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.
ततो देवेन ते शप्ता यूयं वेदविवर्जिताः। ऊर्ध्वजटाः क्रतुभ्रष्टाः परदारोपसेविनः
Then, by the god, they were cursed: 'You shall be deprived of the Vedas, with matted hair, fallen from sacrifices, and indulging with others' wives.'
वेश्यायान्तु रता द्यूते पितृमातृविवर्जिताः। न पुत्रः पैतृकं वित्तं विद्यां वापि गमिष्यति
'Devoted to prostitutes and gambling, bereft of father and mother, neither son nor ancestral wealth nor knowledge will remain with you.'
सर्वे च मोहिताः सन्तु सर्वेंद्रियविवर्जिताः। रौद्रीं भिक्षां समश्नंतु परपिण्डोपजीविनः
'All shall be deluded, deprived of all senses, subsisting on fierce alms, living off the food of others.'
आत्मानं वर्तयन्तश्च निर्ममा धर्मवर्जिताः। कृपार्पिता तु यैर्विप्रैरुन्मत्ते मयि सांप्रतम्
'Sustaining themselves, without possessiveness, devoid of righteousness; but those brāhmaṇas who showed compassion to me, now appearing as a madman—'
तेषां धनं च पुत्राश्च दासीदासमजाविकम्। कुलोत्पन्नाश्च वै नार्यो मयि तुष्टे भवन्विह
'Their wealth, sons, servants, maidservants, means of livelihood, and women born in their lineage shall remain, if I am pleased.'
एवं शापं वरं चैव दत्वान्तर्द्धानमीश्वरः। गतो द्विजागते देवे मत्वा तं शंकरं प्रभुम्
Thus, having given both curse and boon, the Lord vanished; when the god departed, the brāhmaṇas considered him to be Śaṃkara, the master.
अन्विष्यन्तोपि यत्नेन न चापश्यंत ते यदा। तदा नियमसंपन्नाः पुष्करारण्यमागताः
Though they searched with effort, they could not see him; then, observing their vows, they went to the Puṣkara forest.
स्नात्वा ज्येष्ठसरो विप्रा जेपुस्ते शतरुद्रियम्। जाप्यावसाने देवस्तानशीररगिराऽब्रवीत्
Having bathed in the chief lake, the brāhmaṇas recited the Śatarudriya; at the conclusion of the recitation, the god spoke to them with a voice from the sky.
अनृतं न मया प्रोक्तं स्वैरेष्वपि कुतःपुनः। आगते निग्रहे क्षेमं भूयोपि करवाण्यहम्
"I have not spoken falsehood, not even among the free; when discipline is restored, I will again grant well-being."
शान्ता दांता द्विजा ये तु भक्तिमन्तो मयि स्थिराः। न तेषां छिद्यते वेदो न धनं नापि सन्ततिः
"Those brāhmaṇas who are peaceful, self-controlled, and steadfastly devoted to me—their Veda, wealth, and lineage will not be cut off."