गायंति मधुरां गीतिं सुभ्रूभंगनिरीक्षणैः । मंदस्मितैः करतलशब्दास्फोटिकया तथा
They sing sweet songs, with glances from arched brows, with gentle smiles, and with the clapping of hands.
क्वचिद्गलकृतैर्गीतैरन्योन्य करताडनैः । अन्योन्य मुखमालोक्य प्रलोभैर्गीतपूर्वकैः
At times, with songs produced in their throats and mutual hand-clapping, gazing at each other's faces, they entice with songs as prelude to playful acts.
क्रीडन्नास्ते महायोगी पद्मकिंजल्कसन्निभः । एवं चरितपुण्येन केन वा तद्वदस्व मे
The great yogi, radiant like the filament of a lotus, sits playing thus; by what merit was this attained, and by whom? Tell me this.
शंभुरुवाच- एष विप्रः पुरा राम सर्वसंपत्समन्वितः । नानाविधसुखोपेतो भार्य्यापोषणतत्परः
Śambhu said: This brāhmaṇa, O Rāma, was once endowed with all prosperity, enjoying various pleasures, devoted to maintaining his wife.
अपुत्रो दानहीनश्च देवतार्चनवर्जितः । पंचयज्ञविहीनश्च स्वाध्यायपरिवर्जितः
He was childless, lacking in charity, neglectful of worshipping deities, devoid of the five sacrifices, and avoided scriptural study.
प्रातर्म्मध्याह्नसायाह्नभोजनप्रवणोऽशुचिः । कदाचिदगमद्गेहं गौतमस्य महात्मनः
Fond of eating in the morning, midday, and evening, impure, he once went to the house of the great-souled Gautama.
त्र्यंबकस्य गिरौ पुण्ये नानामुनिगणाश्रिते । तत्रापि शोभितगृहं स्फटिकस्तंभकल्पितम्
On the sacred mountain of Tryambaka, frequented by many groups of sages, there too was a splendid house adorned with crystal pillars.
अगुरुद्रवकस्तूरीचंद्र कुंकुमचर्चिता । भित्तिर्यस्य च संतानकुसुमामोदसौष्ठवम्
Its walls were anointed with aguru, camphor, musk, and saffron; the fragrance of parijat flowers made the air delightful.
कस्तूरिका पुष्परस समुत्सेचितभूतलम् । सूक्ष्म सुश्वेतविविधवितानपरिशोभितम्
The ground was sprinkled with musk and flower essences, and was adorned with fine, pure, various canopies.
अंगणं शोभित महाकदलीपूगशोभितम् । समीपसरसीजात मंजुकूजन्मधुव्रतम्
The courtyard was splendid, beautified by great banana and areca trees, and nearby, bees hummed sweetly among the lotuses.
पाटीरतरुसंभूत गंधपूरितदिङ्मुखम् । शिक्षागीतकृताल्हाद गीतपूरितदिङ्मुखम्
The directions were filled with fragrance from pāṭīra trees, and with the joy of music lessons, the quarters resounded with song.
निदाघजनिताताप नाशयंत्रविनिर्मितम् । कदलीदलसंच्छादि पावकाकल्पितच्छदम्
Constructed to dispel the heat of summer, its roof was made of banana leaves and covered with fire-resistant thatch.
पाटीरतरुसुस्निग्ध सांद्र द्वारकपाटकम् । सौगंधिकमहामोदि कल्पितांतर भित्तिकम्
Its doors were thick and smooth from pāṭīra wood, the inner walls were fashioned with great fragrance and delightful scents.
ईशानभागसुभग रतिकल्पित वेदिकम् । हाटिकाकल्पितपदं विचित्रवेदिकायुतम्
In the auspicious northeast part was a platform for pleasure, with a floor made by artisans, adorned with various platforms.
सुस्निग्धनि बिडच्छायं वटमूलोपकल्पितम् । प्रसूनकदलीखंड सरोभिः प्रांतशोभितम्
There was a well-shaded spot beneath a banyan tree, beautified at the edges by clusters of banana flowers and ponds.
महावटाग्रसंलग्न तुषारितपयोधरम् । नाकोपवनसंपन्न विचित्राराम शोभितम्
Clinging to the great banyan's top, clouds cooled the area; it was adorned with wondrous gardens, like the parks of heaven.
वापीकूपतडागाद्यमनेकवनशोभितम् । मंदं मंदं ववौ वायुर्यत्र गेहे सुखप्रदः
It was beautified by wells, ponds, and many groves; there, in the house, a gentle, pleasant breeze always blew.
वादिन्यश्चारुसर्वांग्यो वाद्यानि स्मरसंपदः । वीणां वेणुं त्रिवेणुं च वादयंति वरांगनाः
There, women with beautiful forms played instruments full of the wealth of love; noble ladies played the vīṇā, flute, and triple flute.
तौर्य्यत्रिककृतो नार्य्यश्चतुर्दिक्षु तथोर्द्ध्वतः । सुवर्णादिकपात्रेषु वटका भस्मनः शुभाः
Women skilled in music and dance were stationed in the four directions and above; auspicious balls of ash were placed in vessels of gold and other metals.
वासिताः सर्वगंधैश्च सुधूपैरपि धूपिताः । कुशग्रथितसंघाश्च अक्षमालाश्च कोटिशः
These balls were perfumed with all fragrances and also incensed with fine incense; bundles tied with kuśa grass and countless rosaries were also present.
कृष्णाजिनसहस्राणि बहिः प्रांते स्थितानि च । एतादृशे गृहवरे देववंद्यो मुनीश्वरः
Thousands of black antelope skins were arranged outside and at the edges; in such a splendid house, the sage, worthy of worship by the gods, resided.
कर्पूरादींश्च संस्थाप्य चतुर्दिक्षु मुनीश्वरः । पाटीरपीठे कर्पूरसिंहासनमकल्पयत्
The sage placed camphor and other substances in the four directions; on a wooden platform, he prepared a camphor throne.
सूक्ष्मं श्वेतं च सुस्रिग्धमावृत्तं घनसारकैः । सुगंधवासितजलैः स्नाप्य क्षीरेण शंकरम्
He bathed Śaṅkara with fine, white, well-oiled cloths, wrapped with dense aloe wood, and with water scented by fragrant substances and milk.
अन्यैश्च वैदिकैर्मंत्रैः स्नापयित्वा सदाशिवम् । दारुचंद्रोपपीठे तु वस्त्रपीठं निधाय च । पात्रिकामग्रतः स्थाप्य स्थापयित्वा दलेष्वमून्
After bathing Sadāśiva with other Vedic mantras, he placed a wooden seat covered with cloth, set a small vessel in front, and arranged those items on the petals.
एकस्मिन्नक्षताः पात्रे अन्यस्मिन्सतिलाक्षताः । पंचगंधकमेकस्मिन्नन्यस्मिन्नष्टगंधकम्
In one vessel were unbroken grains of rice, in another sesame-mixed rice; in one, five kinds of fragrant substances, in another, eight kinds of fragrance.
काश्मीरं मृगनाभिं तु कर्पूरं चंदनं तथा । पात्रेष्वन्येषु विन्यस्य पूजास्थाने प्रकल्प्य च
Kashmiri saffron, musk, camphor, and sandalwood were placed in other vessels and arranged at the place of worship.
नानावरणमार्गेण पूजा तत्र विधीयते । लिंगमध्ये स्थितो देवः पंचवक्त्रः सदाशिवः
Through various layers of coverings, worship is performed there; in the center of the liṅga abides the god Sadāśiva with five faces.
तस्य प्रावरणं लिंगं शक्तिस्तस्य विधीयते । शक्तेरावरणं विष्णुर्विष्णोरावरणं विधिः
The liṅga is his first covering; his power (śakti) is its covering; Viṣṇu is the covering of śakti, and Brahmā is the covering of Viṣṇu.
ब्रह्मप्रावरणं चंद्रस्तस्य सूर्यस्ततः श्रुतिः । दिग्देवतासु तद्गुप्तिस्तासामावरणं दिशः
The covering of Brahmā is the moon, then the sun, then the Vedas; among the guardian deities of the directions, their protection is the directions themselves as coverings.
दिशामावरणं शंभुस्तस्य चावरणं गुणाः । दशप्रावरणं ह्येतच्छिवलिंगार्चनं शुभम्
The covering of the directions is Śambhu, and his covering is the qualities (guṇas); these ten coverings constitute the auspicious worship of the Śiva-liṅga.