The Skanda Purana

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

This page describes Greatness of the Birth of Mulacandisha which is chapter 308 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 three hundred eighth chapter of the Prabhasa-kshetra-mahatmya of the Prabhasa Khanda of the Skanda Purana.

Chapter 308 - Greatness of the Birth of Mūlacaṇḍīśa

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Īśvara said;

1-4. To the east of the shrine of Nārāyaṇa rather a little to the north-east, there is the shrine well-known in all the three worlds by the name of Mūlacaṇḍīśa.

It is the place, O my beloved, where our Liṅga (Phallus) was caused to fall by the sages whose eyes had become reddened due to anger. It took the form of Mūlacaṇḍīśa.

The first Liṅga that originated there, O goddess, was caused to fall due to the anger of the sages, who were left behind in the Devadāru forest.

O great goddess, I went there on another occasion. It was because they were curious to know, O fair lady. Thereupon they became furious. Then, O goddess of Devas, I was cursed. They caused my Liṅga to fall.

Devī said:

5. How did these Brāhmaṇas get furious? How did they allow their own good nature to be spoiled by anger? Do mention this. I am extremely curious.

Īśvara said:

6-10. Formerly, O fair lady, I went to the Dārukavana, in the meritorious penance grove and hermitage of the sages. I was in the guise of a Ḍiṇḍi. In the state of nudity. I went there begging for alms. On seeing him (me) with matted hairs resembling a crown, going about begging with the penis erect, all the womenfolk of the sages became fully over-powered by Kāma. They forsook their beloved husbands altogether. (The sages said:) “All of our wives have been provoked by this Ḍiṇḍi. He was begging for alms with the limbs smeared with holy ash. He was like another god of love in appearance. Hence we shall curse him.” So said the sages.

The ascetics took up holy water for the purpose of cursing. They meditated thus, “Let his penis which appears to be ever-erect drop down” When this was uttered my Liṅga fell down in the Devakula (place of shrine).

11. Those ascetics saw my Liṅga fallen down in the holy spot that became well-known in all the three worlds by the name of Mūlacaṇḍīśa. Then they became overwhelmed with anger and they began to hurt me again (They began to hurt the Ḍiṇḍi).

12. Some of them had the Bṛsi (seats) in their hands. Others held their water-pots, O fair lady; others seized their slippers and ran after him (me).

13. This Ḍiṇḍi vanished and spoke to thee, the slender-waisted one. “Do see these sages with their minds confounded by anger.”

14. O fair lady, for this reason, at your instance, I did not bless the furious ascetics, O sinless one.

15. In the meantime, those sages failed to see the Ḍiṇḍi devoid of bliss. All of them went to Lord Pitāmaha to meet him.

16. On seeing Virañci, the Lord of Devas, free from distress, all the sages bowed down their heads and spoke hurriedly:

17-19. “O Lord, there is an ascetic in the form of a Ḍiṇḍi. He entered our penance grove to beg for alms, for the destruction (violation of the chastity) of our wives. The evil-mannered one was cursed by us. His penis was caused to fall by us. So too our penises fell down. For that reason he went away. When his penis fell down, we too became devoid of bliss and thus we all stood. Do explain the cause hereof.”

Brahmā said:

20. An indecent act has been perpetrated by you all inasmuch as you all jealously attacked Rudra, the extremely charming one.

21-23. Will he try to seek delight from your wives after disregarding the ladies of Asuras, Dānavas, Devas, Yakṣas, Kinnaras, Vidyādharas, Ganḍharvas and of the charming Nāga tribes? O Brāhmaṇas, you all know nothing. His wife is the chief of the three worlds of super-excellent charm and beauty. How can he abandon her and try to delight the wives of the sages? In fact Rudra is requested by her, “Do bless the sages.”

24-25. By the words of Pārvatī, he thought of Finding out the real truth. He had the desire to know the truth. He is the Lord of the fourteen types of living beings. Such a Lord in the form of a Ḍiṇḍi, the Lord of Karaṇas (senses) has been cursed by you. By cursing him the entire universe has been cursed because everything has his qualities to rely upon. Devas, brutes and human beings have become devoid of bliss.

26. On account of this curse, a great evil has befallen you. The Liṅga, should be propitiated, otherwise the Liṅga that has dropped down cannot rise up erect.

27. When this was said by the Lord, the Brāhmaṇas asked Pitāmaha, “Where should he be found by us? Do tell us the truth, as it is.”

Brahmā said:

28. The Pināka-bearing Lord is present in the hermitage of Kubera in the form of a Gaja (an elephant) Go there, approach him and propitiate him.

29. On hearing his words, all of them were delighted in their minds. The ascetics, crores in number, began to go ahead at once.

30. They were thinking about that important spot. They wanted to see the Lord in the form of an elephant. They wanted to see Rudra staying in Kuberāśrama as told by Pitāmaha.

31. Gaurī thought that the sages were thirsty with throats parched due to hunger. Urged by compassion she took up Gorasa (cow’s milk and milk products) and stood in front of them.

32. Gaurī holding the cow milk (Gorasa) had dark, curly, glossy tresses of great length like a serpent over her head.

33. She said to all those sages: “(See) what I have brought from the mountains. It is Gorasa, comparable to nectar. It has the flavour of the Kapittha fruit juice.”

34. On being told thus by her, the Brāhmaṇas spoke to the wide-eyed lady, “We shall take our holy ablution and then drink the Gorasa brought by you.”

35. On hearing their words an excellent Tītha filled with hot water, a charming Kuṇḍa was created by that goddess for the sake of their holy ablution.

36. All of them had their plunge therein. They were rid of their excessive exhaustion. They performed their routine activities and went over for drinking the Gorasa.

37. With the leaves of Arka plant, they made splendid leaf-cups. They sat down in a row and drank Gorasa.

38-39. Gaurī repeatedly poured the Gorasa in the leafy cups of the hungry sages to make them contented. They were fully satisfied after drinking it. They were relieved of hunger, thirst and weariness. They stood by as though resuscitated there.

40. When they came back to normal state of mind they realized that this was no lady to be named ‘a cowherdess’ but Gaurī herself come here to bless them.

41. Bowing down their heads all of them requested the excellent-waisted lady, “O goddess Umā, do tell us where we can see Rudra at least once.”

42-43. Those noble-souled ones were told by her: “Look at the great elephant yonder. It is the mighty one (the Lord) who is moving about after assuming the form of an elephant. With true devotion he can be seen easily.” Those Brāhmaṇas gathered together at a place on hearing her words.

44. With dedicated inner self, those pure Brāhmaṇas gathered together and stood at a place to see that elephant. That place was formerly famous everywhere by the name ‘Saṅgameśvara.’ It is a Tīrtha of great prosperity.

45. With their desire to see the great elephant they engaged themselves in readiness on that account after casting off their Kuṇḍikās (water-pots).

46. Where those Kuṇḍikās (water-pots) were cast off, a sin-destroying Tīrtha named after Kuṇḍikā took its origin. It is capable of granting seen and unseen benefits.

47. Then those excellent sages reached the hermitage of Kubera and saw the elephant standing amidst the coconut palms.

48. They were extremely delighted and so began to hold and fondle his trunk with their own hands. The elephant tossed off the ascetics even as they held themselves to the trunk.

49. (He also tossed off) some who held themselves to his limbs fearlessly. All of them behaved like so many mosquitoes.

50-52. Hara in the form of the elephant played about in diverse ways even as he stood in the forest. Rudra then forsook that form of the terrible elephant. He then assumed the handsome form of Diṇḍi very pleasing to the mind. With loud shouts of “Victory to you” and auspicious chanting of Veḍic songs, the Liṅga of excessive prosperity was lifted up. That spot, the most excellent one among the holy spots, is called Unnata (elevated spot).

53. In the guise of an elephant, the mighty Lord stood on the Unnata (elevated spot) in the form of Gaṇeśa, the leader of the herds.

54. Rudra had assumed the form of Diṇḍi and spoke to those ascetics, “Let it be mentioned as to what should be done unto ye all by me.”

55-56. On being told thus by the Lord, they (the ascetics) who were engaged in the pursuit of knowledge and holy rites told him: “With your favour, let all the living beings be full of bliss as before. O Lord of Devas, what had been committed by us of confounded minds should be pardoned. O Lord of Suras, let all this be done with your favour. Do be kind to bless us.”

57. They were told “It will be so” Thereupon all of them became rid of their feverish-like disturbed state of mind. The sages made a replica of his Liṅga (phallus) and worshipped it. Without the feelings of rivalry and jealousy all the sages eulogized:

58. “O Lord of the chiefs of Devas, do forbear and bless us. Do get merged into this Liṅga to be named Mūlacaṇḍīśa. O Lord of the chiefs of Devas, your Kalā (Digit:one-sixteenth part) should be deposited here by you in all the three holy occasions (dawn, midday and dusk).”

Īśvara said:

59-62. The goddess is called Caṇḍī. I am remembered as her Lord (Īśa). The root (Mūla) thereof is the Liṅga. Since it had fallen here, the Liṅga will become famous as Mūlacaṇḍīśa.

By viewing that Liṅga that benefit is obtained which accrues when hundreds of large tanks, wells and lakes are dug.

By viewing the Mūlacaṇḍīśa of the Devī, one obtains that meritorious benefit which one may expect to attain by gifting away the entire Brahmāṇḍa (Cosmic Egg). All the sixteen types of holy gifts should be made there by excellent men.

63. O excellent Brāhmaṇas, everything will occur in the manner mentioned by me. O ascetics, O Brāhmaṇas, go to the Dāruvana (forest). You have been enjoined by us, O Brāhmaṇas, to go to Dāruvana.

64. Thereupon, O great goddess, on hearing my eight words conducive to great prosperity all the sages became delighted. After going to the Dāruvana the ascetics resumed their excellent penance.

65. For this reason, O goddess, the Liṅga named Mūlacaṇḍīśa bedecked by the crescent moon is destructive of sins.

66. When the sages were excessively thirsty, their weariness was dispelled by you in an excellent manner by offering milk. That milk current became a Kuṇḍa well-known all over the earth by the name Taptodaka.

67. A devotee who takes his holy bath in the waters of Ṛṣitoyā and worships Caṇḍīśa shall become a powerful over-lord of all the worlds.

68. O goddess, thus the greatness of Mūlacaṇḍīśa Deva has been succinctly glorified. On being listened to, it is destructive of all sins.

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: