The Glory of Hiranyeshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.7.153.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ततो गच्छेन्महादेवि हिरण्येश्वरमुत्तमम्। ब्रह्मकुण्डस्य वायव्ये धनुषां द्वितये स्थितम्

īśvara uvāca| tato gacchenmahādevi hiraṇyeśvaramuttamam| brahmakuṇḍasya vāyavye dhanuṣāṁ dvitaye sthitam

Ishvara said: Then, O great Goddess, one should go to the excellent Hiranyeshvara, situated in the north-west of Brahma-kunda, at a distance of two bow-lengths,

Verse 2 (skanda.7.153.2)

सर्वपापप्रशमनं दारिद्र्यौघविनाशनम्। कृतस्मराच्च परतो ह्यग्नितीर्थाच्च पूर्वतः

sarvapāpapraśamanaṁ dāridryaughavināśanam| kṛtasmarācca parato hyagnitīrthācca pūrvataḥ

the queller of all sins, the destroyer of the flood of poverty; beyond Kritasmara and to the east of Agnitirtha,

Verse 3 (skanda.7.153.3)

यमेश्वराच्च नैर्ऋत्ये समुद्रस्योत्तरे तथा। तस्य लिंगस्य प्राग्भागे ब्रह्मा तेपे महत्तपः। आराधयामास तदा देवदेवं त्रिलोचनम्

yameśvarācca nairṛtye samudrasyottare tathā| tasya liṁgasya prāgbhāge brahmā tepe mahattapaḥ| ārādhayāmāsa tadā devadevaṁ trilocanam

and in the south-west of Yameshvara, likewise to the north of the ocean — in the eastern part of that linga, Brahma performed great austerity, and there worshipped the three-eyed god of gods.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.153.4)

ततस्तुष्टो महादेवो ब्रह्मन्ब्रूहि वरो मम

tatastuṣṭo mahādevo brahmanbrūhi varo mama

Then Mahadeva, pleased, said: 'O Brahma, tell me your desired boon.'

Verse 5 (skanda.7.153.5)

ब्रह्मोवाच। यदि तुष्टोऽसि मे देव याजयामीति मे मतिः। स्थानं च यन्महापुण्यं तन्ममाख्यातुमर्हसि

brahmovāca| yadi tuṣṭo'si me deva yājayāmīti me matiḥ| sthānaṁ ca yanmahāpuṇyaṁ tanmamākhyātumarhasi

Brahma said: If you are pleased with me, O god, my intention is to hold a sacrifice; you should tell me of a place of great merit fit for it.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.153.6)

ईश्वर उवाच। कृतस्मराद्ब्रह्मकुंडं यमेशात्सागरावधि। एतदंतरमासाद्य पापी चापि विमुच्यते

īśvara uvāca| kṛtasmarādbrahmakuṁḍaṁ yameśātsāgarāvadhi| etadaṁtaramāsādya pāpī cāpi vimucyate

Ishvara said: From Kritasmara to Brahma-kunda, and from Yamesha up to the boundary of the ocean — having reached this interval, even a sinner is released.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.153.7)

वहेद्विषुवती तत्र सदा पुण्यात्मनां नृणाम्। यत्र तत्र कुरु विभो मनसा ते यथेप्सितम्

vahedviṣuvatī tatra sadā puṇyātmanāṁ nṛṇām| yatra tatra kuru vibho manasā te yathepsitam

There the river Vishuvati flows always for men of pure soul; wherever you wish, O mighty one, do as you desire in your own mind.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.153.8)

इत्युक्तः स तदा ब्रह्मा प्रारेभे यज्ञमुत्तमम्

ityuktaḥ sa tadā brahmā prārebhe yajñamuttamam

Thus addressed, Brahma then began an excellent sacrifice.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.153.9)

ततो भागार्थिनो देवा इन्द्राद्यास्तत्र चागताः। ऋषयो भागकामास्तु सर्वे तत्र समागताः

tato bhāgārthino devā indrādyāstatra cāgatāḥ| ṛṣayo bhāgakāmāstu sarve tatra samāgatāḥ

Then the gods, headed by Indra, desiring their share, came there; and all the sages too, desiring their share, gathered there.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.153.10)

ततो यज्ञागतेभ्यः स दक्षिणामददात्पुनः। ततोऽथ दक्षिणा क्षीणा दीयमाना यशस्विनि

tato yajñāgatebhyaḥ sa dakṣiṇāmadadātpunaḥ| tato'tha dakṣiṇā kṣīṇā dīyamānā yaśasvini

Then he gave sacrificial fees again to those who had come to the sacrifice; and then, O illustrious one, as it was being given, the sacrificial fee ran out.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.153.11)

ततो ब्रह्मा बहूद्विग्नो दध्यौ वै मनसा तदा। बद्धाञ्जलिपुटो भूत्वा इदं वचनमब्रवीत्

tato brahmā bahūdvigno dadhyau vai manasā tadā| baddhāñjaliputo bhūtvā idaṁ vacanamabravīt

Then Brahma, greatly agitated, pondered in his mind; and, joining his palms in reverence, spoke these words:

Verse 12 (skanda.7.153.12)

भगवन्वै विरूपाक्ष क्रतुर्नैव समाप्यते। दक्षिणादैन्यतो देव न याति परिपूर्णताम्

bhagavanvai virūpākṣa katurnaiva samāpyate| dakṣiṇādainyato deva na yāti paripūrṇatām

'O Lord Virupaksha, this sacrifice is not being completed; O god, owing to the insufficiency of the sacrificial fee, it does not attain fulfillment.'

Verse 13 (skanda.7.153.13)

दक्षिणासहिताः सर्वे यथा यांति तथा कुरु। पितामहवचः श्रुत्वा कृत्वा ध्यानं तदा मया

dakṣiṇāsahitāḥ sarve yathā yānti tathā kuru| pitāmahavacaḥ śrutvā kṛtvā dhyānaṁ tadā mayā

'Do such that all may depart having received their dakshina.' Having heard these words of the grandfather, I then, having entered into meditation—

Verse 14 (skanda.7.153.14)

स्मृता सरस्वती देवी देवानां हितकाम्यया। आगता सा महापुण्या उक्ता देवी मया तदा

smṛtā sarasvatī devī devānāṁ hitakāmyayā| āgatā sā mahāpuṇyā uktā devī mayā tadā

—out of desire for the welfare of the gods, remembered the goddess Sarasvati. That most meritorious goddess came, and I then spoke to her:

Verse 15 (skanda.7.153.15)

पद्मयोनेर्धनं क्षीणं क्रतुर्वै न समाप्यते। तस्मान्मम प्रसादेन भव काञ्चनवाहिनी

padmayonerdhanaṁ kṣīṇaṁ katurvai na samāpyate| tasmānmama prasādena bhava kāñcanavāhinī

'The wealth of the lotus-born one is exhausted; the sacrifice indeed is not being completed. Therefore, by my grace, become a river flowing with gold.'

Verse 16 (skanda.7.153.16)

सरस्वत्यास्ततः स्रोत उत्थितं पश्चिमामुखम्। काञ्चनानां तु पद्मानि उच्छ्रितानि सहस्रशः

sarasvatyāstataḥ srota utthitaṁ paścimāmukham| kāñcanānāṁ tu padmāni ucchritāni sahasraśaḥ

Then a stream of Sarasvati arose, flowing westward; and thousands of golden lotuses rose up in it.

Verse 17 (skanda.7.153.17)

काञ्चनेन प्रवाहेण तोयं सारस्वतं शुभम्। दैत्यसूदनमासाद्य अग्नितीर्थावधि प्रिये। पूरयामास पद्मैश्च कोटिशश्च समंततः

kāñcanena pravāheṇa toyaṁ sārasvataṁ śubham| daityasūdanamāsādya agnitīrthāvadhi priye| pūrayāmāsa padmaiśca koṭiśaśca samaṁtataḥ

O beloved, with that golden current, the auspicious water of Sarasvati, reaching Daityasudana and extending up to Agnitirtha, filled the region on every side with tens of millions of lotuses.

Verse 18 (skanda.7.153.18)

काञ्चनानि तु तान्येव दत्त्वा विप्रेषु दक्षिणाम्। यज्ञं निर्वर्तयामास हृष्टो ब्रह्मा द्विजैः सह

kāñcanāni tu tānyeva dattvā vipreṣu dakṣiṇām| yajñaṁ nirvartayāmāsa hṛṣṭo brahmā dvijaiḥ saha

Giving those very golden lotuses as sacrificial fees to the Brahmins, Brahma, delighted, completed the sacrifice together with the twice-born.

Verse 19 (skanda.7.153.19)

शेषाणि यानि पद्मानि तानि निःक्षिप्य भूतले। तदूर्ध्वं स्थापयामास लिंगं तु कनकेश्वरम्

śeṣāṇi yāni padmāni tāni niḥkṣipya bhūtale| tadūrdhvaṁ sthāpayāmāsa liṁgaṁ tu kanakeśvaram

Whatever lotuses remained, having laid those upon the ground, above them he established the linga named Kanakeshvara.

Verse 20 (skanda.7.153.20)

तत्र लिंगं प्रतिष्ठाप्य सर्वदेवनमस्कृतम्। ऋषिभ्यो दक्षिणां प्रादादेकैकस्य यथाक्रमम्। काञ्चनानां च पद्मानां प्रत्येकमयुतं ददौ

tatra liṁgaṁ pratiṣṭhāpya sarvadevanamaskṛtam| ṛṣibhyo dakṣiṇāṁ prādādekaikasya yathākramam| kāñcanānāṁ ca padmānāṁ pratyekamayutaṁ dadau

Having established there that linga, honored by all the gods, he gave dakshina to the sages, one by one in due order — to each he gave ten thousand golden lotuses.

Verse 21 (skanda.7.153.21)

ततः शेषाणि पद्मानि निहितानि धरातले। ब्रह्मकुण्डस्य मध्ये तु नापुण्यो लभते नरः

tataḥ śeṣāṇi padmāni nihitāni dharātale| brahmakuṇḍasya madhye tu nāpuṇyo labhate naraḥ

Then the remaining lotuses were placed upon the earth, in the middle of the Brahma-kunda; but a man devoid of merit does not obtain them.

Verse 22 (skanda.7.153.22)

तत्कुण्डतोयमद्यापि नानावर्णं प्रदृश्यते। तत्राधः पद्मसंयोगान्नीरं स्वर्णायते क्षणात्

tatkuṇḍatoyamadyāpi nānāvarṇaṁ pradṛśyate| tatrādhaḥ padmasaṁyogānnīraṁ svarṇāyate kṣaṇāt

The water of that pond, even today, is seen to be of various colors; there below, through contact with the lotuses, the water turns to gold in an instant.

Verse 23 (skanda.7.153.23)

हिरण्मयानि पद्मानि अधः कृत्वा प्रजापतिः। लिंगमूर्ध्वं प्रतिष्ठाप्य स्वयं पूजितवांस्तदा। हिरण्यकमलैर्दिव्यैर्हिरण्येशस्ततोऽभवत्

hiraṇmayāni padmāni adhaḥ kṛtvā prajāpatiḥ| liṁgamūrdhvaṁ pratiṣṭhāpya svayaṁ pūjitavāṁstadā| hiraṇyakamalairdivyairhiraṇyeśastato'bhavat

Prajapati, having placed the golden lotuses beneath and established the linga above, himself worshipped it then; and by those divine golden lotuses it thence became known as Hiranyesha.

Verse 24 (skanda.7.153.24)

सर्वपापप्रशमनं तथा दारिद्र्यनाशनम्। दृष्ट्वा हिरण्मयेशानं सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते

sarvapāpapraśamanaṁ tathā dāridryanāśanam| dṛṣṭvā hiraṇmayeśānaṁ sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate

He is the queller of all sins and likewise the destroyer of poverty; beholding Hiranmayesha, one is freed from all sins.

Verse 25 (skanda.7.153.25)

माघमासे चतुर्दश्यां यस्तल्लिंगं प्रपूजयेत्। पूजितं तेन सकलं ब्रह्माण्डं सचराचरम्

māghamāse caturdaśyāṁ yastalliṁgaṁ prapūjayet| pūjitaṁ tena sakalaṁ brahmāṇḍaṁ sacarācaram

Whoever worships that linga on the fourteenth of the month of Magha, by him the entire universe, with all that moves and moves not, is worshipped.

Verse 26 (skanda.7.153.26)

सर्वदानानि दत्तानि सर्वे देवाश्च तोषिताः। ब्रह्माण्डं तेन दत्तं स्याद्येन तल्लिंगमर्चितम्

sarvadānāni dattāni sarve devāśca toṣitāḥ| brahmāṇḍaṁ tena dattaṁ syādyena talliṁgamarcitam

All gifts are thereby given, and all the gods are satisfied; by whomever that linga is worshipped, it is as though the whole universe has been given by him.

Verse 27 (skanda.7.153.27)

एतन्मया ते कथितं स्नेहेन वरवर्णिनि। न कस्यचिन्मयाख्यातं महागोप्यं वरानने

etanmayā te kathitaṁ snehena varavarṇini| na kasyacinmayākhyātaṁ mahāgopyaṁ varānane

This has been told to you by me out of affection, O fair-complexioned one; it is a great secret, O fair-faced one, never before told by me to anyone.

Verse 28 (skanda.7.153.28)

य इदं शृणुयाद्भक्त्या पठेद्वा भक्तिसंयुतः। स गच्छेद्देवलोकं तु मुक्तः सर्वैस्तु पातकैः

ya idaṁ śṛṇuyādbhaktyā paṭhedvā bhaktisaṁyutaḥ| sa gaccheddevalokaṁ tu muktaḥ sarvaistu pātakaiḥ

Whoever, with devotion, hears this, or, endowed with devotion, recites it, he, freed from all sins, goes to the world of the gods.

Verse 29 (skanda.7.153.29)

इति ते चातिविख्याताः पवित्राः पञ्च भैरवाः। ब्रह्मकुण्डसमीपस्थाः कथितास्तव सुन्दरि

iti te cātivikhyātāḥ pavitrāḥ pañca bhairavāḥ| brahmakuṇḍasamīpasthāḥ kathitāstava sundari

Thus, O beautiful one, have these greatly renowned, sacred five Bhairavas, situated near the Brahma-kunda, been told to you.