तव भक्ताः समायाता जटामण्डलिनोद्भुताः
Your devotees have arrived, born from the tangled locks.
इमे प्राप्ता गणा योद्धुं महाव्रतिन उत्तमाः
These excellent, great-vowed gaṇas have come to fight.
निराश्रया नाम गणाः समायाता जगद्गुरो
The gaṇas called Nirāśrayā have assembled, O Teacher of the world.
समायाताः खगारूढा वृषभध्वजिनो ऽव्ययाः
The imperishable followers of the Bull-bannered One have arrived, mounted on birds.
भैरवो विष्णुना सार्द्धमभेदेनार्चितो हि यै
Bhairava, together with Viṣṇu, was worshipped as non-different by those devotees.
गणास्त्वद्रोमसंभूता वीरभद्रपुरोगमाः
The Gaṇas, led by Vīrabhadra, arose from your very hair.
सहायार्थं तवायाता यथाप्रीत्यादिशस्व तान्
They have come to assist you; instruct them as you desire, according to your pleasure.
तान् करेणैव भगवान् समाश्वास्योपवेशयत्
The Blessed Lord comforted them with his hand and seated them.
संपरिष्वजताध्यक्षांस्ते प्रणेमुर्महेश्वरम्
Those chiefs, having embraced, bowed to the great Lord Maheśvara.
ततस्तदद्भुततमं दृष्ट्वा सर्वे गणेश्वराः सुचिरं विस्मिताक्षाश्च वैलक्ष्यमगमत् परम्
Then, seeing that most wondrous event, all the lords of the Gaṇas gazed long in amazement and became greatly bewildered.
प्राह प्रहस्य देवेशं शूलपाणिं गणाधिपम्
He, the lord of the gods, the wielder of the trident, the leader of the Gaṇas, spoke with a smile.
महापाशुपतानां हि यत् त्वयालिङ्गनं कृतम्
That embrace you gave to the great Pāśupatas—
रूपं ज्ञानं विवेकं च वदस्व स्वेच्छया विभो
Tell us, O mighty one, freely, about their form, knowledge, and discernment.
बभाषे तान् गणान् सर्वान् भावाभावविचारिणः
He addressed all those Gaṇas, who pondered both being and non-being.
अहङ्कारविमूढैश्च निन्दद्भिर्वैष्णवं पदम्
And by those deluded by ego, who revile the station of Viṣṇu—
यो ऽहं स भगवान् विष्णुर्विष्णुर्यः सो ऽहमव्ययः
I am that Lord Viṣṇu; Viṣṇu is myself, the imperishable one.
तदमीभिर्नरव्याघ्रैर्भक्तिभावयुतैर्गणैः
Therefore, by these tiger-like men, these Gaṇas endowed with devotion—
येनाहं निन्दितो नित्यं भवद्भिर्मूढबुद्धिभिः
By you, whose minds are deluded, I am constantly reviled.
इत्येवमुक्ते वचने गणाः प्रोचुर्महेश्वरम्
When these words were spoken, the Gaṇas addressed Maheśvara.
भवान् हि निर्मलः सुद्धः शान्तः सुक्लो निरञ्जनः
You are indeed pure, spotless, peaceful, white, and stainless.
तेषां वचनमर्थाढ्यं श्रुत्वा जीमूतवाहनः
Hearing their meaningful words, the cloud-borne one—
श्रूयतां सर्वमाख्यास्ये स्वयशोवर्द्धनं वचः
Hear now; I shall tell everything, words that increase my own glory.
अपवादभयाद् गुह्यं भवतां हि प्रकाशये
Out of fear of reproach, I reveal this secret to you.
एकरूपात्मकं देहं कुरुध्यं यत्नमास्थिताः
With steadfast effort, you must assume a single-formed body.
चन्दनादिभिरेकाग्रैर्न मे प्रीतिः प्रजायते
My pleasure does not arise from sandalwood and other offerings, even when offered with focused mind.
नरकार्हा भवद्भक्ता रक्षामि स्वयशोर्ऽथतः
I protect even those devoted to you who are worthy of hell, for the sake of my own fame.
यथा पतन्ति नरके हरभक्तास्तपस्विनः
Just as the devotees of Hara, though ascetics, fall into hell,
अतोर्ऽथं न क्षिपाम्यद्य भवतो नरके ऽद्भुते
Therefore, today I do not cast you into the wondrous hell.
श्वेतमूर्तिः स गवान् पीतो रक्तो ऽञ्जनप्रभः
He whose form is white, yellow, red, and dark as collyrium—
श्वेतमूर्तिः स भगवान् पीतो रक्तो ऽञ्जनप्रभः
That Blessed Lord whose form is white, yellow, red, and dark as collyrium—