The Skanda Purana
by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words
This page describes Greatness of Ganeshvara (Gana-ishvara) which is chapter 250 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 fiftieth chapter of the Prabhasa-kshetra-mahatmya of the Prabhasa Khanda of the Skanda Purana.
Chapter 250 - Greatness of Gaṇeśvara (Gaṇa-īśvara)
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
Īśvara said:
1-5. Thereafter, O great goddess, a devotee should go to the Līṅga well-known in all the three worlds as Gaṇeśvara. It is situated to the west of Saṅgameśvara.
Gaṅgā was summoned by Viṣṇu (Kṛṣṇa) the powerful one, O lady of excellent countenance, for washing his body at the time of its end.
Gaṅgā saw the entire Kṣetra so holy and resorted to by sages. Everywhere there were Liṅgas and hermitages.
Thereupon, Gaṅgā, the most excellent one among rivers, flowing towards the eastern ocean installed that Liṅga because she was much devoted to Śiva.
By viewing the Liṅga, O excellent lady, a man attains the benefit of the holy ablution in Gaṅgā as well as that of a thousand horse-sacrifices.