Vayu Purana

त्रिपुरघ्नाय वन्द्याय मातॄणाम्पतये नमः। बुद्धाय चैव शुद्धाय मुक्ताय केवलाय च ।। ५४.

Homage to the destroyer of Tripura, the venerable one, the lord of the Mothers; to the wise, the pure, the liberated, and the solitary one.

नमः कमलहस्ताय दिग्वासाय शिखण्डिने । लोक त्रयवलिधात्रे च चन्द्राय वरुणाय च ।। ५४.

Homage to the lotus-handed, the sky-clad, the crested one; to the sustainer of the three worlds, to the moon, and to Varuṇa.

अग्राय चैव चोग्राय विप्रायानेकचक्षुषे। रजसे चैव सत्त्वाय तमसेऽव्यक्तयोनये ।। ५४.

Homage to the foremost and the terrible, to the wise, to the one with many eyes; to rajas, to sattva, to tamas, and to the unmanifest source.

नित्यायानित्यरूपाय नित्यानित्याय वै नमः। व्यक्ताय चैवाव्यक्ताय व्यक्ताव्यक्ताय वै नमः ।। ५४.

Homage to the eternal and the impermanent form, to the eternal and the non-eternal; to the manifest, the unmanifest, and the manifest-unmanifest.

चिन्त्याय चैवाचिन्त्याय चिन्त्याचिन्त्याय वै नमः। भक्तानामार्तिनाशाय नरनारायणाय च ।। ५४.

Homage to the conceivable and the inconceivable, to the conceivable-inconceivable; to the destroyer of the distress of devotees, to Nara-Nārāyaṇa.

उमाप्रियाय शर्वाय नन्दिचक्राङ्किताय च। पक्षमासार्द्धमासाय नमः संवत्सराय च ।। ५४.

Homage to the beloved of Umā, to Śarva, to the one marked by the circle of Nandi; to the fortnight, the month, the half-month, and to the year.

बहुरूपाय मुण्डाय दण्डिनेऽथ वरूथिने। नमः कपालहस्ताय दिग्वासाय शिखणिडने ।। ५४.

Homage to the many-formed, the shaven-headed, the staff-bearer, and the leader; to the skull-handed, the sky-clad, and the crested one.

ध्वजिने रथिने चैव यमिने ब्रह्मचारिणे। ऋग्यजुः सामवेदाय पुरुषायेश्वराय च। इत्येवमादिचरितैस्तुभ्यं देव नमोऽस्तु ते ।। ५४.

To the bannered, the charioteer, the restrainer, the celibate; to the Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Vedas, to the Person, to the Lord—thus, with such deeds, I bow to you, O god.

एवं स्तुतस्ततो देवैः प्रणिपत्य वरानने ।। ५४.

Thus praised by the gods, having bowed down, O beautiful-faced one—

ज्ञात्वा तु भक्तिं मम देवदेवो गङ्गाजलाप्लावितकेशदेशः। सूक्ष्मोऽतियोगातिशयादचिन्त्यो न हि प्लुतो व्यक्तमुपैति चन्द्रः ।। ५४.

Knowing my devotion, the Lord of gods, with hair washed by the waters of the Ganga, is subtle, beyond measure, and inconceivable; just as the moon, though immersed, does not become clearly manifest.

एवं भगवता पूर्वं ब्रह्मणा लोककर्तृणा। स्तुतोऽहं विविधैः स्तोत्रै र्वेदवेदाङ्गसम्भवैः ।। ५४.

Thus, formerly, I was praised by the Blessed Lord Brahma, the creator of the worlds, with various hymns arising from the Vedas and their branches.

ततः प्रीतो ह्यहं तस्मै ब्रह्मणे सुमहात्मने। ततोऽहं सूक्ष्मया वाचा पितामहमथाब्रुवम् ।। ५४.

Then, being pleased with that great-souled Brahma, I addressed him with subtle words.

भगवन् भूतभव्येश लोकनाथ जगत्पते। किं कार्ये ते मया ब्रह्मन् कर्त्तव्यं वद सुव्रत ।। ५४.

O Lord, master of past and future, lord of the worlds, ruler of the universe, what task should I perform for you, O Brahma? Speak, O steadfast one.

श्रुत्वा वाक्यं ततो ब्रह्मा प्रत्युवाचाम्बुजेक्षणः । भूतभव्यभवन्नाथ श्रूयतां कारणेश्वर ।। ५४.

Hearing these words, Brahma, lotus-eyed, replied: 'O Lord of past, future, and present, O Lord of causes, listen.'

सुरासुरैर्मथ्यमाने पयोधावम्बुजेक्षण। भगवन्मेघ सङ्काशं नीलजीमूतसन्निभम् ।। ५४.

When the ocean was being churned by gods and demons, O lotus-eyed one, a being appeared, dark as a rain-cloud, resembling a blue thundercloud.

प्रादुर्भूतं विषङ्घोरं संवर्त्ताग्निसमप्रभम्। कालमृत्युरिवोद्भूतं युगान्तादित्यवर्च्चसम् ।। ५४.

A dreadful poison arose, blazing like the fire of dissolution, emerging like Time and Death, shining with the radiance of the sun at the end of an age.

त्रैलोक्योत्सादि सूर्याभं विस्फुरन्तं समन्ततः। अग्रे समुत्थितं तस्मिन् विषङ्कालानलप्रभम् ।। ५४.

It blazed on all sides, sun-like, threatening to destroy the three worlds; at the forefront arose that poison, glowing like the fire of time.

तं दृष्ट्वा तुं वयं सर्वे भीताः सम्भ्रान्तचेतसः। तत् पिबस्व महादेव लोकानां हितकाम्यया । भवानग्र्यस्य भोक्ता वै भवांश्वैव वरः प्रभुः ।। ५४.

Seeing that, we all became fearful, our minds agitated; 'O great god, for the welfare of the worlds, drink it. You alone are the foremost enjoyer, you alone are the supreme lord.'

त्वामृतेऽन्यो महादेव विषं सोढुं न विद्यते । नास्ति कश्चित् पुमान् शक्तस्त्रैलोक्येषु च गीयते ।। ५४.

'Except for you, O great god, there is no one able to endure this poison; in all the three worlds, no man is said to be capable.'

एवं तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः। बाढमित्येव तद्वाक्यं प्रतिगृह्य वरानने ।। ५४.

Hearing these words of Brahma, the supreme lord, I replied, 'So be it,' accepting his words, O beautiful one.

ततोऽहं पातुमारब्धो विषमन्तकसन्निभम्। पिबतो मे महाघोरं विषं सुरभयङ्करम्। कण्ठः समभवत्तूर्णं कृष्णो मे वरवर्णिनि ।। ५४.

Then I began to drink the poison, resembling death itself; as I drank that most terrible, fearsome poison, my throat at once became dark, O lovely one.

तंदृष्ट्वो त्पलपत्राभं कण्ठे सक्तमिवोरगम् । तक्षकं नागराजानं लेलिहानमिव स्थितम् ।। ५४.

Seeing that, like a blue lotus petal, the poison clung to my throat like a serpent, like the serpent king Takshaka, licking and remaining there.

अथोवाच महातेजा ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः। शोभसे त्वं महादेव कण्ठेनानेन सुव्रत ।। ५४.

Then the radiant Brahma, grandsire of the worlds, spoke: 'You shine, O great god, with this throat, O steadfast one.'

ततस्तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा मया गिरिवरात्मजे। पश्यतां देवसङ्गानां दैत्यानाञ्च वरानने ।। ५४.

Hearing those words, O daughter of the mountain, I, in the presence of the assembled gods and demons, O beautiful one,

यक्षगन्धर्वभूतानां पिशाचोरगरक्षसाम्। धृतं कण्ठे विषं घोरं नीलकण्टस्ततो ह्यहम् ।। ५४.

Held that dreadful poison in my throat before the yakshas, gandharvas, spirits, piśācas, serpents, and rākṣasas; thus I became known as Nīlakaṇṭha.

तत् कालकूटं विषमुग्रतेजः कण्ठे मया पर्वतराजपुत्रि। निवेश्यमानं सुरदैत्यसङ्घो दृष्ट्वा परं विस्मयमाजगाम ।। ५४.

When that Kālakūṭa poison of fierce energy was held in my throat, O daughter of the mountain, the hosts of gods and demons, seeing it being established, were greatly astonished.

ततः सुरगणाः सर्वे सदैत्योरगराक्षसाः। ऊचुः प्राञ्चलयो भूत्वा मत्तमातङ्गगामिनि ।। ५४.

Then all the hosts of gods, along with demons, serpents, and rākṣasas, with joined palms, spoke, O elephant-gaited one.

अहो बलं वीर्यपराक्रमस्ते अहो पुनर्योगबलं तवैव। अहो प्रभुत्वं तव देवदेव गङ्गाजलास्फालितमुक्तकेश ।। ५४.

Oh, how great is your strength, your heroism and valor! Oh, how great again is your power of yoga! Oh, how supreme is your sovereignty, O God of gods, with your hair loosened and washed by the waters of the Ganga!

त्वमेव विष्णुश्चतुराननस्त्वं त्वमेव मृत्यु र्वरदस्त्वमेव। त्वमेव सूर्यो रजनीकरश्च त्वमेव भूमिः सलिलं त्वमेव ।। ५४.

You alone are Vishnu, you are the four-faced one; you alone are Death, you are the bestower of boons; you alone are the Sun and the maker of night; you alone are the Earth, you alone are the waters.