The Skanda Purana
by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words
This page describes Budheshvara (Budha-ishvara) which is chapter 46 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 forty-sixth chapter of the Prabhasa-kshetra-mahatmya of the Prabhasa Khanda of the Skanda Purana.
Chapter 46 - Budheśvara (Budha-īśvara)
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
Īśvara said:
1-3. Then, O great goddess, a pilgrim should proceed towards the Liṅga of great efficacy well-known as Budheśvara.
It is situated to the north of it (Aṅgāreśvara) not very far, say within a couple of Dhanus in distance, O beautiful lady.
This Liṅga dispels all sins by its mere vision. O goddess of Devas, Budha (Mercury) performed a great penance there and this pure Liṅga was installed. He then propitiated Sadāśiva.
4. Worshipping the Lord for forty thousand years in accordance with the injunctions, he kept his mind quiescent without straying into anything else. He had the direct vision of Bhava (Śiva).
5. Pleased with him, the Lord granted him the status of being a Planet. The devotee who worships the deity installed by the son of Soma (i.e. Budha) especially on a Wednesday coinciding with the eighth lunar day derives the fruit of (performing) Rājasūya sacrifice.
6. Due to the favour of the deity, no one in the family of the devotee becomes wretched or separated from near and dear ones. He will never have any cause to fear from enemies.
7. Thus, the greatness of the deity installed by Budha has been succinctly spoken. One who listens to it, delights in it and remains pure attains the greatest region.