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Skandapurana 14.52

English (machine translation) 14.52

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14.52.1

Pulastya said:
Then, O best of kings, one should go to the great peak of Īśānī,
where holy austerity, renowned in the world, was performed by Gaurī,

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by the mere vision of which a person is freed from sin
and obtains great good fortune for seven successive births.

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Yayāti said:
At what time was austerity performed there by the goddess, O lord of sages,
and for what purpose? You ought to tell this great marvel.

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Pulastya said:
Listen, O king, to the divine, wondrous story renowned in the world,
from the mere hearing of which one is freed from all sins.

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Formerly, learning that [Śiva] was deeply attached to Gaurī, the gods along with Indra,
overcome with fear, held counsel, gathered together in a secluded place:

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'If the semen of the three-eyed god falls into the womb of Gaurī,
the downfall of us and of the world will surely take place.

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Therefore we shall go to bring about the destruction of his offspring.'

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Having thus deliberated, those gods went to Mount Kailāsa;
there, however, they were all stopped by Nandin, since it was unseasonable.

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Nandin said:
The Blessed Lord Rudra is staying in seclusion with Gaurī;
therefore, O hosts of gods, go all to your own abodes.

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Then all the hosts of gods, having deceived that attendant,
sent Vāyu there and spoke these words in secret:

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'Having gone, O Vāyu, tell Bhava: "No offspring should be produced by you."
Thus the hosts of gods, distressed with fear, pray, O god.'

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Then Vāyu, having gone swiftly to where Maheśvara was staying,
spoke aloud that message which had been spoken by the gods.

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Thereupon the Blessed Lord Śarva, filled with utmost shame,
let go of Gaurī, stood up, and said, 'So be it!'

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Then Gaurī, greatly afflicted with sorrow, cursed the gods.

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Gaurī said:
Because I have been rendered sonless by the assembled gods,
therefore they too shall be devoid of progeny.

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Because you, O Vāyu, came into this place devoid of people,
therefore you shall forever be bodiless.

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Having spoken thus, then deeply intent on anger at her husband,
she left his presence and went, O king, to Arbuda, the best of mountains.

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Restraining her speech, body, and mind, she performed austerity for the sake of a son.
Then, at the end of a thousand years, the god of gods, Maheśvara,

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came into her presence along with the gods headed by Indra.
Then Śakra, humble in spirit, addressed that goddess:

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'This god Śiva has come into your presence; out of his own bashfulness
he does not approach. Therefore let favour be shown to him; be magnanimous!'

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The goddess said:
'At your word I was abandoned by my husband, bound by an agreed time.
Having obtained a son, I shall go to his side, O lord of the gods.'

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Knowing that resolve of hers, the god himself came forward;
smiling, he spoke these words: 'Let favour be shown,

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by granting a glance, O ruler of the gods, and by speaking, O fair-faced one!
The welfare of the gods must be accomplished by me in all circumstances, O Pārvatī.

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At an improper time you were therefore released, and an end was made to lovemaking;
and since your undertaking was for the sake of a son, O ruler of the gods,

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therefore a son born from your own body shall come to be for you
by my grace, without doubt, on the fourth day, my dear.

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Taking the dirt from your own limbs, whatever form you make, O ruler of the gods,
of such a form he shall surely become, without doubt.

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Instantly he shall be a bestower of success to the hosts of gods and especially to the Daityas,
as well as to all mortals, assuming many forms.'

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Addressed thus by the Three-Eyed [Śiva], the queen of gods was fully satisfied; / filled with joy, she conversed with her husband.

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When the fourth day arrived, O king, Śivā bathed, / and taking the paste from her cleansing rub out of curiosity, / made a four-armed Vināyaka in accordance with Hara's words.

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Then, having attained life by the word of Hara, / that one was especially made a leader on earth, O great king, / and over all mortals, and so he became renowned

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as the glorious Vināyaka, worthy of worship by the dwellers of the three worlds. / He became Vināyaka indeed among all the foremost of the gods.

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Then all the hosts of gods, devoted to what was dear and beneficial to the Goddess, / granted him divine boons, O ruler of the earth, and said to the Goddess:

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The gods said: / 'O Goddess, this son of yours shall go before us all. / Only when he is worshipped first shall worship be accepted by the gods.

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O auspicious one, through attendance upon you, this delightful peak of the mountain / will remove all sins of men even through its darśana.

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Those who perform a ritual ablution here in this most holy reservoir of water / shall go to the supreme abode, free from old age and death.

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Those who are focused in mind on the third day of the bright fortnight of the month of Māgha / will remain filled with happiness for seven future births.'

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Having spoken thus, all the gods went to their respective abodes. / The god [Śiva] also went to Mount Kailāsa together with the Goddess.

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Thus ends the fifty-second chapter, titled 'Description of the Glory of the Peak of Īśānī', in the Arbuda Section, the third [part] of the Prabhāsakhaṇḍa, the seventh [division] in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa consisting of eighty-one thousand verses.

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