त्रिपुरघ्नं महाकालमन्धकादिनिषूदनम्
To the destroyer of the three cities, the great Time, the slayer of Andhaka and others,
नागभोगोपवीतं च रुद्रमालधरं प्रभुम्
To the Lord adorned with a serpent as sacred thread and a garland of Rudras,
वह्निसोमार्क नयनं मनोवाचामगोचरम्
Whose eyes are fire, moon, and sun, beyond the reach of mind and speech,
कैलासनिलयं शम्भुं हिमाचलकृताश्रमम्
To Śambhu, dwelling on Kailāsa, who made the Himālayan peaks his hermitage,
वरं वरय भद्रं ते यत्ते मनसि वर्त्तते
Choose a boon, auspicious one, whatever abides in your mind.
सोम उवाच एतल्लिंगस्य भक्तानां पूरयस्व मनोरथम्
Soma said: Grant the cherished wish of the devotees of this liṅga.
देवदेव उवाच विशेषतस्त्वदीयेऽस्मिन्नद्यप्रभृतिगोपते
The Lord of gods said: Especially in this place of yours, from today onward, O protector of cows,
ममैवान्या परा मूर्त्तिस्तं शशाङ्क न संशयः १४४.
Another supreme form of mine, O Moon, will certainly reside there—of this there is no doubt.
वरान्दास्यामि भद्रं ते देवानामपि दुर्लभान्
I shall grant you boons, auspicious one, that are difficult even for the gods to obtain.
विष्णुना सह संमन्त्र्य स्थितावावां कलानिधे
Together with Viṣṇu, I have deliberated, O treasure of arts, and we have resolved.
तयोः पर्वतयोर्या वै शिला विष्णुशिवाभिधा
Of those two mountains, the stone known as Viṣṇu-śilā and Śiva-śilā—
मम त्वत्सदृशः पुत्रो भूयादिति मनीषया
With the wish, 'May I have a son like you,'
रेवायास्तु वरो देयस्त्ववश्यं मृगलाञ्छन
A boon must be granted to Revā, O moon-marked one.
लिंगरूपेण ते देवि गजाननपुरस्कृतः
In the form of a liṅga, O goddess, with Gaṇeśa at the forefront,
मम त्वमपरा मूर्त्तिः ख्याता जलमयी शिवा
You are known as my other form, O auspicious one, as the water-formed (jalamayī) manifestation.
एवं दत्तवरा रेवा मत्सान्निध्यमिहागता
Thus, having received the boon, Revā came here into my presence.
गण्डक्यापि पुरा तप्तं वर्षाणामयुतं विधो
Long ago, Gaṇḍakī too performed austerities for ten thousand years, O wise one.
दिव्यवर्षशतं तेपे विष्णुं चिन्तयती तदा १४४.
For a hundred divine years she practiced austerity, meditating on Viṣṇu at that time.
उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं प्रीतः प्रणतवत्सलः
Pleased, the compassionate one who loves the devoted, spoke sweet words.
अनविच्छिन्नया भक्त्या वरं वरय सुव्रते
With unwavering devotion, choose a boon, O virtuous one.
गण्डक्यपि पुरा दृष्ट्वा शंखचक्रगदाधरम्
Long ago, Gaṇḍakī, seeing the bearer of conch, discus, and mace—
अहो देव मया दृष्टो दुर्दर्शो योगिनामपि
Ah, O Lord, I have seen you, who are difficult even for yogis to behold.
तदनु त्वं प्रविष्टोऽसि पुरुषस्तेन चोच्यते
Then you entered (me), and thus you are called Puruṣa.
अनाद्यन्तमपर्यंतं यद्ब्रह्म श्रुतिबोघितम्
That Brahman, without beginning or end, infinite, as proclaimed in the Vedas—
तवैवाद्या जगन्माता या शक्तिः परमा स्मृता
That supreme power, remembered as the primal mother of the world, is truly yours.
निर्गुणः पुरुषोऽव्यक्तश्चित्स्वरूपो निरञ्जनः
The Puruṣa is without qualities, unmanifest, whose nature is consciousness, and is stainless.
स्वां योगमायामाविश्य कर्तृत्वं प्राप्तवानसि
Having entered your own yogic power, you have attained the state of being the agent.
प्रकृतैस्त्रिगुणैरस्मिन्सृज्यमानेऽपि नान्यथा १४४.
Even as this world is being created by the natural three qualities, it is not otherwise.
स्फटिके हि यथा स्वच्छे जपा कुसुमरागतः
Just as a red hibiscus flower appears in a clear crystal,
ब्रह्मादयोऽपि कवयो न विदन्ति यथार्थतः
Even Brahma and other wise ones do not truly know you as you are.