सुरेश्वरा मदंशाश्च ब्रह्मशक्तिमहेश्वराः
The lords of the gods, the portions of intoxication, the power of Brahma, and the great lords—
मृदा विना घटं कर्त्तुं कुलालश्च यथाऽक्षमः
Just as a potter is unable to make a pot without clay,
विना शक्त्या तथाऽहं च स्वसृष्टिं कर्तुमक्षमः
So too, without power, I am unable to create my own creation.
अहमात्मा हि निर्लिप्तोऽदृश्यः साक्षी च देहिनाम्
I am the Self, indeed untouched, invisible, and the witness of embodied beings.
अहं नित्यः शरीरी च भानुविग्रहविग्रहः
I am eternal, embodied, and my form is the form of the sun.
अहमात्मा मनो ब्रह्मा ज्ञानरूपो महेश्वरः
I am the Self, the mind, Brahma, the embodiment of knowledge, the great Lord.
मेधा निद्रादयश्चैताः सर्वाश्च प्रकृतेः कलाः
Intelligence, sleep, and all these—indeed, all are powers of Prakriti.
अहं गोलोकनाथश्च वैकुण्ठेशः सनातनः चतुर्भुजोऽत्र देवेशो लक्ष्मीशः पार्षदैर्वृतः
I am the Lord of Goloka, the eternal Lord of Vaikuntha, the four-armed Lord of the gods here, the Lord of Lakshmi, surrounded by attendants.
ऊर्ध्व परश्च वैकुण्ठात्पञ्चाशत्कोटियोजने
Above and beyond Vaikuntha, at a distance of fifty crore yojanas,
व्रताराध्यस्स द्विभुजः स च तत्फलदायकः
He is worshipped by vows, has two arms, and grants the fruits of those vows.
विष्णुदेहा यथा गावो विष्णुदेहस्तथा शिवः
Just as cows are of the form of Vishnu, so too is Shiva of the form of Vishnu.
यज्ञपत्नीं यथा दातुं क्षमः स्वामी सदैव तु
Just as a master is always able to give his wife to the sacrificer,
इत्युक्त्वा स सभामध्ये तत्रैवान्तरधीयत
Having spoken thus in the midst of the assembly, he vanished right there.
कृत्वा शिवा पूर्णहोमं सा शिवं दक्षिणां ददौ
Having performed the complete offering, Shiva gave the sacrificial fee to Shiva.
उवाच दुर्गा संत्रस्ता शुष्ककण्ठौष्ठतालुका
Durga, her throat, lips, and palate dry, spoke in fear.
पार्वत्युवाच गवां लक्षं प्रयच्छामि देहि मत्स्वामिनं द्विज
Parvati said: I will give a hundred thousand cows; give me my husband, O twice-born.
तदा दास्यामि विप्रेभ्यो दानानि विविधानि च
Then I will give various gifts to the Brahmins.
सनत्कुमार उवाच दत्तस्यामूल्य रत्नस्य गवां प्रत्यर्पणेन च
Sanatkumara said: By giving the priceless jewel and by offering the cows—
स्वस्य स्वस्य स्वयं दाता लोकः सर्वो जगत्त्रये
Each being is the giver of his own self in all the worlds of the threefold universe.
दिगम्बरं पुरः कृत्वा भ्रमिष्यामि जगत्त्रयम्
I will wander through the three worlds, making the sky my only garment.
इत्युक्त्वा ब्रह्मणः पुत्रो गृहीत्वा शङ्करं मुने
Having spoken thus, the son of Brahma, O sage, took hold of Shankara.
दृष्ट्वा शिवं गृह्यमाणं कुमारेण च पार्वती
Seeing Shiva being seized by the boy, Parvati—
विचिन्त्य मनसा साध्वीत्येवमेव दुरत्ययम्
That virtuous lady, reflecting in her mind, thought this was truly insurmountable.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे देवाः पार्वतीसहितास्तदा
Meanwhile, at that moment, the gods together with Parvati—
कोटिसूर्य्यप्रभोर्ध्वं च प्रज्वलन्तं दिशो दश
Saw, above, a radiance blazing in all ten directions, outshining millions of suns.
विष्णुरुवाच सोऽयं ते षोडशांशश्च के वयं यो महाविराट्
Vishnu said: This one is your sixteenth part; who are we, compared to the Great Cosmic Being?
ब्रह्मोवाच स्तोतुं तद्वर्णितुमहं शक्तः किं स्तौमि तत्परः
Brahma said: Am I able to praise or describe Him? How can I praise the Supreme?
देवा उचुः स्तोतुं न शक्ता वेदा यं न च शक्ता सरस्वती
The gods said: The Vedas are not able to praise Him, nor is Sarasvati capable.
मुनय उचुः स्तोतुमीशा न वाणी च त्वां वाङ्मनसयोः परम्
The sages said: Speech is not able to praise You, who are beyond both speech and mind.
सरस्वत्युवाच किञ्चिन्न शक्ता त्वां स्तोतुमहो वाङ्मनसोः परम्
Sarasvati said: I am not at all able to praise You, who are beyond speech and mind.