The Glory of Janakishvara

Verse 1 (skanda.7.113.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ततो गच्छेन्महादेवि जानकीश्वरमुत्तमम्। रामेशान्नैऋते भागे धनुस्त्रिंशकसंस्थितम्॥

īśvara uvāca| tato gacchenmahādevi jānakīśvaramuttamam| rāmeśānnaiṛte bhāge dhanustriṃśakasaṃsthitam||

Ishvara said: Thereafter, O great goddess, one should go to the excellent Janakishvara, situated to the south-west of Rameshvara, at a distance of thirty bow-lengths.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.113.2)

पापघ्नं सर्वजंतूनां जानक्याऽऽराधितं पुरा। प्रतिष्ठितं विशेषेण सम्यगाराध्यशंकरम्॥

pāpaghnaṃ sarvajaṃtūnāṃ jānakyā''rādhitaṃ purā| pratiṣṭhitaṃ viśeṣeṇa samyagārādhyaśaṃkaram||

It destroys sin for all beings; in ancient times Janaki worshipped it, and having duly propitiated Shankara, she established it there with particular devotion.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.113.3)

पूर्वं तस्यैव लिंगस्य वसिष्ठेशेति नाम वै। तत्पश्चाज्जानकीशेति त्रेतायां प्रथितं क्षितौ॥

pūrvaṃ tasyaiva liṃgasya vasiṣṭheśeti nāma vai| tatpaścājjānakīśeti tretāyāṃ prathitaṃ kṣitau||

Formerly the name of that same linga was indeed Vasishthesha; thereafter, in the Treta age, it became renowned on earth as Janakisha.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.113.4)

ततः षष्टिसहस्राणि वालखिल्या महर्षयः। तत्र सिद्धिमनुप्राप्तास्तेन सिद्धेश्वरेति च॥

tataḥ ṣaṣṭisahasrāṇi vālakhilyā maharṣayaḥ| tatra siddhimanuprāptāstena siddheśvareti ca||

Then sixty thousand great sages, the Valakhilyas, attained perfection there; for that reason it is also called Siddheshvara.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.113.5)

ख्यातं कलौ महादेवि युगलिंगं महाप्रभम्। तद्दृष्ट्वा मुच्यते पापैर्दुःखदौर्भाग्यसंभवैः॥

khyātaṃ kalau mahādevi yugaliṃgaṃ mahāprabham| taddṛṣṭvā mucyate pāpairduḥkhadaurbhāgyasaṃbhavaiḥ||

O great goddess, in the Kali age this most radiant linga of the ages became famed; by beholding it one is freed from sins born of sorrow and misfortune.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.113.6)

यस्तं पूजयते भक्त्या नारी वा पुरुषोऽपि वा। संस्नाप्य विधिवद्भक्त्या स मुक्तः पातकैर्भवेत्॥

yastaṃ pūjayate bhaktyā nārī vā puruṣo'pi vā| saṃsnāpya vidhivadbhaktyā sa muktaḥ pātakairbhavet||

Whoever worships it with devotion, whether woman or man, having duly bathed it with devotion according to rule, becomes freed from sins.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.113.7)

स्नात्वा च पुष्करे तीर्थे यस्तल्लिगं प्रपूजयेत्। नियतो नियताहारो मासमेकं निरन्तरम्॥

snātvā ca puṣkare tīrthe yastalligaṃ prapūjayet| niyato niyatāhāro māsamekaṃ nirantaram||

And whoever, having bathed at the tirtha of Pushkara, worships that linga continuously for one month, disciplined and with regulated diet—

Verse 8 (skanda.7.113.8)

दिनेदिने भवेत्तस्य वाजिमेधाधिकं फलम्। माघे मासि तृतीयायां या नारी तं प्रपूजयेत्। तदन्वयेऽपि दौर्भाग्यं दुःखं शोकश्च नो भवेत्॥

dinedine bhavettasya vājimedhādhikaṃ phalam| māghe māsi tṛtīyāyāṃ yā nārī taṃ prapūjayet| tadanvaye'pi daurbhāgyaṃ duḥkhaṃ śokaśca no bhavet||

he gains, day by day, a fruit exceeding even that of the Ashvamedha sacrifice. Whatever woman worships it on the third day of the month of Magha, misfortune, sorrow, and grief will not befall even her descendants.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.113.9)

इति ते कथितं देवि माहात्म्यं पापनाशनम्। श्रुतं हरति पापानि सौभाग्यं संप्रयच्छति॥

iti te kathitaṃ devi māhātmyaṃ pāpanāśanam| śrutaṃ harati pāpāni saubhāgyaṃ saṃprayacchati||

Thus, O goddess, has this sin-destroying glory been told to you; when heard, it removes sins and bestows good fortune.