क्रीडन्नास्ते महायोगी पद्मकिंजल्कसन्निभः । एवं चरितपुण्येन केन वा तद्वदस्व मे
He, resembling the filaments of a lotus, sits playing, a great yogi; by what meritorious act has he attained this? Tell me.
शंभुरुवाच- एष विप्रः पुरा राम सर्वसंपत्समन्वितः । नानाविधसुखोपेतो भार्य्यापोषणतत्परः
Śaṃbhu said: This brāhmaṇa, O Rāma, was formerly endowed with all prosperity, enjoying various pleasures, devoted to the care of his wife.
अपुत्रो दानहीनश्च देवतार्चनवर्जितः । पंचयज्ञविहीनश्च स्वाध्यायपरिवर्जितः
He was childless, gave no gifts, neglected worship of the gods, omitted the five sacrifices, and avoided self-study.
प्रातर्म्मध्याह्नसायाह्नभोजनप्रवणोऽशुचिः । कदाचिदगमद्गेहं गौतमस्य महात्मनः
Fond of eating in the morning, midday, and evening, impure, he once went to the house of the great-souled Gautama.
त्र्यंबकस्य गिरौ पुण्ये नानामुनिगणाश्रिते । तत्रापि शोभितगृहं स्फटिकस्तंभकल्पितम्
On the sacred mountain of Tryambaka, where many groups of sages reside, there stood a splendid house adorned with columns of crystal.
अगुरुद्रवकस्तूरीचंद्र कुंकुमचर्चिता । भित्तिर्यस्य च संतानकुसुमामोदसौष्ठवम्
Its walls, anointed with aloe, camphor, musk, and saffron, were imbued with the exquisite fragrance of sandalwood flowers.
कस्तूरिका पुष्परस समुत्सेचितभूतलम् । सूक्ष्म सुश्वेतविविधवितानपरिशोभितम्
The ground was richly sprinkled with musk and floral essences, and was beautifully decorated with fine, pure white canopies of various kinds.
अंगणं शोभित महाकदलीपूगशोभितम् । समीपसरसीजात मंजुकूजन्मधुव्रतम्
The courtyard was splendid, adorned with great banana and areca trees, and nearby, bees sweetly hummed among the blooming lotuses.
पाटीरतरुसंभूत गंधपूरितदिङ्मुखम् । शिक्षागीतकृताल्हाद गीतपूरितदिङ्मुखम्
The directions were filled with fragrance from pāṭīra trees, and the air was gladdened by the songs of those practicing music, filling every direction with melody.
निदाघजनिताताप नाशयंत्रविनिर्मितम् । कदलीदलसंच्छादि पावकाकल्पितच्छदम्
There was a device constructed to dispel the heat of summer, its roof covered with banana leaves and ingeniously designed by fire.
पाटीरतरुसुस्निग्ध सांद्र द्वारकपाटकम् । सौगंधिकमहामोदि कल्पितांतर भित्तिकम्
The doors, made from the smooth and dense wood of pāṭīra trees, exuded a great fragrance of blue lotus, and the inner walls were similarly adorned.
ईशानभागसुभग रतिकल्पित वेदिकम् । हाटिकाकल्पितपदं विचित्रवेदिकायुतम्
In the beautiful northeastern part, a platform was arranged for pleasure, with steps fashioned like a market stall and adorned with various kinds of platforms.
सुस्निग्धनि बिडच्छायं वटमूलोपकल्पितम् । प्रसूनकदलीखंड सरोभिः प्रांतशोभितम्
A shady banyan tree with lush foliage was established at its base, and the edges were beautified with clusters of banana flowers and ponds.
महावटाग्रसंलग्न तुषारितपयोधरम् । नाकोपवनसंपन्न विचित्राराम शोभितम्
At the summit of a great banyan, clouds cooled by snow clung, and the place was adorned with celestial gardens and wondrous groves.
वापीकूपतडागाद्यमनेकवनशोभितम् । मंदं मंदं ववौ वायुर्यत्र गेहे सुखप्रदः
It was beautified by many groves, wells, ponds, and lakes, and within the house, a gentle, pleasant breeze always blew.
वादिन्यश्चारुसर्वांग्यो वाद्यानि स्मरसंपदः । वीणां वेणुं त्रिवेणुं च वादयंति वरांगनाः
There, women with beautiful forms, skilled in music, played instruments such as the vīṇā, flute, and triple flute, displaying the wealth of love.
तौर्य्यत्रिककृतो नार्य्यश्चतुर्दिक्षु तथोर्द्ध्वतः । सुवर्णादिकपात्रेषु वटका भस्मनः शुभाः
Women performed the triple drum in all directions and above, and in golden vessels, auspicious balls of ash were placed.
वासिताः सर्वगंधैश्च सुधूपैरपि धूपिताः । कुशग्रथितसंघाश्च अक्षमालाश्च कोटिशः
Everything was perfumed with all kinds of fragrances and fumigated with fine incense; countless bundles of sacred grass and rosaries were arranged.
कृष्णाजिनसहस्राणि बहिः प्रांते स्थितानि च । एतादृशे गृहवरे देववंद्यो मुनीश्वरः
Thousands of black antelope skins were placed outside at the edges; in such a splendid house, the lord of sages, worthy of worship by the gods, resided.
कर्पूरादींश्च संस्थाप्य चतुर्दिक्षु मुनीश्वरः । पाटीरपीठे कर्पूरसिंहासनमकल्पयत्
The lord of sages placed camphor and other substances in the four directions, and on a pāṭīra wood seat, he arranged a camphor throne.
सूक्ष्मं श्वेतं च सुस्रिग्धमावृत्तं घनसारकैः । सुगंधवासितजलैः स्नाप्य क्षीरेण शंकरम्
He bathed Śaṅkara with water scented by fine fragrances and milk, using a subtle, white, well-anointed cloth, wound with dense threads.
अन्यैश्च वैदिकैर्मंत्रैः स्नापयित्वा सदाशिवम् । दारुचंद्रोपपीठे तु वस्त्रपीठं निधाय च । पात्रिकामग्रतः स्थाप्य स्थापयित्वा दलेष्वमून्
After bathing Sadāśiva with other Vedic mantras, he placed a cloth seat on a sandalwood and camphor platform, set a small vessel in front, and arranged these leaves.
एकस्मिन्नक्षताः पात्रे अन्यस्मिन्सतिलाक्षताः । पंचगंधकमेकस्मिन्नन्यस्मिन्नष्टगंधकम्
In one vessel, unbroken rice; in another, rice mixed with sesame; in one, five kinds of fragrant substances; in another, eight kinds of fragrance.
काश्मीरं मृगनाभिं तु कर्पूरं चंदनं तथा । पात्रेष्वन्येषु विन्यस्य पूजास्थाने प्रकल्प्य च
Kashmira, musk, camphor, and sandalwood—these are placed in separate vessels and arranged at the place of worship.
नानावरणमार्गेण पूजा तत्र विधीयते । लिंगमध्ये स्थितो देवः पंचवक्त्रः सदाशिवः
By various coverings and methods, worship is performed there; in the center of the liṅga abides the god, Sadāśiva, with five faces.
तस्य प्रावरणं लिंगं शक्तिस्तस्य विधीयते । शक्तेरावरणं विष्णुर्विष्णोरावरणं विधिः
The liṅga is his covering; Śakti is prescribed as its covering; Viṣṇu is the covering of Śakti, and Vidhi (Brahmā) is the covering of Viṣṇu.
ब्रह्मप्रावरणं चंद्रस्तस्य सूर्यस्ततः श्रुतिः । दिग्देवतासु तद्गुप्तिस्तासामावरणं दिशः
The covering of Brahmā is the moon; of the moon, the sun; then the Vedas; among the guardian deities of the directions, their protection is the directions themselves.
दिशामावरणं शंभुस्तस्य चावरणं गुणाः । दशप्रावरणं ह्येतच्छिवलिंगार्चनं शुभम्
The covering of the directions is Śambhu; his covering is the guṇas; these ten coverings constitute the auspicious worship of the Śiva-liṅga.
केषांचिन्मतमेतत्स्यादथ प्रावरणांतरम् । विद्यावरणमाख्यातं तदुमावरणं स्मृतम्
According to some opinions, there is another sequence of coverings: the covering of knowledge is declared, and its covering is remembered as Umā.
विष्णुरावरणं तस्या विष्णोश्चावरणं विधिः । ब्रह्मप्रावरणंचंद्रस्तस्य भानुरथावृतिः
Viṣṇu is the covering of that (Umā); Vidhi (Brahmā) is the covering of Viṣṇu; the moon is the covering of Brahmā, and the sun is the next covering.