The Glory of Mahalayeshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.5.95.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। महालयं महाभागे चतुर्विंशतिकं शुभम्। ब्रह्मादिस्तंबपर्यंतं त्रैलोक्यं सचरा चरम्

īśvara uvāca| mahālayaṁ mahābhāge caturviṁśatikaṁ śubham| brahmādistaṁbaparyaṁtaṁ trailokyaṁ sacarā caram

Ishvara said: O greatly blessed one, the twenty-fourth, auspicious deity is Mahalaya — within whom the entire triple world, moving and unmoving, from Brahma down to a blade of grass, is contained.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.95.2)

उत्पादितं धृतं व्याप्तं त्वया देव मया श्रुतम्। त्वयैकेन विशुद्धेन सर्वगेन महात्मना

utpāditaṁ dhṛtaṁ vyāptaṁ tvayā deva mayā śrutam| tvayaikena viśuddhena sarvagena mahātmanā

By You alone, O God, all this was produced, held and pervaded — thus I have heard; You alone, pure, all-pervading, are the great soul.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.95.3)

अत्यर्थं मुनयः सर्वे मुदिता मौनिनो ऽव्ययाः। वदंति कारणं चास्य त्रैलोक्यस्य महेश्वर

atyarthaṁ munayaḥ sarve muditā maunino 'vyayāḥ| vadaṁti kāraṇaṁ cāsya trailokyasya maheśvara

O Maheshvara, all the sages, greatly delighted, silent, and imperishable, declare You alone to be the cause of this triple world.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.95.4)

त्वया सर्वमिदं सृष्टं त्रैलोक्यं भूर्भुवादिकम्। उत्पाद्यमानमुत्पन्नं प्रलीयच्च सहस्रशः

tvayā sarvamidaṁ sṛṣṭaṁ trailokyaṁ bhūrbhuvādikam| utpādyamānamutpannaṁ pralīyacca sahasraśaḥ

By You this whole triple world, earth, atmosphere and the rest, was created — being created, created, and dissolved, a thousand times over.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.95.5)

देवदानवगंधर्वमुनिचारणभोगिनाम्। उत्पत्तिस्थितिसंहारास्त्वया दृष्टा मुहुर्मुहुः

devadānavagaṁdharvamunicāraṇabhoginām| utpattisthitisaṁhārāstvayā dṛṣṭā muhurmuhuḥ

The origin, continuance and destruction of gods, danavas, gandharvas, sages, charanas and serpents have been witnessed by You again and again.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.95.6)

जगच्चराचरं देव कुत्र स्थित्वासृजस्य लम्। लीलया संहरस्येतत्प्रसादाद्वक्तुमर्हसि

jagaccarācaraṁ deva kutra sthitvāsṛjasya lam| līlayā saṁharasyetatprasādādvaktumarhasi

'O God, abiding where do You create this moving and unmoving world? And by mere play You destroy it — of Your grace, You are fit to tell this.'

Verse 7 (skanda.5.95.7)

कोऽसौ महालयो रौद्रग्रहरूपी व्यवस्थितः। यस्मिन्धृतं त्वया सर्वं त्रैलोक्यं भूर्भुवादिकम्

ko'sau mahālayo raudragraharūpī vyavasthitaḥ| yasmindhṛtaṁ tvayā sarvaṁ trailokyaṁ bhūrbhuvādikam

'Who is this Mahalaya, established in the form of the terrible planet, in whom this entire triple world, earth, atmosphere and the rest, is held by You?'

Verse 8 (skanda.5.95.8)

इति पृष्टस्त्वया देवि मया ते कथितं पुरा। इदानीं कथयिष्यामि शृणुष्वैकाग्रमानसा

iti pṛṣṭastvayā devi mayā te kathitaṁ purā| idānīṁ kathayiṣyāmi śṛṇuṣvaikāgramānasā

Thus questioned by you, O Devi, I told you this before; now I shall tell it again — listen with a one-pointed mind.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.95.9)

पृथिव्यादीनि भूतानि महाकालवने प्रिये। धृतानि प्रलयस्यांते एकोद्देशे महालये

pṛthivyādīni bhūtāni mahākālavane priye| dhṛtāni pralayasyāṁte ekoddeśe mahālaye

The elements, earth and the rest, O beloved, are held, at the end of dissolution, in a single spot within the forest of Mahakala — Mahalaya.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.95.10)

ब्रह्मलोकादिभिर्लोकैरनौपम्यगुणं शुभम्। स्थानं महालयं तत्र ममानंदकरं परम्

brahmalokādibhirlokairanaupamyaguṇaṁ śubham| sthānaṁ mahālayaṁ tatra mamānaṁdakaraṁ param

There stands that place, Mahalaya, of virtue beyond compare even with Brahmaloka and the other worlds, auspicious, supremely bliss-giving to me.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.95.11)

परं ब्रह्ममयं लिंगं तत्र तिष्ठति सर्वदा। तस्य लिंगस्य मध्ये तु धृतं कृत्स्नं चराचरम्

paraṁ brahmamayaṁ liṁgaṁ tatra tiṣṭhati sarvadā| tasya liṁgasya madhye tu dhṛtaṁ kṛtsnaṁ carācaram

There, ever, stands that supreme, Brahman-formed linga; and within that linga the whole of moving and unmoving creation is held.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.95.12)

तत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवा विष्णुस्तत्रैव संस्थितः। लिंगस्याभ्यंतरे देवि सर्वमेवाधितिष्ठति। तस्माल्लिंगात्समुत्पन्नो महानात्मा महामतिः

tatra brahmādayo devā viṣṇustatraiva saṁsthitaḥ| liṁgasyābhyaṁtare devi sarvamevādhitiṣṭhati| tasmālliṁgātsamutpanno mahānātmā mahāmatiḥ

There Brahma and the other gods, and Vishnu too, abide; within that linga, O Devi, everything indeed resides. From that very linga arose the great soul of vast intellect, Mahat.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.95.13)

भूतादिश्चाप्यहंकारो विष्णुः शंभुश्च पार्वति। बुद्धिः प्रज्ञा धृतिः ख्यातिः स्मृतिर्लज्जा सरस्वती

bhūtādiścāpyahaṁkāro viṣṇuḥ śaṁbhuśca pārvati| buddhiḥ prajñā dhṛtiḥ khyātiḥ smṛtirlajjā sarasvatī

O Parvati, Bhutadi, Ahamkara, Vishnu and Shambhu also arose from it; so too Buddhi, Prajna, Dhriti, Khyati, Smriti, Lajja and Sarasvati.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.95.14)

सर्वतः पाणिपादं तत्सर्वतोऽक्षिशिरोमुखम्। सर्वतः श्रुतिमल्लोके सर्वमावृत्य तिष्ठति

sarvataḥ pāṇipādaṁ tatsarvato'kṣiśiromukham| sarvataḥ śrutimalloke sarvamāvṛtya tiṣṭhati

Everywhere possessed of hands and feet, everywhere of eyes, heads and mouths, everywhere of ears in this world — it stands, enveloping everything.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.95.15)

अस्माद्भूतानि लिंगानि महाभूतानि पञ्च वै। पृथिवी वायुराकाशमापो ज्योतिः प्रलीयते

asmādbhūtāni liṁgāni mahābhūtāni pañca vai| pṛthivī vāyurākāśamāpo jyotiḥ pralīyate

From this arise the elemental lingas, the five great elements — earth, air, ether, water, and fire — and they, too, dissolve back into it.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.95.16)

स्थलमापस्तथाकाशं जन्म चापि चतुर्विधम्। अण्डजोद्भिज्जं च सस्वेदं जरायुजमथापि वा

sthalamāpastathākāśaṁ janma cāpi caturvidham| aṇḍajodbhijjaṁ ca sasvedaṁ jarāyujamathāpi vā

Land, water and likewise ether, and, in the same way, the four kinds of birth — egg-born, sprout-born, sweat-born, and womb-born.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.95.17)

चतुर्द्धा जन्मचिह्नं यल्लिंगेस्मिन्नेव लक्ष्यते। तपः कर्म च पुण्यं च व्रतं दानं तथैव च

caturddhā janmacihnaṁ yalliṁgesminneva lakṣyate| tapaḥ karma ca puṇyaṁ ca vrataṁ dānaṁ tathaiva ca

These fourfold marks of birth are seen in this very linga; and so too austerity, action, merit, vow and gift.

Verse 18 (skanda.5.95.18)

रजःसत्त्वं तमोभावस्तस्माल्लिंगाच्च जायते। तस्मिंस्तच्छ्रूयते सत्यं ज्योतिर्ब्रह्म सनातनम्

rajaḥsattvaṁ tamobhāvastasmālliṁgācca jāyate| tasmiṁstacchrūyate satyaṁ jyotirbrahma sanātanam

Rajas, sattva and the state of tamas also arise from that linga; within it is heard that eternal truth, the light of Brahman.

Verse 19 (skanda.5.95.19)

अव्यक्तकारणं सूक्ष्मं यत्तत्सदसदात्मकम्। यस्मात्पितामहो जज्ञे प्रभुरेकः प्रजापतिः

avyaktakāraṇaṁ sūkṣmaṁ yattatsadasadātmakam| yasmātpitāmaho jajñe prabhurekaḥ prajāpatiḥ

That subtle, unmanifest cause, of the nature both of being and non-being, from which the one lord Prajapati, the grandsire, was born.

Verse 20 (skanda.5.95.20)

विश्वेदेवास्तथादित्या वसवोऽथाश्विनावपि। यक्षाः साध्याः पिशाचाश्च गुह्यकाः पितर स्तथा

viśvedevāstathādityā vasavo'thāśvināvapi| yakṣāḥ sādhyāḥ piśācāśca guhyakāḥ pitara stathā

The Vishvedevas, likewise the Adityas, the Vasus and the two Ashvins as well; the Yakshas, Sadhyas, Pishachas, Guhyakas and the Pitrs too.

Verse 21 (skanda.5.95.21)

आपो द्यौः पृथिवी वायुरंतरिक्षं दिशस्तथा। संवत्सरर्तवो मासाः पक्षाहोरात्रयस्तथा

āpo dyauḥ pṛthivī vāyuraṁtarikṣaṁ diśastathā| saṁvatsarartavo māsāḥ pakṣāhorātrayastathā

Water, sky, earth, wind, the atmosphere and the directions likewise; the year, the seasons, the months, the fortnights, and days and nights as well.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.95.22)

यच्चान्यदपि तत्सर्वं संभूतं लोक साक्षिकम्। यदिदं दृश्यते किंचित्तस्यांते च प्रलीयते

yaccānyadapi tatsarvaṁ saṁbhūtaṁ loka sākṣikam| yadidaṁ dṛśyate kiṁcittasyāṁte ca pralīyate

And whatever else there is, all of that, too, came into being before the eyes of the world; whatever here is seen dissolves, at its end, into that very linga.

Verse 23 (skanda.5.95.23)

अतो महालयोनाम विख्यातो भुवनत्रये। मुक्तीश्वरस्य देवस्य दक्षिणे संव्यव स्थितः

ato mahālayonāma vikhyāto bhuvanatraye| muktīśvarasya devasya dakṣiṇe saṁvyava sthitaḥ

Therefore it is renowned in the three worlds by the name Mahalaya; it stands to the south of the god Muktishvara.

Verse 24 (skanda.5.95.24)

यः पूजयति तल्लिंगं रुद्रमूर्त्या महालयम्। त्रैलोक्यविजयी नित्यं कीर्त्तिमान्स नरो भवेत्

yaḥ pūjayati talliṁgaṁ rudramūrtyā mahālayam| trailokyavijayī nityaṁ kīrttimānsa naro bhavet

He who worships that linga, Mahalaya, in the form of Rudra, becomes ever victorious over the three worlds, and a man of renown.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.95.25)

महालयेश्वरे पुण्ये पूजिते परमेश्वरे। भक्त्या परमया चैव सर्वे देवाः सुपूजिताः। भवंतीह महाभागे यतस्तैरपि पूज्यते

mahālayeśvare puṇye pūjite parameśvare| bhaktyā paramayā caiva sarve devāḥ supūjitāḥ| bhavaṁtīha mahābhāge yatastairapi pūjyate

O greatly blessed one, when the sacred Mahalayeshvara, the Supreme Lord, is worshipped with the utmost devotion, all the gods too become well worshipped here — for he himself is worshipped by them.