तत्प्रेरितः प्रकुरुते जन्म नानाप्रकारकम् सापि कर्मण एवोक्ता प्रेरणा विवशात्मनाम्
Impelled by that, he produces birth of various kinds; and that impulse, it is said, is due to action, for those whose selves are powerless.
यथोन्मादादिजुष्टस्य मतिरेव हि सा भवेत् इष्टान्येव यथार्थानि विपरीतानि मन्यते
Just as the mind of one possessed by madness and the like becomes such, so too does it regard as desirable or real even what is contrary.
लोकस्य व्यवहारेषु सृष्टेषु सहते सदा धर्माधर्मफलावाप्तौ विष्णुरेव निबोधितः
In the affairs of the world, in all created things, Vishnu alone is known to endure both the attainment of the fruits of righteousness and unrighteousness.
अथानादित्वमस्यास्ति सामान्यात्तु तदात्मना न ह्यस्य जीवितं दीर्घं दृष्टं देहे तु कुत्रचित्
Moreover, this has beginninglessness, due to its universal nature; for nowhere has its life in a body been seen to be long.
भवद्भिर्यस्य नो दृष्टम् अन्तरग्रमथापि वा देहिनां धर्म एवैष क्वचिज्जायेत्कचिन्म्रियेत्
This is the law for embodied beings: for some, birth or death is seen by you; for others, it is not.
क्वचिद्गर्भगतो नश्येत् क्वचिज् जीवेज्जरामयः क्वचित्समाः शतं जीवेत् क्वचिद्बाल्ये विपद्यते
Sometimes one perishes in the womb, sometimes lives afflicted by old age and disease; sometimes lives a hundred years, sometimes dies in childhood.
शतायुः पुरुषो यस्तु सो ऽनन्तः स्वल्पजन्मनः जीवितो न म्रियत्यग्रे तस्मात्सो ऽमर उच्यते
A man who lives a hundred years is called endless; one with a short life is not said to die at the outset, therefore he is called immortal.
अदृष्टजन्मनिधना ह्य् एवं विष्ण्वादयो मताः एतत्संशुद्धमैश्वर्यं संसारे को लभेदिह
Those like Vishnu are considered to have unseen birth and death; who in this world attains such pure sovereignty in samsara?
तत्र क्षयादियोगात्तु नानाश्चर्यस्वरूपिणि तस्माद्दिवश्चरान्सर्वान् मलिनान्स्वल्पभूतिकान्
There, due to the conjunctions of decay and other causes, various wonders appear; therefore, all celestial beings are impure and possess little glory.
नाहं भद्राः किलेच्छामि ऋते शर्वात्पिनाकिनः स्थितं च तारतम्येन प्राणिनां परमं त्विदम्
O blessed ones, I desire nothing except Shiva, the wielder of the Pinaka; established by gradation, this is the supreme among living beings.
धीबलैश्वर्यकार्यादिप्रमाणं महतां महत् यस्मान्न किंचिदपरं सर्वं यस्मात्प्रवर्तते
The measure of intellect, strength, sovereignty, and action of the great is great; since nothing else exists, all proceeds from that.
यस्यैश्वर्यमनाद्यन्तं तमहं शरणं गता एष मे व्यवसायश्च दीर्घो ऽतिविपरीतकः
I have taken refuge in him whose sovereignty has neither beginning nor end; this is my resolve, long and exceedingly firm.
यात वा तिष्ठतैवाथ मुनयो मद्विधायकाः एवं निशम्य वचनं देव्या मुनिवरास्तदा
Go or stay, O sages, as you wish; hearing these words of the goddess, the eminent sages then—
आनन्दाश्रुपरीताक्षाः सस्वजुस्तां तपस्विनीम् ऊचुश्च परमप्रीताः शैलजां मधुरं वचः
With eyes filled with tears of joy, they embraced the ascetic maiden and, supremely delighted, spoke sweet words to the daughter of the mountain.
अत्यद्भुतास्यहो पुत्रि ज्ञानमूर्तिरिवामला प्रसादयति नो भावं भवभावप्रतिश्रयात्
O daughter, how wondrous you are! Pure as the embodiment of knowledge, you please our hearts, resting in the essence of existence.
ननु विद्मो वयं तस्य देवस्यैश्वर्यमद्भुतम् त्वन्निश्चयस्य दृढतां वेत्तुं वयमिहागताः
Indeed, we know the marvelous sovereignty of that god; we have come here to ascertain the firmness of your resolve.
अचिरादेव तन्वङ्गि कामस्ते ऽयं भविष्यति क्वादित्यस्य प्रभा याति रत्नेभ्यः क्व द्युतिः पृथक्
Soon, O slender-limbed one, your desire will be fulfilled; where does the sun's radiance go from gems, where does brilliance differ?
को ऽर्थो वर्णालिकाव्यक्तः कथं त्वं गिरिशं विना यामो नैकाभ्युपायने तमभ्यर्थयितुं वयम्
What is the use of indistinct words? How can we go without Girisha? We have no other means; we must entreat him.
अस्माकमपि वै सो ऽर्थः सुतरां हृदि वर्तते अतस्त्वमेव सा बुद्धिर् यतो नीतिस्त्वमेव हि
That purpose dwells deeply in our hearts as well; therefore, you alone are wisdom, and you alone are the right path.
अतो निःसंशयं कायं शंकरो ऽपि विधास्यति इत्युक्त्वा पूजिता याता मुनयो गिरिकन्यया
Thus, without doubt, Shankara himself will accomplish it; having spoken thus, the sages, honored by the mountain maiden, departed.
प्रययुर्गिरिशं द्रष्टुं प्रस्थं हिमवतो महत् गङ्गाम्बुप्लावितात्मानं पिङ्गबद्धजटासटम्
They went to see Girisha at the great plateau of Himavat, their souls purified by the waters of the Ganga, their matted locks bound and tawny.
भृङ्गानुयातपाणिस्थमन्दारकुसुमस्रजम् गिरेः सम्प्राप्य ते प्रस्थं ददृशुः शंकराश्रमम्
With hands adorned with mandara flowers and garlands, followed by bees, they reached the plateau of the mountain and beheld Shankara's hermitage.
प्रशान्ताशेषसत्त्वौघं नवस्तिमितकाननम् निःशब्दाक्षोभसलिलप्रपातं सर्वतोदिशम्
All beings were utterly calm, the forest was newly stilled, and in every direction, the waterfalls and waters were silent and undisturbed.
तत्रापश्यंस्ततो द्वारि वीरकं वेत्रपाणिनम् सप्त ते मुनयः पूज्या विनीताः कार्यगौरवात्
There, at the entrance, I saw a heroic attendant holding a staff; and the seven venerable sages, humble out of respect for their task.
ऊचुर्मधुरभाषिण्या वाचा ते वाग्मिनां वराः द्रष्टुं वयमिहायाताः शरण्यं गणनायकम्
Those foremost among eloquent ones spoke with sweet words: 'We have come here to see the protector, the leader of the hosts, who grants refuge.'
त्रिलोचनं विजानीहि सुरकार्यप्रचोदिताः त्वमेव नो गतिस्तत्त्वं यथा कालानतिक्रमः
'Know him as the three-eyed one; prompted by the needs of the gods, you alone are our true refuge and truth, as time does not overstep you.'
सा प्रार्थनैषा प्रायेण प्रतीहारमयः प्रभुः इत्युक्तो मुनिभिः सो ऽथ गौरवात्तानुवाच सः
'This is our request, almost always addressed to the lord who is the doorkeeper.' Thus addressed by the sages, he replied to them with due respect.
सवनस्यापरां संध्यां स्नातुं मन्दाकिनीजले क्षणेन भविता विप्रास् तत्र द्रक्ष्यथ शूलिनम्
'In a moment, the Lord will come to bathe at the Mandakini river during the evening twilight of the sacrifice; O sages, there you will see the wielder of the trident.'
इत्युक्ता मुनयस्तस्थुस् ते तत्कालप्रतीक्षिणः गम्भीराम्बुधरं प्रावृट्तृषिताश्चातका यथा
Thus addressed, the sages stood waiting for that moment, like thirsty chataka birds longing for the deep-thundering monsoon cloud.
ततः क्षणेन निष्पन्नसमाधानक्रियाविधिः वीरासनं बिभेदेशो मृगचर्मनिवासितम्
Then, in a moment, after completing the acts of meditation and ritual, the Lord broke his heroic seat, which was covered with a deerskin.