स्तूयते विविधैर्मन्त्रैर्ब्राह्मणैर्धर्ममोक्षिभिः
He is praised with various mantras by Brahmins who seek virtue and liberation.
शेते योगामृतं पीत्वा यत् तद् विष्णोः परं पदम्
Having drunk the nectar of yoga, he rests—that is the supreme abode of Vishnu.
मूलप्रकृतिरव्यक्ता गीयते वैदिकैरजः
The unmanifest root-nature is sung by the Vedic seers as unborn.
अजस्य नाभौ तद् बीजं क्षिपत्येष महेश्वरः
In the navel of the unborn, that seed is cast by the great Lord.
महान्तं पुरुषं विश्वमपां गर्भमनुत्तमम्
The great Person, the universe, the unsurpassed embryo of the waters.
देवदेवं महादेवं भूतानामीश्वरं हरम्
The god of gods, the great god, Hara, the lord of beings.
विष्णुना सह संयुक्तः करोति विकरोति च
United with Vishnu, he creates and transforms.
स वेदान् प्रददौ पूर्वं योगमायातनुर्मम
He, the embodiment of yogic power, first gave the Vedas—so I declare.
तमेव मुक्तये ज्ञात्वा व्रजेत शरणं भवम्
Knowing him alone for liberation, one should seek refuge in Bhava.
प्रणम्य देवं ब्रह्माणं पृच्छन्ति स्म सुदुः खिताः
Having bowed to the god Brahma, they, greatly distressed, questioned him.
ब्रूहि विश्वामरेशान त्राता त्वं शरणैषिणाम्
Speak, O Lord of the immortals and the universe! You are the protector of those who seek refuge.
तल्लिङ्गानुकृतीशस्य कृत्वा लिङ्गमनुत्तमम्
Having made the supreme liṅga, imitating the marks of that liṅga's lord.
वैदिकैरेव नियमैर्विविधैर्ब्रह्मचारिणः
The celibates, observing various Vedic disciplines,
तपः परं समास्थाय गृणन्तः शतरुद्रियम्
Having undertaken supreme austerity, recited the Śatarudriya hymn.
सर्वे प्राञ्जलयो भूत्वा शूलपाणिं प्रपद्यथ
All, with joined palms, approached the wielder of the trident.
यं दृष्ट्वा सर्वमज्ञानमधर्मश्च प्रणश्यति
Seeing whom, all ignorance and unrighteousness are destroyed.
जग्मुः संहृष्टमनसो देवदारुवनं पुनः
With joyful hearts, they again went to the Devadāru forest.
अजानन्तः परं देवं वीतरागा विमत्सराः
Unaware of the Supreme God, free from passion and envy,
नदीनां च विविक्तेषु पुलिनेषु शुभेषु च
In secluded and auspicious riverbanks,
केचिदभ्रावकाशास्तु पादाङ्गुष्ठाग्रविष्ठिताः
Some stood in the open sky, balanced on the tips of their toes.
शाकपर्णाशिनः केचित् संप्रक्षाला मरीचिपाः
Some ate leaves and vegetables, some purified themselves, some subsisted on sunlight.
कालं नयन्ति तपसा पूजयन्तो महेश्वरम्
They spent their time in austerity, worshipping Maheśvara.
चका भगवान् बुद्धिं प्रबोधाय वृषध्वजः
The blessed Bull-bannered One inspired understanding for their awakening.
देवदारुवनं प्राप्तः प्रसन्नः परमेश्वरः
The gracious Supreme Lord arrived at the Devadāru forest.
उल्मुकव्यग्रहस्तश्च रक्तपिङ्गललोचनः
With a blazing torch in hand and reddish-yellow eyes,
क्वचिन्नृत्यति शृङ्गारी क्वचिद्रौति मुहुर्मुहुः
At times he dances amorously, at times he cries out again and again.
मायां कृत्वात्मनो रूपं देवस्तद् वनमागतः
The god, having assumed a form by his own power of illusion, entered that forest.
सा च पूर्ववद् देवेशी देवदारुवनं गता
And the goddess, as before, went to the Devadāru forest.
प्रणेमुः शिरसा भूमौ तोषयामासुरीश्वरम्
They bowed with their heads to the ground and sought to please the Lord.
अथर्वशिरसा चान्ये रुद्राद्यैर्ब्रह्मभिर्भवम्
Others, along with Rudra and the Brahmas, worshipped Bhava with the Atharvaśiras hymn.