Skanda Purana This is the eightieth chapter of the Caturashiti-linga-mahatmya of the Avantya-khanda of the Skanda Purana.
Chapter 80 - Svapneśvara (svapna-īśvara-liṅga) Section 2 - Caturaśīti-liṅga-māhātmya Note: Here the legend of Kalmāṣapāda is used to glorify this Liṅga. Kalmāṣapāda was harassed by bad dreams after devouring Vaśiṣṭha’s son—a demoniac act perpetrated by him under the influence of Śakti’s curse. As per advice of his ministers, he approached Vaśiṣṭha along with them to seek his advice. Adṛśyantī, Śakti’s wife, got terrified at the sight of Kalmāṣapāda. Vaśiṣṭha consoled her. He paralysed the movement of Kalmāṣapāda, freed him from the curse of demonhood and advised him to go to this Liṅga in Mahākālavana. The king did so and was spared such dreams. Hence the Liṅga came to be known as Svapneśvara. Īśvara said: 1. O my beloved, know Svapneśvara Liṅga as the eightieth deity. Merely by visiting it, one can certainly dispel evil dreams. 2-8. O goddess, there was a king born of the Ikṣvāku race. He was famous in the world as Kalmāṣapāda. By his refulgence, he resembled the Sun on the earth. Once he came across Śakti, the bosom-born son of Vaśiṣṭha, in a forest. He was conversant with the highest virtue and he had subdued all the sense-organs. This sage of great penance happened to be on the way the king was going along. “Move away,” said the king to him. Then, out of delusion, the great king, like a demon, struck with his whip that excellent sage who did not keep off from the way. On being struck with the whip the great sage, the son of Vaśiṣṭha, became very furious. He angrily cursed the king: “Since you are injuring a sage like a Rākṣasa, O wretched king, you will become a man-eater from today. You will be constantly wandering over the earth, strongly addicted to meat.” On being cursed thus, the king instantly sought refuge in Śakti and requested him to become pleased. Though the Brāhmaṇa-sage was besought by the king, the highly infuriated Śakti was not pacified. Thereupon the king ate him up. 9-25. After devouring Śakti, he ate up all the other sons of Vaśiṣṭha also suddenly, like a lion devouring puny creatures. Ever since then, the excellent king became a veritable cannibal later. Deluded by a mass of sins, he began to see evil dreams at night. On seeing these terrifying dreams, the king became very distressed. Overwhelmed with repentance and great distress he lamented much. He was enquired by the ministers: “What do you do, O king? How do you appear lean and pale? Wherefore is your lustre dim?” The king narrated to them the evil dreams in the proper sequence: “I have witnessed in the dream the ocean getting dried up and the moon falling on the ground. The earth is enveloped by dense darkness and overspread by clouds. I saw myself dirty and with dishevelled hair. I saw myself falling from the peak of a mountain into an eddy of cow-dung and drank Añjalifuls of oil, laughing all the while. All my limbs were smeared with oil. I waded through oil. With the face downcast, I sat on an iron stool. Some maidens red in complexion, wearing red garlands and smeared with red pastes, were singing. Others were clad in black garments, wearing black garlands and smeared with black pastes. Being dragged by them, I was led to the southern quarter. I was bound with cables of gold, silver and iron. Bound in iron fetters, I sank deep into dust and mud. I was tortured by pigeons and terrible vultures and crows. I was gnawed at by jackals. I was seated on the head of a Madgura (Mudgara?). Seated in a vehicle drawn by bears and monkeys, I went in the southern direction. Without any movement, I got sunk in a waterless river, level with its bed. At night I was tormented and torn by means of teeth. I was kicked in the chest forcefully with adamantine hoofs by a donkey. The eyes were pricked with iron pikes by Vetālas (Vampires). By black men, having weapons raised up, I was pricked with terrible black thorns. In the course of the dream, I was hit hard with huge sharp arrows. Thus I saw (these) in the course of this terrible night. It is difficult to describe many other evil dreams I saw. Seeing this series of evil dreams of many forms never imagined of by me earlier, I experience a great fear. My heart is not clear and calm. Grasping the arms together, I lament as though I am helplessly orphaned.” 26-32. On hearing the words of the king, the ministers became distressed. They saw evil omens, such as the fall of comets, etc. The city appeared to be adversely affected by Saturn, Sun and Mars. Karaṇas such as Nāga, Catuṣpāda, Viṣṭi, Kiṃstughna, Śakuni are not favourable and cannot be lauded. The Muhūrtas became awful. Knowing that anything untoward in the case of the king meant disaster to the realm and doom of the family, they, however, spoke these words by way of consolation to the king: “O descendant of Kakutstha, do not subject yourself to grief. Apprehensions true or untrue are transferred to dream as imagined on account of the action of the seven vital ingredients in the bodily secretions. So adore the Pitṛs and others and Devas as well as Brāhmaṇas. Through them you will be rid of the mental hallucination, since fate alone can save you, when fate strikes.” On being consoled thus by the ministers, experts in pious rites, the king confessed to them his sins, such as the killing of the sons of the preceptor and the like. The King said: 33-44. Śakti, the eldest son of Vaśiṣṭha, was eaten by me, O ministers. I had been ruthless enough to eat about ninety-nine (one less than hundred) ones (sons of Vaśiṣṭha). I am distressed on account of that sin. How can I be normal and calm? Even a single Brāhmaṇa-slaughter is unfortunately a very wicked act. I have been cruel and so I ḍid not hesitate to do so. What worlds are destined for me after the perpetration of this terrible deed! I am a Rākṣasa and I have brought an end to the family with this same body. Born in the family of Raghu and his descendants, I have reduced myself to the state of a wretched sinner, the origin of all sins. Hence I shall court death by setting myself on fire. On hearing these words of Saudāsa, the ministers, the masters of all Śāstras conversant with the principles of the Vedas, became extremely surprised: “Alas, great sin has been committed! We do no know the means of atonement. No one except Vaśiṣṭha knows it now. Hence for the sake of the king, we must go now itself to the place where the holy sage Vaśiṣṭha, the Brāhmaṇa, is present.” After saying thus, the distressed ministers accompanied by him went to the hermitage where Vaśiṣṭha, the holy sage, was consoling his daughter-in-law Adṛśyantī. The distressed Adṛśyantī saw the king, the perpetrator of the cruel act, before her. In a terrified voice she spoke to Vaśiṣṭha these words: “Here comes the haughty, hideous Rākṣasa with a staff held in his hand, like the god of Death with his fierce staff. O sage, O most excellent one among all the masters of the Vedas, excepting you no one on the earth is capable of restraining him. Save me from this sinner of awful appearance. Certainly this Rākṣasa has come here with the intention of devouring us.” Vaśiṣṭha said: 45-55. O daughter, do not be afraid. You have nothing to fear from the Rākṣasa. This is not a Rākṣasa whom, you think, there is something to fear from. This is King Kalmāṣapāḍa who is accompanied by his ministers. He has come to me in this forest region. On seeing him coming, Vaśiṣṭha, the holy sage of great refulgence, uttered Hum, a menacing sound of defiance, and restrained the excellent king. He then sprinkled him with water purified by means of Mantras and released the excellent king from the state of a Rākṣasa. Regaining his consciousness in due course, the king duly bowed down to the excellent sage Vaśiṣṭha and spoke to him with palms joined in reverence: “I am Saudāsa, O illustrious one, of excellent holy vows. I am your slave. Tell me what you wish to have now, what I shall do for you.” On hearing these words of the king and coming to know through the power of his penance that everything was the result of Viśvāmitra’s action, the excellent Brāhmaṇa said to the king, who was bowing down with humility: “Everything has been understood at the proper time. O king, do go to Kuśasthalī. In the vicinity of Mahākāla, there is the Liṅga destructive of evil dreams. It is one of divine power, capable of granting royal wealth. It makes the devotees endowed with sons and grandsons. It destroys even thousands of the sins of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter. It dispels all sins. Merely by visiting it you will become rid of sins. Undoubtedly the terrible fear arising from evil dreams will perish. O excellent king, the Planets too will become favourable to you.” On being told thus again by his preceptor, the noble-souled Vaśiṣṭha, the king hastened to the splendid Mahākālavana, O goddess. There he visited the Liṅga that destroys evil dreams. All the evil dreams perished. Good dreams appeared. Becoming rid of his sins the king regained his position. After going back to Ayodhyā, he joyously ruled the kingdom. 56-63. Ever since then, *this deity is named Svapneśvara* and has become well-known thus. It is destructive of all evil dreams. If the devotees take their holy bath in the auspicious waters of Śiprā and visit Svapneśvara Śiva on the eighth and fourteenth lunar days, their congenital evil dreams perish. He alone is to be adored always in this world and in the other, who devoutly visits Svapneśvara Śiva. By visiting Svapneśvara one attains even the rarest of wishes with which he proceeds to the shrine. Those who regularly visit the deity Svapneśvara always go to my abode, O my beloved, after casting off this mortal body. If one devoid of devotion, one without pious holy rites, even casually visits the Lord, O lady of renown, he attains the meritorious goal usually attained by Yogins. The embodied beings who worship the deity on festival days with diverse kinds of flowers become endowed with wealth, strength and health. They realize all desires. They will be long-lived. Their conduct will be splendid. They will be pure. It is by visiting Śrī Svapneśvara that Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Indra, Kubera, Dahana (Fire-god) and others attained the greatest good. 64. Thus, O goddess, the sin-destroying power of Svapneśvara Deva has been recounted to you. Listen to that of Liṅgacatuṣṭaya (four Liṅgas). K RAJARAM IRS 19526 On Tue, 19 May 2026 at 11:20, 'gopala krishnan' via Thatha_Patty < [email protected]> wrote: > *SAGE SAKTHI- PART2* > > *Continued from Part 1* > > *Any details available about Adirshyanti- wife of sage Sakthi?* > > Adrishyanti was a highly virtuous and spiritually advanced woman in Hindu > mythology, best known as the *daughter-in-law of Sage Vasishtha, the wife > of Sage Shakti * and the *mother of Sage Parashara.* > > The story of her immense resilience during a dark time for her family is > famously narrated in the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata: > > *Key Role in the Lineage* > > Wife of Shakti: She married Sage Shakti, the eldest son of Sage Vasishtha > and Arundhati. > > *The Unborn Child*: At the exact time her husband and all 99 of his > brothers were slaughtered and devoured by the possessed King Kalmashapada, > Adrishyanti was pregnant. > > *The 12-Year Pregnancy* Following the tragic massacre of Vasishtha's > family, a grieving Sage Vasishtha contemplated ending his life. However, as > he walked with Adrishyanti, he suddenly heard a perfect, resonant echo of > complex Vedic chants. > > *Adrishyanti revealed that she had been carrying her unborn child in her > womb for 12 years **out of intense fear of the demon kin*g. The sacred > chants were emerging directly from the womb. Realizing his son's lineage > would survive, Vasishtha found the strength to live > > *.Face-to-Face with the Demon King* > > The next day, the man-eating King Kalmashapada arrived at the hermitage > intending to attack Adrishyanti and consume the child. Terrified, she > sought the immediate protection of her father-in-law. *Sage Vasishtha > stepped in, using his spiritual powers to completely pacify the king and > break the curse, freeing him from the demon Kinkara*. > > *Mother of Parashara, Grandmother of Vyasa* > > Shortly after the curse was lifted, Adrishyanti gave birth to a radiant > baby boy who looked exactly like his father. Because his existence had > stopped his grandfather Vasishtha's profound grief, the baby was named > Parashara (meaning "the destroyer of grief" or "he who crushes > obstacles"). Through this child, Adrishyanti became the grandmother of Sage > Vyasa, the legendary author of the Mahabharata. > > My note- I could not get any details of her parents and siblings by search > > *Instead of her biological family, the texts focus heavily on her chosen > and extended family:* > > *How sage Parasara son of sage Sakthi Grewup* > > Discovering His Tragic Legacy Raised by Vasistha, the young Parashara grew > up believing Vasistha was his father. One day, his mother revealed that > Vasistha was actually his grandfather and explained how his real father, > Shakti, was killed. > > The Path of Vengeance > > Filled with rage upon learning how his father was murdered, Parashara > decided to avenge his death by performing a massive sacrificial ritual > (Yajna) intended to obliterate all the Rakshasas in the universe. Thousands > of demons were reduced to ash as they were drawn into the blazing > sacrificial fire. > > Redemption and Higher Learning > > Before the ritual destroyed the entire demon race completely, Sage > Vasistha and other wise seers intervened. They taught young Parashara the > value of mercy and urged him to abandon his anger. He relented, stopped the > sacrifice, and directed his focus toward deep spiritual study. *He became > a master of the Vedas and metaphysical sciences, studying under revered > sages like Bashkal and Yajnavalkya* > > *Did wandering sage Parasara had family before meeting MatsyaGandhi?* > > No, Sage Parashara did not have a wife or a family of his own before > meeting Satyavati (also known as Matsyagandha).According to Hindu texts > and the Mahabharata, his life prior to this meeting was defined by the > following circumstances: > > A Wandering Ascetic: Parashara lived strictly as a wandering, celibate > sage (Brahmachari). He dedicated his early life entirely to severe > penances, scriptural study, and performing Vedic rituals. > > The Extended Ancestral Family: *While he did not have a personal family > (wife or children),* he belonged to a highly revered ancestral lineage. > He lived under the guidance of his grandfather, Sage Vasistha, and > alongside his mother, Adrishyanti. > > *A Divinely Ordained Meeting*: When he crossed paths with Matsyagandha > while she was ferrying him across the Yamuna River, he was still an > unmarried, traveling hermit. Through his astrological and spiritual > insight, he foresaw that a highly evolved soul—an extension of Lord > Vishnu—was destined to be born from their union to divide and preserve the > Vedas. This led to the birth of his first and most famous child, *Sage > Veda Vyasa* > > *Origin of parasara gothra* > > The Parashara Gotra originates directly from the lineage of Maharishi > Parashara, the revered Vedic sage, astrologer, and author of the Vishnu > Purana. > > In the Hindu lineage system, a "Gotra" represents an unbroken patrilineal > descent from one of the great root seers (Root Rishis).The structural, > genealogical, and scriptural framework of the Parashara Gotra is defined by > specific ancestral lines and traditional classifications. > > *The Root Lineage (Vamsha)* > > While Parashara is the immediate root of his specific Gotra, his lineage > connects back to Brahma rishi Vasistha, one of the seven primary > Saptarishis. The genealogical chain* according to the Vedas is:* > > .Because of this direct line, the *Parashara Gotra is classified as a > prominent sub-branch under the broader Vasistha Gana* (the family clan of > Vasistha). > > The Pravara (Ancestral Formula)When members of a Gotra perform rituals, > they recite their Pravara—a systemized chant that lists the most > illustrious Rishis in their direct family line to verify their heritage. > For the Parashara Gotra, the traditional *Tryarsheya (3-Rishi)* *This > formula formally acknowledges Vasistha as the remote founding root, Shakti > Muni as the intermediate link, and Parashara as the immediate head of the > clan.* > > * Geographical Distribution and Communities* > > People belonging to the Parashara Gotra can be found across various > regions of India. > > *Regional Dominance*: According to traditional demographic records, > families carrying this Gotra are heavily concentrated across *Northern, > Western, and Central India, notably in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, > Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh*. > > Brahmin Subgroups: It is highly prominent among elite Brahmin communities, > including the Sarayuparin, Kanyakubja, and Gaud Brahmin divisions. > > Special Religious Honors: Due to their direct ancestral link to Sage > Parashara, only priests belonging strictly to the Parashar Gotra are > scripturally authorized to serve *as the head Pundits at the historic > Brahma Temple in Pushkar, Rajasthan* > > *Among Tamil Brahmins are there any belong to Parasara Gothra**?* > > *Yes, there are Tamil Brahmins who belong to the **Parashara Gotra, but > they are a very small minority.* The vast majority of Tamil Brahmins > (both Iyers and Iyengars) belong to a few highly dominant gotras like > Bharadwaja (~25%), Koushika, Srivatsa, and Koundinya. Parashara is > considered an uncommon or "minority" gotra within the community. > > 1. Demographic Presence > > Statistical surveys of Tamil Brahmin marriage listings and community > registries show that Parashara Gotra accounts for less than 0.5% of the > total Tamil Brahmin population. > > For context, in a widely cited genealogical survey of *over 3,500 Tamil > Iyer families conducted by researcher P.R. Ramachander, only 12 families > were explicitly recorded as belonging to the Parashara Gotra*. > > Despite its rarity, it is fully recognized by religious authorities like > the *Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham* as a legitimate ancestral lineage among > South Indian Brahmins. > > The Pravara System in Tamil Nadu > > When a Tamil Brahmin of the Parashara Gotra performs daily rituals like > the Abhivandanam (salutation), they recite the Tryarsheya (Three-Rishi) > Pravara:\(\mathbf{V}\text{āsiha,\ Śāktya,\ Pārāśarya}\) > > *This identifies them as belonging to the Vasishta Gana (the overarching > family clan of Sage Vasishta).* > > Overlap with the Vasishta Gotra > > Because Sage Parashara is the grandson of Sage Vasishta, many families who > originally originated from this specific sub-branch gradually consolidated > under the parent Vasishta Gotra over generations. In Tamil Nadu, if a > family has forgotten their exact sub-lineage but knows they belong to the > Vasishta root, they typically default to Vasishta. > > *Marriage Rules (Exogamy) *Because Parashara falls under the umbrella of > Vasishta, Tamil Brahmin community rules strictly govern their marriages: > > No Same-Gotra Marriage: A Parashara Iyer/Iyengar cannot marry another > Parashara.No Inter-Clan Overlap: Because they share the exact same root > Pravara rishis, a Parashara is also forbidden from marrying someone from > the Vasishta Gotra or Shakti Gotra, as they are considered biological and > spiritual siblings > > *Is there Parasara Gothra among Nampoothiries of Kerala* > > There are Parashara Gotra Brahmins in Kerala, though they are extremely > rare compared to the dominant Brahmin clans of the region. Their presence > is highly distinct due to the unique historical structure of Kerala's > priestly class. > > Traditionally, the Namboothiri community recognizes a tight-knit circle of > 10 primary ancient Gotras:Bharadwaja, Kaushika, Vatsya, Kaundinya, > Kashyapa, Vasishta, Jamadagni, Vishwamitra, Gautama, and Atreya. > > *Because Parashara is a sub-branch of the Vasishta family clan (Vasishta > Gana), most Kerala Brahmins tracing lineage to this root identify directly > with the parent Vasishta Gotra*. > > However, specific family branches (Illams or Manas) associated with the > Tryarsheya Pravara (Vasishta-Shakti-Parashara) exist in trace numbers. > > * Migrant Brahmin Communities in Kerala* > > The majority of Brahmins who explicitly identify with and maintain the > Parashara Gotra in Kerala arrived via historical migrations from other > states: > > *Embrandiri Brahmins*: Originally Tulu Brahmins from Karnataka who > migrated south to manage major temples in Kerala. They retain a wider > variety of Vedic gotras, *including Parashara*. > > Tamil Iyers: Settled extensively in regions like Palakkad and > Thiruvananthapuram, *the Tamil Iyer community features families belonging > to the Parashara Gotra who strictly observe its specific marriage > exclusions*. > > Goud Saraswat Brahmins (GSB): Migrating from the Konkan coast down to > places like Kochi and Alappuzha, the GSB community carries the *Parashara > Gotra down its paternal line*s. > > *Birth of Vyasa:* > > On an island in the river, Matsya Gandhi gave birth to a dark-skinned > child who immediately grew into an adult sage. *This child was Krishna > Dvaipayana, famously known as Sage Vyasa*. > > Vyasa went on to divide the single Veda into four parts and author the > entire epic Mahabharata, immortalizing his great-grand mother Adrishyanti’s > lineage forever. > > *Sage Sakthi contributions* > > His contributions are highly revered in Vedic history across specific > areas: > > Contribution to the Rigveda (Vedic Hymns) > > In the Vedic tradition, sages are recognized as Mantra Drashtas (seers who > "saw" or received cosmic sounds). Sage Shakti is credited as the seer of > specific hymns in the Rigveda, particularly within the family books linked > to the clan of Sage Vasishtha. > > His realization and preservation of these sacred mantras contributed > directly to the structure of the Rigveda Samhita. > > *2. Safeguarding the Visual and Philosophical Lineage* > > Shakti's greatest contribution to Hinduism is genealogical and spiritual. > He served as the essential link that birthed two of the most influential > figures in Sanatana Dharma: > > *Author of the Vishnu Purana* > > After Parashara mastered his anger and halted his demon-destroying ritual > at his grandfather's request, the celestial sage Pulastya blessed him. *With > this blessing, Parashara authored the Vishnu Purana,* widely considered > the "Gem of the Puranas" for its deep philosophy, cosmology, and detailed > planetary descriptions. > > *The Father of Vedic Astrology (Jyotish)* > > Parashara is revered as the father of ancient Indian astronomy and > astrology. He authored the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, which remains the > premier foundational textbook used for calculating birth charts, planetary > periods (Dashas), and cosmic geometric alignments. > > *Architect of the Ultimate Lineage* > > By partnering with Satyavati, Parashara fathered Sage Vyasa, the literal > compiler of all four Vedas, author of the 18 Puranas, and composer of the > Mahabharata. Through Vyasa, the wisdom of Shakti and Vasishtha was > systematically recorded in writing for generations to come, ensuring the > family's spiritual heritage would never be lost. > > End of posting. > > *Compiled and Posted from Google QA. Details of sage Sakthi’s son > Parasara is also included so that a separate posting is not necessary.* > > *R.Gopalakrishnan, 19-05-2026* > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Thatha_Patty" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/1310606522.582710.1779169845317%40mail.yahoo.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/1310606522.582710.1779169845317%40mail.yahoo.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZorSn0--zg-9sYzrXPAVHk0x8B8F4COoOgrJ7U5gvbYGJA%40mail.gmail.com.
