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.
कृत्वाप्यघान्येव महांत्यपीह धर्मेश्वरार्चां सकृदेव कुर्वन्
Even after committing great sins here, one who worships the Lord of Dharma even once—
पत्रेण पुष्पेण जलेन दूर्वया यो धर्मधर्मेश्वरमर्चयिष्यति
With a leaf, a flower, water, or dūrvā grass, whoever will worship Dharma and the Lord of Dharma—
त्वत्तो विभेष्यंति कृतैनसो ये भयं न तेषां भविता कदाचित्
Those who have committed offenses will be freed from fear by you; fear will never arise for them.
यदत्र दास्यंति हि धर्मपीठे नरा द्युनद्यां कृतमज्जनाश्च
Whatever offerings are made here at the seat of Dharma by men, and those who have bathed in the celestial river—
ये कार्तिके मासि सिताष्टमी तिथौ यात्रां करिष्यंति नरा उपोषिताः
Those men who, during the month of Kārtika, on the bright eighth lunar day, undertake pilgrimage while fasting—
स्तुतिं च ये वै त्वदुदीरितामिमां नराः पठिष्यंति तवाग्रतः क्वचित्
And those men who recite this praise spoken by you, at any time in your presence—
पुनर्वरं ब्रूहि यथेप्सितं ददे तेजोनिधेर्नंदन धर्मराज
Speak again your desired boon; I grant it to you, O son of the radiant source, O King of Dharma.
प्रसन्नमूर्तिं स विलोक्य शंकरं कारुण्यपूर्णं स्वमनोरथाभिदम्
Seeing Śaṃkara with a gracious form, filled with compassion, expressing one's own wishes—
आनंदबाष्पसलिलरुद्धकंठं विलोक्य तम्
Seeing him, whose throat was choked with tears of joy—
अथ तत्स्पर्शसौख्येन धर्मराजो महातपाः
Then, by the bliss of that touch, the great ascetic King of Dharma—
ततः प्रोवाच स ब्राध्निर्देव देवमुमापतिम्
Then he, the radiant one, spoke to the god, the consort of Umā—
प्रसन्नोसि यदीशान सर्वज्ञ करुणानिधे
If you are pleased, O Lord, all-knowing, ocean of compassion—
यं न वेदा विदुः सम्यङ्न च तौ वेदपूरुषौ
Whom the Vedas do not fully know, nor do those two Vedic sages—
श्रीकंठांडज डिंभानाममीषां मधुरब्रुवाम्
Of these sweet-speaking offspring of Śrīkaṇṭha and the egg-born—
पितृभ्यां परिहीनानामितिहास कथाविदाम्
Of those deprived of their fathers, and those who know the stories of tradition—
एतत्प्रसूतिसमये आमयेन प्रपीडिता
At the time of their birth, afflicted by disease—
रक्षितानामनाथानां सदा मन्मुखदर्शिनाम्
Of those who are protected, who are without guardians, and who always gaze upon my face,
इति धर्मवचः श्रुत्वा परोपकृतिनिर्मलम् 4.2.79.१
Having heard these words of Dharma, pure and devoted to the welfare of others,
उवाच धर्मेति प्रीतः शुकशावानिदं वचः
Pleased, Śukaśāvān spoke these words, addressing Dharma thus:
को वरो भवता देयो धर्मेश परिचारिणाम्
"What boon should be granted by you, Lord of Dharma, to those who serve you?"