वरमेतेपि पशव आनंदवनचारिणः
Even the cattle who roam in the forest of bliss are blessed here.
वरं काशीपुरीवासी म्लेच्छोपि हि शुभायतिः
Better is the resident of Kāśī, even if a foreigner, for he attains auspiciousness.
वैश्वेश्वरी पुरी चैषा यथा मे चित्तहारिणी
This city of Vaiśveśvarī captivates my mind.
स्थैर्यं बबंध न क्वापि भ्रमतो मे मनोगतिः
Nowhere did my mind find stability as it wandered.
रम्या पुरी भवेदेषा ब्रह्मांडादखिलादपि
This city is more delightful than the entire cosmic egg.
तप्यमानोपि हि तपः सुचिरं स महातपाः
Even though he practiced severe austerity for a long time, that great ascetic—
धिक्च मां तापसं दुष्टं धिक्च मे दुश्चरं तपः 4.2.85.
Shame on me, a wicked ascetic! Shame on my difficult austerity!
यथा न मुक्तिरत्र स्यात्कस्यापि करवै तथा
Let me act so that no one here may attain liberation.
तत्र लिंगमभूदेकं ख्यातं प्रहसितेश्वरम्
There appeared a single liṅga there, known as Prahasiteśvara.
उवाच विस्मयाविष्टो मनस्येव महेशिता
Overcome with wonder, the great Lord spoke in his mind.
यत्रैव हि तपस्यंति यत्रैव विहिताश्रमाः
Wherever they perform austerities, wherever hermitages are established—
मनाक्चिंतितमात्रं तु चेल्लभंते न तापसाः
If ascetics obtain even a little of what they desire, it is only by chance.
तथापि तापसा मान्याः स्वश्रेयोवृद्धिकांक्षिभिः
Yet ascetics are to be honored by those who seek the growth of their own welfare.
इति यावन्महेशानो मनस्येव विचिंतयेत्
Thus, as long as the great Lord pondered in his mind—
तत्कोधानलधूमोघैर्व्यापितं यन्नभोंगणम्
Then, the sky was filled with smoke from the fire of his wrath.
ततो गणाः परिक्षुब्धाः प्रलयार्णव नीरवत्
Then the hosts became agitated, like waters of the ocean at dissolution.
गर्जंतस्तर्जयंतश्च प्रोद्यता युधपाणयः 4.2.85.
Roaring and threatening, weapons raised for battle, they surged forth.
को यमः कोथवा कालः को मृत्युः कस्तथांतकः
Who is Yama? Who is Time? Who is Death? Who is the Ender?
अग्निं पिबामो जलवच्चूर्णीकुर्मोखिलान्गिरीन्
Let us drink up fire like water; let us grind all the mountains to dust.
पातालं चानयामोर्ध्वमधो दध्मोथवा दिवम्
Let us bring the netherworld above, or cast the heavens below.
ब्रह्मांडभांडमथवा स्फोटयामः क्षणेन हि
In but a moment, we could shatter the shell of the cosmic egg.
ग्रसामो वाथ भुवनं मुक्त्वा वाराणसीं पुरीम्
Or else, we could devour the world, sparing only the city of Varanasi.
कुतोऽयं धूमसंभारो ज्वालावल्यः कुतस्त्वमूः
From where does this mass of smoke arise? From where do these tongues of flame come?
इति पारिषदाः शंभोर्महाभय भयप्रदाः
Thus, the attendants of Shambhu, terrifying and bringers of fear, spoke.
शकलीकृत्य बहुशः शिलावत्प्रलयानलम्
Again and again, they shattered the fire of dissolution like stones.
महाहनुर्महाग्रीवो महाकालो जितांतकः
Great-jawed, great-necked, great in time, conqueror of Death,
क्षोभणो द्रावणो जृंभी पचास्यः पंचलोचनः 4.2.85.
Agitator, disperser, expander, with a mouth that cooks, five-eyed,
चंडो भृंगिरिटिस्तुंडी प्रचंडस्तांडवप्रियः
Fierce, with a bee’s crest, beaked, exceedingly fierce, lover of the wild dance,
क्षेमकः क्षेमधन्वा च वीरभद्रो रणप्रियः
Protector, armed with the bow of welfare, Virabhadra, lover of battle,
दीर्घग्रीवोथ पिंगाक्षः पिंगलः पिंगमूर्धजः
Long-necked, tawny-eyed, tawny, with tawny hair,