त्रिविधा कार्यवेधेन सा प्रसूते षडध्वनः स वागर्थमयश्चाध्वा षड्विधो निखिलं जगत्
By means of threefold effects, she produces the sixfold paths; and the entire world, consisting of six kinds, is made of word and meaning.
अस्यैव विस्तरं प्राहुः शास्त्रजातमशेषतः
The scriptures declare in detail the full expanse of this alone.
चरितानि विचित्राणि गृह्याणि गहनानि च दुर्विज्ञेयानि देवैश्च मोहयंति मनांसि नः
The wondrous and profound deeds, difficult even for the gods to comprehend, bewilder our minds.
शिवयोस्तत्त्वसम्बन्धे न दोष उपलभ्यते चरितैः प्राकृतो भावस्तयोरपि विभाव्यते
In the essential union of Shiva and his power, no fault is found; through their deeds, even ordinary states are manifested.
ब्रह्मादयो ऽपि लोकानां सृष्टिस्थित्यन्तहेतवः निग्रहानुग्रहौ प्राप्य शिवस्य वशवर्तिनः
Even Brahmā and the others, who are the causes of creation, maintenance, and dissolution of worlds, are subject to Shiva's will in both restraint and grace.
शिवः पुनर्न कस्यापि निग्रहानुग्रहास्पदम् अतो ऽनायत्तमैश्वर्यं तस्यैवेति विनिश्चितम्
But Shiva himself is not the seat of restraint or grace for anyone; thus, his sovereignty is entirely independent—this is certain.
यद्येवमीदृशैश्वर्यं तत्तु स्वातन्त्र्यलक्षणम् स्वभावसिद्धं चैतस्य मूर्तिमत्तास्पदं भवेत्
If such is his sovereignty, it is characterized by absolute freedom; this, being his own nature, may have embodiment as its abode.
न मूर्तिश्च स्वतंत्रस्य घटते मूलहेतुना मूर्तेरपि च कार्यत्वात्तत्सिद्धिः स्यादहैतुकी
But form does not pertain to one who is absolutely free, for form arises from a fundamental cause; and since form is itself an effect, its existence would be causeless.
सर्वत्र परमो भावो ऽपरमश्चान्य उच्यते परमापरमौ भावौ कथमेकत्र संगतौ
Everywhere, the supreme state is spoken of, and another, the non-supreme; how can the supreme and non-supreme states come together in one?
निष्फलो हि स्वभावो ऽस्य परमः परमात्मनः स एव सकलः कस्मात्स्वभावो ह्यविपर्ययः
For the supreme nature of the Supreme Self is fruitless; why, then, does the entire manifest nature exist? For its nature is unchanging.
स्वभावो विपरीतश्चेत्स्वतंत्रः स्वेच्छया यदि न करोति किमीशानो नित्यानित्यविपर्ययम्
If the inherent nature is contrary, and the Lord is independent, then why does He not, by His own will, create the confusion between the eternal and the non-eternal?
मूर्तात्मा सकलः कश्चित्स चान्यो निष्फलः शिवः शिवेनाधिष्ठितश्चेति सर्वत्र लघु कथ्यते
It is commonly said everywhere that one is the embodied, the complete, and another is Shiva, fruitless, established by Shiva Himself.
मूर्त्यात्मैव तदा मूर्तिः शिवस्यास्य भवेदिति तस्य मूर्तौ मूर्तिमतोः पारतंत्र्यं हि निश्चितम्
At that time, the embodiment itself becomes the form of this Shiva; thus, in the form, dependence between the embodied and the form is certain.
अन्यथा निरपेक्षेण मूर्तिः स्वीक्रियते कथम् मूर्तिस्वीकरणं तस्मान्मूर्तौ साध्यफलेप्सया
Otherwise, how could the form be accepted without any consideration? Therefore, the acceptance of form is for the sake of attaining a desired result.
न हि स्वेच्छाशरीरत्वं स्वातंत्र्यायोपपद्यते स्वेच्छैव तादृशी पुंसां यस्मात्कर्मानुसारिणी
Indeed, embodiment by one's own will does not accord with independence, for such will in people always follows action.
स्वीकर्तुं स्वेच्छया देहं हातुं च प्रभवन्त्युत ब्रह्मादयः पिशाचांताः किं ते कर्मातिवर्तिनः
Brahma and others, down to the spirits, are indeed able to assume and abandon bodies at will; but do they transcend action?
इच्छया देहनिर्माणमिन्द्रजालोपमं विदुः अणिमादिगुणैश्वर्यवशीकारानतिक्रमात्
They know that the creation of a body by will is like an illusion, because mastery over powers such as minuteness does not surpass their control.
विश्वरूपं दधद्विष्णुर्दधीचेन महर्षिणा युध्यता समुपालब्धस्तद्रूपं दधता स्वयम्
Vishnu, assuming the form of the universe, was observed by the great sage Dadhichi, who himself took on that form while engaged in battle.
सर्वस्मादधिकस्यापि शिवस्य परमात्मनः शरीरवत्तयान्यात्मसाधर्म्यं प्रतिभाति नः
Even for Shiva, the Supreme Self, who is superior to all, embodiment appears to us as similarity with other selves.
सर्वानुग्राहकं प्राहुश्शिवं परमकारणम् स निर्गृह्णाति देवानां सर्वानुग्राहकः कथम्
They declare Shiva to be the supreme cause, the universal benefactor; but how does He, who grants favor to all, restrain the gods?
चिच्छेद बहुशो देवो ब्रह्मणः पञ्चमं शिरः शिवनिन्दां प्रकुर्वंतं पुत्रेति कुमतेर्हठात्
The god severed again and again the fifth head of Brahma, who, out of stubbornness, was uttering slander against Shiva, calling him 'son.'
विष्णोरपि नृसिंहस्य रभसा शरभाकृतिः बिभेद पद्भ्यामाक्रम्य हृदयं नखरैः खरैः
Even to Vishnu in the form of Narasimha, the fierce form of Sharabha split his heart with sharp claws, trampling him with his feet.
देवस्त्रीषु च देवेषु दक्षस्याध्वरकारणात् वीरेण वीरभद्रेण न हि कश्चिददण्डितः
Among goddesses and gods, due to Daksha's sacrifice, none escaped punishment by the heroic Virabhadra.
पुरत्रयं च सस्त्रीकं सदैत्यं सह बालकैः क्षणेनैकेन देवेन नेत्राग्नेरिंधनीकृतम्
The triple city, along with its women, demons, and children, was in a moment made fuel for the fire of Shiva's eye.
प्रजानां रतिहेतुश्च कामो रतिपतिस्स्वयम् क्रोशतामेव देवानां हुतो नेत्रहुताशने
Kāma, the lord of desire and cause of pleasure among beings, was offered as a sacrifice to the fire from Shiva's eye, while the gods cried out.
गावश्च कश्चिद्दुग्धौघं स्रवन्त्यो मूर्ध्नि खेचराः सरुषा प्रेक्ष्य देवेन तत्क्षणे भस्मसात्कृतः
Some cows, pouring streams of milk on their heads while flying in the sky, were, upon being angrily seen by the god, instantly reduced to ashes.
जलंधरासुरो दीर्णश्चक्रीकृत्य जलं पदा बद्ध्वानंतेन यो विष्णुं चिक्षेप शतयोजनम्
The demon Jalandhara was torn apart, having made water into a discus, and, binding Vishnu, hurled him a hundred yojanas away.
तमेव जलसंधायी शूलेनैव जघान सः तच्चक्रं तपसा लब्ध्वा लब्धवीर्यो हरिस्सदा
That same one, joining water, was slain by the spear; and Vishnu, always empowered, obtained that discus through austerity.
जिघांसतां सुरारीणां कुलं निर्घृणचेतसाम् त्रिशूलेनान्धकस्योरः शिखिनैवोपतापितम्
The heartless clan of the enemies of the gods, seeking to kill, was struck down by the trident upon Andhaka’s chest, as by the peacock’s lord.
कण्ठात्कालांगनां सृष्ट्वा दारको ऽपि निपातितः कौशिकीं जनयित्वा तु गौर्यास्त्वक्कोशगोचराम्
Having created Kālā, the maiden of death, from his own throat, even the boy was cast down; and having generated Kauśikī, who dwelled within the sheath of Gaurī’s skin.