मिथिलाधिपतेः कन्या या उक्ता ब्रह्मवादिभिः सीता जाता लांगलस्य इयं भूमिविकर्षणात्॥ ८.
The daughter of the king of Mithilā, whom the knowers of Brahman have spoken of, Sītā, was born from the furrow of the plough, from the turning of the earth.
तस्मात्सीतेति विख्याता विद्या सान्वीक्षिकी तदा ८.
Therefore she became renowned as Sītā, and that knowledge was then called inquiry.
जनकस्य कुले जाता विश्रुता जनकात्मजा ८.
Born in the house of Janaka, she became famous as the daughter of Janaka.
सा दत्ता जनकेनैव विष्णवे परमात्मने॥ ८.
She was given by Janaka himself to Viṣṇu, the Supreme Self.
तयाथ विद्यया सार्द्धं देवदेवो जगत्पतिः ८.
Then, together with her, with that knowledge, the god of gods, the lord of the world—
रावणं जेतुकामो वै रामो राजीवलोचनः ८.
Rāma, lotus-eyed, desiring to conquer Rāvaṇa—
शेषावतारोऽपि महांस्तपः परमदुष्करम् ८.
Śeṣa’s incarnation also performed great austerity, extremely difficult.
शत्रुघ्नो भरतश्चैव तेपतुः परमं तपः॥ ८.
Indeed, both Śatrughna and Bharata practiced supreme austerity.
ततोऽसौ तपसा युक्तः सार्द्धं तैर्देवतागणैः विष्णुना घातितः शस्त्रैः शिवसारूप्यमाप्तवान्॥ ८.
Then, endowed with austerity, together with those hosts of deities, he was slain by Viṣṇu with weapons and attained resemblance to Śiva.
सगमः स पुनः सद्यो बंधुभिः सह सुव्रताः॥ ८.
He, together with his companions, immediately went again, steadfast in vows.
शिवप्रसादात्सकलं द्वैताद्वैतमवाप ह तत्सर्वं प्राप्नुवंतीह शिवार्चनरता नराः॥ ८.
By Śiva’s grace, he attained all duality and non-duality; all this is attained here by men devoted to worshipping Śiva.
येऽर्चयंति शिवं नित्यं लिंगरूपिणमेव च तं शिवं प्राप्नुवंत्येव सर्वदुःखोपनाशनम्॥ ८.
Those who worship Śiva always, even in the form of the liṅga, truly attain Śiva, the remover of all suffering.
पशवोऽपि परं याताः किं पुनर्मानुषादयः॥ ८.
Even animals have attained the highest; how much more so human beings and others?
ये द्विजा ब्रह्मचर्येण तपः परममास्थिताः ८.
Those twice-born who, with celibacy, have undertaken supreme austerity—
ज्योतिष्टोमो वाजपेयो ह्यतिरात्रादयो ह्यमी ८.
The Jyotiṣṭoma, Vājapeya, and these Atirātra and other rites—
तत्र स्वर्गसुखं भुक्त्वा पुण्यक्षयकरं महत् ८.
There, having enjoyed the happiness of heaven, which brings about the exhaustion of merit—
पतितानां च संसारे दैवाद्बुद्धिः प्रजायते ८.
For those fallen in worldly existence, discernment arises by fate.
यथा सत्त्वं संभवति सत्त्वयुक्तभवं नराः ८.
As is one's nature, so do people become endowed with that nature.
एवं संसारचक्रेऽस्मिन्भ्रमिता बहवो जनाः ८.
Thus, in this wheel of worldly existence, many people are whirled about.
शिवध्यानपराणां च नराणां यतचेतसाम् ८.
But for those men devoted to meditation on Shiva, with controlled minds,
मायानिरसनात्सद्यो नश्यत्येव गुणत्रयम् ८.
By the immediate dispelling of illusion, the three qualities are indeed destroyed.
तस्माल्लिङ्गार्चनं भाव्यं सर्वेषामपि देहिनाम् ८.
Therefore, worship of the linga should be performed by all embodied beings.
पुरा भवद्भिः पृष्टोऽहं लिङ्गरूपी कथं शिवः ८.
Formerly, you asked me how Shiva became manifest in the form of the linga.
कथं गरं भक्षितवाञ्छिवो लोकमहेश्वरः ८.
How did Shiva, the great lord of the worlds, consume the poison?
एकदा तु सभामध्य आस्थितो देवराट् स्वयम् ९.
Once, the king of the gods himself sat in the midst of the assembly.
अप्सरोगणसंवीतो गंधर्वैश्च पुरस्कृतः ९.
He was surrounded by groups of apsarases and attended by gandharvas.
तदा शिष्यैः परिवृतो देवराजगुरुः सुधीः ९.
At that time, the wise preceptor of the gods, surrounded by his disciples,
तं दृष्ट्वा सहसा देवाः प्रणेमुः समुपस्थिताः ९.
Seeing him suddenly, the assembled gods bowed down.
नोवाच किंचिद्दुर्मेधावचो मानुपुरःसरम् ९.
No one spoke a word; the ill-advised words did not proceed in their presence.
शक्रं प्रमत्तं ज्ञात्वाथ मदाद्राज्यस्य दुर्मतिम् ९.
Then, knowing Shakra to be intoxicated and misguided by the pride of sovereignty,