समीराभ्यवहर्तासीद्बहुदिष्टं सदिष्टवान् 4.2.78.
He sustained himself on air alone, and performed many prescribed austerities.
दिव्यां चतुर्युगीमित्थं स निनाय तपश्चरन्
Thus, practicing austerity, he passed a divine span of four yugas.
ततोहं तस्य तपसा संतुष्टः स्थिरचेतसः
Then I became pleased with his steadfast mind and his austerity.
वटः कांचनशाखाख्यो यस्तपस्तापसंततिम्
There was a banyan tree, known as Kāñcanaśākhā, which witnessed the succession of his austerities.
मंदमद मरुल्लोल पल्लवैः करपल्लवैः
Its tender leaves, swaying gently in the wind, seemed intoxicated with delight.
स्वानुरागैः सुरभिभिः स्वादुभिश्च पचेलिमैः
With their own sweet fragrance and agreeable taste, they expressed their affection.
तदधस्तात्परं वीक्ष्य तमहं तपनांगजम्
Seeing the son of the Sun beneath that tree, I beheld him there.
तपस्तेजोभिरुद्यद्भिः परितः परिधीकृतम्
He was surrounded on all sides by the radiance arising from his austerities.
स्वाख्यांकितं महालिंगं प्रतिष्ठाप्यातिभक्तितः
With utmost devotion, he established a great liṅga marked with his own name.
साक्षीकृत्येव तल्लिंगं तप्यमानं महत्तपः
Making that liṅga his witness, he performed intense austerity.
अलं तप्त्वा महाभाग प्रसन्नोस्मि शुभव्रत 4.2.78.
Enough of this austerity, O highly fortunate one; I am pleased with you, O virtuous observer of vows.
चकार स्तवनं चापि परिहृष्टेंद्रियेश्वरः
The Lord of the delighted senses also offered praise.
धर्म उवाच नमोनमः कारणकारणानां नमोनमः कारणवर्जिताय
Dharma said: Repeated salutations to the cause of all causes; repeated salutations to the one free from all causes.
अरूपरूपाय समस्तरूपिणे पराणुरूपाय परापराय
Salutations to the formless one who assumes every form, to the one whose form is the subtlest particle, to the supreme and the non-supreme.
अनीश्वरस्त्वं जगदीश्वरस्त्वं गुणात्मकस्त्वं गुणवर्जितस्त्वम्
You are the one without lordship, yet you are the Lord of the universe; you are composed of qualities, yet you are beyond qualities.
त्वमेव निर्वाणपद प्रदोसि त्वमेव निर्वाणमनंतशक्ते
You alone are the supreme state of liberation; you alone are the infinite power of liberation.
त्वत्तो जगत्त्वं जगदेवसाक्षाज्जगत्त्वदीयं जगदेकबंधो
From you arises the world; you are indeed the world; truly, the world belongs to you, O sole friend of the universe.
मृडस्त्वमेव श्रुतिवर्त्मगेषु त्वमेव भीमोऽश्रुतिवर्त्मगेषु
You alone are Mṛḍa among those who follow the Vedas; you alone are Bhīma among those who do not follow the Vedas.
त्वमेव शूली द्विषतां त्वमेव विनम्रचेतो वचसां शिवोसि
You alone bear the trident against enemies; you alone are auspicious in speech to those of humble mind.
नमोस्तु ते शंकर शांतशंभो नमोस्तु ते चंद्रकलावतंस
Salutations to you, Śaṃkara, tranquil and beneficent; salutations to you, adorned with the crescent moon.
स एव धन्यस्तव भक्तिभाग्यस्तवार्चको यः सुकृती स एव 4.2.78.
He alone is blessed, fortunate in devotion to you, and truly virtuous, who worships you.
कस्त्वामिह स्तोतुमनंतशक्ते शक्नोति मादृग्लघुबुद्धिवैभवः
Who among us here, O infinite power, is capable of praising you, with intellect as meager as mine?
स्कंद उवाच उदीर्य सूर्यस्य सुतोतिभक्त्या नमः शिवायेति समुच्चरन्सः
Skanda said: Having spoken thus, the son of the Sun, with utmost devotion, uttered 'Salutations to Śiva.'
ततः शिवस्तं तपसातिखिन्नं निवार्य ताभ्यः प्रणतिभ्य ईश्वरः
Then Śiva, the Lord, restrained him, exhausted by austerity, and accepted those prostrations.
त्वमेव धर्माधिकृतौ समस्त शरीरिणां स्थावरजंगमानाम्
You alone are the authority over dharma for all embodied beings, both immobile and mobile.
त्वं दक्षिणायाश्च दिशोधिनाथस्त्वं कर्मसाक्षी भव सर्वजंतोः
You are the Lord of the southern direction; you are the witness of the actions of all beings.
त्वया यदेतन्ममभक्तिभाजा लिंगं समाराधितमत्र धर्म
By you, O Dharma, this liṅga has been worshipped here by my devotee.
धर्मेश्वरं यः सकृदेव मर्त्यो विलोकयिष्यत्यवदातबुद्धिः
Any mortal who even once beholds the Lord of Dharma with a pure mind—
कृत्वाप्यघानामिह यः सहस्रं धर्मेश्वरं पश्यति दैवयोगात्
Even after committing a thousand sins here, one who beholds the Lord of Dharma by divine arrangement—
यो धर्मपीठं प्रतिलभ्य काश्यां स्वश्रेयसे नो यततेऽत्र मर्त्यः त्वया यथाप्ता इह धर्मराज मनोरथास्ते गुरुभिस्तपोभिः 4.2.78.
Whoever, having attained the seat of Dharma in Kāśī, does not strive here for their own welfare, O mortal, as you have obtained, O King of Dharma, their wishes are fulfilled by teachers and austerities.