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.
अंगुलीभ्यां महेशोऽपि तमोगुणमधारयत् । सत्वमेकोंगुलीभ्यां च सत्वं विष्णुमथादधात्
Maheśa took up tamas with his fingers, and with one finger he gave sattva to Viṣṇu.
ब्रह्माणं पादपीठे च दधार च ननर्त च
He placed Brahmā on his foot as a seat and began to dance.
नृत्यंतमत्यंतविलासरूपं गोक्षीररूपं तरुणं त्रिनेत्रम् । सर्वं दधानं कृतकौतुकं शिवं समीक्ष्य पुत्रान्वरदो बभाषे
Dancing in a form of supreme grace, youthful, with the color of cow's milk, three-eyed, bearing all things, having performed a wondrous act, Shiva looked upon his sons and spoke, ready to grant them boons.
शिव उवाच- प्रीतोऽस्मि तव पुत्राहं वरं वृणु यथेप्सितम् । अथाह पितरं पुत्रो वरमेनं ददस्व मे
Shiva said: 'I am pleased with you, my sons. Choose a boon as you desire.' Then the son said to his father, 'Grant me this boon.'
मामुद्दिश्य कृता पूजा तव पूजा भवेच्छिव । तिष्ठेर्मयि सदा त्वं च त्वमेवाहं च वाव्ययः
Worship performed for me is indeed your worship, O Shiva; you and I are ever steadfast in each other, and you and I are both imperishable.
शिव उवाच- एवमेतन्महाभाग भविष्यति न संशयः । रक्तगौराविमौ पुत्रौ ब्रह्मविष्णू ममैव तु
Shiva said: So it is, O highly fortunate one, it shall be so without doubt; these two sons, one red and one fair, Brahma and Vishnu, are indeed mine.
बाहुमूलस्थरोमौ च ममाकारौ तथानघौ । अथ ब्रह्माणमाहेदं भजत्वेकं गुणं भवान्
The hairs at the root of my arm became these two forms, flawless as they are; then I said to Brahma: You should take on one quality.
ब्रह्मोवाच- त्वन्निर्दिष्टं गुणमहं धर्तुं शक्तो न हीश्वर । धारयिष्ये रजो देव सत्वं भजतु वै हरिः
Brahma said: O Lord, I am not able to bear the quality you have assigned; O God, I will bear rajas, and let Hari take on sattva.
अवशिष्टं गुणं चायमीश्वरो धारयिष्यति । शंभुरुवाच- गुणानादायते देवा नशेकुर्नित्यधारणम्
And this remaining quality, the Lord will bear; Shambhu said: The gods, having taken the qualities, were not able to bear them eternally.
कर्तुं भरणशक्त्यर्थं शिवमित्यवदत्पुनः । गुणान्वयं सर्वकालं न च धारयितुं क्षमाः
To accomplish the power to sustain, he again said 'Shiva'; they are not able to bear the qualities at all times.
दीयतां भगवञ्छक्तिर्यदि भोस्त्वं वरप्रदः । अथ तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा शिवो वाक्यमभाषत
O blessed one, if you are the bestower of boons, then grant the power; then, having heard those words, Shiva spoke.
शिव उवाच- विद्याशक्तिः समस्तानां शक्तिरित्यभिधीयते । गुणत्रयाश्रया विद्या अविद्या च तदाश्रया
Shiva said: The power of knowledge is called the power of all; knowledge is the support of the three qualities, and ignorance is also based on that.
गुणत्रयं च दग्ध्वैव तत्सारं धर्तुमर्हथ । यच्च किंचिद्भवेत्तत्र भवद्भिर्ध्रियतां हि तत्
Having burned the three qualities, you should bear their essence; whatever may exist there, let it be borne by you.
अथाहुस्तत्सुता वाक्यं न दाहो ज्वलनं विना । शिवः प्राह महेशस्य लोचने वह्निरस्ति वै
Then their sons said: There is no burning without fire; Shiva said: In the eyes of Mahesha, indeed, there is fire.
गुणत्रयमिदं धेनुर्विद्या स्याद्गोमयं शुभम् । मूत्रं चोपनिषत्प्रोक्तं कुर्याद्भस्म ततः परम्
This triad of qualities is the cow, knowledge is the auspicious cow-dung; urine is as declared in the Upanishads, and from that, one should make ash.
वत्सास्तु स्मृतयो यस्यास्तत्संभूतं तु गोमयम् । आगाव इति मंत्रेण धेनुं तत्राभिमंत्रयेत्
The calves are the Smritis, from which the cow-dung arises; with the mantra 'āgāva', one should consecrate the cow there.
गावो गावो गाव इति प्राशयेत्तु तृणं जलम् । उपोष्य च चतुर्द्दश्यां शुक्ले कृष्णेऽथवा व्रती
Saying 'gāvo gāvo gāva', one should feed her grass and water; having fasted on the fourteenth, whether in the bright or dark fortnight, the votary should do so.
परेद्युः प्रातरुत्थाय शुचिर्भूत्वा समाहितः । कृतस्नानो धौतवस्त्रो गोमयार्थं व्रजेत्तु गाम्
On the next day, rising early, pure and focused, having bathed and donned clean garments, one should go to the cow for cow-dung.
उत्थाप्य तां प्रयत्नेन गायत्र्या मूत्रमाहरेत् । सौवर्णे राजते ताम्रे धारयेन्मृन्मये घटे
Raising her carefully, one should collect her urine with the Gayatri; it should be kept in a golden, silver, copper, or earthen vessel.
पौष्करे वा पलाशे वा पात्रे गोशृंग एव वा । आदधीत हि गोमूत्रं गंधद्वारेति गोमयम्
Or in a vessel of lotus or palasha leaf, or even in a cow's horn; one should place the cow urine, and the cow-dung with the mantra 'gandhadvāra'.