Vayu Purana

ह्रस्वजङ्घैश्च लम्बोष्ठैस्तालजङ्घैस्तथापरैः। गौकर्णैरेककर्णैश्च महाकर्णैरकर्णकैः ।। ५४.

With short-shanked, thick-lipped, palm-trunk-legged, cow-eared, one-eared, large-eared, and earless beings,

बहुपादैर्महापादैरेकपादैरपादकैः। बहुशीर्षैर्महाशीर्षैरेकशीर्षैरशीर्षकैः ।। ५४.

With many-footed, great-footed, one-footed, and footless ones; many-headed, great-headed, one-headed, and headless ones,

बहुनेत्रैर्महानेत्रैरेकनैत्रैरनैत्रकैः । एवंविधैर्महायोगिभूतैर्भूतपतिर्वृतः ।। ५४.

With many-eyed, great-eyed, one-eyed, and eyeless ones— surrounded by such beings, the Lord of spirits abides with the great yogis.

विशुद्धमुक्तामणिरत्नभूषिते शिलातले हेममये मनोरमे। सुखोपविष्टं मदनाङ्गनाशनं प्रोवाच वाक्यं गिरिराजपुत्री ।। ५४.

On a beautiful golden stone slab, adorned with pure pearl and jewel ornaments, the daughter of the mountain, seated comfortably, spoke these words to the destroyer of Kāma.

भगवन् भूतभव्येश गोवृषाङ्कितशासन। तव कण्ठे महादेव भ्राजतेऽम्बुदशन्निभम् ।। ५४.

O Lord, master of past and future, whose banner bears the bull, upon your neck, O great god, shines something like a rain-filled cloud.

नात्युल्बणं नातिशुब्रं नीलाञ्जनचयोपमम्। किमिदं दीप्यते देव कण्ठे कामाङ्ग नाशन ।। ५४.

It is neither too intense nor too pale, resembling a mass of dark collyrium—what is this that glows, O god, on your neck, destroyer of Kāma?

को हेतुः कारणं किञ्च कण्ठे नीलत्वमीश्वरः । एतत्सर्वं यथान्यायं ब्रूहि कौतूहलं हिमे ।। ५४.

What is the reason, what is the cause, O Lord, for the blueness on your neck? Please tell me all this properly, for I am curious, O Hima.

श्रुत्वा वाक्यं ततस्तस्याः पार्वत्याः पार्वतीप्रियः । कथां मङ्गलसंयुक्तां कथयामास शङ्करः ।। ५४.

Hearing these words from Pārvatī, beloved of Pārvatī, Śaṅkara began to tell an auspicious story.

मथ्यमानेऽमृते पूर्वं क्षीरोदे सुरदानवैः। अग्रे समुत्थितं तस्मिन् विषं कालानलप्रभम् ।। ५४.

When the nectar was being churned long ago by the gods and demons in the ocean of milk, at the beginning, there arose a poison blazing like the fire of destruction.

तं दृष्ट्वा सुरसङ्घाश्च दैत्याश्चैव वरानने। विषण्णवदनाः सर्वे गतास्ते ब्रह्मणोऽन्तिकम् ।। ५४.

Seeing that, all the hosts of gods and demons, O beautiful one, became downcast in face and went to Brahmā.

दृष्ट्वा सुरगणान् भीतान् ब्रह्मो वाच महाद्युतिः। किमर्थं भो महाभागा भीता उद्विग्नचेतसः ।। ५४.

Seeing the frightened gods, the radiant Brahmā spoke: 'Why, O greatly fortunate ones, are you fearful and anxious in mind?'

मयाष्टगुणमैश्वर्यं भवतां सम्प्रकल्पितम्। केन व्यावर्त्तितैश्वर्या यूयं वै सुरसत्तमाः ।। ५४.

'I have established for you an eightfold sovereignty—by whom has your power been diminished, O best of gods?'

त्रैलोक्यस्येश्वरा यूयं सर्वे वै विगतज्वराः। प्रजासर्गे न सोऽस्तीह आज्ञां यो मे निवर्त्तयेत् ।। ५४.

'You are all lords of the three worlds, free from affliction; in the creation of beings, there is none here who can countermand my command.'

विमानगामिनः सर्वे सर्वे स्वच्छन्दगामिनः। अध्यात्मे चाधिभूते च अधिदैवे च नित्यशः। प्रजाः कर्मविपाकेन शक्ता यूयं प्रवर्त्तितुम् ।। ५४.

'All of you move in the sky, all move as you wish; in the spiritual, material, and divine realms, always, you are able to act according to the results of karma.'

तत्किमर्थं भयोद्विग्ना मृगाः सिंहार्दिता इव। किं दुःखं केन सन्तापः कुलो वा भयमागतम्। एतत्सर्वं यथान्यायं शीग्रमाख्यातुमर्हथ ।। ५४.

'Then why are you so fearful, like deer terrified by a lion? What sorrow, what affliction, or what danger has come to your line? Tell me all this properly and quickly.'

श्रुत्वा वाक्यं ततस्तस्य ब्रह्मणो वै महात्मनः। ऊचुस्ते ऋषिभिः सार्ध्धं सुरदैत्येन्द्रदानवाः ।। ५४.

Hearing these words from the great-souled Brahmā, the gods, demons, Indras, and Dānavas, along with the sages, spoke.

सुरासुरैर्मथ्यमाने पाथोधौ च महात्मभिः। भुजङ्गभृङ्गसङ्काशं नीलजीमूतसन्निभम्। प्रादुर्भूतं विषं घोरं संवर्ताग्निसमप्रभम् ।। ५४.

While the gods and demons of great soul were churning the ocean, a terrible poison appeared, resembling a swarm of serpents, dark as a rain cloud, blazing like the fire of dissolution.

कालमृत्युरिवोद्भूतं युगान्तादित्यवर्चसम्। त्रैलोक्योत्सादि सूर्याभं प्रस्फुरन्तं समन्ततः ।। ५४.

It arose like Time and Death, shining with the brilliance of the sun at the end of an age, threatening to destroy the three worlds, blazing everywhere.

विषेणोत्तिष्ठमानेन कालानलसमत्विषा। निर्दग्धो रक्तगौराङ्गः कृतकृष्णो जनार्दनः ।। ५४.

From that poison, rising with the radiance of the fire of time, Janārdana, his body fair and red, was scorched and became dark.

दृष्ट्वा तं रक्तगौराङ्गं कृतकृष्णं जनार्दनम्। भीताः सर्वे वयं देवास्त्वामेव शरणं गताः ।। ५४.

Seeing Janārdana, his fair-red body now darkened, all of us gods, frightened, sought refuge in you.

सुराणामसुराणाञ्च श्रुत्वा वाक्यं पितामहः। प्रत्युवाच महातेजा लोकानां हितकाम्यया ।। ५४.

Hearing the words of the gods and demons, the grandsire, desiring the welfare of the worlds, replied with great brilliance.

श्रृणुध्वं देवताः सर्वे ऋषयश्च तपोधनाः। यत्तदग्रे समुत्पन्नं मथ्यमाने महोदधौ ।। ५४.

Hear, all you gods and ascetic sages, what first arose when the great ocean was being churned.

विषं कालानलप्रख्यं कालकूटेति विश्रुतम्। येन प्रोद्भूतमात्रेण कृतकृष्णो जनार्दनः ।। ५४.

A poison, resembling the fire of time and famed as Kālakuṭa, appeared, by whose very emergence Janārdana became dark.

तस्य विष्णुरहञ्चापि सर्वे ते सुरपुङ्गवाः। न शक्नुवन्ति वै सोढुं वेगमन्ये तु शङ्करात् ।। ५४.

Neither Viṣṇu nor I, nor all those foremost gods, were able to endure its force—only Śaṅkara could.

इत्युक्त्वा पझगर्भाभः पझयोनिरयोनिजः । ततः स्तोतुं समारब्धो ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः ।। ५४.

Having spoken thus, the one whose womb is the lotus, the self-born, began to praise Brahmā, the grandsire of the worlds.

नमस्तुभ्यं विरूपाक्ष नमस्तेऽनेकचक्षुषे। नमः पिनाकहस्ताय वज्रहस्ताय वै नमः ।। ५४.

Salutations to you, O three-eyed one, salutations to you of many eyes; homage to the wielder of Pināka, homage indeed to the one who holds the thunderbolt.

नमस्त्रैलोक्यनाथाय भूतानाम्पतये नमः। नमः सुरारिसंहर्त्रे तापसाय त्रिचक्षुषे ।। ५४.

Homage to the lord of the three worlds, to the lord of beings; homage to the destroyer of the enemies of the gods, to the ascetic, to the three-eyed one.

ब्रहमणे चैव रुद्राय विष्णवे चैव ते नमः। साङ्ख्याय चैव योगाय भूतग्रामाय वै नमः ।। ५४.

Homage to you as Brahmā, as Rudra, and as Viṣṇu; homage to you as Sāṅkhya, as Yoga, and as the host of beings.

मन्मताङ्गविनाशाय कालकालाय वै नमः। रुद्राय च सुरेशाय देवदेवाय ते नमः। ५४.

Homage to the destroyer of Madana and the elephant, to the death of death; homage to Rudra, to the lord of gods, to the god of gods.