Chapter 1 - Queries of Sages

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Obeisance to Śrī Gaṇeśa

Now begins the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa. The first section is called: Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya (The greatness of the sacred place called Prabhāsa)

Om. Obeisance to the Supreme Soul (Paramātman), the highest and the most excellent Puruṣa.

Om. Obeisance to the gods Hari, Hara and Hiraṇyagarbha (Brahmā).

Obeisance to (Sages) Vyāsa, Vālmīki, Śuka and Parāśara.

1. The Lord (Śiva) is proclaimed and eulogized everywhere, the primordial PURUṢA and the eternal ancient being. The devotees of Śiva by whom the Lord of Umā, accompanied by Suras has been viewed on the earth by their own eyes, cross

the extensive terrible ocean of worldly existence and become embellished with prosperity just as Yajvans (performers of sacrifices) proceed to heaven (Svarga) through excellent aerial chariots on account of those well-performed Yajñas.

2. Obeisance to the Supreme Being, the embodiment of pure consciousness and knowledge. His body is constituted of thirty-six categories^[1] (from Parama Śiva down to the element earth). His soul is (consists of) pure, immortal nectar. He is the expanding Nāda (vibrating spiritual sound) and Bindu^[2] .

3. Despite the presence of Amṛta within the belly, all the Devas die. But despite the presence of poison (Halāhala) in his throat, Lord Śiva continued to be alive. May that Lord Śiva protect you all.

4. At the conclusion of the Satra (Sacrifice of a long duration) the great sages of Naimiṣa forest asked the blemish-free Sūta Romaharṣaṇa about the meritorious Purāṇa Saṃhitā:

5. “O highly intelligent Sūta, holy Lord Vyāsa, the foremost among the knowers of Brahman, has been perfectly served and propitiated by you for the sake of acquiring the Itihāsa and the Purāṇas.

6. Due to the exalted majesty and dignity of Dvaipāyana, and on account of his words all your hairs stood on ends through delight and you became known as Romaharṣaṇa.

7. It was to you that the Lord of the sages himself propounded the ancient legend, the Purāṇasaṃhitā.

8. When the Yajña pertaining to Svayaṃbhū (Brahmā) was being elaborately performed, on the Sutyāha (the day when Soma Juice is extracted), Hari, the Supreme person manifested himself by a part of himself in your form, for propounding the Purāṇasaṃhitā.

9. The Brāhmī Yātrā (religious pilgrimage pertaining to Brahmā) has already been heard by us, in the context of Prabhāsa-Kṣetra-Māhātmya (the greatness of the sacred place called Prabhāsa^[3]) in the Purāṇa propounded by Skanda.

10. Now, O holy Sir, O Purāṇa specialist, it behoves you to expound the Yātrā pertaining to Viṣṇu and Rudra along with all the themes thereof.”

11. On hearing the words of the sages, Sūta, the most excellent one among those conversant with Purāṇas, bowed down his head to Vyāsa, the son of Satyavatī and said:

Romaharṣaṇa said:

12-16. After bowing down to the Supreme Soul, the Almighty Lord, I shall propound the story with two Vidhās (modes of narration) and two Śarīras (bodies, i.e. units). Śrīvatsa marks his chest. He is the source of origin of the worlds. He is Hari with OM as his form. He is incomprehensible and unmeasurable. He is the Lord-preceptor. He is free from impurities. His resort is free from impurities. He is Haṃsa (pure spiritual being), Śuciṣad (abiding in the purest essence). He pervades the entire firmament. He is Śiva, the bestower of all things, Udāsīna (indifferent), free from worldly ties and physical extension. He is unsullied. He is the vacuity (Śūnya). He is of the form of Bindu (point whence the universe evolves). He is worthy of being meditated upon. He is one without (beyond) meditation. They say that he is and he is not, that he is far-off and also very close. He is the greatest refulgence worthy of being comprehended through the mind. He is called Puruṣa who is identical with Jagat (Universe). He is seated in the lotus of the heart. He is in the form of fiery splendour. He is devoid of Indriyas (sense-organs).

17. The story is couched in the celestial language. It has the Veda for its basis. It has five Sandhis (divisions, joints such as Mukha, Pratimukha etc.). It is embellished with six ornaments (figures of speech).

18. It possesses seven Sādhanas (means of achieving objectives). It is coloured (brightened) with the eight Rasas and Guṇas. Further, the nine Guṇas can be seen spread over throughout. It is free from ten defects.

19. It is embellished with Vibhāṣās (alternatives). Similarly it is completely converging into a single purpose. It is pleasing to the mind. It has the five Kāraṇas (purposes). It is approved by the four Karaṇas (means of achieving objects).

20. It is further divided into two aspects. It bestows successive waves of knowledge (consciousness). Listen ye all to the meritorious story narrated by Vyāsa. It is destructive of all sins.

21. On hearing it even a man of evil actions attains the greatest goal. He will be relieved of the three types of miseries. He shall be freed from all distressing worries.

22. Never should one narrate this meritorious story to a Nāstika (atheist). It should be propounded to a twice-born one who is quiescent and faithful.

23. It should be known that only he is entitled to hear (or read) this scripture and none else, for whom the consecratory rites beginning with Niṣeka (impregnation by dropping the semen within the womb) and ending with obsequial rites at the cremation ground, are enjoined with relevant Mantras.

24. The purity of a Brāhmaṇa is the purity in all the four sides (his father and mother, wife’s father and mother). To this scripture approved by the Vedas, all men of good conduct are entitled.

25-26. Just as Maheśvara, the Lord of Devas, is the most excellent one among Suras, just as Gaṅgā is the greatest of all rivers, just as Brāhmaṇa is the greatest of all castes, just as Oṃkāra is the foremost among all Akṣaras (syllables), just as mother is the greatest among those worthy of adoration, just as father is the greatest (most respectable) of all elders, so also the Purāṇa narrated by Skanda is the most important of all scriptural texts.

27.^[4] The Skanda Purāṇa was formerly narrated by the Pināka-bearing Lord (Śiva) in front of Pārvatī, in the presence of Brahmā and others on a peak of Kailāsa.

28. It was then narrated by Pārvatī to Ṣaṇmukha (Skanda), by him to the Gaṇa Nandin and to Kumāra by Nandin and by him to the intelligent Vyāsa.

29. It was narrated to me by Vyāsa and I shall propound it to you all.

30. You are all endowed with good mental attitude. You are all great sages. Hence I am sincerely eager to propound the Skanda Saṃhitā to you.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

According to Śaivism there are 36 Tattvas, viz. Śiva, Śakti, Sadāśiva, Īśvara, Śuddha Vidyā, Māyā, Kalā, Vidyā, Rāga, Kāla, Niyati, Puruṣa, Prakṛti, Buddhi (Intelligence), Ahaṃkāra (Ego), Manas (Mind), ears (power of hearing), also powers of touch, of taste, of vision, of smelling, of speech, feet (power of locomotion), hands, anus, penis, five objects of senses and five elements, viz. earth, water, fire, wind and ether or firmament.

The order varies with different texts. Vaiṣṇavism has accepted a similar list of 35 Tattvas. It is noteworthy that both -isms have accepted the Tattvas of the Sāṅkhya system in toto.

[2]:

According to Śaivism it is not the Big Bang which created the world. They say a subtle vibrating sound (Nāda) manifested a Bindu which expanded into this universe.

[3]:

This Probably refers to some other Purāṇa like Nārada.

[4]:

Verses 27-29 relate the transmission of this Purāṇa from Śiva to Romahārṣaṇa, the Sūta.