पृथक्पशुत्वं देवानां तथान्येषां सुरोत्तमाः कल्पयित्वैव वध्यास्ते नान्यथा नैव सत्तमाः
Having established the separate status of the gods and others as creatures, O best of gods, they are to be slain—there is no other way, indeed, O excellent ones.
इति श्रुत्वा वचः सर्वं देवदेवस्य धीमतः विषादमगमन् सर्वे पशुत्वं प्रति शङ्किताः
Hearing all these words of the wise Lord of gods, they all became despondent, fearing the condition of being creatures.
तेषां भावं ततो ज्ञात्वा देवस्तानिदमब्रवीत् मा वो ऽस्तु पशुभावे ऽस्मिन् भयं विबुधसत्तमाः
Then, knowing their state of mind, the god spoke to them: 'Let there be no fear for you, O best of wise gods, in this condition of being creatures.'
श्रूयतां पशुभावस्य विमोक्षः क्रियतां च सः यो वै पाशुपतं दिव्यं चरिष्यति स मोक्ष्यति
'Hear now the release from the state of being a creature, and let it be done: whoever shall practice the divine Pāśupata vow, he shall be freed.'
पशुत्वादिति सत्यं च प्रतिज्ञातं समाहिताः ये चाप्यन्ये चरिष्यन्ति व्रतं पाशुपतं मम
'This state of being a creature is indeed true and has been declared; and whoever else shall practice my Pāśupata vow,'
मोक्ष्यन्ति ते न संदेहः पशुत्वात् सुरसत्तमाः नैष्ठिकं द्वादशाब्दं वा तदर्धं वर्षकत्रयम्
'They shall be freed from the state of being a creature, without doubt, O best of gods, whether for twelve years, half that, or three years in full observance.'
शुश्रूषां कारयेद्यस्तु स पशुत्वाद्विमुच्यते तस्मात्परमिदं दिव्यं चरिष्यथ सुरोत्तमाः
'Whoever causes service to be rendered shall be released from the state of being a creature; therefore, O best of gods, you should practice this supreme and divine vow.'
तथेति चाब्रुवन्देवाः शिवे लोकनमस्कृते तस्माद्वै पशवः सर्वे देवासुरनराः प्रभोः
The gods replied, 'So be it,' to Śiva, revered by the worlds; therefore, all gods, Asuras, and men are creatures of the Lord.
रुद्रः पशुपतिश्चैव पशुपाशविमोचकः यः पशुस्तत्पशुत्वं च व्रतेनानेन संत्यजेत्
Rudra, the Lord of creatures, is the liberator from the bonds of creatures; whoever is a creature may renounce that creaturehood by means of this vow.
तत्कृत्वा न च पापीयान् इति शास्त्रस्य निश्चयः ततो विनायकः साक्षाद् बालो ऽबालपराक्रमः
Having performed that, one is not more sinful—this is the settled conclusion of scripture; then Vinayaka himself, a child with extraordinary prowess,
अपूजितस्तदा देवैः प्राह देवान्निवारयन् मामपूज्य जगत्यस्मिन् भक्ष्यभोज्यादिभिः शुभैः
When not worshipped by the gods at that time, he spoke, restraining the gods: 'Without worshipping me in this world with pure offerings of food and drink,'
कः पुमान्सिद्धिमाप्नोति देवो वा दानवो ऽपि वा ततस्तस्मिन् क्षणादेव देवकार्ये सुरेश्वराः
Who among men, gods, or even demons attains success? Therefore, at that very moment, the lords of the gods, for the divine task,
विघ्नं करिष्ये देवेश कथं कर्तुं समुद्यताः ततः सेन्द्राः सुराः सर्वे भीताः सम्पूज्य तं प्रभुम्
I will create obstacles, O Lord of gods, for those who attempt to act; then all the gods with Indra, fearful, worshipped that master.
भक्ष्यभोज्यादिभिश्चैव उण्डरैश्चैव मोदकैः अब्रुवंस्ते गणेशानं निर्विघ्नं चास्तु नः सदा
With offerings of food, drink, and also cakes and sweet balls, they addressed Ganesha: 'May we always be free from obstacles.'
आलिङ्ग्य चाघ्राय सुतं तदानीमपूजयत्सर्वसुरेन्द्रमुख्यः
Embracing and smelling his son, at that moment, the chief among all the gods worshipped him.
सम्पूज्य पूज्यं सह देवसंघैर् विनायकं नायकमीश्वराणाम् गणेश्वरैरेव नगेन्द्रधन्वा पुरत्रयं दग्धुमसौ जगाम
Having worshipped the worthy one, Vinayaka, the leader of the gods, together with the host of deities, the lords of the Ganas, and the bow of the mountain king, he went to burn the three cities.
तं देवदेवं सुरसिद्धसंघा महेश्वरं भूतगणाश् च सर्वे गणेश्वरा नन्दिमुखास्तदानीं स्ववाहनैरन्वयुरीशमीशाः
That Lord of gods, surrounded by hosts of divine and perfected beings, Maheshvara, and all the hosts of spirits, the lords of the Ganas led by Nandi, then followed the Lord with their own vehicles.
अग्रे सुराणां च गणेश्वराणां तदाथ नन्दी गिरिराजकल्पम् विमानमारुह्य पुरं प्रहर्तुं जगाम मृत्युं भगवानिवेशः
At the forefront of the gods and the lords of the Ganas, then Nandi, like the king of mountains, ascended the celestial chariot and went to attack the city, the abode of Death, O Blessed One.
यान्तं तदानीं तु शिलादपुत्रम् आरुह्य नागेन्द्रवृषाश्ववर्यान् देवास्तदानीं गणपाश् च सर्वे गणा ययुः स्वायुधचिह्नहस्ताः
At that time, ascending the best elephant, bull, and horse, the gods, the Gana leaders, and all the Ganas went, bearing their own weapons and insignia.
जगाम जगतां हिताय पुरत्रयं दग्धुमलुप्तशक्तिः
He went, with his power undiminished, for the welfare of the worlds, to burn the three cities.
सुरासुरेशं सहस्ररश्मिर् भगवान् सुतीक्ष्णः
The Lord, thousand-rayed, fierce, the lord of gods and demons,
रराज मध्ये भगवान्सुराणां विवाहनो वारिजपत्रवर्णः यथा सुमेरोः शिखराधिरूढः सहस्ररश्मिर् भगवान् सुतीक्ष्णः
The Blessed One shone in the midst of the gods, riding his vehicle, his color like a lotus petal, just as the thousand-rayed, fierce Lord ascends the summit of Mount Sumeru.
सहस्रनेत्रः प्रथमः सुराणां गजेन्द्रमारुह्य च दक्षिणे ऽस्य जगाम रुद्रस्य पुरं निहन्तुं यथोरगांस्तत्र तु वैनतेयः
The thousand-eyed one, foremost among the gods, mounted the king of elephants and went to the right of Rudra to destroy the city, and there Garuda went as serpents do.
तं सिद्धगन्धर्वसुरेन्द्रवीराः सुरेन्द्रवृन्दाधिपम् इन्द्रम् ईशम् समन्ततस्तुष्टुवुरिष्टदं ते जयेति शक्रं वरपुष्पवृष्ट्या
The perfected beings, Gandharvas, heroic gods, and the leaders of the gods all praised Indra, the lord, from all sides, the bestower of wishes, saying 'Victory!' and showered him with excellent flowers.
प्रणेमुरालोक्य सहस्रनेत्रं सलीलमंबा तनयं यथेन्द्रम्
Seeing the thousand-eyed one, they bowed with reverence, like a mother to her son, just as to Indra.
यमपावकवित्तेशा वायुर्निरृतिरेव च अपाम्पतिस् तथेशानो भवं चानु समागताः
Yama, Agni, Kubera, Vayu, Nirriti, the lord of waters, Ishana, and Bhava also assembled.
वीरभद्रो रणे भद्रो नैरृत्यां वै रथस्य तु वृषभेन्द्रं समारुह्य रोमजैश् च समावृतः
Vīrabhadra, noble in battle, mounted the bull-king in the southwest of the chariot, surrounded by those with hair like bristles.
सेवां चक्रे पुरं हन्तुं देवदेवं त्रियंबकम् महाकालो महातेजा महादेव इवापरः
He served to destroy the city, the god of gods, Triyambaka, the great time, of immense brilliance, like another Mahādeva.
वायव्यां सगणैः सार्धं सेवां चक्रे रथस्य तु
In the northwest, together with his attendants, he served at the chariot.
षण्मुखो ऽपि सह सिद्धचारणैः सेनया च गिरिराजसंनिभः देवनाथगणवृन्दसंवृतो वारणेन च तथाग्निसंभवः
Skanda too, along with Siddhas and Cāraṇas, with his army, resembling the king of mountains, surrounded by groups of divine leaders, with an elephant and born of fire.