Chapter 19 - The Greatness of Indreśvara and Jayanteśvara

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Vyāsa said:

1. After taking the holy bath in Indrasaras and having visited Indreśvara, Śiva, one is rid of the sin incurred in the course of seven births. There is no doubt about it.

Yudhiṣṭhira said:

2. By whom was that holy shrine, the most excellent of all excellent things, created at the outset? Please describe this correctly, O excellent Brāhmaṇa, O honoured one.

Vyāsa said:

3. O great king, a very difficult penance was performed by Indra himself for a hundred years in the northern part of the village.

4. O descendant of Bharata, it was an extremely terrible penance (performed) with Śiva in view. With the hands lifted up and standing on a single toe, the highly resplendent (Indra) faced the Sun.

5. He was engaged in propitiating Śiva with concentration and great self-control in order to dispel the sin that had been incurred on account of the slaughter of Vṛtra.

6-8. Śaṃbhu, the moon-crested lord, propitiated with the penance, came there. His whole body was smeared with sacred ash. His hair was matted. He had the emblem of the bull. The threeeyed, ten-armed, five-faced lord had Khaṭvāṅga (staff with a skull at the top) in his hand. He was seated on the bull. He held Gaṅgā in his matted hair. He was surrounded by ghosts and spirits. The most excellent one among the gods was highly pleased. The compassionate lord was ready to grant the boon with a delighted mind. He said to Devendra thus:

Hara said:

9. O lord, I shall grant you what you request for.

Indra said:

10-11. O lord, the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter torments me continuously. O most excellent one among Suras, it is the sin incurred by killing the demon Vṛtra. O Maheśvara, the ocean of sympathy, O lord of Devas, if you are pleased remove this sin that gives a great pain to me.

Hara said:

12-13. Brāhmaṇa-slaughter does not afflict anyone in Dharmāraṇya, O lord of Suras. At my behest, O Devendra, and at the behest of Brahmā and Viṣṇu, the sin incurred due to the slaughter of cows, Brāhmaṇas, boys, as well as women does not afflict anyone (there). O Jiṣṇu (the victorious), at the behest of Yama no slaughter (i.e., sin due to it) stays here. Hence, O great king, come in and perform the ritualistic bath (at Dharmāraṇya).

Indra said:

14-15. If you are pleased with me, O great lord, the ocean of sympathy, O Śaṃkara, be installed here with my name.

Saying “So be it” the great lord, Hara who was highly pleased, showed there itself his Liṅga that was destructive of sins.

16. Those who know the events of the three times (past, present and future) know that Śrīkaṇṭha is staying there. With his own Yogic power it (the Liṅga) was evolved by Śaṃbhu from the back of a tortoise (shell).

17. In the presence of the king of Devas who was afraid of the sin of Vṛtra’s slaughter, the deity with the name of Indreśvara stayed there in Dharmāraṇya, O king.

18-22. The lord is present there with a desire for the welfare of all the worlds and for the purification of all sins.

If a man worships with devotion the deity Indreśvara with flowers, incense etc., O great king, he gets rid of all sins.

On the eighth and fourteenth day of the lunar month, particularly in the month of Māgha, he should worship the lord for the purification of all sins. He (the worshipper) is honoured in the region of Śiva.

A person who performs the rite of letting off a dark-coloured bull in the name of Śiva in front of Indreśvara, shall uplift hundred and one members of his family and seven Gotras. He who performs the Rudrajapa rite with all its ancillaries on the fourteenth day, shall become purified of all sins and attain the highest region.

23-24. If a devotee makes an eye of gold with a gem in the middle and gifts it to Brāhmaṇas at the excellent Indratīrtha, he will never be blind for sixty births. Their eyes will always be free from impurity. By taking holy bath in front of the deity, all great diseases are removed (cured).

25-28. If the deity is worshipped with single-mindedness, the devotee is rid of all ailments.

If a man takes the holy dip in the Kuṇḍa and offers libation to the Manes, O king, the Pitṛs and Pitāmahas (fathers, grandfathers i.e. Manes) become pleased with him always.

Those persons (embodied ones) who are afflicted with great diseases such as leprosy etc., become clean and pure, merely by the holy bath therein. They become endowed with divine bodies.

Men overwhelmed with fever and other difficulties should take the holy dip for their own benefit. By the mere bath, they become pure and endowed with divine bodies.

After taking the bath the person should worship the lord. He is rid of all suffering of fever.

29-30. There is no doubt that (periodic) fever that afflicts daily, after every two days, after every three days and four days or typhoid of fourteen days or a month’s duration is cured (destroyed) with the grace of Indreśvara. O king, it is true, (really) true, that he certainly becomes free from fever.

31. A barren woman, an ill-fated woman, a woman with one child, a woman whose progeny is dead in the womb, an evil-minded one whose dear child is dead, should take bath in the Kuṇḍa in front of Śiva and worship with single-minded devotion. She becomes pure merely by the ablution.

32. After granting many boons like these the Lord with the Pināka bow went to his own city attended by Suras and Asuras, O son of Kuntī.

33. Then Indra of great brilliance went to his city. There itself, an excellent Liṅga was installed by Jayanta (Indra’s son) too.

34-38. Being eulogized in that Liṅga always, Hara was pleased with Jayanta. O mighty-armed one, the lord of Suras leaves his own region and comes here for worshipping three times a day in the company of his son.

Thus I have narrated everything that bestows all types of happiness. The worship of Jayanteśa yields the same benefit as the worship of Indreśvara, O great king. It is true, true, undoubtedly.

After taking bath in the Kuṇḍa, O-great king, and worshipping with concentrated mind, a devotee becomes purified of all sins. He is honoured in the region of Indra. Thanks to the grace of Jayanteśa, a man who devoutly listens to this becomes rid of all sins and he gets everything he desires.