Skandapurana 4.39
English (machine translation) 4.39
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4.39.1
Skanda said:
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“Listen, O highly fortunate Agastya, to the narrative that destroys sin,
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Which is the cause of supreme beatitude and fortune, based on Avimukta.
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That which is celebrated as the Supreme Brahman, devoid of the world of manifold forms, devoid of empirical selfhood,
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Free from conceptual differentiation, formless, unmanifest, yet having the gross and the subtle—
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Oh, that very [Brahman], although omnipresent, stands filling this sacred field!
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Is He not capable elsewhere of liberating living beings from worldly existence?
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Hear why worldly existence (Bhava) firmly liberates [one] precisely here:
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Elsewhere, Śiva might liberate [someone] by great devotion to yoga, by great disinterested gifts,
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Or by very great austerities;
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Neither intense application to yoga, nor great gifts,
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Nor very protracted austerities does Śiva require for liberation in Kāśī.
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That which does not separate one from Kāśī, even in the midst of great adversity,
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This itself is the great yoga; every other practice here is secondary.
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With regular observance, whatever flower, leaf, fruit, or water
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Is offered to Viśveśa with a pure mind—that indeed is a great gift here.
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And whatever moment one sits steadily in the Pavilion of Liberation (Muktimaṇḍapikā),
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Having bathed in the pure nectar of the Gaṅgā—this is the highest austerity here.
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Whatever alms are given with honor to a mendicant in Kāśī—
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The gift of one's weight in gold (tulāpuruṣa) does not equal a sixteenth part of it.
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When one closes the eyes for a moment, meditating on Viśveśa in the heart...
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On the southern side of the god, this is the supreme great yoga.
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This itself is the most severe austerity: that having restrained
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the restlessness of the senses, one stays in Kāśī, disregarding hunger, heat, and the like.
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Whatever fruit is attained elsewhere month after month by the cāndrāyaṇa vow,
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that is attained here merely by eating at night on the fourteenth day.
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Whatever fruit is earned elsewhere by fasting for a month,
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that is undoubtedly attained in Kāśī by a single fast observed with faith.
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Whatever great fruit is spoken of elsewhere from the four-month vow,
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that is undoubtedly attained in Kāśī by fasting on the eleventh day.
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Whatever fruit one obtains elsewhere by abstaining from food for six months,
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that is surely obtained in Kāśī by fasting on Śivarātri.
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Whatever one keeping vows would obtain elsewhere by fasting for a year,
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that entire fruit is obtained in Kāśī in three nights, O sage.
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Whatever fruit is gained elsewhere month after month by drinking water from the tip of kuśa grass,
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that is gained in Kāśī by a single handful of water from the north-flowing river.
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The majesty of Kāśī is endless; who is capable of describing it?
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Where, in the ear of a creature desiring death, the auspicious whispering occurs,
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Śambhu utters something into the ear of a dying creature,
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an imperishable syllable which upon hearing, even a dead one attains immortality.
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Constantly remembering the city of the enemy of Smara just like you, Śaṃkara
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grieved, having gone to Mount Mandara, longing repeatedly to regain it.
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Agastya said:
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By the gods, clever in accomplishing their own purpose and very cruel,
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I was made to abandon the city of Kāśī, O Master! Why did Hara, the Lord, abandon it?
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Was the god of gods, bearer of the Pināka, dependent on others like me?
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Why did he abandon Kāśī, a heap of jewels of liberation?
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Skanda said:
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O son born of Mitra and Varuṇa, I shall tell this story,
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and how Sthāṇu abandoned Kāśī due to the entreaty of Brahmā.
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Just as you were entreated by the gods for the sake of helping others, O sage,
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so was Rudra, clever in self-protection, entreated by Druhiṇa.
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Agastya said:
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How was that Lord Rudra, an ocean of compassion,
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entreated by Druhiṇa, and for what purpose? Tell me that, O Six-faced One.
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Skanda said:
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In the past, during the Pādma Kalpa, in the Svāyambhuva Manvantara,
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there was a drought, O brahmin, that shook all living beings.
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Afflicted by that drought lasting sixty years, all living beings—
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some on the shores of the ocean, some in mountain valleys,
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and in deep lowlands—lived like ascetics.
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The earth became a dense forest, devoid of villages and towns.
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Carnivorous beasts alone inhabited all cities and towns;
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trees touching the clouds grew everywhere across the globe.
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Thieves were plundered here and there by great thieves;
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living beings subsisted on a diet of flesh, preserving their lives.
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When anarchy arose and the world was filled with calamity,
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the effort of the Creator in creation then became fruitless.
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The source of the universe felt great anxiety over the destruction of his subjects.
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As the subjects were dying out, rituals such as sacrifices dwindled;
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and with their decline, all the enjoyers of sacrifice became emaciated.
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Then, while contemplating, the Creator saw the best of royal sages
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performing austerity with steady senses in the great field of Avimukta,
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a hero born of Manu's lineage, like the duties of the warrior caste personified,
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the king renowned as Ripuñjaya, conqueror of enemies' cities.
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Then Brahmā approached him with great respect
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and spoke these words: “O King Ripuñjaya of great intellect,
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protect the earth, O king, along with its oceans, mountains, and forests.
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The king of nāgas will give you a nāga maiden as wife;
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Vāsuki will bestow [his daughter] named Anaṅgamohinī, adorned with good character.
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Even the gods from heaven will give gems and flowers.”
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delighted with the protection of the subjects every moment, O great king.
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Therefore you shall obtain the famous name ‘Divodāsa’.
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And by my power, O king, let divine capability belong to you.”
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Having heard the word of the Supreme Lord [Brahmā], that best of kings then,
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having praised the Creator manifoldly, indeed spoke this word:
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The king said:
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“O Grandfather, O great in wisdom! On the earth teeming with people,
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how are there no other kings? How is it stated by you that I [alone rule]?”
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Brahmā said:
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“When you are ruling, the rain-god will send down rain;
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when a king is intent on sin, however, the rain-god does not rain again.”
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The king said:
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“O Grandfather, most venerable, capable of creating the three worlds!
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‘A great favor!’ Saying this, I take your command upon my head.
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I desire to make a certain request; if you will do it for my sake,
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then I shall rule the earth without a rival.”
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Brahmā said:
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“Speak it without delay, O king! Consider it already done.
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Whatever is in your heart, O mighty-armed one, nothing is to be withheld from you.”
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The king said:
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“If I am the lord of the earth, O Grandfather of all the worlds,
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then let the gods, heaven-dwellers, stay in heaven and not on earth.
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When the gods abide in heaven and I abide on the surface of the earth,
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through a rival-free kingdom the subjects will attain happiness.”
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Addressed with ‘So be it!’ by the Creator of the universe, King Divodāsa
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had the drum beaten [proclaiming]: ‘Let the gods depart to heaven!
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Let the snakes not come here; let men be at ease from now on.
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While I govern the earth, let the gods be at ease.’”
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In the meantime, Brahmā, having bowed down to the Lord of the Universe,
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just as he desired to make an entreaty, the Lord said to the Creator:
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“O Lord of the worlds, come! The mountain named Mandara,
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having arrived here from Kuśadvīpa, is performing difficult austerity.
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Let us go to grant him a boon, for he has been practicing austerity for a long time.”
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Having spoken thus, the Lord of Pārvatī, preceded by Nandin and Bhṛṅgin,
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mounted the bull and went to where Mandara was standing.
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And with a gracious mind, the God of gods, who bears a bull on his banner, said:
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“Arise, arise! May good fortune be yours! Ask a boon, O best of mountains!”
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Then hearing Maheśāna, the God of gods, the three-eyed one,
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the mountain, having bowed down repeatedly on the ground, addressed this request:
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“O Śambhu, who assumest forms in play! O sole ocean of compassion for the surrendered!
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Although omniscient, how is it that you do not know my desire?
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O protector of those who seek refuge! O knower of all events!
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O joy of the hearts of all! O Śarva, omnipresent, creator of all!
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If a boon is to be given to me, who am stony-natured by birth,
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a petitioner most pitiable, O destroyer of the distress of the surrendered,
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then indeed I desire equality with the Avimuktakṣetra.
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O Lord, having made your abode upon my crest today along with Umā and with your retinue,
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let Kuśadvīpa depart [with you]—this is my boon.”
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While Śambhu, the giver of everything to all, reflected for a moment,
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Brahmā, perceiving an opportunity, made an entreaty to Śambhu.
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Stepping forward after bowing down, with his two hands folded upon his head:
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Brahmā said:
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“O Lord of the Universe, O Lord of the worlds, by you, the Master, I was appointed,
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having your favor granted, O omnipresent Lord, to perform the fourfold creation.
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With effort that creation was brought forth by me with your permission;
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there, through a drought of sixty years, the subjects on the earth were destroyed.
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And there was great anarchy; the world fell into a miserable state.
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Then a royal seer named Ripuñjaya, born of Manu's lineage—
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that royal seer was consecrated as king by me in order to protect the subjects.
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He too, possessing great prowess and great austerity, made a stipulation:
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"If, by your command, all heaven-dwellers will remain in heaven,
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and the Nāgas likewise in the world of the Nāgas, then I will rule."
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And I said, "So be it"; let that be made authoritative.
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A boon has been granted to Mandara; thus it should be, O treasure of compassion!
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May this wish also be fulfilled, for the king to protect the subjects.
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His rule lasts for two of my nāḍīs, as does that of Indra.
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Where is the reckoning of mortals here, who blink in half a twinkling of an eye?
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Thinking Mandara with its lovely caves to be pure, the god too,
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respecting the dignity of Brahmā, Hara consented accordingly.
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Just as Kāśī in Jambudvīpa always bestows the state of nirvāṇa,
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so that Mandara became an island for a long period of time.
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And as the god wished to go to Mandara of wondrous caves,
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a liṅga made of his own form, unknown even to Brahmā,
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was established, to bestow all perfections upon its establishers,
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to grant the highest ultimate felicity to distressed creatures,
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and to guard the sacred field of all who dwell here.
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Though he went to Mount Mandara, this sacred field was not abandoned by the wielder of Pināka
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in the form of the liṅga; therefore it is remembered as Avimukta.
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Formerly, this sacred field was celebrated by the name Nandavana;
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from that time forth, its name became renowned on earth as Avimukta.
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The name Avimukta belonged to both: the sacred field and the liṅga.
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Having attained both of these, one will not partake of a womb again.
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Having seen the Avimukteśvara liṅga in the Avimukta sacred field,
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one is indeed liberated from all bondage of karma.
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All beings worship Viśveśa; Viśveśa, the creator of all, worships
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the Avimukteśvara liṅga, which bestows liberation on earth.
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Formerly, no liṅga had been established anywhere by anyone;
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no one even knew of what shape a liṅga might be.
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Having seen the form of Avimukta, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and others,
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along with the seers headed by Vasiṣṭha, established liṅgas.
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This great Avimukteśvara is declared to be the primordial liṅga;
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thereafter, other liṅgas arose here on the circle of the earth.
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Even by merely hearing the name of the Lord of Avimukta, a mortal,
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is freed in an instant from sin accumulated over a lifetime; no doubt should be entertained here.
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Even one who has gone far away, by remembering the Avimukteśvara liṅga,
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is liberated in an instant from sin committed in two lifetimes.
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And gazing upon Avimukta in the great sacred field of Avimukta,
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leaving behind sin produced in three lifetimes, one becomes full of merit.
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Whatever sin has been committed in five lifetimes due to a lapse in knowledge,
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is destroyed simply by touching the Lord of Avimukta, and not otherwise.
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Having worshipped the great liṅga Avimukteśvara, a man
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becomes one whose task is done here; whence would he partake in rebirth?
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Having praised, bowed to, and worshipped according to one's capacity and intelligence,
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the Lord of Liberation in Avimukta, one is praised, bowed to, and worshipped.
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This beginningless liṅga, worshipped by Viśveśvara himself,
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must be served with effort in Kāśī, at Avimukta, for the sake of liberation.
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There are many liṅgas in holy sanctuaries;
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those liṅgas arrive when the fourteenth day of Māgha arrives.
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On the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Māgha, by keeping vigil for the Lord of Avimukta,
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one shares the destiny of the yogi who is ever free from sleep.
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The liṅgas in various sanctuaries, even though granting the four goals of life,
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worship Avimukta on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Māgha.
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Why should a steadfast man fear a mountain of accumulated sin,
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if he bears the thunderbolt of devotion to the liṅga of the Lord of Avimukta?
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Where is the great Avimukta liṅga, yielding the fruit of the four goals of life,
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and where is a sinner's petty mountain of sin, which dwindles when filled with the name?
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Those who have not seen the excellent Avimukta liṅga
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in the great sacred field of Avimukta, presided over by Viśveśa, are utterly deluded.
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Beholding one who has seen Avimukta, Yama, the staff-bearer,
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- Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit