The Glory of Aghoreshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.7.92.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ततो गच्छेन्महादेवि अघोरेश्वरमुत्तमम्। षष्ठं लिंगं समाख्यातं तद्वक्त्रं भैरवं स्मृतम्

īśvara uvāca| tato gacchenmahādevi aghoreśvaramuttamam| ṣaṣṭhaṁ liṅgaṁ samākhyātaṁ tadvaktraṁ bhairavaṁ smṛtam

Ishvara said: Then, O great Goddess, one should go to the excellent Aghoreshvara, the sixth Linga so declared, whose face is remembered as Bhairava.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.92.2)

त्र्यंबकेश्वरवायव्ये धनुषां पंचके स्थितम्। सर्वकामप्रदं पुण्यं कलिकल्मषनाशनम्

tryambakeśvaravāyavye dhanuṣāṁ pañcake sthitam| sarvakāmapradaṁ puṇyaṁ kalikalmaṣanāśanam

Situated to the northwest of Tryambakeshvara, at a distance of five bows; it grants all desires, brings merit, and destroys the sins of the Kali age.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.92.3)

यस्तं पूजयते भक्त्या स्नानपूजादिभिः क्रमात्। मेरुदानस्य कृत्स्नस्य स लभेन्मनुजः फलम्

yastaṁ pūjayate bhaktyā snānapūjādibhiḥ kramāt| merudānasya kṛtsnasya sa labhenmanujaḥ phalam

He who worships him with devotion, through bathing, worship, and the other rites in due order — that man obtains the entire fruit of the gift of Meru.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.92.4)

दक्षिणामूर्तिमास्थाय यत्किंचित्तत्र दीयते। अघोरेश्वरदेवस्य तत्सर्वं चाक्षयं भवेत्

dakṣiṇāmūrtimāsthāya yatkiṁcittatra dīyate| aghoreśvaradevasya tatsarvaṁ cākṣayaṁ bhavet

Taking the form of Dakshinamurti, whatever, however little, is given there to the god Aghoreshvara — all of it becomes imperishable.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.92.5)

यः श्राद्धं कुरुते तत्र अघोरेश्वरदक्षिणे। आकल्पं तृप्तिमायांति पितरस्तस्य तर्पिताः

yaḥ śrāddhaṁ kurute tatra aghoreśvaradakṣiṇe| ākalpaṁ tṛptimāyānti pitarastasya tarpitāḥ

He who performs shraddha there, to the south of Aghoreshvara — his ancestors, thus satisfied, attain contentment until the end of the Kalpa.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.92.6)

किं श्राद्धेन गयातीर्थे वाजिमेधेन किं प्रिये। तत्र श्राद्धेन तत्सर्वं फलमभ्यधिकं लभेत्

kiṁ śrāddhena gayātīrthe vājimedhena kiṁ priye| tatra śrāddhena tatsarvaṁ phalamabhyadhikaṁ labhet

What need, O beloved, is there of shraddha at the Gaya tirtha, or of a horse-sacrifice? By shraddha there, one obtains all that fruit, and even more.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.92.7)

त्रुटिमात्रमपि स्वर्णं यात्रायां यः प्रयच्छति। स सर्वं फलमाप्नोति महादानस्य भूरिशः

truṭimātramapi svarṇaṁ yātrāyāṁ yaḥ prayacchati| sa sarvaṁ phalamāpnoti mahādānasya bhūriśaḥ

He who gives even a mere particle of gold during the pilgrimage obtains the entire fruit of a great donation, many times over.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.92.8)

ब्रह्मकूर्चं चरेद्यस्तु सोमाष्टम्यां विधानतः। अघोरेश्वरसांनिध्ये अघोरेणाभिमंत्रितम्। षडब्दस्य महत्तेन प्रायश्चित्तं कृतं भवेत्

brahmakūrcaṁ caredyastu somāṣṭamyāṁ vidhānataḥ| aghoreśvarasāṁnidhye aghoreṇābhimantritam| ṣaḍabdasya mahattena prāyaścittaṁ kṛtaṁ bhavet

He who duly performs the Brahma-kurcha observance on Somashtami in the presence of Aghoreshvara, consecrated with the Aghora mantra — by that, a great atonement equal to six years is accomplished.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.92.9)

इति संक्षेपतः प्रोक्तमघोरेशमहोदयम्। माहात्म्यं सर्वपापघ्नं श्रुतं सर्वार्थसाधकम्

iti saṁkṣepataḥ proktamaghoreśamahodayam| māhātmyaṁ sarvapāpaghnaṁ śrutaṁ sarvārthasādhakam

Thus has been told, in brief, the great glory of Lord Aghoresha — a sin-destroying maahatmya which, when heard, accomplishes every purpose.