Chapter 122 - Creation of Kedāra

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Suta said:

1-3. Thus, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, everything I was asked has been narrated to you all, as to how that excellent Dānava named Mahiṣa was killed by the goddess.

Now I shall tell the sin-destroying story concerning the meritorious Kedāra. Listen to it with great concentration and mental purity.

The sages said:

O Sūta, it is heard that Kedāra is in Gaṅgādvāra on the Himālaya mountain. How did it come to be here? Narrate everything in detail.

Sūta said:

4. It is true that the Self-born Lord is present on that mountain. But, O Brāhmaṇas, the Lord stays there only for eight months.

5. During summer and rainy season, the Lord stays there. But during winter, he is always stationed in this holy spot.

The sages said:

6. O Sūtaputra, what is that purpose for which the Lord stays in this holy spot for four months and on Himācala for eight months? Do tell us.

Sūta said:

7. Formerly, in the beginning of the Manvantara of the first Manu named Svāyaṃbhuva, there was Hiraṇyākṣa, a Daitya of inordinate strength. He was of great lustre and possessed the power of penance.

8. He (and his associates) encompassed the whole world. After ousting the overlord of Devas they appropriated the shares of Devas in Yajñas by means of their valour.

9. Thereupon, Śakra took refuge in Gaṅgādvāra along with the Suras. In his excessive distress due to the loss of royal glory, he performed a great penance.

10-11. Even as the noble-souled one performed the severe penance thus, Mahādeva himself assumed the form of a buffalo and came out of the surface of the earth. He then said to Śakra: “Whom should I tear off (ke=kān, dārayāmi)^[1] from the entire hosts of the Daityas by means of this form? O Vāsava, O most excellent one among Suras, tell me quickly.”

Indra said:

12. O Lord, tear asunder these five Dānavas, namely Hiraṇyākṣa the great Daitya, Subāhu, Vakrakandhara, Triśṛṅga and Lohitākṣa. If these are killed, undoubtedly all the Dānavas are annihilated.

13. Of what use is the destruction of the other men and wretched ones? Nothing can be achieved thereby.

On hearing those words, the Lord hastened to that place where the important Dānava, the extremely powerful Hiraṇyākṣa, was present.

14. All those Dānavas saw from a distance the buffalo comparable to a mountain coming on in a frightening form.

15. Some of them hit him with stones and others with sticks. Still others in the arrogance of their strength slapped and clapped their arms shouting battle cries.

16. The Lord disregarded them all. He sportingly advanced to that place where the leading Dānava was present along with his four ministers.

17. Even as he lifted up the weapon and rushed against him, the Lord despatched him to the abode of Yama^[2] hitting him with his horns.

18. After killing him, the Lord killed the ministers, the most important one among whom was Subāhu. Of course the other Dānavas struck him from all sides.

19. The Dānavas struck with great effort and their aim was perfect. Yet none of the weapons had any serious effect at all on the body of the Lord.

20. After killing the five important Daityas thus, Maheśvara once again went to the place where Śakra was waiting. With great delight in his mind, he spoke to Śakra fully equipped with the power of penance:

21-22. “Those five Dānavas mentioned by you have been killed by me. Hence enjoy once again the kingdom of the three worlds. O Lord of Devas, do choose from me another boon too that is desired by you so that I can hurry back to the peak of Kailāsa.”

Indra said:

23. O Śaṅkara, do stay here in this very form to accomplish protection to the three worlds and preservation of virtue and welfare.

Śrī Bhagavān said:

24. O Śakra, this form was assumed by me in order to slay him (Hiraṇyākṣa) since he could not be killed by other living beings. He has now been killed by me.

25. Hence, at your instance, O most excellent one among Suras, I shall stay here along with this very form accordingly, for giving salvation unto all embodied ones.

26. After saying thus, Lord Virūpākṣa (Śiva) made a great Kuṇḍa with water resembling pure crystal and pleasing and tasty like milk.

27. Then Lord Tripurāntaka spoke to Devendra in a voice majestic like the rumbling sound of cloud, even as all the Devas were listening:

28-30. “A person should remain pure and visit me and this Kuṇḍa. He should drink the water thereof first by the left hand, then by the right hand and again with both the hands. That man shall certainly redeem the entire family even if it be sinful in its activities or even if it has fallen into hell. He shall redeem the members of his mother’s family by the act of drinking the water with the left hand, his father’s family with the right and himself with both the hands. Everything shall be in accordance with my words.”

Indra said:

31. O Bull-vehicled One, always (everyday) I shall come from heaven and worship you stationed here. I shall also drink the holy water.

32. Since you said when you were in the form of a buffalo, “ke dārayāmī” (vv 10, 11), you shall become well-known by the name Kedāra.

Śrī Bhagavān said:

33. O Śakra, if you do so, you will never have any fear from Daityas. A great lustre will envelop your body.

34. On being told thus, the Thousand-eyed One caused an excellent mansion to be built there. It was extremely beautiful to see and pleasing to the mind.

35. Then he bowed down to that Lord, took leave of him and went to his own abode stationed on the top of a peak of Meru.

36. Then he used to come there everyday from heaven. Endowed with great devotion to Kedāra he performed the adoration of the Trident-bearing Lord with great mental concentration.

37. He drank the holy water thrice and went away, O excellent Brāhmaṇas. After some time, he returned to the place.

38. At that time he saw the entire peak of the mountain covered with snow. The holy Kuṇḍa, the Lord and the entire palace too was covered with snow.

39. He was miserable. With great devotion, he simply bowed down (uttering salutation) in loud voice in that direction and went back to his abode.

40 Four months elapsed thus since his return. All along, his mind was eager with the desire to see, but he could not see (the Lord).

41. Then, O Brāhmaṇas, there was the advent of summer on Himācala. Then the Lord appeared again in the same form as before.

42. Then he performed the adoration with great eclat that had been held up for four months. He sang and played the musical instruments before the Lord with great faith.

43. The Lord noted the faith of the Lord of heaven. Lord Tripurāntaka appeared before him and said:

44. “O Lord of Devas, I am pleased with your exclusive devotion. Hence request for any desire lurking in your heart.”

Śakra said:

45. With your favour, I already possess an excellent and prosperous glory. Whatever (valuable) is in the three worlds is present in my abode too.

46. Hence, O Bull-emblemed One, if you are favourable to me, if you are pleased and willing to grant me a boon, then kindly do as I say.

47. O Lord of Suras, I have heard that this mountain is accessible for eight months when the Sun occupies the zodiac of Pisces and proceeds ahead.

48. Thereafter, it becomes inaccessible because it will be covered with snow i.e. for four months till the Sun comes to Aquarius.

49. O Lord of Suras, O Tripurāntaka, if it becomes inaccessible even to me, then in the case of human beings and others of inferior power it is all the more so.

50. Hence, O Lord of Tridaśas, do stay in this form for four months either in Svarga or in Pātāla or in the mortal world, so that my vow need not be broken.

Sūta said:

51. Then the Lord thought for a long time and with great delight said to Balasūdana (Indra) in a voice like the rumbling of a cloud:

52-54. “O Thousand-eyed One, on the earth there is our holy spot named Hāṭakeśvara in the land of Ānarta.

At your instance I shall undoubtedly be present there, O Vāsava, during the period beginning with when the Sun is in Scorpio until when he is in Aquarius.

Hence, go there quickly, erect an excellent palace, install my form (image or Liṅga) and perform the suitable adoration so that I can invest my own refulgence there for your sake.”

Sūta said:

55. On hearing these words the Trident-bearing Lord of Devas, the Thousand-eyed One went there and did everything as told by the Lord.

56. He built a palace, installed a form (Liṅga) of the Trident-bearing Lord and made a holy Kuṇḍa of the same form filled with clear water.

57. Then he propitiated the Lord with flowers, incense and unguents. He took his bath in the Kuṇḍa and drank water thrice as before.

58. Thus propitiated by Śakra, O leading Brāhmaṇas, the Lord came there from the beautiful Himācala.

59. A man who perfectly propitiates him for the period of the four months when there is snowfall, shall attain welfare.

60. A sensible man who worships with great devotion during the remaining period too shall wash off his sin acquired ever since birth and upto death (i.e. throughout his life):

61. Wise men conversant with all the scriptural texts speak in praise of music and dances of various kinds before the Lord.

62. In this connection there is a Śloka sung by Nārada, the celestial sage. O excellent Brāhmaṇas, I shall proclaim it for you. May it be heard:

63. “By drinking the holy water in Kedāra, by offering balls of rice in Gayā and by gaining the knowledge of Brahman, there cannot be rebirth.”

64. Thus, everything connected with Kedāra has been narrated to you. This narration is destructive of all sins, O excellent Brāhmaṇas.

65. O Brāhmaṇas, a man who listens to it perfectly, or reads before the deity or expounds to others, this sin-destroying description of Kedāra becomes liberated from clusters of sins instantly.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

A popular etymology of Kedāra.

[2]:

According to the Bhāgavata and other Purāṇas Viṣṇu assumed the form of a divine Boar and killed Hiraṇyākṣa also. Cp. Mahābhārata, Sabhā 38.29 ff.