Skandapurana 1.3.30: adhyāyaḥ 32

Lomaśa said:
Thus those duties of Śiva were spoken by him to you, O twice-born ones,
especially the Pāśupata ones, in full detail and through his grace. 32.1

Endowed with many Āgamas, they were declared according to reality;
and the divisions of the Kāpālikas were spoken in brief by Vyāsa. 32.2

Diverse duties were then spoken to Nandī. 32.3

The seers said:
The most auspicious, extraordinary deeds of Kumāra have been heard
by us; O fortunate one, we ask something [further]: 32.4

The exceedingly wondrous story of Śveta, the lion among kings,
by whom Śiva Rudra was pleased with immeasurable devotion. 32.5

They are devoted, they are great-souled, they possess knowledge, and they are performers of rites
who worship the great Śambhu, the God, filled with devotion. 32.6

Therefore we all ask about the life of Śaṃkara,
all of which you know through Vyāsa's grace, and no one else. 32.7

Hearing their words, the sage Lomaśa spoke: 32.8

Lomaśa said:
Listen, O fortunate ones, to the exceedingly wondrous life
of that king who, while enjoying all royal pleasures,
[yet] wisdom arose in me [concerning] the great-souled Śveta. 32.9

He ruled the earth, protecting his subjects righteously,
devoted to brahmins, truthful in speech, heroic, and constantly devoted to Śiva. 32.10

That king then governed his kingdom according to his capacity, and ever worshipped with devotion
Śambhu, the Supreme Lord, the highest, higher than the highest, peaceful, ancient, having the nature of the Supreme Self. 32.11

His lifespan was consumed as he worshipped the Supreme Lord.
Now hear this life of mine [to relate], O fortunate one! 32.12

His speech was united with discourse on Śiva, full of supreme wonder.
Neither anxieties nor illnesses afflicted that lord of the earth. 32.13

Nor did these afflictions and calamities harass that king;
his people were free from agricultural plagues and free from troubles. 32.14

In that king's land, plants grew without cultivation;
there were ascetics, brahmins, and people following the system of castes and stages of life. 32.15

They never experienced sorrow over the death of a son, nor dishonour, nor pestilences,
nor did they ever encounter poverty. 32.16

Thus a great deal of time passed fruitfully, O brahmins,
for that great-souled king devoted to the worship of Śiva. 32.17

Once, as he was worshipping Śaṃkara, the giver of the supreme goal,
Yama sent the messengers of Yama to the king, 32.18

by the word of Citragupta saying: 'Let Śveta be brought!'
Saying 'So be it', those messengers arrived at the temple of Śiva. 32.19

Desiring to take the king, with nooses in hand, very terrifying,
as soon as the servants of Yama arrived, they swiftly saw the king. 32.20

Then the messengers could not execute the command of Dharma;
and knowing everything, Yama came there in person. 32.21

Raising his staff, suddenly wishing to take the king,
the mighty-armed one saw him intent on meditation upon Śiva, 32.22

endowed with devotion to Śiva, peaceful, and filled solely with knowledge.
Even Yama, seeing the king, fell into supreme agitation. 32.23

The king of the dead became instantly motionless as in a painting, deeply distraught;
and he who is the form of Time, the eternal destroyer of creatures, 32.24

came at that very moment toward the king, filled with rage,
with a sharp-edged sword and an excellent shield. 32.25

He too then saw Yama standing at the door overcome with fear.
Then Time spoke to Yama, the son of Vivasvat: 32.26

'Why, O king of righteousness, has this great king not been taken by you?
O Yama, though accompanied by messengers, you appear to me like one terrified. 32.27

No loss of time should be committed upon my command, O you of noble vows!'
Addressed then by Time, Dharma spoke the relevant word: 32.28

"I will carry out your command; no deliberation is needed here. / This devotee of Śiva is perpetually unassailable by us.

We stand as if in a picture, out of fear of the trident-bearing god." / Hearing Yama's word, Kāla, filled with fury, / set out to kill the king and swiftly seized his sword.

He entered Śiva's temple, which shone with threefold eightfold corners. / As he did so with great rage, the wielder of the Pināka saw him, / eager to slay his devotee, the excellent King Śveta,

who stood in meditation within the self, his mind purified by the lamp of immaculate knowledge, / continually contemplating the supreme Self in front of him, self-luminous through identity with the Self.

Seeing him thus, and seeing Kāla, while meditating with an unswerving mind / on the Śaiva state, which is the ultimate truth and by its very nature bestows absorption in liberation,

this Kāla was seen by Sadāśiva, the destroyer of Kāla— / unbridled and wicked, entering his presence with arrogance.

As soon as he was seen near him, standing in the middle of Nandīkeśvara, / by Śiva, the Lord of the World, the friend who loves his devotees,

he was looked upon with the third eye by the Supreme Lord / who was protecting his own devotee, and in an instant he was reduced to ashes.

He burned that Kāla of many colors, with gaping mouth, of terrible, manifoldly fierce form, / being consumed by rows of flames, exceedingly violent, the sole devourer of the world.

The assembled hosts of gods saw it, along with yakṣas, gandharvas, piśācas, and guhyakas, / siddhas, apsarases, all birds, serpents, winged creatures, and likewise the world-protectors.

Then, seeing Kāla enveloped in a garland of flames standing before Īśvara, / the king regained his consciousness and [saw] Kāla, who had come to kill him,

burning again and again in the fire. / Agitated, he prayed to Rudra, who resembled the fire of cosmic dissolution:

The king said: / "Obeisance to Rudra the peaceful, who is self-radiance, the maker of the self, / to the continuous, subtle Lord of the luminaries, obeisance!

You indeed are the protector, Lord of the Universe, father, mother, well-wisher, companion; / you alone are kinsman, relative, master, and ruler of the worlds.

What indeed has been done by you, O Śambhu? Who is this that has been burned before me? / I do not understand what has occurred, or by whom this great deed was performed."

Hearing this lament of him who was thus praying, / Śaṃkara spoke a word, as if enlightening the king:

Rudra said: / "Indeed, this Kāla was burned by me for your sake, and before your eyes; / he has been seen by you burning, vast and overwhelmed by a garland of flames.

Being thus addressed then by that Śambhu, the best of kings, / becoming humble, spoke these words to Śiva before him:

"What wrong was done by him, O Śambhu? Tell me in truth, / that he has been brought to this condition that destroys life, O Bhava!"

Being thus questioned by him, the Supreme Lord said: / "O great king, he is the devourer of all living beings here.

For the sake of devouring you, O mighty one, that cruel one now came / into my presence, O great king; therefore, O mighty one, he was burned by me,

seeking the welfare of many, and especially for your sake.

Those sinners who are deeply unrighteous, perpetrators of the destruction of the world, / devoted to heretical doctrines—they are certainly fit to be slain by me." / Having heard the word of Rudra, Śveta spoke these words:

"It is indeed by Time that this world always performs merit; / some are devoted to righteousness, endowed with supreme devotion;

some are dedicated to worship, while others are possessors of knowledge; / some are united with the spiritual Self, and some others are liberated.

Time indeed is the destroyer of the moving and unmoving, and likewise he is the peerless protector; / he is indeed the creator of living beings, their very breath of life; therefore, revive him quickly once more!

If you are devoted to creation, revive Kāla quickly; / if you are the dissolution of all living beings here,

then do so, O Śambhu, to the great-souled Kāla! / Without Time, nothing whatsoever will come to pass, O Śaṃkara."

Thus petitioned by that glorious king, Śambhu / fulfilled the wish and desired goal of that devotee of his.

Laughing, the Great Lord Śambhu, with the Pināka in hand, brought him back to life; / he restored his form as it was before, and he was embraced in the midst of the messengers of Yama.

Standing there, embarrassed, he praised that god whose banner bears the bull; / bowing before the fiery one who stood in front of him, Kāla spoke these words in astonishment:

Kāla said: / "O destroyer of Kāla, Lord of Tripura, destroyer of Tripura, O Lord! / Madana, O God, was made bodiless by you, O Lord of the Universe!

The destruction of the sacrifice of Dakṣa was accomplished, supreme and wondrous; / the Kālakūṭa poison, unbearable and the great cause of destruction of all,

was swallowed by you, O Śambhu, uncontainable even by others! / The three worlds were pervaded by your vast liṅga form.

It is called liṅga from the dissolution [of all things] by all gods and asuras; / whose end the gods, preceded by Brahmā and Viṣṇu, do not know,

the majesty of the liṅga of the supreme God of gods! / Obeisance to you, Supreme Lord; obeisance to you, auspiciousness of the universe! / Obeisance to you, dark-necked one; obeisance to him with braided hair!

Obeisance, obeisance to you, the cause of causes; obeisance, obeisance to the embodiment of the most auspicious; / to the embodiment of knowledge of wise men who know knowledge! You are the primal deity, the ancient spirit.

You alone are the whole universe, O friend of the universe! You are to be known through the Vedānta, full of majesty; / to be praised by the great-souled, you alone, Lord of the Universe, are revered by the universe!

You protect, you dissolve the triad of worlds, O Great Lord! You are the creator, the Lord of beings alone, and none other!"

Thus praised then by that Kāla, the Lord of the Universe, / Kāla addressed King Śveta as if reminding him:

Kāla said:
In the entire mortal world there is no one other than you,
by whom, by you, the god unconquerable in the three worlds has indeed been won over.

By me this universe, this moving and unmoving world, is destroyed.
I am the conqueror of all gods, insurmountable to all.

That very [Lord] has become your follower; O great king, grant me
fearlessness from the God of gods, the trident-bearer, the supreme deity.

Thus addressed then indeed by that Kāla,
Śveta, laughing, spoke with a voice deep as thunder:

The king said:
You alone are the supreme form of Śiva; there is no doubt.
You are the Death of beings, having the form of sustenance and destruction.

Therefore you are most worthy of worship and the regulator of all.
Out of fear of you, all righteous ones go for refuge to the Supreme Lord
with diverse feelings, intent on the characteristics of the Self.

Sūta said:
Kāla, having thus been protected by the supremely virtuous king,
regained his consciousness through the mere grace of Śiva.

Then Yama, praised by Death and Yama's messengers,
having bowed to and extolled Śiva and King Śveta,
went to his own abode, O brahmins, and considered himself born anew.

Together with his wife Māyā, repeatedly remembering
the great deed of Śiva, he was filled with supreme wonder.

He himself indeed spoke to all his messengers:
'Let my words be heard quickly, O messengers!

And what is spoken by me must be carried out with diligence, not otherwise.

Kāla said:
Those who wear the tripuṇḍra, likewise those who wear matted hair,
those who wear rudrākṣa beads, and likewise those who bear the name of Śiva,

and those men who, even for the sake of livelihood or out of fear,
though sinners and of wicked conduct, wear the guise of Śiva—

these must never be brought by you to my realm.
They must always be diligently avoided, even if they are sinners.

What need to speak of others, O messengers, who worship Sadāśiva,
Śambhu, with supreme devotion? They are Rudras, there is no doubt here.

One who wears a single rudrākṣa on his head and likewise the tripuṇḍra in the middle of his forehead,
and the virtuous who recite the five-syllable mantra—they must be honored by you, and never otherwise.

In whichever realm, or country, or village, an intelligent
devotee of Śiva is not seen, that realm or country—
I tell you the truth—they say is worse than a cremation ground.

Where there are never people endowed with devotion to Śiva,
all the people residing in that village are to be punished, there is no doubt.

Thus Yama commanded his own servants.
Saying "So be it," they all remained silent, greatly astonished.

Such is this sole lord of the universe, Sadāśiva, that one teacher of the world,
the giver, the destroyer, endowed with his innate nature, this eternal, sole friend of the universe.

Having burned Kāla, the all-pervading Mahādeva
granted fearlessness to Śveta, the king of kings, the best of rulers.

Then, having attained fearlessness, the high-minded King Śveta,
resolute in purpose, became liberated through supreme devotion.

Then, being praised by the gods, by the seers, and likewise by the serpents,
that excellent king Śveta attained communion with Śiva.

Thus, for those devoted to Maheśa, the teacher of the world,
perfection lies in the palm of their hand; I tell you the truth.

Even a dog-cooker becomes the most eminent through the grace of Śaṃkara;
therefore Śaṃkara is certainly to be worshipped with all effort.

At the end of many births devotion to Śiva arises.

For the wise whose intellect is disciplined, Śaṃkara is [revered] birth after birth.
What need is there of saying much by me? Sadāśiva is to be worshipped.

In this very regard they cite this ancient legend:
the most wonderful vow performed by a Kirāta,
by which alone this universe, this moving and unmoving world, was saved.

Thus ends the thirty-second chapter, titled "Description of the Account of the Burning of Kāla by the Power of Devotion to Śiva in the Deeds of King Śveta", in the Kedārakhaṇḍa of the first [part], the Māheśvarakhaṇḍa, in the Skandamahāpurāṇa of eighty-one thousand verses.