अनेकरूपवर्णाढ्या उपलभ्या वदस्व ह । किं त्वया न श्रुतं लोके अवध्याः सर्वयोषितः
You, possessed of many forms and colors, tell me truly: have you not heard in the world that all women are not to be slain?
किं तु तुभ्यं गुणा ह्येते दहनस्त्र्यर्दनं प्रति । न कारुण्यं दया वापि दाक्षिण्यं वा स्त्रियोपरि
Are these your virtues, O fire, in the destruction of women? There is no compassion, no mercy, no gentleness towards women.
दयां कुर्वंति म्लेच्छापि दहनं प्रेक्ष्य योषितः । म्लेच्छानामपि कष्टोसि दुर्निवार्यो ह्यचेतनः
Even foreigners show pity when they see women burned; but you, fire, are harsh even to foreigners, difficult to restrain, and without sense.
एते चैव गुणास्तुभ्यं दहनोत्सादनं प्रति । आसामपि दुराचार स्त्रीणां किं विनिपातसे
These, indeed, are your qualities in the destruction of women; but even if these women are of bad conduct, why do you cast them down?
दुष्ट निर्घृण निर्लज्ज हुताश मंदभाग्यक । निराशस्त्वं दुराचार बालान्दहसि निर्दय
You are wicked, cruel, shameless, O Fire, bringer of misfortune; hopeless, evil-doer, you mercilessly burn children.
एवं प्रलपमानास्ता जल्पमाना बहुस्वरम् । अन्याः क्रोशंति संक्रुद्धा बालशोकेन मोहिताः
Thus, as they lamented and cried out in many voices, others wailed in anger, bewildered by grief for their children.
दहते निर्दयो वह्निः संक्रुद्धः सर्वशत्रुवत् । पुष्करिण्यां जले ज्वाला कूपेष्वपि तथैव च
The merciless fire, enraged and like an enemy to all, burns even in the water of the lotus pond and likewise in wells.
अस्मान्संदह्य म्लेच्छ त्वं कां गतिं प्रापयिष्यसि । एवं प्रलपतां तासां वह्निर्वचनमब्रवीत्
Having burned us, O outcaste, what fate will you attain? As they spoke thus, the fire addressed them.
वैश्वानर उवाच-। स्ववशो नैव युष्माकं विनाशं तु करोम्यहम् । अहमादेशकर्ता वै नाहं कर्त्तास्म्यनुग्रहम्
Vaiśvānara said: I do not destroy you by my own will; I am only the agent of command, not the giver of grace.
अत्र क्रोधसमाविष्टो विचरामि यदृच्छया । ततो बाणो महातेजास्त्रिपुरं वीक्ष्य दीपितम्
Here, overcome by anger, I move about as I please; then Bāṇa, of great brilliance, saw Tripura set ablaze.
आसनस्थोऽब्रवीदेवमहं देवैर्विनाशितः । अल्पसारैर्दुराचारैरीश्वरस्य निवेदितः
Seated, he spoke to the gods: 'I have been destroyed by the gods, by the wicked and insignificant, offered up to the Lord.'
अपरीक्ष्य ह्यहं दग्धः शंकरेण महात्मना । नान्यः शत्रुस्तु मां हंतुं वर्ज्जयित्वा महेश्वरम्
Without examination, I was burned by the great-souled Śaṅkara; no other enemy can slay me except Maheśvara.
उत्थितः शिरसा कृत्वा लिगं त्रिभुवनेश्वरम् । निर्गतः स पुरद्वारात्परित्यज्य सुहृत्स्वयम्
Rising up, having placed the liṅga of the Lord of the three worlds upon his head, he departed from the city gate, abandoning his friends of his own accord.
रत्नानि सुविचित्राणि स्त्रियो नानाविधास्तथा । गृहीत्वा शिरसा लिंगं न्यस्तं नगरमंडले
Taking the splendid jewels and women of various kinds, he placed the liṅga upon his head and set it in the center of the city.
स्तुवते देवदेवेशं त्रैलोक्याधिपतिं शिवम् । हर त्वयाहं निर्दग्धो यदि वध्योसि शंकर
He praised Śiva, Lord of gods, ruler of the three worlds: 'O Hara, if I am burned by you, then you are to be slain, O Śaṅkara.'
त्वत्प्रसादान्महादेव मा मे लिंगं विनश्यतु । अर्चितं हि महादेव भक्त्या परमया सदा
By your grace, O great god, may my liṅga not be destroyed; for it has always been worshipped with supreme devotion, O great god.
त्वया यद्यपि वध्योहं मा मे लिंगं विनश्यतु । प्राप्यमेतन्महादेव त्वत्पादग्रहणं मम
Even if I am to be slain by you, may my liṅga not perish; let me attain this, O great god—grasping your feet.
जन्मजन्म महादेव त्वत्पादनिरतो ह्यहम् । तोटकच्छंदसा देवं स्तुत्वा तु परमेश्वरम्
Birth after birth, O great god, I am devoted to your feet; having praised the supreme Lord in the Toṭaka meter—
ॐशिवशंकरसर्वकराय नमो भवभीममहेशशिवाय नमः । कुसुमायुध देहविनाशकर त्रिपुरांतकरांधक चूर्णकर
Om, homage to Śiva, Śaṅkara, doer of all; homage to Bhava, Bhīma, Maheśa, Śiva; destroyer of Kāma, destroyer of bodies, ender of Tripura, crusher of Andhaka.
प्रमदाप्रियकामविभक्त नमो हि नमः सुरसिद्धगणैर्नमितः । हयवानरसिंहगजेंद्रमुखैरति ह्रस्वसुदीर्घमुखैश्च गणैः
Homage, indeed, to you who are divided as beloved of women and desire; bowed to by hosts of gods and siddhas; by troops with faces of horses, monkeys, lions, elephants, and by those with very short and very long faces.
उपलब्धुमशक्यतरैरसुरैर्व्यथितो न शरीरशतैर्बहुभिः । प्रणतो भगवन्बहुभक्तिमता चलचंद्र कलाधर देव नमः
Unattainable by the asuras, even with hundreds of bodies, not distressed by many bodies; I bow, O Lord, to you, bearer of the crescent moon, worshipped by many devotees.
सहपुत्रकलत्रकलापधनैः सततं जय देहि अनुस्मरणम् । व्यथितोस्मि शरीरशतैर्बहुभिर्गमिताद्य महानरकस्य गतिः
With sons, wives, and all wealth, always grant me victory and remembrance; I am tormented by many bodies, and today I have reached the path to great hell.
न निवर्तति यन्ममपापगतिः शुचिकर्म्मविशुद्धमपि त्यजति । अनुकंपति दिग्भ्रमति भ्रमति भ्रम एष कुबुद्धि निवारयति
One's birth does not turn back, nor does wicked destiny; even pure and virtuous deeds are abandoned. Compassion falters, the mind wanders, and delusion prevails—this is the error that misguided intellect brings.
यः पठेत्तोटकं दिव्यं प्रयतः शुचिमानसः । बाणस्यैव यथारुद्रस्तस्यैव वरदो भवेत्
Whoever, with pure mind and devotion, recites this divine hymn, for him Rudra will grant boons just as he did for Bāṇa.
इमं स्तवं महादिव्यं श्रुत्वा देवो महेश्वरः । प्रसन्नस्तु तदा तस्य स्वयं देवो महेश्वरः
Hearing this great and divine hymn, the god Maheśvara, being pleased, himself bestows his favor upon that person.
ईश्वर उवाच-। न भेतव्यं त्वया वत्स सौवर्णे तिष्ठ दानव । पुत्रपौत्रसपत्नीनां भार्याभृत्यजनैः सह
Īśvara said: 'Do not be afraid, my child; remain in the golden city, O Dānava, together with your sons, grandsons, wives, and attendants.'
अद्यप्रभृति बाण त्वमवध्यस्त्रिदशैरपि । भूयस्तस्य वरो दत्तो देवदेवेन पांडव
From this day forth, O Bāṇa, you are invulnerable even to the gods; this boon was granted to you by the Lord of gods, O Pāṇḍava.
अक्षयश्चाव्ययो लोके विचचार ह निर्भयः । ततो निवारयामास रुद्र सप्तशिखं तथा
He became imperishable and undecaying in the world, roaming about without fear; then Rudra restrained Saptashikha as well.
तृतीयं रक्षितं तस्य शंकरेण महात्मना । भ्रमते गगने नित्यं रुद्रतेजः प्रभावतः
The third (city) was protected by the great-souled Śaṃkara; by the power of Rudra's energy, it eternally moves in the sky.
एवं तु त्रिपुरं दग्धं शंकरेण महात्मना । ज्वालामालाप्रदीप्तं तु पतितं धरणीतले
Thus Tripura was burned by the great-souled Śaṃkara; blazing with garlands of flames, it fell to the earth.