The Glory of Sthavareshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.5.121.1)

श्रीमहादेव उवाच। शृणु देवि प्रयत्नेन पंचाशत्तममीश्वरम्। यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण ग्रहबाधा न जायते॥

śrīmahādeva uvāca| śṛṇu devi prayatnena paṁcāśattamamīśvaram| yasya darśanamātreṇa grahabādhā na jāyate||

Shri Mahadeva said: Hear with effort, O Devi, of the fiftieth lord, by the mere sight of whom affliction from the planets does not occur.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.121.2)

संज्ञानाम रवेर्भार्या सा सुता विश्वकर्मणः। भर्त्तुस्तेजोऽसहंत्याथ कदाचिच्चैव संज्ञया। छायामयी चात्मनस्तु निर्मिता तरसा तया॥

saṁjñānāma raverbhāryā sā sutā viśvakarmaṇaḥ| bharttustejo'sahaṁtyātha kadāciccaiva saṁjñayā| chāyāmayī cātmanastu nirmitā tarasā tayā||

Sanjna, the wife of Ravi, the daughter of Vishvakarma — she, once, unable to bear her husband's brilliance, quickly fashioned a shadow-double of herself, made of shade.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.121.3)

सा प्रोक्ता सादरेणैव स्थीयतां सूर्यसंनिधौ। पृष्ट्यापि न वाच्यं ते मदीयं गमनं रवेः॥

sā proktā sādareṇaiva sthīyatāṁ sūryasaṁnidhau| pṛṣṭyāpi na vācyaṁ te madīyaṁ gamanaṁ raveḥ||

She was told with due respect: "Remain in the presence of the Sun; even if asked, you must not tell of my departure to the Sun."

Verse 4 (skanda.5.121.4)

इत्युक्त्वा सा तदा संज्ञा जगाम भवनं पितुः। संज्ञेयमिति मन्वानो द्वितीयायां दिवस्पतिः। जनयामास तनयं नामतो यः शनैश्चरः॥

ityuktvā sā tadā saṁjñā jagāma bhavanaṁ pituḥ| saṁjñeyamiti manvāno dvitīyāyāṁ divaspatiḥ| janayāmāsa tanayaṁ nāmato yaḥ śanaiścaraḥ||

Having said this, Sanjna then went to her father's house; the lord of day, thinking her to be Sanjna, on the second occasion begot a son by name Shanaishchara.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.121.5)

तस्मिञ्जाते भयं जग्मुः सदेवासुरमानुषाः। त्रैलोक्यं जातमात्रेण आक्रांतं सचराचरम्॥

tasmiñjāte bhayaṁ jagmuḥ sadevāsuramānuṣāḥ| trailokyaṁ jātamātreṇa ākrāṁtaṁ sacarācaram||

At his birth, gods, asuras and men were seized with fear; the very moment he was born, the three worlds, moving and unmoving, were overwhelmed.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.121.6)

इन्द्रोऽपि भयसंत्रस्तो ब्रह्माणं शरणं गतः। सूर्यपुत्रस्य वृत्तांतं कथयामास गद्गदम्॥

indro'pi bhayasaṁtrasto brahmāṇaṁ śaraṇaṁ gataḥ| sūryaputrasya vṛttāṁtaṁ kathayāmāsa gadgadam||

Indra too, terrified with fear, went for refuge to Brahma, and, choked with emotion, told him the whole account of the Sun's son.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.121.7)

भिन्नं तु रोहिणीचक्रं व्याप्तं नक्षत्रमंडलम्। जातमात्रेण चाक्रांतं त्रैलोक्यं रविसूनुना॥

bhinnaṁ tu rohiṇīcakraṁ vyāptaṁ nakṣatramaṁḍalam| jātamātreṇa cākrāṁtaṁ trailokyaṁ ravisūnunā||

"The circle of Rohini has been split, the constellation-mandala pervaded; the very moment he was born, the three worlds were overrun by the son of the Sun."

Verse 8 (skanda.5.121.8)

वासवस्य वचः श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः। आहूय सहसा सूर्यं वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्॥

vāsavasya vacaḥ śrutvā brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ| āhūya sahasā sūryaṁ vacanaṁ cedamabravīt||

Hearing Vasava's words, Brahma, the grandsire of the worlds, quickly summoned the Sun and said this to him:

Verse 9 (skanda.5.121.9)

मर्यादा क्रियतां भानो वार्यतां पुत्र औरसः। आक्रांतं तेजसा तेन त्रैलोक्यं भूभुवादिकम्॥

maryādā kriyatāṁ bhāno vāryatāṁ putra aurasaḥ| ākrāṁtaṁ tejasā tena trailokyaṁ bhūbhuvādikam||

"Let a limit be set, O Bhanu; let your own-born son be restrained; the three worlds, earth, heaven and the rest, are overwhelmed by his brilliance."

Verse 10 (skanda.5.121.10)

ब्रह्मणो वचनं श्रुत्वा रविणा प्रोक्तमीदृशः। असाध्योऽयं मम सुतो वार्यतां स्वयमेव तम्॥

brahmaṇo vacanaṁ śrutvā raviṇā proktamīdṛśaḥ| asādhyo'yaṁ mama suto vāryatāṁ svayameva tam||

Hearing Brahma's words, the Sun spoke thus: "This son of mine is unmanageable even by me; let him be restrained by yourself —"

Verse 11 (skanda.5.121.11)

पश्य मे चरणौ दग्धौ दृष्टिमात्रेण लीलया। ब्रह्मापि भयसंत्रस्तो जगाम मनसा हरिम्॥

paśya me caraṇau dagdhau dṛṣṭimātreṇa līlayā| brahmāpi bhayasaṁtrasto jagāma manasā harim||

"behold, my own feet have been burnt, merely by his glance, in play." Brahma too, seized with fear, went in his mind to Hari.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.121.12)

सूर्यस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा हरिः प्राप्तस्तु तत्क्षणात्। ब्रह्मणो वचनं श्रुत्वा भीतः कृष्णोऽब्रवीदिदम्॥

sūryasya vacanaṁ śrutvā hariḥ prāptastu tatkṣaṇāt| brahmaṇo vacanaṁ śrutvā bhītaḥ kṛṣṇo'bravīdidam||

Hearing the Sun's words, Hari appeared at once; hearing Brahma's words too, Krishna, afraid, said this:

Verse 13 (skanda.5.121.13)

गम्यतां तत्र यत्रास्ते देवदेवो महेश्वरः। कृष्णस्य वचनात्सर्वे ममांतिकमुपागताः॥

gamyatāṁ tatra yatrāste devadevo maheśvaraḥ| kṛṣṇasya vacanātsarve mamāṁtikamupāgatāḥ||

"Let us go there, where the God of gods, Maheshvara, dwells." At Krishna's word, all of them came to my presence.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.121.14)

वृत्तांतः कथितः सर्वो रविपुत्रस्य पार्वति। मया स्मृतस्तु संप्राप्तः सूर्यपुत्रस्तु तत्क्षणात्॥

vṛttāṁtaḥ kathitaḥ sarvo raviputrasya pārvati| mayā smṛtastu saṁprāptaḥ sūryaputrastu tatkṣaṇāt||

The entire account of the Sun's son was told, O Parvati; I then thought of the Sun's son, and he arrived instantly.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.121.15)

अधोदृष्टिर्मया दृष्टो वक्रांगो रूपतोऽसितः। स्थैर्यं कृत्वा नमस्कृत्य विज्ञप्तोऽहं शनैःशनैः॥

adhodṛṣṭirmayā dṛṣṭo vakrāṁgo rūpato'sitaḥ| sthairyaṁ kṛtvā namaskṛtya vijñapto'haṁ śanaiḥśanaiḥ||

I saw him with a downward gaze, crooked-limbed, dark of form; steadying myself, I bowed and slowly, gently addressed him:

Verse 16 (skanda.5.121.16)

किमर्थं वै स्मृतो देव देह्याजां मम शंकर। आदेशे तव तिष्ठामि किं करोमि प्रशाधि माम्॥

kimarthaṁ vai smṛto deva dehyājāṁ mama śaṁkara| ādeśe tava tiṣṭhāmi kiṁ karomi praśādhi mām||

"For what purpose have I been remembered, O God? Give me your command, Shankara. I stand at your order; what shall I do? Instruct me."

Verse 17 (skanda.5.121.17)

इत्युक्तोऽहं तदा तेन रविपुत्रेण पार्वति। मया स वारितोऽत्यर्थं मा पीडय जगत्त्रयम्॥

ityukto'haṁ tadā tena raviputreṇa pārvati| mayā sa vārito'tyarthaṁ mā pīḍaya jagattrayam||

Thus addressed by me, O Parvati, that son of the Sun — I restrained him earnestly: "Do not torment the three worlds."

Verse 18 (skanda.5.121.18)

तेनोक्तं देहि मे स्थानं पानमाहारमेव च। मया दत्तं विशालाक्षि पूजार्थं स्थानमुत्तमम्॥

tenoktaṁ dehi me sthānaṁ pānamāhārameva ca| mayā dattaṁ viśālākṣi pūjārthaṁ sthānamuttamam||

He said: "Give me a place, and drink and food." O wide-eyed one, an excellent place for worship was given by me —

Verse 19 (skanda.5.121.19)

मेषादिराशिसंस्थः संस्त्रिंशन्मासान्प्रपीडय। मानुषान्क्रमशो वत्स तत्र तृप्तिमवाप्स्यसि॥

meṣādirāśisaṁsthaḥ saṁstriṁśanmāsānprapīḍaya| mānuṣānkramaśo vatsa tatra tṛptimavāpsyasi||

"established in the sign of Aries and the like, afflict men for thirty months in turn, my child; there you shall attain satisfaction."

Verse 20 (skanda.5.121.20)

अष्टमश्च चतुर्थश्च द्वितीयो जन्मसंस्थितः। द्वादशराशिसंस्थोऽपि विरुद्धो भव सर्वदा॥

aṣṭamaśca caturthaśca dvitīyo janmasaṁsthitaḥ| dvādaśarāśisaṁstho'pi viruddho bhava sarvadā||

"The eighth, and the fourth, and the second sign counted from one's birth-sign, and also placed in the twelfth sign — in all these be ever adverse."

Verse 21 (skanda.5.121.21)

एकादशो वा षष्ठो वा तृतीयस्थानगोथवा। भव भव्यतरो नॄणामतः पूजा भविष्यति॥

ekādaśo vā ṣaṣṭho vā tṛtīyasthānagothavā| bhava bhavyataro nṝṇāmataḥ pūjā bhaviṣyati||

"In the eleventh, or the sixth, or the third position, become more favourable to men; from this, worship shall come to you."

Verse 22 (skanda.5.121.22)

पंचमो नवमश्चैव उदासीनस्तु सप्तमः। भव राशिगतो नित्यं मानुषे कर्मभिर्युते॥

paṁcamo navamaścaiva udāsīnastu saptamaḥ| bhava rāśigato nityaṁ mānuṣe karmabhiryute||

"The fifth and the ninth, and the seventh, be indifferent; being placed in the sign, ever be joined with human deeds."

Verse 23 (skanda.5.121.23)

पूजां प्राप्स्यसि चात्यर्थं ग्रहाणामधिकं सदा। गतिः स्थिरा भवित्री ते वरः श्रेष्ठोभिधीयते॥

pūjāṁ prāpsyasi cātyarthaṁ grahāṇāmadhikaṁ sadā| gatiḥ sthirā bhavitrī te varaḥ śreṣṭhobhidhīyate||

"You shall receive worship exceedingly, ever more than the other planets; your motion shall become steady — this excellent boon is declared for you."

Verse 24 (skanda.5.121.24)

अतस्ते स्थावरं नाम भविष्यति महीतले। शनैश्चरस्त्वं राशिस्थो ग्रहाणामधिको यतः॥

ataste sthāvaraṁ nāma bhaviṣyati mahītale| śanaiścarastvaṁ rāśistho grahāṇāmadhiko yataḥ||

"Therefore your name shall become Sthavara, the steady one, on earth; since you, dwelling in the signs, are the slowest of the planets,"

Verse 25 (skanda.5.121.25)

अतः शनैश्चरोनाम भविष्यसि सदा भुवि। गजगण्डनिभाकारो मम कण्ठसमोपि च॥

ataḥ śanaiścaronāma bhaviṣyasi sadā bhuvi| gajagaṇḍanibhākāro mama kaṇṭhasamopi ca||

"therefore you shall ever be named Shanaishchara, the slow-mover, on earth. Shaped like the temple of an elephant, and equal to my own throat in colour,"

Verse 26 (skanda.5.121.26)

वर्णतो ह्यसितो नाम भविष्यसि महीतले। ग्रहमध्ये ह्यधोदृष्टिर्गतिर्मंदा भविष्यति। तुष्टो ददासि राज्यं च रुष्टो वै हरसि क्षणात्॥

varṇato hyasito nāma bhaviṣyasi mahītale| grahamadhye hyadhodṛṣṭirgatirmaṁdā bhaviṣyati| tuṣṭo dadāsi rājyaṁ ca ruṣṭo vai harasi kṣaṇāt||

"in colour you shall be called Asita, the dark one, on earth. Among the planets, with a downward gaze, of slow motion — pleased, you grant a kingdom; angered, you take it away in an instant."

Verse 27 (skanda.5.121.27)

देवासुरमनुष्याश्च सिद्धविद्याधरोरगाः। त्वत्क्रूरदृष्टिनिहता नाशं यास्यंति नान्यथा॥

devāsuramanuṣyāśca siddhavidyādharoragāḥ| tvatkrūradṛṣṭinihatā nāśaṁ yāsyaṁti nānyathā||

"Gods, asuras, men, siddhas, vidyadharas and serpents, struck by your cruel glance, shall meet destruction — not otherwise."

Verse 28 (skanda.5.121.28)

तव प्रसादात्प्राप्स्यंति मनोऽभीष्टं सुदुर्ल्लभम्। अन्यच्च ते प्रदास्यामि स्थानं गुह्यं मनोहरम्॥

tava prasādātprāpsyaṁti mano'bhīṣṭaṁ sudurllabham| anyacca te pradāsyāmi sthānaṁ guhyaṁ manoharam||

"By your grace they shall obtain the desire of their heart, however hard to attain. And I shall give you something more — a secret, delightful place,"

Verse 29 (skanda.5.121.29)

मनोभीष्टकरं पुण्यं देवदानवदुर्लभम्। प्रलयेऽप्यक्षयं प्रोक्तं महाकालवनं परम्॥

manobhīṣṭakaraṁ puṇyaṁ devadānavadurlabham| pralaye'pyakṣayaṁ proktaṁ mahākālavanaṁ param||

"granter of the heart's desire, holy, hard to attain even for gods and demons, declared imperishable even at the time of dissolution — the supreme Mahakala forest."

Verse 30 (skanda.5.121.30)

तत्र गच्छ ममादेशत्त्वपृथुकेश्वरपश्चिमे। विद्यते तत्र यल्लिंगं तत्ते नाम्ना भविष्यति॥

tatra gaccha mamādeśattvapṛthukeśvarapaścime| vidyate tatra yalliṁgaṁ tatte nāmnā bhaviṣyati||

"Go there, by my command, west of Prithukeshvara; the linga that exists there — that shall become known by your name."

Verse 31 (skanda.5.121.31)

कीर्त्तिरेषा त्वदीयापि त्रैलोक्ये भविता धुवम्॥

kīrttireṣā tvadīyāpi trailokye bhavitā dhuvam||

"This fame of yours shall surely come to be in the three worlds."

Verse 32 (skanda.5.121.32)

इत्युक्तः स्थावरो देवि ममाज्ञापालकस्तदा। जगाम त्वरितो रम्यं महाकालवनं शुभम्॥

ityuktaḥ sthāvaro devi mamājñāpālakastadā| jagāma tvarito ramyaṁ mahākālavanaṁ śubham||

Thus addressed, O Devi, Sthavara, obedient to my command, then went quickly to the delightful, auspicious Mahakala forest.

Verse 33 (skanda.5.121.33)

दृष्ट्वा तत्रैव तल्लिंगं स्थानं लब्धं सुशोभनम्। तल्लिंगं भुवने ख्यातं नामतः स्थावरेश्वरम्॥

dṛṣṭvā tatraiva talliṁgaṁ sthānaṁ labdhaṁ suśobhanam| talliṁgaṁ bhuvane khyātaṁ nāmataḥ sthāvareśvaram||

Seeing that linga right there, he obtained a most beautiful place; that linga became renowned in the world by the name Sthavareshvara.

Verse 34 (skanda.5.121.34)

शनिनोक्तं तदा देवि येऽत्र द्रक्ष्यंति भक्तितः। मया प्रपूजितं लिंगं विख्यातं स्थावरेश्वरम्। तेषां पीडा मदीया तु न भविष्यति कर्हिचित्॥

śaninoktaṁ tadā devi ye'tra drakṣyaṁti bhaktitaḥ| mayā prapūjitaṁ liṁgaṁ vikhyātaṁ sthāvareśvaram| teṣāṁ pīḍā madīyā tu na bhaviṣyati karhicit||

Then Shani said, O Devi: "Those who will behold with devotion, here, this linga worshipped by me, renowned as Sthavareshvara — for them, affliction from me shall never occur."

Verse 35 (skanda.5.121.35)

मदीये च दिने यो वै नियमेन प्रपश्यति। तस्याहं सकलां बाधां शमयिष्याम्यसंशयम्॥

madīye ca dine yo vai niyamena prapaśyati| tasyāhaṁ sakalāṁ bādhāṁ śamayiṣyāmyasaṁśayam||

"And whoever, on my own day, beholds it with due observance, for him I shall assuredly pacify every affliction."

Verse 36 (skanda.5.121.36)

धक्ष्यामि सततं पीडामन्यग्रहकृतामपि। मदीयं च भयं तस्य स्वप्नेऽपि न भविष्यति॥

dhakṣyāmi satataṁ pīḍāmanyagrahakṛtāmapi| madīyaṁ ca bhayaṁ tasya svapne'pi na bhaviṣyati||

"I shall burn away continually even affliction caused by other planets; and fear of me shall not come to him even in a dream."

Verse 37 (skanda.5.121.37)

न ग्रहा न पिशाचाश्च न यक्षा न च राक्षसाः। विघ्नं कुर्वंति तस्यापि मयि तुष्टे न संशयः॥

na grahā na piśācāśca na yakṣā na ca rākṣasāḥ| vighnaṁ kurvaṁti tasyāpi mayi tuṣṭe na saṁśayaḥ||

"Neither planets, nor evil spirits, nor yakshas, nor rakshasas shall cause him any obstacle, when I am pleased — there is no doubt of it."

Verse 38 (skanda.5.121.38)

संक्रांतौ शनिवारे च व्यतीपातेऽयने तथा। ये पश्यंति नरा भक्त्या लिंगं वै स्थावरेश्वरम्। भविष्यत्यक्षयस्तेषां स्थिरो वासस्त्रिविष्टपे॥

saṁkrāṁtau śanivāre ca vyatīpāte'yane tathā| ye paśyaṁti narā bhaktyā liṁgaṁ vai sthāvareśvaram| bhaviṣyatyakṣayasteṣāṁ sthiro vāsastriviṣṭape||

"At the solstice, on Saturday, at Vyatipata, and at the turning of the sun — those men who behold the linga Sthavareshvara with devotion, for them there shall be an imperishable, steady dwelling in heaven."

Verse 39 (skanda.5.121.39)

नियमेन प्रपश्यंति मम वारेऽत्र ये नराः। न तेषां दुष्कृतं किंचिद्दुष्कृतोत्था न चापदः॥

niyamena prapaśyaṁti mama vāre'tra ye narāḥ| na teṣāṁ duṣkṛtaṁ kiṁcidduṣkṛtotthā na cāpadaḥ||

"Those men who behold it with due observance, on my own day, for them no evil deed at all, nor calamities arising from evil deeds, shall occur."

Verse 40 (skanda.5.121.40)

भविष्यति न दारिद्र्यं न चैवेष्टवियोजनम्। दास्यामि पुत्रकामस्य फलं पुत्रकृतं सदा॥

bhaviṣyati na dāridryaṁ na caiveṣṭaviyojanam| dāsyāmi putrakāmasya phalaṁ putrakṛtaṁ sadā||

"There shall be no poverty, nor separation from what is dear; to one desiring a son I shall grant the fruit that a son brings, always."

Verse 41 (skanda.5.121.41)

अधनस्य धनं चैव भयार्त्तस्याभयं तथा। स्वर्गं वै स्वर्गकामस्य प्रयच्छामि च वांछितम्॥

adhanasya dhanaṁ caiva bhayārttasyābhayaṁ tathā| svargaṁ vai svargakāmasya prayacchāmi ca vāṁchitam||

"Wealth to the poor, and likewise fearlessness to the fear-stricken; heaven indeed to one desiring heaven, and I grant whatever is desired."

Verse 42 (skanda.5.121.42)

इत्युक्त्वा पूजयामास भूयो लिंगं शनैश्चरः। पूजयित्वा शुभैः पुष्पैर्भक्त्या तत्रैव संस्थितः॥

ityuktvā pūjayāmāsa bhūyo liṁgaṁ śanaiścaraḥ| pūjayitvā śubhaiḥ puṣpairbhaktyā tatraiva saṁsthitaḥ||

Having said this, Shanaishchara again worshipped the linga; having worshipped it with auspicious flowers, he remained there with devotion.

Verse 43 (skanda.5.121.43)

एष ते कथितो देवि प्रभावः पापनाशनः। स्थावरेश्वरदेवस्य शूलेश्वरमथो शृणु॥

eṣa te kathito devi prabhāvaḥ pāpanāśanaḥ| sthāvareśvaradevasya śūleśvaramatho śṛṇu||

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