पुरा हिमवतः पृष्ठे दक्षो वै यज्ञमारभत्। गङ्गाद्वारे शुभे देशे ऋषिसिद्धनिषेविते ।। ३०.
Long ago, on the slopes of the Himalaya, Dakṣa began a sacrifice at Gaṅgādvāra, a sacred place frequented by sages and perfected beings.
ततस्तस्य मखे देवाः शतक्रतुपुरोगमाः। गमनाय समागम्य बुद्धिमापेदिरे तदा ।। ३०.
Then, at that sacrifice, the gods, led by Indra, assembled together and deliberated about going there.
स्वैर्विमानैर्महात्मानो ज्वलद्भिर्ज्वलनप्रभाः। देवस्यानुमनेऽगच्छन् गङ्गाद्वार इति श्रुतिः ।। ३०.
With their own radiant flying vehicles, shining with fiery brilliance, the great-souled gods went, with the god’s permission, to Gaṅgādvāra, as is heard in tradition.
गन्धर्वाप्सरसाकीर्णं नानाद्रुमलतावृतम्। ऋषिसङ्घैः परिवृतं दक्षं धर्मभृतां वरम् ।। ३०.
Dakṣa, best among upholders of dharma, was surrounded by hosts of sages, and the place was filled with Gandharvas, Apsarases, and covered with various trees and vines.
पृथिव्यामन्तरिक्षे वा ये च स्वर्लोकवासिनः। सर्वे प्राञ्जलयो भूत्वा उपतस्थुः प्रजापतिम् ।। ३०.
All those who dwell on earth, in the sky, or in the heavenly worlds, approached Prajāpati with joined palms, offering their respects.
आदित्या वसवो रुद्राः साध्याः सह मरुद्गणैः। जिष्णुना सहिताः सर्वे आगता यज्ञभागिनः ।। ३०.
The Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras, Sādhyas, along with the hosts of Maruts, all arrived together with Jishnu, as participants in the sacrifice.
ऊष्मपाः सोमपाश्चैव आज्यपा धूमपास्तथा। अश्विनौ पितरश्चैव आगता ब्रह्मणा सह ।। ३०.
The Ūṣmapās, Somapās, Ājyapās, Dhūmapās, the Aśvins, and the Pitṛs also came, together with Brahmā.
एते चान्ये च बहवो भूतग्रामास्तथैव च। जरायुजाण्डजाश्चैव स्वेदजोद्भिज्जकास्तथा ।। ३०.
These and many other hosts of beings, those born from womb, egg, sweat, or sprouting, likewise assembled there.
आहूता मन्त्रतः सर्वे देवाश्च सह पत्निभिः। विराजन्ते विमानस्था दीप्यमाना इवाग्नयः ।। ३०.
All the gods, summoned by mantras, together with their wives, shone forth, standing in their flying vehicles, blazing like fires.
तान् दष्ट्वा मन्युमाविष्टो दधीचो वाक्यमब्रवीत्। अपूज्यपूजने चैव पूज्यानां चाप्यपूजने। नरः पापमवाप्नोति महद्वै नात्र संशयः ।। ३०.
Seeing them, Dadhīci, seized by anger, spoke these words: 'One who honors the unworthy or fails to honor the worthy incurs great sin—of this there is no doubt.'
एवमुक्त्वा तु विप्रर्षिः पुनर्दक्षमभाषत। पूज्यन्तु पशुभर्त्तारं कस्मान्नाह्वयसे प्रभुम् ।। ३०.
Having spoken thus, the sage addressed Dakṣa again: 'Why do you not invite the Lord, the herdsman of beings, to be honored?'
सन्ति मे बहवो रुद्राः शूलहस्ताः कपर्द्दिनः। एकादशावस्थगता नान्यं वेझि महेश्वरम् ।। ३०.
I have many Rudras, bearers of tridents, with matted locks, existing in eleven forms; know no other as the great Lord.
सर्वे निमन्त्रिता देवा येन ईशो निमन्त्रितः। यथाहं शङ्करादूर्द्ध्वं नान्यं पश्यामि दैवतम्। तथा दक्षस्य विपुलो यज्ञोऽयं न भविष्यति ।। ३०.
All the gods have been invited, including the Lord himself; but just as I see no deity above Śaṅkara, so too, this grand sacrifice of Dakṣa will not succeed.
एतन्मखे शूर सुवर्णपात्रे हविः समस्तं विधिमन्त्रपूतम्। विष्णोर्नयाम्यप्रतिमस्य सर्वं प्रभोर्विभो ह्याहवनीयनित्यम् ।। ३०.
In this sacrifice, O hero, I will take all the offerings, purified by proper mantras, in a golden vessel, and present them to Viṣṇu, the incomparable Lord, who is always worthy of the āhavanīya fire.
गतास्तु देवता ज्ञात्वा शैलराजसुता तदा। उवाच वचनं साध्वी देवं पशुपतिं तदा ।। ३०.
When the goddesses had departed, the daughter of the mountain king, knowing this, spoke these words to the Lord Paśupati.
भगवन् व्क गता ह्येते देवा- शक्रपुरोगमाः । बूहि तत्त्वेन तत्त्वज्ञ संशयो मे महानयम् ।। ३०.
O Lord, all these gods, led by Indra, have gone; tell me truly, O knower of truth, for I have a great doubt about this.
दक्षो नाम महाभागो प्रजानां पतिरूत्तमः। हयमेधेन यजते तत्र यान्ति दिवौकसः ।। ३०.
Dakṣa, the highly fortunate and supreme lord of creatures, is performing a horse sacrifice, and the gods are going there.
यज्ञमेतं महाभाग किमर्थं न गतोऽसि वै। केन वा प्रतिषेधेन गमनं प्रतिषिध्यते ।। ३०.
O greatly fortunate one, for what reason have you not gone to this sacrifice? By what prohibition is your going prevented?
सुरैरेव महाभागे सर्वमेतदनुष्ठितम्। यज्ञेषु मम सर्वेषु न भाग उपकल्पितः ।। ३०.
O greatly fortunate one, all this has been performed by the gods; in all my sacrifices, no share has been allotted to me.
पूर्वोपायोपपन्नेन मार्गेण वरवर्णिनि। न मे सुराः प्रयच्छन्ति भागं यज्ञस्य धीमतः ।। ३०.
O beautiful one, by the previous established custom, the gods do not grant me a share of the sacrifice, though I am wise.
भगवन् सर्वदेवेषु प्रभावानधिको गुणैः । अजेयश्चाप्यधृष्यश्च तेजसा यशसा श्रिया ।। ३०.
O Lord, among all the gods, you surpass them in power and virtues; you are unconquerable, unassailable, by your energy, fame, and splendor.
अनेन तु महाभाग प्रतिषेधेन नामतः । अतीव दुःखमापन्ना वेपथुश्च ममानघ ।। ३०.
But, O greatly fortunate one, because of this prohibition by name, I am extremely distressed and trembling, O sinless one.
किं नाम दानं नियमन्तपो वा कुर्य्यामहं येन पतिर्ममाद्य। लभेत भागं भगवानचिन्त्यो यज्ञस्य चार्द्धं त्वथ वा तृतीयम् ।। ३०.
What gift, observance, or austerity should I perform today, so that my Lord, the inconceivable one, may obtain a share of the sacrifice—half, or at least a third?
एवं ब्रुवाणां भगवानचिन्त्यः पत्नीं प्रहृष्टः क्षुभितामुवाच। न वेत्सि देवेशि कृशोदराङ्गि किं नाम युक्तं वचनन्तवेदम् ।। ३०.
As she spoke thus, the inconceivable Lord, delighted, addressed his agitated wife: 'O queen of the gods, slender-waisted one, do you not know what is proper to say in this matter?'
अहं हि जानामि विशालनेत्रे ध्यानेन सर्वं हि वदन्ति सन्तः। न वाद्य मोहेन महेन्द्रदेवो लोकत्रयं सर्वथा संप्रमूढम् ।। ३०.
O wide-eyed one, I know everything through meditation, as the wise say; today, through delusion, even Mahendra has thoroughly confused the three worlds.
मामध्वरे शंसितारः स्तुवन्ति रथन्तरे साम गायन्ति गेयम्। मां ब्राह्मणा ब्रह्मसत्रे यजन्ते माध्वर्य्यवः कल्पयन्ते च भागम् ।। ३०.
In the sacrifice, the chanters praise me, singing the Sāma hymns in the Rathantara; the Brāhmaṇas worship me in the Brahmasatra, and the officiating priests assign me a share.
अप्राकृतोऽपि भगवान् सर्वस्त्रीजनसंसदि। स्तौति गोपा यते वापि स्वमात्मानं न संशयः ।। ३०.
Even though the Lord is beyond nature, in the assembly of all women, cowherds or ascetics, he certainly praises his own self—there is no doubt.
नात्मानं स्तौमि देवेशि पश्य त्वमुपगच्छ च। यं स्रक्ष्यामि वरारोहे भागार्थं वरवर्णिनि ।। ३०.
O queen of the gods, I do not praise myself; see for yourself and approach. I shall create one, O beautiful one, for the sake of obtaining a share.
एवमुक्त्वा तु भगवान् पत्नीं प्राणैरपि प्रियाम्। सोऽसृजद्भगवान्वक्राद्भूतं क्रोधाग्निसन्निभम् ।। ३०.
Having spoken thus to his beloved wife, dearer than life, the Lord then created, from his bent brow, a being blazing like the fire of wrath.
सहस्रशीर्षं देवञ्च सहस्रचरणे क्षणम्। सहस्रमुद्गरधरं सहस्रशरपाणिनम् ।। ३०.
He created a god with a thousand heads and a thousand feet for a moment, holding a thousand clubs and a thousand arrows in his hands.