Skandapurana 7.8

English (machine translation) 7.8

Language: English

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Sanatkumāra said:
While that Daitya Hiraṇyakaśipu was ruling then,
a great length of time passed, O Vyāsa, over the three worlds with their moving and unmoving beings. / 1
Possessed by immense arrogance, his mind deranged by pride in his prosperity,
he disdained all the gods and did not observe dharma. / 2
Infuriated with anger, he brought severe affliction
upon all the gods together, Śakra and the others, though banished from their own realm. / 3
Being tormented, they all went to Brahmā for refuge:
"O Lord, master of what was and is to be, grandfather, of great splendour! / 4
O sinless one, the Daitya Hiraṇyakaśipu, having obtained a boon from you,
has overrun all three worlds and seized our heavenly kingdom. / 5
And he constantly heaps humiliation upon us, inflicting the torment of enmity.
Routed by him, we have all come to you for refuge. / 6
Grant your grace, O lord of the gods, so that he may no longer be our enemy—
the powerful Hiraṇyakaśipu, who has abandoned dharma and become the foe of the world." / 7
Thus addressed then by the gods, the god whose vehicle is the lotus,
endowed with great wisdom, spoke this word bringing joy to the gods: / 8

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[Apparatus and page number]
"The austerity of that wicked king of the Daityas is now exhausted—
that enemy who reduced you to misery and seized your kingdom. / 9
Formerly, he sought from me the supreme boon of being invulnerable to all.
And [a loophole of] vulnerability was stated to him by me while his senses were bewildered. / 10
As soon as the unconscious king of the Daityas stated that loophole,
right then I experienced satisfaction in my heart, O mighty ones! / 11

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Go today to the supreme abode of Viṣṇu;
all of you together, speak to Acyuta for his destruction. / 12

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Assuming the form of a man-lion, striking him just once, he will kill
the Daitya Hiraṇyakaśipu; then you will attain peace."
Saying "So be it," all those gods bowed down to the Grandfather,
and, filled with reverence, went together to the abode of Viṣṇu. / 14

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Then, seeing the gods arrived, Viṣṇu of great splendour
spoke in a smooth voice words pleasing to hear: / 15
"Welcome to you all! For what purpose have you come?
You are all worthy of my worship, dearest friends of great importance. / 16
Whatever is in your minds, whatever deed I must do, O dwellers of heaven,
speak it quickly in brief; I shall do it without hesitation." / 17

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Thus addressed then by Viṣṇu, the gods headed by Śakra
spoke with cheerful faces, praising Janārdana: / 18

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"O Lord, from Hiraṇyakaśipu, the exceedingly powerful king of the Daityas,
great fear has arisen for us, and our kingdom in heaven has been seized. / 19
Humiliation has also been inflicted on us by him, O best of the gods.
He enjoys the entire world—that hater of Brahmā, son of Kaśyapa! / 20

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[Apparatus and page number]
O slayer of all enemies, act in such a way that this Daitya is killed by you;
make it so, O Hṛṣīkeśa! Let this boon be granted to us." / 21

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Then Viṣṇu, having meditated for a long time and reflected on the means of killing him,
spoke to the gods, the best of the deities, as if invigorating them with his word: / 22
"So be it, O best of gods! I will carry out all your words.
Since he is a king of Daityas of great strength, I tell you: / 23
Enter my body too, O you of virtuous vows!
Embodying all the gods, I shall slay your arrogant enemy." / 24

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Then all the gods entered the body of Viṣṇu.
And he, becoming mighty and assuming a terrifying form, / 25
the man-lion of great splendour, adorned with claws and fangs,
Viṣṇu went, shining forth, to the city of Hiraṇyakaśipu. / 26

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Having seen outside his garden, filled with flowers of all seasons,
the man-lion stood greatly astonished at [the garden of] the lion of the Daityas. / 27

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It was adorned on all sides with campaka, aśoka, and jātī trees,
with kadambas and bakulas, and with fragrant flowers, / 28

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with lakes covered with lotuses and adorned by swans and cakravāka birds,
and with trees bearing desired fruits—a forest resembling the celestial Vaibhrāja. / 29

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Moving playfully, high with fury, the man-lion shattered it;
he agitated the lakes like an elephant fierce with rut. / 30

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Standing in the midst of the forest, roaming here and there, he shone
like a loftily raised peak of Meru, the king of mountains. / 31

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Then, approaching that man-lion, the forest-guards, filled with rage—
powerful though they were—sought to restrain him; and the mighty one struck them down. / 32

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[Apparatus and page number]
Those asuras who survived the slaughter and fled from there,
they went and reported it to Hiraṇyakaśipu then. / 33
Hearing their words, the king of the Daityas of great strength
[summoned] Prahlāda, Anuhrāda, Namuci, Bāṣkali, and Bali... / 34

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And summoning all the Dānavas headed by Vipracitti, / he said: 'Go swiftly, bind that lion, and bring him before me, / O leaders of the Daityas! He must not be killed by any means; / this lion cub will become a plaything for my queen.' / Having heard this, all the asuras, led by Vipracitti, / went together to the pleasure garden and saw Nṛsiṃha standing there. / Standing far off, they cast nets; Mādhava cut them to pieces. / Then the maned lion thoroughly routed the Dānavas. / Thereupon those Daityas, their comrades slain, went despondently / to the presence of the king of the Dānavas and recounted everything then. / Then the mighty King Hiraṇyakaśipu himself, enraged, / mounted his chariot, armed, and rushed furiously against Nṛsiṃha. / That mountain-like chariot, equipped with weapons, was whirled around / and quickly hurled down by the king of lions; it was reduced to powder upon the earth. / Then, with his chariot broken, his eyes red with rage, the Daitya / violently tore up a tree and flung it at Nṛsiṃha. / But when that tree fell upon the body of the lion king, / it was shattered to dust like a lump of clay dashed against a rock. / Then seizing Hiraṇyakaśipu all at once, / that lion struck him with his palm and quickly deprived him of his life. / Giving a great lion's roar, with his adamantine claws the omnipresent Lord, / Hari, tore open the Daitya's chest, which resembled a great mountain.

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[Textual variants: 29. ...stu ye tatra - ka. 30. pravalīnāstu - ka., prapa... - kha. 31. ...stu tesurāḥ - ka., bhaye - kha. 32. krīḍanaḥ - kha. 33. ..stām̐śca - ka. kha. 34. mṛdagaṇḍa - ka., mṛdbhāṇḍa - kha. 35. ..ñcūrṇaṃ kha. 36. balenāhṛtya - ka.]

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When that great Daitya was slain by Viṣṇu, O son of Śakti, / those Dānavas who were not killed entered Rasātala.

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Śakra once again obtained the supreme kingdom of heaven, free of thorns, / and all the celestials returned to their own realms. / Then the trident-bearing God whose banner bears the bull arrived, / having been petitioned by the gods, O Vyāsa, as I told you,

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to cause Viṣṇu, of wondrous deeds, to relinquish his leonine form. / Becoming then a Śarabha resembling a peak of the Himālaya,

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with four legs growing from his back, sharp fangs, and great strength, / he went near Narasiṃha and roared with focused intent. / Then seeing the Śarabha arrived before him, / the lion, filled with great wrath, struck him with his palm.

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Though struck by that lion, the Śarabha was not agitated at all. / Then, having struck the Śarabha of adamantine body and great strength,

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he himself experienced pain by the mere touch of that great-souled one. / Then Viṣṇu, meditating for a long time, realized that Śaṅkara had arrived.

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Bowing to him with his head, he began to praise him thus: / 'Homage to Śarva, to Rudra, to the commander of the army, and to the bestower of peace!

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Homage to the supreme God and to the supreme Brahman! / Homage to Time, to the one whose form is Yama, and indeed to the Rod of Death!

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Homage to the destroyer of the world, and to the one who takes away time in due time! / Homage to the bearer of the Pināka, and to the holder of fierce arrows!

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To the fierce one, to Vāmadeva, and to the lord of all yogas! / Homage to the master of knowledge, homage to the lord of sacred lore!

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[Textual variants: 37. nihatā - kha. 38. devarājyaṃ - ka. kha. 39. ... raṣṭradaṃṣṭro - ka. 40. ...vamatāḍayat - ka. kha. 41. mahābalaḥ - kha. 42. tasmai - ka. kha. 43. menaṃ - ka. kha. 44. sarvadāya - kha. 45. kālākālaharāya ca - kha.] / Homage to the slayer of the foremost asuras, homage to you, the wheel of Time! / To the circle of the cosmic fire at dissolution, and to the causer of universal dissolution! / To the lord of Nara and Nārāyaṇa, to the soul of Nara and Nārāyaṇa, / to the bestower of boons on me, and to the grantor of all desires!

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To Śarabha of handsome form, clad well in tiger skin! / To the lord of the troops of Nandīśvara, homage to the lord of the gaṇas!

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To the lord of the senses, and homage to the master of the mind! / Homage to the lord of primordial matter, homage to the lord of the gods!

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Homage be to the lord of existence, homage to the lord of the elements of reality! / To the lord of the moving and unmoving, homage to the lord of beings!

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To the master of the three worlds, and homage to the lord of the worlds! / Homage to the bestower of yoga upon me, and likewise to the granter of divine power, / to the bestower of invulnerability, and likewise to the bestower of what cannot be conquered! / O Lord, I am established in you, devoted to you, having you as my supreme refuge. / I have taken refuge in you; be ever gracious to me!' / Whoever listens to this constantly, pure and of restrained mind, / having attained the world of Rudra, becomes a leader of the God's gaṇas.

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Reciting it, hearing it, and constantly remembering it / brings wealth, brings fame, grants long life, leads to heaven, and destroys sins.

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Sanatkumāra said: / Thus praised by Viṣṇu, the Lord of the Universe / addressed this supremely revered word to Hṛṣīkeśa:

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'To you, O Viṣṇu, has been granted by me this auspicious, meritorious boon: / that you, who were clinging to an unnatural form, are restored to your own natural state.'

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[…] / You, that Viṣṇu of great splendour, having always received a boon from me, / [you] whom the ocean gave birth to on its shore as an animal: / all your work has been accomplished, Hiraṇyakaśipu has been slain. / Come, return to your own auspicious, exceedingly wondrous nature.’ / Then that best of śarabhas stepped upon that lion with his feet, / and once again united Keśava with his divine body. / Having thus granted to Viṣṇu the boon of destroying demons, he whose banner bears the bull, / saying, ‘Return to your natural state,’ vanished right there. / Having granted that matchless boon to Viṣṇu, the creator of the world, / the ability to destroy demons, being drunk in by the eyes of the women of heaven's city, / bearing a chest radiant like a dark cloud, the trident-bearer, / praised by the foremost sages, went to his own abode. / Thus in the Skandapurāṇa, in the story of Hiraṇyakaśipu, ends the seventy-first chapter, entitled ‘The Account of the Deliverance of Narasiṃha Accomplished by the Śarabha’.

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Vyāsa said: / Lord, knower of all yoga, this excellent narrative has been heard. / I wish to hear what happened thereafter, O best of sages. / When he whose banner bears the bull had then removed the lion form of Viṣṇu, / what else did the wise one do? This I desire to know. / Sanatkumāra said: / Having brought Viṣṇu back to his own origin, the god of gods, Bhava, / then wandered upon Mount Mandara together with the goddess, full of great splendour. / Delighting in the charming forest regions and the mountain's cascades, / the lord of gods adorned them as he roamed all around.

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[…] / Knowing that the imperishable god Śaṅkara was fond of gazing at the forest, / two seasons, autumn and spring, both appeared there together. / Then all the trees and lakes all around / suddenly and simultaneously shed diverse kinds of flowers.

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Charming ponds were covered with blue and white lotuses, / frequented by swarms of bees, / and inhabited by swans and cranes.

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Jasmines swiftly became rich with fragrance, together with campaka flowers, / aśokas, sweet-scented blossoms, and atimuktaka creepers.

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Pleasant breezes bearing all fragrances approached the god together. / Beholding that excellent forest strewn with the flowers of all seasons,

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the lord of the gods, the master of the world, taking the flowers himself, / with a joyful heart adorned the goddess, the daughter of the snowy mountain,

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and Nandīśvara who was standing nearby, and himself, the lord of the gods. / Then, having bowed to the lord of gods, out of love Pārvatī

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spoke this word, she the imperishable mother of the entire world: / ‘O god whose banner bears the bull, so that a son born of my body will come to be,

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possessing your valour, your power, and revered by all the gods, / act accordingly, O Mahādeva, if you have affection for me.’

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Addressed thus by the goddess, the god of gods, the three-eyed one, / full of great splendour, spoke thus, wishing to do what was pleasing to the goddess:

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‘So be it, O ruler of gods! I shall make this petition of yours fruitful, / O Īśānī, so that you may have such a son,

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foremost among all the rulers of the gods, endowed with the strength of great yoga, / under whose control this entire world will stand, O radiant lady!

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[…] / When you went to perform that austerity, previously indeed this boon / was requested by you for the sake of a son; therefore I certainly grant it to you.’

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Having spoken thus, those two deities, the mountain-born goddess and the lord of the world, / the teachers of the universe, wandering then together with Nandīśa,

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viewing all the pleasure-gardens, went to the Vindhya mountain. / Having arrived at the excellent golden peak of the Vindhya, / crowded with ravines and caves, furnished with diverse waterfalls, / a mass of rocks made dense by clusters of clouds bearing lightning,

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endowed with diverse trees and boulders, filled with various flowers, / delighting with the songs of various birds, shining and auspicious with gold and gems,

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having created in its midst a city by thought, full of great prosperity, / divine, made of jewels and gold, enchanting to gods and asuras, / endowed with supreme sovereignty, united they entered the city. / And then the imperishable goddess commanded Nandin: / ‘Dear Nandin, lord of the gaṇas, stand thus at the doorway / so that no one may enter here, not even the subtle wind.’ / Placing that command on his head, Nandīśa, the lord of the gaṇas, / stood at the threshold of the door, generating an unbearable fiery splendour.

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Engaged in yoga, the two deities, assuming their supreme forms, / the sources of the entire world, Pārvatī and the lord of the world, / full of great splendour, remained for a very long time for the sake of a son. / That cannot be described by me, nor by Brahmā, O great sage: / that great union of the goddess and the god of gods who holds the trident. / He, the supreme lord, is higher than Brahmā and those like me. / Yet it must certainly be told according to the tradition, as it occurred and as it was heard; / therefore I will tell it to you, Vyāsa, for you are my dear disciple.

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[…] / While they remained thus, O great sage, engaged in union through yoga, / a thousand divine years passed by.

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Then there arose terrible and terrifying omens: / the entire earth, with its mountains, woods, and forests, trembled; / the rivers then went dry; the ocean was agitated; / the sun lost its brilliance; a hot wind blew;

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dreadful meteors fell, and the directions became utterly terrifying. / Thus the earth was terrified by portents, even though it was for an auspicious cause.

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[The Earth] went for refuge to Viṣṇu, and having gone, reported her distress: / 'O God, many terrible portents have arisen exceedingly.

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Greatly agitated by this, I have come to you today for refuge.' / Then the lord Viṣṇu proclaimed this to all the gods:

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Thereupon all the gods, led by Bṛhaspati, / gathered together in one place and held discussions of many kinds.

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Then the son of Aṅgiras, endowed with great intellect, spoke these words: / 'This Lord Śrīkaṇṭha, the God of gods, the three-eyed,

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the greatly radiant one, has united with the daughter of the Himālaya for the sake of a son / by the yoga of Parameṣṭhin for a divine thousand years.

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As he remains united with Pārvatī, terrible portents have arisen from it, / terrors for the world; what else should be contemplated here?

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Let us all go together to praise the bull-bannered [god] with devotion, / so that, O lords of the gods, the son born of the goddess's body may be averted.

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Let us quickly entreat the Lord of gods in this matter, O immortals!' / Then Vaivasvata spoke words bursting forth in anger:

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'Why are all of you so exceedingly agitated? / If this son of the God of gods should be devoted to us,

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and is born not an enemy, then we will tolerate him, O gods. / But if he proves harsh toward us, or becomes an enemy, / then I, binding this boy with the noose of Time, / shall bring him, cruel as he is, under my control along with Death, O immortals!

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If not, then Purandara will hurl his thunderbolt at his head, / by which that fool, split in two, will abandon his hard-to-relinquish life-breaths.' / As he was thus speaking at length, his eyes reddened with anger, / the righteous Viṣṇu, who knows the ultimate truth, spoke these words:

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'Ah, son of Bhāskara, you speak with utmost confidence, / falling under the sway of anger without knowing the ultimate truth! / The son of Śambhu who will be born of the Mountain's daughter— / will he be some fool, that he should come under your sway?

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Is he a mere mortal or any other creature endowed with birth and death / that will be born, O son of Ravi, so that he would fall under your power?

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When his allotted time is not fulfilled, even of an ordinary mortal, O son of Bhānu, / you are certainly not the destroyer; how much less of the Trident-bearer's son! / That splendor of the lord Śambhu which will be peerless, / how could it be liable to death by you or by Śakra, O lord?

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I speak for your welfare, O gods, if my word is followed: / let us all go together to propitiate that Hara.

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The boon which was granted to us at Śaṅkara's svayaṃvara, / that very foremost boon let us choose from the wielder of the bow Pināka,

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so that no son born of the goddess's body will come to be, / [and] Śambhu will not produce a son harmful to us. / We ourselves are all the elder sons of the all-pervading Śaṅkara; / he cannot be seen through austerity nor through knowledge, O lords of gods;

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that bull-bannered [god] can be seen only through supreme devotion. / Come, let us go where Śaṅkara abides, / so that, relying on supreme devotion, I may behold Śaṅkara. / And the god Fire, consumer of oblations, shall enter into his presence,

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carrying the petition of all the gods, O best of gods.' / Having heard this speech of Viṣṇu of immeasurable splendor,

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those celestial dwellers, led by Bṛhaspati, rejoiced in mind; / delighted, the foremost gods uttered words saying, 'Well done! Well done!'

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Then, having Viṣṇu as their ally, they went to that excellent peak, / and spoke to the god Fire with words accompanied by praise: / 'O Agni, you work welfare for all the gods; you are everywhere imperishable. / Having entered, protect us all: announce [our arrival] to Śaṅkara.

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Act in such a way, O best of gods, that Śaṅkara, emerging, / may look upon us, the gods standing humble and full of devotion.' / Thus addressed by all the gods, the fire-consumer replied: / 'Indeed, O gods, there is nothing improper for me to do on your behalf; / [yet] the supreme Lord of the god of gods is united with Pārvatī; / I have no power to look upon Hara, and you are exceedingly perturbed.

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And your word cannot be transgressed; this is an extreme hardship for me. / I shall enter like a messenger, O gods; I shall perform a great daring deed.' / Having said this, he quickly went to the abode of the matted-haired god.

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There he saw Nandin of supreme might standing at the door, / blocking the doorway, holding a blazing spear. / Seeing him then, looking all around, / [knowing that] 'there is no way for even a tiny creature to enter while he stands [here],' / having considered thus, he went to him alone for refuge; / the fire-consuming god praised Nandin with folded palms:

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'Obeisance to the lord of the gaṇas! Obeisance to the fierce trident-bearer! / Obeisance to the commander of the army! Obeisance always to him whose self is Śarva!'

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Homage to Rudra the deadly poison, homage indeed to Nīlarudra; / homage to […]rudra, and likewise to him who wears damp cloth. / Homage to you, the dream-Rudra; homage to you, the ash-Rudra; / homage to Rudra of the cremation ground; homage to you, Koṭīrudra.

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Homage to Piṅgalarudra; homage to the lord of the Rudras; / homage to Pramatharudra; homage to you, Bhūtarudra.

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Homage to the odd-eyed Rudra, homage to you, Śvetarudra; / homage to you always, O god; homage to you always, O Śiva.

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Homage to you always, O gentle one; homage to you who are affectionate to devotees. / To me who am your devotee, O god, seeking the welfare of the gods,

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grant a boon, O lord of Nandin! Do not be angry with us, O master!’ / Then Nandīśvara spoke to fire standing there and praising him:

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‘I am pleased, O fire, with this devotion of yours, O best of gods. / Speak, O god: what desired thing may I do for you, O fire?

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Then fire said to that Nandin who stood granting a boon: / ‘If you are pleased with me, O god, and if a boon is to be given to me,

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40 sarvātmane - ms. ka. 41 prathamarudrāya - ms. ka. 42 bhaktivatsala - ms. ka. 43 karomyadya - mss. ka, kha. / 419 / O lord of the gods, let me enter on the business of the gods / into the dwelling of the God of gods; let this boon be mine, O all-pervading lord.’

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Nandin replied this to him: ‘This boon is indeed difficult to grant. / You will not be able to see that lord of the gods absorbed in union [with the goddess],

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the great lord together with the goddess, the imperishable creator of the world. / Even so, O fire, this boon must certainly be granted by me to you. / Go, having become very subtle, hard to perceive, O fire; / enter and come out quickly, your act of arrival unnoticed.’ / Permitted by Nandin, fire, filled with joy, / having become a light most subtle together with a ray of the sun,

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entered the dwelling of Śambhu and then entered a jeweled pillar, / illuminating repeatedly that pillar containing a fiery gem.

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There he saw the lord of the gods and the goddess, the ruler of the universe. / Then that carrier of oblations praised the two deities in his mind. / And being thus praised, showing love for the goddess, / Hara looked at the pillar and spoke these words to the goddess: / ‘This jewel of a pillar, O goddess, as if shining, O beloved, / praises me along with you; let me give him an auspicious boon.’

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The goddess said: / ‘Do so, O Mahādeva, to this devotee of yours, O lord of the gods; / grant an excellent boon to him who praises you along with me.’

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The God of gods said: / ‘I am pleased, O you who are within the jewel, by your devotion and humility. / State the purpose as you wish; all that shall come to pass for you.’

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44 praveśo (?). 45 śaktosi - ms. kha. 46 yathāpyeṣa - ms. ka. 47 jātavedo - ms. ka. 48 vahneya - ms. kha. 49 bhāvayat - ms. ka. 50 vacasā - ms. kha. 51 vara eṣa bhaviṣyati - ms. kha. / 420 / Agni said: / ‘The gods standing outside wish to see you, O ruler of the universe. / O lord, act in such a way that they all may see you.’ / The God of gods said: / ‘So be it, O best of gods. Having gone out, I shall grant / darśana to the denizens of heaven, out of a desire to please you, O fire.’ / Having received assent saying ‘So be it’, fire departed from that [pillar]. / Having announced the matter to the gods, he remained fixed in yoga. / Then, stepping out, the lord, the God of gods who bears the Pināka, / went swiftly to the place where the gods were seated together.

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Then, having seen Mahādeva whose banner bears the bull, / all the gods bowed with their heads, delighted, and praised him filled with joy:

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‘Homage to the thousand-eyed one, and to the thousand-footed one; / homage always to the lord of the great, to the lord of the gods.

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Homage to the one delighting in cremation grounds, beautifully dressed in tiger skin, / to the severer of Brahmā's head, and indeed the giver of boons to Viṣṇu. / Homage to the destroyer of Dakṣa's sacrifice, and homage to you, Tryambaka; / homage to the lord of spirits, and to the churner of primordial matter.

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Homage always to the one holding the Pināka in hand, the yogin who is the self of all yoga; / homage to the blue-crested one, and homage indeed to him with his consort.

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Homage to the one detached from desires, and homage indeed to the one attached to desire; / homage to Sarva, to Śarva, to the staff-bearer, to the matted-haired one. / Homage to the one who has become the self of all; grant us that which is in our minds.’ / Thus being praised by all the best of gods, / Mahādeva replied to those gods who stood bowing down:

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52 dadāni - ms. kha. 53 stambhād - ms. kha. 54 namo brahmaśirohartre (?). 55 viṣṇave - mss. ka, kha. 56 namaśśarvāya - ms. kha. 57 sarvāya - ms. kha. 58 muṇḍane - ms. kha. / 421 / ‘I am thoroughly pleased, O gods! Tell me, what may I give to you?’ / Having bowed again, those gods spoke these supreme words:

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‘The boon that was given by you to us at the Svayaṃvara, O lord, O all-pervading one— / together we ask for that; it is fitting for you to give that to us.

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This union of yours with the goddess for the sake of a son, O ruler of the universe, / which has been carried on for many years—bring that to an end! Homage to you!

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Inauspicious omens are being seen, O you of great splendor; / the earth is in distress, O god, and we are terribly agitated.

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Therefore, in such a way that this son is not born in the goddess's body, / and yet may be born, O god, act for us in that manner.’ / Having heard those words of theirs, the God of gods spoke these words: / ‘This great boon has been requested by all the foremost gods; / yet I shall grant it, out of a desire to do what is pleasing to you. / However, this semen has been held by me for a long time;

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look for a place for this, for this excellent [seed] cannot be in vain.’ / Then, addressed thus by the god, those gods, O best of sages, […]

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The gods together, led by Brahmā, became silent.
Then in their midst, the fire said to the lord of the world:
'Offer this supreme fiery splendor into me, O god, protector of the three worlds.'
Then Bhava offered that supreme fiery splendor of his own into the fire.
Having offered it all into him, the supreme lord was pleased.
'Choose a boon, O fire,' said Śaṃkara.

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Then the fire bowed to the lord and requested boons from the almighty:
'I would wish this son of yours to be renowned by my name.

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May I be beyond the reach of curses, and may I see you constantly.
May I bear this with ease and release it [safely], O Śaṃkara.
Even while devouring everything, may I remain untainted, and let there be no sin for me.
May the gods and sacrifices find their support in me, O bearer of the trident!

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May I be a lord of beings, and may I indeed be Paśupati.
May I be your body, your form, and dependent on you.'

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'I desire this boon, O lord of gods, as it is being granted by you.'
Saying 'So be it,' the almighty granted all that to the fire.
Then, dismissing the gods, the god of gods, whose emblem is the bull,
entered the chamber again, and the goddess addressed him:
'Where did you go and then return here so quickly, O lord of the three worlds?
What was that very urgent matter on account of which you went outside?'
Then the lord of gods spoke to Pārvatī, whose face was angry:
'I went quickly, O goddess, having been petitioned by the gods, O beloved,

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who were standing outside, O lotus-petal-eyed one, full of devotion and deeply distressed.'
Then the goddess said to the god, the lord of the entire universe:

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'How, O god, did you know that the denizens of heaven had come and stood outside,
terrified? And who told you, O lord?'
The god of gods said:
'Having entered, O goddess, and stood upon a jeweled pillar,
the fire, praising me, announced all the gods who were standing outside.

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With your consent alone, O goddess, a boon was granted to him by me.'
Then the venerable Pārvatī, enraged, said to Nandin:

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'How did the fire enter while you were standing at the door here, O fool?'
Then, extremely enraged at him, taking the blue lotus placed at her ear,

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which was like a thunderbolt, she hurled it at Nandīśa.
Resembling the twelve suns, that blue lotus blazed forth at that moment.

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Terrible, as if bursting forth, it rushed forward to slay Nandin.
Saying 'Nandīśvara is slain,' Śaṃkara rose up,

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and saying, 'Be auspicious, O blue lotus, quickly!' he caught the blue lotus.
Then goddess Umā too came to her senses:

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'Alas, what a terrible wrong I have done under the sway of anger!
Somehow let not Nandin, the great leader of the Gaṇas, be slain.'

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Then, taking that blue lotus of the ear from the hand of the god,
the goddess threw it swiftly, saying: 'May there be auspiciousness to you, O lake!'

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Having spoken thus, that ear-lotus was then cast by the goddess.
Upon the ridge of the Vindhya mountains, a lake shone there, full of lotuses and water lilies,

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thronged with swans and cranes, adorned with ruddy shelducks,
named Bhadrotpala, near Hemaśṛṅga.

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Bathing there, a man is quickly freed from all sins.
There, gift-giving and libations to ancestors are ever imperishable.

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And a man who dies there attains the same world as Nandīśvara.
Then the goddess, the daughter of the mountain, spoke again to the god:

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'What did the gods say to you, O god, and what kind of boon did they revere?'
Then the lord of gods, whose emblem is the bull, related to the goddess:

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'Petitioned by the gods, O goddess, I went out, O fair-faced one:
"O lord of the universe, this union of yours with the goddess for the sake of a son,

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[Variant readings: 83 'established' – ms. ka; 84 'of that evil-minded one' – ms. kha; 85 'in hearing' – ms. kha; 86 'that blazing blue lotus' – mss. ka, kha; 87 'to Nandin' – ms. ka; 88 'Śaṅkara having stood up spoke' – ms. ka; 'and having stood up, that Śaṅkara' – ms. kha; 89 'was killed sometime?' – ms. kha; 90 'swiftly' – ms. ka; 91 'near the golden peak' – ms. kha; 92 'bathed' – ms. kha; 93 'god' – ms. kha.]

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here thousands of dreadful inauspicious portents are seen.
The whole earth is terrified, and we are exceedingly agitated.

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Therefore, grant this boon: so that a son may not be conceived in the womb of the goddess,
and yet a praiseworthy son may come to be."
Then, O lady, that wondrous fiery splendor was cast into the fire by me for the sake of a son.
Your glorious son will have six heads and twelve eyes.'

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Hearing his word, the mountain-born goddess cursed the immortals:
'Since a son in my body was not desired by those wicked ones,
therefore those gods shall not obtain a son in their own wives.
And the earth also, bewildered, her senses impaired by my curse,
having obtained many husbands, shall never obtain a son.'
Sanatkumāra said:
Then the goddess fell silent after cursing the gods along with Indra,
[she who is] sacred, known by the name Kaiṭabhā, granter of many boons.

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On the golden peak of the Vindhya mountain the auspicious Girijā then took up Her abode;
that is indeed a holy sanctuary, and [there is] a stone named Ramaṇā.
The man who approaches it, O Vyāsa, becomes a leader of Gaṇas upon death.
Then all the gods arrived there along with Agni,
pale, afflicted with agony, bearing embryos, and filled with shame.
Nandī announced to Śaṅkara those [gods] who stood at the door.

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Having entered with his permission, the gods said to the Lord:
"We are not able to endure this splendor, O Lord of the three worlds!

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Save us, O Lord of the realm of the gods, so that we may become free of fever!
Moreover, the asura Andhaka is performing exceedingly severe austerity,
and from that, O Lord, a very great danger threatens us, O all-pervading one!"

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The God of gods said:
"Let there be no fear for you, O gods! I will slay Andhaka,
the excellent son of Hiraṇyākṣa, who has displayed his prowess against you.
And go to the extensive forest situated in the middle of Meru,
holy and twelve yojanas in extent, known by the name Śaravaṇa.
There, O foremost among gods, bursting through your bellies,
that supreme, blazing energy of mine will come forth.
And your bellies, O best of gods, will turn to gold."
Then, having heard his word and having bowed their heads to Bhava,
they went to glorious Meru and that auspicious Śaradhāna [forest],
where, bursting their bellies, that splendor then emerged,
resembling the fire at the end of an era, unbearable to be seen by gods and asuras.
And Meru immediately became glorious and exceedingly charming.
That supreme energy of Maheśvara turned everything golden.
A celestial wind blew, carrying the perfume of flowers of all seasons.
And the bursting incisions in their bellies turned completely into gold.
In heaven, celestial drums sounded of their own accord, unstruck.
Showers of fragrant flowers fell in abundance,
and from invisible beings arose the sound of reverent greetings.
Seeing and hearing such marvels, the best of the gods,
having gone to the wielder of the Pināka, delighted, and reported everything, O you of noble vows,
dismissed by Sthāṇu, went to their own worlds with joyful faces.

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Having heard this excellent speech spoken by the gods full of joy,
pleased in her heart, having learned of the impending birth of her son,
the goddess, granter of boons to the gods, mother of yoga, the creator,
remained there and felt satisfaction in her heart, her lotus feet touched by the heads of the gods.

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Thus ends the seventy-second chapter, named 'The Impending Birth of Skanda', in the Skandapurāṇa.
Vyāsa said:
Whose son was that Andhaka? What was his valor, what was his prowess?
And how was he slain in battle? Tell me all of this!

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Sanatkumāra said:
Listen, O Vyāsa of great intellect, to all this as it happened!
I will tell you the entire ancient story of Andhaka, O twice-born one.

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From Diti were born two sons of Kaśyapa, the two Daityas:
Hiraṇyakaśipu was the elder, and Hiraṇyākṣa was his younger brother.

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The elder there was the king at that time, Hiraṇyakaśipu.
When that hero was slain by the wise Narasiṃha,
Hiraṇyākṣa became the king, revered by all the Daityas.
Sonless, he performed austerity for the sake of a son: such is the sacred tradition.

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Having reached Śaṅkukarṇa at the confluence of the Sindhu and the ocean,
that son of Diti performed austerity to see the Lord who wields the Pināka.

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Vyāsa said:
How did that divine, pure, world-renowned sacred field of Maheśa,
Śaṅkukarṇa, which accomplishes all goals, come to be?
You should explain to me what its fruit and wealth of religious merit are.

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Sanatkumāra said:
Long ago indeed, the blessed Lord, with matted hair, blue and red [in hue],
came to the confluence of the Sindhu and the ocean for the sake of bestowing grace upon the worlds.

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He began to perform an austerity unimaginable to gods and asuras.
Then, in all ten directions, for the sake of protection, the Lord of the world
stationed gaṇapas by the thousands, headed by Nikumbha.
Śaṅkukarṇa had huge fangs, thick eyes, a thick nose,
short legs and hands, a gaping mouth, and a terrifying form,
covered in a tiger's pelt, with a leopard's skin as an upper garment.
Having called near that very mighty leader of the Gaṇas known as Śaṅkukarṇa,
the Blessed One said this:

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"Along with your leaders of the Gaṇas, so that the gods may not enter,
guard the forest accordingly, dear child, for as long as this vow of mine lasts."

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Having thus arranged protection, Mahādeva, whose banner bears a bull,
performed great, terrible, and exceedingly difficult austerity there.
Then all the gods, led by Śakra, arrived there.
Turned back by Śaṅkukarṇa, they did not advance a step further.
The gods said:
"O Gaṇa-chiefs, we have arrived on a mission to see the god
Śarva, the fierce one, with matted hair; therefore reveal him, O sinless ones!
Agitated, not seeing him, we perish, O lords of the Pramathas!"
Śaṅkukarṇa said:
"The Lord cannot be seen by you gods in any way.
Perform austerity, may good betide you, and then you will see Śaṅkara!"

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The gods said:
"Lest there be destruction of the worlds, O leader of the Gaṇas of great splendor,
grant us passage for this reason; grant your favor to us, O Lord!"

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Śaṅkukarṇa said:
"Let the worlds perish, or you yourselves—entrance is not granted.
Even if they are destroyed, the Lord, the master of the world, will create them again.
He alone is the creator of beings; he likewise is their destroyer.
Who, O gods, could destroy the worlds without that all-pervading Lord?

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We do not grant entrance; our command is that of the Supreme Lord."
Having been addressed thus, the gods reflected and went to the assembly of Brahmā.
Then those best of gods reported [the matter] to Brahmā.
Then Brahmā said to the gods: "Once more, O gods, with me,
go to the commanders of the gaṇas, so that I may restore you [to favor]."
Then the gods, together with Brahmā and Viṣṇu,

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came again to that very place where Śaṅkara was staying.
Then that lord of the gaṇas stopped them once more—
Śaṅkukarṇa, the chief of the gaṇas, blazing as if with fiery energy.
Then Brahmā spoke to him these soothing words endowed with purpose:

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"O lord of the gaṇas, there is indeed no wickedness in the gods.
By your grace, let the gods behold the god whose banner bears the bull.
With bowed heads, the gods led by Indra bow down to you;
and I, along with Viṣṇu, entreat you, O lord of the gaṇas."

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Hearing those words of Brahmā, that lord of the gaṇas,
enraged, raised his paṭṭiśa and spoke harsh words:

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"O gods, this prostration of yours is not greater to me [than my duty];
Śambhu's command is superior; there is no entrance whatsoever.
When forbidden, O Brahmā, and appointed for protection,
how can we grant entrance, having transgressed the command of Īśa?"
Having heard those words of that great-souled lord of the gaṇas,
Brahmā went aside, filled with utter shame.

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Then, seeing the Grandfather filled with shame,
all the gods, enraged and their limbs filled with fury, said to the lord of the gaṇas:

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"O chief of the gaṇas, have you no shame? Why do you insult your elder?
Indeed, the one whose banner bears the bull will not praise you for speaking so falsely.
Furthermore, O gaṇa, do not show such disrespect to us;
prepared as we are today, we will not leave you with your life!"
Hearing their words, Śaṅkukarṇa, filled with wrath,
enraged, looked askance at the gods and said:
"Are you my elders, O rulers of the immortals, that I should fear you?
It was only having propitiated Śaṅkara that you attained excellent divinity!

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You, even though best among immortals, are merely gaṇas of the Lord of the gods;
we too are master-yogins, commanders of the gaṇas belonging to that wielder of the trident.
You denizens of heaven are our equals, or even inferior,
because we see the Lord of the gods and attend upon him.
Therefore, we are to be revered by all the gods and are always superior.
Behold, enter fearlessly, O immortals,
so that today you shall see the terrible power of the lords of the gaṇas!
Whatever strength you have, whatever yoga, whatever austerity, and whatever effort—

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display all of that, and then you shall see my power!"
Hearing his words, all the gods, thoroughly arrogant,

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swiftly took up their weapons and rushed at Śaṅkukarṇa.
As those gods, who considered themselves heroes, were charging, O Vyāsa,

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the exceedingly mighty Śaṅkukarṇa seized their power by means of yoga.
With their power checked, all those foremost of gods

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were unable to take a step, and stood motionless like pillars.
When the gods were restrained, Viṣṇu, best among strikers,
rushed with speed toward Śaṅkukarṇa, the lord of the gaṇas.
Then that mighty one paralyzed Viṣṇu's body by means of yoga.

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Employing yoga once more, Viṣṇu, endowed with sovereign majesty,
fought with Śaṅkukarṇa, and he fought back against him.
Between those two lords of yoga who were concentrated in contemplation, O best of sages,
a tremendous battle took place, purely through yoga, with one another.

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Having restrained Viṣṇu, that lord of the gaṇas, dear to Śarva,
most wondrous, fought with my father by means of yoga.
Employing subtle yoga, Brahmā then entered the gross elements.
Into whatever gross element Brahmā, the grandfather of the worlds, entered,
right there in front he beheld Śaṅkukarṇa standing.
Leaving the gross elements, the lord entered the subtle elements;
then the Grandfather entered the senses, the principles, and the states of being.
Everywhere, that yogic soul beheld the exceedingly powerful Śaṅkukarṇa
with a massive head, established in supreme yoga.
Then, in the meantime, O Vyāsa, of the god of gods, the trident-wielder,

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a divine period of twelve thousand years elapsed,
and the vow of that great-souled one was completed, O Vyāsa.

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When that vow was completed, Śaṅkara, brilliant like the fire at the end of a cosmic age,
gazed in all directions, as if bringing them to life.

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He saw all those denizens of heaven restrained.
Then the god restrained Śaṅkukarṇa with gentle words alone:

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"My command has been properly carried out by you, my child, O commander of the gaṇas.
Release all these gods; do not dishonor them, O lord of the gaṇas."

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Addressed thus by the god, Śaṅkukarṇa, the leader of the gaṇas, / released all the deities and stood near the god. (57)

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Then all the gods too, filled with supreme shame, / bowed with supreme devotion to the all-pervading lord of the gods of gods. (58) / Then, smiling, the self-knowing god spoke to those who were ashamed, / addressing Viṣṇu in an agreeable tone along with Brahmā: (59) / 'O lords of gods, this leader of gaṇas is ever devoted to my command. / Whatever he has done, let that [offense] pass away from you, O best of gods. / State what must be done, and for what purpose you have come.' (60)

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Brahmā said: / 'Indeed, this glorious Śaṅkukarṇa is a leader of gaṇas by whom our power / was crushed through yoga, O lord of gods; let a boon be granted to him! / And hereafter, may you always grant us your darśana.' (61)

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The god of gods said: / 'By his very name shall this sacred [spot] be famed throughout the worlds, / celebrated as Śaṅkukarṇa, and as auspicious Sthūleśvara. (62)

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[Footnotes: 30 samāpte ca - kha. . 31 samaprabhaḥ - kha . 32 kṣīvayanniva - kha. . 33 ..tāstrān - kha. . 34 nivārayat - ka. . 35 sa proktaḥ - ka . 36 devatān sarvāntasthau - ka kha. . 37 parayānvitā? - kha. 38 paramayānvitāḥ - kha. . 39 tām̐stathā - (?) . 40 sarvaśaḥ - kha. . 41 ... tsadā - ka., śarvaḥ - kha . 42 śūleśvaram - ka. .] / 432 / Measuring one yojana all around, endowed with all sacred fords, / favored with the fruits of all sacrifices, accompanied by the fruits of all gifts, (63) / whoever, having arrived here and prepared a sacrificial caru, shall worship me with care / by fasting for a day and night, shall go to my world. (64) / Whoever performs any vow and lives here for a year, / attaining supreme yoga, shall become equal to Śaṅkukarṇa. (65)

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And whoever, established in a vow, should abandon his life-breaths in this sacred field, / attaining dissolution of the body, shall become a great leader of gaṇas. (66) / An ancestral rite offered here to the ancestors will become imperishable. / And [all of you], endowed with sovereignty, endowed with the power of austerity and yoga, (67)

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shall constantly behold me, O gods; depart free from fever.' / Then, having granted the boon to the gods, the lord Īśvara, (68) / granting constant darśana according to desire, vanished right there. / When that Mahādeva had departed, Brahmā, surrounded by the best of gods, (69) / installed a liṅga there and created numerous sacred fords: / the Daśāśvamedhika sacred ford, the holy Pañcāśvamedhika, (70) / and having created sacred fords for the gods, he departed for his own abode. / This has been told to you, O Vyāsa, at the confluence of the Sindhu and the ocean. (71)

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The supreme abode of the Blessed Lord is sacred and famed throughout the worlds, / crowded with siddhas and cāraṇas, frequented by troops of apsarases, (72)

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rich in many flowers and fruits, constantly echoing with [the calls of] birds. / Having gone into that forest, O Vyāsa, the mighty Hiraṇyākṣa (73)

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practiced austerity for the sake of a son, meditating on the three-eyed god. / Then the god, accompanied by his gaṇas, whose emblem is a bull, (74)

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[Footnotes: 43 yojanamidaṃ - ka. kha. . 44 yobhyāgatya - ka., yobhyāsayā - kha . 45 ca - kha. . 46 puṇyaṃ - ka. . 47 tīrthaṃ - ka. kha. . 48 sagaṇeśo vṛṣadhvajaḥ - kha. .] / 433 / went to the charming peak of the snowy mountain known as Maināka; / there stood the supreme lord of yogins, the eternal supreme Brahman. (75)

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Approaching him then, the goddess stood quietly behind him, / and with her two lotus-like hands closed the two eyes of Śambhu. (76)

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Thinking, 'Does he know or not?' the daughter of the Himavat did so in play. / Then, at that moment, O Vyāsa, the world became blind, (77)

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unseeable indeed because of darkness, just as it had been of old. / Thereupon the god, realizing it, created a third imperishable eye (78) / located upward on his forehead, radiating equal brilliance to the fire at the end of an aeon. / By the radiance of that eye, that mountain was reduced to ashes. (79)

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Pārvatī, seeing her father thus burnt by the wielder of the Pināka, / withdrew her two hands and stood despondent beside her husband. (80)

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Then the god, seeing Umā with a dejected face, / looked once again upon that mountain with a gentle eye. (81)

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The moment it was seen by him in that way, it became just as it had been of old. / Seeing her imperishable father restored to his natural state, / the daughter of the king of mountains, with a cheerful face, bowed and spoke to her husband: (82)

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'Why, O god, was this mountain reduced to ashes by you? / And why, O lord, was it restored to its natural state once more?' (83)

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Hearing those words of hers, the supreme lord said: / 'O goddess, at the time when my eyes were shut by you, (84)

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all the worlds became blind, enveloped then in darkness. / Therefore, O goddess, to bring light, this eye was manifested by me (85) / on the forehead, an immense one, by which this best of mountains was burnt. / And noticing you distressed, O auspicious one, because of the destruction of your father, (86)

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[Footnotes: 49 iti (?) . 50 bhasmasādbhavat - ka. kha. . 51 tasmina - kha. . 52 śailamapaśyat - kha . 53 athavā ( athāsau?) - kha. . 54 sā - kha . 55 netramunmīlayāvṛtaṃ - kha. .] / 434 / he was restored to his natural state again, O slender-waisted lady, for your pleasure. / And while this world was enveloped in intense darkness on all sides, (87) / [a boy named] Andha was born, O goddess, by my power in just that manner. / I will give that son to Hiraṇyākṣa, who is performing austerities.' (88)

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Having spoken thus, the Blessed Lord, taking Andha and surrounded by his gaṇas, / arrived at the confluence of the Sindhu and the ocean, and spoke to Hiraṇyākṣa: (89)

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'Look at me, O son of Diti! I grant you divine vision. / I am Śarva, arrived here, O daitya; state the boon you desire.' / Arising and bowing with his head to Bhava, / Hiraṇyākṣa quickly requested the boon from the god, saying, 'Grant me a son!' (91)

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The best of gods said to him who was bowed at his feet with his head: / “O tiger among gods, this son of yours will be the eldest of a hundred sons.
O lord of asuras, do not disdain him because he is blind. / He will become great, endowed with the power of austerity and heroism.
He shall not be slain by anyone other than me.” / Then the lord, the god, having given him the auspicious son,

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went back to the delightful peak of Maināka. / Taking along his blind son, that great asura Hiraṇyākṣa too,

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having gone to his own city Aśmakapura, said to his high-minded wife: / “O lady, this son has been given to you by the Lord himself.

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Rear him carefully; do not be negligent at any time.” / Seeing him out of affection, milk flowed from her breasts.

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Being reared in the course of time, that Andhaka grew up. / But when he reached youth, he reflected thus:

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[Apparatus and page number] / “Fie on my life as a blind man! Death alone is better for me, / who, blind, cannot see my home, relations, and kinsmen!
Blessed are those men in the world who walk about by themselves, unperturbed, / having seen face to face their relatives, and conversing with them happily!
There may be use for a clod of earth, for grass, or even for a corpse, / but not for me, though favored! Fie on me, a doer of unpropitious deeds!
Out of love for his son, this father, the daitya, always protects me. / Though I am fit to be killed, depleting his treasury, he does not kill me.
Deluded by affection, he does not know this agony of mine. / I shall myself do what is to be done by the wisest!
Undertaking great austerity, I shall surely become possessed of sight!” / Having thus resolved in many ways, the very wise blind man,
having taken leave of his father together with his mother and bowed to him, / resolute and determined, the wise one departed for austerity.
While being watched for a long time by his father, whose eyes and face were flooded with grief and whose soul was pained with sorrow, / and by his mother, whose face streamed with repeated tears, / crying out in distress at that acute absence from their sight full of anguish and grief, sighing, / meditating upon the god, the lord of Umā, Andhaka went forth from his home to perform austerity.
Thus ends the seventy-third chapter, entitled ‘Departure for Austerity,’ in the story of Andhaka in the Skandapurāṇa.

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Sanatkumāra said: / Then having gone, O best of brahmins, that son of Hiraṇyākṣa then [reached] / Gaṅgādvāra, the auspicious gateway, the unsurpassed hermitage-grove,

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Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit