The Skanda Purana
by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words
This page describes Importance of the Pair of Lakulisha Lingas which is chapter 76 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 seventy-sixth chapter of the Prabhasa-kshetra-mahatmya of the Prabhasa Khanda of the Skanda Purana.
Chapter 76 - Importance of the Pair of Lakulīśa Liṅgas
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
Note: Lakulīśa is a historical person. He was born at Karwan (Baroda Dist., Gujarat) in the 2nd Century AD. He is the founder of Pāśupatism. The Pāśupata-Sūtra is attributed to him. Purāṇas regard him as the 28th incarnation of Śiva in Kali Yuga.
Īśvara said:
1-5. In the vicinity of the very same Lord of Devas, shines a pair of Liṅgas of excessive merit, installed by Lakulīśa.
The name of both the Liṅgas is Lakulīśvara. By visiting this most excellent pair of Liṅgas, one is rid of all the sins committed between birth and death.
O my beloved, a pilgrim should observe fast there on the fourteenth lunar day in the bright half of the month of Bhādrapada, and keep awake during the night. At the outset the highly resplendent Lakulīśa present in the idol[1] should be worshipped. Then the pair of Liṅgas should be separately worshipped in accordance with the perfect injunctions regarding adoration with the recitation of eulogies and Mantras in the proper order. He goes to the great region where Lord Maheśvara is present.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Icons of Lakulīśa armed with a heavy stick (Lakuta, Lakuṭa) are found in many parts of India. ‘Lakula’ (a big stick) being his characteristic, he is called ‘Lakulīśa’.