Chapter 22 - Karkaṭeśvara (karkaṭa-īśvara-liṅga)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Note: A criminal Śūdra born as a crab (karkaṭa) was picked up by a crow. The crab bit the crow which dropped it. The crab fell near this Śiva Liṅga and died. Due to the vicinity of this Śiva Liṅga, the crab was born as a great king.

1. Know that the Liṅga known as Karkaṭeśvara is the twenty-second deity. Merely by seeing it, birth as lower creatures is averted.

2-7. Formerly, in the Bṛhat Kalpa there was a king who was an embodiment of righteousness. He was a friend of Indra and thousands of Daityas were killed by him. The moon, the sun and other luminaries were rendered lustreless by his refulgence. In war, enemies were killed by him and the subjects were duly protected. He could adopt any form as he wished. He was never defeated in wars. He had a wife named Bhānumatī. She was the most beautiful lady in all the three worlds. She was the senior queen and dearer to the king than his own vital breaths. Among ten thousand ladies, she shone like Goddess Śrī. The king was never free from the attendance of a thousand kings.

Once in a secluded spot, he asked his priest Vaśiṣṭha, the excellent sage. He was experiencing a great surprise in his mind: “O holy Sir, what is that great Dharma whereby I possess the most excellent fortune? How is it that an extensive, unbearable refulgence is seen in me?”

Vaśiṣṭha said:

8-16. O king, formerly you were born in the Śūdra caste. You had a number of defects and as an evil-hearted one you lived for many years along with this wicked lady as your wife.

You used to be overwhelmed with great fury. Harsh words were always uttered in your speech. You took every opportunity to misappropriate assets of Brāhmaṇas. You always censured the Vedas. Ever were you jealous, O king, and always you were guilty of breach of trust. In due course, you died and fell into hell. For fifteen years you were burned in the hell Tāmrabhrāṣṭra. In the hells of Raurava, Kuṃbhīpāka and Mahāraurava you were cut to very minute pieces of the size of a gingelly seed and blown in moulds. O king, you were torn asunder in Asipatra. In order to wipe off the remnant of your sins, you were brought down to the earth by Yama, after assigning you the form of a crab. O king, there is a famous lake of Śiva in the excellent Mahākālavana. It is well-known that whatever is offered therein such as Dana, Japa, Homa or adoration of the deities and such other holy rites shall become everlasting in the benefit. You were deposited there at that time in view of the future meritorious results. O king, you remained there for five years.

17-26. Once, you went to the bank of the lake slowly in order to sport about. A crow saw you and seized you with its beak. Lifting you, it flew up into the sky. With your claws and feet you severely attacked it. The helpless and excessively pained crow dropped you down from its beak in the precincts of a temple of Śiva, O goddess, that yields much merit and lies to the east of Svargadvāra. You were too much afflicted by that fall, over and above your pain due to the pressure within the beak. In the presence of Lord Parameṣṭhin you died. The moment the decaying body of the crab was cast off you took up a divine body embellished with divine ornaments. Due to the greatness of that Liṅga you became a leading Vidyādhara honoured and adored by Gaṇeśvaras. Proceeding towards Svarga by means of an aerial chariot that could go anywhere (you) pleased, you were respectfully asked about by groups of Suras: “Who is this great soul that goes along the divine path of the firmament?” Thereupon all the details of what occurred earlier to the end of liberation from the state (birth) of crab were narrated to the Suras by the Rudragaṇa. “O eminent Devas, this is the power of that Liṅga,” he concluded. The Devas said immediately: “Since the heavenly pleasure was attained by him after being liberated from the birth of crab by the power of this Liṅga, this deity shall be known by the name Karkaṭeśvara all over the world.

27-32. Ever since then this deity has been named Karkaṭeśvara.

O king, great pleasures were enjoyed by you in Svarga as much as you wished. You have come once again to the earth. You have inherited a kingdom without any irritant. Everything has befallen you by the greatness of that Liṅga. Hence, O king, hasten to propitiate that Liṅga once more.”

At these words of Vaśiṣṭha, the king obtained the power of Jātismaratva (i.e., of remembering previous births and the details thereof). All the previous activities were remembered by the king. He again went there and adored that Liṅga with concentration, O Pārvatī. He got merged into that Liṅga along with his own body.

Those who always devoutly worship the deity named Karkaṭeśvara enjoy worldly pleasures for a long time on the earth and ultimately attain the greatest goal.

Listen to the merit of those who invariably visit Lord Karkaṭeśvara on the eighth or fourteenth lunar day. On their death, they go to my city along with the members of twenty-one generations of their families, by means of aerial chariots shining with solar splendour and capable of fulfilling all desires. There they stay for hundreds of crores of Kalpas enjoying great divine pleasures along with thousands of women of pleasing features, who will be serving them. At the close of that they will stay in Viṣṇu’s abode for an equal period with various Vaiṣṇava pleasures. They will be served by thousands of women. From Viṣṇuloka they will pass over to Brahmaloka. After enjoying different kinds of pleasures, they will attain the greatest region. Due to the pilgrimage to Karkaṭeśvara Deva, one gets that benefit which usually accrues from ten horse sacrifices.

Listen to the glory of Meghanādeśvara.