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—
सिसृक्षा तस्य जाताथ वीक्ष्यात्मस्थं गुणत्रयम् । वेदत्रयमिदं ज्ञेयं गुणत्रयमिदं हि यत्
In him arose the desire to create; seeing the three qualities within himself, he understood this triad of the Vedas, for what is called the three qualities is indeed this.
पृथक्कृत्वात्मनस्तात तत्रस्थानं विभज्य च । दक्षिणांगेसृजत्पुत्रं ब्रह्माणं वामतो हरिम्
Separating them from himself, and assigning them their places, he created Brahmā as his son from his right side, and Hari from his left.
पृष्ठदेशे महेशानं त्रीन्पुत्रानसृजद्विभुः । जातमात्रास्त्रयो देवा ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः
From his back he created Maheśāna; thus the mighty one produced three sons. As soon as they were born, the three gods—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara—
इदमूचुर्वचः स्पष्टं को भवान्के वयंत्विति । तानाह च शिवः पुत्रान्यूयं पुत्रा अहं पिता
They spoke these clear words: 'Who are you, and who are we?' And Shiva said to them, 'You are my sons; I am your father.'
इदं गुणत्रयं पुत्रा भजध्वं कर्महेतुकम् । पुत्रा ऊचुः - कं वा गुणं को भजतां कियंतं कालमीश्वर
'O sons, take up these three qualities, which are the cause of action.' The sons said: 'Which quality should each of us take, and for how long, O Lord?'
कथं गुणनिवृत्तिश्च भवेदेतद्वदस्व नः । शिव उवाच- यावज्ज्ञानं हि भवतां यावदायुरथापि वा
'How does one become free from the qualities? Tell us this.' Shiva said: 'As long as you have knowledge, or as long as you have life—'
धारणं तावदेवस्यादेकैकस्य गुणस्य च । सत्वं ब्रह्मा रजोविष्णुर्भजेन्महेश्वरस्तमः
'So long must each of you uphold your respective quality. Brahmā should take up sattva, Viṣṇu rajas, and Maheśvara tamas.'
इत्युक्तमात्रे देवेशे ब्रह्मा सत्वमथाग्रहीत् । न च चालयितुं शक्तो धारणे किमु शक्तिमान्
As soon as the Lord of gods said this, Brahmā took up sattva, but he was unable to sustain it, let alone move it.
तं गुणं तु तिरस्कृत्य रजोगुणमथाग्रहीत् । न च चालयितुं शक्तो जग्राहाथ तमोगुणम्
Setting aside that quality, he then took up rajas, but was unable to move it; then he took up tamas.
न च चालयितुं शक्तो निपपात रुरोद च । विष्णुश्च वामहस्तेन रजोगुणमधारयत्
He was unable to move it and fell down, weeping; Viṣṇu then took up rajas with his left hand.