पुराविदः प्रशंसंति त्वां महामोहहारिणीम्
The knowers of ancient lore praise you as the remover of great delusion.
प्रेषयिष्याम्यहं सर्वान्भवती मोहयिष्यति
I will send them all; you will bewilder them.
तथापि प्रेषयिष्यामि यावान्मेस्ति परिच्छदः
Still, I will send as many attendants as I have.
नोद्यमाद्विरतिः कार्या क्वापि कार्ये विचक्षणैः
The wise should never abandon effort in any undertaking.
शीतोष्णभानू स्वर्भानु ग्रस्तावपि नभोंगणे
Even when the sun or moon is eclipsed by Rahu in the sky,
दैवं पूर्वकृतं कर्म कथ्यते नेतरत्पुनः 4.2.53.
Destiny is said to be the result of previous actions, not otherwise.
भाजनोपस्थितं दैवाद्भोज्यं नास्यं स्वयं विशेत्
Food that comes by fate, served in a vessel, does not enter the mouth by itself.
इत्युद्यमं समर्थ्येशो निश्चितं दैवजित्वरम्
Thus, the Lord of capability has declared that effort is certainly superior to fate.
सोमनंदी नंदिषेणः कालपिंगलकुक्कुटाः
Somānandī, Nandiṣeṇa, Kālapingala, and Kukkutā—
तेपि स्वनाम्ना लिंगानि शंभुसंतुष्टि काम्यया
These, too, by their own names, established liṅgas, desiring to please Śambhu.
सोमनंदीश्वरं दृष्ट्वा लिंगं नंदवने परम्
Having seen the supreme liṅga called Somānandīśvara in the Nandavana,
तदुत्तरे विलोक्याथ नंदिषेणेश्वरं नरः
Then, to the north of that, a man beholds the liṅga of Nandiṣeṇa.
कालेश्वरं महालिंगं गंगायाः पश्चिमोत्तरे
The great liṅga Kāleśvara is to the northwest of the Gaṅgā.
पिंगलेश्वरमभ्यर्च्य कालेशात्किंचिदुत्तरे
Worshipping Piṅgaleśvara, a little to the north of Kāleśvara,
कुक्कुटेश्वर लिंगस्य येत्र भक्तिं वितन्वते
Wherever they offer devotion to the liṅga of Kukkutāśvara,
आनंदकाननं प्राप्य स्थितेषु स्थाणुरब्रवीत् ।। 4.2.53.
Having reached the grove of bliss, while they stood, Sthāṇu spoke.
कार्यमस्माकमेवैतद्यदि सम्यग्विमृश्यते
If this matter is rightly considered, it is indeed our own task.
प्रमथेषु प्रविष्टेषु मायावीर्यमहत्स्वपि
Even when the Pramathas, mighty in magical power, had entered,
क्रमेण प्रेषयिष्यामि योस्ति मे स्वपरिच्छदः
In due order I shall send forth whoever is among my own attendants.
संप्रधार्येति हृदये देवदेवेन शूलिना
Having thus resolved in his heart, the god of gods, the wielder of the trident,
कुंडोदरो मयूराख्यो बाणो गोकर्ण एव च
Kuṇḍodara, called Mayūra, Bāṇa, and also Gokarṇa—
कृत्वोपायशतं तैस्तु दिवोदासस्य संभ्रमे यदैकोपि समर्थो न तदा तत्रैव संस्थितम्
Though they employed a hundred strategies in Divodāsa’s confusion, not one was able, so they remained there.
अपराधशतेष्वीशः केन तुष्यति कर्मणा
By what action is the Lord pleased, when there are a hundred offenses?
एकस्मिञ्शांभवे लिंगे विधिनात्र समर्चिते
When even one liṅga of Śambhu is worshipped here according to the rite,
न तुष्यति तथा शंभुर्यज्ञदानतपोव्रतैः
Śambhu is not so pleased by sacrifices, gifts, austerities, or vows.
लिंगार्चनविधानज्ञो लिंगार्चनरतः सदा 4.2.53.
He who knows the method of liṅga worship and is always devoted to it—
न गोशतप्रदानेन न स्वर्णशतदानतः
Not by giving away a hundred cows, nor by giving a hundred pieces of gold,
अश्वमेधादिभिर्यागैर्न तत्फलमवाप्यते
Nor is that fruit attained by sacrifices such as the Aśvamedha and others.
स्नापयित्वा विधानेन यो लिंगस्नपनोदकम्
Whoever, according to the proper rite, bathes the liṅga with water for its ablution,
लिंग स्नपनवार्भिर्यः कुर्यान्मूर्ध्न्यभिषेचनम्
Whoever performs the anointing on the head with the water used for bathing the liṅga,