तस्मात्सदैव द्रष्टव्यं कपर्दीश्वरमुत्तमम् । पूजितव्यं प्रयत्नेन स्तोतव्यं वैदिकैस्तवैः
Therefore, that supreme Lord with matted hair should always be seen, worshipped with effort, and praised with Vedic hymns.
ध्यायतां चात्र नियतं योगिनां शांतचेतसाम् । जायते योगसिद्धिः स्यात्षण्मासेन न संशयः
For yogis of tranquil mind who meditate here with discipline, attainment in yoga arises within six months—of this there is no doubt.
ब्रह्महत्यादयः पापा विनश्यंत्यस्य पूजनात् । पिशाचमोचने कुंडे स्नातः स्यात्प्रशमो यतः
Sins such as the killing of a brāhmaṇa are destroyed by worship of him; by bathing in the Piśācamocana pond, one attains peace.
तस्मिन्क्षेत्रे पुरा विप्रस्तपस्वी संशितव्रतः । शंकुकर्ण इति ख्यातः पूजयामास शंकरम्
In that sacred place, long ago, a brāhmaṇa ascetic renowned for his firm vows, named Śaṃkukarṇa, worshipped Śaṃkara.
जजाप रुद्रमनिशं प्रणवं ब्रह्मरूपिणम् । पुष्पधूपादिभिस्तोत्रैः नमस्कारैः प्रदक्षिणैः
He recited the Rudra mantra day and night, the praṇava, the embodiment of Brahman, with flowers, incense, hymns, salutations, and circumambulations.
उपासीतात्र योगात्मा कृत्वा दीक्षां तु नैष्ठिकीम् । कदाचिदागतं प्रेतं पश्यति स्म क्षुधान्वितम्
There, the yogic-souled one performed worship, having taken the vow of lifelong dedication; once, he saw a preta who had come, afflicted by hunger.
अस्थिचर्म पिनद्धांगं निश्वसंतं मुहुर्मुहुः । तं दृष्ट्वा स मुनिश्रेष्ठः कृपया परया युतः
Its body was covered with bones and skin, sighing again and again; seeing it, that best of sages was filled with great compassion.
प्रोवाच को भवान्कस्माद्देशाद्देशमिमं श्रितः । तस्मै पिशाचः क्षुधया पीड्यमानोऽब्रवीद्वचः
He spoke: 'Who are you? From what place have you come to this land?' To him, the piśāca, tormented by hunger, replied these words:
पूर्वजन्मन्यहं विप्रो धनधान्यसमन्वितः । पुत्रपौत्रादिभिर्युक्तः कुटुंबभरणोत्सुकः
In a former birth I was a brāhmaṇa, endowed with wealth and grain, surrounded by sons, grandsons, and others, eager to provide for my family.
न पूजिता महादेवा गावोऽप्यतिथयस्तथा । न कदाचित्कृतं पुण्यमल्पं वानल्पमेव च
I did not worship the great god, nor cows or guests; never did I perform any meritorious act, whether small or great.
एकदा भगवान्देवो वृषभेश्वरवाहनः । विश्वेश्वरो वाराणस्यां दृष्टः स्पृष्टो नमस्कृतः
Once, the blessed god, Lord Viśveśvara, who rides the bull, was seen, touched, and saluted by me in Vārāṇasī.
तदाचिरेण कालेन पंचत्वमहमागतः । न दृष्टं तन्महाघोरं यमस्य सदनं मुने
Soon after that time, I reached death; I did not see that dreadful abode of Yama, O sage.
पिपासयाधुनाक्रांतो न जानामि हिताहितम् । यदि कंचित्समुद्धर्तुमुपायं पश्यसि प्रभो
Now, afflicted by thirst, I do not know what is beneficial or harmful; if you see any means to rescue me, O lord, please do so.
कुरुष्व तं नमस्तुभ्यं त्वामहं शरणं गतः । इत्युक्तः शंकुकर्णोऽथ पिशाचमिदमब्रवीत्
'Do that for me; I bow to you. I have taken refuge in you.' Thus addressed, Śaṃkukarṇa then spoke these words to the piśāca:
तादृशो नहि लोकेस्मिन्विद्यते पुण्यकृत्तमः । यत्त्वया भगवान्पूर्वं दृष्टो विश्वेश्वरः शिवः
There is truly no one in this world more meritorious than you, for you once saw the blessed Lord Viśveśvara, Śiva.
संस्पृष्टो वंदितो भूयः कोऽन्यस्त्वत्सदृशो भुवि । तेन कर्मविपाकेन देशमेतं समागतः
You touched him, saluted him—who else on earth is like you? By the result of that act, you have come to this place.
स्नानं कुरुष्व शीघ्रं त्वमस्मिन्कुंडे समाहितः । येनेमां कुत्सितां योनिं क्षिप्रमेव प्रहास्यसि
Bathe quickly in this pond with a concentrated mind, so that you may soon abandon this degraded birth.
स एवमुक्तो मुनिना पिशाचो दयालुना देववरं त्रिनेत्रम् । स्मृत्वा कपर्दीश्वरमीशितारं चक्रे समाधाय मनोवगाहम्
Thus addressed by the compassionate sage, the piśāca, remembering the three-eyed god, the lord with matted hair, fixed his mind and meditated upon the divine ruler.
तदावगाढो मुनिसन्निधाने ममार दिव्याभरणोपपन्नः । अदृश्यतार्कप्रतिमो विमाने शशांकचिह्नीकृतचारुमौलि
Immersed there in the presence of the sage, adorned with celestial ornaments, he died; and was seen, radiant as the sun, in a celestial chariot, with a beautiful crest marked by the moon.
विभाति रुद्रैः सहितो दिविष्ठैः समाभृतो योगिरिभरप्रमेयैः । स वालखिल्यादिभिरेष देवो यथोदये भानुरशेषदेवः
He shines, surrounded by Rudras and other divine beings, attended by incomparable yogis; this god, together with the Vālakhilyas and others, is like the sun at dawn, illuminating all the gods.
स्तुवंति सिद्धादि विदेवसंघा नृत्यंति दिव्याप्सरसोऽभिरामाः । मुंचंति वृष्टिं कुसुमांबुमिश्रां गंधर्वविद्याधरकिन्नराद्याः
Hosts of Siddhas and other gods praise him, delightful celestial nymphs dance, and Gandharvas, Vidyādharas, Kinnaras and others shower a rain of flowers mixed with water.
संस्तूयमानोऽथ मुनींद्रसंघैरवाप्य बोधं भगवत्प्रसादात् । समाविशन्मंडलमेतदग्र्यं त्रयीमयं यत्र विभाति रुद्रः
Thus praised by assemblies of great sages, attaining knowledge through the grace of the Blessed Lord, he entered this supreme circle, composed of the three Vedas, where Rudra shines.
दृष्ट्वा विमुक्तं स पिशाचभूतं मुनिः प्रहृष्टो मनसा महेशम् । विचिंत्य रुद्रं कविमेकमग्निं प्रणम्य तुष्टाव कपर्दिनं तम्
Seeing the piśāca released from his state, the sage, his mind delighted, contemplated the great Lord, Rudra, the sole poet and fire, bowed and praised the matted-haired one.
शंकुकर्ण उवाच-। कपर्दिनं त्वां परतः परस्ताद्गोप्तारमेकं पुरुषं पुराणम् । व्रजामि योगेश्वरमीप्सितारमादित्यमग्निं कपिलाधिरूढम्
Śaṅkukarṇa said: I approach you, Kapardin, the supreme protector, the one ancient person, the Lord of Yoga, the desired one, the sun, the fire, mounted on the tawny one.
त्वां ब्रह्मसारं हृदि संनिविष्टं हिरण्मयं योगिनमादिमं तम् । व्रजामि रुद्रं शरणं दिविष्ठं महामुनिं ब्रह्ममयं पवित्रम्
You are the essence of Brahman, established in the heart, golden, the original yogi; I approach you, Rudra, the divine refuge, the great sage, Brahman itself, the pure one.
सहस्रपादाक्षिशिरोभियुक्तं सहस्ररूपं तमसः परस्तात् । तं ब्रह्मपारं प्रणमामि शंभुं हिरण्यगर्भाधिपतिं त्रिनेत्रम्
I bow to that Śambhu, endowed with a thousand feet, eyes, and heads, of a thousand forms, beyond darkness, the supreme Brahman, the lord of Hiraṇyagarbha, the three-eyed one.
यत्र प्रसूतिर्जगतो विनाशो येनावृतं सर्वमिदं शिवेन । तं ब्रह्मपारं भगवंतमीशं प्रणम्य नित्यं शरणं प्रपद्ये
In whom the creation and dissolution of the world take place, by whom all this is pervaded with auspiciousness—I ever bow to that supreme Lord, the Blessed One, and take refuge.
अलिंगमालोकविहीनरूपं स्वयंप्रभुं चित्पतिमेकरूपम् । तं ब्रह्मपारं परमेश्वरं त्वां नमस्करिष्ये न यतोऽन्यदस्ति
To you, the formless, beyond all visible forms, self-existent, the sole lord of consciousness, the one without a second, the supreme Lord—I bow, for there is nothing else besides you.
यं योगिनस्त्यक्तसबीजयोगा लब्ध्वा समाधिं परमात्मभूताः । पश्यंति देवं प्रणतोऽस्मि नित्यं तं ब्रह्मपारं परमस्वरूपम्
Those yogis who, having abandoned seed-based yoga, attain samādhi and become identical with the supreme self, see that god; I ever bow to that supreme Brahman, the highest reality.
न यत्र नामादिविशेष कॢप्तिर्न संदृशे तिष्ठति यत्स्वरूपम् । तं ब्रह्मपारं प्रणतोऽस्मि नित्यं स्वयंभुवं त्वां शरणं प्रपद्ये
Where there is no distinction of name or form, where the true nature does not appear in any visible way—to that supreme Brahman I ever bow; to you, the self-born, I take refuge.