Chapter 30 - The greatness of the Jyotirliṅga Nāgeśvara

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Sūta said:

1. Once an attendant of the wicked Rākṣasa saw the beautiful form of Śiva in front of him.

2. That wonderful incident was truthfully intimated to the king of Rākṣasas.

3. The king of the Rākṣasas, Dāruka, though very powerful was excited much. He hastened to the Vaiśya and asked him.

Sūta said:—

4. O Vaiśya, what is it that you meditate upon? Tell me the truth. Then you will not die. My words cannot be otherwise.

Śiva said:—

5. He replied “I do not know.” On hearing it the Rākṣasa was angry. He incited the Rākṣasas—“O Rākṣasas, let him be killed.”

6. Urged by him, they seized various weapons and rushed at the leading Vaiśya whose mind was attached to Śiva, with desire to kill him.

7. On seeing them come, the Vaiśya remembered Śiva with devotion and repeated his names though his eyes indicated that he was extremely frightened.

The leading Vaiśya said:—

8. O Śiva, save me. O lord of gods, save me. O Śiva, save me now from this wicked Rākṣasa. O lord of the three worlds, O slayer of the wicked, O one favourably disposed towards his devotees.

9. O lord, you alone are my entire possession. I belong to you. I am subservient lo you. O lord, my very life is always in you.

Sūta said:—

10. Thus implored, Śiva appeared out of the crevice with an excellent temple with four doors.

11. Seeing in its midst the wonderfully brilliant form of Śiva along with his attendants he worshipped him.

12-13. On being worshipped, Śiva became delighted. He gave him the Pāśupata missile. He immediately slew all the Rākṣasas with all their attendants and adjuncts. He saved thus his devotee. Indeed Śiva is the slayer of the wicked.

14. After killing all of them, Śiva the creator of his Oracles and who assumes bodies in the course of sports granted a boon to the forest.

15. May the rites and activities of the four castes, Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas and Śūdras flourish in this forest always.

16. Let there never be people of the Tāmasaic qualities. Let there be excellent sages, the propounders and the followers of the Śaiva cult.

17. In the meantime the Rākṣasī Dārukā dejected in her mind, eulogised Pārvatī.

18. The goddess being pleased said “What shall I do?” She replied—“Let my race be protected by you”.

19. “I shall protect your race. I say this truth to you.” Saying this the Goddess quarrelled with Śiva.

20. On seeing the goddess furious, the lord, bound by the boon granted by him, replied with pleasure. “Do as you please”.

21. On hearing the words of her husband Śiva, the delighted Pārvatī laughed and spoke these words.

Pārvatī said:—

22. “Your words will be true at the end of this Yuga. Till then, I think, there can be the Tāmasaic creations as well.

23. Otherwise the dissolution will take place even now. O Śiva, let the words uttered by me be proved true. O lord, I belong to you. I depend on you.

24. This Rākṣasī Dārukā is my own Śakti. She is the most powerful among the Rākṣasīs. Let her rule over the kingdom of the Rākṣasas.

25. These wives of the Rākṣasas will give birth to sons. I have permitted all of them to live jointly in the forest.

Sūta said:—

26 On hearing these words of Pārvatī, lord Śiva was delighted in his mind and spoke these words.

Śiva said;—

27. O beloved, if you say so, please listen to my words. I will stay in this forest with pleasure for protecting the devotees.

28. He who maintains the discipline of rites and activities prescribed for different castes and has a sight of me with pleasure here will become an emperor.

29-30. Or, at the end of the recurring cycle of Kali or in the beginning of Kṛta Age, the leading king equipped with a vast army, famous in the name of Vīrasena son of Mahāsena, will have a sight of me. He will be a very valorous devotee of mine. After viewing me he will become an emperor.

Sūta said:—

31. Exchanging pleasantries thus, the couple, O brahmins, indulging in great sports remained there.

32. The Jyotirliṅga form of Śiva came to be known as Nāgeśvara. Goddess Śivā became Nāgeśvarī. Both of them are favourites of the devotees.

The sages said:—

33. O intelligent one, how will Vīrasena go to Dārukāvana and worship Śiva? Please narrate it.

Sūta said:—

34. Vīrasena, son of Mahāsena, was a great favourite of Śiva. He was born of a Kṣatriya family in the beautiful land of Niṣadha.^[1]

35. Worshipping the earthen image of the lord, Vīrasena performed a severe penance, lasting for twelve years.

36-39. Then Śiva, the delighted lord of the gods, became visible to him and said:—Make a fish-like canoe of wood. Coat it with tin and other metals. O Vīrasena, I shall create Yogamāyā and give it to you. Enter the canoe accompanied by Yogamāyā and your men. Proceed to the island in the Western ocean.^[2] Enter the crevice made by me. Perform the worship of Nāgeśvara. Thereafter secure the missile Pāśupata and slay the Rākṣasī and others. When I appear before you; you will not remain deficient in anything.

40. Pārvatī’s strength will grow to be complete. The Mlecchas of the forest will become pious and auspicious.

41. After saying this to Vīrasena and bestowing his mercy on everyone lord Śiva, the destroyer of miseries, vanished there itself.

42. Having received the boon form Śiva the supreme soul, Vīrasena became competent to do everything, of course.

43. Thus is the manifestation of Nāgeśvara, the lord in the form of a Jyotirliṅga conferring the attainment of desires to the three worlds.

44. He who listens to the origin of Nāgeśa respectfully attains all desires. He becomes intelligent. And his sins are destroyed.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

See P. 1189 note.

[2]:

See P. 1373 note.