07173001a tasminn atirathe droNe nihate tatra saJMjaya Upon the slaughter of the atiratha, viz., droNa, by Prishata's son,
07173001c mAmakAH pANDavAz caiva kim akurvann ataH param what did my sons and the pANDavas next do?'
07173002 saJMjaya uvAca 'saJjaya said:
07173002a tasminn atirathe droNe nihate pArSatena vai 'After the rout of the kuru army, upon the slaughter of that atiratha, viz., droNa, by Prishata's son,
07173002c kauraveSu ca bhagneSu kuntIputro dhanaJMjayaH dhanaJjaya, the son of kuntI
07173003a dRSTvA sumahad Azcaryam Atmano vijayAvaham beholding a wonderful phenomenon in connection with his own victory,
07173003c yadRcchayAgataM vyAsamM papraccha bharatarSabha asked Vyasa, O bull of bharata's race, who came thither in course of his wanderings,
07173004c agrato lakSaye yAntamM puruSamM pAvakaprabham saying, 'O great RSi, while I was engaged in slaying the foe in battle with showers of bright shafts, I continually beheld before me, proceeding in advance of my car, a person of blazing hue, as if endued with the effulgence of fire.
07173005c tasyAnM dizi vizIryante zatravo me mahAmune Whithersoever he proceeded with his uplifted lance, all the hostile warriors were seen to break before him.
07173006a na padbhyAM spRzate bhUminM na ca zUlaM vimuJcati He did not touch the earth with his feet, nor did he hurl his lance even once.
07173006c zUlAc chUlasahasrANi niSpetus tasya tejasA In consequence of his energy, thousands of lances issued out of that one lance held by him.'
07173007a tena bhagnAn arIn sarvAn madbhagnAn manyate janaH Broken in reality by him, people regarded the foe to have been broken by me.
07173007c tena dagdhAni sainyAni pRSThato 'nudahAmy aham Following in his wake, I only destroyed those, already destroyed by him.
07173008a bhagavaMs tan mamAcakSva ko vai sa puruSottamaH O holy one, tell me who was that foremost of persons,
07173008c zUlapANir mahAn kRSNa tejasA sUryasanMnibhaH armed with lance, resembling the sun himself in energy, that was thus seen by me?
07173009 vyAsa uvAca 'Vyasa said,
07173009a prajApatInAmM prathamanM taijasamM puruSaM vibhum 'Thou hast, O arjuna, seen Sankara, that First cause from which have sprung the Prajapatis, that puissant Being endued with great energy,
07173009c bhuvanamM bhUr bhuvanM devaM sarvalokezvaramM prabhum he that is the embodiment of heaven, earth and sky, the Divine Lord, the protector of the universe,
07173010a IzAnaM varadamM pArtha dRSTavAn asi zaGMkaram the great Master, the giver of boons, called also IzAna.
07173010c taGM gaccha zaraNanM devaM sarvAdimM bhuvanezvaram O, seek the protection of that boon-giving Deity, that lord of the universe.
07173011a mahAdevamM mahAtmAnam IzAnaJM jaTilaM zivam He is called mahAdeva (the Supreme Deity), of Supreme Soul, the one only Lord, with matted locks (on head), the abode of auspiciousness.
07173011c tryakSamM mahAbhujaM rudraM zikhinaJM cIravAsasam Of three eyes and mighty arms, he is called rudra, with his locks tied in the shape of a crown, and his body attired in skins.
07173011e dAtAraJM caiva bhaktAnAmM prasAdavihitAn varAn That boon-giving lord of the universe, that Supreme Deity, is also called Hara and Sthanu. He is the foremost of every being in the universe, he is incapable of being vanquished, he is the delighter of the universe and its supreme ruler. The first cause, the light and refuge of the universe, he is ever victorious. The Soul and the creator of the universe, and having the universe for his form, he is possessed of great fame. The Lord of the universe, and its great Ruler, that puissant one, is also the master of all actions. Called also Sambhu, he is self-born, he is the lord of all creatures, and the origin of the Past, the Future, and the Present. He is Yoga and the lord of Yoga; he is called Sarva, and is the Lord of all the worlds. He is superior to everything. The foremost of everything in the universe, and the highest of all, he is called also Parumesthin. The Ordainer of the three worlds, he is the sole refuge of the three worlds. Incapable of being vanquished, he is the protector of the universe, and abode (the necessity of) birth, decay, and death. The Soul of knowledge, incapable of being compassed by knowledge, and the highest of all knowledge he is unknowable. Through grace, he giveth unto his worshippers the boons they desire.
07173012a tasya te pArSadA divyA rUpair nAnAvidhaiH vibhoH That Lord hath for his companions celestial beings of diverse forms,
07173012c vAmanA jaTilA muNDA hrasvagrIvA mahodarAH some of whom are dwarfs, some having matted locks, some with bald heads, some with short necks, some with large stomachs,
07173013a mahAkAyA mahotsAhA mahAkarNAs tathApare some with huge bodies, some possessed of great strength and some of long ears.
07173013c Ananair vikRtaiH pAdaiH pArtha veSaiz ca vaikRtaiH All of them, O pArtha, have deformed faces and mouths and legs and strange attires.
07173014a IdRzaisH sa mahAdevaH pUjyamAno mahezvaraH That Supreme Deity, called Mahadeva, is worshipped by followers that are even such.
07173014c sa zivas tAta tejasvI prasAdAd yAti te 'grataH Even that Siva, O son, endued with such energy, proceedeth through kindness, in advance of thee.
07173014e tasmin ghore tadA pArtha saGMgrAme lomaharSaNe In that fierce battle, O pArtha, making the very hair stand on end,
07173015a droNakarNakRpair guptAmM maheSvAsaiH prahAribhiH That force which was protected by those great smiters and bowmen, viz., azvatthAman and karNa and kRpa,
07173015c kas tAM senAnM tadA pArtha manasApi pradharSayet who else, O arjuna,
07173015e Rte devAn maheSvAsAd bahurUpAn mahezvarAt than the divine Maheswara, that foremost of all bowmen, that Deity of divine form, could even in imagination venture to vanquish it?
07173016a sthAtum utsahate kaz cin na tasminn agratasH sthite None can venture to stay before the warrior that hath Maheswara walking before him.
07173016c na hi bhUtaM samanM tena triSu lokeSu vidyate There is no being in the three worlds that is equal to him.
07173017a gandhenApi hi saGMgrAme tasya kruddhasya zatravaH At the very scent of the enraged Mahadeva, foes in battle
07173017c visaJMjJA hatabhUyiSThA vepanti ca patanti ca tremble and become senseless and fall in large numbers.
07173018a tasmai namas tu kurvanto devAs tiSThanti vai divi For this, the gods in heaven adore and bow to him.
07173018c ye cAnye mAnavA loke ye ca svargajito narAH Those men in this world and those other men of pious conduct,
07173019a ye bhaktA varadanM devaM zivaM rudram umApatim that devoutly worship the boon-giving, divine, and auspicious rudra,
07173019c iha loke sukhamM prApya te yAnti paramAGM gatim obtain happiness here and attain to the highest state hereafter.
07173020a namaskuruSva kaunteya tasmai zAntAya vai sadA O son of kuntI, bow down unto him that is peace,
07173020c rudrAya zitikaNThAya kaniSThAya suvarcase unto him, called rudra of blue throat, exceedingly subtle, and of great effulgence,
07173021a kapardine karAlAya haryakSNe varadAya ca unto him called Kapardin, him that is terrible, him that of tawny eyes, him that is boon-giving;
07173021c yAmyAyAvyaktakezAya sadvRtte zaGMkarAya ca unto that great ordainer, of red locks and righteous conduct; unto him that always does auspicious acts;
07173022a kAmyAya harinetrAya sthANave puruSAya ca unto him that is an object of desire; him that is of tawny eyes; him that is called Sthanu; him that is called Purusha;
07173022c harikezAya muNDAya kRzAyottaraNAya ca unto him that is of tawny hair; him that is bold, him that is exceedingly subtle and of great effulgence;
07173023a bhAskarAya sutIrthAya devadevAya raMhase unto him that is the giver of light; him that is the embodiment of all sacred waters; him that is the God of gods; and him that is endued with great impetuosity;
07173023c bahurUpAya zarvAya priyAya priyavAsase unto him that is of manifest form; him that is called Sarva; him that is of agreeable attire;
07173024a uSNISiNe suvaktrAya sahasrAkSAya mIDhuSe unto him that has an excellent head-gear, him that is of handsome face;
07173024c girizAya prazAntAya pataye cIravAsase him that has the mountains for his habitation; him that is peace; him that is the protector; him that has barks of trees for his attire;
07173025a hiraNyabAhave caiva ugrAya pataye dizAm him whose arms are decked with ornaments of gold, him who is fierce, him that is the lord of all the points of the compass;
07173025c parjanyapataye caiva bhUtAnAmM pataye namaH him that is the lord of the clouds and of all created beings;
07173026a vRkSANAmM pataye caiva apAJM ca pataye tathA him that is the lord of all trees and of all kine;
07173026c vRkSair AvRtakAyAya senAnye madhyamAya ca him that has his body shrouded with trees; him who is the celestial generalissimo; him who inspires all thought;
07173027a sruvahastAya devAya dhanvine bhArgavAya ca him who has the sacrificial ladle in his hand; him who is blazing; him who wields the bow; him who is rAma's self,
07173027c bahurUpAya vizvasya pataye cIravAsase him who has diverse forms; him who is the lord of the universe; him who had the munja grass for his attire;
07173028a sahasrazirase caiva sahasranayanAya ca him who has a thousand heads, a thousand eyes,
07173028c sahasrabAhave caiva sahasracaraNAya ca a thousand arms, and a thousand legs.
07173029a zaraNamM prApya kaunteya varadamM bhuvanezvaram O son of kuntI, seek the protection of that boon-giving Lord of the universe,
07173029c umApatiM virUpAkSanM dakSayajJanibarhaNam the husband of Uma, that God of three eyes, that destroyer of Daksha's sacrifice;
07173029e prajAnAmM patim avyagramM bhUtAnAmM patim avyayam that guardian of all created things, that being who is always cheerful, that protector of all beings, that God of unfading glory;
07173030a kapardinaM vRSAvartaM vRSanAbhaM vRSadhvajam that one with matted locks; that mover of all superior beings, that one whose navel is like that of a bull and who hath the bull for his symbol;
07173031c vRSAyudhaM vRSazaraM vRSabhUtamM mahezvaram that one who is proud like the bull, who is the lord of bulls; who is represented by the horns of the bull; and who is the bull of bulls; that one who hath the image of the bull on his banner; who is liberal to all righteous persons; who can be approached by Yoga only; and whose eyes are like those of a bull; who owneth very superior weapons: who hath viSNu himself for his arrow; who is the embodiment of righteousness; and who is called Maheswara;
note: vRSadhhvajaH ?
07173032a mahodaramM mahAkAyanM dvIpicarmanivAsinam who is of vast stomach and vast body; who hath a leopard's skin for his seat;
07173032c lokezaM varadamM muNDamM brahmaNyamM brAhmaNapriyam who is the lord of the worlds; who is devoted to brahmA and who loveth brAhmaNas;
07173033a trizUlapANiM varadaGM khaDgacarmadharamM prabhum who is armed with trident; who is boon-giving; who wieldeth the sword and the shield, and who is highly auspicious,
07173033c pinAkinaGM khaNDaparazuM lokAnAmM patim Izvaram who wieldeth the bow called Pinaka, who is divested of the battle axe, and who is the protector and lord of the universe.
07173033e prapadye zaraNanM devaM zaraNyaJM cIravAsasam I place myself in the hands of that divine Lord, that grantor of protection, that God attired in deer-skins.
07173034a namas tasmai surezAya yasya vaizravaNasH sakhA Salutations, to that Lord of the celestials who hath Vaisravana for his friend.
07173034c suvAsase namo nityaM suvratAya sudhanvine Salutations ever to him of excellent vows; to him who hath excellent bowmen for his companions;
07173035a sruvahastAya devAya sukhadhanvAya dhanvine to him who himself wieldeth the bow; to that God with whom the bow is a favourite weapon;
07173035c dhanvantarAya dhanuSe dhanvAcAryAya dhanvine who is himself the shaft impelled by the bow; who is the bowstring and the bow; and the preceptor teaching the use of the bow.
07173036a ugrAyudhAya devAya namasH suravarAya ca Salutations to the God whose weapons are fierce; and who is the foremost of all the gods.
07173036c namo 'stu bahurUpAya namaz ca bahudhanvine Salutations to him of diverse forms; to him who hath many bowmen around him.
07173037a namo 'stu sthANave nityaM suvratAya sudhanvine Salutations ever to him who is called Sthanu and who has a large number of excellent bowmen for his companions.
07173037c namo 'stu tripuraghnAya bhagaghnAya ca vai namaH Salutations to him who destroyed the triple city. Salutations to him who slew (the asura) Bhaga.
07173038a vanaspatInAmM pataye narANAmM pataye namaH Salutations to him who is the lord of trees and of men. Salutations to him who is the lord of the (celestial), Mothers, and of those tribes of spirits known by the name of Ganas. Salutations ever to him who is the lord of kine and of sacrifices.
07173038c apAJM ca pataye nityaM yajJAnAmM pataye namaH Salutations ever to him who is the lord of the waters and the lord of the gods,
07173039a pUSNo dantavinAzAya tryakSAya varadAya ca who is the destroyer of sUrya's teeth, who is of three eyes, who is the grantor of boons;
07173039c nIlakaNThAya piGgAya svarNakezAya vai namaH who is called Hara, who is blue-throated, and who is of golden locks.
07173040c tAni te kIrtayiSyAmi yathAprajJaM yathAzrutam I will now tell thee, according to my knowledge and as I have heard of them, all the divine deeds of Mahadeva of Supreme wisdom.
07173041a na surA nAsurA loke na gandharvA na rAkSasAH
07173041c sukham edhanti kupite tasminn api guhAgatAH If Mahadeva becomes angry, neither gods, nor asuras, gandharvas, nor rAkSasas, even if they hide themselves in deep oceans, can have peace. In the days of yore, Daksha, for performing a sacrifice, had collected the necessary articles. Mahadeva destroyed that sacrifice in wrath. Indeed, He became very stern on that occasion.
07173042a vivyAdha kupito yajJanM nirbhayas tu bhavas tadA
07173042c dhanuSA bANam utsRjya saghoSaM vinanAda ca Shooting an arrow from his bow, he uttered terrible roars.
07173043a te na zarma kutazH zAntiM lebhire sma surAs tadA The celestials then became filled with anxiety and fright.
07173043c vidrute sahasA yajJe kupite ca mahezvare
07173044a tena jyAtalaghoSeNa sarve lokAsH samAkulAH Indeed, when Mahadeva became angry and the Sacrifice (in its embodied form) fled away, the gods became exceedingly frightened at the twang of Mahadeva's bow and the sound of his palms.
07173044c babhUvur vazagAH pArtha nipetuz ca surAsurAH The gods and asuras all fell down and submitted to Mahadeva.
07173045a Apaz cukSubhire sarvAz cakampe ca vasunMdharA All the waters swelled up in agitations and the earth trembled.
07173045c parvatAz ca vyazIryanta dizo nAgAz ca mohitAH The mountains split, and all the points of the compass and the Nagas became stupefied.
07173046a andhAz ca tamasA lokA na prakAzanta saMvRtAH
07173046c jaghnivAn saha sUryeNa sarveSAJM jyotiSAmM prabhAH The universe, enveloped in a thick darkness, could no longer be seen. The splendour of all luminaries, with the sun was destroyed.
07173047a cukruzur bhayabhItAz ca zAntiJM cakrus tathaiva ca
07173047c RSayasH sarvabhUtAnAm Atmanaz ca sukhaiSiNaH The RSis, filled with fear, became agitated, and desirous of their own good as also of all creatures, performed propitiatory rites.
07173048a pUSANam abhyadravata zaGMkaraH prahasann iva sUrya was then eating the principal oblation. Smilingly Sankara
07173048c puroDAzamM bhakSayato dazanAn vai vyazAtayat approached him and tore out his teeth.
07173049a tato nizcakramur devA vepamAnA natAsH sma tam The gods then, humbling themselves to him, fled away, trembling.
07173049c punaz ca sanMdadhe dIptanM devAnAnM nizitaM zaram Once more, Mahadeva aimed at the gods a shower of blazing and keen arrows resembling flames of fire mixed with smoke, or clouds with lightning.
07173050a rudrasya yajJabhAgaJM ca viziSTanM te nv akalpayan Beholding that arrowy shower, all the gods bowing down unto Maheswara, assigned to rudra a substantial share in sacrifices.
07173050c bhayena tridazA rAjaJ zaraNaJM ca prapedire In fright, the gods, O prince, sought his protection.
07173051a tena caivAtikopena sa yajJasH sanMdhitas tadA His wrath being dispelled, the great God then restored the sacrifice.
07173051c yattAz cApi surA Asan yattAz cAdyApi tamM prati The gods that had fled away came back. Indeed, they are to this day afraid of Maheswara.
07173052a asurANAmM purANy AsaMs trINi vIryavatAnM divi Formerly, the valiant asuras had, in heaven, three cities. Each of those cities was excellent and large.
07173052c AyasaM rAjataJM caiva sauvarNam aparamM mahat One was made of iron, another of silver, and the third of gold.
07173053c sauvarNamM paramaM hy AsId vidyunmAlina eva ca The golden city belonged to Kamalaksha, the silver city to Tarakaksha, and the third, made of iron, had Vidyunmalin for its lord.
07173054a na zaktas tAni maghavAn bhettuM sarvAyudhair api With all his weapons, Maghavat (indra) was unable to make any impression on those cities.
07173054c atha sarve 'marA rudraJM jagmuzH zaraNam arditAH Afflicted (by the asuras), all the gods sought the protection of rudra.
07173055a te tam Ucur mahAtmAnaM sarve devAsH savAsavAH Approaching him, all the gods with vAsava at their head, said,
07173055c rudra raudrA bhaviSyanti pazavasH sarvakarmasu 'These terrible dwellers of the triple city have received boons from brahmA. Filled with pride in consequence of those boons, they are greatly afflicting the universe, O Lord of the gods, none, save thee, is competent to slay them.
07173055e nipAtayiSyase cainAn asurAn bhuvanezvara Therefore, O Mahadeva, slay these enemies of the gods: O rudra, creatures slain in every sacrifice shall then be thine.
07173056a sa tathoktas tathety uktvA devAnAM hitakAmyayA
07173056c atiSThat sthANubhUtasH sa sahasramM parivatsarAn Thus addressed by the gods, Mahadeva thus accepted their request, moved by the desire of benefiting them, and said, 'I will overthrow these asuras. And Hara made the two mountains, viz., Gandhamadana and Vindhya, the two poles of his car. And Sankara made the earth with her oceans and forests his battle car. And the three-eyed deity made that prince of snakes, viz., Sesha, the Aksha, of that car. And that God of gods, the wielder of Pinaka, made the moon and the sun the two wheels of that vehicle. And the triple-eyed Lord made Elapatra and Pushpadanta, the two pins of the yoke. And the valiant Mahadeva made the Malaya mountains the yoke, and the great Takshaka the string for tying the yoke to the poles, and the creatures about him the traces of the steed. And Maheswara made the four Vedas his four steeds. And that lord of the three worlds made the supplementary Vedas the bridle-bits. And Mahadeva made Gayatri and Savitri the reins, the syllable Om the whip, and brahmA the driver. And making the mandara mountains the bow, Vasuki the bowstring, viSNu his excellent shaft, agni the arrow-head, and Vayu the two wings of that shafts, yama the feathers in its tail, lightning the whetting stone, and Meru the standard, Siva, riding on that excellent car which was composed of all the celestial forces, proceeded for the destruction of the triple city. Indeed, Sthanu, that foremost of smiter, that Destroyer of asuras, that handsome warrior of immeasurable prowess, adored by the celestials, O pArtha, and by RSis possessing wealth of asceticism, caused an excellent and unrivalled array called after his own name, and stood immovable for a thousand years.
07173057a yadA trINi sametAni antarikSe purANi vai When, however, the three cities came together in the firmament,
07173057c triparvaNA trizalyena tena tAni bibheda saH the lord Mahadeva. pierced them with that terrible shaft of his, consisting of three knots.
07173058a purANi na ca taM zekur dAnavAH prativIkSitum The dAnavas were unable to gaze
07173058c zaraGM kAlAgnisaMyuktaM viSNusomasamAyutam at that shaft inspired with Yuga-fire and composed of viSNu and Soma. While the triple city commenced to burn, the goddess Parvati repaired thither to behold the sight.
07173059a bAlam aGkagataGM kRtvA svayamM paJcazikhamM punaH She had then on her lap, a child having a bald head with five clumps of hair on it.
07173059c umA jijJAsamAnA vai ko 'yam ity abravIt surAn The goddess asked the deities as to who that child was. zakra, through ill-feeling endeavoured to strike that child with his thunderbolt.
07173060a bAhuM savajraM zakrasya kruddhasyAstambhayat prabhuH The divine lord Mahadeva (for the child was none other), smiling, quickly paralysed the arm of the enraged zakra.
