Chapter 14 - Somaloka

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

The attendants said:

1. In front of Alakā is the prosperous city of Īśāna. Sages who are devotees of Rudra always dwell there.

2. They are deeply engrossed in remembering Śiva; they are interested in the holy vows and observances pertaining to Śiva; they are always engaged in the worship of Śiva.

3. Those who perform penances with a desire for the enjoyment of heavenly pleasures, assume the form of Rudra here, in the beautiful city of Rudra.

4 Eleven Rudras, the chiefs of whom are Ajaikapāt and Ahirbudhnya, are the leaders here; they have tridents in their raised hands.

5. They protect the eight cities from the wicked enemies of Devas. They are the excellent ones who always grant boons to the devotees of Śiva.

6. After reaching the city of Vārāṇasī and installing the great Liṅga named Īśāneśa that accords splendid things and auspiciousness, they too have performed penance.

7. With the favour of Īśāneśa, they became the Lords of the Quarter in the North-East. All these eleven move about together. They are adorned with crown-like mass of hair (on the head).

8. They have an eye in the forehead. Their throat is blue in colour. Their limbs are fair and pure. They are bull-emblemed. The Rudras on the surface of the earth are thousands in number, (nay) they are innumerable.

9-14. They stay in this city of Iśa endowed with all sorts of pleasures.

After worshipping Īśāneśa in Kāśī as well as in other places, those who die are born as priests here due to that merit.

Those who worship Īśāneśa on the eighth or the fourteenth lunar day, should be known as Rudras undoubtedly here and hereafter.

A man who keeps awake at night in the presence of Īśāneśvara, after observing fast on any fourteenth day never enters any womb again (i.e., gets liberated from Saṃsāra).

Hearing the story narrated by the attendants of Viṣṇu on the path to heaven, Śivaśarman saw moonlight even during the day. It delighted the mind much along with all the sense-organs causing great surprise.

Śivaśarman asked them: “O attendants of Hari, what is this world? It gives delight and inspires admiration”.

They replied to the Brāhmaṇa.:

The attendants said:

15. O blessed Śivaśarman, this is the world of the Moon whose nectar-showering rays enliven the world.

16. O Brāhmaṇa, Atri, the father of Soma (Moon), a pious and magnanimous sage, was born of Brahmā as his mental son, when he (Brahmā) was desirous of creating the subjects.

17. We have heard that he formerly performed a penance named Anuttara (‘than which there is nothing greater’) for three thousand divine years.

18. His semen virile flowed upwards and became the Moon (or Somarasa). It oozed out through the eyes in ten directions brightening the quarters.

19. On being commanded by Brahmā, the ten deities (of the ten directions) tried to hold that in their womb. They wished to conceive collectively but could not.

20. When those directions were incapable of conceiving the foetus, Soma fell on the earth along with them.

21. On seeing Soma fallen, Brahmā, the grandfather of the world, placed him on a chariot with a desire for the welfare of all the worlds.

22. Druhiṇa (Brahmā) made him circumambulate the ocean-girt earth twenty-one times, along with that excellent chariot.

23. His overflowing refulgence reached the earth when herbs took their origin, through which the universe is sustained.

24. O blessed one, that venerably glorious (Moon) caused to flourish by Brahmā himself, obtained brilliance and performed penance for a hundred Padma years (Padma is one thousand billion).

25-26. He went to Avimukta, the highly sacred holy spot, and installed an Amṛta Liṅga called Candreśa,^[1] after his own name. With the favour of the Pināka-wielding Viśveśa, the Lord of Devas, he became the king of seeds, herbs, waters and the Agrajanmans (Brāhmaṇas).

27. He made a well there, remembered as Amṛtoda, by drinking the waters of which or bathing wherein a man is released from ignorance.

28-30. He was held by the delighted Lord of Devas on his own head. Later even when he was cursed by Dakṣa and he became reduced in size at the end of the month, he took up the single Kalā (the digit) that is highly enlivening in power. The Moon becomes bigger through that digit alone.

After acquiring the great kingdom, Soma, the most excellent one among the possessors of nectar, performed a Rājasūya sacrifice in which a hundred thousand was given as Dakṣiṇā.

31. We have heard that Soma gave the three worlds as Dakṣiṇā to those members of the assembly, the chiefs of whom were many Brāhmaṇa-sages, O Brāhmaṇa.

32. Hiraṇyagarbha, Brahmā, Atri and Bhṛgu were Ṛtviks there and Hari along with many sages became the member of the assembly.

33. Nine goddesses, viz., Sinī, Kuhū, Dyuti, Puṣṭi, Prabhā, Vasu, Kīrti, Dhṛti and Lakṣmī, served him.

34. He propitiated Rudra accompanied by Umā through the sacrificial rite and became well-known as ‘Soma’,^[2] the title given by Śaṃbhu accompanied by Umā.

35. It was there alone, in front of Candreśvara, that Soma performed the excessively difficult penance and Rājasūya sacrifice as well.

36. There alone he was told thus by the Brāhmaṇas pleased with him: “This Kalānidhi (‘storehouse of refulgent digits’) Soma, who gave the three worlds as Dakṣiṇā, is the king for all of us, the Brāhmaṇas.

37. There alone he attained the status of the eye of the Lord of Devas. The Lord who was pleased in his mind, thus gave delight to all the three worlds.

38-39. He was told thus, due to the power of his penance: “You are my Aparā (lesser) Mūrti (form). On your rise the world will find its happiness rising. The world including mobile and immobile beings, pervaded by the heat of the Sun, will suffer distress, which it will get rid of when touched by your rays full of nectar.”

40-44. After saying this, Maheśānā joyously granted other boons too: “O Dvijarāja, since a severe penance has been performed by you here, since the ultimate offer of (the benefits of) the sacrifice has been made in favour of me and since this Liṅga of mine named Candreśvara has been installed by you, O Soma, I shall assume the form of having Umā in half of the body and reside in this Liṅga named after you. Though I am omnipresent, I shall reside here on the fifteenth day in the bright half of every month for the whole of the day and night with all the prosperity of the three worlds.”

Hence even the least of the holy rites performed here on a full-moon day, viz. Japa, Homa, Arcanā, Dhyāna, Dāna and the feeding of the Brāhmaṇas shall be in fact, a great adoration and it will be for my pleasure.

45-46. Repairing of the ruins etc., offering of dance, instrumental music etc., the rites like hoisting the holy flag etc., the propitiation of ascetics and sages, performed at Candreśvara at that time shall be capable of yielding never-ending benefit.

I shall tell you, O storehouse of digits, another great secret. Listen.

47-51. This should not be mentioned to one who is not a devotee, one who is an atheist, one who hates the Vedas.

O Soma, when a new-moon (day) occurs on a Monday, good men should observe fast on the fourteenth day with great respect.

If the Pradoṣa happens on a Saturday, O Soma, listen, the devotee should finish his daily rite on the thirteenth day, worship the Candreśvara Liṅga, observe all the regulations on the thirteenth day at night, observe a fast on the fourteenth day and keep vigilance at night and in the morning, when there is the combination of Soma and Kuhū, he should take his holy bath in the waters of Candroda lake.

He should then duly perform Sandhyā rites and offer all libations and perform similar rites. He should then perform Śrāddha duly near the holy spot Candroda.

52-56a. He should scrupulously offer balls of rice without Āvāhana (invoking) and Arghya to the three generations in the form of Vasu (father), Rudra (grandfather), Aditisuta (greatgrandfather), maternal grandfather and others of the Gotra in view. He should utter the names of his preceptor, father-in-law and other kinsmen and offer balls of rice.

One who performs Śrāddha at this holy spot with faith redeems all (ancestors).

Through the Śrāddhas in the holy pit Candroda here, the ancestors are as much pleased as they are by means of the offer of balls of rice at Gayā.

Just as a man is released from all indebtedness to the Pitṛs at Gayā, so also he is released from that indebtedness by offering balls of rice at Candroda.

56b-60. When an excellent man sets out to visit Candreśvara, all his previous ancestors become joyous and they dance: “This scion (of our family) will perform Tarpaṇa unto us in the holy waters of Candroda. If due to our deficiency in fortune, he does not do so, at least he will touch the holy waters and we shall be satisfied thereby. If the stupid fellow does not even touch, he will surely see and that is conducive to our satisfaction.”

Thus the devotee having the holy vow shall perform Śrāddha, touch Candreśvara, propitiate the Brāhmaṇas and ascetics and then perform the Pāraṇa (breaking the fast) rite.

Thus, O deer-stained one, with my favour one shall become released from the three types of indebtedness by performing this holy rite in Kāśī on a new-moon day falling on a Monday.

61. Here on the Mahācaitrī (full-moon day in the month of Caitra) residents of this holy spot should perform the rite of Yātrā (procession) for the purpose of acquiring knowledge of Tāraka Mantra. It shall prevent all obstacles in the holy spot.

62. One who worships Candreśvara, but dies elsewhere shall pierce clusters of sins and attain Somaloka.

63. In the age of Kali, the greatness of Candreśa is not understood by unlucky ones. O lord of the night, I shall mention to you another great secret.

64-67. This Pīṭha called Siddhayogīśvara bestows Siddhi on Sādhakas (aspirants).

Here, in front of me, are seven crores of Siddhas belonging to Suras, Asuras, Gandharvas, Nāgas, Vidyādharas, Rākṣasas, Guhyakas, Yakṣas, Kinnaras and human beings.

One who meditates on Viśveśvarī here after being strictly regular in diet for six months, sees the Siddhas who come for worshipping Candreśvara. Siddhayogīśvarī shall be the granter of boons to him directly. You too will have great Siddhi by visiting Siddhayogīśvarī.

68. There are many Pīṭhas on the earth for the achievement of Siddhi by an aspirant. But there is nothing else that bestows Siddhi quickly all over the earth except Yogīśvarī Pīṭha.

69. O Śaśin, this alone is that Pīṭha, where the Liṅga Candreśvara has been installed by you. It is invisible to persons of no self-control.

70. Persons who have won over lust, anger, covetousness, desire, egotism and arrogance, see Yogīśvarī, my Śakti, who is excessively beneficent.

71-72. Those people who are endowed with devotion and worship the goddess whose form is invisible, but who is glorious and tawny-coloured and who bestows all Siddhis, with incense, food offerings, lamps etc., in the Siddhayogīśvarī Pīṭha every eighth and fourteenth lunar day (shall be blessed). The goddess shall appear in front of them.”

73. Thus, O Brāhmaṇas, Śaṃbhu, the great Īśāna granted boons to the Moon-god and thereafter vanished behind Viśveśvarapura.

74. Ever since then, Dvijarāja became the lord of this world, making the directions devoid of darkness by means of his rays spreading everywhere.

75. Indeed, men who observe Somavāra (Monday) vow, who invariably imbibe Somarasa, go to Somaloka by means of a vehicle having the lustre of the Moon.

76. A man who listens devoutly to the origin of Candreśvara as well as to the penance of Candramas (Moon-god) is honoured in the world of Candra.

Agastya said:

77. Narrating this story which bestows welfare on Śivaśarman and dispels fatigue in the divine journey, the attendants thereafter went to the excellent Uḍuloka (Stellar world).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Candreśvara is now better known for its shrine of Siddheśvarī Devī. It contains Candrakūpa called Amṛtoda here.

[2]:

Soma derived as Sauma (‘along with Umā’). The Moon-god propitiated Rudra along with Umā. Hence the designation.