The Skanda Purana
by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words
This page describes Greatness of Gupteshvara (Gupta-ishvara) which is chapter 355 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 fifty-fifth chapter of the Prabhasa-kshetra-mahatmya of the Prabhasa Khanda of the Skanda Purana.
Chapter 355 - Greatness of Gupteśvara (Gupta-īśvara)
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
Īśvara said:
1. O great goddess, thereafter, one should go to Lord Gupteśvara to the west of the north-west (of Kardamāla) where Soma performed a great penance.
2. He became invisible. He stayed hanging his head down out of shame for the disease of leprosy (afflicting him). In the excellent holy place of Prabhāsa (he performed penance) for one thousand years of Devas.
3. Then Śiva, the Lord of all Devas, appeared to him. He became satisfied and healed pulmonary consumption of the Moon-god.
4. Then the Deer-marked One (the Moon-god) became completely free from the disease of pulmonary consumption. He installed a great Liṅga bowed to by Suras and Asuras.
5. He is remembered as Gupteśvara as he performed the penance in concealment. The god removes leprosy of all sorts when viewed and touched (by a devotee).
6. He who worships that Liṅga especially on Mondays, no leper is born in his family at any time.