Shukra Obtains Knowledge about Mritasanjivani

Sanatkumara said

Vyasa, hear how the sage Kavya received from Shiva, known as the conqueror of death, the supreme knowledge that quiets death. In earlier times Bhrigu's descendant went to Varanasi. He spent a long time there tormenting himself with austerities and meditating on Lord Vishveshvara. He set up a lingam of Shambhu, the supreme self, and in front of it built a beautiful well. He bathed the lord of the gods a hundred thousand times, each time with many fragrant unguents and a drona of panchamrita, and offered sandalwood paste and yakshakardama a thousand times. With great love he anointed the lingam with excellent scents, and attentively worshipped Shankara with raja-champaka, dhattura, karavira, kusheshaya, malati, karnikara, kadamba, bakula, utpala, mallika, shatapatri, sindhuvara, kimshuka, bandhuka, punnaga, nagakeshara, keshara, navamalli, chibilika, kunda, muchukunda, mandara, bilva leaves, drona, muruvaka, vrika, granthiparna, damanaka, lovely mango shoots, tulasi, devagandhari leaves, brihatpatri leaves, tender kusha, nandyavarta, agastya, shala, devadaru, kanchanara, kurubaka, durva grass and kuruntaka, with many beautiful and auspicious leaves and lotuses. He made offerings with singing and dancing, praised Shankara with hymns and chanted his thousand names. Thus Shukra worshipped Mahesha Maheshvara for five thousand years, yet did not see the god ready to grant the boon in his mind. So he took on even more terrible and difficult disciplines. With excellent feelings and rites he cleansed his mind of the great dirt called fickleness, and his senses too, and when his mind was pure he offered that jewel to the Pinaka-wielder. For a thousand autumns Kavya kept the kanadhuma vow, firm in mind, in terrible austerity. Seeing this, Maheshvara was pleased with Bhargava and came out of the lingam with a radiance like a thousand suns.

Virupaksha, Dakshayani's husband, showed himself directly and told the store of austerities, Bhrigu's son, the great sage, that he was pleased with his austerities, especially their continuity, and that Bhargava should ask for whatever was in his mind, since nothing could not be given to him. Hearing Shambhu's supreme words brought great joy, and Kavya was content, immersed in an ocean of happiness, his body hair standing up. With eyes like blossoming lotuses the brahmana bowed to Shambhu, cried victory and raised joined hands above his head. Bhargava praised him: for the benefit of the worlds Shiva shines in the sky as the jewel that brings the day, drives away darkness and benefits night-roamers; he is the eye of all the worlds, with cool beams filling everything with nectar, purifying along the path, worshipped by those with a virtuous destination, without whom no living being could sustain life; he stills storms, nourishes all beings, satisfies the serpent line and goes everywhere; the only one who purifies the universe and all who worship him, divine in deed, who alone can make the dead immortal; he consumes beings and the universe, is within it, is the fire at every step and the giver of peace. He praised Shiva as Paramesha in the form of water that purifies the world, in the form of space inside and outside, by whose kindness the universe expands, contracts and breathes and into whom it retreats, in the earth supporting the universe by his radiance, with no other enemy of darkness but him, ornamented with serpents, beyond everyone worshipped, greater than the greatest. All that moves and stands is Hara's self and in turn his forms, and he dwells within all selves. In his eight forms he is a friend to the friendless, creates and engages the universe, and enhances those who bow to him; for every aim one should bow to him, the supreme aim. Bhargava lauded the eight-formed one in eight verses, touched the ground with his head again and again, and bowed.

Mahadeva, full of love, lifted the brahmana from the ground with his hands. Very pleased, he spoke slowly in a voice like clouds rumbling, the moonlight of his teeth lighting the directions. He called him a pure devotee and son, and said that because of his fierce austerities, good conduct, setting up and worshipping the lingam, attentive offerings, unwavering purity and pure deeds in the great kshetra of Avimukta, he regarded him as two other sons. Nothing could not be given to him. By his boon Shukra would enter his stomach in this body and come out by his generative organ, and so would be born like his son. Now he would give a boon difficult even for his attendants to win, generally kept secret from Hari and Hiranyagarbha: his own sparkling knowledge called mritasanjivani, which he had devised through the great strength of his austerities, and which he would give as a mantra. Being pure and a store of austerities, Kavya was worthy of this learning, supreme and above all other learning: if he followed the rules and spoke it toward anyone, that person would certainly get his life back. As a star in the sky his radiance would surpass the sun and fire, and he would be supreme among the planets. If a man or woman began a journey after looking at him, their efforts would come to nothing because of his glance. When he rose, marriages and all the rites of dharma people do in the world would bear fruit. Among delightful tithis his conjunctions would be most auspicious, and his devotees would have abundant semen and many children. The lingam he set up would be called Shukresha, and men who worship it will gain success. If the vrata is observed every night for a year, if all the water rites are performed in Shukra's well on Shukra's day and Shukresha is worshipped, then impotent mortals lacking semen will have plenty and gain sons and the good fortune of virility; all such people will have learning and happiness. Having granted these boons the god merged into the lingam again. Satisfied, Bhargava returned to his own abode. Sanatkumara said this was how, by the strength of his austerities, Shukra got the learning called mritasanjivani, and asked Vyasa what else he wished to hear.