ब्रह्मा प्रोवाच तं देवं कर्ताऽहं जगतः किल । विष्णुस्तमाह भो मूर्ख जगत्कर्ताऽहमच्युतः
Brahmā said to that god, 'I am indeed the creator of the world.' Viṣṇu replied, 'O fool, I, Acyuta, am the creator of the world.'
त्वं कियान्बलहीनोऽसि रजोगुणसमाश्रितः । सत्त्वाश्रितं हि मां विद्धि वासुदेवं सनातनम्
'How insignificant and powerless you are, relying on the quality of passion! Know me, Vāsudeva, the eternal one, as established in purity.'
मया त्वं रक्षितोऽद्यैव कृत्वा युद्धं सुदारुणम् । शरणं मे समायातो दानवाभ्यां प्रपीडितः
Today you have been protected by me, after a fierce and terrible battle; you came to me for refuge, oppressed by the two demons.
मया तौ निहतौ कामं दानवौ मधुकैटभौ । कथं गर्वायसे मंद मोहोऽयं त्यज सांप्रतम्
By my will, those two demons, Madhu and Kaiṭabha, have indeed been slain; why are you so arrogant, dull one? Abandon this delusion at once.
न मत्तोऽप्यधिकः कश्चित्संसारेऽस्मिन्प्रसारिते । ऋषिरुवाच। एवं प्रवदमानौ तौ ब्रह्मविष्णू परस्परम्
In this vast world, there is no one greater than me.
स्फुरदोष्ठौ वेपमानौ लोहिताक्षौ बभूवतुः । प्रादुर्बभूव सहसा तयोर्विवदमानयोः
The sage said: As Brahmā and Viṣṇu spoke thus to each other, their lips quivering, their bodies trembling, and their eyes red, suddenly there appeared—
मध्ये लिंगं सुधाश्वेतं विपुलं दीर्घमद्भुतम् । आकाशे तरसा तत्र वागुवाचाशरीरिणी
Between them, a wondrous, immense, and dazzling white liṅga arose; in the sky, a bodiless voice spoke swiftly there.
तौ संबोध्य महाभागौ विवदन्तौ परस्परम् । ब्रह्मन्विष्णो विवादं मा कुरुतां वां परस्परम्
Addressing those two illustrious ones, who were disputing with each other, the voice said: 'Brahmā and Viṣṇu, do not quarrel with one another.'
लिंगस्यास्य परं पारमधस्तादुपरि ध्रुवम् । यो याति युवयोर्मध्ये स श्रेष्ठो वां सदैव हि
Of you two, whoever reaches the top or bottom of this liṅga, which is endless above and below, shall always be the greatest among you.
एक: प्रयातु पातालमाकाशमपरोऽधुना । प्रमाणं मे वचः कार्यं त्यक्त्वा वादं निरर्थकम्
Let one of you go downward to the netherworld, and the other upward to the sky; heed my words as the measure, and abandon this fruitless argument.
मध्यस्थः सर्वदा कार्यो विवादेऽस्मिन्द्वयोरिह । ऋषिरुवाच। तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं दिव्यं सज्जीभूतौ कृतोद्यमौ
In this dispute between you two, the one who remains in the middle must always act as the witness.
जग्मतुर्मातुमग्रस्थं लिङ्गमद्भुतदर्शनम् । पातालमगमद्विष्णुर्ब्रह्माऽप्याकाशमेव च
The sage said: Hearing that divine command, both became alert and determined; they set out to measure the wondrous liṅga.
परिमातुं महालिङ्गं स्वमहत्त्वविवृद्धये । विष्णुर्गत्वा कियद्देशं श्रान्तः सर्वात्मना यतः
Viṣṇu went downward to Pātāla, and Brahmā went upward into the sky, each seeking to measure the great liṅga to prove his own greatness.
न प्रापांतं स लिंगस्य परिवृत्य ययौ स्थलम् । ब्रह्माऽगच्छत्ततश्चोर्ध्वं पतितं केतकीदलम्
Viṣṇu, having traveled a great distance, became utterly exhausted, yet could not reach the end of the liṅga, so he returned to the surface.
शिवस्य मस्तकात्प्राप्य परावृत्तो मुदावृतः । आगत्य तरसा ब्रह्मा विष्णवे केतकीदलम
Brahmā, ascending further, saw a ketakī flower petal falling from Śiva's head; delighted, he turned back.
दर्शयित्वा च वितथमुवाच मदमोहितः । लिङ्गस्य मस्तकादेतद्गृहीतं केतकीदलम्
Returning swiftly, Brahmā, intoxicated with pride and delusion, showed the ketakī petal to Viṣṇu and said deceitfully: 'This ketakī petal was taken from the top of the liṅga.'
अभिज्ञानाय चानीतं तव चित्तप्रशान्तये । श्रुत्वा तद्ब्रह्मणो वाक्यं दृष्ट्वा च केतकीदलम्
'I brought it as proof, to calm your mind.' Hearing Brahmā's words and seeing the ketakī petal—
हरिस्तं प्रत्युवाचेदं साक्षी क: कथयाधुना । यथार्थवादी मेधावी सदाचारः शुचिः समः
Hari replied to him: 'Who is the witness to this now? One who is truthful, wise, virtuous, pure, and impartial is always the witness in any dispute.'
साक्षी भवति सर्वत्र विवादे समुपस्थिते । ब्रह्मोवाच। दूरदेशात्समायाति साक्षी कः समयेऽधुना
The witness is always present wherever a dispute arises.' Brahmā said: 'Who, at this moment, can come from a distant place as a witness?
यत्सत्यं तद्वचः सेयं केतकी कथयिष्यति । इत्युक्त्वा प्रेरिता तत्र ब्रह्मणा केतकी स्फुटम्
Whatever is true, let this ketakī declare it.' Having said this, Brahmā prompted the ketakī flower there to speak clearly.
वचनं प्राह तरसा शार्ङ्गिणं प्रत्यबोधयत् । शिवमूर्ध्नि स्थितां ब्रह्मा गृहीत्वा मां समागतः
She quickly spoke these words and awakened the wielder of Śārṅga, saying: 'Brahmā, having taken me, who was situated on Śiva’s head, has come here.'
सन्देहोऽत्र न कर्तव्यस्त्वया विष्णो कदाचन । मम वाक्यं प्रमाणं हि ब्रह्मा पारङ्गतोऽस्य ह
O Viṣṇu, you must never entertain any doubt here; my word is the authority, for Brahmā has indeed reached the end of this.
गृहीत्वा मां समायातः शिवभक्तैः समर्पिताम् । केतक्या वचनं श्रुत्वा हरिराह स्मयनिव
Having taken me, who was offered by the devotees of Śiva, Brahmā has arrived; hearing Ketakī’s statement, Hari spoke with a slight smile.
महादेवः प्रमाणं मे यद्यसौ वचनं वदेत् । ऋषिरुवाच। तदाकर्ण्य हरेर्वाक्यं महादेव: सनातनः
If Mahādeva himself confirms this statement, then it is proof for me.' The sage said: Hearing these words of Hari, the eternal Mahādeva—
कुपितः केतकीं प्राह मिथ्यावादिनि मा वद । गच्छतो मध्यतः प्राप्ता पतिता मस्तकान्मम
—became angry and said to Ketakī: 'Do not speak, you who utter falsehood! You fell from my head as Brahmā was passing through the middle.'
मिथ्याभिभाषिणी त्यक्ता मया त्वं सर्वदेव हि । ब्रह्मा लज्जापरो भूत्वा ननाम मधुसूदनम्
'You, who speak falsely, have been rejected by me and by all the gods.' Brahmā, overcome with shame, then bowed to Madhusūdana.
शिवेन केतकी त्यक्ता तद्दिनात्कुसुमेषु वै । एवं मायाबलं विद्धि ज्ञानिनामपि मोहदम्
From that day, Ketakī was rejected by Śiva and among flowers. Thus, know that the power of Māyā can delude even the wise.
अन्येषां प्राणिनां राजन्का वार्ता विभ्रमं प्रति । देवानां कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थं सर्वदेव रमापतिः
O King, what need is there to speak of the confusion of other beings? Even for the accomplishment of the gods’ purposes, the Lord of Lakṣmī—
दैत्यान्वञ्चयते चाशु त्यक्त्वा पापभयं हरिः । अवतारकरो देवो नानायोनिषु माधवः
—quickly deceives the demons, abandoning fear of sin; Mādhava, the god, takes incarnations in various forms.
त्यक्त्वाऽऽनन्दसुखं दैत्यैर्युद्धं चैवाकरोद्विभुः । नूनं मायाबलं चैतन्माधवेऽपि जगद्गुरौ
Abandoning bliss and happiness, the Lord fought with the demons; surely, this is the power of Māyā, even in Mādhava, the teacher of the world.