The Glory of Koteshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.7.104.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ततो गच्छेन्महादेवि कोटीश्वरमनुत्तमम्। तस्मादुत्तरतो देवि कोटीशमिति विश्रुतम्॥

īśvara uvāca| tato gacchenmahādevi koṭīśvaramanuttamam| tasmāduttarato devi koṭīśamiti viśrutam||

Ishvara said: Thereafter, O Mahadevi, one should go to the incomparable Koteshvara, which, O Devi, lies to the north of that place and is renowned by the name Koteesha.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.104.2)

पापघ्नं सर्वजंतूनां पशुपाशविमोक्षदम्। पुरा पाशुपता देवि कपालेश्वरसंनिधौ॥

pāpaghnaṁ sarvajaṁtūnāṁ paśupāśavimokṣadam| purā pāśupatā devi kapāleśvarasaṁnidhau||

It destroys the sins of all beings and grants release from the pashupasha, the bonds of worldly existence. O Devi, in ancient times, Pashupata ascetics, near Kapaleshvara —

Verse 3 (skanda.7.104.3)

तपः कुर्वंति विपुलं भस्मोद्धूलितविग्रहाः। जटामुकुटसंयुक्ता मुंजमेखलधारिणः॥

tapaḥ kurvaṁti vipulaṁ bhasmoddhūlitavigrahāḥ| jaṭāmukuṭasaṁyuktā muṁjamekhaladhāriṇaḥ||

Their bodies smeared with ash, their matted locks crowned like a diadem, wearing girdles of munja grass, performed vast austerities.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.104.4)

शांताः सर्वे जितक्रोधा ब्राह्मणाः शिवयोगिनः। तपः कुर्वंति तत्रस्था व्याप्य क्षेत्रं चतुर्द्दिशम्॥

śāṁtāḥ sarve jitakrodhā brāhmaṇāḥ śivayoginaḥ| tapaḥ kurvaṁti tatrasthā vyāpya kṣetraṁ caturddiśam||

All of them, peaceful, having conquered anger, Brahmins devoted to the yoga of Shiva, remained there and performed austerities, filling the sacred field in all four directions.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.104.5)

कोटिसंख्या महादेवि मन्त्रजाप्यपरायणाः। सम्यक्संस्थाप्य ते लिंगं कपालेशसमीपगम्॥

koṭisaṁkhyā mahādevi mantrajāpyaparāyaṇāḥ| samyaksaṁsthāpya te liṁgaṁ kapāleśasamīpagam||

O Mahadevi, they were countless — numbering a crore — devoted to the repetition of mantras. They duly installed a linga close beside Kapalesha.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.104.6)

ततस्ते पूजयांचक्रुस्तल्लिंगं भक्तिसंयुताः। ततस्तुष्टो महादेवो मुक्तिं तेषां ददौ हरः॥

tataste pūjayāṁcakrustalliṁgaṁ bhaktisaṁyutāḥ| tatastuṣṭo mahādevo muktiṁ teṣāṁ dadau haraḥ||

Thereafter, filled with devotion, they worshipped that linga. Pleased by this, the great god Hara granted them liberation.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.104.7)

ऋषयः कोटिसंख्यातास्तस्मिन्सिद्धा यतः प्रिये। तेन कोटीश्वरं लिंगं नाम्ना ख्यातं धरातले॥

ṛṣayaḥ koṭisaṁkhyātāstasminsiddhā yataḥ priye| tena koṭīśvaraṁ liṁgaṁ nāmnā khyātaṁ dharātale||

O beloved, since a crore of sages attained perfection there, that linga became renowned on earth by the name Koteshvara.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.104.8)

यस्तं पूजयते भक्त्या कोटीश्वरमनामयम्। स कोटिमन्त्रजाप्यस्य फलं प्राप्स्यति मानवः॥

yastaṁ pūjayate bhaktyā koṭīśvaramanāmayam| sa koṭimantrajāpyasya phalaṁ prāpsyati mānavaḥ||

Whatever man worships that faultless Koteshvara with devotion shall obtain the fruit of a crore of mantra-repetitions.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.104.9)

हिरण्यं तत्र दातव्यं ब्राह्मणे वेदपारगे। कोटिहोमफलं तस्य सम्यग्यात्राफलं भवेत्॥

hiraṇyaṁ tatra dātavyaṁ brāhmaṇe vedapārage| koṭihomaphalaṁ tasya samyagyātrāphalaṁ bhavet||

There, gold should be given to a Brahmin learned in the Vedas; he thereby obtains the fruit of a crore homas, and the complete fruit of the pilgrimage.