The Glory of Kateshvara and Gangeshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.7.446.1)

॥ पुलस्त्यस्य उवाच ॥ ततः कटेश्वरं गच्छेल्लिंगं गौरीविनिर्मितम्॥ तथा गंगेश्वरं चान्यद्गङ्गया निर्मितं स्वयम्

|| pulastyasya uvāca || tataḥ kaṭeśvaraṁ gacchelliṅgaṁ gaurīvinirmitam|| tathā gaṁgeśvaraṁ cānyadgaṅgayā nirmitaṁ svayam

Pulastya said: Thereafter one should go to Kateshvara, the Linga fashioned by Gauri, and likewise to the other, Gangeshvara, made by the Ganga herself.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.446.2)

पुरा समभवद्युद्धमुमायाः सह गंगया॥ सौभाग्यं प्रति राजेन्द्र ततो गौरीत्यभाषत

purā samabhavadyuddhamumāyāḥ saha gaṁgayā|| saubhāgyaṁ prati rājendra tato gaurītyabhāṣata

Formerly a dispute arose between Uma and Ganga concerning good fortune, O foremost of kings; then Gauri spoke thus.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.446.3)

यया संपूजितः शंभुः शीघ्रं यास्यति दर्शनम्॥ सा सौभाग्यवती नूनभावयोः संभविष्यति

yayā saṁpūjitaḥ śaṁbhuḥ śīghraṁ yāsyati darśanam|| sā saubhāgyavatī nūnabhāvayoḥ saṁbhaviṣyati

'Whichever of us two, worshipped, causes Shambhu to come quickly for darshan — she shall indeed prove to be the fortunate one.'

Verse 4 (skanda.7.446.4)

एवमुक्ता ततो गंगा सत्वरैत्यात्र पर्वते॥ लिंगमन्वेषयामास चिरकालादवाप सा

evamuktā tato gaṁgā satvaraityātra parvate|| liṅgamanveṣayāmāsa cirakālādavāpa sā

Thus addressed, Ganga swiftly came to this mountain and began to search for a Linga, which she obtained after a long time.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.446.5)

दृष्ट्वा गौर्याथ कटकं पर्वतस्य मनोहरम्॥ लिंगाकारं महाराज पूजयामास सा तदा

dṛṣṭvā gauryātha kaṭakaṁ parvatasya manoharam|| liṅgākāraṁ mahārāja pūjayāmāsa sā tadā

O great king, then Gauri, seeing the lovely ridge of the mountain, resembling a Linga in shape, worshipped it.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.446.6)

सम्यक्छ्रद्धासमोपेता ततस्तुष्टो महेश्वरः॥ प्रददौ दर्शनं तस्या वरदोऽस्मीति चाब्रवीत्

samyakchraddhāsamopetā tatastuṣṭo maheśvaraḥ|| pradadau darśanaṁ tasyā varado'smīti cābravīt

Endowed with complete faith, Maheshvara then became pleased, and, granting her his darshan, said: 'I am the giver of boons.'

Verse 7 (skanda.7.446.7)

॥ गौर्युवाच ॥ सापत्न्यजेर्ष्यया देव मया लिंगं प्रकल्पितम्॥ तस्मात्कटेश्वराख्या च लोके चास्य भविष्यति

|| gauryuvāca || sāpatnyajerṣyayā deva mayā liṅgaṁ prakalpitam|| tasmātkaṭeśvarākhyā ca loke cāsya bhaviṣyati

Gauri said: O god, out of jealousy toward my co-wife, I have fashioned this Linga; therefore its name in the world shall be Kateshvara.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.446.8)

या नारी पतिना मुक्ता सपत्नीदुःखदुःखिता॥ अस्य संदर्शनादेव सा भविष्यति विज्वरा॥ सुतसौभाग्यसंपन्ना भर्तृप्राणसमा तथा

yā nārī patinā muktā sapatnīduḥkhaduḥkhitā|| asya saṁdarśanādeva sā bhaviṣyati vijvarā|| sutasaubhāgyasaṁpannā bhartṛprāṇasamā tathā

A woman who has been abandoned by her husband and is tormented by the sorrow of a co-wife shall, merely by beholding this, become free from affliction, endowed with sons and good fortune, and dear to her husband as his very life.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.446.9)

गंगयाराधितो देव एवमेव वरं ददौ॥ तस्माल्लिंगद्वयं तच्च द्रष्टव्यं मनुजाधिप

gaṁgayārādhito deva evameva varaṁ dadau|| tasmālliṅgadvayaṁ tacca draṣṭavyaṁ manujādhipa

Worshipped by Ganga, the god likewise granted a boon. Therefore, O lord of men, both these Lingas should certainly be beheld.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.446.10)

विशेषतश्च नारीभिः सपत्नीदोषहानिदम्॥ सुखसौभाग्यदं नित्यं तथाऽभीष्टप्रदं नृणाम्

viśeṣataśca nārībhiḥ sapatnīdoṣahānidam|| sukhasaubhāgyadaṁ nityaṁ tathā'bhīṣṭapradaṁ nṛṇām

Especially by women, since it removes the affliction caused by a co-wife, ever bestows happiness and good fortune, and grants people's cherished desires.