Skanda Purana

by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words

This page describes The Greatness of Kumaresha which is chapter 34 of the English translation of the Skanda Purana, the largest of the eighteen Mahapuranas, preserving the ancient Indian society and Hindu traditions in an encyclopedic format, detailling on topics such as dharma (virtous lifestyle), cosmogony (creation of the universe), mythology (itihasa), genealogy (vamsha) etc. This is the thirty-fourth chapter of the Kaumarika-khanda of the Maheshvara-khanda of the Skanda Purana.

Go directly to: Footnotes.

Chapter 34 - The Greatness of Kumāreśa

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Nārada said:

1-2. Then, as Guha was desirous of installing the third Liṅga, Brahmā said thus for his (Guha’s) satisfaction: “We shall ourselves make another (Liṅga). Although this one also is a splendid Liṅga devoid of all defects, I shall make another (Liṅga) which shall be the most excellent of all.”

3. Then Brahmā himself made an excellent Liṅga devoid of all defects. It was pleasing to the eyes and the mind. Its benefits were attractive.

4-6. There, for the gratification of Skanda, a very beautiful lake was constructed by all the Devas. The Heaven-dwellers placed the holy waterways beginning with Gaṅgā there and they spoke to them, “As long as this lake exists, be pleased to stay here, all of you.” For gratifying “Śara(reed)-born Lord (i.e. Skanda)”, all the holy waterways said, “So be it.”

Then, accompanied by Brāhmaṇas, beginning with the son of Gādhi, Brahmā himself propitiated Hutāśana (‘Fire-god’) by means of the Mantras pertaining to Rudra.

7. Then, on the auspicious fourteenth day of the month of Vaiśākha, those important Brāhmaṇas installed the Liṅga permanently.

8-10. The chiefs of Gandharvas sang songs. Groups of celestial damsels danced.

Then the delighted Skanda took his holy dip in the splendid lake. With great devotion, he bathed that Liṅga with the waters of all the holy waterways. He worshipped it with different kinds of flowers repeating the Mantras. At the time of the worship, Hara was present within the Liṅga along with mobile and immobile beings. He himself accepted the worship.

11. Adoring him with great feelings of devotion, Skanda asked, “What are the offerings to be made unto you? What are the benefits of the different kinds of offerings?” [1]

Śrī Mahādeva said:

12. If anyone installs my Liṅga and makes a splendid abode (temple), he will reside in my world as long as the moon and the sun last.

13. He will shine with fame for as many lives as the number of times he makes my abode clean and white-washed.

14. By offering a flagstaff, one becomes a distinguished and eminent person. By offering a banner, one becomes free from sins. By inscribing pictures, he rejoices with Gandharvas.

15. By sweeping dust particles, a man becomes liberated from ailments. By painting the abode of the Lord, one attains a beautiful body.

16. By offering flowers, milk and other things, by giving gingelly seeds, water, raw rice-grains and Darbha grass and by giving Arghya on the head of Śaṃbhu one shall stay in heaven for ten thousand years.

17. If one bathes the Liṅga with ghee, one shall destroy all sins. If one bathes the Liṅga with honey, one shall become lovely and pretty as well as fortunate and prosperous. If he bathes it with curds or milk he shall become free from ailments.

18. The merit (of bathing the Liṅga) with water, curds, milk etc. gradually increases ten times. After bathing it devoutly for a month, one should make it dry and shining by rubbing with flour etc.

19. By bathing me with the five products of the milk of a Kapilā (i.e. brown-coloured) cow or by the waters of the Celestial River (Gaṅgā) and by worshipping me, one attains my world.

20. Scented water is better than water sprinkled with Darbha grass. Water from holy rivers etc. is better than that (scented water). Water taken from the meeting place of Mahī and the ocean is better than that of holy rivers.

21. By taking water separately in a pot (for bathing Lord Śiva) one derives the same benefit as is obtained by giving a Kapilā cow in charity. If the pot is made of clay, copper, silver or gold the benefit increases hundred-fold gradually.

22. Sandalwood, aloe, saffron and camphor are serially superior (to the previous one). By applying the same over me (i.e. Liṅga), one shall become glorious, lovely and happy.

23. Incense with fragrant gum-resin is good. Camphor is better. Agallochum is still superior. By offering these incenses, a man can easily attain heavenly pleasures.

24. One who offers a lamp obtains fame and excellent vision. By offering Naivedya (i.e. food offerings) one gets well-cooked savory food.

25. īf a flower of Hemakarṇa (Caṃpaka?) is offered, the person obtains twice the benefit. He becomes truthful too.

26. After filling (i.e. covering) up the Liṅga by means of unbroken Bilva leaves or different kinds of flowers, one shall stay in heaven for a hundred thousand years.

27. A man who makes a flower-grotto shall become pure in heart. He shall sport about in heaven for a long time in the Puṣpaka aerial chariots.

28. By offering ornaments and robes, a man becomes an enjoyer of worldly pleasures. By offering good chowries the man becomes a king.

29. He who offers beautiful canopy is never assailed by enemies. By means of vocal and instrumental music as well as dances, the devotee becomes pure and attains me.

30. By offering conchs and bells, the devotee becomes learned and well-reputed. By performing the Rathayātrā (i.e. solemn procession with the Liṅga or idol placed in a chariot) festival, one shall be liberated from sorrows for a long time.

31. By performing prostrations and obeisance, the devotee shall be born in a great family. By reading scriptural texts in front of me, the devotee becomes wise and learned.

32. By eulogizing me with devotion, a man is liberated from the delusions of mind. By taking affectionately and wearing devoutly the remnants of worship, one obtains the benefit of the charitable gift of a cow.

33. By waving lights ceremoniously, one becomes devoid of agony and grief. By offering cooling devices, one becomes liberated from the torments arising from (the disturbance of) the humours.

34. After bowing down and offering charitable gifts according to one’s capacity in the presence of the Liṅga, the devotee obtains hundred-fold benefits. He rejoices here and hereafter.

35. If the rites are performed in accordance with the injunctions, I forgive fifteen offences when obeisances are made, twenty when ablutious are performed and a hundred offences when worship is performed.

36-39. O Kumāra, all this will take place here as indicated in the case of those who worship me stationed here in Kumāreśvara (shrine).

O dear one, just as I stay in Vārāṇasī in the form of Viśvanātha, so also I will stay in this secret holy spot (or well protected holy spot) in the middle of Kumāreśvara.

On hearing these words from Rudra within the hearing of the Devas, Guha became surprised. He bowed down to and eulogized the consort of the daughter of the Mountain.

Prayer

40. “Obeisance to Śiva devoid of ailments. I salute Śiva identical with the mind. Obeisance to Śiva worshipped by Suras. Obeisance to you always, you who are merciful to devotees.

41. Obeisance to Bhava, the source of the world. Hail to you who have killed Manobhava (i.e. god of Love). Obeisance to you whose great holy rites are mysterious. I salute the support of the inexplicable Māyā.

42. Obeisance to Śarva, to Śiva, to the Siddha, the ancient one. Obeisance to Kāla (god of Death). I salute Kala (the sweet-toned one): obeisance to you, the Lord who are beyond Kāla (Time) and Kalā (Arts).

43. Obeisance to one with natural prosperity. I salute the one who scatters unmeasured great prosperity; I bow to the one worthy of being a refuge. Obeisance to the one devoid of Guṇas. Obeisance to you, the follower (i.e. possessor) of dreadful qualities.

44. Hail to the creator of different kinds of worlds; obeisance to the bestower of everything on the devotees. Salutation to the creator, the source of all holy rites. Obeisance always to you, O Lord, to the excellent maker.

45. Obeisance to you always, to the 'Lord with infinite forms. Salute to you always, to the one whose fury is unbearable. Obeisance to you whose measurement is impossible. I bow to you whose vehicle is the great bull.

46. Obeisance to the highly famous one, the great panacea. Obeisance to you, the dispeller of the groups of ailments. I salute the mobile and immoble one, to the bestower of thoughts. Obeisance to Śiva, the Lord of Kumāra.

47. O my Lord, O Lord of the living beings, you are the great Lord, O Lord of (god of) love, Lord of Speech, Lord of strength, Lord of intellect, O Lord of anger, O Lord of fascination, O Lord of the superior and the inferior. Hail to you, O Lord of salvation. O Lord lying in the cavity (of the heart).”

48. After eulogizing the trident-bearing husband of Umā, the bestower of boons and after bowing down to him, the son of Umā said, “Obeisance, obeisance (to you).”

49. For a long time Śiva commended this hymn that was befitting unto aim and that was full of devotion, and spoke these words:

50. “The miserable circumstance of the slaughter of one of my devotees should not cause worry to you, O dear son. You are worthy of being praised even by sages, by this act (of yours).

51. Listen to the benefit acquired by those people who will be eulogizing me with great devotion by means of the hymn composed by you, both in the mornings as well as in the evenings.

52. They will have neither sickness nor poverty nor will they be separated from their beloved ones. After enjoying rare worldly pleasures, they will go over to my abode.

53. Further I shall grant other boons too that arc excessively difficult to get. I have been extremely delighted by your devotion. O dear son, for the sake of your gratification (I shall bestow them).

54. If people worship me on the Vaiśākhī day, offer charitable gifts and eulogize me along with the worship on the shores of Mahī and the ocean, all their holy rites will have everlasting benefits.

55. Those men who take their holy dip in the lake here on the Vaiśākhī day, will obtain the benefit of all holy spots.

56. He who takes his bath in the meeting place of Mahī and the ocean and perpetually worships me, Kumāreśa, with devotion, will have the power of recollecting (the incidents of) the previous birth.

57. This recollection of the previous birth, O son, makes him remember all those rare duties conducive to spiritual welfare, whatever may be the Jāti (species/caste) in which he is born.

58. At the time when there is drought, O son of Kṛttikās, one should duly bathe me with various auspicious Kalaśas (‘water pots’).

59. A devotee should bathe me with scented water one, three, five or seven nights and then apply saffron.

60. The devotee should wear red clothes and worship with oleander flowers, china rose flowers (or any other) red flowers or with flower garlands.

61. He should feed Brāhmaṇas and ascetics of well-praised holy rites. He shall perform Lakṣahoma (i.e. offerings of ghee etc. into the fire a hundred thousand times), Śivahoma and Grahahoma etc.

62. Thereafter a land-gift should be made. Then Gavāhnika (i.e. daily fodder to a cow) should be offered. The words “Śiva, Śiva, Oṃ Śānti” should be pronounced. Then the Rudra Mantra should be got repeated.

63. By means of these holy rites performed in accordance with this injunction by excellent Brāhmaṇas, even those clouds that are not filled will shower rain. There is no doubt about it.

64. The earth will be filled with various kinds of grains and grassy meadows. People and cowherds will enjoy good health.

65-70a. The king shall be virtuous. He will not be afflicted by the troops and hosts of enemies.

One who bathes my Liṅga with ghee during the transit of the sun (from one zodiac to another) gets the merit of gifting away a virgin (in marriage). There is no doubt about this.

He who bathes the Lord with milk or Pañcāmṛta (i.e. mixture of milk, sugar, ghee, curds and honey) obtains the merit of (performing an) Agniṣṭoma sacrifice.

He who dies at the holy spot of Kumāreśvara shall stay in the world of Rudra till the time of the annihilation of all living beings.

Listen to the merit earned by a person who takes his holy bath in the place where Mahī meets the ocean, during the transit of the sun, during the equinoxes, during the solar or lunar eclipse, during the full-moon or new-moon day, during the movement of the sun from one zodiac to another or during the Vaidhṛta period (of stellar position) and worships me, Kumāreśa, with great devotion.

70b-72a. Whatever be the cumulative merit of taking holy dip in all the Tīrthas all over the earth, or of worshipping all the Liṅgas—that merit is acquired by one who worships Lord Kumāreśa. By serving Kumāreśvara a man certainly obtains freedom from sickness, acquisition of sons and wealth, happiness and issues.

72b-78. (Partially defective text) If an ascetic stays here with great cleanliness and vow of celibacy, he attains the great Pāśupata Yoga and gets merged in me.

I show the result at once to the mortals of sinful souls by eight types of Divya[2] (‘ordeals through which guilt is proved or denied’). Kośa (i.e. vessel for holding the water intended for the ordeal) is the usual one. The Liṅga should be bathed by (repeating) the five Mantras beginning with Aghora. The Liṅga should be made shining and brilliant. For the sake of the Divya ordeal that water should be offered with the Aghora Mantra itself. The man (i.e.suspect) shall drink three handfuls of this water repeating as follows: ‘If there is virtue, truth and Īśvara in the three worlds, I shall immediately find out the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness by drinking the (water from the) Kośa. If the good point is seen; there is auspiciousness; if it is false, it shall kill his body.’ The results are experienced by one having an excessive degree of merit or sin within three days, three fortnights, three months or three years.

79. These boons have been granted by me to the Liṅga installed by you here. (What shall I do) for the sake of increasing your gratification, O son of Umā? Tell me.

Skanda said:

80. I am contented and blessed, O Maheśvara, thanks to these boons granted by you. Obeisance, obeisance, obeisance to you. This place should never be abandoned by you, O Lord.

81-82- After bowing down to the Lord thus, he bowed down to his mother and said, “This place should not be abandoned by you too, dear mother, for the sake of my love. I shall install you too here, O Pārvatī; be the bestower of boons.”

Śrīdevī said:

83-86. O son, I too stay there where Śarva abides in his form. Particularly on account of your devotion I shall remain here as the bestower of boons on women. Observing your activities during the battles as well as your mercifulness towards devotees of Rudra, I have been excessively delighted by you. I have become the most important one among those endowed with sons. I think that the ordeal of child-bearing undergone by women becomes fruitful when the son is gladly announced by good men as a devotee of Rudra, O son of six faces. Hence I shall stay here for the sake of your gratification.

87-91. On being propitiated by women, I will grant good fortune, good husband and sons. If they worship me with flowers, incense and unguents after bathing in cold water on the third day in the month of Caitra, I will grant them eight types of Saubhāgya (‘conjugal felicity, blessedness’ etc.). They will enjoy all fortunes and riches (along with) parents, parents-in-law, sons and husbands.

A woman of great devotion should get herself weighed against a collection of the following eight things: saffron, flowers, sandal, betel leaves, collyrium, sugarcane, salt (i.ed the seventh of the lot, and the eighth is mentioned to be good Jīraka (cumin seeds). (These should be given away as gifts.) She may weigh herself severally against gold, scents or auspicious fruits (which also may be gifted away). After that she may eat (some) salt. She will never be a widow.

92. If a woman takes the holy dip and worships me in the months of Māgha, Kārttika or Caitra, she will never experience ill-luck, misery and poverty.

93. On hearing these words of the daughter of the Mountain, the delighted son of Pārvatī installed (the idol of) the daughter of the Mountain and spoke to Kapardin[3] (‘one havingmatted hair’):

94-96. “O Lord, be the dispeller of the obstacles of those who, at the outset, worship you with flowers, incense and sweetmeats and then worship Kumāreśa.”

Kapardī said:

O brother, there will never be obstacles (in the activities of) those men who are devotees of this Liṅga installed by you. My word follows (my decision).

When this was spoken (i.e. promised) by Vighnarāja (Gaṇapati), the delighted (Kumāra) installed him too. Hence he should be worshipped always particularly on the Caturthī (fourth Tithi).

97. After installing Kumāreśa thus and after getting these boons from Śiva, the Six-faced Lord was pleased in his mind. He considered himself blessed.

98-102a. He stayed there itself partially in the presence of Kumāreśvara.

Those who go on pilgrimage called Svāmiyātrā shall visit Kūmāra stationed here. Their pilgrimage then becomes fruitful, O descendant of Bharata. The devotee should worship Kārttikeya particularly on the full-moon day in the month of Kārttika. He shall obtain the same benefit as in Svāmiyātrā. Such is the efficacy of the meeting place of Mahī and the ocean. Taking (that holy spot) as the basis, the Liṅga is worshipped for the sake of the welfare of the soul. He who is attacked by ailments, shall be liberated from them by repeating the hundred and eight names. With purity (of mind and body) and vow of celibacy he should repeat them for a month. He will be liberated from sins.

102b-105. Raji,[4] Rāma and others propitiated this formerly (and became famous). They attained a kingdom hundred times powerful and also the world of Rudra.

Jamadagni’s son propitiated the Liṅga for ten thousand years and obtained an axe by which he chopped off the arms of Arjuna in the course of a battle. In front of the Lord of Devas, after realizing the great qualities of the Tīrtha, the excellent Liṅga well-known as Rāmeśvara was installed. He who worships it with devotion goes to the world of Rudra.

106. O Phālguna, Rāma and Kumāreśa shall be pleased with him. Thus the description of Kumāreśa has been made succinctly.

107-110. He who glorifies Kumāreśa in his presence and those who listen to it everyday, dwell in the world of Rudra.

If a person reads the greatness of this Liṅga at the time of Śrāddha, the Śrāddha of Pitṭs becomes one of everlasting benefit. There is no doubt about this.

If one repeats the greatness of this Liṅga to a pregnant woman, the son born shall have all good qualities and the daughter born shall be chaste.

This (narrative) is meritorious, virtuous, dispelier of sins and the cause of delight. It bestows all the desired benefits on those who read and listen.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

VV 12-35 describe the fruit obtained from different kinds of service rendered to Kumāreśa.

[2]:

Ordeals were popular in those days.

[3]:

The context shows that god Gaṇeśa is meant here.

[4]:

Raji—a valiant son of Āyu of Purūravas’s race. He helped Indra to defeat the Asuras on condition of getting Indra-hood. He was ultimately deceived by Indra by assuming mock-modesty.

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