The Greatness of Brahmeshvara (Its Origin)

Verse 1 (skanda.7.248.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ततो गच्छेन्महादेवि पूर्वोक्तं ब्रह्मपूजितम्। सरस्वत्यास्तटे संस्थं पर्णादित्यस्य पश्चिमे

īśvara uvāca| tato gacchenmahādevi pūrvoktaṁ brahmapūjitam| sarasvatyāstaṭe saṁsthaṁ parṇādityasya paścime

Ishvara said: O Mahadevi, next one should go to that same place mentioned before, worshipped by Brahma, situated on the bank of the Sarasvati, to the west of Parnaditya.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.248.2)

तस्योत्पत्तिं प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणुष्वैकमनाः प्रिये। सृजतो ब्रह्मणः पूर्वं भूतग्रामं चतुर्विधम्

tasyotpattiṁ pravakṣyāmi śṛṇuṣvaikamanāḥ priye| sṛjato brahmaṇaḥ pūrvaṁ bhūtagrāmaṁ caturvidham

O beloved, I shall now relate its origin; listen with a focused mind. Formerly, when Brahma was creating the fourfold host of living beings —

Verse 3 (skanda.7.248.3)

उत्पन्नाद्भुतरूपाढ्या नारी कमललोचना। कंबुग्रीवा सुकेशांता बिंबोष्ठी तनुमध्यमा

utpannādbhutarūpāḍhyā nārī kamalalocanā| kaṁbugrīvā sukeśāṁtā biṁboṣṭhī tanumadhyamā

—there arose a woman of marvellously beautiful form, lotus-eyed, conch-necked, lovely-haired, with lips red as the bimba fruit, and a slender waist.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.248.4)

गंभीरनाभिः सुश्रोणी पीनश्रोणिपयोधरा। पूर्णचन्द्रमुखी सा तु गूढगुल्फा सितानना

gaṁbhīranābhiḥ suśroṇī pīnaśroṇipayodharā| pūrṇacandramukhī sā tu gūḍhagulphā sitānanā

She had a deep navel, shapely hips, full hips and breasts, a face like the full moon, well-hidden ankles, and a bright countenance.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.248.5)

न देवी न च गन्धर्वी नासुरी न च पन्नगी। यादृग्रूपा वरारोहा तादृशी सा व्यजायत

na devī na ca gandharvī nāsurī na ca pannagī| yādṛgrūpā varārohā tādṛśī sā vyajāyata

She was neither a goddess, nor a Gandharva woman, nor an Asura's daughter, nor a serpent-maiden; that shapely woman was born with a beauty unlike any seen before.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.248.6)

तां दृष्ट्वा रूपसंपन्नां ब्रह्मा कामवशोऽभवत्। अथ तां प्रार्थयामास रत्यर्थं वरवर्णिनि

tāṁ dṛṣṭvā rūpasaṁpannāṁ brahmā kāmavaśo'bhavat| atha tāṁ prārthayāmāsa ratyarthaṁ varavarṇini

Beholding that beauteous woman, Brahma fell under the sway of desire. O fair one, he then entreated her for union.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.248.7)

अथ प्रार्थयतस्तस्य न्यपतत्पंचमं शिरः। खररूपं महादेवि तेन पापेन तत्क्षणात्

atha prārthayatastasya nyapatatpaṁcamaṁ śiraḥ| khararūpaṁ mahādevi tena pāpena tatkṣaṇāt

O Mahadevi, the very instant he made that entreaty, on account of that sin, his fifth head, taking on the form of a donkey, fell away that same moment.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.248.8)

ततो ज्ञात्वा महत्पापं दुहितुः कामसंभवम्। घृणया परया युक्तः प्रभासं क्षेत्रमागतः

tato jñātvā mahatpāpaṁ duhituḥ kāmasaṁbhavam| ghṛṇayā parayā yuktaḥ prabhāsaṁ kṣetramāgataḥ

Then, recognizing the grave sin of lust arisen toward his own daughter, and overcome with the deepest remorse, he came to the field of Prabhasa.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.248.9)

न कायस्य यतः शुद्धिर्विना तीर्थावगाहनात्। स स्नातः सलिले पुण्ये सरस्वत्या वरानने

na kāyasya yataḥ śuddhirvinā tīrthāvagāhanāt| sa snātaḥ salile puṇye sarasvatyā varānane

Since there is no purification of the body without immersion in a tirtha, O fair one, he bathed in the sacred waters of the Sarasvati.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.248.10)

लिंगं संस्थापयामास देवदेवस्य शूलिनः। ततो विकल्मषो भूत्वा जगाम स्वगृहं पुनः

liṅgaṁ saṁsthāpayāmāsa devadevasya śūlinaḥ| tato vikalmaṣo bhūtvā jagāma svagṛhaṁ punaḥ

He established a linga of the trident-bearing Lord of gods; and thereafter, freed of his sin, he returned once again to his own abode.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.248.11)

स्नात्वा सारस्वते तोये यस्तल्लिंगं प्रपश्यति। सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो ब्रह्मलोके महीयते

snātvā sārasvate toye yastalliṅgaṁ prapaśyati| sarvapāpavinirmukto brahmaloke mahīyate

Whoever bathes in the Sarasvati's waters and beholds that linga becomes freed from all sins and is honoured in Brahmaloka.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.248.12)

चैत्रे शुक्लचतुर्दश्यां यस्तं पश्यति मानवः। स याति परमं स्थानं यत्र देवो महेश्वरः

caitre śuklacaturdaśyāṁ yastaṁ paśyati mānavaḥ| sa yāti paramaṁ sthānaṁ yatra devo maheśvaraḥ

Whoever beholds it on the fourteenth day of the bright fortnight of Chaitra attains that supreme abode where the god Maheshvara resides.