न तृप्तिमधिगच्छामि शृण्वन्वाराणसीकथाम्
I do not attain satisfaction while listening to the tale of Varanasi.
अनुग्रहो यदि मयि योग्योस्मि श्रवणे यदि
If there is favor toward me, if I am worthy to hear,
कोसौ भैरवनामात्र काशिपुर्यां व्यवस्थितः
Who is this one named Bhairava, established in the city of Kashi?
कथमाराधितश्चैव सिद्धिदः साधकस्य वै
And how is he worshipped, indeed, as the giver of success to the practitioner?
तथा न कस्यचिन्मन्ये ततो वक्ष्याम्यशेषतः
Thus, I do not consider anyone else; therefore, I will speak of it in full.
प्रादुर्भावं भैरवस्य महापातकनाशनम्
The manifestation of Bhairava is the destroyer of great sins.
पाणिभ्यां परितः प्रपीड्य सुदृढं निश्चोत्य निश्चोत्य च ब्रह्मांडं सकलं पचेलिमरसालोच्चैः फलाभं मुहुः
Pressing firmly all around with his hands, squeezing again and again, he churns the entire cosmic egg with the juice of pacelima, repeatedly making it resemble a fruit.
कुंभयोने न वेत्त्येव महिमानं महेशितुः
The one born from the pot does not at all know the greatness of the great Lord.
न चित्रमत्र भूदेव भवमाया दुरत्यया
There is nothing surprising here, O lord of the earth; the illusion of existence is hard to cross.
वेदयेद्यदिचात्मानं स एव परमेश्वरः 4.1.31.
Whoever realizes himself, that one is the Supreme Lord.
स सर्वगोपि नेक्ष्येत स्वात्मारामो महेश्वरः
He is all-pervading, yet cannot be seen; Maheshvara delights in his own self.
पुरा पितामहं विप्र मेरुशृंगे महर्षयः
Once, the great sages, along with Pitamaha, on the summit of Meru,
समा यया महेशस्य मोहितो लोकसंभवः
By whom the creator of the worlds was deluded, along with all beings.
जगद्योनिरहं धाता स्वयंभूरेक ईश्वरः
I am the source of the world, the sustainer, the self-born, the one Lord.
प्रवर्तको हि जगतामहमेको निवर्तकः
I alone am the initiator of the worlds, and I alone am the one who withdraws them.
तस्यैवं ब्रुवतो धातुः क्रतुर्नारायणांशजः
As the Sustainer spoke thus, the sacrifice born from the portion of Narayana...
अविज्ञाय परं तत्त्वं किमेतत्प्रतिपाद्यते
Without knowing the supreme truth, why is this being asserted?
अहं कर्ता हि लोकानां यज्ञो नारायणः परः
I am indeed the creator of the worlds; the sacrifice is Nārāyaṇa, the supreme.
अहमेव परं ज्योतिरहमेव परा गतिः
I alone am the supreme light; I alone am the highest goal.
एवं विप्र कृतौ मोहात्परस्परजयैषिणौ 4.1.31.
Thus, O Brāhmaṇa, in the age of Kṛta, out of delusion, both sought victory over each other.
यूयमेव न संदेहः किं तत्त्वं प्रतितिष्ठत
You yourselves, without doubt, must establish what the truth is.
श्रुतय ऊचुः यदि मान्या वयं देवौ सृष्टिस्थितिकरौ विभू
The Vedas said: If we are to be respected, O gods, as the creators and sustainers of the universe—
श्रुत्युक्तमिदमाकर्ण्य प्रोचतुस्तौ श्रुतीः प्रति
Having heard this as spoken by the Vedas, the two responded to the Vedas.
ऋगुवाच यदंतःस्थानि भूतानि यतः सर्वं प्रवर्तते
Ṛg said: That within which all beings reside, from which everything proceeds—
येन प्रमाणं हि वयं स एकः सर्वदृक्छिवः
By whom we are measured, he alone is Śiva, the all-seeing.
यद्भासा भासते विश्वं स एकस्त्र्यंबकः परः
By whose radiance the universe shines, he alone is the supreme Three-eyed One.
तमाहुरेकं कैवल्यं शंकरं दुःखतस्करम्
Him they call the one, the absolute, Śaṃkara, the remover of sorrow.
श्रुतीरितं निशम्येत्थं तावतीव विमोहितौ
Hearing thus what was spoken by the Vedas, both became greatly bewildered.
कथं प्रमथनाथोसौ रममाणो निरंतरम्
How does the Lord of the Pramathas, ever delighting, act continuously—
विटंकवेशो जटिलो वृषगोव्यालभूषणः 4.1.31.
With the appearance of a mendicant, matted hair, adorned with bull, cow, and serpent?