Indra’s Stotra to Śiva and the Devī (Brahma Purāṇa)

Indra Kṛta Śiva-Śakti Stotra · indra kṛta śiva-śakti stotra, “the stotra to Śiva and Śakti sung by Indra”

Indra’s Stotra to Śiva and the Devī is the praise Indra, ruler of the devas, offered on the bank of the Gautamī Gaṅgā in the Daṇḍaka forest, when the daitya Mahāśani had defeated and shamed him. It is found in the Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 59 (verses 68–81), where Brahmā tells it to Nārada. Indra first praises Bhagavān Śiva, the bearer of the Pināka, as the one who creates, protects and withdraws the universe by his own māyā while remaining untouched by it. Then he tells how the trivarga and all the miseries of the world rose from the head of Brahmā, how Śiva asked the Devī to protect the crumbling universe, and how from the drops of sweat that fell from her fingertips came Dharma, Lakshmī and every good thing. He ends with a prayer to the Devī, mother of the universe, and a namaskāra to the one beautiful body of Śiva and Śakti. Bhagavān Śiva appeared to him at once and sent him to worship Bhagavān Vishṇu, and by the grace of both and of the Gaṅgā the being Abjaka rose from the water and slew Mahāśani.

The setting

Brahmā tells Nārada that there was a mighty ancestor of the daityas named Hiraṇya, who by tapas became invincible to all the devas. His son Mahāśani, whose wife was Aparājitā, was just as hard for the devas to conquer. A long battle went on between Mahāśani and Indra. Each time Mahāśani defeated Indra together with his elephant, bound him and handed him to his father, and Hiraṇya kept Indra under guard in the nether worlds. Mahāśani then marched against Varuṇa, who gave him his daughter Vāruṇī and his own abode in the ocean, and the two became friends. With the universe left without Indra, the devas went to Bhagavān Vishṇu. Vishṇu said, “Mahāśani cannot be killed by me,” and went to Varuṇa, the father-in-law of Mahāśani, and asked him to bring about Indra’s release.

At Varuṇa’s request Mahāśani gave Indra back, but with bitter taunts: “Your valour is useless. You lost your vajra, the jewel Cintāmaṇi, the garden Nandana and the apsarās, and you were set free only through the ruler of the waters. Why are you not ashamed? From now on Varuṇa is your guru and you are his śishya; behave as his servant, or I will hurl you into the nether worlds again.” Laughing again and again, he sent Indra away.

Indra went home overwhelmed by shame and told his wife everything. Indrāṇī, the daughter of Puloman, told him that Mahāśani was her cousin, made proud by the varas Brahmā had given him for his tapas. “There is nothing that cannot be achieved by tapas, by yajña, or by devotion to Vishṇu and to Śiva, the ruler of the worlds,” she said. “The only refuge of the helpless, drowned in the ocean of misery, is Bhagavān Śiva, or Bhagavān Vishṇu, or Mother Gaṅgā.” She told him that a rite done together with one’s wife bears everlasting fruit, and asked him to go with her to the Gautamī in the Daṇḍaka forest, the river that subdues pāpa and grants every desire.

Saying “So be it”, Indra went to the Gautamī with his wife and his guru, meaning to perform tapas to Śambhu, ruler of the devas. He bowed to the Gaṅgā, took the holy bath, joined his palms, and taking refuge in Śiva alone, recited this stotra.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 59

The stotra

To Śiva, the bearer of the Pināka. “May that bearer of the Pināka (Pinākadhṛk) be pleased with us: the one who by his own māyā creates, protects and devours the whole universe of moving and unmoving beings, yet is not bound by it; who is one, independent, and of the very nature of non-dual knowledge and bliss.”

To the consort of Pārvatī. “May that consort of Pārvatī be pleased with me: whose truth even Sanaka and the other knowers of the secret teaching of Vedānta do not know; who grants every desire; who is the enemy of Andhaka.”

The head of Brahmā. “The self-born one, Śiva, created Brahmā and saw his terrible head. He plucked it off with the tips of his nails, and when it clung to his nails he hurled it away. From it arose the three aims of life, dharma, kāma and artha. From it were born also pāpa, poverty, greed, begging, delusion and adversity, and from them endless other things took shape. They grew powerful and bore the marks of worldly misery, and this whole visible world is pervaded by them.”

Śiva’s words to the Devī. “Seeing all this, the ruler of the devas turned to the Devī and said: ‘The whole universe is crumbling. O Devī of the worlds, protect it. O mother of the worlds, sole refuge, gentle one, fortunate one, giver of varas (varadā), foundation of the universe, be victorious. You are the enjoyment of the world (bhukti); you are concentration (dhāraṇā); you are the highest moksha. You were Svāhā, Svadhā and Svasti, the first siddhi, speech and intellect, O immortal Devī, ever free from old age. At my word, protect the three worlds. They shall be created by you alone, as varied and wonderful as the world Prakṛti created.'”

The Devī’s sweat. “Told thus by Bhagavān Śiva, his beloved drew close to embrace him and speak lovingly with him. She clung to half of Śiva’s body, and drops of sweat fell from her fingertips. From those drops came, first of all, Dharma; then Lakshmī; dāna; good rain; animals of rich variety; lakes; grains; flowers; fruits; all that brings the happiness of marriage (saubhāgya); good bearing, dress and conduct; the great healing herbs (oshadhis) joined with adornment and love; dances; songs; amṛta; the Purāṇa; the Vedas; the Smṛtis; nīti; food; drinks; weapons; the śāstras; household vessels; wondrous arrows; tīrthas; forests; yajñas; works for the good of all (pūrta); auspicious vehicles; splendid ornaments; and elegant seats.”

To the Devī, mother of the universe. “By your union with Bhava, and through your tejas, your laughter, your sweat, your gentle words and your other secret acts and ways, O Devī, the whole world of moving and unmoving beings became free of pāpa, and so did everything born from them. Happiness is abundant and auspiciousness shines forever, because of your love, O Devī. So, O mother of the universe, O chief of the worlds, save me: I am afraid of saṃsāra.”

The closing namaskāra. “Some become foolish through subtle arguments; others merge in it. I bow to that non-dual, beautiful body of Śiva and Śakti.”

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 59

Śiva’s grace

Even as Indra was praising thus, Bhagavān Śiva appeared before him and said, “Indra, what do you desire? Tell me the best thing you need.” Indra said: “My enemy is very powerful; he is like the vajra. I have been imprisoned, carried off to the nether worlds and pierced by words sharp as arrows. Give me the vīrya by which I can conquer him, and whatever else will destroy him. If he is destroyed, I will count myself born again. Renown is better than victory and splendour.”

Bhagavān Śiva answered: “Your enemy cannot be slain through me alone. Worship Vishṇu, the unchanging one, too: with your mind fixed on nothing else, worship Janārdana Nārāyaṇa, the sole refuge of the three worlds, together with your wife. Then you will gain what you wish through him and through me.” He added that mantra, tapas and yoga bring siddhi at any confluence, and far more at the confluence of the Gautamī with the ocean; and that on the southern bank of the Gaṅgā lived the great ṛshi Āpastamba, whose mind was fixed on the feet of Mukunda and with whom Śiva too was pleased.

Indra bathed at the confluence of the Phenā and the Gaṅgā and, with Āpastamba, praised Janārdana on the southern bank with many Vedic mantras and with tapas. Bhagavān Vishṇu was pleased and asked, “What should be given?” “A slayer of my enemy,” said Indra, and Janārdana answered, “Know that it is already granted.” By the grace of Śiva, Vishṇu and the Gaṅgā a being rose from the water, bearing the form of both Śiva and Vishṇu, with the triśūla and the cakra in his hands. He went to the nether worlds and slew Mahāśani. He is called Abjaka, “born of water”, and Vṛshākapi, and he became Indra’s friend. Indra told Śacī that there is nothing like the knowledge of the non-difference of Śiva and Vishṇu for gaining dharma, artha, kāma and moksha and for removing pāpa.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 59

The phala

At Indra‘s request, granted by the devas and ṛshis, the place of this account became a tīrtha, with Śaṅkara as Indreśvara on one bank and Bhagavān Janārdana in Abjaka on the other. Brahmā gives its phala:

• Merely by bathing there, one attains moksha together with one’s pitṛs of five generations.
• Whatever is given there to those who ask, even a sesame seed, gives everlasting fruit, grants every desire and gives moksha.
• This account of Vishṇu and Śambhu brings wealth, fame, long life, health and puṇya, and gives moksha through jñāna and the holy bath.
• Those who read or hear the glory of this tīrtha gain puṇya and the remembrance of Śiva and Vishṇu, which destroys all pāpas, the very thing ṛshis who have conquered the senses seek.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 59

Sources

• Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 59