इत्थं कृत्वा भूतशुद्धिं क्रियार्हो मर्त्यः शुद्धो जायते एव शुद्धः । पूजां कर्तुं जाप्यकर्म्मापि पश्चाद्देवध्याने ब्रह्महत्यादि हानिः
Thus, having performed the purification of the elements, a mortal becomes fit for ritual, and is truly purified; only then, after this purity, is he able to perform worship or recitation, and through meditation on the deity, the sin of killing a Brahmin and other such faults are destroyed.
एवं ध्यात्वा चंद्रदीप्तिप्रकाशं ध्यानेनारोप्याशु लिंगे शिवस्य । सदाशिवं दीपमध्ये विचिंत्य पंचाक्षरेणार्चनमव्ययं तु
Meditating in this way on the radiance of the moon, and swiftly establishing it through meditation in the liṅga of Śiva, one should contemplate Sadāśiva in the center of the light, and worship the imperishable with the five-syllable mantra.
आवाहनादीनुपचारांस्तथापि कृत्वा स्नानं पूर्ववच्छंकरस्य । उदुंबरं राजतं स्वर्णपीठं वस्त्रादिछन्नं सर्वमेवेह पीठम्
Then, performing the offerings such as invocation and the rest, as before, one should bathe Śaṅkara; the seat should be made of udumbara wood, silver, or gold, covered with cloth and the like—indeed, the seat here should be thus prepared.
अंते कृत्वा बुद्बुदानां च वृष्टिं पीठे पीठे नागमेकं पुरस्तात् । कुर्यात्पीठे चोर्ध्वके नागयुग्मं देवाभ्याशे दक्षिणे वामतश्च
At the end, having made a shower of bubbles on each seat, one should place a single serpent in front of each seat; on the upper seat, a pair of serpents should be placed—one to the right and one to the left near the deities.
जपापुष्पं नागमध्ये निधाय मध्ये वस्त्रं द्वादश प्रातिगुण्ये । सुश्वेतेन तस्य मध्ये महेशं लिंगाकारं पीठयुक्तं प्रपूज्यम्
Placing a hibiscus flower between the serpents, and a cloth in the middle, twelve times in proportion, in the center with a very white one, one should worship Maheśa in the form of a liṅga, established on a seat.
एवं कृत्वा बाणमुख्या दितीशा दत्त्वा दत्त्वा पंचगंधाष्टगंधम् । पुष्पैः पत्रैः श्री तिलैरक्षतैश्च तिलोन्मिश्रैः केवलैश्च प्रपूज्य
Having done so, offering the foremost of arrows to the goddess Diti, and giving the fivefold and eightfold fragrances, one should worship with flowers, leaves, auspicious sesame seeds, and unbroken rice, both mixed with sesame and pure.
धूपं दत्त्वा विधिवत्संप्रयुक्तं दीपं दत्त्वा चोक्तमेवोपहारम् । पूजाशेषं ते समाप्याथ सर्वे गीतं नृत्यं तत्रतत्रापि चक्रुः
Offering incense according to the proper method, and then a lamp, and the prescribed gifts, having completed all the remaining acts of worship, they all performed singing and dancing here and there.
अथास्मिन्नंतरे गौतमस्यप्राप्तः शिष्यः शंकरात्मेति नाम्ना
Meanwhile, at that moment, Gautama's disciple named Śaṅkarātman arrived.
उन्मत्तवेशो दिग्वासा अनेकावृतिमाश्रितः । क्वचिद्द्विजातिप्रवरः क्वचिच्चंडालसन्निभः
He appeared as if mad, clad only with the directions, wrapped many times over; at times he seemed a foremost twice-born, at times resembling a caṇḍāla.
क्वचिच्छूद्र समो योगी तापसः क्वचिदप्युत । गर्जत्युत्पतते चैव नृत्यति स्तौति गायति
Sometimes he was like a śūdra, sometimes a yogi or ascetic; he would roar, leap up, dance, praise, and sing.
रोदिति शृणुते व्यक्तं पतत्युत्तिष्ठति क्वचित् । शिवज्ञानैकसंपन्नः परमानंदनिर्भरः
He would weep, listen attentively, sometimes fall down, sometimes rise up; endowed with the knowledge of Śiva alone, he was filled with supreme bliss.
संप्राप्तो भोज्यवेलायां गौतमस्यांतिकं ययौ । बुभुजे गुरुणा साकं क्वचिदुच्छिष्टमेव च
Arriving at the time for eating, he went to Gautama; sometimes he ate together with his guru, and sometimes only the leftovers.
क्वचिल्लेहति तत्पात्रं तूष्णीमेवाभ्यगात्क्वचित् । हस्तं गृहीत्वैव गुरोः स्वयमेवाभुनक्क्वचित्
Sometimes he would lick the vessel, sometimes he would silently approach; sometimes, taking his guru's hand, he would eat by himself.
क्वचिद्गृहांतरे मूत्रं क्वचित्कर्दमलेपनम् । सर्वदा तं गुरुर्दृष्ट्वा करमालंब्य मंदिरम्
Sometimes he would urinate inside the house, sometimes smear mud; always, the guru, seeing him, would take his hand and lead him into the house.
प्रवेश्य स्वीयपीठे तमुपवेश्याभ्यभोजयत् । स्वयं तदस्य पात्रेण बुभुजे गौतमो मुनिः
Seating him on his own seat, he would make him sit and feed him; the sage Gautama himself would eat with his vessel.
तस्य चित्तं परिज्ञातुं कदाचिदथ सुंदरी । अहल्या शिष्यमाहूय भुंक्ष्वेत्युक्त्वाथ सा शुभा
Then, in order to know his mind, the beautiful Ahalyā once called the disciple and, after saying 'Eat,' she, the auspicious one—
सौवर्णे भाजने चान्नं निधाय चषकांतरे । पानादिकमथो दत्वा एकस्मिन्पावकं पुनः
Placing food in a golden bowl and drink in another cup, she then put fire in one of them.
निधायांगारनिचयं कंटकानां चयं परे । निधाय भुंक्ष्व भुंक्ष्वेति स चापि बुभुजे मुनिः
She placed a heap of coals and a pile of thorns in another; saying, 'Eat, eat,' the sage ate as well.
यथा पपौ हि पानीयं तथा वह्निमपि द्विजः । कंटकानपि भुक्त्वा स यथापूर्वमतिष्ठत
Just as he drank water, so too did the twice-born one consume fire; even after eating thorns, he remained as before.
पुरा हि मुनिकन्याभिराहूतो भोजनाय च । दिनेदिने तत्प्रदत्तं लोष्ठमंबु च गोमयम्
Long ago, summoned by the sage’s daughters for a meal, each day he was given a lump of clay, water, and cow dung.
कर्दमं काष्ठदंडं च भुक्त्वा प्रीत्याथ हर्षितः । एतादृशो मुनिरसौ चंडालसदृशाकृतिः
He ate mud and wooden sticks with delight and joy; such was that sage, whose appearance resembled that of a candala.
सुजीर्णोपानहौ हस्ते गृहीत्वा तु तथा करे । अंत्यजोचितभाषाभिर्वृषपर्वाणमभ्यगात्
With well-worn sandals in hand, he approached Vrishaparvan, speaking in the manner of outcastes.
वृषपर्वेशयोर्मध्ये दिग्वासाः समतिष्ठत । वृषपर्वा तमज्ञात्वा पीडयित्वा शिरोऽच्छिनत्
Standing naked between Vrishaparvan and his people, Vrishaparvan, not recognizing him, struck and severed his head.
हते तस्मिन्द्विजश्रेष्ठे जगदेतच्चराचरम् । अतीव कलुषमभवत्तत्रस्था मुनयस्तथा
When that best of twice-born was killed, the entire world, both moving and unmoving, became exceedingly impure, as did the sages present there.
गौतमस्य महाशोकः संजातः सुमहात्मनः । निर्ययौ चक्षुषोर्वारि शोकं संदर्शयन्निव
Great sorrow arose in the noble Gautama; tears flowed from his eyes, visibly revealing his grief.
गौतमः सर्वदैत्यानां संनिधौ वाक्यमुक्तवान् । किमनेन कृतं पापं येन च्छिन्नमिदं शिरः
In the assembly of all the daityas, Gautama spoke these words: 'What sin did he commit, for which his head was cut off?'
मम प्राणाधिकस्येह सर्वदा शिवयोगिनः । ममापि मरणं सत्यं शिष्यरूपी यतो गुरुः
'He was dearer to me than life itself, always a devotee of Shiva; truly, my own death is certain, for the disciple is like the guru.'
शैवानां धर्मयुक्तानां सर्वदा शिववर्तिनाम् । मरणं यत्र दृष्टं स्यात्तत्र नो मरणं ध्रुवम्
'Wherever the death of those devoted to Shiva, who always follow the path of righteousness, is seen, there indeed, for us, death is certain.'
शुक्र उवाच- एनं संजीवयिष्यामि मम गोत्रं शिवप्रियम् । किमसौ म्रियते ब्रह्मन्पश्य मे तपसो बलम्
Shukra said: 'I will revive him, for my lineage is dear to Shiva. Why should he die, O Brahman? Behold the power of my austerity.'
इति वादिनि विप्रेंद्रे गौतमोऽपि ममार ह । तस्मिन्मृतेऽथ शुक्रोऽपि प्राणांस्तत्याज योगतः
As the foremost of Brahmins spoke thus, Gautama too died; and when he died, Shukra also abandoned his life by yogic power.