वेदांश्च प्रददौ तुभ्यं सो ऽयमायाति शङ्करः
He gave you the Vedas; this Śaṅkara now approaches.
वासुदेवाभिधानां मामवेहि प्रपितामह
Know me, O Grandsire, as the one called Vāsudeva.
दिव्यं भवतु ते चक्षुर्येन द्रक्ष्यसि तत्परम्
May you have divine sight, by which you will see that supreme reality.
बुबुधे परमेशानं पुरतः समवस्थितम्
He perceived the Supreme Lord standing before him.
प्रपेदे शरणं देवं तमेव पितरं शिवम्
He sought refuge in that very god, Śiva, the father.
अथर्वशिरसा देवं तुष्टाव च कृताञ्जलिः
With joined palms, he praised the god with the Atharvaśiras hymn.
अवाप परमां प्रीतिं व्याजहार स्मयन्निव
He attained supreme delight and spoke, as if smiling.
मयैवोत्पादितः पूर्वं लोकसृष्ट्यर्थमव्ययम्
I myself previously brought forth the imperishable for the creation of the worlds.
वरं वरय विश्वात्मन् वरदो ऽहं तवानघ
Choose a boon, O Soul of the Universe; I am the granter of boons to you, O sinless one.
निरीक्ष्य विष्णुं पुरुषं प्रणम्याह वृषध्वजम्
Beholding Viṣṇu, the Person, he bowed and spoke to the Bull-bannered One.
त्वामेव पुत्रमिच्छामि त्वया वा सदृशं सतम्
I desire you alone as a son, or one who is truly like you.
न जाने परमं भावं याथातथ्येन ते शिव
I do not know your highest nature in its true reality, O auspicious one.
प्रसीद तव पादाब्जं नमामि शरणं गतः
Be gracious; I bow to your lotus feet, having sought refuge.
व्याजहार तदा पुत्रं समालोक्य जनार्दनम्
Then, seeing Janardana, he addressed his son.
विज्ञानमैश्वरं दिव्यमुत्पत्स्यति तवानघ
Divine knowledge, lordly and pure, will arise in you, O sinless one.
तथा कुरुष्व देवेश मया लोकपितामह
So do this, O lord of gods, by me, O ancestor of the worlds.
भविष्यति तवेशानो योगक्षेमवहो हरिः
Hari, the lord, will be the bearer of your yoga and welfare.
संस्पृश्य देवं ब्रह्माणं हरिं वचनमब्रवीत्
Touching the god Brahma, Hari spoke these words.
वरं वृणीष्वं नह्यावां विभिन्नौ परमार्थतः
Choose a boon, for we two are not truly different in essence.
प्राह प्रसन्नया वाचा समालोक्य चतुर्मुखम्
He spoke with a pleased voice, gazing at the four-faced one.
पश्यामि परमात्मानं भक्तिर्भवतु मे त्वयि
I behold the supreme self; may devotion to you arise in me.
भवान् सर्वस्य कार्यस्य कर्ताहऽमधिदैवतम्
You are the agent of all actions; I am the subordinate deity.
भवान् सोमस्त्वहं सूर्यो भवान् रात्रिरहं दिनम्
You are Soma, I am Surya; you are night, I am day.
भवान् ज्ञानमहं ज्ञाता भवान् मायाहमीश्वरः
You are knowledge, I am the knower; you are maya, I am the lord.
यो ऽहं सुनिष्कलो देवः सो ऽपि नारायणः परः
The god who is I, completely without parts, is also the supreme Narayana.
पालयैतज्जगत् कृत्स्नं सदेवासुरमानुषम्
Protect this entire world, with gods, asuras, and humans.
धामैकमव्यक्तमनन्तशक्तिः
The one abode, unmanifest, of infinite power.
तदेव सुमहत् पद्मं भेजे नाभिसमुत्थितम्
He entered that great lotus, which had arisen from the navel.
महासुरौ समायातौ भ्रातरौ मधुकैटभौ
The two great demons, the brothers Madhu and Kaitabha, appeared together.
कर्णान्तरसमुद्भूतौ देवदेवस्य शार्ङ्गिणः
They arose from between the ears of the god of gods, the wielder of Śārṅga.