The Skanda Purana

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

This page describes Greatness of Brahma which is chapter 321 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 twenty-first chapter of the Prabhasa-kshetra-mahatmya of the Prabhasa Khanda of the Skanda Purana.

Chapter 321 - Greatness of Brahmā

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Īśvara said:

1-2. Henceforth, I shall glorify the excellent secret holy spot of the excellent deity Brahmā of unmanifest origin unto you. It is destructive of all sins of the residents of Unnata Sthāna. The deity stationed in the Unnata Sthāna is in the form of a boy whose vision alone rids people of all sins.

The Devī said:

3-4. It has been mentioned by you that Brahmā is in the form of a boy. How is it said that it is Unnata (lofty)? The Pitāmaha (grandfather) is in the form of an aged person in other holy spots. In which spot is he stationed there? What for did he go there? How is he to be adored by leading Brāhmaṇas? On which lunar day? Do tell everything in the proper order.

Īśvara said:

5. To the west of Ṛṣitoyā and to the north-east of Sthalakeśvara is the great holy spot of Brahmā. It is like another Brahmaloka.

6. Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Rudra are worthy of being worshipped always in the Prābhāsika Kṣetra. Brahmā is stationed in the Brahmabhāga (Portion of Brahmā) on the splendid banks of Ṛṣitoyā.

7. Rudra is to be worshipped in the Rudra-portion and Agnitīrtha. Hari, Dāmodara, is to be worshipped on the charming Raivataka mountain.

8. On being requested by Soma (Moon-god) Pitāmaha came to the excellent holy spot of Unnata, when he was eight years old and had the form of a boy.

9. On seeing the excellent Brāhmaṇas in that holy spot, Lord Brahmā stayed there itself.

10. There is no Lord on par with Brahmā. There is no preceptor on a par with Brahmā. There is no knowledge on a par with that of Brahman. There is no penance on a par with that of Brahmā.

11. People wander in the worldly cycle overwhelmed with grief, sorrow and fear as long as they do not remain loyal and devout to Pitāmaha, Sura-Jyeṣṭha (the senior-most of the Suras).

12. Who does not get relieved from bondage (of Saṃsāra) if the mind of the creature is dedicated to Brahmā in the same way as it is attached to worldly affairs?

13. Brahmā is remembered as one with Paramāyu (full span of life—one hundred years). Parārdha (half of the full) had elapsed even as he was established in Unnata Sthāna. Now the second half is yet to be covered.

14. When this Pitāmaha came to the Unnata Sthāna he was eight years old and was called Bālarūpin (one in tṇe form of a boy).

15. In the other holy spots, Pitāmaha appears in the form of an aged person to the Brāhmaṇas. That Unnata Sthāna is proper and it is always a favourite of Brahmā.

16. An excellent man should at the outset take his holy bath duly and then worship Brahmā in the form of a boy by means of flowers, incense and other things.

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