The Glory of Vatikeshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.6.148.1)

॥ सूत उवाच ॥ ॥ एवं तं निःस्पृहं ज्ञात्वा गृहं प्रति निजात्मजम् ॥ पिंगला दुःखसंयुक्ता व्यासमेतदुवाच ह

sūta uvāca evaṁ taṁ niḥspṛhaṁ jñātvā gṛhaṁ prati nijātmajam piṁgalā duḥkhasaṁyuktā vyāsametaduvāca ha

Suta said: Thus, knowing her own son to be indifferent to his home, Pingala, filled with sorrow, said this to Vyasa.

Verse 2 (skanda.6.148.2)

अहं तपश्चरिष्यामि पुत्रार्थं द्विजसत्तम ॥ अनुज्ञां देहि मे येन तोषयामि महेश्वरम् ॥ पुत्रो येन भवेन्मह्यं वंशवृद्धिकरः परः

ahaṁ tapaścariṣyāmi putrārthaṁ dvijasattama anujñāṁ dehi me yena toṣayāmi maheśvaram putro yena bhavenmahyaṁ vaṁśavṛddhikaraḥ paraḥ

O best of brahmins, I shall perform austerity for the sake of a son; grant me leave, so that I may satisfy Maheshvara, and so that I may obtain another excellent son who will increase our lineage.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.148.3)

एवं सा निश्चयं कृत्वा लब्ध्वानुज्ञां मुनेस्ततः ॥ क्षेत्रमेतत्समासाद्य तपस्तेपे पतिव्रता

evaṁ sā niścayaṁ kṛtvā labdhvānujñāṁ munestataḥ kṣetrametatsamāsādya tapastepe pativratā

Having thus resolved and obtained the sage's permission, that devoted wife came to this sacred field and performed austerity.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.148.4)

संस्थाप्य शंकरं देवं तदग्रे निर्मलोदकम् ॥ कृत्वा वापीं सुविस्तीर्णां स्नानात्पातकनाशनीम्

saṁsthāpya śaṁkaraṁ devaṁ tadagre nirmalodakam kṛtvā vāpīṁ suvistīrṇāṁ snānātpātakanāśanīm

She installed the god Shankara, and before him constructed a wide reservoir of pure water, one whose bathing waters would destroy sins.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.148.5)

ततस्तस्या गतस्तुष्टिं भगवांस्त्रिपुरांतकः ॥ वरदोऽस्मीति तां प्राह प्रहृष्टेनांतरात्मना

tatastasyā gatastuṣṭiṁ bhagavāṁstripurāṁtakaḥ varado'smīti tāṁ prāha prahṛṣṭenāṁtarātmanā

Then, pleased with her, the Blessed Lord, destroyer of Tripura, with a heart filled with joy, said to her: I am ready to grant you a boon.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.148.6)

॥ श्रीमहादेव उवाच ॥ ॥ परितुष्टोऽस्मि ते भद्रे वरं वरय सुव्रते ॥ यः स्थितो हृदये नित्यं नादेयं विद्यते मम

śrīmahādeva uvāca parituṣṭo'smi te bhadre varaṁ varaya suvrate yaḥ sthito hṛdaye nityaṁ nādeyaṁ vidyate mama

Shri Mahadeva said: O gracious one, O woman of noble vows, I am well pleased with you; ask for a boon — whatever is forever fixed in your heart is nothing that I would withhold from you.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.148.7)

॥ वटिकोवाच ॥ ॥ सुतं देहि सुरश्रेष्ठ मम वंशविवर्धनम् ॥ चित्ताह्लादकरं नित्यं सुशीलं विनयान्वितम्

vaṭikovāca sutaṁ dehi suraśreṣṭha mama vaṁśavivardhanam cittāhlādakaraṁ nityaṁ suśīlaṁ vinayānvitam

Vatika said: O best of gods, give me a son who will increase my lineage, who will always delight the heart, of good character, and endowed with humility.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.148.8)

॥ श्रीमहादेव उवाच ॥ ॥ भविष्यति न संदेहस्तव पुत्रः सुशोभने ॥ यादृक्त्वया महाभागे प्रार्थितस्तद्विशेषतः

śrīmahādeva uvāca bhaviṣyati na saṁdehastava putraḥ suśobhane yādṛktvayā mahābhāge prārthitastadviśeṣataḥ

Shri Mahadeva said: O lovely one, you shall have a son, of that there is no doubt; O blessed one, just as you have specifically asked, so shall it be.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.148.9)

अन्यापि मानुषी याऽत्र वाप्यां स्नात्वा समाहिता ॥ पञ्चम्यां वत्सरं यावच्छुक्लपक्षे ह्युपस्थिते ॥ पूजयिष्यति मल्लिंगं यच्चाद्य स्थापितं त्वया

anyāpi mānuṣī yā'tra vāpyāṁ snātvā samāhitā pañcamyāṁ vatsaraṁ yāvacchuklapakṣe hyupasthite pūjayiṣyati malliṁgaṁ yaccādya sthāpitaṁ tvayā

And any other woman too, who, bathing here in this reservoir, single-mindedly, on the fifth day of the bright fortnight, throughout the year, worships this my linga which you have installed today —

Verse 10 (skanda.6.148.10)

साथ लप्स्यति सत्पुत्रं दत्त्वा फलमनुत्तमम् ॥ या च दौर्भाग्यसंयुक्ता तृतीयादिवसेऽत्र वै

sātha lapsyati satputraṁ dattvā phalamanuttamam yā ca daurbhāgyasaṁyuktā tṛtīyādivase'tra vai

she shall thus, having received this excellent fruit, obtain a worthy son. And whatever woman is beset with misfortune, on the third day, here —

Verse 11 (skanda.6.148.11)

स्नात्वाऽत्र सलिले पश्चान्मल्लिंगं पूजयिष्यति ॥ सा सौभाग्य समोपेता वर्षांते च भविष्यति

snātvā'tra salile paścānmalliṁgaṁ pūjayiṣyati sā saubhāgya samopetā varṣāṁte ca bhaviṣyati

bathing in this water and thereafter worshipping my linga, shall, by the end of the year, become endowed with good fortune.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.148.12)

यः पुनः पुरुषश्चात्र स्नात्वा मां पूजयिष्यति ॥ सकामो लप्स्यते कामान्विकामो मोक्षमेव च

yaḥ punaḥ puruṣaścātra snātvā māṁ pūjayiṣyati sakāmo lapsyate kāmānvikāmo mokṣameva ca

And whatever man, bathing here, worships me — if he has desires, he shall obtain them; if he is free of desire, he shall obtain liberation itself.

Verse 13 (skanda.6.148.13)

एवमुक्त्वा महादेवस्ततश्चादर्शनं गतः ॥ साऽपि लेभे सुतं व्यासात्कपिंजलमिति श्रुतम्

evamuktvā mahādevastataścādarśanaṁ gataḥ sā'pi lebhe sutaṁ vyāsātkapiṁjalamiti śrutam

Having said this, Mahadeva then vanished from sight. She too obtained from Vyasa a son renowned by the name Kapinjala.

Verse 14 (skanda.6.148.14)

यादृक्तेन पुरा प्रोक्तो देवदेवेन शूलिना ॥ येनैव स्थापिता चात्र देवी केलीवरी पुरा ॥ सर्वसिद्धिप्रदा लोके तत्र याऽऽराधिता पुरा

yādṛktena purā prokto devadevena śūlinā yenaiva sthāpitā cātra devī kelīvarī purā sarvasiddhipradā loke tatra yā''rādhitā purā

Just as had been declared before by that trident-bearing god of gods, so it came to pass; and by that very one, the goddess Kelivari was also established here long ago — she who grants all accomplishments in the world, and who was worshipped there in ancient times.