215 - Greatness of Shaileśhvara

In the text this is given as Jaleśhvara. 

Brahma said: 

1. Then Indra and all other gods decided to start on a search of Shiva. 

2. They all rose from the mountain and moved in the sky along with Nandi. 

3. Wishing to find out Rudra, they moved about in heavens, in the world of Brahma and in the world of serpents. 

4. Searching him in all the seven islands of the earth with their mountains and forests, they became extremely tired, but could not trace him. 

5-6. Not a blade of grass was left out in their intensive search in the caves of mountains and in their high peaks, in the bowers and woods. 

7. But nowhere could they know anything about his whereabouts. 

8. They searched again in spite of disappointment, but became afraid when they could not find him still. 

9. Then they discussed among themselves about their predicament and decided again to seek my help. 

10. I then entered into single-minded concentration on Shiva in order to get a means for finding out where he was. 

11. Then I told them that a serious search has been made everywhere except the Shleşhmātaka forest and we may now go there. 

12. When said thus, they all agreed and we proceeded to that place. 

13. Soon we reached there in quickly moving aerial cars and saw the Shleşhmätaka forest resorted to by Siddhas and Charaņas. 

14. There were in it many beautiful and pure places for meditation. 

15. Near the penance groves and the caves there were beautiful streaks of forests and brooks with clear water. 

16. The place was full of sounds of lions, tigers, bisons, bears, bulls, monkeys, elephants and deer. 

17-18. Leaving the chariots and other vehicles, they all walked to the place led by Indra with a view to finding out Rudra anywhere in the caves, peaks or thickets. 

19-21. As the gods entered one part of the forest full of plantain groves and flowering trees, they saw a stream and in its sands white like the swan, jasmine and moon, smelling sweet with the fragrance of flowers and honey, a beautiful damsel playing in the sand resembling powdered pearl. 

22. Seeing this, they asked me, being the first among them, how this could be. 

23. Meditating for a while, I could know that she was none other than Umā, the universal goddess, the daughter of Himavän. 

24. Then they all climbed up the pcak, and on looking down, saw the great lord (Shiva) there. 

25. He was in the midst of a herd of dccr as if their protec tor, having but one horn and onc foot, lustrous like molten gold.

26. With beautiful face, eyes and teeth, having white dotes on the back, silverwhite on the belly.

27. With stout and raised up waist and neck and bent shoul ders, rosy lips, brown tongue and slightly projecting canines. 

28. Seeing that deer, all the gods quickly descended there to catch hold of it. 

29. The tip of its horn was caught by Indra, the middle by me and the lower part by Vişhņu. 

30. Then the horn broke into three pieces. 

31. The tip was in the hand of Indra, tlic middle in mine and lower part in Vishnu's hand. 

32. When the horn was thus in our hands in three pieces, the lord naturally became hornless. 

33. Hc instantly became invisiblc and spoke to us from the sky. “O gods, know that you are deceived by me. 

34. I am here with my body. You got my horn alone. So I say you are deceived. 

35. If you had caught hold of me with the entire body and placed me then the whole dharma with its four feet would have been established. 

36. Now, O you gods, you may install the pieces of the horn here in this Sleşhmätaka forest for the sake of the world. 

37. There will be great sanctity in this place because of my prowess. 

38. For my sake the tirthas in the world and rivers and the sea will make their presence here. 

39. I will emerge by myself from earth in holy Nepal at the foot of the Himalaya.

40. With four faces and resplendent head and body, known as Sharireśha in all the three worlds. 

41. There I will remain within the water in the deep pond known as Nāgahrada for thirty thousand years. 

42. When Krişhna who will be born in the clan of the Vrushnis, smashes the mountain with his disc at the request of Indra, and kills demons, then that place will become peopled by the Mlecchas. 

43. Then the Kshatriyas born in the solar race will kill them and settle Brahmins there. 

44. They will then establish in that country dharma permanently. 

45. The Kshatriya kings of the solar race will establish in the void the worship of linga. 

46. The place will then become great with Brahmins and all other castes observing different aśhramas in life. 

47. The kings will do their duty well by dharma. 

48. In that place thus well settled, every being will always worship me. Those who see me in that form or duly worship me there, will go to my abode and see me there, being freed from all sins. 

49. Fourteen yojanas of land to the north of Ganga and south of Ashvinīmukha is my region. 

50. River Vagmati rising from the peaks of Himalaya is a hundred times more sacred than Gangā. 

51. Those who bathe there reach my world through the world of Vishnu after death. 

52. Even sinners who live in this place, certainly go to the world of Indra. 

53-54. The gods, demons, Gandharvas, Siddhas, Vidya dharas, Apsarases, sages, Yakşhas and others are deluded by my māyā, and so they are unable to know where I am. 

55. This is known as Siddhakşhetra and is frequented by ascetics for penance. It is superior to Prabhasa, Prayaga, Naimisha, Puşhkara and Kurukshetra. 

56. The great Himavan, my father-in-law is here. 

57. From here arise great rivers like Ganga. In this holy place all rivers are sacred, all springs are sacred, all rocks are sacred. 

58. A hermitage resorted to by Siddhas and Cäraņas will arise here and the spot where I remain will be known as Shaileśhvara. 

59. The river Vågmati flowing from here is very sacred, and (like) river Gangă, cleanses one of all sins. 

60. The utterance of its name brings about purification, its sight confers prosperity, and drinking its water and bath ing in it liberates ten generations in the family. 

61. Those who bathe in this famous tirtha are never reborn after their death. 

62. I raise from the ocean of worldly life those that bathe here every day and worship me. 

63-64. He who takes from here at least one pot of water with devotion and purity of mind, gets the result of performing Agni hotra, particularly if he is learned in Veda and Vedānga. 

65. A spring will arise there because of me. It will be known as Mrugaśhrungodaka and it will be a favourite of ascetics. 

66. Those who bathe there with concentration of mind will get free from all sins they commit. 

67. Those who bathe in the tirtha Pañchanada here gain the merit of performing Agnistoma sacrifice. 

68. Those who guard Vágmati (against defilment) get (the merit of gifting) six thousand cows. 

69. The sinful or the ungrateful shall not go to Vāgmati, but only the pure, the honest and the devoted. 

70. The afflicted, the fear-stricken, the tormented and the diseased get beatitude by bathing in Vägmati. 

71. Those who bathe in Vāgmatī and see me in devotion, get great peace of mind. 

72. By my power the sins of those who bathe here disappear and natural calamities do not affect them. 

73. Those who bathe in the Vagmati (in the particular tīrthas) get the result of Rājasūya and Asvamedha sacrifices. 

74. The place (actually occupied) by me (Rudra) should be taken as one yojana. 

75. At the north-eastern side remains the great serpent Vasuki surrounded by thousands of other serpents. 

76. He will obstruct persons coming to this place. 

77. He should be first saluted. Then there will be no difficulty for those coming here. 

78. He who worships me here in full devotion, becomes a king in this world honoured by all. 

79. He who worships my idol here with sandal and garlands, becomes a god. 

80. He who offers me a lamp in this mountain with due devotion, will be born as a solar deity. 

81. He who renders me service with vocal or instrumental music or dance, uttering praise and keeping awake at night, becomes my own. 

82. He who bathes me with milk, curd, ghee, honey or water, overcomes old age and death. 

83. He who feeds Brahmins in Sraddha with due attention (here) becomes a god honoured by Indra. 

84-85. Those who propitiate me through vows, pilgrimages, offerings of food and offerings in fire with attention, remain in heaven for sixty thousand years and are then born in this world in all prosperity. 

86. Brāhmaṇas, Kshatriyas, Vaiśhyas, Shūdras, and women who resort with devotion to Shailesvara here, get the position of my attendants. 

87. Shaileśhvara is the supreme secret, Shaileśhvara is the supreme resort. There is no place superior to Shailesvara on earth: 

88. Even the man who has incurred the sins of killing a Brahmin, killing a teacher or killing a cow, gets purified by coming to this place. 

89. There are various tīrthas here with various deities, and the touch of water in them removes all sins. 

90. There is the tirtha called Krośhodaka built by the gods by condensing the form extending over a krośha. 

91. By bathing there with purity, self-control and truthfulness, all sins disappear and abundant merit is achieved. 

92. There is Anāśhaka to the south of Shaileśhvara and the person who goes there gets beatitude. 

93. He who throws himself down from there without desire or anger, goes in an aerial car to heaven surrounded by Apsarases. 

94. At the bottom of the precipice there is a tirtha known as Brahmodbheda built by Brahma. Know what merit it gives. 

95. He who bathes there for one year with control of senses, doubtless goes to the world of Brahma. 

96. There is the Gorakşhaka dug by the feet of cows and bulls. Seeing it procures the benefit of a thousand cows. 

97-98. By going to the pcak there called Gaurīśhikhara resorted to by Siddhas and seeing, touching or bowing to the uni versal mother Părvati who remains there for protecting the world, one attains her own world. 

99. He who throws himself down from there to the bank of Vägmati, quickly goes to her world in an aerial car. 

100. He who bathes in the pond called Umästanakunda becomes lustrous like fire and goes to the world of Skanda. 

101. By bathing in Pañchanada resorted to by great sages, the merit of Agnihotra is obtained. 

102. He who makes others bathe there, will be reborn with memory of his previous lives. 

103. To the north of this is another tirtha resorted to by the pious called Prantakapāniya guarded by Guhyakas. 

104. He who bathes there for one year, becomes a Guhyaka and an attendant of Rudra. 

105. To the north-east of this temple of Parvati and to the south of Vagmati, there is a holy tirtha called Brahmodaya into which water flows from a cave. 

106. By touching its water, sprinkling it over the body or bathing in it, one avoids seeing the world of death and is never put to any misery. 

107. By bathing with due rites in the Sundarikātirtha, one attains beauty and brilliance.

108. By worshipping Sandhya there during the three times of the day, a Brahmin gets free from all sins. 

109-110. The pure Brahmin who remains for a whole day and reciting Rudradhyaya at the confluence of Vāgmati and Manivati, becomes a learned man well-versed in Vedas and liberates his entire family. 

111. Even if a person belonging to an inferior caste bathes there and offers water with sesamum, no doubt, propitiates his manes. 

112. By bathing anywhere in the Vāgmati, one avoids taking birth as an animal, and becomes born in an affluent family. 

113. The wise man may go to this confluence of Vāgmatī and Manivati with his mind free from desire and anger. 

114. And bathing there, he will acquire ten times the merit of bathing in the place of the emergence of Gangå. 

115. This is frequented by Vidyadharas, Siddhas, Gandharvas, sages, gods, Yakşhas and serpents for bath. 

116. Even a little money given to Brahmins here, produces eternal merit. 

117. The deities should be worshipped here with all effort, because there is no holy place superior to this. 

118-119. In this holy Sleşhmätaka forest resorted to by the gods, wherever I have, in my form as decr, moved about, stood, slept or played, all that has become particularly sacred. 

120. This horn broken into three will become famous in the world as Gokarneśhvara. 

121-122. Thus telling gods, the great Lord, still remaining invisible to them, bounded to the north.