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.
गुह्यातिगुह्यस्य गतिस्तेषां निःसंशया भवेत् । एतत्क्षेत्रं सुविपुलं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्
For them, the supreme secret path is assured without doubt; this field is vast and destroys all sins.
तत्र स्नात्वा दिवं यांति ये मृतास्तेऽपुनर्भवाः । औपानहं तदा छत्रं देयमन्नं च कांचनम्
Those who bathe there ascend to heaven; those who die there do not return to birth. At that time, one should give sandals, an umbrella, food, and gold.
भोजनं च यथाशक्त्या अक्षयं तस्य तद्भवेत् । सूर्योपरागे यो दद्याद्दानं चैव यथेच्छया
And whatever food is given according to one's ability becomes inexhaustible for that person; whoever gives gifts as they wish during a solar eclipse—
तीर्थस्नानं तु यद्दानमक्षयं तस्य तद्भवेत् । चंद्रसूर्योपरागेषु वृषोत्सर्गमनुत्तमम्
Whatever gifts are given at the tīrtha bath become inexhaustible; and during lunar or solar eclipses, the gift of a bull is supreme.
न जानंति नरा मूढा विष्णुमायाविमोहिताः । नर्मदायां स्थितं दिव्यं वृषतीर्थं नराधिप
Foolish men, deluded by Vishnu's maya, do not know the divine Vrisha Tirtha situated on the Narmada, O king.
भृगुतीर्थस्य माहात्म्यं यः शृणोति नरः सकृत् । विमुक्तः सर्वपापेभ्यो रुद्रलोकं स गच्छति
Whoever hears, even once, the greatness of Bhrigu Tirtha, is freed from all sins and attains the world of Rudra.
ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र गौतमेश्वरमुत्तमम् । तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन्नुपवासपरायणः
Then, O king, one should proceed to the excellent Gautameshvara; bathing there, and devoted to fasting, O king,
कांचनेन विमानेन ब्रह्मलोके महीयते । धौतपापं ततो गच्छेद्धौतं यत्र वृषेण तु
He is honored in Brahma's world, riding a golden chariot; cleansed of sin, he then reaches the place purified by the bull.
नर्मदायां स्थितं राजन्सर्वपातकनाशनम् । तत्र तीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा ब्रह्महत्यां व्यपोहति
O king, situated on the Narmada, it destroys all sins; bathing at that tirtha, a man removes the sin of killing a Brahmin.
तस्मिन्तीर्थे महाराज प्राणत्यागं करोति यः । चतुर्भुजस्त्रिनेत्रस्तु रुद्रतुल्यबलो भवेत्
Whoever, O great king, gives up his life at that tirtha, becomes four-armed, three-eyed, and equal in strength to Rudra.