Skandapurana 6.3.150

6.3.150.p1

adhyāya 150

6.3.150.1

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca -
tato gacchenmahārāja kusumeśvaramuttamam .
dakṣiṇe narmadākūle upapātakanāśanam .. 150.1 ..

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said: / Then one should go, O great king, to the excellent Kusumeśvara / on the southern bank of the Narmadā, which destroys minor sins. 150.1

6.3.150.2

kāmena sthāpito devaḥ kusumeśvarasaṃjñitaḥ .
khyātaḥ sarveṣu lokeṣu devadevaḥ sanātanaḥ .. 150.2 ..

The god named Kusumeśvara was established by Kāma; / he is renowned throughout all worlds, the eternal god of gods. 150.2

6.3.150.3

kāmo manobhavo viśvaḥ kusumāyudhacāpabhṛt .
sa kāmān dadāti sarvān pūjito mīnaketanaḥ .. 150.3 ..

Kāma, mind-born, universal, bearer of the bow and weapons of flowers, / he of the fish-banner, when worshipped, bestows all desires. 150.3

6.3.150.4

tena nirdagdhakāyena cārādhya parameśvaram .
anaṅgena tathā prāptamaṅgitvaṃ narmadātaṭe .. 150.4 ..

Having worshipped the Supreme Lord when his body had been consumed by fire, / the bodiless one (Anaṅga) thus regained embodiment on the bank of the Narmadā. 150.4

6.3.150.5

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca -
aṅgibhṛtasya nāśatvamanaṅgasya tu me vada .
na śrutaṃ na ca me dṛṣṭaṃ bhūtapūrvaṃ kadācana .. 150.5 ..

Yudhiṣṭhira said: / Tell me how the embodied one was destroyed and then became the bodiless one; / I have neither heard nor ever seen such a thing happening before. 150.5

6.3.150.6

etatsarvaṃ yathā vṛttamācakṣva dvijasattama .
śrotumicchāmi viprendra bhīmārjunayamaiḥ saha .. 150.6 ..

Tell me everything just as it happened, O best of the twice-born; / I wish to hear it, O leader of brahmins, along with Bhīma, Arjuna, and the twins. 150.6

6.3.150.7

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca -
ādau kṛtayuge tāta devadevo maheśvaraḥ .
tapaścacāra vipulaṃ gaṅgāsāgarasaṃsthitaḥ .. 150.7 ..

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said: / In the beginning, in the Kṛta age, O dear one, Maheśvara, the god of gods, / practiced extensive austerity while residing at Gaṅgāsāgara. 150.7

6.3.150.8

tena sampāditā lokāstapasā sasurāsurāḥ .
jagmuste śaraṇaṃ sarve devadevaṃ śacīpatim .. 150.8 ..

By his austerity, the worlds along with the gods and asuras were afflicted; / they all went for refuge to the husband of Śacī, the god of gods. 150.8

6.3.150.9

vyāpakaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ devadevo maheśvaraḥ .
saṃtāpayati lokāṃstrīṃstannivāraya gopate .. 150.9 ..

'Maheśvara, the god of gods, who pervades all beings, / torments the three worlds; avert him, O protector of the earth!' 150.9

6.3.150.10

śrutvā tadvacanaṃ teṣāṃ devānāṃ balavṛtrahā .
cintayāmāsa manasā tapovighnāyacādiśat .. 150.10 ..

Hearing those words of the gods, the slayer of Bala and Vṛtra / reflected in his mind and commanded [them] to obstruct his austerity. 150.10

6.3.150.11

apsarāṃ menakāṃ rambhāṃ ghṛtācīṃ ca tilottamām .
vasantaṃ kokilaṃ kāmaṃ dakṣiṇānilamuttamam .. 150.11 ..

The apsarases Menakā, Rambhā, Ghṛtācī, and Tilottamā, / Spring, the cuckoo, Kāma, and the excellent southern breeze— 150.11

6.3.150.12

gatvā tatra mahādevaṃ tapaścaraṇatatparam .
kṣobhayadhvaṃ yathānyāyaṃ gaṅgāsāgaravāsinam .. 150.12 ..

'Go there and disturb Mahādeva, who is intent on the practice of austerity, / dwelling at Gaṅgāsāgara, as is fitting!' 150.12

6.3.150.13

evamuktāstu te sarve devarājena bhārata .
devāpsaraḥsamopetā jagmuste harasannidhau .. 150.13 ..

Having been spoken to thus by the king of the gods, O descendant of Bharata, / all of them, accompanied by the divine apsarases, went into the presence of Hara. 150.13

6.3.150.14

vasantamāse kusumākarākule mayūradātyūhasukokilākule .
pranṛtya devāpsaragītasaṃkule pravāti vāte yamanairṛtākule .. 150.14 ..

In the spring month filled with abundant flowers, filled with peacocks, water-hens, and fine cuckoos, / resplendent with dancing and songs of the divine apsarases, as the wind blew, agitated from the south and southwest, 150.14

6.3.150.15

tena saṃmūrchitāḥ sarve saṃsargācca khagottamāḥ .
madhumādhavagandhena sakinnaramahoragāḥ .. 150.15 ..

all the best of birds, along with the kinnaras and great serpents, / became swooned by that contact and by the fragrance of spring and Madhu. 150.15

6.3.150.16

yāvadālokate tāvattadvanaṃ vyākulīkṛtam .
vīkṣate madanāviṣṭaṃ daśāvasthāgataṃ janam .. 150.16 ..

As far as one looked, so far was that forest agitated; / one saw people overcome with passion, having entered the ten states of love. 150.16

6.3.150.17

devadevo'pi devānāmavasthātritayaṃ gataḥ .
sāttvikīṃ rājasīṃ rājaṃstāmasīṃ tāṃ śṛṇuṣva me .. 150.17 ..

Even the god of gods attained the three states, / the sāttvika, the rājasa, and the tāmasa; hear that from me, O king! 150.17

6.3.150.18

ekaṃ yogasamādhinā mukulitaṃ cakṣurdvitīyaṃ punaḥ pārvatyā jaghanasthalastanataṭe śṛṅgārabhārālasam .
anyaddūranirastacāpamadanakrodhānaloddīpitaṃ śambhorbhinnarasaṃ samādhisamaye netratrayaṃ pātu vaḥ .. 150.18 ..

One eye closed in yogic absorption; the second languid with the weight of erotic passion upon the slope of Pārvatī's hips and breasts; / the other blazing with the fire of wrath at Madana whose bow was cast far away: may Śambhu's three eyes, bearing diverse sentiments at the time of meditation, protect you! 150.18

6.3.150.19

evaṃ dṛṣṭaḥ sa devena saśaraḥ saśarāsanaḥ .
bhasmībhūto gataḥ kāmo vināśaḥ sarvadehinām .. 150.19 ..

Seen thus by the god, with arrow and bow, / Kāma was reduced to ashes, destroyed—he who destroys all embodied beings. 150.19

6.3.150.20

kāmaṃ dṛṣṭvā kṣayaṃ yātaṃ tatra devāpsarogaṇāḥ .
bhītā yathāgataṃ sarve jagmuścaiva diśo daśa .. 150.20 ..

Seeing Kāma destroyed, the hosts of gods and apsarases there, / terrified, fled in the ten directions just as they had come. 150.20

6.3.150.21

kāmena rahitā lokāḥ sasurāsuramānavāḥ .
brahmāṇaṃ śaraṇaṃ jagmurdevā indrapurogamāḥ .. 150.21 ..

The worlds, devoid of Kāma, along with gods, asuras, and mortals, / went for refuge to Brahmā, the gods led by Indra. 150.21

6.3.150.22

sīdamānaṃ jagaddṛṣṭvā tamūcuḥ parameṣṭhinam .
jānāsi tvaṃ jagaccheṣaṃ prabho maithunasambhavāt .. 150.22 ..

Seeing the universe languishing, they said to the Supreme Lord: / 'You know, O Lord, that the continuance of the universe is due to sexual union. 150.22

6.3.150.23

prajāḥ sarvā viśuṣyanti kāmena rahitā vibho .. 150.23 ..

All creatures are wasting away, devoid of desire, O all-pervading Lord!' 150.23

6.3.150.24

etacchrutvā vacasteṣāṃ devānāṃ prapitāmahaḥ .
jagāma sahitastatra yatra devo maheśvaraḥ .. 150.24 ..

Hearing this speech of those gods, the Great Grandfather / went together with them to where the god Maheśvara was. 150.24

6.3.150.25

atoṣayajjagannāthaṃ sarvabhūtamaheśvaram .
stutibhistaṇḍakaiḥ stotrairvedavedāṅgasambhavaiḥ .. 150.25 ..

He propitiated the Lord of the universe, the Maheśvara of all beings, / with hymns of praise, rhythmic verses, and hymns arising from the Vedas and Vedāṅgas. 150.25

6.3.150.26

tatastuṣṭo mahādevo devānāṃ parameśvaraḥ .
uvāca madhurāṃ vāṇīṃ devānbrahmapurogamān .. 150.26 ..

Then Mahādeva, the Supreme Lord of the gods, pleased, / spoke sweet words to the gods led by Brahmā: 150.26

6.3.150.27

kiṃ kāryaṃ kaśca santāpaḥ kiṃ vāgamanakāraṇam .
devatānāmṛṣīṇāṃ ca kathyatāṃ mama māciram .. 150.27 ..

'What is the task, and what is the distress, or what is the cause of your coming, / of the deities and seers? Tell me without delay!' 150.27

6.3.150.28

devā ūcuḥ .
kāmanāśājjagannāśo bhavitāyaṃ carācare .
trailokyaṃ tvaṃ punaḥ śambho utpādayitumarhasi .. 150.28 ..

The gods said: / 'Because of the destruction of Kāma, this destruction of the universe will occur among moving and unmoving beings. / You ought to generate the three worlds once again, O Śambhu!' 150.28

6.3.150.29

etacchrutvā vacasteṣāṃ vimṛśya parameśvaraḥ .
cintayāmāsa kāmasya vigrahaṃ bhuvi durlabham .. 150.29 ..

Hearing their words and reflecting, the Supreme Lord / considered the bodily form of Kāma, which is difficult to attain on earth. 150.29

6.3.150.30

ājagāma tataḥ śīghramanaṅgo hyaṅgatāṃ gataḥ .
prāṇadaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ paśyatāṃ nṛpasattama .. 150.30 ..

Then the bodiless one (Anaṅga), having indeed attained embodiment, swiftly arrived, / the giver of life to all beings, as they looked on, O best of kings. 150.30

6.3.150.31

tataḥ śaṅkhaninādena bherīṇāṃ niḥsvanena ca .
abhyanandaṃstato devaṃ surāsuramahoragāḥ .. 150.31 ..

Then, with the blare of conches and the roll of kettle-drums, / the gods, asuras, and great serpents applauded the god. 150.31

6.3.150.32

namaste devadeveśa kṛtārthāḥ surasattamāḥ .
visarjitāḥ punarjagmuryathāgatamarindama .. 150.32 ..

'Homage to you, O Lord of the gods of gods!' The best of gods, having achieved their purpose / and being dismissed, departed once again as they had come, O subduer of enemies. 150.32

6.3.150.33

gateṣu sarvadeveṣu kāmadevo'pi bhārata .
tapaścacāra vipulaṃ narmadātaṭamāśritaḥ .. 150.33 ..

When all the gods had departed, Kāmadeva also, O descendant of Bharata, / took refuge on the bank of the Narmadā and performed severe austerity. 150.33

6.3.150.34

tapojapakṛśībhūto divyaṃ varṣaśataṃ kila .
mahābhūtairvighnakaraiḥ pīḍyamānaḥ samantataḥ .. 150.34 ..

He became emaciated by austerity and silent recitation for a hundred divine years, it is said, / being afflicted on all sides by great spirits who create obstacles. 150.34

6.3.150.35

ātmavighnavināśārthaṃ saṃsmṛtaḥ kuṇḍaleśvaraḥ .
cakāra rakṣāṃ sarvatra śarapāte nṛpottama .. 150.35 ..

To destroy his own obstacles, he remembered Kuṇḍaleśvara. / O best of kings, he provided protection everywhere within the range of an arrow-shot.

6.3.150.36

tatastuṣṭo mahādevo dṛḍhabhaktyā varapradaḥ .
vareṇa chandayāmāsa kāmaṃ kāmavināśanaḥ .. 150.36 ..

Then Mahādeva, the granter of boons, pleased by his firm devotion, / the destroyer of Kāma, invited Kāma to choose a boon.

6.3.150.37

jñātvā tuṣṭaṃ mahādevamuvāca jhaṣaketanaḥ .
praṇataḥ prāñjalirbhūtvā devadevaṃ trilocanam .. 150.37 ..

Knowing that Mahādeva was pleased, the fish-bannered [Kāma], / bowed low with joined palms, spoke to the god of gods, the three-eyed one:

6.3.150.38

yadi tuṣṭo'si deveśa yadi deyo varo mama .
atra tīrthe jagannātha sadā saṃnihito bhava .. 150.38 ..

"If you are pleased, O lord of gods, if a boon is to be granted to me, / be perpetually present at this sacred ford, O Lord of the Universe."

6.3.150.39

tatheti coktvā vacanaṃ devadevo maheśvaraḥ .
jagāmākāśamāviśya stūyamāno'psarogaṇaiḥ .. 150.39 ..

Saying "So be it," the god of gods, Maheśvara, / entered the sky and departed, praised by hosts of apsarases.

6.3.150.40

gate cādarśanaṃ deve kāmadevo jagadgurum .
sthāpayāmāsa rājendra kusumeśvarasaṃjñitam .. 150.40 ..

When the god had vanished from sight, Kāmadeva established / the guru of the universe, named Kusumeśvara, O king of kings.

6.3.150.41

tatra tīrthe tu yaḥ snātvā hyupavāsaparāyaṇaḥ .
caitramāse caturdaśyāṃ madanasya dine'thavā .. 150.41 ..

Whoever bathes at that sacred ford, devoted to fasting, / on the fourteenth day in the month of Caitra, or on the day of Madana,

6.3.150.42

prabhāte vimale prāpte snātvā pūjya divākaram .
tilamiśreṇa toyena tarpayetpitṛdevatāḥ .. 150.42 ..

having bathed when the clear dawn arrives and having worshipped the sun, / should satisfy the pitṛs and deities with water mixed with sesame seeds.

6.3.150.43

kṛtvā snānaṃ vidhānena pūjayitvā ca taṃ nṛpa .
piṇḍanirvapaṇaṃ kuryāttasya puṇyaphalaṃ śṛṇu .. 150.43 ..

Having performed the ritual ablution according to rule and having worshipped him, O king, / one should offer piṇḍas; hear the sacred fruit of that!

6.3.150.44

sattrayājiphalaṃ yacca labhate dvādaśābdikam .
piṇḍadānātphalaṃ tacca labhate nātra saṃśayaḥ .. 150.44 ..

The fruit which one obtains from a twelve-year sacrificial session— / one obtains that fruit from the offering of a piṇḍa; there is no doubt about this.

6.3.150.45

aṅkullamūle yaḥ piṇḍaṃ pitḥnuddiśya dāpayet .
tasya te dvādaśābdāni tṛptiṃ yānti pitāmahāḥ .. 150.45 ..

Whoever has a piṇḍa offered for his ancestors at the root of an aṅkulla tree, / his forefathers attain satisfaction for twelve years.

6.3.150.46

kṛmikīṭapataṅgā ye tatra tīrthe yudhiṣṭhira .
prāpnuvanti mṛtāḥ svargaṃ kiṃ punarye narā mṛtāḥ .. 150.46 ..

Even the worms, insects, and moths that die at that sacred ford, O Yudhiṣṭhira, / attain heaven; how much more so men who have died [there]!

6.3.150.47

saṃnyāsaṃ kurute yo'tra jitakrodho jitendriyaḥ .
kusumeśe naro bhaktyā sa gacchecchivamandiram .. 150.47 ..

Whoever renounces the world here at Kusumeśa, having conquered anger and subdued the senses, / that man goes with devotion to the abode of Śiva.

6.3.150.48

tatra divyāpsarobhiśca devagandharvagāyanaiḥ .
krīḍate sevyamānastu kalpakoṭiśataṃ nṛpa .. 150.48 ..

Served there by celestial apsarases and divine Gandharva singers, / he sports for a hundred times ten million kalpas, O king.

6.3.150.49

pūrṇe caiva tataḥ kāla iha mānuṣyatāṃ gataḥ .
jāyate rājarājendraiḥ pūjyamāno nṛpo mahān .. 150.49 ..

And then, when that time is completed, having returned to human state here, / he is born as a great king worshipped by supreme emperors,

6.3.150.50

surūpaḥ subhago vāgmī vikrānto matimāñchuciḥ .
jīvedvarṣaśataṃ sāgraṃ sarvavyādhivivarjitaḥ .. 150.50 ..

handsome, fortunate, eloquent, valorous, wise, and pure; / he would live a full hundred years, free from all diseases.

6.3.150.51

etatpuṇyaṃ pāpaharaṃ tīrthakoṭiśatādhikam .
kusumeśeti vikhyātaṃ sarvadevanamaskṛtam .. 150.51 ..

This sacred [ford], destroying sins, is superior to a hundred million sacred fords, / renowned as Kusumeśa, bowed to by all the gods.

6.3.150.51_2

.. iti śrīskānde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ pañcama āvantyakhaṇḍe revākhaṇḍe kusumeśvaratīrthamāhātmyavarṇanaṃ nāma pañcāśadadhikaśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ ..

Thus ends the one hundred and fiftieth chapter, named "Description of the Greatness of Kusumeśvara Sacred Ford", in the Revākhaṇḍa of the fifth [khaṇḍa], the Āvantyakhaṇḍa, in the Skandapurāṇa comprising eighty-one thousand verses.