The Origin of Nagareshvara, Nagaraditya, and Shakambhari

Verse 1 (skanda.6.164.1)

॥ सूत उवाच ॥ ॥ एतस्मिन्नंतरे पुष्पः प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना ॥ चंडशर्मगृहं गत्वा दिष्ट्यादिष्ट्येति चाब्रवीत्

sūta uvāca etasminnaṁtare puṣpaḥ prahṛṣṭenāntarātmanā caṁḍaśarmagṛhaṁ gatvā diṣṭyādiṣṭyeti cābravīt

Suta said: Meanwhile, Pushpa, his heart filled with joy, went to Chandasharma's house and cried, 'What great fortune, what great fortune indeed!'

Verse 2 (skanda.6.164.2)

विवर्णवदनं दृष्ट्वा वाष्पपूर्णेक्षणं तदा ॥ बान्धवैः सहितं सर्वैर्दारैर्भृत्यैस्तथा सुतैः

vivarṇavadanaṁ dṛṣṭvā vāṣpapūrṇekṣaṇaṁ tadā bāndhavaiḥ sahitaṁ sarvairdārairbhṛtyaistathā sutaiḥ

for he saw him then with a pale, downcast face, his eyes brimming with tears, seated together with all his kinsmen, his wife, servants, and sons.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.164.3)

॥ पुष्प उवाच ॥ ॥ तवार्थे च मया सूर्यः कायत्यागेन तोषितः ॥ पतितत्त्वं न ते काये तत्प्रसादाद्भविष्यति

puṣpa uvāca tavārthe ca mayā sūryaḥ kāyatyāgena toṣitaḥ patitattvaṁ na te kāye tatprasādādbhaviṣyati

Pushpa said: For your sake I have pleased the Sun by offering up my own body; by his grace, no trace of fallenness shall remain upon you.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.164.4)

तव पुत्राश्च पौत्राश्च ये भविष्यंति वंशजाः ॥ नागराणां च ते सर्वे भविष्यंति गुणाधिकाः

tava putrāśca pautrāśca ye bhaviṣyaṁti vaṁśajāḥ nāgarāṇāṁ ca te sarve bhaviṣyaṁti guṇādhikāḥ

Your sons and grandsons, and whatever descendants shall spring from your line, shall all surpass even the Nagaras in virtue.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.164.5)

तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ गच्छामो नदीं पुण्यां सरस्वतीम् ॥ तस्यास्तटे निवासाय कृत्वा चैवाश्रमं द्विज

tasmāduttiṣṭha gacchāmo nadīṁ puṇyāṁ sarasvatīm tasyāstaṭe nivāsāya kṛtvā caivāśramaṁ dvija

Therefore arise; let us go to the sacred river Sarasvati; and there, O brahmin, having built a hermitage upon her bank, let us make our dwelling.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.164.6)

त्वया सह वसिष्यामि अहमेव न संशयः ॥ अस्ति मे विपुलं वित्तं ये चान्ये तेऽनुयायिनः

tvayā saha vasiṣyāmi ahameva na saṁśayaḥ asti me vipulaṁ vittaṁ ye cānye te'nuyāyinaḥ

I myself shall dwell with you, without any doubt; I have ample wealth, and whoever else are your followers —

Verse 7 (skanda.6.164.7)

तान्सर्वान्पोषयिष्यामि त्यज्यतां मानसो ज्वरः ॥ तच्छ्रुत्वा चण्डशर्मा तु पुत्रैर्बंधुभिरन्वितः

tānsarvānpoṣayiṣyāmi tyajyatāṁ mānaso jvaraḥ tacchrutvā caṇḍaśarmā tu putrairbaṁdhubhiranvitaḥ

— I shall provide for them all; let the fever of your mind be laid to rest. Hearing this, Chandasharma, together with his sons and kinsmen,

Verse 8 (skanda.6.164.8)

सरस्वतीं समुद्दिश्य निष्क्रांतो नगरात्ततः ॥ स्थानं प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य नमस्कृत्य सुदुःखितः

sarasvatīṁ samuddiśya niṣkrāṁto nagarāttataḥ sthānaṁ pradakṣiṇīkṛtya namaskṛtya suduḥkhitaḥ

he set out from the city, bound for the Sarasvati; circumambulating the sacred place and bowing to it, sorrow-stricken,

Verse 9 (skanda.6.164.9)

बाष्पपूर्णेक्षणो दीन उत्तराभिमुखो ययौ ॥ पुष्पेण सहितश्चैव मुहुर्मुहुः प्रबोधितः

bāṣpapūrṇekṣaṇo dīna uttarābhimukho yayau puṣpeṇa sahitaścaiva muhurmuhuḥ prabodhitaḥ

his eyes full of tears, wretched, he journeyed facing northward, together with Pushpa, who kept comforting him again and again.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.164.10)

ततः सरस्वतीं प्राप्य पुण्यां शीतजलां नदीम् ॥ सेवितां मुनिसंघैस्तां लोलकल्लोलमालिनीम्

tataḥ sarasvatīṁ prāpya puṇyāṁ śītajalāṁ nadīm sevitāṁ munisaṁghaistāṁ lolakallolamālinīm

Then, reaching that sacred river Sarasvati of cool waters, frequented by hosts of sages and garlanded with restless ripples,

Verse 11 (skanda.6.164.11)

तस्या दक्षिणकूले स निवासमकरोत्तदा ॥ पुष्पस्य मतिमास्थाय बन्धुभिः सकलैर्वृतः

tasyā dakṣiṇakūle sa nivāsamakarottadā puṣpasya matimāsthāya bandhubhiḥ sakalairvṛtaḥ

on her southern bank he made his dwelling, following Pushpa's counsel, surrounded by all his kinsmen.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.164.12)

तस्यासीन्नगरस्थस्य प्रतिज्ञा चण्डशर्मणः ॥ सप्तविंशतिभिर्लिंगैर्दृष्टैर्भोक्ष्याम्यहं सदा

tasyāsīnnagarasthasya pratijñā caṇḍaśarmaṇaḥ saptaviṁśatibhirliṁgairdṛṣṭairbhokṣyāmyahaṁ sadā

Now, Chandasharma, while he had dwelt in the city, had made this vow: 'I shall always eat only after beholding twenty-seven lingas.'

Verse 13 (skanda.6.164.13)

तां च संस्मरतस्तस्य प्रतिज्ञां पूर्वसंचिताम् ॥ हृदयं दह्यते तस्य दिवानक्तं द्विजोत्तमाः

tāṁ ca saṁsmaratastasya pratijñāṁ pūrvasaṁcitām hṛdayaṁ dahyate tasya divānaktaṁ dvijottamāḥ

O best of brahmins, as he remembered that vow made long ago, his heart burned day and night.

Verse 14 (skanda.6.164.14)

स च स्नात्वा सरस्वत्यां शुचिर्भूत्वा समाहितः ॥ षडक्षरस्य मन्त्रस्य जपं चक्रे पृथक्पृथक्

sa ca snātvā sarasvatyāṁ śucirbhūtvā samāhitaḥ ṣaḍakṣarasya mantrasya japaṁ cakre pṛthakpṛthak

So, bathing in the Sarasvati and becoming pure and composed, he performed japa of the six-syllabled mantra separately, for each one.

Verse 15 (skanda.6.164.15)

नाम चोच्चार्य लिंगस्य नमस्कारान्तमादधे ॥ कर्दमेन द्विजश्रेष्ठाः पंचांगुलशतेन च

nāma coccārya liṁgasya namaskārāntamādadhe kardamena dvijaśreṣṭhāḥ paṁcāṁgulaśatena ca

Uttering the name of the linga and ending with obeisance, O best of brahmins, he fashioned out of clay, in a span of five hundred finger-widths —

Verse 16 (skanda.6.164.16)

संस्थाप्य पूजयेद्भक्त्या पुष्पधूपानुलेपनैः ॥ प्राणरुद्राञ्जपन्पश्चाच्छ्रद्धया परया युतः

saṁsthāpya pūjayedbhaktyā puṣpadhūpānulepanaiḥ prāṇarudrāñjapanpaścācchraddhayā parayā yutaḥ

— having set them up, he would worship them with devotion, with flowers, incense, and unguents, and afterward, filled with the deepest faith, recite the Pranarudra.

Verse 17 (skanda.6.164.17)

दुःस्थितं सुस्थितं वापि शिवलिंगं न चालयेत् ॥ इति मत्वा द्विजेन्द्रोऽसौ नैव तानि विसर्जयेत्

duḥsthitaṁ susthitaṁ vāpi śivaliṁgaṁ na cālayet iti matvā dvijendro'sau naiva tāni visarjayet

Reasoning that a Shiva-linga, whether unsteady or firmly set, must never be disturbed, that foremost brahmin would never remove them.

Verse 18 (skanda.6.164.18)

उपर्युपरि तेषां च कर्दमेन द्विजोत्तमाः ॥ चक्रे लिंगानि नित्यं स सप्तविंशतिसंख्यया

uparyupari teṣāṁ ca kardamena dvijottamāḥ cakre liṁgāni nityaṁ sa saptaviṁśatisaṁkhyayā

So, O best of brahmins, layer upon layer, with fresh clay, he daily fashioned lingas to the number of twenty-seven.

Verse 19 (skanda.6.164.19)

ततः कालेन महता जातः कर्दमपर्वतः

tataḥ kālena mahatā jātaḥ kardamaparvataḥ

Then, over a very long span of time, a mountain of clay came into being.

Verse 20 (skanda.6.164.20)

अथ तुष्टो महादेवस्तस्य भक्त्यतिरेकतः ॥ निर्भिद्य धरणीपृष्ठं तस्य लिंगमदर्शयत्

atha tuṣṭo mahādevastasya bhaktyatirekataḥ nirbhidya dharaṇīpṛṣṭhaṁ tasya liṁgamadarśayat

Then Mahadeva, well pleased by his overflowing devotion, cleaving open the earth's surface, revealed his linga to him.

Verse 21 (skanda.6.164.21)

अब्रवीत्सादरं तं च मेघगम्भीरया गिरा ॥ चण्डशर्मन्प्रतुष्टोस्मि तव भक्त्याऽनया द्विज

abravītsādaraṁ taṁ ca meghagambhīrayā girā caṇḍaśarmanpratuṣṭosmi tava bhaktyā'nayā dvija

And he spoke to him with reverence, in a voice as deep as thunder-clouds: 'O Chandasharma, O brahmin, I am well pleased by this devotion of yours.'

Verse 22 (skanda.6.164.22)

तस्माल्लिंगमिदं नित्यं पूजयस्व प्रभक्तितः ॥ सप्तविंशतिलिंगानां यतः फलमवाप्स्यसि

tasmālliṁgamidaṁ nityaṁ pūjayasva prabhaktitaḥ saptaviṁśatiliṁgānāṁ yataḥ phalamavāpsyasi

'Therefore worship this one linga daily with the deepest devotion, for through it you shall attain the fruit of worshipping twenty-seven lingas.'

Verse 23 (skanda.6.164.23)

अन्योपि च नरो भक्त्या यश्चैनं पूजयिष्यति ॥ सप्तविंशतिलिंगानां सोऽपि श्रेयोऽभिलप्स्यति

anyopi ca naro bhaktyā yaścainaṁ pūjayiṣyati saptaviṁśatiliṁgānāṁ so'pi śreyo'bhilapsyati

'And any other man too who shall worship this linga with devotion shall likewise obtain the merit of twenty-seven lingas.'

Verse 24 (skanda.6.164.24)

एवमुक्त्वा स भगवांस्ततश्चादर्शनं गतः ॥ चंडशर्मापि तं हृष्टः पूजयामास तत्त्वतः

evamuktvā sa bhagavāṁstataścādarśanaṁ gataḥ caṁḍaśarmāpi taṁ hṛṣṭaḥ pūjayāmāsa tattvataḥ

Having said this, the Lord then vanished from sight; and Chandasharma, filled with joy, thereafter truly worshipped him.

Verse 25 (skanda.6.164.25)

प्रासादं कारयामास तस्य लिंगस्य शोभनम् ॥ नाम चक्रे ततस्तस्य विचार्य च मुहुर्मुहुः

prāsādaṁ kārayāmāsa tasya liṁgasya śobhanam nāma cakre tatastasya vicārya ca muhurmuhuḥ

He had a beautiful temple built for that linga, and then, pondering again and again, he gave it a name.

Verse 26 (skanda.6.164.26)

नगरस्थितलिंगानां यस्मात्संस्मरणात्स्थितः ॥ नागरेश्वरसंज्ञस्तु तस्मादेष भविष्यति

nagarasthitaliṁgānāṁ yasmātsaṁsmaraṇātsthitaḥ nāgareśvarasaṁjñastu tasmādeṣa bhaviṣyati

Since it stands in remembrance of the lingas that once stood in the city, this one shall henceforth bear the name Nagareshvara.

Verse 27 (skanda.6.164.27)

॥ सूत उवाच ॥ ॥ एवं संस्थाप्य तल्लिंगं चंडशर्मा द्विजोत्तमाः ॥ आराधयामास तदा पुष्पधूपानुलेपनैः

sūta uvāca evaṁ saṁsthāpya talliṁgaṁ caṁḍaśarmā dvijottamāḥ ārādhayāmāsa tadā puṣpadhūpānulepanaiḥ

Suta said: O best of brahmins, having thus installed that linga, Chandasharma then worshipped it with flowers, incense, and unguents.

Verse 28 (skanda.6.164.28)

सप्तविंशतिलिंगानां प्राप्नोति च तथा फलम् ॥ पूजितानां द्विजश्रेष्ठा नगरे यानि तानि च

saptaviṁśatiliṁgānāṁ prāpnoti ca tathā phalam pūjitānāṁ dvijaśreṣṭhā nagare yāni tāni ca

And thus he continued to attain the fruit of worshipping those very twenty-seven lingas, O best of brahmins, that had once stood in the city.

Verse 29 (skanda.6.164.29)

ततः कालेन महता नागरेश्वरतुष्टितः ॥ शिवलोकं गतः साक्षाद्यानमध्ये निवेशितः

tataḥ kālena mahatā nāgareśvaratuṣṭitaḥ śivalokaṁ gataḥ sākṣādyānamadhye niveśitaḥ

Then, after a long span of time, through the satisfaction of Nagareshvara, he went directly to Shivaloka, seated within a celestial chariot.

Verse 30 (skanda.6.164.30)

पुष्पोपि स्थापयामास पुष्पादित्यमथापरम् ॥ पुण्ये सरस्वतीतीरे ततः पूजापरोऽभवत्

puṣpopi sthāpayāmāsa puṣpādityamathāparam puṇye sarasvatītīre tataḥ pūjāparo'bhavat

Pushpa too established another Pushpaditya on the sacred bank of the Sarasvati, and thereafter devoted himself to its worship.

Verse 31 (skanda.6.164.31)

तस्यापि दर्शनं गत्वा प्रीत्या वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ पुष्प तुष्टोस्मि भद्रं ते वरं प्रार्थय सुव्रत

tasyāpi darśanaṁ gatvā prītyā vacanamabravīt puṣpa tuṣṭosmi bhadraṁ te varaṁ prārthaya suvrata

Appearing before him as well, the Sun spoke with affection: 'O Pushpa, I am pleased; blessings be upon you. Ask for a boon, O man of good vows.'

Verse 32 (skanda.6.164.32)

अदेयमपि दास्यामि तस्मात्प्रार्थय मा चिरम्

adeyamapi dāsyāmi tasmātprārthaya mā ciram

'I shall grant even what cannot ordinarily be given; therefore ask without delay.'

Verse 33 (skanda.6.164.33)

॥ पुष्प उवाच ॥ ॥ यदि तुष्टोऽसि मे देव यदि देयो वरो मम ॥ तद्देहि याचमानस्य मम यद्धृदि संस्थितम्

puṣpa uvāca yadi tuṣṭo'si me deva yadi deyo varo mama taddehi yācamānasya mama yaddhṛdi saṁsthitam

Pushpa said: If you are pleased with me, O deity, if a boon is to be granted to me, then give to me, who now beg it, what lies within my heart.

Verse 34 (skanda.6.164.34)

चमत्कारपुरे देव तव या मूर्तयः स्थिताः ॥ द्वादशैव प्रमाणेन पूज्याः सर्वदिवौकसाम्

camatkārapure deva tava yā mūrtayaḥ sthitāḥ dvādaśaiva pramāṇena pūjyāḥ sarvadivaukasām

'O deity, the twelve images of yours that stand at Chamatkarapura, worthy of worship by all the gods —'

Verse 35 (skanda.6.164.35)

तासां पूजाफलं कृत्स्नं संप्राप्नोतु नरो भुवि ॥ यः पूजयति मूर्तिं ते यैषा संस्थापिता मया

tāsāṁ pūjāphalaṁ kṛtsnaṁ saṁprāpnotu naro bhuvi yaḥ pūjayati mūrtiṁ te yaiṣā saṁsthāpitā mayā

'— let a man on earth obtain the entire fruit of worshipping all of them, if he but worships this one image of yours which I have established.'

Verse 36 (skanda.6.164.36)

नागरादित्य इत्येषा ख्याता भवतु भूतले ॥ येयं सरस्वतीतीरे प्रासादे स्थापिता मया

nāgarāditya ityeṣā khyātā bhavatu bhūtale yeyaṁ sarasvatītīre prāsāde sthāpitā mayā

'Let this image, which I have established in a temple on the bank of the Sarasvati, become known upon the earth by the name Nagaraditya.'

Verse 37 (skanda.6.164.37)

॥ सूत उवाच ॥ ॥ स तथेति प्रतिज्ञाय गतश्चादर्शनं रविः ॥ दीपवद्ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठास्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्

sūta uvāca sa tatheti pratijñāya gataścādarśanaṁ raviḥ dīpavadbrāhmaṇaśreṣṭhāstadadbhutamivābhavat

Suta said: Promising 'so be it,' the Sun then vanished from sight; O best of brahmins, that vanishing, like a lamp going out, seemed indeed a wondrous thing.

Verse 38 (skanda.6.164.38)

ततः कालेन महता पुष्पोपि द्विजसत्तमाः ॥ सूर्यलोकमनुप्राप्तो विमानेन सुवर्चसा

tataḥ kālena mahatā puṣpopi dvijasattamāḥ sūryalokamanuprāpto vimānena suvarcasā

Then, after a long span of time, O best of brahmins, Pushpa too attained the world of the Sun, borne there in a radiant celestial chariot.

Verse 39 (skanda.6.164.39)

शाकम्भरीति विख्याता भार्याऽऽसीच्चंडशर्मणः ॥ तया संस्थापिता दुर्गा सरस्वत्याः शुभे तटे

śākambharīti vikhyātā bhāryā''sīccaṁḍaśarmaṇaḥ tayā saṁsthāpitā durgā sarasvatyāḥ śubhe taṭe

Chandasharma had a wife known by the name Shakambhari; by her, Durga was installed on the auspicious bank of the Sarasvati.

Verse 40 (skanda.6.164.40)

आराधिताऽथ सद्भक्त्या दिवानक्तं द्विजोत्तमाः ॥ ततस्तुष्टा वरं तस्याः सा ददौ द्विजसत्तमाः

ārādhitā'tha sadbhaktyā divānaktaṁ dvijottamāḥ tatastuṣṭā varaṁ tasyāḥ sā dadau dvijasattamāḥ

O best of brahmins, she was worshipped day and night with true devotion; then, pleased, O best of the twice-born, the goddess granted her a boon.

Verse 41 (skanda.6.164.41)

पुत्रि तुष्टास्मि भद्रं ते शाकंभरि प्रगृह्यताम् ॥ वरं यत्ते सदाभीष्टं मत्प्रसादादसंशयम्

putri tuṣṭāsmi bhadraṁ te śākaṁbhari pragṛhyatām varaṁ yatte sadābhīṣṭaṁ matprasādādasaṁśayam

'O daughter, I am pleased; blessings be upon you, O Shakambhari. Receive, without doubt, the boon ever desired by you, by my grace.'

Verse 42 (skanda.6.164.42)

॥ शाकम्भर्युवाच ॥ ॥ चतुःषष्टिगणा देवि मातृणां ये व्यवस्थिताः ॥ चमत्कारपुरे ख्याता हास्यात्तुष्टिं व्रजंति याः

śākambharyuvāca catuḥṣaṣṭigaṇā devi mātṛṇāṁ ye vyavasthitāḥ camatkārapure khyātā hāsyāttuṣṭiṁ vrajaṁti yāḥ

Shakambhari said: O goddess, the sixty-four hosts of Mother-goddesses renowned and established at Chamatkarapura, who are satisfied even by mere laughter —

Verse 43 (skanda.6.164.43)

या रात्रौ बलिदानेन जाते वृद्धौ ततः परम् ॥ तत्सर्वं जायतां पुण्यं यस्ते मूर्तिं प्रपूजयेत्

yā rātrau balidānena jāte vṛddhau tataḥ param tatsarvaṁ jāyatāṁ puṇyaṁ yaste mūrtiṁ prapūjayet

— to whom offering is made at night when there has been increase in a household — let all the merit that arises therefrom belong to whoever shall worship this image of yours.

Verse 44 (skanda.6.164.44)

अत्रागत्य नदीतीरे यैषा संस्थापिता मया

atrāgatya nadītīre yaiṣā saṁsthāpitā mayā

— this image, which I have set up here upon the riverbank, having come to this place.

Verse 45 (skanda.6.164.45)

॥ श्रीदेव्युवाच ॥ ॥ आश्विनस्य सिते पक्षे महानवमिसंज्ञिते ॥ यो ममाग्रे समागत्य पूजयिष्यति भक्तितः

śrīdevyuvāca āśvinasya site pakṣe mahānavamisaṁjñite yo mamāgre samāgatya pūjayiṣyati bhaktitaḥ

The goddess said: In the bright fortnight of Ashvina, on the day called Mahanavami, whoever shall come before me and worship with devotion —

Verse 46 (skanda.6.164.46)

तस्य कृत्स्नं फलं सद्यो भविष्यति न संशयः ॥ नागरस्य विशेषेण सत्यमेतन्मयोदितम्

tasya kṛtsnaṁ phalaṁ sadyo bhaviṣyati na saṁśayaḥ nāgarasya viśeṣeṇa satyametanmayoditam

— for him the whole fruit shall be his at once, without doubt; this is especially true for a Nagara — this truth I have spoken.

Verse 47 (skanda.6.164.47)

एवमुक्त्वा तु सा देवी ततश्चादर्शनं गता ॥ तस्या नाम्ना च सा देवी प्रोक्ता शाकम्भरी भुवि

evamuktvā tu sā devī tataścādarśanaṁ gatā tasyā nāmnā ca sā devī proktā śākambharī bhuvi

Having said this, the goddess then vanished from sight; and by that devotee's own name, the goddess came to be called Shakambhari upon the earth.

Verse 48 (skanda.6.164.48)

वृद्धेरनंतरं तस्या यः पूजां कुरुते नरः ॥ तस्य वृद्धेर्न विघ्नः स्यात्कदाचिद्द्विजसत्तमाः

vṛddheranaṁtaraṁ tasyā yaḥ pūjāṁ kurute naraḥ tasya vṛddherna vighnaḥ syātkadāciddvijasattamāḥ

Whatever man performs her worship immediately following an increase in his household, O best of brahmins, that increase of his shall never meet with any obstacle.