पुराविदः प्रशंसंति त्वां महामोहहारिणीम्
Those who know the ancient lore praise you as the remover of great delusion.
प्रेषयिष्याम्यहं सर्वान्भवती मोहयिष्यति
I will send them all; you will bewilder them.
तथापि प्रेषयिष्यामि यावान्मेस्ति परिच्छदः
Nevertheless, I will send as many as are within my retinue.
नोद्यमाद्विरतिः कार्या क्वापि कार्ये विचक्षणैः
The wise should never abandon effort in any undertaking.
शीतोष्णभानू स्वर्भानु ग्रस्तावपि नभोंगणे
Even if the sun and moon are seized by Rāhu and Ketu in the sky,
दैवं पूर्वकृतं कर्म कथ्यते नेतरत्पुनः 4.2.53.
Destiny is said to be the result of previous actions, not otherwise.
भाजनोपस्थितं दैवाद्भोज्यं नास्यं स्वयं विशेत्
Food that is present as a result of fate does not enter the mouth by itself.
इत्युद्यमं समर्थ्येशो निश्चितं दैवजित्वरम्
Thus, the Lord of capability determines effort, but the best result is won by destiny.
सोमनंदी नंदिषेणः कालपिंगलकुक्कुटाः
Somanandī, Nandiṣeṇa, Kālapiṅgala, and Kukkuṭa—
तेपि स्वनाम्ना लिंगानि शंभुसंतुष्टि काम्यया
they too, by their own names, established liṅgas out of desire to please Śambhu.
सोमनंदीश्वरं दृष्ट्वा लिंगं नंदवने परम्
Having seen the supreme liṅga of Somanandīśvara in Nandavana,
तदुत्तरे विलोक्याथ नंदिषेणेश्वरं नरः
then, to the north of that, a man beholds the liṅga of Nandiṣeṇa.
कालेश्वरं महालिंगं गंगायाः पश्चिमोत्तरे
At the northwestern side of the Ganga is Kāleśvara, the great liṅga.
पिंगलेश्वरमभ्यर्च्य कालेशात्किंचिदुत्तरे
Having worshipped Piṅgaleśvara, a little to the north of Kāleśa—
कुक्कुटेश्वर लिंगस्य येत्र भक्तिं वितन्वते
Wherever devotees offer their devotion to the liṅga of Kukkuṭeśvara—
आनंदकाननं प्राप्य स्थितेषु स्थाणुरब्रवीत् ।। 4.2.53.
Reaching the forest of bliss, when all were assembled, the steadfast Lord spoke.
कार्यमस्माकमेवैतद्यदि सम्यग्विमृश्यते
If this matter is rightly considered, it is indeed our responsibility alone.
प्रमथेषु प्रविष्टेषु मायावीर्यमहत्स्वपि
When the Pramathas, mighty in magical power, had entered—
क्रमेण प्रेषयिष्यामि योस्ति मे स्वपरिच्छदः
In due order I shall send those who belong to my own retinue.
संप्रधार्येति हृदये देवदेवेन शूलिना
Having resolved thus in his heart, the trident-bearing Lord of gods—
कुंडोदरो मयूराख्यो बाणो गोकर्ण एव च
Kuṇḍodara, named Mayūra, Bāṇa, and also Gokarṇa—
कृत्वोपायशतं तैस्तु दिवोदासस्य संभ्रमे यदैकोपि समर्थो न तदा तत्रैव संस्थितम्
Though they employed a hundred strategies in Divodāsa’s confusion, not even one was successful, and so they remained there.
अपराधशतेष्वीशः केन तुष्यति कर्मणा
By what action is the Lord pleased, when there are hundreds of offenses?
एकस्मिञ्शांभवे लिंगे विधिनात्र समर्चिते
When even one liṅga of Śambhu is worshipped here according to rule—
न तुष्यति तथा शंभुर्यज्ञदानतपोव्रतैः
Śambhu is not so pleased by sacrifices, gifts, or austerities.
लिंगार्चनविधानज्ञो लिंगार्चनरतः सदा 4.2.53.
He who knows the proper method of liṅga worship and is always devoted to it—
न गोशतप्रदानेन न स्वर्णशतदानतः
Not by giving a hundred cows, nor by giving a hundred pieces of gold—
अश्वमेधादिभिर्यागैर्न तत्फलमवाप्यते
Not by sacrifices such as the Aśvamedha is that fruit obtained.
स्नापयित्वा विधानेन यो लिंगस्नपनोदकम्
He who, according to rule, bathes the liṅga and uses the water of that bathing—
लिंग स्नपनवार्भिर्यः कुर्यान्मूर्ध्न्यभिषेचनम्
He who anoints the head with the water from the bathing of the liṅga—