ये ऽज्ञानिनो ये च पापा ये मग्ना नरकार्णवे शिवेति वचनान् नाथ तान् पासि त्वं जगद्गुरो
Those who are ignorant, sinful, or sunk in the ocean of hell—by the utterance of 'Śiva,' O Lord of the universe, you protect them.
एवं तु स्तुवतस् तस्य पुरः प्राह त्रिलोचनः
Thus, as he was praising, the Three-eyed One spoke before him.
वरं ब्रूह्य् अथ देवापे अलं दैन्येन बालक
Speak your boon, then, O Devāpi; enough of this dejection, child.
राजानं राजपत्नीं च पितरं च गुरुं मम प्राप्तुम् इच्छे जगन्नाथ निधनं च रिपोर् मम
O Lord of the universe, I wish to obtain the king, the queen, my father, my teacher, and the death of my enemy.
देवापिवचनं श्रुत्वा तथेत्य् आहाखिलेश्वरः देवापेः सर्वम् अभवद् आज्ञया शंकरस्य तत्
Hearing Devāpi's words, the Lord of all said, 'So be it,' and by Śaṃkara's command, all was accomplished for Devāpi.
पुनर् अप्य् आह तं शंभुर् देवापिकरुणाकरः नन्दिनं प्रेषयाम् आस शंभुः शूलेन नारद
Again, Śaṃbhu, the ocean of compassion for Devāpi, spoke to him; Śaṃbhu sent Nandin, bearing the trident, O Nārada.
रसातलं मिथुं नन्दी हत्वा चासुरपुंगवान् तत्पित्रादीन् समानीय तस्मै तान् स न्यवेदयत्
Nandin went to Rasātala, slew the foremost of the Asuras, brought back their fathers and others, and presented them to him.
हयमेधश् च तत्रासीद् आर्ष्टिषेणस्य धीमतः अग्निश् च ऋत्विजो देवा वेदाश् च ऋषयो ऽब्रुवन्
There was also an Aśvamedha sacrifice performed by the wise Ārṣṭiṣeṇa; fire, priests, gods, and sages recited the Vedas.
यत्र साक्षाद् अभूच् छंभुर् देवापे भक्तवत्सलः देवदेवो जगन्नाथो देवतीर्थम् अभूच् च तत्
There, Śaṃbhu himself appeared, devoted to his follower Devāpi; that place became the divine tīrtha of the Lord of the universe.
सर्वपापक्षयकरं सर्वसिद्धिप्रदं नृणाम् पुण्यदं तीर्थम् एतत् स्यात् तव कीर्तिश् च शाश्वती
This tīrtha destroys all sins, grants all accomplishments to people, bestows merit, and your fame there shall be eternal.
अश्वमेधे निवृत्ते तु सुरास् तेभ्यो वरान् ददुः स्नात्वा कृतार्था गङ्गायां ततस् ते दिवम् आक्रमन्
When the Aśvamedha was completed, the gods granted boons to them; having bathed in the Gaṅgā, fulfilled, they then ascended to heaven.
ततः प्रभृति तत्रासंस् तीर्थानि दश पञ्च च सहस्राणि शतान्य् अष्टाव् उभयोर् अपि तीरयोः तेषु स्नानं च दानं च ह्य् अतीव फलदं विदुः
From that time, there have been fifteen thousand and eight hundred tīrthas at both tīrthas; bathing and giving there are known to yield great fruit.
तपोवनम् इति ख्यातं नन्दिनीसंगमं तथा सिद्धेश्वरं तत्र तीर्थं गौतम्या दक्षिणे तटे
The place known as Tapovana, the confluence of the Nandinī, and Siddheśvara are there; the tīrtha of Gautamī is on the southern bank.
शार्दूलं चेति विख्यातं तेषां वृत्तम् इदं शृणु यस्याकर्णनमात्रेण सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
Śārdūla is also renowned; listen to their story, by hearing which alone one is freed from all sins.
अग्निर् होता पुरा त्व् आसीद् देवानां हव्यवाहनः भार्यां प्राप्तो दक्षसुतां स्वाहानाम्नीं सुरूपिणीम्
In ancient times, Agni was the hotṛ, the carrier of oblations for the gods; he obtained as wife the beautiful Svāhā, daughter of Dakṣa.
सानपत्या पुरा चासीत् पुत्रार्थं तप आविशत् तपश् चरन्तीं विपुलं तोषयन्तीं हुताशनम् स भर्ता हुतभुक् प्राह भार्यां स्वाहाम् अनिन्दिताम्
She was once childless and undertook austerities for a son; as she performed great penance, pleasing the fire-god, her husband, the blameless Svāhā was addressed by him.
अपत्यानि भविष्यन्ति मा तपः कुरु शोभने
Children will be born; do not perform austerities, O beautiful one.
एतच् छ्रुत्वा भर्तृवाक्यं निवृत्ता तपसो ऽभवत् स्त्रीणाम् अभीष्टदं नान्यद् भर्तृवाक्यं विना क्वचित्
Hearing her husband's words, she ceased her penance; for women, nothing else is desirable apart from their husband's word.
ततः कतिपये काले तारकाद् भय आगते अनुत्पन्ने कार्त्तिकेये चिरकालरहोगते
Then, after some time, when fear from Tāraka arose, and Kārttikeya had not yet been born, with a long time having passed in secrecy—
महेश्वरे भवान्या च त्रस्ता देवाः समागताः देवानां कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थम् अग्निं प्रोचुर् दिवौकसः
The gods, frightened of Maheśvara and Bhavānī, assembled; for the accomplishment of the gods' purpose, the celestials addressed Agni.
देव गच्छ महाभाग शंभुं त्रैलोक्यपूजितम् तारकाद् भयम् उत्पन्नं शंभवे त्वं निवेदय
O illustrious one, go to Śaṃbhu, who is worshipped by the three worlds; inform Śaṃbhu of the fear that has arisen from Tāraka.
न गन्तव्यं तत्र देशे दंपत्योः स्थितयो रहः सामान्यमात्रतो न्यायः किं पुनः शूलपाणिनि
It is not proper to go to that place where a husband and wife are alone; even for ordinary people this is the rule—how much more so for the wielder of the trident.
एकान्तस्थितयोः स्वैरं जल्पतोर् यः सरागयोः दंपत्योः शृणुयाद् वाक्यं निरयात् तस्य नोद्धृतिः
If one listens to the words of a passionate couple conversing privately, there is no deliverance from hell for that person.
स स्वाम्य् अखिललोकानां महाकालस् त्रिशूलवान् निरीक्षणीयः केन स्याद् भवान्या रहसि स्थितः
He is the lord of all worlds, the great Kāla, bearer of the trident—by whom could he be observed while dwelling in privacy with Bhavānī?
महाभये चानुगते न्यायः को ऽन्व् अत्र वर्ण्यते तारकाद् भय उत्पन्ने गच्छ त्वं तारको भवान्
And when great danger has come, what rule can be described here? Since fear has arisen from Tāraka, go—you must become Tāraka.
महाभयाब्धौ साधूनां यत् परार्थाय जीवितम् रूपेणान्येन वा गच्छ वाचं वद यथा तथा
When the ocean of great fear arises for the good, one’s life should be given for the sake of others; go, take another form or speak as is fitting.
विश्राव्य देववचनं शंभुम् आगच्छ सत्वरः ततो दास्यामहे पूजाम् उभयोर् लोकयोः कवे
After conveying the words of the gods, return quickly to Śaṃbhu; then, O sage, we shall offer worship in both worlds.
शुको भूत्वा जगामाशु देववाक्याद् धुताशनः यत्रासीज् जगतां नाथो रममाणस् तदोमया
Having become a parrot, Dhūtaśana swiftly went by the command of the gods to where the Lord of the worlds was enjoying himself with Umā.
स भीतवद् अथ प्रायाच् छुको भूत्वा तदानलः नाशकद् द्वारदेशे तु प्रवेष्टुं हव्यवाहनः
Then, having become a parrot, that fire-god approached in fear, but Havyavāhana could not enter through the doorway.
ततो गवाक्षदेशे तु तस्थौ धुन्वन्न् अधोमुखः तं दृष्ट्वा प्रहसञ् शंभुर् उमां प्राह रहोगतः
So he stood at the window, bowing his head and trembling; seeing him, Śaṃbhu laughed and spoke to Umā in private.