The Description of the Glory of Shri Someshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.7.6.1)

देव्युवाच। अत्यद्भुतं महादेव माहात्म्यं कथितं मम। अपूर्वं देवदेवेश कदाचिन्न श्रुतं मया

devyuvāca| atyadbhutaṁ mahādeva māhātmyaṁ kathitaṁ mama| apūrvaṁ devadeveśa kadācinna śrutaṁ mayā

The Goddess said: O Mahadeva, you have told me a most wondrous glory; O God of gods, it is unprecedented — I have never heard it before.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.6.2)

ब्रह्मांडे यानि लिंगानि कीर्तितानि त्वया मम। तेषां प्रभावेनाधिक्यं सोमेशे तत्कथं वद

brahmāṁḍe yāni liṁgāni kīrtitāni tvayā mama| teṣāṁ prabhāvenādhikyaṁ someśe tatkathaṁ vada

Of the lingas throughout the universe that you have told me of, tell me how it is that Someshvara exceeds them all in power.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.6.3)

किं प्रभावो महादेव क्षेत्रस्य च सुरेश्वर। तन्मे ब्रूहि सुरेशान याथातथ्यं ममाग्रतः

kiṁ prabhāvo mahādeva kṣetrasya ca sureśvara| tanme brūhi sureśāna yāthātathyaṁ mamāgrataḥ

O Mahadeva, O lord of the gods, what is the power of this field? O ruler of the gods, tell it to me exactly as it is.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.6.4)

ईश्वर उवाच। अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि रहस्यं परमं तव। प्रभासक्षेत्रमाहात्म्यं सोमेशस्य वरानने

īśvara uvāca| ataḥ paraṁ pravakṣyāmi rahasyaṁ paramaṁ tava| prabhāsakṣetramāhātmyaṁ someśasya varānane

Ishvara said: Now, beyond that, I shall tell you the supreme mystery, O fair-faced one — the glory of Someshvara in the Prabhasa field.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.6.5)

तीर्थानां परमं तीर्थं व्रतानां परमं व्रतम्। जाप्यानां परमं जाप्यं ध्यानानां ध्यानमुत्तमम्

tīrthānāṁ paramaṁ tīrthaṁ vratānāṁ paramaṁ vratam| jāpyānāṁ paramaṁ jāpyaṁ dhyānānāṁ dhyānamuttamam

It is the supreme tirtha among tirthas, the supreme vow among vows, the supreme recitation among recitations, the finest meditation among meditations.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.6.6)

योगानां परमो योगो रहस्यं परमं महत्। तत्तेहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु ह्येकमना प्रिये

yogānāṁ paramo yogo rahasyaṁ paramaṁ mahat| tatteahaṁ saṁpravakṣyāmi śṛṇu hyekamanā priye

It is the supreme yoga among yogas, the great supreme mystery; that I shall now declare to you — listen, O beloved, with a single-pointed mind.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.6.7)

सोमेशं परमं स्थानं पंचवक्त्रसमन्वितम्। एतल्लिंगं न मुंचामि सत्यंसत्यं मयोदितम्

someśaṁ paramaṁ sthānaṁ paṁcavaktrasamanvitam| etalliṁgaṁ na muṁcāmi satyaṁsatyaṁ mayoditam

Someshvara is the supreme abode, possessed of five faces; I do not abandon this linga — this I declare, truly, truly.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.6.8)

यच्च तत्परमं देवि ध्रुवमक्षयमव्ययम्। सोमेशं तद्विजानीहि मा विकल्पमना भव

yacca tatparamaṁ devi dhruvamakṣayamavyayam| someśaṁ tadvijānīhi mā vikalpamanā bhava

O Goddess, that which is supreme, fixed, imperishable, and unchanging — know that to be Someshvara; harbor no doubt-ridden mind about it.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.6.9)

निर्भयं निर्मलं नित्यं निरपेक्षं निराश्रयम्। निरंजनं निष्प्रपंचं निःसंगं निरुपद्रवम्

nirbhayaṁ nirmalaṁ nityaṁ nirapekṣaṁ nirāśrayam| niraṁjanaṁ niṣprapaṁcaṁ niḥsaṁgaṁ nirupadravam

Fearless, stainless, eternal, dependent on nothing, resting on no support, unstained, free of manifestation, unattached, and untroubled —

Verse 10 (skanda.7.6.10)

तल्लिंगमिति जानीहि प्रभासे संव्यवस्थितम्। अपवर्गमविज्ञेयं मनोरम्यमनामयम्

talliṁgamiti jānīhi prabhāse saṁvyavasthitam| apavargamavijñeyaṁ manoramyamanāmayam

know that to be the linga, established in Prabhasa — the very form of liberation, unknowable, delightful to the mind, and free of affliction.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.6.11)

नित्यं च कारणं देवं मखघ्नं सर्वतोमुखम्। शिवं सर्वात्मकं सूक्ष्ममनाद्यं यच्च दैवतम्

nityaṁ ca kāraṇaṁ devaṁ makhaghnaṁ sarvatomukham| śivaṁ sarvātmakaṁ sūkṣmamanādyaṁ yacca daivatam

The eternal causal god, destroyer of the sacrifice, facing every direction, auspicious, the self of all, subtle, beginningless, and the very deity —

Verse 12 (skanda.7.6.12)

आत्मोपलब्धिविज्ञेयं चित्तचिंताविवर्जितम्। गमागमविनिर्मुक्तं बहिरंतश्च केवलम्

ātmopalabdhivijñeyaṁ cittaciṁtāvivarjitam| gamāgamavinirmuktaṁ bahiraṁtaśca kevalam

knowable only through the realization of the self, free of the mind's anxieties, released from coming and going, and, both outwardly and inwardly, one alone,

Verse 13 (skanda.7.6.13)

आत्मोपलब्धिविषयं स्तुतिगोचरवर्जितम्। निष्कलं विमलात्मानं प्रकटं ज्ञानदीपकम्

ātmopalabdhiviṣayaṁ stutigocaravarjitam| niṣkalaṁ vimalātmānaṁ prakaṭaṁ jñānadīpakam

the object of the realization of the self, beyond the reach of praise, without parts, of a stainless self, manifest, and a lamp of knowledge —

Verse 14 (skanda.7.6.14)

तल्लिंगमिति जानीहि प्रभासे सुरसुंदरि। निरावकाशरहितं शब्दं शब्दांतगोचरम्

talliṁgamiti jānīhi prabhāse surasuṁdari| nirāvakāśarahitaṁ śabdaṁ śabdāṁtagocaram

O lovely one among the gods, know that to be the linga in Prabhasa — without room for another, sound itself, and the object reached only at the end of sound,

Verse 15 (skanda.7.6.15)

निष्कलं विमलं देवं देवदेवं सुरात्मकम्। हेतुप्रमाणरहितं कल्पनाभाववर्जितम्

niṣkalaṁ vimalaṁ devaṁ devadevaṁ surātmakam| hetupramāṇarahitaṁ kalpanābhāvavarjitam

without parts, pure, the God of gods, the very self of the gods, free of logical cause and proof, and beyond both imagination and conceptual existence,

Verse 16 (skanda.7.6.16)

चित्तावलोकविषयं बहिरंतरसंस्थितम्। प्रभासे तं विजानीहि प्रणवं लिंगरूपिणम्

cittāvalokaviṣayaṁ bahiraṁtarasaṁsthitam| prabhāse taṁ vijānīhi praṇavaṁ liṁgarūpiṇam

the object seen by the contemplative mind, established both outwardly and inwardly — know that to be, in Prabhasa, the Pranava embodied in the form of the linga.

Verse 17 (skanda.7.6.17)

अनिष्पंदं महात्मानं निरानंदावलोकनम्। लोकावलोकमार्गस्थं विशुद्धज्ञानकेवलम्

aniṣpaṁdaṁ mahātmānaṁ nirānaṁdāvalokanam| lokāvalokamārgasthaṁ viśuddhajñānakevalam

Motionless, the very Great Self, whose vision transcends worldly bliss, established on the path of worldly perception, and consisting purely of untainted knowledge,

Verse 18 (skanda.7.6.18)

विद्याविशेषमार्गस्थमनेकाकारसंज्ञितम्। स्वभावभावनाग्राह्यं भावातीतमलक्षणम्

vidyāviśeṣamārgasthamanekākārasaṁjñitam| svabhāvabhāvanāgrāhyaṁ bhāvātītamalakṣaṇam

established on the path of special knowledge, designated by many forms, graspable through the contemplation of one's own nature, and beyond all conditioned existence, without defining marks,

Verse 19 (skanda.7.6.19)

वाक्प्रपंचादिरहितं निष्प्रपञ्चात्मकं शिवम्। ज्ञानज्ञेयावलोकस्थं हेत्वाभासविवर्जितम्

vākprapaṁcādirahitaṁ niṣprapañcātmakaṁ śivam| jñānajñeyāvalokasthaṁ hetvābhāsavivarjitam

free of the elaboration of speech and the like, of a nature beyond all manifestation, auspicious, established in the vision of knowledge and its object, and free of fallacious reasoning,

Verse 20 (skanda.7.6.20)

अनाहतं शब्दगतं शब्दादिगणसंभवम्। एवं सोमेश्वरं विद्धि प्रभासे लिंगरूपिणम्

anāhataṁ śabdagataṁ śabdādigaṇasaṁbhavam| evaṁ someśvaraṁ viddhi prabhāse liṁgarūpiṇam

unstruck, abiding within sound, the source of the categories beginning with sound — thus know Someshvara, embodied in the linga in Prabhasa.

Verse 21 (skanda.7.6.21)

शब्दब्रह्मगतं शान्तं स शब्दांतगमास्पदम्। सर्वातिरिक्त विषयं सर्वध्यानपदे स्थितम्

śabdabrahmagataṁ śāṁtaṁ sa śabdāṁtagamāspadam| sarvātirikta viṣayaṁ sarvadhyānapade sthitam

abiding in the Shabda-Brahman, tranquil, the very resting-place reached at the end of sound, a reality beyond all else, and established in the state approached by every meditation,

Verse 22 (skanda.7.6.22)

अनादिमच्युतं दिव्यं प्रमाणातीत गोचरम्। अधश्चोर्ध्वं गतं नित्यं जीवाख्यं देहसंस्थितम्

anādimacyutaṁ divyaṁ pramāṇātīta gocaram| adhaścordhvaṁ gataṁ nityaṁ jīvākhyaṁ dehasaṁsthitam

beginningless, unfallen, divine, an object beyond all means of proof, pervading both below and above, eternal, present in the body under the name of the individual soul,

Verse 23 (skanda.7.6.23)

हृदादिद्वादशांतस्थं प्राणापानोदयास्तगम्। अग्राह्यमिन्द्रियात्मानं निष्कलंकात्मकं विभुम्

hṛdādidvādaśāṁtasthaṁ prāṇāpānodayāstagam| agrāhyamiṁdriyātmānaṁ niṣkalaṁkātmakaṁ vibhum

abiding from the heart up to the twelve-finger space above the head, moving in the rise and fall of the in-breath and out-breath, ungraspable by the senses, of a stainless nature, all-pervading,

Verse 24 (skanda.7.6.24)

स्वरादिव्यंजनातीतं वर्णादिपरिवर्जितम्। वाचामवाच्यविषयमहंकारार्द्धरूपिणम्

svarādivyaṁjanātītaṁ varṇādiparivarjitam| vācāmavācyaviṣayamahaṁkārārddharūpiṇam

beyond vowels and consonants, free of letters and the like, an object unutterable by speech, of a form that is half of the principle of I-consciousness,

Verse 25 (skanda.7.6.25)

अप्रतर्क्यमनुच्चार्यं कलनाकालवर्जितम्। निःशब्दं निश्चलं सौम्यं देहातीतं परात्परम्

apratarkyamanuccāryaṁ kalanākālavarjitam| niḥśabdaṁ niścalaṁ saumyaṁ dehātītaṁ parātparam

beyond reasoning, unpronounceable, free of reckoning and time, soundless, motionless, gentle, beyond the body, the Supreme beyond the supreme,

Verse 26 (skanda.7.6.26)

भूतावग्रहरहितं भावाभावविवर्जितम्। अविज्ञेयं परं सूक्ष्मं पञ्चपञ्चादिसंभवम्

bhūtāvagraharahitaṁ bhāvābhāvavivarjitam| avijñeyaṁ paraṁ sūkṣmaṁ pañcapañcādisaṁbhavam

free of any hold by the elements, beyond both existence and non-existence, unknowable, supremely subtle, and the source of the groups of five beginning with the five elements,

Verse 27 (skanda.7.6.27)

अप्रमेयमनंताख्यमक्षयं कामरूपिणम्। प्रभवं सर्वभूतानां बीजांकुरसमुद्भवम्

aprameyamanaṁtākhyamakṣayaṁ kāmarūpiṇam| prabhavaṁ sarvabhūtānāṁ bījāṁkurasamudbhavam

immeasurable, called the Infinite, imperishable, able to take any form at will, the source of all beings, the very sprouting of seed and shoot,

Verse 28 (skanda.7.6.28)

व्यापकं सर्वकामाख्यमक्षरं परमं महत्। स्थूलसूक्ष्मविभागस्थं व्यक्ताव्यक्तं सनातनम्

vyāpakaṁ sarvakāmākhyamakṣaraṁ paramaṁ mahat| sthūlasūkṣmavibhāgasthaṁ vyaktāvyaktaṁ sanātanam

all-pervading, named as every desire, imperishable, the supreme Mahat, established in the division of the gross and the subtle, manifest and unmanifest, eternal,

Verse 29 (skanda.7.6.29)

कल्पकल्पान्तरहितमनादिनिधनं महत्। महाभूतं महाकायं शिवं निर्वाणभैरवम्

kalpakalpāntarahitamanādinidhanaṁ mahat| mahābhūtaṁ mahākāyaṁ śivaṁ nirvāṇabhairavam

free of the kalpa and its dissolution, without beginning or end, great, of the nature of the great elements, of vast form, auspicious, and Nirvana-Bhairava —

Verse 30 (skanda.7.6.30)

एवं सदाशिवं विद्धि प्रभासे लिंगरूपिणम्। योगक्रिया विनिर्मुक्तं मृत्युंजयमनादिमत्

evaṁ sadāśivaṁ viddhi prabhāse liṁgarūpiṇam| yogakriyā vinirmuktaṁ mṛtyuṁjayamanādimat

thus know Sadashiva, embodied in the linga in Prabhasa — released even from the practice of yoga, the Conqueror of Death, without beginning.

Verse 31 (skanda.7.6.31)

सर्वोपसर्गरहितं सर्वतोव्यापकं शिवम्। अव्यक्तं परतो नित्यं केवलं द्वैतवर्जितम्

sarvopasargarahitaṁ sarvatovyāpakaṁ śivam| avyaktaṁ parato nityaṁ kevalaṁ dvaitavarjitam

free of every affliction, all-pervading, auspicious, unmanifest, supreme, eternal, unique, and free of duality —

Verse 32 (skanda.7.6.32)

अनन्यतेजसाक्रांतं प्रभासक्षेत्रवासिनम्। भूरिस्वयंप्रभप्रख्यं सर्वतेजोऽधिकं हरम्

ananyatejasākrāṁtaṁ prabhāsakṣetravāsinam| bhūrisvayaṁprabhaprakhyaṁ sarvatejo'dhikaṁ haram

unassailed by any other splendor, dwelling in the Prabhasa field, renowned for a self-luminous radiance beyond all others, and Hara, whose splendor exceeds every other splendor,

Verse 33 (skanda.7.6.33)

शरण्यंदेवमीशानमोंकारं शिवरूपिणम्। देवदेवं महादेवं पंचवक्त्रं वृषध्वजम्

śaraṇyaṁdevamīśānamoṁkāraṁ śivarūpiṇam| devadevaṁ mahādevaṁ paṁcavaktraṁ vṛṣadhvajam

the god worthy of taking refuge in, Ishana, of the form of the syllable Om, of the form of Shiva, the God of gods, Mahadeva, five-faced, bearing the bull-emblem,

Verse 34 (skanda.7.6.34)

निर्मलं मानसातीतं भावग्राह्यमनूपमम्। सदा शांतं विरूपाक्षं शूलहस्तं जटाधरम्

nirmalaṁ mānasātītaṁ bhāvagrāhyamanūpamam| sadā śāṁtaṁ virūpākṣaṁ śūlahastaṁ jaṭādharam

stainless, beyond the mind, graspable through devotion, incomparable, ever tranquil, Virupaksha, trident in hand, bearing matted locks,

Verse 35 (skanda.7.6.35)

हृत्पद्मकोशमध्यस्थं शून्यरूपं निरञ्जनम्। एवं सदाशिवं विद्धि प्रभासे लिङ्गरूपिणम्

hṛtpadmakośamadhyasthaṁ śūnyarūpaṁ nirañjanam| evaṁ sadāśivaṁ viddhi prabhāse liṅgarūpiṇam

established in the very center of the lotus-bud of the heart, of the form of emptiness, unstained — thus know Sadashiva, embodied in the linga in Prabhasa.

Verse 36 (skanda.7.6.36)

योऽसौ परात्परो देवो हंसाख्यः परिकीर्तितः। नादाख्यः सुव्रते देवि सोऽस्मिन्स्थाने स्थितः स्वयम्

yo'sau parātparo devo haṁsākhyaḥ parikīrtitaḥ| nādākhyaḥ suvrate devi so'sminsthāne sthitaḥ svayam

That supreme god beyond the supreme, proclaimed under the name Hamsa — O Goddess of holy vows, he, known also as Nada, abides here in this very place, of his own accord.

Verse 37 (skanda.7.6.37)

एतदादिस्वरूपं च मया योगबलेन तु। विज्ञातं देवि गदितं दिव्यमात्मानमात्मना

etadādisvarūpaṁ ca mayā yogabalena tu| vijñātaṁ devi gaditaṁ divyamātmānamātmanā

This primal essence I have come to know through the power of yoga; O Goddess, I have declared it, having known my own divine self through my own self.

Verse 38 (skanda.7.6.38)

ऋग्वेदस्थस्तु पूर्वाह्णे मध्याह्ने यजुषि स्थितः। अपराह्णे तु सामस्थो ह्यथर्वस्थो निशागमे

ṛgvedasthastu pūrvāhṇe madhyāhne yajuṣi sthitaḥ| aparāhṇe tu sāmastho hyatharvastho niśāgame

In the forenoon he abides in the Rigveda, at midday in the Yajurveda, in the afternoon in the Samaveda, and at the coming of night in the Atharvaveda.

Verse 39 (skanda.7.6.39)

वेदाहमेतं पुरुषं महांतमादित्यवर्णं तमसः परस्तात्। तमेव विदित्वा न भवेत्तु मृत्युर्नान्यः पंथा विद्यते वै जनानाम्

vedāhametaṁ puruṣaṁ mahāṁtamādityavarṇaṁ tamasaḥ parastāt| tameva viditvā na bhavettu mṛtyurnānyaḥ paṁthā vidyate vai janānām

I know this great Purusha, of the color of the sun, beyond all darkness; knowing him alone, one does not fall subject to death — for men there exists no other path.

Verse 40 (skanda.7.6.40)

इतीरितस्ते तु महाप्रभावः सोमेशलिंगस्य कृतैकदेशः। वृतं न चाब्दैर्बहुभिः सहस्रैर्वक्तुं च केनापि मुखैर्न शक्यम्

itīritaste tu mahāprabhāvaḥ someśaliṁgasya kṛtaikadeśaḥ| vṛtaṁ na cābdairbahubhiḥ sahasrairvaktuṁ ca kenāpi mukhairna śakyam

Thus this great power has been declared to you, which is but one small portion of the glory of the Someshvara linga; it cannot be fully told even across many thousands of years, nor uttered in full by any mouth whatsoever.

Verse 41 (skanda.7.6.41)

ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियो वैश्यः शूद्रोऽपीदं पठेद्यदि। निर्मुक्तः सर्वपापेभ्यः सर्वान्कामानवाप्नुयात्

brāhmaṇaḥ kṣatriyo vaiśyaḥ śūdro'pīdaṁ paṭhedyadi| nirmuktaḥ sarvapāpebhyaḥ sarvānkāmānavāpnuyāt

If a brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya, or even a shudra recites this, he becomes freed from all sins and obtains all his desires.