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.
त्वमेव यज्ञो नियमस्त्वमेव त्वमेव भूतं भविता त्वमेव। त्वमेव चादि र्निधनं त्वमेव स्थूलश्च सूक्ष्मः पुरुषस्त्वमेव ।। ५४.
You alone are the sacrifice, you are the vow; you alone are what has been and what will be; you alone are the beginning and the end; you alone are the gross and the subtle person.
त्वमेव सूक्ष्मस्य परस्य सूक्ष्मस्त्वमेव वह्निः पवनस्त्वमेव। त्वमेव सर्वस्य चराचरस्य लोकस्य कर्त्ता प्रलये च गोप्ता ।। ५४.
You alone are the subtlest of the subtle, you alone are the supreme subtle; you alone are fire, you alone are wind; you alone are the creator of all that moves and does not move, and the protector of the world at dissolution.
इतीदमुक्त्वा वचनं सुरेन्द्राः प्रगृह्य सोमं प्रणिपत्य मूर्द्ना। गता विमानैरनिगृह्य वेगैर्महात्मनो मेरुमुपेत्य सर्वे ।। ५४.
Having spoken these words, the lords of the gods, taking Soma and bowing their heads, departed swiftly in their aerial chariots, all of them, the great-souled ones, reaching Mount Meru.
इत्येतत्परमं गुह्यं पुण्यात्पुण्यमहत्तरम्। नीलकण्ठेति यत् प्रोक्तं विख्यातं लोकविश्रुतम् ।। ५४.
Thus this supreme secret, more meritorious than the most meritorious, called 'Nīlakaṇṭha', has been proclaimed, renowned and celebrated in the world.
स्वयं स्वयम्भुवा प्रोक्तां पुण्यां पापप्रणाशनीम्। यस्तु धारयते नित्यमेनां ब्रह्मोद्भवां कथाम्। तस्याहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि फलं वै विपुलं महत् ।। ५४.
This sacred tale, spoken by the self-born one himself, destroys sin; whoever always upholds this story, born from Brahma, I shall now declare to him the great and abundant fruit.
विषं तस्य वरारोहे स्थावरं जङ्गमन्तथा। गात्रं प्राप्य च सुश्रोणि क्षिप्रं तत् प्रतिहन्यते ।। ५४.
For such a person, O beautiful-hipped one, any poison, whether from immobile or mobile creatures, upon touching the body, O lovely-thighed one, is quickly neutralized.
शमयत्यशुभं घोरं दुःस्वप्नञ्चापकर्षति। स्त्रीषु वल्लभतां याति सभायां पार्थिवस्य च ।। ५४.
It pacifies inauspicious and terrible things, removes bad dreams; he becomes beloved among women and esteemed in the king's assembly.
विवादे जयमाप्नोति युद्धे शूरत्वमेव च। गच्छतः क्षेममध्वानं गृहे च नित्यसम्पदः ।। ५४.
He attains victory in disputes and valor in battle; his journey is safe when traveling, and in his home there is constant prosperity.
शरीरभेदे वक्ष्यामि गतिं तस्य वरानने। नीलकण्ठो हरिच्छमश्रुः शशाङ्काङ्कितमूर्द्धजः ।। ५४.
At the breaking of the body, O beautiful-faced one, I shall declare his destination: he becomes like Nīlakaṇṭha, with compassion for Hari, tears of joy, and hair adorned with the moon.
त्र्यक्षस्त्रिशूलपाणिश्च वृषयानः पिनाकधृक्। नन्धितुल्यबलः श्रीमान् नन्दितुल्यपराक्रमः ।। ५४.
He is three-eyed, holds the trident, rides the bull, bears the Pinaka bow, has strength equal to Nandī, is glorious, and possesses valor equal to Nandī.