The Founding of Kubera-nagara and the Glory of the Somanatha Linga Established by Kubera

Verse 1 (skanda.7.290.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ततो गच्छेन्महादेवि कुबेरस्थानमुत्तमम्। यत्र सिद्धः पुरा देवि कुबेरो धनदोऽभवत्

īśvara uvāca| tato gacchenmahādevi kuberasthānamuttamam| yatra siddhaḥ purā devi kubero dhanado'bhavat

Ishvara said: O great Goddess, go then to the excellent abode of Kubera, where formerly the accomplished Kubera became Dhanada, the giver of wealth.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.290.2)

ब्राह्मणश्चौररूपेण तत्र स्थानेऽवसत्पुरा। स च मे भक्तियोगेन पुरा वै धनदः कृतः

brāhmaṇaścaurarūpeṇa tatra sthāne'vasatpurā| sa ca me bhaktiyogena purā vai dhanadaḥ kṛtaḥ

A brahmin, in the guise of a thief, once dwelt in that place; and through the yoga of devotion he was made Dhanada by Me.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.290.3)

देव्युवाच। कथं स ब्राह्मणो भूत्वा चौररूपो नराधमः। तन्मे कथय देवेश धनदः स यथाऽभवत्

devyuvāca| kathaṁ sa brāhmaṇo bhūtvā caurarūpo narādhamaḥ| tanme kathaya deveśa dhanadaḥ sa yathā'bhavat

The Goddess said: O Lord of gods, how did that brahmin, who had become the vilest of men in the guise of a thief, come to be Dhanada? Tell me that.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.290.4)

ईश्वर उवाच। तस्मिन्नर्थे महादेवि यद्वृत्तं चौत्तमेंऽतरे। कथयिष्यामि तत्सर्वं शिवमाहात्म्यसूचकम्

īśvara uvāca| tasminnarthe mahādevi yadvṛttaṁ cauttameṁ'tare| kathayiṣyāmi tatsarvaṁ śivamāhātmyasūcakam

Ishvara said: O great Goddess, on that matter I shall relate to you everything that happened in a former age, all of it indicative of the glory of Shiva.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.290.5)

कश्चिदासीद्द्विजो देवि देवशर्मेति विश्रुतः। प्रभासक्षेत्रनिलयो न्यंकुमत्यास्तटेऽवसत्

kaścidāsīddvijo devi devaśarmeti viśrutaḥ| prabhāsakṣetranilayo nyaṁkumatyāstaṭe'vasat

There was, O Goddess, a certain brahmin renowned by the name Devasharma, dwelling in the field of Prabhasa on the bank of the river Nyankumati.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.290.6)

पुत्रक्षेत्रकलत्रादिव्यापारैकरतः सदा। विहायाथ स गार्हस्थ्यं धनार्थं लोभमोहितः। प्रचचार महीमेतां सग्रामनगरांतराम्

putrakṣetrakalatrādivyāpāraikarataḥ sadā| vihāyātha sa gārhasthyaṁ dhanārthaṁ lobhamohitaḥ| pracacāra mahīmetāṁ sagrāmanagarāṁtarām

Ever devoted solely to the affairs of sons, land, wife and the like, he then abandoned householder life, deluded by greed for wealth, and wandered this earth through villages and cities.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.290.7)

भार्या तस्य विलोलाक्षी तस्य गेहाद्विनिर्गता। स्वच्छंदचारिणी नित्यं नित्यं चानंगमोहिता

bhāryā tasya vilolākṣī tasya gehādvinirgatā| svacchaṁdacāriṇī nityaṁ nityaṁ cānaṁgamohitā

His wide-eyed wife left his house, ever wandering at her own will, ever infatuated with desire.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.290.8)

तस्यां कदाचित्पुत्रस्तु शूद्राज्जातो विधेर्वशात्। दुष्टात्माऽतीव निर्मुक्तो नाम्ना दुःसह इत्यतः

tasyāṁ kadācitputrastu śūdrājjāto vidhervaśāt| duṣṭātmā'tīva nirmukto nāmnā duḥsaha ityataḥ

By the decree of fate she bore a son by a shudra—an exceedingly wicked soul, utterly shameless, named Duhsaha, 'the unbearable.'

Verse 9 (skanda.7.290.9)

सोऽथ कालेन महता नामकर्मप्रवर्तितः। व्यसनोपहतः पापस्त्यक्तो बन्धुजनैस्तथा

so'tha kālena mahatā nāmakarmapravartitaḥ| vyasanopahataḥ pāpastyakto bandhujanaistathā

After a long time he came to act true to his name, a sinner afflicted by vices, forsaken even by his own kinsfolk.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.290.10)

पूजोपकरणं द्रव्यं स कस्मिंश्चिच्छिवालये। बहुदोषामुखे दृष्ट्वा हर्तुकामोऽविशत्ततः

pūjopakaraṇaṁ dravyaṁ sa kasmiṁścicchivālaye| bahudoṣāmukhe dṛṣṭvā hartukāmo'viśattataḥ

Seeing the wealth meant for worship in a certain Shiva-temple, poorly guarded and full of faults, he entered it, wishing to steal it.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.290.11)

यावद्दीपो गतप्रायो वर्त्तिच्छेदोऽभवत्किल। तावत्तेन दशा दत्ता द्रव्यान्वेषणकारणात्

yāvaddīpo gataprāyo vartticchedo'bhavatkila| tāvattena daśā dattā dravyānveṣaṇakāraṇāt

Just as the lamp was about to go out, its wick having failed, he groped about with his hand searching for the goods.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.290.12)

प्रबुद्धश्चोत्थितस्तत्र देवपूजाकरो नरः। कोऽयं कोयमिति प्रोच्चैर्व्याहरत्परिघायुधः

prabuddhaścotthitastatra devapūjākaro naraḥ| ko'yaṁ koyamiti proccairvyāharatparighāyudhaḥ

There the man who tended the god's worship woke, rose, and, armed with a mace, cried loudly, 'Who is this? Who is this?'

Verse 13 (skanda.7.290.13)

स च प्राणभयान्नष्टः शूद्रजश्चापि मूढधीः। विनिन्दन्नात्मनो जन्म कर्म चापि सुदुःखितः

sa ca prāṇabhayānnaṣṭaḥ śūdrajaścāpi mūḍhadhīḥ| vinindannātmano janma karma cāpi suduḥkhitaḥ

He, though shudra-born and dull-witted, fled in fear of his life, condemning his own birth and deed, utterly wretched.

Verse 14 (skanda.7.290.14)

पुरपालैर्हतोऽवन्यां मृतः कालादभूच्च सः। गंधारविषये राजा ख्यातो नाम्ना सुदुर्मुखः

purapālairhato'vanyāṁ mṛtaḥ kālādabhūcca saḥ| gaṁdhāraviṣaye rājā khyāto nāmnā sudurmukhaḥ

Struck down by the city-guards, he died there on the ground; and in time he became, by fate's working, a king in the Gandhara country renowned by the name Sudurmukha.

Verse 15 (skanda.7.290.15)

गीतवाद्यरतस्तत्र वेश्यासु निरतो भृशम्। प्रजोपद्रवकृन्मूर्खः सर्वधर्मबहिष्कृतः

gītavādyaratastatra veśyāsu nirato bhṛśam| prajopadravakṛnmūrkhaḥ sarvadharmabahiṣkṛtaḥ

There, devoted to song and music, greatly attached to courtesans, a foolish oppressor of his people, he stood excluded from all dharma.

Verse 16 (skanda.7.290.16)

किन्त्वर्चयन्सदैवासौ लिंगं राज्यक्रमागतम्। पुष्पस्रग्धूपनैवेद्यगंधादिभिरमन्त्रवत्

kintvarcayansadaivāsau liṁgaṁ rājyakramāgatam| puṣpasragdhūpanaivedyagaṁdhādibhiramantravat

Yet he ever worshipped the linga that had come to him through the royal succession, with flowers, garlands, incense, food-offerings and sandal-paste, though without knowledge of mantras.

Verse 17 (skanda.7.290.17)

मुख्येषु च सदा काले देवतायतनेषु च। दद्यात्स बहुलान्दीपान्वर्तिभिश्च समुज्ज्वलान्

mukhyeṣu ca sadā kāle devatāyataneṣu ca| dadyātsa bahulāndīpānvartibhiśca samujjvalān

And at all the chief times, in the temples of the gods, he would offer many lamps, blazing bright with wicks.

Verse 18 (skanda.7.290.18)

कदाचिन्मृगयासक्तो बभ्राम स च वीर्यवान्। प्रभासक्षेत्रमागात्य पूर्वसंस्कारभावितः

kadācinmṛgayāsakto babhrāma sa ca vīryavān| prabhāsakṣetramāgātya pūrvasaṁskārabhāvitaḥ

Once, that valorous king, given to hunting, wandering about, came to the field of Prabhasa, drawn there by the impressions of a former life.

Verse 19 (skanda.7.290.19)

परैरभिहतो युद्धे न्यंकुमत्यास्तटे शुभे। शिवपूजाविधानेन विध्वस्ताशेषपातकः

parairabhihato yuddhe nyaṁkumatyāstaṭe śubhe| śivapūjāvidhānena vidhvastāśeṣapātakaḥ

Slain in battle by enemies on the fair bank of the Nyankumati, all his sins were destroyed through the rite of Shiva-worship he had performed.

Verse 20 (skanda.7.290.20)

ततो विश्रवसश्चासौ पुत्रोऽभूद्भुवि विश्रुतः। यः स एव महातेजाः सर्वयज्ञाधिपो बली

tato viśravasaścāsau putro'bhūdbhuvi viśrutaḥ| yaḥ sa eva mahātejāḥ sarvayajñādhipo balī

Then he was born as the son of Vishravas and became renowned on earth—that same one of great splendor, lord of all sacrifices, mighty,

Verse 21 (skanda.7.290.21)

कुबेर इति धर्मात्मा श्रुतशीलसमन्वितः। लिंगं प्रतिष्ठयामास न्यंकुमत्याश्च पूर्वतः

kubera iti dharmātmā śrutaśīlasamanvitaḥ| liṁgaṁ pratiṣṭhayāmāsa nyaṁkumatyāśca pūrvataḥ

righteous of soul, named Kubera, endowed with learning and good conduct; he established a linga to the east of the Nyankumati.

Verse 22 (skanda.7.290.22)

कौबेरात्पश्चिमे भागे सोमनाथेति विश्रुतम्। संपूज्य च यथेशानं न्यंकुमत्यास्तटे शुभे। स्तोत्रेणानेन चास्तौषीद्भक्त्या तं सर्वकामदम्

kauberātpaścime bhāge somanātheti viśrutam| saṁpūjya ca yatheśānaṁ nyaṁkumatyāstaṭe śubhe| stotreṇānena cāstauṣīdbhaktyā taṁ sarvakāmadam

In the western part of the Kaubera site he established the linga renowned by the name Somanatha; and having duly worshipped Ishana there on the fair bank of the Nyankumati, he praised with devotion, by this hymn, Him who grants all desires.

Verse 23 (skanda.7.290.23)

मूर्तिः क्वापि महेश्वरस्य महती यज्ञस्य मूलोदया तुम्बी तुंगफलावती च शतशो ब्रह्माण्डकोटिस्तथा। यन्मानं न पितामहो न च हरिर्ब्रह्माण्डमध्यस्थितो जानात्यन्यसुरेषु का च गणना सा संततं वोऽवतात्

mūrtiḥ kvāpi maheśvarasya mahatī yajñasya mūlodayā tumbī tuṁgaphalāvatī ca śataśo brahmāṇḍakoṭistathā| yanmānaṁ na pitāmaho na ca harirbrahmāṇḍamadhyasthito jānātyanyasureṣu kā ca gaṇanā sā saṁtataṁ vo'vatāt

The form of Maheshvara is, in one aspect, as vast as sacrifice itself—its rising source like a lofty gourd laden with fruit, holding within it hundreds of millions of universes; whose measure even Brahma and Hari, though stationed at the heart of the universe, cannot know—what then of other gods—may that ever protect us.

Verse 24 (skanda.7.290.24)

नमाम्यहं देवमजं पुराणमुपेन्द्रमिन्द्रावरराजजुष्टम्। शशांकसूर्याग्निसमाननेत्रं वृषेन्द्रचिह्नं प्रलयादिहेतुम्

namāmyahaṁ devamajaṁ purāṇamupendramindrāvararājajuṣṭam| śaśāṁkasūryāgnisamānanetraṁ vṛṣendracihnaṁ pralayādihetum

I bow to that unborn, ancient God, served by Upendra and the foremost of Indras, whose eyes are like moon, sun and fire, whose emblem is the bull, the cause of dissolution and all things.

Verse 25 (skanda.7.290.25)

सर्वेश्वरैकत्रिबलैकबन्धुं योगाधिगम्यं जगतोऽधिवासम्। तं विस्मयाधारमनंतशक्तिं ज्ञानोद्भवं धैर्यगुणाधिकं च

sarveśvaraikatribalaikabandhuṁ yogādhigamyaṁ jagato'dhivāsam| taṁ vismayādhāramanaṁtaśaktiṁ jñānodbhavaṁ dhairyaguṇādhikaṁ ca

The sole kinsman of the threefold power of all the lords, knowable through yoga, the abode of the world; the ground of wonder, of infinite power, the source of knowledge, foremost in the virtue of steadfastness.

Verse 26 (skanda.7.290.26)

पिनाकपाशांकुशशूलहस्तं कपर्दिनं मेघसमानघोषम्। सकालकण्ठं स्फटिकावभासं नमामि शंभुं भुवनैकनाथम्

pinākapāśāṁkuśaśūlahastaṁ kapardinaṁ meghasamānaghoṣam| sakālakaṇṭhaṁ sphaṭikāvabhāsaṁ namāmi śaṁbhuṁ bhuvanaikanātham

Bearing in his hands the trident, noose, goad and spear, matted-locked, of a voice deep as thunderclouds, dark-throated, radiant as crystal—I bow to Shambhu, the sole lord of the worlds.

Verse 27 (skanda.7.290.27)

कपालिनं मालिनमादिदेवं जटाधरं भीमभुजंगहारम्। प्रभासितारं च सहस्रमूर्तिं सहस्रशीर्षं पुरुषं विशिष्टम्

kapālinaṁ mālinamādidevaṁ jaṭādharaṁ bhīmabhujaṁgahāram| prabhāsitāraṁ ca sahasramūrtiṁ sahasraśīrṣaṁ puruṣaṁ viśiṣṭam

To Him who wears the skull, garlanded, the primal God, matted-locked, wearing fearsome serpents as a garland, the illuminator, of a thousand forms, the thousand-headed, distinguished Purusha.

Verse 28 (skanda.7.290.28)

यदक्षरं निर्गुणमप्रमेयं सज्योतिरेकं प्रवदंति संतः। दूरंगमं वेद्यमनिंद्यवन्द्यं सर्वेषु हृत्स्थं परमं पवित्रम्

yadakṣaraṁ nirguṇamaprameyaṁ sajyotirekaṁ pravadaṁti saṁtaḥ| dūraṁgamaṁ vedyamaniṁdyavandyaṁ sarveṣu hṛtsthaṁ paramaṁ pavitram

Whom the good call the imperishable, attributeless, immeasurable, the one self-luminous light; far-reaching, knowable, blameless, worthy of praise, abiding as the supreme, pure one in the hearts of all.

Verse 29 (skanda.7.290.29)

तेजोनिभं बालमृगांकमौलिं नमामि रुद्रं स्फुरदुग्रवक्त्रम्। कालेन्धनं कामदमस्तसंगं धर्मासनस्थं प्रकृतिद्वयस्थम्

tejonibhaṁ bālamṛgāṁkamauliṁ namāmi rudraṁ sphuradugravaktram| kālendhanaṁ kāmadamastasaṁgaṁ dharmāsanasthaṁ prakṛtidvayastham

Splendor-like, crowned with the young moon, of blazing, fierce countenance, I bow to Rudra—the fuel of time, the giver of desires, free of attachment, seated on the throne of dharma, abiding in the twofold nature.

Verse 30 (skanda.7.290.30)

अतीन्द्रियं विश्वभुजं जितारिं गुणत्रयातीतमजं निरीहम्। तमोमयं वेदमयं चिदंशं प्रजापतीशं पुरुहूतमिन्द्रम्। अनागतैकध्वनिरूपमाद्यं ध्यायंति यं योगविदो यतीन्द्राः

atīndriyaṁ viśvabhujaṁ jitāriṁ guṇatrayātītamajaṁ nirīham| tamomayaṁ vedamayaṁ cidaṁśaṁ prajāpatīśaṁ puruhūtamindram| anāgataikadhvanirūpamādyaṁ dhyāyaṁti yaṁ yogavido yatīndrāḥ

Beyond the senses, pervading the universe, victorious over foes, beyond the three gunas, unborn, desireless; consisting of tamas, consisting of the Veda, a portion of pure consciousness, the lord of the Prajapatis, invoked by all, of the primal form of the unstruck sound—whom the knowers of yoga, the great ascetics, meditate upon.

Verse 31 (skanda.7.290.31)

संसारपाशच्छिदुरं विमुक्तः पुनः पुनस्त्वां प्रणमामि देवम्

saṁsārapāśacchiduraṁ vimuktaḥ punaḥ punastvāṁ praṇamāmi devam

Freed, I bow again and again to You, the Lord, the cutter of the bond of Samsara.

Verse 32 (skanda.7.290.32)

निरूपमास्यं च बलप्रभावं न च स्वभावं परमस्य पुंसः। विज्ञायते विष्णुपितामहाद्यैस्तं वामदेवं प्रणमाम्यचिंत्यम्

nirūpamāsyaṁ ca balaprabhāvaṁ na ca svabhāvaṁ paramasya puṁsaḥ| vijñāyate viṣṇupitāmahādyaistaṁ vāmadevaṁ praṇamāmyaciṁtyam

Neither His incomparable form, nor the power of His might, nor the nature of that Supreme Being is known even by Vishnu, Brahma and the rest; I bow to Him, the inconceivable Vamadeva.

Verse 33 (skanda.7.290.33)

शिवं समाराध्य तमुग्रमूर्त्तिं पपौ समुद्रं भगवानगस्त्यः। लेभे दिलीपोऽप्यखिलांश्च कामांस्तं विश्वयोनिं शरणं प्रपद्ये

śivaṁ samārādhya tamugramūrttiṁ papau samudraṁ bhagavānagastyaḥ| lebhe dilīpo'pyakhilāṁśca kāmāṁstaṁ viśvayoniṁ śaraṇaṁ prapadye

Having worshipped Shiva of that fierce form, the blessed sage Agastya drank up the ocean; king Dilipa too obtained all his desires—I take refuge in Him, the source of the universe.

Verse 34 (skanda.7.290.34)

देवेन्द्रवन्द्योद्धर मामनाथं शम्भो कृपाकारुणिकः किल त्वम्। दुःखाऽर्णवे मग्नमुमेश दीनं समुद्धर त्वं भव शंकरोऽसि

devendravandyoddhara māmanāthaṁ śambho kṛpākāruṇikaḥ kila tvam| duḥkhā'rṇave magnamumeśa dīnaṁ samuddhara tvaṁ bhava śaṁkaro'si

O Shambhu, worshipped by the lord of gods, deliver me, the helpless one, for you are truly compassionate and merciful; raise me up, drowning in the ocean of sorrow, O Umesha, wretched as I am—you are Shankara, the giver of good.

Verse 35 (skanda.7.290.35)

संपूजयन्तो दिवि देवसंघा ब्रह्मेन्द्ररुद्रा विहरंति कामम्। तं स्तौमि नौमीह जपामि शर्वं वन्देऽभिवंद्यं शरणं प्रपन्नः

saṁpūjayanto divi devasaṁghā brahmendrarudrā viharaṁti kāmam| taṁ staumi naumīha japāmi śarvaṁ vande'bhivaṁdyaṁ śaraṇaṁ prapannaḥ

The hosts of gods in heaven—Brahma, Indra and Rudra—worship Him and wander joyfully; I praise Him, I extol Him, here I recite His name—Sharva, worthy of homage—I bow, taking refuge in Him.

Verse 36 (skanda.7.290.36)

स्तुत्वैवमीशं विरराम यावत्तावत्स रुद्रोऽर्कसहस्रतेजाः। ददौ च तस्मै वरदोंऽधकारिर्वरत्रयं वैश्रवणाय देवः। सख्यं च दिक्पालपदं चतुर्थं धनाधिपत्यं च दिवौकसां च

stutvaivamīśaṁ virarāma yāvattāvatsa rudro'rkasahasratejāḥ| dadau ca tasmai varadoṁ'dhakārirvaratrayaṁ vaiśravaṇāya devaḥ| sakhyaṁ ca dikpālapadaṁ caturthaṁ dhanādhipatyaṁ ca divaukasāṁ ca

As long as, having thus praised the Lord, he paused, so long did that Rudra, of the splendor of a thousand suns, the foe of Andhaka, give three boons to Vaishravana: friendship, the fourth rank among the guardians of the quarters, and lordship of wealth among the dwellers of heaven.

Verse 37 (skanda.7.290.37)

यस्मादत्र त्वया सम्यङ्न्यंकुमत्यास्तटे शुभे। आराधितोऽहं विधिवत्कृत्वा मूर्त्तिं महीमयीम्

yasmādatra tvayā samyaṅnyaṁkumatyāstaṭe śubhe| ārādhito'haṁ vidhivatkṛtvā mūrttiṁ mahīmayīm

'Since here, on the fair bank of the Nyankumati, you have duly worshipped Me, having made an earthen image of Me,

Verse 38 (skanda.7.290.38)

तस्मात्तवैव नाम्ना तत्स्थानं ख्यातं भविष्यति। कुबेरनगरेत्येवं मम प्रीतिप्रदायकम्

tasmāttavaiva nāmnā tatsthānaṁ khyātaṁ bhaviṣyati| kuberanagaretyevaṁ mama prītipradāyakam

therefore, by your very name shall that place become famous—as Kuberanagara—pleasing to Me.'

Verse 39 (skanda.7.290.39)

त्वया प्रतिष्ठितं लिंगमस्मात्स्थानाच्च पश्चिमे। उमानाथस्य विधिवत्सोमनाथेति तत्स्मृतम्

tvayā pratiṣṭhitaṁ liṁgamasmātsthānācca paścime| umānāthasya vidhivatsomanātheti tatsmṛtam

The linga that you have established to the west of this place, that of Umanatha, shall duly be remembered by the name Somanatha.

Verse 40 (skanda.7.290.40)

श्रीपंचम्यां विधानेन यस्तच्च पूजयिष्यति। सप्तपुरुषावधिर्यावत्तस्य लक्ष्मीर्भविष्यति

śrīpaṁcamyāṁ vidhānena yastacca pūjayiṣyati| saptapuruṣāvadhiryāvattasya lakṣmīrbhaviṣyati

Whoever shall duly worship it on the auspicious fifth (Shri-Panchami), his prosperity shall endure for seven generations.