Adhyaya 355
Īśvara instructs Devī to go to Devaguptēśvara in Prabhāsa-kṣetra, indicating that it lies toward the west–northwest. The chapter frames the shrine through the legend of Soma (the Moon), who, ashamed of a leprosy-like skin affliction (kūṣṭha) and bodily wasting (kṣaya), remains hidden there and undertakes severe austerities. After a long period of ascetic practice—one thousand divine years—Śiva manifests directly. Pleased, he removes Soma’s wasting condition and frees him from the disease. Soma then establishes a great liṅga, revered alike by gods and asuras. The name Guptēśvara is explained as arising from Soma’s “hidden” (gupta) austerities. The text proclaims the liṅga’s remedial power: mere sight or touch dispels skin disease, and Monday worship (Somavāra) is especially praised, with the promise that within the worshipper’s lineage none will be born with leprosy. The closing colophon identifies this chapter as the Guptēśvara-māhātmya within the Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya of the Prabhāsakhaṇḍa.
Shlokas
Verse 1
ईश्वर उवाच । ततो गच्छेन्महादेवि देवगुप्तेश्वरं प्रिये । तत्र पश्चिमवायव्ये यत्र सोमोऽकरोत्तपः
Īśvara said: Then, O Great Goddess, beloved, one should go to Devagupteśvara. There, in the western–northwestern quarter, is the place where Soma (the Moon) performed austerities.
Verse 2
गुप्तो भूत्वा कुष्ठरोगाल्लज्जयाधोमुखः स्थितः । दिव्यं वर्षसहस्रं तु प्रभासक्षेत्र उत्तमे
Afflicted with leprosy, he stayed hidden, his face lowered in shame, for a thousand divine years—there in the most excellent Prabhāsa Kṣetra.
Verse 3
ततः प्रत्यक्षतां यातः सर्वदेवपतिः शिवः । तुष्टो बभूव चंद्रस्य क्षयनाशं तथाऽकरोत्
Then Śiva, the Lord of all the gods, became manifest. Pleased, he brought Candra’s wasting decline to an end.
Verse 4
क्षयरोगविनिर्मुक्तस्ततोऽभून्मृगलांछनः । प्रतिष्ठाप्य महालिंगं सुरासुरनमस्कृतम्
Freed from the wasting disease, he then came to be known as Mṛgalāñchana. Having established a great Liṅga, revered by both gods and asuras, he set it forth for worship.
Verse 5
गुप्तस्तेपे तपो यस्मात्तस्माद्गुप्तेश्वरः स्मृतः । सर्वकुष्ठहरो देवो दर्शनात्स्पर्शनादपि
Because he performed austerities in secrecy, he is remembered as Guptēśvara. That God removes every form of leprosy—by mere sight of him, and even by touch.
Verse 6
सोमवारे विशेषेण यस्तल्लिंगं प्रपूजयेत् । तस्यान्वयेऽपि देवेशि कुष्ठी कश्चिन्न जायते
O Goddess, whoever worships that Liṅga—especially on a Monday—will have no one in their lineage born afflicted with leprosy.
Verse 354
इति श्रीस्कान्दे महा पुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां सप्तमे प्रभासखण्डे प्रथमे प्रभासक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये गुप्तेश्वरमाहात्म्यवर्णनंनाम चतुष्पञ्चाशदुत्तरत्रिशततमो ऽध्यायः
Thus ends the three-hundred-and-fifty-fifth chapter, entitled “The Description of the Greatness of Guptēśvara,” in the first Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya of the seventh book, the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa, within the Śrī Skanda Mahāpurāṇa of eighty-one thousand verses.