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?'
ब्राह्मादिलोकपालानां पूजां गृह्णासि सर्वतः । न त्वं पश्यसि कं देवं त्वं पूजयसि कंचन
'You accept worship from all the guardians of the worlds, beginning with Brahmā. O God, you do not see any deity, nor do you worship anyone.'
ईश्वरोऽसि कथं लोके भिक्षाभोजी प्रतिष्ठितः । संगोपयसि योगीन्द्र गौरीं रम्यां प्रयच्छ मे
'How is it that you, the Lord, are known in the world as a beggar for alms? O Lord of yogins, you conceal the beautiful Gaurī—give her to me.'
स्कंदलंबोदराभ्यां त्वं पुत्राभ्यां सहितोऽधुना । भिक्षापात्रं गृहीत्वा तु भ्रम नित्यं गृहेगृहे
'Now, together with your sons Skanda and Lambodara, take your begging bowl and wander daily from house to house.'
एवं बहुविधं तत्र राहुराहेश्वरं प्रति । भगवानपि तच्छ्रुत्वा नोत्तरं किंचिदब्रवीत्
Thus, Rāhu addressed the Lord in many such ways; but the Blessed One, hearing this, did not reply at all.
अथेशं मौनिनं त्यक्त्वा राहुर्नंदिनमब्रवीत् । त्व मंत्री ह्यसि सेनानीर्विकटानन बिंबधृक् 6.10.
Then, leaving the silent Lord, Rāhu spoke to Nandin: 'You are the minister and commander, O one with a fierce face and shining countenance.'
एवमाचरित भ्रष्टं त्वं शिक्षयितुमर्हसि । नोचेद्रोषेणेंद्र इव पतिष्यति रणे हतः
'Since such conduct has occurred, you ought to instruct him; otherwise, like Indra, he will fall in battle, slain by wrath.'
इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य नंदी विज्ञाप्य चेश्वरम् । भ्रूसंज्ञयैव स तदा मतमाज्ञाय शूलिनः
Hearing these words, Nandin informed the Lord; and by a mere gesture of the brow, he understood the will of the Trident-bearer.
संपूज्य प्रेषयामास राहुं नंदी गणाग्रणीः । अथ जालंधरं गत्वा कथयामास विस्तरात् । स्वर्भानुस्तस्य वृत्तांतं गौरीरूपं मनोहरम्
Nandin, chief of the attendants, having worshipped, dispatched Rāhu; then, going to Jālandhara, he related in detail the events and the enchanting form of Gaurī.
नारद उवाच- अथ जालंधरो दूतवचः श्रुत्वा प्रतापवान् । सर्वसैन्यं समाहूय प्रयाणमकरोत्तदा । ततस्ततः समेतानां सैन्यानां श्रूयते ध्वनिः
Nārada said: Then Jālandhara, having heard the envoy's words, summoned all his army and set out; from all sides, the sound of the assembled troops was heard.
सस्त्रीन्मन्दरकंदरेषु शयितानुत्थापयन्किन्नरान् । मेरोर्मंदरकंदरे प्रतिरवानुत्थापयन्वारणान् । सिहानां च ततीर्व्यमुंचत पुरःपंथानमेवंविधस्त्रै। लोक्यं बधिरीचकार महतः सैन्यस्य कोलाहलः
With their women, they roused the Kinnaras sleeping in the caves of Mandara; the echoes on Mount Meru awakened the elephants, and the roars of the lions cleared the path ahead—such was the tumult that it deafened the world.