सर्वदा पर्वदिवसे स्नानं तत्र समाचरेत् । पितॄणां तर्पणं कृत्वा अश्वमेधफलं लभेत्
One should always perform bathing there on festival days; after offering oblations to the ancestors, one attains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice.
दशाश्वमेधात्पश्चिमतो भृगुर्ब्राह्मणसत्तमः । दिव्यं वर्षसहस्रं तु ईश्वरं पर्युपासत
To the west of Daśāśvamedhika, O best of Brāhmaṇas, Bhṛgu worshipped the Lord for a thousand divine years.
वल्मीकावस्थितश्चासौ दक्षिणं च निकेतनम् । आश्चर्यं च महज्जातमुमायाः शंकरस्य च
He dwelt in an anthill, and his abode was to the south; a great and wondrous event occurred there, involving Umā and Śaṃkara.
गौरी तु पृच्छते देवं कोयमत्र तु संस्थितः । देवो वा दानवो वाथ कथयस्व महेश्वर
Gaurī asked the god, 'Who is present here? Is it a god or a demon? Tell me, O Maheśvara.'
ईश्वर उवाच-। भृगुर्नाम द्विजश्रेष्ठ ऋषीणां प्रवरो मुनिः । ध्यायते मां समाधिस्थो वरं प्रार्थयते प्रिये
Īśvara said: 'Bhṛgu is the name of this foremost Brāhmaṇa, an eminent sage among the ṛṣis. He meditates upon me in samādhi, seeking a boon, O beloved.'
तत्र प्रहसिता देवी ईश्वरं प्रत्यभाषत । धूमावर्तशिखा जाता ततोऽद्यापि न तुष्यसि । दुराराध्योऽसि तेन त्वं नात्र कार्या विचारणा
Then the goddess smiled and spoke to Īśvara: 'A plume of smoke has arisen, yet even now you are not pleased. You are difficult to propitiate; therefore, there is no need for deliberation here.'
देव उवाच-। न ज्ञायसे महादेवि अयं क्रोधेन चेष्टितः । दर्शयामि यथातथ्यं प्रियं ते च करोम्यहम्
The god said: 'You do not understand, O great goddess; this is done out of anger. I will show you the truth and do what is dear to you.'
स्मारितो देवदेवेन धर्मरूपो वृषस्तदा । स्मरणादेव देवस्य वृषः शीघ्रमुपस्थितः
Then, at the remembrance of the Lord of gods, the bull, embodiment of Dharma, appeared; merely by remembering the god, the bull quickly arrived.
प्राहासौ मानुषीं वाचमादेशो दीयतां प्रभो । वल्मीकैश्छादितो विप्र एनं भूमौ निपातय
He spoke in human words: 'Give the command, O Lord. The Brāhmaṇa is covered by anthills; cast him down to the earth.'
योगस्थस्तु ततो ध्यायंस्ततस्तेन निपातितः । तत्क्षणात्क्रोधसंतप्तो हस्तमुत्क्षिप्तवान्वृषम्
Then, remaining in yoga and meditating, he was cast down by the bull; instantly, inflamed with anger, he raised his hand against the bull.
एवं संभाषमाणस्तु कुत्र गच्छसि भो वृष । अद्य त्वामथ पाप्मानं प्रत्यक्षं हन्म्यहं वृष
While speaking thus, he said, 'Where are you going, O bull? Today I will destroy you, the embodiment of evil, right before my eyes.'
धर्षितस्तु तदा विप्रो ह्यंतरिक्षं गतं वृषम् । आकाशे प्रेक्षते भूय एतदद्भुतमुत्तमम्
Then the Brāhmaṇa, having been assaulted, saw the bull ascend into the sky; he gazed at it in the heavens, marveling at this supreme wonder.
ततः प्रहसिते रुद्रे ऋषिरग्रे व्यवस्थितः । तृतीयं लोचनं दृष्ट्वा वैलक्ष्यात्पतितो भुवि
Then, as Rudra laughed, the sage stood before him; seeing the third eye, he fell to the ground in embarrassment.
प्रणम्य दंडवद्भूमौ स्तुवते परमेश्वरम् । प्रणिपत्य भूतनाथं भवोद्भवं त्वामहं दिव्यरूपम् । भवभीतो भुवनपते भूतं विज्ञापये किंचित्
Prostrating himself on the ground, he praised the supreme Lord: 'Having bowed to you, Lord of beings, origin of existence, in your divine form, O Lord of the world, fearful of worldly existence, I wish to declare something.'
त्वद्गुणनिकरान्वक्तुं कः शक्तो भवति मानुषो नाथ । वासुकिरयं हि कदाचिद्वदनसहस्रं भवेद्यस्य
O Lord, who among men is able to speak of your multitude of virtues? Even Vāsuki, if he ever had a thousand mouths, could not do so.
भक्त्या तवापि शंकरभुवनपते त्वत्स्तुतौ तु मुखरस्य । वंद्य क्षमस्व भवन्प्रसीद मे तव चरणपतितस्य
Even with devotion, O Śaṃkara, Lord of the world, my praise of you is but babbling; forgive me, O Lord, be gracious to me as I fall at your feet.
सत्वं रजस्तमस्त्वं स्थित्युत्पत्तौ विनाशने देव । त्वां मुक्त्वा भुवनपते भुवनेश्वर नैव दैवतं किंचित्
O Lord, you are sattva, rajas, and tamas in preservation, creation, and destruction; apart from you, O Lord of the worlds, there is truly no other divinity.
यमनियमयज्ञदानैर्वेदाभ्यासावधारणोद्योगात् । त्वद्भक्तेः सर्वमिदं नार्हति कलासहस्रांशेन
By restraints, observances, sacrifices, charity, study of the Vedas, and diligent concentration—none of these equals even a thousandth part of devotion to you.
उत्कृष्टरसरसायनखड्गांजनपादुकादि सिद्धिर्वा । चिह्नानि भवत्प्रणतानां दृश्यंत इह जन्मनि प्रकटम्
The signs of your devotees—such as excellence in taste, elixirs, swords, collyrium, sandals, and other attainments—are visibly manifest in this very life.
शाठ्येन नमति यद्यपि ददासि त्वं धर्ममिच्छतां देव । भक्तिर्भवच्छेदकरी मोक्षाय विनिर्मिता नाथ
Even if someone bows with deceit, you grant righteousness to those who desire it, O Lord; but devotion alone, which severs the bonds of existence, is fashioned for liberation, O Master.
परदारपरस्वरतं परिभवपरिदुःखशोकसंतप्तम् । परवदनवीक्षणपरं परमेश्वर मां परित्राहि
O Supreme Lord, save me—who am attached to others' wives and wealth, scorched by humiliation, suffering, and sorrow, and intent on not looking at others' faces.
अलीकाभिमानदग्धं क्षणभंगुरविभवविलसितं देव । क्रूरं कुपथाभिमुखं पतितं मां त्राहि देवेश
O Lord, rescue me who am burned by false pride, delighting in fleeting, fragile prosperity, cruel, facing the wrong path, and fallen.
दीनेंद्रियगणसार्थैर्बंधुजनैरेव पूरिता आशा । तुच्छा तथापि शंकर किं मूढं मां विडंबयसि
My hopes are filled only by the wretched senses and relatives, which are worthless—yet, O Śaṅkara, why do you mock me, who am so deluded?
तृष्णां हरस्व शीघ्रं लक्ष्मीं मां देहि हृदयवासिनीं नित्याम् । छिंधि मदमोहपाशानुत्तारय मां महादेव
Quickly remove my craving, grant me the goddess of fortune to dwell eternally in my heart, cut the bonds of pride and delusion, and lift me up, O Great God.
करुणाभ्युदयं नाम स्तोत्रमिदं सिद्धिदं दिव्यम् । यः पठति भक्तियुक्तस्तस्य तु तुष्येद्भृगोर्यथाहि शिवः
This hymn named 'The Arising of Compassion' is divine and grants success; whoever recites it with devotion, to him Śiva will be pleased, just as he was with Bhṛgu.
ईश्वर उवाच-। अहं तुष्टोस्मि ते विप्र वरं प्रार्थय स्वेप्सितम् । उमया सहितो देवो वरं तस्य हि दापयेत्
Īśvara said: I am pleased with you, O Brāhmaṇa; ask for whatever boon you desire. The god, together with Umā, will grant you the boon you wish.
भृगुरुवाच-। यदि तुष्टोसि देवेश यदि देयो वरो मम । रुद्रवेदी भवेदेवमेतत्संपादयस्व मे
Bhṛgu said: If you are pleased, O Lord of gods, and if a boon is to be given to me, then let there be a Rudra altar—please accomplish this for me.
ईश्वर उवाच-। एवं भवतु विप्रेंद्र क्रोधस्थानं भविष्यति । न पिता पुत्रयोश्चैव एकवाक्यं भविष्यति
Īśvara said: So be it, O best of Brāhmaṇas; it shall become the place of wrath. There will not be unity of speech between father and sons.
तदाप्रभृति ब्रह्माद्याः सर्वे देवाः सकिन्नराः । उपासंतो भृगोस्तीर्थं तुष्टो यत्र महेश्वरः
From that time, all the gods beginning with Brahmā, along with the kinnaras, worshipped the tīrtha of Bhṛgu, where Maheśvara was pleased.
दर्शनात्तस्य तीर्थस्य सद्यः पापात्प्रमुच्यते । अवशाः स्ववशाश्चापि म्रियंते तत्र जंतवः
By seeing that tīrtha, one is immediately freed from sin; whether willingly or unwillingly, creatures die there.