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.
सावित्र्युवाच किं स्तौमि स्त्रीस्वभावेन सर्वकारणकारणम्
Savitri said: How can I, by my feminine nature, praise the Cause of all causes?
लक्ष्मीरुवाच किं स्तौमि त्वत्कलासृष्टा जगतां बीजकारणम्
Lakshmi said: How can I praise You, the seed-cause of the worlds, from whom even my own powers arise?
हिमालय उवाच स्तोतुं समुद्यतं क्षुद्रः किं स्तौमि स्तोतुमक्षमः
Himalaya said: Though I am eager to praise, I am insignificant; how can I praise, being unfit to do so?
क्रमेण सर्वे तं स्तुत्वा देवा विररमुर्मुने
One by one, having offered their praises, all the gods fell silent, O sage.
धौतवस्त्रा जटाभारं बिभ्रती सुव्रता व्रते
Clad in washed garments, bearing matted locks, she, steadfast in her vow, observed her discipline.
ज्वलदग्निशिखारूपा तेजोमूर्तिमती सती
She, Sati, whose form was blazing like tongues of fire, was the embodiment of radiance.
पार्वत्युवाच के वा जानन्ति वेदज्ञा वेदा वा वेदकारकाः
Pārvatī said: Who indeed knows, those who know the Vedas, or the Vedas themselves, or their composers?
त्वदंशास्त्वां न जानन्ति कथं ज्ञास्यन्ति ते कलाः
Even your own portions do not know you—how then could your manifestations know you?
सूक्ष्मात्सूक्ष्मतमोऽव्यक्तः स्थूलात्स्थूलतमो महान्
You are subtler than the subtlest, unmanifest; greater than the greatest, the Supreme.
कार्य्यं त्वं कारणं त्वं च कारणानां च कारणम्
You are the effect, you are the cause, and you are the cause of all causes.