The Glory of Bhairaveshvara and Devamata

Verse 1 (skanda.7.41.1)

॥ ईश्वर उवाच ॥ तस्यैव पूर्वदिग्भागे सरस्वत्या प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥ लिंगं महाप्रभावं तु सोमेशादग्निगोचरे

|| īśvara uvāca || tasyaiva pūrvadigbhāge sarasvatyā pratiṣṭhitam || liṁgaṁ mahāprabhāvaṁ tu someśādagnigocare

Ishvara said: "In the eastern part of that same place, established by Sarasvati, is a linga of great power, within the range of the fire, not far from Somesha."

Verse 2 (skanda.7.41.2)

भैरवेश्वररूपस्तु वाडवः कुम्भसंस्थितः ॥ यत्र देव्या समानीतः सागरस्य समीपतः

bhairaveśvararūpastu vāḍavaḥ kumbhasaṁsthitaḥ || yatra devyā samānītaḥ sāgarasya samīpataḥ

In the form of Bhairaveshvara, the submarine fire, held in a vessel, was brought there by the goddess, near the ocean.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.41.3)

विश्रामार्थं क्षणं मुक्त्वा देव्या लिंगं प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥ समभ्यर्च्य विधानेन गृहीत्वा वडवानलम्॥ समुद्रमध्ये चिक्षेप देवानां हितकाम्यया

viśrāmārthaṁ kṣaṇaṁ muktvā devyā liṁgaṁ pratiṣṭhitam || samabhyarcya vidhānena gṛhītvā vaḍavānalam|| samudramadhye cikṣepa devānāṁ hitakāmyayā

Setting it down for a moment for rest, the goddess established a linga there; having worshipped it according to rule, and taking up the submarine fire, she cast it into the midst of the ocean, out of desire for the welfare of the gods.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.41.4)

ततो हृष्टतरा देवाः शंखदुन्दुभिनिःस्वनैः ॥ पूरयन्तोंऽबरं देवीमीडिरे पुष्पवृष्टिभिः

tato hṛṣṭatarā devāḥ śaṁkhadundubhiniḥsvanaiḥ || pūrayantoṁ'baraṁ devīmīḍire puṣpavṛṣṭibhiḥ

Then the gods, greatly delighted, filling the sky with the sounds of conches and drums, praised the goddess with showers of flowers.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.41.5)

देवमातेति ते नाम कृत्वोचुस्तां तदा सुराः ॥ कृत्वा तु भैरवं कार्यमसाध्यं देवदानवैः

devamāteti te nāma kṛtvocustāṁ tadā surāḥ || kṛtvā tu bhairavaṁ kāryamasādhyaṁ devadānavaiḥ

Giving her the name "Devamata" (Mother of Gods), the gods then addressed her thus, having accomplished the terrible task impossible for gods and demons alike—

Verse 6 (skanda.7.41.6)

प्रतिष्ठितवती चात्र यस्माल्लिंगं महोदयम् ॥ त्वं सर्वसरितां श्रेष्ठा सर्वपातकनाशिनी ॥ तस्माद्भैरवनामेति लिंगं ख्यातिं गमिष्यति

pratiṣṭhitavatī cātra yasmālliṁgaṁ mahodayam || tvaṁ sarvasaritāṁ śreṣṭhā sarvapātakanāśinī || tasmādbhairavanāmeti liṁgaṁ khyātiṁ gamiṣyati

"—since you have established here a linga of great glory, you who are the foremost of all rivers, destroyer of all sin, therefore this linga shall go by the fame of the name 'Bhairava.'"

Verse 7 (skanda.7.41.7)

इत्युक्ता तु तदा देवी भैरवेश्वरनैर्ऋते ॥ सागरस्य स्थिता रम्ये तत्र मूर्त्तिमती सती

ityuktā tu tadā devī bhairaveśvaranairṛte || sāgarasya sthitā ramye tatra mūrttimatī satī

Thus addressed, that goddess then, in the south-west of Bhairaveshvara, remained established there, embodied, chaste, beside the lovely ocean.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.41.8)

पूजयेत्तां विधानेन तं तथा भैरवेश्वरम् ॥ महानवम्यां यत्नेन कृत्वा स्नानं विधानतः ॥ सरस्वतीं पूजयित्वा वाग्दोषान्मुच्यतेऽखिलात्

pūjayettāṁ vidhānena taṁ tathā bhairaveśvaram || mahānavamyāṁ yatnena kṛtvā snānaṁ vidhānataḥ || sarasvatīṁ pūjayitvā vāgdoṣānmucyate'khilāt

One should worship her, and likewise Bhairaveshvara, according to rule; on the Mahanavami day, having bathed according to rule with effort, and having worshipped Sarasvati, one is freed from all faults of speech.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.41.9)

तस्या लिंगं तु संपूज्य संस्नाप्य पयसा पृथक् ॥ अघोरेणैव विधिवत्सम्यग्यात्राफलं लभेत्

tasyā liṁgaṁ tu saṁpūjya saṁsnāpya payasā pṛthak || aghoreṇaiva vidhivatsamyagyātrāphalaṁ labhet

Having worshipped her, and separately having bathed the linga with milk, reciting the Aghora mantra alone according to rule, one obtains fully the fruit of the pilgrimage.