संमानितः पशुपतिः परया च देव्या साकं तयोः समरभूमिमगात्ससैन्यः
Honored by the supreme goddess, Paśupati, together with her, went to the field of battle with his army.
समीक्ष्यं तु तयोर्युद्धं निगूढो ऽभ्रं समास्थितः समाप्तवाद्यनिर्घोषः शांतोरुगणनिःस्वनः
Observing their battle, he concealed himself in the clouds; the tumult of instruments ceased, and the loud sounds of the hosts became quiet.
अथ ब्रह्माच्युतौ वीरौ हंतुकामौ परस्परम् माहेश्वरेण चा ऽस्त्रेण तथा पाशुपतेन च
Then Brahma and Acyuta, both heroes, desiring to slay each other, employed the weapon of Maheśvara and also the Pāśupata weapon.
अस्त्रज्वालैरथो दग्धं ब्रह्मविष्ण्वोर्जगत्त्रयम् ईशोपि तं निरीक्ष्याथ ह्यकालप्रलयं भृशम्
Then, by the flames of those weapons, the three worlds of Brahma and Viṣṇu were burned; seeing that, the Lord perceived a terrible untimely dissolution.
महानलस्तंभविभीषणाकृतिर्बभूव तन्मध्यतले स निष्कलः
He became, in the midst of that, an immense, pillar-like, terrifying form of fire, without parts.
ते अस्त्रे चापि सज्वाले लोकसंहरणक्षमे निपतेतुः क्षणे नैव ह्याविर्भूते महानले
Those weapons, blazing and capable of destroying the worlds, fell in a moment, for the great fire had appeared.
दृष्ट्वा तदद्भुतं चित्रमस्त्रशांतिकरं शुभम् किमेतदद्भुताकारमित्यूचुश्च परस्परम्
Seeing that wondrous, marvelous, auspicious thing that calmed the weapons, they said to each other, 'What is this, of such a wondrous form?'
अतींद्रियमिदं स्तंभमग्निरूपं किमुत्थितम् अस्योर्ध्वमपि चाधश्चावयोर्लक्ष्यमेव हि
'This pillar, beyond the senses, of fiery form—what has arisen? Its top and bottom are not seen by either of us.'
इति व्यवसितौ वीरौ मिलितौ वीरमानिनौ तत्परौ तत्परीक्षार्थं प्रतस्थाते ऽथ सत्वरम्
Thus resolved, the two heroes, proud of their valor, joined together and quickly set out to examine it.
आवयोर्मिश्रयोस्तत्र कार्यमेकं न संभवेत् इत्युक्त्वा सूकरतनुर्विष्णुस्तस्यादिमीयिवान्
'For us two, joined here, one task is not possible,' saying this, Viṣṇu took the form of a boar and went to seek its base.
तथा ब्रह्माहं सतनुस्तदंतं वीक्षितुं ययौ भित्त्वा पातालनिलयं गत्वा दूरतरं हरिः
Likewise, Brahma took the form of a swan to see its top; Hari, having pierced the abode of the underworld, went far below.
ना ऽपि श्यात्तस्य संस्थानं स्तंभस्यानलवर्चसः श्रांतः स सूकरहरीः प्राप पूर्वं रणांगणम्
Yet, the form of that pillar, radiant as fire, could not be found; exhausted, Hari in the form of a boar returned first to the battlefield.
अथ गच्छंस्तु व्योम्ना च विधिस्तात पिता तव ददर्श केतकी पुष्पं किंचिद्विच्युतमद्भुतम्
Then, as your father, the Creator, was going through the sky, he saw a ketakī flower, somewhat fallen, wondrous to behold.
अतिसौरभ्यमम्लानं बहुवर्षच्युतं तथा अन्वीक्ष्य च तयोः कृत्यं भगवान्परमेश्वरः
Very fragrant, unfaded, fallen many years before—seeing it, the Blessed Supreme Lord considered what was to be done by the two.
परिहासं तु कृतवान्कंपनाच्चलितं शिरः तस्मात्तावनुगृह्णातुं च्युतं केतकमुत्तमम्
He made a jest, and as his head shook, the excellent ketaka flower fell; so he reached out to catch it.
किं त्वं पतसि पुष्पेश पुष्पराट् केन वा धृतम् आदिमस्याप्रमेयस्य स्तंभमध्याच्च्युतश्चिरम्
Why do you fall, O Lord of Flowers, King of Blossoms? By whom have you been held? You have long fallen from the middle of the immeasurable, primal pillar.
न संपश्यामि तस्मात्त्वं जह्याशामंतदर्शने अस्यां तस्य च सेवार्थं हंसमूर्तिरिहागतः
Therefore, I do not see you; abandon hope of seeing that. For the sake of serving him, I have come here in the form of a swan.
इतः परं सखे मे ऽद्य त्वया कर्तव्यमीप्सितम् मया सह त्वया वाच्यमेतद्विष्णोश्च सन्निधौ
From now on, my friend, today you must do what is desired. This must be spoken by you together with me in the presence of Vishnu.
स्तंभांतो वीक्षितो धात्रा तत्र साक्ष्यहमच्युत इत्युक्त्वा केतकं तत्र प्रणनाम पुनः नः असत्यमपि शस्तं स्यादापदीत्यनुशासनम्
At the end of the pillar, the Creator looked; there I am witness, O Achyuta. Saying this, he bowed again to the ketaka there. Even a falsehood may be proper in distress—so goes the teaching.
समीक्ष्य तत्रा ऽच्युतमायतश्रमं प्रनष्टहर्षं तु ननर्त हर्षात् उवाच चैनं परमार्थमच्युतं षंढात्तवादः स विधिस्ततो ऽच्युतम्
Seeing Achyuta there, exhausted from his great effort and deprived of joy, he danced with delight and spoke to him the highest truth; that was the statement of Brahma to Achyuta.
स्तंभाग्रमेतत्समुदीक्षितं हरे तत्रैव साक्षी ननु केतकं त्विदम् ततो ऽवदत्तत्र हि केतकं मृषा तथेति तद्धातृवचस्तदंतिके
O Hari, this tip of the pillar was seen—there itself the ketaka is witness. Then the ketaka said there, 'It is false.' Thus spoke the Creator in his presence.
हरिश्च तत्सत्यमितीव चिंतयंश्चकार तस्मै विधये नमः स्वयम् षोडशैरुपचारैश्च पूजयामास तं विधिम्
And Hari, thinking that this was true, himself bowed to Brahma and worshipped him with sixteen offerings.
विधिं प्रहर्तुं शठमग्निलिंगतः स ईश्वरस्तत्र बभूव साकृतिः समुत्थितः स्वामि विलोकनात्पुनः प्रकंपपाणिः परिगृह्य तत्पदम्
As Brahma, deceitful, was about to strike the linga of fire, the Lord appeared there in visible form. Seeing the Lord, his hands trembled; again he grasped his feet.
आद्यंतहीनवपुषि त्वयि मोहबुद्ध्या भूयाद्विमर्श इह नावति कामनोत्थः स त्वं प्रसीद करुणाकर कश्मलं नौ मृष्टं क्षमस्व विहितं भवतैव केल्या
Upon you, whose form is without beginning or end, may there not arise, through delusion, any further desire-born confusion here. Be gracious, O source of compassion; forgive the stain that has been committed by your own sport.
वत्सप्रसन्नो ऽस्मि हरे यतस्त्वमीशत्वमिच्छन्नपि सत्यवाक्यम् ब्रूयास्ततस्ते भविता जनेषु साम्यं मया सत्कृतिरप्यलप्थाः
O Hari, I am pleased with you, my child, because, though desiring lordship, you spoke the truth. Therefore, among people, you shall have equality with me, and you shall receive my honor.
इतः परं ते पृथगात्मनश्च क्षेत्रप्रतिष्ठोत्सवपूजनं च
From now on, you and your distinct self shall perform the festival and worship for the establishment of the sacred site.
इति देवः पुरा प्रीतः सत्येन हरये परम् ददौ स्वसाम्यमत्यर्थं देवसंघे च पश्यति
Thus, long ago, the pleased Lord gave supreme equality to Hari because of truthfulness, as all the assembly of gods looked on.
ससर्जाथ महादेवः पुरुषं कंचिदद्भुतम् भैरवाख्यं भ्रुवोर्मध्याद्ब्रह्मदर्पजिघांसया
Then the great god created a certain wondrous being, called Bhairava, from between his brows, desiring to subdue Brahma's pride.
स वै तदा तत्र पतिं प्रणम्य शिवमंगणे किं कार्यं करवाण्यत्र शीघ्रमाज्ञापय प्रभो
He then bowed to the Lord in Shiva's assembly and said, 'What should I do here? Command me quickly, O Lord.'
वत्सयो ऽयं विधिः साक्षाज्जगतामाद्यदैवतम् नूनमर्चय खड्गं स्वं तिग्मेन जवसा परम्
This Brahma, the direct progenitor of the worlds, is indeed to be worshipped. Strike him swiftly with your sharp sword.