प्रस्तुतं देवसैन्यं च पश्य वत्स रणोद्यतम् । अहं शंभुस्त्वत्समीपं तदर्थं च समागतौ
Behold, child, the assembled army of the gods, ready for battle; I and Śaṃbhu have come here for that very purpose, to be near you.
शंभुरुवाच चन्द्रमानय हे विप्र यद्यात्मशिवमिच्छसि । संहरिष्ये सिरस्तस्य त्रिशूरेन च पापिनः
Śaṃbhu said: O brāhmaṇa, bring the moon here if you desire your own welfare; I will strike off the head of that sinner with my trident.
अन्यथा संहरिष्यामि सर्वदैत्यान्क्षणेन च । मयि रुष्टे रक्षिता को दैत्यानां च भवेद्द्विज
Otherwise, I will destroy all the demons in an instant; O brāhmaṇa, if I am angered, who could possibly protect the demons?
सद्यः पाशुपतेनैव वाय्वस्त्रेण च र्सांप्रतम् । सुराणां रिपुवर्गं च हरिष्यामि च लीलया
Immediately, with the Pāśupata weapon or by the wind-missile, I will effortlessly destroy the host of enemies of the gods.
दुर्वाससो मदंशस्य गुरुस्तस्याङ्गिरा सुनिः । परस्पराच्च संबन्धाद्गुरुपुत्रो गुरुर्मम
Durvāsas is the guru of Madaṃśa, and his teacher is Aṅgirā; by their mutual relationship, the guru's son is also my guru.
बृहस्पतिश्च तेजस्वी तं भस्मीकर्तुमीश्वरः । न चकार कृपालुश्चेत्प्रियशिष्येण हेतुना
Br̥haspati, radiant in power, was to be reduced to ashes by the Lord, but out of affection for his dear disciple, he did not do so.
उतथ्यपत्नीं दृष्ट्वा स पुरा रेमे स्वकामतः । तत्पतेः शापतोऽस्यैव परग्रस्ता प्रिया सती
Long ago, seeing Utathya's wife, he enjoyed her as he wished; by her husband's curse, his beloved was taken by another.
पत्नीं मद्गुरुपुत्रस्य देहि तार्रां मनोहराम् । मद्वैरिणं च चन्द्रं च भ्रादृभार्यापहारिणम्
Give back the enchanting Tārā, wife of my guru's son, and also the moon, my enemy, who has taken his brother's wife.
शरणागतदीनार्तं न हि रक्षेद्यदीश्वरः । पच्यते निरये तावद्यावदिन्दाश्चतुदर्श
If the Lord does not protect one who is wretched, distressed, and has sought refuge, he will be tormented in hell as long as Indra sees the four directions.
अत्र नास्ति विचारो मे पापिष्ठे शरणागते । पापी यं शरणं याति स पापी च न संशयः
In this matter, I have no deliberation, O most sinful, regarding one who has sought refuge; the sinner who seeks shelter is indeed a sinner—there is no doubt.
देहि तं विप्रशार्दूल पापिनं मातृगामिनम् । बहिष्कृत्य स्वाश्रमाच्च तारासाध्वीसमन्वितम्
O best of brāhmaṇas, hand over that sinner, violator of another's wife, expelling him from your āśrama, along with Tārā, the virtuous lady.
शुक्र उवाच सुराणामसुराणां च सर्वेषां जगतामपि । त्वमेव शास्ता भगवान्को वा शास्ति सुरेऽसुरे
Śukra said: You alone, O Lord, are the ruler of the gods, the demons, and indeed of all the worlds; who else rules over gods or demons?
कृत्वा सुराणां साहाय्यं कथं दैत्यान्हनिष्यसि । संहर्तुः सर्वजगतां दैत्यौधे किं च पौरुषम्
Having aided the gods, how will you then slay the demons? What valor is there in destroying the demons, O destroyer of all worlds?
त्वं जयोतिः परमं ब्रह्म सगुणो निर्गुणः स्वयम् । गुणभेदान्मूर्तिभेदो ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवात्मकः
You are the supreme light, the highest Brahman, with qualities and without qualities, your very self; by difference of qualities and forms, you are Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva.
बलिद्वारे गदापाणिः स्वयमेव भवान्प्रभो । स्वयं प्रदत्ता शक्राय तस्मै श्रीरपि लीलया
At Bali’s gate, O Lord, You Yourself, bearing the mace, appeared; and by Your own will, You gave prosperity to Indra, even as a sport.
क्षमस्व भगञ्छंभो हर क्रोधं च संहर । किं पौरुषं च भवतो ब्रह्मणस्यापि हिंसया
Forgive, O Auspicious One, O Śambhu, remove your anger and restrain your wrath; what is the worth of your heroism if it brings harm even to Brahmā?
अहं जीवञ्छरीरेण न दास्यामि निशाकरम् । शरणागतदीनार्तं लज्जिर्वं पापसंयुतम्
While alive in this body, I will not give the moon; he has sought refuge, is afflicted, ashamed, and bound with sin.
अहं च त्वत्पदाम्भोजे शरणं यामि शंकर । यथोचितं कुरु विभो जगत्सर्वं तथैव च
And I take refuge at your lotus feet, O Śaṃkara; O Lord, do as is proper, for the whole world likewise depends on you.
शुक्रस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रसन्नो भगवाञ्छिवः । इत्युवाच निशानाथं समानय शुभं भवेत्
Hearing Śukra’s words, the blessed Śiva was pleased and spoke thus to the lord of night: 'Bring him here, and let there be auspiciousness.'
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे ब्रह्मा बोधयित्वा कविं विभुः । समानीय निशानाथं तारकासहितं व्रज
Meanwhile, Brahmā, having instructed the sage, brought the lord of night along with the stars.
शंभोश्च चरणाम्भोजे चकार च समर्पणम् । शंभुस्तं प्रीतियुक्तश्च वासयामास वक्षसि
He offered himself at the lotus feet of Śambhu, and Śambhu, filled with affection, embraced him to his chest.
दत्तवा तस्मै पादरेणुं निष्पापं च चकार सः । दत्तवा तन्मस्तके हस्तं कृपालुरभयं ददौ
He gave him the dust of his feet and made him free from sin; the compassionate one placed his hand upon his head and granted him fearlessness.
क्षीरोदे स्नापयित्वा च प्रायश्चित्तेन शंकरः । चकार चन्द्रं निष्पापं ब्रह्मणा सहितः शुचिम्
After bathing him in the milk ocean and performing expiation, Śaṃkara, together with Brahmā, made the moon pure and free from sin.
योगेन चन्द्रं योगीन्द्रो द्विखण्डं तं चकार सः । ररक्षार्धं ललाटे च सोऽप्यर्धं ब्रह्मणः पुरः
By his yogic power, the lord of yogis split the moon into two parts; he kept one half on his forehead, and the other before Brahmā.
अत एव महादेवो बभूव चन्द्रशेखरः । मृगाङ्को लज्जितस्तत्र कलङ्कीं देवसंसदि
Thus, the great god became known as 'Candrasekhara,' the moon-crested one; there, the moon, ashamed, bore a blemish in the assembly of the gods.
लज्जया च स्वयोगेन देहत्यागं चकार सः । तच्छरीरं च क्षीरोदे ब्रह्मणा च समर्पितम्
Out of shame and by his own yogic power, he abandoned his body; and that body was offered by Brahmā into the milk ocean.
रुरोदात्रिश्च कृबया शुचा क्षीरोदधेस्तटे । अत्रेश्चक्षुर्जलं तस्य पपात च जले व्रज
Atri wept out of compassion and grief on the shore of the milk ocean; and the water from Atri’s eyes fell into the ocean, O king.
तस्माद्बभूव चन्द्रश्च निष्पापो देवसंसदि । ब्रह्मा च भगवाञ्छंभुरभिषेकं चकार तम्
From that, the moon became pure and free from sin in the assembly of the gods; and Brahmā and the blessed Śambhu performed his consecration.
महादेव उवाच स्वस्थानं गच्छ पुत्र त्वं कुरुष्व विषयं मुदा । पश्चात्तस्याश्च शापेनयक्ष्मग्रस्तोभविष्यसि
Mahādeva said: 'Go to your own place, my son, and rule your domain with joy; but later, by her curse, you will be afflicted with consumption.'
व्यर्थं पतिव्रताशापं कर्तुमीशश्चको भुवि । मदाशिषा यक्ष्मणश्च प्रतीकारो भविष्यति
The Lord did not wish to make the chaste woman’s curse fruitless on earth; but by my blessing, there will be a remedy for consumption.