The Skanda Purana
by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words
This page describes Greatness of Gayatrishvara (Gayatri-ishvara) which is chapter 154 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 fifty-fourth chapter of the Prabhasa-kshetra-mahatmya of the Prabhasa Khanda of the Skanda Purana.
Chapter 154 - Greatness of Gāyatrīśvara (Gāyatrī-īśvara)
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
Īśvara said:
1-3. Thereafter, O great goddess, a pilgrim should go to a shrine to the north-west of Hiraṇyeśvara where the sin-relieving Liṅga is present within a distance of three Dhanus.
It dispels the sins of all creatures who view or touch it. It is the first Liṅga, O great goddess, installed by Gāyatrī.
A Brāhmaṇa who goes to that Liṅga and repeats the Gāyatrī Mantra after purifying himself adequately, becomes relieved from the sin of Duṣpratigraha (acceptance of gifts from a defiled person).
4. A man who feeds a couple of Brāhmaṇas after presenting them with garments in accordance with his capacity on the Full-Moon day in the month of Jyeṣṭha, becomes rid of misfortunes.
5. If a devotee adores with scents, flowers and other offerings on the Full-Moon day, O beautiful lady, he retains his Brāhmaṇa-hood in seven successive births.
6. Thus, O goddess, the sin-destroying greatness has been narrated. O my beloved, it is the most essential of all.