नमः शोमाय रुद्राय महाग्रासाय हेतवे
Salutations to Soma, to Rudra, to the cause of the great consumption.
महादेवं महायोगमीशानं चाम्बिकापतिम्
Mahadeva, the great yogi, the Lord, and the husband of Ambika.
योगिनां कुरुमाचार्यं योगिगम्यं पिनाकिनम्
The teacher of yogis, attainable by yogis, the wielder of the Pinaka.
शाश्वतं सर्वगं ब्रह्मण्यं ब्राह्मणप्रियम्
Eternal, all-pervading, devoted to Brahman, and dear to Brahmins.
एकमूर्ति महामूर्ति वेदवेद्यं दिवस्पतिम्
Of one form, of great form, known through the Vedas, the lord of days.
कालाग्निं कालदहनं कामदं कामनाशनम्
The fire of time, the burner of time, the giver of desires, the destroyer of desires.
उग्रं पशुपतिं भीमं भास्करं तमसः परम्
The fierce Lord of Creatures, the terrible one, the radiant sun, who is beyond darkness—
अतीतानागतानां वै यावन्मन्वन्तरक्षयः
He is present through the past and the future, as long as the cycles of Manus endure.
व्याख्यातानि न संदेहः कल्पः कल्पेन चैव हि
These have been explained without doubt, indeed, in each cycle and by each cycle.
तुल्याभिमानिनः सर्वे नामरूपैर्भवन्त्युत
All those with equal pride truly become manifest with names and forms.
बभार परमां भक्तिमीशाने ऽव्यभिचारिणीम्
He bore supreme devotion to Īśāna, unwavering and pure.
सर्वज्ञं सर्वकर्तारं स्क्षाद् विष्णुं व्यवस्थितम्
He recognized Viṣṇu, the all-knowing, the creator of all, established directly before him.
कराभ्यां सुशुभाभ्यां च संस्पृश्य प्रणतं मुनिः
The sage, with his beautiful hands, touched the one who had bowed before him.
त्रैलोक्ये शङ्करे नूनं भक्तः परपुरञ्जय
In the three worlds, O conqueror of enemy cities, Śaṅkara is surely the object of devotion.
प्रत्यक्षमेव सर्वेशं रुद्रं सर्वजगद्गुरुम्
He saw directly the Lord of all, Rudra, the teacher of the entire universe.
स्वयमेव हृषीकेशः प्रीत्योवाच सनातनः
Then Hṛṣīkeśa himself, the eternal one, spoke with affection.
व्रजस्व परया भक्त्या शरण्यं शरणं शिवम्
Go with supreme devotion to Śiva, the refuge of all who seek shelter.
जगाम शङ्करपुरीं समाराधयितुं भवम्
He went to the city of Śaṅkara to worship Bhava.
संत्यज्य सर्वकर्माणि तद्भक्तिपरमो ऽभवत्
Abandoning all actions, he became wholly devoted to that worship.
मुक्त्वा सत्यवतीसूनुं कृष्णं वा देवकीसुतम्
Leaving behind Satyavatī's son, or Kṛṣṇa, the son of Devakī—
पाराशर्याय मुनये व्यासायामिततेजसे
To the sage Pārāśarya, to Vyāsa of immeasurable brilliance—
को ह्यन्यस्तत्त्वतो रुद्रं वेत्ति तं परमेश्वरम्
Who else, indeed, truly knows Rudra, the Supreme Lord?
पाराशर्यं महात्मानं योगिनं विष्णुमव्ययम्
To Pārāśarya, the great-souled one, the yogin, the imperishable Viṣṇu—
प्रेणेमुस्तं महात्मानं व्यासं सत्यवतीसुतम्
We bow to that great soul, Vyāsa, the son of Satyavatī.
किमकार्षोन्महाबुद्धिः श्रोतुं कौतूहलं हि नः
What did the great-minded one do? We wish to hear, for we are curious.
पूजयामास जाह्नव्यां देवं विश्वेश्वरं शिवम्
He worshipped the god Śiva, Lord of all, on the banks of the Ganges.
पूजयाञ्चक्रिरे व्यासं मुनयो मुनिपुङ्गवम्
The sages honored Vyāsa, foremost among sages, with their worship.
महादेवाश्रयाः पुण्या मोक्षधर्मान् सनातनान्
Those virtuous ones, devoted to Mahādeva, followed the eternal teachings of liberation.
माहात्म्यं देवदेवस्य धर्मान् वेदनिदर्शितान्
The greatness of the god of gods, and the dharmas shown in the Vedas.
पृष्टवान् जैमिनिर्व्यासं गूढमर्थं सनातनम्
Jaimini questioned Vyāsa about the profound and eternal meaning.