The Glory of Karkateshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.5.93.1)

श्रीविश्वनाथ उवाच। द्वाविंशतितमं विद्धि कर्कटेश्वरसंज्ञकम्। यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण तिर्यग्योनिर्न दृश्यते

śrīviśvanātha uvāca| dvāviṁśatitamaṁ viddhi karkaṭeśvarasaṁjñakam| yasya darśanamātreṇa tiryagyonirna dṛśyate

Shri Vishvanatha said: Know the twenty-second deity by the name Karkateshvara — by whose mere sight birth in an animal womb is not to be seen.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.93.2)

आसीत्पुरा बृहत्कल्पे धर्म मूर्तिर्जनाधिपः। सुहृच्छक्रस्य निहता येन दैत्याः सहस्रशः

āsītpurā bṛhatkalpe dharma mūrtirjanādhipaḥ| suhṛcchakrasya nihatā yena daityāḥ sahasraśaḥ

Long ago, in some great kalpa, there was a king who was Dharma incarnate, a friend of Shakra, by whom thousands of daityas were slain.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.93.3)

सोमसूर्यादयो यस्य तेजसा निष्प्रभाः कृताः। प्रजाश्च पालिता येन निहत्य समरे द्विषः

somasūryādayo yasya tejasā niṣprabhāḥ kṛtāḥ| prajāśca pālitā yena nihatya samare dviṣaḥ

By whose splendour even the sun and moon were made dim, and who protected his people by slaying his foes in battle.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.93.4)

यथेच्छारूपधारी च संग्रामेष्वपराजितः। तस्य भानुमतीनाम भार्या त्रैलोक्यसुंदरी

yathecchārūpadhārī ca saṁgrāmeṣvaparājitaḥ| tasya bhānumatīnāma bhāryā trailokyasuṁdarī

That king, taking whatever form he wished, unconquered in battles, had a wife named Bhanumati, beautiful as the three worlds.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.93.5)

राज्ञस्तस्याग्रमहिषी प्राणेभ्योऽपि गरीयसी। दशनारीसहस्राणां मध्ये श्रीरिव राजिता

rājñastasyāgramahiṣī prāṇebhyo'pi garīyasī| daśanārīsahasrāṇāṁ madhye śrīriva rājitā

She was that king's chief queen, dearer to him than his own life-breaths, shining amidst ten thousand women like Shri herself.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.93.6)

नृपो नृपसहस्रेण न कदाचित्प्रमुच्यते। कदाचिदेकांतगतः पप्रच्छ स्वपुरोहितम्। विस्मयेनावृतमना वशिष्ठमृषिसत्तमम्

nṛpo nṛpasahasreṇa na kadācitpramucyate| kadācidekāṁtagataḥ papraccha svapurohitam| vismayenāvṛtamanā vaśiṣṭhamṛṣisattamam

That king was ever attended by a thousand kings. Once, going apart in solitude, his mind filled with wonder, he questioned his own family priest, Vashishtha, best of sages.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.93.7)

भगवन्केन धर्मेण मम लक्ष्मीरनुत्तमा। कस्माच्च विपुलं तेजो दुःसहं मम दृश्यते

bhagavankena dharmeṇa mama lakṣmīranuttamā| kasmācca vipulaṁ tejo duḥsahaṁ mama dṛśyate

'O Lord, by what merit is my prosperity unsurpassed? And from what cause does this vast, unbearable splendour of mine appear?'

Verse 8 (skanda.5.93.8)

वशिष्ठ उवाच। पुरा त्वमवनीपाऽऽसीः शूद्रजातिसमुद्भवः। बहुदोषसमाविष्टो दुष्टया भार्ययाऽनया

vaśiṣṭha uvāca| purā tvamavanīpā''sīḥ śūdrajātisamudbhavaḥ| bahudoṣasamāviṣṭo duṣṭayā bhāryayā'nayā

Vashishtha said: 'Long ago you dwelt upon this earth, born of shudra lineage, beset with many faults, living together with this same wicked wife.'

Verse 9 (skanda.5.93.9)

निवसन्दुष्टहृदयो वर्षाणि सुबहून्यपि। महाक्रोधाभिभूतात्मा सदा निष्ठुरजल्पकः

nivasanduṣṭahṛdayo varṣāṇi subahūnyapi| mahākrodhābhibhūtātmā sadā niṣṭhurajalpakaḥ

'Dwelling with a wicked heart for very many years, your mind overcome by great wrath, you were ever a speaker of harsh words.'

Verse 10 (skanda.5.93.10)

सदा ब्रह्मस्वहारी त्वं सदा वेदविनिंदकः। सदा चासूयको राजन्सदा विश्वासघातकः

sadā brahmasvahārī tvaṁ sadā vedaviniṁdakaḥ| sadā cāsūyako rājansadā viśvāsaghātakaḥ

'O king, you were ever a plunderer of a Brahmin's wealth, ever a reviler of the Vedas, ever envious, and ever a betrayer of trust.'

Verse 11 (skanda.5.93.11)

अथ पंचत्वमापन्नः काले नरकमाप्तवान्। ताम्रभ्राष्ट्रे परं दग्धो दशवर्षाणि पंच च

atha paṁcatvamāpannaḥ kāle narakamāptavān| tāmrabhrāṣṭre paraṁ dagdho daśavarṣāṇi paṁca ca

'Then, having met death, in due time you obtained hell; for fifteen years you were burned in Tamrabhrashtra, the vessel of molten copper.'

Verse 12 (skanda.5.93.12)

रौरवे कुम्भिपाके च महारौरवसंज्ञके। सूक्ष्माणि तिलमात्राणि कृत्वा खंडान्यनेकशः

raurave kumbhipāke ca mahārauravasaṁjñake| sūkṣmāṇi tilamātrāṇi kṛtvā khaṁḍānyanekaśaḥ

'In Raurava, in Kumbhipaka, and in the hell called Maharaurava, you were cut into countless fine pieces, small as sesame seeds.'

Verse 13 (skanda.5.93.13)

मूषायां धीमतो राजन्नसिपत्रे च दारितः। शेषपातकशुद्ध्यर्थं धराया मवतारितः

mūṣāyāṁ dhīmato rājannasipatre ca dāritaḥ| śeṣapātakaśuddhyarthaṁ dharāyā mavatāritaḥ

'In the Musha hell, and torn upon the sword-leaf forest, O wise king; then, for the cleansing of your remaining sin, you were brought down to the earth.'

Verse 14 (skanda.5.93.14)

विधाय कार्कटं रूपं यमेन त्वयि पार्थिव। शिवस्य सरो विख्यातं महाकालवनोत्तमे

vidhāya kārkaṭaṁ rūpaṁ yamena tvayi pārthiva| śivasya saro vikhyātaṁ mahākālavanottame

'O king, having given you the form of a crab, Yama placed you in Shiva's lake, renowned in the finest part of the forest of Mahakala.'

Verse 15 (skanda.5.93.15)

दत्तं जप्तं कृतं यच्च हुतं देवार्चनादि यत्। सर्वं तदक्षयं कर्म तस्मिन्सरसि विश्रुतम्

dattaṁ japtaṁ kṛtaṁ yacca hutaṁ devārcanādi yat| sarvaṁ tadakṣayaṁ karma tasminsarasi viśrutam

'Whatever is given there, muttered in prayer, done, offered in fire, or performed in worship of the gods and the like — all such imperishable merit is famed as belonging to that lake.'

Verse 16 (skanda.5.93.16)

निक्षिप्तस्त्वं तदा तेन भाविपुण्येन कर्मणा। तत्र स्थितस्त्वं भूपाल वर्षाणां पंचकं तथा

nikṣiptastvaṁ tadā tena bhāvipuṇyena karmaṇā| tatra sthitastvaṁ bhūpāla varṣāṇāṁ paṁcakaṁ tathā

'By the power of that future merit you were then placed there; O king, you remained there for a period of five years.'

Verse 17 (skanda.5.93.17)

कदाचित्तीरभूम्यां त्वं गतः संक्रीडितुं शनैः। समीक्ष्य तत्र काकेन धृत्वा चंचुपुटेन च

kadācittīrabhūmyāṁ tvaṁ gataḥ saṁkrīḍituṁ śanaiḥ| samīkṣya tatra kākena dhṛtvā caṁcupuṭena ca

'Once, going slowly to the bank to play, you were seen there by a crow, who seized you in its beak.'

Verse 18 (skanda.5.93.18)

आकाशमार्गं चोड्डीनः स त्वया ताडितो भृशम्। त्वत्तीक्ष्णपातैश्चरणैस्ताडितो व्यथितस्तदा

ākāśamārgaṁ coḍḍīnaḥ sa tvayā tāḍito bhṛśam| tvattīkṣṇapātaiścaraṇaistāḍito vyathitastadā

'As it rose into the sky, you struck it fiercely; hurt by your sharp claws' blows, it was sorely pained.'

Verse 19 (skanda.5.93.19)

मुक्तस्त्वं चंचुपुटतो वायसेनाकुलेन तु। स्वर्गद्वारस्य पूर्वे तु देव्यगारे सुपुण्यदे

muktastvaṁ caṁcupuṭato vāyasenākulena tu| svargadvārasya pūrve tu devyagāre supuṇyade

'Released from the beak of that distressed crow, you fell near the eastern side of heaven's gate, by the most meritorious temple of the Goddess.'

Verse 20 (skanda.5.93.20)

शिवस्य क्षिप्तस्त्वं शीघ्रं चञ्च्वाक्षेपप्रपीडितः। मृतोऽसि संनिधौ तत्र देवस्य परमेष्ठिनः

śivasya kṣiptastvaṁ śīghraṁ cañcvākṣepaprapīḍitaḥ| mṛto'si saṁnidhau tatra devasya parameṣṭhinaḥ

'Tormented by the blows of its beak, you fell down there swiftly, and you died there in the very presence of the Supreme Lord, Shiva.'

Verse 21 (skanda.5.93.21)

विमुच्य देहं तज्जीर्णं यावत्तं कार्कटं पुरा। तत्क्षणाद्दिव्य देहश्च दिव्याभरणभूषितः

vimucya dehaṁ tajjīrṇaṁ yāvattaṁ kārkaṭaṁ purā| tatkṣaṇāddivya dehaśca divyābharaṇabhūṣitaḥ

'As soon as you gave up that decayed, aged crab-body, that very instant you obtained a divine body, adorned with divine ornaments.'

Verse 22 (skanda.5.93.22)

तस्य लिंगस्य माहात्म्याद्भूत्वा विद्याधरेश्वरः। कामगेन विमानेन पूज्यमानो गणेश्वरैः

tasya liṁgasya māhātmyādbhūtvā vidyādhareśvaraḥ| kāmagena vimānena pūjyamāno gaṇeśvaraiḥ

'By the greatness of that linga, having become lord of the Vidyadharas, worshipped by the lords of the ganas, you rode upon a celestial car that moved at will.'

Verse 23 (skanda.5.93.23)

स्वर्गे व्रजंस्त्वं संपृष्टः सुरसंघैश्च सादरम्। कोयं महात्मा मुदितो याति दिव्यपथोंऽबरात्

svarge vrajaṁstvaṁ saṁpṛṣṭaḥ surasaṁghaiśca sādaram| koyaṁ mahātmā mudito yāti divyapathoṁ'barāt

'As you went toward heaven, the hosts of gods respectfully asked: who is this joyous great soul, going through the sky upon the divine path?'

Verse 24 (skanda.5.93.24)

ततो रुद्रगणैः सर्वं सुराणां कथितं पुरा। वृत्तांतं विस्तरात्सर्वं कार्कटत्वविमोचनूम्

tato rudragaṇaiḥ sarvaṁ surāṇāṁ kathitaṁ purā| vṛttāṁtaṁ vistarātsarvaṁ kārkaṭatvavimocanūm

Then the Rudraganas told the gods the whole ancient account at length — the release from the state of a crab.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.93.25)

तस्य लिंगस्य देवेशाः प्रभावोऽयमुपस्थितः। देवैः प्रोक्तं च सहसा लिंगस्यास्य प्रभावतः

tasya liṁgasya deveśāḥ prabhāvo'yamupasthitaḥ| devaiḥ proktaṁ ca sahasā liṁgasyāsya prabhāvataḥ

'O lords of the gods, this is the power of that linga' — thus the gods at once declared, through the power of this very linga.

Verse 26 (skanda.5.93.26)

कार्कटीयोनि मुक्तस्य प्राप्तं स्वर्गसुखं यतः। कर्कटेश्वरनामायमतो लोके भविष्यति

kārkaṭīyoni muktasya prāptaṁ svargasukhaṁ yataḥ| karkaṭeśvaranāmāyamato loke bhaviṣyati

'Since, released from the crab-womb, he obtained the bliss of heaven, therefore this shall henceforth be named Karkateshvara in the world.'

Verse 27 (skanda.5.93.27)

तदाप्रभृति देवोऽयं कर्कटेश्वरसंज्ञकः। त्वया स्वर्गे महाभोगा भुक्ता राजन्यथेच्छया

tadāprabhṛti devo'yaṁ karkaṭeśvarasaṁjñakaḥ| tvayā svarge mahābhogā bhuktā rājanyathecchayā

From that time this god has been known by the name Karkateshvara. O king, you enjoyed great pleasures in heaven as you desired.

Verse 28 (skanda.5.93.28)

आगतोऽसि पुनर्भूमौ लब्धं राज्यमकंटकम्। तस्य लिंगस्य माहात्म्याज्जातं सर्वं तवाधुना

āgato'si punarbhūmau labdhaṁ rājyamakaṁṭakam| tasya liṁgasya māhātmyājjātaṁ sarvaṁ tavādhunā

You have come again to this earth, and obtained a kingdom free of thorns; all this of yours has now come to pass through the greatness of that linga.

Verse 29 (skanda.5.93.29)

तस्मात्पार्थिव भूयस्त्वं लिंगमाराधय द्रुतम्। जातिस्मरत्वमापन्नो वशिष्ठवचनात्तदा

tasmātpārthiva bhūyastvaṁ liṁgamārādhaya drutam| jātismaratvamāpanno vaśiṣṭhavacanāttadā

'Therefore, O king, worship that linga again, swiftly.' Then, by these words of Vashishtha, the king attained the recollection of his past birth.

Verse 30 (skanda.5.93.30)

पूर्वं कर्म स्मृतं तेन स्वकीयं पार्थिवेन तु। पुनर्गत्वा च तल्लिंगं पूजयामास यत्नतः

pūrvaṁ karma smṛtaṁ tena svakīyaṁ pārthivena tu| punargatvā ca talliṁgaṁ pūjayāmāsa yatnataḥ

The king then remembered his own past deed, and, going there again, he worshipped that linga with diligence.

Verse 31 (skanda.5.93.31)

तस्मिँल्लिंगे लयं प्राप्तः स्वशरीरेण पार्वति। येऽर्चयंति सदा भक्त्या कर्कटेश्वरसंज्ञकम्। भुक्त्वा भोगांश्चिरं भूमौ ते यांति परमां गतिम्

tasmi~lliṁge layaṁ prāptaḥ svaśarīreṇa pārvati| ye'rcayaṁti sadā bhaktyā karkaṭeśvarasaṁjñakam| bhuktvā bhogāṁściraṁ bhūmau te yāṁti paramāṁ gatim

O Parvati, he attained dissolution in that very linga, together with his own body. Those who ever worship Karkateshvara with devotion, having long enjoyed pleasures upon the earth, attain the supreme state.

Verse 32 (skanda.5.93.32)

नियमेन प्रपश्यंति ये देवं कर्कटेश्वरम्। अष्टम्यां वा चतुर्दश्यां तेषां पुण्यफलं शृणु

niyamena prapaśyaṁti ye devaṁ karkaṭeśvaram| aṣṭamyāṁ vā caturdaśyāṁ teṣāṁ puṇyaphalaṁ śṛṇu

Those who regularly behold the god Karkateshvara on the eighth or the fourteenth lunar day — hear the fruit of their merit.

Verse 33 (skanda.5.93.33)

सूर्यदीप्तिप्रतीकाशैर्विमानैः सार्वकामिकैः। मृता मम पुरं यांति त्रिसप्तकुलसंयुताः

sūryadīptipratīkāśairvimānaiḥ sārvakāmikaiḥ| mṛtā mama puraṁ yāṁti trisaptakulasaṁyutāḥ

Upon celestial cars radiant as the sun, granting every desire, they go, at death, to my city, together with twenty-one generations of their lineage.

Verse 34 (skanda.5.93.34)

तत्र दिव्यैर्महाभोगैः स्त्रीसहस्रैर्मनोरमैः। कल्पकोटिशतैर्देवि सेव्यमाना वसंति हि

tatra divyairmahābhogaiḥ strīsahasrairmanoramaiḥ| kalpakoṭiśatairdevi sevyamānā vasaṁti hi

There, O Devi, served by divine, great pleasures and by thousands of lovely women, they dwell for hundreds of crores of kalpas.

Verse 35 (skanda.5.93.35)

तदंते विष्णुभवने तावत्कालं च संति हि। वैष्णवैर्विविधैर्भोगैः स्त्रीसहस्रैस्तु सेविताः

tadaṁte viṣṇubhavane tāvatkālaṁ ca saṁti hi| vaiṣṇavairvividhairbhogaiḥ strīsahasraistu sevitāḥ

At the end of that, for an equal span of time, they dwell in the abode of Vishnu, served by manifold Vaishnava pleasures and by thousands of women.

Verse 36 (skanda.5.93.36)

विष्णुलोकाद्ब्रह्मलोकं संप्राप्य मुदिताः पुनः। भोगान्नानाविधान्भुक्त्वा ततो यांति परं पदम्

viṣṇulokādbrahmalokaṁ saṁprāpya muditāḥ punaḥ| bhogānnānāvidhānbhuktvā tato yāṁti paraṁ padam

From Vishnu's world, having joyfully attained Brahmaloka once more, and having enjoyed manifold pleasures, they then go to the supreme abode.

Verse 37 (skanda.5.93.37)

दशाश्वमैधैर्यत्पुण्यं तत्फलं तीर्थयात्रया। कर्कटेश्वरदेवस्य मेघनादेश्वरं शृणु

daśāśvamaidhairyatpuṇyaṁ tatphalaṁ tīrthayātrayā| karkaṭeśvaradevasya meghanādeśvaraṁ śṛṇu

Whatever merit is gained through ten horse-sacrifices, that same fruit is obtained through pilgrimage to the god Karkateshvara. Now hear of Meghanadeshvara.