ब्रह्माद्याः स्थावरांताश्च देवदेवस्य शूलिनः पशवः परिकीर्त्यंते संसारवशवर्तिनः
From Brahma onward, down to immobile beings, all are called creatures of the god of gods, the wielder of the trident, subject to the power of worldly existence.
तेषां पतित्वाद्देवेशः शिवः पशुपतिः स्मृतः मलमायादिभिः पाशैः स बध्नाति पशून्पतिः
Because of his lordship over them, Shiva is remembered as Pashupati. With bonds such as impurity and illusion, the Lord binds the creatures.
स एव मोचकस्तेषां भक्त्या सम्यगुपासितः चतुर्विंशतितत्त्वानि मायाकर्मगुणा अमी
He alone is their liberator, when properly worshipped with devotion. The twenty-four principles—maya, karma, and the qualities—are these.
विषया इति कथ्यन्ते पाशा जीवनिबन्धनाः ब्रह्मादिस्तम्बपर्यंतान् पशून्बद्ध्वा महेश्वरः
These are called the objects, the bonds of life. Maheshvara binds creatures from Brahma down to grass with these.
पाशैरेतैः पतिर्देवः कार्यं कारयति स्वकम् तस्याज्ञया महेशस्य प्रकृतिः पुरुषोचिताम्
With these bonds, the Lord compels each to perform their own actions. By the command of Mahesha, nature produces what is proper for the person.
बुद्धिं प्रसूते सा बुद्धिरहंकारमहंकृतिः इन्द्रियाणि दशैकं च तन्मात्रापञ्चकं तथा
She produces intellect; that intellect gives rise to ego, and ego to the senses—ten plus one—and likewise the five subtle elements.
शासनाद्देवदेवस्य शिवस्य शिवदायिनः तन्मात्राण्यपि तस्यैव शासनेन महीयसा
By the command of the god of gods, Shiva, the bestower of auspiciousness, even the subtle elements are produced by his great command.
महाभूतान्यशेषाणि भावयंत्यनुपूर्वशः ब्रह्मादीनां तृणान्तानां देहिनां देहसंगतिम्
All the great elements are generated successively, forming the bodies of embodied beings, from Brahma to the smallest blade of grass.
महाभूतान्यशेषाणि जनयंति शिवाज्ञया अध्यवस्यति वै बुद्धिरहंकारोभिमन्यते
The great elements, without exception, are generated by Shiva’s command; intellect comprehends, and ego claims ownership.
चित्तं चेतयते चापि मनः संकल्पयत्यपि श्रोत्रादीनि च गृह्णन्ति शब्दादीन्विषयान् पृथक्
The mind perceives, and also forms intentions; the senses such as hearing grasp their respective objects, like sound and so forth, each separately.
स्वानेव नान्यान्देवस्य दिव्येनाज्ञाबलेन वै वागादीन्यपि यान्यासंस्तानि कर्मेन्द्रियाणि च
Each acts according to its own nature, not another’s, by the divine power of the god’s command; likewise, speech and the other organs of action exist as established.
यथा स्वं कर्म कुर्वन्ति नान्यत्किंचिच्छिवाज्ञया शब्दादयोपि गृह्यंते क्रियन्ते वचनादयः
Each performs its own function, nothing else, by Shiva’s command; sounds and the rest are received, and actions such as speech are carried out.
अविलंघ्या हि सर्वेषामाज्ञा शंभोर्गरीयसी अवकाशमशेषाणां भूतानां संप्रयच्छति
For all, the command of Shambhu is inviolable and supreme; it grants opportunity to all beings without exception.
आकाशः परमेशस्य शासनादेव सर्वगः प्राणाद्यैश्च तथा नामभेदैरंतर्बहिर्जगत्
Space, by the order of the Supreme Lord, is all-pervading; likewise, through breath and other distinctions of name, the world exists within and without.
बिभर्ति सर्वं शर्वस्य शासनेन प्रभञ्जनः हव्यं वहति देवानां कव्यं कव्याशिनामपि
Wind sustains everything by Sharva’s command; it carries offerings for the gods and ancestral oblations for those who consume them.
पाकाद्यं च करोत्यग्निः परमेश्वरशासनात् संजीवनाद्यं सर्वस्य कुर्वत्यापस्तदाज्ञया
Agni performs cooking and other tasks by the Supreme Lord’s command; water, by that order, enacts revival and other functions for all.
विश्वम्भरा जगन्नित्यं धत्ते विश्वेश्वराज्ञया देवान्पात्यसुरान् हंति त्रिलोकमभिरक्षति
The earth always supports the world by the command of the Lord of the universe; she nourishes the gods, destroys the demons, and protects the three worlds.
आज्ञया तस्य देवेन्द्रः सर्वैर्देवैरलंघ्यया आधिपत्यमपां नित्यं कुरुते वरुणस्सदा
By his command, Indra of the gods, with all the other gods, unfailingly exercises sovereignty over the waters; Varuna always rules them.
पाशैर्बध्नाति च यथा दंड्यांस्तस्यैव शासनात् ददाति नित्यं यक्षेन्द्रो द्रविणं द्रविणेश्वरः
He binds the guilty with fetters by that very command; the lord of the Yakshas always gives wealth, as the master of riches.
पुण्यानुरूपं भूतेभ्यः पुरुषस्यानुशासनात् करोति संपदः शश्वज्ज्ञानं चापि सुमेधसाम्
According to merit, he bestows prosperity upon beings by the instruction of the person; he grants enduring knowledge to the wise.
निग्रहं चाप्यसाधूनामीशानश्शिवशासनात् धत्ते तु धरणीं मूर्ध्ना शेषः शिवनियोगतः
He restrains the wicked by Shiva’s command; Shesha, by Shiva’s order, supports the earth upon his head.
यामाहुस्तामसीं रौद्रीं मूर्तिमंतकरीं हरेः सृजत्यशेषमीशस्य शासनाच्चतुराननः
What is called the dark, fierce, and death-bringing form of Hari is created in its entirety by the command of the Lord.
अन्याभिर्मूर्तिभिः स्वाभिः पाति चांते निहन्ति च विष्णुः पालयते विश्वं कालकालस्य शासनात्
With his own various forms, Vishnu protects and, at the end, destroys; he preserves the universe by the command of the Lord of Time.
सृजते त्रसते चापि स्वकाभिस्तनुभिस्त्रिभिः हरत्यंते जगत्सर्वं हरस्तस्यैव शासनात्
He creates, trembles, and, with his three bodies, destroys all worlds at the end; Hari acts by that very command.
सृजत्यपि च विश्वात्मा त्रिधा भिन्नस्तु रक्षति कालः करोति सकलं कालस्संहरति प्रजाः
The soul of the universe creates, and, being threefold, protects; Time accomplishes everything, and Time destroys all beings.
कालः पालयते विश्वं कालकालस्य शासनात् त्रिभिरंशैर्जगद्बिभ्रत्तेजोभिर्वृष्टिमादिशन्
Time preserves the universe by the command of the Lord of Time; with three portions, he sustains the world, sending forth rain and other phenomena.
दिवि वर्षत्यसौ भानुर्देवदेवस्य शासनात् पुष्णात्योषधिजातानि भूतान्याह्लादयत्यपि
In the sky, the sun pours down rain by the command of the God of gods; he nourishes the plants and delights all beings.
देवैश्च पीयते चंद्रश्चन्द्रभूषणशासनात् आदित्या वसवो रुद्रा अश्विनौ मरुतस्तथा
By the order of the moon-crested Lord, the gods drink the moon; the Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras, Ashvins, and Maruts as well.
खेचरा ऋषयस्सिद्धा भोगिनो मनुजा मृगाः पशवः पक्षिणश्चैव कीटाद्याः स्थावराणि च
Celestial beings, sages, perfected ones, enjoyers, humans, wild animals, cattle, birds, insects, and immobile beings too—
नद्यस्समुद्रा गिरयः काननानि सरांसि च वेदाः सांगाश्च शास्त्राणि मंत्रस्तोममखादयः
Rivers, oceans, mountains, forests, lakes, the Vedas with their limbs, treatises, mantras, hymns, and sacrifices—