Skandapurana 3.2.4
English (machine translation) 3.2.4
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Vyāsa said:
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Henceforth I shall relate the deed of Dharmarāja,
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hearing which no fear of the messengers of Yama arises anywhere.
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Dharmarāja beheld her, Vardhanī, the excellent apsaras.
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'Who is this beautiful-limbed, exceedingly lovely woman in the vast forest?
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And this is a wilderness devoid of humans, terrifying with lions and tigers.'
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Recognizing this as a supreme wonder, Dharmarāja spoke these words:
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Dharmarāja said:
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'Why, O proud lady, do you wander alone in this deserted forest?
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From what place have you come, and whose wife are you, O lovely one?
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Whose daughter are you, O fair-thighed one, so exceedingly beautiful and auspicious?
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Are you a human, or a gandharva woman, an immortal goddess, or a kiṃnara woman,
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an apsaras, a bird-maiden, or perhaps a forest deity,
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a rākṣasī, or a sky-traveler? And whose wife are you? Tell me that!
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Tell me the truth, O fair-browed one!' the son of Arka said then.
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'What do you wish for, blessed lady, or what must be done? Speak of it here!
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Whatever you desire, O fair-thighed one, I shall grant what you wish.'
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Vardhanī said:
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'Everything immovable and movable rests upon dharma, O lord.
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Being that Dharma yourself, why are you performing this difficult practice, O sinless one?'
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Yama said:
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'I desire to see the form of Īśāna, O splendid lady;
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therefore, engaged in austerity, [I wish to see] Śaṃkara along with his auspicious consort Śivā.
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I shall attain fame, I shall attain happiness, and so I perform this exceedingly difficult task.
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My thought was: "Let my fame endure age after age;
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let my fame endure again through eon after eon, and great eon after great eon!"
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For this reason, O fair-browed lady, supreme austerity is being practiced.
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Why have you come, O auspicious one? Tell me just as it is!
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What is the business, and for what reason? You should speak the truth.'
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Vardhanī said:
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'By your very austerity, O Dharma, the lord of heaven was struck with fear.
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By him I have been sent here with the desire to obstruct your tapas.
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Terrified through fear of losing his throne, by Hari [Indra], in Hari's presence,
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I was dispatched, O illustrious one. Truly, I speak the truth!"
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Sūta said:
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Then, pleased by her truthful words, the son of the Sun,
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the highly fortunate one, said to her: "I am a granter of boons; ask [a boon] of me!
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I am Yama to all evil beings who perform bad deeds,
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yet I am the very embodiment of Dharma to all men of self-control.
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As that Dharma, O fair-hipped woman, I grant you what is hard to attain;
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ask all that of me quickly, O best of the apsarases!"
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Varddhanī said:
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"Grant me permanent stability in Indra's lovely realm,
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O lord, O best among the upholders of Dharma, and for the welfare of the worlds!"
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Yama said:
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Saying to her, "So be it," he [added]: "Choose another [boon] quickly!
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I shall grant an excellent boon; I am delighted by your singing."
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Varddhanī said:
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"In this place, in this great kṣetra, O highly wise one, let there be a tīrtha belonging to me,
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destroying all sins, and well known by my name!
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Whatever is given there, offered in fire, practiced as austerity, or recited, let it be imperishable!
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Whoever frequents this growing lake for five nights,
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his ancestors shall be satisfied, being offered water offerings day by day."
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Saying "So be it" to her, Dharma remained observing silence.
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Having circumambulated that Dharma three times and bowed to him, she went to heaven.
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Varddhanī said:
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"Do not fear, O lord of gods, concerning Yama, the son of the Sun!
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This Dharma is devoted to his own purpose; he performs [tapas] for renown."
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Vyāsa said:
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Varddhanī of fair countenance was honoured by that Śakra:
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"Well done, well done, O highly fortunate one! You have accomplished the work of the gods!
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Fearlessness in an excellent home and a happy dwelling shall always be yours;
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fame, happiness, and charming fortune you will attain, O fair-faced lady!"
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"So be it," said the gods to her, with minds joyful and fearless.
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Having bowed to Śakra, she went to her own auspicious dwelling.
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Sūta said:
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When the apsaras had gone, O king of kings, Dharma remained according to rule;
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he performed terrifying tapas, causing agitation to the universe.
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Performing the discipline of five fires in the month of Jyeṣṭha, heated by the sun,
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he did what was very hard to endure, O king, unapproachable even for the gods.
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Then, when a hundred years had elapsed, Antaka, adhering to silence,
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stood like a piece of wood, [calm] like an elephant in the wind, covered by hundreds of anthills.
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With various flocks of birds that had built nests on him, that king of Dharma
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sat there, O king; such a vow is not seen anywhere!
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Constantly remembering the lord of gods, the blameless consort of Umā,
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the gods, along with the gandharvas and yakṣas, their minds agitated,
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went once again to the peak of Kailāsa, into the presence of Śiva.
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The gods said:
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"Protect, protect us, O Mahādeva, O Śrīkaṇṭha, O Lord of the universe!
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Protect us, O Lord of past and future! Protect us, O Bull-bannered Lord!
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You are compassionate, O Lord of mercy! Make us free from obstacles, O Śaṃkara!"
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Īśvara said:
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"By whom have the gods been wronged? Or by whom has your pride been crushed,
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in the mortal world, in heaven, or among the serpents? Tell me quickly, without delay!
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With this very trident, or with the skull-topped staff,
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or indeed with the Pāśupata weapon, I shall slay him in battle!
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Tell us quickly the reason for your coming here!"
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The gods said:
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"O ocean of compassion, O lord of gods, O creator of joy to the world,
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today there is no fear from humans, nor from serpents, gods, or demons.
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In the world of mortals, O Mahādeva, the lord of the dead, of huge form,"
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mortifying himself for his own very terrible purpose—this is certain;
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having undertaken severe austerity, he is afflicting himself by his own will.
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Because of this, O Sadāśiva, all of us gods are anxious here.
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We have come to you for refuge; do whatever you wish.”
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Sūta said:
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Hearing the words of the gods, [Śiva], who rides a bull and has a bull on his banner,
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taking up his weapons and beautiful armor,
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then went to that place where Dharma was stationed.
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Īśvara said:
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“O Dharma, my mind is pleased with this austerity of yours.
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Choose a boon! Choose a boon! Choose a boon!”—thus he spoke indeed.
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“Whatever desires you wish for, as they reside in your mind,
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whatever you ask for, O good one, I grant it to you now.”
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Sūta said:
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Seeing the god Maheśvara speaking thus,
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he arose from the ant-hill, O king, folding his hands together,
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and praised the lord of the world, the subduer of foes, with pure words.
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Dharma said:
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“Homage to you, O Īśvara! Homage to you who possess the form of yoga!
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Homage to you whose form is splendor! O Nīlakaṇṭha, homage be to you!
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Homage to you who conform to [the meditation of] those who meditate, reachable through devotion!
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Homage to you whose form is Brahmā! Homage be to you whose form is Viṣṇu!
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Homage to the gross, to the subtle, and indeed homage to the atomic form!
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Homage to you who assume any form at will, the maker of creation, preservation, and dissolution!
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Homage to the eternal, the gentle, Mṛḍa, and homage to Hari!
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Homage to you who are the heat, and homage to the maker of coolness!
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Homage to you whose form is creation! O guardian of the world, homage be to you!
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Homage to the fierce, the terrible, and homage to your tranquil form!
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Homage to the endless form, and homage to your cosmic form!
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Homage to the one whose limbs are smeared with ashes! Homage to you, O Candraśekhara!
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Homage be to the five-faced one! Homage be to the three-eyed one!
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Homage to you adorned with serpents, wearing a loincloth!
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Homage to the destroyer of Andhaka, the remover of Dakṣa’s sin!
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To you, the consumer of Kāma, O foe of Tripura, homage be to you!
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And whoever recites these forty names spoken by me,
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having become pure, at the three junctions of the day, recites or even listens [to them],
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even a cow-slayer, an ungrateful person, a drinker of liquor, one who defiles the teacher’s bed,
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a slayer of a brahmin, a stealer of gold, or indeed a husband of a Śūdra woman,
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a slayer of women and children, a sinner, and a speaker of untruth,
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one of bad conduct, likewise a thief, and likewise an adulterer,
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a doer of what should not be done, a betrayer of duties, a hater of brahmins, the lowest of priests—[he is freed from all sins].
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Sūta said:
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Having been thus repeatedly praised with many words by the King of Dharma,
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with great devotion, personally bowing with his head,
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pleased then, Śambhu spoke to him these auspicious words:
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“Choose a boon, O illustrious one, whatever is in your heart.”
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Yama said:
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“If you are pleased, O lord of gods, showing compassion upon me,
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grant that, O illustrious one, throughout the three worlds with the moving and unmoving,
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this place shall become famous in the world by my name,
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uncuttable and unpierceable, meritorious, destroying sins.
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Make it your abode, O Mahādeva, if you are pleased with me, O Bhava.”
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Then, O king, a place equal to Kāśī was granted by Śiva.
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Having granted that, he spoke again: “Choose another [boon], O best of virtuous beings.”
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Dharma said:
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“If you are pleased, O lord of gods, showing compassion upon me,
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make it so, O illustrious one, throughout the three worlds with the moving and unmoving,
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that by this boon I shall attain renown age after age.”
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Īśvara said:
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“Speak, O Kīnāśa, I shall fulfill all of that which you desire.”
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Pleased indeed by your austerity, I grant the desired boon."
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Yama said:
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"O god, if you grant what is desired by me, then, O Śaṃkara,
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in this place, this great sacred field, always bear my name.
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O Maheśvara, act in such a way, O god,
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that it becomes renowned as Dharmāraṇya in the three worlds, including moving and unmoving beings."
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Īśvara said:
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"May this always be renowned as Dharmāraṇya in age after age.
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Established by your name, O god, it will attain renown.
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Now, whatever else there may be, I shall do it; speak, dear one."
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Yama said:
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"Let there be an excellent sacred ford two yojanas in extent bearing my name,
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an eternal place of liberation, purifying all embodied beings.
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Flies, insects, domestic animals, birds, wild beasts, and others,
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moths, bhūtas, vetālas, piśācas, serpents, and rākṣasas,
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a woman or a man, who gives up their dear life-breaths
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in my sacred field named Dharma—let there be eternal liberation [for them]."
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Saying 'Let it be so,' all the gods, Brahmā and the others,
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showering rain of flowers, attained supreme joy.
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Celestial drums sounded, the lords of gandharvas sang,
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auspicious winds blew, and hosts of apsarases danced.
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Sūta said:
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Sadāśiva, pleased indeed by Yama with austerity and devotion,
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spoke a delightful, fitting, and agreeable speech to the god:
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"Give me permission, dear one, that I may go swiftly
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to Kailāsa, best of mountains, out of a desire for the welfare of the gods."
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Yama said:
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"It is not proper for you to abandon my place, O Maheśvara.
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By your word, O god, this place becomes greater than Kailāsa."
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Śiva said:
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"You have spoken well and fittingly; my presence here will be with a single portion.
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O virtuous one, this very pure place of yours has not been abandoned by me.
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The great liṅga Viśveśvara will exist here under my name."
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Having spoken thus, Mahādeva disappeared right there.
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By the word of Śiva, that wondrous liṅga [arose] then and there.
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Having seen it, the gods there, proclaiming their names accordingly,
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each fashioned their own liṅga in Dharmāraṇya, best of gods;
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whichever god's liṅga it was, it was celebrated by his name.
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Sūta said:
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The liṅga Dharmeśvara was installed by Dharma and was present.
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From remembering and worshipping it, one is released from all sins.
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The Brahman accessible to yogins, dwelling in the hearts of all,
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remains as his liṅga, established as self-manifest.
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Having worshipped the Lord of Beings, a person is freed from diseases.
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Then he made a delightful stepwell of Dharma there.
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Having gathered water from ten million sacred fords, he released it into the stepwell.
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The charming nature of the sacred ford of Yama, having performed ritual ablution [there],
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was for the sake of the ritual ablution of deities and purified seers.
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Having bathed there and drunk [the water], one is released from all sins.
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Linked texts (1)
- Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit