वियत्स्थितः कौतुकेन मोहयित्वा दिवौकसः। स्नानार्थं पुष्करं याते कपर्दिनि द्विजातयः
Remaining in the sky out of curiosity, having bewildered the gods, when Kapardin went to Pushkara for bathing, the brahmins—
कथं होमोत्र क्रियते कपाले सदसि स्थिते। कपालान्तान्यशौचानि पुरा प्राह प्रजापतिः
'How is the oblation to be performed here, with a skull present in the assembly? Long ago, Prajapati declared that skulls are impure.'
विप्रोभ्यधात्सदस्येकः कपालमुत्क्षिपाम्यहं। उद्धृतं तु सदस्येन प्रक्षिप्तं पाणिना स्वयम्
One of the assembly, a brahmin, said, 'I shall remove the skull.' Lifted up by the assembly member, it was thrown away by his own hand.
तावदन्यत्स्थितं तत्र पुनरेव समुद्धृतम्। एवं द्वितीयं तृतीयं विंशतिस्त्रिंशदप्यहो
Yet another appeared there in its place, and again it was removed; thus a second, a third, twenty, thirty—indeed!
पञ्चाशच्च शतं चैव सहस्रमयुतं तथा। एवं नान्तः कपालानां प्राप्यते द्विजसत्तमैः
Fifty, a hundred, a thousand, even ten thousand—thus, O best of brahmins, there was no end to the skulls.
नत्वा कपर्दिनं देवं शरणं समुपागताः। पुष्करारण्यमासाद्य जप्यैश्च वैदिकैर्भृशम्
Having bowed to Kapardin, the god, they sought refuge in him; reaching the Pushkara forest, they earnestly recited Vedic prayers.
तुष्टुवुः सहिताः सर्वे तावत्तुष्टो हरः स्वयम्। ततः सदर्शनं प्रादाद्द्विजानां भक्तितः शिवः
All of them together offered praise, and then Hara himself was pleased; out of devotion, Śiva granted the brāhmaṇas a vision of himself.
उवाच तांस्ततो देवो भक्तिनम्रान्द्विजोत्तमान्। पुरोडाशस्य निष्पत्तिः कपालं न विना भवेत्
Then the god spoke to those foremost brāhmaṇas, who were bowed in devotion: 'The completion of the puroḍāśa offering cannot be without the skull.'
कुरुध्वं वचनं विप्राः भागः स्विष्टकृतो मम। एवं कृते कृतं सर्वं मदीयं शासनं भवेत्
'Follow my instruction, O brāhmaṇas; the share of the sviṣṭakṛt belongs to me. If this is done, all my command will be fulfilled.'
तथेत्यूचुर्द्विजाश्शम्भुं कुर्मो वै तव शासनम्। कपालपाणिराहेशो भगवन्तं पितामहम्
The brāhmaṇas replied to Śambhu, 'So be it; we will carry out your command.' Then the Lord, holding the skull in his hand, approached the blessed Pitāmaha.
वरं वरय भो ब्रह्मन्हृदि यत्ते प्रियं स्थितम्। सर्वं तव प्रदास्यामि अदेयं नास्ति मे प्रभो।५० 1.17.
'Choose a boon, O brāhmaṇa, whatever dear wish abides in your heart. I will grant you everything; nothing is withheld from me, O Lord.'
"ब्रह्मोवाच। न ते वरं ग्रहीष्यामि दीक्षितोहं सदःस्थितः। सर्वकामप्रदश्चाहं यो मां प्रार्थयते त्विह
Brahmā said: 'I will not accept a boon from you; I am initiated and seated in the assembly. I am the fulfiller of all desires for anyone who seeks me here.'
एवं वदन्तं वरदं क्रतौ तस्मिन्पितामहम्। तथेति चोक्त्वा रुद्रः स वरमस्मादयाचत
As the bestower of boons spoke thus at the sacrifice, Pitāmaha, Rudra replied, 'So be it,' and then asked him for a boon.
ततो मन्वन्तरेतीते पुनरेव प्रभुः स्वयम्। ब्रह्मोत्तरं कृतं स्थानं स्वयं देवेन शंभुना
Then, when that manvantara had passed, the Lord himself again established a higher place for Brahmā, by his own power as Śambhu.
चतुर्ष्वपि हि वेदेषु परिनिष्ठां गतो हि यः। तस्मिन्काले तदा देवो नगरस्यावलोकने
He who had attained perfection in all four Vedas—at that time, the god was observing the city.
सम्भाषणे द्विजानां तु कौतुकेन सदो गतः। तेनैवोन्मत्तवेषेण हुतशेषे महेश्वरः
Out of curiosity, he entered the assembly where the brāhmaṇas were conversing, and Maheśvara, in that same madman's guise, remained at the sacrificial fire.
प्रविष्टो ब्रह्मणः सद्म दृष्टो देवैर्द्विजोत्तमैः। प्रहसन्ति च केप्येनं केचिन्निर्भर्त्सयंति च
He entered Brahmā's residence and was seen by the gods and foremost brāhmaṇas; some laughed at him, while others rebuked him.
अपरे पान्सुभिः सिञ्चन्त्युन्मत्तं तं तथा द्विजाः। लोष्टैश्च लगुडैश्चान्ये शुष्मिणो बलगर्विताः
Some other brāhmaṇas threw dust at that madman, while others, proud of their strength, struck him with clods and sticks.
प्रहरन्ति स्मोपहासं कुर्वाणा हस्तसंविदम्। ततोन्ये वटवस्तत्र जटास्वागृह्य चान्तिकम्
They struck him, making a mockery, using their hands; then some ascetics there, grabbing his matted locks, brought him near.
पृच्छन्ति व्रतचर्यां तां केनैषा ते निदर्शिता। अत्र वामास्त्रियः संति तासामर्थे त्वमागतः
They questioned him about his observance: 'By whom was this practice shown to you? Here are women of the left-hand path; you have come for their sake.'
केनैषा दर्शिता चर्या गुरुणा पापदर्शिना। येनचोन्मत्तवद्वाक्यं वदन्मध्येप्रधावसि
'By what teacher was this practice shown to you, O perceiver of sin? Why do you, uttering mad words, run about in the midst of us?'
शिश्नं मे ब्रह्मणो रूपं भगं चापि जनार्दनः। उप्यमानमिदं बीजं लोकः क्लिश्नातिचान्यथा
'The phallus is my form as Brahmā, and the yoni is Janārdana; this seed, being offered, otherwise causes distress to the world.'
मयायं जनितः पुत्रो जनितोनेन चाप्यहम्। महादेवकृते सृष्टिः सृष्टा भार्या हिमालये
'By me this son was begotten, and by him I was also born; for the sake of Mahādeva, creation was made, and a wife was created on Himālaya.'
उमादत्ता तु रुद्रस्य कस्य सा तनया वद। मूढा यूयं न जानीथ वदतां भगवांस्तु वः
'Umā was given to Rudra—whose daughter is she, tell me? You are deluded and do not know; let the blessed one speak among you.'
ब्रह्मणा न कृता चर्या दर्शिता नैव विष्णुना। गिरिशेनापि देवेन ब्रह्मवध्या कृतेन तु
Neither was this conduct performed by Brahmā, nor was it shown by Viṣṇu, nor even by the god Girīśa, after committing the slaying of Brahmā.
कथंस्विद्गर्हसे देवं वध्योस्माकं त्वमद्य वै। एवं तैर्हन्यमानस्तु ब्राह्मणैस्तत्र शंकरः
How then do you reproach the god, saying, 'You are to be punished by us today'?
स्मितं कृत्वाब्रवीत्सर्वान्ब्राह्मणान्नृपसत्तम। किं मां न वित्थ भो विप्रा उन्मत्तं नष्टचेतनम्
Then, as he was being struck by those brāhmaṇas, Śaṃkara, O best of kings, smiled and spoke to all the brāhmaṇas:
यूयं कारुणिकाः सर्वे मित्रभावे व्यवस्थिताः। वदमानमिदं छद्म ब्रह्मरूपधरं हरम्
"Do you not recognize me, O brāhmaṇas? I am mad, bereft of sense; all of you are compassionate and established in friendship, yet you speak these words to me, disguised as Brahmā, though I am Hara."
मायया तस्य देवस्य मोहितास्ते द्विजोत्तमाः। कपर्दिनं निजघ्नुस्ते पाणिपादैश्च मुष्टिभिः
Deluded by the māyā of that god, those excellent twice-born struck the matted-haired one with their hands, feet, and fists.
दण्डैश्चापि च कीलैश्च उन्मत्तवेषधारिणम्। पीड्यमानस्ततस्तैस्तु द्विजैः कोपमथागमत्
And with staffs and spikes, too, they beat him, who was bearing the appearance of a madman; tormented by those brāhmaṇas, he then became angry.