The Glory of the Origin of Kansarishvara

Verse 1 (skanda.6.176.1)

सूत उवाच । दृष्ट्वा प्रतिष्ठितं लिंगं याज्ञवल्क्येन धीमता । स्वमातुः शुद्धिहेतोः स तन्नाम्ना लिंगमुत्तमम्

sūta uvāca dṛṣṭvā pratiṣṭhitaṁ liṅgaṁ yājñavalkyena dhīmatā svamātuḥ śuddhihetoḥ sa tannāmnā liṅgamuttamam

Suta said: Seeing the linga established by the wise Yajnavalkya, he, for the purification of his own mother, established another excellent linga in her name —

Verse 2 (skanda.6.176.2)

स्थापयामास विप्रेंद्राः श्रद्धया परया युतः । ततश्चानीय विप्रेंद्रं मध्यगं नागरोद्भवम्

sthāpayāmāsa viprendrāḥ śraddhayā parayā yutaḥ tataścānīya viprendraṁ madhyagaṁ nāgarodbhavam

— O foremost of brahmins, with the utmost devotion. Then he summoned a foremost brahmin, one born among the central lineage of the Nagara brahmins —

Verse 3 (skanda.6.176.3)

गर्तातीर्थसमुद्भूतमाहिताग्निं प्रयाजिनम् । यथैतन्नगरस्थानं तथा त्वमपि दीक्षितः

gartātīrthasamudbhūtamāhitāgniṁ prayājinam yathaitannagarasthānaṁ tathā tvamapi dīkṣitaḥ

— born at the Garta tirtha, a keeper of the sacred fire, a performer of sacrifices; and said to him: 'As this is the seat of the town, so are you consecrated.'

Verse 4 (skanda.6.176.4)

अष्टषष्टिषु गोत्राणां नायकत्वे व्यवस्थितः । तव वाक्येन सर्वाणि गोत्राणि द्विजसत्तम

aṣṭaṣaṣṭiṣu gotrāṇāṁ nāyakatve vyavasthitaḥ tava vākyena sarvāṇi gotrāṇi dvijasattama

'O best of the twice-born, you are established as the leader among the sixty-eight gotras; by your word alone shall all the gotras —

Verse 5 (skanda.6.176.5)

वर्तयिष्यंति कृत्येषु यावच्चन्द्रार्कतारकाः । गोवर्धन त्वया चिंता कार्या चास्य समुद्भवा

vartayiṣyaṁti kṛtyeṣu yāvaccandrārkatārakāḥ govardhana tvayā ciṁtā kāryā cāsya samudbhavā

— conduct themselves in all rites, as long as sun, moon, and stars endure. O Govardhana, it is you who must attend to this linga's welfare —

Verse 6 (skanda.6.176.6)

लिंगस्य पूजनार्थाय प्रेरणीयाश्च नागराः । पूजया तस्य लिंगस्य वृद्धिं यास्यति तेऽन्वयः

liṅgasya pūjanārthāya preraṇīyāśca nāgarāḥ pūjayā tasya liṅgasya vṛddhiṁ yāsyati te'nvayaḥ

— and it is you who must urge the Nagara brahmins to worship this linga; through the worship of this linga your lineage shall flourish.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.176.7)

अपूजया विनाशं च यास्यत्यत्र न संशयः । तव वंशोद्भवा ये च पूजयित्वा प्रभक्तितः

apūjayā vināśaṁ ca yāsyatyatra na saṁśayaḥ tava vaṁśodbhavā ye ca pūjayitvā prabhaktitaḥ

Without worship, ruin shall follow without doubt. Those born of your lineage, who with true devotion worship this linga —

Verse 8 (skanda.6.176.8)

एतल्लिंगं करिष्यंति कृत्यानि विविधानिच । तानि सिद्धिं प्रयास्यंति प्रसादादस्य दीक्षित

etalliṅgaṁ kariṣyaṁti kṛtyāni vividhāni ca tāni siddhiṁ prayāsyaṁti prasādādasya dīkṣita

— and undertake various works, shall attain success through the grace of this linga alone, O consecrated one.'

Verse 9 (skanda.6.176.9)

गोवर्धन उवाच । अहमर्चां करिष्यामि लिंगस्यास्य सदा द्विज । भक्तिं च प्रकरिष्यामि हेतोरस्य कृते द्विज । पूजार्थं चैव ये चान्ये मम वंशसमुद्भवाः

govardhana uvāca ahamarcāṁ kariṣyāmi liṅgasyāsya sadā dvija bhaktiṁ ca prakariṣyāmi hetorasya kṛte dvija pūjārthaṁ caiva ye cānye mama vaṁśasamudbhavāḥ

Govardhana said: 'O brahmin, I shall always worship this linga, and devote myself to it for this very purpose; and I shall likewise engage all others born of my lineage in its worship.'

Verse 10 (skanda.6.176.10)

पिप्पलाद उवाच । गोवर्धन द्रुतं विप्रांस्तत्र चानय नागरान् । तेषां मतेन देवस्य नाममात्रं करोम्यहम्

pippalāda uvāca govardhana drutaṁ viprāṁstatra cānaya nāgarān teṣāṁ matena devasya nāmamātraṁ karomyaham

Pippalada said: 'O Govardhana, quickly summon the Nagara brahmins there; with their consent alone shall I name this deity.'

Verse 11 (skanda.6.176.11)

ततश्चानाययामास विप्रांश्चैव विचक्षणान् । श्रुताध्ययनसंपन्नान्यज्ञकर्मपरायणान्

tataścānāyayāmāsa viprāṁścaiva vicakṣaṇān śrutādhyayanasaṁpannānyajñakarmaparāyaṇān

Then he summoned wise brahmins, accomplished in Vedic study and devoted to sacrificial rites.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.176.12)

तानब्रवीत्प्रणम्योच्चैः पिप्पलादो महामुनिः । मम माता मृता पूर्वं कंसारीति च नामतः

tānabravītpraṇamyoccaiḥ pippalādo mahāmuniḥ mama mātā mṛtā pūrvaṁ kaṁsārīti ca nāmataḥ

The great sage Pippalada, bowing low before them, said aloud: 'My mother, whose name was Kansari, has already passed away.'

Verse 13 (skanda.6.176.13)

तस्या उद्देशतो लिंगं मयैतत्संप्रतिष्ठितम् । युष्मद्वाक्यात्प्रसिद्धिं च प्रयातु द्विजसत्तमाः

tasyā uddeśato liṅgaṁ mayaitatsaṁpratiṣṭhitam yuṣmadvākyātprasiddhiṁ ca prayātu dvijasattamāḥ

'In her name I have established this linga. O best of the twice-born, let it gain renown by your own word.'

Verse 14 (skanda.6.176.14)

अष्टम्यां च चतुर्दश्यां यश्चैतत्स्नापयिष्यति । याज्ञवल्क्येश्वरोत्थं च स वै श्रेयो ह्यवाप्स्यति

aṣṭamyāṁ ca caturdaśyāṁ yaścaitatsnāpayiṣyati yājñavalkyeśvarotthaṁ ca sa vai śreyo hyavāpsyati

'Whoever bathes this linga on the eighth and fourteenth lunar days shall attain the very same blessing as arises from Yajnavalkyeshvara.'

Verse 15 (skanda.6.176.15)

सूत उवाच । अथ तैर्ब्राह्मणैः सर्वैस्तस्य नाम प्रतिष्ठितम् । कंसारीश्वर इत्येवं गौरवात्तस्य सन्मुनेः

sūta uvāca atha tairbrāhmaṇaiḥ sarvaistasya nāma pratiṣṭhitam kaṁsārīśvara ityevaṁ gauravāttasya sanmuneḥ

Suta said: Then all those brahmins, out of reverence for that virtuous sage, established the name of that linga as Kansarishvara.

Verse 16 (skanda.6.176.16)

एतद्वः सर्वमाख्यातं यत्पृष्ठोऽस्मि द्विजोत्तमाः । कंसारीश्वरसंज्ञस्तु यथा जातस्तु पापहा । स्थापितः पिप्पलादेन स्वयं चैव महात्मना

etadvaḥ sarvamākhyātaṁ yatpṛṣṭho'smi dvijottamāḥ kaṁsārīśvarasaṁjñastu yathā jātastu pāpahā sthāpitaḥ pippalādena svayaṁ caiva mahātmanā

O best of the twice-born, all that I was asked has now been told — how this sin-destroying linga, named Kansarishvara, was established by the great soul Pippalada himself.

Verse 17 (skanda.6.176.17)

यश्चैतत्पुण्यमाख्यानं तस्य देवस्य संनिधौ । संपठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि सम्यक्छक्तिसमन्वितः

yaścaitatpuṇyamākhyānaṁ tasya devasya saṁnidhau saṁpaṭhecchṛṇuyādvāpi samyakchaktisamanvitaḥ

Whoever, in the presence of that deity, reads or hears this sacred account properly, with whatever capacity he has —

Verse 18 (skanda.6.176.18)

मनसा चिंतितं पापं परदारकृतं च यत् । तस्य तन्नाशमायाति पिप्पलाद वचो यथा

manasā ciṁtitaṁ pāpaṁ paradārakṛtaṁ ca yat tasya tannāśamāyāti pippalāda vaco yathā

— his sin merely contemplated in the mind, and even the sin committed with another's wife, is destroyed, according to the word of Pippalada.

Verse 19 (skanda.6.176.19)

यस्तस्य पुरतो भक्त्या नीलरुद्रान्सदा जपेत् । प्राणरुद्रान्विशेषेण भवरुद्रसमन्वितान्

yastasya purato bhaktyā nīlarudrānsadā japet prāṇarudrānviśeṣeṇa bhavarudrasamanvitān

Whoever, before that deity, ever recites with devotion the Nilarudra hymns, especially those joined with the Pranarudra and Bhavarudra —

Verse 20 (skanda.6.176.20)

ब्रह्महत्योद्भवं चैव अपि तस्य प्रणश्यति । परचक्रभये जाते ह्यनावृष्टिभये तथा

brahmahatyodbhavaṁ caiva api tasya praṇaśyati paracakrabhaye jāte hyanāvṛṣṭibhaye tathā

— even the sin born of killing a brahmin is destroyed for him. In the fear of an invading army, and likewise in the fear of drought —

Verse 21 (skanda.6.176.21)

अथर्ववेदे साद्यंते पठिते तस्य चाग्रतः । शत्रुर्विलयमभ्येति वृष्टिः सञ्जायते द्रुतम्

atharvavede sādyaṁte paṭhite tasya cāgrataḥ śatrurvilayamabhyeti vṛṣṭiḥ sañjāyate drutam

— when the Atharvaveda is recited in full, from beginning to end, before that deity, the enemy meets destruction, and rain swiftly comes.

Verse 22 (skanda.6.176.22)

राजदौःस्थ्ये समुत्पन्ने राजा भवति धार्मिकः । सर्वरोगविनिर्मुक्तः प्रजापालनतत्परः

rājadauḥsthye samutpanne rājā bhavati dhārmikaḥ sarvarogavinirmuktaḥ prajāpālanatatparaḥ

When distress befalls the kingdom, the king becomes righteous, free of every disease, and devoted to protecting his subjects.

Verse 23 (skanda.6.176.23)

उपसर्गभये जाते तस्य दोषः प्रशाम्यति । शनैः शनैरसंदिग्धं पिप्पलादवचो यथा

upasargabhaye jāte tasya doṣaḥ praśāmyati śanaiḥ śanairasaṁdigdhaṁ pippalādavaco yathā

When the fear of some pestilence or calamity arises, its evil gradually subsides, without doubt, as declared by the word of Pippalada.

Verse 24 (skanda.6.176.24)

किं वा ते बहुनोक्तेन यत्किंचिद्व्यसनं महत् । तत्तस्य व्यसनं किंचिदथर्वणः प्रकीर्तनात्

kiṁ vā te bahunoktena yatkiṁcidvyasanaṁ mahat tattasya vyasanaṁ kiṁcidatharvaṇaḥ prakīrtanāt

What need is there of saying more? Whatever great calamity may exist, it is diminished by the recitation of the Atharvaveda.

Verse 25 (skanda.6.176.25)

अस्य देवस्य पुरतो याति नाशं च वै द्रुतम्

asya devasya purato yāti nāśaṁ ca vai drutam

Before this deity, it is swiftly brought to naught.