स मां श्यामलवर्णेति बहुशः प्रोक्तवान्भवः भर्त्ता भूतपतिर्वश्यः कथं स्यादिति मे तपः
He repeatedly called me 'the dark-hued one'; 'How may the Lord of beings become my obedient husband?'—for this was my penance.
त्वदीयं वचनं श्रुत्वा वरार्हो वरदः प्रभुः
Hearing your words, the Lord, bestower of boons and worthy of boons, said—
कियता चैव कालेन वांछासिद्धिर्भविष्यति
In how much time will the fulfillment of your desire come to pass?
एतच्छ्रुत्वा त्वया वाक्यं ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः 5.2.55.
Hearing this statement of Brahmā, the Supreme Lord, from you—
क्रोधात्सिंहः समुद्भूतो वदनात्ते भयावहः
From your anger, a lion arose from your mouth, terrifying to behold.
प्रोद्धूतवल्गुलांगूलो दंष्ट्रोत्कटमुखोत्कटः
Its tail was raised and bristling, its mouth fierce with protruding fangs.
सोऽपि सिंहः क्षुधाविष्टस्त्वां भक्षयितुमुद्यतः
That lion, overcome by hunger, rose up to devour you.
स दह्यमानः सहसा तेजसा तपसा तव
He was suddenly scorched by the power and austerity of your penance.
ततस्तवाभूत्करुणा सिंहं प्रति यतव्रते
Then compassion arose in you, O one devoted to vows, towards the lion.
उत्पादितं स्तनाभ्यां तु तस्य सिंहस्य कारणात
For the sake of that lion, nourishment was produced from your breasts.
तेनोक्तं दह्यमानेन मातर्दग्धोस्मि तेजसा
Burning, he spoke: 'Mother, I am scorched by your radiance.'
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा दुःखितस्य सुतस्य तु
Hearing those words of your sorrowful son,
अधमं विद्यते क्षेत्रं महाकालवनं सुत 5.2.55.
There exists a lowly field, the great Kāla forest, O son.
कंटेश्वरस्य देवस्य समीपे लिंगमुत्तमम्
Near the supreme liṅga of the god Kaṇṭheśvara,
अंधकासुरयुद्धे वै पीडिते वासवे पुरा
In the battle with Andhaka Asura, when Indra was afflicted in ancient times,
गतो महाकालवनं दृष्टो देवोऽथ तत्क्षणात्
He went to the great Kāla forest and saw the deity at that very moment.
ममत्वात्तस्य लिंगस्य त्वं गता तत्र पार्वति
Out of attachment for that liṅga, you went there, O Pārvatī.
दृष्टो दिव्यशरीरस्तु लिंगस्यास्य प्रभावतः
A divine body was seen, due to the power of that liṅga.
कृतं नाम त्वया देवि लिंगस्यास्य वरानने
O goddess, you performed a rite for this liṅga, O beautiful-faced one.
अतः सिंहेश्वरो देवो भुवि ख्यातो भविष्यति उवाच त्वां वरारोहे देवैः परिवृतस्तदा
Therefore, the god Siṃheśvara will become renowned on earth. Surrounded by the gods, he spoke to you, O lovely one.
य एष सिंहः संभूतस्तव क्रोधात्सुतो यतः
This lion, born from your wrath, is your son.
लिंगं सिंहेश्वरं भक्त्या यः पश्यति समाहितः
Whoever, with devotion and concentration, beholds the liṅga of Siṃheśvara,
कीर्तनान्मुच्यते पापाद्दृष्ट्वा भद्राणि पश्यति 5.2.55.
By its praise, one is freed from sin; upon seeing it, one beholds auspicious things.
मनसा चिंतितान्कामांस्तांश्च प्राप्नोति पुष्कलान्
The desires contemplated in the mind, those abundant ones, are attained.
यदा पश्यति सिंहेशं संसारार्णवतारकम्
When one beholds the Lord of Lions, who leads across the ocean of worldly existence,
तेभ्यो भयं न भवति श्रीसिंहेश्वरदर्शनात् तत्फलं जायते सम्यग्दृष्ट्वा सिंहेश्वरं शिवम्
From that vision of glorious Siṃheśvara, there is no fear from those beings; the proper fruit arises upon seeing Siṃheśvara Śiva.
मदीयं लोकमाप्नोति सुरासुरनमस्कृतम्
He attains my world, which is honored by gods and demons.
इत्युक्त्वासौ जगामाथ ब्रह्मा लोके स्वकं प्रिये प्रभावात्तपसस्तस्य गौरत्वं प्राप्तमद्भुतम्
Having spoken thus, O beloved, Brahmā then departed to his own world; by the power of his austerity, he wondrously attained the form of a bull.
एष ते कथितो देवि प्रभावः पापनाशनः
Thus, O goddess, I have told you this glory, which destroys sin.
इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां पंचम आवंत्यखंडे चतुरशीतिलिंगमाहात्म्ये सिंहेश्वरमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम पंचपंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the fifty-fifth chapter, entitled 'The Greatness of Siṃheśvara,' in the section on the eighty-four liṅgas, in the fifth Avanti division of the eighty-eight-thousand-verse Mahāpurāṇa called the Skanda.