तस्यापि हतमाज्ञाय प्रह्लादा द्दानवेश्वराः । सर्वे मृताः क्षणेनैव तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्
When he too was slain, Prahlada and the lords of the daityas all died instantly; it was a wonder to behold.
मृतमासीदथ बलं तस्य बाणस्य धीमतः । अहल्या शोकसंतप्ता रुरोदोच्चैः पुनः पुनः
Then the strength of the wise Bana was gone in death; Ahalya, tormented by grief, wept loudly again and again.
गौतमेन महेशस्य पूजया पूजितो विभुः । वीरभद्रो महायोगी सर्वं दृष्ट्वा चुकोप ह
Honored by Gautama through worship of the great Lord, Virabhadra, the great yogi, seeing all this, became enraged.
अहो कष्टमहोकष्टं माहेशा बहवो मृताः । शिवं विज्ञापयिष्यामि तेनोक्तं करवाण्यहम्
'Alas, how terrible, how exceedingly terrible! Many followers of Maheshvara have died. I will inform Shiva and do as he commands.'
इति निश्चित्य गतवान्मंदराचलमव्ययम् । नमस्कृत्वा विरूपाक्षमिदं सर्वमथोक्तवान्
Having resolved thus, he went to the imperishable Mandara mountain, bowed to the three-eyed one, and reported all these events.
ब्रह्म हरी स्थितौ तत्र दृष्ट्वा प्राह शिवो वचः । मद्भक्तैः साहसं कर्म कृतं दृष्ट्वा वरप्रदः
There, seeing Brahma and Hari present, Shiva spoke these words: 'Witnessing this violent deed done by my devotees, I, the granter of boons...'
गत्वा पश्यामहे विष्णो युवामप्यागमिष्यथ । अथेशो वृषमारुह्य वायुना धूतचामरः
Let us go and see Vishnu; you two should also come. Then the Lord mounted the bull, his fan waving in the wind.
नंदिकेन सुवेषेण धृते छत्रेति शोभने । सुश्वेतहेमदंडे च नान्ययोगे धृते विभोः
Nandikeśvara, splendidly attired, held the shining white parasol with a golden handle over the Lord, as was proper.
महेशानुमतिं लब्ध्वा हरिर्नागांतके स्थितः । आरक्तनीलछत्राभ्यां शुशुभे लक्ष्यकौस्तुभः
With Shiva’s permission, Hari stood at the place of the serpent’s end, adorned with red and blue parasols, and the Lakshmi gem Kaustubha shone brilliantly.
शिवानुमत्या ब्रह्मापि हंसारूढोऽभवत्तदा । इंद्रगोपप्रभाकारच्छत्राभ्यां शुशुभे विधिः
With Shiva’s consent, Brahma too mounted his swan at that time; the Creator shone with parasols radiant like the glow of indragopa insects.
इंद्रादिसर्वदेवाश्च स्वस्ववाहनसंयुताः । अथ ते निर्ययुः सर्वे नानावाद्यानुमोदिताः
All the gods, including Indra and the others, each with their own vehicles, then set out together, accompanied by various musical instruments.
कोटिकोटिगणाकीर्णा गौतमस्याश्रमं गताः । ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेशाना दृष्ट्वा तत्परमाद्भुतम्
Surrounded by countless millions, they reached Gautama’s hermitage, and upon seeing Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara, they beheld that most wondrous sight.
स्वभक्तं जीवयामास वामकोणनिरीक्षणात् । शंकरो गौतमं प्राह तुष्टोऽहं ते वरं वृणु
By merely glancing from the left side, Shiva revived his devotee; pleased, Shankara said to Gautama, 'I am satisfied—choose your boon.'
गौतम उवाच- यदि प्रसन्नो देवेश यदि देयो वरो मम । त्वल्लिंगार्चनसामर्थ्यं नित्यमस्तु महेश्वर
Gautama said: 'If you are pleased, Lord of the gods, and if a boon is to be granted to me, may I always have the ability to worship your liṅga, O Maheshvara.'
वृतमेतन्मया देव शृणुष्वैतत्त्रिलोचन । मम शिष्यो महाभागो हेयाहेयादिवर्जितः
'This boon I have chosen, O three-eyed Lord; listen further: my disciple, greatly fortunate, is free from all that is to be accepted or rejected.'
प्रेक्षणीयं ममत्वेन न च पश्यति चक्षुषा । न च घ्राणेन घ्रातव्यं न दातव्यं न चेतरत्
'He does not see what is to be seen as his own, nor does he look with the eye; nor should he smell with the nose, nor give, nor do anything else.'
इति बुद्घ्वा तथा कुर्वन्स हि योगी महायशाः । उन्मत्तविकृताकारः शंकरात्मेति कीर्तितः
Understanding this, acting accordingly, that yogi of great fame, with a mad and distorted appearance, is known as one who comes from Shankara.
न कश्चित्तं प्रतिद्विष्यान्न च तं हिंसयेदिति । एतन्मे दीयतां देव एतेषाममृतिस्तथा
'Let no one bear enmity toward him, nor harm him in any way; O Lord, grant me this, and also immortality for these ones.'
श्रीभगवानुवाच-। आकल्पमेते जीवंतु ततो मुक्तिं भजंतु च । त्वया कृतमिदं वेश्म विस्तृतं विकृतं शुभम्
The Blessed Lord said: 'Let these live until the end of the kalpa, and then attain liberation. This dwelling you have made is vast, extraordinary, and auspicious.'
तिष्ठामः क्षणमात्रं तु ततो यास्याम मंदिरम् । गौतम उवाच- अयोग्यं प्रार्थयामीश ह्यर्थी दोषं न पश्यति
'We shall remain only for a moment, then we will go to the temple.' Gautama said: 'O Lord, I ask for what is unfit, for a supplicant does not see fault.'
ब्रह्माद्यलभ्यं देवेश दीयतां यदि रोचते । अथेशो विष्णुमालोक्य गृहीत्वा तु करं हरेः
'O Lord of the gods, if it pleases you, grant what even Brahma and others cannot obtain.' Then the Lord, looking at Vishnu, took Hari’s hand.
प्रहसन्नंबुजाभाक्षमित्युवाच सदाशिवः । म्लानोदरोसि गोविंद देयं ते भोजनं किमु
With a smile, Sadashiva spoke to Govinda, whose eyes resembled lotus petals: 'Your belly is sunken, Govinda; what food should be given to you?'
स्वयं प्रविश्य यदि वा स्वयं भुंक्ष्व स्वगेहवत् । गच्छ वा पार्वतीगेहं या कुक्षिं पूरयिष्यति
'Either enter yourself and eat as if in your own house, or go to Parvati’s home—she will fill your belly.'
इत्युक्त्वा तत्करालंबी एकांतमगमद्विभुः । आदिश्य नंदिनं देवो द्वाराध्यक्षं यथोक्तवत्
Having said this, the Lord, holding his hand, went aside; instructing Nandi, the god told the doorkeeper as was appropriate.
गौतमं समुवाचायमुत्तरं विष्णुभाषणम् । सदाशिव उवाच- संपादयान्नं सर्वेषां भोक्तुकामा वयं मुने
Sadāśiva spoke to Gautama, conveying the reply of Viṣṇu: 'Prepare food for everyone, for we wish to partake, O sage.'
इत्युक्त्वैकांतमगमद्वासुदेवेन शंकरः । मृदुशय्यां समारुह्य शयितौ देवतोत्तमौ
Having said this, Śaṃkara went aside with Vāsudeva; the two foremost deities ascended a soft bed and lay down.
अन्योन्यं भाषणं कृत्त्वा प्रोत्तस्थतुरुभावपि । गत्वा तटाकं गंभीरं स्नास्यंतौ देवसत्तमौ
After conversing with each other, both rose; the two eminent gods went to a deep lake, intending to bathe.
करांबुपानमन्योन्यं पृथक्कृत्वोभयत्र च । मुनयो राक्षसाश्चैव जलक्रीडां प्रचक्रिरे
Separately, each took water in their hands; meanwhile, sages and rākṣasas engaged in water games.
अथ विष्णुर्महेशश्च जलपातानि शीघ्रतः । चक्रतुः शंकरः पद्मकिंजल्कांजलिना हरेः
Then Viṣṇu and Maheśa swiftly splashed water; Śaṃkara, with a handful of lotus filaments, showered them upon Hari.
अवाकिरन्मुखे तस्य पद्मोत्फुल्लविलोचने । नेत्रे केशरसंपातान्न्यमीलयत केशवः
He scattered them into the face of the lotus-eyed one; Keśava closed his eyes as the filaments fell upon them.