The Glory of Mahakalavana

Verse 1 (skanda.5.39.1)

व्यास उवाच। भगवन्क्षेत्रमाहात्म्यं कथितं च यथातथम्। तीर्थानामुत्तमं तीर्थं पुण्यानां पुण्यवर्धनम्॥

vyāsa uvāca| bhagavankṣetramāhātmyaṁ kathitaṁ ca yathātatham| tīrthānāmuttamaṁ tīrthaṁ puṇyānāṁ puṇyavardhanam||

Vyasa said: O Lord, you have truly told me the greatness of this sacred field — the foremost of tirthas, the increaser of merit among all merits.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.39.2)

कति संत्यत्र तीर्थानि लिंगानि च तथा कति। कथयस्व प्रसादेन पृच्छतो मम सांप्रतम्॥

kati saṁtyatra tīrthāni liṁgāni ca tathā kati| kathayasva prasādena pṛcchato mama sāṁpratam||

How many tirthas are here, and how many lingas as well? Kindly tell me now, as I ask you.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.39.3)

सनत्कुमार उवाच। षष्टिकोटिसहस्राणि षष्टिकोटिशतानि च। महाकालवने व्यास लिंगसंख्या न विद्यते॥

sanatkumāra uvāca| ṣaṣṭikoṭisahasrāṇi ṣaṣṭikoṭiśatāni ca| mahākālavane vyāsa liṁgasaṁkhyā na vidyate||

Sanatkumara said: Sixty thousand crores and sixty hundred crores — O Vyasa, the number of lingas in Mahakalavana is beyond all counting.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.39.4)

अकामो वा सकामो वा जायते योऽत्र मानवः। महाकालवने रम्ये शिवलोके महीयते॥

akāmo vā sakāmo vā jāyate yo'tra mānavaḥ| mahākālavane ramye śivaloke mahīyate||

Whatever man is born in this beautiful Mahakalavana, whether desireless or full of desire, is honored in Shiva's world.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.39.5)

कृतकामानि तीर्थानि प्रासादायतनानि च। तेषु स्नात्वा शुचिर्भूत्वा शिवलोके महीयते॥

kṛtakāmāni tīrthāni prāsādāyatanāni ca| teṣu snātvā śucirbhūtvā śivaloke mahīyate||

The tirthas here, and its temples and shrines, fulfill every desire; bathing in them and becoming pure, one is honored in Shiva's world.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.39.6)

पुण्यानि सर्वतीर्थानि सिद्धिक्षेत्राणि सर्वतः। तेषां मुख्यतमं विद्धि क्षेत्रं तीर्थं तथोत्तमम्॥

puṇyāni sarvatīrthāni siddhikṣetrāṇi sarvataḥ| teṣāṁ mukhyatamaṁ viddhi kṣetraṁ tīrthaṁ tathottamam||

All tirthas everywhere are meritorious, all fields grant accomplishment; but know this kshetra and tirtha to be the foremost and best among them all.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.39.7)

यः शृणोति महाभक्त्या स याति परमां गतिम्॥

yaḥ śṛṇoti mahābhaktyā sa yāti paramāṁ gatim||

Whoever hears this with great devotion attains the supreme goal.