The Skanda Purana
by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words
This page describes Greatness of Indreshvara which is chapter 224 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 two hundred twenty-fourth chapter of the Prabhasa-kshetra-mahatmya of the Prabhasa Khanda of the Skanda Purana.
Chapter 224 - Greatness of Indreśvara
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
Īśvara said:
1-3. Thereafter, O great goddess, a pilgrim should go to the shrine of the Liṅga installed by Indra. It is named Pāpamocana and it is to the south of Puruṣottama.
Formerly Śakra incurred the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter (Brahmahatyā) because he killed Vṛtra. He asked the sages of divine origin, how this sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter could be dispelled.
She (Brahmahatyā) was horrible to behold. It (she) caused a different colour to his body. She caused a stinking odour to spread everywhere and has destroyed all splendour.
4-5a. Then the groups of Devas and great sages beginning with Nārada told him, “O Lord of Devas, go to Prabhāsa. It is a holy spot that dispels sins. By propitiating Mahādeva there, you will be relieved of the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter.”
5b. O lady of excellent countenance, he said “So it shall be” and went there.
6. He installed a Liṅga of the Trident-bearing Lord of Devas and became always engaged in adoring it through incense, scents and unguents.
7. Thereupon the bad odour of his body got destroyed soon. The discoloration vanished and the body became excellent.
8-9. Then he became delighted in his mind and said these words: “A man who comes here and adores this deity devoutly, shall be relieved of sins of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter etc.” After saying thus, the Thousand-eyed One (Indra) went to heaven.
10. Having been relieved of the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter, he was honoured by the Heaven-dwellers.
In that holy spot, a cow should be gifted to a Brāhmaṇa who has mastered the Vedas. In order to dispel the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter the devotee should perform Śrāddha.