष्टिर्भवेदिति॥

kalpāvasāne prathame pādme padmanibhekṣaṇe| naṣṭacaṁdrārkanakṣatre naṣṭabhūmitriviṣṭape| brahmā vai ciṁtayāmāsa kathaṁ sṛṣṭirbhavediti||

At the end of the first kalpa, the Padma kalpa, O lotus-eyed one, when moon, sun and stars had perished, when earth and heaven had perished, Brahma pondered how creation might come about.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.119.3)

इत्याकुलितरूपस्य तस्य नेत्रद्वयात्तदा। पपाताश्रुकणः स्थूलो नेत्राद्वामान्महात्मनः॥

ityākulitarūpasya tasya netradvayāttadā| papātāśrukaṇaḥ sthūlo netrādvāmānmahātmanaḥ||

While he was thus in a troubled state, then from his two eyes, from the left eye of that great soul, fell a thick tear-drop.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.119.4)

तस्मादश्रुकणाज्जातो हारवोनाम दानवः। तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रो महाकायो भिन्नांजनचयप्रभः॥

tasmādaśrukaṇājjāto hāravonāma dānavaḥ| tīkṣṇadaṁṣṭro mahākāyo bhinnāṁjanacayaprabhaḥ||

From that tear-drop was born a danava named Harava, sharp-fanged, huge-bodied, radiant like a mass of broken collyrium.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.119.5)

दक्षिणान्नयनाज्जातः कालकेलीतिविश्रुतः। कृष्णदेहोऽतिदीर्घश्च महादंष्ट्रोर्ध्वरोमकः॥

dakṣiṇānnayanājjātaḥ kālakelītiviśrutaḥ| kṛṣṇadeho'tidīrghaśca mahādaṁṣṭrordhvaromakaḥ||

From the right eye was born one renowned as Kalakeli, dark-bodied, exceedingly tall, with great fangs and upright hair,

Verse 6 (skanda.5.119.6)

करालवदनो दुष्टो यमरूपो दुरासदः। कृष्णांजनचयाकारः पाशपाणिर्विभीषणः॥

karālavadano duṣṭo yamarūpo durāsadaḥ| kṛṣṇāṁjanacayākāraḥ pāśapāṇirvibhīṣaṇaḥ||

dreadful-faced, wicked, in the form of Death, hard to approach, shaped like a heap of black collyrium, noose in hand, terrifying.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.119.7)

तौ तु दैत्यौ समागत्य कृतसंकेतकौ तदा। ब्रह्माणं हंतुमिच्छंतौ प्रमत्तावभिधावितौ॥

tau tu daityau samāgatya kṛtasaṁketakau tadā| brahmāṇaṁ haṁtumicchaṁtau pramattāvabhidhāvitau||

Those two daityas, coming together, making a pact then, wishing to slay Brahma, rushed forward madly.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.119.8)

ततो ब्रह्मा भयाविष्टः कांदिशीकश्चचार ह। ततो जलेऽतिगंभीरे सोऽपश्यदमितद्युतिम्॥

tato brahmā bhayāviṣṭaḥ kāṁdiśīkaścacāra ha| tato jale'tigaṁbhīre so'paśyadamitadyutim||

Then Brahma, seized with fear, wandered fleeing in all directions; then, in very deep water, he saw one of boundless splendour,

Verse 9 (skanda.5.119.9)

पुरुषं पीतवसनं शंखचक्रगदाधरम्। तमालोक्य ततो ब्रह्मा संत्रासं परमं गतः। उवाच को भवाञ्छेते निःशेषेस्मिंश्चराचरे॥

puruṣaṁ pītavasanaṁ śaṁkhacakragadādharam| tamālokya tato brahmā saṁtrāsaṁ paramaṁ gataḥ| uvāca ko bhavāñchete niḥśeṣesmiṁścarācare||

a man in yellow garments, bearing the conch, discus, and mace. Beholding him, Brahma then fell into supreme terror, and said: "Who are you, reclining in this entirely moving and unmoving world?"

Verse 10 (skanda.5.119.10)

तमुवाच ततो विष्णुरहमेवं जगत्पिता। लोककृल्लोकसंहर्त्ता लोकस्थितिविधायकः॥

tamuvāca tato viṣṇurahamevaṁ jagatpitā| lokakṛllokasaṁharttā lokasthitividhāyakaḥ||

Then Vishnu said to him: "I am indeed the father of the world — the maker of the worlds, the destroyer of the worlds, the ordainer of the worlds' continuance."

Verse 11 (skanda.5.119.11)

इत्युक्तः पद्मजस्तेन कृष्णेनाक्लिष्टकर्मणा। प्रत्युवाच तदा ब्रह्मा स्रष्टाहं भुवनत्रये॥

ityuktaḥ padmajastena kṛṣṇenākliṣṭakarmaṇā| pratyuvāca tadā brahmā sraṣṭāhaṁ bhuvanatraye||

Thus addressed by that dark one, of unwearied deeds, Brahma, the lotus-born, replied: "I am the creator in the three worlds;"

Verse 12 (skanda.5.119.12)

मया सृष्टं जगत्सर्वं सदेवासुरमानुषम्। अत्रांतरे च तौ दैत्यावायातौ बलदर्पितौ॥

mayā sṛṣṭaṁ jagatsarvaṁ sadevāsuramānuṣam| atrāṁtare ca tau daityāvāyātau baladarpitau||

"by me was created the entire world, together with gods, asuras and men." Meanwhile those two daityas, arrogant with strength, arrived,

Verse 13 (skanda.5.119.13)

भोक्तुकामौ क्षुधाविष्टौ दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्माब्रवीदिदम्। कृष्णं कमलपत्राक्षं कंपिताधरपल्लवः॥

bhoktukāmau kṣudhāviṣṭau dṛṣṭvā brahmābravīdidam| kṛṣṇaṁ kamalapatrākṣaṁ kaṁpitādharapallavaḥ||

eager to devour, seized with hunger; seeing them, Brahma, his lower lip trembling, said this to dark, lotus-eyed Vishnu:

Verse 14 (skanda.5.119.14)

यदि त्वं कारणं किंचिदस्य लोकस्य कथ्यसे। तदा तावसुरौ भीमौ हंतुमर्हसि सांप्रतम्॥

yadi tvaṁ kāraṇaṁ kiṁcidasya lokasya kathyase| tadā tāvasurau bhīmau haṁtumarhasi sāṁpratam||

"If you are declared to be some cause of this world, then you ought now to slay these two terrible asuras."

Verse 15 (skanda.5.119.15)

तच्छ्रुत्वा तु तदा विष्णुर्ज्ञात्वा दुःखं परस्परम्। क्षणं विश्रम्यतां तावत्पश्चाद्द्वंद्वं भविष्यति॥

tacchrutvā tu tadā viṣṇurjñātvā duḥkhaṁ parasparam| kṣaṇaṁ viśramyatāṁ tāvatpaścāddvaṁdvaṁ bhaviṣyati||

Hearing this, Vishnu, then, understanding their mutual predicament, said: "Let us rest a moment; afterward the confrontation shall take place."

Verse 16 (skanda.5.119.16)

इत्युक्त्वा कृतसंकेतौ तौ दैत्यौ बलगर्वितौ। ब्रह्मनारायणौ हंतुं धावितौ तु त्वरान्वितौ॥

ityuktvā kṛtasaṁketau tau daityau balagarvitau| brahmanārāyaṇau haṁtuṁ dhāvitau tu tvarānvitau||

Having said this, those two daityas, arrogant with strength, having made their pact, rushed forward hastily to slay Brahma and Narayana.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.119.17)

ब्रह्मविष्णू तदा दृष्ट्वा दानवौ दुर्जयौ रणे। संत्रासं जग्मतुस्तत्र स्वेदकंपपरिप्लुतौ॥

brahmaviṣṇū tadā dṛṣṭvā dānavau durjayau raṇe| saṁtrāsaṁ jagmatustatra svedakaṁpapariplutau||

Brahma and Vishnu, then seeing the two danavas, invincible in battle, were seized with terror there, drenched in sweat and trembling.

Verse 18 (skanda.5.119.18)

अन्योन्यमूचतुस्तौ हि देशकालोचितं वचः। कर्तव्यं किं नु वा कार्यं मम वा तव वा भवेत्॥

anyonyamūcatustau hi deśakālocitaṁ vacaḥ| kartavyaṁ kiṁ nu vā kāryaṁ mama vā tava vā bhavet||

They said to each other words fitting the place and time: "What is to be done? What is the remedy, for me or for you?"

Verse 19 (skanda.5.119.19)

उपस्थितं भयं घोरं तत्र किं कार्यमस्ति नौ। आसन्नं मरणं दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्मा प्रोवाच केशवम्॥

upasthitaṁ bhayaṁ ghoraṁ tatra kiṁ kāryamasti nau| āsannaṁ maraṇaṁ dṛṣṭvā brahmā provāca keśavam||

"A terrible danger is upon us; what remedy is there for us in this?" Seeing death close at hand, Brahma said to Keshava:

Verse 20 (skanda.5.119.20)

गम्यतां कृष्ण शीघ्रं वै महाकालवनोत्तमम्। प्रलयेऽप्यक्षयं प्रोक्तं तत्र रक्षा भविष्यति। अहं तत्र गमिष्यामि व्रज त्वं तत्र केशव॥

gamyatāṁ kṛṣṇa śīghraṁ vai mahākālavanottamam| pralaye'pyakṣayaṁ proktaṁ tatra rakṣā bhaviṣyati| ahaṁ tatra gamiṣyāmi vraja tvaṁ tatra keśava||

"Let us go quickly, O Krishna, to the excellent Mahakala forest; it is declared imperishable even at the time of dissolution — there protection shall be found. I shall go there; you too go there, O Keshava."

Verse 21 (skanda.5.119.21)

इत्युक्तो ब्रह्मणा कृष्णो जगाम सह तेन वै। महाकालवनं प्राप्तौ न च दृष्टो महेश्वरः। तत्रापि दशसाहस्रकालः पर्यटतोस्तयोः॥

ityukto brahmaṇā kṛṣṇo jagāma saha tena vai| mahākālavanaṁ prāptau na ca dṛṣṭo maheśvaraḥ| tatrāpi daśasāhasrakālaḥ paryaṭatostayoḥ||

Thus addressed by Brahma, Krishna went together with him; the two reached the Mahakala forest, but Maheshvara was not seen there. There too the two wandered about for ten thousand spans of time.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.119.22)

ततो ज्वालामयं दिव्यं नूपुरेश्वरदक्षिणे। दृष्ट्वा तल्लिंगमाहात्म्यं ब्रह्मविष्णू ततः स्वयम्। प्रार्थयांचक्रतुर्देवमभयं देहि नौ प्रभो॥

tato jvālāmayaṁ divyaṁ nūpureśvaradakṣiṇe| dṛṣṭvā talliṁgamāhātmyaṁ brahmaviṣṇū tataḥ svayam| prārthayāṁcakraturdevamabhayaṁ dehi nau prabho||

Then, seeing that divine, flame-filled linga south of Nupureshvara, and its greatness, Brahma and Vishnu themselves then entreated the God: "Grant us fearlessness, O Lord;"

Verse 23 (skanda.5.119.23)

शरणं भव देवेश दानवाभ्यां प्रपीडितौ। अभयं च ततो दत्तं तेन लिंगेन पार्वति॥

śaraṇaṁ bhava deveśa dānavābhyāṁ prapīḍitau| abhayaṁ ca tato dattaṁ tena liṁgena pārvati||

"become our refuge, O lord of gods; we are afflicted by two danavas." Then fearlessness was granted by that linga, O Parvati.

Verse 24 (skanda.5.119.24)

शुश्राव गर्जितं ताभ्यां दानवाभ्यां पितामहः। प्रत्युवाच भयत्रस्तो लिंगं कंपितकंधरः॥

śuśrāva garjitaṁ tābhyāṁ dānavābhyāṁ pitāmahaḥ| pratyuvāca bhayatrasto liṁgaṁ kaṁpitakaṁdharaḥ||

The grandsire heard the roar of those two danavas; frightened, his neck trembling, he replied to the linga:

Verse 25 (skanda.5.119.25)

स एष मृत्युरस्माकमेति शीघ्रं भयावहः। दीयतामभयं देव कृष्णेनोक्तं तदा प्रिये॥

sa eṣa mṛtyurasmākameti śīghraṁ bhayāvahaḥ| dīyatāmabhayaṁ deva kṛṣṇenoktaṁ tadā priye||

"That fearsome death of ours is coming quickly; grant us fearlessness, O God" — thus, O beloved, Krishna then spoke.

Verse 26 (skanda.5.119.26)

भयार्त्तवचनं श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मणः केशवस्य च। तौ दैवौ तेन लिंगेन जठरे संनिवेशितौ॥

bhayārttavacanaṁ śrutvā brahmaṇaḥ keśavasya ca| tau daivau tena liṁgena jaṭhare saṁniveśitau||

Hearing the fear-stricken words of Brahma and Keshava, those two gods were placed by that linga within its belly.

Verse 27 (skanda.5.119.27)

दृष्टं ताभ्यां जगत्सर्वं सार्कचंद्रमहीधरम्। ससिद्धगंधर्वकुलं शैलताललताकुलम्॥

dṛṣṭaṁ tābhyāṁ jagatsarvaṁ sārkacaṁdramahīdharam| sasiddhagaṁdharvakulaṁ śailatālalatākulam||

By them was seen the entire world, together with sun, moon and mountains, together with the families of siddhas and gandharvas, filled with hills, palm trees and creepers,

Verse 28 (skanda.5.119.28)

समुद्रपीठसंयुक्तं नानावर्णाश्रमोज्ज्वलम्। सपातालतलं देवि सभुजंगमहीरुहम्॥

samudrapīṭhasaṁyuktaṁ nānāvarṇāśramojjvalam| sapātālatalaṁ devi sabhujaṁgamahīruham||

joined with the seat of the ocean, resplendent with various castes and stages of life, together with the surface of the netherworld, O Devi, together with serpents and trees,

Verse 29 (skanda.5.119.29)

ससप्तलोकविन्यासं सदेवासुरराक्षसम्। पुनस्तौ निःसृतौ तस्माज्जठराद्विस्मयान्वितौ॥

sasaptalokavinyāsaṁ sadevāsurarākṣasam| punastau niḥsṛtau tasmājjaṭharādvismayānvitau||

with the arrangement of the seven worlds, together with gods, asuras and rakshasas; then those two, filled with astonishment, emerged again from that belly.

Verse 30 (skanda.5.119.30)

दृष्ट्वौ भस्मीकृतौ दैत्यौ तेन लिंगेन पार्वति। तुष्टुवाते परं लिंगं भक्त्या परमया युतौ॥

dṛṣṭvau bhasmīkṛtau daityau tena liṁgena pārvati| tuṣṭuvāte paraṁ liṁgaṁ bhaktyā paramayā yutau||

They beheld, O Parvati, the two daityas turned to ash by that linga; filled with supreme devotion, they praised that great linga.

Verse 31 (skanda.5.119.31)

लिंगेनोक्तं प्रसन्नेन भवद्भ्यां किं ददाम्यहम्। ममामोघमिदं देवौ दर्शनं चातिदुर्लभम्॥

liṁgenoktaṁ prasannena bhavadbhyāṁ kiṁ dadāmyaham| mamāmoghamidaṁ devau darśanaṁ cātidurlabham||

The linga, pleased, said: "What shall I give to you two? This vision of mine, O gods, is unfailing and exceedingly hard to attain."

Verse 32 (skanda.5.119.32)

ततो ब्रह्मा च विष्णुश्च वरयामासतुर्वरम्। यदि देयो वरोऽस्माकं नृणामभयदो भव॥

tato brahmā ca viṣṇuśca varayāmāsaturvaram| yadi deyo varo'smākaṁ nṛṇāmabhayado bhava||

Then Brahma and Vishnu chose their boon: "If a boon is to be given to us, become the giver of fearlessness to men;"

Verse 33 (skanda.5.119.33)

ये च त्वां पूजयिष्यंति यक्ष्यंति च समाहिताः। संस्मरिष्यंति सततं तेषामभयदो भव॥

ye ca tvāṁ pūjayiṣyaṁti yakṣyaṁti ca samāhitāḥ| saṁsmariṣyaṁti satataṁ teṣāmabhayado bhava||

"those who will worship you and offer sacrifice with a composed mind, and will constantly remember you — to them become the giver of fearlessness."

Verse 34 (skanda.5.119.34)

अभयेश्वरसंज्ञस्तु ख्यातो भुवि भविष्यसि। ते कृतार्था भविष्यंति ये त्वां पश्यंति भक्तितः॥

abhayeśvarasaṁjñastu khyāto bhuvi bhaviṣyasi| te kṛtārthā bhaviṣyaṁti ye tvāṁ paśyaṁti bhaktitaḥ||

"You shall become renowned on earth by the name Abhayeshvara; they shall become fulfilled who behold you with devotion."

Verse 35 (skanda.5.119.35)

भविष्यति भयं नैव संसारपतनं तथा। धनपुत्रकलत्राणां वियोगो न भविष्यति॥

bhaviṣyati bhayaṁ naiva saṁsārapatanaṁ tathā| dhanaputrakalatrāṇāṁ viyogo na bhaviṣyati||

"There shall be no fear, nor any fall into worldly existence; there shall be no separation from wealth, sons, and wife."

Verse 36 (skanda.5.119.36)

दुःखिता दुर्भगा नारी दर्शनं या करिष्यति। सौभाग्यसुखसंयुक्ता भविष्यति न संशयः। वीरं तु गुर्विणी कन्या पतिमाप्स्यति शोभनम्॥

duḥkhitā durbhagā nārī darśanaṁ yā kariṣyati| saubhāgyasukhasaṁyuktā bhaviṣyati na saṁśayaḥ| vīraṁ tu gurviṇī kanyā patimāpsyati śobhanam||

"A sorrowful, unfortunate woman who will behold you shall without doubt become endowed with good fortune and happiness; a pregnant maiden shall obtain a heroic, excellent husband."

Verse 37 (skanda.5.119.37)

यंयं काममभिध्याय ये त्वां पश्यंति मानवाः। तंतं मनोरथं सर्वं गमिष्यंति न संशयः॥

yaṁyaṁ kāmamabhidhyāya ye tvāṁ paśyaṁti mānavāḥ| taṁtaṁ manorathaṁ sarvaṁ gamiṣyaṁti na saṁśayaḥ||

"Whatever desire men, meditating upon it, hold in mind while beholding you, that entire wish shall be fulfilled, without doubt."

Verse 38 (skanda.5.119.38)

एवं भविष्यतीत्युक्त्वा लिंगेन परमेश्वरि। विसर्जितौ गतौ दैवौ ब्रह्मविष्णू स्वमालयम्॥

evaṁ bhaviṣyatītyuktvā liṁgena parameśvari| visarjitau gatau daivau brahmaviṣṇū svamālayam||

Thus saying "so it shall be," O supreme goddess, by that linga, the two gods, Brahma and Vishnu, were dismissed and went to their own abodes.

Verse 39 (skanda.5.119.39)

एष ते कथितो देवि प्रभावः पापनाशनः। अभयेश्वर देवस्य श्रूयतां पृथुकेश्वरम्॥

eṣa te kathito devi prabhāvaḥ pāpanāśanaḥ| abhayeśvara devasya śrūyatāṁ pṛthukeśvaram||

O Devi, this sin-destroying power of the God Abhayeshvara has been told to you; now hear of Prithukeshvara.