न मे ऽस्ति बन्धुभिः किंचित् कृत्यं सुरवरेश्वर तथा कुरु महादेव यथाहं सुखम् आप्नुयाम्
I have nothing to do with relatives, O lord of the gods. Do as you wish, O great god, so that I may find happiness.
श्रुत्वा स देव्या वचनं सुरेशस् तस्याः प्रियार्थे स्वगिरिं विहाय जगाम मेरुं सुरसिद्धसेवितं भार्यासहायः स्वगणैश् च युक्तः
Hearing the goddess's words, the lord of the gods, for her sake, left his own mountain and went to Meru, attended by gods and siddhas, accompanied by his wife and followers.
प्राचेतसस्य दक्षस्य कथं वैवस्वते ऽन्तरे विनाशम् अगमद् ब्रह्मन् हयमेधः प्रजापतेः
How did the horse sacrifice of Daksha, son of Prachetas, come to destruction during the reign of Vaivasvata, O Brahman, lord of creatures?
देव्या मन्युकृतं बुद्ध्वा क्रुद्धः सर्वात्मकः प्रभुः कथं विनाशितो यज्ञो दक्षस्यामिततेजसः महादेवेन रोषाद् वै तन् नः प्रब्रूहि विस्तरात्
Knowing that the goddess's anger was the cause, the all-pervading lord grew wrathful. How was the sacrifice of the mighty Daksha destroyed by Mahadeva in his rage? Tell us this in detail.
वर्णयिष्यामि वो विप्रा महादेवेन वै यथा क्रोधाद् विध्वंसितो यज्ञो देव्याः प्रियचिकीर्षया
I will describe to you, O brahmins, how the sacrifice was destroyed by Mahadeva in anger, wishing to please the goddess.
पुरा मेरोर् द्विजश्रेष्ठाः शृङ्गं त्रैलोक्यपूजितम् ज्योतिःस्थलं नाम चित्रं सर्वरत्नविभूषितम्
Long ago, O best of twice-born, there was a peak of Meru, worshipped by the three worlds, called Jyotishthala, wondrous and adorned with all gems.
अप्रमेयम् अनाधृष्यं सर्वलोकनमस्कृतम् तत्र देवो गिरितटे सर्वधातुविचित्रिते
Immeasurable, unassailable, revered by all worlds—there, on the mountain slope, the god sat, surrounded by all kinds of minerals.
पर्यङ्क इव विस्तीर्ण उपविष्टो बभूव ह शैलराजसुता चास्य नित्यं पार्श्वस्थिताभवत्
He sat, broad as a couch, and the daughter of the mountain king always remained by his side.
आदित्याश् च महात्मानो वसवश् च महौजसः तथैव च महात्मानाव् अश्विनौ भिषजां वरौ
The mighty Adityas and the powerful Vasus were there, as well as the great Ashvins, best among physicians.
तथा वैश्रवणो राजा गुह्यकैः परिवारितः यक्षाणाम् ईश्वरः श्रीमान् कैलासनिलयः प्रभुः
Likewise, King Vaishravana, surrounded by Guhyakas, the illustrious lord of the Yakshas, master of Kailasa, was present.
उपासते महात्मानम् उशना च महामुनिः सनत्कुमारप्रमुखास् तथैव परमर्षयः
The great sage Ushanas worshipped the great soul, as did Sanatkumara and foremost sages.
अङ्गिरःप्रमुखाश् चैव तथा देवर्षयो ऽपि च विश्वावसुश् च गन्धर्वस् तथा नारदपर्वतौ
Angiras and the leading divine sages were there, as well as Vishvavasu the Gandharva, and Narada and Parvata.
अप्सरोगणसंघाश् च समाजग्मुर् अनेकशः ववौ सुखशिवो वायुर् नानागन्धवहः शुचिः
Hosts of Apsaras gathered in great numbers; the gentle, auspicious wind blew, carrying various pure fragrances.
सर्वर्तुकुसुमोपेतः पुष्पवन्तो ऽभवन् द्रुमाः तथा विद्याधराः साध्याः सिद्धाश् चैव तपोधनाः
The trees became covered with flowers of all seasons; thus, the Vidyadharas, Sadhyas, Siddhas, and ascetics were present.
महादेवं पशुपतिं पर्युपासत तत्र वै भूतानि च तथान्यानि नानारूपधराण्य् अथ
There, they worshipped Mahadeva, the Lord of Creatures, and also other beings of various forms.
राक्षसाश् च महारौद्राः पिशाचाश् च महाबलाः बहुरूपधरा धृष्टा नानाप्रहरणायुधाः
There were fierce Rakshasas and mighty Pisachas, bold and of many forms, wielding various weapons and arms.
देवस्यानुचरास् तत्र तस्थुर् वैश्वानरोपमाः नन्दीश्वरश् च भगवान् देवस्यानुमते स्थितः
Attendants of the god, blazing like fire, stood there; and the blessed Nandishvara, with the god’s approval, remained.
प्रगृह्य ज्वलितं शूलं दीप्यमानं स्वतेजसा गङ्गा च सरितां श्रेष्ठा सर्वतीर्थजलोद्भवा
Holding a blazing trident, shining with his own radiance, and Ganga, the best of rivers, born from the waters of all sacred fords.
पर्युपासत तं देवं रूपिणी द्विजसत्तमाः एवं स भगवांस् तत्र पूज्यमानः सुरर्षिभिः
O best of twice-born, she worshipped that god in form; thus the Blessed One was honored there by the gods and sages.
देवैश् च सुमहाभागैर् महादेवो व्यतिष्ठत कस्यचित् त्व् अथ कालस्य दक्षो नाम प्रजापतिः
With the greatly fortunate gods, Mahadeva stood there; then, at a certain time, Daksha, the lord of creatures, appeared.
पूर्वोक्तेन विधानेन यक्ष्यमाणो ऽभ्यपद्यत ततस् तस्य मखे देवाः सर्वे शक्रपुरोगमाः
Intending to perform a sacrifice according to the previously stated rite, then, at his sacrifice, all the gods led by Indra assembled.
स्वर्गस्थानाद् अथागम्य दक्षम् आपेदिरे तथा ते विमानैर् महात्मानो ज्वलद्भिर् ज्वलनप्रभाः
Coming from their heavenly abodes, they approached Daksha; those great souls arrived in radiant, blazing chariots.
देवस्यानुमते ऽगच्छन् गङ्गाद्वारम् इति श्रुतिः गन्धर्वाप्सरसाकीर्णं नानाद्रुमलतावृतम्
With the god’s consent, they went to the gateway of the Ganga, as is heard in the tradition, crowded with Gandharvas and Apsaras, covered with various trees and vines.
ऋषिसिद्धैः परिवृतं दक्षं धर्मभृतां वरम् पृथिव्याम् अन्तरिक्षे च ये च स्वर्लोकवासिनः
Surrounded by sages and perfected beings, Daksha, the best of upholders of dharma, was there, along with those dwelling on earth, in the sky, and in the heavenly worlds.
सर्वे प्राञ्जलयो भूत्वा उपतस्थुः प्रजापतिम् आदित्या वसवो रुद्राः साध्याः सर्वे मरुद्गणाः
All, with joined palms, approached the Lord of Creatures: the Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Sadhyas, and all the hosts of Maruts.
विष्णुना सहिताः सर्व आगता यज्ञभागिनः ऊष्मपा धूमपाश् चैव आज्यपाः सोमपास् तथा
All the recipients of the sacrifice came, together with Vishnu: the Ushmapas, Dhumapas, Ajyapas, and also the Somapas.
अश्विनौ मरुतश् चैव नानादेवगणैः सह एते चान्ये च बहवो भूतग्रामास् तथैव च
The Ashvins and the Maruts, along with various groups of gods, and many other hosts of beings likewise.
जरायुजाण्डजाश् चैव तथैव स्वेदजोद्भिदः आगताः सत्त्रिणः सर्वे देवाः स्त्रीभिः सहर्षिभिः
Those born from womb, egg, sweat, and sprout, all the sacrificers, all the gods, together with women and sages, arrived.
विराजन्ते विमानस्था दीप्यमाना इवाग्नयः तान् दृष्ट्वा मन्युनाविष्टो दधीचिर् वाक्यम् अब्रवीत्
They shone, standing in their chariots, blazing like fires; seeing them, Dadhichi, filled with anger, spoke these words.
अपूज्यपूजने चैव पूज्यानां चाप्य् अपूजने नरः पापम् अवाप्नोति महद् वै नात्र संशयः
A man incurs great sin, without doubt, by honoring the unworthy and by failing to honor those who are worthy.