The Glory of Vishveshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.5.124.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। त्रिपंचाशत्तमं विद्धि सुप्रसिद्धमथेश्वरम्। परं विश्वेश्वरं ख्यातं विश्वेषु भुवनेष्वपि॥

īśvara uvāca| tripaṁcāśattamaṁ viddhi suprasiddhamatheśvaram| paraṁ viśveśvaraṁ khyātaṁ viśveṣu bhuvaneṣvapi||

Ishvara said: "Know, O Devi, the fifty-third lord, well-renowned indeed as supreme, celebrated as Vishveshvara in all the worlds."

Verse 2 (skanda.5.124.2)

बभूव नृपतिः पूर्वं विदर्भायां विदूरथः। सोन्तःपुरायुतोपेतं चक्रे राज्यमकंटकम्॥

babhūva nṛpatiḥ pūrvaṁ vidarbhāyāṁ vidūrathaḥ| sontaḥpurāyutopetaṁ cakre rājyamakaṁṭakam||

"Long ago there was a king named Vidūratha in Vidarbha; with a full retinue of his inner apartments, he ruled a kingdom free of thorns."

Verse 3 (skanda.5.124.3)

जघान तापसं सोऽथ प्रमादान्मृगया गतः। कृष्णाजिनधरं शांतं ध्यायंतं ब्रह्म शाश्वतम्॥

jaghāna tāpasaṁ so'tha pramādānmṛgayā gataḥ| kṛṣṇājinadharaṁ śāṁtaṁ dhyāyaṁtaṁ brahma śāśvatam||

"Once, gone out hunting, he heedlessly slew an ascetic clad in a black antelope-skin, peaceful, meditating upon the eternal Brahman."

Verse 4 (skanda.5.124.4)

मृगं मत्वा महारण्ये ब्राह्मणं देवमोहितः। तेन कर्मविपाकेन देहांते रौरवं गतः॥

mṛgaṁ matvā mahāraṇye brāhmaṇaṁ devamohitaḥ| tena karmavipākena dehāṁte rauravaṁ gataḥ||

"Deluded by fate, he had mistaken the brahmin for a deer in the great forest; by the ripening of that deed, at the end of his body he went to the Raurava hell."

Verse 5 (skanda.5.124.5)

तत्रासौ यातना घोरां अनुभूयात्मकालतः। तस्मादिहागतो मर्त्त्ये सर्पो विषधरोऽभवत्॥

tatrāsau yātanā ghorāṁ anubhūyātmakālataḥ| tasmādihāgato marttye sarpo viṣadharo'bhavat||

"There he suffered terrible torment for his allotted time; then, coming here to the world of mortals, he became a venomous serpent."

Verse 6 (skanda.5.124.6)

अदशत्सोऽपि कोपेन ब्राह्मणं चरणे प्रिये। लकुटेन हतः सोऽपि पंचत्वं तत्क्षणाद्गतः॥

adaśatso'pi kopena brāhmaṇaṁ caraṇe priye| lakuṭena hataḥ so'pi paṁcatvaṁ tatkṣaṇādgataḥ||

"In anger he bit a brahmin on the foot, O dear one; struck with a staff, he too met his death that very instant."

Verse 7 (skanda.5.124.7)

च्युतस्तु नरकात्सिंहो द्वितीयेऽभूत्सुदारुणः। राजानं भक्षयामास राजलोकैर्निपातितः॥

cyutastu narakātsiṁho dvitīye'bhūtsudāruṇaḥ| rājānaṁ bhakṣayāmāsa rājalokairnipātitaḥ||

"Fallen from hell, in his second existence he became a most terrible lion; he devoured a king, and was struck down by the king's men."

Verse 8 (skanda.5.124.8)

पुनर्व्याघ्रो बभूवासौ तृतीयेऽपि भवांतरे। तीक्ष्णपादनखैर्घोरैर्घातयामास सूकरान्॥

punarvyāghro babhūvāsau tṛtīye'pi bhavāṁtare| tīkṣṇapādanakhairghorairghātayāmāsa sūkarān||

"Again, in a third existence, he became a tiger, and with sharp, terrible claws killed wild boars."

Verse 9 (skanda.5.124.9)

तेनापि वैश्यो निधनं नीतः कश्चिद्वनांतरे। निषादैर्निहतः सोऽपि बाणैः पंचत्वमागतः॥

tenāpi vaiśyo nidhanaṁ nītaḥ kaścidvanāṁtare| niṣādairnihataḥ so'pi bāṇaiḥ paṁcatvamāgataḥ||

"By him too a certain vaishya was slain in the forest; he in turn was killed by hunters with arrows and met his death."

Verse 10 (skanda.5.124.10)

चतुर्थे ऽपि गजो जातः सिंहाद्वधमवाप्तवान्। पंचमे मकरो जातः क्षारांभसि महोदधौ॥

caturthe 'pi gajo jātaḥ siṁhādvadhamavāptavān| paṁcame makaro jātaḥ kṣārāṁbhasi mahodadhau||

"In a fourth birth he became an elephant, and met death at the hands of a lion; in a fifth he was born a crocodile in the salt waters of the great ocean."

Verse 11 (skanda.5.124.11)

स्नातुकामामथो रामामाजघानातिपापकृत्। धीवरैः कृतधिक्कारैर्बडिशैः सन्निपातितः॥

snātukāmāmatho rāmāmājaghānātipāpakṛt| dhīvaraiḥ kṛtadhikkārairbaḍiśaiḥ sannipātitaḥ||

"Most sinfully, he attacked a woman who wished to bathe; reviled by fishermen, he was caught on hooks and struck down."

Verse 12 (skanda.5.124.12)

पुनः षष्ठे भवे जातः पिशाचः पिशिताशनः। सिद्धमंत्रैरथोदग्रैरथर्वप्रभवैर्भृशम्॥

punaḥ ṣaṣṭhe bhave jātaḥ piśācaḥ piśitāśanaḥ| siddhamaṁtrairathodagrairatharvaprabhavairbhṛśam||

"Again, in a sixth existence he was born a flesh-eating pishacha, overpowered by potent, perfected mantras arising from the Atharva[-veda]."

Verse 13 (skanda.5.124.13)

मंत्री मंत्रविदां श्रेष्ठो ब्राह्मणस्तं जघान ह। सप्तमे स पुनर्जातो दुर्निरीक्ष्यवपुर्भृशम्॥

maṁtrī maṁtravidāṁ śreṣṭho brāhmaṇastaṁ jaghāna ha| saptame sa punarjāto durnirīkṣyavapurbhṛśam||

"A minister-brahmin, foremost among those versed in spells, slew him; in a seventh birth he was born again, his form dreadful to behold."

Verse 14 (skanda.5.124.14)

तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रः करालास्यो मांसशोणितभोजनः। शुष्कांगो मरुभूमीषु पापिष्ठो ब्रह्मराक्षसः॥

tīkṣṇadaṁṣṭraḥ karālāsyo māṁsaśoṇitabhojanaḥ| śuṣkāṁgo marubhūmīṣu pāpiṣṭho brahmarākṣasaḥ||

"Sharp-fanged, gaping-mouthed, feeding on flesh and blood, gaunt-limbed, in the desert wastes — a most sinful brahmarakshasa."

Verse 15 (skanda.5.124.15)

आक्रम्य निमिराजेन राज्ञा राक्षसशत्रुणा। समारोप्य धनुः संख्ये ब्रह्मास्त्रेण निपातितः॥

ākramya nimirājena rājñā rākṣasaśatruṇā| samāropya dhanuḥ saṁkhye brahmāstreṇa nipātitaḥ||

"He was assailed by King Nimi, foe of demons, who, drawing his bow in battle, struck him down with the Brahma weapon."

Verse 16 (skanda.5.124.16)

दारुणः सारमेयोऽभूदतिकृष्णोऽष्टमे भवे। स शूकरखुराघातव्रणैः पंचत्वमागतः॥

dāruṇaḥ sārameyo'bhūdatikṛṣṇo'ṣṭame bhave| sa śūkarakhurāghātavraṇaiḥ paṁcatvamāgataḥ||

"In an eighth existence he became a fierce, jet-black dog; he met death from wounds inflicted by a boar's hooves."

Verse 17 (skanda.5.124.17)

नवमे जंबुको जातः श्मशाने स च मांसभुक्। लौल्यात्स निधनं प्राप्तो दुःखार्त्तो दाववह्निना॥

navame jaṁbuko jātaḥ śmaśāne sa ca māṁsabhuk| laulyātsa nidhanaṁ prāpto duḥkhārtto dāvavahninā||

"In a ninth birth he was born a jackal in the cremation ground, feeding on flesh; from greed he met his end, tormented, in a forest fire."

Verse 18 (skanda.5.124.18)

दशमे त्वभवद्गृध्रस्तीक्ष्णतुंडो भयावहः। पूतिमांसवसाहारो रोगेण निधनं गतः॥

daśame tvabhavadgṛdhrastīkṣṇatuṁḍo bhayāvahaḥ| pūtimāṁsavasāhāro rogeṇa nidhanaṁ gataḥ||

"In a tenth he became a vulture, sharp-beaked and fearsome, feeding on putrid flesh and fat; he met his death through disease."

Verse 19 (skanda.5.124.19)

एकादशे ऽपि चंडालो गतोऽवंत्यां वरानने। द्रव्यस्य हरणार्थं वै प्रविष्टो द्विजवेश्मनि॥

ekādaśe 'pi caṁḍālo gato'vaṁtyāṁ varānane| dravyasya haraṇārthaṁ vai praviṣṭo dvijaveśmani||

"In an eleventh birth, O fair one, he became an outcaste who went to Avanti; to steal goods he broke into a brahmin's house."

Verse 20 (skanda.5.124.20)

स दंडपाशिकेनैव प्राप्तो बद्धश्च तत्क्षणात्। आनीतो हि वधार्थाय वृक्षाग्रे ह्यवलंबितः॥

sa daṁḍapāśikenaiva prāpto baddhaśca tatkṣaṇāt| ānīto hi vadhārthāya vṛkṣāgre hyavalaṁbitaḥ||

"He was seized at once by the officer of justice and bound; brought there to be executed, he was hung from the top of a tree."

Verse 21 (skanda.5.124.21)

तत्रैव लिंगमासन्नं साध्वि शूलेश्वरोत्तरे। तस्य दृष्टिपथं प्राप्तमतिविक्लवचेतसः॥

tatraiva liṁgamāsannaṁ sādhvi śūleśvarottare| tasya dṛṣṭipathaṁ prāptamativiklavacetasaḥ||

"Right there, O virtuous one, stood a linga nearby, to the north of Shuleshvara; it came within the range of his sight, though his mind was utterly distraught."

Verse 22 (skanda.5.124.22)

क्षणेन निधनं प्राप्तः स गतस्त्रिदशालयम्। तत्र भुक्त्वा वरान्भोगानवतीर्य च भूतले॥

kṣaṇena nidhanaṁ prāptaḥ sa gatastridaśālayam| tatra bhuktvā varānbhogānavatīrya ca bhūtale||

"In a moment he met death and went to the abode of the gods; there, having enjoyed excellent pleasures, and having then descended again to earth—"

Verse 23 (skanda.5.124.23)

जातः ख्यातो विदर्भायां विश्वेशोनाम पार्थिवः। जातिस्मरत्वमापन्नो लिंगदर्शनपुण्यतः॥

jātaḥ khyāto vidarbhāyāṁ viśveśonāma pārthivaḥ| jātismaratvamāpanno liṁgadarśanapuṇyataḥ||

"—he was born, renowned in Vidarbha, as a king named Vishvesha, endowed with memory of his past births through the merit of having beheld the linga."

Verse 24 (skanda.5.124.24)

दुर्लभान्बुभुजे भोगान्प्राप्तं राज्यं चकार सः। सोऽभिषिच्य सुतं राज्ये विनीतमतिधर्मवित्। संस्मरन्पूर्ववृत्तांतं जगामावंतिकां पुरीम्॥

durlabhānbubhuje bhogānprāptaṁ rājyaṁ cakāra saḥ| so'bhiṣicya sutaṁ rājye vinītamatidharmavit| saṁsmaranpūrvavṛttāṁtaṁ jagāmāvaṁtikāṁ purīm||

"He enjoyed pleasures hard to attain, and ruled the kingdom he had gained. Learned in Dharma, he anointed his humble son in the kingdom, and, recalling all that had gone before, journeyed to the city of Avanti."

Verse 25 (skanda.5.124.25)

तत्र दृष्ट्वा महल्लिंगं दुर्दर्शमतितेजसा। दिव्येन चक्षुषाऽपश्यल्लिंगमध्ये चराचरम्॥

tatra dṛṣṭvā mahalliṁgaṁ durdarśamatitejasā| divyena cakṣuṣā'paśyalliṁgamadhye carācaram||

"There, beholding the great linga, hard to look upon for its excessive splendor, with divine sight he saw within the linga all that moves and does not move."

Verse 26 (skanda.5.124.26)

लिंगमध्ये स्थिताः सर्वे सागराः सरितस्तथा। द्वीपाश्च पर्वताश्चैव तथान्या दिव्यभूतयः॥

liṁgamadhye sthitāḥ sarve sāgarāḥ saritastathā| dvīpāśca parvatāścaiva tathānyā divyabhūtayaḥ||

"Within the linga stood all the oceans and rivers, the continents and the mountains, and other divine beings besides."

Verse 27 (skanda.5.124.27)

चंद्रमाः सह नक्षत्रैरादित्यश्चाग्निना सह। धनदो वरुणश्चैव यमः शक्रो मरुत्पतिः॥

caṁdramāḥ saha nakṣatrairādityaścāgninā saha| dhanado varuṇaścaiva yamaḥ śakro marutpatiḥ||

"—the moon together with the constellations, the sun together with fire, Kubera the lord of wealth, Varuna, Yama, Indra, and the lord of the Maruts—"

Verse 28 (skanda.5.124.28)

मरुतो देवगंधर्वा ऋषयश्च तपोधनाः। नागा यक्षाः पिशाचाश्च राक्षसा भीमविक्रमाः॥

maruto devagaṁdharvā ṛṣayaśca tapodhanāḥ| nāgā yakṣāḥ piśācāśca rākṣasā bhīmavikramāḥ||

"—the Maruts, the gods and gandharvas, sages rich in austerity, nagas, yakshas, pishachas, and rakshasas of fearsome might—"

Verse 29 (skanda.5.124.29)

ब्रह्माद्या देवताश्चान्याः स्कंदो लंबोदरस्तथा। सर्वं त्रिभुवनं देवि लिंगमध्ये विलोकितम्॥

brahmādyā devatāścānyāḥ skaṁdo laṁbodarastathā| sarvaṁ tribhuvanaṁ devi liṁgamadhye vilokitam||

"—Brahma and the other gods, Skanda, and Lambodara [Ganesha] as well — the entire threefold universe, O Devi, was seen within the linga."

Verse 30 (skanda.5.124.30)

प्रभावं तस्य लिंगस्य ज्ञात्वा सम्यङ्महीपतिः। संयतः पूजयामास विश्वयोनिं महेश्वरम्॥

prabhāvaṁ tasya liṁgasya jñātvā samyaṅmahīpatiḥ| saṁyataḥ pūjayāmāsa viśvayoniṁ maheśvaram||

"Having thus truly known the power of that linga, the king, self-composed, worshipped the great Lord, the womb of the universe."

Verse 31 (skanda.5.124.31)

प्रसन्नश्चाभवत्तस्य वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्। वरं वरय भद्रं ते किमभीष्टं ददामि ते॥

prasannaścābhavattasya vacanaṁ cedamabravīt| varaṁ varaya bhadraṁ te kimabhīṣṭaṁ dadāmi te||

"He became pleased and spoke to him these words: 'Choose a boon — may good befall you; whatever you desire, I shall grant you.'"

Verse 32 (skanda.5.124.32)

तेनोक्तं वचनं राज्ञा यदि तुष्टोसि मे प्रभो। ये त्वां पश्यंति मनुजाः श्रद्धयाऽश्रद्धयाऽथवा॥

tenoktaṁ vacanaṁ rājñā yadi tuṣṭosi me prabho| ye tvāṁ paśyaṁti manujāḥ śraddhayā'śraddhayā'thavā||

"The king spoke these words: 'If you are pleased with me, O Lord — whatever men behold you, whether with faith or without faith—'"

Verse 33 (skanda.5.124.33)

मा भूत्तेषां प्रपतनं घोरे संसारसागरे। विश्वेश्वरेति नाम्ना वै प्रसिद्धो भव भूतले॥

mā bhūtteṣāṁ prapatanaṁ ghore saṁsārasāgare| viśveśvareti nāmnā vai prasiddho bhava bhūtale||

"—'may they never fall into the terrible ocean of samsara. Become renowned on earth by the name Vishveshvara.'"

Verse 34 (skanda.5.124.34)

इत्युक्ते वचने भूयो विश्वेशोऽलंकृतो गणैः। विमानेन सुदीप्तेन गतो लोकं मदीयकम्॥

ityukte vacane bhūyo viśveśo'laṁkṛto gaṇaiḥ| vimānena sudīptena gato lokaṁ madīyakam||

"When these words were spoken, Vishvesha, attended by the gaṇas, went by a brilliant celestial chariot to my own world."

Verse 35 (skanda.5.124.35)

गणैर्नानाविधैः सार्द्धं स्तूयमानो वरानने। किरीटी कुण्डली चैव मुक्ताहारविभूषितः। विमानं तस्य तद्दिव्यं परिक्रम्य समंततः॥

gaṇairnānāvidhaiḥ sārddhaṁ stūyamāno varānane| kirīṭī kuṇḍalī caiva muktāhāravibhūṣitaḥ| vimānaṁ tasya taddivyaṁ parikramya samaṁtataḥ||

"Praised by manifold hosts of gaṇas, O fair one, crowned, with earrings, adorned with a pearl necklace, having circled all around that divine chariot—"

Verse 36 (skanda.5.124.36)

समहेंद्रधनाध्यक्षनानानाकनिवासिनः। मुनयः सिद्धगंधर्वास्तथा चाप्सरसां गणाः॥

samaheṁdradhanādhyakṣanānānākanivāsinaḥ| munayaḥ siddhagaṁdharvāstathā cāpsarasāṁ gaṇāḥ||

"—together with great Indra, the lord of wealth, and the diverse dwellers of heaven, sages, siddhas, gandharvas, and troops of apsarases—"

Verse 37 (skanda.5.124.37)

नृत्येनामरनारीणां विलोकितविनोदकः। युगकोटिसहस्रं तु मत्समीपे व्यवस्थितः॥

nṛtyenāmaranārīṇāṁ vilokitavinodakaḥ| yugakoṭisahasraṁ tu matsamīpe vyavasthitaḥ||

"—delighting in watching the dance of the celestial women, he dwelt near me for a thousand crore yugas."

Verse 38 (skanda.5.124.38)

अतो देवि भुवि ख्यातो देवो विश्वेश्वरेश्वरः। दृष्ट्वा लिंगं च विश्वेशं पातकैर्विप्रमुच्यते॥

ato devi bhuvi khyāto devo viśveśvareśvaraḥ| dṛṣṭvā liṁgaṁ ca viśveśaṁ pātakairvipramucyate||

"Therefore, O Devi, the god Vishveshvara is renowned on earth; whoever beholds the linga Vishvesha is freed from sins."

Verse 39 (skanda.5.124.39)

सप्तजन्मकृतैर्देही मनोवाक्कायकर्मभिः। दृष्ट्वा विश्वेश्वरं लिंगं कृतकृत्यत्वमाप्यते॥

saptajanmakṛtairdehī manovākkāyakarmabhiḥ| dṛṣṭvā viśveśvaraṁ liṁgaṁ kṛtakṛtyatvamāpyate||

"By deeds of mind, speech and body committed across seven births, the embodied soul, on beholding the linga Vishveshvara, attains fulfillment."

Verse 40 (skanda.5.124.40)

तस्य नश्यति दौर्भाग्यमलक्ष्मीर्नाशमेति च। प्राप्नोति देही कामांश्च समृद्धिं मानसीं सदा॥

tasya naśyati daurbhāgyamalakṣmīrnāśameti ca| prāpnoti dehī kāmāṁśca samṛddhiṁ mānasīṁ sadā||

"His misfortune is destroyed and ill-luck perishes; the embodied being obtains his desires and ever-abiding mental prosperity."

Verse 41 (skanda.5.124.41)

दुःस्वप्नो व्याधयः क्रूरा ग्रहा भूताश्च दारुणाः। प्रणश्यन्ति वरारोहे विश्वेशे पूजिते सदा॥

duḥsvapno vyādhayaḥ krūrā grahā bhūtāśca dāruṇāḥ| praṇaśyanti varārohe viśveśe pūjite sadā||

"Bad dreams, cruel diseases, malignant planets and terrible spirits are all destroyed, O fair one, when Vishvesha is ever worshipped."

Verse 42 (skanda.5.124.42)

ये केचिच्छ्रद्धया युक्ता लिंगमाराधयंति वै। ते सर्वकाम संपन्ना जायंते च युगेयुगे॥

ye kecicchraddhayā yuktā liṁgamārādhayaṁti vai| te sarvakāma saṁpannā jāyaṁte ca yugeyuge||

"Whoever, endowed with faith, worships this linga is endowed with all desires, and is well born age after age."

Verse 43 (skanda.5.124.43)

अंते गतिश्च सा दिव्या जायते मत्प्रसादतः। यत्र संपूज्यते लिगं तस्मिन्देशे शुभाः क्रियाः॥

aṁte gatiśca sā divyā jāyate matprasādataḥ| yatra saṁpūjyate ligaṁ tasmindeśe śubhāḥ kriyāḥ||

"At the end, that divine destination is attained through my grace; and in the land where the linga is duly worshipped, all undertakings are auspicious."

Verse 44 (skanda.5.124.44)

न तत्र दुर्भिक्षभयं नापमृत्युभयं क्वचित्। प्रेतयोनौ च वेताला न नागा न च दंष्ट्रिणः॥

na tatra durbhikṣabhayaṁ nāpamṛtyubhayaṁ kvacit| pretayonau ca vetālā na nāgā na ca daṁṣṭriṇaḥ||

"There is no fear of famine there, nor ever fear of untimely death; no vetalas of the ghost-realm, nor serpents, nor fanged beasts."

Verse 45 (skanda.5.124.45)

एते च विष्णुब्रह्मेंद्रकुबेरवरुणादयः। लिंगार्चनेन संप्राप्ताः परां सिद्धिं महौजसः॥

ete ca viṣṇubrahmeṁdrakuberavaruṇādayaḥ| liṁgārcanena saṁprāptāḥ parāṁ siddhiṁ mahaujasaḥ||

"These mighty ones — Vishnu, Brahma, Indra, Kubera, Varuna, and the rest — attained supreme accomplishment through worship of the linga."

Verse 46 (skanda.5.124.46)

एष ते कथितो देवि प्रभावः पापनाशनः। विश्वेश्वरस्य देवस्य कण्टेश्वरमतः शृणु॥

eṣa te kathito devi prabhāvaḥ pāpanāśanaḥ| viśveśvarasya devasya kaṇṭeśvaramataḥ śṛṇu||

"This, O Devi, is the sin-destroying power of the god Vishveshvara that I have told you; now hear of Kanteshvara."