The Fatal Rakshasa-Lingas

Verse 1 (skanda.6.105.1)

सूत उवाच । अथ प्राप्ते दिनाधीशे तुलायां द्विजसत्तमाः । प्रेता लिंगोद्भवां भूमिं पूरयामासुरेव हि

sūta uvāca atha prāpte dinādhīśe tulāyāṁ dvijasattamāḥ pretā liṁgodbhavāṁ bhūmiṁ pūrayāmāsureva hi

Suta said: Then, O best of the twice-born, when the lord of the day reached Tula, the pretas duly filled up the ground where the lingas had arisen.

Verse 2 (skanda.6.105.2)

यत्किंचित्तत्र संस्थं तु आद्यतीर्थं सुरालयम् । तत्सर्वं व्यन्तरैस्तैश्च पांसुभिः परिपूरितम्

yatkiṁcittatra saṁsthaṁ tu ādyatīrthaṁ surālayam tatsarvaṁ vyantaraistaiśca pāṁsubhiḥ paripūritam

Whatever was situated there — the original tirtha, the abode of the gods — all of it was completely covered with dust by those vetalas.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.105.3)

ततः क्षेमं समुत्पन्नं क्षेत्रे तत्र द्विजोत्तमाः । अन्येषामपि लोकानां लिंगैस्तैर्लुप्तिमागतैः

tataḥ kṣemaṁ samutpannaṁ kṣetre tatra dvijottamāḥ anyeṣāmapi lokānāṁ liṁgaistairluptimāgataiḥ

Thereupon, O best of the twice-born, well-being arose in that field, once the lingas from the other regions too had become hidden.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.105.4)

कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य बृहदश्वो महीपतिः । शाल्वदेशात्समायातः कस्मिश्चिद्युगपर्यये

kasyacittvatha kālasya bṛhadaśvo mahīpatiḥ śālvadeśātsamāyātaḥ kasmiścidyugaparyaye

Then, after some time, at a certain turning of the ages, a king named Brihadashva came there from the country of Shalva.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.105.5)

स दृष्ट्वा विपुलां भूमिं प्रासादैः परिवर्जिताम् । प्रासादार्थं मतिं चक्रे तत्र क्षेत्रे द्विजोत्तमाः

sa dṛṣṭvā vipulāṁ bhūmiṁ prāsādaiḥ parivarjitām prāsādārthaṁ matiṁ cakre tatra kṣetre dvijottamāḥ

Seeing that vast land, devoid of temples, O best of the twice-born, he resolved in his mind to build a temple in that field.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.105.6)

शिल्पिनश्च समाहूयानेकांस्तत्र सहस्रशः । शोधयामास तां भूमिमधस्ताद्बहुविस्तृताम्

śilpinaśca samāhūyānekāṁstatra sahasraśaḥ śodhayāmāsa tāṁ bhūmimadhastādbahuvistṛtām

Summoning there many thousands of craftsmen, he had that extensive ground cleared and excavated from below.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.105.7)

भूमौ निखन्यमानायां ततो लिंगानि भूरिशः । चतुर्वक्त्राणि तान्येव यांति दृष्टेश्च गोचरम्

bhūmau nikhanyamānāyāṁ tato liṁgāni bhūriśaḥ caturvaktrāṇi tānyeva yāṁti dṛṣṭeśca gocaram

As the ground was being dug, then numerous four-faced lingas came into sight.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.105.8)

ततः स पार्थिवस्तैश्च लिंगैर्दृष्ट्वा वृतां भुवम् । तत्क्षणान्मृत्युमापन्नः शिल्पिभिश्च समन्वितः

tataḥ sa pārthivastaiśca liṁgairdṛṣṭvā vṛtāṁ bhuvam tatkṣaṇānmṛtyumāpannaḥ śilpibhiśca samanvitaḥ

Then that king, seeing the earth surrounded by those lingas, met his death that very instant, along with his craftsmen.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.105.9)

ततःप्रभृति नो तत्र कश्चिन्मर्त्यो महीतले । प्रासादं कुरुते भीत्या तडागं कूपमेव च

tataḥprabhṛti no tatra kaścinmartyo mahītale prāsādaṁ kurute bhītyā taḍāgaṁ kūpameva ca

From then on, no mortal upon that earth, out of fear, builds a temple there, nor a tank, nor even a well.