The Glory of the Three Lingas: Shatamedha, Kotimedha and Sahasramedha

Verse 1 (skanda.7.235.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। तत्रैव संस्थितं पश्येल्लिंगत्रयमनुत्तमम्। शतमेधं सहस्रमेधं कोटिमेधमिति क्रमात्

īśvara uvāca| tatraiva saṁsthitaṁ paśyelliṅgatrayamanuttamam| śatamedhaṁ sahasramedhaṁ koṭimedhamiti kramāt

Ishvara said: There itself one should behold the supreme trio of lingas, in order: Shatamedha, Sahasramedha, and Kotimedha.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.235.2)

दक्षिणे शतमेधं तु शतयज्ञफलप्रदम्। कार्तवीर्य्येण तत्रैव कृतं यज्ञशतं पुरा

dakṣiṇe śatamedhaṁ tu śatayajñaphalapradam| kārtavīryyeṇa tatraiva kṛtaṁ yajñaśataṁ purā

To the south is Shatamedha, bestowing the fruit of a hundred sacrifices; there, in former times, Kartavirya performed a hundred sacrifices.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.235.3)

प्रतिष्ठाप्य महालिंगं सर्वपातकनाशनम्। मध्यभागेऽत्र यल्लिंगं कोटिमेधेति विश्रुतम्

pratiṣṭhāpya mahāliṅgaṁ sarvapātakanāśanam| madhyabhāge'tra yalliṅgaṁ koṭimedheti viśrutam

Having established there that great linga, the destroyer of all sin—the linga situated in the middle portion here is renowned as Kotimedha.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.235.4)

तत्रेष्टा ब्रह्मणा पूर्वं कोटि संख्या मखोत्तमाः। संस्थाप्य तु महादेवं शंकरं लोकशंकरम

tatreṣṭā brahmaṇā pūrvaṁ koṭi saṁkhyā makhottamāḥ| saṁsthāpya tu mahādevaṁ śaṁkaraṁ lokaśaṁkarama

There, formerly, Brahma performed a crore of excellent sacrifices, and established there the great god Shankara, benefactor of the world.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.235.5)

तस्य उत्तरभागस्थं सहस्रक्रतुसंज्ञकम्। शक्रश्च देवराजोऽपि सहस्रं यष्टवान्क्रतून्

tasya uttarabhāgasthaṁ sahasrakratusaṁjñakam| śakraśca devarājo'pi sahasraṁ yaṣṭavānkratūn

Situated in the northern part of that is the linga called Sahasrakratu; there too Shakra, king of the gods, performed a thousand sacrifices.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.235.6)

प्रतिष्ठाप्य महालिंगं देवानामादिदैवतम्। गंधपुष्पादिविधिना पंचामृतरसोदकैः

pratiṣṭhāpya mahāliṅgaṁ devānāmādidaivatam| gaṁdhapuṣpādividhinā paṁcāmṛtarasodakaiḥ

Having established that great linga, the primal deity of the gods, and worshipped it by the rite of fragrance and flowers, and with the waters of the five nectars,

Verse 7 (skanda.7.235.7)

स प्राप्नुयात्फलं देवि लिंगनामोद्भवं क्रमात्। गोदानं तत्र देयं तु सम्यग्यात्राफलेप्सुभिः

sa prāpnuyātphalaṁ devi liṅganāmodbhavaṁ kramāt| godānaṁ tatra deyaṁ tu samyagyātrāphalepsubhiḥ

—one obtains thereby, O goddess, in due order, the fruit that arises from each linga's name. Those who desire the full fruit of the pilgrimage should give a cow in gift there.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.235.8)

दशलक्षाणि तीर्थानां तत्र तिष्ठंति भामिनि। लिंगत्रयं तथा मध्ये सर्वपातकनाशनम्

daśalakṣāṇi tīrthānāṁ tatra tiṣṭhaṁti bhāmini| liṅgatrayaṁ tathā madhye sarvapātakanāśanam

Ten hundred-thousand tirthas abide there, O lovely one, together with the trio of lingas in their midst, the destroyer of all sins.