प्रलयस्य न कालोऽयं सांप्रतं सुरसत्तमाः। शृणुध्वं यन्निमित्तोत्था महोत्पाता भवन्त्यमी॥६.१.
This is not the time of dissolution, O best of gods; listen to the cause for which these great disturbances have arisen.
ऋषिभिः पातितं लिंगं देवदेवस्य शूलिनः। शापेनानर्तके देशे कलत्रार्थे महात्मभिः॥६.१.
The linga of the god of gods, the wielder of the trident, was cast down by the sages, through a curse, in a place unfit, for the sake of their wives.
तेनैतद्व्याकुलीभूतं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्। तस्माद्गच्छामहे तत्र यत्र देवो महेश्वरः॥६.१.
Because of this, the entire three worlds, with all their moving and unmoving beings, have become agitated; therefore, let us go to where the god Maheshvara is.
येनास्मद्वचनाच्छीघ्रं तल्लिंगं निदधाति सः। नो चेद्भविष्यति व्यक्तमकाले चापि संक्षयः। त्रैलोक्यस्यापि कृत्स्नस्य सत्यमेतन्मयोदितम्॥६.१.
By our command, let him quickly restore his linga; otherwise, destruction will certainly occur prematurely for the entire three worlds. This I declare to you as truth.
अथ देवगणाः सर्वे ब्रह्मविष्णुपुरःसराः। आदित्या वसवो रुद्रा विश्वेदेवास्तथाश्विनौ॥६.१.
Then all the hosts of gods, led by Brahma and Vishnu—the Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Visvedevas, and the Ashvins—
प्रजग्मुस्त्वरितास्तत्र यत्र देवो महेश्वरः। गर्तामध्यगतः सुप्तो लज्जया परया वृतः॥६.१.
hurried there to the place where the great god Maheshvara lay, asleep in the midst of a pit, covered in utmost shame.
देवा ऊचुः। नमस्ते देवदेवेश भक्तानामभयप्रद। नमस्ते जगदाधार शशिराजितशेखर॥६.१.
The gods said: 'Salutations to you, Lord of gods, giver of fearlessness to devotees; salutations to you, support of the universe, whose crest is adorned by the moon.'
त्वं यज्ञस्त्वं वषट्कारस्त्वमापस्त्वं मही विभो। त्वया सृष्टमिदं सर्वं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्॥६.१.
You are the sacrifice, you are the sacred exclamation, you are the waters, you are the earth, O mighty one; by you this entire threefold world, with all that moves and does not move, has been created.
त्वं पासि च सुरश्रेष्ठ तथा नाशं नयिष्यसि। त्वं विष्णुस्त्वं चतुर्वक्त्रस्त्वं चंद्रस्त्वं दिवाकरः॥६.१.
You protect, O best of gods, and you will also bring about destruction; you are Vishnu, you are the four-faced one, you are the moon, you are the sun.
त्वया विना महादेव न किंचिदिह विद्यते। अपि कृत्वा महत्पापं नरो देव धरातले॥६.१.
Without you, O Mahadeva, nothing exists here; even if a man commits great sin on earth, O god,
तव नामापि संकीर्त्य प्रयाति त्रिदिवालयम्। महादेव महादेव महादेवेति कीर्तनात्॥६.१.
by merely reciting your name, he attains the abode of the gods—by chanting 'Mahadeva, Mahadeva, Mahadeva.'
कोटयो ब्रह्महत्यानामगम्यागमकोटयः। सद्यः प्रलयमायांति महादेवेति कीर्तनात्॥६.१.
Millions of the gravest sins, millions of forbidden acts, are instantly dissolved by the chanting of 'Mahadeva.'
विप्रो यथा मनुष्याणां नदीनां वा महार्णवः। तथा त्वं सर्वदेवानामाधिपत्ये व्यवस्थितः॥६.१.
Just as a Brahmin is foremost among men, or the ocean among rivers, so you are established as the lord over all the gods.
नक्षत्राणां यथा चंद्रः प्रदीप्तानां दिवाकरः। तथा त्वं सर्वदेवानामाधिपत्ये व्यवस्थितः॥६.१.
As the moon among stars, as the sun among shining ones, so you are established as the lord over all the gods.
धातूनां कांचनं यद्वद्गंधर्वाणां च नारदः। तथा त्वं सर्वदेवानामाधिपत्ये व्यवस्थितः॥६.१.
As gold among metals, as Narada among the Gandharvas, so you are established as the lord over all the gods.
ओषधीनां यथा सस्यं नगानां हेमपर्वतः। तथा त्वं सर्वदेवानामाधिपत्ये व्यवस्थितः॥६.१.
As grain among plants, as the golden mountain among mountains, so you are established as the lord over all the gods.
तस्मात्कुरु प्रसादं नः सर्वेषां च नृणां विभो। संधारय पुनर्लिंगं स्वकीयं सुरसत्तम॥६.१.
Therefore, show us your favor, O mighty one, to all of us and to all people; uphold again your own linga, O best of gods.
नोचेज्जगत्त्रयं देव नूनं नाशममुपेष्यति। यद्येतद्भूतले लिङ्गं पतति स्थास्यति प्रभो॥६.१.
Otherwise, O god, the three worlds will surely come to ruin if this linga falls and remains on the earth, O lord.
सूत उवाच। तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा भगवान्बृषभध्वजः। प्रोवाच प्रणतान्सर्वांस्तान्देवान्व्रीडयान्वितः॥६.१.
Suta said: Hearing their words, the blessed one, the bull-bannered god, addressed all those gods who had bowed, filled with modesty.
मया सतीवियोगार्तियुक्तेन सुरसत्तम। लिंगमेतत्परित्यक्तं शापव्याजाद्द्विजन्मनाम्॥६.१.
'Because of my grief at separation from Sati, O best of gods, I abandoned this linga, using the pretext of a curse from the twice-born.'
कोऽलं पातयितुं लिंगं ममैतद्भुवनत्रये। देवो वा ब्राह्मणो वापि वेत्थ यूयमपि स्फुटम्॥६.१.
'Who is able to cast down this linga of mine in the three worlds—whether god or Brahmin? You all know this clearly.'
तस्मान्नैव धरिष्यामि लिंगमेतद्धरातलात्। किमनेन करिष्यामि भार्यया परिवर्जितः॥६.१.
'Therefore, I will not take up this linga from the earth; what use do I have for it, bereft of my wife?'
देवा ऊचुः। तव कांता सती नाम या मृता प्राक्सुरोत्तम। सा जाता मेनकागर्भे गौरी नाम हिमाचलात्॥६.१.
The gods said: Your beloved, named Satī, who died before, O best of gods, has been born from Menakā as Gaurī, from Himāchala.
भविष्यति पुनर्भार्या तवैव त्रिपुरांतक। तस्माल्लिंगं समादाय कुरु क्षेमं दिवौकसाम्॥६.१.
She will again become your wife, O destroyer of Tripura; therefore, take up the liṅga and ensure the welfare of the gods.
देवदेव उवाच। अद्यप्रभृति मे लिंगं यदि देवा द्विजातयः। पूजयंति प्रयत्नेन तर्हीदं धारयाम्यहम्॥६.१.
The god of gods said: From today onward, if the gods and the twice-born worship my liṅga with devotion, then I shall uphold it.
ब्रह्मोवाच। अहं तव स्वयं लिंगं पूजयिष्यामि शंकर। तथान्ये विबुधाः सर्वे किं पुनर्भुवि मानवाः॥६.१.
Brahmā said: I myself will worship your liṅga, O Śaṅkara, and so will all the other gods; what then of men on earth?
ततः प्रविश्य पातालं देवैः सार्धं पितामहः। स्वयमेवाकरोत्पूजां तस्य लिंगस्य भक्तितः॥६.१.
Then the Grandfather, entering the netherworld together with the gods, himself performed worship of that liṅga with devotion.
तस्मादनंतरं विष्णुः श्रद्धापूतेन चेतसा। तथान्ये विबुधाः सर्वे शक्राद्याः श्रद्धयान्विताः॥६.१.
After that, Viṣṇu, with a mind purified by faith, and all the other gods, Indra and the rest, worshipped with devotion in the same way.
ततस्तुष्टो महादेवः पितामहमिदं वचः। प्रोवाच वासुदेवं च विनयावनतं स्थितम्॥६.१.
Then, pleased, Mahādeva spoke these words to the Grandfather and to Vāsudeva, who stood there with humility.
भवद्भ्यां परितुष्टोऽस्मि तस्मान्मत्तः प्रगृह्यताम्। वरमिष्टं महाभागौ यद्यपि स्यात्सुदुर्लभम्॥६.१.
I am pleased with you both; therefore, receive from me a boon of your choosing, O greatly fortunate ones, even if it is very difficult to obtain.