Skandapurana 6.3.45

6.3.45.p1

adhyāya 45

6.3.45.1

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca -
eṣa eva purā praśnaḥ paripṛṣṭo maheśvaram .
rājñā cottānapādena ṛṣidevasamāgame .. 45.1 ..

The venerable Mārkaṇḍeya said:
This very question was asked formerly of Maheśvara
by King Uttānapāda at an assembly of seers and gods.

6.3.45.2

uttānapāda uvāca -
idaṃ tīrthaṃ mahāpuṇyaṃ sarvadevamayaṃ param .
guhyādguhyataraṃ sthānaṃ na dṛṣṭaṃ na śrutaṃ hara .. 45.2 ..

Uttānapāda said:
This sacred ford is very holy, consisting of all the gods, supreme;
a place more secret than the secret, never seen, never heard of, O Hara!

6.3.45.3

śūlabhedaṃ kathaṃ jātaṃ kenaivotpāditaṃ purā .
māhātmyaṃ tasya tīrthasya vistarācchaṃsa me prabho .. 45.3 ..

How did Śūlabheda come to be? By whom was it created in the past?
Proclaim to me in detail the māhātmya of that sacred ford, O Lord!

6.3.45.4

īśvara uvāca -
āsītpurā mahāvīryo dānavo baladarpitaḥ .
martye na tādṛśaḥ kaścidvikrameṇa balena vā .. 45.4 ..

Īśvara said:
In ancient times there was an exceedingly valorous demon, proud of his strength;
no one on earth was like him in valor or in might.

6.3.45.5

sūnurbrahmasutasyāyamandhako nāma durmadaḥ .
nijasthāne vasan pāpaḥ kurvan rājyamakaṇṭakam .. 45.5 ..

He was the son of Brahmā's son, named Andhaka, haughty with pride;
dwelling in his own realm, the sinner ruled an empire without a thorn.

6.3.45.6

hṛṣṭapuṣṭo vasanmartye sa surairnābhibhūyate .
bhavanaṃ tasya pāpasya vahnerupavanaṃ yathā .. 45.6 ..

Thriving and robust, living among mortals, he could not be overcome by the gods;
the dwelling of that sinful one was like the grove of fire.

6.3.45.7

etasminnandhakaḥ kāle cintayāmāsa bhārata .
toṣayāmi mahādevaṃ yena sānugraho bhavet .. 45.7 ..

At that time, O descendant of Bharata, Andhaka considered:
'I shall please Mahādeva, so that he may be gracious to me.

6.3.45.8

prārthayāmi varaṃ divyaṃ yo me manasi vartate .
paraṃ sa niścayaṃ kṛtvā so'ndhako nirgato gṛhāt .. 45.8 ..

I shall request the divine boon that is in my mind.'
Having formed a supreme resolve, that Andhaka departed from his house.

6.3.45.9

revātaṭaṃ samāsādya dānavastapasi sthitaḥ .
ugraṃ tapaścacārāsau dāruṇaṃ lomaharṣaṇam .. 45.9 ..

Reaching the bank of the Revā, the demon took his stand in austerity;
he performed severe austerity, harsh and hair-raising.

6.3.45.10

divyaṃ varṣasahasraṃ sa nirāhāro'bhavattataḥ .
dvitīyaṃ tu sahasraṃ sa nyavasadvāribhojanaḥ .. 45.10 ..

For a thousand divine years he remained without food;
for a second thousand [years] he lived consuming only water.

6.3.45.11

tṛtīyaṃ tu sahasraṃ sa dhūmapānarato'bhavat .
caturthaṃ varṣasāhasraṃ yogābhyāsena saṃsthitaḥ .. 45.11 ..

For a third thousand [years] he was devoted to inhaling smoke;
for a fourth thousand years he remained in the practice of yoga.

6.3.45.12

kopīha nedṛśa cakre tapaḥ paramadāruṇam .
asthicarmāvaśeṣo'sau yāvattiṣṭhati bhārata .. 45.12 ..

No one here ever performed such exceedingly terrible austerity;
while he remained with only bone and skin remaining, O descendant of Bharata,

6.3.45.13

tasya mūrdhni tato rājan dhūmavārttirviniḥsṛtā .
devalokamatītyāsau kailāsaṃ vyāpya saṃsthitā .. 45.13 ..

a column of smoke then issued from his crown, O king;
transcending the world of the gods, it remained pervading Kailāsa.

6.3.45.14

tāvaddevasamīpasthā umā vacanamabravīt .
ko'styayaṃ mānuṣe loke tapasogreṇa saṃsthitaḥ .. 45.14 ..

Then Umā, standing near the God, spoke [these] words:
“Who is this in the mortal world engaged in fierce austerity?

6.3.45.15

caturvarṣasahasrāṇi vyatīyuḥ parameśvara .
na kenāpīdṛśaṃ taptaṃ tapo dṛṣṭaṃ śrutaṃ tathā .. 45.15 ..

Four thousand years have passed, O Supreme Lord.
No one has ever been seen or heard to perform such austerity.

6.3.45.16

avajñāṃ kuruṣe deva kimatra niyamānvite .
sarvasya datse śīghraṃ tvamalpena tapasā vibho .. 45.16 ..

Why do you show neglect, O God, toward one observing such vows?
To everyone else you quickly grant [boons] even for little austerity, O all-pervading Lord.

6.3.45.17

nākṣakrīḍāṃ kariṣye'dya tvayā saha maheśvara .
yāvannotthāpyate hyeṣa dānavo bhaktavatsala .. 45.17 ..

I will not play dice with you today, O Maheśvara,
until this Dānava is raised up, O lover of your devotees.”

6.3.45.18

īśvara uvāca -
sādhu sādhu mahādevi sarvalakṣaṇalakṣite .
ahaṃ taṃ na vijānāmi kliśyantaṃ dānaveśvaram .. 45.18 ..

Īśvara said:
“Well said, well said, O Great Goddess, endowed with all auspicious marks.
I did not notice that lord of Dānavas suffering.

6.3.45.19

yogābhyāse sthito bhadre dhyāyaṃstatparamaṃ padam .
tatrāgaccha mayā sārddhaṃ yatra tapyatyasau tapaḥ .. 45.19 ..

I was absorbed in the practice of yoga, O auspicious one, meditating on that supreme abode.
Come with me to the place where he is performing austerity.”

6.3.45.20

umayā sahito devo gatastatra maheśvaraḥ .
asthicarmāvaśeṣastu dṛṣṭo devena śambhunā .. 45.20 ..

Accompanied by Umā, the divine Maheśvara went there.
And he was seen by the divine Śambhu, reduced to nothing but skin and bones.

6.3.45.21

pratyuvāca prasanno'sau devadevo maheśvaraḥ .
bhobhoḥ kaṣṭaṃ kṛtaṃ bhīmaṃ dāruṇaṃ lomaharṣaṇam .. 45.21 ..

Graciously pleased, the God of gods, Maheśvara, said:
“Ah! What terrifying, severe, hair-raising hardship has been endured!

6.3.45.22

īdṛśaṃ ca tapo ghoraṃ kasmādvatsa tvayā kṛtam .
varaṃ dāsyāmyahaṃ vatsa yaste manasi vartate .. 45.22 ..

Why was such dreadful austerity performed by you, my child?
I will grant a boon, my child, whatever is in your heart.”

6.3.45.23

andhaka uvāca -
yadi tuṣṭo'si me deva varado yadi śaṅkara .
surān sarvān vijeṣyāmi tvatprasādānmaheśvara .. 45.23 ..

Andhaka said:
“If you are pleased with me, O God, if you are a granter of boons, O Śaṅkara,
may I conquer all the gods through your grace, O Maheśvara.”

6.3.45.24

īśvara uvāca -
svapne'pi tridaśāḥ sarve na yoddhavyāḥ kadācana .
asaṃbhāvyaṃ na vaktavyaṃ manaso yanna rocate .. 45.24 ..

Īśvara said:
“Even in a dream, one should never fight with all the gods.
One should not speak of what is impossible, nor what is not pleasing to the mind.

6.3.45.25

anyaṃ kimapi yācasva yaste manasi vartate .
svarge vā yadi vā martye pātāleṣu ca saṃsthitān .. 45.25 ..

Ask for something else, whatever is in your heart,
whether among those in heaven, on earth, or in the subterranean realms.

6.3.45.26

martyeṣu vividhān bhogān bhokṣyasi tvaṃ yathepsitān .
kuru niṣkaṇṭakaṃ rājyaṃ svarge devapatiryathā .. 45.26 ..

You shall enjoy various pleasures on earth as you desire.
Rule a kingdom free of thorns, just as the lord of the gods [rules] in heaven.”

6.3.45.27

devasya vacanaṃ śrutvā so'ndhako vimanāḥ sthitaḥ .
vṛthā kleśaśca me jāto na kiṃcitsādhitaṃ mayā .. 45.27 ..

Hearing the God’s words, that Andhaka stood dejected:
“My trouble has become futile; nothing was achieved by me.”

6.3.45.28

niśvāsaṃ paramaṃ muktvā nipapāta dharātale .
mūlacchinno yathā vṛkṣo nirucchvāsastadābhavat .. 45.28 ..

Releasing a deep sigh, he fell onto the surface of the earth.
Like a tree severed at its roots, he became breathless then.

6.3.45.29

mūrcchāpannaṃ tato dṛṣṭvā devī vacanamabravīt .
yaṃ kāmaṃ kāmayatyeṣa tamasmai dehi śaṅkara .. 45.29 ..

Then, seeing him fallen unconscious, the Goddess spoke [these] words:
“Whatever desire he desires, grant that to him, O Śaṅkara.

6.3.45.30

bhaktānupekṣamāṇasya tavākīrtirbhaviṣyati .. 45.30 ..

Disrepute will come upon you if you overlook a devotee.”

6.3.45.31

īśvara uvāca -
yadi dāsye varaṃ devi icchābhūtaṃ kadācana .
tato na maṃsyate viṣṇuṃ na brahmāṇaṃ na māmapi .. 45.31 ..

Īśvara said:
“If I were ever to grant the boon he desires, O Goddess,
then he would respect neither Viṣṇu, nor Brahmā, nor even me,

6.3.45.32

uccatvamāpto deveśi anyānapi surāsurān .. 45.32 ..

having attained supremacy, O Queen of gods, over all other gods and Asuras.”

6.3.45.33

devyuvāca -
kamapyupāyamāśritya utthāpaya maheśvara .
viṣṇuvarjaṃ surānsarvāñjayasveti varaṃ vada .. 45.33 ..

The Goddess said:
“Resorting to some means, raise him up, O Maheśvara.
State the boon: ‘Conquer all the gods, with the exception of Viṣṇu.’”

6.3.45.34

īśvara uvāca -
upāyaḥ śobhano devi yo me manasi vartate .
tamevāsmai pradāsyāmi yastvayā kathito varaḥ .. 45.34 ..

Īśvara said:
“An excellent means has occurred to my mind, O Goddess.
I shall grant him the very boon that has been spoken by you.”

6.3.45.35

tato'mṛtena saṃsiktaḥ svastho'bhūttatkṣaṇādayam .
tathā punarnavo jātaḥ sarvāvayavaśobhitaḥ .. 45.35 ..

Then, sprinkled with nectar, he instantly regained health;
likewise, he was made renewed, adorned in all his limbs.

6.3.45.36

śṛṇuṣvaikamanā bhūtvā gṛhāṇa varamuttamam .
viṣṇuvarjaṃ pradāsyāmi yattavābhimataṃ priyam .. 45.36 ..

“Listen with a focused mind and accept an excellent boon:
I will grant what is dear and desired by you, with the exception of Viṣṇu.

6.3.45.37

sarvaṃ ca saphalaṃ tubhyaṃ mā dharmaste'nyathā bhavet .
dadāmīti varaṃ tubhyaṃ manyase yadi cāsura .. 45.37 ..

May everything be fruitful for you; may your dharma not be compromised.
I grant this boon to you, if you accept it, O Asura:

6.3.45.38

viṣṇuvarjaṃ surān sarvāñjeṣyasi tvaṃ ca māṃ vinā .. 45.38 ..

You shall conquer all the gods, with the exception of Viṣṇu and without me.”

6.3.45.39

andhaka uvāca -
bhavatvevamiti prāha balamāsthāya kevalam .
viṣṇuvarjaṃ vijeṣye'haṃ svabalena maheśvara .. 45.39 ..

Andhaka said:
“Let it be so!” he said, relying solely on his own might.
“I will conquer [them] by my own strength, with the exception of Viṣṇu, O Maheśvara.

6.3.45.40

kṛtārtho'haṃ hi saṃjāta ityuktvā praṇatiṃ gataḥ .
gaccha devomayāsārddhaṃ kailāsaśikharaṃ varam .. 45.40 ..

Indeed, I have attained my purpose!” Having spoken thus, he bowed down.
“Go, O God, along with Umā, to the excellent peak of Kailāsa.”

6.3.45.41

vṛṣapuṃgavamāruhya devo'sāvumayā saha .
varaṃ dattvā sa tasyaivaṃ tatraivāntaradhīyata .. 45.41 ..

Mounting his bull, the best of bulls, the God along with Umā,
having granted his boon in this manner, disappeared right there.

6.3.45.41_2

.. iti śrīskānde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ pañcama āvantyakhaṇḍe revākhaṇḍe andhakavarapradānavarṇanaṃ nāma pañcacatvāriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ ..

Thus ends the forty-fifth chapter, titled “Description of the Granting of the Boon to Andhaka,” in the Revākhaṇḍa of the Āvantyakhaṇḍa in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa consisting of eighty-one thousand verses.