[Advaita-l] Vyasa Ashtaka in Skanda Purana

[Keshava Mahadeva]

This was recited by Vyasa Maharishi when he out of Ahankara said that
Vishnu is the only god in the place of Varanasi and Nandikeshwara with just
a twink of his eye paralyzed the arms of Vyasa. Then, Vishnu comes there
and says Vyasa that a great offence has been committed by him and also he
goes on to say there can only one God and that is Kashi Vishveshwara
Chandrashekara.

50. Vishnu says: I am bearing this discus due to his favor. I am the Lord
of Lakshmi due to his power. It was Shambu himself that the capacity to
sustain the three worlds was granted to me.

51. Due to devotion to him the greatest Aishvarya was obtained by me as a
boon from him. If you desire my welfare, eulogize Shambu who is the
greatest of the greatest.

52. Do not entertain a thought like this to eulogize me on any other
occasion. O son of Parashara.

*Below is the Vyasa Ashtaka which Vyasacharya has compiled: *

*Skanda Purana: Kasi Khanda, UTTARARDHA CHAPTER 95 (Vyasa's arms get
Paralysed): Vyasa Ashtaka:*

Vyasa said:

*56. Brahman alone is one. There are not many entities here. Hence Rudra is
only one. There is none second to him. If there be anyone else anywhere,
let him*

*who has the capacity to do so, explain it to me.*

*57. Highly terrible poison Kaalakuta with flaming sparks around was born
of the Milk Ocean, due to the churning with Mandara. No one other than
Mahesha could*

*endure it. On account of it's flames, Vishnu turned black.*

*58. Sripati (Vishnu) was his arrow. The entire earth was his chariot.
Brahma, the Lord of the world, was his charioteer. The horses were the
Vedas. Who is on*

*a par with Rudra by whom the group of three Puras was burned by the
discharge of the arrow?*

*59. Kandarpa who was the sole conqueror of the universe through his
flowery arrows, viewed Rudra as of the same level as the other Devas. He
himself was*

*reduced to ashes. Who is worthy of eulogy other than that conqueror of
Kama?*

*60. Which man of meagre intellect like me can understand Vishwanatha in
his true self, because the Veda does not know him? Neither Vishnu nor
Brahma, neither*

*mind nor speech know that Lord of Devas.*

*61. I bow down to him wherein everything is stationed, who is everywhere,
who is all, who is the maker, who is the protector, who is the destroyer,
who has no*

*beginning, who is the beginning (cause) of everything, who is the sole
one, who has no end and who causes the end of everything.*

*62. He is that Lord the utterance of whose one name is on a par with a
horse sacrifice; by a single bowing down to whom Lakshmi was attaned by the*

*insignificant Indra; by whom eulogy Satyaloka is obtained and by whose
adoration the glory of salvation is not far off.*

*63. I do not know any other Lord than Sri Mahesha; I do not eulogize
another Lord except Sambhu. I do not bow down to a Lord other than the
Three-eyed One.*

*This is the truth, the truth, the truth, not a lie.*

Adi Shankara also brings this story in one of his verses (5th verse) in his
Dasha Shloka Stuti on Lord Shiva:
https://drive.google.com/viewerng/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxrYW5jaGlzaGFua2FyYWthbWFrb3Rpc2hhbmthcmF8Z3g6NmE3ZWZhMmI5NmM0ZWE0YQ


5) My my mind ever rejoice in the Supreme Self Siva, whose attendant Lord
Nandikeshvara stupified the uplifted arms of Sage Vyasa who was visiting
the Shrine of Shiva with the opinion that none is Superior to Vishnu.