अल्पायुश्च भवान्विप्र शिवपूजनमाचर । त्रिकालं वा द्विकालं वा एककालमथापि वा
Though your lifespan is short, O brāhmaṇa, perform the worship of Śiva—three times a day, or twice, or even once.
यामं यामार्धमथवा शिवपूजनमाचर । वानप्रस्थाश्रमो भूत्वा वानप्रस्थकृताश्रयः
Worship Śiva for a full watch, or half a watch, or as you are able; having entered the stage of forest-dweller, taking up the duties of a vānaprastha.
वानप्रस्थप्रसूनैश्च प्रातःपूजय शंकरम् । श्रीफलैः शतपत्रैश्च पद्मसौगंधिकैरपि
In the morning, worship Śaṅkara with flowers from the forest, with coconuts, with a hundred-petaled lotuses, and with fragrant lotuses.
नीपैर्जपाभिः पुन्नागैः करवीरैश्च पाटलैः । तुलस्याच रविदलैरपराजितया तथा
With nīpa flowers, hibiscus, punnāga, karavīra, pāṭala, with basil, lotus petals, and with aparājitā as well.
अपामार्गदलै रुद्र जटादमनकेन च । सर्वैरेभिः समफलैर्बिल्वपत्रैश्च धूर्तकैः
With apāmārga leaves, with rudrajaṭā, with damanaka, with all these, with fruits, with bilva leaves, and with dhūrtaka.
द्रोणैः शिरीषैः शक्तैश्च दूर्वया कोरकैरपि । नंद्यावर्तैरक्षतैश्च तिलमिश्रैश्च केवलैः
With droṇa, śirīṣa, śakti, with dūrvā grass, with buds, with naṃdyāvarta, with unbroken grains, and with sesame seeds alone.
अन्यैरपि यथाशक्ति प्रातः संपूजयेच्छिवम् । कर्णिकारैश्च सौवर्णर्दूवर्ययापि शिवार्चनम्
With other offerings as you are able, worship Śiva in the morning; with karṇikāra, with golden dūrvā, and with arka flowers as well.
मुकुलैर्नार्चयेद्देवं चंपकैर्जलजं विना । जलजानां च सर्वेषां पत्राणामक्षतस्य च
Do not worship the god with unopened champaka buds, except for water-lilies; and with the leaves of all water-lilies and with unbroken ones.
कुशपुष्पस्य रजतसुवर्णकृतयोरपि । अन्यत्कृत्वा यथा यत्तु तैलपक्वं भवेन्नृप
With kuśa flowers, with those made of silver or gold; and whatever else is prepared, O king, that is cooked in oil.
न तत्पर्युषितं प्रोक्तमपूपादि गमिष्यति । उक्षितं यत्फलायुक्तं तैलक्षाराम्लजीरकैः
That which is stale is not prescribed; cakes and the like will be rejected. That which is sprinkled, containing fruits, with oil, alkali, sour things, or cumin.
जले तत्प्रोक्षितं मूलफलशाकादिकं नृप । न च पर्युषितं प्रोक्तं गंगातोयं च सागरम्
That which is washed in water—roots, fruits, vegetables, and the like, O king—should not be stale, and water from the Gaṅgā and the ocean.
महानदीजलं सर्वं केदारजलमेव च । ह्रदरूपेण यत्तीर्थं कूपतीर्थेन राघव
All water from great rivers, and also water from fields; water from lakes in the form of tirthas, and from wells, O Rāghava.
तडागवापीसरसां कूपेनापां च यद्भवेत् । तत्तीर्थतोयं सर्वं च न च पर्युषितं भवेत्
Whatever water is from tanks, ponds, lakes, or wells, all that water from tirthas should not be stale.
न रात्रौ जलमाहार्यं दिवा संपादयेज्जलम् । ससैकतं तथा धार्यं न च पर्युषितं हि तत्
Water should not be drawn at night; draw water during the day. It should be kept with sand, and it should not be stale.
एवं विदित्वा पूजां त्वं शिवलिंगे समाचर । शंभुरुवाच- एवमुक्तोथ मुनिना इक्ष्वाकुर्ब्राह्मणप्रियः
Knowing thus, you should perform worship at the Śiva-liṅga. Śaṃbhu said: Thus addressed by the sage, Ikṣvāku, dear to the brāhmaṇas,
शिवपूजापरो भूत्वा दिनाष्टकमतिष्ठत । नवमेऽथ दिने प्राप्ते प्रातःकाले कृतार्चनः
Devoted to the worship of Śiva, observed the rite for eight days; and when the ninth day arrived, he performed the morning worship.
मरणावसरे प्राप्ते शिवपूजां विधाय सः । स्वान्प्राणानुपहाराय तत्याजैव महेशितुः
When the time of death arrived, he performed the worship of Shiva and then offered up his own life-breaths as an oblation to the Great Lord.
मृतं तमथ विज्ञाय यमदूताः समागताः । यमलोकप्रापका ये यतमास्थाय तस्थिरे
Then, realizing he had died, the messengers of Yama assembled—those whose task is to bring souls to Yama's realm—and stood ready, taking their positions.
शैवाश्चापि समायाता दूता वह्निमुखादयः । तेषामन्योन्यवादोभून्मामको मामकस्त्विति
But also the Shaiva messengers arrived—those led by Vahnimukha and others; a dispute arose among them, each claiming, 'He is mine, he is mine.'
अथ यामः पाशपाणिः शिवदूतमथार्दयत् । अथ वह्निमुखः क्रुद्धो यमदूतशतं ततः
Then Yama's messenger, holding a noose in his hand, attacked the Shaiva messenger; but Vahnimukha, enraged, struck down a hundred of Yama's messengers.
महाकायस्तथा भूत्वा गृहीत्वा च करेण तत् । शिरांसि च तथैकेनापीड्य चिच्छेद शष्पवत्
Becoming massive in form, he seized them with his hand and, crushing their heads with one hand, cut them off as easily as blades of grass.
मारयित्वा ततो दूतानादायेक्ष्वाकुमभ्यगात् । निवेदयामास च तं वीरभद्राय धीमते
After killing the messengers, he took the soul and went to Ikshvaku; he reported everything to the wise Virabhadra.
स चापि शंकरायाथ तं प्राह च महेश्वरः । त्वयाष्टदिनपूजैव कृता कृष्णा दिने दिने
And he, in turn, spoke to Shankara, and the Great Lord said: 'For eight days you have worshipped me, O Krishna, day after day.'
त्वमनिंदः पुरा मां च लिंगं शिश्नाग्रमित्युत । तेनैव पापयोगेन शिश्नवक्त्रो भविष्यसि
'You once insulted me and my linga, calling it the tip of the phallus; because of that sinful act, you will have a phallus for a face.'
शिश्नाग्रे विवरं चक्रं जिह्वानासादिवर्जितः । पूर्वं मन्नामवक्तृत्वाद्वक्ता चापि भविष्यसि
'At the tip of the phallus there will be an opening, but you will lack tongue and nose; yet, because you once spoke my name, you will also become a speaker.'
अथेशवचनात्सोपि तथाभूतोभवत्क्षणात् । शंभुरुवाच- य इदं शृणुयान्नित्यं पुराणाख्यानमुत्तमम्
Then, by the Lord's command, he instantly became thus. Shambhu said: 'Whoever listens daily to this supreme Purana narrative—'
विमुक्तपापबंधश्च शिवभक्तो भविष्यति । स याति च शिवस्थाने वक्ता चापि तथा भवेत्
'—will be freed from the bonds of sin, become a devotee of Shiva, attain the abode of Shiva, and also become a speaker.'
यश्च वक्ति कथामेनां हरेण सदृशो भवेत् । उक्त्वा कथामिमां पूर्वमधीरो नाम भूमिपः
'And whoever recites this story will become like Hari; once, a king named Adhira recited this story.'
स्वर्गं स गतवान्राजा कृतपापोथ भार्यया
'That king, along with his wife, went to heaven, having destroyed his sins.'
श्रीराम उवाच- अयमग्निशिखो नाम वह्निः शिवगणश्च वै । स कथं तादृशो भूतस्तन्मे वद नमस्तव
Shri Rama said: 'This Vahni, called Agnishikha, is a follower of Shiva—how did he become such? Tell me that, O reverend one, I bow to you.'