Chapter 1 - The Birth of the Liṅga

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Note: The word [liṅga] is derived from two roots: √lī—“to dissolve” and √gam—“to go”. The term means that from which the universe “comes” i.e. is created, and that in which it “dissolves”, I have shown in my Marathi book ‘Śaiva Darśana’ (pp. 2-17) that Liṅga-worship represents the worship of sacrificial fire. But the original Vedic identification of Rudra and Agni was forgotten long before this Purāṇa came to be finally redacted and here Śiva-liṅga is wrongly taken as “Śiva’s phallus”.

Obeisance to Śrī Gaṇeśa.
Oṃ obeisance to Srī Puruṣottama.

Henceforth the sixth book called Nāgara Khaṇḍa of the Skanda Mahāpurāṇa begins:

Vyāsa said:

1. May the matted tresses of hair (twisted on the top of the head) of Dhūrjaṭi (Śiva) be conducive to your success—the matted hair in which Gaṅgā (with her stream of whitish water) creates the illusion of a streak of grey hair.

Sages enquired:

2-3. O highly wise one! How is it that the Liṅga (Phallus) of Hara is particularly adored to the exclusion of other organs (of his body) by Suras and Asuras? It behoves you to explain properly and thoroughly why it is so, O mighty-armed Sūta. An intense curiosity has been aroused in us now.

Sūta said:

4. Enormous indeed is the burden involved in answering the query raised by you. I shall, however, recount in details after bowing down to the Self-born Lord.

5-9a. In the land of Ānarta (Northern Gujarat) there is a forest resorted to by saintly people. It is charming unto all living beings. It consists of trees bearing fruits in the course of all seasons.

There is a beautiful penance grove therein. It is resorted to by gentle animals. It is full of sages and hence resounding with the sound of the Vedic Mantras chanted by them. There are various types of sages practising diverse kinds of austerities.

There are sages (some of whom were) Abbhakṣas (who took in water only for subsistence), Vāyubhakṣas (subsisting on air only), Śīrṇaparṇāśins (eating dry, withered leaves); Brāhmaṇas called Dantolūkhalas (who use their teeth as mortars for separation of grains from husk); some are Aśma-kuṭṭakas (who use stones for separating husk and pounding the grains to powder). The sages are engaged in holy baths and Homas; they are intent on Japas and self-study of the Vedas; there are Vānaprasthas (those who retired to the forests after active life of householders), Tridaṇḍas (recluses with three staffs), Haṃsas (sages of exalted position) and Kuṭīcaras^[1] (recluses staying in huts), Snātakas (those who have concluded their student life), Yatis (ascetics), Dāntas (persons with full self-control) and Pañcāgni-sādhakas (sages practising austerities in the midst of five fires).

9b-11. After some time, the Lord, the Slayer of Tripura who was distressed due to the bereavement of Satī came to that forest in the course of his wanderings.

The forest was resorted to by gentle animals; there delighted mongooses played with serpents; lions with elephants and cats with mice. The crows played with flocks of owls without animosity.

12. On seeing the penance-grove, Lord Rudra who was nude, entered it for the purpose of begging for alms with a skull in hand.

13-15. On seeing his handsome physical features never seen by anyone before, all the ascetic women became completely overwhelmed by the god of Love. They left off their domestic chores. The ceased to attend to the elders. Gathering together in groups at different places, they engaged in mutual discussions with comments like: “Only that lady is blessed who can freely and confidently embrace all the organs of the noble-souled sage.”

16-18. Others in excessive enthusiasm ran about in all directions. They appeared staring at him with wide open eyes. Some of the women had applied the unguents only partly over their bodies. Some had applied collyrium only in one of their eyes. Others had tied up their tresses partially. Some of them had even abandoned their children. Being viewed thus by the ladies Maheśvara wandered through the highway uttering “Give me alms.”

19. Those sages who saw him thus without clothes on, thereby provoking the lustful predilection in the women, spoke thus with their eyes reddened due to anger.

20-21. “O sinner, since this penance grove of ours has been defiled by you, may this penis of yours fall on the ground at once.” Instantly his penis fell on the ground; piercing the surface of the earth, it entered Pātāla.

22. Bereft of his penis, the bashful Lord Maheśvara went into a deep pit and stayed there in the form of a foetus.

23-24. On account of the fall of the penis, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, there arose terrible bad omens that caused terror in all the three worlds. The peaks of mountains tumbled down; even during day, meteors fell down. All oceans overflowed their limits slowly.

25. All the groups of Devas were terrified in their minds. With Śakra and Viṣṇu as their leaders they went to the place where the Grandfather of the worlds was present.

26-29. After eulogising with prayers, originating from the excellent Śruti, they bowed down and said: “O Lotus-seated One, O Lord, what has happened! What is it, O god, that everything is going on in a topsy-turvy manner. Why is it so? Why has the whole range of the three worlds become agitated and vexed. O Lotus-born One, signs of the ultimate annihilation appear as it were. Will there be an untimely destruction now? You are an expert in the use of Mantras. You are the grandfather of all the worlds. You are the goal and refuge of all Suras, Daityas and human beings who are distressed and terrified with trembling bodies.”

30-34. On hearing the words of those Devas the Four-faced Lord meditated for a long time and understood through his divine vision. Thereupon he spoke: “O excellent Suras, this is not the time for the ultimate annihilation. Listen to the reason for which the evil portents have arisen. In the country called Ānarta the noble-souled sages, for (the protection of their wives) have cursed (Lord Śiva); the Liṅga of the god of gods, the Trident-bearing Lord, has been made to fall. It is therefore that the entire range of the three worlds including mobile and immobile beings has become utterly upset. Hence we shall go to the place where Lord Maheśvara is present. At our instance, he may replace the penis quickly. Otherwise there will be untimely destruction of the entire range of the three worlds. What I have uttered is true.”

35-36. Thereupon all the groups of the Devas, Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras, Aśvins and Viśvedevas with Brahmā and Viṣṇu as their leaders hurriedly went to that place where Lord Maheśvara was sleeping in the interior of the pit, overwhelmed with great shame.

The Devas said:

37. Obeisance to you, O Lord of the chiefs of Devas, O bestower of freedom from fear on your devotees, Obeisance to you, O support of the universe, O Lord with the crest embellished with the moon.

38. You are Yajña. You are Vaṣaṭkāra. You are the (great element called) Water. You are the Earth, O Lord. This entire region of the three worlds including mobile and immobile creatures is created by you.

39. O most excellent one among Suras, you protect as well as annihilate (the world), You are Viṣṇu. You are the Fourfaced One (Brahmā). You are the Moon. You are the Sun.

40-41. Without you, O great Lord, nothing exists here. O Lord, even after committing a great sin on the earth, a man who glorifies your name and calls ‘Mahādeva’ repeatedly goes to heaven.

42. Crores of the sins of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter and crores of sins of aberrations get annihilated by glorifying your name ‘Mahādeva’.

43. You are established in the overlordship of all the Devas even as a Brāhmaṇa is established in the overlordship of men and the great ocean of the rivers.

44. You are established in the overlordship of all the Devas even as the Moon is established in the overlordship of the stars and the Sun of all the luminaries.

45. You are established in the overlordship of all the Devas even as gold is established in the overlordship (ì.e. the most excellent one) of all minerals and Nārada of Gandharvas.

46. You are established in the overlordship of all the Devas even as food-grain is established in the overlordship of medicinal herbs and the golden mountain (Meru) of all mountains.

47-48. Hence, O most excellent one among Suras, do this favour to us and to all human beings. O Lord, reinstate your penis once again. If not, O Lord, all the three worlds will face ruin. O Lord, if this penis stays fallen on the ground, the three worlds shall fall.

Sūta said:

49. On hearing their words, the Bull-emblemed Lord became all the more ashamed and spoke to them all as they bowed down to him:

50. “O excellent Suras, this penis has been abandoned by me under the pretext of the curse of the Brāhmaṇas, because I have been overwhelmed with distress due to separation from Satī.

51-52. In all the three worlds, who is competent to cause this fall of my penis, be he a Deva or Brāhmaṇa? You all do know this clearly. Hence I will not take this penis back from the ground. Now that I am without a wife, what will I do with this?”

The Devas said:

53-54. O excellent one among Suras, your beloved named Satī who died formerly, is reborn with the name Gaurī from the womb of Menakā through Himālaya. O Slayer of Tripuras, she will become your own wife again. Hence take back your penis and bring about the welfare of Heaven-dwellers.

Devadeva (Śiva) said:

55. If Devas and Brāhmaṇas are ready to worship my penis from now onwards assiduously, I shall reinstate it.

Brahmā said:

56. O Śaṅkara, I shall myself worship your penis. So also shall all the Devas. Why not then human beings on the earth?

57. Thereafter the Grandfather of the worlds entered Pātāla along with Devas and himself performed the worship of the penis (Liṅga) with devotion.

58. Thereafter Viṣṇu worshipped it with his mind sanctified by faith. So also all the Devas beginning with Śakra fully endowed with faith.

59. Thereat Mahādeva became pleased and he spoke these words to Pitāmaha as well as to Vāsudeva who stood bowing down with modesty:

60. “I am pleased with both of you. Hence, O mighty ones, may any desired boon be accepted from me.”

Both of them said:

61. If, O Lord of Devas, you are pleased, give us both place of rest by a third part of the Liṅga so that all of us shall resort to one place.

Sūta said:

62. After promising “So it shall be”, the Lord retrieved the Liṅga adored by all the Devas and reinstated it at its proper place.

63. Thereafter Pitāmaha took gold and made a Liṅga of the same shape joyously and installed it there itself.

64-67. Even as all the Heaven-dwellers (Śaṅkara and others) were listening, O Brāhmaṇas, he caused reverberation in all the three worlds through his well-modulated voice and said: first Liṅga has been made of gold (Hāṭaka) by me. In the whole of Pātāla it will become well known as Hāṭakeśvara^[2]. Similarly, the men who with devotion make Liṅgas of gold etc. embellished with jewels, pearls and excellent gems and worship it thrice a day, will attain the great goal. They should avoid clay and base metals (like iron) too.”

68. After saying this the Four-faced Lord, Brahmā’, went to heaven along with all the heaven-dwellers. The Moon-crested Lord went to Kailāsa.

69. For this reason, the Liṅga is specially adored here by the Suras and Asuras excluding the other excellent organs of Śiva.

70. Ever since then Brahmā himself and Lord Vāsudeva stayed in that Liiīga. Hence it is auspicious and worthy of being worshipped.

71-72. If a person worships Śivaliṅga always with the mind full of faith, it is as though all the three, viz. the Three-eyed Lord, Acyuta and Brahmā are worshipped by him. Hence one should worship Śivaliṅga assiduously, touch it with deference, have a view of it always and glorify it, O excellent Brāhmaṇas.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

‘Kuṭīcaka’ is ihe correct form and run Kuṭīcara.

[2]:

Hāṭakeśvara: The editor of the Sanskrit Text informs in a footnote that this Hāṭakeśvara is in Badnagar in Gujarai; near this town is another town called “Uṃjhā" which is famous for the shrine of Umā.