तदानीमेव सहसा दुर्निमित्तानि चाभवन् ३.
At that very moment, evil omens suddenly appeared.
असृग्वर्षति देवश्च तिमिरेणाऽऽवृता दिवशः ३.
The sky was covered in darkness, and blood rained down from above.
एवंविधान्यरिष्टानि ददृशुर्विबुधादयः ३.
The gods and others saw such dreadful portents.
रक्षरक्ष महाविष्णो त्वं हि नः परमो गुरुः ३.
Protect us, O great Viṣṇu, for you are our supreme teacher.
दक्षेण प्रार्थ्य मानो हि जगाद मधुसूदनः ३.
Appealed to by Dakṣa, Madhusūdana spoke.
अपूज्या यत्र पूज्यंते पूजनीयो न पूज्यते ईश्वरावज्ञया सर्वं विफलं च भविष्यति॥ ३.
Where the unworthy are honored and the worthy are not, and where the Lord is disrespected, all will become fruitless.
अपूज्या यत्र पूज्यं ते पूजनीयो न पूज्यते ३.
Where the unworthy are honored and the one to be honored is not respected—
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन माननीयो वृषध्वजः ३.
Therefore, by every effort, the bull-bannered one must be honored.
अधुनैव वयं सर्वे प्रभवो न भवामहे ३.
Now, none of us are the originators any longer.
विष्णोस्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा दक्षश्चिंतापरोऽभवत् ३.
Hearing those words of Viṣṇu, Dakṣa became absorbed in thought.
वीरभद्रो महाबाहू रुद्रेणैव प्रचोदितः ३.
Vīrabhadra, mighty-armed, was incited by Rudra himself.
भद्रकाली तथा भद्रा त्वरिता वैष्णवी तथा ३.
Likewise Bhadrakālī, Bhadrā, Tvaritā, and Vaiṣṇavī as well.
शाकिनी डाकिनी चैव भूतप्रमथगुह्यकाः ३.
Śākinīs, Ḍākinīs, and also spirits, attendants, and Guhyakas.
निजन्मुः सहसा तत्र यज्ञवाटं महाप्रभम् दशबाहवस्त्रिनेत्रा जटिला रुद्रभूषणाः॥ ३.
They all rushed forth at once to the splendid sacrificial enclosure, ten-armed, three-eyed, matted-haired, adorned with Rudra's ornaments.
पार्षदाः शंकरस्यैते सर्वे रुद्रस्वरूपिणः ३.
These are the attendants of Śaṃkara, all of them forms of Rudra.
छत्रचामरसंवीताः सर्वे हरपराक्रमाः ३.
All were shaded by parasols and fanned with yak-tail whisks, possessing the valor of Hari.
अर्धचंद्रधराः सर्वे सर्वे चैव महौजसः ३.
All bore crescent moons and were exceedingly powerful.
सहस्रबाहुर्भुजगाधिपैर्वृतस्त्रिलोचनो भीमबलो भयावहः ३.
The three-eyed, fearsome, and terrifying one, with a thousand arms, was surrounded by serpent-lords.
युग्यानां च सहस्रेण द्विप्रमाणेन स्यंदनम् ३.
His chariot was yoked with a thousand animals, and was the size of an elephant.
तथैव दंशिताः सिंहा बहवः पार्श्वरक्षकाः छत्राणि विविधान्येव चामराणि तथैव च॥ ३.
Likewise, many lions, fierce and adorned, guarded the flanks; there were also various parasols and yak-tail whisks.
मूर्द्धनिध्रियमाणानि सर्वतोग्राणि सर्वशः पटहा गोमुखाश्चैव श्रृंगाणि विविधानि च॥ ३.
All around, on their heads, were placed fierce drums, gomukha horns, and various other instruments.
ततोऽवाद्यंत तान्येव घनानि सुषिराणि च ३.
Then those drums and wind instruments were sounded.
अनेकलास्यसंयुक्ता वीरभद्राग्रतोभवन् ३.
With many kinds of music, they marched at the forefront of Vīrabhadra.
तेन नादेन महता नादितं भुवनत्रयम् ३.
By that great sound, the three worlds resounded.
यज्ञवाटं च दक्षस्य विनाशार्थं प्रहारिणः ३.
They, armed for destruction, advanced to destroy Dakṣa's sacrificial ground.
सप्तद्वीपवती पृथ्वी चचाल साद्रिकानना ३.
The earth, with its seven continents, shook along with its mountains and forests.
उत्तस्थुर्युगपत्सर्वे देवदैत्यनिशाचराः ३.
All the gods, demons, and night-wanderers rose up at once.
पृथ्वीं केचित्समायाता गगने केचिदागताः ३.
Some arrived upon the earth, others came through the sky.
अनंता ह्यक्षयाः सर्वे शूरा रुद्रसमा युधि दृष्ट्वो चुर्विस्मिताः सर्वे यामोऽद्य शस्त्रपाणयः॥ ३.
All were countless, inexhaustible, and valiant, equal to Rudra in battle; seeing them, all were amazed, armed with weapons, ready to fight today.
इंद्रो हि गजमारूढो मृगारूढः सदागतिः ३.
Indra was mounted on his elephant, and Sadagati rode upon a deer.