The Glory of Markandeyeshvara (Nilakantha and the Hermitages)

Verse 1 (skanda.7.219.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। तस्मादाग्नेयकोणे तु मार्कंडेयसमीपगम्। गुहालिंगं महादेवि नीलकण्ठेति विश्रुतम्

īśvara uvāca| tasmādāgneyakoṇe tu mārkaṇḍeyasamīpagam| guhāliṅgaṁ mahādevi nīlakaṇṭheti viśrutam

Ishvara said: O great Goddess, in the southeast direction from there, near Markandeya, is a linga set within a cave, renowned by the name Nilakantha.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.219.2)

विष्णुना पूजितं पूर्वं सर्व पातकनाशनम्

viṣṇunā pūjitaṁ pūrvaṁ sarvapātakanāśanam

Worshipped in ancient times by Vishnu, it destroys all sins.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.219.3)

तत्र यः पूजयेद्भक्त्या तल्लिंगं पापमोचनम्। स पुत्रपशुमान्धीमान्मोदते पृथिवीतले

tatra yaḥ pūjayedbhaktyā talliṅgaṁ pāpamocanam| sa putrapaśumāndhīmānmodate pṛthivītale

Whoever worships that sin-releasing linga there with devotion rejoices upon the earth, blessed with sons, cattle, and wisdom.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.219.4)

एवं तत्र महादेवि मार्कण्डेयेश सन्निधौ। ऋषीणामाश्रमा येऽत्र दृश्यन्तेऽद्यापि भामिनि

evaṁ tatra mahādevi mārkaṇḍeyeśa sannidhau| ṛṣīṇāmāśramā ye'tra dṛśyante'dyāpi bhāmini

Thus, O great Goddess, near Markandeyeshvara there are hermitages of sages, O radiant one, which are still visible even today.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.219.5)

अष्टाशीतिसहस्राणि ऋषीणामूर्ध्वरेतसाम्। तत्र स्थितानि देवेशि मार्कण्डेयाश्रमांतिके

aṣṭāśītisahasrāṇi ṛṣīṇāmūrdhvaretasām| tatra sthitāni deveśi mārkaṇḍeyāśramāṁtike

O queen of gods, eighty-eight thousand hermitages of the celibate seers of controlled seed stand there, close by Markandeya's hermitage.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.219.6)

ऋषीणां च गुहास्तत्र सर्वा लिंगसमन्विताः। दृश्यन्ते पुण्यतपसां तदाश्रमनिवासिनाम्

ṛṣīṇāṁ ca guhāstatra sarvā liṅgasamanvitāḥ| dṛśyante puṇyatapasāṁ tadāśramanivāsinām

There, all the caves of those sacredly austere sages dwelling in the hermitage are seen, each containing its own linga.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.219.7)

तत्र यः स्थापयेल्लिंगं मार्कंडेशसमीपगम्। कुलानां शतमुद्धृत्य मोदते दिवि देववत्

tatra yaḥ sthāpayelliṅgaṁ mārkaṇḍeśasamīpagam| kulānāṁ śatamuddhṛtya modate divi devavat

Whoever establishes a linga there, near Markandeshvara, delivers a hundred generations of his lineage and rejoices in heaven like a god.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.219.8)

सर्वे शिवमया लोकाः शिवे सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्। तस्माच्छिवं यजेद्विद्वान्य इच्छेच्छ्रियमात्मनः

sarve śivamayā lokāḥ śive sarvaṁ pratiṣṭhitam| tasmācchivaṁ yajedvidvānya icchecchriyamātmanaḥ

All the worlds are pervaded by Shiva, and all things rest established in Shiva; therefore the wise man who desires prosperity for himself should worship Shiva.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.219.9)

शिवभक्तो न यो राजा भक्तोऽन्येषु सुरेषु च। स्वपतिं युवती त्यक्त्वा रमतेऽन्येषु वै यथा

śivabhakto na yo rājā bhakto'nyeṣu sureṣu ca| svapatiṁ yuvatī tyaktvā ramate'nyeṣu vai yathā

The king who is not devoted to Shiva but is devoted to other gods instead is like a young wife who abandons her own husband to take pleasure with others.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.219.10)

ब्रह्मादयः सुराः सर्वे राजानश्च महर्द्धिकाः। मानवा मुनयश्चैव सर्वे लिंगं यजंति च

brahmādayaḥ surāḥ sarve rājānaśca maharddhikāḥ| mānavā munayaścaiva sarve liṅgaṁ yajaṁti ca

Brahma and all the other gods, kings of great prosperity, men and sages alike — all of them worship the linga.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.219.11)

स्वनामकृतचिह्नानि लिंगानींद्रादिभिः क्रमात्। स्थापितानि यथा स्थाने मानवैरपि भूरिशः

svanāmakṛtacihnāni liṅgānīndrādibhiḥ kramāt| sthāpitāni yathā sthāne mānavairapi bhūriśaḥ

Indra and the other gods, in due order, established lingas bearing marks of their own names in their proper places, and men too have done so in abundance.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.219.12)

स्थापनाद्ब्रह्महत्यां च भ्रूणहत्यां तथैव च। महापापानि चान्यानि निस्तीर्णाः शिवतेजसा

sthāpanādbrahmahatyāṁ ca bhrūṇahatyāṁ tathaiva ca| mahāpāpāni cānyāni nistīrṇāḥ śivatejasā

By establishing the linga, the sins of killing a brahmin, of killing an embryo, and other great sins as well, have been overcome through the power of Shiva.

Verse 13 (skanda.7.219.13)

वृत्रं हत्वा पुरा शक्रो माहेन्द्रं स्थाप्य शंकरम्। लिंगं च मुक्तपापौघस्ततोऽसौ त्रिदिवं गतः

vṛtraṁ hatvā purā śakro māhendraṁ sthāpya śaṁkaram| liṅgaṁ ca muktapāpaughastato'sau tridivaṁ gataḥ

Long ago, having slain Vritra, Indra established the linga of Shankara called Mahendra, and thereby, freed from the accumulation of sin, he attained the heavens.

Verse 14 (skanda.7.219.14)

स्थापयित्वा शिवं सूर्यो गंगासागरसंगमे। निरामयोऽभूत्सोमश्च प्रभासे पश्चिमोदधेः

sthāpayitvā śivaṁ sūryo gaṁgāsāgarasaṁgame| nirāmayo'bhūtsomaśca prabhāse paścimodadheḥ

The Sun established Shiva at the confluence of the Ganga and the sea; and Soma, at Prabhasa on the western ocean's shore, became free of his affliction.

Verse 15 (skanda.7.219.15)

काश्यां चैव तथादित्यः सह्ये गरुडकाश्यपौ। प्रतिष्ठां परमां प्राप्तौ प्रतिष्ठाप्य जगत्पतिम्

kāśyāṁ caiva tathādityaḥ sahye garuḍakāśyapau| pratiṣṭhāṁ paramāṁ prāptau pratiṣṭhāpya jagatpatim

In Kashi too, Aditya, and on the Sahya mountain, Garuda and Kashyapa, having established the Lord of the universe, attained supreme glory.

Verse 16 (skanda.7.219.16)

ख्यातदोषा ह्यहिल्याऽपि भर्तृशप्ताऽभवत्तदा। स्थाप्येशानं पुनः स्त्रीत्वं लेभे पुत्रांस्तथोत्तमान्

khyātadoṣā hyahilyā'pi bhartṛśaptā'bhavattadā| sthāpyeśānaṁ punaḥ strītvaṁ lebhe putrāṁstathottamān

Even Ahalya, whose transgression became renowned and who was thereupon cursed by her husband, established Ishana and thereby regained her womanhood and excellent sons.

Verse 17 (skanda.7.219.17)

पश्यंत्यद्यापि याः स्नात्वा तत्राहिल्येश्वरं स्त्रियः। पुरुषाश्चापि तद्दोषैर्मुच्यन्ते नात्र संशयः

paśyaṁtyadyāpi yāḥ snātvā tatrāhilyeśvaraṁ striyaḥ| puruṣāścāpi taddoṣairmucyante nātra saṁśayaḥ

Women who even today bathe there and behold Ahalyeshvara, and men likewise, are freed from their transgressions — of this there is no doubt.

Verse 18 (skanda.7.219.18)

स्थापयित्वेश्वरं श्वेतशैले बलिविरोचनौ। उभावपि हि संजातावमरौ बलिनां वरौ

sthāpayitveśvaraṁ śvetaśaile balivirocanau| ubhāvapi hi saṁjātāvamarau balināṁ varau

Bali and Virochana, having established the Lord on the White Mountain, both became immortal, the foremost among the mighty.

Verse 19 (skanda.7.219.19)

रामेण रावणं हत्वा ससैन्यं त्रिदशेश्वरम्। स्थापितो विधिवद्भक्त्या तीरे नदनदीपतेः

rāmeṇa rāvaṇaṁ hatvā sasainyaṁ tridaśeśvaram| sthāpito vidhivadbhaktyā tīre nadanadīpateḥ

Rama, having slain Ravana together with his army, duly and with devotion established Tridasheshvara (Shiva) on the shore of the lord of rivers, the ocean.

Verse 20 (skanda.7.219.20)

स्वायंभुवर्षिदैवादिलिंगहीना न भूः क्वचित। पारान्सकलांस्त्यक्त्वा पूजयध्वं शिवं सदा। निकटा इव दृश्यंते कृतांतनगरोपगाः

svāyaṁbhuvarṣidaivādiliṅgahīnā na bhūḥ kvacit| pārānsakalāṁstyaktvā pūjayadhvaṁ śivaṁ sadā| nikaṭā iva dṛśyaṁte kṛtāṁtanagaropagāḥ

There is no place on earth without lingas established by Svayambhuva, by sages, by gods, and others; therefore, abandoning all other pursuits, worship Shiva always. Those approaching the city of Death seem to draw ever nearer, as if already close at hand.

Verse 21 (skanda.7.219.21)

देवि किं बहुनोक्तेन वर्णितेन पुनः पुनः। प्रभासक्षेत्रसारं तु मार्कण्डेयाश्रमं प्रति

devi kiṁ bahunoktena varṇitena punaḥ punaḥ| prabhāsakṣetrasāraṁ tu mārkaṇḍeyāśramaṁ prati

O Goddess, what need is there to say more, describing this again and again? The very essence of the field of Prabhasa lies in the hermitage of Markandeya.