तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा हासोऽतीव मया कृतः
Hearing those words, I laughed greatly.
ततो विनिर्गतं भस्म तत्क्षणाद्धिमपांडुरम्
Then, in that very moment, ash emerged, white as snow.
पश्य मेंऽगुष्ठतो ब्रह्मन्भूरि भस्म विनिर्गतम्
See, O Brahmin, abundant ash has come forth from my thumb.
तद्दृष्ट्वा महदाश्चर्यं लज्जितो द्विजसत्तमः
Seeing that great wonder, the best of the twice-born was ashamed.
अब्रवीत्प्रांजलिर्भूत्वा विस्मितेनांतरात्मना
With joined palms and inner astonishment, he spoke.
नान्यस्य विद्यते शक्ति रीदृशी भुवनत्रये
Such power does not exist for anyone else in the three worlds.
तपःक्षयकरं कर्म विरुद्धं नर्त्तनं सताम् तद्गतं सहसा देव मदीयं नर्त्तनेन सु
For the virtuous, dancing that opposes austerity and brings its decline is a forbidden act; yet, O god, through my dance, that has suddenly come upon me.
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा मयोक्तो द्विजसत्तमः
Hearing those words, I addressed that best of Brahmins.
ज्ञानेनानेन विप्रेंद्र कं ते कामं करोम्यहम्
With this knowledge, O foremost of Brahmins, what desire of yours shall I fulfill?
ऋषिरुवाच यदि देव प्रसन्नस्त्वं शरणागतवत्सल 5.2.2.
The sage said: If, O god, you are pleased—compassionate to those who seek refuge—
मया प्रोक्तं प्रसन्नेन तस्य विप्रस्य पार्वति
O Pārvatī, with a gracious mind I spoke to that Brahmin as follows.
तत्रास्ते सर्वदा पुण्या सप्तकल्पोद्भवा गुहा
There, in the cave, always abides the meritorious liṅga, arisen in the seven aeons.
तत्र द्रक्ष्यसि यल्लिंगं सप्तकल्पोद्भवं शुभम्
There you will see the auspicious liṅga, arisen in the seven aeons.
काम क्रोधोद्भवं पापं लोभमोहसमन्वितम्
Sin born of desire and anger, accompanied by greed and delusion—
मदीयं वचनं श्रुत्वा स विप्रो वेदपारगः
Hearing my words, that Brahmin, accomplished in the Vedas,
निःसृतो नियतो भूत्वा नमस्कृत्य पुनःपुनः
Departed with discipline, bowing again and again.
ददर्श तत्र तल्लिंगं तपसो वर्द्धनं परम्
There he saw that liṅga, supreme in increasing austerity.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे देवि देवैरुक्तं नभस्तले
Meanwhile, O goddess, the gods spoke in the sky:
सिद्धिः प्राप्ता द्विजेनैव दर्शनेन सुदुर्लभा
By the very sight, the Brahmin attained success, which is exceedingly difficult to obtain.
भक्त्या परमयोपेता ये द्रक्ष्यंति गुहेश्वरम् 5.2.2.
Those who, endowed with supreme devotion, behold the Lord of the Cave—
अष्टम्यां वा चतुर्दश्यां दर्शनं यः करिष्यति
Whoever beholds him on the eighth or the fourteenth day—
अत्रागत्य प्रयत्नेन दर्शनं यः करिष्यति
Whoever comes here with effort and beholds him—
कृत्वा पापसहस्राणि दर्शनं यः करिष्यति
Whoever, having committed thousands of sins, beholds it—
ब्रह्महत्या सुरापानं स्तेयं गुर्वंगनागमः
Killing a Brahmin, drinking liquor, theft, or approaching the wife of one's teacher—
यत्किंचिदशुभं कर्म जन्मकोटिशतार्जितम्
Whatever inauspicious deed has been accumulated over hundreds of millions of births—
महापातकयुक्ता हि देहिनो ये महीतले
Those embodied beings on earth who are afflicted by great sins—
इत्युक्त्वा स द्विजो देवि दिव्यो मंकणको मुनिः
Having spoken thus, O Goddess, that divine sage Maṅkaṇaka, the twice-born, said—
एष वै कथितो देवि प्रभावः पापनाशनः
This, O Goddess, is the power that destroys sin, as has been described.
सर्वपापहरं लिगं नृणां दुष्कृतनाशनम्
The liṅga removes all sins and destroys the misdeeds of men.
ढुंढश्चासीत्पुरा देवि कैलासे गणनायकः
There was once, O Goddess, a leader of Gaṇas named Ḍhuṇḍha on Mount Kailāsa.