Skandapurana 5.273

Sūta said: / Likewise, there is another [liṅga] there, installed in ancient times by Durvāsas, / that liṅga of the great-souled god of gods, the three-eyed Lord.

Whatever person worships it in the month of Caitra, O twice-born ones, / holding a festival at the three junctures of the day with dance, song, and musical instruments, / he will surely become a lord of Gandharvas by his grace.

The seers said: / Who was this one named Durvāsas, and by whom was this Hara installed? / At what time, O highly fortunate one? Tell us everything in detail.

Sūta said: / Formerly there was one named Nimbasuc in the excellent city of Vaidiśa.

He was the head of a monastery who worshipped a certain liṅga. / Whatever cloth and other things he obtained

from people devoted to Śiva, he sold here and there. / Then he continually took gold in exchange for the price thereof.

He spent none of it, intent only on accumulation. / Then after a great time, O brahmins, the unlocked chest / of that miserly man became filled with gold.

Then, having placed that full chest inside the ground, / he carried on his affairs and never left that corner.

Even when worshipping the god, O best of brahmins, / he would never place his trust in anyone at all.

Now after some time, a stealer of others' wealth, / a brahmin named Duḥśīla, noticed this and thought:

"I will become a disciple of this wicked-souled man to gain his trust / with very humble, wretched words and various kinds of flattery.

Day and night, without doubt, I will overcome his hesitation." / When another day came, seeing him seated inside the monastery,

he approached, bowed down prostrating like a staff, / and, standing bent with modesty with folded hands, said:

"O venerable one, today I have heard of your power due to austerity,

that there is no other ascetic like you here on the face of the earth. / Therefore, filled with detachment, I have come from afar,

having recognized the worthlessness of saṃsāra, which consists of birth, death, and old age, / and that wealth is like a dream, and that the youth of men here

is like a mountain river, fleeting in an instant. / Sons, wives, and whatever other kinsmen there are,

all of them are to be understood as encounters born of sin. / Therefore tell me, for the crossing of the ocean of saṃsāra,

some means established in spiritual instruction this very day, / by which, by your grace, O man of good vows, I may cross over saṃsāra."

Hearing his words, with the hair of his body standing on end, / recognizing that some devotee of Śiva had approached with concern, [the abbot said:]

"As you say, fortunate are you whose mind is of such a kind, / while still in your youth and tender indeed.

He who is tranquil while still in youth is praised here; / when the bodily humors are waning, in whom does calm not arise?

If you have such intense detachment regarding saṃsāra, / then worship Śaṃkara, the lord of gods, who bears the crescent moon on his crest."

The ocean of worldly existence cannot be crossed otherwise than by recitation of the terrifying [mantra]. / This has been fully understood by me through access to the scriptures.

Whether a śūdra, a brahmin, an outcaste, or a sinful man, / endowed with Śiva's initiation, whoever places a single flower,

With devotion upon the liṅga using the six-syllable mantra, / attains the very destination that sacrificers reach here.

He who offers with deep devotion to one endowed with Śiva's initiation / clothes, sandals, and a loincloth—what need has he of sacrifices?

Hearing that, that Duḥśīla then clasped his feet. / Placing his head upon them, he spoke these words:

“Bestow your favor upon me, lord, by the authority of Śiva's initiation, / so that, composed in mind, I may constantly render service to you.”

Then that ascetic, O brahmins, thought in his mind: / “This person who has arrived appears to be capable.

I have no other disciple, therefore I shall accept him.” / Then, taking him by the hand, he said: “If so, my child, / make an agreement with me, whereby I shall indeed initiate you this very day.

You must make a small hut far away from this monastery. / You must certainly not enter my presence here once the sun has set.”

Duḥśīla said: / “Your command alone is my standard, O best of ascetics. / What would I do in the monastery, especially when night arrives?

The disciple who does not carry out the guru's word as spoken, / his vow is useless, and after that he goes to hell.”

Hearing that, the sage Nimbaśuci was pleased, and then / bestowed Śiva's initiation upon him who was endowed with humility.

From then on, he was exceedingly devoted to his service; / intent on serving, he gladdened his heart.

Thinking in his mind day after day solely of that vessel, / though watching carefully, he saw no vulnerability at all.

And that Śaiva devotee never let that gold-producing vessel / from his armpit touch the ground, even while eating or worshipping the deity.

Then Duḥśīla thought in his own mind: / “There is no entry into the monastery at night under any circumstances.

At sunset, that villain immediately puts up / a very firm bolt; so what can I do?

This monastery is built with solid stone, so no trench can be dug; / because of its height, entry cannot be achieved by various other means.

So shall I give him poison? Shall I kill him with weapons? / Or even by day, shall I bring about his death by slaughtering him like an animal?”

As he was thinking thus, the rainy season arrived / in the dark fortnight of Śrāvaṇa, when the sun was in Cancer.

A certain wealthy devotee of Maheśvara quickly arrived there before him. / Bowing low, he said aloud: “I shall perform the Pavītraka festival

On the fourteenth day, master, if your command permits— / if you come to my village, accompanied by grace.”

Sūta said: / Hearing that, the sage Nimbaśuci was pleased. / Saying ‘So be it,’ he sent him away at once:

“I will come at the proper time, accompanied by my disciple. / I shall ensure your supreme spiritual welfare, my child, there is no doubt.”

Then, when the time had arrived, having considered the morning rites, / and dawn having come, that Śaiva devotee departed, / accompanied by Duḥśīla, the hair of his body bristling with joy.

Then, as he was traveling, there lay along the path / the sacred, celebrated river Muralā, which goes to the ocean.

Seeing it, he said: “My child, disciple, / I shall worship the deity together with you at the Muralā; remain here.”

Saying ‘Certainly,’ he remained on its auspicious bank. / Nimbaśuci too, always delighted by his good qualities,

Recognized him as a good disciple and felt complete trust. / Taking off the concealed [garment] arising from the gold vessel,

He placed that patched garment containing Jāgeśvara upon the ground, / and went a short distance away for the purpose of answering nature's call.

As soon as he was out of sight, surrounded by canes, / Duḥśīla quickly took the vessel and departed, / heading toward the northern direction, his inner soul rejoicing.

Now, when [the sage] returned, he did not see Duḥśīla at all; / only the patched garment accompanied by Jāgeśvara was seen.

Then, doing a hasty cleansing, deeply distressed, / without even doing the ritual rinsing of the mouth, he reached the place where that patched garment lay.

Finding it devoid of the vessel, and knowing it had been stolen / by that disciple, he fell unconscious to the ground.

Regaining consciousness and getting up with difficulty at once, / he beat his limbs and his head against a rock:

“Alas, I am undone! I am ruined! I have been robbed by that wretch! / What shall I do? Where shall I go? How can I find him?”

Then, seeing his tracks, he certainly set out [after him]; / but exhausted due to old age, he turned back and went to the monastery.

Duḥśīla too, having taken the vessel, went to another place. / Then, with that gold, he engaged in commercial transactions.

Then he attained the householder's life, took a wife, / reached old age, and was devoid of offspring.

After some time, intent on a pilgrimage to sacred fords, / that brahmin went to Camatkārapura accompanied by his wife.

Having bathed in all the sacred fords and temples of deities, / as he was wandering, he saw the noble sage named Durvāsas,

Devoted to dancing and singing with sincere devotion to his own deity. / Seeing him and bowing down, he spoke these words:

"By whom was this spotless liṅga arising from Śaṃkara established? / Why do you dance and sing before it? / This conduct of yours does not at all befit sages." [66]

Durvāsas said: / "By me was this liṅga of the god of gods, the trident-bearer, established, / because the god of gods, Maheśvara, is fond of dancing and singing. [67]

I possess no wealth by which I might perform worship with offerings." [68]

In the meantime, one named Cirbhaṭi, a knower of yoga, arrived; / by him was Durvāsas asked this word belonging to the Vedānta: [69]

"Sunless indeed are those worlds, enveloped in blinding darkness; / to them after death go whoever are slayers of the self." [70]

Sitting down, the decision was then given to him by [Durvāsas]; / and all that which was recited by him was understood by Duḥśīla. [71]

Then devotion toward Hara arose especially in him; / then, having bowed down to him, he spoke these words aloud: [72]

"O venerable one, I am a brahmin only by birth and not by deed! / Food was never given by me at any time to anyone; / I only robbed the wealth of gods and brahmins after deceiving them, / overcome by vice arising from gambling and courtesans. [74]

And likewise, though a brahmin, a Śaiva guru was made by me; / and he was deceived, and his wealth was carried off by numerous flatteries. [75]

The wealth attached to him was taken away again through the pretext of being virtuous; / and that guru of mine has here departed to the other world. [76]

Day and night I burn with that very remorse; / by giving [instruction for] preparatory rites, bestow that favor upon me! [77]

I have abundant wealth, but no offspring, O lord of sages; / therefore tell me, O sage, how that wealth may result in spiritual welfare / in this world and in the next, so that I may perform everything." [78]

Durvāsas said: / "Having committed thousands of sins, if a man should later become intent on dharma, / he may cross the ocean of transmigration only with great difficulty. [79]

That Śaiva guru who was adopted by you even for a day— / that guru was acquired through adharma, and there is doubt about it. [80]

A brahmin should be a celibate student, and after that a householder, / a forest-dweller, and a renunciant, and after that a kuṭīcara; [81]

then a bahūdaka, then a haṃsa, and then he should become a supreme [ascetic]; / and resorting to this path, he then attains liberation. [82]

You, however, as a brahmin taking up a Śaiva path by a wrong course— / that vow you undertook was a great sin committed by you. [83]

Duḥśīla said: / "Indeed, in all the Vedas the lord Rudra is celebrated; / then why is a fault declared by you as arising from initiation into his [cult]?" [84]

Durvāsas said: / "This spoken by you is true: Rudra is proclaimed in the Veda; / Vāsudeva also in many ways, and especially Brahmā. [85]

Yet the initiation of a brahmin arises from the investiture with the sacred thread; / the supreme Gāyatrī is to be muttered, for he is a guru devoted to that vow. / But whoever undertakes another initiation, whether Vaiṣṇava or Śaiva, [86]

he cannot be a brahmin here, even if he were a knower of the six auxiliary sciences; / moreover, an alteration of sectarian marks occurred for you through deceit and the like. [87]

There is no doubt that there is nothing left for you on account of abandoning your vow; / an expiation has been properly considered by me in accordance with the path of the Smṛti." [88]

Duḥśīla said: / "Wise men declare friendship of the virtuous to consist of seven steps; / prioritizing friendship, I shall say something; listen to it: [89]

I have abundant wealth; if by it success may be accomplished, / then tell me that, O highly fortunate one, by which I may do everything." [90]

Durvāsas said: / "There is indeed only one means for destroying your sins; / if you do it according to my word, you will become purified. [91]

They praise austerity in the Kṛta age, and knowledge in the Tretā, / pilgrimage to sacred fords in the Dvāpara, and only giving in the Kali age. [92]

At present this Kali age exists, of terrible aspect; / therefore give a black antelope skin for purification from all sins. [93]

And likewise, there is aversion in you arising from the guru's wealth; / for that purpose, build an abode of Śaṃkara in his name, [94]

so that you will immediately attain freedom from debt even on that account; / and whatever other wealth of that kind is acquired, [95]

give it constantly with collected mind to distinguished brahmins; / always give a vessel filled with sesame seeds, especially with gold, [96]

so that all your sin will depart from your body into destruction. / Furthermore, in the month of Caitra I always come with devotion [97]

from far-off Kalpagrāma to this temple built by myself, / and then I go back there; for this is established as my vow. [98]

Therefore, this temple which was built by me should be cared for by you; / it should always be attended to here in various ways with ritual ablution and the like." [99]

Duḥśīla said: / "I shall perform your word, as you say, O good sage." [100]

Durvāsas said: / "For purification from all sins, when the black antelope skin is given, O twice-born, / give vessels filled with sesame seeds for purification from hidden sin." [101]

Sūta said: / Hearing that speech of his, a black antelope skin / was then given with devotion by that great-souled one to a brahmin who maintains sacred fires. [102]

By command of Durvāsas, according to the prescribed rule, O twice-born ones, / to him who was constantly giving vessels filled with sesame seeds with great devotion, [103]

and whose sins were gone, [Durvāsas] imparted initiation leading to final release. / Thus having imparted initiation according to rule to him whose sins were gone, [104]

he then spoke sweetly: "Give me the guru's fee." [105]

Duḥśīla said: / "Ask quickly, O lord, for whichever fee I am to give you; / if there is capacity, I will give it free from deceit regarding wealth." [106]

Durvāsas said:
“I shall go to Kalpagrāma; now the Kali [age] is prevailing.
I shall not return here until it is completed.

Indeed, this temple that has been built by me is only half-completed.
You must bring it to completion; this is the fee for your guru.

And whatever pertains to dance, singing, and so forth must likewise be performed according to your ability.
An offering must be presented before it, as well as flowers and other items.”

Having spoken thus, that lord of sages then departed for Kalpagrāma.
Duḥśīla too did just as had been told to him.

Sūta said:
As he, being deeply devoted, was performing those tasks,
he [the deity] then came to be named after his name, called ‘Duḥśīla’.

And whoever constantly looks upon that god in the month of Caitra,
having spent a moment [there], is freed from the sin of an entire year.

Moreover, whoever performs all the ceremonial bath for him,
the sin born of thirty years is destroyed from his body.

Furthermore, whoever performs dance, singing, and so forth in front of him
also attains liberation from sin from birth unto death.

Thus ends the two hundred and seventy-fourth chapter, entitled “The Account of the Reason for Attaining the Name Duḥśīleśvara for the Śivaliṅga Installed by Durvāsas,” in the Māhātmya of the Sacred Field of Hāṭakeśvara, in the Nāgarakhaṇḍa, the sixth [section], in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, a compendium of eighty-one thousand [verses].