अथ प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा नमस्काराननंतरम् । अष्टयोषास्ततः प्राप्तास्तंत्रीवेण्वादिधारिकाः
After performing circumambulation and offering salutations, eight women arrived, bearing stringed instruments and flutes.
विचित्रवाद्यवादिन्यः संप्राप्ता मुनिसन्निधिम् । क्षुद्रतालयुगं गृह्य स्वयं गातुं प्रचक्रमे
These women, skilled in playing various instruments, came into the presence of the sage; taking up small cymbals, they themselves began to sing.
गौतमे गातुमुद्युक्ते तानं कुर्युरथांगनाः । मंदं मंदं च वाद्यानि वादयंति तथापराः
As Gautama prepared to sing, the women set the melody, while others played their instruments softly and gently.
मधुरं गायति मुनौ स्वरामूर्तिभृतस्तथा । प्रानृत्यंत महेशाग्रे तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्
In the presence of the sage, one sang sweetly, embodying the essence of melody; they danced before the great Lord, and it appeared truly wondrous.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे प्राप्तो भगवान्नारदो मुनिः । तमागतं गौतमोपि संपूज्य प्रणिपत्य च
At that moment, the venerable sage Nārada arrived; Gautama, seeing him come, honored and bowed to him.
आहचैनंकृतार्थोस्मिनचकश्चिन्मयासमः । तवागमनकृत्यं किं कुत आगमनं तथा
He addressed him: 'I have accomplished my purpose here; there is no one equal to me. What is the reason for your coming? From where have you come?'
श्रीनारद उवाच- पातालादागतोस्मीह भुक्त्वा वै बाणमंदिरे । आयास्यंति महात्मानो बाणशुक्रादयो गृहम्
Śrī Nārada said: 'I have come here from the netherworld, having eaten at Bāṇa’s palace. Soon, the great souls—Bāṇa, Śukra, and others—will come to the house.'
अथ क्षणादभ्यगाच्च बाणः परपुरंजयः । विंशत्यक्षौहिणीयुक्तो गजमारुह्य सोसुरः
Then, in a moment, Bāṇa, the conqueror of enemy cities, arrived, accompanied by twenty akṣauhiṇīs, riding an elephant, along with the asuras.
अपरं हि गजं शुक्रः प्रह्लादो रथमुत्तमम् । वृषपर्वा रथवरं बलिस्तुरगमुत्तमम्
Another elephant was mounted by Śukra; Prahlāda rode an excellent chariot; Vṛṣaparvan had a fine chariot, and Bali rode a superb horse.
आगतानथ तान्सर्वानाज्ञाय स तु गौतमः । सशिष्यो निर्जगामाथ ह्यादायार्घ्यादिकं त्वरा
Seeing all of them arrive, Gautama, with his disciples, quickly went out, bringing offerings of water and other items.
गौतमं चापि ते वीक्ष्यावरुह्य च गजादिकात् । नमश्चक्रुरथो दैत्यास्तं नमस्कृत्य भार्गवम्
Seeing Gautama, they descended from their elephants and other mounts; the daityas bowed to him, and after saluting, honored Bhārgava as well.
आलिंग्य राक्षसान्सर्वान्पूजयित्वा यथाविधि । सेनायाः सन्निवेशं च चकार मुनिपुंगवः
Embracing all the rākṣasas and honoring them according to custom, the eminent sage arranged the encampment of their army.
पादौ प्रक्षाल्य शुक्रस्य जलं मूर्ध्नि धृतं तथा । विचित्रफलसंयुक्तं दत्तवानर्हणं मुनिः
He washed Śukra’s feet, poured water on his head, and gave him a worthy offering, adorned with various fruits.
वापीतडागसरसी स्नानपूर्वकृत क्रियाः । संगमे वर्तमाने तु गौतमस्याश्रमे शुभे
After bathing in ponds, tanks, and lakes, and performing the prescribed rites, they gathered at the auspicious hermitage of Gautama.
तद्गेहं तु प्रविश्याथ राक्षसास्सपुरोहिताः । देवपूजाप्रपत्तिं च चक्रुः सर्वे द्विजालये
Then, entering the house, the rākṣasas with their priests all engaged in the worship of the gods in the dwelling of the twice-born.
सद्यः प्रकल्पितायां च वेद्यां शुक्रोऽयजच्छिवम् । तस्यैव वामभागे तु प्रह्लादोयजदच्युतम्
On the altar, which had been promptly prepared, Śukra offered sacrifice to Śiva; on the left side, Prahlāda offered worship to Acyuta.
सोमं च बलिरप्येवमन्ये चासुरपुंगवाः । अथ बाणोऽयजद्देवमेकमेव त्रियंबकम्
Soma, Bali, and other foremost Asuras likewise; then Bāṇa worshipped the one god, Tryambaka.
शुक्रोपि भगवन्तन्तमुमानाथमपूजयत् । गौतमोप्यथ मध्याह्ने पूजयामास शंकरम्
Śukra also worshipped that Lord, the consort of Umā; and Gautama, at midday, worshipped Śaṅkara.
सर्वे शुक्लांबरधरा भस्मोद्धूलितविग्रहाः । सितेन भस्मना कृत्वा सर्वस्थाने त्रिपुंड्रकम्
All of them wore white garments, their bodies smeared with ashes; with white ash, they marked tripuṇḍra on every part.
नत्वा तु भार्गवं सर्वे भूतशुद्धिं प्रचक्रमुः । हृत्पद्ममध्ये सुषिरं तत्रैव भूतपंचकम्
Having bowed to Bhārgava, they all performed purification of the elements; in the lotus of the heart, in its hollow, the five elements reside there.
तेषां मध्ये महाकाशमाकाशे निर्मलानलम् । तन्मध्ये च महेशानं ध्यायेद्दीप्तिमयं शुभम्
Among them is the great ether, and in the ether, the pure fire; in its midst, one should meditate on Maheśāna, radiant and auspicious.
अज्ञानसंयुतं भूतं शमलं सर्वसंगतम् । तद्देहमाकाशदीपे प्रदहेज्ज्ञानवह्निना
That being, joined with ignorance, impure and bound with all associations—one should burn that body in the lamp of ether with the fire of knowledge.
आकाशस्यावृतं चाहं दग्ध्वाऽऽकाशमथो दहेत् । दग्ध्वाकाशमयो वायुमग्निभूतं तदा दहेत्
Having burned what is covered by ether, then one should burn the ether itself; after burning ether, one should burn the air composed of ether and fire.
अब्भूतं च ततो दग्ध्वा पृथिवीभूतमेव च । तदाश्रितान्गुणान्दग्ध्वा ततो देहं प्रदाहयेत्
Then, having burned the water element, and likewise the earth element; having burned the qualities abiding in them, one should then burn the body.
एवं दहित्वा भूतानि देही तज्ज्ञानवह्निना । शिखामध्यस्थितं विष्णुमानंदरसनिर्भरम्
Thus, having burned the elements with the fire of knowledge, the embodied one, filled with the bliss of perceiving Viṣṇu within the flame,
निष्पन्नचंद्रकिरणसंकाशकिरणं शिवम् । शिवांगोत्पन्नकिरणैरमृतद्रवसंयुतैः
Sees Śiva, whose rays resemble the light of the moon, whose rays arise from Śiva's own body, mingled with the nectar-fluid.
सुशीतला ततो ज्वाला प्रशांता चन्द्ररश्मिवत् । प्रसारितसुधारुग्भिः सांद्रीभूतश्च संप्लवः
Then the flame becomes very cool, peaceful like the rays of the moon; with streams of nectar flowing forth, it becomes a dense flood.
क्रमेण प्लावितं भूतग्रामं संचिंतयेत्परम्
One should contemplate that, in succession, the flood pervades the host of elements, up to the highest.
इत्थं कृत्वा भूतशुद्धिं क्रियार्हो मर्त्यः शुद्धो जायते एव शुद्धः । पूजां कर्तुं जाप्यकर्म्मापि पश्चाद्देवध्याने ब्रह्महत्यादि हानिः
Having thus performed purification of the elements, a mortal becomes fit for ritual, truly pure; afterwards, in worship or recitation, even the sin of killing a Brāhmaṇa is destroyed through meditation on the deity.
एवं ध्यात्वा चंद्रदीप्तिप्रकाशं ध्यानेनारोप्याशु लिंगे शिवस्य । सदाशिवं दीपमध्ये विचिंत्य पंचाक्षरेणार्चनमव्ययं तु
Having meditated thus on the radiance of the moon, and swiftly established it in Śiva's liṅga through meditation, one should contemplate Sadāśiva within the lamp, and worship with the five-syllabled mantra, imperishable.