The Glory of Gupteshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.7.354.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ततो गच्छेन्महादेवि देवगुप्तेश्वरं प्रिये। तत्र पश्चिमवायव्ये यत्र सोमोऽकरोत्तपः

īśvara uvāca| tato gacchenmahādevi devagupteśvaraṁ priye| tatra paścimavāyavye yatra somo'karottapaḥ

Ishvara said: O beloved, one should then go to Devagupteshvara, in the west-northwest, where Soma (the Moon) performed austerity.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.354.2)

गुप्तो भूत्वा कुष्ठरोगाल्लज्जयाधोमुखः स्थितः। दिव्यं वर्षसहस्रं तु प्रभासक्षेत्र उत्तमे

gupto bhūtvā kuṣṭharogāllajjayādhomukhaḥ sthitaḥ| divyaṁ varṣasahasraṁ tu prabhāsakṣetra uttame

Having hidden himself out of shame because of his leprosy, standing with face bowed down, for a thousand divine years, in the excellent field of Prabhasa.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.354.3)

ततः प्रत्यक्षतां यातः सर्वदेवपतिः शिवः। तुष्टो बभूव चंद्रस्य क्षयनाशं तथाऽकरोत्

tataḥ pratyakṣatāṁ yātaḥ sarvadevapatiḥ śivaḥ| tuṣṭo babhūva candrasya kṣayanāśaṁ tathā'karot

Then Shiva, Lord of all the gods, became manifest before him; being pleased, he thereupon destroyed the Moon's wasting disease.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.354.4)

क्षयरोगविनिर्मुक्तस्ततोऽभून्मृगलांछनः। प्रतिष्ठाप्य महालिंगं सुरासुरनमस्कृतम्

kṣayarogavinirmuktastato'bhūnmṛgalāñchanaḥ| pratiṣṭhāpya mahāliṅgaṁ surāsuranamaskṛtam

Freed from the wasting disease, he then became again the deer-marked Moon; and he established a great linga, worshipped by gods and demons alike.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.354.5)

गुप्तस्तेपे तपो यस्मात्तस्माद्गुप्तेश्वरः स्मृतः। सर्वकुष्ठहरो देवो दर्शनात्स्पर्शनादपि

guptastepe tapo yasmāttasmādgupteśvaraḥ smṛtaḥ| sarvakuṣṭharo devo darśanātsparśanādapi

Since he performed austerity while hidden, he is therefore remembered as Gupteshvara ('the Hidden Lord'); this god removes all leprosy by the mere sight of him, or even by touch.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.354.6)

सोमवारे विशेषेण यस्तल्लिंगं प्रपूजयेत्। तस्यान्वयेऽपि देवेशि कुष्ठी कश्चिन्न जायते

somavāre viśeṣeṇa yastalliṅgaṁ prapūjayet| tasyānvaye'pi deveśi kuṣṭhī kaścinna jāyate

Whoever, especially on Monday, duly worships that linga — O Deveshi, in his lineage too, no one is ever born a leper.