[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Purāṇas](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana) › [Skandapurāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda) › [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt) › 14.34 # Skandapurana 14.34 English (machine translation) 14.34 - **Language:** English ### [14.34.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.2) Pulastya said: / Then one should go to Kṛṣṇatīrtha, always beloved of Kṛṣṇa, / where Viṣṇu himself is eternally present, O protector of the earth. / Yayāti said: / How did Kṛṣṇatīrtha arise there, O best of brahmins? / At what time, O sage? Tell me everything in detail. .... 2 .. ### [14.34.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.3) Pulastya said: In that dreadful solitary ocean, when the stationary and moving \[beings\] had perished, / when the moon, sun, and wind had vanished, and the luminaries had dissolved into destruction, ### [14.34.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.4) then, at the end of a thousand yugas, the lotus-seated \[Brahmā\] awoke. / Being alone, he pondered: “How may creation come to be?” ### [14.34.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.5) And while wandering, the four-faced \[god\] saw from afar / a four-armed, large-eyed male standing before him. ### [14.34.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.6) And the four-faced \[god\] said to him: “Who are you? By whom were you created? / For what purpose have you arrived here? Tell me everything in full.” ### [14.34.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.7) Govinda then said to him, laughing with a smooth voice: ### [14.34.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.8) “I am the one primal male; you too were created by me. / I desire to create once again the fourfold aggregate of beings.” ### [14.34.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.9) Pulastya said: Hearing that statement of his, the grandfather god was enraged, / and reproaching him repeatedly, he spoke harsh words: ### [14.34.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.10) “Indeed, you were created by me, fool! I am the first, without a doubt. / I shall make thousands of beings like you, without a doubt!” ### [14.34.11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.11) Thus disputing with each other, O king, those two of great splendour, / their eyes red with wrath through rivalry, fought each other. ### [14.34.12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.12) With fists, with arms, with nails, teeth, and grappling, / their battle continued thus for a thousand years. ### [14.34.13](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.13) Then, at the end of a thousand years, O best of kings, between the two of them / there appeared a great liṅga, divine, full of fiery radiance, and auspicious. ### [14.34.14](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.14) At that very moment, a bodiless voice spoke: / “Desist from battle, O Brahmā, and you too, O Viṣṇu, at my command! ### [14.34.15](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.15) This is a liṅga of Maheśvara. Whoever reaches its end, / he shall be the elder, he the all-pervading lord and creator of you two; of this there is no doubt.” ### [14.34.16](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.16) "Let one go to the lower region and one go upward by my command." Hearing that, Brahmā quickly set out along the path of the sky. ### [14.34.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.17) Tearing through the earth, Kṛṣṇa too went swiftly downward. Piercing the seven netherworlds, as far down as he went, just so far was Kālāgnirudra seen by that great-souled one. ### [14.34.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.18) Wishing to go below him, as much speed as he exerted, just so much was he scorched by his flames and turned black. ### [14.34.19](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.19) Then, distressed by fainting, being burned by the marvelous fire, Viṣṇu hastily turned back, having fallen into the deepest embarrassment. ### [14.34.20](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.20) Then, approaching the liṅga, he performed worship with devotion; he uttered praise, O king, with supreme and subtle \[hymns\] prescribed in the Vedas. ### [14.34.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.21) Brahmā also went along the path of the sky on his swan-vimāna; for a thousand divine years, he did not reach its end. ### [14.34.22](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.22) Then, at the end of a thousand years, he saw a ketakī \[flower\] coming along the path of the sky; and the Four-faced One was asked by her: ### [14.34.23](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.23) "Where are you going, O Brahmā, on this great path devoid of support, in the void? Tell me the truth, for my curiosity is indeed great." ### [14.34.24](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.24) Brahmā said: "A rivalry has arisen between me and Viṣṇu, O fair one: whoever among the two of us finds the end of this liṅga, ### [14.34.25](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.25) he will be the elder, the other inferior—thus it was spoken by the bearer of the Pināka. Then I departed upward, and Hari went along the downward path. ### [14.34.26](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.26) Having found the end of the liṅga, I will go back to the circle of the earth." Hearing those words of his, that flower said: ### [14.34.27](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.27) "Your effort is in vain, O lord of the world! There is no end to the liṅga. One crore of thousands of four-age cycles \[has passed\], O Grandfather, ### [14.34.28](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.28) since the time I have been falling from the top of the liṅga, O you of great splendor; even so, I have not reached the surface of the earth by any means! ### [14.34.29](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.29) In the time that your swan travels a single yojana, in that same time I travel a hundred yojanas. ### [14.34.30](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.30) Therefore, turning back is proper for you on my advice, O lord; and having shown me to Viṣṇu, attain the status of the elder now." ### [14.34.31](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.31) Then, becoming delighted in mind and taking her, the Four-faced One arrived back at the surface of the earth at the end of another thousand years. He showed her to Viṣṇu, \[saying,\] "From the top of the liṅga ### [14.34.32](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.32) this auspicious garland was brought by me, and the end was found, O four-armed one! Did you find it, or not? Speak the truth to me, O Puruṣottama." ### [14.34.33](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.33) Viṣṇu said: "To the endless, immeasurable god of gods, the bearer of the trident, I was not able to reach the supreme end by any means, O Brahmā. ### [14.34.34](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.34) If its end has been found by you somehow, O Brahmā, then the god of gods, Maheśvara, has truly become pleased with you. ### [14.34.35](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.35) Otherwise, its end is not seen by anyone anywhere; therefore, you are the elder and the superior; I am the younger, without doubt." ### [14.34.36](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.36) Pulastya said: At that very moment, the Blessed One who bears the bull upon his banner instantly showed anger toward Brahmā, O great king. ### [14.34.37](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.37) Then, coming into sight, he said: "Fie! Fie, you babbler of useless things! While speaking falsely, what is this rash act that has been done? ### [14.34.38](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.38) Because you have falsely spoken of seeing my end, therefore you shall not be worthy of worship by all castes. ### [14.34.39](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.39) And whatever human beings, overcome with delusion, shall worship you, they, meeting with the greatest distress, shall meet with utter destruction. ### [14.34.40](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.40) And since \[a false testimony\] was likewise spoken by the ketakī, the extremely wicked one, therefore, by touching her, a person shall attain the state of an outcaste." ### [14.34.41](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.41) Having thus given a curse to the two of them, the god spoke to Keśava; having become bright-faced, Maheśvara was then pleased. ### [14.34.42](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.42) The Blessed One said: "O Vāsudeva, mighty-armed one! I am pleased with you, O highly intelligent one! Just because you spoke the truth, choose a boon, O one of good vows." ### [14.34.43](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.43) Śrī Vāsudeva said: "This alone is the praiseworthy boon, that you are pleased, O Maheśvara; and toward the unmeritorious, O god, you do not attain pleasure. If a boon must certainly be given to me by you, O lord of gods, ### [14.34.44](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.44) bring this liṅga, called endless, to smallness without delay, so that there may be creation in the world, for by this the universe is pervaded." ### [14.34.45](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.45) Pulastya said: Then, having compressed that liṅga and made it small, Maheśvara said to Keśava once more: "Listen to these words, O Hari: ### [14.34.46](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.46) 'Establish this liṅga of mine in the purest region, O Hari! Worship it according to the rule; you shall attain supreme welfare.' ### [14.34.47](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.47) "Since, completely scorched by my radiance, you became black, therefore the name 'Kṛṣṇa' ('the Black One') shall indeed become famous in the world. ### [14.34.48](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.48) Rising in the morning, which human being with devotion shall recite your name as 'Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa', he goes to the supreme state." ### [14.34.49](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.49) Pulastya said: Having spoken thus to him, Īśāna disappeared right there. Vāsudeva too, having taken that liṅga on Mount Arbuda, installed it in a waterfall that was very holy and had pure water. ### [14.34.50](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.50) From that, it became known indeed on the earth's surface by the name Kṛṣṇatīrtha. Listen, O tiger among kings, to the fruit of one who has bathed there: ### [14.34.51](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.51) Having bathed in the holy pool of Kṛṣṇa, whoever sees that liṅga, that mortal attains all the welfare arising from all sacred fords. ### [14.34.52](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.52) And likewise, without desire, he would obtain the fruit of all gifts; and even with desire, \[he would obtain\] the desired fruit, even if it were very hard to attain. ### [14.34.53](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.53) Therefore, one should take a bath there with all effort; whoever desires eternal welfare, here no doubt should be made. ### [14.34.54](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.54) On the eleventh day \[of the lunar fortnight\], O great king, fasting, with senses subdued, whoever, having kept a vigil there before the liṅga with great devotion, ### [14.34.55](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.55) performs a śrāddha at dawn, endowed with faith, that knower of dharma delivers all ancestors together with their forebears. ### [14.34.56](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.56) The man who gives black sesame seeds to brahmins there, / that mortal is surely freed from sins such as killing a brahmin. ### [14.34.57](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.57) O king of kings, simply by the darśana of Kṛṣṇatīrtha, / a human being is freed from all sins; there should be no doubt about this. ### [14.34.57\_1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34.57_1) Thus ends the thirty-fourth chapter, entitled 'Description of the Glory of Kṛṣṇatīrtha,' in the third Arbuda section of the seventh Prabhāsa section, in the Mahāpurāṇa composed by Skanda containing eighty-one thousand verses. ## Linked texts (1) - [Skandapurāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.14.34.2) — Vyāsa, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.34) · Pramāṇa