Vāyavīya-saṃhitā (1)

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] Note: Most of the verses of this chapter are identical on form and content with those of the last chapter in the Vidyeśvara-saṃhitā. 1. Obeisance to Śiva accompanied by Umā, Gaṇas and his sons, the lord of Prakṛti and Puruṣa and the cause of creation, sustenance and annihilation. 2-3. I seek refuge in Śiva, whose power is unequalled, whoso glory spreads everywhere, whose lordship and potency are said to be natural, who is unborn, who is the creator of the universe, eternal, auspicious and the unchanging great Ātman. 4-5. Noble sages engaged in truthful rites, highly fortunate and dignified performed a great sacrifice in the Naimiṣa forest, a virtuous spot and a holy centre of many sacrifices at the confluence of the Gaṅgā and Kālindī, a pathway that leads to Brahmaloka. 6-9. On hearing that the sages of good rites wore performing the sacrifice, Sūta the most excellent of Paurāṇikas came to that place, Sūta who was a noble disciple of the intelligent Veda Vyāsa the son of Satyavatī, who was very intelligent and famous in the world, who knew the faults and merits of syllogistic statements. He could satisfy even the queries of Bṛhaspati. He was an expert in narrating the stories of charming anecdotes. He knew the proper time for everything and the policy to bo adopted. He was a poet. 10. On seeing Sūta come, the sages were delighted in their minds. They received him and worshipped him suitably. 11. Accepting their welcome and worship he took the proper seat offered by them. 12. By their contact with him the sages of pious souls became eager and impatient to hear the Purāṇic lore. 13. Worshipping him with words of praise the sages sat in front of him and spoke. 14. O omniscient Romaharṣaṇa, the principal devotees of Śiva of great fortune and keen intellect, it is due to the weightiness of our good luck that you have come here now. 15-17. You have directly acquired the Purāṇic lore from Vyāsa, Hence you are a repository of wonderful tales, even as the ocean of precious gems. There is nothing in the three worlds past, present or future, which is not known to you. Fortunately you have come here to visit us. It does not behove you to go in vain without conferring blessing on us. 18. Please narrate to us the holy Purāṇa the storehouse of good stories and the essence of the Vedānta. 19. Thus requested by the sages, the habitual reciters of the Vedic texts, Sūta spoke auspicious words full of sweet and rational meaning. 20. I have been honoured, blessed and urged by you all. Why shall I not then expound clearly the Purāṇa, held in esteem by the sages. 21-22. After saluting Śiva, Pārvatī, Skanda, Gaṇeśa, Nandin and Vyāsa the son of Satyavatī, I shall narrate the extremely meritorious Purāṇa which is on a par with the Vedas, which being an ocean of Śaivitc knowledge directly yields worldly pleasures and salvation. 23. It is embellished with the topics of the Āgamas full of rational meaning. In the context of the Śveta Kalpa it was narrated by Vāyu formerly. 24. Understand well even as I narrate the various sacred lores, the due order of the Purāṇas and their origin. 25. The sacred lore consists of fourteen texts viz., the six Aṅgas, the four Vedas, Mīmāṃsā, Nyāya, Purāṇas and the Dharma Śāstras. 26. There are eighteen secular Vidyās — Āyurveda Dhanurveda, Gāndharvaveda etc. ending with Arthaśāstra. 27. Śruti mentions that the original exponent and poet of the eighteen Vidyās, each having its own individual path, is the trident-bearing lord himself. 28. Indeed he is the lord of the universe. At the outset, with the desire of creating the universe, he created Brahmā, as his son. 29. To his eldest son Brahmā, the cause of the universe, Śiva gave these lores in the beginning in order to facilitate the creation of the universe. 30. He created Viṣṇu for the protection, of even Brahmā himself and endowed him with the power of protection. 31. Purāṇa, the first among the Śāstras, was learnt by Brahmā who had acquired the lore and began the creation of the subjects. 32. The Vedas came out of his mouths. The Śāstras too had their origin from him. 33-34. When the people could not follow the big sacred texts, at the instance of Viśveśvara, lord Viṣṇu the sustainer and the soul of the universe incarnated on the earth at the end of Dvāpara Yuga, in order to abridge them. He walked about the earth in the name of Vyāsa. 35. O Brahmins, in every Dvāpara Yuga the Vedas are classified by him. The Purāṇas and other texts are written by him. 36. In this Dvāpara age he was born of Satyavatī in the name of Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana as fire from Araṇi. 37. He abridged and classified the Vedas into four groups. He is known as Vedavyāsa. 38. Purāṇas extending to a hundred crore Ślokas were condensed by him into four hundred thousand Ślokas. Even now in the Devaloka they have the original number. 39. Even if a brahmin knows the four Vedas with their Aṅgas and the Upaniṣads he is not an expert if he does not know the Purāṇas. 40. The knowledge of the Vedas shall he enlarged by Itihāsa and the Purāṇas. The Vedas are afraid of a man of deficient knowledge thinking “This man will deceive me”. 41. Purāṇas have five characteristics —creation, subsidiary creation, genealogy, manvantaras and the chronological account of kings, these are described in every Purāṇa. 42. The sages reckon ten Purāṇas and eight big Purāṇas. 43. Brāhma, Pādma, Vaiṣṇava, Śaiva, Bhāgavata, Bhaviṣya. Nāradīya and Mārkaṇḍeya are the eight big Purāṇas. 44-45. Āgneya, Brahmavaivarta, Liṅga, Vārāha, Skānda, Vāmana, Kūrma, Matsya, Garuḍa and Brahmāṇḍa are the ten small Purāṇas. These are the eighteen Purāṇas in order. Śivapurāṇa, the fourth in the list belongs to Śiva and is conducive to the achievement of all objects. 46. It contains a hundred thousand verses. It is divided into twelve Saṃhitās. It is created by Śiva. All sacred rites are mentioned therein. 47. Men are classified under three castes in accordance with their duties. Hence he who wishes for liberation shall resort to Śiva alone. 48. Even the gods can attain liberation by resorting to him alone and not otherwise. 49. What I mentioned as the Śivapurāṇa on a par with the Vedas, know its creations as I briefly explain. 50-56. There are twelve Saṃhitās: Vidyeśvara, Rudra, Vaināyaka, Auma, Mātṛ, Rudraikādaśaka, Kailāsa, Śatarudra, Koṭirudra, Sahasrakoṭirudra, Vāyavīya and Dharmapurāṇa. Vidyeśvara contains ten thousand verses. There are eight thousand verses in each of the four— Raudra, Vaināyaka, Auma and Mātṛpurāṇa. Rudraikādaśa contains thirteen thousand verses; Kailāsa six thousand; Śatarudra three thousand; Koṭirudra nine thousand; Sahasrakoṭirudra eleven thousand; Vāyavīya four thousand and Dharma contains twelve thousand verses. 57. Thus Śivapurāṇa contains a hundred thousand verses. This Purāṇa, the essence of the Vedas, yields worldly pleasures and salvation. 58. Śiva Purāṇa the fourth one was abridged into seven Saṃhitās with twenty four thousand verses. 59-60. The first Saṃhitā is Vidyeśvara; the second Rudrasaṃhitā; the third Śatarudra. Koṭirudra is the fourth. Umāsaṃhitā is the fifth; the sixth is Kailāsa. The seventh is Vāyavīya. These are only seven compendiums. 61-64. Vidyeśvara contains two thousand verses, Rudra ten thousand five hundred; Śatarudra two thousand one hundred and eighty; Koṭirudra two thousand two hundred and forty; Umā one thousand eight hundred and forty; Kailāsa one thousand two hundred and forty and the Vāyavīya four thousand verses. Thus is the holy text of Śivapurāṇa. 65. I shall now begin the Vāyavīya containing four thousand verses and consisting of two parts. 66. This excellent Śāstra shall not be mentioned to one who is not conversant with the Vedas nor to one who has no faith nor to one who does not know the Purāṇas. 67. It shall be given to a tested virtuous disciple uncontaminated by malice. He shall be a devotee of Śiva and a follower of the Śaiva cult. 68. Obeisance to the holy sage Vyāsa of brilliant splendour whose grace has endowed me with the Purāṇic lore.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1-3. When a long time had elapsed, many kalpas had come and gone, the present kalpa had started, the activity of creation had begun, and the customs among the enlightened subjects had become established, a dispute arose among the sages of six clans. One said “This is the greatest being.” Another said, “It is not.” Because the greatest being could not be reviewed or defined no conclusion was arrived at. 4. In order to see the eternal creator they went where the lord was staying eulogised by gods and Asuras. 5-6. It was on the auspicious and charming peak of Meru, where there were plenty of gods and Asuras where Siddhas and Cāraṇas thronged, where Yakṣas and Gandharvas frequented, where flocks of birds chirped and crow, which was embellished by jewels and corals and which shone due to streams and rivulets, caves and crevices, bushes and hedges. 7-8. There was a forest Brahmavana which abounded in different species of deer. It was ten Yojanas wide and hundred Yojanas long. There were beautiful lakes full of sweet and clean water. It had plenty of trees in full bloom where swarms of bees hummed and hovered. 9. This was a great city as beautiful and brilliant as the midday sun. It could not be attacked by the haughty Daityas, Dānavas and Rākṣasas. 10. It had lofty ramparts and portals made of molten gold. It was embellished by hundreds of main streets, turrets and wooden ceilings. 11. It appeared to lick the sky with crores of huge mansions set with precious gems of variegated colours. It was decorated with many such mansions. 12-13. Lord Brahmā resides there along with his councillors. Going there the sages saw the lord, the noble Ātman served by the groups of gods and sages. He was shining like pure gold. Ho was bedecked in all ornaments. 14. He was gentle with delightful face. His eyes were as large as the petals of a lotus. He was endowed with a divine lustre. He had smeared divine unguents and scents. 15. He was clad in brilliant white garments. He was bedecked in divine garlands. His lotus-like feet were saluted by the gods, Asuras and leading yogins. 16. Accompanied by Sarasvatī whose body had all auspicious marks who held the chowries in her hands, he shone as the sun with his dazzling light. 17. On seeing him the sages were delighted and their eyes and faces shone. With palms joined in reverence and held over their heads they eulogised the leading god. 18. Obeisance to you in the form of Trinity, the cause of creation, sustenance and annihilation, the ancient Puruṣa, Brahmā the great Ātman. 19. Obeisance to the deity who has Prakṛti for his body, who is the cause of quickening Pradhāna, who though transformed into twenty-three principles is yet free from aberration. 20. Obeisance to the deity who has universe for his body, who is stationed within the belly of the universe, who has accomplished his task and whose body is perfectly accomplished. 21. Obeisance to the deity identical with the world, the creator, the sustainer and the annihilator of the world. 22. O Brahmā, it is by you alone that the entire universe is created, sustained and annihilated. Still, due to illusion, O lord, we do not know you. 23. Thus eulogised by the fortunate sages, Brahmā spoke to the sages in a majestic tone delighting them. 24. O blessed sages of great splendour and strength, why have you come here all together? 25. The sages foremost of those who know Brahman spoke with palms joined in reverence, with words couched in humility to lord Brahmā who spoke thus. 26. O lord, we have been encompassed in deep darkness. We are distressed. Unable to understand the greatest being we are arguing among ourselves. 27. Indeed you are the creator of the universe. You are the cause of all causes. O lord, there is nothing here not known to you. 28. Who is that being more ancient than all living beings? Who is the greatest Puruṣa? Who is the purest, perfect, and eternal Being? 29. Who by indulging in wonderful activities has created the universe? O intelligent lord, please mention it and quell our doubts. 30-31. Thus questioned, Brahmā, with smiling eyes, stood up and meditated for long in the presence of the gods, Dānavas and sages. Uttering the words “ Rudra ” he joined his palms in reverence, with a blissful sensation moistening his body and spoke.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1-4. Śiva stationed in the middle of the ether shall be meditated upon by those desirous of salvation; Śiva from whom the words recede not approaching him along with the mind; knowing and realising whose bliss-form one has no fear from anywhere; from whom every thing inclusive of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Indra, the elements, the sense-organs, is born at first, who is the creator, meditator and ultimate cause of all causes; who is not born from anything else at any time; who is endowed with glory and prosperity and who is known as Sarveśvara. 5. It was he who created me at the outset as his son and gave me perfect knowledge. It was due to his grace that the lordship of the people was attained by me. 6. He is the lord who stands in heaven like the lofty stump of a tree; and by whom, by the Puruṣa, the great Ātman, all this is filled up. 7. He is active among the inactive creatures; he who being single himself creates many is Maheśvara. 8. He rules over all the worlds through the Jīvas. He is the only lord Rudra. There is none second to him. 9. Though he has entered and is ever present in the hearts of the people he is invisible to others; he occupies and views at the universe always. 10. He is the sole lord of infinite Śakti who presides over all causes and is released from Time—Death. 11. He has neither day nor night; neither equals nor superiors. The great knowledge and activity is innate in him. 12. That which is perishable and unmanifest, that which is imperishable and immortal—both these have the imperishable as their Ātman. The sole lord is Śiva himself. 13. By concentrating on him, the person of Sāttvaic feelings becomes the lord himself. At the end the universal illusion recedes from him. 14. The eternal Śruti says “In whom neither the lightning flashes nor the sun blazes nor the moon sheds light and by whose brilliance this universe comes in the limelight.” 15. That lord Śiva shall be realised. There is no other region greater than his worthy of attainment. 16. Hr is the cause. He has no beginning, no end. He is naturally purr, independent and perfect. The mobile and immobile beings are subservient to his will. 17. His body is not the creation of Prakṛti. He is glorious, devoid of examples and definitions. He is both the liberated and liberator. He is not influenced by Time. He is the activiser of time. 18. He has taken up residence above all. He is the repository of all. He is the knower of all. He is the lord of the universe comprising the sixfold path. 19. He is the Being above all beings, one above the other. There is no being above him. He is the bee imbibing the honey of endless bliss. 20. He is an expert in solidifying the unsevered cosmic eggs. He is the ocean of benevolence, prowess, majesty and sweetness. 21. There is no object equal to him or excelling him. He stands as the unparalleled Emperor of all living beings. 22. The universe is created by him indulging in wonderful activities. At the time of dissolution this gets dissolved in him. 23. The living beings are under his control. He is the employer of all. He is seen by great devotion and not otherwise. 24. Sacred rites, charitable gifts, penances and observances, these are advocated by people for the purification of emotions. There is no doubt in this. 25. Viṣṇu, I, Rudra, gods and Asuras are desirous of seeing him even today by performing great penances. 26. He is invisible to fallen wicked men, the despicable and the stupid. He is worshipped within and without by devotees and can be spoken to. 27-28. Forms in the universe are threefold—the gross, subtle and that which is beyond. The gross is seen by us, the gods and others. The subtle is seen by the Yogins. That which is beyond the two, is eternal, knowledge, bliss and the unchanging can be seen by those who dwell in it, are devoted to it and are engaged in the rites concerning it. 29. Of what avail is much talk? Devotion to Śiva is the secret of secrets. He who is endowed with it becomes liberated. There is no doubt in this. 30. Devotion is the result of grace and grace is the result of devotion just as the sprout comes out of the seed and produces the seed. 31. The achievements of the individual are due to the grace of God. Lord alone is achieved in the end through all the means. 32. Virtue and holy rites constitute the means for the attainment of grace. That is indicated by the Vedas. By practising Dharma the sins and merits are levelled to equality. 33. Contact with grace yields excellence of Dharma. After attaining this excellence the sins of the individual decline. 34. When his sins decline through succession of births the devotion to Sarveśvara and Ambā is generated along with knowledge. 35. The grace of the lord varies in accordance with the purity of emotions. Due to grace, eschewment of rites results. Here the eschewment is of the fruits of rites and not the rites themselves. 36. As a result of the abandonment of the desire for the fruits of holy rites, the auspicious Śaivite virtues are attained. This is twofold: that dependent on the preceptor and that which is not. 37. That which is dependent on the preceptor is more important and hundred times more efficacious since in the Śaivite creed there is an association of Śaivite knowledge. 38. In view of the knowledge the man sees the defects in the worldly existence ( saṃsāra ). Thereafter arises non-attachment to the sensual objects and thence Bhāva is attained. 39. When Bhāva is attained the man becomes more inclined towards meditation than towards rituals. A man endowed with knowledge and meditation becomes engaged in Yoga. 40. Through Yoga arises the great, devotion and then grace of God. By means of the grace the creature is liberated and becomes equal to Śiva. 41. The different modes of blessings may not be in the order mentioned. The blessing is based on the ability of the man. 42. Some soul is liberated even while in the womb; another even while being born; a third whether he be a boy or a youth or an old man. 43. A soul born as a lower species, a soul undergoing torture in hell, a soul achieving a heavenly region may be liberated when the tenure is over. 44. Some soul may return after the enjoyment of heavenly region and then liberated. Still another soul may be liberated on its way. 45. Hence there is no stipulated mode or order in the attainment of liberation. The supreme bliss is in accordance with the knowledge and emotion and attained by the grace of the lord. 46 48. Hence, in order to win his grace you shall avoid verbal and mental defects; meditate on Śiva alone along with your wives, sons and others; abide by him; be attached to him. You shall associate with him, resort to him, do holy rites with your minds fixed in him, continue a long sacrifice for a thousand divine years. At the end of the sacrifice due to the efficacy of the mantras Vāyu will come there. 49-50. He will tell you what is good for you along with the means. Then you shall go to the holy and auspicious city of Vārāṇasī where the glorious trident-bearing lord sports about with the goddess for blessing his devotees. 51. O excellent brahmins, after seeing the great wonder therein you come to me again. Then I shall tell you the means of salvation. 52. Thereby in a single birth, salvation comes within your reach, salvation which sets you free from the bondage of births and transmigrations. 53. Now I am releasing this mentally created wheel. The place where its rim gets shattered is auspicious for your penance. 54. After saying this Brahmā created a mental wheel as bright as the sun. After bowing to lord Śiva he released it. 55. Those delighted brahmins bowed to the lord and pursued the wheel to the place where its rim got shattered. 56. The wheel thus hurled fell on a smooth charming rock in a certain forest where the water was sweet and clear. 57. That forest became famous as Naimiṣa. It is worshipped by the sages. It abounds in Yakṣas, Gandharvas, and Vidyādharas. 58-59. Indulging in sexual dalliance with Urvaśī, Purūravas was moving about in the eighteen islands in the ocean. Urged by fate he came to this place and foolishly spoiled the golden sacrificial altar here. The infuriated sages hurled Kuśa grass at him which Had the power of thunderbolt and felled him to the ground. 60. Formerly the Viśvasṛja Brahmeśa householders desirous of creating the universe began a divine sacrifice here. 61. There had been many scholarly sages here experts in words, meanings and logical arguments. They performed rites by their power of intellect and yogic practice. 62. Here persons well-versed in the Vedas refute those who are excluded from Vedic path by their power of arguments. They speak eloquently. 63. This Naimiṣa forest was the fitting place for the penance of the sages. It was beautiful with nectarine clear water flowing from the bottom rocks of the crystalline mountain. It abounded in fruit-bearing trees and was free from beasts of prey.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. The fortunate sages of devout rites worshipped lord Śiva and began their sacrifice there. 2. The sacrifice of the sages functioned evoking wonder in everyone like that of the Viśvasṛjas formerly who were desirous of creating the universe. 3. After sometime when the Satra had concluded with the distribution of manifold gifts Vāyu himself came there at the instance of Brahmā. 4-7. Vāyu the disciple of Brahmā, the self-controlled lord who perceives everything directly; in whose bidding stay the forty-nine Maruts always; who sustains the bodies of all living beings urging them perpetually by his own functionaries Prāṇa and others; who is endowed with the eightfold glories; who supports the worlds with his holy hands; who is born of Ākāśa; who possesses the two qualities of touch and sound and whom the philosophers call the material cause of fiery principle. 8. On seeing him at the hermitage the sages who were busy in a long Satra remembered the words of Brahmā and felt unequalled pleasure. 9. Standing up they welcomed and bowed to him. They offered him a golden seat. 10. He seated himself there and was worshipped by the sages. Congratulating them he enquired after their health. 11. O brahmins, hope you are all quite well, now that this great sacrifice has concluded. Hope that the Asuras, the enemies of the gods, the destroyers of sacrifices do not harass you. 12-13. Hope that imprecations and expiatory rites do not take place. Hope that the rites are duly performed by you after worshipping the gods, with Stotra and Śastra hymns and the ancestors with the rites due to them. What do you propose to do afterwards, now that the great Satra has been concluded? 14. When addressed thus by Vāyu, the meditator on Śiva, the sages were delighted in their minds. They considered themselves sanctified. They replied thus humbly. 15. Today we have attained bliss; our penances are rendered fruitful since you have come for the increase of our welfare. 16. Listen to an old anecdote. Formerly we meditated on Prajāpati when we were overwhelmed by darkness. We wanted to acquire perfect knowledge. 17. The lord Brahmā worthy of being sought refuge in, blessed us as we sought refuge in him and said, “O brahmins, Lord Rudra is superior to all. He is the ultimate cause. 18. Only the devotee sees the lord whose real nature cannot be reflected upon or argued over. Devotion is acquired through grace and through grace is bliss attained. 19. Hence, in order to propitiate him perform the Satra. Worship him who is the ultimate cause, perform Satra in Naimiṣa extending over a long period. 20. At the end of the Satra, by means of his grace Vāyu will come there. You will acquire perfect knowledge from his mouth and attain welfare. 21. Commanding thus Brahmā sent us all to this place. O fortunate one, we were eagerly awaiting your arrival. 22. We sat and performed the Satra for a thousand divine years. We had nothing to wish for except your advent. 23. On hearing thus this story of the sages who had performed the satra for a long time Vāyu was delighted in his mind and stayed there surrounded by the sages. 24. On being implored by the sages, the lord succinctly narrated the glory of Śiva beginning with creation in order to enhance their piety.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. There at the outset the fortunate residents of the Naimiṣa bowed duly to lord Vāyu and asked him. 2. How did you, sir, acquire the knowledge of Śiva ? Wherefore is your devotion to Śiva, the Brahman whose birth is unmanifest. 3. The twenty-first kalpa shall be known as Śvetalohita. In that kalpa the four-faced lord, desirous of creative activity performed a penance. 4-5. Delighted by his austere penance his father lord Śiva, foremost among the handsome assumed the divine form of a bechelor [bachelor?]. He became a sage Śveta and uttering divine.words appeared in front of him. G. On seeing his father, Brahmā bowed to him and secured perfect knowledge along with Gāyatrī. 7. Having acquired knowledge, the four-faced lord created all living beings—the mobile and immobile. 8. That immortal knowledge was acquired by me through the power of penance from that face through which it was acquired by Brahmā. 9. What is that knowledge attained by you—the knowledge that is auspicious, more truthful than the most truthful, abiding by which a man attains happiness. 10. Great and steady devotion shall be applied by a man who wishes for happiness, for the perfect knowledge of the individual soul, illusion and the lord who releases from the bondage. 11-12. Misery arises from ignorance. It is removed by knowledge that is a correct and precise comprehension of objects. Object is twofold: sentient and non-sentient. There is a controller of the two. The three are called Paśu, Pāśa and Pati. 13. On many occasions knowers of reality call the three by Akṣara, Kṣara and Kṣarākṣarapara. 14. The Paśu is called Akṣara. The Pāśa is called Kṣara. Pati is called Kṣarākṣarapara. 15. O Māruta, please mention What is Kṣara? What is Akṣara? What is that which is greater and beyond these two? 16. Prakṛti is Kṣara. Puruṣa is Akṣara. The one who urges these two is the greatest Parameśvara. 17. What is this Prakṛti? Who is Puruṣa? What is the relationship between the two? Who is this instigator Īśvara ? 18. Māyā is the Prakṛti. Puruṣa is enveloped by Māyā. The relationship is through the root and Karman. Lord Śiva is the instigator. 19. What is this Māyā that is mentioned? Of what form is he who is enveloped by Māyā? Of what nature is the root? Whence is it? What is Śivahood? Whence is Śiva? 20. Māyā is the Śakti of Maheśvara. The form of Cit is enveloped by Māyā. The dirt is that which covers the Cit. Śivatva is his own innate purity. 21. How does the Māyā cover up the pervading one? What for? Why is this covering up of the Puruṣa? By what is it made to recede? 22. Even a pervasive can he covered just as Kalā etc. that are pervasive. The cause is Karman alone. The purpose is enjoyment. It recedes when dirt is quelled. 23-24. What are these Kalā etc.? What is Karman? What its beginning and what its end? What the fruit? What the support? Whose enjoyment? What is enjoyed What is the means of enjoyment, the cause of the diminution of dirt? Of what nature is the Puruṣa devoid of dirt? 25-28. Kalā, Vidyā, Rāga, Kāla and Niyati, these are certain entities Tlir enjoyer is Puruṣa, Karman is merit and sin. The fruits are happiness and misery. The beginningless dirt[?] till the enjoyment rests in the ignorant soul. Enjoyment is for quelling Karman. The unmanifest is what is enjoyed. The means of enjoyment is the body with external and the internal senses as doors. Dirt is quelled by grace acquired by piety. When the dirt is quelled the Puruṣa becomes equal to Śiva. 29. What are the several functions of the five principles Kalā etc.? Why is Atman called the enjoyer and Puruṣa? 30. Of what nature is that unmanifest? In what form is it enjoyed? What is its instrument in the act of enjoyment? What is it called body? 31. Vidyā (learning) that reveals the place and activity, time and passion these are the inducing agents. Time is the conditioning factor there; destiny is the controlling factor. 32. The unmanifest is the cause. It consists of three Guṇas. It is the source of origin and the place of merger. It is called Pradhāna and Prakṛti by philosophers. 33. Characteristically unmanifest it becomes manifest through Kalās. It is of the form and content of happiness, misery and delusion while being enjoyed. It has the three Guṇas. 34. The Guṇas Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, originate from Prakṛti. Like oil in the gingelly seed they are present in the latest form in Prakṛti. 35-36. Happiness and its cause constitute briefly the Sātttvaic trait. The Rājasaic trait is its opposite. Stunned state and delusion are Tāmasic traits. The Sāttvaic movement is upward progress; the Tāmasic one is downfall; the middle course is cited as Rājasaic. 37-38. Briefly the unmanifest with its ramifications is as follows:—five subtle and primary dements, five gross elements, five sense-organs of activity and the set of four, viz. Pradhāna, intellect, ego and mind. 39. When it is in the state of a cause, it is unmanifest; when it is in the state of an effect such as the body, pot etc, it is manifest. 40. Just as the pot is not materially different from clay, so the manifest, body etc. is not materially different from the unmanifest. 41. Hence the unmanifest alone is the cause of the composite viz. organs, body but their support, the object or enjoyment is unmanifest. 42. How can Ātman which is separate from the sense-organs and the body exist? 43. The separateness of all-pervading lord from the intellect, sense-organs and the body is definite. There is something called Ātman. A reason thereof is difficult to understand. 44. The intellect, the sense-organs and the bodies are not the Ātman due to indefinite knowledge and non-eternality. 45. Hence the one who has the cognition of experienced objects and comprehends the entire knowables, is sung about in the Vedas and Upaniṣads as the immanent soul. 46. It is eternal. It incorporates and pervades everything. It stands everywhere. Still it is not perceived by any one clearly anywhere. 47. This Atman cannot be perceived by the eye nor by any other sense-organ. The great Ātman is comprehended only by the enlightened mind. 48. It is neither woman nor man nor an eunuch. It is neither above nor below nor in the sides. It is nowhere. 49. It remains unembodied in the unsteady bodies. It is stable and steady like a stump. It is unchanging. Only the sober, self-possessed and bold can perceive it by means of reflection. 50. Of what avail is much talk? The Puruṣa is separate from the body. Unwarranted is the vision of those who do not see it separate. 51. There is nothing more impure, uncontrolled, miserable and uncertain than the body of the Puruṣa. 52. The Puruṣa becomes happy, miserable or deluded on becoming associated with the body—the seed of all adversities caused by his own activities. 53. As the field flooded with water generates sprouts so also the action flooded with ignorance generates the man. 54. Thousands in number are his bodies both of the past and the future. These are mortals, abodes of excessive distress. 55. A perpetual stay in the bodies that successively come to the embodied soul and get shattered, is never attained by any one. 56. Covered by and separated from these bodies this soul resembles the disc of the moon in the sky that is covered by and separated from the passing clouds. 57. The different activities of the soul in the different bodies resemble the motion of the die in the different squares in the chess-board. 58. None belongs to him. He does not belong to anyone. The contact with wives, sons and kinsmen is but a chance meeting on the way. 59. The mutual contact of living beings is like that of a piece of log with another log in the great ocean. The two meet together and get separated. 60. He sees the body but the body does not see him. A certain other being, the great Ātman secs both but both of them do not see him. 61. All living beings beginning with Brahmā and ending with the immobile are termed Paśus. Examples cited relate to these Paśus. 62. These Paśus are bound with Pāśa (noose) and are fed upon joy and misery as their fodder. The wise say that these are but instruments of games and sports of lord Śiva. 63. The ignorant creature cannot effect and prevent his happiness and misery. Induced by the lord he goes up to the heaven or falls into the deep ditch. 64. On hearing these words of Vāyu, the sages were delighted in their minds. After bowing to him who was expert in the Śaivitc Āgama they spoke:—

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. You have explained what is Paśu and what is Pāśa. Now mention what is their lord different in characteristics from the two? 2. There is a certain releaser of Paśu from Pāśa. He is Pati, the creator of the universe. He is the abode of endless charming attributes. 13. In his absence how could the universe have been created, since Pāśa is insentient and the Paśu is ignorant? 4. Without an intelligent cause nothing has ever been seen anywhere created by Pradhāna, Paramāṇu or any such insentient being. 5. Since the universe is an effect possessing parts it is dependent on a creator. And creativity can be only in Pati and not in Paśu or Pāśa. 6. Creativity of Paśu without the knowledge of creation like the going of a blind man is due to the inducement of his lord. 7. Realising distinction between him and himself and being gratified after resorting to him Paśu can attain immortality. 8. The sphere of Pati is really greater than and beyond that of Paśu and Pāśa. The knower of Brahman becomes free from births by knowing him alone. 9. Lord the redeemer of the universe sustains the universe of Kṣara and Akṣara, the two in unison, the manifest and the unmanifest. 10. The enjoyer, the enjoyed and the instigator—the three alone shall be distinguished. There is nothing else to be known by the seekers of knowledge. 11-12. The man endowed with truth and penance sets in his Ātman the great Ātman like the oil in the gingelly seed or the ghee in the curd or water in the current or the fire in the Araṇi. 13. He is the lord born alone. Associated with Īśānīs, his Śaktis he creates the worlds and rules over them. 14. He is always alone. There is none second to him. After creating the worlds he protects them and withdraws them. 15. He has eyes, faces and feet all round. 16. The sole lord and creator of the heaven and earth is Maheśvara. He is the origin and the place of merger of all the gods. 17. The Śruti says that Rudra the great sage is superior to all; he creates Hiraṇyagarbha the first among the deities. 18. I know this great Puruṣa, the undying, steady, having the colour of the sun, the lord stationed beyond darkness. 19. There is nothing greater, subtler and grosser than this. The universe is filled by him. 20. He has all faces, heads and necks. He lies in the cavity of the heart of all. He is all-pervading and present everywhere. 21. He has hands, feet, eyes, heads, ears and faces all around. He stands enveloping everything in the world. 22. He has all apparent attributes but is devoid of the sense-organs. The lord is the friend and refuge of all. 23. They call him the great Puruṣa—who sees without eyes, hears without ears and comprehends all and whom no one knows. 24. He is subtler than the atom, greater than the greatest. He is the unchanging. He lies in the cavity of the heart of this Paśu. 25. By the grace of the creator, one devoid of sorrows perceives him who is endowed with the excellence of greatness and who docs not possess intelligence but is intelligence itself. 26. I know the unaging ancient omnipresent lord whose birth is denied by those who can expound the knowledge of the Brahman. 27. After annihilating in the end, the lord creates the universe again from the beginning in association with his manifold Śaktis. 28-29. The Māyā of Śiva is the unborn mother of the universe and has variegated colours and shapes. It is white, red and black. She, the unborn, gives birth to man. He, the unborn, resorts to it and gets involved in distress Another Aja, the liberated soul, eschews her after she has been enjoyed. 30. Two birds resort to the same tree. One eats the sweet fruit, the other simply watches without eating. 31-32. Sitting on this tree the deluded Puruṣa bewails. When he sees the lord, the ultimate cause, and realises his greatness he is freed from sorrow and becomes happy. 33. The great Ātman, the Māyin entering this, creates the universe by his Māyā. Māyā shall be known as Prakṛti and Maheśvara as Māyin. 34-35. The universe is permeated by his parts. The Puruṣa attains perpetual peace and calmness on realising lord Śiva the creator and enveloper of the universe and the subtler of the subtlest, from his very inception in the foetus. 36. He alone is Kāla, the protector, the lord of universe. On realising him one is released from the noose of death. 37. On realising the lord pervading all living beings like the subtle cream over the ghee, one is freed from sins. 38. He alone is the great god Śivā, the creator of the universe. Only on realising him one attains immortality. 39. When everything was neither existent nor non-existent, when it was neither day nor night, Śiva alone existed from whom the ancient wisdom emanated. 40. None can grasp his top, sides or middle. There is nolhing resembling him. His is the great fame. 41. Those who are frightened of rebirths meditate on the unborn. For the sake of succour they resort lo the front face of Rudra. 42. The two Vidyā and Avidyā lie hidden in the imperishable, infinite great Brahman. 43. Avidyā is perishable while Vidyā is imperishable. He who rules over the two is lord Śiva. He is other than the two. 44. It is he who spreads his net in various ways, creates all and rules all. He possesses such exploits. 45. He illuminates the quarters above, below and to the sides, shining himself. He is innately alone, foremost of all who presides over all. 46. Transforming the attributes, the expressions of nature and expressed ones into what is enjoyed and the one that enjoys, he occupies the universe. 47. The gods and the sages know him as hidden in the secret Upaniṣad, who is Brahman, greater than the greatest, the progenitor of Brahmā and the cause of the universe. 48. Those who knew the lord eschewed their bodies. The lord can be realised only through piety. He is wishless, the cause of positive and negative substances and the creator of Kalās. 49. It is the greatness of the lord whereby this universe revolves but the deluded people call it a natural occurrence or the power of time. 50. It is by him in the form of the annihilator of death that these are enveloped perpetually, the activities urged' by him transform into worldly existence along with the elements. 51-53. The individual indulges in activities more and more and returns to the earth. He gets entangled in the tattvas. By means of the fourteen attributes of the Ātman he pursues worldly activities. When these activities cease even the results are quelled. 54. When these are quelled he goes to another world. This is the cause of union of the two—the enjoyer and the enjoyed. 55. Lord alone is beyond the three times. He is attributeless, the knower of all, the lord of the three attributes. He is brahman itself greater than the greatest. 56. We worship and meditate upon th lord of manifold forms, the unborn, lord of people, object of worship and meditation by the entire universe. He is stationed in our minds. 57. He is beyond Kāla. From him the whole cosmos originates. He is the repository of the universe and effects virtue and quells sins. He is the lord of enjoyment. 58. We know him as the greatest of lords, the greatest of deities, the lord of the worlds. 59. He has neither cause nor effect. Nowhere in the universe there is anyone equal or superior to him. 60. It is mentioned in the Vedas that his threefold power is great, manifold and innate, comprising knowledge, strength and activity. It is by these activities that the universe is created. 61. He has no lord, no sex and no ruler. He is the cause of causes and the lord of lords. 62. He has no progenitor nor does he take birth from anywhere. He has no causes of birth such as Dirt, Māyā etc. 63. He is the solitary lord hidden in all living beings. Spread all round he is the innate soul of all living beings. He is mentioned as the presiding deity of all sacred rites. 64. He is the abode of all living beings, the cosmic witness, the provoker of thoughts, devoid of attributes and the sole lord with self-control, devoid of activities and helpless. 65. He is the most permanent among the permanent. He is the most sentient among the sentient. 66. On realising the lord of the universe, comprehensible through Sāṅkhya and Yoga, the cause of the universe the person gets released from all illusions. 67. He is the creator and the knower of the universe. He is the knower of his source, and the creator of time. He possesses attributes. He is the lord of Prakṛti and the individual soul; he presides over the Guṇas; he is the releaser of illusion. 68-69. Alter realising the lord who at the outset created Brahma and taught him the Vedas, through the clarity of my intellect, I shall be desirous of salvation from this worldly existence. I take refuge in Śiva who is devoid of attributes and activities, who is quiescent, the undespicable and the unsullied. 70-71. After realising the great bridge that takes to immortality I shall be quiescent like the fire that has consumed fuel. When men wear the ether as they wear a hide they will realise the end of miseries before they have realised Śiva. 72-73. O sages, due to the power of penance, the grace of the lord and the result of my good fortune I secured the holy knowledge straight from the mouth of Brahmā, the knowledge that quells sins, lies hidden in the Upaniṣads and was enunciated in a previous Kalpa. 74. This excellent knowledge shall not be delivered to one who is not quiet, nor to a son who is not well behaved nor to one who is not one’s own disciple. 75. These facts reveal to him who is of noble soul, who has great devotion to the lord and to the preceptor in the form of Śiva. 76. Hence listen to the gist. Śiva is greater than Prakṛti and Puruṣa and beyond it. At the time of creation he creates the universe and at the time of dissolution he withdraws everything.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. Every thing originates from Kāla and is annihilated through Kāla. There is nothing independent of Kāla anywhere. 2. The whole universe caught in its mouth whirls like a wheel through the activities of creation and annihilation. 3. By his control, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, gods and Asuras cannot transgress the laws of propriety. 4. It classifies itself in the factors of past, present and future and makes people grow old. Thus freely lording over all it is extremely terrible. 5. O skilful one, please tell us. Who is this lord Kāla? Under whose control is he? Who does not come under his control? 6. It is the great splendour of lord Śiva named Kālātman. Kalā, Kāṣṭḥā, Nimeṣa are the forms it embodies. 7. It is the power of the lord that controls the universe in the form of directives which are untransgressable to the universe consisting of the mobile and immobile beings. 8. The Energy in the form of Kāla consists of its various parts. It comes out of it and permeates it like the piece of steel that sheds sparks of fire. 9. The universe is under the control of Kāla. Kāla is not under the control of the universe. Kāla is under the control of Śiva. Śiva is not subject to its control. 10. Since the unobstructed splendour of Śiva is firmly fixed in Kāla the limit of Kāla is extensive and is untransgeressable. 11. Who can go beyond Kāla with the help of intellect? None can go beyond Karman perpetrated by Kāla. 12. Even those who attack the earth and rule it under a single umbrella cannot step beyond Kāla like the oceans that do not overflow the shore. 13. Even those who restrain their sense-organs and conquer the universe cannot conquer Kāla. Kāla overwhelms them. 14. Physicians well-versed in medicines regularly taking in elixirs and aphrodisiacs do not thwart death. Indeed Kāla is untransgressable. 15. The individual soul proposes something on the basis of its glory, beauty, conduct, strength and pedigree but Kāla disposes it. 16. By means of pleasing, displeasing and unexpected contacts, Kāla unites and separates the living beings. 17. At the same time when some one is miserable another is very happy. Wonderful indeed is the unscrutable nature of Kāla. 18. A young man changes into a feeble aged man. A powerful man becomes weak. A rich man becomes deprived of prosperity. O brahmins, the ways of Kāla are wonderful. 19. Neither nobility of birth, nor good conduct nor strength nor skill is of any avail. Kāla is unthwartable. 20. Kāla is impartial in its activity over those who are well guarded donors attended upon by songs and musical instruments as well as those who are helpless, living on doles. 21. Even elixirs, panaceas and well administered medicines do not have any effect if the time is not opportune. Those very things brought into use at the proper time are efficacious and yield happiness. 22. No one dies or is born before time. No one flourishes well before the proper time. No one is happy or miserable before the time for it arrives. There is no object which is untimely. 23. At the proper time the cool wind blows, the rain falls; the heat subsides and every thing grows. 24. Kāla is the cause of all births. Plants grow and perish at the proper time. The living world too comes into life. 25. He who thus correctly understands the principle of Kāla goes beyond it and sees that which is beyond Kāla. 26. Obeisance to the great. Obeisance to Śiva of wonderful form who has no Kāla to influence him, no bondage and liberation and is identical neither with Puruṣa nor Prakṛti nor the universe. Article published on 08 November, 2018

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. By what unit is the duration of life calculated in Kāla ? What is the upper limit of Kāla in the form of number? 2. The basic unit of life is Nimeṣa. The upper limit is Śāntyatīta. 3. The time taken for the winking of an eye is Nimeṣa. Fifteen such Nimeṣas constitute one Kāṣṭhā. 4. Thirty such Kāsthās make one Kalā. Thirty Kalās make one Muhūrta. Thirty Muhūrtas make one day. 5-6. Thirty days constitute one month of two fortnights. A month constituting the bright and dark halves is one day of the manes. 7-8. Six Māsas constitute one Ayana. Two Ayanas make a year. One human year constitutes one day and night for the celestials, Uttarāyana being the day and Dakṣiṇāyana the night. 9. The divine month like the human month constitutes thirty days. The year of the gods constitutes twelve months. 10. Three hundred and sixty human years make one divine year. 11. The calculation of yugas is based on the divine unit of time. The wise understand that there are four Yugas in the land of Bhārata. 12. The first Yuga is Kṛta, then comes Tretā. Dvāpara and Kali are the other Yugas. These are the four Yugas. 13. Four thousand years constitute the Kṛtayuga. The period of four hundred years constitutes the intervening junction and a hundred year period constitutes Sandhyāṃśa (a subdivision of the junction). 14. In the three other yugas, their Sandhyās and Sandhyāṃśas the thousands and the hundreds become reduced by one. 15. Thus the twelve thousand years and the surplus period constitute a Caturyuga. A thousand Caturyugas constitute a Kalpa. 16. Seventyone Caturyugas constitute a Manvantara. In a Kalpa there are fourteen such Manvantaras. 17. In this order, hundreds and thousands of such Kalpas and Manvantaras have passed by this time. 18. They are innumerable and hard to be known precisely. It is impossible to mention them in detail in the precise order. 19. A Kalpa constitutes a day of Brahmā of unmanifest origin. A thousand Kalpas make a year of Brahmā. 20. Eight thousand Brahmā years make one Brahmā Yuga. A thousand Brahmā Yugas make one Savana of Brahmā. 21. Three thousand and three Savanas make the life time of Brahmā. 22-23. A day of Brahma ’s life constitutes the life of fourteen Indras, a month of his life constitutes a four hundred and twenty Indras; a year of his life five thousand and forty Indras; his whole life five hundred and forty thousand Indras. 24-25. A day of Viṣṇu is the life-time of Brahmā. A day of Rudra is equal to the life-time of Viṣṇu. A day of Śiva is equal to the life-period of one Rudra. A day of Sadāśiva is the life-period of Śiva. A day of Sākṣāt Śivā is the life-period of Sadāśiva. The life-time of the latter is equal to the life-period of five hundred and forty thousand previous deities. 26. This Kāla functions as directed by Sākṣātśiva. O Brahmins, this is the period of time of creation as mentioned by me. 27. This Kālāntara shall be known as a day of Parameśvara. Parameśvara’s night shall be known to extend so long. 28. His day is the period of creation. His night is the period of dissolution. But understand that he has neither day nor night as we conceive them. 29-31. The dissolution is effected for the benefit of the world. The subjects, the Prajāpatis, the three deities, gods, Asuras, the sense-organs, the sensual objects, the five great elements, the subtle and gross elements, the cosmic Intellect, the deities, all these abide during the day of the self-possessed Parameśvara. They get dissolved at the end of the day. At the end of the night again begins the origin of the universe. 32. Obeisance to the great Śiva, the soul of the universe, whose energy in respect of activity, time and innate nature is untransgressable and under whose command the whole universe functions. Article published on 08 November, 2018

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. How does lord Śiva perform his great sport commanding all, creating the universe and placing it in position? 2. What is it that came into being at the outset? By what are all these pervaded? By which being of huge belly is this swallowed? 3. Śakti came into being at the outset; with Śāntyatītapadā following. From Śiva in association with Śakti Māyā came into being and then the unmanifest from it. 4. Śāntyatītapada originated from Śakti and from it Śāntipada; then the Vidyāpada; from it the Pratiṣṭhāpada came into being. 5. Nivṛttipada originated from Pratiṣṭhāpada. Thus has been briefly described the creation induced by the lord. 6. The creation of these is in the inverse order; the annihilation is in the reverse order. There is a creator apart from and greater than what is indicated by these five Padas. 7. Hence the entire universe is pervaded by the five Kalās. Avyakta is the cause there but activitised by the Ātman. 8-10. It is agreed that everything begins with intellect and ends with Viśeṣa but the makership is neither of the Avyakta nor of the Puruṣa since Prakṛti is insentient and Puruṣa ignorant. Without an intelligent cause nothing is created by the insentient beings— Pradhāna, Paramāṇu etc. But the universe is dependent on a maker since it is an effect composed of parts. 11-12. Hence the creator must be powerful, independent, omnipotent and omniscient with no beginning, no end and endowed with lordly qualities. He is the maker of the universe, Mahādeva, Maheśvara, the protector and annihilator of everything. He is separate from it. 13. The transformation of Pradhāna and the activities of the Puruṣa function at the bidding of the lord of truthful vow. 14. It is in the minds of the noble that this firm and permanent conviction finds a place. A being of meagre consciousness does not' resort to this side. 15-17. Hundred Brahmā years constitute the span of Brahmā born of unmanifest It is termed Para. Its half is Parārdha. At the advent of Dissolution the Avyakta withdraws to itself all its effects and abides in Ātman. 18. When the Avyakta abides in Ātman, when the effects have been withdrawn, Pradhana and Puruṣa stand on an equal footing. 19. The two have the Guṇas of Tamas and Sattva, remaining on a par with each other. The two without the Guṇas being predominant are mutually interwoven. 20. In the equal and undivided state of Guṇas in the rise of darkness, when the wind was in full[?] and the water was calm, there was nothing to be seen. 21-22. When the universe was unmanifest the lord meditated upon the great Śakti throughout the night. When it dawned the lord in contact with Māya entered Pradhāna and Puruṣa and set them to motion. 23. Then at the bidding of Brahmā, the creation evolved out of the unmanifest that is the source of origin and the spot of merger for all living creatures. 24. Obeisance to him who is different from the worlds, in a fraction of whose Śakti everything terminates, whose will is ever variegated and wonderful far above that of the universe and whom those who know the path call the lord of the path—the Ātman. Article published on 08 November, 2018

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. At the outset, at the bidding of Īśvara the secondary elements beginning with the cosmic intellect and ending with Viśeṣa came into being from the Avyakta presided over by Puruṣa. 2. Then from these, the three deities Rudra, Viṣṇu and Brahmā were born as the cause of all. 3-4. Maheśvara bestows on these the power to pervade all the worlds unobstructed anywhere, unequalled perfect wisdom, the perpetual Siddhis of Aṇimā etc; and the state of being the cause of activities of creation ( sṛṣṭi ), sustenance and dissolution. 5. In another Kalpa he conferred on each the activities of creation, sustenance and dissolution in order that they may not have any mutual rivalry due to delusion of intellect. 6. These three are born from one another, sustain one another, flourish one another, respect and follow one another. 7. Somewhere Brahmā, somewhere Viṣṇu and somewhere Rudra are praised. However their glory docs not diminish. 8. Only impetuous fools censure them. Undoubtedly they become demons and ghosts. 9. Lord Śiva who is beyond the three Guṇas, who is divided into four units, who is all-in-all and the support of all is the cause of creation. 10. The Atman who has created the universe sportively remains as the lord of three deities as well as of Prakṛti and Puruṣa. 11. He alone is their support, he who is greater than all, who is supreme, eternal, devoid of attributes and is their Ātman and their presiding deity. 12. Hence he alone is Prakṛti, Puruṣa, Sadāśiva, Bhava, Viṣṇu and Brahmā. Everything is identical with Śiva. 13. In the beginning were born the cosmic intellect, the great principle. When it was agitated the ego was born. The ego was split into three. 14. The ego split into the gross and subtle elements and the sense-organs. When the ego had the Sattva predominant the Sāttvika creation took place. 15-16. The secondary creation took place simultaneously. The five sense-organs, the five organs of activity and the eleventh the mind, originated. The mind is both an organ of knowledge and of activity. When the ego becomes associated with Tamas, the Bhūtatanmātras are born. 17' Since it is the cause of Bhūtas it is called Bhūtādi. From this is born the Śabdatanmātra, from this the ether. 18. From the ether the Sparśatanmātra, from it Vāyu, from Vāyu the Rūpatanmātra, from this the Tejas, from Tejas the Rasatanmātra is born. 19. From Rasa the water; from this the Gandha Tanmātra is born, from this the Pṛthivī, from these elements the mobile and immobile beings are created. 20. Since they are presided over by Puruṣa and blessed by Avyakta the principles beginning with Mahat and ending with Viśeṣa generate the cosmic egg. 21. When thus the activities of Brahmā are fulfilled Brahmā becomes flourished in that Egg. 22. He is the first embodied soul, called Puruṣa. He is the first creator of living beings. Brahmā thus existed in the beginning. 23. From him was born the intellect, the cause of virtue and prosperity, with the characteristics of wisdom and detachment. 24-25. Whatever is wished for by the mind is born of Avyakta. He functions in the three worlds, dividing himself into three because he has all in his control, possesses all the attributes and is dependent on Avyakta. In these three forms he creates, supports and annihilates. 26. He is four-faced as creator; as destroyer he is Kāla and as Puruṣa he has thousand heads. The self-born has thus three states. 27. As Brahmā he has Sattva and Rajas, as Kāla Tamas and Rajas, as Viṣṇu he has Sattva alone. Thus the increase of Guṇas in the lord is threefold. 28. As Brahmā he creates the worlds, as Kāla he condenses; as Puruṣa he sustains; he is indifferent. Thus the activity of the lord is threefold. 29. Since he is divided into three he is called Triguṇa. Since he has split himself into four he is glorified as Caturvyūha. 30. Since he is the beginning he is called Ādideva; since he is unborn he is called Aja; since he protects the subjects he is called Prajāpati. 31. The golden Meru is the foetus of that great Ātman; the oceans constitute the water of the womb and the mountains constitute the outer skin of the womb. 32. All these worlds in this universe, the moon, sun, stars, planets and Vāyu are in this cosmic egg. 33. The egg is enveloped with waters ten times bigger than it. The waters are enveloped by Tejas ten times bigger. 34. The Tejas is enveloped by Vāyu ten times bigger. Vāyu is enveloped by Ākāśa and Ākāśa is enveloped by Bhūtādi. 35. The Bhūtādi is enveloped by the Mahat. The Mahat is enveloped by Avyakta. Thus the egg is enveloped by even coverings. 36. O excellent brahmins, eight Prakṛtis, the causes of creation, sustenance and destruction are stationed covering each of these. 37. Thus born of one another, the effects and their causes sustain one another supporting and being supported. 38. Just as the tortoise spreads its limbs first and then withdraws them, so the Avyakta creates the beings and then withdraws them. 39. Everything originating from Avyakta is born in this order. When the time of dissolution arrives it gets dissolved in the reverse order. 40. The Guṇas become equal and unequal due to Kāla. Dissolution takes place when there is equilibrium of the Guṇas. When this is upset, creation takes place. 41. Thus this egg, large and thick, is the source of origin of Brahmā. It is called Brahmā’s sphere; Brahmā is the lord of this. 42. There are thousands and crores of such eggs stationed at the sides, above and below since Pradhāna is present everywhere. 43. In the different places there are four-faced Brahmas, Viṣṇus and Rudras created by Pradhāna with the presence of Śiva. 44. The lord is beyond the manifest. The egg is born of the unmanifest. From that egg is born lord Brahmā and the worlds are created by him. 45. The primary creation of Pradhāna is without the intervention of the cosmic intellect. The ultimate dissolution is effected sportively by the lord alone at the end. 46. What is called as the unmanifest cause is Pradhāna. Brahmā is the progeny of Prakṛti. The Pradhāna has neither beginning nor middle nor end. Its prowess is infinite. It is white and deep red. It is associated with Puruṣa. 47. When the Rajas predominates it becomes generative. It creates the eight secondary tattvas in the beginning, which cause flourishing of the worlds. In the end it devours them. 48. The stability and the subsequent operation of the causes projected by Prakṛti take place by the thought of supreme lord whose prowess is not effected by Prakṛti.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. Please narrate the Manvantaras, the Kalpas, the subsidiary creations and the re-creation after dissolution. 2. The tenure of Brahmā who comes and goes according to the calculation of time is first a Parārdha and another Parārdha thereafter. At the end of the latter the re-creation takes place. 3. In each day in the life of Brahmā, the fourteen Manus come and go. 4. The Manvantaras and Kalpas have no beginning or end. Being unknowable they cannot be narrated separately. 5. Even if they be knowable, of what avail is it to you to know them. Hence I do not attempt to narrate them separately. 6. Among these Kalpas, I describe the creation and re-creation of this Kalpa. 7. The current Kalpa is named Vārāha. O excellent brahmins, in this Kalpa the Manus are fourteen in number. 8. Among the Manus, Svāyambhuva and others constitute the first seven Manus, Sāvarṇika and others constitute the next seven. Among them Vaivasvata Manu is the seventh. 9. It shall be known that in all the Manvantaras, the creation, sustenance and annihilation are more or less of the same nature. 10-13. When the previous Kalpa had ceased, the storm had hurst, the forest and trees had been uprooted, the fire-god had consumed the worlds like dry grass, the earth had been drenched, oceans had overflowed their shores, the quarters had been sunk in deep sheet of water and the waters of dissolution had started their fierce devil dances with the waves for their arms showing movements of gestures by means of the water, Brahmā assumed the form of Viṣṇu, slept soundly in that vast expanse of water. 14. One shall cite this mantra, a Śloka, regarding Nārāyaṇa. O excellent sages, listen to the mantra as well as the actual meaning of the words. 15. Waters are called ‘ Nārāḥ ’. Waters are sons of Nara. He is called Nārāyaṇa because waters constitute his abode. 16-17. With their palms joined in reverence the Siddha residents of Janaloka and the gods awakened the lord of gods who was in Yogic slumber, with hymns, in the morning as the Śrutis had done formerly at the beginning of creation. 18. The lord woke up, got up from his bed and came to the water. He looked all round at the quarters with the Yogic slumber still lingering in the eyes idly. 19. He did not see anything except himself He sat up like a wonderstruck person and began to ponder deeply. 20. “Where is that charming goddess the great Earth, with her lofty mountains, rivers, cities and forests.” 21. Thinking thus Brahmā could not locate the earth. Then he thought of his father, the three-eyed lord. 22. By meditating on the lord of gods, of immeasurable splendour, Brahmā understood that the earth had sunk under water. 23. Then Brahmā desirous of lifting up the Earth, thought of the divine Boar supporting about and diving into the waters. 24-29. He then assumed the form of a Boar and entered the nether worlds in order to lift up the Earth. His body was like a huge mountain. His snorting sound was like thunder. He had the lustre of a blue cloud. He was terrible with his snorting sound. His shoulders were thick, heavy and rounded. His buttocks were plump and raised. The tips of his calves were short and rounded. The hoots were sharp. His eyes were round and terrible having the brilliance of rubies. The huge body was oval-shaped. The stiff cars shone brilliantly. Inhaling and exhaling his breath he stirred up the waters of dissolution. The shining manes covered his beautiful checks and shoulders. He was embellished in gemset jewels of various sorts. He shone like clustering clouds with lightning. 30. Then the boar that resembled a mountain shone well as if he had reached the foot of the lord. 31. Then he lifted the Earth sunk under water and held it on his curved fangs. He rose up from the nether worlds. 32. On seeing him, the Siddhas, sages and other human beings rejoiced and danced. They scattered flowers on his head. 33. The body of the Boar covered up with flowers shone like the mountain of collyrium with glow-worms falling on it. 34. The Boar brought the earth to its own place. It then assumed his natural form and fixed it there. 35. He levelled the earth, fixed the mountains and set up the four worlds on the earth as before. 36. Thus after lifting the earth along with the mountains from the midst of the vast sea of dissolution the lord created the universe—the mobile and immobile beings.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. At the time of meditation while he was pondering intelligently, delusion in the form of darkness appeared before him. 2. Darkness, delusion, great delusion, blinding darkness and ignorance; the five appeared before the noble lord. 3. While he was meditating, the creation was ramified into five, enveloped all round by darkness as in a seed vessel(?) 4. Both within and without it was devoid of light benumed and unconscious. It had no intellect, faces and sense-organs. 5-6. Hence this creation became stationary consisting of trees and mountains. On seeing that this creation did not multiply Brahmā was dissatisfied. He began conceiving and meditating a second time. While he meditated, the lower animals came into being. 7. These animals had light within but not without. They had the form of animals and went a wrong path. 8. When this creation too proved ineffective the creation of the gods of the Sāttvika type took place. 9. Men had plenty of pleasure, were not concealed but had light within and light without. They had innate consciousness too. 10. Again he meditated and from the unmanifest evolved the human creation which had a downward trend. Though effective it was full of misery. 11-13. The human beings had light within and light without. They had Tamas and Rajas in abundance. The fifth creation appeared in four forms in respect of Viparyaya, Śakti Tuṣṭi and Siddhi. These had no possessions, being of different species, prone to eating and drinking, were known as Bhūtas etc. 14. The first creation of Brahmā is that of Mahat; the second is that of subtle elements and is called Bhūtasarga; the third is known as organic. 15. The primary creation took place without the intervention of intellect. The fourth was the creation or immobile beings. 16-17. The fifth was the creation of animal kingdom; the sixth of gods; the seventh of human beings. The eighth is called Anugraha and the ninth Kumāra. 18. The first three creations are primary. They work without intelligence. The five secondary creations function intelligently. 19-20. Brahmā had in the beginning created four sons: Sanaka, Sananda, Sanātana and Sanatkumāra. These are known as yogins free from passion and jealousy. 21-22. They were not interested in the activity of creation because their minds were drawn towards the lord. When Sanaka and others disinterested in creation had left the world, Brahmā, desirous of creation, performed penance. Though he performed penance nothing happened. 23. When a long time elapsed he was distressed and his distress turned into anger. From the eyes of the infuriated Brahmā drops of tears fell. 24. From these goblins and ghosts emerged. On seeing these born of tears Brahmā censured himself. 25. As a result of anger and annoyance he fell into swoon. Then the enraged Brahmā cast off his breath. 26. Then Rudra, the lord of vital breaths, appeared through the mouth of Brahmā in order to confer unequalled favour. 27. Lord Rudra divided himself into eleven Ātmans. When these appeared they were addressed by him. 28-29. O dear, you have been created by me for blessing the worlds. Hence endeavour assiduously for the establishment and benefit of the world and for its progeny. Thus spoken to, they cried and ran all round. 30. In view of their crying and flight they are called Rudras. Rudras are vital breaths and vital breaths are Rudras. 31. Then Rudra, the merciful son of Brahmā, bestowed vital breaths on Brahmā. 32. Rudra was delighted at the return of Brahmā to life. He spoke to Brahmā. 33. O Brahmā, preceptor of the worlds, do not be afraid. Your vital breaths have been resuscitated by me. O one of good rites, get up comfortably. 34-35 On hearing these words as if heard in dreams Brahmā glanced at Rudra, his eyes shedding lustre of lotuses, when the vital breath returned to him. With palms joined in reverence he spoke in pleasing but majestic tone. 36. “Indeed by your very vision you delight my mind. Who are you, sir, standing in cosmic form dividing yourself into eleven forms?” 37. On hearing his words, Śiva lord of the gods touched Brahmā with his pleasing hands and spoke. 38. Know me as the great Ātman, born as your son. The eleven Rudras have come to protect you well. 39. Hence shake off this lethargy through my blessing. Be wakeful. It behoves you to create beings as before. 40. When the lord spoke thus, Brahtnā was pleased. He eulogised Rudra with the eight names. 41-43. (i) Obeisance O lord Rudra, with the splendour of the sun; to lord Bhava the taste, of the form of water; to Śarva of the form of the earth, Nandin the bull; to Īśa, Vasu in the form of touch, to the lord of Paśus, to the fire-god of great brilliance, to Bhīma in the form of ether, the sound, the subtle element, to Ugra of terrible features in the form of the sacrificer, to Mahādeva with Umā and the moon. Obeisance to the lord of eight forms. 44. After eulogising Mahādeva, Brahmā, the grand-father of the worlds requested the lord after due homage. 45. O lord of the past and the future, O Rudra, my son, it was for the creation that you the destroyer of the cupid were born out of my limbs. 46. Hence, O lord of the universe, help me in this task. It behoves you to create beings everywhere. 47. Thus requested by him Rudra, the suppressor of the Tripuras, consented to his proposal. 48. Then Brahmā congratulated him. Permitted by him Brahmā created people. 49. He mentally created Marīci, Bhṛgu, Aṅgiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Dakṣa, Atri and Vasiṣṭha. He created Dharma and Saṃkalpa too. 50. These are the twelve sons of Brahmā including Rudra. They are the ancient householders. 51. Their families are twelve including the gods. Endowed with progeny and holy rites they are embellished by the sages. 52-53. Then he created the four—the gods, Asuras, Pitṛs and the human beings. Desirous of creating these, Brahmā set himself to the task of creation along with Rudra. He created the gods from his face and the pitṛs from the sides. 54. From his loins he created the Asuras; from the organ of generation the human beings. The Rākṣasas overwhelmed by hunger were born of his privities. 55. Strong night-prowlers with Tamas and Rajas prominent were born as his sons. The serpents, Yakṣas, Bhūtas and Gandharvas were born. 56. The crows were created from the sides, birds from his chest, goats from the face and serpents from the sides. 57. From his feet were born the horses, elephants, Śarabhas, wild oxen, deer, camels, mules, stags and other animals. 58-62. Medicinal herbs, fruits and roots were born of his hairs. From his eastern face he created Gāyatrī, Ṛks, Trivṛtsāma, Rathantara, Agniṣṭoma and other sacrifices. From his southern face he created Yajus Traiṣṭubha Chandas, the fifteen Stomas, Bṛhatsāma and Uktha. From his western face he created Sāman, Jagati Chandas, the seventeen Stomas, Vairūpya and Atirātra mantras. From his northern face he created the Atharva Veda, the twenty-one Āptorvāman, Anuṣṭubh Chandas and the Vairāja. High and low animals and living beings were born of his different limbs. 63. Yakṣas, Piśācas, Gandharvas, Apsaras, human beings, Kinnaras, Rākṣasas, birds, deer and other animals, serpents etc. were born. 64. The mobile and immobile beings which were perishable and imperishable attained their activities. 65. Created again and again the beings retain their previous nature, violent or non-violent, soft or ruthless, virtuous or evil, true or false. 66-70. They attain birth with the impressions of their previous traits. The creator himself has assigned the variety and diversity to the elements, the sensual objects etc. He himself has assigned them names and forms through the Vedic texts. He has bestowed thç names of the sages and the functions prescribed in the Vedas on those who were born at the close of the night. When a new season arrives its nature appears itself. So also when the new yuga arrives its nature appears along with it. Thus creation manifests itself through the limbs of Brahmā. 71-73. Beginning with intellect and ending with Viśeṣa this secondary creation is derived from Prakṛti itself. There in the Brahmavana which has the light of the moon and the sun, which is embellished by planets, stars, rivers, oceans, mountains and abounds in beautiful cities and countries the unmanifest Brahmā, having his source in the seed of Avyakta and blessed with the benign favour of the lord, the knower of alḥ moves about. 74-75. The eternal tree in the form of Brahmā shall be resorted to by all. The cosmic intellect is its main stem as well as its branch; the sense-organs its inner hollows; the great elements characterize its size; the Viśeṣa is its tender sprout; Dharma and Adharma its good flowers; happiness and misery its fruits. 76. Wise men say that the heaven is his head; the sky his navel; the sun and the moon his eyes; the quarters his cars and the earth his feet. That unponderable soul is the maker of all living beings. 77. Brahmins are born of his mouth: the Kṣatriyas of his chest, the Vaiśyas of his thighs; the Śūdras of his feet. All the castes are born of his Article published on 08 November, 2018

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. Sir, you have narrated the creation of the great Ātman through the mouth of the four-faced lord. There we have a doubt. 2-6. The Odd-eyed Śiva is the foremost among the gods. The trident-bearing Śiva is brilliant. Lord Rudra the Kālātman is Kapardin and Nīlalohita. When the end of the yuga arrives he becomes infuriated and annihilates this universe including Brahmā, Viṣṇu and the fire-god. He makes the worlds shrink. Brahmā and Viṣṇu are under his control. They make obeisance to him out of fright. He is the lord who formerly created Brahmā and Viṣṇu from his limbs. He alone is the cause of acquisition and retention. He is the primordial and ancient god. How did such a lord become the son of Brahmā who is born of Avyakta ? 7. We have also heard that Brahmā and Viṣṇu were born of Rudra and created Rudra. Thus they mutually created each other. 8. How could the two, progenitors of the living beings, come out of each other thereby possessing both prominence or otherwise? 9. There is nothing unseen or unheard by you. Every thing is remembered by you who had been the disciple of the lord himself. 10. Please narrate how Brahmā became the lord of all sages. O dear, we are faithful and eager to hear the great glory of the lord. 11. O Brahmins, this question has been well put by you, experts in the art of queries. I had put the same query to Brahmā who replied suitably. 12. I shall narrate how Rudra was born and how Brahmā and Viṣṇu were born from each other. 13-15. The three are the Ātmans as causes born of Maheśvara; they are the causes of creation, sustenance and annihilation of the universe consisting of the mobile and immobile beings. Endowed with great qualities they are sanctified by the great lord. Presided over by his Śakti they can always perform their activities. Brahmā can create; Viṣṇu can protect; Rudra can annihilate. 16-21. But they rivalled with one another. Desirous of excelling one another they propitiated their father, the supreme lord by means of penance. Attaining all round favour of the lord at the outset in a former Kalpa, Rudra created Brahmā and Viṣṇu. In another Kalpa, Brahma created Rudra and Viṣṇu. In another Kalpa Viṣṇu created Rudra and Brahmā. Thus in different Kalpas, Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Rudra desiring mutual benefit are born of one another. Based on the events in their respective Kalpas, their process in being the cause of origin of one another is extolled by the sages. Now listen to their holy and wonderful story that releases from sins. 22-26. Listen also to what happened to Brahmā in his Kalpa. In the Kalpa, Meghavāhana, Viṣṇu became a cloud and showered the earth for a thousand divine years. Seeing this, Śiva gave imperishable Śakti to Viṣṇu. Obtaining the Śakti from Śiva Viṣṇu created the universe along with Brahmā. On seeing that glory of Viṣṇu, Brahmā created by him was seized by jealousy and said derisively. Go you, O Viṣṇu. The cause of your origin is known to me. Rudra is superior to both of us. There is no doubt in this. 27. It is due to the grace of that lord that you, the sustained have become a creator today. 28. I too shall propitiate Rudra, the leader of gods, by means of penance and shall create the entire universe along with you. There is no doubt in this. 29. Slighting Viṣṇu thus, Brahmā attained Śiva by means of penance and submitted to him thus. 30. O lord of the gods, O lord of the universe, Viṣṇu is born of your left and I am born of your right side. 31. Still Viṣṇu created the universe along with me. Due to rivalry he was taunted by me depending on the strength of your support. 32. “O Viṣṇu, your piety towards the lord is not more than that of mine” (I told him) because our origin from you is on the same footing. 33. O Śiva, it behoves you to give all that to me also in the manner you bestowed on him before due to his devotion. 34. Thus implored by him the merciful lord Śiva gave all to him as justifiable. 35. Thus obtaining the state of being the Atman of all in a trice, from Śiva, Brahmā hastened to and saw Viṣṇu. 36-41. He saw Viṣṇu lying on Śeṣa in his abode in the milk-ocean. A white canopy resembling the sun was spread. It was created by him mentally. It was set with gold and gems. Lord Viṣṇu had eyes resembling lotus. He had splendid body with four arms. He was bedecked in ornaments. He was holding conch and discus. His face shone like the disc of the moon. The scar Śrīvatsa marked his chest. He was smiling sweetly. His lotus-like feet attained red hue due to the contact of the lotus-like Lakṣmī. In Yogic slumber he appeared lying in the nectarine milky ocean. By the Guṇa of Tamas he was Kālarudra; by that of Rajas he was Brahmā; by that of Sattva he was Viṣṇu. In Nirguṇa state he was lord Śiva. On seeing him Brahmā spoke seriously—“O Viṣṇu, I am going to devour you as you did me formerly.” 42. On hearing this Viṣṇu woke up, saw Brahmā and smiled slightly. 43. In the meantime Viṣṇu was devoured by Brahmā and immediately created through the middle of the eyebrows. 44-47. In the meantime the moon-crested lord came to the place to test their Śakti. Though devoid of form he assumed a form in order to bless them as he had previously done. Both of them were delighted and frightened and so eulogised the lord and bowed to him with respect from a distance. The trident-bearing lord blessed them and vanished even as they watched him with respect.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] I. I shall expain the reasons for the manifestation of Rudra in every Kalpa whereby the broken series of Brahmā ’s creation is resumed. 2. After creating the subjects in every Kalpa, Brahmā born of the cosmic egg felt excessively distressed. He was deluded. 3-4. In order to pacify his misery and to multiply his subjects, in the various Kalpas, Rudra, Brahma ’s younger brother, becomes the son of Brahmā and blesses him. 5. Ho alone is lord Īśa, a mass of splendour, free from ailment, devoid of beginning and end, the creator and the lord making all living beings shrink. 6. Endowed with lordly qualities, he is purified by Parameśvara. He is presided over by his Śakti and marked by his symbols. 7. He has the same name, the same form; he can perform his task; he has same function as he maintains and abides by his commands. 8. He resembles a thousand suns, he is bedecked in crescent moon. Serpents constitute his necklaces, shoulderlets and bangles. 9. He is brilliant holding the skulls of asura Jalandhara, Brahmā, and Indra, his tawny hair, moustache and beard are drenched in the surging waves of Gaṅgā. 10. His lips shine with the tips being hit by the sharp-pointed curved fangs; his ear-rings make a halo around his left ear. 11. He is seated on a great bull; his voice sounds like thunder. He is lustrous like fire, his strength and exploits are great. 12. He whose features are hideous in this manner and who is born as the son of Brahmā bestows wisdom on him and co-operates with him in the activity of creation. 13. It is due to his grace that the creation in every Kalpa functions as a perpetual series. 14. Once, when requested by Brahmā to create, he mentally created all beings exactly like himself. 15. All of them had matted hair; they were free from fear and distress, had blue necks and three eyes, were free from decaying age and death; they had shining tridents as their excellent weapons. 16. The fourteen worlds of the universe were filled up by them. On seeing these various Rudras, Brahmā spoke to Śiva. 17. “Obeisance to you, O lord of gods, do not create such subjects. Welfare to you. Create other subjects that may be endowed with death.” 18. When told thus, the lord replied to Brahmā, “Such a creation is not my task. You alone create inauspicious beings. 19. The noble beings of great strength created by me mentally will walk about in my company. They will regulate the sacrifices.” 20. After saying thus to the creator, Śiva the lord of living beings desisted from creation and remained in the company of Rudras. 21. From that time onwards the lord does not procreate auspicious beings. He stands in Yogic trance till the dissolution of the universe. Article published on 08 November, 2018

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. When the creation of Brahmā did not multiply Brahmā thought of creation by the process of sexual intercourse. 2. Since the race of women had not emanated from the lord formerly, Brahmā could not produce creation through sexual intercourse. 3. Then he finally resolved that the lord should be asked in respect of multiplying the subjects. 4. Thinking that without his grace the subjects will not increase, Brahmā began to perform penance. 5-7. His primordial eternal Śakti is subtle, pure, pleasant and intelligible only through piety; it is devoid of attributes, unsullied, unramified unruffled, perpetual and it ever remains with Īśvara. Thus Brahmā pondered over the lord and his great Śakti and performed penance. 8. Ere long the lord was pleased with Brahmā who was endowed with severe penance. 9. Becoming half-female after introducing certain parts into a certain image, the lord himself came there. 10-15. On seeing the lord, Brahmā eulogised him as well as the goddess, with hymns full of subtle meaning—the lord who is beyond darkness, is eternal, without a second, incomprehensible, invisible to the libertine, the creator, overlord, endowed with the creative power, who is beyond arguments, has no fallacious appearance, is immeasurable, unaging, stable, unmoving, devoid of attributes, quiescent, possessed of infinity, omnipresent, bestower of boons, devoid of difference between the Existent and the non-Existent, incomparable, worthy of being sought refuge and permanent. He prostrated before him and then stood up with palms joined with reverence. He eulogised him with faith and humility by means of hymns of subtle, sweet, refined and pious meanings that explained the Vedic texts. 16. O lord, be victorious. O Īśvara, O Maheśvara, splendid with attributes, be victorious. 17. O auspicious goddess, O heroine of Prakṛti and the one beyond Prakṛti and naturally beautiful, be victorious. 18. O lord of fruitful Māyā, of fruitful will, of great sports and of fruitful strength, be victorious. 19. O mother of the universe, O goddess identical with the universe, O creator and companion of the universe, be victorious. 20. Be victorious, O lord of eternal prosperity and permanent abode. Be victorious, O lord of eternal form. Be victorious, O lord of permanent devotees. 21. Be victorious O creatress, protectress, annihilatress and the heroine of the three Ātmans. 22. Be victorious, O lord ready to survey, enlarge the universe. Be victorious, O lord from whose terrible glance rises the fire that consumes all the worlds. 23. Be victorious, O goddess incomprehensible to the gods and others, O goddess that shinest brilliantly with your subtle vision. Be victorious,'O goddess the part of the gross Śakti of the Ātman. Be victorious, O goddess pervading the mobile and immobile beings. 24. Be victorious. O lord merging various principles of the universe into one. Be victorious, O lord the groups of whose followers have stepped on the heads of Asùras. 23. Be victorious, O goddess affording protection to those who resort to you. Be victorious, O goddess who uproot the spirits of the poisonous tree of worldly existence. 26. Be victorious, O lord enhancing prosperity, prowess and heroism. Be victorious, O lord, stationed beyond the universe, O lord who hast quelled the might of the enemies. 27. Be victorious, O immortal lord who hast laid the rite of “five objects.” Be victorious, O goddess having the form of the hymn with the knowledge of the “five objects.” 28. Be victorious, O lord, the physician par excellence for the great suffering of the terrible worldly existence. Be victorious, O goddess the moon-light for the layers of darkness of ignorance, the primordial dirt. 29. Be victorious, O black fire that consumed the Tripuras. Be victorious, O goddess Tripurabhairavī. Be victorious, O lord devoid of three attributes. Be victorious P goddess, the possessor of three attributes. 30. Be victorious, O omniscient one. Be victorious, O goddess enlightening every one. Be victorious O lord having prolific divine limbs. Be victorious, O goddess bestowing all desires. 31. O lord, where is your great splendour and where the worthless words of ours. Still O lord, forgive me that babble but with devotion. 32. After eulogising with these and similar hymns the four-faced lord, the creator of the universe bowed again and again to Rudra and Rudrāṇī. 33. This holy and excellent hymn “ Ardhanārīśvara Stotra ” uttered by Brahma enhances the delight of Śiva and Śivā. 34. He who recites this with devotion or teaches to anyone whatsoever reaps the fruit thereof as a result of the pleasure of Śiva and Śivā. 35. I bow to Śiva and Śivā the sanctifiers of living beings in the entire universe; the couple whose bodies are devoid of birth and death and who have taken the bodies of an excellent man and a youthful maiden.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1-3. Then the delighted god Śiva spoke to Brahmā with a benign and sweet smile. His voice sounded like thunder. All the letters were sweet, majestic, soft, clear, full and rich in meanings. They had royal qualities being pure and efficient in the protection of all subjects. 4. Dear child, O fortunate one, the gravity of your statements has been understood by me. 5. It is for the increase in the number of the subjects that this penance has been performed by you. I am delighted with your penance. I shall grant you what you desire. 6. After this sweet and liberal speech the excellent lord created the goddess from a part of his body. 7. It is the goddess whom scholars of the Vedas call the greatest Śakti endowed with the divine qualities of Śiva the great soul. 8. It was the goddess in whom there is neither birth, nor death nor old age nor other similar things. It was the goddess who manifested herself from the body of Śiva. 9. She from whom words recede along with the mind and the sense-organs, appeared to be born of a part of the body of her husband. 10. The goddess who pervades everything through her greatness was seen like a wonderfully embodied being. 11. It is she who fascinates the entire universe with her Māyā. Really she is unborn but she appeared to be born of Śiva. 12. Her great form is not visible even to the gods. Such a great goddess of all the gods was divided in the body of her lord. 13-14. On seeing the great omniscient, omnipresent subtle goddess, devoid of the difference between Sat and Asat, the goddess who illuminates the universe with her brilliance, Brahmā bowed and prayed. 15. O Goddess in the beginning I was created by the lord and employed in the activity of the creation. I create the universe. 16. O Goddess, the gods and others are mentally created by me. Though they are created again and again they do not increase in number. 17. Hereafter I wish to increase the number through copulation. 18. The race of women has not emerged from you. Hence I cannot create an everlasting race of women. 19-22. Śaktis originate from you. Hence I worship you alone who bestow Śaktis upon everyone everywhere, who grant boons and who are Māyā and the goddess of the gods. O omnipresent goddess for the increase of the mobile and immobile beings, please be born with a part of yours, as the daughter of Dakṣa my son. Thus requested by Brahmā the goddess created a Śakti equal in splendour to herself from the middle of her eyebrows. Lord Śiva looked at her laughingly and spoke. 23-25. “After propitiating Brahmā with penance you shall carry out what he desires”. The Śakti obeyed the lord. At the instance of Brahmā she became the daughter of Dakṣa. After giving the incomparable Śakti in the form of Brahman to Brahmā, the goddess re-entered the body of the lord. The lord vanished. Since that time the enjoyment of sexual pleasures in women was established. 26. O leading brahmins, procreation functions through copulation. O leading sages, Brahmā too was satisfied. 27. Thus the manifestation of Śakti has been narrated to you. It enhances merit. It shall be narrated with the story of creation. 28. He who recites this every day attains merits and obtains worthy sons.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1-2. Securing the great and eternal Śakti from the lord and desiring to initiate the process of procreation by copulation, Brahmā became a wondrous man in one half and a woman in one half. From the woman-half was born Śatarūpā. 3. The man-half created Virāja, called Svāyambhuva Manu, the first creation. 4. Performing a difficult penance the gentle Śatarūpā got the Manu of bright fame as her husband. 3. Śatarūpā bore him two sons, Priyavrata and Uttānapāda. 6. She bore two daughters of great fortune from whom emanates all creation. They were Ākūti and Prasūti. 7. Lord Manu gave Prasūti to Dakṣa. Brahmā gave Ākūti to Ruci. 8. The mental son Ruci begot of Ākūti a son Yajña and a daughter Dakṣiṇā. The two make the universe whirl. 9. Lord Dakṣa begot of Prasūti, the daughter of Svāyambhuva, twenty-four daughters called the mothers of the world. 10-16. Lord Dharma took thirteen of his daughters as his wives. They were Śraddhā, Lakṣmī, Dhṛti, Puṣṭi, Tuṣṭi, Medhā, Kriyā, Buddhi, Lajjā, Vapu, Śānti, Siddhi and Kīrti the thirteenth. The other eleven were Khyāti, Satī, Asambhūti, Smṛti, Prīti, Kṣamā, Sannati, Anasūyā, Ūrjā, Svāhā and Svadhā. O sages, the sages Bhṛgu, Śarva, Marīci, Aṅgiras, Pulaha, Kratu, Pulastya, Atri, Vasiṣṭha, Pāvaka and the Pitṛs married them. Thirteen sons beginning with Kama and ending with Yaśas were begotten by Dharma of Śraddhā and others happy and conducive to happiness. Nikṛti and others were begotten of Hiṃsā by Adharma. They bore the traits of Adharma and were conducive to unhappiness. They had no wives or sons. They practised no virtue. 17-21. The Tāmasa creation was controlled by Dharma. Dakṣa’s daughter Satī, wife of Rudra cast off her body as daughter of Dakṣa in the context of the insult offered to her husband. She rebuked Dakṣa and Dakṣa’s wife and their kinsmen. She was born as the daughter of Menā and Himavat. On seeing Satī how Rudra created many Rudras with lustres similar to his, has already been narrated. Bhṛgu begot of Khyāti the daughter Lakṣmī who became the wife of Viṣṇu. He begot two sons Dhātṛ and Vidhātṛ who became the founders of Manvantara. Their progeny is numerous, in hundreds and thousands. 22. The descendants of Bhṛgu lived in the Svāyambhuva Manvantara. Sambhūti, son of Marīci, gave birth to a son Paurṇamāsa. 23. He had four daughters and descendants large in number. In that family was born Kaśyapa who had many sons. 24-25. Smṛti, wife of Aṅgiras, bore two sons Āgnīdhra and Śarabha and four daughters. Their progeny continued in thousands. Dantogni was born as the son of Prīti the wife of Pulastya. He was Agastya in the previous birth in the Svāyambhuva Manvantara. 26-27. His descendants famous as Paulastyas were many. Kṣamā bore sons to Pulaha the Prajāpati. The three known as Kardama, Āsuri and Sahiṣṇu had the splendour of the sacrificial fires. Their race is well established. 28. Sannati, wife of Kratu, bore him sons who were equal to Kratu. They did not marry and hence were issueless. 29. They were sixty thousand in number and known as Vālakhilyas. They surround the sun and go ahead of his charioteer. 30. Atri’s wife Anasūya bore five sons the Ātreyas and a daughter Śruti, the mother of Śaṅkhapada. 31. The glorified five Ātreyas are Satyanetra, Havya, Āpomūrti, Śanaiścara and Soma. 32. The sons and grandsons of the noble Ātreyas are in hundreds and thousands. They lived in the Svāyambhuva Manvantara. 33-34. Seven sons were born to Vasiṣṭha in Ūrjā and a daughter Puṇḍarīkā. They were Rajas, Gātra, Ūrdhvabāhu, Savana, Anaya, Sutapas and Śukra. 35. Their descendants with the names of Vasiṣṭha were in hundreds and hundred millions all in Svāyambhuva Manvantara. 36. This is the creation of the sages. It is impossible to mention this in detail. 37. Svāhā, wife of the fire-god the mental son of Brahma in the form of Rudra, bore three sons of unmeasured splendour. 38. They are Pāvaka, Pavamāna and Śuci. Pavamāna is the fire kindled by attrition. Pāvaka is the fire produced by lightning. 39-40. The solar fire is called Śuci. Their sons in order are:— Havyavāha, Kavyavāha and Saharakṣas. They are the deities, manes and gods. Their sons and grandsons are forty-nine. 41. They are propitiated in the three rites Kāmya, Naimittika and Nitya. They shall be known as saintly observing holy rites. 42-43. These are in the form of Rudra and devoted to him. Whatever is offered in fire by whomsoever it may be is the offering to Rudra. This is the decision in regard to the fires stated in order. 44-47. O Brahmins, I shall describe the manes now but not in detail. The manes preside over the seasons. Hence the Vedas declare “The seasons are the Pitṛs”. The mobile and immobile beings are created in the seasons. Hence it is mentioned in the Śruti, “The things produced in the seasons are the Pitṛs.” Noble persons derive prosperity from the Pitṛs who preside over the seasons. They stand in contact with the clouds. The Pitṛs are of two types: Agniṣvāttas and Barhiṣads. 48-49. Householders are also of two types: Non-sacrificers, and Sacrificers. Svadhā bore the Pitṛs two daughters: Menā and Dharaṇī who uphold the universe. Menā was the daughter of Agniṣvāttas and Dharaṇī the daughter of Barhiṣads. 50. Menā, wife of Himavat, gave birth to Maināka, Krauñca, Gaṅgā and Gaurī sanctified by the embrace of Śiva ’s body. 51. Dharaṇī, wife of Meru, gave birth to Mandara abounding in divine herbs and beautiful peaks of variegated forms. 52. Mandara the glorious son of Meru became the abode of Śiva due to the strength of penance. 53. Dharaṇī gave birth to three famous daughters Velā, Niyati and Āyati. 54. Āyati and Niyati became the wives of the sons of Bhṛgu. I have mentioned to you about their race in Svāyambhuva Manvantara. 55. Velā bore Sāgara the holy daughter Savarṇā who became the wife of Prācīnabarhiṣ. 56. Sāmudrī bore Prācīnabarhiṣ ten sons who were called Prācetasas. They were the masters of the science of archery. 57. Dakṣa in Svāyambhuva Manvantara became the son of the Prācetasas in the Cākṣuṣa Manvantara due to the curse of Siva. 58-59. Thus the divine families, attended upon by the devas, of the noble-souled sons of Brahmā, Dharma and others, have been described by me, O Brahmins. They observed holy rites. They had progenies and were embellished by great prosperity. 60. This creation born of the Prajāpatis cannot be enumerated even in hundreds of crores of years. 61. Holy royal families function in two different lines viz. the solar and the lunar. 62. Ikṣvāku, Ambarīṣa, Yayāti, Nahuṣa and others belong to those families well known and reputed. 63. There are several other saintly kings of different exploits. Of what avail is their detailed enuneration? 64. Moreover, in the context of the story of lord Śiva, the eulogy of royal families is not approved of by good men. Thus I do not attempt to speak much. 65. Being relevant so far as it implies the greatness of lord Śiva, I have mentioned creation. Enough of those details too.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. How did the goddess, daughter of Dakṣa become the daughter of Himavat and Menā after abandoning the body born of Dakṣa? 2. How was Rudra censured by Dakṣa the noble soul? What could be the cause whereby Śiva was censured? 3. O wind-god, formerly in the Cākṣuṣa Manvantara how was Dakṣa born due to the curse of Śiva? Please narrate. 4. Please listen. I shall narrate the activity of the mean Dakṣa resulting in his insult to all gods due to his sinful blunder. 5. Once formerly, all the gods, Asuras, Siddhas and the sages went to the summit of Himavat in order to see the lord. 6. O Brahmins, the lord and the goddess were seated on a divine scat as they granted interview to the gods and others. 7. At the same time Dakṣa too had accompanied the gods in order to see Śiva his son-in-law and the goddess his own daughter. 8. In view of their dignity, the lord and the Goddess did not give any special preferential treatment to Dakṣa. 9. But deluded that he was, Dakṣa did not realise the greatness of the lord and the goddess. Thinking her to be his daughter he began to nurse a grudge and hatred against her. 10. Due to this enmity and further incited by Brahmā, Dakṣa after initiation did not invite them in the sacrifice. 11. He invited the other sons-in-law and honoured them severally. 12. On hearing from Nārada that they had assembled there, Satī went to her father’s abode after informing Rudra. 13-19. She stepped into the aeroplane along with her dear friends. It was a divine plane with doors on all sides; had good conditions; could be easily mounted. It was very charming. It shed golden lustre. It was studded with jewels of various sorts and had a canopy covered with pearls. It was decorated with stringed flower garlands. It had been wrought in molten gold; hundreds of bejewelled pillars supported it all round. The adamantine steps were neatly built. The columns and festoons were decorated with corals. The chief seat therein was studded with gems and covered with a silken cloth with flower-designs. Through every aperture rays of diamonds were diffused; a good gemset platform without dents shone. A flagstaff as pure as cloud decorated its front with the sign of the great Bull. It was studded with jewels. The main door was guarded by invincible Gaṇeśvaras wearing jewel-studded bodices and wielding canes in their hands. Many women, experts in playing on Mṛdaṅgas, flutes, Vīṇās and in music were seated there richly dressed and bedecked in ornaments. 20-21. Two Rudra virgins held the auspicious chowries and fans beautiful in their handles set with diamonds, and fanned the goddess. In the middle of the chowries the face of the goddess shone like a lotus in the midst of two fighting swans. 22-23. Sumālinī held over her head a pearl-stringed umbrella as white as the moon. The splendid umbrella shone above the face of the goddess as the moon's disc above the vessel of nectar. 24-25. Śubhāvatī of sweet smiling face sat in front of Satī and delighted her by playing at the game of dice. Suyaśas held the auspicious sandals of the goddess, studded with gems, in the middle of her breasts and served the goddess. 26-27. Another lady held the glistening mirror. Another held the fan. Another held the betelbox. Another held the charming parrot. 28. A certain lady held charming fragrant flowers. Another lotus-eyed lady held the repository of ornaments. 29-30. A certain lady held the unguent, good flowers and the auspicious collyrium. Other ladies did their respective duties. They sat around serving her. In their midst the goddess shone like the moon in the Autumn in the midst of a galaxy of stars. 31-32. Then after the blowing of the conch the great wardrum was sounded indicating the time of departure. Then hundreds of bugles and sweet-toned instruments sounded without being beaten (obstructed) along with the sounds of clapping the hands. 33-34. Then eight hundred groups of the thousand strong armed Gaṇeśas equal in brilliance to lord Śiva went ahead. In their midst, the glorious chief of Gaṇas, honoured by the moon and Nandīśvara sat on the Bull like Bṛhaspati on an elephant. 35-37. The divine drums were sounded in heaven. Clouds were divinely pleasing. The sages danced. Siddhas and Yogins rejoiced. Everywhere on the way the clouds in association with the gods and others made showers of flowers above the canopy. The goddess entered her father’s house as if in a moment. 38. On seeing her Dakṣa became infuriated which subsequently became the cause of his destruction. He worshipped her younger sisters too in an insulting manner(?) 39. Then the goddess spoke to her father in the midst of the assembly, relevantly unexcitedly and undemeaningly. 40. O father, the lord at whose bidding everyone from Brahmā to the Piśācas becomes subservient has not been duly worshipped. 41. Let that alone. Why did you slight me your eldest daughter in a despicable manner? 42. Thus addressed, the infuriated Dakṣa replied angrily “The younger daughters are better than you. They deserve my special reverence. 43. Their husbands evoke my respect and joy, for they are superior to your husband lord Śiva. 44. He is stiff-souled and you have resorted to him. So I dishonour you. He is antagonistic to me.” 45. Thus insulted the infuriated goddess spoke to her father within the hearing of all present there. 46. O Dakṣa, you insult my husband the lord of the world, whose insult no one has hitherto made. 47. The Śruti says that these are great sinners—viz. a stealer of learning, a traitor to the preceptor and an insulter of the Vedas and of the god. They deserve to be punished. 48. Therefore a terrible punishment befitting the great sin shall be meted out to you by divine intercession. 49. Since the lord of gods has not been worshipped by you, know that your family is defiled and ruined. 50. After saying thus to her father Satī abandoned her body and without fear went to mountain Himavat. 51. The glorious leader of mountains attained the fruit of his merits. It was for her that he had performed penance for a long time. 52. The goddess blessed the lord of mountains. Through her Yogic Māyā and at her own will, she made him her father. 53. When Satī rebuked Dakṣa and went away, the frightened and agitated Mantras too vanished. The sacrifice became hindered. 54. On hearing about the departure of the goddess, Śiva was angry with Dakṣa and the sages and cursed them. 55-57. O Dakṣa, since for my sake the sinless Satī had been dishonoured and the other daughters worshipped along with their husbands, these sons-in-law of yours will be born but not of a womb in the sacrifices of Brahmā in the Vaivasvata Manvantara. In the Cākṣuṣa Manvantara you will become a king as the grandson of Prācinabarhiṣ and the son of Pracetas. 58. O wicked one, there also I shall put up obstacles before you in all activities regarding virtue, wealth and love. 59. Thus addressed by Rudra of unmeasured splendour, Dakṣa abandoned the body and fell on the ground. 60. Then in the Cākṣusa Manvantara Dakṣa was born as the grandson of Prācinabarhiṣ and the son of Pracetas. 61. Bhṛgu and others were born in the Vaivasvata Manvantara in the sacrifice of Brahmā bearing the bodies of Varuṇa. 62. Then in the Vaivasvata Manvantara in the virtuous sacrifice of the wicked Dakṣa the lord created obstacles. Article published on 08 November, 2018

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] I. How did the lord create obstacles before the wicked Dakṣa who performed a sacrifice for virtue’s sake? We wish to know this. 2-4. When Himavat was delighted by becoming the father of the mother of the universe by the strength of his penance, when Śiva married her and sported with her in his abode on the peak of Himavat when a long time elapsed, in the Vaivasvata Manvantara Dakṣa as the son of Pracetas wanted to perform a horse-sacrifice. 5. On the top of Himavat in an auspicious spot at the source of Gaṅgā, frequented by the sages and the Siddhas Dakṣa began his sacrifice. 6. All the gods Indra and others gathered there and thought of going to attend the sacrifice. 7-8. The Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras, Sādhyas, Maruts, Ūṣmapās, Somapās, Ājyapās, Dhūmapās, Aśvins, Pitṛs, and the other sages came there along with Viṣṇu to take part in the sacrifice. 9. On seeing all the gods assembled there without Śiva, Dadhīca became angry. He spoke to Dakṣa thus. 10. Indeed that man incurs great sin who does not worship those who deserve worship and worships those who do not befit it. 11. Lord’s terrible punishment falls where the wicked are honoured and the good are dishonoured. 12. After saying this the sage spoke again to Dakṣa, “Why don’t you worship the lord deserving worship, the lord of souls?” 13. I see eleven Rudras armed with tridents and having matted hair. I do not know anyone else as the lord. 14. What avails worshipping the gods in the sacrifice if the king of sacrifice, Rudra, is not worshipped by you? 15. He is unchanging, the creator of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Rudra, to whom all from Brahmā to Piśācas, say “What shall we do?” 16. He is beyond all Prakṛtis and Puruṣa. He is meditated upon by Yogic scholars, sages and the seers of truthful principles. 17. He is the imperishable great Brahman, the Sat-Asat and Asat; devoid of beginning, middle and end, incomprehensible and eternal. 18. He is the creator, sustainer, and annihilator. I do not see any one else in the form of Śiva in the sacrifice. 19. I offer this Caru in the golden vessel, sanctified by mantras, after assigning the share to Viṣṇu the lord of sacrifice. 20. “O Dakṣa, since Rudra the lord of the chief of the gods is not propitiated your sacrifice will not be efficacious.” 21. After saying this, the infuriated sage Dadhīca left for his hermitage. 22. Even when the sage walked out, the gods did not leave Dakṣa in view of the inevitability of the disaster that was to take place. 23. O brahmins, in the meantime knowing about all this from Śiva the goddess urged the lord to destroy the sacrifice of Dakṣa. 24. Urged by the goddess the lord created the heroic Vīrabhadra the chief of Ganas, intending to destroy the sacrifice. 25-33. He had a thousand faces, a thousand lotus-like eyes. He was holding a thousand iron clubs, thousands of arrows, spear, axe, mace, bow, discus and the thunderbolt. He looked fierce and terrible. The crescent moon adorned his crest; the thunderbolt illuminated his hands. His hair shone like lightning. He had a huge mouth terrible with the curved fangs and a huge belly. His tongue was like lightnings His lips hung down. His voice sounded like the cloud and the ocean. He wore the tiger’s hide dripping with blood. He ear-rings formed circles close to his cheeks. He had adorned his crest with the garlands from the heads of leading gods. He was bedecked in golden shoulderlets and jingling anklets. He was shining with heaps of gems. His chest was covered by necklaces. He was equal in exploit to the great fabulous animal Śarabha, tigers and lions. His gait was gentle and majestic as that of a stately elephant in rut. His lustre was white like conch, chowrie, Kunda flower, moon and the lotus-stalk. He was like the snow-capped lord of mountains who had become mobile. Flames surrounded him. Wearing pearl ornaments he shone brilliantly as the fire at the dissolution of the world. 34. That chief of Gaṇas knelt and bowed. With palms joined in reverence he stood beside the lord of gods. 35. With his anger he created Bhadrā the goddess Kālī as a witness of his activities and his companion. 36. On seeing Vīrabhadra standing like deadly fire in the company of Bhadrā, Śiva said “Welfare be to you.” 37. He submitted to the lord in the company of the goddess. “Please command what task shall I carry out?” 38. Then with a desire to please Pārvatī, Śiva spoke to the huge-armcd Vīrabhadra in raised sound. 39. O chief of Gaṇas, accompanied by Bhadrakālī, destroy the sacrifice of Dakṣa the son of Pracetas. 40. O chief of Gaṇas, I shall witness your exploit staying near Raibhya ’s hermitage along with the goddess. 41-42. In the place Kanakhala there are huge trees near Gaṅgādvāra resembling the mountain with the golden peaks like Meru and Mandara. Dakṣa is holding sacrifice there. Immediately create obstacles in that sacrifice too. Do not delay. 43-44. When this was mentioned by the lord, the goddess, daughter of Hímavat looked at Vīrabhadra and Bhadrakālī as docs a cow at her calf. Embracing him and sniffing at his head as at the head of Subrahmaṇya she smiled and spoke in sweet voice. 45. O dear Bhadra, O blessed one, of great strength and exploit, you are born to carry out the task that pleases me. Wipe off my anger and sorrow. 46. In view of his enmity Dakṣa is performing sacrifice without inviting the lord of sacrifice. O chief of Gaṇas, split that sacrifice. 47. At my bidding O dear, inflict violence in the company of Bhadrā. Kill the sacrificer. Let the holy sacrifice be turned into non-sacrifice. 48. At the behest of Śiva and Śivā of wonderful activities, with bent head, as if it was their blessing, Bhadra bowed to them and left. 49-50. The infuriated lord Vīrabhadra, fond of cremation ground, created from his skin-pores chiefs of Gaṇas, and from his right hand hundred crores others. 51. He also created these from his feet, thighs, back, sides, mouth, throat, privities, heels, middle of the head, neck, face and belly. 52. Then the universe with all its open spaces and crevices was covered with the chiefs of gaṇas equal in exploit to Bhadra. 53. These had thousand hands holding thousands of weapons and had the lustre of Rudra. 54. They had spears, tridents and maces, axes, stones and rocks. They resembled deadly fire and Rudra. They had three eyes and matted hair. 55. They flew in hundreds and seated on lions roared loudly like clouds. 56. Lord Bhadra surrounded by the Bhadras shone like Kālabhairava surrounded by hundreds of deadly fires at the time of dissolution. 57. In their midst, mounted on a lordly bull and with a bull-emblem, lord Bhadra went ahead like Śiva seated on Nandin. 58. When Bhadra was seated on the bull, Bhasitaprabha held the pearl umbrella and the white chowries. 59. Bhasita shone by the side of Bhadra like the lord of mountains by the side of Śiva. 60. Bhadra too shone in his company as he held the white chowries like the lord with the trident weapon and the crescent moon. 61. Bhānukampa of great splendour bedecked in gold and jewels blew on the auspicious white conch Bhadra in front of Bhadra. 62. The divine drums were sounded with divine tumultuous tone. The clouds in hundreds made showers of flowers on his head. 63. Winds taking up the fragrance of full blown flowers pregnant with honey blew favourbly on their way. 64. Then the elated chiefs proud of their strength danced, rejoiced, cried, laughed, spoke and sang. 65. Then Bhadra stationed in the midst of the Bhadragaṇas in the company of Bhadrā shone like Śiva in the midst of Rudragaṇas in the company of Pārvatī. 66. In a moment the strong Vīrabhadra with his followers entered the golden gate of the sacrificial altar. 67. Then the chief of Gaṇas Bhadra entered like Rudra desirous of burning the worlds at the time of dissolution.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. Then he saw the great Satra of the gods of great splendour the chief of whom was Viṣṇu. The satra had all the paraphernalia—the flags of various colours etc. 2. Good grass was scattered in straight lines. The sacrificial fire was well-kindled. It was embellished with glittering sacrificial vessels of gold. 3. The rites were performed neatly in accordance with the rules found in the Vedas by the sages who were experts in sacrifices and who performed the rites properly. 4. Thousands of celestial damsels were there. The Satra was attended by the Apsaras. The sweet sound of flutes and lutes spread and was enhanced by the sound of Vedic hymns. 5. On seeing all this, the heroic Vīrabhadra of great exploits roared like a lion or a majestic rumbling cloud. 6. Then a hurrah of joy, filling the sky and superseding the sound of the ocean was produced by the lords of gaṇas. 7. Overwhelmed by the great sound the frightened heaven-dwellers ran helter-skelter dropping their garments and ornaments. 8. “Has the great Meru been burst? Is the earth pierced through? What is this?” the gods, began to scream and shout. 9. Some abandoned their lives due to fear like lordly elephants in a thick forest on hearing the roar of the lion. 10. Mountains crumbled. The earth quaked. Winds rolled and reeled. The ocean was agitated. 11. Fires did not blaze. The sun did not shine. Neither the planets nor the stars nor the other luminary bodies shone. 12. In the meantime lord Bhadra in the company of Bhadras and the goddess Bhadrā reached the brilliant sacrificial altar. 13. On seeing him, Dakṣa stood steady and firm though he was frightened. He spoke angrily “Who are you? What do you wish?” 14-15. On hearing the words of the wicked Dakṣa, Vīrabhadra of great splendour and of majestically rumbling sound like the cloud smilingly looked at Dakṣa, the gods and the Ṛtviks. He spoke the relevent words full of meaning without the least excitement. 16. We are the followers of lord Śiva of great splendour. We have come for our share. May that be given to us. 17. If the share has not been allotted to us in the sacrifice let the reason be mentioned or let the gods fight with me. 18. When they were told thus by the chief of Gaṇas the gods headed by Dakṣa said—“The mantras are our authorities. We are not the lords.” 19. The Mantras said—“O gods, your minds are oppressed by Tamas. Hence you do not deserve the first share. Worship lord Śiva.” 20. Though advised by the Mantras the gods with deluded minds did not offer the share to Bhadra. They desired to drop him out. 21. When their truthful and wholesome words went in vain the Mantras turned away from that place and went to the eternal Brahmaloka. 22-23. Then the chief of Gaṇas spoke to the gods headed by Viṣṇu, “You have not accepted the mantras being proud of your strength. Since we have been dishonoured by the gods thus in this sacrifice, I will drive out your arrogance along with your lives.” 24. After saying thus the infuriated lord burnt the sacrificial altar with the fire of his eyes as Śiva had burnt the three Puras. 25-26. Then the lords of gaṇas of mountain-like huge bodies uprooted the sacrificial posts and tied them to the necks of the Hotṛ priests by means of ropes. They broke and powdered the sacrificial vessels of various shapes and sizes dissolved them in water anḍ hurled all the appendages of the sacrifice in the currents of the Gaṅgā river. 27-28. There were heaps of foodstuffs and beverages; milk flowed like rivers exuding nectar; curds formed smooth slimy slush. Sweet smelling meat and foodstuffs lay in heaps high and low. There were juicy beverages, and foodstuffs to be lapped up. The heroes ate, chewed and scattered them. 29-30. The heroic Bhadras born of Vīrabhadra’s body hit and split the haughty gods including the guardians oi the quarters by means of discus, thunderbolts, spears, Śaktis, nooses, iron clubs, iron rods, swords, axes, Bhindipalas and huge battle-axes 31-32. “Chop off and split” “Hurl quickly” “Let him be killed” “Take away and strike” “Peel and tear off” such ruthless words full of excitement, usual in wars and jarring to the ears arose from the lords of Gaṇas. 33-36. Some rolled their eyes, gnashed their fanglike teeth and bit their lips and palates. They pulled out the sages in the hermitages and killed them. They took away sacrificial ladles and spoons and hurled them into fire and water. They broke domes, gemset platforms. They sang, shouted and laughed again and again drinking blood-like wine. The leading Gaṇas danced. 37. Pounding up the gods including Indra, the leading Gaṇas, strong like lordly bulls, elephants and lions, of unrivalled glory, perpetrated hair-raising deeds of destruction. 38. The Pramathas rejoiced, struck, ran, prattled, danced, laughed and jumped about. 39. Some of them evinced a desire to seize the watery clouds, some jumped up to seize the sun; others wished to blow along with the wind. 40. Some wielded weapons and rushed through the sky like peaks of mountains; tossed the gods like the Garuḍa tossing huge pythons. 41. Some looking like the black clouds uprooted the houses, windows, daises, hurled them into water and roared. 42. The doors, door-frames and walls of the sacrificial mansion were upset; the windows, ceiling frames, the halls were destroyed utterly. The complete edifice of sacrifice crumbled helplessly like a statement without foundation. 43. While houses were being dismantled, the women shrieked and cried helplessly “O husband” “O Child” “O father” “O brother” “O mother” “O uncle.”

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. The chiefs of gods headed by Viṣṇu and Indra were terribly afraid. They fled in excessive fright. 2. Seeing that the gods had fled uninjured and thinking that those who deserved to be punished remained unpunished the leading Gaṇa became angry. 3-4. He took up the all-destroying trident and looked up. He vomitted flames from his mouth, chased the gods as the lion chases the elephants. His gait as he pursued them resembled that of an elephant in its rut. 5-7. Then he agitated the army of the gods as the lord of elephants in rut stirs up a lake, shedding different hues blue, grey and red. He wore a tiger’s skin as his cloth which was inlaid with excellent gold and pearls. Cutting, piercing, moistening, tearing and pounding, Bhadra moved among the hosts of the gods like fire consuming dry grass. 8-9. As he walked about speedily armed with a spear all alone, the gods thought him to be numbering a thousand. The infuriated Bhadrakālī excited by the fight pierced through the gods in the war holding spears shedding flames. 10-11. Bhadra born of Rudra ’s anger shone in her company as the fire at the time of dissolution with a lustre pale and smoky due to smoke. Pursuing the gods in the course of war, Bhadrakālī shone as the flame of fire at the end of the Kalpa that burns the universe. 12-15. Bhadra the leader of Rudragaṇas angrily kicked the sun and his horse on the head sportively with his left leg. The heroic Gaṇeśvara, Bhadra with self-control hit Pāvaka with his swords, Yama with iron-clubs, Rudras with his spear and Varuṇa with iron clubs. Holding the axe he hit Vāyu with it and Nirṛti with big clubs. The war was a sportive game for him. He attacked the gods and the sages antagonistic to Śiva. 16. Then the lord cut off the tip of the nose of Sarasvatī as well as of the mother of the gods with the tip of his nail. 17. With a dagger he chopped off an arm of Vibhāvasu, and the tongue up to two inches from the tip, of the mother of the gods. 18. The lord nipped off the right nostril and the nipple of the left breast of Svāhā with his nail-end. 19. The impetuous Bhadra uprooted the eyes of Bhaga large and lustrous like the lotus. 20. With the end of his bow he hit Puṣan’s pearl like row of teeth. Thereafter Puṣan could not utter words clearly. 21. Then the lord stamped the moon with his toe, as though he was only a worm and ground him on the ground. 22. The infuriated Bhadra cut off the head of Dakṣa and handed it over to Bhadrakālī even as Vīriṇi, wife of Dakṣa was lamenting. 23. Taking up the head resembling the fruit of a palmyra the goddess played with it like a ball in the battlefield. 24. Then the sacrifice itself was hit and smashed with feet and hands like fallen women hit by their husbands. 25-26. Catching hold of by the neck, Ariṣṭanemi, Soma, Dharma, Prajāpati Aṅgiras, father of many sons, Kṛśāśva and Kaśyapa, the powerful chiefs of Gaṇas of leonine exploits rebuked and hit them on the heads with fists. 27. Just as in Kaliyuga women of noble families are molested and defiled by paramours forcibly so also the women and the daughters-in-law were molested by Bhūtas and Vetālas. 28-30. Thus the sacrificial spot appeared like a desolate forest. The domes were smashed. The posts were broken. The festivities ended. The hall was burnt. The portals and festoons had crumbled. The army of the gods was uprooted. The sages were killed. The Vedic chant had subsided. The population had dwindled. The distressed women shrieked. The appendages were spoiled. 31. The excellent gods fell on the ground with their arms, thighs and chests pierced, with the heads cut off with the trident. 32. When thousands of gods were killed and their bodies lay sprawled on the ground, the chief of Ganas entered the place of sacrificial fires. 33. On seeing that Bhadra resembling the deadly fire had come the sacrifice was afraid of death and fled assuming the form of a deer. 34. Bhadra pursued him drawing his great bow, terrible due to the twanging sound of the firm bow-siring, and discharging the arrows. 35. He sounded the bow by drawing the string to the ears like the thundering cloud. The bowstring, heaven, sky and earth reverberated. 36-37. The sacrifice was terrified on hearing the sound, “O I am doomed”, he thought. He was trembling with the legs shaking. His lustre disappeared. He ran in the form of a deer. The heroic Bhadra. with a half curved arrow, decapitated him. 38. On seeing the sacrifice thus insulted, Viṣṇu was infuriated and got ready for a fight. 39-41. Garuḍa the devourer of serpents and the king of birds bore him speedily over his shoulders. The god Indra and others who had escaped helped him as if ready to abandon their lives. Seeing them along with Viṣṇu like the lion viewing the jackals the lord of Bhūtas laughed. He looked like a lion without distress. Article published on 08 November, 2018

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. At that time a chariot resembling a thousand suns and with the emblem of a bull on the banner cloth appeared in the sky. 2. The splendid chariot had two horses and four wheels. Several divine weapons and missiles had been kept ready therein. It was embellished with jewels. 3. It was driven by the same charioteer who drove Śiva ’s chariot in the latter’s war with the Tripuras. 4. At the bidding of Śiva, Brahmā brought the excellent chariot to Vīrabhadra and spoke with palms joined in reverence. 5. “O lord Vīrabhadra the eternal moon-crested lord commands you to mount the chariot. 6. O great-armed one, Śiva, stationed near the hermitage of Raibhya along with Śivā, is witnessing your unbearable exploit. 7. On hearing his words and Blessing Brahmā, the heroic leading Gaṇa mounted the divine chariot. 8. In the excellent chariot where Brahmā sat as the charioteer the splendour of Bhadra increased like that of Rudra, the enemy of the Tripuras. 9. Then keeping an excellent conch shining like the full moon, in his mouth, the powerful Bhānukampa blew on it. 10. At the sound of the conch resembling that of the swan, the fire in the belly of the gods blazed with fear. 11. In an instant the quarters including open spaces and crevices were filled up and thronged with leading Yakṣas Vidyādharas, serpents and Siddhas who desired to witness the battle. 12. Then Nārāyaṇa as the cloud inflicted pain on the Gaṇas as the cattle, through a great shower of arrows from his bow. 13. On seeing Viṣṇu coming and discharging arrows Bhadra took up his bow and showered thousands of arrows. 14. He took up the divine bow and slowly drew it like Śiva who drew the bow Meru. 15. As the bow was drawn a loud report was produced shaking the earth. 16. Then the chief of Gaṇas, of fierce valour and glory took an excellent arrow blazing like a serpent. 17. His hand in contact with the opening of the quiver for taking up the arrows appeared like a serpent wishing to enter an anthill. 18. The arrow lifted and held in the hand shone like the young one of a serpent held within the mouth of a great serpent. 19. With his stout and sharp arrow, the infuriated Bhadra who resembled Rudra, hit the unchanging Viṣṇu on his forehead. 20. Viṣṇu thus insulted and hit on the forehead became angry with the chief of Gaṇas like a cow or bull becoming angry with the lion. 21. Then he hit the serpent like arm of the chief of Gaṇas, with a cruel, pointed great arrow resembling the thunderbolt. 22. The powerful Vīrabhadra too, with a great velocity discharged an arrow brilliant like ten thousand suns again at his arm. 23. Viṣṇu hit Bhadra. Bhadra hit Viṣṇu. O brahmins both of them hit each other. 24. The tumultuous hair-raising fight between the two discharging the arrows on each other in quick succession then ensued. 25. On seeing their mutual noisy battle the sounds of “Hā-Hā” raised by the aerial wanderers rose in the sky. 26. Then Bhadra hit in the broad chest of Viṣṇu with an arrow that shone like the sun and the tip of which blazed like fire. 27. Acutely hit by the arrow that fell sharply, Viṣṇu suffered great pain and fell into swoon. 28. He regained consciousness instantaneously and got up. He discharged his weapons against Bhadra. 29. The chief of the army of Śiva stopped all the missiles discharged from Viṣṇu’s bow by means of terrible anti-missiles. 30. Then Viṣṇu with eyes reddened by anger discharged an arrow in which his name had been engraved and which had never been obstructed anywhere, against the Gaṇa chief. Showering arrows, lord Bhadra split the arrow into pieces on the way before it reached him. 31-33. Then within an instant he split the bow with a single arrow and the wings of Garuḍa with the two arrows. This was a wonderful feat. Then by his Yogic powers Viṣṇu let loose from his body thousands of terrific gods holding conch, discus and the club. Bat the mighty Bhadra burnt all of them instantaneously by means of the fire of his eyes like Śiva who burnt the Tripuras. 34-36. Thus infuriated Viṣṇu raised his discus in a hurry and attempted to hurl it on the hero. On seeing him in front with the discus lifted up, the chief of the Gaṇas smiled and without any strain made his hand stiff and benumbed. With his limbs turned numb, Viṣṇu became incapable though he was desirous of hurling the unequalled and terrible discus. 37-39. Gasping for breath with a hand holding the discus he stood idly, immobile like a stone, like the soul without a body, like a bull without a horn or like a lion without its fangs. So stood Viṣṇu. On seeing Viṣṇu in a miserable plight the infuriated Indra and other gods took up their weapons. They hastened to fight with the chief of Gaṇas like cows or bulls attempting to fight with a lion. 40-41. On glancing at them as a lion glances at the deer, Bhadra of Rudra’s body, the hero surrounded by excellent heroes, benumbed them with a boisterous laugh. 42. The right hand of Indra who desired to release the thunderbolt it held remained steady as painted in a picture. 43. The hands of others too became fixed, as the activities of idle men at the start remain unprogressive. 44. Thus the gods with their efficacy thwarted in the battle were rendered incapable of standing in front of him. 45. Frightened by the splendour of Vīrabhadra they could not stay further in the battle. In that fierce battle they fled even with their benumbed limbs. 46. The mighty Vīrabhadra hit the fleeing warriors, with sharp arrows like the cloud hitting the mountains with sharp showers. 47. The multitudinous arms of Vīrabhadra, resembling iron clubs, shone with their various shining weapons like serpents with fiery flames. 48. The hero discharging weapons and missiles shone like Brahma discharging (creating) all living beings. 49. Just as the sun covers the earth by his rays so the hero enveloped the quarters by means of his arrows. 50. The arrows of the Gaṇa chieftains embellished with gold and flying in the firmament like lightning became the standard of comparison. 51. The great arrows took away the lives of the gods even as the water snakes squeeze the lives out of the frogs. They drank their blood as though that were wine. 52. The hands of some had been cut off. The faces of some had been split. Some gods fell on the ground with their sides lacerated and bruised. 53-54. With their limbs shattered by the arrows, joints severed and eyes dislocated they fell dead on the ground. Some desired to enter the earth and some wished to go up to the sky. Being unobstructed they merged into one another. Some entered the earth. Others entered the caves of mountains. Others went up to the sky. Still others entered the water. 55-56. With the gods with their limbs cut off, the hero shone like Bhairava who had seized people and like Śiva who had burnt the three cities. 57. Thus the entire army of the gods was dejected and looked hideous. They had their bodies mutilated by the Gaṇeśvara. 58. Then a terrible stream of flood from the bodies of the warriors began to flow striking terror in the living beings. 59. The ground of the sacrificial rites drenched with the blood shone like the goddess Kauśikī who had killed Śumbha with her garments wet with the blood. 60 When the extremely terrible battle had concluded the earth quaked as though frightened terribly. 61. The ocean was agitated with the surging waves, foams and whirlpools. Meteors fell portending great evil. Trees shed down their branches. 62-64. The quarters looked gloomy. Inauspicious wind blew. Ah, the adverse working of the fate. This is a horse-sacrifice. The sacrifìcer is Dakṣa himself. Dharma and others are the councillors. The Garuḍa-bannered deity is the patron. Indra and other gods take their shares directly. Still the sacrificer, the sacrifice and the priests are beheaded immediately. 65. Hence no such action shall be performed that is not indicated in the Vedas, and that which excludes Śiva and is taken up by the wicked. 66. A person devoid of devotion to Śiva docs not attain the fruit of any rite even though he may perform holy rites and sacrifices. 67. Even after committing great sin, if any one worships Śiva with devotion he is liberated from the sin. No hesitation need be made in this respect. 68. Of what avail is much talk? If any one censures Śiva, the charitable gifts he makes, the penance, the sacrifice, the homa, everything goes in vain. 69. Then the gods including Viṣṇu and the guardians of the quarters pierced by the arrows discharged from the bow of the chief of Gaṇas and overwhelmed by great pain fled from the battle. 70. The warriors of the gods with their hair dishevelled moved about. Some sat exhausted with their huge bodies. Some fell with their faces cut and some perished. 71. Some fell in adversity with their garments, ornaments, weapons and missiles scattered. Eschewing their pride, arrogance and strength they fell evincing signs of dejection. 72. Destroying Dakṣa’s sacrifice, performed in the wrong way, by means of weapons the invincible lord of Gaṇas shone amidst the leading Gaṇas like the lion in the midst of bulls. Article published on 08 November, 2018

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. Thus the gods headed by Viṣṇu with their bodies split and mutilated attained a miserable plight and trembled. Only a few of them scrvived. 2-3. The excessively infuriated Pramathas and Gaṇas urged by Vīrabhadra seized the warriors frightened of the battle tying their hands, feet, shoulders and bellies by means of strong iron fetters. 4. In the meantime Brahmā who had secured his favour due to his charioteership, implored Bhadra, the devotee of the daughter of Himavat. 5. “O lord, enough of this fury. The gods are ruined. Please forgive their faults. O you of auspicious rites.” 6. Implored thus by Brahmā the delighted chief of Gaṇas became calm. 7. Getting the opportunity through Brahmā the gods joined their palms in reverence above their heads and eulogised him by various hymns. 8. Obeisance to Śiva the quiescent. Obeisance to the trident-bearing destroyer of sacrifice. Obeisance to Bhadra, the lord of Rudras, the wealth and prosperity of Rudras. 9. Obeisance to Rudra the deity of deadly fire; to the slayer of death and Kama; the remover of the heads of the gods and of the wicked-souled Dakṣa. 10. O hero, incensurable though we are we have been chastised by you in the war due to our association with this sinner Dakṣa. 11. We have been burnt. O lord, we are afraid of you. You alone are our goal. Save us who have sought refuge in you. 12. Thus eulogised the lord was satisfied. He set gods free from fetters. He took them to the presence of lord Śiva. 13. Śiva, the omnipresent lord of the worlds, was standing in the firmament along with the Gaṇas. 14. On seeing him the gods headed by Viṣṇu were pleased and awe-struck. They bowed to him. 15. Seeing them frightened, Śiva the destroyer of the distress of his devotees said laughingly after glancing at Pārvatī. 16. O gods, do not be afraid. You are my own subjects. It is only to bless you that the punishment has been meted out to you by the merciful lord. 17. The transgression of you the gods has been forgiven by us. When we are infuriated you have neither sustenance nor life. 18. Thus spoken to by Śiva of unmeasured splendour the gods immediately had their doubts cleared. The gods danced joyously. 19. Becoming delighted and excited in their minds with bliss, the gods began to eulogise Śiva. 20. O lord assuming the forms of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Rudra through Rajas, Tamas and Sattva you are the creator, protector and the annihilator of the worlds. 21. O omniformed, O conceiver of the universe, O sanctifier. O formless, O bestower of happiness you take up forms only for the sake of devotees. 22. O Śiva, O lord of gods, it is due to your favour that the moon became free from ailment when dead she plunged into Yamuna and regained life and happiness. 23. Sīmantinī whose husband had died, O lord, attained unequalled marital bliss by worshipping you. By performing the holy rites on Mondays she bore sons. 24. The lord gave excellent region to Śrīkara. You protected Sudarśana from the fear of danger from the hosts of kings. 25. The storehouse of mercy enabled Medina to cross the ocean of worldly existence. By your miraculous activity you enlivened the husband of Śāradā. 26. Destroying the calamity of Bhadrāyus you conferred happiness on him. By serving you Sauminī became free from worldly bondage. 27. O Śiva you are Brahma, Viṣṇu and Śiva by means of the Guṇas Rajas, Sattva and Tamas. With the desire to bless the people you became the creator, sustainer and the annihilator. 28. You are the destroyer of the arrogance and the brilliance of everyone. You are the hidden secret of all lores, the cause of blessings for all. 29. O lord, everything originates from you. You are all. Everything is in you. Save us again Please be merciful on me. 30. In the meantime, getting the opportunity Brahmā bowed to him with palms joined in reverence and informed the trident-bearing lord. 31. O lord, be victorious. O destroyer of the distress of your devotees, who else other than you becomes pleased when offences are of this nature? 32. Those who are killed in battle will regain their souls. When the lord is delighted who will not revive? 33. The fault in the offences committed by the gods, O lord, is actually a blessing because of the weightiness of your acceptance. I consider so. 34-35. When Brahmā implored thus, the lord smiled and glanced at the face of the goddess. As a result of his affection to Brahmā who was like a son unto him, the lord revived the gods to life. 36. He restored the goddesses—mothers of the gods who had been punished by the Pramathas and others. 37. Lord Brahma made the face of Dakṣa look like the the face of an old goat as a befitting punishment for his sins. 38. He was resuscitated and endowed with good intellect. On seeing Śiva he was afraid. With palms joined in reverence he eulogised Śiva. 39. O lord of the universe, O cause of the blessing for the worlds, O lord, be merciful. Forgive my guilt. 40. You are the creator, protector and the annihilator of the worlds. This has been known by me particularly. You are the lord of Viṣṇu and all others. 41. Everything is spread and pervaded by you alone, created and destroyed by you alone. Viṣṇu and other lords are not superior to you. 42. The lord, the storehouse of mercy glanced at the guilty one who was emotionally distressed and smilingly said “Do not fear”. 43. Saying so and with a desire to please his father Brahmā, the lord bestowed on Dakṣa the imperishable chieftancy of the Gaṇas. 44. Then Brahma and other gods saluted the lord with palms joined in reverence. In words of humility they eulogised the lord. 45. O Śiva, O lord of the gods of the distressed and the helpless, O great lord, be merciful, forgive our guilt. 46. O protector of sacrifices, O lord of sacrifices, O destroyer of sacrifices, O Maheśāna, forgive our guilt. 47. O lord of the gods, O great lord, O nourisher of the vital breath of your devotees, O lord, bestower of punishment on the wicked, be merciful. Obeisance be to you. 48. O lord, you remove the arrogance of the wicked who do not know you. You are the protector of the good whose minds are devoted to you. 49. Certainly due to your kindness your conduct is wonderful. O lord, forgive us for our fault. Lords are favourably disposed towards the distressed. 50. Thus eulogised by Brahmā and other gods lord Śiva, the ocean of mercy, favourably disposed towards the devotees was pleased. 51. Śiva favourably disposed to the distressed blessed Brahmā and other gods and delightedly granted them boons. 52. Then the merciful lord who made their fear subside addressed the gods who had sought refuge in him, with words characterised by smile. 53. On seeing you all seeking refuge in me your entire guilt and sin committed as if urged by fate, has been excused by us. 54. O gods headed by Viṣṇu, Brahmā and Indra return happily to Devapura unmindful of the present suppression and without the sense of shame in your minds. 55. Saying this to the gods lord Śiva the destroyer of the sacrifice performed by Dakṣa, along with Śivā, his attendants and followers disappeared even as he stood in the firmament. 56. The gods too returned through the aerial path, free from worries. Discussing about the heroic exploits of Bhadra, Indra and others went in different directions.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. Where did Śiva who vanished along with the goddess and his attendants go? Where did he stay? What did he do and not do? 2. The excellent mountain Mandara with different caves became the pleasing spot of penance for lord Śiva. 3. He had performed a great penance for the previlege to support Śiva and Śivā on his head. After a long time he felt the pleasure of contact with their lotus like feet. 4. The beauty of the mountain cannot be mentioned in detail by persons with thousand faces even in hundreds of crores of years. 5. Even if it is possible to describe I do not attempt to describe its beauty lest it should stand comparison with the other beautiful mountains. 6. This is possible to mention that it has the beauty of being qualified to be the residence of the lord through some supernatural magnificence. 7. That was why the lord made this mountain as his harem with a desire to do what was pleasing to the goddess. 8. The slopes of the mountain abounding in rocks and trees humiliate the universe due to the perpetual presence of Śiva and Śivā. 9-10. The mountain renders help to the parents of the worlds with light and clean waters of the streams cool to the touch for bath as well as drinking. Due to these merits he is coronated as the king of mountains with the very waters spreading here and there. 11. During the nights when the moon remains at the outskirts of its peaks the mountain shines with the imperial umbrella in the form of the moon. 12. When the tresses of the womenfolk of the gods shake, he appears as being fanned by the chowries signifying his Emperorship. 13. In the morning when the sun rises, the mountain embellished with jewels and gems appears to be eager for observing the beauty of his body in a mirror. 14-15. This king of mountains appears to be honoured with benedictions of victory by the trees that seem to be sages with the twining growths of creepers for the matted hair; through the chirping of vociferous birds, by extending their arms in the form of creepers shaken by the breeze and shedding flowers and tender sprouts. 16-19. With the various peaks some facing down, some shooting up and some projecting sideways he appears to jump into the nether worlds, jump up from the ground, fly through the sky in all directions. Through the vast caves he appears to have kept his mouth gaping. He appears to see the universe and dance continuously. His beauty never fades nor wears out. He appears to stretch himself to devour the universe, to drink the ocean; to vomit the darkness within and to cover up the sky with clouds. 20. The different abodes have mirror-like surface. The tall shady trees in the hermitages set the blazing sunshine at nought. 21. The breezes made cool by their contact with the rivers, tanks and lakes are rendered fruitful by Śiva and Śivā who roam here and there and enjoy them. 22. It was to this excellent mountain that Śiva accompanied by Śivā while staying in the hermitage of Raibhya was attracted and proceeded. 23. Reaching the garden there along with the goddess, lord Śiva sported about in the divine harem grounds. 24. As time elapsed and population increased, two demons were born. They were two brothers Śumbha and Niśumbha. 25. As a result of the power of their penance Brahmā granted them the boon that they would not be killed by any man in the universe. 26-27. Brahmā was requested by them thus—“Our death may take place in a battle with the lady with whom we fall passionately in love. She shall be a virgin born of Śiva’s part, not from any womb. She should not have experienced the sexual contact with any man. Her exploit shall be unthwartable.” Brahmā had consented to their request. 28. Ever since, the two demons wrought havoc in the universe. They defeated Indra and other gods in war. They abolished the study of the Vedas and offering to the gods. 29-30. Then Brahmā requested Śiva, the lord of the gods for killing them—“It behoves you to bestow on the gods the goddess who will kill Śumbha and Niśumbha. She shall be the Śakti born of the sheath of Śiva’s colour. She shall be in the form of a virgin devoid of passion. By rebuking her secretly or by infuriating her this shall be arranged. 31-32. Thus requested by Brahmā, the lord Nīlalohita called Kālī in secret outwardly rebuking her while smiling within. The goddess Kālī was angry by her allusion to the colour. Derisively and forcibly she spoke to her husband thus. 33. “If my lord has no pleasure in my complexion how is it that I have been held up here so long. 34. If you are displeased with me why do you spoil with me? There is nothing in this universe which is unachievable for my lord, the lord of the universe. 35. To my lord taking delight in the soul, happiness is not derivable from sexual indulgence; for the very reason Kāma was reduced to ashes. 36. The life of the lady most beautiful in limbs is in vain though she may possess all other qualities if her husband is not delighted with her. 37. The creation of women rests solely in the enjoyment of her husband. That being the case, where can a woman who is contrary to that be used? 38. Hence, eschewing this colour censured by you in secret I shall attain another colour or I shall cease to exist myself.” 39. After saying this she stood up from the bed. Bent upon penance she requested for the permission of her lord in words choked with emotion. 40. Then lord Śiva, afraid of a rupture in love, replied to her falling at her feet. 41. “O beloved, why are you angry with me, not knowing that this was only a jocular remark of mine. If I am not delighted with you, where else can I seek delight? 42. If I am not delighted with you how can it be proper since you are mother of this universe and I am its father and lord? 43. Is our mutual love generated by Kāma? Even before the birth of Kāma the universe existed. 44. The deity Kāma was formulated by me for the sexual pleasure of men and women. Then why did you taunt me for having burnt Kāma? 45. The mind-born Kāma considered me on a par with the gods. While he attempted to tease me I reduced him to ashes. 46. Even our sport and pastime is meant for the universe. For that very purpose I have made this jocular remark. 47. That purpose ere long will be revealed to you.” On hearing this the goddess, remembered the remark that caused her annoyance and said. 48. O lord, your jocular remarks I have heard before whereby I have been deceived though I am very bold. 49. Even an auspicious lady of a noble family who does not abandon her life incurs the displeasure of her husband and is held despicable by good men. 50. Your displeasure is very great because I am not fair. How is the remark “Kālī” relevant otherwise though it be a jocular remark? 51. Dark complexion is hated by good men. You too disapprove of it. Without wiping it off by dint of penance I am not inclined to stay here. 52. If your distress is such, of what avail is penance? You can assume any other colour at my will or at your choice. 53. I do not wish to have any other colour either at your will or at my choice. I shall propitiate Brahmā by penance and become Gaurī. 54. O goddess, Brahmā attained his status formerly by my grace. What will you do by invoking him through your penance? 55-56. True that Brahmā and other gods acquired their status only from you. Still at your bidding I propitiated Brahmā formerly and in the name of Satī I became Dakṣa ’s daughter and attained you, the lord of the worlds, as my husband. 57. So now also by propitiating him by penance I wish to become Gaurī. What is the harm therein? 58. Thus replied to by the goddess, Śiva did not insist on his point as he desired to carry out the task of the gods.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. Then circumambulating the lord and restraining the pangs of separation she went to the mountain Himavat. 2. Out of love she selected the same spot for her penance where she had formerly performed the same along with her friends. 3-7. She visited her parents at their house and bowed to them. Informing them of her intention and securing their permission she went to the penance-grove and discarded her ornaments. She took her bath and assumed the holy dress and features of ascetics. She performed the very difficult penance. She meditated upon the lotus-like feet of her lord. She conceived the same in Śiva ’s external phallic emblem in accordance with the injunctions. In the three junctions of time every day she worshipped the same with the flowers and fruits of the forest. Thinking thus—“He alone, after assuming the form of Brahmā, will grant me the fruit of this penance”, she conducted the penance. 8. After some time had elapsed, seeing her performing the penance a huge tiger approached her with wicked intention. 9. The body of that animal of wicked soul became stiff and benumbed when he approached her. 10. Even after seeing the tiger that approached her with wicked intention the goddess ( devī ) did not turn away from her pious thoughts like ordinary people. 11-12. The animal with his body stunned and overwhelmed with hunger, stood there in front of her glancing perpetually at the goddess and thought, “My prey is nothing else.” Virtually this became his cherished goal. 13. Mercy was generated in the heart of the goddess who thought, “He is the perpetual performer of contemplation on me and my protector from the wicked animals.” 14. By this feeling of mercy the threefold dirt of the tiger perished and he realised the goddess. 15. His hunger receded. The benumbed stiffness subsided. His congenital wickedness disappeared. Contentment set in. 16. Realising his contentment with great piety he waited upon the goddess as a sudden devotee. 17. He roamed about the penance-grove as a router of wicked animals and wicked souls. 18. The penance of the goddess increased and became gradually acute. Meanwhile the gods sought refuge in Brahma due to the pressure of the Daityas. 19. The gods submitted to him how Śumbha and Niśumbha inflicted pain on them due to their strength derived from the boons. 2G-21. On hearing the distress of the gods Brahma grew merciful. He knew how Daityas could be destroyed. On being requested he went to the penance-grove of the goddess along with the gods reflecting in his mind that the liberation of the gods from misery could be achieved through his effort. 22-23. Brahmā saw the goddess, the mother of this universe, the mother of Trinity, the daughter of the lord of mountains, the foundation of the universe, firmly engaged in penance. On seeing her he was delighted. 24. On seeing that Brahmā had come along with the gods, the goddess offered him Arghya and received him with words of welcome. 25. Replying suitably and congratulating her the lotus-born Brahmā asked her the purpose of her penance as though he did not know. 26. What is being striven for, O goddess, by means of this penance? The benefits of penances are under your control. 27. The fruit of the penance has been obtained by you in having obtained lord Śiva as your husband, who alone is the lord of all worlds. 28. Or all this is only a form of your divine sport. But this is surprising how you can bear separation from the lord. 29. When at the beginning of creation as mentioned in the Vedas you are born of lord Śiva you are the first of my creation, my first-born son. 30. When for multiplying the subjects, Śiva was born of your forehead you became my father-in-law and so elder to me. 31. When the lord of mountains, my father became your son you became my grandfather, O grandfather of the worlds! 32. How can I inform you, the arranger of worldly existence what happened at the harem with my husband? 33. Of what avail is this talk? I wish to get rid of my dark complexion through legitimate remedies and obtain white colour. 34. O goddess, why did you perform a severe penance for this purpose? Was not your wish alone sufficient for that? Indeed this is only your sport 35. O mother of the universe, your play too benefits the worlds. Hence some benefit pleasing to me may be sought through it. 36. Two Daityas, Śumbha and Niśumbha to whom I had granted boons have turned arrogant. They are harassing the gods. Their destruction is only through you. 37. Do not delay. For a short while be steady. The Śakti that is to be released now shall be their death. 38. Thus requested by Brahmā, the goddess, daughter of the mountain, cast off her outer skin and became white. 39. The outer sheath thus cast off became Kauśikī who is known as Kālī, the virgin with the lustre of’ the black cloud. 40. She is the Śakti in the form of Māyā, the Yogic slumber of Viṣṇu. She held the weapons, conch, discus, trident in her eight great arms. 41. She had three traits: gentle, terrible and a mixture of the two. She had three eyes. She was moon-crested. She had not experienced the sexual contact of any man. She was invincible and beautiful. 42. This eternal Śakti was given to Brahmā by the goddess (devī) as the would-be destroyer of Śumbha and Niśumbha, the leonine Daityas. 43. A very powerful lion that came there, was given to her as vehicle by the delighted Brahmā. 44. He fixed her abode on the Vindhya mountain. He ordained her worship by the gift of meat, fish, pies and wine. 45-46. That Śakti, approved of by Brahmā, the creator of the universe, bowed to her mother Gaurī and Brahmā in due order. Surrounded by many Śaktis equal to her and born of her she proceeded to the Vindhya ready to slay the leading Daityas. 47-48. The leading Daityas were killed by her in battle, the Daityas whom the arrows of Kāma pierced in the minds and her own arrows split and pierced in the bodies. That battle is not described here as it has been described elsewhere. It can be guessed through other sources as well. I shall resume the present description.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. After creating Kauśikī and handing her over to Brahmā, Gaurī spoke to Brahmā demanding the recompense. 2. Is this tiger that has resorted to me seen by you? He has guarded my penance grove from wicked animals. 3. Dedicating his mind to me he worships me without thinking of anything else. There is nothing more pleasing to me than his protection. 4. He shall be appointed as an official in my harem. Out of pleasure Śiva will grant him the post of Ganeśvara. 5. I wish to return with my friends keeping him ahead. I seek permission from you the lord of the subjects. 6. Thus addressed, Brahmā smiled and told the goddess describing the lion’s wicked antecedents as though the goddess was unaware. 7. O Goddess, animals are cruel. How can your blissful thought be directed to these? Why do you sprinkle nectar in the mouth of the serpent? 8. This is a certain night-prowling wicked demon in the garb of a tiger ( vyāghra ). Cows, Brahmins and saints have been devoured by him. 9. He is roaming about assuming forms as he pleases, pleasing and propitiating them. The fruit of a sinful action must of necessity be reaped by him. 10. Why shall mercy be shown to wicked souls like this? What is the purpose served by one innately sinful? 11. What you have said is entirely true. Let him be like this. Still he has resorted to me. One who has sought refuge in me shall not be abandoned. 12. I narrated his antecedents without realising his devotion. If there be devotion, sins are not effective? Your devotee never perishes. 13. What can a man of virtuous rites achieve without depending on your behest? You alone are the unborn, intelligent, ancient goddess. 14. Bondage and liberation depend on you. There is no greater Śakti than you. Without you rites cannot achieve results. 15. You alone constitute Śakti of living beings. Himself incompetent to do anything what will a mere agent do? 16. It is only your behest that is the cause of acquisition of prosperity and glory by Viṣṇu, by me or by any of these—gods, Dānavas or Rākṣasas. 17. Innumerable Brahmās, Viṣṇus and Śivas have passed by. Such innumerable ones are yet to be born, these carry out your behests. 18. O goddess of the gods without propitiating you the fourfold arms of life cannot be acquired by all of us. 19. Since merit and evil have been established by you the mobile and immobile may even be inter-changed. 20. You are the primordial and eternal Śakti of Śiva the great soul, the lord of the universe, the Śakti without beginning, middle or death. 21. For the functioning of the universe you assume some form or other and play about in different aspects. Who knows you factually? 22. Hence let this wicked tiger (vyāghra) too attain the great Siddhi by your blessings. Nothing can prevent it?” 23. Thus requested by Brahmā after duly reminding her of her great aspect the goddess ceased from her penance. 24-29. Then taking leave of the goddess Brahmā vanished. The goddess visited her parents Menā, Himavat. She bowed to them and alleviated the pangs of her parents due to her absence. The goddess then proceeded to Mandara talking to her friends about the trees in the penance-grove who had been her loving companions. “They are shedding tears due to their grief at separation, by their scattering flowers, they are crying in distress by the chirping sound of birds seated on their boughs.” The goddess was impatient to see her lord. She kept the tiger ahead thinking him as son born of herself, out of affection. With the brilliant lustre of her body she illuminated the quarters. Thus Gaurī reached Mandara where lord Śiva was staying—the lord who is the creator, protector and annihilator of the worlds. Article published on 08 November, 2018

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. After assuming fair complexion how did the goddess, the daughter of the excellent mountain look at her husband on entering the mansion? 2. What was done by the Gaṇeśas at the portals at her entry? What did the lord do? 3. It is impossible to narrate adequately such an exquisite sentiment couched in love whereby the imagination of all sentimental people has been captured. 4. She was received by the doorkeepers in full flutter and agitation. The lord was eagerly awaiting her arrival. Entering within the mansion she hesitatingly glanced at the lord. 5. She was welcomed by the inmates of the mansion with loving feelings. She was saluted by the Gaṇa chiefs with words of welcome. She bowed to lord Śiva. 6-8. After bowing no sooner did she get up than the lord seized her with his hands, embraced her and joyously walked her round. Even when he attempted to make her sit on his lap she sat on the couch. Smilingly he seized her from the couch and made her sit on his lap. Smilingly gazing at her with his wide open eyes as if he would drink her in, the lord initiated the conversation with her by speaking himself first. 9. O lady, exquisitely beautiful in every limb, has that condition of yours passed wherein no means of pacification is fruitful due to your anger? 10-11. O lovely lady, I do not mind whether you are Kālī or of any other complexion. My mind is attracted by your innermost feeling. How did this concept escape your memory? Out of our will we have accepted physical bodies. Causes dirtying up the mind do not crop up there. 12. Should there be any cause for our mutual displeasure as in the case of ignorant fellows, the whole world consisting of the mobile and immobile beings would cease to exist. 13. I am stationed on the head of Agni. You are stationed on the head of Soma. This universe in the form of “Agnīṣoma” is presided over by us both. 14. We move about for the welfare of the universe. We have taken up physical bodies out of our free will. At our separation the universe is left without support. 15-16. There is another reason based on Scriptural texts and independent arguments. The universe comprising the mobile and immobile beings is integrated as words to their meaning. You are the nectarine word. I am the nectarine meaning. How can the two nectars become disjointed? 17. You are the lore that makes my conviction possible. I am the object of knowledge on the basis of your conviction. How can we separate in asmuch as we are in the forms of knowledge and object of knowledge? 18. I am not creating and re-creating this universe merely by my activity since everything gets evolved through command or behest. You are the great command. 19. Lordship has behest as its core because it is the symbol of freedom. How can there be lordship in me if I am deprived of command? 20. We can never stay apart from each other. It was for accomplishing the task of the gods that I made that joke. 21. It was not unknown to you that you got angry? It was for the protection of the worlds that you feigned anger towards me. 22-24. What is harmful to the living beings does not find room in you. When lord himself spoke thus the goddess, the natural source of love, smiled but did not reply to her husband. Out of bashfulness she did not say anything but gave an accorm? of Kauśikī. 25. Was not Kauśiki, created by me seen by my lord? Such a girl has never been before in the world nor will ever be. 26-27. Brahma will tell you about her prowess, strength, residence on the Vindhya, her victory in the battle with Śumbha and Niśumbha, their death, her blessing to the devotees and her protection of the worlds. 28. At the behest of the goddess who spoke thus her friends brought the tiger in their presence. 29. On seeing him the goddess spoke again—“O lord, see this tiger. There is no other devotee of mine like him. 30-32. My penance-grove was guarded by him from wicked hosts. He is greatly devoted to me. In view of his protecting me he is trustworthy. He has left his native place and come here for your favour. If you are pleased with him and if you love me, O god, let him stay at the door of the harem along with the other guards and under the charge of Nandin himself.” 33-34. On hearing the auspicious, loving and sweet words of the goddess the lord said to him “I am pleased”. Immediately he was seen like Gaṇeśa wearing the dress and features of a watchman, holding the cane made of gold and a dagger of serpentine lustre and wearing a bodice set with various gems. 35. He was named Somanandin because Soma means Śiva and this tiger pleased Soma as well as Nandin. 36. After carrying out this task pleasing to the goddess the lord with the circular moon on his crest embellished him with divine ornaments set with gems. 37. Then lord Śiva with the moon as his ornament made the majestic beautiful Gaurī the daughter of the lord of Himavat sit on the conch and embellished her with ornaments. Article published on 08 November, 2018

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1-2. We wish to hear these things in the proper order. What was it mentioned by the lord while pacifying the goddess? He had said that the universe is in the form of Agnīṣoma. He had said that it was in the form of words and their meanings. He also mentioned lordship has command as its core. You are that command. 3. The body of Rudra which is fiery and terrible is called fire. The moon pertains to Śakti. It is nectarine and is the body of Śakti that causes calmness. 4. What is called Amṛta is Pratiṣṭhā. Tejas is Vidyā and Kalā itself. In all the subtle elements the two are predominant, viz, Rasa and Tejas. 5. Tejas functions in two ways, in the form of the sun and of fire. Rasa too functions in the form of the moon and of water. 6. Tejas is lightning etc. Rasa is sweet etc. The universe of the mobile and immobile beings, is sustained by Tejas and Rasa. 7. Amṛta issues from Agni. Agni increases through Amṛta. The powerful Agnīṣoma is beneficent to the universe. 8. The luxuriant growth of Vegetation is for the Havis. The rain contributes to the flourishing growth of vegetation. So Havis is the outcome of rain, the universe is sustained by Agnīṣoma. 9. The Agni blazes upwards as far as the great Amṛta of Soma. The Amṛta of Soma flows as far as the support of Agni. 10. That is why the Kālāgni stays below and the Śakti upwards. The upward blazing is till burning and the downward flow is till complete drenching. 11. The Kālāgni supported by Ādhāra Śakti proceeds upwards. Similarly Soma having its region in Śiva -Śakti flows downwards. 12. Śivā sustains Śakti from below and Śiva is Śaktidhara (upholder of Śakti) above. Thus there is nothing not pervaded by Śiva and Śakti. 13. Frequently the world consumed by fire is reduced to ashes. They call it Agnivīrya because Bhasma constitutes the powerful part of the same. 14. He who dusts himself with Bhasma repeating the mantra “Agniriti” etc., if bound becomes free from bondage. 15. Bhasma which is Agnivīrya when drenched with Soma is conducive to the lordship of Prakṛti without having recourse to Yogic union. 16. But being drenched all round by having recourse to Yogic union the Bhasma may turn one back from lordship by the shower of Amṛta belonging to Śakti. 17. Hence for the conquest of death the drenching with Amṛta shall be perpetual. How and wherefore shall one die if the nectarine contact of Śiva and Śakti is acquired? 18. He who knows the secret of burning and drenching as mentioned is never reborn after leaving the world, the region of Agnīṣoma. 19. He who burns his body with Śaivite fire and drenches it with the nectar of Śakti and Soma attains immortality. 20. It was after keeping this in mind that the lord had said—“The universe is in the form of Agnīṣoma”.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. I shall mention briefly how the universe in the form of “Vāg- Artha ” can be known through the six pathways. 2. There is nothing that is not the meaning of a word. There is no word without meaning. Therefore all words make all meanings known in their proper time. 3. The two words and their meanings are the transformations of Prakṛti which is form of Śiva and Śivā. 4. The magnificence in the form of word is mentioned as threefold by scholars—gross, subtle and the great. The gross one is what we hear with our ears. 5-8. The subtle one is in the form of thought, the one beyond is devoid of thought. The Śakti based on the principle of Śiva is Parāśakti. In the name of “ Śakti Tattva ” it is the root cause of all effects. It is the composite unit ( Samaṣṭi ) of all Śaktis because it is in association with Jñāna Śakti and is supported by Icchāśakti. The same is called Kuṇḍalinī Māyā and Śuddhādhvaparamā. This Śakti is ramified into six paths. The three paths pertain to words and the three pertain to their meanings. 9-10. The capacity for merging and enjoyment is possessed by all men in accordance with their purity based on the divisions of all Principles. The principles are pervaded by Kalās suitably as in the beginning the great Prakṛti is transformed into five. They are Kalā, Nivṛtti and others. 11-12. The three paths based on words are: the path of mantras, the path of words, the path of letters. The three paths based on meanings are the path of universe, the path of principles, the path of Kalās. These are mutually pervaded and pervading. 13. The mantras are pervaded by the words constituting the statement. The words are pervaded by letters. Learned men call the group of letters a word. 14-17. The letters are pervaded by the words because they are obtained there. The words are pervaded by the Tattvas because of their origin from within and without. They are effected by the Tattvas in various ways. Some of the words have cropped up from the middle, some from the Śaiva Āgamas. Some of Tattvas are those famous in the Sāṅkhya and Yoga systems of Philosophy. Others are famous in the sacred texts of Śiva. The Tattvas are duly pervaded by Kalās. 18. Since in the beginning the primordial Prakṛti is transformed into five Kalās, Nivṛtti and others pervaded by each other. 19. The undivided Śakti pervades the six paths. She is pervaded by Śivatattva. 20. Everything from Śakti to Earth is born of Śivatattva and pervaded by it alone just as pot etc. are pervaded by clay. 21. The great abode of Śiva is attainable through six paths. The non-pervading Śakti becomes pervasive by the purification by five Tattvas. 22. The situation of the cosmic egg upto Rudra is purified by Nivṛtti. Above that upto the sphere of Avyakta It is purified by Pratiṣṭhā. 23. Above that upto Viśveśvara it is purified by Vidyā in the middle. Above that it is purified by Śānti. At the end of the path the purification is through Śāntyatīta. 24. It is this they call the greatest firmament in view of the contact with Parāprakṛti. These are the five Tattvas whereby the entire universe is pervaded. 25-26. All this could be seen only there by the aspirants. He who wishes to purify without realising the mode of pervasion of the paths is a deceiver of purity. He cannot achieve the fruit. His effort is wasted and leads him to hell. 27. It is not possible to know the Tattvas factually nor their pervasiveness nor increase without the union of Śakti and the individual soul. 28. Śakti is the order of Śiva in the form of cit. With that as the cause Śiva presides over everything. 29. It is not of the nature of the Ātman nor of Māyā nor of secondary nature. It is neither bondage nor liberation but it causes bondage and liberation. 30. She is the acme of Śiva’s lordship never swerving. By means of sensations she is of the same traits as he. 31. With her alone he is a householder and with him alone she is a housewife always. As a result of their union the universe is the offspring. 32. Their difference is specified in this that he is the maker and she is the cause. The single Śiva himself stands two-fold. 33-34. Some declare that their difference consists in their genders: man and woman. Others say that she is undetachably associated with him as the light of the sun. But in the form of cit she is different. The arrangement is that Śiva is the great cause and his behest is the great goddess. 35-36. Urged by his behest the original unchanging Prakṛti becomes threefold in accordance with the three types of effects. It is called Mahāmāyā, Māyā and Triguṇā Prakṛti. It produces the six paths in the form of words and their meanings. The entire universe is thus sixfold. The whole collection of scriptural text is only an extension of this.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. The activities of deities of domestic nature are curious, dense and inscrutable, even to the gods. They delude our minds. 2. In the union of the principles of Śiva and Śivā no defect is noticeable. However in their activities the Prākṛta feeling is rather prominent. 3. Brahmā and others the causes of creation, sustenance and annihilation attain restraint and blessing from Śiva and are subservient to him. 4. Śiva is not subject to anyone’s Nigraha and Anugraha. Surely his lordship is not dependent on any one else. 5. If his lordship is like this, characterised by freedom, it can be either innate or subject to his embodied state. 6. But a physical form docs not fit in with a free being for this basic reason. But the form is an effect of some cause. Lordship has no cause for its being. 7. Everywhere the greater and the lower Bhāvas are mentioned. How can these two be relevant in one place? 8. Indeed the great Ātman is devoid of attributes. How can he become possessed of attributes. Svabhāva is unrevertible. 9. If you say that his innate nature is reverted by his own wish he being free, why does not Īśāna make an interchange in permanent and non-permanent things? 10. The wise have said that the embodied Ātman is Sakala; the unembodied Śiva is Niṣkala. The embodied Ātman is presided over by Śiva. 11. If it is contended that the embodied Ātman is the form of Śiva, the dependence of the embodied on the form becomes certain. How can we explain that? 12. Otherwise how is the form adopted by the nondependant? The adoption of form is with a purpose to get the fruit of his desire. 13. The assuming of physical bodies out of wish is not consistent with freedom. Such a wish too follows the activities of men. 14. Even beings including Brahmā and Piśācas can assume or cast off their bodies out of their wish. But don’t they come under the scope of Karmans ? 15. They consider the assumption of bodies at one’s choice on a par with jugglery. It is not beyond the achievements derived from Aṇimā and other powers. 16. While Viṣṇu who had assumed the cosmic form was fighting with Dadhīca the latter assumed the cosmic form of Viṣṇu. 17. Although Śiva is the great Ātman and superior to all, his similarity with other beings is observed by us because he has a body. 18. They say that Śiva the supreme cause blesses us all. He curbs and kills the gods. How can he be a blesser of all? 19. The lord cut off the fifth head of Brahmā who stubbornly and repeatedly censured Śiva calling him “O son.” 20. In the form of a Śarabha he forcefully attacked Viṣṇu the man-lion. Pressing him with his feet he tore off his heart by his sharp claws. 21. With the sacrifice of Dakṣa for a pretext none among the gods or their womenfolk was spared from punishment by the heroic Vīrabhadra. 22. The three cities along with the Daityas, their womenfolk and children were made the fuel for the fire from his eyes in an instant by him. 23. Kāma the husband of Rati, the cause of the sexual pleasure of the people was consigned to the fire from his eyes even as the gods were lamenting. 24. Angrily glancing at some cows walking along the sky and shedding milk over his head he reduced them to ashes immediately. 25. The demon Jalandhara who bound Viṣṇu and his Serpent and hurled them a hundred Yojanas, was pierced after evolving a discus by making a circle in water with the foot. 26. He then killed him with his trident in the water (?). By performing penance Viṣṇu secured the discus and became powerful. 27. The family of cruel demons who desired to kill him was scorched in fire. The chest of Andhaka was pierced with the trident. 28-29. After creating a dark woman from his neck he killed Dāraka. After creating Kauśikī out of the outer skin of Gaurī, Śumbha and Niśumbha were killed. The narrative on Skanda is found in the Skanda Purāṇa. 30. The lord, requested by Brahmā for the destruction of the leading Daitya Tāraka the enemy of Indra, went to his harem on the Mandara mountain. 31-32. The lord indulged in sexual dalliance with the goddess for a long time. Due to the excessive sport the earth appeared to sink into the nether worlds. He deceived his own name and the goddess by withholding the discharge of semen in her. The unbearable semen was discharged into the fire like nectar or the sanctified Havis. 33-34. The fire cast it off into Gaṅgā and other places. Svāhā who assumed the form of the Kṛttikās and sported with her husband gathered the parts and deposited them in the Śara plants somewhere on the Meru. Svāhā was turned into gold in the process. 35. After some time her lustre illuminated quarters and the mountains. Meru itself was turned into gold. 36. After a long time the splendour grew into a boy of beautiful and tender limbs, a model for all boys. 37. On seeing him of charming features, the world of the gods, Asuras and mankind was surprised and fascinated. 38-40. The lord himself came there along with the goddess to sec his son. He took the boy on his lap. The gods and the sages though averse to worldly pleasures glanced at his smiling face. The lord made him play on his chest and enjoyed the fun. The lord and the goddess congratulated each other. 41-45 He asked the goddess to feed him on her breast-milk. He blessed him saying “your incarnation is for the welfare of the world.” The lord and the goddess were not satiated. Indra who was afraid of the demon Tāraka joined in alliance and performed the coronation of the infant as the commander-in-chief of the gods. The lord vanished himself keeping him in the protection of Indra and the gods. Tāraka’s head along with Indra’s fear was chopped off by his trident in battle, the trident that resembled the deadly fire and pierced the Asura Krauñca. Viṣṇu Brahmā and other gods particularly eulogised him. 46-47 Rāvaṇa, king of Rākṣasas, arrogant of his prowess lifted up Kailāsa with his long arms. Śiva, the trident-bearing lord of the gods could not brook that sin. He pressed it with his big toe and the demon sank under the pressure. 48. For a brahmin boy whose life came to an end and who sought refuge in him, the lord came there hurriedly and kicked Yama with his foot. 49. The submarine fire, not knowing the bull as the lord’s vehicle swallowed him. Thereafter the universe became a vast sheet of water. 50. By means of different activities blissfully beautiful and unknown to the people, the universe has been set to motion frequently. 51. If Śiva is calm and blesses all, he shall fulfil all desires. Being competent why docs he not liberate? 52. The variety of beginningless Karmans cannot be the restraining factor here. The Karman that is the cause is also effected by the lord. 53. Of what avail is much talk? O Māruta, please explain in detail so that the arguments of atheism may be refuted quickly.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. O brahmins, it is but proper that you have had your doubts prompted by sufficient reasons. Mere desire to know does not bring about atheism in those with good intellects. 2. I shall mention authoritative testimonies in this context quelling your delusions. The wickedness of the wicked is due to the absence of the grace of the lord. 3. It is clear and certain that nothing can be done without the grace of Śiva, the perfect and supreme soul. 4. Innate good nature alone is the sufficient ground for the lord’s benediction; nothing can be blessed without innate good nature. 5. The universe in the form of Paśu and Pāśa, has to be blessed. The lord endowed with the authority blesses the universe. 6. The lord, the commander blesses everything always. If a means is adopted for that, how does Śiva become dependant? 7. No blessing can be independent of one that is blessed. Hence the meaning of the word freedom is not characterised by ‘not depending on another’. 8. That which is to be blessed is accepted as ‘depending on another’. Without blessing, the enjoyment of pleasures or liberation cannot take place. 9. Embodied Ātmans too stand in the category of those who are to be blessed. Śiva’s blessing is construed in the form of driving out their ignorance. There is nothing in Śiva influenced by ignorance. 10. Śiva in the form of the idol, whereby despite its beings Saguṇa the Niṣkala is realised, is called Śaivamūrti only in a figurative use. 11. Actually in the Niṣkala form Śiva is not the cause of the universe. In the Sakala form too he has not been seen by any. 12. The state of being understood through the testimonies alone indicates his nature. Merely on account of this it should not be treated with indifference without the implication. 13. Some form, intense with the similarity of Ātman, is Śiva’s idol. The other, the great one, the Ātman of the Mūrti is its implication. 14. Just as fire cannot be obtained without its being, mounted in the twigs so also Śiva is not known or understood without its being superimposed in the idol. 15. If some one says “Bring fire,” only the burning twig is brought. The fire by itself is not brought. In the same way Śiva is to be worshipped in the form of the idol. 16. That is why an idol is used in the worship of Śiva, for what is done unto the idol is what is done unto Śiva himself. 17. In the form of different idols, phallic etc. and particularly in Arcā (offerings of flowers etc.) Śiva is worshipped by us. 18. Just as the Ātman of the idol is blessed by the great Ātman so also we, the paśus, are blessed by śiva stationed in the Mūrtyātman. 19. The Mūrtyātmans, Sadāśiva and others are presided over by Śiva for blessing the worlds. 20. It is for the enjoyment of pleasures and for salvation in particular, that Śiva’s connection with the Mūrtyātmans in the form of Tattva and Atattva is accepted. 21. Enjoyment of pleasures is in the nature of the ultimate transformation of the Karmans either by way of happiness or by way of misery. There is no Karman in Śiva and hence of what nature can his enjoyment be? 22. Śiva blessess every one. He does not curb any. It is impossible to attribute to Śiva those faults which are usually present in those who kill. 23. The instances of killing and curbing pointed out with regard to Brahma and others are those of the activities of Śrīkaṇṭhamūrti performed for the welfare of the worlds. 24. Surely Śrīkaṇṭha has the overlordship of the universe. Śiva presides over the Mūrti Śrīkaṇṭha in the course of his divine sport. 25. Only the gods and others who were faulty were restrained or slain by him as described above. Thereby the gods became sinners and the people free from ailments. 26. Restraining or killing as such is not declared despicable by the learned. That is why the punishment meted out by kings to those who deserve it, is commended. 27. If he does not have that which is achieved through the suzerainty of the whole class of effects how can he rule over the universe? 28. The wish of the lord comprises the establishment of rules and conditions. Brahmā is the commandment. His order is the mode of direction such as, “This shall be done. This shall not be done.” 29. The characteristic of a man of good nature is the strict adherence to his directives; the opposite thereof is that of the non-saintly one. 30. If good nature is to be preserved the evil one is to be eschewed. It is quelled by the expedients of Sāma etc. If other means fail punishment alone is the means. 31. This is the characteristic of what is beneficent viz. chastisement ending with disciplinary measures. What is contrary to this is called maleficent. 32. The lord is the standard example of those who perpetually abide by what is beneficent. How can he be condemned by good men for curbing and killing the evil ones alone. 33. Perpetrators of improper actions are to be decried and despised by a judicious person. Improper action is that which afflicts and harasses the world. 34. Every act of curbing and restraining is not attended with hatred. A father who trains his son even by curbing and restraining ḥim does not hate him. 35. There is bound to be some ruthlessness in him who curbs or slays those worthy of it even by standing detached. 36. The lord does not injure others though guilty, otherwise. Of course, he injures the ignorant by adopting neutrality. 37. Hence we shall say that he who inflicts injury ultimately painful is ruthless. Thus a few insist upon this condition. Others do not. 38. Ruthlessness cannot be attributed to the surgeon who operates upon the patient. The inducing factor is kindness alone. 39. Even kindness to violent enemies is not conducive to ultimate good. He who is kind to such persons is ruthless though his ruthlessness is concealed by aft illusory kindness. 40. Even neglect and indifference for the opponents who ought to be protected, results in default. He who ought to be protected perishes immediately if neglected despite the capacity of the protector. 41. He who neglects the man worthy of being protected on considering the apparent defaults though he observes his plight is in effect ruthless. 42. Hence it is not generally agreed that kindliness is conducive to good in every respect. What is admitted is the performance of what is befitting. Everything else is unapproved. 43-45. In reality there are the defects of passion, etc., in the Mūrtyātmans (Sadāśiva, Brahmā and others). Still the defects belong to them alone and not to Śiva. There may be flaw in the copper put in fire but due to its contact fire does not fade. If impure things are consigned to fire they do not make the fire impure. Some impure things become pure due to their contact with fire. Similarly Śiva does not become impure due to the contact with the Ātmans that are to be purified. 46. The Ātman alone is purified through the contact with Śiva. If the iron-rod is put in fire and heated, the burning is that of the fire, not of the iron-rod. 47. The prosperity, glory etc. of the Mūrtyātmans is really that of lord Śiva and not of the Ātmans. It is the fire, not the fuel, that blazes upwards. 48-50. The state of being the coal belongs to the wood and not to the fire. Similarly Śivatva is imposed on wood, stone and clay. But the attributes Maitrī, etc., are secondary and they act differently. They are conducive to both good and evil to those who are endowed with qualities. What is both secondary and non-secondary is not wholly conducive to good or evil. 51. Learned men do not say that the meaning of Anugraha is secondary. But the liberation from worldly existence ( saṃsāra ) is in the form of Ājñā and is beneficent. 52. Carrying out his Ājñā is beneficent. What is beneficent is Blessing. He who employs everything in what is beneficent is the cause of blessing to all. 53. The sense of the word Upakāra (benevolence) is also Anughraha. Since that too is of beneficent nature Śiva is all-benevolent. 54-55. Everything in the form of sentient and non-sentient is engaged in what is beneficent? But obstructed by their innate nature all do not get the benefit simultaneously. The sun spreads his rays on all the lotuses impartially. But all the flowers do not bloom simultaneously; they do so in accordance with their innate nature. 56-57. Even the innate nature of the entities is the cause of what is destined to be. The innate nature does not transform that what perishes. The contact with fire melts only gold and not the coal. Śiva liberates those whose ignorance is ripe and not the others. 58. What is capable of becoming does not become so by itself without conception. But the maker needs no such conception and is free perpetually. 59. Śiva the blesser is innately pure but the Ātmans (individual souls) are naturally impure. 60. Otherwise how is it that they invariably undergo worldly existence and do not merge into Śiva? Being infested by Karman and Māyā is called worldly existence ( saṃsāra ) by the learned. 61. There is sufficient cause for this that this infestation is for individual souls and not for Śiva. That cause is the personal but not extraneous dirt. 62. Should it be extraneous it may happen to anyone through any cause. But this cause is single due to its nature not being variegated. 63-64. Though the Ātman-hood is common some are bound and some liberated. Among those in bondage some have differing degrees of knowledge and eminence due to their being inclined towards abstinence and enjoyment. Some attain the status of identicality with the lord. Some attain the state of nearness. 65. Among those who have attained identicality, some are Śivas. They are stationed on the top of the Adhvas (pathways). Maheśvaras are stationed in the middle; Rudras in the lower region. 66-67. In the vicinity too the three are stationed beyond Māyā: the Ātman is stationed below; the Antarātman is stationed: n the middle and the Paramātman is stationed beyond. They are Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara. Some Vasus too are stationed in the region of Paramātman. 68. Some are stationed in the region of Antarātman, some in the region of Ātman. In the region of Śāntyatīta Śaivas are stationed and in the Śānta region the Māheśvaras are stationed. 69. Just as Raudras are stationed in Vidyā and the Vaiṣṇavas in Pratiṣṭhā, so also the Ātmans. Brahmā and Brahmā-born are stationed in Nivṛtti. 70. The eight groups of Deva -Beings are the chief ones. The human beings constitute the middling. The five Beings birdes [birds?] etc. constitute the lower ones. Thus there are fourteen Beings. 71-72. The state of being chief or subsidiary shall be known as the dirt of the worldly being. Just as the food we take in has two states, the undigested and the digested, so the dirt too. When it is undigested the men go lower down; when it is digested they go up. Thus the dirt plays its part in the worldly existence ( saṃsāra ). 73. The individual souls are threefold: those with single dirt, with two dirts and with three dirts. Those with single dirt are the higher ones, those with two dirts the middlings and those with three dirts shall be known meanest. Thus they are stationed in order. 74. Those with three dirts are presided over by those with two dirts and those in turn are presided over by those with single dirt. Thus is the conditioned difference in the universe. 75. Śiva presides over all these, those with single, two and three dirts. Though they are of non-Śiva nature they are presided over by Śiva. 76. Similarly the universe which is not in the nature of Rudra is presided over by Rudras. The Mahābhūmi, ending with the cosmic Egg, is presided over by Śatarudra etc. 77. The atmosphere ending with Māyā is pervaded in order by the lords of gods of the size of the thumb all round. 78. The heaven ending with Mahāmāyā is presided over by the lords of worlds, Vāyu, etc., which are stationed within the Adhvas and whose ends are not resorted to. (?) 79. They are the squatters in heaven, atmosphere and earth. They are the gods observing the rites of the gods. 80. Thus functions the ailment of worldly existence ( saṃsāra ) with the three dirts and their pathological reasons separately, whether ripe or unripe. 81. The medicine for this ailment is the perfect knowledge of Śiva and nothing else. The physician is the lord Śiva himself who heals the sufferer. 82. In this regard no doubt need be entertained—“Śiva can liberate the souls without subjecting them to misery. Why does he then subject them to misery?” 83. It is certain that the entire worldly existence is misery itself. How can misery be non-misery? The innate nature cannot be otherwise. 84. A patient does not become non-patient merely because the physician administers medicine. The physician redeems the patient from the sickness through the medicines. 85. Similarly, through the administration of the medicine in the form of his Ājñā, Śiva liberates the souls from misery—the souls innately dirty and innately miserable. 86. This inequality like the physician is not the cause of the ailment. So Śiva is the cause of worldly existence need not be a symbol of defect. 87. When misery is innately acquired how can Śiva be its cause? The dirt is inborn in men. It is that which makes them undergo the sufferings of worldly existence. 88. The dirt which is the cause of worldly existence ( saṃsāra ), the insentient Māyā, etc., cannot function by itself without the proximity of Siva. 89. The wise say just as the magnetic stone causes the movement of the iron filings by its mere proximity, so also Śiva causes the movement of the world. 90. It is not possible to avoid the proximity of Sat without its cause. Moreover the presiding deity Śiva is even unknown to the universe. 91. Nothing functions without Śiva. Everything is induced by him. Still he is not deluded. 92. His Śakti in the form of Ājñā is the all-round restraining factor. This universe is perpetually covered over by it. Still he is not defiled. 93. This is ruled over even from the beginning. He is the lord. His ruling is his Ājñā. Still he is not defiled. 94. He who considers otherwise due to delusion is evil-minded. He perishes and that too due to the power of his Śakti. Still he is not defiled. 95. In the meantime an unembodied voice was heard from the sky. “Satyam (Truth), Amṛtam (nectar), Saumyam” (gentle), Om Amen. This sound came out clearly. 96. Then the sages were surprised and delighted; their doubts were quelled. They bowed to the lord, the wind-god. 97. Although he had cleared their doubts he thought that their knowledge was not firmly established. So he said: 98. Knowledge is of two types: indirect and direct. They say that the former is unsteady and the latter is stable. 99. What is acquired by reasoning and instructions is the indirect knowledge. The direct knowledge results from the practice of rites. 100. Coming to the conclusion that salvation is not possible without direct knowledge, strive assiduously for the acquisition of practice. Article published on 09 November, 2018

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. What is that excellent practice of holy rites, whereby salvation is directly acquired? O Māruta, it behoves you to explain it as well as its means. 2. What is termed excellent practice is the great cult of Śiva wherein Śiva the bestower of salvation is directly perceived. 3. It is fivefold divided into five sections, holy rites, penance, japa, meditation and knowledge 4. The five activities along with attendant virtuous rites constitute the greatest Dharma. Thereby one attains the direct and indirect knowledge that bestows salvation. 5. The two Dharmas the higher and secondary are mentioned in the Vedas. In the matter of Dharma the Vedas constitute the final authority for us. 6. The higher dharma upto the practice of Yoga is mentioned in the Vedantic section of the Vedas. The secondary Dharma is mentioned in the Karmakāṇḍa section of the same. 7. The Ātmans freed from Pāśa are authorised in the higher Dharma and in the other one, every one is authorised. 8. This higher Dharma is the means for achieving the greatest virtue of Śiva. It shall be supplemented in all parts by Dhasmaśāstras and other holy treatises. 9. The greatest Dharma of Śiva termed the excellent practice is explained in the Itihāsas and the Purāṇas. 10. In the Śaiva Āgamas a detailed explanation of every thing including the consecratory rites is given. 11. The Śaiva Āgama is of two varieties: Śrauta and Aśrauta. The Śrauta consists of condensed Vedic texts; the other one consists of independent texts but well consecrated. 12. The independent texts were originally ten but supplemented subsequently by eight more so as to constitute eighteen texts. They are called Kāmika etc., and the entire literature is called “ Śaiva Siddhānta ” 13. The Śrauta literature consists of a billion verses. In it the Pāśupata Vrata and Jñāna are explained. 14. In every circle of Yugas, Śiva incarnates as Yogācārya in different places and propagates yoga. 15. The four great sages Ruru, Dadhīca, Agastya and the renowned Upamanyu have condensed these principles and propagated them. 16. They are all Pāśupatas and exponents of the Saṃhitās. Hundreds and thousands of their descendants have been the preceptors of their principles. 17. The great virtue of Śiva mentioned before is four-fold with regular performance and observance as the basic Atman for them. Among them the Pāśupata yoga facilitates the direct perception of Siva. 18. Hence the excellent practice is this Pāśupata Yoga. The mode of it as practised by Brahmā shall now be mentioned. 19. This is Nāmāṣṭakayoga prescribed by Śiva himself. By means of this Yoga the discernment of Śiva is generated. 20. Through this discernment the stable and perfect knowledge is attained ere long. Śiva is delighted with him whose knowledge is well-founded. 21. Thanks to his grace the great Yoga is attained which facilitates the direct perception of Śiva. By perceiving Śiva directly the cause of worldly existence ( saṃsāra ) is quelled. 22. Then the devotee is liberated from worldly existence and being liberated he becomes identical with Śiva. The means mentioned by Brahmā is now separately mentioned here. 23-24. Śiva, Maheśvara, Rudra, Viṣṇu, Pitāmaha, Samsāravaidya, Sarvajña and Paramātman —these eight names mainly indicate Śiva. The first five are the names of the deities presiding over the Kalās, Śāntyatīta etc. 25 28. The five names of Sadāśiva originate from the conditioning factors. When the conditioning factors cease to exist they too recede. The region is eternal and the Ātmans who occupy them are non-eternal. When the Padas are changed the Padins are released. In another evolution they attain the same region. But the first five Ātmans undergo the change of names. The last three names are due to the adoption of the three conditioning factors. They indicate only Śiva. 29-30. He who is naturally pure is called Śiva. He has the antecedent non-existence of the contact of the primordial dirt. Or, he who is full of good attributes and is Īśvara is called Śiva by good men who propound the Śaivite principles. 31-35. The name Maheśvara is explained thus: Prakṛti is greater than the twenty-three principles. Puruṣa the twenty fifth principle is greater than Prakṛti. Puruṣa is Praṇava the first Svara in the Vedas. Since his real nature is comprehensible only through the Vedas he is established in the Vedānta. He who is beyond this Puruṣa, who is associated with Prakṛti is Maheśvara because both the Prakṛti and Puruṣa function in subservience to him. Or, Maheśvara is the wielder of Māyā. Māyā is Prakṛti the principle with the three Guṇas. It is unchanging. He who makes this Māyā energetic is Maheśvara. He is glorified as Kālātman, Paramātman, the primordial, the gross and the subtle. 36. The explanation of the word Rudra:—‘Rud’ means misery and ‘Drāvayati’ means ‘routs’. Since the lord quells our misery he is called Rudra. He is Śiva, the great cause. 37. Śiva pervades all living beings, the principles and elements. He is wakefully present in the bodies and presides over them. Hence he is called Viṣṇu. 38. Śiva is the progenitor of the souls that have attained the status of fathers. He is therefore called the grandfather. 39-40. Śiva is called the physician of the universe. Just as the physician who is conversant with the pathology diagnoses and cures the ailment with medicines so also the lord annihilates the worldly existence ( saṃsāra ) along with its roots. He is so called by all those who understand the nature of principles. 41-43. Even when they have the sense-organs for comprehending the ten objects of sensual perception, the atoms do not know the beings gross and subtle, present in the three periods of time, in their entirety because they are hidden by the particles of dirt in the form of Māyā, whereas Sadāśiva has not these causes of perception. Even when they are not present, he knows without any strain every object as it is. Hence, he is Sarvajña ( omniscient ). 44. Śiva is the Ātman of all. He perpetually possesses all these qualities. There is no greater Ātman than Śiva. Śiva is Paramātman. 45-47. By the grace of the preceptor the eight names shall be acquired. The knots of the Kalā, Nivṛtti and others shall be cut off with the five names of Śiva and purified by repetitions, strokes and non- restraints. By means of the Suṣumṇā, the Puryaṣṭaka alone with the chest, neck, palate, middle of the eyebrows and the hole on the top of the head, shall be cut off. 48-49. The Ātman shall be taken above to the splendour of Śiva beyond the moon stationed in the twelve- petal led lotus of the heart. The mouth is shrunk in size. The body is drenched with the shower of the nectar of the Śakti and merged in their reasons. The Ātman is then let down into the heart. 50-52. The devotee then meditates on the great god Śiva, favourably disposed to his devotees who is conceived as sitting in the white twelve-petalled lotus beyond the moon, who in the sweet crystal-pure, delighted, cool, lustrous form of Ardhanārīśvara, shall be meditated upon. The devotee shall have the mind in normal state. He shall then worship the lord with the eight names of Śiva and the sacred flowers. 53. At the end of the worship the devotee shall perform Prāṇāyāma and concentrate the mind well. He shall perform the japa of the eight names of Śiva. 54-56. He shall perform eight Āhutis in the navel and repeat “ Namaḥ ” alone with the Pūrṇāhūti, offering eight flowers and conclude worship. With a palmful of water he shall dedicate his Ātman. By doing this, ere long, the auspicious knowledge of Pāśupata cult is obtained. He acquires its magnificent status and the excellent conduct. Then securing the great Yoga he is liberated. There is no doubt in this.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. O holy lord, we wish to hear of the great Pāśupatavrata on performing which Brahmā and others have become Pāśupatas. 2. I shall tell you the great secret, Pāśupata - vrata that quells all sins. It is mentioned in the upaniṣad Atharvaśiras. 3..The time is the month of Chaitra and the full-moon-day therein. The place is anywhere acceptable to Śiva having good characteristics. It shall be auspicious, say, the garden in a holy centre or a forest. 4-9. There, first of all, on the thirteenth day he shall perform the special worship after taking his bath and performing the daily rites. He shall take the formal permission of the preceptor after bowing to him and honouring him. He shall wear pure white cloths. The sacred thread shall be white. He shall wear a garland of white flowers. White unguent shall be measured over the body. He shall be seated on Darbha grass. He shall hold a handful of Darbha grass, sit facing east or the north. After performing the Prāṇāyāma three times he shall meditate on the lord and the goddess. By way of submitting to them he shall perform the Saṅkalpa saying, “I am performing this Vrata (of Pāśupata) The time limit for this Vrata is till death, or twelve years or six years, or three years or twelve months, or six months or three months or a month or twelve days or six days or three days or one day. 10-11. He shall arrange the sacrificial fire duly as in the Virajāhoma. He shall make the offerings of ghee, sacrificial twigs and caru and perform homa. After the Pūrṇāhūti, deserving the purity of the Tattvas, he shall perform the homa with the five-syllabled mantra and the sacrificial twigs. 12-15. In the course of the sacrifice -he shall think thus—“Let the Tattvas in my body be purified.” The Tattvas are:—The five elements, the five Tanmātras, the five sense-organs of knowledge, the five organs of activity, the seven Dhātus beginning with the skin, the five vital airs beginning with Prāṇa, mind, intellect, ego, the three Guṇas, Prakṛti, Puruṣa, Rāga (passion), Vidyā, Kalā, Niyati, Time, Mayā, pure Vidyā, Maheśvara, Sadāśiva, Śakti and Śiva Tattva. 16. After performing the Homa with the Viraja mantras he is freed from sin. Attaining Śiva’s blessing he is endowed with perfect knowledge. 17. He shall collect cowdung and roll it into balls and repeat the mantras over them. He shall place these into the fire and sprinkle with water. That day he shall take in only the cooked rice soaked in ghee. 18. On the morning of the fourteenth day he shall perform everything as mentioned before. On that day he shall observe fast and thus spend the latter part of the day. 19. On the full moon day also he shall perform similar rites. At the conclusion of the sacrifice the sacred fire shall be extinguished and the ashes gathered assiduously. 20. Thereafter he shall keep matted hair or shave off the hair completely or keep one matted tuft of hair. He shall take bath then. If he is not extremely bashful he shall remain naked thereafter. 21. Or he can wear ochre robes, hide or barks of trees. Only a single cloth or a single bark garment shall be worn. He shall have the staff and the girdle. 22-23. He shall wash the feet and perform Ācamana twice. He shall apply the ashes taken out of the Viraja fire all over his body from head to foot repeating the six mantras beginning with “Agniriti” from the Ātharvaṇa texts. 24. Then in the same way he shall dust the body entirely repeating the Praṇava Oṃ and ‘Śiva’. 25. Then repeating the mantra ‘Triyāyuṣam’ he shall wear Tripuṇḍra marks. He shall realise his own Śiva-hood and perform ‘Śivayoga’. 26. He shall act thus during all the three Sandhyās. This Pāśupata Vrata yields worldly pleasures and salvation dispelling Paśu -hood. 7. Freed from Paśu-hood, the devotee shall worship the phallic image of Śiva. 28-29. If capacity permits, an eight-petalled Padma shall be made in gold embellished with the nine precious gems. The pericarp and the filaments shall be furnished. If the capacity does not permit, a red or a white lotus shall be used. If that is not available, an imaginary lotus shall be conceived. 30. In the middle of the pericarp a small crystal phallic image along with its pedestal shall be kept and worshipped. 31. After installing the phallic image in accordance with the rules with due consecrations the pedestal shall be conceived along with the idol of five faces. 32. The ablution shall be performed with golden vessels, filled with Pañcagavya collected in accordance with one’s capacity. 33-35. The vessels shall contain scents along with camphor, sandal and saffron and these shall be smeared over the phallic image bedecked in ornaments. He shall worship it with Bilva leaves, red, white and blue lotuses, other fragrant flowers, holy and auspicious leaves, Dūrvā grass of various types, in accordance with their availability and the rules of worship. 36. Showing of lights, incense and the food offerings shall be made to the deity. After offering it to the deity the devotee shall be engaged in auspicious activities. 37. In this Vrata exquisite and pleasing things acquired legitimately, whatever they may be, shall be offered to the deity. 38. The number of lotuses to be offered is a thousand. O brahmins, with regard to the other flowers it shall be a hundred and eight for each. 39-40. The leaf of the Bilva tree shall never be excluded. A gold lotus is greater than a thousand lotuses. The case of blue lotuses is also on a par with that of Bilva leaves. With regard to the other flowers there is no restriction. They shall be offered just as they are available. 41-43 The Arghya with eight materials of worship as constituents is highly commended. So also the incense and the unguent. To the deity Vāmadeva sandal paste is recommended. To the Pauruṣa deity yellow orpiment shall be offered; to Īśāna the ashes. In regard to the incense the procedure is different. To Aghora white and black Aguru in the mouth. To Pauruṣa fragrant gum-resin in the left; to Saumya scents in the mouth. To Īśāna, Uśīra shall be offered as Dhūpa. 44. Sandal, Aguru, etc., along with sugar candy, honey, camphor and the ghee of a tawny-coloured cow can be offered to all. 45. Thereafter series of lights with camphor and wick soaked in ghee shall be offered. Arghya and Ācamana shall be offered to every face. 46. In the first (outer column of the mystic diagram) Gaṇeśa and Kārttikeya shall be worshipped. Brahmā’s body shall also be worshipped. 47. In the second Āvaraṇa shall be worshipped Vighneśas the Cakravartins. The eight deities Bhava and others shall be worshipped in the third Āvaraṇa. 48. There the eleven deities Mahādeva and others shall be worshipped. All the Gaṇeśvaras shall be worshipped in the fourth Āvaraṇa. 49-52. Outside the lotus the mystic diagram and in the fifth Āvaraṇa shall be worshipped the lords of the ten quarters along with their weapons and followers, the mental sons of Brahmā, the luminary bodies, the goddesses and gods, the heaven-walkers, the residents of the netherworlds, the other sages, Yogins, the sacrifices, the birds, the mothers, the Kṣetrapālas with their Gaṇas and the universe including the mobile and immobile beings. These shall be worshipped, as they are possessed of Śiva’s pre-eminence. They shall be worshipped for the pleasure of Siva. 53. Then at the end of the worship of the Āvaraṇas, after worshipping the supreme lord, delicious Havis shall be offered as Naivedya along with ghee and side-dishes. 54-55. The betel with something to chew with to render the mouth fragrant shall be given. After bedecking once again with different flowers and ornaments the detailed worship shall be concluded with the waving of lights. The drinking bowl with the complements and bedding shall be offered. 56-57. A moon-like necklace shall be dedicated to the bedding. Everything done or caused to be done shall be royal in its quality, very pleasing and befitting. The contrary worship shall be avoided. After reciting the Vyapohana hymns the Japa of the fìve-syllabled Mantra shall be performed. 58. After circumambulation and obeisance the devotee shall dedicate himself. Then in front of lord he shall worship two brahmin preceptors. 59-64. After offering Arghya and eight flowers the lord shall be ritualistically dismissed from the phallic idol. After restraining the fire from the fire and ritualistically removing that also, the devotee shall perform the service everyday. Then he shall hand over the phallic idol with the insignia and lotuses to the preceptor. Or he shall install it in the temple of Śiva After worshipping the elders, brahmins, Vrata-performers in particular, he shall propitiate brahmin devotees and if possible poor and helpless people also. If he is competent he shall observe fast or take to a diet of fruits and roots. Or he shall have milk for his diet, or live on alms or take single meal everyday only in the night. He shall be pure in body and mind and lie on the bare ground or ashes or grass. He shall wear deerskin or bark garment and observe celibacy. Thus he shall perform the holy rite. 65. If he is strong enough he shall observe fast on Sundays on Ardrā star days, on full moon and new moon days and on the eighth and fourteenth days. 66. Mentally, verbally and physically he shall avoid contact with heretics, fallen men, polluted women in their menses and Śūdras, by all means. 67. He shall always practise forgiveness, charity, mercy non-violence to all living beings. He shall remain content, calm and engaged in meditation and Japa. 68. He shall bathe thrice a day or he shall dust with the ashes instead. He shall perform special worship mentally, verbally and physically. 69-70. Of what avail is much talk? A performer of the rite shall not commit any misdeed. If inadvertently he docs commit, he shall consider its seriousness or otherwise and perform adequate expiatory rites in the form of worship, sacrifice, Japas etc. Till the conclusion of the Vrata he shall not repeat the mistake. 71. He shall make charitable gifts of cows and oxen, perform worship in accordance with her wealth and capacity devoutly and free from any specific desire, for the pleasure of Śiva. 72. The common features of this Vrata have been narrated briefly. I shall now explain the special features for every month in the manner I have heard. 73-76. In Vaiśākha the phallic idol of adamant, in Jyeṣṭha that of an emerald, in Āṣāḍha that of pearl, in Śrāvaṇa that of Sapphire, in Bhādrapada that of ruby, in Āśvina that of onyx, in Kārttika that of a coral, in Mārgaśīrṣa that of lapis lazuli, in Pauṣa that of topaz in Māgha that of the sun-stone; in Phālguna that of the moon-stone and in Caitra that of sun-tone is auspicious. If gems are not available gold shall be substituted in every month. 77. If gold is not available silver, copper, rock or clay shall be used for making the phallic idol whichever is available. Even lac can be used. 78-82. Or he can make the idol as he pleases having all types of flowers. At the conclusion of Vrata after performing the daily rites he shall perform the special worship and sacrifice as before. After worshipping the preceptor and the Vratins in particular he shall take the permission from his instructor. Sitting facing the east or the north on a Darbha seat holding Darbha grass in the hands he shall restrain Prāṇa and Apāna. He shall make the Japa of the Mūla mantra to the extent of his ability; he shall meditate on Śiva and Śivā. Taking permission and bowing as before he shall say with palms joined in reverence: “O lord, at your behest, I am concluding this Vrata.” After saying thus he shall cast off the Darbhas at the root of the idol towards the north. 83. Then he shall eschew the staff, the matted hair, the bark garment and the girdle too. After performing Acamana he shall repeat the five-syllabled mantra. 84. He who has resolved to perform this Vrata till death and takes the initiation accordingly and performs the Virata undistressedly is a Naiṣṭhika. 85. He is an Atyāśramin, a Mahāpāśupata, the most excellent of all austere persons and a great Vratin. 86. Among those desirous of salvation there is none like him who is so content. The Naiṣṭhika who becomes an ascetic is called the excellent Naiṣṭhika. 87. He who performs this rite for twelve days or every day is on a par with the Naiṣṭhika, his Vrata being too severe. 88. A person who applies ghee over his body and performs the rite with devout feelings even for two or three clays is also a Naiṣṭhika. 89. He who performs the excellent Vrata without a desire for the fruit feeling that it is his duty, always dedicating his Arman to Śiva has no one equal to him. 90 A scholarly brahmin covered with ashes is immediately liberated from the terrible effects of even the great deadly sins. 91. The gícat virility of the Rudra fire is what is glorified as the ashes. Hence a person possessing the ashes is a virile and powerful person at all times. 92. A person who has bathed with the ashes is called Bhasmaniṣṭha. His faults perish due to the contact of Bhasma fire. 93. He who has smeared his body with the ashes, wears Tripuṇḍraka with Bhasma and has a Bhasma bath is Bhasmaniṣṭha. 94. Surely the evil spirits, ghosts and goblins and repugnant diseases flee at the very proximity of a Bhasmaniṣṭha. 95 It is called Bhasita because it shines; Bhasma because it devours sins; Bhūti because it causes prosperity and Rakṣā because it protects. 96. What else need be cited to indicate the glory of Bhasma? The Vratin who has had the Bhasma-bath is lord Śiva himself. 97. This Bhasma is a great weapon of the devotees of Śiva. It is a divine missile whereby the mishaps of the elder brother of Dhaumya in the course of his penance had been removed. 98. Hence one should endeavour in all possible ways to collect Bhasma like wealth after performing the Pāśupata vrata and be engaged in Bhasma-bath.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] Note: For the similarity of expression and contents of this and the following chapter, see Liṅga-purāṇa. 1. 107. The Upamanyu, episode of the Liṅga - purāṇa is concise and condensed; that of Śiva-purāṇa is detailed and comprehensive. The former seems to be the abridged version of the latter. 1. It was for obtaining milk that penance was performed by the boy Upamanyu, the elder brother of Dhaumya. So an ocean of milk was granted to him by lord Śiva. 2. How could that infant attain power to propound the sacred doctrine of Siva ? How could he realise the existence of Śiva and perform the penance? 3. How could he attain the perfect knowledge in the course of his observance of penance? How did he secure the protective ashes the virile element of the Rudra fire. 4. It was not an ignorant common infant who performed the penance. He was the son of a great, wise and the learned sage Vyāghrapāda. 5. He was a great Siddha in his former birth who had fallen from his position for some reason. Fortunately he was born as the son of a sage. 6. His penance for the sake of obtaining milk became the gateway to the future grace of lord Śiva obtained due to good luck. 7. Śiva granted him perpetual bachelorhood, lord-ship of all the Gaṇas along with an ocean of milk. 8. The acquisition of Śiva’s knowledge is due to Śiva’s grace alone. He acquired the knowledge of Śakti even as a boy, 9. His ability to propound the Śivaśāstra was also derived from the lord. He rejoiced in attaining the ocean of knowledge from the sage. 10. There was an apparent reason for his acquisition of Śiva- jñāna. These were his mother’s words full of sorrow for the milk. 11-12. Once the boy had tasted some quantity of milk in the hermitage of his uncle. His uncle’s son had drunk ample milk to his satiety. The jealous Upamanyu affectionately told his mother thus. 13. O mother, my blessed mother, O saintly woman, please give me sweet cow’s milk. I shall drink it very hot. 14. On hearing the words of her son, the saintly mother, the wife of Vyāghrapāda, was very much distressed. 15. With love and affection she embraced the son and fondled him. Considering her poverty she became dejected and lamented. 16. The boy Upamanyu could not forget the milk he wanted. He the innocent child of great splendour cried frequently pressing his mother to give him milk. 17. Realising that the boy was tenacious the saintly brahmin lady thought of a plan to quieten his stubbornness. 18-19. She had gleaned a few grains which the sweet-voiced lady ground into a paste with water. “Come on, s?? dear,” she addressed her son and though she was distressed at heart she gave him the improvised milk. 20. On drinking that watery stuff offered as milk, the excited boy shouted. ‘O mother, this is no milk.’ 21. The distressed mother when she saw the boy thus in misery caught hold of him, kissed on his head, wiped his lotus-like eyes with her hand and said:— 22. Rivers full of gems whether in heaven or in the nether worlds are never seen by unlucky people and those devoid of devotion to Śiva. 23. If Śiva is not pleased with them, they do not get those pleasing things viz. kingdom, heaven, salvation or a milk diet. 24. Everything is the result of Śiva’s grace and not that of any other lord. Those who are devoted to other lords wander in distress. 25. Whence can we have milk, we who stay in the forest for ever? O dear, where the sources of milk and where we the forest-dwellers? 26. Wanting everything and overwhelmed by poverty I, your unfortunate mother, have given you this improvised milk grinding the fried grains into paste with water. 27-28. You tasted the boiled milk at your uncle’s. So when you drank this ‘sour stuff you found out on comparison that what I gave you was not milk. When you cry out saying so you make me miserable. Without the grace of Lord Śiva you cannot have milk. 29. What is dedicated with devotion at the lotus-like feet of the lord accompanied by Śivā and his Gaṇas is the cause of all riches. 30. The great lord who is the bestower of wealth and befitting benefits to those who desire them, has not been worshipped by us now. 31. Aiming at riches we have not worshipped Śiva hitherto. So we are poor. Hence you do not get milk. 32. O son, nothing else is obtained by us except what has been given by us in respect of lord Śiva or Viṣṇu. 33. On hearing the words of his mother, true but expressive of her grief, the boy, though distressed within spoke thus in a mature way. 34. O mother, do not feel unhappy; if there is Śiva and śivā every thing good will result. O blessed lady, eschew your grief. 35. O mother, listen now to my words. If there is lord Śiva anywhere sooner or later I shall get an ocean of milk. 36. On hearing the words of her highly intelligent son the delighted noble mother replied. 37. O dear, what you have thought of is auspicious. It increases my pleasure. Do not delay. Worship Sadāśiva and the goddess Śivā. 38. Definitely there is Śiva superior to all, the great cause. The entire universe in created by him. Brahmā and and others are his servants. 39. If we have any prosperity it is created by his grace. We are only the slaves of the lord. Except Śiva, the benefactor of the worlds we do not know anyone else. 40. Eschewing other gods physically, mentally and verbally, worship him alone, with Śivā with due devotion. 41. “ Namaḥ Śivāya”, this mantra is directly expressive of Śiva, the overlord of the gods, the bestower of boons. 42. The seven crores of mantras including the Praṇava Om merge into this mantra and come out again. 43. Those Mantras are also beneficent with regard to those who are authorized therein. At the behest of the lord every one is authorized in this Mantra. 44. Just as Śiva, this mantra too is capable of protecting all Atmans base or excellent. 45. This mantra is stronger than any other mantra. Only this and no other mantra is capable of protecting all. 46. Hence eschew all the other Mantras and devote yourself to this five-syllabled mantra. When that is in the mouth nothing is inaccessible here. 47. The excellent Aghora missile affording protection to the devotees of Śiva originates from this mantra. Considering this, be devoted to it and not otherwise. 48. This Bhasma produced in the Viraja fire was obtained by me from your father. It is excellent and it averts great mishaps. 49. Accept the Mantra bestowed on you by me. If the Japa of this mantra is performed your protection will be assured. 50-51. The mother directed him thus saying, “May it be auspicious” and allowed him to go. The sage accepted her words with his bent head. Bowing to her he made preparations for performing penance. Then the mother said to him, “May the gods do everything auspicious for yo 52. Permitted by her he went to the mountain Himavat and performed penance with purity of minds. He took in only wind (no food). 53-54. With eight bricks he built an altar and installed Śiva’s phallic image of clay. He invoked the unchanging lord Śiva accompanied by the Gaṇas and Pārvatī. He worshipped him with the leaves and flowers available in the forest repeating the five-syllabled Mantra with devotion. He performed penance for a long time. 55-56. Assuming the forms of Rākṣasa certain ghosts of sages cursed formerly by Marīci harassed the lonely, lean boy Upamanyu performing penance though he was an excellent brahmin devotee of Śiva. Thus they caused obstacles to his penance. 57. Though harassed by them he somehow maintained his penance. He uttered “Namaḥ Śivāya” like one in great distress. 58. At the very hearing of that sound the sages who hindered the penance left off that boy and began to serve him. 59. O sages, the whole universe including the mobile and immobile beings became ignited due to the penance of that brahmin, the noble Upamanyu.

[ Sanskrit text for this chapter is available ] 1. Then the excellent gods with their bodies illuminated hastened to Vaikuṇṭha. After bowing they mentioned everything to Viṣṇu. 2-3. On hearing them, lord Viṣṇu thought “What is this?” After understanding the reason he immediately went to the Mandara mountain with a desire to see lord Śiva. On seeing the lord and bowing to him with palms joined in reverence he said:— 4. O lord, a certain brahmin well known as Upamanyu has burnt everything by his penance for obtaining the milk. 5. On hearing the words of Viṣṇu, lord Śiva said:—“I shall prevent the boy. You may please go back to your abodes”. 6. On hearing the words of lord Śiva, Visṇu the favourite of the gods went to his abode after consoling the gods and others. 7. In the meantime, the trident-bearing lord Śiva resolved to go there assuming the form of Indra. 8. Taking up the physical form as the king of gods, accompanied by gods, Asuras, Siddhas and serpents, and seated on a white elephant Sadāśiva went to the hermitage of the sage. 9. The elephant fanned the lord with the chowrie and held the white umbrella with the left hand while bearing the lord of gods accompanied by Śacī. 10. Lord Sadāśiva accompanied by Umā and assuming the form of Indra, shone with that umbrella like the Mandara mountain with the disc of the moon. 11. Assuming the form of Indra, lord Śiva went to the hermitage of Upamanyu in order to bless him. 12. On seeing lord Śiva, in the form of Indra, the sage bowed his head and spoke. 13. O lord of gods, O lord of the universe, O excellent god, my hermitage is sanctified since you have come here. 14. Glancing at the brahmin who stood steady after saying thus, with palms joined in reverence, Śiva in the guise of Indra spoke majestically. 15. O sage of good rites, O elder brother of Dhaumya, I am delighted with your penance. Mention the boon you wish to have. I shall grant you whatever you desire. 16. The leading sage when urged thus by Indra spoke with palms joined in reverence—‘I request you to grant me the boon of devotion to Śiva’. 17-19. On hearing that Indra said:—“you do not know me the lord of gods the overlord of the three worlds, Indra, saluted by the gods. O brahminical sage, be my devotee. Always worship only me. Welfare be to you. I shall give you everything. Abandon Rudra who is devoid of attributes. What purpose of yours can be served by Rudra who without attributes has become a ghost ostracised from the midst of the gods.” 20. On hearing that, the sage began to repeat the five-syllabled Mantra. He thought that Indra had come there to put obstacles in his holy rites and so said. 21. You have said all these things in your eagerness to disparage Śiva. In that context you have mentioned the Nirguṇatva of the great lord. 22. You do not know Rudra the lord of the chiefs of the gods, the progenitor of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva and who is greater than Prakṛti. 23. I desire to get my boon granted by the lord who is separate from Sat and Asar, who is the unmanifest, as mentioned by the propounders of Brahman and who is eternal, single and multifarious 24. I desire to secure the boon from that lord whom the knowers of truth meditate upon, who bestows the goal of Sāṃkhya and Yoga, viz. release. 25. There is no higher truth than Śiva who is the cause of all causes, the creator of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and other gods and who is the lord beyond attributes. 26. Of what avail is such talk? I infer that in the previous birth I committed a great sin because a disparaging remark about Śiva was heard by me. 27. On hearing the censure of Śiva, one shall immediately abandon one’s life and slay that person too. He then attains Śiva’s region. 28. O base god, let my desire for milk wait. After killing you with Śiva’s missile I shall abandon this body of mine. 29. After saying this, Upamanyu ready to die himself eschewed his desire for milk and got ready to kill Indra. 30-31. He took the ash and reinvigorated it with the Aghorāstra mantra. Aiming it at Indra he cast it off and shouted loudly. Remembering the feet of Śiva he attempted to burn off his body. Upamanyu held the fiery missile ready for discharge. 32. When the brahmin attempted this, lord Śiva disguised as Śiva who destroyed the eyes of Bhaga prevented the missile of the Yogin gently. 33. At the behest of the lord, Nandin the favourite of Śiva caught in the middle the Aghorāstra hurled by him. 34. Assuming his own form with the crescent moon for his crest, Lord Śiva revealed himself to the brahmin. 35-36. The Lord showed to him a thousand oceans of milk, nectar curds, ghee, fruits, foodstuffs and a mountain of sweet pies. 37. The lord appeared thus seated on the bull along with the goddess and surrounded by the lords of Gaṇas and holding the divine missiles, trident etc. 38. The Dundubhi drums were sounded in the heaven. There was a shower of flowers; the ten quarters were filled with the gods, chiefs of whom were Viṣṇu, Brahmā and Indra. 39. Then Upamanyu enveloped by the waves of bliss fell at his feet, his mind made humble with devotion. 40. Then the smiling lord Śiva called him nearer, kissed him on the head and granted him boons. 41. Partake of various foodstuffs as you please along with your kinsmen, for ever. Be happy always, free from misery. Be my devotee. 42. O fortunate Upamanyu, this goddess Pārvatī is your mother. You have been adopted as my son. The milk ocean is given to you. 43. So also the ocean of honey, of rice with curds and ghee and of fruits etc. 44. O sage, mountains of sweet pies, the ocean of food stuffs, these are given to you. Please take them. 45. Your father is lord Śiva. Your mother is Pārvatī, the mother of the universe. I give you the status of a god; the eternal chieftainship of the Gaṇas. 46. Choose boons as you please. I am delighted. I shall grant you boons. You need not hesitate at all. 47. Saying thus lord Śiva caught him with his hands, kissed him on the head and handed him over to the goddess saying, “This is your son.” 48. The goddess received him with pleasure like Guha, placed her hand on his head, granted him the unchangings status of a Bachelor. 49. The milk ocean came in an embodied form holding sweet milk in his hands. Approaching the saintly boy he gave him imperishable condensed milk. 50. The goddess, out of delight, gave him the Yogic prosperity, perpetual contentment, imperishable Brahma - Vidyā and the greatest affluence. 51. The delighted Śiva saw the splendour of his penance, granted boons again to the sage Upamanyu. 52. He gave him the Pāśupata rite, the Pāśupata knowledge and the perpetual ability to propound and discourse. 53. Obtaining the divine boons and the perpetual bachelorhood from Śivā and Śiva he became joyous. 54. Delighted in his mind he bowed with palms joined in reverence. The brahmin then requested lord Śiva for a boon and said. 55. “O lord of the chiefs of the gods, be pleased. Please grant me devotion to you, great, divine and unflinching. 56. O great lord, grant me an abiding faith in persons devoted to you. Grant me the great slavery and the perpetual proximity to you. 57. After saying this, Upamanyu the excellent brahmin eulogised the lord in the words choked with delight. 58. “ O great lord, O lord of gods, favourably disposed to those who seek refuge in you. O ocean of mercy, be pleased always, O Śiva, accompanied by Pārvatī. 59. Thus requested lord Śiva, the granter of boons replied with delighted ṃind to Upamanyu the excellent sage. 60. O dear Upamanyu, I am delighted. Indeed everything has been granted by me to you. O brahminical sage, you are of steady devotion. I wanted to test you. 61. Be free from old age, death and misery. Be glorious and endowed with splendour and divine knowledge. 62. Your kinsmen, your family and spiritual lineage shall be everlasting. O excellent brahmin, your devotion to me shall be permanent. 63. O excellent brahmin, I shall always be present in your hermitage. Near me you shall always blissfully sport about. 64. Thus granting him the boons lord Śiva who had the lustre of a crore suns, vanished there itself. 65. Securing the boons from the lord, Upamanyu, delighted in his mind, went to his mother's abode and attained the supreme bliss.