आवाहनादीनुपचारांस्तथापि कृत्वा स्नानं पूर्ववच्छंकरस्य । उदुंबरं राजतं स्वर्णपीठं वस्त्रादिछन्नं सर्वमेवेह पीठम्
Having performed the upacāras beginning with invocation, and bathing Śaṅkara as before, one should use a fig-wood, silver, or golden seat, all covered with cloth as the base here.
अंते कृत्वा बुद्बुदानां च वृष्टिं पीठे पीठे नागमेकं पुरस्तात् । कुर्यात्पीठे चोर्ध्वके नागयुग्मं देवाभ्याशे दक्षिणे वामतश्च
At the end, having made a shower of bubbles on each seat, one should place a single serpent in front of each seat, and on the upper seat, a pair of serpents—on the right and left, near the deity.
जपापुष्पं नागमध्ये निधाय मध्ये वस्त्रं द्वादश प्रातिगुण्ये । सुश्वेतेन तस्य मध्ये महेशं लिंगाकारं पीठयुक्तं प्रपूज्यम्
Placing a hibiscus flower in the midst of the serpents, and a cloth in the center, twelvefold in proportion, in the center with pure white, one should worship Maheśa in the form of a liṅga, set upon the seat.
एवं कृत्वा बाणमुख्या दितीशा दत्त्वा दत्त्वा पंचगंधाष्टगंधम् । पुष्पैः पत्रैः श्री तिलैरक्षतैश्च तिलोन्मिश्रैः केवलैश्च प्रपूज्य
Having done so, the chief among the Bāṇas, lord of the Dānavas, offered the fivefold and eightfold fragrances; worshipping with flowers, leaves, auspicious sesame, grains of rice mixed with sesame, and with pure grains.
धूपं दत्त्वा विधिवत्संप्रयुक्तं दीपं दत्त्वा चोक्तमेवोपहारम् । पूजाशेषं ते समाप्याथ सर्वे गीतं नृत्यं तत्रतत्रापि चक्रुः
After offering incense according to the proper rite, and then presenting a lamp and the prescribed offerings, when the worship was thus completed, all of them performed singing and dancing in various places.
अथास्मिन्नंतरे गौतमस्यप्राप्तः शिष्यः शंकरात्मेति नाम्ना
Meanwhile, a disciple of Gautama named Shankaratma arrived.
उन्मत्तवेशो दिग्वासा अनेकावृतिमाश्रितः । क्वचिद्द्विजातिप्रवरः क्वचिच्चंडालसन्निभः
He appeared in a madman's guise, clothed with the directions, wrapped in many layers; at times resembling a distinguished twice-born, at times appearing like a Chandala.
क्वचिच्छूद्र समो योगी तापसः क्वचिदप्युत । गर्जत्युत्पतते चैव नृत्यति स्तौति गायति
Sometimes he was like a Shudra, sometimes an ascetic yogi; he would roar, leap up, dance, praise, and sing.
रोदिति शृणुते व्यक्तं पतत्युत्तिष्ठति क्वचित् । शिवज्ञानैकसंपन्नः परमानंदनिर्भरः
He would weep, listen intently, fall down, and rise up at times; endowed with the knowledge of Shiva alone, he was filled with supreme bliss.
संप्राप्तो भोज्यवेलायां गौतमस्यांतिकं ययौ । बुभुजे गुरुणा साकं क्वचिदुच्छिष्टमेव च
Arriving at the time for eating, he went to Gautama; he ate together with his teacher, and sometimes even the teacher's leftovers.
क्वचिल्लेहति तत्पात्रं तूष्णीमेवाभ्यगात्क्वचित् । हस्तं गृहीत्वैव गुरोः स्वयमेवाभुनक्क्वचित्
Sometimes he would lick the teacher's bowl, sometimes he would silently approach; sometimes he would take the teacher's hand and eat by himself.
क्वचिद्गृहांतरे मूत्रं क्वचित्कर्दमलेपनम् । सर्वदा तं गुरुर्दृष्ट्वा करमालंब्य मंदिरम्
Sometimes in another house he would urinate, sometimes smear himself with mud; but the teacher always, seeing him, would take his hand and lead him to the hermitage.
प्रवेश्य स्वीयपीठे तमुपवेश्याभ्यभोजयत् । स्वयं तदस्य पात्रेण बुभुजे गौतमो मुनिः
He would seat him on his own seat and feed him; and Gautama the sage himself would eat from his bowl.
तस्य चित्तं परिज्ञातुं कदाचिदथ सुंदरी । अहल्या शिष्यमाहूय भुंक्ष्वेत्युक्त्वाथ सा शुभा
Once, wishing to know his mind, the beautiful Ahalya summoned the disciple and said, 'Eat,' and that virtuous lady—
सौवर्णे भाजने चान्नं निधाय चषकांतरे । पानादिकमथो दत्वा एकस्मिन्पावकं पुनः
—placing food in a golden dish and drink in a separate cup, gave him beverages, and in another vessel placed fire again.
निधायांगारनिचयं कंटकानां चयं परे । निधाय भुंक्ष्व भुंक्ष्वेति स चापि बुभुजे मुनिः
She placed a heap of coals and a pile of thorns in another; saying, 'Eat, eat,' and the sage ate them as well.
यथा पपौ हि पानीयं तथा वह्निमपि द्विजः । कंटकानपि भुक्त्वा स यथापूर्वमतिष्ठत
Just as he drank water, so too did the twice-born one drink fire; having eaten the thorns, he remained as before.
पुरा हि मुनिकन्याभिराहूतो भोजनाय च । दिनेदिने तत्प्रदत्तं लोष्ठमंबु च गोमयम्
Previously, when called to eat by the sage's daughters, each day they gave him a lump of clay, water, and cow dung.
कर्दमं काष्ठदंडं च भुक्त्वा प्रीत्याथ हर्षितः । एतादृशो मुनिरसौ चंडालसदृशाकृतिः
He would gladly eat mud and a wooden stick, rejoicing; such was this sage, with an appearance like a Chandala.
सुजीर्णोपानहौ हस्ते गृहीत्वा तु तथा करे । अंत्यजोचितभाषाभिर्वृषपर्वाणमभ्यगात्
Holding well-worn sandals in his hand, just so in his grasp, he approached the festival of Vrishaparvan, speaking in the language of outcastes.
वृषपर्वेशयोर्मध्ये दिग्वासाः समतिष्ठत । वृषपर्वा तमज्ञात्वा पीडयित्वा शिरोऽच्छिनत्
Standing naked between the two Vrishaparvas, Vrishaparvan, not recognizing him, tormented him and cut off his head.
हते तस्मिन्द्विजश्रेष्ठे जगदेतच्चराचरम् । अतीव कलुषमभवत्तत्रस्था मुनयस्तथा
When that best of twice-born was slain, all the world, moving and unmoving, became exceedingly impure, as did the sages present there.
गौतमस्य महाशोकः संजातः सुमहात्मनः । निर्ययौ चक्षुषोर्वारि शोकं संदर्शयन्निव
A great sorrow arose in Gautama, that noble soul; tears flowed from his eyes, as if displaying his grief.
गौतमः सर्वदैत्यानां संनिधौ वाक्यमुक्तवान् । किमनेन कृतं पापं येन च्छिन्नमिदं शिरः
In the presence of all the Daityas, Gautama spoke these words: 'What sin did he commit, for which this head was severed?'
मम प्राणाधिकस्येह सर्वदा शिवयोगिनः । ममापि मरणं सत्यं शिष्यरूपी यतो गुरुः
Here, he was dearer to me than life itself, always a yogi devoted to Shiva; truly, my own death is certain, for the disciple is like a guru.
शैवानां धर्मयुक्तानां सर्वदा शिववर्तिनाम् । मरणं यत्र दृष्टं स्यात्तत्र नो मरणं ध्रुवम्
Wherever the death of those devoted to the dharma of Shiva, always following Shiva, is seen—there, for us, there is certainly no death.
शुक्र उवाच- एनं संजीवयिष्यामि मम गोत्रं शिवप्रियम् । किमसौ म्रियते ब्रह्मन्पश्य मे तपसो बलम्
Shukra said: 'I will revive him—he belongs to my lineage, dear to Shiva. Why should he die, O Brahman? Behold the power of my austerity.'
इति वादिनि विप्रेंद्रे गौतमोऽपि ममार ह । तस्मिन्मृतेऽथ शुक्रोऽपि प्राणांस्तत्याज योगतः
As the foremost of Brahmins spoke thus, Gautama too died; and when he died, Shukra also abandoned his life by yogic power.
तस्यापि हतमाज्ञाय प्रह्लादा द्दानवेश्वराः । सर्वे मृताः क्षणेनैव तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्
When he too was slain, Prahlada and the lords of the Daityas—all perished in a moment; it was as if a wonder occurred.
मृतमासीदथ बलं तस्य बाणस्य धीमतः । अहल्या शोकसंतप्ता रुरोदोच्चैः पुनः पुनः
Then the strength of that wise Bana was gone in death; Ahalya, tormented by grief, wept aloud again and again.