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.
ततो विनीतो जानुभ्याम् अवलम्ब्य महीस्थितिम् उवाच वीरको देवं प्रणामैकसमाश्रयः
Then, humbly kneeling on the ground, the attendant addressed the god, relying solely on reverent salutation.
सम्प्राप्ता मुनयः सप्त त्वां द्रष्टुं दीप्ततेजसः विभो समादिश द्रष्टुम् अवगन्तुम् इहार्हसि ते ऽब्रुवन्देवकार्येण तव दर्शनलालसाः
'The seven sages have arrived, O radiant Lord, to see you. Please command that they may see and approach you; they have come, eager for your audience, on the gods' behalf.'
इत्युक्तो धूर्जटिस्तेन वीरकेण महात्मना भूभङ्गसंज्ञया तेषां प्रवेशाज्ञां ददौ तदा
Thus addressed by the great-souled attendant, Dhurjati (Shiva) then gave them permission to enter, signaled by a movement of the earth.
मूर्ध्नः कम्पेन तान्सर्वान् वीरको ऽपि महामुनीन् आजुहावाविदूरस्थान् दर्शनाय पिनाकिनः
With a bow of his head, the attendant summoned all those great sages, who were standing not far away, to the presence of the wielder of the bow.
त्वराबद्धार्धचूडास्ते लम्बमानाजिनाम्बराः विविशुर्वेदिकां सिद्धां गिरिशस्य विभूतिभिः
With their hair bound in half-knots and antelope skins hanging down, they entered the sacred enclosure, adorned with the glories of the Lord of the Mountain.
बद्धपाणिपुटाक्षिप्तनाकपुष्पोत्करास्ततः पिनाकिपादयुगलं वन्द्यं नाकनिवासिनाम्
With hands joined in reverence, bearing heaps of celestial flowers, they worshipped the pair of feet of the wielder of the bow, which are venerated by the dwellers of heaven.
ततः स्निग्धेक्षिताः शान्ता मुनयः शूलपाणिना मन्मथारिं ततो हृष्टाः समं तुष्टुवुरादृताः
Then, gazed upon with gentle eyes by the trident-holder, the peaceful sages, delighted, together praised the enemy of Kāma with devotion.
अहो कृतार्था वयमेव सांप्रतं सुरेश्वरो ऽप्यत्र वरो भविष्यति भवत्प्रसादामलवारिसेकतः फलेन काचित् तपसा नियुज्यते
'Ah, now we are truly fulfilled! Even the Lord of the gods will grant a boon here. By the pure water of your grace, some fruit is attained through austerity.'
जयत्यसौ धन्यतरो हिमाचलस् तदाश्रयं यस्य सुता तपस्यति स दैत्यराजो ऽपि महाफलोदयो विमूलिताशेषसुरो हि तारकः
'Blessed indeed is that Himalaya, whose daughter performs austerity at his shelter; even the king of the demons, Tāraka, who uprooted all the gods, will meet his great end.'
त्वदीयमंशं प्रविलोक्य कल्मषात् स्वकं शरीरं परिमोक्ष्यते हि यः स धन्यधीर्लोकपिता चतुर्मुखो हरिश्च यत्संभ्रमवह्निदीपितः
'Seeing your portion, one is freed from one's own impurity of body; blessed in mind is he—the four-faced creator and Hari himself are set ablaze with eagerness for you.'