The Glory of Nagachandeshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.5.90.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। एकोनविंशतितमं नागचंडेश्वरं प्रिये। निर्माल्यलंघनाप्तपापान्मुच्यते यस्य दर्शनात

īśvara uvāca| ekonaviṁśatitamaṁ nāgacaṁḍeśvaraṁ priye| nirmālyalaṁghanāptapāpānmucyate yasya darśanāta

Ishvara said: The nineteenth deity, O beloved, is Nagachandeshvara — by whose sight one is freed from the sins incurred by trespassing upon the nirmalya (discarded temple offerings).

Verse 2 (skanda.5.90.2)

तस्य प्रभावं सुभगं कथयाम्यथ विस्तरात्। शृण्वेकाग्रमना देवि सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्

tasya prabhāvaṁ subhagaṁ kathayāmyatha vistarāt| śṛṇvekāgramanā devi sarvapāpapraṇāśanam

I shall now tell his auspicious glory at length; listen with a focused mind, O Devi — it is the destroyer of all sin.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.90.3)

पुरा देवर्षिगंधर्वाश्चारणा गुह्यकास्तथा। उपविष्टाः सुधर्मायां कथयंतः शुभां कथाम्

purā devarṣigaṁdharvāścāraṇā guhyakāstathā| upaviṣṭāḥ sudharmāyāṁ kathayaṁtaḥ śubhāṁ kathām

Long ago, divine sages, Gandharvas, Charanas and Guhyakas, seated in the Sudharma assembly-hall, were telling an auspicious tale.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.90.4)

एतस्मिन्नंतरे शक्रो देवर्षिं नारदं मुनिम्। पप्रच्छ सादरं देवि समायातं शुचिव्रतम्

etasminnaṁtare śakro devarṣiṁ nāradaṁ munim| papraccha sādaraṁ devi samāyātaṁ śucivratam

Meanwhile, O Devi, Shakra respectfully questioned the divine sage Narada, the pure-vowed muni who had just arrived.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.90.5)

दृष्ट्वा विनयसंपन्नं ब्रह्मचर्यपरायणम्। मेखलाजिनकौपीनं वीणादण्डविभूषितम्

dṛṣṭvā vinayasaṁpannaṁ brahmacaryaparāyaṇam| mekhalājinakaupīnaṁ vīṇādaṇḍavibhūṣitam

Seeing him full of humility, devoted to celibacy, girded with waistband, deerskin and loincloth, and adorned with staff and vina, Indra said:

Verse 6 (skanda.5.90.6)

त्वया दृष्टमिदं सर्वं त्रैलोक्यं भूर्भुवादिकम्। उत्पाद्यमानमुत्पन्नं प्रलयच्च सहस्रशः

tvayā dṛṣṭamidaṁ sarvaṁ trailokyaṁ bhūrbhuvādikam| utpādyamānamutpannaṁ pralayacca sahasraśaḥ

'You have seen this whole triple world — earth, atmosphere and beyond — being created, having been created, and dissolving, a thousand times over.'

Verse 7 (skanda.5.90.7)

त्वत्तुल्यो नास्ति लोकेऽस्मिन्मु क्त्वैकं परमेष्ठिनम्। जगत्कारणमव्यक्तं नित्यं सदसदात्मकम्

tvattulyo nāsti loke'sminmu ktvaikaṁ parameṣṭhinam| jagatkāraṇamavyaktaṁ nityaṁ sadasadātmakam

'There is none in this world equal to you, save the one Supreme Being — the unmanifest, eternal cause of the universe, of the nature both of being and non-being.'

Verse 8 (skanda.5.90.8)

योगेन तपसा भक्त्या यत्त्वया परितोषितः। त्रैलोक्यमभिजानासि तत्सर्वं सर्वतः स्फुटम्

yogena tapasā bhaktyā yattvayā paritoṣitaḥ| trailokyamabhijānāsi tatsarvaṁ sarvataḥ sphuṭam

'Through yoga, austerity and devotion you have pleased Him, and by that grace you know the triple world, wholly and clearly, in every part.'

Verse 9 (skanda.5.90.9)

अतोऽहं प्रष्टुमिच्छामि कथ्यतां मम निश्चयम्। पृथिव्यां प्रवरं क्षेत्रं पावनं भुक्तिमुक्तिदम्

ato'haṁ praṣṭumicchāmi kathyatāṁ mama niścayam| pṛthivyāṁ pravaraṁ kṣetraṁ pāvanaṁ bhuktimuktidam

'Therefore I wish to ask you — resolve my uncertainty — which is that foremost field on earth, purifying, and bestowing both enjoyment and liberation?'

Verse 10 (skanda.5.90.10)

एवं श्रुत्वा तदा ध्यात्वा चिंतयामास नारदः। चिंतयित्वा चिरं कालमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्

evaṁ śrutvā tadā dhyātvā ciṁtayāmāsa nāradaḥ| ciṁtayitvā ciraṁ kālamidaṁ vacanamabravīt

Hearing this, Narada fell into thought and meditated; and having pondered for a long while, he spoke these words.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.90.11)

देवराज स्मृतं पुण्यं क्षेत्रराजमनुत्तमम्। क्षेत्राणामुत्तमं क्षेत्रं प्रयागं च प्रश स्यते

devarāja smṛtaṁ puṇyaṁ kṣetrarājamanuttamam| kṣetrāṇāmuttamaṁ kṣetraṁ prayāgaṁ ca praśa syate

'O king of gods, Prayaga is remembered as the sacred field, unsurpassed, the very king of fields — it is praised as the best among all sacred fields.'

Verse 12 (skanda.5.90.12)

तस्माद्दशगुणं क्षेत्रं महाकालस्य कथ्यते। भुक्तिदं मुक्तिदं तच्च दर्शनादपि वासव

tasmāddaśaguṇaṁ kṣetraṁ mahākālasya kathyate| bhuktidaṁ muktidaṁ tacca darśanādapi vāsava

'And tenfold greater than that, O Vasava, is declared to be the field of Mahakala — it grants both enjoyment and liberation by mere sight alone.'

Verse 13 (skanda.5.90.13)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा सहस्राक्षो वर्णयित्वा च तं मुनिम्। सर्वैर्देवगणैः सार्द्धं विमानस्थस्त्वरान्वितः

etacchrutvā sahasrākṣo varṇayitvā ca taṁ munim| sarvairdevagaṇaiḥ sārddhaṁ vimānasthastvarānvitaḥ

Hearing this, the thousand-eyed Indra, having praised that sage, mounted his celestial chariot together with all the hosts of gods, and set out in haste.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.90.14)

अंतरिक्षस्थितो जिष्णुरद्राक्षीच्च सुरैः सह। क्षेत्रं लिंगैः समाकीर्णमंगुलस्यांतरं न हि

aṁtarikṣasthito jiṣṇuradrākṣīcca suraiḥ saha| kṣetraṁ liṁgaiḥ samākīrṇamaṁgulasyāṁtaraṁ na hi

Standing in the sky, Jishnu, along with the gods, beheld that field so thickly packed with lingas that there was not even a finger's breadth of empty space.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.90.15)

षष्टिकोटिसहस्राणि षष्टिकोटिशतानि च। महाकालवने रम्ये निर्माल्यं लंघ्यते कथम्

ṣaṣṭikoṭisahasrāṇi ṣaṣṭikoṭiśatāni ca| mahākālavane ramye nirmālyaṁ laṁghyate katham

'Sixty thousand crores, and sixty hundred crores more — so many lingas fill this lovely forest of Mahakala; how, then, can one avoid trespassing upon the nirmalya?'

Verse 16 (skanda.5.90.16)

निर्माल्यलंघनाद्दोषो महान्भवति निश्चितम्। इत्यालोच्य पुनर्देवि जग्मुः स्वर्गे मनोरमाः

nirmālyalaṁghanāddoṣo mahānbhavati niścitam| ityālocya punardevi jagmuḥ svarge manoramāḥ

'Trespassing upon the nirmalya certainly incurs a grave fault' — thinking thus, O Devi, those lovely gods turned back once more to heaven.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.90.17)

निर्माल्यदोषभीतास्ते क्षेत्रे न विविशुः सुराः। एतस्मिन्नंतरे देवि विमानस्था गणोत्तमाः

nirmālyadoṣabhītāste kṣetre na viviśuḥ surāḥ| etasminnaṁtare devi vimānasthā gaṇottamāḥ

Fearing the fault of trespassing upon the nirmalya, the gods did not enter that field. Meanwhile, O Devi, among the excellent ganas seated in a celestial chariot...

Verse 18 (skanda.5.90.18)

गणैर्नानाविधैः गेयैर्गीयमानश्च किंनरैः। चारणैः स्तूयमानस्तु स्वर्गलोकं व्रजन्सुरैः

gaṇairnānāvidhaiḥ geyairgīyamānaśca kiṁnaraiḥ| cāraṇaiḥ stūyamānastu svargalokaṁ vrajansuraiḥ

...was going toward the heavenly world together with the gods, being sung about by various hosts, sung to by Kinnaras, and praised by Charanas.

Verse 19 (skanda.5.90.19)

प्रफुल्लनयनैर्दृष्टः कोऽयं धन्यो महातपाः। तेजसा दीप्यमानोयम्पसरोभिश्च सेव्यते

praphullanayanairdṛṣṭaḥ ko'yaṁ dhanyo mahātapāḥ| tejasā dīpyamānoyampasarobhiśca sevyate

Beheld with wide, delighted eyes — 'Who is this blessed, greatly austere one, blazing with radiance, served even by the celestial nymphs?'

Verse 20 (skanda.5.90.20)

पप्रच्छुरमराः सर्वे कोऽयं रुद्रनिभो गणः। याति कुत्र महाबाहो हृष्टात्मा प्रहसन्मुखः

papracchuramarāḥ sarve ko'yaṁ rudranibho gaṇaḥ| yāti kutra mahābāho hṛṣṭātmā prahasanmukhaḥ

All the immortals asked: 'O mighty-armed one, who is this Rudra-like gana? Joyful in spirit and smiling of face, where is he going?'

Verse 21 (skanda.5.90.21)

पृष्टस्तदा सुरैः सर्वैर्विस्मयाविष्टमानसैः। कस्त्वं पुरुषशार्दूल किं त्वया सुकृतं कृतम्

pṛṣṭastadā suraiḥ sarvairvismayāviṣṭamānasaiḥ| kastvaṁ puruṣaśārdūla kiṁ tvayā sukṛtaṁ kṛtam

Then all the gods, their minds filled with astonishment, asked him: 'Who are you, O tiger among men? What meritorious deed have you performed?'

Verse 22 (skanda.5.90.22)

देवानां पुरतो देवि निःशेषं कथितं तदा। महाकालो महादेवः पूजितो भक्तितः स्तुतः

devānāṁ purato devi niḥśeṣaṁ kathitaṁ tadā| mahākālo mahādevaḥ pūjito bhaktitaḥ stutaḥ

O Devi, he then told them everything, before the gods: 'I worshipped and praised Mahakala, the great god, with devotion.'

Verse 23 (skanda.5.90.23)

हृष्टेन तेन मे दत्तं गणत्वं यत्सुदुर्लभम्। नाम दत्तं च सुभगं नागचंड इति ध्रुवम्

hṛṣṭena tena me dattaṁ gaṇatvaṁ yatsudurlabham| nāma dattaṁ ca subhagaṁ nāgacaṁḍa iti dhruvam

'Pleased, he bestowed upon me the status of a gana — exceedingly rare to attain — and, indeed, also gave me the auspicious name Nagachanda.'

Verse 24 (skanda.5.90.24)

पप्रच्छुरमरास्तच्च सादरं गणसत्तम। नागचंड त्वया तत्र निर्माल्यं पतितं त्वथ

papracchuramarāstacca sādaraṁ gaṇasattama| nāgacaṁḍa tvayā tatra nirmālyaṁ patitaṁ tvatha

The immortals also respectfully asked him: 'O Nagachanda, best of ganas, has the nirmalya there ever fallen — that is, been trespassed — by you?'

Verse 25 (skanda.5.90.25)

महाकालवने पुण्ये लंघितं चरता त्वया। संचारो नास्ति तत्रैव लिंगसंकीर्णता यतः

mahākālavane puṇye laṁghitaṁ caratā tvayā| saṁcāro nāsti tatraiva liṁgasaṁkīrṇatā yataḥ

'As you moved about that sacred forest of Mahakala, did you trespass upon it? For there, owing to the crowding of lingas, there is no room even to walk.'

Verse 26 (skanda.5.90.26)

उपायस्तेन कथितो देवानां पुरतस्तदा। तत्र तिष्ठति देवेशा लिंगं सर्वफलप्रदम्

upāyastena kathito devānāṁ puratastadā| tatra tiṣṭhati deveśā liṁgaṁ sarvaphalapradam

Then he told the gods the remedy for this: 'O lords of the gods, there stands a linga that grants every fruit.'

Verse 27 (skanda.5.90.27)

ईशानेश्वरदेवस्य तिष्ठतीशानभागतः। तस्य दर्शनमात्रेण न स गच्छति दुष्कृतम्

īśāneśvaradevasya tiṣṭhatīśānabhāgataḥ| tasya darśanamātreṇa na sa gacchati duṣkṛtam

'It belongs to the god Ishaneshvara, and it stands in the northeastern quarter — by its mere sight, one does not fall into evil.'

Verse 28 (skanda.5.90.28)

निर्माल्यलंघनोद्भूतं यत्पापं जायते महत्। तत्सर्वं नाशमायाति तस्य लिंगस्य दर्शनात्

nirmālyalaṁghanodbhūtaṁ yatpāpaṁ jāyate mahat| tatsarvaṁ nāśamāyāti tasya liṁgasya darśanāt

'Whatever great sin arises from trespassing upon the nirmalya, all of it is utterly destroyed by the sight of that linga.'

Verse 29 (skanda.5.90.29)

ततो देवगणाः सर्वे महाकालवने पुनः। समायाता महाभागा महाकालश्च पूजितः

tato devagaṇāḥ sarve mahākālavane punaḥ| samāyātā mahābhāgā mahākālaśca pūjitaḥ

Then all the greatly blessed hosts of gods came once again to the forest of Mahakala, and Mahakala was worshipped.

Verse 30 (skanda.5.90.30)

यथा लिंगं च तद्दृष्टं सर्वदोषक्षयंकरम्। तस्य दर्शनमात्रेण निर्माल्यलंघनादिभिः। दोषो नष्टः सुराणां च ततो नामास्य चक्रिरे

yathā liṁgaṁ ca taddṛṣṭaṁ sarvadoṣakṣayaṁkaram| tasya darśanamātreṇa nirmālyalaṁghanādibhiḥ| doṣo naṣṭaḥ surāṇāṁ ca tato nāmāsya cakrire

And as soon as they beheld that linga, the destroyer of every fault, the gods' fault born of trespassing upon the nirmalya and the like was destroyed by its mere sight; then they gave it its name.

Verse 31 (skanda.5.90.31)

अस्माकं तेन कथितं नागचंडेन धीमता। नागचंडेश्वराख्यानमतो लोके भविष्यति

asmākaṁ tena kathitaṁ nāgacaṁḍena dhīmatā| nāgacaṁḍeśvarākhyānamato loke bhaviṣyati

'This was told to us by the wise Nagachanda; therefore, from now, the account of Nagachandeshvara shall become renowned in the world.'

Verse 32 (skanda.5.90.32)

कृत्वास्य नाम ते देवा जग्मुः स्वर्गेहमुत्तमम्। पूजयिष्यंति ये केचिन्नागचंडेश्वरं शिवम्। निर्माल्यलंघनोद्भूतं तेषां नश्यति पातकम्

kṛtvāsya nāma te devā jagmuḥ svargehamuttamam| pūjayiṣyaṁti ye kecinnāgacaṁḍeśvaraṁ śivam| nirmālyalaṁghanodbhūtaṁ teṣāṁ naśyati pātakam

Having given it this name, those gods went to their excellent heavenly abode. Whoever worships this Shiva as Nagachandeshvara — for them the sin born of trespassing upon the nirmalya is destroyed.

Verse 33 (skanda.5.90.33)

नागचंडेश्वरं देवं ये पश्यंति दिनेदिने। अज्ञानाज्ज्ञानतः पापं तेषां नश्यति नान्यथा

nāgacaṁḍeśvaraṁ devaṁ ye paśyaṁti dinedine| ajñānājjñānataḥ pāpaṁ teṣāṁ naśyati nānyathā

Those who behold the god Nagachandeshvara day after day — their sin, whether committed in ignorance or knowingly, is destroyed, and not otherwise.

Verse 34 (skanda.5.90.34)

आह्लादं निर्वृतिं स्वास्थ्यमारोग्यं चारुरूपताम्। सप्त जन्मान्यवाप्नोति दर्शनेन न संशयः

āhlādaṁ nirvṛtiṁ svāsthyamārogyaṁ cārurūpatām| sapta janmānyavāpnoti darśanena na saṁśayaḥ

They attain delight, contentment, well-being, health and beauty of form; by his sight they gain the merit of seven births — of this there is no doubt.

Verse 35 (skanda.5.90.35)

प्राप्नोत्यभिमतान्कामान्देवानामपि दुर्लभान्। कीर्त्तनान्नात्र संदेहो नागचंडेश्वरस्य च

prāpnotyabhimatānkāmāndevānāmapi durlabhān| kīrttanānnātra saṁdeho nāgacaṁḍeśvarasya ca

Through the chanting of Nagachandeshvara's name, one attains desired wishes rare even for the gods — of this there is no doubt.

Verse 36 (skanda.5.90.36)

एष ते कथितो देवि प्रभावः पापनाशनः। नागचंडेश्वरस्यैव प्रतीहारेश्वरं शृणु

eṣa te kathito devi prabhāvaḥ pāpanāśanaḥ| nāgacaṁḍeśvarasyaiva pratīhāreśvaraṁ śṛṇu

This sin-destroying glory of Nagachandeshvara, O Devi, has been told to you; now hear of Pratihareshvara.