Varaha Purana

तेषां पराजयं दृष्ट्वा देवानां तु बृहस्पतिः । उवाच हीनं वः सैन्यं नायकेन विना सुराः ।। २५.

Seeing their defeat, Bṛhaspati spoke to the gods: 'Your army is weak, O gods, for lack of a leader.'

एकेनेन्द्रेण दिव्यं तु सैन्यं पातुं न शक्यते । अतः सेनापतिं किञ्चिदन्वेषयत माचिरम् ।। २५.

'The divine army cannot be protected by Indra alone; therefore, quickly seek out a commander.'

एवमुक्तास्ततो देवा जग्मुर्लोकपितामहम् । सेनापतिं च नो देहि वाक्यमूचुः ससंभ्रमम् ।। २५.

Thus addressed, the gods went to the Grandfather of the worlds and, with agitation, said, 'Give us a commander.'

ततो दध्यौ चतुर्वक्त्रः किमेषां क्रियते मया । ब्रह्माऽथ चिन्तयामास रुद्रं प्रति मनोगतम् ।। २५.

Then the four-faced one pondered, 'What should I do for them?' Brahmā then reflected in his mind upon Rudra.

ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वा ऋषयः सिद्धचारणाः । ब्रह्माणं पुरतः कृत्वा जग्मुः कैलासपर्वतम् ।। २५.

Then the gods, with the gandharvas, sages, siddhas, and cāraṇas, placing Brahmā at their head, went to Mount Kailāsa.

तत्र दृष्ट्वा महादेवं शिवं पशुपतिं विभुम् । तुष्टवुर्विविधैस्तोत्रैः शक्राद्यास्त्रिदिवौकसः ।। २५.

There, seeing the great god Śiva, Lord of beings, the mighty one, Indra and the other gods of heaven praised him with various hymns.

देवा ऊचुः । नमाम सर्वे शरणार्थिनो वयं महेश्वरं त्र्यम्बकभूतभावनम् । उमापते विश्वपते मरुत्पते जगत्पते शंकर पाहि नः स्वयम् ।। २५.

The gods said: 'We all bow down, seeking refuge, to the great Lord, the three-eyed, the creator of beings; O husband of Umā, Lord of the universe, Lord of the winds, Lord of the world, Śaṅkara, protect us yourself.'

जटाकलापाग्रशशाङ्कदीधिति- प्रकाशिताशेषजगत्त्रयामल । त्रिशूलपाणे पुरुषोत्तमाच्युत प्रपाहि दैत्याच्च जगत्त्रयोदरे ।। २५.

'O bearer of the trident, supreme person, unfailing one, whose matted locks are adorned by the crescent moon, whose radiance illumines all three worlds—protect the three worlds within the belly from the demons.'

त्वमादिदेवः पुरुषोत्तमो हरि- र्भवो महेशस्त्रिपुरान्तको विभुः । भगाक्षिहा दैत्यरिपुः पुरातनो वृषध्वजः पाहि सुरोत्तमोत्तम ।। २५.

'You are the primordial god, the supreme person, Hari, Bhava, the great Lord, destroyer of the triple city, the mighty one, destroyer of Bhaga’s eye, ancient foe of the demons, bull-bannered one—protect, O best of the gods.'

गिरीशजानाथ गिरिप्रियाप्रिय प्रभो समस्तामरलोकपूजित । गणेश भूतेश शिवाक्षयाव्यय प्रपाहि नो दैत्यवरान्तकाच्युत ।। २५.

'O Lord born of the mountain, beloved of the mountain’s daughter, master, worshipped by all the immortal realms, Lord of the Gaṇas, Lord of beings, eternal, imperishable Śiva—protect us, destroyer of the foremost demons, unfailing one.'

पृथ्व्यादितत्त्वेषु भवान् प्रतिष्ठितो ध्वनिस्वरूपो गगने विशेषतः । वायौ द्विधा तेजसि च त्रिधा जले चतुः क्षितौ पञ्चगुणः प्रपाहि नः ।। २५.

'You are established in the elements beginning with earth; you are the essence of sound, especially in the sky; in air you are twofold, in fire threefold, in water fourfold, in earth fivefold—protect us.'

अग्निस्वरूपोऽसि तरौ तथोपले सत्त्वस्वरूपोऽसि तथा जलेष्वपि । तेजःस्वरूपो भगवान् महेश्वरः प्रपाहि नो दैत्यगणार्दितान् हर ।। २५.

You are of the nature of fire, present in trees and stones; you are of the nature of existence, likewise in waters. The glorious great Lord is of the nature of radiance. O Hara, protect us who are afflicted by hosts of demons.

नासीद्यदाऽकाण्डमिदं त्रिलोचन प्रभाकरेन्द्रद्रविणाधिपाः कुतः । तदा भवानेव विरुद्धलोचन प्रमाणबाधादिविवर्जितः स्थितः ।। २५.

When this universe did not exist, O Three-eyed One, how could there be the sun, the moon, or the lord of wealth? At that time, you alone, O One with opposing eyes, existed, free from all limitations and measures.

कपालमालिन् शशिखण्डशेखर श्मशानवासिन् सितभस्मगुण्ठित । फणीन्द्रसंवीततनोऽन्तकापह प्रपाहि नो दक्षधिया सुरेश्वर ।। २५.

O Lord adorned with a garland of skulls, crowned with the crescent moon, dwelling in cremation grounds, covered in white ash, whose body is wrapped by the king of serpents, remover of death, O Lord of the gods, protect us with your wise power.

भवान् पुमान् शक्तिरियं गिरेः सुता सर्वाङ्गरूपा भगवंस्तथा त्वयि । त्रिशूलरूपेण जगत्त्रयं करे स्थितं त्रिनेत्रेषु मखाग्नयस्त्रयः ।। २५.

You are the Supreme Person, and this power is the daughter of the mountain; O Lord, she is present in all your limbs. In the form of the trident, the three worlds are held in your hand, and in your three eyes dwell the three sacrificial fires.

जटास्वरूपेण समस्तसागराः कुलाचलाः सिन्धुवहाश्च सर्वशः । शशी परं ज्ञानमिदं तव स्थितं न देव पश्यन्ति कुदृष्टयो जनाः ।। २५.

In the form of your matted hair are all the oceans, the great mountains, and all the rivers. The moon, supreme knowledge, abides in you. O God, those with faulty vision do not perceive this.

नारायणस्त्वं जगतां समुद्भव- स्तथा भवः सैव चतुर्मुखो भवान् । सत्त्वादिभेदेन तथाग्निभेदतो युगादिभेदेन च संस्थितस्त्रिधा ।। २५.

You are Nārāyaṇa, the origin of the worlds; likewise, you are Bhava and the Four-faced One. According to the distinctions of existence and fire, and according to the divisions of the ages, you are established in threefold ways.

भवन्तमेते सुरनायकाः प्रभो भवार्थिनोऽन्यस्य वदन्ति तोषयन् । यतस्ततो नो भव भूतिभूषण प्रपाहि विश्वेश्वर रुद्र ते नमः ।। २५.

These leaders of the gods, O Lord, desiring their own welfare, praise you and not another. Therefore, O Ornamented with Ashes, be gracious to us. O Lord of the universe, Rudra, we bow to you; protect us.

महातपा उवाच । एवं स्तुतस्तदा देवो रुद्रः पशुपतिः सुरैः । उवाच देवानव्यग्रः किं कार्यं ब्रूत मा चिरम् ।। २५.

The great ascetic said: Thus praised at that time by the gods, the god Rudra, Lord of creatures, spoke to the gods without agitation: 'Tell me quickly, what is to be done?'

देवा ऊचुः । सेनापतिं नो देवेश देहि दैत्यवधाय वै । देवानां ब्रह्ममुख्यानामेतदेव हितं भवेत् ।। २५.

The gods said: O Lord of the gods, grant us a commander for the destruction of the demons. This alone would be beneficial for the gods, with Brahmā at their head.

रुद्र उवाच । ददामि सेनानाथं वो देवा भवत विज्वराः । भविष्यमस्ति पौराणं योगादीनामचिन्तयन् ।। २५.

Rudra said: I grant you a commander of the army, O gods; be free from distress. There will be a future, ancient one, who will be the leader of yogis, beyond thought.

एवमुक्त्वा हरो देवान् विसृज्य स्वाङ्गसंस्थिताम् । शक्तिं संक्षोभयामास पुत्रहेतोः परंतप ।। २५.

Having thus spoken, Hara dismissed the gods and stirred the power residing in his own body, for the sake of a son, O subduer of enemies.

तस्य क्षोभयतः शक्तिं ज्वलनार्कसमप्रभः । कुमारः सहजां शक्तिं बिभ्रज्ज्ञानैकशालिनीम् ।। २५.

As he agitated his power, a son arose, shining like fire and the sun, bearing his innate power, endowed with singular knowledge.

उत्पत्तिस्तस्य राजेन्द्र बहुरूपा व्यवस्थिता । मन्वन्तरेष्वनेकेषु देवसेनापतिः किल ।। २५.

His origin, O king, is manifold and established in various forms; in many different ages, he is indeed the commander of the gods' army.

योऽसौ शरीरगो देवः अहंकारेति कीर्त्तितः । प्रयोजनवशाद् देवः सैव सेनापतिर्विभो ।। २५.

That deity who abides in the body is called 'Ego.' According to necessity, that very god becomes the commander of the army, O Lord.

तस्मिन् जाते स्वयं ब्रह्मा सर्वदैवैः समन्वितः । पूजयामास देवेशं शिवं पशुपतिं तदा ।। २५.

When he was born, Brahmā himself, accompanied by all the gods, worshipped the Lord of gods, Śiva, the Lord of creatures, at that time.

सर्वैश्च देवै ऋषिभिश्च सिद्धैः सेनापतिर्वरदानेन तेन । आप्यायितः सोऽपि सुरानुवाच सखायार्थं क्रडने कार्यमेव ।। २५.

By all the gods, sages, and perfected beings, the commander of the army was honored with a boon. He, being satisfied, spoke to the gods about the matter of a companion for play.

श्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य् महानुभावो महादेवो वाक्यमिदं जगाद । ददामि ते क्रीडनकं तु कुक्कुटं तथानुगौ शाखविशाखसंज्ञौ । कुमार भूतग्रहनायको भवान् भवस्व देवेश्वर सेनयापतिः ।। २५.

Hearing his words, the great Lord spoke: 'I give you a rooster as a plaything, and also two attendants named Śākha and Viśākha. O Kumāra, you shall be the leader of spirits and the commander of the gods' army, O Lord of the gods.'

एवमुक्त्वा ततो देवः सर्वे देवाश्च पार्थिव । तुष्टुवुर्वाग्भिरिष्टाभिः स्कन्दं सेनापतिं तदा ।। २५.

Having thus spoken, the god and all the gods, O king, praised Skanda, the commander of the army, with desired words.