इत्थं संकल्प्य स तथा तीक्ष्णस्वधितिनाद्भुतम् । चक्रे त्वचं दक्षपादं त्वचं च्छित्वा कटेरधः
Thus resolving in this way, he, with his sharp blade, performed a wondrous act: he cut the skin of his right foot below the hip.
वामपादं तथा चक्रे कटिपर्यंतमाशुच । हृष्टश्चावेपितश्चैव तत ऊर्ध्वमथाच्छिनत्
In the same way, he cut the skin of his left foot up to the hip; joyful yet trembling, he then cut upwards from there.
करांसोदरहृत्कंठत्वचं निर्भिद्य लुब्धकः । मस्तकस्य त्वचं चापि निर्बिभेद प्रहृष्टवान्
The hunter, splitting open the skin of his hands, belly, heart, and throat, also joyfully split the skin of his head.
तयोरंतरतस्तस्माद्गात्रं निर्भिद्य वर्तुलम् । छित्त्वांगुलि समादाय देवायार्पितवांस्त्वचम्
Then, cutting through the round flesh between those parts, he took the severed fingers and offered the skin to the god.
आरादेव तथा दिव्यरूपः स्वक्षश्चतुर्भुजः । नानाभूषणसंयुक्तः स्थितो वियति शाङ्करः
Immediately, a divine form appeared nearby—four-armed, adorned with various ornaments, the glorious Śaṅkara standing in the sky.
अथ शैवाः समायाता दूताः शतसहस्रशः । विचित्रमुकुटाकाराः सर्वाभरणभूषिताः
Then arrived the Śaiva messengers by the hundreds of thousands, with wondrous crowns and adorned with all ornaments.
त्रिशूलपाणयः सर्वे शुद्धस्फटिकसंनिभाः । चतुर्भुजाः सुरूपाश्च विमानवरसंस्थिताः
All bore tridents in their hands, shining like pure crystal, four-armed, beautiful in form, standing in splendid aerial chariots.
सर्वे सूर्यसमाः शांता रंभावत्प्रियया युताः । सूनुपत्नीबलोत्साह विलासस्त्रीशतान्विताः
All were as radiant as the sun, peaceful, accompanied by beloveds like Rambhā, and surrounded by hundreds of playful women—wives, sons, and attendants.
तेजसा सूर्यसदृशाः पुष्पवृष्टिमवाकिरन् । तैराहूतो लुब्धकश्च नागच्छदवदच्च तान्
Brilliant as the sun, they showered down a rain of flowers; though called by them, the hunter did not come and spoke to them.
भार्याबंधुजनोपेतो गच्छेहमथवा न वा । शैवास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा वाक्यमेतदथोचिरे
"I will go only if I am accompanied by my wife and relatives; otherwise, I will not go." Hearing these words, the Śaivas replied as follows.
येन पुण्यं कृतं पापं तेन भोग्यं हि तत्फलम् । लुब्धक उवाच- अशौचानां च सर्वेषां धर्माणामेककर्तृकम्
"The fruit of virtue or sin is to be enjoyed by the one who performed the act." The hunter said: "For all impure acts, there is but one doer of the dharma.
माहेश्वराणां धर्माणां फलं च द्विबहुष्वपि । एतस्मिन्नंतरे प्राप्तो वीरभद्रः शतार्भकः
Even if the fruits of the dharmas of the followers of Maheśvara are many and varied, at that moment Vīrabhadra, with a hundred thousand attendants, arrived.
नानाकोटिगणोपेतो एहि लुब्धकबंधुयुक् । सर्वं त्वयोक्तं च तथा सभार्यो ज्ञातिबंधुयुक्
Accompanied by countless hosts, he said, "Come, hunter, with your relatives; all that you have said, with wife and kin, will be granted."
आरुह्येदं विमानं च शिवं गच्छ शिवं तु वः । अथ तद्वचनात्प्राप्तः शिवलोकं विमानगः
"Ascend this celestial chariot and go to Śiva; Śiva is indeed yours." Then, by their word, he reached Śiva's world in the aerial chariot.
वसिष्ठ उवाच- दृष्टवानसि सर्वं त्वमीशपूजां समाचर । विमुक्तपापबंधस्त्वं शिवलोकं गमिष्यसि
Vasiṣṭha said: "You have seen everything and performed worship of the Lord; freed from the bonds of sin, you will go to Śiva's world."
यदि राज्यं त्वया प्रार्थ्यं मार्जयेशां गणं नृप । गोमयोदकलेपं च नित्यमेव समाचर
"If you desire kingship, O king, always worship the Lord's attendants and regularly apply cow dung and water as purification."
एतावता भूमिराज्यं ध्रुवं तव भविष्यति । यावदायुश्च ते राज्यमंते शिवपदं भवेत्
"By this, kingship on earth will surely be yours; as long as your life lasts, you will rule, and at the end, attain the abode of Śiva."
नैतस्मिंस्तु भवेद्राज्यसंसिद्धिरनुमृत्युतः । अतो देहांतरं प्राप्य शिवसेवाप्रभावतः
"But in this life, perfection in kingship does not occur after death; therefore, after obtaining another body, by the power of serving Śiva—"
भविष्यति च ते राज्यं शिवभक्तिः स्थिरा तथा । शंभुरुवाच- अथ कृत्वा तथा पूजां मृतः स्वर्गं गतस्ततः
Your kingdom will endure, and your devotion to Shiva will remain firm. Shambhu spoke: Then, having performed such worship, he died and went to heaven.
राजजन्मपुनः प्राप्य राज्यं चक्रे शिवेरतः । कदाचिदथ देवस्य गृहमभ्यगमन्नृपः
Having obtained birth as a king again, he ruled the kingdom, delighting in Shiva. Once, the king approached the house of the deity.
नानादीपसमोपेतं मणिभिर्नागराडिव । भटानामथ संमर्द एको दीपो पतन्नृपे
It was adorned with various lamps and jewels, like the palace of a serpent king. Then, in the crowd of guards, one lamp fell upon the king.
तदासौ कुपितो राजा दीपमादाय सत्वरम् । देवालयपुरे रम्ये न्यक्षिपत्कोपसंयुतः
At that moment, the king became angry, quickly seized the lamp, and, filled with wrath, threw it in the beautiful temple precinct.
दग्धं देवगृहं तेन एनश्च समपद्यत । अथ तेन पुनस्तत्र दग्धं वेश्मगृहादिकम्
The temple was burned by that, and he incurred sin. Then, again, he burned the houses and dwellings there.
निर्मापयामास नृपो महेशानमथायजत् । अथ मृत्युदिने प्राप्ते राजाराधितशंकरः
The king rebuilt the temple and worshipped Mahesha. When the day of death arrived, the king worshipped Shankara.
भस्मस्नायी भस्मशायी जपन्रुद्रं ममार ह । शिवलोकं गतः सोयं वीरभद्रेण भाषितः
He bathed in ashes, lay upon ashes, recited the Rudra mantra, and died. He went to Shiva's realm, and was addressed by Virabhadra.
भव त्वं गणशार्दूलो ममवै परिचारकः । शाङ्करान्मम निर्देशादानयस्व ममांतिकम्
Become the foremost among my attendants, serve me. Bring those devoted to Shankara to me at my command.
शिरोहीनो भवांश्चापि ज्वालावक्त्रो भविष्यति । सतूवाच महात्मानं वीरभद्रं गणेश्वरम्
You will be headless and have a mouth of flames. He then spoke to the great-souled Virabhadra, lord of the attendants.
चक्षुः श्रोत्रं तथा जिह्वा नासिकास्यं शिरोगणः । एतैर्विना व्यवहृतिः कथं मे संभविष्यति
Eyes, ears, tongue, nose, mouth, and head—without these, how will I be able to act?
अभावे शिरसः किं वा मया पापं कृतं विभो । वीरभद्र उवाच- त्वयैव स्वीकृता पूर्वं देवी परमसुंदरी
If my head is absent, what sin have I committed, O Lord? Virabhadra spoke: You yourself once took the supreme beautiful goddess.
महेशभवनं नित्यं चार्तुवर्णकरंगकैः । स्वस्तिकं सर्वतोभद्रं नंद्यावर्तादिकं शुभम्
You always made the house of Mahesha with colored hands, auspicious swastikas, all-blessed marks, and the auspicious Nandyavarta and others.