मृगयारसिकेनैव मूढेन च दुरात्मना । पापाचारोह्यहं नित्यं कथं स्वर्गे वसाम्यहम्
Being fond of hunting, foolish and wicked, I have always acted sinfully. How can I dwell in heaven?
कथं लिगार्चनं चाद्या कृतमस्ति तदुच्यताम् । परं कौतुकमापन्नः पृच्छामि कृपया वद
How was the worship of the liṅga performed today? Please tell me, for I am filled with great curiosity and ask you kindly.
वीरभद्र उवाच। देवदेवो महादेवो यो गंगाधरसंज्ञकः । परितुष्टोऽद्य ते चंड सभार्यस्य उमापतिः
Vīrabhadra said: The god of gods, the great god known as Gaṅgādhara, is pleased with you today, O fierce one, together with your wife, the lord of Umā.
प्रासंगिकं त्वया चाद्य कृतमर्चनमेव च । कोलं निरीक्षमाणेन बिल्वपत्राणि चैव हि
Today you performed incidental worship, while observing the kola tree and bilva leaves.
छेदितानि त्वया चंड पतितानि तदैव हि । लिंगस्य मस्तके तानि तेन त्वं सुकृती प्रभो
You cut and dropped those leaves, O fierce one, and they fell upon the head of the liṅga. By that, you are blessed, O lord.
तवैवं जागरो जातो महावृक्षोपरि ध्रुवम् । तेनैव जागरेणैव तुतोष जगदीश्वरः
Your wakefulness atop the great tree was thus established. By that very wakefulness, the lord of the universe was pleased.
छलेनैव महाभाग कोलसंदर्शनेन हि । शिवरात्रिदिनं व्याध प्रसंगेनाप्युपोषितम्
O highly fortunate one, by mere pretense—by showing the kola fruit—on the night of Shiva, even unintentionally, the hunter observed the fast.
तेनोपवासेन च जागरेणतुष्टो ह्यसौ देववरो महात्मा । तव प्रसादाय महानुभावो ददाति सर्वान्वरदो वरांश्च
By that fasting and wakefulness, the great-souled, supreme god was pleased; for your sake, the mighty bestower of boons grants all blessings.
एवमुक्तस्तदा तेन वीरभद्रेण धीमता । पुष्कसोऽपि विमानाग्र्यमारुरोह च पश्यताम्
Thus addressed at that time by the wise Virabhadra, Pushkasa too ascended the foremost celestial chariot before the eyes of all.
गणानां देवतानां च सर्वेषां प्राणिनामपि । तदा दुंदुभयो नेदुर्भेरीतूर्याण्यनेकशः
Then, kettledrums resounded, and many kinds of trumpets and musical instruments played among the hosts of gods, deities, and all living beings.
वीणावेणुमृदंगानि लास्यनाट्य युतानि च । जगुर्गंधर्वपतयो ननृतुश्चाप्सरोगणाः 6.154.
Veenas, flutes, and drums accompanied by dance and drama were played; the lords of the Gandharvas sang, and the hosts of Apsaras danced.
चामरैर्विज्यमानो हि छत्रैश्च विविधैरपि । महोत्सवेन महता ह्यानीतः शिवसन्निधौ
Fanned with chowries and shaded by various parasols, he was brought with great festivity into the presence of Shiva.
पुष्कसोऽपि तदा प्राप्तस्तीर्थस्नान शिवार्चनात् । किं पुनः श्रद्धया भक्त्या शिवाय परमात्माने
Pushkasa too, having attained the merit of bathing at the holy place and worshiping Shiva, was blessed—how much more so those who worship Shiva, the supreme soul, with faith and devotion!
पुष्पादिकं फलं गंधं तांबूलाक्षतमेव च । ये प्रयच्छंति लोकेऽस्मिंस्ते रुद्रा नात्र संशयः
Those who offer flowers, fruits, fragrance, betel, or rice grains in this world—there is no doubt, they become Rudras.
महादेव उवाच। तदाप्रभृति तत्तीर्थं खङ्गधारेति विश्रुतम् । एतत्तीर्थं कलौ गुप्तं भविष्यति सुरेश्वरि
Mahadeva said: From that time onward, that holy place has been known as Khangadhara; O queen of the gods, in the Kali age, this tirtha will remain hidden.
माघमासेऽथ वैशाखे कार्तिक्यां च विशेषतः । स्नानं येन प्रकुर्वंति मुक्तास्ते नगनंदिनि
In the months of Magha, Vaishakha, and especially Kartika, those who bathe there, O daughter of the mountain, are liberated.
वसिष्ठो वामदेवश्च भरद्वाजोऽथ गौतमः । स्नानार्थे वै समायांति देवं द्रष्टुं पिनाकिनम्
Vasishtha, Vamadeva, Bharadvaja, and Gautama come there for bathing, to see the god Pinakin.
त्रियुगे वर्त्तते लिंगं कलौ नैव तु पार्वति । विश्वामित्रेण ऋषिणा दत्तशापो ह्यहं तदा
The linga remains there for three yugas, but not in the Kali age, O Parvati; at that time, I was cursed by the sage Vishvamitra.
पार्वत्युवाच। कथं शापस्तु ऋषिणा दत्तश्चैव सुरेश्वर । तदहं श्रोतुमिच्छामि त्वत्तो देव न संशयः
Parvati said: How was the curse given by the sage, O lord of the gods? I wish to hear that from you, O god, without doubt.
महादेव उवाच। एकस्मिन्समये देवि विश्वामित्रो महातपाः । आगतः खङ्गधारेऽस्मिंस्तीर्थे वै परमाद्भुते
Mahadeva said: Once, O goddess, the great ascetic Vishvamitra came to this most wondrous tirtha called Khangadhara.
साभ्रमत्यां कृतस्नानो दर्शनं कृतवान्मम । तत्र तिष्ठति नित्यं वै पूजां कुर्वन्ननेकधा
After bathing there with proper rites, he beheld me and remained there, performing worship in many ways, constantly.
तत्र कोऽपि महादुष्टः कौलिकः पापरुपधृक् । मांसं दत्तं तदा तेन शिवस्योपरि भामिनि
There, a certain most wicked Kaulika, assuming a sinful form, offered meat at that time upon Shiva, O beautiful one.
दृष्ट्वा तदपि मांसं च विश्वामित्रोऽथ वै पुनः । अब्रवीच्च तदा तत्र दुष्कृतं पापिना कृतम्
Seeing that meat as well, Vishvamitra then said there, 'This evil deed has been done by a sinner.'
न दत्तस्तस्य दंडो हि शर्वेण परमात्मना । तस्मादहं हि निश्चित्य शापं दास्ये न संशयः
'No punishment was given to him by Sharva, the supreme soul; therefore, I have resolved to pronounce a curse—there is no doubt.'
विचार्यैवं तदा तेन शप्तोऽहं देवि वै तदा
Thus, having considered in this way, I was then cursed, O goddess, at that time.
अस्मिन्कलियुगे घोरे गुप्तस्त्वं भव सर्वथा । इति दत्वाथ वै शापं गतवान्मुनिसत्तमः
In this terrible Kali Yuga, you must remain completely hidden; having thus pronounced the curse, the eminent sage departed.
तदा प्रभृति भो देवि गुप्तोऽहं ऋषिशापतः । ममस्थाने विशेषेण पूजनं कुरुते यदि
From that time onward, O goddess, I have remained concealed due to the sage’s curse; if someone performs worship at my particular place—
तेषां हि दुरितं यच्च नश्यते तत्क्षणादपि । मृन्मयीं मामकीं मूर्तिं कृत्वा ये पूजयंति वै
Then, whatever sin belongs to them is destroyed instantly; those who make an image of me from clay and worship it—
अत्र स्थाने विशेषेण मामके तु वसंति हि । खङ्गधारेश्वर इति नाम्ना ख्यातः कलौयुगे
Those who dwell especially at my place here are known in the Kali Yuga by the name Khaṅgadhāreśvara.
कृते वै मंदिरं नाम त्रेतायां गौरवः स्मृतः । द्वापरे विश्वविख्यातः कलौ खङ्गेश्वरः स्मृतः
In the Kṛta Yuga, it was called Maṃdira; in the Tretā, it was known as Gaurava; in the Dvāpara, it was renowned everywhere; in the Kali Yuga, it is remembered as Khaṅgeśvara.