The Glory of Mrityunjaya

Verse 1 (skanda.7.95.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ततो गच्छेद्वरारोहे लिंगं मृत्युञ्जयेश्वरम्। तस्यैव वह्नि कोणस्थं धनुषां दशके स्थितम्

īśvara uvāca| tato gacchedvarārohe liṅgaṁ mṛtyuñjayeśvaram| tasyaiva vahnikoṇasthaṁ dhanuṣāṁ daśake sthitam

Ishvara said: Then, O fair one, one should go to the Linga Mrityunjayeshvara, situated in the southeast corner of that same place, at a distance of ten bows.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.95.2)

पश्चिमे सागरादित्यात्स्थितं धनुश्चतुष्टये। पापघ्नं सर्वजन्तूनां दर्शनात्स्पर्शनादपि

paścime sāgarādityātsthitaṁ dhanuścatuṣṭaye| pāpaghnaṁ sarvajantūnāṁ darśanātsparśanādapi

To the west of Sagaraditya, situated at a distance of four bows; it destroys the sin of all creatures, through sight and even through touch.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.95.3)

पूर्वे युगे समाख्यातं नाम नन्दीश्वरेति च। यत्र तप्तं तपो घोरं नन्दिनाम्ना गणेन मे

pūrve yuge samākhyātaṁ nāma nandīśvareti ca| yatra taptaṁ tapo ghoraṁ nandināmnā gaṇena me

In a former age it was known by the name Nandishvara; where terrible austerity was performed by my gana named Nandi.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.95.4)

प्रतिष्ठाप्य महालिंगं नित्यं पूजापरेण च। तत्र जप्तो महामन्त्रो मृत्युञ्जय इति श्रुतः

pratiṣṭhāpya mahāliṅgaṁ nityaṁ pūjāpareṇa ca| tatra japto mahāmantro mṛtyuñjaya iti śrutaḥ

Having established the great Linga, and being ever devoted to its worship, the great mantra known as Mrityunjaya was there recited.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.95.5)

कोटीनां नियुतं देवि ततस्तुष्टो महेश्वरः। ददौ गणेशतां तस्य मुक्तिं सामीप्यगां तथा

koṭīnāṁ niyutaṁ devi tatastuṣṭo maheśvaraḥ| dadau gaṇeśatāṁ tasya muktiṁ sāmīpyagāṁ tathā

After a countless multitude of recitations, O Goddess, Maheshvara became pleased; he granted him lordship over the ganas, and also liberation of nearness.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.95.6)

मृत्युञ्जयेन मन्त्रेण तस्य तुष्टो यतो हरः। तेन मृत्युञ्जयेशेति ख्यातं लिंगं धरातले

mṛtyuñjayena mantreṇa tasya tuṣṭo yato haraḥ| tena mṛtyuñjayeśeti khyātaṁ liṅgaṁ dharātale

By the Mrityunjaya mantra, Hara became pleased with him; thereby the Linga became known on earth by the name Mrityunjayesha.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.95.7)

यस्तं पूजयते भक्त्या पश्येद्वा भावितात्मवान्। नाशयेत्तस्य पापानि सप्तजन्मार्जितान्यपि

yastaṁ pūjayate bhaktyā paśyedvā bhāvitātmavān| nāśayettasya pāpāni saptajanmārjitānyapi

He who worships him with devotion, or beholds him with a devout mind, destroys his sins, even those accumulated across seven births.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.95.8)

स्नापयेत्पयसा लिंगं दध्ना घृतयुतेन च। मधुनेक्षुरसेनैव कुंकुमेन विलेपयेत्

snāpayetpayasā liṅgaṁ dadhnā ghṛtayutena ca| madhunekṣurasenaiva kuṁkumena vilepayet

One should bathe the Linga with milk, with curd combined with ghee, and with honey and sugarcane juice; one should anoint it with saffron.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.95.9)

कर्पूरोशीर मिश्रेण मृगनाभिरसेन च। चन्दनेन सुगन्धेन पुष्पैः संपूजयेत्ततः

karpūroṣīra miśreṇa mṛganābhirasena ca| candanena sugandhena puṣpaiḥ saṁpūjayettataḥ

With camphor mixed with ushira root, and with musk essence, with fragrant sandal, one should then worship with flowers.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.95.10)

दद्याद्धूपं पुरो देवि ततो देवस्य चागुरुम्। वस्त्रैः संपूज्य विविधैरात्मवित्तानुसारतः

dadyāddhūpaṁ puro devi tato devasya cāgurum| vastraiḥ saṁpūjya vividhairātmavittānusārataḥ

One should offer incense before him, O Goddess, and then aguru to the god; having worshipped with various garments, according to one's own means —

Verse 11 (skanda.7.95.11)

नैवेद्यं परमान्नं च दत्त्वा दीपसमन्वितम्। अष्टांगं प्रणिपातं च ततः कार्यं च भक्तितः

naivedyaṁ paramānnaṁ ca dattvā dīpasamanvitam| aṣṭāṅgaṁ praṇipātaṁ ca tataḥ kāryaṁ ca bhaktitaḥ

— having offered rich food as naivedya, together with a lamp, one should then perform the eightfold prostration, with devotion.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.95.12)

हेमदानं प्रदातव्यं ब्राह्मणे वेदपारगे

hemadānaṁ pradātavyaṁ brāhmaṇe vedapārage

A gift of gold should be given to a brahmin versed in the Vedas.

Verse 13 (skanda.7.95.13)

एवं यात्रा भवेत्तस्य शास्त्रोक्ता नात्र संशयः। एवं कृत्वा नरो देवि लभते जन्मनः फलम्

evaṁ yātrā bhavettasya śāstroktā nātra saṁśayaḥ| evaṁ kṛtvā naro devi labhate janmanaḥ phalam

Thus is his pilgrimage, as declared by the scriptures — of this there is no doubt. Doing thus, a man, O Goddess, obtains the fruit of his birth.

Verse 14 (skanda.7.95.14)

इति संक्षेपतः प्रोक्तं मृत्युञ्जयमहोदयम्। पापघ्नं सर्वजंतूनां सर्वकामफलप्रदम्

iti saṁkṣepataḥ proktaṁ mṛtyuñjayamahodayam| pāpaghnaṁ sarvajaṁtūnāṁ sarvakāmaphalapradam

Thus has been told, in brief, the great glory of Mrityunjaya — destroyer of sin for all creatures, bestower of the fruit of every desire.