Verse 3.2.401

Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 3.2.401:

সেই শিব-গ্রামে প্রভু ভক্ত-বৃন্দ-সঙ্গে শিব-লিঙ্গ দেখি’ দেখি’ ভ্রমিলেন রঙ্গে ॥ ৪০১ ॥

सेइ शिव-ग्रामे प्रभु भक्त-वृन्द-सङ्गे शिव-लिङ्ग देखि’ देखि’ भ्रमिलेन रङ्गे ॥ ४०१ ॥

sei śiva-grāme prabhu bhakta-vṛnda-saṅge śiva-liṅga dekhi’ dekhi’ bhramilena raṅge || 401 ||

sei siva-grame prabhu bhakta-vrnda-sange siva-linga dekhi’ dekhi’ bhramilena range (401)

English translation:

(401) In that abode of Śiva, the Lord and His associates happily wandered about seeing the Śiva-liṅgas.

Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:

Of the deities situated within the walls of the temple, Ekāmraka-śiva is situated at the base of the mango tree and is facing west. North of the mango tree is a Śiva-liṅga named Ugreśvara, who is the chief of eleven hundred thousand liṅgas. Beyond him is Viśveśvara-liṅga. West of Gaṇanātha are Nandī and Mahākāla. These two were worshiped by Citragupta, so they are also known as Citragupteśa. Nearby is Sabareśvara-liṅga. In the southwest is Laḍḍukeśvara Śiva, the chief of nine hundred thousand liṅgas. Near him is Śakreśvara Śiva.

Bindu-sarovara, Ananta Vāsudeva, Puruṣottama, Padaharā, Tīrtheśvara, and Bhuvaneśvara, who is the combination of eight forms, are found in the first of eight concentric rings. Kapila-kuṇḍa, Pāpanāśana-kuṇḍa, Maitreśa, and Vāruṇeśa are situated in the second ring. Beyond this is Pāpanāśana-tīrtha.

South of Pāpanāśana-kuṇḍa is Īśāneśvara Śiva. Northwest of him is Yameśvara-liṅga. Gaṅgeśvara-liṅga is situated in the third concentric ring. Gaṅgā and Yamunā flow a short distance northeast of there. In the Satya-yuga, Gaṅgā and Yamunā flowed there slowly with a desire to see Bhuvaneśvara and offered prayers to Bhuvaneśvara by chanting mantras from the four Vedas. When Bhuvaneśvara was satisfied by their prayers and asked what they desired, they expressed their desire to live eternally in Ekāmraka-kṣetra. Śrī Bhuvaneśvara then awarded them a place in the

southeast. By taking bath in these two tīrthas—Gaṅgā and Yamunāone attains devotional service to Viṣṇu, the result of taking bath in the Gaṅgā and Yamunā. There is also a place known as Devī-pada-tīrtha in this third ring. We have already described the Purāṇic incident regarding this Devī- pada-tīrtha. The beautiful lake that Pārvatīdevī created after killing the two demons Kṛtti and Vāsa is renowned as Devī-pada-tīrtha. By taking bath in that Devī-pada-tīrtha and worshiping Gopālinī on the eighth day of the waxing moon in the month of Phālguna one attains one’s desired results. Southeast of this tīrtha Śrī Lakṣmīdevī established a liṅga in a temple constructed by Viśvakarmā. That liṅga is known as Lakṣmīśvara. In the fourth ring, Koṭī-tīrtha and Koṭīśvara are situated. When the demigods attempted to construct temples in Bhuvaneśvara, Śrī Bhuvaneśvara ordered them through a voice in the sky to perform a sacrifice in the northeast corner. When the demigods followed his order by constructing temples, establishing deities, performing fire sacrifices, and offering prayers, Bhuvaneśvara was pleased and decided to give them a benediction. The demigods then prayed that their sacrificial pit would become a tīrtha, and their desire was fulfilled. This place is renowned as Koṭī-tīrtha. By taking bath in this Koṭī-tīrtha, one attains the supreme destination. In the fourth ring, the Śiva-liṅga known as Svarṇa-jaleśvara is situated. This Svarṇa-jaleśvara-liṅga is situated 70 dhanu, or 280 cubits (a cubit is about a foot and a half), northeast of Bindu-sarovara. Near this liṅga there is a kuṇḍa, the water of which is used for bathing the liṅga.

There is a Svarneśvara-liṅga within that kuṇḍa.

Sureśvara-tīrtha, which measures 200 cubit in diameter, is situated four hundred cubits northeast of Bhuvaneśvara. Sureśvara Mahādeva is situated there. Nearby are Siddheśvara, Mukteśvara, Svarṇa-jaleśvara, Parameśvara, Āmrātakeśvara, Brahmeśvara, Megheśvara, Kedāreśvara, Cakreśvara, Viśveśvara, and Kapileśvara. By worshiping these liṅgas one attains devotional service to Viṣṇu. Southeast of Siddheśvara is the famous Kedāreśvara, a Śiva-liṅga that faces south. East of Siddheśvara is Cakreśvara Śiva, and beyond that is Yajñeśvara, or Indreśvara, Śiva.

The demigods worshiped that liṅga out of devotion to Viṣṇu and had Viśvakarmā construct a temple. As a result, Bhuvaneśa (Viṣṇu) became pleased and gave them the benediction that this liṅga would be known as Siddheśvara, because Śiva, who is very dear to Viṣṇu, was directly present in that liṅga and would award perfection in the worship of Viṣṇu. Siddhāśrama, which awards perfection, is situated 800 cubits from the Siddheśvara-liṅga. Near Siddhāśrama is Mukteśvara Śiva. Near Mukteśvara is Siddha-kuṇḍa, and south of Siddha-kuṇḍa is Puṇya-kuṇḍa. South of Siddheśvara is Kedāradeva, with Gaurīdevī situated by his side. Near Gaurīdevī is Gaurī-kuṇḍa. Since Himālaya worshiped that liṅga, it became known as Hema-kedāra. Streams of crystal clear water emanate west, south, and north of this liṅga. In front of this self-manifested liṅga is a Bhava-pīṭha. Near this Bhava-pīṭha there are three Rudra-liṅgas—Śānti-śiva, Śānta-śiva, and Daityeśvara—who were worshiped by the Maruts. Hiraṇyakaśipu heard a voice from the sky say, “Worship Daityeśvara-śiva, who is generally worshiped by the Daityas and who is situated west of Siddheśvara.” East of Siddheśvara is Indreśvara, who was worshiped by Indra. In the fifth concentric ring there is Brahmeśvara- liṅga and Brahma-kuṇḍa, which appeared during the sacrifice performed by Brahmā. Four hundred forty cubits northeast (a little southeast) past Kṛtti-Vāsa is Gokarṇeśvara. Suṣeṇa and Gokarṇāsura worshiped this liṅga. Near this liṅga are Utpaleśvara and Āmrātakeśvara liṅgas. In the sixth ring Megheśvara-liṅga is situated. Since this liṅga, which is 6800 cubits northeast of kalpa-vṛkṣa, was established and worshiped by the clouds (megha), this liṅga became renowned as Megheśvara. West of Megheśvara is Bhāskareśvara-liṅga, which was worshiped by Bhāskara, the sun-god. Mahādeva and Sūrya are perpetually worshiped six thousand cubits past this place. Three thousand two hundred cubits west of Bhāskareśvara is Kapāla-mocana-śiva. In the seventh ring is Alābu-tīrtha. When one brāhmaṇa friend of Indra performed austerities for one thousand years of the demigods, Bhuvaneśa became pleased with him and awarded him the benediction that his begging bowl and waterpot (made

of alābu, or squash) would transform into a tīrtha. When the Lord touched that waterpot, it turned into a divine lake. South of this lake is Auttareśa. Auttareśvara is situated west of Kedāreśvara. This three-eyed liṅga is effulgent, marked with the impression of the moon on his forehead, decorated with a garland of planets and stars, smeared with the ashes from a funeral pyre, decorated with snakes, endowed with a fierce face, and naked. Near this Auttareśvara-liṅga there are three witches who are fond of flesh and blood, who are fully intoxicated, who have crooked reddish eyes, and who are fond of singing and playing instruments. It is heard that Vasiṣṭha and Vāmadeva live at this place. Near this place there is a liṅga named Bhīmeśa, who takes away everyone’s fear. In the eighth ring there is a Rāma-kuṇḍa, also called Aśoka-jhara, which appeared from the Aśvamedha (horse) sacrifice. Within this ring are liṅgas like Rāmeśvara, Sīteśvara, Hanumadīśvara, Lakṣmaṇīśvara, Bharateśvara, Śatrughneśvara, Laveśvara, and Gosahasreśvara.