Skandapurana 6.3.16

English (machine translation) 6.3.16

Language: English

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said: / Surrounded on all sides by the Mothers and dreadful hosts of ghosts, the trident-bearer danced, / dressed in the covering of an elephant hide, desiring to destroy the entire world.

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Maheśvara, having garlands strung with many syllables by the mantras of all lords of gods, / his limbs smeared with marrow, fat, and blood, Śambhu danced at the burning of the three worlds.

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Accompanied by Kālarātri, the great-souled one destroyed the entire three worlds in due time. / Known as Saṃvartaka, possessing the splendor of the sun, the great-souled Śambhu is the highest in the universe.

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Then, opening his mouth that resembled the submarine fire, he let loose a dreadful, loud laugh / mixed with a multitude of sparks and smoke, resembling a wind of great meteors and thunderbolts.

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By that loud laugh issuing from Hara, resembling a thousand thunderbolts, / all the ten directions were filled there, and all the great oceans were agitated.

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That sound reached the world of Brahmā; the entire vessel of the universe trembled. / 'What is this?'—their minds perturbed, the seers became terrified.

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Bowing at once in fear, they spoke to Brahmā, the lord of supreme gods; / and all those seers were frightened, along with gods, demons, and great serpents.

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"Who is this, standing on the surface of the earth, playing, with terrifying limbs blazing with the radiance of lightning, / bearing this body [resembling] the fire of destruction, by whose loud laughter the universe is bewildered? 16.8

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In an instant, it appeared terrified in form. Does he desire to destroy the three worlds? / Together with you and the seven children, the people of the worlds—Jana, Tapas, and Satya—are approaching [ruin]. 16.9

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Indeed, who is this god wishing to destroy [all]? Tell us all this, O immeasurable one! / Such a terrible thing has never been seen before. You know the truth; we consider you supreme." 16.10

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Having heard their words, Brahmā then, comforting the hosts of gods and others, spoke: 16.11

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The venerable Brahmā said: / "He is Time, desiring to destroy the entire heaven and universe, of imperishable nature. / And when the cycle of years is complete, he rests; he will become the all-pervading lord—it is no wonder. 16.12

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This god is the Saṃvatsara, the Parivatsara, the Udvatsara, and the Vatsara. / He is seen and unseen, sacrificed to, shining, gross, subtle, and an ultimate atom. 16.13

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There is nothing higher than this in this world; he is higher than the high, the master who asserts himself. / May he who resembles Time be pleased with me!" Having spoken thus, the venerable lord of gods, 16.14

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accompanied by Sanatkumāra and the others, restrained in mind, then propitiated him. 16.15

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Brahmā said: / "Homage to Sarva, whose form is exceedingly peaceful; homage, homage to you whose form is non-terrific. / Homage, homage to you, the soul of all, O Sarva! Homage to you, the great soul, O lord of creatures! 16.16

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Homage, homage to you adorned with the sounds Oṃ and Huṃ, and with Svadhā and Vaṣaṭ! / Homage to you, the master of the three qualities, Maheśvara, composed of the three Vedas, the embodiment of the three qualities. 16.17

6.3.16.18

You are Śaṅkara, you indeed are Maheśvara; you have entered the foremost primal matter. / You are Viṣṇu, Īśa, and the great-grandfather; you are the seven-tongued, you are the endless-tongued. 16.18

6.3.16.19

You are the creator, and you alone, O all-pervading one, are creation, the knowable, and the supreme treasure of the universe. / The twice-born knowers of the Veda declare you to be the most excellent; you are higher than the high, supreme beyond the supreme. 16.19

Linked texts (1)

Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit