क्रीणीहि मां दयासिन्धो विद्यापण्येन किंकरम्
Purchase me, O ocean of mercy, as a servant in exchange for knowledge.
मृगयामागतं भूपं पिता मे चोपवासिनम्
My father, the king, had come for hunting and was observing a fast.
राजा तं कपिलालोभाद्घातयामास मन्दधीः
The foolish king, out of greed for the tawny cow, killed him.
माताऽनुगमनं चक्रे ह्यनाथोऽहं च साम्प्रतम्
My mother followed after him, and now I am orphaned.
मया कृता प्रतिज्ञा च शोकेनैवातिदुष्करा
I made a vow, extremely difficult due to grief.
कार्तवीर्य्यं हनिष्यामि समरे तातघातकम्
I will slay Kārtavīrya in battle, the killer of my father.
ब्राह्मणस्य वचः श्रुत्वा दृष्ट्वा दुर्गामुखं हरः
Hearing the words of the brāhmaṇa and seeing Durgā's face, Hara (Śiva) —
पार्वत्युवाच त्रिस्सप्तकृत्वः कोपेन साहसस्ते महान्बटो
Pārvatī said: 'Thrice seven times, in anger, you have undertaken this great boldness, O brāhmaṇa.'
हन्तुमिच्छसि निःशस्त्रः सहस्रार्जुनमीश्वरम्
You wish to slay the lord of a thousand Arjunas, though you are without weapons.
तस्मै प्रदत्तं दत्तेन श्रीहरेः कवचं बटो
To him was given, by Dattātreya, the armor of Śrī Hari, O brāhmaṇa.
हरेर्म्मन्त्रं संस्तवनं यः पठेच्च दिवानिशम्
Whoever recites the mantra and hymn of Hari day and night—
अये विप्र गृहं गच्छ किं करिष्यति शंकरः
O brāhmaṇa, go home; what will Śaṅkara do?
काल्युवाच यथा हि वामनश्चन्द्रं करेणाहर्तुमिच्छति
Kālī said: 'Just as a dwarf wishes to seize the moon with his hand—'
कृतयज्ञान्महापुण्यान्महाबलपराक्रमान्
Those who have performed sacrifices, are greatly meritorious, and possess immense strength and valor—
स तयोर्वचनं श्रुत्वा रुरोदोच्चैश्च शोकतः
Hearing their words, he wept loudly out of sorrow.
विप्रस्य रोदनं श्रुत्वा शंकरः करुणानिधिः
Hearing the brāhmaṇa's weeping, Śaṅkara, the ocean of compassion—
तयोरनुमतिं प्राप्य सर्वेशो भक्तवत्सलः
Having obtained their consent, the Lord of all, devoted to his devotees—
शंकर उवाच दास्यामि मन्त्रं गुह्यं ते त्रिषु लोकेषु दुर्ल्लभम्
Śaṅkara said: 'I will give you a secret mantra, rare in the three worlds.'
एवंभूतं च कवचं दास्यामि परमाद्भुतम्
'And I will give you such armor, supremely wondrous.'
त्रिस्सप्तकृत्वो निर्भूपां करिष्यसि महीं द्विज
Thrice seven times you will make the earth free of kings, O twice-born.
इत्युक्त्वा शंकरस्तस्मै ददौ मन्त्रं सुदुर्लभम्
Having said this, Śaṅkara gave him the exceedingly rare mantra.
स्तवं पूजाविधानं च पुरश्चरणपूर्वकम्
The hymn, the method of worship, along with the preliminary rites—
सिद्धिस्थानं कालसंख्यं कथयामास नारद
He explained the place of attainment, the reckoning of time, O Nārada.
नागपाशं पाशुपतं ब्रह्मास्त्रं च सुदुर्लभम्
The serpent-noose, the Pāśupata weapon, and the exceedingly rare Brahmāstra—
गान्धर्वं गारुडं चैव जृम्भणास्त्रं तथैव च
The Gandharva, Garuda, and Jṛmbhaṇa weapons as well.
नानाप्रकारशस्त्रास्त्रमन्त्रं च विधिपूर्वकम्
Various kinds of weapons, missiles, and mantras, all according to prescribed procedures.
आत्मरक्षणसन्धानं संग्रामविजयक्रमम्
Methods for self-protection, strategies for victory in battle.
रक्षणं च स्वसैन्यानां परसैन्यविमर्दनम् संहारे मोहिनीं विद्यां ददौ मृत्युहरां हरः
Protection of one's own troops, crushing the enemy forces; and in destruction, the Mohinī knowledge, which removes death, was given by Hara.
स्थित्वा चिरं गुरोर्वांसे सर्वविद्यां विबोध्य सः
Having remained for a long time in the lineage of the guru, he mastered all knowledge.
नारद उवाच कृपयाऽदात्परशुरामाय स्तोत्रं च वर्म च
Nārada said: Out of compassion, he gave Paraśurāma both the hymn and the armor.