भिक्षाटनार्थं सुश्रोणि संकल्परहितः सदा न रोचते विशालाक्षि सत्यं प्रतिवदामि ते॥ ६.
For the sake of begging alms, O lovely-hipped one, always free from resolve, it does not please me, O wide-eyed one; I speak the truth to you.
तस्योक्तं वचनं श्रुत्वा उवाच कमलेक्षणा ६.
Hearing his words, the lotus-eyed woman replied.
तास्स्त्रियो वर्जिताः शंभो त्वादृशेन विपश्चिता॥ ६.
Those women were abandoned by Śambhu, who is wise like you.
इति च प्रमदाः सर्वा मिलिता यत्र शंकरः ६.
And so, all the women gathered where Śaṃkara was.
अन्नैश्चतुर्विधैः षड्भी रसैश्च परिपूरितम् तदा सर्वा विप्रपत्न्यो ह्यन्गच्छन्मुदान्विताः॥ ६.
Filled with four kinds of food and six flavors, all the wives of the sages went there joyfully.
गृहकार्यं परित्यज्य चेरुस्तद्गतमानसाः ६.
Leaving aside their household duties, their minds absorbed in him, they wandered there.
यावदाश्रममभ्येत्य तावच्छून्यं व्यलोकयन् ६.
When they reached the hermitage, they saw it empty.
न विदामोऽथ वै सर्वाः केन नष्टेन चाहृताः ६.
Then all of them said, 'We do not know by whom or how we have been taken away.'
समपश्यंस्ततः सर्वे शिवस्यानुगताश्च ताः ६.
Then they all saw that those women had followed Śiva.
शिवस्याथाग्रतो भूत्वा ऊचुः सर्वे त्वरान्विताः परदारापहर्त्तासि त्वमृषीणां न संशयः॥ ६.
Standing before Śiva, they all spoke quickly: 'You are indeed the abductor of others' wives, O sage, there is no doubt.'
एवं क्षिप्तः शिवो मौनी गच्छमानोऽपि पर्वतम् यस्मात्कलत्रहर्ता त्वं तस्मात्षंढो भव त्वरम्॥ ६.
Thus rebuked, Śiva remained silent and, even as he was going to the mountain, they said, 'Because you are a stealer of wives, therefore become impotent at once!'
एवं शप्तः स मुनिभिर्लिंगं तस्यापतद्भुवि ६.
Thus cursed by the sages, his liṅga fell to the ground.
आवृत्य सप्त पातालान्क्षणाल्लिंगमदोर्ध्वतः ६.
In an instant, the liṅga, rising upward, covered the seven netherworlds.
स्वर्गाः समावृताः सर्वे स्वर्गातीतमथाभवत् ६.
All the heavens were enveloped, and it surpassed even heaven.
न च वायुर्न वाकाशं नाहंकारो न वा महत् ६.
There was no wind, no space, no ego, nor the great principle.
नासीद्द्ववैतविभागं च सर्वं लीनं च तत्क्षणात् ६.
There was no duality or distinction; everything was dissolved in that instant.
लयनाल्लिंगमित्येवं प्रवदंति मनीषिणः ६.
Because of this dissolution, the wise call it the liṅga.
ब्रह्मेंद्रविष्णुवाय्यग्निलोकपालाः सपन्नगाः ६.
Brahmā, Indra, Viṣṇu, Vāyu, Agni, the guardians of the worlds, and the serpents,
किमायामं च विस्तारं क्व चांतः क्व च पीठिका ६.
What is its length, what is its breadth, where is its end, and where is its base?
अस्य मूलं त्वया विष्णो पद्मोद्भव च मस्तकम् ६.
O Viṣṇu, you are to find its base, and O Padma-born, you are to find its summit.
श्रुत्वा तु तौ महाभागौ वैकुंठकमलोद्भवौ ६.
Hearing this, those two illustrious ones, the Lotus-born and the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha,
स्वर्गं गतस्तदा ब्रह्मा अवलोकनतत्परः ६.
At that time, Brahmā went to heaven, intent on observing.
तथा गतेन मार्गेण प्रत्यावृत्त्याब्जसंभवः ६.
Then, having gone by that path, the Lotus-born returned the same way.
स्थिता या केतकीच्छायामुवाच मधुरं वचः उवाच प्रहसन्वाक्यं छलोक्त्या सुरभिं प्रति॥ ६.
Standing in the shade of the ketakī tree, he spoke sweet words, and, smiling, addressed Surabhi with a deceptive statement.
लिंगं महाद्भुतं दृष्टं येनव्याप्तं जगत्त्रयम् ६.
I saw the wondrous liṅga by which the three worlds are pervaded.
न दृष्टं मस्तकं तस्य व्यापकस्य महात्मनः ६.
But I did not see the head of that all-pervading, great-souled one.
लिंगस्य मस्तकं दृष्टं देवानां च मृषा वदेः ६.
If you say to the gods that you have seen the head of the liṅga, it is false.
ते संति साक्षिमो देवा अस्मिन्नर्थे वदत्वरम् ६.
Let those gods who are witnesses in this matter speak quickly.
तद्वचः शिरसा गृह्य ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः ६.
Accepting those words with his head, of Brahmā, the supreme lord,
एवं समागतो ब्रह्म देवाग्रे समुवाच ह॥ ६.
Thus, having come together, Brahmā spoke before the assembly of gods.