Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

भवद्भिः किं कृतं पश्चान्मारुतेंतर्हिते सति इत्युक्तवति देवेशे मुनयो ऽवभृथात्परम्

When the Lord of the gods asked, 'What did you do after Vāyu disappeared?' the sages, having completed their ablutions, replied.

गंगातीर्थेस्य गमनं यात्रां वाराणसीं प्रति दर्शनं तत्र लिंगानां स्थापितानां सुरेश्वरैः

They spoke of their journey to the holy places of the Gaṅgā, their pilgrimage to Vārāṇasī, and the sight of the liṅgas established there by the lords of the gods.

अविमुक्तेश्वरस्यापि लिंगस्याभ्यर्चनं सकृत् आकाशे महतस्तस्य तेजोराशेश्च दर्शनम्

They also described their worship, even once, of the liṅga of Avimukteśvara, and their vision of that great mass of light in the sky.

मुनीनां विलयं तत्र निरोधं तेजसस्ततः याथात्म्यवेदनं तस्य चिंतितस्यापि चात्मभिः

They told of the dissolution of the sages there, the merging into the light, and the realization of its true nature, even as conceived by themselves.

सर्वं सविस्तरं तस्मै प्रणम्याहुर्मुहुर्मुहुः मुनिभिः कथितं श्रुत्वा विश्वकर्मा चतुर्मुखः

Having bowed repeatedly, the sages recounted everything in detail to him; hearing what was told, Viśvakarman, the four-faced one, listened.

कंपयित्वा शिरः किंचित्प्राह गंभीरया गिरा प्रत्यासीदति युष्माकं सिद्धिरामुष्मिकी परा

Shaking his head slightly, he spoke in a deep voice, 'The highest success for you all is now at hand.'

भवद्भिर्दीर्घसत्रेण चिरमाराधितः प्रभुः प्रसादाभिमुखो भूत इति भुतार्थसूचितम्

'By you, through a long sacrifice, the Lord has been worshipped for a long time; he is now disposed to grant favor, as the meaning of your actions indicates.'

वाराणस्यां तु युष्माभिर्यद्दृष्टं दिवि दीप्तिमत् तल्लिंगसंज्ञितं साक्षात्तेजो माहेश्वरं परम्

What you saw in Varanasi, shining in the sky, is that very linga, the manifest, supreme, divine radiance of Maheshvara.

तत्र लीनाश्च मुनयः श्रौतपाशुपतव्रताः मुक्ता बभूवुः स्वस्थाश्च नैष्ठिका दग्धकिल्बिषाः

There, sages devoted to Vedic and Pashupata vows, having merged, became liberated, steadfast, resolute, and freed from all sin.

प्राप्यानेन यथा मुक्तिरचिराद्भवतामपि स चायमर्थः सूच्येत युष्मद्दृष्टेन तेजसा

By means of this, liberation will soon come to you as well; this is the meaning indicated by the radiance you witnessed.

तत्र वः काल एवैष दैवादुपनतः स्वयम् प्रयात दक्षिणं मेरोः शिखरं देवसेवितम्

Now the destined time has arrived for you; go at once to the southern peak of Meru, revered by the gods.

सनत्कुमारो यत्रास्ते मम पुत्रः परो मुनिः प्रतीक्ष्यागमनं साक्षाद्भूतनाथस्य नंदिनः

There dwells Sanatkumara, my exalted son, a great sage, awaiting the arrival of Nandi, the lord of beings, in person.

पुरा सनत्कुमारोपि दृष्ट्वापि परमेश्वरम् अज्ञानात्सर्वयोगीन्द्रमानी विनयदूषितः

Long ago, even Sanatkumara, though he saw the Supreme Lord, out of ignorance and pride as master of all yogis, failed in proper respect.

अभ्युत्थानादिकं युक्तमकुर्वन्नतिनिर्भयः ततो ऽपराधात्क्रुद्धेन महोष्ट्रो नंदिना कृतः

He did not perform the proper acts of rising and greeting, being fearless and lacking humility; for this offense, Nandi, enraged, turned him into a great camel.

अथ कालेन महता तदर्थे शोचता मया उपास्य देवं देवीञ्च नंदिनं चानुनीय वै

After a long time, grieving for that reason, I worshipped the Lord, the Goddess, and earnestly appeased Nandi.

कथंचिदुष्ट्रता तस्य प्रयत्नेन निवारिता प्रापितो हि यथापूर्वं सनत्पूर्वां कुमारताम्

By great effort, his camel form was somehow removed, and Sanatkumara was restored to his original youthful state.

तदाह च महादेवः स्मयन्निव गणाधिपम् अवज्ञाय हि मामेव तथाहंकृतवान्मुनिः

Then Mahadeva, smiling, spoke to the lord of the ganas: 'Because he disrespected me, the sage acted with such pride.'

अतस्त्वमेव याथात्म्यं ममास्मै कथयानघ ब्रह्मणः पूर्वजः पुत्रो मां मूढ इव संस्मरन्

Therefore, you alone must reveal my true nature to him, O sinless one; though he is the eldest son of Brahma, he remembers me as if deluded.

मयैव शिष्यते दत्तो मम ज्ञानप्रवर्तकः धर्माध्यक्षाभिषेकं च तव निर्वर्तयिष्यति

I myself have given him as your disciple, to be initiated into knowledge by you; he will also perform your consecration as overseer of dharma.

स एवं व्याहृतो भूयस्सर्वभूतगणाग्रणीः यत्पराज्ञापनं मूर्ध्ना प्रातः प्रतिगृहीतवान्

Thus addressed, the leader of all beings accepted the command with bowed head at dawn.

तथा सनत्कुमारो ऽपि मेरौ मदनुशासनात् प्रसादार्थं गणस्यास्य तपश्चरति दुश्चरम्

So too, Sanatkumara, by my instruction, is performing severe austerity on Meru for the sake of this gana's favor.

द्रष्टव्यश्चेति युष्माभिः प्राग्गणेशसमागमात् तत्प्रसादार्थमचिरान्नंदी तत्रागमिष्यति

You must see him before meeting Ganesha; soon, for the sake of his favor, Nandi will come there.

इति सत्वरमादिश्य प्रेषिता विश्वयोगिना कुमारशिखरं मेरोर्दक्षिणं मुनयो ययुः

Thus instructed urgently by the lord of yogis, the sages went to Kumara's peak on the southern side of Meru.

तत्र स्कंदसरो नाम सरस्सागरसन्निभम् अमृतस्वादुशिशिरस्वच्छा गाधलघूदकम्

There is a lake called Skanda-saras, vast as the ocean, with nectar-sweet, cool, clear water, both deep and shallow.

समंततः संघटितं स्फटिको पलसंचयैः सर्वर्तुकुसुमैः फुल्लैश्छादिताखिलदिङ्मुखम्

All around, it is bordered by heaps of crystal rocks, and its shores in every direction are covered with blooming flowers of all seasons.

शैवलैरुत्पलैः पद्मैः कुमुदैस्तारकोपमैः तरंगैरभ्रसंकाशैराकाशमिव भूमिगम्

With moss, blue lotuses, red lotuses, and white water lilies resembling stars, with waves shining like clouds, it was as if the sky itself had descended to earth.

सुखावतरणारोहैः स्थलैर्नीलशिलामयैः सोपानमार्गौ रुचिरैश्शोभमानाष्टदिङ्मुखम्

With pleasant places for entering and exiting, and landings made of blue stone, the beautiful stairways and paths shone in all eight directions.

तत्रावतीर्णैश्च यथा तत्रोत्तीर्णश्च भूयसा स्नातैः सितोपवीतैश्च शुक्लाकौपीनवल्कलैः

There, those who had descended and those who had emerged, having bathed, wore white sacred threads and pure white loincloths and bark garments.

जटाशिखायनैर्मुंडैस्त्रिपुंड्रकृतमंडनैः विरागविवशस्मेरमुखैर्मुनिकुमारकैः

With matted hair topknots, with shaven heads, adorned with three horizontal lines, their faces smiling in detachment, there were young ascetics.