आराध्यो भगवान् विष्णुः केशवः केशिमर्दनः
The blessed Viṣṇu, Keśava, the slayer of Keśi, is to be worshipped.
प्रोचुः संहारकृद् रुद्रः पूजनीयो मुमुक्षुभिः
They said: Rudra, who brings about destruction, is to be worshipped by those seeking liberation.
तमोगुणं समाश्रित्य कल्पान्ते संहरेत् प्रभुः
At the end of the kalpa, the Lord, resorting to the quality of tamas, destroys.
संहरेद् विद्यया सर्वं संसारं शूलभृत् तया
The bearer of the trident destroys all existence by means of knowledge.
सत्त्वेन मुच्यते जन्तुः सत्त्वात्मा भगवान् हरिः
By sattva a being is liberated; the Lord Hari is of the nature of sattva.
मोचयेत् सत्त्वसंयुक्तः पूजयेशं ततो हरम्
Endowed with sattva, he brings about liberation; therefore, worship the Lord Hara.
स्वधर्मो मुक्तये पन्था नान्यो मुनिभिरष्यते
One's own duty is the path to liberation; no other is accepted by the sages.
आराधनं परो धर्मो पुरारेरमितौजसः
The supreme duty is the worship of the ancient, immeasurably powerful Lord.
यदर्जुनो ऽस्मज्जनकः स्वधर्मं कृतवानिति
For Arjuna, our ancestor, performed his own duty.
प्रमाणमृषयो ह्यत्र ब्रूयुस्ते यत् तथैव तत्
The sages are the authority here; whatever they declare, that indeed is so.
गत्वा सर्वे सुसंरब्धाः सप्तर्षोणां तदाश्रमम्
Then, all of them, filled with great zeal, went to the hermitage of the Seven Sages.
या यस्याभिमता पुंसः सा हि तस्यैव देवता
Whatever deity a man desires, that indeed is his own deity.
विशेषात् सर्वदा नायं नियमो ह्यन्यथा नृपाः
Especially, this rule does not always apply, O kings, for it may be otherwise.
विप्राणामग्निरादित्यो ब्रह्मा चैव पिनाकधृक्
For the Brāhmaṇas, Agni, Āditya, Brahmā, and the bearer of the Pināka bow are declared.
गन्धर्वाणां तथा सोमो यक्षाणामपि कथ्यते
Likewise, Soma is for the Gandharvas, and for the Yakṣas it is also said.
रक्षसां शङ्करो रुद्रः किंनराणां च पार्वती
Śaṅkara is for the Rākṣasas, Rudra as well, and for the Kiṃnaras, Pārvatī.
मनूनां स्यादुमा देवी तथा विष्णुः सभास्करः
For the Manus, it is Umā Devī, and likewise Viṣṇu together with the Sun.
वैखानसानामर्कः स्याद् यतीनां च महेश्वरः
For the Vaikhānasa sages, the Sun is declared; for the ascetics, Maheśvara.
सर्वेषां भगवान् ब्रह्मा देवदेवः प्रजापतिः
For all, the Blessed Lord Brahmā, the god of gods, the lord of creatures.
तस्माज्जयध्वजो नूनं विष्ण्वाराधनमर्हति
Therefore, the one whose banner is victory is truly worthy of Viṣṇu's worship.
पालयाञ्चक्रिरे पृथ्वीं जित्वा सर्वरिपून् रणे
Having conquered all their enemies in battle, they ruled the earth.
भीषणः सर्वसत्त्वानां पुरीं तेषां समाययौ
A terrifying being for all creatures came to their city.
शूलमादाय सूर्याभं नादयन् वै दिशो दश
Taking up a trident shining like the sun, he made the ten directions resound.
तत्यजुर्जोवितं त्वन्ये दुद्रुवुर्भयविह्वलाः
Some abandoned their lives, others fled, overwhelmed by fear.
युयुधुर्दानवं शक्तिगिरिकूटासिमुद्गरैः
The Dānavas fought with spears, mountain peaks, swords, and maces.
वारयामास घोरात्मा कल्पान्ते भैरवो यथा
The fierce-souled one restrained them, like Bhairava at the end of a kalpa.
युद्धाय कृतसंरम्भा विदेहं त्वभिदुद्रुवुः
Prepared for battle, they rushed at the bodiless one.
प्राजापत्यं तथा कृष्णो वायव्यं धृष्ण एव च
Kṛṣṇa used the Prajāpatya and Vāyavya weapons, and Dhṛṣṇa as well.
भञ्जयामास शूलेन तान्यस्त्राणि स दानवः
That Dānava shattered those weapons with his trident.
स्पृष्ट्वा मन्त्रेण तरसा चिक्षेप न ननाद च
Touching them with a mantra and force, he hurled them and did not roar.