The Greatness of Apsareshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.5.88.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। देवं सप्तदशं विद्धि विख्यातमप्सरेश्वरम्। यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण लोकोऽभीष्टानवाप्नुयात्

īśvara uvāca| devaṁ saptadaśaṁ viddhi vikhyātamapsareśvaram| yasya darśanamātreṇa loko'bhīṣṭānavāpnuyāt

Ishvara said: "Know the seventeenth god as the renowned Apsareshvara; by the mere sight of whom the world obtains its cherished desires."

Verse 2 (skanda.5.88.2)

नंदनाख्ये वने देवि सर्वकामसमन्विते। सिद्धचारणगंधर्वकिंनरोद्गीतनादिते

naṁdanākhye vane devi sarvakāmasamanvite| siddhacāraṇagaṁdharvakiṁnarodgītanādite

O Devi, in the grove called Nandana, replete with every delight, resounding with the songs of siddhas, charanas, gandharvas, and kinnaras —

Verse 3 (skanda.5.88.3)

शुककोकिलचक्राह्वचकोरकुररावृते। दिव्यलोकोपमस्थाने त्रिविष्टपवि भूषणे

śukakokilacakrāhvacakorakurarāvṛte| divyalokopamasthāne triviṣṭapavi bhūṣaṇe

— thronged with parrots, cuckoos, chakravaka birds, chakoras, and ospreys, in that place resembling the divine world, the very ornament of Trivishtapa —

Verse 4 (skanda.5.88.4)

तत्रोपविष्टो वृत्रारिः सुरज्येष्ठश्च सेवितः। ननर्त्त रंभा तस्याग्रे नृत्यभावान्विवृण्वती

tatropaviṣṭo vṛtrāriḥ surajyeṣṭhaśca sevitaḥ| nanartta raṁbhā tasyāgre nṛtyabhāvānvivṛṇvatī

— there, before Vritrari (Indra), seated and attended by the foremost of gods, Rambha danced, revealing the moods and gestures of the dance.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.88.5)

ततोन्यचित्ता संजाता किंचित्स्मृत्वा प्रमादतः। लयतालविहीना च दृष्टा वै वासवेन सा

tatonyacittā saṁjātā kiṁcitsmṛtvā pramādataḥ| layatālavihīnā ca dṛṣṭā vai vāsavena sā

Then, through a moment's inattention, remembering something, her mind wandered elsewhere, and Vasava saw her fall out of rhythm and beat.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.88.6)

चुकोप च सुरश्रेष्ठस्तस्याः शापं ददौ किल। विस्मृतिर्मानुषं कर्म न दिव्यं क्वापि दृश्यते

cukopa ca suraśreṣṭhastasyāḥ śāpaṁ dadau kila| vismṛtirmānuṣaṁ karma na divyaṁ kvāpi dṛśyate

That foremost of gods, angered, then cursed her: "Forgetfulness is a human failing; it is never seen anywhere among the divine."

Verse 7 (skanda.5.88.7)

तस्मात्तु मानुषे लोके गच्छ त्वं निष्प्रभा सती। अथेंद्रकोपसंक्षोभात्पतिता भुवि साप्सराः

tasmāttu mānuṣe loke gaccha tvaṁ niṣprabhā satī| atheṁdrakopasaṁkṣobhātpatitā bhuvi sāpsarāḥ

"Therefore go to the world of men, your radiance gone." And so, shaken by Indra's wrath, that apsaras fell to the earth.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.88.8)

निश्चेष्टा विकलीभूता रुदती विस्वरं बहु। करुणं विलपंती च किं मया दुष्कृतं कृतम्

niśceṣṭā vikalībhūtā rudatī visvaraṁ bahu| karuṇaṁ vilapaṁtī ca kiṁ mayā duṣkṛtaṁ kṛtam

Motionless, distraught, weeping bitterly and out of tune, lamenting piteously, she cried: "What evil have I done?"

Verse 9 (skanda.5.88.9)

निर्मलं न तपस्तप्तं कथं नाराधितः सुरः। अथाप्सरोगणः सर्वः सखीगण समन्वितः

nirmalaṁ na tapastaptaṁ kathaṁ nārādhitaḥ suraḥ| athāpsarogaṇaḥ sarvaḥ sakhīgaṇa samanvitaḥ

"I performed no pure austerity — why did I not worship the god?" Then the whole company of apsarases, together with her companions —

Verse 10 (skanda.5.88.10)

रंभा यत्रैव पतिता समायातो वरानने। तस्याः शोकाग्निदाहेन संतप्तोऽप्सरसां गणः

raṁbhā yatraiva patitā samāyāto varānane| tasyāḥ śokāgnidāhena saṁtapto'psarasāṁ gaṇaḥ

— O fair-faced one, came to the very place where Rambha had fallen; and the whole host of apsarases was consumed by the fire of her grief.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.88.11)

सुसुप्ता पद्मिनी साभ्रे यथा नैव विराजते। तथा शापेन विध्वस्ता रंभा नो राजते सदा

susuptā padminī sābhre yathā naiva virājate| tathā śāpena vidhvastā raṁbhā no rājate sadā

As a sleeping lotus-plant, veiled in cloud, no longer shines, so Rambha, undone by the curse, no longer shone at all.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.88.12)

सखीगणैः परिवृता रंभा दृष्टा वरानने। देवर्षिणा नारदेन विस्मितेनांतरात्मना

sakhīgaṇaiḥ parivṛtā raṁbhā dṛṣṭā varānane| devarṣiṇā nāradena vismitenāṁtarātmanā

O fair-faced one, the divine sage Narada beheld Rambha, surrounded by her companions, and his inner self was filled with wonder.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.88.13)

कस्मादप्सरसः सद्यो दृश्यंते शोकविह्वलाः। कस्माच्च करुणं रंभा रोदित्येषा मुहुर्मुहुः

kasmādapsarasaḥ sadyo dṛśyaṁte śokavihvalāḥ| kasmācca karuṇaṁ raṁbhā rodityeṣā muhurmuhuḥ

"Why do these apsarases suddenly appear overcome with grief? And why does this Rambha weep so piteously, again and again?"

Verse 14 (skanda.5.88.14)

पप्रच्छ च समागत्य कस्मादप्सरसो वराः। विषण्णवदना दीनाः कथ्यतां मम सादरम्

papraccha ca samāgatya kasmādapsaraso varāḥ| viṣaṇṇavadanā dīnāḥ kathyatāṁ mama sādaram

Approaching, he asked: "O excellent apsarases, why are your faces downcast and wretched? Tell me respectfully."

Verse 15 (skanda.5.88.15)

वृत्तांतं कथयामासुस्ताश्च तस्मै पुरातनम्। श्रुत्वा च नारदस्तत्र ध्यानासक्तोऽभवन्मुनिः

vṛttāṁtaṁ kathayāmāsustāśca tasmai purātanam| śrutvā ca nāradastatra dhyānāsakto'bhavanmuniḥ

They related to him the whole old story; and hearing it, the sage Narada there fell into deep meditation.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.88.16)

उपायं कथयामास हितं तासां प्रयत्नतः। गच्छंत्वप्सरसः सर्वा महाकालवनोत्तमे

upāyaṁ kathayāmāsa hitaṁ tāsāṁ prayatnataḥ| gacchaṁtvapsarasaḥ sarvā mahākālavanottame

He then, with careful thought, declared a remedy for their welfare: "Let all the apsarases go to the excellent Mahakala forest —"

Verse 17 (skanda.5.88.17)

आराधयध्वं देवेशं लिंगं सर्वार्थसाधकम्। पृच्छादेव्यास्तु पुरतः पुरा कल्पे प्रपूजितम्

ārādhayadhvaṁ deveśaṁ liṁgaṁ sarvārthasādhakam| pṛcchādevyāstu purataḥ purā kalpe prapūjitam

"— and worship there the lord of gods, the linga that accomplishes every aim, worshipped even before, in a former kalpa, in the presence of the goddess's question."

Verse 18 (skanda.5.88.18)

उर्वश्या मम वाक्येन भर्ता प्राप्तः पुरूरवाः। नारदस्य वचः श्रुत्वा समाजग्मुर्गणास्तथा

urvaśyā mama vākyena bhartā prāptaḥ purūravāḥ| nāradasya vacaḥ śrutvā samājagmurgaṇāstathā

"By my very word Urvashi obtained Pururavas as her husband." Hearing Narada's words, that whole company gathered together —

Verse 19 (skanda.5.88.19)

महाकालवने रम्ये लिंगाराधनकाम्यया। ततस्तुष्टः स्वयं रुद्रस्तासां भक्त्या वरं ददौ

mahākālavane ramye liṁgārādhanakāmyayā| tatastuṣṭaḥ svayaṁ rudrastāsāṁ bhaktyā varaṁ dadau

— in the lovely Mahakala forest, desiring to worship the linga; then Rudra himself, pleased by their devotion, granted a boon.

Verse 20 (skanda.5.88.20)

रंभे प्राप्स्यसि सौभाग्यं स्वर्गलोकं यशस्विनि। भविष्यसि महाभागे जिष्णोस्त्वं वल्लभा धुवम्

raṁbhe prāpsyasi saubhāgyaṁ svargalokaṁ yaśasvini| bhaviṣyasi mahābhāge jiṣṇostvaṁ vallabhā dhuvam

"O Rambha, you shall attain good fortune and the heaven-world, O glorious one; O most blessed one, you shall surely become the beloved of Jishnu."

Verse 21 (skanda.5.88.21)

तस्मात्त्रिविष्टपं गच्छ संघेनानेन पूजिता। आराधितोऽप्सरोभिश्च पुरा स्वर्गार्थकाम्यया। अतोप्सरेश्वरः ख्यातो ययौ ख्यातिं जगत्त्रये

tasmāttriviṣṭapaṁ gaccha saṁghenānena pūjitā| ārādhito'psarobhiśca purā svargārthakāmyayā| atopsareśvaraḥ khyāto yayau khyātiṁ jagattraye

"Honored thus by this whole company, go now to Trivishtapa." Having thus been worshipped by the apsarases of old, out of their desire for heaven, this linga became renowned as Apsareshvara, and attained fame throughout the three worlds.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.88.22)

ये समाराधयिष्यंति भक्त्या चाप्सरसेश्वरम्। ते सर्वकामसंपूर्णा भविष्यंति युगेयुगे

ye samārādhayiṣyaṁti bhaktyā cāpsaraseśvaram| te sarvakāmasaṁpūrṇā bhaviṣyaṁti yugeyuge

Those who shall worship Apsareshvara with devotion shall become, age after age, complete in the fulfilment of every desire.

Verse 23 (skanda.5.88.23)

प्रेरयिष्यंति ये लोके दर्शनार्थं यशस्विनि। स्थानभ्रंशो वियोगश्च तेषां स्वप्ने न जायते

prerayiṣyaṁti ye loke darśanārthaṁ yaśasvini| sthānabhraṁśo viyogaśca teṣāṁ svapne na jāyate

O glorious one, those who in this world urge others too toward this sight shall never, even in dream, know loss of station or separation from loved ones.

Verse 24 (skanda.5.88.24)

किं दानैः किं तपोभिश्च किं यज्ञैर्बहुदक्षिणैः। स्पर्शनाल्लभते राज्यं स्वर्गं मोक्षं क्रमेण तु

kiṁ dānaiḥ kiṁ tapobhiśca kiṁ yajñairbahudakṣiṇaiḥ| sparśanāllabhate rājyaṁ svargaṁ mokṣaṁ krameṇa tu

What need of gifts, what need of austerities, what need of sacrifices with abundant fees? By mere touch of this linga a man obtains, in due course, kingship, heaven, and liberation.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.88.25)

एष ते कथितो देवि प्रभावः पापनाशनः। अप्सरेश्वरदेवस्य श्रूयतां कल्कलेश्वरः

eṣa te kathito devi prabhāvaḥ pāpanāśanaḥ| apsareśvaradevasya śrūyatāṁ kalkaleśvaraḥ

This, O Devi, is the sin-destroying glory of the god Apsareshvara that I have told you; now hear of Kalkaleshvara.