मंत्रवादान्बहून्वैद्यानुपायानपरानपि १२.
He gave me many mantras, physicians, and various remedies.
निरीक्ष्य मूढतां हास्यमासीन्मनसि मे तदा १२.
Observing their foolishness, laughter arose in my mind at that time.
संपूज्य कमलैः शंभुं ततः शयनमभ्यगाम् १२.
Having worshipped Śaṃbhu with lotuses, he then went to his bed.
संबंधिभिः प्रतीतोऽथ फलाहारमवस्थितः १२.
Satisfied among his relatives, he remained subsisting on fruits.
अथ वर्षशतस्यांते वरदः शशिशेखरः १२.
Then, at the end of a hundred years, the boon-giver, the moon-crested one, appeared.
अजरामरता नास्ति नामरूपभृतोयतः १२.
There is no freedom from old age and death for those who possess name and form.
इति शंभोर्वचः श्रुत्वा मया वृतिमिदं तदा १२.
Having heard these words of Śaṃbhu, I then made this request.
ततस्तव गणो भूयामिति मेऽभीप्सितो वरः १२.
Therefore, 'May I become your attendant'—this was the boon I desired.
अहं तपसिनिष्ठश्च ततः प्रभृति चाभवम् १२.
From that time onward, I became steadfast in ascetic practice.
ब्रध्नाब्जैरितरैर्वपि कमलैर्नात्र संशयः १२.
There is no doubt that worship with lotuses, or with other flowers, is effective.
हरभक्तस्य लोकस्य त्रिलोक्यां नास्ति दुर्लभम् १२.
For a devotee of Hara, nothing is unattainable in the three worlds.
लयः सदाशिवे नित्यमतर्यो गोऽयमुच्यते १२.
Union with Sadāśiva is always said to be the highest goal.
पंचभिश्चार्चनं भूतैर्विशिष्टफलदं ध्रुवम् १२.
Worship with the five elements certainly yields superior results.
ईशानमाराध्य जपन्प्रणवं मुक्तिपाप्नुयात् १२.
By worshipping Īśāna and reciting the praṇava, one attains liberation.
पापोपहतबुद्धीनां शिवे वार्तापि दुर्लभा १२.
For those whose intellect is afflicted by sin, even talk of Śiva is hard to obtain.
दुर्लभं जाह्नवीस्नानं शिवे भक्तिः सुदुर्लभा १२.
Bathing in the Gaṅgā is rare, and devotion to Śiva is exceedingly rare.
अल्पपुण्यैश्च दुष्प्रापं पुरुषोत्तमपूजनम्॥ १२.
Worship of the Supreme Person is difficult to attain for those with little merit.
लक्षेण धनुषां योगस्तदर्धेन हुताशनः १२.
Union with the bow is achieved by a hundred thousand, and with fire by half that.
इति दमुक्तमखिलं मया तव महीपते १२.
Thus, O king, I have told you everything.
न दुर्लभं न दुष्प्रापं न चासाध्यं महात्मनाम् १२.
For the great-souled, nothing is unattainable, nothing is difficult to obtain, and nothing is impossible.
नंदीश्वरस्य तेनैव वपुषा शिवपूजनात् १२.
By that very form of Nandīśvara, through the worship of Śiva—
श्वेतस्य च महीपस्य श्रीकंठं च नमस्यतः १२.
And by the king Śveta, bowing to Śrīkaṇṭha—
यदिच्छया विश्वमिदं जायते व्यवतिष्ठते १२.
By his will, this entire universe is born and sustained.
एतद्रहस्यमिदमेव नृणां प्रधानं कर्तव्यमत्र शिवपूजनमेव भूप १२.
This, indeed, is the secret; for people, the foremost duty here is truly the worship of Śiva, O king.
इति तस्य मुनींद्रस्य भूपतिः शुश्रुवान्वचः १३.
Thus the king listened to the words of that foremost sage.
लिंगमाराधयिष्येऽद्य सर्वसिद्धिप्रदं नृणाम् १३.
Today I shall worship the liṅga, which grants all accomplishments to people.
तद्भूपतिवचः श्रुत्वा बको गृध्रोऽथ कच्छपः १३.
Hearing the king’s words, Baka, the vulture, and the tortoise—
स च सर्वसुहृद्विप्रस्तथेत्येवाह तांस्तदा १३.
And that best of friends, the brāhmaṇa, also said to her, 'So be it,' at that time.
शिवदीक्षाविधानेन लिंगपूजां समादिशत् तीर्थादप्यधिकं स्थाने सतां साधुसमागमः॥ १३.
By the rite of Śiva-initiation, he instructed the worship of the liṅga; the company of the virtuous is superior even to a holy place.
पचेलिमफलः सद्यो दुरंतकलुपापहः १३.
Its fruit is immediate, removing even terrible and difficult sins.