नारायणं स्तौमि परं परेशं परात्परं यत्त्रिदशैरगम्यम्। त्रिसर्गसंस्थं त्रिहुताशनेत्रं त्रितत्वलक्ष्यं त्रिलयं त्रिनेत्रम्
I praise Narayana, the supreme, the lord of lords, the highest of the high, inaccessible to the gods, abiding in the threefold creation, with three sacrificial fires as eyes, marked by the three principles, the three dissolutions, the three-eyed one.
नमामि नारायणमप्रमेयं कृते सितं द्वापरतश्च रक्तम्। कलौ च कृष्णं तमथो नमामि ससर्ज यो वक्त्रत एव विप्रान्
I bow to Narayana, immeasurable, who is white in the Krita age, red in the Dvapara, and black in the Kali; I bow to him who created the Brahmins from his mouth.
भुजांतरात्क्षत्रमथोरुयुग्माद्विशः पदाग्राच्च तथैव शूद्रान्। नमामि तं विश्वतनुं पुराणं परात्परं पारगमप्रमेयम्
From his arms came the Kshatriyas, from his thighs the Vaishyas, and from the tips of his feet likewise the Shudras; I bow to that universal form, the ancient, the highest of the high, the one who crosses beyond, the immeasurable.
सूक्ष्ममूर्त्तिं महामूर्त्तिं विद्यामूर्त्तिममूर्तिकम्। कवचं सर्वदेवानां नमस्ये वारिजेक्षणम्
I honor the lotus-eyed one, the subtle form, the great form, the form of knowledge, the formless, the armor of all the gods.
सहस्रशीर्षं देवेशं सहस्राक्षं महाभुजम्। जगत्संव्याप्य तिष्ठंतं नमस्ये परमेश्वरम्
I honor the supreme lord, with a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, mighty arms, pervading the universe and abiding everywhere.
शरण्यं शरणं देवं विष्णुं जिष्णुं सनातनम्। नीलमेघप्रतीकाशं नमस्ये शार्ङ्गपाणिनम्
I honor the refuge, the shelter, the god Vishnu, the victorious, the eternal, resembling a dark raincloud, the wielder of the Sharnga bow.
शुद्धं सर्वगतं नित्यं व्योमरूपं सनातनम्। भावाभावविनिर्मुक्तं नमस्ये सर्वगं हरिम्१५० 1.14.
I honor Hari, pure, all-pervading, eternal, of the nature of space, everlasting, free from existence and non-existence, the all-pervading.
न चात्र किंचित्पश्यामि व्यतिरिक्तं तवाच्युत। त्वन्मयं च प्रपश्यामि सर्वमेतच्चराचरम्
Here I see nothing apart from you, O Achyuta; I perceive all this, moving and unmoving, as pervaded by you.
एवं तु वदतस्तस्य रुद्रस्य परमेष्ठिनः। इतीरितेस्तेन सनातन स्वयं परात्परस्तस्य बभूव दर्शने
As Rudra, the supreme lord, spoke thus, the eternal, supreme among the supreme, appeared before him in person.
रथांगपाणिर्गरुडासनो गिरिं विदीपयन्भास्करवत्समुत्थितः। वरं वृणीष्वेति सनातनोब्रवीद्वरस्तवाहं वरदः समागतः
Holding the wheel in his hand, seated on Garuda, he arose like the sun illuminating the mountain, and the eternal one said, 'Choose a boon; I have come as the giver of boons, I am your boon-giver.'
इतीरिते रुद्रवरो जगाद ममातिशुद्धिर्भविता सुरेश। न चास्य पापस्य हरं हि चान्यत्संदृश्यतेग्र्यं च ऋते भवं तम्
Thus addressed, Rudra replied, 'O lord of the gods, I shall become completely purified; and for this sin, no other remedy is seen except your grace.'
ब्रह्महत्याभिभूतस्य तनुर्मे कृष्णतां गता। शवगंधश्च मे गात्रे लोहस्याभरणानि मे
Overcome by the sin of killing a Brahmin, my body has turned black; the smell of death clings to my limbs, and my ornaments are of iron.
कथं मे न भवेदेवमेतद्रूपं जनार्दनम्। किं करोमि महादेव येन मे पूर्विका तनूः
How is it that I do not become thus, O Janardana, in this very form? What should I do, O great god, so that my former body may be restored?
त्वत्प्रसादेन भविता तन्मे कथय चाच्युत। विष्णुरुवाच। ब्रह्मवध्या परा चोग्रा सर्वकष्टप्रदा परा
By your grace it will be so—tell me, Achyuta, how this may come to pass. Vishnu said: The sin of killing Brahman is supreme, terrible, and brings all suffering.
मनसापि न कुर्वीत पापस्यास्य तु भावनाम्। भवता देववाक्येन निष्ठा चैषा निबोधिता
One should not even conceive of this sin in the mind; by your words, O god, this resolve has now been made clear.
इदानीं त्वं महाबाहो ब्रह्मणोक्तं समाचर। भस्मसर्वाणि गात्राणि त्रिकालं घर्षयेस्तनौ
Now, O mighty-armed one, do as Brahma has instructed; rub ashes over your entire body three times a day.
शिखायां कर्णयोश्चैव करे चास्थीनि धारय। एवं च कुर्वतो रुद्र कष्टं नैव भविष्यति
Place bones in your topknot, on your ears, and in your hand; doing thus, O Rudra, you will not experience suffering.
संदिश्यैवं स भगवांस्ततोंऽतर्द्धानमीश्वरः। लक्ष्मीसहायो गतवान्रुद्रस्तं नाभिजज्ञिवान्
Having thus instructed him, the blessed Lord disappeared; accompanied by Lakshmi, he departed, and Rudra did not recognize him.
कपालपाणिर्देवेशः पर्यटन्वसुधामिमाम्। हिमवंतं समैनाकं मेरुणा च सहैव तु
The Lord of the gods, holding a skull in his hand, wandered over this earth, along with Himavat, Mainaka, and Meru.
कैलासं सकलं विंध्यं नीलं चैव महागिरिम्। कांचीं काशीं ताम्रलिप्तां मगधामाविलां तथा
He traversed Kailasa, the entire Vindhya, and the great mountain Nila, as well as Kanchi, Kashi, Tamralipta, and also Magadha and Avila.
वत्सगुल्मं च गोकर्णं तथा चैवोत्तरान्कुरून्। भद्राश्वं केतुमालं च वर्षं हैरण्यकं तथा
He went to Vatsagulma, Gokarna, and also the northern Kurus, Bhadrashva, Ketumala, and the land of Hiranyaka.
कामरूपं प्रभासं च महेंद्रं चैव पर्वतम्। ब्रह्महत्याभिभूतोसौ भ्रमंस्त्राणं न विंदति
He went to Kamarupa, Prabhasa, and the great mountain Mahendra; afflicted by the sin of Brahman-killing, he found no refuge.
त्रपान्वितः कपालं तु पश्यन्हस्तगतं सदा। करौ विधुन्वन्बहुशो विक्षिप्तश्च मुहुर्मुहुः
Ashamed, always seeing the skull in his hand, he shook his hands again and again, repeatedly casting it away.
यदास्य धुन्वतो हस्तौ कपालं पतते न तु। तदास्य बुद्धिरुत्पन्ना व्रतं चैतत्करोम्यहम्
When, as he shook his hands, the skull did not fall, then understanding arose in him: 'I will undertake this vow.'
मदीयेनैव मार्गेण द्विजा यास्यंति सर्वतः। ध्यात्वैवं सुचिरं देवो वसुधां विचचार ह
By my very path, O twice-born, all will go everywhere; thus, having meditated for a long time, the god wandered the earth.
पुष्करं तु समासाद्य प्रविष्टोऽरण्यमुत्तमम्। नानाद्रुमलताकीर्णं नानामृगरवाकुलम्
Reaching Pushkara, he entered the supreme forest, filled with various trees and creepers, and crowded with the cries of many animals.
द्रुमपुष्पभरामोद वासितं यत्सुवायुना। बुद्धिपूर्वमिव न्यस्तैः पुष्पैर्भूषितभूतलम्
The air was scented with the fragrance of tree blossoms, and the earth was adorned with flowers as if thoughtfully arranged.
नानागधंरसैरन्यैः पक्वापक्वैः फलैस्तथा। विवेश तरुवृंदेन पुष्पामोदाभिनंदितः
There were many kinds of fragrant juices and both ripe and unripe fruits; he entered the grove of trees, filled with the scent of blossoms.
अत्राराधयतो भक्त्या ब्रह्मा दास्यति मे वरम्। ब्रह्मप्रसादात्संप्राप्तं पौष्करं ज्ञानमीप्सितम्
Here, as he worships with devotion, Brahma will grant me a boon; by Brahma's grace, the desired knowledge of Pushkara will be attained.
पापघ्नं दुष्टशमनं पुष्टिश्रीबलवर्द्धनम्। एवं वै ध्यायतस्तस्य रुद्रस्यामिततेजसः
It destroys sin, subdues the wicked, and increases nourishment, prosperity, and strength; thus, as Rudra of immeasurable brilliance meditates.