Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

उक्तं भगवता वृत्तमुपमन्योर्महात्मनः क्षीरार्थेनापि तपसा यत्प्राप्तं परमेश्वरात्

The Blessed One has told of the deeds of the great-souled Upamanyu, and of the milk obtained through austerity from the Supreme Lord.

दृष्टो ऽसौ वासुदेवेन कृष्णेनाक्लिष्टकर्मणा धौम्याग्रजस्ततस्तेन कृत्वा पाशुपतं व्रतम्

He was seen by Vāsudeva, by Kṛṣṇa whose actions are untainted, and then, following Dhaumya the foremost, he undertook the Pāśupata vow.

प्राप्तं च परमं ज्ञानमिति प्रागेव शुश्रुम कथं स लब्धवान् कृष्णो ज्ञानं पाशुपतं परम्

And we have already heard that he attained the supreme knowledge; how did Kṛṣṇa obtain the highest Pāśupata knowledge?

स्वेच्छया ह्यवतीर्णोपि वासुदेवस्सनातनः निंदयन्निव मानुष्यं देहशुद्धिं चकार सः

Vāsudeva, the eternal one, descended by his own will, as if scorning human existence, and performed purification of the body.

पुत्रार्थं हि तपस्तप्तुं गतस्तस्य महामुनेः आश्रमं मुनिभिर्दृष्टं दृष्टवांस्तत्र वै मुनिम्

He went to the great sage's hermitage to perform austerity for the sake of a son; seen by the sages, he saw the sage there.

भस्मावदातसर्वांगं त्रिपुंड्रांकितमस्तकम् रुद्राक्षमालाभरणं जटामंडलमंडितम्

His whole body was smeared with ash, his head marked with three lines, adorned with a garland of rudrākṣa beads, and crowned with matted locks.

तच्छिष्यभूतैर्मुनिभिश्शास्त्रैर्वेदमिवावृतम् शिवध्यानरतं शांतमुपमन्युं महाद्युतिम्

Surrounded by his disciple-sages, as the Veda is surrounded by scriptures, Upamanyu, radiant and tranquil, was absorbed in meditation on Śiva.

नमश्चकार तं दृष्ट्वा हृष्टसर्वतनूरुहः बहुमानेन कृष्णो ऽसौ त्रिः कृत्वा तु प्रदक्षिणाम् स्तुतिं चकार सुप्रीत्या नतस्कंधः कृताञ्जलिः

Seeing him, Kṛṣṇa, with all his hairs standing in delight, bowed, circumambulated him three times with great respect, and offered praise with joy, his shoulders bent, hands joined.

तस्यावलोकनादेव मुनेः कृष्णस्य धीमतः नष्टमासीन्मलं सर्वं मायाजं कार्ममेव च

By merely seeing that sage, all impurity and karmic illusion in wise Kṛṣṇa was destroyed.

तपःक्षीणमलं कृष्णमुपमन्युर्यथाविधिः भस्मनोद्धूल्य तं मन्त्रैरग्निरित्यादिभिः क्रमात्

Upamanyu, according to the rite, removed Kṛṣṇa's impurity by austerity, dusted him with ash, and recited mantras such as 'Agni' in sequence.

अथ पाशुपतं साक्षाद्व्रतं द्वादशमासिकम् कारयित्वा मुनिस्तस्मै प्रददौ ज्ञानमुत्तमम्

Then, having made him undertake the twelve-month Pāśupata vow directly, the sage bestowed upon him the highest knowledge.

तदाप्रभृति तं कृष्णं मुनयश्शंसितव्रताः दिव्याः पाशुपताः सर्वे परिवृत्योपतस्थिरे

From that time onward, all the divine Pāśupatas, the sages devoted to vows, gathered around Kṛṣṇa and attended upon him.

ततो गुरुनियोगाद्वै कृष्णः परमशक्तिमान् तपश्चकार पुत्रार्थं सांबमुद्दिश्य शंकरम्

Then, by the command of his guru, Kṛṣṇa, possessing supreme power, performed austerity for the sake of a son, aiming at Śaṃbhu.

तपसो तेन वर्षांते दृष्टो ऽसौ परमेश्वरः श्रिया परमया युक्तस्सांबश्च सगणश्शिवः

At the end of his austerity, the supreme lord appeared, endowed with supreme splendor, and Śiva was there with Sāṃba and his attendants.

वरार्थमाविर्भूतस्य हरस्य सुभगाकृतेः स्तुतिं चकार नत्वासौ कृष्णः सम्यक्कृतांजलिः

For the sake of the boon, Kṛṣṇa, hands joined in reverence, offered praise to Hari, who had manifested in a beautiful form.

सांबं समगणव्यग्रो लब्धवान्पुत्रमात्मनः तपसा तुष्टचित्तेन दत्तं विष्णोश्शिवेन वै

Absorbed with his attendants, he obtained Sāṃba as his son; with a mind pleased by austerity, Śiva granted him to Viṣṇu.

यस्मात्सांबो महादेवः प्रददौ पुत्रमात्मनः तस्माज्जांबवतीसूनुं सांबं चक्रे स नामतः

Because Mahādeva gave Sāṃba as his own son, he named him Sāṃba, the son of Jāṃbavatī.

तदेतत्कथितं सर्वं कृष्णस्यामितकर्मणः महर्षेर्ज्ञानलाभश्च पुत्रलाभश्च शंकरात्

Thus, everything has been told concerning Kṛṣṇa of boundless deeds: the sage's attainment of knowledge and the gaining of a son from Śaṃkara.

य इदं कीर्तयेन्नित्यं शृणुयाच्छ्रावयेत्तथा स विष्णोर्ज्ञानमासाद्य तेनैव सह मोदते

Whoever recites, hears, or causes this to be heard daily, attains Viṣṇu's knowledge and rejoices together with him.

किं तत्पाशुपतं ज्ञानं कथं पशुपतिश्शिवः कथं धौम्याग्रजः पृष्टः कृष्णेनाक्लिष्टकर्मणा

What is that Pashupata knowledge? How is Shiva the Lord of creatures? How was Dhaumya's elder questioned by Krishna, whose actions are untainted?

एतत्सर्वं समाचक्ष्व वायो शंकरविग्रह तत्समो न हि वक्तास्ति त्रैलोक्येष्वपरः प्रभुः

O Vayu, tell us all this—about Shankara's form. For there is no one equal to you in speech, nor any other master in the three worlds.

इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तेषां महर्षीणां प्रभंजनः संस्मृत्य शिवमीशानं प्रवक्तुमुपचक्रमे

Hearing their words, Prabhanjana, the great sage, recalled Shiva, the Lord, and began to speak.

पुरा साक्षान्महेशेन श्रीकंठाख्येन मन्दरे देव्यै देवेन कथितं ज्ञानं पाशुपतं परम्

Long ago, the supreme Pashupata knowledge was directly taught by Mahesha, known as Shrikantha, on Mandara to the goddess by the god.

तदेव पृष्टं कृष्णेन विष्णुना विश्वयोनिना पशुत्वं च सुरादीनां पतित्वं च शिवस्य च

That same knowledge was asked by Krishna, Vishnu, the source of the universe—about the creaturehood of the gods and others, and the lordship of Shiva.

यथोपदिष्टं कृष्णाय मुनिना ह्युपमन्युना तथा समासतो वक्ष्ये तच्छृणुध्वमतंद्रिताः

As it was instructed to Krishna by the sage Upamanyu, so I will briefly declare it. Listen attentively.

पुरोपमन्युमासीनं विष्णुःकृष्णवपुर्धरः प्रणिपत्य यथान्यायमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्

Previously, Vishnu, bearing the form of Krishna, approached Upamanyu seated, and respectfully spoke these words in proper manner.

भगवञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि देव्यै देवेन भाषितम् दिव्यं पाशुपतं ज्ञानं विभूतिं वास्य कृत्स्नशः

O revered one, I wish to hear the divine Pashupata knowledge spoken by the god to the goddess, and his entire glory.

कथं पशुपतिर्देवः पशवः के प्रकीर्तिताः कैः पाशैस्ते निबध्यंते विमुच्यंते च ते कथम्

How is the god Pashupati the lord of creatures? Who are called creatures? By what bonds are they bound and released, and how?

इति संचोदितः श्रीमानुपमन्युर्महात्मना प्रणम्य देवं देवीं च प्राह पुष्टो यथा तथा

Thus prompted by the great-souled Upamanyu, the illustrious sage, after bowing to the god and goddess, spoke as he was asked.