The Glory of Brahmeshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.5.136.1)

श्रीहर उवाच। पंचषष्टिकसंख्याकं विद्धि ब्रह्मेश्वरं प्रिये। यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण ब्रह्मलोको ह्यवाप्यते॥

śrīhara uvāca| paṁcaṣaṣṭikasaṁkhyākaṁ viddhi brahmeśvaraṁ priye| yasya darśanamātreṇa brahmaloko hyavāpyate||

Shri Hara said: "Know, O dear one, the sixty-fifth lord, Brahmeshvara, by the mere sight of whom the world of Brahma is indeed attained."

Verse 2 (skanda.5.136.2)

पुलोमानाम दैत्येंद्रो महाबलपराक्रमः। पौलोमानां सहस्रैस्तु पूज्यमानः स तिष्ठति॥

pulomānāma daityeṁdro mahābalaparākramaḥ| paulomānāṁ sahasraistu pūjyamānaḥ sa tiṣṭhati||

"There was a lord of the daityas named Puloma, of great strength and prowess, who dwelt there, worshipped by thousands of the Paulomas."

Verse 3 (skanda.5.136.3)

आनर्चुस्तेऽपि तं दैत्यं सुरेशं त्रिदशा इव। स कदाचित्समक्षं तु दैत्यानामिदमब्रवीत्॥

ānarcuste'pi taṁ daityaṁ sureśaṁ tridaśā iva| sa kadācitsamakṣaṁ tu daityānāmidamabravīt||

"They too worshipped that daitya just as the gods worship their lord Indra. Once, in the presence of the daityas, he spoke these words."

Verse 4 (skanda.5.136.4)

अद्यापि लोकपालानामर्केंदुज्वलनांभसाम्। शतक्रतोर्द्धनेशस्य यमस्य वरुणस्य च॥

adyāpi lokapālānāmarkeṁdujvalanāṁbhasām| śatakratorddhaneśasya yamasya varuṇasya ca||

"'Even now, of the world-guardians — of sun, moon, fire and water, of Shatakratu, the lord of wealth, of Yama, and of Varuna—'"

Verse 5 (skanda.5.136.5)

यदि नाम ततः किं मे तपसा जीवितेन च। सोऽहं विद्रावयिष्यामि सर्वानेव दिवौकसः॥

yadi nāma tataḥ kiṁ me tapasā jīvitena ca| so'haṁ vidrāvayiṣyāmi sarvāneva divaukasaḥ||

"'—what if they still stand? What use to me is austerity or even life, if I do not scatter all these dwellers of heaven?'"

Verse 6 (skanda.5.136.6)

सर्वैरेतैः परिवृतः पौलोमैर्बलवत्तरैः। इत्युक्त्वा गतवान्देवि सागरं दैत्यसंवृतः। तावच्छयानं सहसा ह्यपश्यन्मधुसूदनम्॥

sarvairetaiḥ parivṛtaḥ paulomairbalavattaraiḥ| ityuktvā gatavāndevi sāgaraṁ daityasaṁvṛtaḥ| tāvacchayānaṁ sahasā hyapaśyanmadhusūdanam||

"Surrounded by all these most powerful Paulomas, having spoken thus, O Devi, he went, encircled by daityas, to the ocean; and there he suddenly beheld Madhusudana lying asleep."

Verse 7 (skanda.5.136.7)

शारदाभ्रसमाभासं मध्येकालं यथा घनम्। तमालोक्य ततो दैत्यानब्रवीदनुगांस्तथा॥

śāradābhrasamābhāsaṁ madhyekālaṁ yathā ghanam| tamālokya tato daityānabravīdanugāṁstathā||

"Radiant like an autumn cloud, yet dark as a monsoon cloud — beholding him thus, he spoke to the daityas, his followers."

Verse 8 (skanda.5.136.8)

अयं स दानवगिरिवज्रो हि मधुसूदनः। कीर्त्तिकांताकलाकेलिवैधव्यादेशको द्विषाम्॥

ayaṁ sa dānavagirivajro hi madhusūdanaḥ| kīrttikāṁtākalākelivaidhavyādeśako dviṣām||

"'This is that Madhusudana, the very thunderbolt to the mountain of danavas, who brings widowhood upon the beloved wives, delighting in fine arts, of our foes.'"

Verse 9 (skanda.5.136.9)

दैत्यसीमंतिनीकांतपत्रवल्लीप्रभंजकः। अयमस्मज्जयवधूवैधव्यादेशकः परः॥

daityasīmaṁtinīkāṁtapatravallīprabhaṁjakaḥ| ayamasmajjayavadhūvaidhavyādeśakaḥ paraḥ||

"'He is the destroyer of the tender vine-like beauty of the daitya women's parted hair; and this same one shall also decree widowhood upon the bride of our own victory.'"

Verse 10 (skanda.5.136.10)

गतशंकः स्वपित्येकः सर्वदा कुटिलाशयः। हंतव्यस्त्वरया दुष्टः कांक्षितो दर्शनं गतः॥

gataśaṁkaḥ svapityekaḥ sarvadā kuṭilāśayaḥ| haṁtavyastvarayā duṣṭaḥ kāṁkṣito darśanaṁ gataḥ||

"'Free of all fear, he sleeps alone, ever crooked of intent; this wicked one, so long desired, has come within sight — he must be slain at once.'"

Verse 11 (skanda.5.136.11)

इत्युक्त्वा स हि दैत्येंद्रः पुलोमातिरुषान्वितः। अभिदुद्राव वेगेन तावदग्रे पितामहम्। ददर्श नाभिकमले चिन्तयानं पुनःपुनः॥

ityuktvā sa hi daityeṁdraḥ pulomātiruṣānvitaḥ| abhidudrāva vegena tāvadagre pitāmaham| dadarśa nābhikamale cintayānaṁ punaḥpunaḥ||

"Having said this, that lord of daityas, Puloma, filled with extreme rage, rushed forward with speed; and there, on the lotus of the navel, he saw the grandsire Brahma, deep in thought again and again."

Verse 12 (skanda.5.136.12)

अथ व्याकुलतां प्राप्तो ब्रह्मा दृष्ट्वा तदद्भुतम्। आयांतं दैत्यसिंहानां सैन्यं रणसुदुर्जयम्॥

atha vyākulatāṁ prāpto brahmā dṛṣṭvā tadadbhutam| āyāṁtaṁ daityasiṁhānāṁ sainyaṁ raṇasudurjayam||

"Then Brahma, seeing that wondrous, invincible army of daitya-lions advancing, became filled with agitation."

Verse 13 (skanda.5.136.13)

अथ बोधं गतः क्षिप्रं कैटभारिर्महाबलः। ददर्शाग्रे पुलोमं तु स्वसैन्यपरिवारितम्॥

atha bodhaṁ gataḥ kṣipraṁ kaiṭabhārirmahābalaḥ| dadarśāgre pulomaṁ tu svasainyaparivāritam||

"Then the mighty foe of Kaitabha quickly awoke, and beheld before him Puloma, surrounded by his own army."

Verse 14 (skanda.5.136.14)

अजेयः संगरे धीरो ब्रह्माणमिदम ब्रवीत्॥

ajeyaḥ saṁgare dhīro brahmāṇamidama bravīt||

"Unconquerable, resolute in battle, he spoke these words to Brahma."

Verse 15 (skanda.5.136.15)

विष्णुरुवाच। पुलोमस्य विनाशार्थमुद्योगः क्रियतामिति। असौ लब्धवरो दैत्यः सहसा मां विजेष्यति॥

viṣṇuruvāca| pulomasya vināśārthamudyogaḥ kriyatāmiti| asau labdhavaro daityaḥ sahasā māṁ vijeṣyati||

"Vishnu said: 'Let effort be made for the destruction of Puloma; for this daitya, having obtained a boon, may suddenly overcome even me.'"

Verse 16 (skanda.5.136.16)

तस्माद्गच्छ त्वरायुक्तो महाकालवने शुभे। लिंगं द्रक्ष्यसि तत्रैव सप्तकल्पोद्भवं परम्॥

tasmādgaccha tvarāyukto mahākālavane śubhe| liṁgaṁ drakṣyasi tatraiva saptakalpodbhavaṁ param||

"'Therefore go swiftly to the auspicious Mahakalavana; there itself you shall see that supreme linga, existing since seven kalpas.'"

Verse 17 (skanda.5.136.17)

उत्तरे च्यवनेशस्य शिवशक्तिसमन्वितम्। तस्य लिंगस्य माहात्म्याद्बलं प्राप्स्यति शाश्वतम्॥

uttare cyavaneśasya śivaśaktisamanvitam| tasya liṁgasya māhātmyādbalaṁ prāpsyati śāśvatam||

"'To the north of Chyavaneshvara, endowed with the power of Shiva — through the greatness of that linga you shall obtain everlasting strength.'"

Verse 18 (skanda.5.136.18)

कुण्डेश्वरकरस्पर्शकारि वारि निरंतरम्। तदानय गृहीत्वा तु तेनायं वध्यतामिति॥

kuṇḍeśvarakarasparśakāri vāri niraṁtaram| tadānaya gṛhītvā tu tenāyaṁ vadhyatāmiti||

"'Take and bring that water which continually touches the hand of Kundeshvara, and with it let this one be slain.'"

Verse 19 (skanda.5.136.19)

इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः। आजगाम मुहूर्तेन यत्र तल्लिंगमुत्तमम्॥

iti tasya vacaḥ śrutvā brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ| ājagāma muhūrtena yatra talliṁgamuttamam||

"Hearing these words of his, Brahma, the grandsire of the worlds, arrived in a moment at the place of that supreme linga."

Verse 20 (skanda.5.136.20)

स्तुतिं चकार सहसा दृष्ट्वा भक्त्या पितामहः॥

stutiṁ cakāra sahasā dṛṣṭvā bhaktyā pitāmahaḥ||

"The grandsire, beholding it, at once offered a hymn of praise with devotion."

Verse 21 (skanda.5.136.21)

ब्रह्मोवाच। नमस्ते दिव्यरूपाय नमस्ते बहुरूपिणे। नमोऽविषह्यवीर्याय नमो विश्वक्रियात्मने॥

brahmovāca| namaste divyarūpāya namaste bahurūpiṇe| namo'viṣahyavīryāya namo viśvakriyātmane||

"Brahma said: 'Salutation to you of divine form, salutation to you of manifold forms; salutation to you of irresistible valor, salutation to you whose very nature is the activity of the universe.'"

Verse 22 (skanda.5.136.22)

नमः पिंगकपर्द्दाय नमः खंडेंदुधारिणे। नमः कनकवर्णाय नमो वननिवासिने॥

namaḥ piṁgakaparddāya namaḥ khaṁḍeṁdudhāriṇe| namaḥ kanakavarṇāya namo vananivāsine||

"'Salutation to you of tawny matted locks, salutation to you who bears the crescent moon; salutation to you of golden hue, salutation to you who dwells in the forest.'"

Verse 23 (skanda.5.136.23)

वंदे त्वां भूतभर्त्तारं सदा शत्रुविनाशनम्। रणत्कनककेयूरं धृतपूर्णेंदुमंड लम्॥

vaṁde tvāṁ bhūtabharttāraṁ sadā śatruvināśanam| raṇatkanakakeyūraṁ dhṛtapūrṇeṁdumaṁḍa lam||

"'I salute you, the sustainer of all beings, ever the destroyer of foes, whose golden armlets resound, who bears the full orb of the moon.'"

Verse 24 (skanda.5.136.24)

वन्दे त्वां त्रिदशाध्यक्षं विश्वाध्यक्षं महेश्वरम्। क्षीणसंसारदुःखौघं मुनिध्यातपदं सदा॥

vande tvāṁ tridaśādhyakṣaṁ viśvādhyakṣaṁ maheśvaram| kṣīṇasaṁsāraduḥkhaughaṁ munidhyātapadaṁ sadā||

"'I salute you, the lord of the gods, the lord of the universe, Maheshvara, whose feet, ever meditated upon by sages, wear away the flood of sorrow of samsara.'"

Verse 25 (skanda.5.136.25)

वंदे त्वां सर्वदा देवं दैत्यसंघातनाशनम्। टंकपट्टिशशूलाग्रधनुःखड्गगदाधरम्॥

vaṁde tvāṁ sarvadā devaṁ daityasaṁghātanāśanam| ṭaṁkapaṭṭiśaśūlāgradhanuḥkhaḍgagadādharam||

"'I ever salute you, O god, the destroyer of the hosts of daityas, who bears the chisel, the battle-axe, the sharp trident, the bow, the sword and the mace.'"

Verse 26 (skanda.5.136.26)

एवं स्तुतः स भगवाँल्लिंगरूपी महेश्वरः। किंचित्स्मितमुखः प्राह ब्रह्माणं लोककारणम्॥

evaṁ stutaḥ sa bhagavā~lliṁgarūpī maheśvaraḥ| kiṁcitsmitamukhaḥ prāha brahmāṇaṁ lokakāraṇam||

"Thus praised, the blessed Maheshvara, present in the form of the linga, spoke with a slightly smiling countenance to Brahma, the cause of the worlds."

Verse 27 (skanda.5.136.27)

किं तेऽभीष्टं करोम्यद्य किं ददामि पितामह। कस्मात्स्तौषि मुनिश्रेष्ठ कस्मादार्तोऽसि दृश्यसे॥

kiṁ te'bhīṣṭaṁ karomyadya kiṁ dadāmi pitāmaha| kasmātstauṣi muniśreṣṭha kasmādārto'si dṛśyase||

"'What is your wish, that I may fulfill it today? What shall I give you, O grandsire? Why do you praise me, O best of sages? Why do you appear so distressed?'"

Verse 28 (skanda.5.136.28)

इति लिंगवचः श्रुत्वा कथितं ब्रह्मणा तदा। वृत्तांतं विस्तरात्सर्वं लिंगेनोक्तं तदा प्रिये॥

iti liṁgavacaḥ śrutvā kathitaṁ brahmaṇā tadā| vṛttāṁtaṁ vistarātsarvaṁ liṁgenoktaṁ tadā priye||

"Hearing these words of the linga, Brahma then related the entire matter in detail; and, O dear one, the linga then spoke in reply."

Verse 29 (skanda.5.136.29)

जलं गृहाण वाणीश शस्त्रजं शत्रुवारणम्। हनिष्यसि क्षणेनैव पुलोमं सहसैन्यकम्॥

jalaṁ gṛhāṇa vāṇīśa śastrajaṁ śatruvāraṇam| haniṣyasi kṣaṇenaiva pulomaṁ sahasainyakam||

"'Take this water, O lord of speech, born as a weapon, the repeller of foes; you shall slay Puloma together with his army in but a moment.'"

Verse 30 (skanda.5.136.30)

इत्युक्तः सत्वरो ब्रह्मा गतो यत्र जनार्द्दनः। जलेन तेन तान्दै त्यान्पातयामास भूतले॥

ityuktaḥ satvaro brahmā gato yatra janārddanaḥ| jalena tena tāndai tyānpātayāmāsa bhūtale||

"So told, Brahma went swiftly to where Janardana was; and with that water he cast down those daityas upon the earth."

Verse 31 (skanda.5.136.31)

स पुलोमा महानासीत्स्वारोचिषेंऽतरे मनौ। कृष्णोऽपि ब्रह्मणा सार्द्धमाजगाम कुशस्थलीम्॥

sa pulomā mahānāsītsvārociṣeṁ'tare manau| kṛṣṇo'pi brahmaṇā sārddhamājagāma kuśasthalīm||

"That great Puloma had lived in the Svarochisha manvantara; and Krishna too, together with Brahma, arrived at Kushasthali."

Verse 32 (skanda.5.136.32)

ददर्श तत्र तल्लिंगं नाम चक्रे जनार्द्दनः। ब्रह्मणा संस्तुतो देवो ममानुग्रहकारणात्। तस्माद्ब्रह्मेश्वरोनाम ख्यातिं लोकेषु यास्यति॥

dadarśa tatra talliṁgaṁ nāma cakre janārddanaḥ| brahmaṇā saṁstuto devo mamānugrahakāraṇāt| tasmādbrahmeśvaronāma khyātiṁ lokeṣu yāsyati||

"There Janardana beheld that linga and gave it its name; that god, praised by Brahma out of grace toward me, shall thereby become renowned in the worlds by the name Brahmeshvara."

Verse 33 (skanda.5.136.33)

ये द्रक्ष्यंति नरा भक्त्या देवं ब्रह्मेश्वरं शिवम्। ते ब्रह्मलोकमाक्रम्य समेष्यन्ति ममान्तिकम्॥

ye drakṣyaṁti narā bhaktyā devaṁ brahmeśvaraṁ śivam| te brahmalokamākramya sameṣyanti mamāntikam||

"Those men who behold with devotion the god, auspicious Brahmeshvara, having traversed the world of Brahma, shall come into my very presence."

Verse 34 (skanda.5.136.34)

यस्तु पश्येत्प्रसंगेन देवं ब्रह्मेश्वरं शिवम्। कृतकृत्यः स पुरुषो न शोचेन्मरणं सदा॥

yastu paśyetprasaṁgena devaṁ brahmeśvaraṁ śivam| kṛtakṛtyaḥ sa puruṣo na śocenmaraṇaṁ sadā||

"He who beholds, even by chance, the god, auspicious Brahmeshvara, that man, his purpose fulfilled, shall never grieve over death."

Verse 35 (skanda.5.136.35)

यः पुष्करं नरो गत्वा तपो वर्षशतं चरेत्। अन्यो ब्रह्मेश्वरं पश्येत्तस्य पुण्यं ततोऽधिकम्॥

yaḥ puṣkaraṁ naro gatvā tapo varṣaśataṁ caret| anyo brahmeśvaraṁ paśyettasya puṇyaṁ tato'dhikam||

"The merit of one who merely beholds Brahmeshvara is greater than that of a man who goes to Pushkara and performs austerity for a hundred years."

Verse 36 (skanda.5.136.36)

पंचपातकसंयुक्तो यो मर्त्त्यो दुष्टमानसः। सोपि गच्छेच्छिवं स्थानं दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्मेश्वरं शिवम्॥

paṁcapātakasaṁyukto yo marttyo duṣṭamānasaḥ| sopi gacchecchivaṁ sthānaṁ dṛṣṭvā brahmeśvaraṁ śivam||

"Even a mortal joined with the five great sins, evil of mind, shall go to the auspicious abode, having beheld auspicious Brahmeshvara."

Verse 37 (skanda.5.136.37)

चांद्रायणानां विधिवद्दशानामेव यत्फलम्। तत्फलं समवाप्नोति ब्रह्मेश्वरस्य दर्शनात्॥

cāṁdrāyaṇānāṁ vidhivaddaśānāmeva yatphalam| tatphalaṁ samavāpnoti brahmeśvarasya darśanāt||

"Whatever fruit is obtained from ten Chandrayana fasts duly performed, that same fruit is obtained through the sight of Brahmeshvara."

Verse 38 (skanda.5.136.38)

इत्युक्त्वा गतवान्विष्णुर्वैकुंठं शाश्वतं प्रिये। ब्रह्मलोकं जगामाथ ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः॥

ityuktvā gatavānviṣṇurvaikuṁṭhaṁ śāśvataṁ priye| brahmalokaṁ jagāmātha brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ||

"Having said this, Vishnu, O dear one, went to eternal Vaikuntha; and Brahma, the grandsire of the worlds, then went to Brahmaloka."

Verse 39 (skanda.5.136.39)

एष ते कथितो देवि प्रभावः पापनाशनः। ब्रह्मेश्वरस्य देवस्य जल्पेश्वरमथो शृणु॥

eṣa te kathito devi prabhāvaḥ pāpanāśanaḥ| brahmeśvarasya devasya jalpeśvaramatho śṛṇu||

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