Skandapurana 5.103

The seers said: / As for the liṅgas that were established there by the rākṣasas / endowed with devotion, proclaim their māhātmya, O Sūta.

Sūta said: / For the sake of worshiping them, fierce, exceedingly powerful rākṣasas / would in ancient times always come by the hundreds from the city of Laṅkā.

Coming and going on the road and there in the sacred field, / they would devour multitudes of people, even children and the elderly.

Then all those people, fleeing in all directions, / ran here and there, intent on saving their lives. 4

Likewise, many others, having gone to the great city called Ayodhyā, / spoke in deep distress to Kuśa, the son of Rāma and foremost of kings: 5

“O king, those demons who formerly arrived with your father / in the sacred field of Hāṭakeśvara, led by Vibhīṣaṇa, 6

set up four-faced liṅgas there, / in the west of that sacred field, the lords of the demons using their own mantras. 7

And on that very account they come continually, / and in that sacred field they devour the people. 8

Furthermore, if any man were to worship those liṅgas, / he immediately meets destruction; that too has become a great calamity. 9

Therefore, if you do not protect us, O lord of the earth, / then gradually all this world will surely perish, 10

and especially that sacred field to which they constantly come— / those cruel-acting demons greedy for human flesh.” 11

Having heard that, the king swiftly entrusted the burden of the kingdom / to his ministers, and then went there accompanied by an army. 12

Then, seeing Kuśa arrived, the best of the twice-born who had survived / rebuked him and said in harsh words: 13

“Is a kingdom to be ruled in this manner, as you, the vilest of kṣatriyas, / rule, wherein people are led to destruction by demons? 14

Surely you were not fathered by Rāma; you were born of Rāvaṇa, / since you neglect all of us who are tormented by demons. 15

True is this saying uttered of old by those skilled in political treatises: / ‘The class to which a king belongs is the class that thrives in happiness.’ 16

Therefore you are born of a demon, since you ignore the best of the twice-born / and all the others being devoured by demons. 17

Where the tears of afflicted people fall upon the surface of the earth / through faults originating from the ruler, there the king incurs guilt.” 18

Kuśa said: / “Be gracious, O brahmins! I did not know of such / humiliation of brahmins arising from the demons. 19

From this day forward, if anyone anywhere is brought to destruction, / whether a brahmin or another, let that sin be mine!” 20

Having spoken thus, the descendant of Raghu, enraged, / swiftly sent to Vibhīṣaṇa an envoy who was free from fear: 21

“Go, messenger, and having gone quickly, say to Vibhīṣaṇa: / ‘Great affection, becoming of Rāma, was shown by you toward me, 22

in that together with hordes of demons you afflict my land on every side, / O evil-minded one, after winning my trust with polite words! 23

This position of yours was established by my father, O vilest of demons; / on that account I do not slay you, just as your brother was struck down by my father. 24

Even a poisonous tree that one has nurtured oneself— / how could it be cut down with one's own hand by the wise? 25

Therefore, if from this day onward any night-stalker / should in any way come to the northern shore of the ocean, 26

then I, quickly reaching this city of yours, Laṅkā, / will destroy it with my army, along with all the night-stalkers. 27

And binding you firmly with strong cords and fetters, / I will cast you into prison at once; of this there is no doubt.’ ” 28

Thus addressed, the messenger went quickly to the bridge, / and as he stood before the god Rāmeśvara, having beheld him, 29

he was asked by certain people: “Who are you, child, that have come here? / For what purpose? Tell us; human beings do not go here.” 30

The envoy said: / “I have been sent on an errand by King Kuśa / to the abode of Vibhīṣaṇa. How shall I go there?” 31

The people said: / “No human being can go any further than this by any means, / because the bridge was broken in the middle by Rāma of untiring deeds. 32

Therefore, O messenger, your errand will meet with success right here, / entirely accomplished by Vibhīṣaṇa, through the sight of that demon. 33

That lord of the demons always, observing a religious vow, / worships the auspicious triad of Rāmeśvaras at the three junctures of the day. 34

At the gateway of Laṅkā, upon that section of the bridge where Maheśvara resides, / Vibhīṣaṇa himself performs his worship at dawn. 35

And in the second section of the bridge that stands amidst the waters, / he worships the Rāmeśvara who is there at midday. 36

And coming here with devotion, he always worships this god at midnight; / of this there is no doubt; this is declared as true. 37

Therefore, remain undisturbed and attentive in this very place / until the arrival of that great-souled demon. 36

Afterward, accompanied by him, you will go at your will to his mansion, / or, dismissed by him, you will return to your own home.” 39

Then, having heard their words, the messenger, filled with joy, / said ‘Very well!’ and remained right there. 40

Then, when midnight arrived, Vibhīṣaṇa, / surrounded by demons, arrived at that auspicious sanctuary, 41

mounted upon an excellent aerial chariot, praised on all sides / by those demons acting as bards, and sung of likewise by others. 42

Stepping down from the foremost aerial chariot and circumambulating three times, / he bowed low to Rāmeśvara and uttered this praise aloud: 43

“Homage to you, O lord of the gods, granter of fearlessness to devotees! / Everywhere are your hands and feet; everywhere your eyes, heads, and faces. 44

You are the sacrifice; you are the vaṣaṭ exclamation; you are the moon; you are the sun; / you are Viṣṇu; you are the four-faced one; you are Indra; you are the Supreme Lord. 45

Just as oil residing in sesame seeds remains hidden at all times, / so do you, O Śaṃkara, remain hidden within all worlds.” 46

Just as fire residing in wood, though present, is not seen, / so you, though present everywhere, are not seen at all by the foolish. (47)

Just as ghee residing in curd exists in a hidden manner, / so you, O God, abide in all moving and unmoving beings. (48)

Just as a man digging into the surface of the earth obtains water, / so one who constantly worships you obtains liberation, without a doubt. (49)

Heaven is difficult to attain, and enemies are valiant, / only so long as you do not bestow satisfaction upon embodied beings. (50)

Fortune is unsteady for men, and various diseases afflict them, / only as long as you, O God of gods, do not attain satisfaction. (51)

Sorrow caused by sons arises, as does sorrow caused by loved ones, / only so long as you, O God, are not pleased with embodied beings here. (52)

Having thus praised [the Lord], he then bathed the liṅga according to rule / and rubbed it with divine fragrant unguents. (53)

With flowers of the pārijātaka, with those born of the santāna tree, / with those produced by the wish-fulfilling tree, and also with those born of the mandāra, (54)

he performed extensive worship, endowed with supreme faith; / and thereafter, adorning [it] with divine ornaments and divine garments, (55)

he himself sang a song, keeping time with his hand, / charming, regulated by tempo and pauses, adorned with the seven notes, (56)

accompanied by melodic phrasing, and well adorned with scales and musical modes. / Having thus rendered service to that God with devotion, (57)

just as Vibhīṣaṇa was setting out again toward Laṅkā, / the messenger stood before him and spoke Kuśa's words. (58)

In particular, he conveyed what had previously been said in his presence [by Kuśa], / overcome with excessive anger and with blood-red eyes. (59)

Hearing that, Vibhīṣaṇa bowed low and said to the messenger, / folding his hands in reverence and standing bowed in humility: (60)

“If such has been done in the kingdom of Rāma's son by the rākṣasas, / surely all of that was done by me, O best of messengers. (61)

Therefore, a great favor was done to me by that great-souled Kuśa, / who dispatched you into the presence of a fool like me.” (62)

Having spoken thus, he investigated all those rākṣasas / who, having gone to the earth, were constantly destroying mortals. (63)

Then, bringing them right there into the presence of that messenger, / he said this to each of them, shedding tears out of anger: (64)

“Those very evil-minded rākṣasas who have wrought the destruction of people / after entering the realm of Kuśa, my great-souled master, (65)

shall all become dreadful vyantara spirits, utterly miserable, / remaining constantly at the gates of Laṅkā, tormented by hunger and thirst, (66)

deprived of all enjoyments, enduring cold and heat, / feeding on mucus and urine, and reviled by all people.” (67)

Having thus pronounced a curse upon them, that best of rākṣasas / then spoke again to that messenger with folded hands: (68)

“From this day forward, no rākṣasa shall go there. / Therefore, you must speak in my words to that best of the Raghus, Kuśa: / ‘Forgive my offense, which was committed out of ignorance (69)

by wicked-born rākṣasas greedy for human flesh.’ / And the punishment that was inflicted upon them, O messenger, was before your eyes. (70)

Whatever other task there may be, whether divine or human, / must all be stated without hesitation to me, his servant.” (71)

The messenger said: / “The liṅgas that were erected there by the rākṣasas— / go there yourself at once, O rākṣasa, and uproot them. (72)

This alone is the supreme task that brings happiness to all the world. / Those very ones that were consecrated with spells originating from the rākṣasas, (73)

and worshiped by the demons, having four faces, O rākṣasa— / if any man should unknowingly perform worship [to them], (74)

he meets with destruction that very moment; this has been seen by me personally. / For this reason, O lord of rākṣasas, I tell you: / as long as those liṅgas remain on earth, all the night-wanderers remain.” (75)

Vibhīṣaṇa said: / “Formerly a vow was indeed made by me before Rāma: / ‘Having crossed beyond Rāmeśvara, I must not go upon the surface of the earth.’ (76)

Another reason has been declared in this regard by the wise, O messenger: / whether poorly situated or well situated, one must not move a Śivaliṅga. (77)

How then, going there, shall I split a liṅga, / having myself become a devotee of Maheśvara and having myself taken a vow? (78)

Therefore, that king should be appeased by you with my words. / As to what was spoken by me as proper, execute that punishment.” (79)

Having spoken thus to that messenger, and having adorned him with abundant / jewels originating from the ocean, he sent him back to the king. (80)

Then those rākṣasas cursed by him, deeply distressed, said: / “Grant release from the curse to all of us, O lord of rākṣasas!” (81)

Vibhīṣaṇa said: / “I will not grant favor once again to you, O lowest of rākṣasas, / who have been cursed, especially being deceivers. (82)

Therefore, that best of the Raghus will bestow grace upon you / at my word, without doubt. Let some time be awaited.” (83)

Having spoken thus, the king of the demons quickly dispatched / a human messenger, a worshiper of the gods, to King Kuśa: (84)

“Go and quickly tell King Kuśa in my name: / ‘Grant favor to these wretched, evil-minded rākṣasas cursed by me, / O Lord, so that they may obtain food!’” (85)

Having been spoken to in this way by him, Kuśa, accompanied by that messenger / who had returned from there, set out quickly, O best of brahmins. (86)

Then, having gone swiftly, the messenger respectfully addressed Kuśa, / bowing down according to rule and standing bent in humility: (87)

“Vibhīṣaṇa was seen by me at the divine Rāmeśvara, O Lord; / he had arrived there to perform worship, surrounded by many rākṣasas.” (88)

Your words were spoken in full by me, O delight of the Raghus, / and he heard it all, bowed down with humility. // 89

Without his knowledge, O lord, the subjects were thus tormented on earth / by those wicked rākṣasas who were greedy for human flesh. // 90

Hearing that from my mouth, he punished all those / who caused devastation on earth, O best of kings; / they were all made into vyantaras, roaming about with sinful food. // 91

‘You shall become thus, tormented by hunger and thirst!’ / And he was repeatedly entreated by all of them, bowing before him: // 92

‘We have all been cursed; therefore grant favor, O lord!’ / Then they were addressed by him: ‘O lowest of rākṣasas, // 93

I will not grant favor, nor will I provide you with food. / By the order of Kuśa, you, full of sin, // 94

have been punished by me; he will bestow favor upon you. / For that purpose, a messenger has been sent to your presence, O king. // 95

Whatever has been said by that rākṣasa, carry it out in full. / What need is there to say much to you? There is no such devotee, / endowed with devotion and power, as that Vibhīṣaṇa of yours. // 96

From today onward, the rākṣasas will no longer wander upon the earth / according to his word; have no doubt, O king, be happy.’ // 97

‘And concerning the liṅgas, O king, it was requested by that rākṣasa: / “I must not come here by any means, O king of kings; / by the command of the divine Rāma, I have no passage into Jambudvīpa. // 98

Whatever duty there is, divine or human, for one situated here, / I will carry out your command, even if it be extremely difficult.” // 99

Therefore, O great king, a man who is a worshipper of Rāmeśvara / has been sent by him as a messenger; look upon him, O lord of the earth.’ // 100

Then, by his order, accompanied by various kinds of gifts, / that messenger arrived, sent by the king of the rākṣasas. // 101

Thirteen prasthas of pearls measuring the size of an āmalaka fruit / were brought by him for that king. // 102

O best of the twice-born, sixteen droṇas of genuine, spotless / cat's-eye gems and emeralds were brought, // 103

along with fire-purified garments and celestial ones, / countless in number, and genuine gold beyond reckoning. // 104

Having shown all that to the great-souled Kuśa, / and having circumambulated him, he then made an obeisance, O twice-born. // 105

‘This Vibhīṣaṇa, the king of the rākṣasas, O tiger among kings, / makes obeisance with devotion and has spoken this through my mouth: // 106

“By the grace of your father, there is well-being in my kingdom, O lord of the earth. / Here I abide constantly, worshipping your father’s Hara. // 107

If anything contrary [to your will] was done on earth by those wicked ones / unknown to me, O king, let it be forgiven me. // 108

These rākṣasas who have been cursed by me for your sake, O lord— / declare the food for these who have taken the form of ghosts.”’ // 109

Kuśa said: / ‘Coming here by my command, let them thoroughly fill / the liṅgas on all sides with dust with effort. // 110

Then, what their food will be upon the surface of the earth, / that I shall declare; listen with composure, O worshipper of the deity! // 111

When the sun has entered Libra, they must come to the surface of the earth / and wander diligently until the sighting of Scorpio. // 112

There, whatever food has been offered without a śrāddha by the lowest of men during the fortnight of the ancestors, / or while the sun is in Virgo until its course reaches the end of Libra, // 113

various kinds of food are to be consumed for one month, without doubt, by the night-roamers / abiding in their bodies in the form of fever, by my command. // 114

And whatever śrāddha has been given without rules or consumed without rules / by men, those men are ever to be plagued [by the spirits] in the form of fever. // 115

Thus all those ghosts are to be told all my words by you: / therefore, having arrived in the month of Kārtika, let them carry out my word. // 116

Likewise, O messenger, Vibhīṣaṇa is to be spoken to by my words: / “Whatever harsh word was spoken to you by me through inadvertence— // 117

I know, O highly fortunate one, that you have no perversity anywhere; / this word was uttered by me seeing my people afflicted. // 118

While you, the king of the rākṣasas, remain on earth, I always know / that my father Rāma, the best of weapon-bearers, remains [present].”’ // 119

Having spoken thus, the descendant of Raghu then honored the messenger / with many kinds of garments and various gems produced from rivers. // 120

Afterward, for the sake of Vibhīṣaṇa, the descendant of Raghu sent / numerous gifts, whatever were available there. // 121

Sūta said: / Having thus made all the best of the twice-born happy, / the king then gave all this, pearls and the rest, to them, // 122

and the various gifts that had arrived from Laṅkā, / as well as other royal charters along with elephants and horses, // 123

wondrous towns, villages, and cities; / and whatever else was desired by anyone, that was indeed given to him by him. // 124

Then, having established the deities Kuśeśvara and Laveśvara / as their own forms, those two fortunate brothers, the best of the Raghus, // 125

having dedicated [them] to the best of brahmins and provided a proper livelihood, / quickly departed for the city of Ayodhyā, having accomplished their purpose. // 126

Thus ends the one hundred and fourth chapter, entitled ‘Description of the Installation of Kuśeśvara and Laveśvara’, in the Hāṭakeśvarakṣetramāhātmya of the Nāgarakhaṇḍa, the sixth [part] of the eighty-one-thousand-verse collection in the glorious Skandapurāṇa. // 104