Skandapurana 6.3.45

English (machine translation) 6.3.45

Language: English

6.3.45.1

The venerable Mārkaṇḍeya said:
This very question was asked formerly of Maheśvara
by King Uttānapāda at an assembly of seers and gods.

6.3.45.2

Uttānapāda said:
This sacred ford is very holy, consisting of all the gods, supreme;
a place more secret than the secret, never seen, never heard of, O Hara!

6.3.45.3

How did Śūlabheda come to be? By whom was it created in the past?
Proclaim to me in detail the māhātmya of that sacred ford, O Lord!

6.3.45.4

Īśvara said:
In ancient times there was an exceedingly valorous demon, proud of his strength;
no one on earth was like him in valor or in might.

6.3.45.5

He was the son of Brahmā's son, named Andhaka, haughty with pride;
dwelling in his own realm, the sinner ruled an empire without a thorn.

6.3.45.6

Thriving and robust, living among mortals, he could not be overcome by the gods;
the dwelling of that sinful one was like the grove of fire.

6.3.45.7

At that time, O descendant of Bharata, Andhaka considered:
'I shall please Mahādeva, so that he may be gracious to me.

6.3.45.8

I shall request the divine boon that is in my mind.'
Having formed a supreme resolve, that Andhaka departed from his house.

6.3.45.9

Reaching the bank of the Revā, the demon took his stand in austerity;
he performed severe austerity, harsh and hair-raising.

6.3.45.10

For a thousand divine years he remained without food;
for a second thousand [years] he lived consuming only water.

6.3.45.11

For a third thousand [years] he was devoted to inhaling smoke;
for a fourth thousand years he remained in the practice of yoga.

6.3.45.12

No one here ever performed such exceedingly terrible austerity;
while he remained with only bone and skin remaining, O descendant of Bharata,

6.3.45.13

a column of smoke then issued from his crown, O king;
transcending the world of the gods, it remained pervading Kailāsa.

6.3.45.14

Then Umā, standing near the God, spoke [these] words:
“Who is this in the mortal world engaged in fierce austerity?

6.3.45.15

Four thousand years have passed, O Supreme Lord.
No one has ever been seen or heard to perform such austerity.

6.3.45.16

Why do you show neglect, O God, toward one observing such vows?
To everyone else you quickly grant [boons] even for little austerity, O all-pervading Lord.

6.3.45.17

I will not play dice with you today, O Maheśvara,
until this Dānava is raised up, O lover of your devotees.”

6.3.45.18

Īśvara said:
“Well said, well said, O Great Goddess, endowed with all auspicious marks.
I did not notice that lord of Dānavas suffering.

6.3.45.19

I was absorbed in the practice of yoga, O auspicious one, meditating on that supreme abode.
Come with me to the place where he is performing austerity.”

6.3.45.20

Accompanied by Umā, the divine Maheśvara went there.
And he was seen by the divine Śambhu, reduced to nothing but skin and bones.

6.3.45.21

Graciously pleased, the God of gods, Maheśvara, said:
“Ah! What terrifying, severe, hair-raising hardship has been endured!

6.3.45.22

Why was such dreadful austerity performed by you, my child?
I will grant a boon, my child, whatever is in your heart.”

6.3.45.23

Andhaka said:
“If you are pleased with me, O God, if you are a granter of boons, O Śaṅkara,
may I conquer all the gods through your grace, O Maheśvara.”

6.3.45.24

Īśvara said:
“Even in a dream, one should never fight with all the gods.
One should not speak of what is impossible, nor what is not pleasing to the mind.

6.3.45.25

Ask for something else, whatever is in your heart,
whether among those in heaven, on earth, or in the subterranean realms.

6.3.45.26

You shall enjoy various pleasures on earth as you desire.
Rule a kingdom free of thorns, just as the lord of the gods [rules] in heaven.”

6.3.45.27

Hearing the God’s words, that Andhaka stood dejected:
“My trouble has become futile; nothing was achieved by me.”

6.3.45.28

Releasing a deep sigh, he fell onto the surface of the earth.
Like a tree severed at its roots, he became breathless then.

6.3.45.29

Then, seeing him fallen unconscious, the Goddess spoke [these] words:
“Whatever desire he desires, grant that to him, O Śaṅkara.

6.3.45.30

Disrepute will come upon you if you overlook a devotee.”

6.3.45.31

Īśvara said:
“If I were ever to grant the boon he desires, O Goddess,
then he would respect neither Viṣṇu, nor Brahmā, nor even me,

6.3.45.32

having attained supremacy, O Queen of gods, over all other gods and Asuras.”

6.3.45.33

The Goddess said:
“Resorting to some means, raise him up, O Maheśvara.
State the boon: ‘Conquer all the gods, with the exception of Viṣṇu.’”

6.3.45.34

Īśvara said:
“An excellent means has occurred to my mind, O Goddess.
I shall grant him the very boon that has been spoken by you.”

6.3.45.35

Then, sprinkled with nectar, he instantly regained health;
likewise, he was made renewed, adorned in all his limbs.

6.3.45.36

“Listen with a focused mind and accept an excellent boon:
I will grant what is dear and desired by you, with the exception of Viṣṇu.

6.3.45.37

May everything be fruitful for you; may your dharma not be compromised.
I grant this boon to you, if you accept it, O Asura:

6.3.45.38

You shall conquer all the gods, with the exception of Viṣṇu and without me.”

6.3.45.39

Andhaka said:
“Let it be so!” he said, relying solely on his own might.
“I will conquer [them] by my own strength, with the exception of Viṣṇu, O Maheśvara.

6.3.45.40

Indeed, I have attained my purpose!” Having spoken thus, he bowed down.
“Go, O God, along with Umā, to the excellent peak of Kailāsa.”

6.3.45.41

Mounting his bull, the best of bulls, the God along with Umā,
having granted his boon in this manner, disappeared right there.

Thus ends the forty-fifth chapter, titled “Description of the Granting of the Boon to Andhaka,” in the Revākhaṇḍa of the Āvantyakhaṇḍa in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa consisting of eighty-one thousand verses.

Linked texts (1)

Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit