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."
अग्निहोत्ररता ये च भक्तिमन्तो जनार्दने। पूजयन्ति च ब्रह्माणंतेजोराशिं दिवाकरम्
"Those who are devoted to Agnihotra, and steadfast in devotion to Janārdana, who worship Brahmā and the radiant sun—"
नाशुभं विद्यते तेषां येषां साम्ये स्थिता मतिः। एतावदुक्त्वा वचनं तूष्णीं भूतस्तु सोऽभवत्
"No misfortune befalls those whose minds are established in equality; having spoken thus, he became silent."
लब्ध्वा वरं सप्रसादं देवदेवान्महेश्वरात्। आजग्मुः सहितास्सर्वे यत्र देवःपितामहः
Having received the boon with favor from the great lord of gods, all of them together went to where the divine grandfather was.
विरिञ्चिं संहिताजाप्यैस्तोषयंतोऽग्रतःस्थिताः। तुष्टस्तानब्रवीद्ब्रह्मा मत्तोपि व्रियतां वरः
Standing before Virinchi, they pleased him with united chants and prayers; Brahma, satisfied, said to them: 'Let a boon be chosen from me.'
ब्रह्मणस्तेनवाक्येन हृष्टाः सर्वे द्विजोत्तमाः। को वरो याच्यतां विप्राः परितुष्टे पितामहे
By Brahma's words, all the foremost twice-born were delighted; 'What boon should be requested, O Brahmins, when the grandfather is pleased?'
अग्निहोत्राणि वेदाश्च शास्त्राणि विविधानि च। सान्तानिकाश्च ये लोका वरदानाद्भवंतु नः
May the fire rituals, the Vedas, the various scriptures, and the worlds of progeny—may all these arise for us through the granting of boons.
एवं प्रजल्पतां तत्र विप्राणां कोपमाविशत्। के यूयं केत्र प्रवरा वयं श्रेष्ठास्तथापरे
As the Brahmins spoke thus, anger arose among them there: 'Who are you, who are the best? We are the foremost, and so are others.'
नेतिनेति तथा विप्रा द्विजांस्तांस्तत्र संस्थितान्। ब्रह्मोवाचाभिसंप्रेक्ष्य ब्राह्मणान्क्रोधपूरितान्
Thus, the Brahmins, saying 'Not so, not so,' to those twice-born assembled there, Brahma, seeing the Brahmins filled with anger, spoke.
यस्माद्यूयं त्रिभिर्भागैः सभायां बाह्यतः स्थिताः। तस्मादामूलिको गुल्मो ह्येको भवतु वोद्विजाः
Because you stood outside the assembly in three groups, therefore, O twice-born, let there be one rootless bush among you.
उदासीनाः स्थिता ये तु उदासीना भवंतु ते। सायुधाबद्धनिस्त्रिंशा योद्धुकामा व्यवस्थिताः
Those who stood indifferent shall remain indifferent; those armed, girded with swords, who stood ready to fight.