ततः कालान्तरे विप्रसुग्रीवश्च विभीषणः
Afterwards, in due course of time, O Brahmin, Sugriva and Vibhishana—
अयोध्यायां समाजग्मुस्ते तु सर्वे निमन्त्रिताः
All of them, having been invited, came together to Ayodhya.
शंभुर्ब्राह्मणरूपेण षट्कुलैश्च सहागतः
Shambhu arrived there in the form of a Brahmin, accompanied by six families.
नीत्वा मां द्रविडे देशे मोचय द्विजबन्धनात्
Take me to the land of the Dravidas and release me from the bondage of the twice-born.
संभोजितास्तु प्रययुः स्वस्वमाश्रममण्डलम्
After being honored, they all departed to their respective hermitages.
गौतमेन समाहूताः सर्वे यज्ञसभाजिताः
All were summoned by Gautama and honored in the sacrificial assembly.
संपूज्य न्यवंसस्तत्र देवदैत्यनृपाग्रजाः
There, the foremost among gods, demons, and kings, having been worshipped, remained.
गौतमो ऽप्यथ मध्याह्ने पूजयामास शङ्करम्
Then, at midday, Gautama began to worship Shankara.
सितेन भस्मना कृत्वा सर्वस्थाने त्रिपुण्ड्रकम्
He applied three lines of white ash in all places.
हृत्पद्ममध्ये सुषिरं तत्रैव भूतपञ्चकम्
In the center of the heart-lotus, there is a cavity, and there indeed are the five elements.
तन्मध्ये च महेशानं ध्यायेद्दीप्तिमयं शुभम्
In the midst of that, one should meditate on Maheshana, radiant and auspicious.
तं देहमाकाशदीपे प्रदहेज्ज्ञानवह्निना
One should burn that body in the lamp of space with the fire of knowledge.
दग्ध्वाकाशमथो वायुमग्निभूतं तथा दहेत्
Having burned space, then air, one should likewise burn the fire element.
तदाश्रितान्गुणान्दग्ध्वा ततो देहं प्रदाहयेत्
Having burned the qualities dependent on them, then one should burn the body.
शिखामध्यस्थितं विष्णुमानन्दरसनिर्भरम्
Vishnu, full of the essence of bliss, abides in the center of the crest.
शिवाङ्गोत्पन्नकिरणैरमृतद्रवसंयुतैः
With rays arising from the limbs of Shiva, mingled with the nectarous essence.
अनेन प्लावितं भूतग्रामं संचिन्तयेत्परम्
With this, one should contemplate the multitude of beings as having been purified.
पूजां कर्तुं जप्यकर्मापि पश्चादेवं ध्यायेद्ब्रह्महत्यादिशुद्ध्यै
Afterwards, for the sake of purification from the sin of killing a Brahmin and similar offenses, one should meditate in this way before performing worship or recitation rites.
सदाशिवं दीपमध्ये विचिन्त्य पञ्चाक्षरेणार्चनमव्ययं तु
One should always meditate upon Sadāśiva in the midst of the lamp, and worship the imperishable with the five-syllable mantra.
औदुंबरं राजतं स्वर्णपीठं वस्त्रादिच्छन्नं सर्वमेवेह पीठम्
The seat should be made of udumbara wood, silver, or gold, covered with cloth and the like—any such seat is acceptable here.
कुर्यात्पीठे चोर्द्ध्वके नागयुग्मं देवाभ्याशे दक्षिणे वामतश्च
Upon the seat and above it, one should place a pair of serpents, to the right and left near the deity.
सुश्वेतेन तस्य मध्ये महेशं लिङ्गाकारं पीठयुक्तं प्रपूज्यम्
In the center of that, with a very white form, one should worship Maheśa, in the shape of a liṅga, set upon a pedestal.
पुष्पैः पत्रैः श्रीतिलैरक्षतैश्च तिलोन्मिश्रैः केवलैश्चप्रपूज्य
One should worship with flowers, leaves, auspicious sesame, unbroken grains, and pure sesame seeds.
पूजाशेषं ते समाप्याथ सर्वे गीतं नृत्यं तत्र तत्रापि चक्रुः
After completing all the acts of worship, everyone there performed singing and dancing in various places.
काले चास्मिन्सुव्रते गौतमस्य शिष्यः प्राप्तः शङ्करात्मेति नाम्ना
At that time, O virtuous one, a disciple of Gautama arrived, named Śaṅkarātman.
क्वचिद्द्विजातिप्रवरः क्वचिञ्चण्डालसन्निभः
At times he appeared as a foremost twice-born, and at times resembling a caṇḍāla.
गर्जत्युत्पतते चैव नृत्यति स्तौति गायति
He would roar, leap up, dance, praise, and sing.
शिवज्ञानैकसंपन्नः परमानन्दनिर्भरः
He was endowed solely with the knowledge of Śiva, filled with supreme bliss.
बुभुजे गुरुणा साकं क्वचिदुच्छिष्टमेव च
He ate together with his guru, and sometimes even ate the guru's leftovers.
हस्तं गृहीत्वैव गुरोः स्वयमेवाभुनक्क्वचित्
At times, taking his teacher's hand, he himself would eat.