नंदी दूतोक्तमाकर्ण्य नीललोहितमाययौ । दंडवत्प्रणिपत्याग्रे स्थित्वा शंकरमब्रवीत्
Hearing the words of the messenger, Nandī went to the blue-throated one; bowing down with joined palms, he stood before Śaṃkara and spoke.
सैंहिकेयो महाराज द्वारे तिष्ठति कार्यतः । स प्रयात्वथवायातु भवानाज्ञप्तुमर्हति
'O great king, the son of Siṃhikā stands at the door on business; let him go, or let your command be given.'
नंदिनोक्तमथाकर्ण्य त्वरन्निव महेश्वरः । सुप्तामंतःपुराद्देवीं प्रस्थाप्य च सखीवृताम्
Hearing Nandī's words, Maheśvara, as if in haste, sent the goddess, who was sleeping in the inner chambers, away with her companions.
पश्चाद्वास्थं जगादाथ नंदिन्दूतं प्रवेशय । ततो हस्ते प्रगृह्यामुं दूतं नंदी महाबलः
Then he told the doorkeeper: 'Nandī, bring in the messenger.' So mighty Nandī took the messenger by the hand.
आनयामास देवानां मध्ये शंभुमदर्शयत् । तं ददर्श तदा राहुर्जटिलं नीलमात्मनि
He brought Śaṃbhu among the gods and showed him; then Rāhu saw him, matted-haired and dark in appearance.
पंचवक्त्रं दशभुजं नागयज्ञोपवीतिनम् । देवीविरहितं मूर्ध्नि चंद्रलेखाविभूषितम्
He beheld him with five faces, ten arms, adorned with a serpent as sacred thread, without the goddess, and with a crescent moon ornamenting his head.
उच्छ्वासोच्छ्वासनिर्मुंचत्पृदाकुगणसेवितम् । सर्वदेवगणोपेतं सेवितं गणकोटिभिः
Attended by hosts of Pramathas exhaling and inhaling, surrounded by all the assemblies of gods, served by countless Gaṇas.
प्राप्तं ज्ञात्वा ततो दूतं शंभुरालोक्य चाग्रतः । प्राह ब्रूहि तदा राहुर्वक्तुं समुपचक्रमे
Realizing the messenger had arrived, Śaṃbhu looked before him; then Rāhu began to speak.
राहुरुवाच-। देव जालंधरेणाहं प्रेषितस्तव सन्निधौ । तस्य शिववचः श्रुत्वा मन्मुखेन द्रुतं कुरु
Rāhu said: O god, I have been sent by Jālandhara to your presence; having heard Śiva’s words, quickly do as I say.
गिरिशत्वं तपोनिष्ठो निर्गुणो धर्मवर्जितः । तव नास्ति पिता माता वसु गोत्रादि वर्जितः
O Lord of the Mountain, you are devoted to austerity, without qualities, devoid of righteousness; you have neither father nor mother, nor lineage or family.
जालंधरो महाबाहुर्भुंक्तेऽसौ भुवनत्रयम् । तस्यैव वश्यस्त्वमपि ततश्चोक्तं समाचर
Jālandhara, mighty-armed, enjoys the three worlds; you too are under his control, so do as he commands.
पुराणपुरुषः कामी वृषारूढः कथं भवान् । एवं वदति संप्राप्तौ सुतौ स्कंदविनायकौ
How can you, the ancient being, desirous, riding the bull, be so? As he spoke thus, Skanda and Vināyaka arrived.
तस्मिन्काले देवदेवो यतवागंगमर्दनम् । चकार च करैर्व्यस्तैर्वासुकिर्भूतलेऽपतत्
At that moment, the Lord of gods, restraining his speech and limbs, struck with his scattered hands, and Vāsuki fell to the earth.
हेरंबवाहनस्याखोः पुच्छं ग्रस्तमथाहिना । स्वपत्रं ग्रस्तमालोक्य मुंचमुंचेत्युवाच ह
Then the snake seized the tail of the mouse, vehicle of Heramba; seeing its own wing seized, it cried out, 'Release, release!'
अत्रांतरे स्कंदवाहं क्षुब्धं वीक्ष्य महास्वरम् । तद्भयाद्वासुकिर्ग्रस्तमाखुपुच्छमथोद्गिरत्
Meanwhile, seeing Skanda’s mount agitated and hearing its loud cry, Vāsuki, out of fear, released the mouse’s seized tail.
अथारुह्य हरस्यांगं गलमावेष्ट्य संस्थितः । तस्य निश्वासपवनैरथ जातो हुताशनः
Then, climbing onto Hara’s body, coiling around his neck, it remained; from his breath, fire was produced.
तस्योष्मणा चंद्र लेखा जटाजूटाटवी स्थिता । सार्द्रतां तु तदा सायात्प्लावितं तद्वपुर्यथा
By its heat, the crescent moon in the forest of matted locks became moist, and that moisture flooded his body.
तस्याह्यमृतधाराभिर्ब्रह्ममस्तकमालिका । हरमौलिकपालानामभूत्संजीविता तदा
From that, streams of nectar flowed onto Brahmā’s head-garland; at that time, the guardians of Hara’s crest were revived.
पपाठ पूर्वमभ्यस्तं सर्वयोगश्रुतिक्रमम् । श्रुत्वा परस्पराधीतं विवदंति शिरांस्यथ
He recited the entire sequence of yoga teachings learned before; hearing what each had learned from the other, the heads began to argue.
अहमादिरहं पूर्वमहमेव परात्परः । अहं स्रष्टा अहं पातेत्युत्सुकानि परस्परम्
Each said, 'I am the first, I am the beginning, I alone am the supreme; I am the creator, I am the sustainer,' each eager against the other.
शोचंत्येतानि नो दत्तं नो भुक्तं न हुतं मया । लोभग्रस्तेन मनसा नो वित्तं ब्रह्मणेऽपि तम्
They lamented: 'Nothing has been given, nothing enjoyed, nothing offered by me; with minds seized by greed, not even wealth was given to Brahmā.'
अथेश्वरजटाजूटादाविरासीद्गणो महान् । त्र्याननस्त्रिचरणस्त्रिपुच्छः सप्तहस्तवान्
Then from the matted locks of the Lord appeared a great Gaṇa, three-faced, three-legged, three-tailed, and possessing seven hands.
स च कीर्तिमुखो नाम पिंगलो जटिलो महान् । तं दृष्ट्वा सा कपालाली भयात्तस्थौ मृतेव सा ३७*। पुरतः प्राह सगणस्ततः कीर्तिमुखः प्रभुम् । प्रणिपत्य शिवं देवमत्यर्थं क्षुधितः प्रभो
There was a great ascetic named Kīrtimukha, with tawny hair and matted locks; seeing him, that skull-bearing goddess stood still in fear, as if lifeless. Then Kīrtimukha, along with his attendants, approached the Lord, bowed to Śiva, and, being extremely hungry, addressed him.
तदोक्तः शंकरेणाहो भक्षय त्वं रणे हतान् । क्षणं विचार्य स गणः क्वाप्यदृष्ट्वा रणं तदा
Addressed thus, Śaṅkara said, 'Devour those slain in battle.' The attendant considered this for a moment, but found no battlefield anywhere at that time.
ब्रह्माणं भक्षितुं प्राप्तः शंकरेण निवारितः । ततः कीर्तिमुखेनाथ स्वांगं सर्वं च भक्षितम्
He then sought to devour Brahmā, but was restrained by Śaṅkara; so Kīrtimukha consumed his own body entirely.
बुभुक्षितेन चात्यंतं निषिद्धेन च सर्वतः । तत्साहसं तदा दृष्ट्वा भक्तिं कीर्त्तिमुखस्य च
Driven by intense hunger and forbidden from all sides, he performed this astonishing act; seeing Kīrtimukha's devotion, at that moment—
तमुवाचेश्वरः प्रीतः प्रासादे तिष्ठ मे सदा । त्वच्चित्तरहितो यश्च भविष्यति ममालये
The Lord, pleased, spoke to him: 'Dwell always at my temple. Whoever enters my abode without your remembrance—'
स पतिष्यति शीघ्रं हीत्युक्तः सोंऽतर्हितोऽभवत् । शंभोर्मूध्नि तदा देवा ववृषुः पुष्पवृष्टिभिः
'He will quickly fall,' said the Lord, and then Kīrtimukha vanished. At that time, the gods showered flowers upon Śambhu's head.
एवमत्यद्भुतं दृष्ट्वा सभायां तु त्रिशूलिनः । स्वर्भानुरपि देवेशं पुनः प्रोवाच विस्मितः
Witnessing this most wondrous event in the assembly of the Trident-bearer, even Svarbhānu, astonished, again addressed the Lord of gods.
स्पृशंति त्वां कथं भावं स्वाधीनं योगिनं बलात् । इंद्रियैः पूज्यसे त्वं हि प्राप्योऽयं विषयैः कथम्
'How can the senses forcibly touch you, O Lord, who are self-controlled and attained by yogins? You are worshipped by the senses—how then can you be reached by sense-objects?'