The Skanda Purana

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

This page describes Greatness of Kantakashodhini which is chapter 102 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 one hundred second chapter of the Prabhasa-kshetra-mahatmya of the Prabhasa Khanda of the Skanda Purana.

Chapter 102 - Greatness of Kaṇṭakaśodhinī

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Īśvara said:

1-3. Thereafter, a pilgrim should go to the shrine of Goddess Kaṇṭakaśodhinī situated within a distance of two bows to the north thereof.

O great goddess, she is the destroyer of Mahiṣa. She is huge-bodies [-bodied?] and adored by Brahmā, Devas and sages.

Sinful Dānavas were Devakaṇṭakas (Thorns unto the Devas) and the goddess purged the worlds of those demons in every Yuga. Hence she is Kaṇṭakaśodhinī. A devotee should worship her on the ninth day in the bright half of the month of Aśvayuj.

4. If a devotee worships her with the offerings of animals, flowers, excellent lights and incense, O lady of excellent countenance, he will have ṅo enemies in the course of a full year.

5. If anyone visits her with excellent devotion on the fourteenth lunar day (in dark half) or everyday the benefactress guards him like her own son. There is no doubt about it.

6. Thus, O goddess, the sin-destroying greatness of Kaṇṭakaśodhinī has been spoken succinctly. If it is listened to it is a great succour.

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