Padma Purana

उच्छ्वासोच्छ्वासनिर्मुंचत्पृदाकुगणसेवितम् । सर्वदेवगणोपेतं सेवितं गणकोटिभिः

Exhaling and inhaling deeply, attended by the Pramatha hosts, surrounded by all the hosts of gods, worshipped by multitudes of attendants.

प्राप्तं ज्ञात्वा ततो दूतं शंभुरालोक्य चाग्रतः । प्राह ब्रूहि तदा राहुर्वक्तुं समुपचक्रमे

Seeing the messenger had arrived and was standing before him, Shambhu said, 'Speak.' Then Rahu began to speak.

राहुरुवाच-। देव जालंधरेणाहं प्रेषितस्तव सन्निधौ । तस्य शिववचः श्रुत्वा मन्मुखेन द्रुतं कुरु

Rahu said: O god, I have been sent by Jalandhara into your presence. Hear his message from my mouth and act quickly.

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

Jalandhara, 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 is it that you, the ancient one, passionate, riding the bull, have sons—Skanda and Vinayaka—who have now arrived?

तस्मिन्काले देवदेवो यतवागंगमर्दनम् । चकार च करैर्व्यस्तैर्वासुकिर्भूतलेऽपतत्

At that moment, the god of gods, silent and restraining his limbs, made a gesture with his hands, and Vasuki fell to the ground.

हेरंबवाहनस्याखोः पुच्छं ग्रस्तमथाहिना । स्वपत्रं ग्रस्तमालोक्य मुंचमुंचेत्युवाच ह

Then the tail of the mouse, vehicle of Heramba, was seized by the serpent; seeing his own feather seized, he cried out, 'Release! Release!'

अत्रांतरे स्कंदवाहं क्षुब्धं वीक्ष्य महास्वरम् । तद्भयाद्वासुकिर्ग्रस्तमाखुपुच्छमथोद्गिरत्

Meanwhile, seeing Skanda's mount agitated and hearing its loud cry, Vasuki, out of fear, released the mouse's seized tail.

अथारुह्य हरस्यांगं गलमावेष्ट्य संस्थितः । तस्य निश्वासपवनैरथ जातो हुताशनः

Then, climbing onto Shiva's body, he wrapped himself around his neck and remained there; from his breath, fire was produced.

तस्योष्मणा चंद्र लेखा जटाजूटाटवी स्थिता । सार्द्रतां तु तदा सायात्प्लावितं तद्वपुर्यथा

By his heat, the crescent moon resting in the forest of matted hair became moist, and that body was then drenched, as if flooded.

तस्याह्यमृतधाराभिर्ब्रह्ममस्तकमालिका । हरमौलिकपालानामभूत्संजीविता तदा

By the streams of nectar from her, a garland adorned the heads of Brahma and the guardians of Shiva’s crest, and at that time, they were revived.

पपाठ पूर्वमभ्यस्तं सर्वयोगश्रुतिक्रमम् । श्रुत्वा परस्पराधीतं विवदंति शिरांस्यथ

He recited all the sequences of yoga and sacred teachings previously learned; hearing what each other had studied, the heads began to dispute.

अहमादिरहं पूर्वमहमेव परात्परः । अहं स्रष्टा अहं पातेत्युत्सुकानि परस्परम्

I am the first, I am the beginning, I alone am the supreme beyond the supreme; I am the creator, I am the sustainer—thus, they eagerly contended with one another.

शोचंत्येतानि नो दत्तं नो भुक्तं न हुतं मया । लोभग्रस्तेन मनसा नो वित्तं ब्रह्मणेऽपि तम्

They lamented: 'These things were neither given, nor enjoyed, nor offered by me; with a mind seized by greed, not even wealth was given to Brahma.'

अथेश्वरजटाजूटादाविरासीद्गणो महान् । त्र्याननस्त्रिचरणस्त्रिपुच्छः सप्तहस्तवान्

Then, from the matted locks of the Lord, a great attendant appeared, 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

He was the great, tawny-haired, matted one named Kirtimukha; seeing him, that garland of skulls stood still in fear, as if lifeless. Then, with his attendants, Kirtimukha addressed the Lord, bowing to Shiva, exceedingly hungry.

तदोक्तः शंकरेणाहो भक्षय त्वं रणे हतान् । क्षणं विचार्य स गणः क्वाप्यदृष्ट्वा रणं तदा

Thus addressed by Shankara, he was told: 'Devour those slain in battle.' After pondering for a moment, that attendant, finding no battle anywhere, did not see any slain.

ब्रह्माणं भक्षितुं प्राप्तः शंकरेण निवारितः । ततः कीर्तिमुखेनाथ स्वांगं सर्वं च भक्षितम्

He approached to devour Brahma, but was restrained by Shankara; then Kirtimukha devoured his own entire body.

बुभुक्षितेन चात्यंतं निषिद्धेन च सर्वतः । तत्साहसं तदा दृष्ट्वा भक्तिं कीर्त्तिमुखस्य च

Overcome by extreme hunger and forbidden everywhere, seeing that bold act and the devotion of Kirtimukha,

तमुवाचेश्वरः प्रीतः प्रासादे तिष्ठ मे सदा । त्वच्चित्तरहितो यश्च भविष्यति ममालये

The Lord, pleased, spoke to him: 'Dwell always at my temple; whoever is devoid of your remembrance in my abode—'

स पतिष्यति शीघ्रं हीत्युक्तः सोंऽतर्हितोऽभवत् । शंभोर्मूध्नि तदा देवा ववृषुः पुष्पवृष्टिभिः

'He will quickly fall,' so he was told, and then vanished; at that moment, the gods showered flowers upon Shambhu’s head.

एवमत्यद्भुतं दृष्ट्वा सभायां तु त्रिशूलिनः । स्वर्भानुरपि देवेशं पुनः प्रोवाच विस्मितः

Having seen such a wondrous event in the assembly of the Trident-bearer, even Svarbhanu, amazed, again addressed the Lord of gods.

स्पृशंति त्वां कथं भावं स्वाधीनं योगिनं बलात् । इंद्रियैः पूज्यसे त्वं हि प्राप्योऽयं विषयैः कथम्

'How do the senses forcibly touch you, O Bhava, who are self-controlled and attained by yogins? You are worshipped by the senses, but how can you be reached by the objects of sense?'

ब्राह्मादिलोकपालानां पूजां गृह्णासि सर्वतः । न त्वं पश्यसि कं देवं त्वं पूजयसि कंचन

'You accept worship from all the guardians of the worlds, beginning with Brahma; but you, O god, do not see anyone, nor do you worship anyone.'

ईश्वरोऽसि कथं लोके भिक्षाभोजी प्रतिष्ठितः । संगोपयसि योगीन्द्र गौरीं रम्यां प्रयच्छ मे

'How is it that you, the Lord, are established in the world as a beggar for alms? You conceal the beautiful Gauri, O lord of yogis—give her to me.'

स्कंदलंबोदराभ्यां त्वं पुत्राभ्यां सहितोऽधुना । भिक्षापात्रं गृहीत्वा तु भ्रम नित्यं गृहेगृहे

'Now, together with your sons Skanda and Lambodara, take the alms bowl and wander always from house to house.'

एवं बहुविधं तत्र राहुराहेश्वरं प्रति । भगवानपि तच्छ्रुत्वा नोत्तरं किंचिदब्रवीत्

Thus, in many ways there, Rahu spoke to the Lord; 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, Rahu addressed Nandi: 'You are the minister and general, O grim-faced one, bearer of the emblem.'