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.'
त्वदङ्घ्रियुग्मं हृदयेन बिभ्रतो महाभितापप्रशमैकहेतुकम् त्वमेव चैको विविधाकृतक्रियः किलेति वाचा विधुरैर् विभाष्यते
Those who hold your pair of feet in their hearts, the sole cause for the pacification of great sins, speak of you alone as the one who performs manifold deeds, though indeed only you exist.
अथाद्य एकस्त्वमवादि नान्यथा जगत्तथा निर्घृणतां तव स्पृशेत् न वेत्सि वा दुःखमिदं प्रजात्मकं विहन्यते ते खलु सर्वतः क्रिया
Therefore, today you alone have spoken; otherwise, the world would be touched by your lack of compassion, or perhaps you do not know this suffering of beings, yet all actions are surely destroyed by you everywhere.
उपेक्षसे चेज् जगतामुपद्रवं दयामयत्वं तव केन कथ्यते स्वयोगमायामहिमागुहाश्रयं न विद्यते निर्मलभूतिगौरवम्
If you neglect the distress of the worlds, by what means is your compassion spoken of? There is no pure majesty of being, hidden in the cave of your yoga and maya, that is unknown.
वयं च ते धन्यतराः शरीरिणां यदीदृशं त्वां प्रविलोकयामहे अदर्शनं तेन मनोरथो यथा प्रयाति साफल्यतया मनोगतम्
And we are more fortunate among embodied beings, for we behold you in this way; thus, the wish in our minds attains fulfillment, as the absence of your vision would render it vain.
जगद्विधानैकविधौ जगन्मुखे करिष्यसे ऽतो बलभिच्चरा वयम् विनेमुरित्थं मुनयो विसृज्य तां गिरं गिरीशश्रुतिभूमिसंनिधौ
You will act as the sole agent of the world's arrangement, at the forefront of creation; therefore, we sages, having abandoned speech, bow thus in the presence of the mountain-lord and the ground of his utterances.
उत्कृष्टकेदार इवावनीतले सुबीजमुष्टिं सुफलाय कर्षकाः
Like excellent farmers on the earth, who sow a handful of good seeds for fruitful harvests.
तेषां श्रुत्वा तु तां रम्यां प्रक्रमोपक्रमक्रियाम् वाचं वाचस्पतिस्तुष्टः प्रोवाच स्मितसुन्दरीम्
Having heard their delightful speech, composed with skill and method, the lord of speech, pleased, spoke with a beautiful smile.
जाने लोकविधानस्य कन्या सत्कार्यमुत्तमम् जाता प्रालेयशैलस्य संकेतकनिरूपणाः
I know the noble purpose of the world's arrangement; the daughter, born of the snowy mountain, is destined for the highest good, as indicated by signs.
सत्यमुत्कण्ठिताः सर्वे देवकार्यार्थमुद्यताः तेषां त्वरन्ति चेतांसि किंतु कार्यं विवक्षितम्
All are truly eager, striving for the work of the gods; their minds hasten, yet what is the intended task?
लोकयात्रानुगन्तव्या विशेषेण विचक्षणैः सेवन्ते ते यतो धर्मं तत्प्रामाण्यात्परे स्थिताः
The wise must especially follow the course of the world; they serve dharma, and others remain established by its authority.