वरदे न तु मे भाव्यं यो वा कोवा वरप्रदः । इत्थमाभाष्य मुनिना गुरुणा भार्गवेण सः
But if no one grants me a boon, let it be so, whoever the giver may be.' Having spoken thus to the sage, his teacher Bhārgava,
तथातपच्च षण्मासं पुनरन्यच्चकार ह । नखाभ्यां स्वशिरश्छित्त्वा जुहावाग्नौ समंत्रकम्
he performed such austerity for six months, and then did something further: with his nails he cut off his own heads and offered them into the fire with mantras.
नमो भद्राय मंत्रेण चत्वारि च शिरांसि सः । पंचमं तु शिरो हातुं यतमाने च राक्षसे
With the mantra 'Salutation to the Auspicious One,' he offered four heads; as he was about to offer the fifth, the Rākṣasa,
वह्निमध्यात्समुत्तस्थौ भगवानंबिकापतिः । शुद्धस्फटिकसंकाशो बालचन्द्र विभूषणः
from the midst of the fire arose the blessed Lord, husband of Ambikā, shining like pure crystal, adorned with the crescent moon.
अधःशिरस्कं तद्रक्ष इदमाह महेश्वरः । मा साहसं कृथा रक्षो वरदोऽस्मि वरं वृणु
Seeing the demon with his head downward, Maheśvara said: 'Do not act rashly, O demon; I am the giver of boons—choose your boon.'
राक्षस उवाच- बहूनां च वराणां त्वं दाता नूनं महेश्वरः । हतशीर्षसमुत्पत्तिं ग्रस्तजीवमृतिं तथा
The Rākṣasa said: 'O Maheśvara, you are indeed the giver of many boons; grant me rebirth after my head is cut off, and restoration of life if it is swallowed.'
वराहवपुषो विष्णोरस्तु शक्तिश्चतुर्गुणा । मयि तेन हि रोषः स्यात्संनिधिस्तु सदा मम
May I possess fourfold the power of Viṣṇu in his Boar form; may I always have that wrath and presence.
त्वज्जटोत्पाटनेनैकः पुरुषः संभविष्यति । तेनैव मरणं नान्यैरिदमस्तु वृतं मम
Let it be that only one person, by uprooting your matted locks, can cause my death—by no other means; let this be granted to me.
भविष्यत्येवमेवैतदित्युक्त्वांतर्हितोहरः । एवंलब्धवरः पापी राक्षसो निहतस्त्वया
Having said, 'So it shall indeed be in the future,' Hara vanished; thus, the sinful demon, having obtained his boon, was slain by you.
अथालिंग्य हरिर्वीरं शंकरश्च पितामहः । यथागतमथोजग्मुरथ देवादियोषितः
Then Hari, Shankara, and Pitamaha embraced the hero, and, as they had come, so too did the gods and divine women depart.
निपत्य दंडवद्भूमौ वीरभद्रमथाब्रुवन् । नमस्ते देवदेवेश नमस्ते करुणाकर
Falling prostrate on the ground, they addressed Virabhadra: 'Salutations to you, Lord of gods and lords, salutations to you, O compassionate one.'
नमस्ते शाश्वतानंत नमस्ते वरदो भव । वीरभद्र उवाच- भस्मना जीवयिष्यामि सुरान्समुनि वानरान्
Salutations to you, eternal and infinite one; salutations to you, bestower of boons. Virabhadra said: 'With ashes I shall revive the gods, sages, and monkeys.'
भवतीभिः प्रतोष्टव्यं शोकः कार्यो न चाधुना । इत्युक्त्वा वीरभद्रस्तु भस्मनाजीवयत्सतान्
'You must propitiate the goddess; now is not the time for sorrow.' Having said this, Virabhadra revived the virtuous with ashes.
उत्थिता मुनिदेवाश्च वानरौ चोत्थितौ ततः । इदमूचुर्वचो हृष्टाः शिरःस्थांजलयो नमन्
Then the sages and gods arose, and the two monkeys also stood up; joyfully, with hands joined at their heads, they spoke these words.
त्वयात्र जीवितास्तात पिता त्वं धर्मतो हि नः । अस्माकं शरणं नित्यं भव शंकरसंभव
'By you, O father, we have been given life here; truly, you are our father by righteousness. Always be our refuge, O one born of Shankara.'
शिशूनां दुष्टचरितं दृष्ट्वा शिक्षेस्तथा च तान् । रक्षेः परकृता बाधा व्याधिभ्यश्च यथौरसान्
'Seeing the wicked deeds of children, instruct them accordingly; protect us from harm caused by others and from diseases, as you would your own sons.'
दक्षाध्वरे कृतागस्काः शिक्षिता भवतानघ । इदानीं रक्षितास्तात वयं शिशुवदेव ते
'At Daksha's sacrifice, we who committed offenses were instructed by you, O sinless one; now, O father, we are protected by you just as children by their father.'
वीरभद्र उवाच- सत्यमेतन्न संदेहो यत्र बाधा भवेत्तु वः । तत्र मां स्मरत क्षिप्रं बाधानाशं गमिष्यति
Virabhadra said: 'This is true, there is no doubt; wherever you face trouble, remember me quickly—your troubles will be destroyed.'
वीरभद्रं पदं येपि पठंत्यष्टशतं ततः । प्रणवादि नमोंऽतं च चतुर्थीसहितं तथा
'Those who recite the eight hundred names of Virabhadra, beginning with the Pranava and ending with Namah, along with the fourth case ending—'
तेषां राक्षसपीडानां नाशनं च भविष्यति । ब्रह्मराक्षसपीडासु पिशाचादिभयेषु च
'For them, the destruction of afflictions caused by demons will occur, as well as in cases of torment by Brahmarakshasas and fears from ghosts and the like.'
नामानुस्मरणात्सर्वबाधानां च विनाशनम्
'By remembering the name, all troubles are destroyed.'
विद्युत्प्रभालोचनमुग्रमीशं बालेंदुदंष्ट्रारुणशोभिताधरम् । सुनीलगात्रं च जटाकृतस्रजं दधानमंगे भसितत्रिपुंड्रकम्
'With eyes like flashes of lightning, fierce lord, lips brightened by the red of the crescent moon, body of deep blue, matted locks as a garland, and the sacred ash tripundra on his limbs.'
ब्रह्मराक्षसमुक्त्यर्थं स्मरणं त्विदमीरितम् । मंत्रे च वीरभद्रस्य सर्वमेतदुदीरितम्
'This remembrance is spoken for the release from Brahmarakshasa; all this has been declared in the mantra of Virabhadra.'
दधीच उवाच- अथैवं विदधे वीरो मुनिदेवास्तथागताः । एतत्त्रियायुषं प्रोक्तं भस्ममाहात्म्यमुत्तमम्
Dadhichi said: 'Thus did the hero act, and the sages and gods departed; this has been proclaimed as the supreme glory of ash, granting threefold longevity.'
पठतः शृण्वतो वापि स्मरतोऽघविनाशनम् । शिवभक्तिप्रदं पुण्यमायुरारोग्यवर्द्धनम्
'For one who recites, hears, or remembers this, sins are destroyed; it bestows devotion to Shiva, merit, and increases lifespan and health.'
शुचिस्मितोवाच-। अहं कृतार्था धन्या च नारीणामुत्तमास्म्यहम् । हतपापा तथा चास्मि नमस्ते मुनिपुंगव
Shucismita said: 'I am fulfilled and blessed, the foremost among women; my sins are destroyed—salutations to you, O foremost of sages.'
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे पातालखंडे शिवराघवसंवादे सप्तोत्तरशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the one hundred and seventh chapter in the dialogue between Shiva and Raghava in the Pātāla section of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
श्रीराम उवाच- भस्मोत्पत्तिं महाभाग भस्ममाहात्म्यमेव च । भस्मसंधारणे पुण्यं भस्मदाने च तद्वद
Śrī Rāma said: O most fortunate one, tell me about the origin of sacred ash, its greatness, the merit of wearing it, and the merit of giving it to others.
शंभुरुवाच- भस्मोत्पत्तिं प्रवक्ष्यामि सर्वपापप्रणाशिनीम् । स्मरणात्कीर्तनाद्राम तां शृणुष्व नराधिप
Śaṃbhu said: I will tell you about the origin of the sacred ash, which destroys all sins; listen to it, O king, by remembering and reciting it.
य एकः शाश्वतो देवो ब्रह्मवंद्यः सदाशिवः । त्रिलोचनो गुणाधारो गुणातीतोऽक्षरोव्ययः
He who is the one eternal god, always worshipped by Brahmā, the ever-auspicious one, three-eyed, the support of all qualities, beyond qualities, imperishable and unchanging—