Skanda Purana
by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words
This page describes Greatness of Agastyashrama Gangeshvara which is chapter 285 of the English translation of the Skanda Purana, the largest of the eighteen Mahapuranas, preserving the ancient Indian society and Hindu traditions in an encyclopedic format, detailling on topics such as dharma (virtous lifestyle), cosmogony (creation of the universe), mythology (itihasa), genealogy (vamsha) etc. This is the two hundred eighty-fifth chapter of the Prabhasa-kshetra-mahatmya of the Prabhasa Khanda of the Skanda Purana.
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Chapter 285 - Greatness of 础驳补蝉迟测腻艣谤补尘补 骋补峁単别艣惫补谤补
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
莫艣vara said:
1-4. Thereafter, O great goddess, a pilgrim should go to the river Nya峁卥umat墨. There in the excellent Go峁ada 罢墨谤迟丑补 he shall perform 骋补测腻艣谤腻诲诲丑补.
He then should visit the deity 痴补谤腻丑补. From there he should go to Harig峁沨a shrine. There he should take his holy bath in the confluence of Nya峁卥umat墨 and the ocean and adore the Mothers. Then he should go to the east to the divine hermitage of Agasti remembered as 碍峁诲丑腻hara.
It was here that the holy Lord, Sage Agastya, killed Ilvala and 痴腻迟腻辫颈 and released the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉 from the dangers arising from them. Then he gave them that abode (region).
5. Know that this excellent 础驳补蝉迟测腻艣谤补尘补 is a favourite of Agasti. It is situated on the charming banks of Nya峁卥umat墨 destructive of all sins.
The Dev墨 s膩id:
6. What for was 痴腻迟腻辫颈 killed here by Agasti? What powerful influence did that 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺-slayer Daitya exercise here? Why did the noble-souled Agasti become furious?
莫艣vara said:
7. O lady of excellent complexion, there was a leading Daitya named Ilvala formerly in the city of 惭补峁噄尘补迟墨[1]. 痴腻迟腻辫颈 was his younger brother.
8. That Daitya used to meet a 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 equipped with the power of penance and tell him, 鈥淥 holy lord, may your holy self present me with a son on a par with Indra.鈥�
9. At that, the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 did not like to grant him such a son. Therefore, the Daitya became extremely angry with that 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺.
10. That Daitya went to 笔谤补产丑腻蝉补 碍峁迟谤补 with evil intentions. Instantly 痴腻迟腻辫颈 who could assume any guise he chose, took the form of a sheep.
11. He used to cut and consecrate him to feed the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉 he wished to kill. After returning home he used to call orally once again the brother who had vanished.
12. He (痴腻迟腻辫颈) was then visible alive after resuming his physical body. Again this 痴腻迟腻辫颈 was made a goat and well consecrated. After feeding the Br膩hama峁嘺, he called him once again.
13. 痴腻迟腻辫颈 then used to split the sides of the noble-souled 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 and come out of the stomach of the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺. He used to come out laughing.
14. This became his regular practice, O goddess. He used to feed 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉 and come out splitting their bellies. Thus he killed many 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉.
15. All the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉 became extremely frightened. They fled to the hermitage of Agasti and reported this to him:
16-19. 鈥淥 holy Sir, do listen to our words. This is extremely frightening to us. We were invited by Ilvala. There is no doubt that taking his food is our death itself. Hence, O holy lord, save us; we are dejected and distressed. We are out of our minds due to fright.鈥�
The great sage came to 笔谤补产丑腻蝉补 碍峁迟谤补 where the leading Daityas resided. He saw the sinful Daityas engaged in sinful activities.
He noticed that 痴腻迟腻辫颈, the great Asura, was to be turned into a goat and cooked. He said, 鈥淚 am extremely hungry. Give me food.鈥�
20. On being told thus they welcomed the sage. (Ilvala) said: 鈥淥 holy Sir, I shall give you a rich feast. Tell me how much you wish to have for food. I shall get that much cooked.鈥�
Agastya said:
21a. O leading Daitya, cook a little rice. I shall feel satisfied.
21b-22a. Then the leading Daitya said: 鈥淚t is cooked. Please be seated here. Let the food be taken as you please.鈥�
22b. On being told thus, the great sage recited the Aghora Mantra that would destroy even the Kalpas. He occupied the appropriate seat there.
23. Ilvala prepared a heap of cooked rice a hundred Hastas (Hands) high. The leading Daitya laughingly served it to Agastya.
24. Delighted in his mind, Agastya assumed the form and attitude as when he had drunk up the ocean dry and swallowed two mouthfuls.
25. Then he swallowed the entire foodstuffs including 痴腻迟腻辫颈. When Agastya concluded his meal, Ilvala gave the call unto him (痴腻迟腻辫颈) to come out.
26. Then he gave to the noble-souled Agastya the food prepared. He finished up that food including the 顿腻苍补惫补 leaving nothing.
27. In a fist (a fit) of anger (Evidently the word 惭耻峁ａ弓测腻 is a misprint) the great sage reduced Ilvala to ash. Thereupon, shrieking and howling all those Daityas disappeared from the scene.
28. Then Agastya of great splendour invited the leading 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉 and gave unto them that spot of the Daityas filled with Dravyas (cash, valuables etc.).
29. O goddess, the 碍峁诲丑腻 (hunger) of Agastya was dispelled by the 顿腻苍补惫补s. Therefore, that spot of the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉 came to be known by the name 碍峁诲丑腻hara.
30. Not far from that place on the western side is situated the shrine well-known as 骋补峁単别艣惫补谤补. It was installed by 骋补峁単腻.
31. Earlier after eating 痴腻迟腻辫颈, O great goddess, 骋补峁単腻, the destroyer of sins, was called by the noble-souled Agastya, for dispelling the sin arising from consuming the Daitya.
32. Then, O fair lady, 骋补峁単腻, the destroyer of sins, came there. She purified the sage and stationed herself in that holy spot.
33. The charming hermitage of Agastya dispels the fear of men from sins. A devotee is rid of the sin of eating forbidden food, as soon as he sees the 骋补峁単别艣惫补谤补 deity. There is no doubt about it.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
The same as Ilvalapuri or Ellora, Aurangabad Dist., Maharashtra鈥擠e 77, 126.