यस्मिन् देशे यत्र काले यस्मिन् देवे च मन्त्रके यत्र तीर्थे च सिध्येत मत्संकल्पः सुरोत्तम
O best of gods, in which place, at what time, with which deity, with what mantra, and at which sacred site will my intention be fulfilled?
चन्द्रः प्राह चिरं ध्यात्वा भुक्तिर् वा मुक्तिर् एव वा सर्वं महेश्वराद् देवाज् जायते नात्र संशयः
After meditating for a long time, Soma replied: Whether it is enjoyment or liberation, all arises from the great god Maheśvara—there is no doubt about this.
स सोमं पुनर् अप्य् आह कथं द्रक्ष्ये महेश्वरम् बालो ऽहं बालबुद्धिश् च न सामर्थ्यं तपस् तथा
He again said to Soma: How shall I see Maheśvara? I am a child, with the understanding of a child, and I do not have the capacity for such austerity.
गौतमीं गच्छ भद्र त्वं स्तुहि चक्रेश्वरं हरम् प्रसन्नस् तु तवेशानो ह्य् अल्पायासेन वत्सक
Go to the Gautamī, dear one, and praise Hara, the lord of the discus. If the lord is pleased with you, O little one, he will be gracious with little effort.
प्रीतो भवेन् महादेवः साक्षात् कारुणिकः शिवः आस्ते साक्षात्कृतः शंभुर् विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना
If pleased, the great god, the compassionate Śiva, will appear directly. Śambhu, manifest, abides there, revealed to the mighty Viṣṇu.
वरं च दत्तवान् विष्णोश् चक्रं च त्रिदशार्चितम् गच्छ तत्र महाबुद्धे दण्डके गौतमीं नदीम्
He granted a boon to Viṣṇu and the discus worshipped by the gods. Go there, O wise one, to the Gautamī river in Daṇḍaka.
चक्रेश्वरं नाम तीर्थं जानन्त्य् ओषधयस् तु तत् तं गत्वा स्तुहि देवेशं सर्वभावेन शंकरम् स ते प्रीतमनास् तात सर्वान् कामान् प्रदास्यति
The plants know that sacred place as Cakreśvara. Go there and praise Śaṅkara, the lord of gods, with all your heart; he, pleased in mind, my child, will grant you all desires.
तद् राजवचनाद् ब्रह्मन् पिप्पलादो महामुनिः आजगाम जगन्नाथो यत्र रुद्रः स चक्रदः
Then, by the king’s command, the great sage Pippalāda went to where Rudra, the lord of the world and giver of the discus, was present.
तं बालं कृपयाविष्टाः पिप्पलाः स्वाश्रमान् ययुः गोदावर्यां ततः स्नात्वा नत्वा त्रिभुवनेश्वरम् तुष्टाव सर्वभावेन पिप्पलादः शिवं शुचिः
Moved by compassion for the boy, the pippala trees returned to their hermitages. Then, after bathing in the Godāvarī, he bowed to the lord of the three worlds, and Pippalāda, pure in heart, praised Śiva with all his being.
सर्वाणि कर्माणि विहाय धीरास् त्यक्तैषणा निर्जितचित्तवाताः यं यान्ति मुक्त्यै शरणं प्रयत्नात् तम् आदिदेवं प्रणमामि शंभुम्
Renouncing all actions, the steadfast ones, having abandoned desires and conquered the mind and senses, strive for liberation and seek refuge in him. I bow to that primordial god Śambhu.
यः सर्वसाक्षी सकलान्तरात्मा सर्वेश्वरः सर्वकलानिधानम् विज्ञाय मच्चित्तगतं समस्तं स मे स्मरारिः करुणां करोतु
May He, who is the witness of all, the inner soul of all beings, the Lord of all, the repository of all arts, who knows all that is in my mind—may that enemy of Smara show me compassion.
दिगीश्वराञ् जित्य सुरार्चितस्य कैलासम् आन्दोलयतः पुरारेः अङ्गुष्ठकृत्यैव रसातलाद् अधो गतस्य तस्यैव दशाननस्य
Having conquered the guardians of the directions, and worshipped by the gods, he who shook Kailāsa—when the ten-headed one pressed it down to the netherworld with just his thumb, it was that very Purāri.
आलूनकायस्य गिरं निशम्य विहस्य देव्या सह दत्तम् इष्टम् तस्मै प्रसन्नः कुपितो ऽपि तद्वद् अयुक्तदातासि महेश्वर त्वम्
Hearing the words of the one whose body was mangled, he laughed together with the goddess and granted the boon; thus, though angry, you are gracious even to the unworthy, O Maheśvara.
सौत्रामणीम् ऋद्धिम् अधः स चक्रे यो ऽर्चां हरौ नित्यम् अतीव कृत्वा बाणः प्रशस्यः कृतवान् उच्चपूजां रम्यां मनोज्ञां शशिखण्डमौलेः
He performed the Sautrāmaṇī rite and, having constantly worshipped Hari with great devotion, Bāṇa became renowned for his splendid and delightful worship of the moon-crested Lord.
जित्वा रिपून् देवगणान् प्रपूज्य गुरुं नमस्कर्तुम् अगाद् विशाखः चुकोप दृष्ट्वा गणनाथम् ऊढम् अङ्के तम् आरोप्य जहास सोमः
Having defeated his enemies, worshipped the hosts of gods, and bowed to his teacher, Viśākha became angry upon seeing Gaṇanātha seated on his lap, and Soma laughed as he lifted him up.
ईशाङ्करूढो ऽपि शिशुस्वभावान् न मातुर् अङ्कं प्रमुमोच बालः क्रुद्धं सुतं बोधितुम् अप्य् अशक्तस् ततो ऽर्धनारित्वम् अवाप सोमः
Though mounted on Īśāna, the child, by his very nature, did not leave his mother's lap; even Soma was unable to pacify the angry boy, and thus he obtained the state of being half-defeated.
ततः स्वयंभूः सुप्रीतः पिप्पलादम् अभाषत
Then the self-born one, well pleased, spoke to Pippalāda.
वरं वरय भद्रं ते पिप्पलाद यथेप्सितम्
"Choose a boon, O blessed Pippalāda, whatever you desire."
हतो देवैर् महादेव पिता मम महायशाः अदाम्भिकः सत्यवादी तथा माता पतिव्रता
My father, the illustrious Mahādeva, was killed by the gods; he was sincere and truthful, and my mother was devoted to her husband.
देवेभ्यश् च तयोर् नाशं श्रुत्वा नाथ सविस्तरम् दुःखकोपसमाविष्टो नाहं जीवितुम् उत्सहे
Hearing in detail from the gods about their destruction, O Lord, I am overwhelmed by grief and anger and am unable to go on living.
तस्मान् मे देहि सामर्थ्यं नाशयेयं सुरान् यथा अवध्यसेव्यस् त्रैलोक्ये त्वम् एव शशिशेखर
Therefore, grant me the power to destroy the gods, just as you, O moon-crested one, are invincible and unassailable in the three worlds.
तृतीयं नयनं द्रष्टुं यदि शक्नोषि मे ऽनघ ततः समर्थो भविता देवांश् छेदयितुं भवान्
If you are able, O sinless one, to see my third eye, then you will be capable of cutting down the gods.
ततो द्रष्टुं मनश् चक्रे तृतीयं लोचनं विभोः न शशाक तदोवाच न शक्तो ऽस्मीति शंकरम्
Then he resolved in his mind to see the third eye of the Lord, but he was unable; so he said to Śaṅkara, "I am not able."
किंचित् कुरु तपो बाल यदा द्रक्ष्यसि लोचनम् तृतीयं त्वं तदाभीष्टं प्राप्स्यसे नात्र संशयः
"Practice austerity, child. When you see the third eye, then you will obtain your desired boon—there is no doubt of this."
एतच् छ्रुत्वेशानवाक्यं तपसे कृतनिश्चयः दधीचिसूनुर् धर्मात्मा तत्रैव बहुलाः समाः
Hearing these words of the Lord, the righteous son of Dadhīci resolved to undertake austerity and remained there for many years.
शिवध्यानैकनिरतो बालो ऽपि बलवान् इव प्रत्यहं प्रातर् उत्थाय स्नात्वा नत्वा गुरून् क्रमात्
Though a child, devoted solely to meditation on Śiva, he became strong; every day, rising at dawn, he bathed and bowed to his teachers in order.
सुखासीनो मनः कृत्वा सुषुम्नायाम् अनन्यधीः हस्तस्वस्तिकम् आरोप्य नाभौ विस्मृतसंसृतिः
Sitting comfortably, making his mind steady in the suṣumnā, with undistracted focus, placing his hands in the svastika posture at his navel, he forgot the cycle of rebirth.
स्थानात् स्थानान्तरोत्कर्षान् विदध्यौ शांभवं महः ददर्श चक्षुर् देवस्य तृतीयं पिप्पलाशनः कृताञ्जलिपुटो भूत्वा विनीत इदम् अब्रवीत्
He contemplated the supreme glory of Śambhu, surpassing from one state to another; Pippalāda beheld the third eye of the Lord, and, with palms joined in reverence and humility, he spoke as follows.
शंभुना देवदेवेन वरो दत्तः पुरा मम तार्तीयचक्षुषो ज्योतिर् यदा पश्यसि तत्क्षणात्
Once, the god of gods, Śambhu, granted me a boon: whenever you see the light of the third eye, at that very moment—
सर्वं ते प्रार्थितं सिध्येद् इत्य् आह त्रिदशेश्वरः तस्माद् रिपुविनाशाय हेतुभूतां प्रयच्छ मे
The lord of the immortals said, 'Everything you desire will be fulfilled.' Therefore, grant me that which will serve as the cause for the destruction of my enemies.