The Skanda Purana
by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words
This page describes Greatness of Vidurashrama (Vidura-ashrama) which is chapter 269 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 sixty-ninth chapter of the Prabhasa-kshetra-mahatmya of the Prabhasa Khanda of the Skanda Purana.
Chapter 269 - Greatness of Vidurāśrama (Vidura-āśrama)
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
Īśvara said:
1-4. Thereafter, O great goddess, a pilgrim should go to the great hermitage of Vidura. It is the place where Vidura, the personified form of piety and righteousness, performed a very severe penance after installing the Liṅga of Maheśvara, the Lord of the three worlds.
On visiting that deity, O fair lady, a man shall obtain all desires.
The twelve Sthānakas (abodes) called Vidurāṭṭālaka is resorted to by Gaṇas and Gandharvas. It cannot be gained by one of meagre merits.
O Pārvatī, never shall there be absence of rain. One should visit the divine Liṅgas there for suppressing sins.