The Skanda Purana
by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words
This page describes Greatness of Arghyeshvara (Arghya-ishvara) which is chapter 66 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 sixty-sixth chapter of the Prabhasa-kshetra-mahatmya of the Prabhasa Khanda of the Skanda Purana.
Chapter 66 - Greatness of Arghyeśvara (Arghya-īśvara)
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
Īśvara said:
1-4. Thereafter, a pilgrim should go to the great Liṅga welḥ known as Arghyeśvara. It is situated to the north of Viśālākṣī not very far from there.
Worshipped by Suras and Gandharvas, this Liṅga is highly powerful. The goddess (river) reached Prabhāsa Kṣetra holding the Vāḍava fire and when she saw the great ocean there, she offered Arghya in accordance with the injunctions to the great ocean.
After installing the great Liṅga and worshipping it in accordance with the injunctions, O goddess of Devas, she entered the great ocean for the sake of holy ablution.
5-6. Since the Arghya was offered earlier and the Lord is installed later, the Liṅga is well-known as Arghyeśa.
It is destructive of sins. O goddess of Devas, one who bathes the Lord with Pañcāmṛta in accordance with the injunctions and worships him, acquires learning in seven births. He will be a perfect expounder of the scriptures. He will have perfect knowledge, enabling him to clarify all doubts.