The Skanda Purana
by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words
This page describes The Greatness of Anandeshvara (ananda-ishvara-tirtha) which is chapter 65 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 sixty-fifth chapter of the Reva-khanda of the Avantya-khanda of the Skanda Purana.
Chapter 65 - The Greatness of Ānandeśvara (ānanda-īśvara-tīrtha)
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:
1-11. O great king Yudhiṣṭhira, then one should go to the excellent Ānandeśvara where Rudra had the greatest delight. I shall describe that Tīrtha which destroys all sins.
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
O excellent Brāhmaṇa, Rudra had the greatest delight? May the entire episode be recounted to me succinctly even as I am accompanied by my kinsmen.
Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:
I shall describe the excellent Ānandeśvara, O great king. After slaying the Dānavas, Maheśvara, the Lord of Devas, was adored by all the Devas, Kinnaras, Yakṣas and Pannagas. The highly delighted Bull-vehicled Lord danced.
He had assumed the Bhairava (terrible) form with Gaurī stationed in half of his body. This Bhairava was surrounded by terrible Bhūtas (goblins), Vetālas (vampires) and Kaṅkālas (skeletons). O son of Pāṇḍu, he danced on the southern bank of Narmadā. The Lotus-seated One was installed by all the delighted groups of Maruts. Ever since then that Tīrtha is mentioned as Ānandeśvara. One should duly adore the Lord on the eighth, fourteenth and fifteenth (i.e. full-moon) lunar days, O king. He should smear him with sweet scents. O Yudhiṣṭhira, according to one’s capacity he should adore Brāhmaṇas. A gift of cows should be made. A gift of garments causes prosperity and happiness. On the thirteenth day in Vasanta, he should perform Śrāddha too by means of Iṅgudas, Badaras, Bilvas, raw rice-grains or water. At the excellent Ānandeśvara Tīrtha the devotees should perform the Śrāddha unto the departed ones.
They shall be delighted until the destruction of all living beings. There shall be no snapping of the family-line in the course of seven births. O descendant of Bharata, bliss shall certainly come to them in every birth.