लब्धं शशिप्रभं छत्रं तया तत्र विभूषितम् चामरे चामरासक्तहस्ताग्रैः स्त्रीगणैर्युता
A parasol shining like the moon was obtained and adorned by her there, accompanied by groups of women holding fly-whisks with their hands.
सिंहासनं च परमं तया चाधिष्ठितं मया अलंकृता महालक्ष्म्या मुकुटाद्यैः सुभूषणैः
The supreme throne was occupied by her and by me, decorated by Mahalakshmi with crown and other splendid ornaments.
लब्धो हारश् च परमो देव्याः कण्ठगतस् तथा वृषेन्द्रश् च सितो नागः सिंहः सिंहध्वजस् तथा
A most excellent necklace was obtained, placed on the goddess's neck; likewise, the lord of bulls, a white elephant, a lion, and a lion-banner.
रथश् च हेमच्छत्रं च चन्द्रबिंबसमप्रभम् अद्यापि सदृशः कश्चिन् मया नास्ति विभुः क्वचित्
A chariot and a golden parasol, radiant like the moon's disc; even today, nowhere is there anyone equal to me, O mighty one.
सान्वयं च गृहीत्वेशस् तथा संबन्धिबान्धवैः आरुह्य वृषमीशानो मया देव्या गतः शिवः
Having taken his family and relatives, the lord ascended the bull; with the goddess and me, Śiva departed.
तदा देवीं भवं दृष्ट्वा मया च प्रार्थयन् गणैः मुनिदेवर्षयः सिद्धा आज्ञां पाशुपतीं द्विजाः
Then, seeing the goddess Bhavā and me, the hosts, sages, divine rishis, and siddhas requested the Pāśupata command, O twice-born.
अथाज्ञां प्रददौ तेषाम् अर्हाणाम् आज्ञया विभोः नन्दिको नगजाभर्तुस् तेषां पाशुपतीं शुभाम्
Then, by the command of the lord, Nandikā, the attendant of the mountain-born's husband, granted them the auspicious Pāśupata command.
तस्माद्धि मुनयो लब्ध्वा तदाज्ञां मुनिपुङ्गवात् भवभक्तास्तदा चासंस् तस्मादेवं समर्चयेत्
Therefore, the sages, having received that command from the foremost sage, became devoted to Bhava; thus, one should worship in this way.
नमस्कारविहीनस्तु नाम उद्गिरयेद्भवे ब्रह्मघ्नदशसंतुल्यं तस्य पापं गरीयसम्
One who utters the name of Bhava without bowing incurs a sin equal to killing a Brahmin ten times; his sin is most grievous.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रकारेण नमस्कारादिमुच्चरेत् आदौ कुर्यान्नमस्कारं तदन्ते शिवतां व्रजेत्
Therefore, in every way, one should recite bowing and the like; first, one should bow, and at the end, attain the state of Śiva.
सूत सुव्यक्तमखिलं कथितं शङ्करस्य तु सर्वात्मभावं रुद्रस्य स्वरूपं वक्तुमर्हसि
Sūta, you have clearly narrated everything about Śaṅkara; now you should speak of the essential nature of Rudra, who is the soul of all.
भूर्भुवः स्वर्महश्चैव जनः साक्षात्तपस् तथा सत्यलोकश् च पातालं नरकार्णवकोटयः
The worlds Bhū, Bhuvaḥ, Svar, Mahas, Jana, Tapas, and Satya, as well as Pātāla, the realms of hell, and countless oceanic abysses—
तारकाग्रहसोमार्का ध्रुवः सप्तर्षयस् तथा वैमानिकास्तथान्ये च तिष्ठन्त्यस्य प्रसादतः
Stars, planets, moon, sun, Dhruva, the seven sages, and celestial beings, and others, all exist by his grace.
अनेन निर्मितास्त्वेवं तदात्मानो द्विजर्षभाः समष्टिरूपः सर्वात्मा संस्थितः सर्वदा शिवः
By him, all these are created, O best of twice-born; he is established as the totality, the soul of all, always as Śiva.
सर्वात्मानं महात्मानं महादेवं महेश्वरम् न विजानन्ति संमूढा मायया तस्य मोहिताः
The deluded, bewildered by his Māyā, do not know the soul of all, the great soul, the great god, the great lord.
तस्य देवस्य रुद्रस्य शरीरं वै जगत्त्रयम् तस्मात्प्रणम्य तं वक्ष्ये जगतां निर्णयं शुभम्
The body of that god, Rudra, is indeed the three worlds; therefore, bowing to him, I shall speak the auspicious determination of the worlds.
पुरा वः कथितं सर्वं मयाण्डस्य यथा कृतिः भुवनानां स्वरूपं च ब्रह्माण्डे कथयाम्यहम्
Earlier, I have told you everything about the creation of the cosmic egg; now I shall describe the nature of the worlds within the Brahmāṇḍa.
पृथिवी चान्तरिक्षं च स्वर्महर्जन एव च तपः सत्यं च सप्तैते लोकास्त्वण्डोद्भवाः शुभाः
The earth, the atmosphere, heaven, the world of Mahar, Jana, Tapas, and Satya—these seven auspicious worlds arise from the cosmic egg.
अधस्तादत्र चैतेषां द्विजाः सप्त तलानि तु महातलादयस्तेषां अधस्तान्नरकाः क्रमात्
Below these, O twice-born, are seven realms called Talas, beginning with Mahātala; beneath them, in order, are the hells.
महातलं हेमतलं सर्वरत्नोपशोभितम् प्रासादैश् च विचित्रैश् च भवस्यायतनैस् तथा
Mahātala is adorned with gold and all kinds of gems, and with splendid palaces and various abodes belonging to Bhava.
अनन्तेन च संयुक्तं मुचुकुन्देन धीमता नृपेण बलिना चैव पातालस्वर्गवासिना
It is associated with Ananta, with the wise king Mucukunda, with the mighty ruler, and with those who dwell in Pātāla and Svarga.
शैलं रसातलं विप्राः शार्करं हि तलातलम् पीतं सुतलमित्युक्तं वितलं विद्रुमप्रभम्
O Brahmins, Rasātala is a mountain; Śārkara is Talātala; Pīta is called Sutala; Vitala shines like coral.
सितं हि अतलं तच्च तलं यच्च सितेतरम् क्ष्मायास्तु यावद्विस्तारो ह्य् अधस्तेषां च सुव्रताः
Atala is white, and so is Tala; and whatever else is white among them; O virtuous ones, their extent is as great as the earth below.
तलानां चैव सर्वेषां तावत्संख्या समाहिता सहस्रयोजनं व्योम दशसाहस्रमेव च
The number of all these Talas is thus established; the sky is a thousand yojanas, and ten thousand as well.
लक्षं सप्तसहस्रं हि तलानां सघनस्य तु व्योम्नः प्रमाणं मूलं तु त्रिंशत्साहस्रकेण तु
A hundred thousand and seven thousand is the measure of the dense Talas; the root of the sky is thirty thousand.
सुवर्णेन मुनिश्रेष्ठास् तथा वासुकिना शुभम् रसातलमिति ख्यातं तथान्यैश् च निषेवितम्
O best of sages, Rasātala is renowned as golden and auspicious, inhabited by Vāsuki and others.
विरोचनहिरण्याक्षनरकाद्यैश् च सेवितम् तलातलमिति ख्यातं सर्वशोभासमन्वितम्
Talātala is served by Virocana, Hiraṇyākṣa, Naraka, and others; it is known as being endowed with all splendor.
वैनायकादिभिश्चैव कालनेमिपुरोगमैः पूर्वदेवैः समाकीर्णं सुतलं च तथापरैः
Sutala is filled with the ancient gods, led by Vaināyaka and Kālanemi, and with others as well.
वितलं दानवाद्यैश् च तारकाग्निमुखैस् तथा महान्तकाद्यैर् नागैश् च प्रह्लादेनासुरेण च
Vitala is inhabited by Dānavas, Tāraka, Agnimukha, Mahāntaka, Nāgas, and by the Asura Prahlāda.
वितलं चात्र विख्यातं कम्बलाश्वनिषेवितम् महाकुम्भेन वीरेण हयग्रीवेण धीमता
Vitala is also renowned as being served by Kambala and Aśva; by the heroic Mahākumbha and the wise Hayagrīva.