Chapter 40 - Bhīmeśvara (Bhīma-īśvara)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Īśvara said:

1-2. Then, O great goddess, a pilgrim should go to the Liṅga of great power installed by Śvetaketu. It was propitiated earlier by Bhīma.

It is in the vicinity of Kedāreśvara and is installed not very far therefrom.

One should worship it in accordance with the injunctions in due order, by means of bathing with milk etc. The pilgrim desirous of getting the benefit of the pilgrimage (here) and the benefit of heavenly pleasures after death, should do so.

The Devī said:

3. O Lord, you have mentioned about the Liṅga of Śvetaketu. How did it come to be named Bhīmeśvara also?

4. How was it evolved before? What is the benefit of viewing it?

Īśvara said:

5. Formerly, in the course of the Svāyaṃbhuva Manvantara, in Tretā Yuga there was a king well-known as Śvetaketu. The saintly king had performed a very severe penance.

6. He came to Prabhāsa, installed Maheśvara and performed a very severe penance on the splendid shore of the ocean.

7. This continued for fourteen years. During the summer he practised the Pañcāgni (i.e. four fires were kindled on all sides and the sun blazed above when he performed the penance). During rainy season he remained under the open sky. During winter, he remained in water.

8. In the fourteenth year, I became highly pleased with his penance and observance of restraints. O goddess, I told him, “O sage of good holy rites, choose your boon.”

9. Then Śvetaketu said: “O Lord, grant me a steady devotion. If the Lord is pleased, do stay behind in this holy spot.”

10-11. After saying “So be it”, I vanished there. Later on Śvetaketu of great refulgence propitiated this Liṅga and attained highly prosperous state. Thereupon, It became well-known by the name Śvetaketvīśvara.

12-14. It was in the highly meritorious Agnitīrtha that is destructive of all sins. Thereafter, when Kali Yuga^[1] (?) arrived, in the course of his pilgrimage the mighty Bhīmasena, the son of Vāyu, born of a part of mine came to Prabhāsa. Realizing that the Tīrtha is highly meritorious, he installed his own deity Jāgeśvara near the sea, but adored that Liṅga.

15-16. Ever since then the splendid name of the Liṅga was Bhīmeśa. O beautiful lady, if that Liṅga is viewed even once, all the sins committed in earlier births perish. So also those (committed) hereafter.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

It must be Dvāpara Yuga when Pāṇḍavas lived and ruled.