Varaha Purana

रत्नान्यश्वास्तथा गावो दासा दास्यो भवन्ति हि

Jewels, horses, cows, male and female servants indeed become his.

श्रीवराह उषाच रुद्धस्य खलु माहात्म्यं सकलं कीर्तितं मया

Śrī Varāha said: I have now recounted in full the greatness of Rudra.

नवकोट्यस्तु चामुण्डा भभिन्ना व्यवस्थिताः

There are indeed ninety million forms of Cāmuṇḍā established.

अष्टादश तथा कोट्यो वैष्णव्या भेदू उच्यते

And there are said to be one hundred and eighty million forms of Vaiṣṇavī.

या ब्रह्मशाक्तः सत्त्वस्था सा ह्यनन्ता प्रकार्तिता

She who is established in sattva, who is both of Brahman and Śakti, is declared to be infinite.

सर्वस भगवान् रुखः सर्वगश्च पतिर्भवेत्

The Lord is indeed all, Rudra; he is all-pervading and the master of all.

इति श्रीवराहपुराणे त्रिशक्तिमाहात्म्ये त्रिशक्ति रहस्यं नाम षण्णवतितमोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the ninety-sixth chapter, named 'The Secret of the Three Powers,' in the Triśakti Māhātmya of the Śrī Varāha Purāṇa.

वराह उवाच येन ज्ञातेन पापेभ्यो मुच्यते नात्र संशयः

Varāha said: By knowing this, one is freed from sins—of this there is no doubt.

ब्रह्मणा तु यदा सृष्टः पूर्वं रुद्रो वरानने

When Rudra was first created by Brahmā, O beautiful-faced one,

तदा कौतूहलाद्ब्रह्मा स्कन्धे तं जगृहे प्रभुः

Then, out of curiosity, Brahmā, the Lord, took him upon his shoulder.

जन्मतश्च शिरो यद्धि पंचमं तज्जगाद ह

And at birth, the fifth head spoke thus.

कपालिन् रुद्र बभ्रोऽथ भव कैरात सुव्रत

Kapālin, Rudra, Babhru, Bhava, Kairāta, Suvrata—

एवमुक्तस्तदा रुद्रो भविष्यैर्नामभिर्भवः

Thus addressed, Rudra then became known by these future names.

वामाङ्गुष्ठनखेनाद्यं प्राजापत्यं विचक्षणः

With the nail of his left thumb, the wise one struck the prājāpatya head.

तस्मिन्निकृत्ते शिरसि प्राजापत्यं त्रिलोचनः

When that prājāpatya head was severed, the three-eyed one stood there.

रुद्र उवाच नश्यते च कथं पापं ममैतद्वद सुव्रत

Rudra said: How will this sin of mine be destroyed? Tell me, O virtuous one.

ब्रह्मोवाच समयाचारसंयुक्तं कृत्वा स्वेनैव तेजसा ।।97.

Brahmā said: By performing the proper observance, joined with discipline, through your own power.

एवमुक्तस्तदा रुद्रो ब्रह्मणाऽव्यक्तमूर्त्तिना

Thus addressed, Rudra then, by Brahmā of the unmanifest form—

तत्र स्थित्वा महादेवस्तच्छिरो बिभिदे त्रिधा

There, having stood, Mahādeva split that head into three.

यज्ञोपवीतं केशं तु महास्थ्नाक्षमणींस्तथा

He made the sacred thread from hair, and the great bones into rosary beads.

अपरं खण्डशः कृत्वा जटाजूटे न्यवेशयत्

He broke another piece and placed it in his matted locks.

सप्तद्वीपवतीं पुण्यां मज्जंस्तीर्थेषु नित्यशः

He continually bathed in the holy fords of the blessed land with seven continents.

सरस्वतीं ततो गत्वा यमुनासङ्गमं ततः

Then, going to the Sarasvatī, and from there to the confluence with the Yamunā,

वितस्तां चन्द्रभागां च गोमतीं सिन्धुमेव च

He went to the Vitastā, the Candrabhāgā, the Gomatī, and also the Sindhu.

नेपालं च ततो गत्वा ततो रुद्रमहालयम्

Then he went to Nepāla, and from there to the great shrine of Rudra.

महेश्वरं ततो गत्वा गयां पुण्यामथागमत्

Then he went to Maheśvara, and after that he reached the holy Gayā.

एवं वेगेन सकलं ब्रह्माण्डं भूतधारिणि 97.

In this way, O bearer of beings, he swiftly traversed the entire universe.

परिधानं तु कौपीनं नग्नः कापालिकोऽभवत्

His only garment was a loincloth; naked, he became a skull-bearing ascetic.

तस्मिंस्तु पतिते देवि नग्नः कापालिकोऽभवत्

When it fell, O goddess, he became a naked skull-bearing ascetic.