The Glory of Vrishabhadhvajeshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.7.220.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ततो गच्छेन्महादेवि देवं त्रैलोक्यपूजितम्। वृषध्वजेश्वरं नाम स्थितं दक्षिणतस्तथा

īśvara uvāca| tato gacchenmahādevi devaṁ trailokyapūjitam| vṛṣadhvajeśvaraṁ nāma sthitaṁ dakṣiṇatastathā

Ishvara said: Then, O great Goddess, one should proceed to the god worshipped by the three worlds, named Vrishadhvajeshvara, situated to the south.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.220.2)

यत्तदक्षरमव्यक्तं परं यस्मान्न विद्यते। योगगम्यमनाद्यंतं वृषभध्वज संमितम्

yattadakṣaramavyaktaṁ paraṁ yasmānna vidyate| yogagamyamanādyaṁtaṁ vṛṣabhadhvaja saṁmitam

That which is imperishable and unmanifest, beyond which nothing exists, attainable only through yoga, without beginning or end — that same reality is present here as Vrishabhadhvaja.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.220.3)

सर्वाश्चर्यमयं देवि बुद्धिग्राह्यं निरामयम्। विश्वतः पाणिपादं च विश्वतोऽक्षिशिरोमुखम्

sarvāścaryamayaṁ devi buddhigrāhyaṁ nirāmayam| viśvataḥ pāṇipādaṁ ca viśvato'kṣiśiromukham

O Goddess, it is filled with wonder in every part, graspable only by the intellect, free of affliction; its hands and feet are on every side, and its eyes, heads, and faces are on every side.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.220.4)

तं च देवं चिरं स्थाणुं वृषभध्वजसंज्ञितम्। पृथुर्मरुच्च भरतः शशबिन्दुर्गयः शिबिः

taṁ ca devaṁ ciraṁ sthāṇuṁ vṛṣabhadhvajasaṁjñitam| pṛthurmaruca ca bharataḥ śaśabindurgayaḥ śibiḥ

That eternal, unmoving god, known by the name Vrishabhadhvaja — Prithu, Marutta, Bharata, Shashabindu, Gaya, and Shibi —

Verse 5 (skanda.7.220.5)

रामोंऽबरीषो मांधाता दिलीपोऽथ भगीरथः। सुहोत्रो रंतिदेवश्च ययातिः सगरस्तथा

rāmo'ṁbarīṣo māṁdhātā dilīpo'tha bhagīrathaḥ| suhotro raṁtidevaśca yayātiḥ sagarastathā

Rama, Ambarisha, Mandhata, Dilipa, Bhagiratha, Suhotra, Rantideva, Yayati, and Sagara —

Verse 6 (skanda.7.220.6)

षोडशैते नृपा धन्याः प्रभासं क्षेत्रमाश्रिताः। वृषध्वजेशमाराध्य यज्ञैरिष्ट्वा दिवं गताः

ṣoḍaśaite nṛpā dhanyāḥ prabhāsaṁ kṣetramāśritāḥ| vṛṣadhvajeśamārādhya yajñairiṣṭvā divaṁ gatāḥ

These sixteen blessed kings, having taken refuge in the field of Prabhasa, having worshipped Vrishadhvajeshvara and performed sacrifices, attained heaven.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.220.7)

सत्यं वच्मि हितं वच्मि सारं वच्मि पुनःपुनः। असारे दग्धसंसारे सारं तत्र शिवार्चनम्

satyaṁ vacmi hitaṁ vacmi sāraṁ vacmi punaḥpunaḥ| asāre dagdhasaṁsāre sāraṁ tatra śivārcanam

I speak the truth, I speak what is beneficial, I speak the essence again and again — in this insubstantial, scorching world of samsara, the worship of Shiva alone is the true essence.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.220.8)

पुनर्जन्म पुनर्मृत्युः पुनः क्लेशः पुनर्जरा। अहरहर्घटीन्यायो न कदाचिदपीदृशः

punarjanma punarmṛtyuḥ punaḥ kleśaḥ punarjarā| aharaharghaṭīnyāyo na kadācidapīdṛśaḥ

Birth again and again, death again and again, affliction again and again, old age again and again — day after day it turns like the wheel of a water-drawing device, and there is never any escape from it in this way.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.220.9)

तदा श्वेतस्य संसारग्रन्थेरत्यन्तदुर्भिदः। परं निर्मूलविच्छेदि क्रियतां तद्भवार्चनम्

tadā śvetasya saṁsāragrantheratyantadurbhidaḥ| paraṁ nirmūlavicchedi kriyatāṁ tadbhavārcanam

Of this knot of samsara, exceedingly hard to untie, the supreme means of cutting it off at the very root is the worship of Him; let that worship be performed.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.220.10)

तस्य चिन्तामणिर्गेहे तस्य कल्पद्रुमः कुले। कुबेरः किंकरस्तस्य भक्तिर्यस्य शिवे स्थिता

tasya cintāmaṇirgehe tasya kalpadrumaḥ kule| kuberaḥ kiṁkarastasya bhaktiryasya śive sthitā

In whose devotion to Shiva is firmly established, in his house dwells, as it were, the wish-fulfilling gem; in his family, the wish-granting tree; and Kubera himself becomes, as it were, his servant.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.220.11)

सेयं लक्ष्मीः पुरा पुंसां सेयं भक्तिः समीहिता। सेयं श्रेयस्करी मूर्तिर्भक्तिर्या वृषभध्वजे

seyaṁ lakṣmīḥ purā puṁsāṁ seyaṁ bhaktiḥ samīhitā| seyaṁ śreyaskarī mūrtirbhaktiryā vṛṣabhadhvaje

That alone is true prosperity for men, that alone is the devotion truly to be sought; the devotion offered to Vrishabhadhvaja alone is the form that brings true good.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.220.12)

पुष्पैः पंचभिरप्यत्र पूजयित्वा महेश्वरम्। दशानामश्वमेधानां फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः

puṣpaiḥ paṁcabhirapyatra pūjayitvā maheśvaram| daśānāmaśvamedhānāṁ phalaṁ prāpnoti mānavaḥ

Here, by worshipping Maheshvara with even just five flowers, a man obtains the fruit of ten ashvamedha sacrifices.

Verse 13 (skanda.7.220.13)

वृषभस्तत्र दातव्यो वृषभध्वज संनिधौ। सर्वपातकनाशार्थं सम्यग्यात्राफलेप्सुभिः

vṛṣabhastatra dātavyo vṛṣabhadhvaja saṁnidhau| sarvapātakanāśārthaṁ samyagyātrāphalepsubhiḥ

Those who desire the destruction of all their sins and the complete fruit of the pilgrimage should give a bull there, in the presence of Vrishabhadhvaja.