The Origin of Siddheshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.7.14.1)

देव्युवाच। यदेतद्भवता प्रोक्तं माहात्म्यं सूर्यदैवतम्। तन्मे विस्तरतो ब्रूहि देवदेव जगत्पते

devyuvāca| yadetadbhavatā proktaṁ māhātmyaṁ sūryadaivatam| tanme vistarato brūhi devadeva jagatpate

The Goddess said: This glory of the Sun-deity that you have told — O God of gods, O Lord of the universe, tell it to me in full detail.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.14.2)

कथमर्कस्थलो भूतः प्रभासक्षेत्रभूषणः। पूजनीयो महादेवः सम्यग्यात्राफलेप्सुभिः

kathamarkasthalo bhūtaḥ prabhāsakṣetrabhūṣaṇaḥ| pūjanīyo mahādevaḥ samyagyātrāphalepsubhiḥ

How did Arkasthala, the ornament of the field of Prabhāsa, come to be — that great god who should be duly worshipped by those desiring the fruit of pilgrimage?

Verse 3 (skanda.7.14.3)

के मंत्राः किं विधानं तु केषु पर्वसु पूजयेत्। जैगीषव्येश्वरो भूत्वा ह्यभूत्सिद्धेश्वरः कथम्। तन्मे कथय देवेश विस्तरात्सर्वमेव हि

ke maṁtrāḥ kiṁ vidhānaṁ tu keṣu parvasu pūjayet| jaigīṣavyeśvaro bhūtvā hyabhūtsiddheśvaraḥ katham| tanme kathaya deveśa vistarātsarvameva hi

What are the mantras, what is the procedure, and on which festival days should worship be done? Having been Jaigīṣavyeśvara, how did it become Siddheśvara? O Lord of gods, tell me all of this in full detail.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.14.4)

पाताले विवरं तत्र योगिन्यस्तत्र किं पुरा। तथा मातृगणश्चैव कथमेतदभूत्पुरा

pātāle vivaraṁ tatra yoginyastatra kiṁ purā| tathā mātṛgaṇaścaiva kathametadabhūtpurā

How did that opening to the netherworld come to be there, and how did the yoginīs come to be there in former time, and likewise the host of Mātṛs — how did all this happen in former time?

Verse 5 (skanda.7.14.5)

एतत्सर्वमशेषेण दयां कृत्वा जगत्पते। ममाचक्ष्व विरूपाक्ष यद्यहं ते प्रिया हर

etatsarvamaśeṣeṇa dayāṁ kṛtvā jagatpate| mamācakṣva virūpākṣa yadyahaṁ te priyā hara

Tell me all of this in full, O Lord of the universe, showing your compassion. O Virūpākṣa, O Hara, if indeed I am dear to you.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.14.6)

ईश्वर उवाच। साधु पृष्टं त्वया देवि कथयामि समासतः। सिद्धेश्वरो ह्यभूद्येन जैगीषव्येश्वरो हरः

īśvara uvāca| sādhu pṛṣṭaṁ tvayā devi kathayāmi samāsataḥ| siddheśvaro hyabhūdyena jaigīṣavyeśvaro haraḥ

Īśvara said: Well have you asked, O Goddess; I shall tell it in brief — by what cause Jaigīṣavyeśvara Hara became Siddheśvara.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.14.7)

पूजाविधानं विस्तीर्य तन्मे निगदतः शृणु। आसीदस्मिन्कृते देवि सर्व ज्ञानविशारदः

pūjāvidhānaṁ vistīrya tanme nigadataḥ śṛṇu| āsīdasminkṛte devi sarva jñānaviśāradaḥ

Listen as I recount it, expounding the rite of worship in full. In this Kṛta age, O Goddess, there was one skilled in all knowledge.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.14.8)

पुत्रः शतकलाकस्य जैगीषव्य इति श्रुतः। प्रभासक्षेत्रमासाद्य स चक्रे दुश्चरं तपः

putraḥ śatakalākasya jaigīṣavya iti śrutaḥ| prabhāsakṣetramāsādya sa cakre duścaraṁ tapaḥ

The son of Śatakalāka, heard by the name Jaigīṣavya, reached the field of Prabhāsa and performed austerity difficult to endure.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.14.9)

अतिष्ठद्वायुभक्षश्च वर्षाणां शतकं किल। अम्बुभक्षः सहस्रं तु शाकाहारोऽयुतं तथा

atiṣṭhadvāyubhakṣaśca varṣāṇāṁ śatakaṁ kila| ambubhakṣaḥ sahasraṁ tu śākāhāro'yutaṁ tathā

He stood subsisting on air alone for a hundred years; then subsisting on water alone for a thousand years; and on a diet of herbs for ten thousand years.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.14.10)

चांद्रायणसहस्रं च कृतं सांतपनं पुनः। शोषयित्वा मिताहारो दिग्वासाः समपद्यत

cāṁdrāyaṇasahasraṁ ca kṛtaṁ sāṁtapanaṁ punaḥ| śoṣayitvā mitāhāro digvāsāḥ samapadyata

Then he performed a thousand Cāndrāyaṇa vows and the Sāntapana vow again. Having emaciated his body, he became a moderate eater, clad only in the directions.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.14.11)

पूर्वे कल्पे स्वयं भूतं महोदयमिति श्रुतम्। स लिंगं देवदेवस्य प्रतिष्ठाप्यार्चयन्नपि

pūrve kalpe svayaṁ bhūtaṁ mahodayamiti śrutam| sa liṁgaṁ devadevasya pratiṣṭhāpyārcayannapi

That liṅga, self-manifest in a former kalpa, known by the name Mahodaya — he established it and worshipped the God of gods.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.14.12)

भस्मशायी भस्मदिग्धो नृत्त गीतैरतोषयत्। जपेन वृषनादैश्च तपसा भावितः शुचिः

bhasmaśāyī bhasmadigdho nṛtta gītairatoṣayat| japena vṛṣanādaiśca tapasā bhāvitaḥ śuciḥ

Sleeping upon ashes, smeared with ashes, he pleased the Lord with dance and song. Through recitation and the roaring cry of the bull, made pure and sanctified by austerity.

Verse 13 (skanda.7.14.13)

तमेवं तोषयाणं तु भक्त्या परमया युतम्। भगवांश्च तमभ्येत्य इदं वचनमब्रवीत्

tamevaṁ toṣayāṇaṁ tu bhaktyā paramayā yutam| bhagavāṁśca tamabhyetya idaṁ vacanamabravīt

Seeing him thus pleasing him, filled with supreme devotion, the Lord approached him and spoke these words.

Verse 14 (skanda.7.14.14)

जैगीषव्य महाबुद्धे पश्य मां दिव्यचक्षुषा। तुष्टोऽस्मि वरदश्चाहं ब्रूहि यत्ते मनोगतम्

jaigīṣavya mahābuddhe paśya māṁ divyacakṣuṣā| tuṣṭo'smi varadaścāhaṁ brūhi yatte manogatam

O greatly wise Jaigīṣavya, behold me with divine eyes. I am pleased and ready to grant a boon; tell me what is in your mind.

Verse 15 (skanda.7.14.15)

स एवमुक्तो देवेन देवं दृष्ट्वा त्रिलोचनम्। प्रणम्य शिरसा पादाविदं वचनमब्रवीत्

sa evamukto devena devaṁ dṛṣṭvā trilocanam| praṇamya śirasā pādāvidaṁ vacanamabravīt

Thus addressed by the god, and beholding the three-eyed deity, bowing his head at his feet, he spoke these words.

Verse 16 (skanda.7.14.16)

जैगीषव्य उवाच। भगवन्देवदेवेश मम तुष्टो यदि प्रभो। ज्ञानयोगं हि मे देहि यः संसारनिकृन्तनम्

jaigīṣavya uvāca| bhagavandevadeveśa mama tuṣṭo yadi prabho| jñānayogaṁ hi me dehi yaḥ saṁsāranikṛntanam

Jaigīṣavya said: O blessed one, O God of gods, O Lord, if you are pleased with me, grant me that yoga of knowledge which severs worldly bondage.

Verse 17 (skanda.7.14.17)

भगवन्नान्यदिच्छामि योगात्परतरं हितम्। त्वयि भक्तिश्च नित्यं मे देव्यां स्कन्दे गणेश्वरे

bhagavannānyadicchāmi yogātparataraṁ hitam| tvayi bhaktiśca nityaṁ me devyāṁ skande gaṇeśvare

O blessed one, I desire no other good higher than yoga. May my devotion be ever fixed on you, on the Goddess, on Skanda, and on the lord of the gaṇas.

Verse 18 (skanda.7.14.18)

न च व्याधिभयं भूयान्न च तेजोऽपमानता। अनुत्सेकं तथा क्षांतिं दमं शममथापि च

na ca vyādhibhayaṁ bhūyānna ca tejo'pamānatā| anutsekaṁ tathā kṣāṁtiṁ damaṁ śamamathāpi ca

May there be no fear of disease for me, nor any dishonoring of my vigor. And likewise freedom from arrogance, patience, self-restraint, and tranquility.

Verse 19 (skanda.7.14.19)

एतान्वरान्महादेव त्वदिच्छामि त्रिलोचन

etānvarānmahādeva tvadicchāmi trilocana

O great God, O three-eyed one, these boons I desire from you.

Verse 20 (skanda.7.14.20)

ईश्वर उवाच। अजरश्चामरश्चैव सर्वशोकविवर्जितः। महायोगी महावीर्यो योगैश्वर्यसमन्वितः

īśvara uvāca| ajaraścāmaraścaiva sarvaśokavivarjitaḥ| mahāyogī mahāvīryo yogaiśvaryasamanvitaḥ

Īśvara said: You shall be ageless and immortal, and free from all sorrow. A great yogī, of great vigor, endowed with the power of yoga.

Verse 21 (skanda.7.14.21)

प्रभावाच्चास्य क्षेत्रस्य गुह्यस्य मम शाश्वतम्। योगाष्टगुणमैश्वर्यं प्राप्स्यसे परमं महत्

prabhāvāccāsya kṣetrasya guhyasya mama śāśvatam| yogāṣṭaguṇamaiśvaryaṁ prāpsyase paramaṁ mahat

By the power of this, my eternal secret field, you shall attain the supreme, great sovereignty comprising the eight qualities of yogic power.

Verse 22 (skanda.7.14.22)

भविष्यसि मुनिश्रेष्ठ योगाचार्यः सुविश्रुतः

bhaviṣyasi muniśreṣṭha yogācāryaḥ suviśrutaḥ

O foremost of sages, you shall become a renowned teacher of yoga.

Verse 23 (skanda.7.14.23)

यश्चेदं त्वत्कृतं लिगं नियमेनार्चयिष्यति। सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो योगं दिव्यमवाप्स्यति

yaścedaṁ tvatkṛtaṁ liṁgaṁ niyamenārcayiṣyati| sarvapāpavinirmukto yogaṁ divyamavāpsyati

Whoever shall worship, with regular observance, this liṅga established by you, freed from all sin, shall attain divine yoga.

Verse 24 (skanda.7.14.24)

जैगीषव्यगुहां चेमां प्राप्य योगं करोति यः। स सप्तरात्राद्युक्तात्मा संसारं संतरिष्यति

jaigīṣavyaguhāṁ cemāṁ prāpya yogaṁ karoti yaḥ| sa saptarātrādyuktātmā saṁsāraṁ saṁtariṣyati

Whoever, having reached this Jaigīṣavya cave, practices yoga, becoming disciplined within just seven nights, shall cross beyond worldly existence.

Verse 25 (skanda.7.14.25)

मासेन पूर्वजातिं च जन्मातीतं च वेत्स्यति। एकरात्रात्तनुं शुद्धां द्वाभ्यां तारयते पितॄन्। त्रिरात्रेण व्यतीतेन त्वपरान्सप्त तारयेत्

māsena pūrvajātiṁ ca janmātītaṁ ca vetsyati| ekarātrāttanuṁ śuddhāṁ dvābhyāṁ tārayate pitṝn| trirātreṇa vyatītena tvaparānsapta tārayet

In a month he shall know his former birth and births now past. In one night he obtains a pure body; in two nights he saves his ancestors; and when three nights have passed, he shall save seven other generations besides.

Verse 26 (skanda.7.14.26)

पुनश्च तव विप्रर्षे अजेयत्वं च योगिभिः। इच्छतो दर्शनं चैव भविष्यति च ते मम

punaśca tava viprarṣe ajeyatvaṁ ca yogibhiḥ| icchato darśanaṁ caiva bhaviṣyati ca te mama

And again, O brāhmaṇa-sage, you shall be unconquerable by yogīs. And whenever you desire it, you shall have my vision too.

Verse 27 (skanda.7.14.27)

इति देवो वरान्दत्त्वा तत्रैवांतरधीयत। एतत्कृतयुगे वृत्तं तव देवि प्रभाषितम्

iti devo varāndattvā tatraivāṁtaradhīyata| etatkṛtayuge vṛttaṁ tava devi prabhāṣitam

Thus, having granted these boons, the god vanished right there. This happened in the Kṛta age, O Goddess, as I have declared to you.

Verse 28 (skanda.7.14.28)

त्रेतायुगे महादेवि द्वापरेऽपि तथैव च। कलियुगप्रवेशे तु वालखिल्या महर्षयः

tretāyuge mahādevi dvāpare'pi tathaiva ca| kaliyugapraveśe tu vālakhilyā maharṣayaḥ

O great Goddess, the same occurred in the Tretā age and likewise in Dvāpara. At the entrance of the Kali age, the great sages, the Vālakhilyas—

Verse 29 (skanda.7.14.29)

अस्मिन्प्राभासिके क्षेत्रे सूर्यस्थलसमीपतः। आराधयंतो देवेशं गुहामध्यनिवासिनम्

asminprābhāsike kṣetre sūryasthalasamīpataḥ| ārādhayaṁto deveśaṁ guhāmadhyanivāsinam

in this very Prābhāsika field, near Sūryasthala, worshipping the Lord of gods who dwells within the cave.

Verse 30 (skanda.7.14.30)

अष्टाशीतिसहस्राणि ऋषयश्चोर्द्धरेतसः। वर्षायुतं तपस्तप्त्वा सिद्धिं जग्मुस्तदात्मिकाम्

aṣṭāśītisahasrāṇi ṛṣayaścordddharetasaḥ| varṣāyutaṁ tapastaptvā siddhiṁ jagmustadātmikām

Eighty-eight thousand sages of upward-flowing seed, having performed austerity for ten thousand years, attained perfection of that very nature.

Verse 31 (skanda.7.14.31)

ततः सिद्धेश्वरं लिंगं कलौ ख्यातं वरानने। यदा सोमेन संयुक्ता कृष्णा शिवचतुर्दशी। तदैव तस्य देवस्य दर्शनं देवि दुर्ल्लभम्

tataḥ siddheśvaraṁ liṁgaṁ kalau khyātaṁ varānane| yadā somena saṁyuktā kṛṣṇā śivacaturdaśī| tadaiva tasya devasya darśanaṁ devi durllabham

For this reason the liṅga of Siddheśvara became renowned in the Kali age, O fair-faced one. When the dark Śivacaturdaśī falls conjoined with the moon, precisely then, O Goddess, is the vision of that god held to be rare and precious.

Verse 32 (skanda.7.14.32)

ब्रह्मांडं सकलं दत्त्वा यत्पुण्यमुपजायते। तत्पुण्यं लभते देवि सिद्धलिंगस्य पूजनात्

brahmāṁḍaṁ sakalaṁ dattvā yatpuṇyamupajāyate| tatpuṇyaṁ labhate devi siddhaliṁgasya pūjanāt

Whatever merit arises from giving away the entire universe as a gift — that same merit, O Goddess, is obtained through the worship of the Siddhaliṅga.