नाहं देवो न दैत्यो वा न च भोक्तुम् इहागतः नैव द्रष्टुं च देवेन्द्रा न च कौतूहलान्विताः
I am neither a god nor a demon, nor have I come here to partake; nor, O lords of the gods, have I come to see or out of curiosity.
दक्षयज्ञविनाशार्थं संप्राप्तो ऽहं सुरोत्तमाः वीरभद्रेति विख्यातो रुद्रकोपाद् विनिःसृतः
I have come, O best of gods, for the destruction of Dakṣa's sacrifice; I am known as Vīrabhadra, arisen from Rudra's wrath.
भद्रकाली च विख्याता देव्याः क्रोधाद् विनिर्गता प्रेषिता देवदेवेन यज्ञान्तिकम् उपागता
And Bhadrakālī, famed by that name, was born from the goddess's anger, sent by the Lord of gods, and has come to the place of sacrifice.
शरणं गच्छ राजेन्द्र देवदेवम् उमापतिम् वरं क्रोधो ऽपि देवस्य न वरः परिचारकैः
Seek refuge, O king of kings, in the Lord of gods, the husband of Umā; for even the Lord's anger is not to be withstood by his attendants.
निखातोत्पाटितैर् यूपैर् अपविद्धैस् ततस् ततः उत्पतद्भिः पतद्भिश् च गृध्रैर् आमिषगृध्नुभिः
With sacrificial posts torn up and scattered here and there, and with vultures greedy for flesh leaping and swooping down,
पक्षवातविनिर्धूतैः शिवारुतविनादितैः स तस्य यज्ञो नृपतेर् बाध्यमानस् तदा गणैः
Blown about by the wind of their wings, resounding with Shiva's howls, that sacrifice of the king was then harassed by the hosts.
आस्थाय मृगरूपं वै खम् एवाभ्यपतत् तदा तं तु यज्ञं तथारूपं गच्छन्तम् उपलभ्य सः
Then, taking the form of a deer, it leapt up into the sky; perceiving the sacrifice thus transformed and fleeing,
धनुर् आदाय बाणं च तदर्थम् अगमत् प्रभुः ततस् तस्य गणेशस्य क्रोधाद् अमिततेजसः
The mighty one took up his bow and arrow for that purpose; then, from the wrath of that leader of the hosts, whose brilliance was boundless,
ललाटात् प्रसृतो घोरः स्वेदबिन्दुर् बभूव ह तस्मिन् पतितमात्रे च स्वेदबिन्दौ तदा भुवि
From his forehead there issued forth a terrible drop of sweat; and as soon as that drop of sweat fell to the ground,
प्रादुर्भूतो महान् अग्निर् ज्वलत्कालानलोपमः तत्रोदपद्यत तदा पुरुषो द्विजसत्तमाः
A great fire appeared, blazing like the fire at the end of time; and from it, O best of twice-born, a man arose.
ह्रस्वो ऽतिमात्रो रक्ताक्षो हरिच्छ्मश्रुर् विभीषणः ऊर्ध्वकेशो ऽतिरोमाङ्गः शोणकर्णस् तथैव च
Short yet immense, with blood-red eyes, tawny beard, and fearsome, with hair standing upright, body covered in thick hair, and ears red as blood,
करालकृष्णवर्णश् च रक्तवासास् तथैव च तं यज्ञं स महासत्त्वो ऽदहत् कक्षम् इवानलः
With a fierce, dark complexion, clothed in red, that mighty being burned the sacrifice like fire consumes dry grass.
देवाश् च प्रद्रुताः सर्वे गता भीता दिशो दश तेन तस्मिन् विचरता विक्रमेण तदा तु वै
All the gods fled in all ten directions, seized by fear, as he moved about with such force.
पृथिवी व्यचलत् सर्वा सप्तद्वीपा समन्ततः महाभूते प्रवृत्ते तु देवलोकभयंकरे
The whole earth, with its seven continents, trembled on every side as that great being acted, terrifying even the world of the gods.
तदा चाहं महादेवम् अब्रवं प्रतिपूजयन् भवते ऽपि सुराः सर्वे भागं दास्यन्ति वै प्रभो
Then I, honoring the Great God, said: 'O Lord, all the gods will indeed give you a share.'
क्रियतां प्रतिसंहारः सर्वदेवेश्वर त्वया इमाश् च देवताः सर्वा ऋषयश् च सहस्रशः
'Let there be withdrawal, O Lord of all gods, by your command; and these deities, along with thousands of sages...'
तव क्रोधान् महादेव न शान्तिम् उपलेभिरे यश् चैष पुरुषो जातः स्वेदजस् ते सुरर्षभ
O great god, from your wrath this being was born, O best of the gods, and because of your anger, they did not attain peace; this person is sweat-born.
ज्वरो नामैष धर्मज्ञ लोकेषु प्रचरिष्यति एकीभूतस्य न ह्य् अस्य धारणे तेजसः प्रभो
This being is known as Fever, O knower of righteousness; he will move among the worlds. When united, his energy cannot be contained, O lord.
समर्था सकला पृथ्वी बहुधा सृज्यताम् अयम् इत्य् उक्तः स मया देवो भागे चापि प्रकल्पिते
The entire earth is capable; let this one be created in many forms. Thus I spoke to the god, and a portion was also assigned.
भगवान् मां तथेत्य् आह देवदेवः पिनाकधृक् परां च प्रीतिम् अगमत् स स्वयं च पिनाकधृक्
The blessed lord, the god of gods, the wielder of Pināka, said to me, 'So be it,' and he himself, the Pināka-bearer, became supremely pleased.
दक्षो ऽपि मनसा देवं भवं शरणम् अन्वगात् प्राणापानौ समारुध्य चक्षुःस्थाने प्रयत्नतः
Dakṣa too, in his mind, sought refuge in the god Bhava, ascending with his breath and life-force, and with great effort fixing his gaze in the eye-place.
विधार्य सर्वतो दृष्टिं बहुदृष्टिर् अमित्रजित् स्मितं कृत्वाब्रवीद् वाक्यं ब्रूहि किं करवाणि ते
With his vision restrained on all sides, the conqueror of foes with many eyes, smiling, spoke these words: 'Speak, what shall I do for you?'
श्राविते च महाख्याने देवानां पितृभिः सह तम् उवाचाञ्जलिं कृत्वा दक्षो देवं प्रजापतिः भीतः शङ्कितचित्तस् तु सबाष्पवदनेक्षणः
When the great story was heard by the gods together with the ancestors, Dakṣa, the lord of creatures, with joined palms, spoke to the god, his mind fearful and anxious, his face tearful and eyes filled with doubt.
यदि प्रसन्नो भगवान् यदि वाहं तव प्रियः यदि चाहम् अनुग्राह्यो यदि देयो वरो मम
If the blessed lord is pleased, if I am dear to you, if I am to be shown favor, if a boon is to be granted to me—
यद् भक्ष्यं भक्षितं पीतं त्रासितं यच् च नाशितम् चूर्णीकृतापविद्धं च यज्ञसंभारम् ईदृशम्
Whatever food has been eaten, drunk, frightened away, or destroyed, whatever has been ground to powder and cast aside—such sacrificial materials as these—
दीर्घकालेन महता प्रयत्नेन च संचितम् न च मिथ्या भवेन् मह्यं त्वत्प्रसादान् महेश्वर
Which were gathered over a long time with great effort—may none of this be lost to me, by your grace, O great lord.
तथास्त्व् इत्य् आह भगवान् भगनेत्रहरो हरः धर्माध्यक्षं महादेवं त्र्यम्बकं च प्रजापतिः
'So be it,' said the blessed lord, Hara, the remover of Bhaga's eye, and the lord of creatures praised Mahādeva, the overseer of righteousness, the three-eyed one.
जानुभ्याम् अवनीं गत्वा दक्षो लब्ध्वा भवाद् वरम् नाम्नां चाष्टसहस्रेण स्तुतवान् वृषभध्वजम्
Having touched the earth with his knees, Dakṣa, having obtained a boon from Bhava, praised the bull-bannered one with eight thousand names.
एवं दृष्ट्वा तदा दक्षः शंभोर् वीर्यं द्विजोत्तमाः प्राञ्जलिः प्रणतो भूत्वा संस्तोतुम् उपचक्रमे
Thus, seeing the power of Śambhu, Dakṣa, O best of twice-born, with joined palms and bowed down, began to offer praise.
नमस् ते देवदेवेश नमस् ते ऽन्धकसूदन देवेन्द्र त्वं बलश्रेष्ठ देवदानवपूजित
Salutations to you, lord of gods and master of the gods; salutations to you, slayer of Andhaka. O Indra of the gods, you are supreme in strength, worshipped by gods and demons.