प्रोवाच को भवान् कस्माद् देशाद् देशमिमंश्रितः
He asked: Who are you? From which land have you come to this place?
पुत्रपौत्रादिभिर्युक्तः कुटुम्बभरणोत्सुकः
Surrounded by sons, grandsons, and others, you were eager to support your household.
न कदाचित् कृतं पुण्यमल्पं वा स्वल्पमेव वा
Never, not even a little, have you performed any meritorious deed, however small.
विश्वेश्वरो वाराणस्यां दृष्टः स्पृष्टे नमस्कृतः
The Lord of the universe, seen, touched, and saluted in Varanasi—
न दृष्टं नन्मया घोरं यमस्य वदनं मुने
O sage, I have not seen the terrible face of Yama.
पिपासयाधुनाक्रान्तो न जानामि हिताहितम्
Now overcome by thirst, I do not know what is beneficial or harmful.
कुरुष्व तं नमस्तुभ्यं त्वामहं शरणं गतः
Do that for me; I bow to you. I have taken refuge in you.
त्वादृशो न हि लोके ऽस्मिन् विद्यते पुण्यकृत्तमः
There is truly no one in this world more virtuous than you.
संस्पृष्टो वन्दितो भूयः को ऽन्यस्त्वत्सदृशो भुवि
Having been touched and saluted again—who else on earth is like you?
येनेमां कुत्सितां योनिं क्षिप्रमेव प्रहास्यसि
By whom, I will quickly abandon this wretched birth.
चक्रे समाधाय मनो ऽवगाहम्
He fixed his mind in concentration.
शशाङ्कचिह्नाङ्कितचारुमौलिः
His beautiful crown was marked with the sign of the moon.
यथोदये भानुरशेषदेवः
Just as the sun, when it rises, is seen by all the gods—
गन्धर्वविद्याधरकिंनराद्याः
Gandharvas, Vidyadharas, Kinnaras, and others—
त्रयीमयं यत्र विभाति रुद्रः
Where Rudra, composed of the three Vedas, shines forth—
प्रणम्य तुष्टाव कपर्दिनं तम्
He bowed and praised that matted-haired one.
मादित्यमग्निं कपिलाधिरूढम्
The sun, fire, mounted upon a tawny steed—
महामुनिं ब्रह्ममयं पवित्रम्
The great sage, pure and composed of Brahman—
हिरण्यगर्भाधिपतिं त्रिनेत्रम्
The lord of the golden womb, the three-eyed one,
प्रणम्य नित्यं शरणं प्रपद्ये
I bow always, seeking refuge in him.
नमस्करिष्ये न यतो ऽन्यदस्ति
I shall offer obeisance, for there is nothing else.
तं ब्रह्मपारं भवतः स्वरूपम्
That boundless Brahman, your true nature,
स्वयंभुवं त्वां शरणं प्रपद्ये
I seek refuge in you, the self-born.
सब्रह्मपारं प्रणतो ऽस्मि नित्यम्
I bow always to the one who transcends Brahman.
कालं बृहन्तं भवतः स्वरूपम्
The vast Time, your true nature,
पिनाकिनं त्वां शरणं व्रजामि
I go for refuge to you, the wielder of the Pinaka bow.
पपात दण्डवद् भूमौ प्रोच्चरन् प्रणवं परम्
He fell prostrate on the ground, uttering the supreme Om.
ज्ञानमानन्दमद्वैतं कोटिकालाग्निसन्निभम्
Knowledge, bliss, non-duality, blazing like millions of fires of time.
निलिल्ये विमले लिङ्गे तद्भुतमिवाभवत्
He merged into the pure linga, and it became wondrous.
न कश्चिद् वेत्ति तमसा विद्वानप्यत्र मुह्यति
No one knows; even the learned are bewildered by darkness.