देवदानवगंधर्वमुनिचारणभोगिनाम्
Of the gods, demons, Gandharvas, sages, celestial beings, and serpents,
जगच्चराचरं देव कुत्र स्थित्वासृजस्य लम्
O god, where were you situated when you created the world of moving and unmoving beings?
कोऽसौ महालयो रौद्रग्रहरूपी व्यवस्थितः
Who is that great abode, established in the form of the fierce planets?
इति पृष्टस्त्वया देवि मया ते कथितं पुरा
Thus questioned by you, O goddess, I have told you this as it was formerly.
पृथिव्यादीनि भूतानि महाकालवने प्रिये
The elements beginning with earth, O beloved, are in the great forest of Time.
ब्रह्मलोकादिभिर्लोकैरनौपम्यगुणं शुभम् 5.2.24.
With worlds from Brahmaloka and others, possessing incomparable and auspicious qualities,
परं ब्रह्ममयं लिंगं तत्र तिष्ठति सर्वदा
There always abides the supreme linga, composed of the highest Brahman.
तत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवा विष्णुस्तत्रैव संस्थितः तस्माल्लिंगात्समुत्पन्नो महानात्मा महामतिः
There, Brahma and the other gods, and Vishnu himself, are established; from that linga arose the great soul, the great intellect.
भूतादिश्चाप्यहंकारो विष्णुः शंभुश्च पार्वति
The principle of elements, ego, Viṣṇu, Śaṃbhu, and Pārvatī—
सर्वतः पाणिपादं तत्सर्वतोऽक्षिशिरोमुखम्
That which has hands and feet everywhere, faces, heads, and mouths in all directions—
अस्माद्भूतानि लिंगानि महाभूतानि पञ्च वै
From this arise the marks of beings, indeed the five great elements—
स्थलमापस्तथाकाशं जन्म चापि चतुर्विधम्
Earth, water, likewise space, and the fourfold kinds of birth—
चतुर्द्धा जन्मचिह्नं यल्लिंगेस्मिन्नेव लक्ष्यते
The fourfold sign of birth that is observed in this very liṅga—
रजःसत्त्वं तमोभावस्तस्माल्लिंगाच्च जायते
Passion, goodness, and darkness, and their manifestations, arise from that liṅga—
अव्यक्तकारणं सूक्ष्मं यत्तत्सदसदात्मकम्
That which is unmanifest, the subtle cause, which is of the nature of both being and non-being—
विश्वेदेवास्तथादित्या वसवोऽथाश्विनावपि 5.2.24.
The Viśvedevas, the Ādityas, the Vasus, and the Aśvins as well—
आपो द्यौः पृथिवी वायुरंतरिक्षं दिशस्तथा
Waters, sky, earth, wind, the intermediate space, and also the directions—
यच्चान्यदपि तत्सर्वं संभूतं लोक साक्षिकम्
And whatever else exists, all that has arisen as witnessed by the world—
अतो महालयोनाम विख्यातो भुवनत्रये
Therefore, it is renowned as the Great Source in the three worlds—
यः पूजयति तल्लिंगं रुद्रमूर्त्या महालयम्
Whoever worships that liṅga as the Great Source in the form of Rudra—
महालयेश्वरे पुण्ये पूजिते परमेश्वरे भवंतीह महाभागे यतस्तैरपि पूज्यते
When the Lord of the Great Source, the Supreme Lord, is worshipped in that holy place, O highly fortunate one, then even those are worshipped by them—
यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण मुक्तिर्भवति पार्वति
By whose mere sight, liberation is attained, O Pārvatī—
पुरा राथंतरे कल्पे बभूव द्विजसत्तमः
In former times, in the Rāthaṃtara epoch, there was an excellent twice-born—
महाकालसमीपे तु मुक्तिलिंगमनुत्तमम्
Near Mahākāla, indeed, was the supreme liṅga of liberation—
ततस्तेपे जिताहारो वत्सराणि त्रयोदश
He performed austerity, having conquered his appetite, for thirteen years—
शिप्रां विप्रप्रियां पुण्यां महापातकना शिनीम्
The sacred river Śiprā, dear to the Brāhmaṇas, which removes great sins—
व्याधं महाधनुष्पाणिं रक्तनेत्रं सुभीषणम्
He saw a hunter, bearing a great bow, with blood-red eyes, most terrifying.
तं दृष्ट्वा क्षुभितो विप्रो ब्रह्मघ्नस्य भयादिति
Seeing him, the brahmin was agitated, fearing the slayer of a brahmin.
तं दृष्ट्वांतर्गतहरिर्व्याधो भीत इवाग्रतः
Seeing him, Hari concealed within, the hunter stood before him as if afraid.
इदानीं स्वगता बुद्धिस्त्वां दृष्ट्वैव महाप्रभम्
Now, my mind has turned inward, seeing you, so radiant.