तदा महाकारुणिको स धूर्जटिर्यथा वयं चाग्निरिवोत्थितोऽनलात्। निगृह्य दोर्भ्यां भुजयोर्न्यवारयत्तत्स्पर्शनाद्भूय उपस्कृताकृतिः
Then, the great compassionate one, Dhurjati, just as we would, like fire springing from a flame, restrained him with his arms, preventing him from touching, and restored his form, now more splendid.
तमाह चाङ्गालमलं वृणीष्व मे यथाभिकामं वितरामि ते वरम्। प्रीयेय तोयेन नृणां प्रपद्यतामहो त्वयात्मा भृशमर्द्यते वृथा
He said to him: 'Enough, Angala! Choose a boon from me as you desire; I will grant it to you. I am pleased even by water offered by those who surrender, but you have tormented yourself excessively and in vain.'
देवं स वव्रे पापीयान्वरं भूतभयावहम्। यस्य यस्य करं शीर्ष्णि धास्ये स म्रियतामिति
That sinful one then asked the god for a boon that would bring terror to beings: 'Whosoever's head I touch with my hand, let him die.'
तच्छ्रुत्वा भगवान्रुद्रो दुर्मना इव भारत। ॐ इति प्रहसंस्तस्मै ददेऽहेरमृतं यथा
Hearing this, Lord Rudra, though displeased, laughed and granted him the boon, saying 'Om', just as nectar is given to a serpent.
स तद्वरपरीक्षार्थं शम्भोर्मूर्ध्नि किलासुरः। स्वहस्तं धातुमारेभे सोऽबिभ्यत्स्वकृताच्छिवः
Then, to test the boon, the demon tried to place his own hand on Shambhu's head, but Shiva, fearful of his own act, withdrew.
तेनोपसृष्टः सन्त्रस्तः पराधावन्सवेपथुः। यावदन्तं दिवो भूमेः कष्ठानामुदगादुदक्
Pursued by him, trembling with fear, Shiva fled, running as far as the ends of heaven and earth, to the boundaries of the quarters and into the waters.
अजानन्तः प्रतिविधिं तूष्णीमासन्सुरेश्वराः। ततो वैकुण्ठमगमद्भास्वरं तमसः परम्
The lords of the gods, not knowing any remedy, sat in silence; then he went to Vaikuntha, the radiant realm beyond darkness.
यत्र नारायणः साक्षान्न्यासिनां परमो गतिः। शान्तानां न्यस्तदण्डानां यतो नावर्तते गतः
There, Narayana himself abides, the supreme goal of renunciants, of the peaceful who have laid down their staff, from which none who have gone return.
तं तथा व्यसनं दृष्ट्वा भगवान्वृजिनार्दनः। दूरात्प्रत्युदियाद्भूत्वा बटुको योगमायया
Seeing him thus afflicted, the Lord, destroyer of evil, approached from afar, having assumed the form of a young Brahmachari by his yogic power.
मेखलाजिनदण्डाक्षैस्तेजसाग्निरिव ज्वलन्। अभिवादयामास च तं कुशपाणिर्विनीतवत्
Wearing a belt, deerskin, and staff, blazing like fire with his radiance, holding kusa grass in hand, he respectfully greeted him with humility.
श्रीभगवानुवाच। शाकुनेय भवान्व्यक्तं श्रान्तः किं दूरमागतः। क्षणं विश्रम्यतां पुंस आत्मायं सर्वकामधुक्
The Blessed Lord said: 'O son of Shakuni, you appear exhausted—have you come from afar? Rest for a moment, for this self is the fulfiller of all desires.'
यदि नः श्रवणायालं युष्मद्व्यवसितं विभो। भण्यतां प्रायशः पुम्भिर्धृतैः स्वार्थान्समीहते
If your purpose is not too secret for us to hear, O mighty one, please tell it; for generally, men seek to achieve their own aims through others.
श्रीशुक उवाच। एवं भगवता पृष्टो वचसामृतवर्षिणा। गतक्लमोऽब्रवीत्तस्मै यथापूर्वमनुष्ठितम्
Shri Shuka said: Thus questioned by the Lord, whose words rained nectar, his fatigue gone, he told him everything as it had happened before.
श्रीभगवानुवाच। एवं चेत्तर्हि तद्वाक्यं न वयं श्रद्दधीमहि। यो दक्षशापात्पैशाच्यं प्राप्तः प्रेतपिशाचराट्
The Blessed Lord said: 'If this is so, then we will not believe the words of one who, by Daksha's curse, has attained a demonic state and is lord of ghosts and spirits.'
यदि वस्तत्र विश्रम्भो दानवेन्द्र जगद्गुरौ। तर्ह्यङ्गाशु स्वशिरसि हस्तं न्यस्य प्रतीयताम्
If you truly have faith there, O lord of the Dānavas, in the Teacher of the Universe, then, dear one, quickly place your hand on your head and let it be proven.
यद्यसत्यं वचः शम्भोः कथञ्चिद्दानवर्षभ। तदैनं जह्यसद्वाचं न यद्वक्तानृतं पुनः
If the words of Śambhu are in any way untrue, O best of Dānavas, then abandon him as a speaker of falsehood, for one who speaks lies should not be followed again.
इत्थं भगवतश्चित्रैर्वचोभिः स सुपेशलैः। भिन्नधीर्विस्मृतः शीर्ष्णि स्वहस्तं कुमतिर्न्यधात्
Thus, by the Lord's clever and artful words, his mind was confused; forgetting himself, the foolish one placed his own hand on his head.
अथापतद्भिन्नशिराः व्रजाहत इव क्षणात्। जयशब्दो नमःशब्दः साधुशब्दोऽभवद्दिवि
Then, as his head split and he fell, struck down like a felled ox, in an instant, cries of 'Victory!', 'Homage!', and 'Well done!' arose in the heavens.
मुमुचुः पुष्पवर्षाणि हते पापे वृकासुरे। देवर्षिपितृगन्धर्वा मोचितः सङ्कटाच्छिवः
Showers of flowers were released as the wicked Vṛkāsura was slain; the gods, sages, ancestors, and gandharvas rejoiced, and Śiva was freed from distress.
मुक्तं गिरिशमभ्याह भगवान्पुरुषोत्तमः। अहो देव महादेव पापोऽयं स्वेन पाप्मना
The Supreme Person addressed the liberated Lord of the Mountain: 'O great god, O divine one, this wicked one has been destroyed by his own evil.'
हतः को नु महत्स्वीश जन्तुर्वै कृतकिल्बिषः। क्षेमी स्यात्किमु विश्वेशे कृतागस्को जगद्गुरौ
O Lord, who among the great beings, having committed sin, can survive? What to say, O Lord of the Universe, if one offends the Teacher of the World?
य एवमव्याकृतशक्त्युदन्वतः परस्य साक्षात्परमात्मनो हरेः। गिरित्रमोक्षं कथयेच्छृणोति वा विमुच्यते संसृतिभिस्तथारिभिः
Whoever recounts or hears this deliverance of the Lord of the Mountain, by the direct Supreme Self, Hari, whose power is unfathomable, is freed from the cycles of birth and death, as are their enemies.
अथैकोननवतितमोऽध्यायः श्रीशुक उवाच। सरस्वत्यास्तटे राजन्नृषयः सत्रमासत। वितर्कः समभूत्तेषां त्रिष्वधीशेषु को महान्
Chapter Eighty-Nine. Śuka said: On the bank of the Sarasvatī, O King, the sages were performing a sacrifice; among them arose a debate: 'Of the three Lords, who is the greatest?'
तस्य जिज्ञासया ते वै भृगुं ब्रह्मसुतं नृप। तज्ज्ञप्त्यै प्रेषयामासुः सोऽभ्यगाद्ब्रह्मणः सभाम्
Desiring to know this, O King, they sent Bhṛgu, the son of Brahmā, to ascertain the truth; he went to the assembly of Brahmā.
न तस्मै प्रह्वणं स्तोत्रं चक्रे सत्त्वपरीक्षया। तस्मै चुक्रोध भगवान्प्रज्वलन्स्वेन तेजसा
He did not offer obeisance or praise to him, as a test of his nature; the Lord became angry, blazing with his own brilliance.
स आत्मन्युत्थितम्मन्युमात्मजायात्मना प्रभुः। अशीशमद्यथा वह्निं स्वयोन्या वारिणात्मभूः
But the Lord, master of himself, restrained the anger that had arisen within, just as the progenitor holds back fire with water from his own source.
ततः कैलासमगमत्स तं देवो महेश्वरः। परिरब्धुं समारेभे उत्थाय भ्रातरं मुदा
Then he went to Mount Kailāsa, where the god Maheśvara, rising joyfully, embraced his brother.
नैच्छत्त्वमस्युत्पथग इति देवश्चुकोप ह। शूलमुद्यम्य तं हन्तुमारेभे तिग्मलोचनः
But he did not wish to return the embrace, thinking him disrespectful; the god, his eyes blazing, became angry and raised his trident to kill him.
पतित्वा पादयोर्देवी सान्त्वयामास तं गिरा। अथो जगाम वैकुण्ठं यत्र देवो जनार्दनः
Falling at his feet, the goddess soothed him with gentle words; then he went to Vaikuṇṭha, where the god Janārdana resides.
शयानं श्रिय उत्सङ्गे पदा वक्षस्यताडयत्। तत उत्थाय भगवान्सह लक्ष्म्या सतां गतिः
He struck the Lord, who was lying with Śrī on his chest, with his foot on the chest; then the Lord, the refuge of the virtuous, rose together with Lakṣmī.