नाहं यातुं समर्थोऽस्मि सत्यमेतन्मयोदितम् महादेव मृते देवा गतिरन्या न विद्यते
I am not able to go—this is the truth I have spoken. Without Mahādeva, O gods, there is no other refuge.
स एव शरणं देवः सर्वेषां नो भविष्यति
That very god will be the refuge for all of us.
कृता बुद्धिर्विचित्रा च हिमाद्रिश्च मया कृतः
A wondrous resolve was made, and the Himālaya was created by me.
हिमाचलस्य तस्यैव शास्ता देवो महेश्वरः
The lord Maheśvara himself is the ruler of that very Himālaya.
यत्र तिष्ठति विश्वात्मा देवदेवो महेश्वरः दृष्टोहं पूजितस्तैस्तु स्तुतोऽहं विविधैः स्तवैः
Where the Soul of the Universe, the god of gods, Maheśvara, abides—there I was seen, worshipped by them, praised with various hymns.
मया संमानिता देवाश्चतुवक्त्रः प्रपूजितः 5.2.67.१
The gods were honored by me, and the Four-faced One was duly worshipped.
किं कार्यं त्रिदशैः सार्द्धमागतोऽसि पितामह
For what purpose have you come here, O Grandfather, together with the gods?
हिमाचलं समाहूय मर्यादा च कृता मया
Having summoned Himācala, I have also established its boundaries.
देवानां विषयाश्चैव गंधर्वाणां तथैव च
The domains of the gods, and likewise of the Gandharvas, have been assigned.
विद्याधराणां क्रीडार्थं पृथक्पृथङ्निवेशिताः
For the pleasure of the Vidyādharas, separate areas have been allotted.
जाह्नवीनिर्झरोष्णीषः शर्वाणीजनकस्तथा
The Jāhnavī river, the waterfall, the crest, and the father of Śarvāṇī as well.
सर्वदेवमयो दिव्यः सर्वतीर्थमयः कृतः
He has been made divine, composed of all the gods, and embodying all sacred fords.
एवं संस्थाप्य शैलेंद्रं लिंगमूर्त्तिरहं स्थितः
Thus, having established the lord of mountains, I remained there in the form of the liṅga.
उदकं निर्मितं तत्र मंत्रपूर्णं मया प्रिये
There, beloved, I created water filled with mantras.
योत्रागत्य नरो भक्त्या सम्यङ्मां पूजयिष्यति तस्योदरे भविष्यामि लिंगरूपी न संशयः
Wherever a man comes there and worships me with devotion and proper conduct, I will dwell in his heart in the form of the liṅga—of this there is no doubt.
इत्युक्ते वचने देवि सदेवासुरपन्नगाः 5.2.67.
When these words were spoken, O Goddess, all the gods, asuras, and serpents—
विद्याधरगणाश्चैव मम दर्शनलालसाः
And the hosts of Vidyādharas, longing for my vision—
दृष्टोऽहं विधिना तैस्तु लिंगमूर्त्तिगतः प्रिये जनलोकगतैः सिद्धैः पूज्यमाना वरानने
I was seen by them, beloved, in the form of the liṅga, and by the perfected beings dwelling in the world of men, being worshipped, O beautiful-faced one.
अथ कालेन बहुना श्रुत्वा माहात्म्यमुत्तमम्
Then, after a long time, having heard of the supreme greatness—
मनुष्याः समुपायातास्ते रजोबहुला यतः
People came there, since they were full of passion.
कृतवांस्तद्भयार्थाय न च ते भीतिमागताः
They did this out of fear, yet they did not become fearful.
न तैर्दृष्टो महादेवि यतोऽहं महिषाकृतिः उद्विग्ना निश्वसन्तश्च वैराग्यं परमं गताः
By those people, O great goddess, I was not seen, for I had taken the form of a buffalo; they became agitated, sighing deeply, and attained supreme detachment.
नात्र देवो न तीर्थानि न गंगा पुण्यदायिनी
Here, there is no god, nor holy places, nor the Ganges that bestows merit.
एवं किल पुराणेषु श्रूयते सर्वदा श्रुतौ
Thus, it is always heard in the Purāṇas and in the Vedas.
एवं तु वदतां तेषां मानुषाणां यशस्विनि
While those people were speaking in this way, O illustrious one—
अमार्गं मा वदत्वत्र न निंद्याः श्रुतयोऽव्ययाः 5.2.67.
Do not speak what is improper here; the imperishable scriptures are not to be reviled.
ये निंदंति पुराणानि धर्मशास्त्राणि नास्तिकाः
Those who revile the Purāṇas and the Dharma-śāstras are unbelievers.
सदा देवोत्र केदारः स्वर्गमोक्षप्रदायकः
Here, Kedāra is always divine, bestowing heaven and liberation.
करोति पूजां हिमवान्मासानष्टौ च शाश्वतान् सेव्यश्च रमणीयश्च सर्वतीर्थनमस्कृतः
Himavat performs worship for eight eternal months; he is to be served, he is delightful, and is revered by all holy places.
सर्वरत्ननिधानश्च देवानां वल्लभस्तथा
He is the repository of all jewels and treasures, and likewise dear to the gods.