The Glory of the Linga of Rahu

Verse 1 (skanda.7.50.1)

॥ ईश्वर उवाच ॥ ततो गच्छेन्महादेवि लिंगं राहुप्रतिष्ठितम् ॥ शनैश्चरेश्वराद्देवि वायव्ये संप्रतिष्ठितम्

|| īśvara uvāca || tato gacchenmahādevi liṁgaṁ rāhupratiṣṭhitam || śanaiścareśvarāddevi vāyavye saṁpratiṣṭhitam

Ishvara said: "Then one should go, O great goddess, to the linga established by Rahu, situated, O goddess, to the north-west of Shanaishchareshvara."

Verse 2 (skanda.7.50.2)

अजादेव्याश्चोत्तरतो धनुषां सप्तके स्थितम् ॥ मंगलायाः समीपस्थं नातिदूरे व्यवस्थितम्

ajādevyāścottarato dhanuṣāṁ saptake sthitam || maṁgalāyāḥ samīpasthaṁ nātidūre vyavasthitam

Situated seven bow-lengths north of Ajadevi, close to Mangala, not far away.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.50.3)

लिंगं महाप्रभावं तु सैंहिकेयप्रतिष्ठितम् ॥ तत्र वर्षसहस्रं तु वैप्रचित्तिस्तपोऽकरोत्

liṁgaṁ mahāprabhāvaṁ tu saiṁhikeyapratiṣṭhitam || tatra varṣasahasraṁ tu vaipracittistapo'karot

This is a linga of great power, established by the son of Simhika (Rahu); there, the son of Viprachitti performed austerity for a thousand years.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.50.4)

स्वर्भानुः स महावीर्यो वक्त्रयोधी महासुराः ॥ समाराध्य महादेवं दिव्येन तपसा प्रभुम्

svarbhānuḥ sa mahāvīryo vaktrayodhī mahāsurāḥ || samārādhya mahādevaṁ divyena tapasā prabhum

That great demon Svarbhanu, of great valor, who fights with his mouth, having propitiated the great lord Mahadeva with divine austerity—

Verse 5 (skanda.7.50.5)

लिंगेऽवतारयामास जगद्दीपं महेश्वरम् ॥ यश्चैनं पूजयेद्भक्त्या नरः सम्यक्च पश्यति ॥ तस्य पापं क्षयं याति अपि ब्रह्मवधोद्भवम्

liṁge'vatārayāmāsa jagaddīpaṁ maheśvaram || yaścainaṁ pūjayedbhaktyā naraḥ samyakca paśyati || tasya pāpaṁ kṣayaṁ yāti api brahmavadhodbhavam

—caused Maheshvara, the lamp of the world, to be manifested in a linga. Whatever man worships this with devotion and beholds it properly, his sin is destroyed, even that arising from the slaying of a Brahmin.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.50.6)

नांधो न बधिरो मूको न रोगी न च निर्द्धनः ॥ कदाचिज्जायते मर्त्यस्तेन दृष्टेन भूतले

nāṁdho na badhiro mūko na rogī na ca nirddhanaḥ || kadācijjāyate martyastena dṛṣṭena bhūtale

By beholding it, a mortal is never born blind, deaf, dumb, diseased, or poor upon this earth.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.50.7)

सुखसौभाग्यसंपन्नस्तदा भवति रूपवान् ॥ सर्वकामसमृद्धात्मा मोदते दिवि देववत्

sukhasaubhāgyasaṁpannastadā bhavati rūpavān || sarvakāmasamṛddhātmā modate divi devavat

He then becomes endowed with happiness and good fortune, and beautiful in form; his soul enriched with all desires, he rejoices in heaven like a god.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.50.8)

इति ते कथितं देवि माहात्म्यं राहुदैवतम् ॥ श्रुत्वा तु मोहनिर्यातो नरो निष्कल्मषो भवेत्

iti te kathitaṁ devi māhātmyaṁ rāhudaivatam || śrutvā tu mohaniryāto naro niṣkalmaṣo bhavet

Thus, O goddess, has been told to you the greatness relating to the deity Rahu; having heard it, a man, freed from delusion, becomes stainless.