Skandapurana 1.2.2

Nandikeśvara said:

O sage, leader among the devotees of Maheśvara, there is indeed a place asked about by you,

for the welfare of all beings, moving and unmoving!

For God has ordained the birth of embodied beings

in various wombs in accordance with their respective karmas.

You have desired to hear [this] entirely for their great benefit;

otherwise, there would be no cessation of transmigration even in hundreds of millions of kalpas.

Attained again and again through trifling actions and limited knowledge,

birth and death never cease, like the motion of a waterwheel.

How indeed, without pure knowledge, could an embodied soul be freed

from entering the dwelling of the womb, so as to attain rest?

Regions were previously spoken of by me in passing,

along with the distinctions of seers therein, and the dwelling of [Śiva] who wears the skin garment:

some on the banks of the Gaṅgā, some on the shore of the Sarasvatī,

others on the two banks of the Kālindī, some on the bank of the Śoṇa;

others on the bank of the Narmadā, others on the shore of the Godāvarī,

some on the banks of the Gomatī, others on the shore of the Haimavatī;

another beside the ocean, others on the islands of oceans,

some at the mouths of rivers, and some at confluences;

some on the bank of the Kṛṣṇaveṇī, others near the Tuṅgabhadrā;

a few along the Upaveṇī, others near the Śaktyāpagā;

others on the bank of the Kāverī, some on the shore of the Vegavatī;

and others on the Tāmraparṇī, a few on the shore of the Muralā;

some on the bank of the Airāvatī, and others on the Yātukāṅkṣikā;

a few on the banks of the Kanyā, a few on the bank of the Kumārī, others near the Tamasā and Varuṇā;

others in the vicinity of the Mandākinī, still others on the bank of the Śiprā, others along the reaches of the Sarayū;

others in the vicinity of the Vipāśā, others on the bank of the Śatadru;

others near the Carmaṇvatī, some on the bank of the Bhīmarathī;

some near Lake Bindu, others on the bank of Lake Pampā;

some also near the Bhairavī, a few on the bank of the Kauśikī;

others on the bank of the Mālinī, others on the bank of the Gandhavatī;

a few near Mānasa, some on the shore of Acchoda;

another at Lake Indradyumna, some at Maṇikarṇikā;

others on the bank of the Varadā, some others on the Tāpī;

near the Pātālagaṅgā, and others near the Śarāvatī;

some on the two banks of the Lohityā, a few on the shore of the Kālamā;

others near the Vitastā, and others near the Candrabhāgā;

some near the Suralā, others on the two banks of the Payoṣṇī;

some on the bank of the Madhumatī, and some along the Pinākinī.

The sacred field of Vārāṇasī has been declared, purifying for five krośas,

where the god named Avimukta is worshipped by Viśālākṣī;

where Kapālamocana is, and where Kālabhairava abides;

where the dead attain Rudra-hood—know that to be Kāśī, O sage!

Gayā and Prayāga also have been described to you as bestowing all perfections.

where the ancestors are indeed pleased by the offering of rice-balls;

and you have heard of Kedāra, where the god who took the form of a buffalo

was slain by the Goddess, granting all blessings to men;

the sacred field Badarikāśrama, granting all perfections to mortals,

where the three-eyed Lord dwells with the Goddess, worshipped by Nara and Nārāyaṇa;

you have indeed heard of the sacred field Naimiṣa, where Maheśvara

is named Devadeva, the holy one, and the Goddess is Sāraṅgadhāriṇī;

the place called Amareśa, which accomplishes all aims, has been spoken of [by me],

where the Lord is named Oṃkāra and the supreme Goddess is named Caṇḍikā;

you have heard of the great place called Puṣkara spoken of by me,

where the god is Rujogandhi and the supreme Goddess is Puruhūtā;

the purifying place named Āṣāḍhī has been spoken of to you by me,

where Hara is Āṣāḍheśa and the supreme Goddess is Ratīśā;

and the place called Daṇḍimuṇḍin has been spoken of to you by me,

where the great god is Muṇḍin and the supreme Goddess is Daṇḍikā;

the completely purified place named Lākula has been spoken of to you by me,

in which Hara is Lākulīśa and the all-auspicious Goddess is Anaṅgā;

the place Bhārabhūti has been mentioned to you by me,

where Śambhu is named Bhāra and the mountain's daughter is named Bhūti;

the place named Arālakeśvara has been spoken of to you by me,

where the trident-bearer is named Sūkṣma and the mountain's daughter is named Sūkṣmā;

the great sacred field named Gayā has been mentioned by me to you,

where Śivā is named Maṅgalā and Śaṃkara is Prapitāmaha;

the place named Kurukṣetra has been related to you,

where the goddess is Sthāṇupriyā and the god is named Sthāṇu;

the excellent place named Kanakhala has been described to you by me,

where the enemy of the cities is Ugra and the daughter of the best of mountains is Ugrā;

the great sacred field named Tālaka has been declared by me, O Mārkaṇḍeya,

where the goddess is Svāyaṃbhuvī and the supreme Lord is Svayambhū;

the great place named Aṭṭahāsa has been spoken of to you by me,

where the Sun, having worshipped the Lord, had his desires fulfilled;

the sacred field named Kṛttivāsa has been described to you, O best knower of the Veda,

the dwelling of the hide-clad Lord, which is praised even above Kailāsa;

[you have heard of] Maheśa Mallikārjuna with the goddess Bhramarāmbikā,

worshipped by Brahmā on Śrīśaila for the sake of accomplishment in creation;

on the bank of the Suvarṇamukharī, Śaṃkara as Kālahasti

was worshipped by Vyāsa, along with the Mother whose curls hum like bees;

in Kāñcī, seated at the root of a mango tree, the chastiser of Kāma,

closely embraced by Kāmākṣī as she performed austerity, was marked by her bracelet;

there is the city named Vyāghrapura situated within the Tillika forest,

where Patañjali waits upon the dancing Lord;

the place named Śvetāraṇya was spoken of to you by me formerly,

where Airāvata recovered his broken tusk through the worship of Śiva;

I spoke of the place named Setubandha, where Rāghava

installed the sin-destroying god under the name of Rāmanātha;

there is the place named Gajaprati, where the bull-bannered Lord,

resorted to the foot of a jambū tree for the protection of the world;

along the Maṇimuktā river, in the sacred field named Vṛddhācala,

the god is eternally present—this too has been heard by you;

the unexcelled place named the glorious Madhyārjuna has been heard [by you],

in which Hara, companion of Gaurī, is ever the granter of boons;

Somatīrtha, inhabited by Somanātha, has been heard by you,

where there is no further bondage to worldly existence for those who have abandoned the body;

you have indeed heard of the sacred field named Siddhavaṭa,

where the perfected beings worship the unexcelled liṅga of light;

the sacred field known as Kamalālaya has indeed been heard of by you,

where, through the worship of Valmīkeśa, the life of Hari's Śrī was regained;

you have heard of Kaṅkādri, where Hara is present,

whom Brahmā and Keśava worship even now for the sake of liberation;

you know the glorious Droṇapura, in which, at the end of the Kali age,

Pārvatī's husband boarded a boat when the ocean was agitated. // 52

You have heard of the sacred field named Brahmapura, where formerly Indrajit

established Dhūrjaṭi on the bank of the Āryapuṣkariṇī pond. // 53

The sacred field called Śrīkoṭika is full of knowledge, where the crescent-crested [Lord]

removes ten million sins of men who worship him. // 54

And you have heard of Gokarṇa, which is Śiva, through whose presence

the son of Jamadagni, desiring to worship him, does not long for heaven. // 55

The sacred field Tripurāntaka was told to you, where the three-eyed [Lord]

dispels fear of hell for men who have seen [him]. // 56

The sacred field Kālāñjana was described, dwelling in which the black-throated [Lord]

extinguishes the fierce fever of saṃsāra for his devotees. // 57

Priyālavaṇa was described as a sacred field where Ambikā's husband

bestowed the Ocean of Milk upon Upamanyu who begged for milk. // 58

The sacred field Prabhāsa was told to you, where the crescent-crested [Lord],

worshipped by Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, granted inexhaustible fruit. // 59

You know Vedāraṇya, where the lord of the Pramathas

was besought for liberation by Dakṣa, who had previously committed a transgression. // 1.3.2.2.60

You have heard of Hemakūṭa, the abode of the three-eyed [Lord],

where there is no fear of rebirth for men practicing austerity. // 61

There is a sacred field named Veṇuvana that destroys sins,

where the pearl-gem Śivā was born from the womb of a bamboo cane. // 62

You have heard of Jālandhara as the abode of the enemy of Andhaka,

where Jalandhara attained the rank of Gaṇa through austerities. // 63

You came to know the abode called Jvālāmukha as told by me,

where Goddess Jvālāmukhī worshipped Kālarudra. // 64

There is [the place] named Bhadravaṭa, a sacred field mentioned and heard by you,

where Heramba fully worshipped the three-eyed [Lord] for prosperity. // 65

Nyagrodhāraṇya was told to you, where the fierce [Lord] indeed performed

a wildly violent tāṇḍava dance, entering into a rivalry with Kālī. // 66

You have heard of that sacred field named Gandhamādana,

where worship of Mṛtyuñjaya was performed by Hanumān. // 67

The abode of Śambhu called Goparvata was made renowned by me,

where Pāṇini attained pre-eminence among grammarians. // 68

Surely you have taken note of the sacred field and abode named Vīrakoṣṭha,

where Vālmīki attained pre-eminence among poets through austerity. // 69

You know [the place] spoken of as Mahātīrtha, where all the gods,

headed by Brahmā, were taught by Śambhu. // 1.3.2.2.70

Mayūrapura was told to you by me as a sacred field sacred to Maheśvara,

where Indra, observing a vow, obtained the thunderbolt. // 71

The sacred field called Śrīsundara on the bank of the Vegavatī was mentioned,

in which the God of gods shines even in the Kali age. // 72

You know the abode of Śambhu called Kumbhakoṇa, where even that

Gaṅgā manifests her presence in the month of Māgha to pacify her own sins. // 73

You have heard of Tryambaka on the bank of the Godāvarī,

where Guha obtained the spear that slays the demon Tāraka. // 74

Śrīpāṭala and Vyāghrapura were described, O best knower of the Veda,

where the Bearer of the Gaṅgā was worshipped by Triśaṅku for purity of caste. // 75

And you have retained in mind the sacred field called Kadambapurī,

where for your sake Śambhu destroyed Death with his trident. // 76

The sacred field named Avināśa was told to you, where the bull-bannered [Lord],

being pleased, bestowed his presence upon Paḍikaṇṭha. // 77

The sacred field Raktaikānana was described to you by me, O sinless one,

where Rudra, grantor of boons, was born to Mitra and Varuṇa. // 78

You have heard of the sacred field Śrīhāṭakeśvara located in Pātāla,

where Bali worships the god to regain his own position. // 79

You know Kailāsa, the dear dwelling of Śambhu, where, as an eternal servant,

the lord of the Yakṣas worships the three-eyed [Lord] with devotion. // 1.3.2.2.80

These abodes of the axe-bearing [Lord] have been spoken of by me previously,

and they have indeed been retained by you. What more do you wish to hear? // 81

Having spoken thus, the son of Śilāda [addressed] the lord of sages, the son of the sage Mṛkaṇḍu:

As he bowed down devotedly at his feet, [Nandin], moist with the sentiment of compassion, touched his head with his hand.

Thus ends the second chapter, named “Description of Various Sacred Fields of Śiva on the Terrestrial Sphere,” in the second half of the Aruṇācalamāhātmya, in the first [section, the] Māheśvarakhaṇḍa, of the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, a collection of eighty-one thousand verses.