Skandapurana 1.3.35: adhyāyaḥ 1

Now begins the first [section], the Māheśvarakhaṇḍa, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa.
Homage to the glorious Gaṇeśa.
Oṃ, homage to the Blessed One, Vāsudeva.
Having bowed down to Nārāyaṇa and Nara, the best of men,
and to the goddess Sarasvatī, one should then recite the [word] 'Victory!' 1.1

Vyāsa said:
By whose command Viriñci is the creator of the universe, Hari is the protector,
and he called Kālarudra is the destroyer—homage to that bearer of the Pināka bow! 1.1

The best sacred ford among sacred fords, the best sacred field among sacred fields—
right there in Naimiṣāraṇya, Śaunaka and the other rich in austerity,
performing a long sacrificial session, were sacrificers whose minds were fixed on the rite. 1.2

Out of eager desire to see them, there indeed arrived one of great austerity,
a disciple of Vyāsa, very wise, Romaśa by name. 1.3

Those sages performing the long sacrificial session saw him arrived there;
they all stood up at once, eager, with guest-water in their hands. 1.4

Having offered guest-water and water for the feet, and having honored him, the illustrious sages, free from stain,
questioned him at length about Śiva's duty. 1.5

The seers said:
Tell us, O very wise one, O fortunate one, the greatness
of the trident-bearing god of gods, together with meditation and worship. 1.6

What fruit would there be in sweeping, and likewise in colored powder designs?
In the offering of a mirror, and likewise indeed of a chowrie? 1.7

And in the offering of a canopy, and likewise of a fountain-pavilion?
What fruit would there be in the gift of a lamp? What fruit would there be in worship? 1.8

And what merits are there in the worship of Śiva, let it be told!
Histories and Purāṇas, and the study of the Veda— 1.9

these men recite or cause to be recited before Śiva;
what fruit belongs to those men? Let it indeed be told in full! 1.10

In the world, there is indeed no other than you devoted to tales of Śiva, O sage. 1.11

Having heard this speech of those contemplative sages,
that disciple of Vyāsa spoke the supreme greatness of Śiva. 1.12

Lomaśa said:
In the eighteen Purāṇas, Śiva alone is sung as supreme;
therefore no one is able to utter the māhātmya of Śiva.

Those people who will pronounce the two-syllable name "Śi-va",
heaven and liberation will be theirs, and not otherwise.

For Mahādeva, the lord of gods, Īśvara, is generous;
because everything has indeed been given by him, therefore he is remembered as Śarva.

Fortunate are they, great-souled are they, who constantly worship Śiva.

He who wishes to cross the cycle of worldly existence without Sadāśiva,
he is a fool, a great sinner, a hater of Śiva, without a doubt.

By whom the poison was eaten, by whom Dakṣa's sacrifice was destroyed,
by whom the burning of Kāla was wrought, and the release of the king [was effected].

The seers said:
Tell us how the poison was eaten and how the sacrifice was destroyed,
and that of Dakṣa, for our curiosity is great.

Sūta said:
Formerly, O brahmins, Dākṣāyaṇī was given to the great-souled Śaṃkara
by Dakṣa, at the command of Brahmā the supreme lord.

Once, indeed, that Dakṣa came to Naimiṣāraṇya,
having arrived by chance, and was worshipped by the seers,

and by all the gods and asuras with praises and prostrations.
Standing there, Mahādeva did not rise up to greet him;
thereupon Dakṣa, enraged, spoke [these] words:

"Everywhere all the gods and asuras, and best of brahmins, eagerly bow to me very much.
How does this great-souled one, like a wicked person accompanied by bhūtas, pretas, and piśācas,
a dweller in the cremation ground, devoid of shame—why does he not make an obeisance to me now?

Heretics, wicked people, sinful by nature, arrogant and maddened upon seeing a brahmin,
are fit to be slain, fit to be abandoned by the good, of such a kind; therefore I am ready to curse him."

Having spoken thus, he of great austerity, filled with anger, then addressed Rudra in this way:

"Let these most excellent brahmins hear my word now, and you ought to carry this out here:
this Rudra is excluded by me from the sacrifice, since he is beyond caste and opposed to caste."

Hearing that statement, Nandī, the son of Śilāda, filled with anger,
said quickly to Dakṣa, that great lord who gave the curse:

Nandī said:
How is this my master, Maheśa, made excluded from the sacrifice,
by the mere remembrance of whom these sacrifices become fruitful?

Sacrifice, gift, austerity, and various sacred fords
are made holy by whose name—how is that one cursed now?

In vain has he been cursed by you out of brahminical rashness, O foolish Dakṣa!
By whom this entire universe is protected, by Śarva, the great-souled one,
how has that one been cursed, O sinner, O Rudra, O lowest of brahmins?

Rebuked thus by that Nandī, the lord of creatures,
Dakṣa, filled with anger, then cursed Nandī:

"All of you, eminent followers of Rudra, are completely outside the Veda;
cursed by the Vedic paths and abandoned by the great seers,

joined with heretical doctrines, excluded from standard conduct,
bearers of skulls, given to drinking, and Kālāmukhas are these!"

When the servants of Śiva had been cursed thus by Dakṣa,
then Nandī, intensely enraged, set about cursing Dakṣa:

"We, the virtuous servants of Śiva, have been cursed by you, O brahmin,
vainly out of brahminical rashness; I give a curse to you:

Delighting in Vedic arguments, declaring 'there is nothing else,'
you are lustful, intent on heaven, accompanied by greed and delusion.

Putting forward the Vedic [ritual], brahmins officiating for Śūdras
will become poor, constantly intent on accepting gifts.

O Dakṣa, some brahmins will become brahmarākṣasas."
Lomaśa said:
Those brahmins were cursed very harshly by that angry Nandī.

Then hearing the words of Nandī, Īśvara, as if smiling,
Sadāśiva spoke sweet words joined with instruction:

Mahādeva said:
You ought not to be angry at any time toward brahmins;
for these brahmins are teachers, constantly devoted to Vedic disputation.

The Veda is directly composed of mantras, and immensely composed of hymns;
in the hymn is established the Self of all embodied beings.

Therefore knowers of the Self are not to be reviled; I am the Self alone and nothing else.
Who is this? Who are you? And where am I? Why indeed were the twice-born cursed?

Abandoning the fabricated world, be enlightened, O great-minded one!
Ceasing through knowledge of truth, remain composed, free from anger and the like.

Thus instructed by Śambhu, the supreme lord,
the son of Śilāda of great austerity became endowed with supreme discernment,
and joining with Śiva, was flooded with supreme bliss.

Dakṣa too, overcome by anger, surrounded by the seers,
went to his own place; there he entered, filled with wrath.

Abandoning supreme faith, that lowest of men became intent on censuring the worshippers of Śiva;
approaching there with all the great seers, he reviled the god Śarva and never became tranquil.

Thus ends the first chapter named 'Description of Dakṣa's Story and the Proposal of the Purāṇa,' in the Kedārakhaṇḍa of the first Māheśvarakhaṇḍa, in the glorious Skandapurāṇa, a collection of eighty-one thousand [verses].