Chapter 15 - Description of the Stellar World

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Agastya said:

1. Listen, O my wife Lopāmudrā of great excellence, O my partner in religious rites, to the story narrated by the two attendants of Viṣṇu to Śivaśarman.

Sivaśarman said:

2. O dear Gaṇas, skilful in narrating everything, this wonderful story of Candra (Region of Candra) has been heard. Now, tell me the story of the world of stars.

The attendants said:

3. Formerly, Dakṣa the patriarch, an expert in the creation of subjects, was born of the back of the thumb of the Creator (Brahmā) who was desirous of carrying on the activity of creation.

4. He had sixty daughters, the chief of whom was Rohiṇī. They were expert in performing austerities and had increasing skill and excellence in everything.

5. After reaching the city of Viśveśvara, a severe penance was performed by them. The moon-embellished great Lord accompanied by Umā was propitiated by them.

6. When Īśāna was pleased, he came there in order to grant the boon. With a satisfied mind he said, “Request for an excellent boon.”

7-8. On hearing the words of Śaṃbhu, those girls replied: “O Śaṅkara, if we deserve a boon and if a boon can be given to us, let him be our husband—he who is equal to you in beauty, O great lord, and who can dispel the distress due to worldly existence, even better than you.”

9-10. A great Liṅga named Nakṣatreśvara was installed by them on the beautiful banks of Varaṇā near Saṅgameśvara. A great penance named Puruṣāyita,^[1] which cannot be performed even by men, was performed by them for a thousand divine years.

11. Then Viśveśvara who was pleased, granted an excellent boon to all those (girls) of being wives of a single person and mental steadiness.

Śrī Viśveśvara said:

12. Such an excessively severe penance as this has never been endured formerly by women. Hence your name will be Nakṣatra here.

13. Since the penance named Puruṣāyita has been performed by you now, you will have the state of males if and when you please.

14. You will become foremost in the entire system of luminaries. You will be the excellent source of origin of all the Zodiacs beginning with Meṣa (Aries).

15. O splendid-countenanced ones, all of you will have (the Moon) as husband, who is the lord of herbs, nectar and Brāhmaṇas.

16. By worshipping your Liṅga named Nakṣatreśvara, a man will go to your excellent world.

17. Your world shall be above the Moon. You will be the most esteemed among all the Tārakas (Constellations).

18. Those who worship Stars, those who regularly observe the vows of Stars, will stay in your world with a lustre similar to that of the Stars.

19. Those who visit and have a vision of Nakṣatreśvara at Kāśī will never be adversely affected by Stars, Planets and Zodiacs.

Agastya said:

20. Even as the two attendants, of minds engrossed in Viṣṇu, were narrating the excellent story of the Stars, the world of Budha (Mercury) became the guest (object) of the eyes of Śivaśarman.

Śivaśarman said:

21. O attendants of the glorious Lord, whose unparalleled world is this? Tell me. It delights me much like that of the Moon.

The attendants said:

22. For (your) diversion during the travel through the heavenly path, O Śivaśarman, listen to this story that dispels sins and destroys the three types of distress.

23. He has been described to you by us as possessing excessive lustre; he is the king of Brāhmaṇas, and has acceded to the position of an emperor.

24. By him the three worlds were given as Dakṣiṇā (gift) in the course of a Rājasūya sacrifice. He performed a very severe penance for one thousand billion centuries.

25. He was born of the eyes of Atri; is the grandson of Brahmā; is the lord of herbs and the luminaries.

26. He is praised as the storehouse of pure Kalās (digits); he while rising, destroys others’ distresses.

27. He increases the delight of the night-blooming lilies along with that of all the worlds; his disc acts as a mirror when the maidens in the form of different quarters have their makeups.

28. Of what avail are other qualities of the Moon? The following alone indicate that there is nothing equal to the Moon whose digit the omniscient Lord Śiva uses as his crest jewel.

29-30. He became deluded due to the arrogance born of glorious possessions. He hurriedly abducted the beautiful wife Tārā of Bṛhaspatī,^[2] the preceptor and Guru, the son of his paternal uncle Aṅgiras. He was proud of his handsome features, though he was prevented by the Devas and many celestial sages (he did so).

31. This is not the fault of the king of Brāhmaṇas, the stroe[store?]-house of digits. Excepting the three-eyed Lord Śiva, who has not had his mind afflicted by Kāma (the lord of lust)?

32. There is this darkness spreading everywhere and the means to suppress it has been created by Brahmā such as lamps, sun’s rays etc.; but no great remedy for the darkness due to the delusion born of lordship (is available).

33. Words of advice regarding Viṣṇu’s devotion etc., though expressed clearly, do not touch one deluded by the haughtiness of lordship, like a man of pure mind, sanctified by holy ablutions performed by him, who does not touch a wicked man of adverse mentality.

34. Fie! Fie upon the (sinful) activities of a man of surplus wealth by whom everything is seen as though twirling round! He always sees through the eye of indiscretion that has instantly become destructive and a source of calamity.

35. In all the three worlds, who is he who has not been overpowered by Kāma who has only the flowers for his arrows? Who has not been overcome by anger? Who has not been deluded by covetousness? Who has not suffered disaster with his heart pierced by the dartlike eyes of young maidens? Which man, though endowed with excellent vision, has not been led along blind paths after acquiring the glory of a kingdom?

36. The glory of lordship is very fickle. By acquiring it, if anything is earned, it can certainly be good or bad. Men of noble conduct should always do what is highly beneficial.

37. When he became aggressive and did not give up Tārā to Bṛhaspati, Rudra took up his Ājagava (‘made of goat’s and cow’s horn’) bow and came to his succour.

38. The noble-souled Moon discharged the great missile named Brahmaśiras towards the Lord of Devas. That was destroyed by him (Rudra).

39. The battle between them caused by Tārā became very terrific. Thereupon Brahmā became afraid of an untimely annihilation of the cosmos.

40. Preventing Rudra whose brilliance was like that of the fire at the time of ultimate annihilation, from continuing the battle, Brahmā himself gave Tārā to the son of Aṅgiras (i.e., Bṛhaspatī [Bṛhaspati?]).

41. On seeing Tārā pregnant, Bṛhaspati said, “No foetus at all can be carried by you in your womb that belongs to me”.

42. She then went near a cluster of Iṣīka grass and discharged the foetus. As soon as that divine being was born, he eclipsed the body of the Devas (surpassed them in excellence and brilliance).

43. The excellent Suras whose suspicion was aroused said, “Tell us the truth, whose son is this, Bṛhaspati’s or the Moon’s?”

44. Even after being asked by the Devas, the excessively bashful Tārā did not say anything. Then the highly brilliant son was about to curse her.

45. Brahmā prevented him and asked Tārā regarding his doubt. With palms joined together to Brahmā, she said to him, “It is of Soma”.

46. Then that king (of herbs), the lord of the subjects, sniffed the head of the child. He named that intelligent boy “Budha”.

47-49. Budha who was superior to all the Devas in refulgence, beauty and strength, decided to perform a penance. He took leave of Soma and went to Kāśī, the mass of salvation, guarded by Viśveśa. There he installed a Liṅga named Budheśvara after him. Meditating upon the extremely terrific Ugra (Śiva) in his mind, in the form of the moon-crested Lord Śiva, the boy performed the penance for ten thousand years.

50. Then the glorious Viśveśa, the creator of the universe, the lord of the universe of great productivity, manifested himself from the Liṅga Budheśvara.

51-52. The delighted great lord in the from of great brilliance said: “O highly intelligent Budha, the foremost among other suras and scholars, seek a boon (you would like to have). I am pleased with your excellent penance and the meditation through the Liṅga. O great son of Soma (O excessively polite one), there is nothing that cannot be given to you.”

53-54. On hearing these words like the deep sound of thunder, appearing as though enlivening the vegetation faded due to drought, the boy opened his eyes and saw in front of him the Three-eyed, Moon-crested Lord in the Liṅga.

Budha said:

[Budha’s Prayer]

55. Obeisance to you of sanctified soul. Obeisance to you, O lord in the form of brilliant refulgence! Hail to you of cosmic form. Obeisance to you who have transcended all forms.

56. Obeisance to the auspicious-souled one, the destroyer of all the distress of those who bow down. Obeisance to you, the omniscient one. Obeisance to you, the creator of all.

57. Obeisance to you, the merciful one. Bow to you who can be realised (only) through devotion. Obeisance to the bestower of the beneficial fruits of penance. Obeisance to you, the lord in the form of penance.

58. O Śaṃbhu, O Śiva, O consort of Śivā, O quiescent lord! O Śrīkaṇṭha, O trident-bearing one, O moon-crested lord, O Śarva, O Īśa, O Lord Śaṅkara, O Dhūrjati!

59. O Giriśa with Pināka in the hand, O Śitikaṇṭha, O Sadāśiva! Obeisance to you, O great Lord; obeisance to you, the Lord of Devas.

60. O Maheśvara fond of prayer, I do not know how to eulogize. Let there be my unparalleled devotion to the pair of your lotus-like feet.

61. O lord, this alone is the boon (I wish to have), if you are pleased. O Iśvara, the ocean of the nectar of mercy, i do not choose any other boon.

62-64 Then Maheśāna who was propitiated by his eulogy said: “O (adopted) son of Rohiṇī, O highly fortunate son of the Moon-god, O Storehouse of polite words, your world will be above the world of the Stars. You will have great honour amongst all the Planets. This Liṅga installed by you will bestow wisdom on all. It will remove evil intentions. O gentle one, it will accord a residence in your world.”

65. After saying this, Lord Śaṃbhu vanished from there itself. Budha went to the heavenly world, with the favour of the Lord of Devas.

The attendants said:

66. A man who has gained wisdom by worshipping Budheśvara at Kāśī will not get submerged in the deep ocean of worldly existence even after falling into it. He will be like moonshine unto the eyes of good people. With beaming countenance, he will reside there in the world of Budha.

67. Even at the time of death, no living being will be deficient in intellect, if he has visited Budheśvara Liṅga to the east of Candreśvara.

68. By the time, the attendants concluded the narrative of Budha’s world, the aerial chariot reached the excellent world of Śukra.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

“As is practised by men” (Com).

[2]:

For the abduction of Tārā and Budha’s birth cf. VaP II 28.28.ff.