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.
आजगाम ततो ब्रह्मा भक्तिप्रीतोऽथ कंजजः। उवाच प्रणतं रुद्रमुत्थाप्य च पुनर्गुरुः
Then Brahmā, the lotus-born, pleased by devotion, arrived there; and, raising the bowed Rudra, the venerable one spoke again.
दिव्यव्रतोपचारेण सोहमाराधितस्त्वया। भवता श्रद्धयात्यर्थं ममदर्शनकांक्षया
By your observance of divine vows and offerings, you have worshipped me; with great faith and longing for my vision.
व्रतस्था मां हि पश्यंति मनुष्या देवतास्तथा। तदिच्छया प्रयच्छामि वरं यत्प्रवरं वरम्
Those who are steadfast in vows behold me—humans as well as gods; by that wish, I grant the highest boon you desire.
सर्वकामप्रसिद्ध्यर्थं व्रतं यस्मान्निषेवितम्। मनोवाक्कायभावैश्च संतुष्टेनांतरात्मना
Because you have observed this vow for the fulfillment of all desires, with mind, speech, body, and inner self fully satisfied,
कं ददामि च वै कामं वद भोस्ते यथेप्सितम्। रुद्र उवाच। एष एवाद्य भगवन्सुपर्याप्तो महा वरः
Tell me, O blessed one, what wish you desire—I shall grant it. Rudra said: This very boon, O Lord, is today most sufficient.
यद्दृष्टोसि जगद्वंद्य जगत्कर्तर्नमोस्तुते। महता यज्ञसाध्येन बहुकालार्जितेन च
That you have been seen, O creator of the world, worshipped by all, I bow to you; through great sacrifice and long-acquired austerity.
प्राणव्ययकरेण त्वं तपसा देव दृश्यते। इदं कपालं देवेश न करात्पतितं विभो
By austerity that exhausts the life-breath, O God, you are seen; O Lord of gods, this skull has not fallen from my hand.
त्रपाकरा ऋषीणां च चर्यैषा कुत्सिता विभो। त्वत्प्रसादाद्व्रतं चेदं कृतं कापालिकं तु यत्
This practice, O Lord, is a cause of shame among the sages and is considered base; yet, by your grace, this vow of the skull-bearer has been performed.
सिद्धमेतत्प्रपन्नस्य महाव्रतमिहोच्यताम्। पुण्यप्रदेशे यस्मिंस्तु क्षिपामीदं वदस्व मे
Let this great vow be declared accomplished for the one who has sought refuge; tell me, in what sacred place shall I cast this?
पूतो भवामि येनाहं मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम्। ब्रह्मोवाच। अविमुक्तं भगवतः स्थानमस्ति पुरातनम्
By which I may become pure among the sages of purified mind. Brahmā said: There is an ancient place of the Lord called Avimukta.