Glory of Acalesvara

Verse 1 (skanda.6.13.1)

सूत उवाच । एवं निवेद्य पुत्राणां स राज्यं पृथिवीपतिः । पुरं च तद्द्विजातिभ्यः प्रदाय स्वयमेव हि

sūta uvāca evaṁ nivedya putrāṇāṁ sa rājyaṁ pṛthivīpatiḥ puraṁ ca taddvijātibhyaḥ pradāya svayameva hi

Suta said: Thus that lord of the earth, having entrusted the kingdom to his sons and having himself bestowed that city upon the twice-born —

Verse 2 (skanda.6.13.2)

तत आराधयामास देवदेवं महेश्वरम् । कृत्वा तदाऽऽश्रमं तत्र श्रद्धया परया युतः

tata ārādhayāmāsa devadevaṁ maheśvaram kṛtvā tadā''śramaṁ tatra śraddhayā parayā yutaḥ

— built a hermitage there and, filled with the deepest faith, began to worship the great god Maheshvara, lord of gods.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.13.3)

स बभूव फलाहारो यावद्वर्षशतं नृपः । शीर्णपर्णाशनः पश्चात्तावत्कालं समाहितः

sa babhūva phalāhāro yāvadvarṣaśataṁ nṛpaḥ śīrṇaparṇāśanaḥ paścāttāvatkālaṁ samāhitaḥ

For a hundred years that king lived on fruit alone; then, for an equal span of time, with mind wholly absorbed, he lived on withered leaves.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.13.4)

ततः परं जलाहारो जातो वर्षशतं हि सः । वायुभक्षस्ततोऽभूत्स यावद्वर्षशतं परम्

tataḥ paraṁ jalāhāro jāto varṣaśataṁ hi saḥ vāyubhakṣastato'bhūtsa yāvadvarṣaśataṁ param

After that, for a hundred years he lived on water alone, and thereafter, for a further hundred years, he lived on air alone.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.13.5)

ततस्तुष्टो महादेवस्तस्य वर्षशते गते । चतुर्थे वायुभक्षस्य दर्शने समुपस्थितः

tatastuṣṭo mahādevastasya varṣaśate gate caturthe vāyubhakṣasya darśane samupasthitaḥ

Then, at the end of that fourth century of years, Mahadeva, pleased with him who lived on air alone, came to grant him his presence.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.13.6)

प्रोवाच परितुष्टोऽस्मि मत्तः प्रार्थय वांछितम् । अहं ते संप्रदास्यामि दुर्लभं त्रिदशैरपि

provāca parituṣṭo'smi mattaḥ prārthaya vāṁchitam ahaṁ te saṁpradāsyāmi durlabhaṁ tridaśairapi

He said: I am well pleased with you; ask of me what you desire. I shall grant you even that which is hard to obtain even for the gods.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.13.7)

राजोवाच । एतत्पुण्यतमं क्षेत्रं नानातीर्थसमाश्रयम् । हाटकेश्वरमाहात्म्यात्सर्वपापक्षयापहम्

rājovāca etatpuṇyatamaṁ kṣetraṁ nānātīrthasamāśrayam hāṭakeśvaramāhātmyātsarvapāpakṣayāpaham

The king said: This most sacred field, the abode of many tirthas, by the greatness of Hatakeshvara destroys every sin.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.13.8)

तस्मात्तव निवासेन भूयान्मेध्यतमं पुनः । एतन्मे वांछितं देव देहि तुष्टिं गतो यदि

tasmāttava nivāsena bhūyānmedhyatamaṁ punaḥ etanme vāṁchitaṁ deva dehi tuṣṭiṁ gato yadi

Therefore, by your dwelling here, may it become still more sanctified. O god, if you are pleased, grant me this, my one desire.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.13.9)

मयैतदग्र्यं निर्माय ब्राह्मणेभ्यो निवेदितम् । पुरं शर्वाऽमराधीश श्रद्धापूतेन चेतसा

mayaitadagryaṁ nirmāya brāhmaṇebhyo niveditam puraṁ śarvā'marādhīśa śraddhāpūtena cetasā

O Sharva, O lord of the immortals, with a heart purified by faith I built this excellent city and offered it to the brahmins.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.13.10)

तस्मिंस्त्वया सदा वासः कर्तव्यो मम वाक्यतः । निश्चलत्वेन येन स्याद्गणैः सर्वैः समन्वितम्

tasmiṁstvayā sadā vāsaḥ kartavyo mama vākyataḥ niścalatvena yena syādgaṇaiḥ sarvaiḥ samanvitam

At my request, may you dwell there forever, unmoving, together with all your hosts.

Verse 11 (skanda.6.13.11)

भगवानुवाच । अचलोऽहं भविष्यामि स्थानेऽत्र तव भूमिप । अचलेश्वर इत्येव नाम्ना ख्यातो जगत्त्रये

bhagavānuvāca acalo'haṁ bhaviṣyāmi sthāne'tra tava bhūmipa acaleśvara ityeva nāmnā khyāto jagattraye

The Lord said: O king, I shall remain unmoving in this place, and shall become renowned in the three worlds by the very name Achaleshvara.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.13.12)

यो मामत्र स्थितं मर्त्यो वीक्षयिष्यति भक्तितः । भविष्यंत्यचलास्तस्य सर्वदैव विभूतयः

yo māmatra sthitaṁ martyo vīkṣayiṣyati bhaktitaḥ bhaviṣyaṁtyacalāstasya sarvadaiva vibhūtayaḥ

Whatever mortal beholds me established here with devotion, his fortunes shall forever remain unshaken.

Verse 13 (skanda.6.13.13)

माघशुक्लचतुर्दश्यां मम लिंगस्य यो नरः । श्रद्धया परया युक्तः कर्ता यो घृतकंबलम्

māghaśuklacaturdaśyāṁ mama liṁgasya yo naraḥ śraddhayā parayā yuktaḥ kartā yo ghṛtakaṁbalam

Whoever, filled with the deepest faith, offers a covering of ghee and a woolen blanket upon my linga on the fourteenth day of the bright fortnight of Magha —

Verse 14 (skanda.6.13.14)

बाल्ये वयसि यत्पापं वार्धके यौवनेऽपि वा । तद्यास्यति क्षयं तस्य तमः सूर्योदये यथा

bālye vayasi yatpāpaṁ vārdhake yauvane'pi vā tadyāsyati kṣayaṁ tasya tamaḥ sūryodaye yathā

— whatever sin he committed in childhood, youth, or old age shall vanish, just as darkness vanishes at sunrise.

Verse 15 (skanda.6.13.15)

तस्मात्स्थापय मे लिंगं त्वमत्रैव महीपते । अहं येन करोम्येव तत्र वासं सदाचलः

tasmātsthāpaya me liṁgaṁ tvamatraiva mahīpate ahaṁ yena karomyeva tatra vāsaṁ sadācalaḥ

Therefore, O king, establish my linga here, so that I may forever dwell there, unmoving.

Verse 16 (skanda.6.13.16)

सूत उवाच । एवमुक्त्वा स देवेशस्ततश्चादर्शनं गतः । सोऽपि राजा चकाराशु प्रासादं सुमनोहरम्

sūta uvāca evamuktvā sa deveśastataścādarśanaṁ gataḥ so'pi rājā cakārāśu prāsādaṁ sumanoharam

Suta said: Having said this, that lord of gods vanished from sight. And the king at once built an exceedingly beautiful temple.

Verse 17 (skanda.6.13.17)

तत्र संस्थापयामास लिंगं देवस्य शूलिनः । श्रद्धया परया युक्तः सर्वलक्षणलक्षितम्

tatra saṁsthāpayāmāsa liṁgaṁ devasya śūlinaḥ śraddhayā parayā yuktaḥ sarvalakṣaṇalakṣitam

There, filled with the deepest faith, he installed the linga of the trident-bearing god, marked with every auspicious sign.

Verse 18 (skanda.6.13.18)

यस्मिन्दृष्टेऽथवा स्पृष्टे ध्याते वा पूजितेऽपि वा । नरो विमुच्यते पापादाजन्ममरणांतिकात्

yasmindṛṣṭe'thavā spṛṣṭe dhyāte vā pūjite'pi vā naro vimucyate pāpādājanmamaraṇāṁtikāt

By merely beholding it, touching it, meditating upon it, or worshipping it, a man is freed from every sin accumulated from birth to death.

Verse 19 (skanda.6.13.19)

ततः संचिंतयामास भूपालः किं महेश्वरः । सांनिध्यं निश्चलो भूत्वा लिंगेऽत्रैव करिष्यति

tataḥ saṁciṁtayāmāsa bhūpālaḥ kiṁ maheśvaraḥ sāṁnidhyaṁ niścalo bhūtvā liṁge'traiva kariṣyati

Then the king began to wonder in his mind whether Maheshvara would truly remain unmoving and establish his presence in this very linga.

Verse 20 (skanda.6.13.20)

एतस्मिन्नंतरे जाता वाणी गगनगोचरा । हर्षयन्ती महीपालं चमत्कारं सुनिस्वना

etasminnaṁtare jātā vāṇī gaganagocarā harṣayantī mahīpālaṁ camatkāraṁ sunisvanā

At that very moment, a voice arose from the sky, sweet in sound, filling King Chamatkara with joy.

Verse 21 (skanda.6.13.21)

मा त्वं भूमिपशार्दूल कार्यचिन्तां करिष्यसि । अस्मिन्वासं सदात्रैव लिंगे कर्तास्मि नित्यशः

mā tvaṁ bhūmipaśārdūla kāryacintāṁ kariṣyasi asminvāsaṁ sadātraiva liṁge kartāsmi nityaśaḥ

"O tiger among kings, do not trouble yourself with this concern. I shall dwell forever and always in this very linga."

Verse 22 (skanda.6.13.22)

तथान्यदपि ते वच्मि प्रत्ययार्थं वचो नृप । तच्छ्रुत्वा निर्वृतिं गच्छ वीक्षस्वैव च यत्नतः

tathānyadapi te vacmi pratyayārthaṁ vaco nṛpa tacchrutvā nirvṛtiṁ gaccha vīkṣasvaiva ca yatnataḥ

"O king, I shall tell you one thing more, so that you may be convinced. Hear it and find peace, and observe diligently for yourself."

Verse 23 (skanda.6.13.23)

सदा मे निश्चला छाया लिंगस्यास्य भविष्यति । एकैव पृष्ठदेशस्था न दिक्संस्था भविष्यति

sadā me niścalā chāyā liṁgasyāsya bhaviṣyati ekaiva pṛṣṭhadeśasthā na diksaṁsthā bhaviṣyati

"The shadow of this linga shall always remain motionless — it shall stay fixed always on one side alone, and shall not shift with the direction of the sun."

Verse 24 (skanda.6.13.24)

सूत उवाच । ततः स वीक्षयामास तां छायां लिंगसंभवाम् । तद्रूपां निश्चलां नित्यं तद्दिक्संस्थे दिवाकरे

sūta uvāca tataḥ sa vīkṣayāmāsa tāṁ chāyāṁ liṁgasaṁbhavām tadrūpāṁ niścalāṁ nityaṁ taddiksaṁsthe divākare

Suta said: Then the king observed that shadow cast by the linga, which remained forever fixed in the same form, unmoving, even as the sun stood in that direction.

Verse 25 (skanda.6.13.25)

ततो हर्षं परं गत्वा प्रणिपत्य च तं भुवि । कृतकृत्यमिवात्मानं स मेने पार्थिवोत्तमः

tato harṣaṁ paraṁ gatvā praṇipatya ca taṁ bhuvi kṛtakṛtyamivātmānaṁ sa mene pārthivottamaḥ

Then, overcome with the deepest joy, and bowing to the ground, that best of kings considered himself as one whose purpose had been fulfilled.

Verse 26 (skanda.6.13.26)

अद्यापि दृश्यते छाया तादृग्रूपा सदा हि सा । तस्य लिंगस्य विप्रेन्द्रा जाता विस्मयकारिणी

adyāpi dṛśyate chāyā tādṛgrūpā sadā hi sā tasya liṁgasya viprendrā jātā vismayakāriṇī

O foremost of brahmins, even to this day that shadow of the linga is seen forever in that same wondrous form, filling all who see it with amazement.

Verse 27 (skanda.6.13.27)

षण्मासाभ्यंतरे मृत्युर्यस्य स्याद्भुवि भो द्विजाः । न स पश्यति तां छायामेषोऽन्यः प्रत्ययः परः

ṣaṇmāsābhyaṁtare mṛtyuryasya syādbhuvi bho dvijāḥ na sa paśyati tāṁ chāyāmeṣo'nyaḥ pratyayaḥ paraḥ

O brahmins, one whose death is to occur within six months cannot see that shadow — this too is another sure proof of its power.

Verse 28 (skanda.6.13.28)

सूत उवाच । एवं स भगवांस्तत्र सर्वदैव व्यवस्थितः । अचलेश्वररूपेण चमत्कारपुरांतिके

sūta uvāca evaṁ sa bhagavāṁstatra sarvadaiva vyavasthitaḥ acaleśvararūpeṇa camatkārapurāṁtike

Suta said: Thus that Lord remains forever established there, near Chamatkarapura, in the form of Achaleshvara.

Verse 29 (skanda.6.13.29)

निश्चलत्वेन देवेशोह्यष्टषष्टिषु मध्यमः । क्षेत्राणां वसते तत्र तस्य वाक्यान्महेश्वरः

niścalatvena deveśohyaṣṭaṣaṣṭiṣu madhyamaḥ kṣetrāṇāṁ vasate tatra tasya vākyānmaheśvaraḥ

At that king's word, Maheshvara, lord of gods, dwells there unmoving, in the central place among the sixty-eight sacred fields.

Verse 30 (skanda.6.13.30)

तेन तत्पावनं क्षेत्रं सर्वेषामिह कीर्तितम् । कामदं मुक्तिदं चैव जायते सर्वदेहिनाम्

tena tatpāvanaṁ kṣetraṁ sarveṣāmiha kīrtitam kāmadaṁ muktidaṁ caiva jāyate sarvadehinām

For this reason that sacred field is renowned here among all, granting to every embodied being both the fulfillment of desire and liberation.

Verse 31 (skanda.6.13.31)

तथान्यदपि यद्वृत्तं वृत्तांतं तत्प्रभावजम् । तदहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि श्रूयतां द्विजसत्तमाः

tathānyadapi yadvṛttaṁ vṛttāṁtaṁ tatprabhāvajam tadahaṁ saṁpravakṣyāmi śrūyatāṁ dvijasattamāḥ

O best of the twice-born, I shall now recount another episode that arose from the power of that place; listen.

Verse 32 (skanda.6.13.32)

अचलेश्वरमाहात्म्यात्तस्मिन्क्षेत्रे नरा द्रुतम् । वांछितं मनसः सर्वे लभंते सकलं फलम्

acaleśvaramāhātmyāttasminkṣetre narā drutam vāṁchitaṁ manasaḥ sarve labhaṁte sakalaṁ phalam

By the greatness of Achaleshvara, in that field all people swiftly attain every fruit their hearts desire.

Verse 33 (skanda.6.13.33)

स्वर्गमेके परे मोक्षं धनधान्यसुतांस्तथा । यो यं काममभिध्याय पूजयेदचलेश्वरम् । तंतं स लभते मर्त्यः स्वल्पायासेन च द्रुतम्

svargameke pare mokṣaṁ dhanadhānyasutāṁstathā yo yaṁ kāmamabhidhyāya pūjayedacaleśvaram taṁtaṁ sa labhate martyaḥ svalpāyāsena ca drutam

Some desire heaven, others liberation, and others wealth, grain, and children. Whatever mortal, keeping a particular desire in mind, worships Achaleshvara, swiftly obtains that very fruit with little effort.

Verse 34 (skanda.6.13.34)

अथ दृष्ट्वा सहस्राक्षः सर्वे पापनरा भुवि । स्वर्गं यांति तथा मोक्षं प्राप्नुवन्ति च सम्मुखम्

atha dṛṣṭvā sahasrākṣaḥ sarve pāpanarā bhuvi svargaṁ yāṁti tathā mokṣaṁ prāpnuvanti ca sammukham

Then thousand-eyed Indra observed that even all sinful men on earth were going to heaven and were attaining liberation directly.

Verse 35 (skanda.6.13.35)

ततः क्रोधं च कामं च लोभं द्वेषं भयं रतिम् । मोहं च व्यसनं दुर्गं मत्सरं रागमेव च

tataḥ krodhaṁ ca kāmaṁ ca lobhaṁ dveṣaṁ bhayaṁ ratim mohaṁ ca vyasanaṁ durgaṁ matsaraṁ rāgameva ca

Then, having summoned Anger, Desire, Greed, Hatred, Fear, Passion, Delusion, Vice, Calamity, Envy, and Attachment —

Verse 36 (skanda.6.13.36)

सर्वान्मूर्तान्समाहूय ततः प्रोवाच सादरम् । स्वयमेव सहस्राक्षो रहस्ये द्विजसत्तमाः

sarvānmūrtānsamāhūya tataḥ provāca sādaram svayameva sahasrākṣo rahasye dvijasattamāḥ

— all these personified beings, O best of the twice-born, thousand-eyed Indra himself respectfully addressed them in secret.

Verse 37 (skanda.6.13.37)

नरो वा यदि वा नारी चमत्कारपुरं प्रति । यो गच्छति धरापृष्ठे युष्माभिर्वार्य एव सः

naro vā yadi vā nārī camatkārapuraṁ prati yo gacchati dharāpṛṣṭhe yuṣmābhirvārya eva saḥ

"Whatever man or woman on this earth goes toward Chamatkarapura must without fail be obstructed by all of you."

Verse 38 (skanda.6.13.38)

तत्रैव वसमानोऽपि यो गच्छेदचलेश्वरम् । मद्वाक्यात्स विशेषेण सर्वैर्वार्यः प्रयत्नतः

tatraiva vasamāno'pi yo gacchedacaleśvaram madvākyātsa viśeṣeṇa sarvairvāryaḥ prayatnataḥ

"Even one who, while already dwelling there, sets out toward Achaleshvara — by my word, he too must be obstructed by all of you, with special effort, by every means."

Verse 39 (skanda.6.13.39)

ते तथेति प्रतिज्ञाय गत्वा शक्रस्य शासनात् । चक्रुस्ततः समुच्छिन्नं तन्माहात्म्यं गतं भुवि

te tatheti pratijñāya gatvā śakrasya śāsanāt cakrustataḥ samucchinnaṁ tanmāhātmyaṁ gataṁ bhuvi

Saying "So be it," they made that vow, and, going forth at Indra's command, they thereby diminished that place's greatness upon the earth.

Verse 40 (skanda.6.13.40)

एतद्वः सर्वमाख्यातमाख्यानं पापनाशनम् । अचलेश्वरदेवस्य तस्मिन्क्षेत्रे निवासिनः

etadvaḥ sarvamākhyātamākhyānaṁ pāpanāśanam acaleśvaradevasya tasminkṣetre nivāsinaḥ

Thus I have related to you this entire sin-destroying account of Lord Achaleshvara, who dwells in that field.