मत्प्रेरितेन भवता सृष्टं भुवनमण्डलम्
By my prompting, you created the sphere of worlds.
आजग्मुर्यत्र तौ देवौ वेदाश्चत्वार एव हि
There, the two gods and the four Vedas indeed arrived.
प्रोचुः संविग्नहृदया याथात्म्यं परमेष्ठिनः
With anxious hearts, they spoke the true nature of the Supreme Lord.
यदाहुस्तत्परं तत्त्वं स देवः स्यान्महेश्वरः
That which they declare as the supreme reality, that god is Maheśvara.
यमाहुरीश्वरं देवं स देवः स्यात् पिनाकधृक्
He whom they call the Lord, that god is the bearer of the bow Pināka.
योगिभिर्विद्यते तत्त्वं महादेवः स शङ्करः
The truth is known by yogis: that great god is Śaṅkara.
महेशं पुरुषं रुद्रं स देवो भगवान् भवः
Maheśa, the Person, Rudra—he is the blessed Lord Bhava.
श्रुत्वाह प्रहसन् वाक्यं विश्वात्मापि विमोहितः
Hearing this, the Soul of the Universe, though bewildered, spoke with a smile.
रमते भार्यया सार्धं प्रमथैश्चातिगर्वितैः
He delights together with his wife and with the exceedingly proud Pramathas.
अमूर्तो मूर्तिमान् भूत्वा वचः प्राह पितामहम्
Becoming embodied from the formless, he addressed Pitāmaha with words.
कदाचिद् रमते रुद्रस्तादृशो हि महेश्वरः
Sometimes Rudra delights in this way—such indeed is Maheśvara.
स्वानन्दभूता कथिता देवी नागन्तुका शिवा
The goddess called Śivā is said to be his own bliss, not something external.
नाज्ञानमगमन्नाशमीश्वरस्यैव मायया
Ignorance never overcame or destroyed him, for it is only the illusion of the Lord.
प्रापश्यदद्भुतं दिव्यं पूरयन् गगनान्तरम्
He beheld a wondrous, divine sight, filling the expanse of the sky.
व्योममध्यगतं दिव्यं प्रादुरासीद् द्विजोत्तमाः
A divine form appeared in the midst of the sky, O best of twice-born.
तेन तन्मण्जलं घोरमालोकयदनिन्दितम्
By that, they beheld that dreadful, flawless mass of water.
क्षणाददृश्यत महान् पुरुषो नीललोहितः
In a moment, a great person was seen, dark blue and red.
तं प्राह भगवान् ब्रह्मा शङ्करं नीललोहितम्
The blessed Brahma spoke to Shankara, who was dark blue and red.
प्रादुर्भावं महेशान् मामेव शरणं व्रज
O Lord of Lords, manifest yourself; seek refuge in me alone.
प्राहिणोत् पुरुषं कालं भैरवं लोकदाहकम्
He sent forth the person named Kala Bhairava, the burner of worlds.
चकर्त तस्य वदनं विरिञ्चस्याथ पञ्चमम्
He cut off the fifth head of Virinchi (Brahma).
ममार चेशयोगेन जीवितं प्राप विश्वसृक्
By the power of the Lord, he died, but the creator of the universe regained life.
समासीनं महादेव्या महादेवं सनातनम्
He saw Mahadeva, eternal, seated with the great goddess.
कोटिसूर्यप्रतीकाशं जटाजूटविराजितम्
He was radiant like millions of suns, adorned with matted locks.
त्रिशूलपाणिं दुष्प्रेक्ष्यं योगिनं भूतिभूषणम्
Holding a trident, difficult to behold, a yogi, adorned with ashes.
तमादिदेवं ब्रह्माणं महादेवं ददर्श ह
Brahma beheld that primeval god, Mahadeva.
सो ऽनन्तैश्वर्ययोगात्मा महेशो दृश्यते किल
That Lord, whose essence is union with infinite powers, is indeed seen.
सकृत्प्रणाममात्रेण स रुद्रः खलु दृश्यते
With even a single act of reverent salutation, Rudra is truly seen.
विमोचयति लोकानां नायको दृश्यते किल
He is seen as the leader who liberates the worlds.
विदन्ति विमलं रूपं स शंभुर्दृश्यते किल
They know his pure form; Shambhu is indeed seen.