The Skanda Purana

by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words

This page describes Greatness of Bhairaveshvara (Bhairava-ishvara) which is chapter 94 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 ninety-fourth chapter of the Prabhasa-kshetra-mahatmya of the Prabhasa Khanda of the Skanda Purana.

Chapter 94 - Greatness of Bhairaveśvara (Bhairava-īśvara)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Īśvara said:

1-3. Thereafter, a pilgrim should go to the excellent Bhairaveśvara stationed within a distance of ten Dhanus in the south-east corner of the same (i.e. Mahākāleśvara). O fair lady, it fulfills all cherished desires and destroys a series of states of poverty.

O my beloved, formerly in Kṛtayuga it was well-known by the name Caṇḍeśvara. There was a Gaṇa named Caṇḍa, O goddess, and the deity was propitiated by him for a thousand divine years. Hence it is remembered as Caṇḍeśvara.

4-5. By visiting the Lord of the chiefs of Devas and by touching him with concentration and mental purity, one is rid of all sins committed between birth and death. He who keeps awake at night after fasting on the fourteenth day in the dark half of the month of Bhādrapada, goes to the great region where Lord Maheśvara dwells.

6-8. All sins incurred verbally, mentally and physically are destroyed by visiting that Liṅga. Gingelly seeds, gold and garments should be gifted there to an enlightened scholar for destroying all sins by one who desires to get the fruit of a well performed pilgrimage. At the end of a Kalpa the Lord assumes a Bhairava (terrible) form and annihilates the entire universe. O goddess of gods, he is then remembered as Bhairava.

9-10. O great goddess, in this Kalpa, Rudra named Bhairava resorted to Prabhāsa Kṣetra and had the form of a Liṅga till the end of the Kalpa. Thus the greatness of Bhairaveśvara has been briefly spoken. By listening to this, the creature is rid of highly terrible sins.

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