मुनय ऊचुः - देव द्वादशलोकानां दृश्यंते भस्मराशयः । स्थितमेकं वनमिदं पश्य त्वं लोकसंक्षयम्
The sages said: 'O god, in the twelve worlds heaps of ashes are seen; only this one forest remains—behold the destruction of the worlds.'
सदाशिव उवाच- ऊर्द्ध्वस्थपंचलोकानां दाहे संदेह एव नः । कथमंगारवृष्टिश्च कथं नो वा महाध्वनिः
Sadashiva said: 'We have no doubt about the burning of the five upper worlds; but how has there been a rain of embers, or such a great sound?'
मुनय ऊचुः - भीतिरस्माकमधुना वर्तते वीरभद्रतः । स एवांगारवृष्टिं च पिपासुरिव तामपात्
The sages said: 'Now our fear is from Virabhadra; he alone caused the rain of embers, as if desiring to quench his thirst.'
देवोथ वीरमाहूय किं वीरेत्यब्रवीद्भवः । वीरो हनूमतो लिंगपीठाभावादिदं कृतम्
Then the god called Virabhadra and Bhava said: 'Why, O hero?' The hero replied: 'This was done because Hanuman did not have a liṅga-pīṭha.'
कपेश्चित्तं परिज्ञातुं मया कृतमिदं बृहत् । कृपानिधिरथो देवो यथापूर्वमकल्पयत्
'To know the mind of the monkey, I did this great act.' Then the compassionate god restored things as before.
दग्धानप्यखिलाँल्लोकान्पूर्वतः शोभनान्विभुः । कल्पयामास विश्वात्मा वीरभद्रमथाब्रवीत्
Though all the worlds had been burned, the Lord, the soul of the universe, recreated them as before, and then spoke to Virabhadra.
आलिंग्याघ्राय शिरसि तांबूलं दत्तवान्हरः । अथासौ हनुमानीश पूजनं कृतवानथ
Embracing and smelling his head, Hara gave him betel; then Hanuman, O Lord, performed worship.
एकं वनचरं तत्र गंधर्वं सविपंचिकम् । इदमाह महावीणा मम वै दीयतामिति
There, a forest-dwelling Gandharva with a vīṇā was present; Hanuman said to him: 'Give me your great vīṇā.'
गंधर्वो न मया त्याज्या वीणा प्राणसमा मम । ममापि प्राणसदृशी वीणेत्याह कपीश्वरः
The Gandharva said: 'I cannot give up my vīṇā; it is as dear to me as life.' The lord of monkeys replied: 'To me also, the vīṇā is as dear as life.'
अथ मुष्टिनिपातेन गंधर्वे पतिते कपिः । आदाय वीणां महतीं स्वरतंतुसमन्विताम्
Then, with a blow of his fist, the monkey knocked down the Gandharva, and took the great vīṇā, furnished with melodious strings.
अलाबुसंयुतां कृत्वा राजवृक्षफलाकृतिम् । तस्योरसि विनिक्षिप्य गायन्नागाच्छिवांतिकम्
Making it adorned with a gourd and shaped like the fruit of the royal tree, he placed it on his chest and, singing, went towards Shiva.
बृहतीकुसुमैः शुद्धैर्देवपादावपूजयत् । तस्मै वरमथ प्रादादाकल्पं जीवितं पुनः
He worshipped the feet of the god with pure flowers of the brhati plant; then Shiva granted him a boon—renewed life for an age.
समुद्रलंघने शक्तिं वरं प्रादादथापरम्
He granted another boon, the power to cross the ocean.
समस्तभूषासुविभूषितांगः स्वदीप्तिमंदीकृतदेवदीप्तिः । प्रसन्नमूर्तिस्तरुणः शिवाङ्गकः संभावयामास समस्तदेवान्
Adorned with all ornaments, his body radiant, outshining the brilliance of the gods, youthful, with a serene form and Shiva-like features, he honored all the gods.
पीतमुद्गमनीयं च समादाय महेश्वरः । पीतवस्त्रमिदं देव त्वं गृहाण हरे शुभम्
Taking the yellow garment, Maheshvara said: 'O god, accept this auspicious yellow cloth, O Hari.'
ब्रह्मणे रक्तवसनं सर्वेषां वसुदस्तथा । देवर्षिदानवादीनां दत्तवान्वसुयुग्मकम्
He gave a red garment to Brahma, and likewise wealth to all; to the gods, sages, demons, and others, he gave pairs of riches.
रामोपि चैतदाकर्ण्य शंभवे युग्ममर्पयत् । सुसूक्ष्मं बहुमूल्यं च स्वर्णभूषणमेव च
Rama, hearing this, offered a pair to Shambhu: very fine, highly valuable, and also made of gold ornaments.
अथ भुक्त्वा सुखासीनः सामात्यः सपुरोहितः । नानामुनिगणैर्भूपैर्वानरैर्गौतमी तटे
Then, having eaten, seated comfortably with his ministers and priests, surrounded by various groups of sages, kings, and monkeys, on the bank of the Gautami.
शंभुं पुराणतत्त्वज्ञं राघवो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । त्वमेव सर्वं जानीषे सर्वधर्मगुहाशयम्
Raghava spoke to Shambhu, knower of ancient truths: 'You alone know everything, the hidden essence of all dharmas.'
कस्मिन्कस्मिन्युगे ब्रह्मन्किंविशिष्टं वदस्व मे । शंभुरुवाच- ध्यानमेव कृते श्रेष्ठं त्रेतायां यज्ञ एव च
'In which age, Brahman, what is distinguished? Tell me.' Shambhu said: 'Meditation is best in the Krita age, sacrifice in the Treta.'
द्वापरे चार्चनं तिष्ये दानं च हरिकीर्तनम् । सर्वं च शस्तं सर्वत्र ध्यानं न च कलौ युगे
In Dvapara, worship is foremost; in Tishya, charity and praise of Hari. All are good everywhere, but meditation is not in the Kali age.
नराणां मुग्धचित्तत्वात्कृच्छ्रस्थानां विशांपते । न धर्मे नियताबुद्धिर्न वेदे नैव च स्मृतौ
Because people are simple-minded and in difficult circumstances, O lord of men, there is no steadfast intellect in dharma, nor in the Vedas, nor in tradition.
न क्रतौ न स्वधाकारे पुराणानां च न श्रुतौ । न यज्ञेन च तीर्थेषु न च शुश्रूषणे सताम्
Not in ritual, nor in offering oblations, nor in the hearing of the Puranas; not by sacrifice at holy places, nor by service to the virtuous.
नेज्यायां देवतानां च न स्वजातीयकर्म्मणि । न देवस्मरणेनापि न च क्वापि वृषे नृप
Not in worship of the gods, nor in one's own prescribed duties; not even by remembrance of the gods, nor anywhere, O king, by righteousness.
अतश्च दीर्घकालानां पुण्यानामक्षमा नराः । दानं तु स्वल्पकालत्वात्कर्तुं शक्नोति मानवः
Therefore, people are unable to perform meritorious acts that require long periods; but due to the short duration, a person can perform charity.
अतश्च कलिदुष्टानां प्रायश्चितं न विद्यते । केषांचित्पापनाशः स्यात्प्रायश्चित्तैस्तु नान्यथा
Thus, for those corrupted by Kali, there is no expiation; for some, the destruction of sin occurs through expiations, but not otherwise.
ब्रह्मज्ञानी गयाश्राद्धी काशीगंता श्रुतौ रतः । पुराणज्ञावमाश्चैते श्रोता तस्य च राघव
One who knows Brahman, performs ancestral rites at Gaya, goes to Kashi, delights in the scriptures, knows the Puranas, and listens to them, O Raghava.
युगानामनुसारेण तथार्थस्य विवेचनात् । स्व पर प्रत्ययोत्पादात्परब्रह्मप्रकाशनात्
According to the succession of ages and the discernment of meaning, by producing faith in oneself and others, and by revealing the Supreme Brahman.
पुराणवक्ता सर्वस्माद्ब्राह्मणस्तु विशिष्यते । तेनापि च कृतं पापं न सज्येत्किमुतान्यतः
The speaker of the Purana, among all, the Brahman is distinguished; even if he commits sin, it does not attach—how much more so for others.
अन्येषामपि केषांचित्पुराणं पापनाशनम् । यः पुराणेषु विश्वासी वक्तारं मन्यते गुरुम्
For some others too, the Purana is the destroyer of sin; whoever has faith in the Puranas and regards the speaker as a guru.