स बभूव मुनिः सम्यक्फलाहारसमन्वितः
That sage lived there, wholly devoted, sustained by fruits.
जलाहारः पञ्चशतवर्षाणि संबभूव ह
He subsisted on water alone for five hundred years.
पञ्चाग्निसाधको ग्रीष्मे हेमन्ते सलिलाशयः
He practiced the five-fire austerity in summer, and in winter dwelled in water.
ततस्तुष्टो महादेवस्तस्यर्षेः सुमहात्मनः तं दृष्ट्वा विस्मयाविष्टो मुनिः स्तोत्रमुदैरयत्
Then, Mahādeva was pleased with that great-souled sage; seeing him, the sage, filled with wonder, began a hymn.
नमः शिवाय शुद्धाय सर्वगायाऽमृताय च
Salutations to Śiva, the pure one, the all-pervading, the immortal.
नमः स्थूलाय सूक्ष्माय व्यापकाय महात्मने
Salutations to the gross and the subtle, the all-pervading, the great soul.
नमश्चन्द्रकलाधार नमो दिग्वसनाय च
Salutations to the bearer of the crescent moon; salutations to the one clothed in directions.
नमस्ते ज्ञानरूपाय ज्ञानगम्याय ते नमः
Salutations to you, whose form is knowledge, who is attainable through knowledge.
काशीपते नमस्तुभ्यं गिरिशाय नमोनमः 7.3.4.
O Lord of Kāśī, salutations to you; repeated salutations to the Lord of the Mountain.
गौरीकान्त नम स्तुभ्यं नमस्तुभ्यं शिवात्मने
O beloved of Gaurī, salutations to you; salutations to you, whose nature is auspiciousness.
विश्वरूपाय शुद्धाय नमस्तुभ्यं महात्मने
Salutations to you, of universal form, pure one, great soul.
परितुष्टोऽस्मि ते भद्रं वरं वरय सुव्रत
I am pleased with you; may good fortune be yours—choose a boon, O steadfast one.
इत्युक्त्वा पर्वतं भित्त्वा तत्पुरो लिंगमुत्थितम्
Having spoken thus, breaking through the mountain, a liṅga arose before him.
मया पूर्वं प्रतिज्ञातं नगस्येह महात्मने
I had previously promised this to the great-souled mountain.
त्वद्वाक्याद्ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठ सर्वं सत्यं भविष्यति
By your words, O best of Brāhmaṇas, all will indeed come true.
स्तोत्रेणानेन यो मर्त्यो मां स्तविष्यति भक्तितः
Whoever among mortals recites this hymn to me with devotion—
मत्प्रियार्थं तु शक्रेण प्रेषिता मुनिसत्तम
O best of sages, I was sent by Indra for the sake of what is dear to me.
देवस्योत्तरदिग्भागे कुंडं तिष्ठति नित्यशः स याति परमं स्थानं जरामरणवर्जितम्
In the northern direction of the god, there is always a sacred pool; whoever goes there attains the supreme state, free from old age and death.
अचलं भेदयित्वा तु यस्मान्मे लिंगमुद्गतम् 7.3.4.
By splitting the mountain, my liṅga emerged from there.
अस्य लिंगस्य माहात्म्यान्न कदाचिच्चलिष्यति
Because of the greatness of this liṅga, it will never move from its place.
एतावदुक्त्वा वचनं विरराम महेश्वरः
Having spoken thus, the great Lord Maheśvara became silent.
शक्रादयस्ततो देवास्तीर्थान्यायतनानि च
Then Indra and the other gods visited the sacred fords and shrines.
ततस्तुष्टः सुरश्रेष्ठस्तत्र वासमथाकरोत्
Then, pleased, the best of the gods made his abode there.
कौतुकं सूत नो जातं कथयस्व यथा शुभम्
Sūta, curiosity has arisen in us; tell us the auspicious story as it happened.
ययातेश्च गृहे यातस्तं नत्वा चाब्रवीन्नृपः
He went to the house of Yayāti, bowed to him, and the king spoke.
ययातिरुवाच स्वागतं ते मुनिश्रेष्ठ सफलं मेऽद्यजीवितम्
Yayāti said: Welcome to you, best of sages; today my life has become fruitful.
अर्बुदाख्यो नगो नाम विख्यातो यो धरातले
There is a mountain named Arbuda, renowned upon the earth.
सर्वं विस्तरतो ब्रूहि तीर्थयात्रापरायण
Tell me everything in detail, O devotee of pilgrimage.
अशक्तो विस्तराद्वक्तुमपि वर्षशतैरपि
Even in a hundred years, I am unable to speak of it in full detail.
संक्षेपादेव वक्ष्यामि तीर्थमुख्यानि ते तथा
I will tell you briefly the principal holy places.