त्र्यम्बकाय नमस्तुभ्यं त्रिशूलवरधारिणे
Salutations to you, O Three-eyed One, bearer of the trident and the boon.
सर्वप्रणतदेहाय स्वयमप्रणतात्मने
To the one whose body is approached by all, yet whose self is unattached—salutations.
नमो ऽस्तु नृत्यशीलाय नमो भैरवरूपिणे
Salutations to the one fond of dance, salutations to the one who assumes the form of Bhairava.
नमो दान्ताय शान्ताय तापसाय हराय च
Salutations to the restrained, the peaceful, the ascetic, and to Hara.
नमस्ते लेलिहानाय शितिकण्ठाय ते नमः
Salutations to you, who licks with your tongue, to you with the blue throat—salutations.
नमः कनकमालाय देव्याः प्रियकराय च
Salutations to the one adorned with a golden garland, and to the one who brings joy to the goddess.
नमो योगाधिपतये ब्रह्माधिपतये नमः
Salutations to the lord of yoga, salutations to the lord of Brahma.
नमस्ते घनवाहाय दंष्ट्रिणे वह्निरेतसे
Salutations to you, who are dark-clouded, with fangs, and whose seed is fire.
विश्वेश्वर महादेव यो ऽसि सो ऽसि नमो ऽस्तु ते
O Lord of the universe, great god, you are who you are—salutations to you.
नमः कनकलिङ्गाय वारिलिङ्गाय ते नमः
Salutations to you, whose emblem is gold, and whose emblem is water—salutations.
किरीटिने कुण्डलिने कालकालाय ते नमः
Salutations to you, crowned, coiled with serpents, and the death of Time itself.
क्षम्यतां यत्कृतं मोहात् त्वमेव शरणं हि नः
May what was done out of delusion be forgiven; you alone are our refuge.
ब्रह्मादीनां च सर्वेषां दुर्विज्ञेयो ऽसि शङ्कर
O Śaṅkara, you are difficult for all, even Brahma and the others, to comprehend.
तत्सर्वं भगवानेन कुरुते योगमायया
All this, O Lord, is accomplished by him through his yogic illusion.
ऊचुः प्रणम्य गिरिशं पश्यामस्त्वां यथा पुरा
Having bowed, they said to the Lord of the Mountain: 'May we see you as before.'
स्वमेव परमं रूपं दर्शयामास शङ्करः
Śaṅkara then revealed his own supreme form.
यथा पूर्वं स्थिता विप्राः प्रणेमुर्हृष्टमानसाः
As before, the sages stood, their minds elated, and bowed.
भृग्वङ्गिरोवसिष्ठास्तु विश्वामित्रस्तथैव च
Bhṛgu, Aṅgiras, Vasiṣṭha, and likewise Viśvāmitra.
प्रणम्य देवदेवेशमिदं वचनमब्रुवन्
Having bowed to the Lord of gods and lords, they spoke these words.
ज्ञानेन वाथ योगेन पूजयामः सदैव हि
Should we always worship by means of knowledge, or by yoga?
किं तत् सेव्यमसेव्यं वा सर्वमेतद् ब्रवीहि नः
What is to be served, and what is not to be served? Tell us all this.
ब्रह्मणे कथितं पूर्वमादावेव महर्षयः
This was previously explained to Brahmā at the beginning by the great sages.
योगेन सहितं सांख्यं पुरुषाणां विमुक्तिदम्
Sāṃkhya, united with yoga, grants liberation to persons.
ज्ञानं तु केवलं सम्यगपवर्गफलप्रदम्
But pure knowledge alone rightly bestows the fruit of final release.
विहाय सांख्यं विमलमकुर्वन्त परिश्रमम्
Abandoning pure Sāṃkhya, they exerted themselves in vain.
आगतो ऽहमिमं देशं ज्ञापयन् मोहसंभवम्
I have come to this place to make known the origin of delusion.
ज्ञातव्यं हि प्रयत्नेन श्रोतव्यं दृश्यमेव च
It must be known with effort, heard, and indeed seen.
आनन्दो निर्मलो नित्यं स्यादेतत् सांख्यदर्शनम्
This vision of Sāṃkhya is ever blissful and pure.
एतत् कैवल्यममलं ब्रह्मभावश्च वर्णितः
This is the spotless liberation, and the state of Brahman has been described.
पश्यन्ति मां महात्मानो यतयो विश्वमीश्वरम्
Great souls, ascetics, see me as the Lord of the universe.