Shiva's Four Faces, Blue Throat, Pinaka Bow and Bull

Verse 1 (13.206.1)

क्षणज्ञा देवदेवस्य श्रोतुकामा प्रियं हितम् । उमादेवी महादेवमपृच्छत्पुनरेव तु ॥

kṣaṇajñā devadevasya śrotukāmā priyaṃ hitam | umādevī mahādevamapṛcchatpunareva tu

Knowing the right moment, the goddess Uma, eager to hear what was dear and beneficial from the god of gods, questioned Mahadeva once more.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0278-0279.

Verse 2 (13.206.2)

भगवन्देवदेवेश सर्वदेवनमस्कृत । चतुर्मुखो वै भगवानभवत्केन हेतुना ॥

bhagavandevadeveśa sarvadevanamaskṛta | caturmukho vai bhagavānabhavatkena hetunā

"Lord, god of gods, to whom all the gods bow, for what reason did you, the Blessed One, become four-faced?"

Note on the text: Speaker: no heading is printed for this speech, and the words belong to Uma; the input's नारद is corrected. Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0280-0281.

Verse 3 (13.206.3)

भगवन्केन ते वक्त्रमैन्द्रमद्भुतदर्शनम् । उत्तरं चापि भगवन्पश्चिमं शुभदर्शनम् । दक्षिणं च मुखं रौद्रं केनोर्ध्वं जटिलावृतम् ॥

bhagavankena te vaktramaindramadbhutadarśanam | uttaraṃ cāpi bhagavanpaścimaṃ śubhadarśanam | dakṣiṇaṃ ca mukhaṃ raudraṃ kenordhvaṃ jaṭilāvṛtam

"Lord, why is it that you have the wondrous eastern face, Indra's own, and the northern face, and the fair-looking western one? Why is the southern face terrible, and why is the upper one wrapped in matted locks?"

Note on the text: Speaker: no heading is printed for this speech, and the words belong to Uma; the input's नारद is corrected. Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0282-0284.

Verse 4 (13.206.4)

यथादृशं महाभाग श्रोतुमिच्छामि कारणम् । एष मे संशयो देव तन्मे शंसितुमर्हसि ॥

yathādṛśaṃ mahābhāga śrotumicchāmi kāraṇam | eṣa me saṃśayo deva tanme śaṃsitumarhasi

"O greatly blessed one, I wish to hear the reason just as it is. This is my doubt, O god; you ought to tell it to me."

Note on the text: Speaker: no heading is printed for this speech, and the words belong to Uma; the input's नारद is corrected. Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0285-0286.

Verse 5 (13.206.5)

तदहं ते प्रवक्ष्यामि यत्त्वमिच्छसि भामिनि । पुराऽसुरौ महाघोरौ लोकोद्वेगकरौ भृशम् ॥

tadahaṃ te pravakṣyāmi yattvamicchasi bhāmini | purā'surau mahāghorau lokodvegakarau bhṛśam

"I shall tell you that, radiant lady, since you wish to hear it. Long ago there were two dreadful asuras who greatly terrified the world,"

Note on the text: Corrected पुराऽसुरो → पुराऽसुरौ (misprint in Wikisource; dual "two asuras" required; Appendix I reads purāsurau). Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0287-0288. Appendix I line 0289 is a lacuna (marked ++++) in the critical edition; Wikisource has no corresponding line.

Verse 6 (13.206.6)

सुन्दोपसुन्दनामानावासतुर्बलगर्वितौ । अशस्त्रवध्यौ बलिनौ परस्परहितैषिणौ ॥

sundopasundanāmānāvāsaturbalagarvitau | aśastravadhyau balinau parasparahitaiṣiṇau

"Sunda and Upasunda by name, proud of their strength. They could not be killed by weapons, and, being mighty, each wished well to the other."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0290-0291.

Verse 7 (13.206.7)

तयोरेव विनाशाय निर्मिता विश्वकर्मणा । सर्वतः सारमुद्धृत्य तिलशो लोकपूजिता । तिलोत्तमेति विख्याता अप्सराः सा बभूव ह ॥

tayoreva vināśāya nirmitā viśvakarmaṇā | sarvataḥ sāramuddhṛtya tilaśo lokapūjitā | tilottameti vikhyātā apsarāḥ sā babhūva ha

"To destroy those two, Vishvakarma fashioned an apsara, drawing out the finest part of everything, grain by grain; honoured by the worlds, she became known as Tilottama."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0292 and 0294-0295. Appendix I has an additional line 0293 (mṛgapakṣigaṇānāṃ ca sthāvarāṇāṃ tathaiva ca) between the first and second lines here; Wikisource lacks it and it is not added.

Verse 8 (13.206.8)

देवकार्यं करिष्यन्ती हासभावसमन्विता । सा तपस्यन्तमागम्य रूपेणाप्रतिमा भुवि ॥

devakāryaṃ kariṣyantī hāsabhāvasamanvitā | sā tapasyantamāgamya rūpeṇāpratimā bhuvi

"Meaning to do the gods' work, full of playful grace, she came to me as I was practising austerities, a woman of incomparable beauty on earth."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0296-0297.

Verse 9 (13.206.9)

मया बहुमता चेयं देवकार्यं करिष्यति । इति मत्वा तदा चाहं कुर्वन्तीं मां प्रदक्षिणम् । तथैव तां दिदृक्षुश्च चतुर्वक्त्रोऽभवं प्रिये ॥

mayā bahumatā ceyaṃ devakāryaṃ kariṣyati | iti matvā tadā cāhaṃ kurvantīṃ māṃ pradakṣiṇam | tathaiva tāṃ didṛkṣuśca caturvaktro'bhavaṃ priye

"'She is esteemed by me, and she will accomplish the gods' work.' Thinking so, and wishing to look at her as she circled me in reverence, I became four-faced, dear one."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0298-0300.

Verse 10 (13.206.10)

ऐन्द्रं मुखमिदं पूर्वं तपश्चर्यापरं सदा । दक्षिणं मे मुखं दिव्यं रौद्रं संहरति प्रजाः ॥

aindraṃ mukhamidaṃ pūrvaṃ tapaścaryāparaṃ sadā | dakṣiṇaṃ me mukhaṃ divyaṃ raudraṃ saṃharati prajāḥ

"This eastern face of mine, Indra's, is ever devoted to austerities; the southern, divine and terrible, destroys living beings."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0301-0302.

Verse 11 (13.206.11)

लोककार्यपरं नित्यं पश्चिमं मे मुखं प्रिये । वेदानधीते सततमद्भुतं चोत्तरं मुखम् । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि ॥

lokakāryaparaṃ nityaṃ paścimaṃ me mukhaṃ priye | vedānadhīte satatamadbhutaṃ cottaraṃ mukham | etatte sarvamākhyātaṃ kiṃ bhūyaḥ śrotumicchasi

"My western face, dear, is ever intent on the world's affairs, and my northern face, a wondrous one, ceaselessly recites the Vedas. All this has been told to you; what more do you wish to hear?"

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0303-0305.

Verse 12 (13.206.12)

भगवञ्श्रोतुमिच्छामि शूलपाणे वरप्रद । किमर्थं नीलता कण्ठे भाति बर्हिनिभा तव ॥

bhagavañśrotumicchāmi śūlapāṇe varaprada | kimarthaṃ nīlatā kaṇṭhe bhāti barhinibhā tava

"Lord, trident-bearer, giver of boons, I wish to hear: why is there on your throat a blueness that shines like a peacock's plumage?"

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0306-0307.

Verse 13 (13.206.13)

एतत्ते कथयिष्यामि शृणु देवि समाहिता ॥

etatte kathayiṣyāmi śṛṇu devi samāhitā

"I shall tell you this; listen attentively, goddess."

Note on the text: Removed the speaker heading "महेश्वर उवात" that had slipped into the verse text and made it the speaker (the page prints it as its own row, 13-206-13x). Speaker: Shiva's words, under the page's own heading "महेश्वर उवात" (which had slipped into the verse text); the input's उमा is corrected. Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), line 0308.

Verse 14 (13.206.14)

पुरा युगान्तरे यत्नादमृतार्थं सुरासुरैः । बलवद्भिर्विमथितश्चिरकालं महोदधिः ॥

purā yugāntare yatnādamṛtārthaṃ surāsuraiḥ | balavadbhirvimathitaścirakālaṃ mahodadhiḥ

"Long ago, at the turn of an age, the gods and asuras, strong as they were, churned the great ocean for a long time with great effort, for the sake of nectar."

Note on the text: Speaker: Shiva's words, continuing under the heading printed at verse 13; the input's उमा is corrected. Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0309-0310.

Verse 15 (13.206.15)

रज्जुना नागराजेन मथ्यमाने महोदधौ । विषं तत्र समुद्भूतं सर्वलोकविनाशनम् ॥

rajjunā nāgarājena mathyamāne mahodadhau | viṣaṃ tatra samudbhūtaṃ sarvalokavināśanam

"As the great ocean was being churned with the king of serpents as the rope, a poison arose there that could destroy all the worlds."

Note on the text: Speaker: Shiva's words, continuing under the heading printed at verse 13; the input's उमा is corrected. Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0311-0312.

Verse 16 (13.206.16)

तद्दृष्ट्वा विबुधाः सर्वे तदा विमनसोऽभवन् । ग्रस्तं हि तन्मया देवि लोकानां हितकारणात् ॥

taddṛṣṭvā vibudhāḥ sarve tadā vimanaso'bhavan | grastaṃ hi tanmayā devi lokānāṃ hitakāraṇāt

"Seeing it, all the gods grew disheartened. But I swallowed it, goddess, for the welfare of the worlds."

Note on the text: Speaker: Shiva's words, continuing under the heading printed at verse 13; the input's उमा is corrected. Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0313-0314.

Verse 17 (13.206.17)

तत्कृता नीलता चासीत्कण्ठे बर्हिनिभा शुभे । तदाप्रभृति चैवाहं नीलकण्ठ इति स्मृतः । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि ॥

tatkṛtā nīlatā cāsītkaṇṭhe barhinibhā śubhe | tadāprabhṛti caivāhaṃ nīlakaṇṭha iti smṛtaḥ | etatte sarvamākhyātaṃ kiṃ bhūyaḥ śrotumicchasi

"Because of it my throat turned blue, bright as a peacock's plumage, auspicious lady, and from that time I have been called Nilakantha, the Blue-Throated. All this has been told to you; what more do you wish to hear?"

Note on the text: Speaker: Shiva's words, continuing under the heading printed at verse 13; the input's उमा is corrected. Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0315-0317.

Verse 18 (13.206.18)

नीलकण्ठ नमस्तेऽस्तु सर्वलोकसुखावह । बहूनामायुधानां त्वं पिनाकं धर्तुमिच्छसि । किमर्थं देवदेवेश तन्मे शंसितुमर्हसि ॥

nīlakaṇṭha namaste'stu sarvalokasukhāvaha | bahūnāmāyudhānāṃ tvaṃ pinākaṃ dhartumicchasi | kimarthaṃ devadeveśa tanme śaṃsitumarhasi

"Homage to you, Nilakantha, bringer of happiness to all the worlds. Of the many weapons, you choose to bear the Pinaka. Why is that, god of gods? You ought to tell me."

Note on the text: Corrected धर्मुमिच्छसि → धर्तुमिच्छसि (misprint in Wikisource; धर्तुम् "to bear"; Appendix I reads dhartum). Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0318-0320.

Verse 19 (13.206.19)

शस्त्रागमं ते वक्ष्यामि शृणु धर्म्यं शुचिस्मिते । युगान्तरे महादेवि कण्वो नाम महामुनिः ॥

śastrāgamaṃ te vakṣyāmi śṛṇu dharmyaṃ śucismite | yugāntare mahādevi kaṇvo nāma mahāmuniḥ

"I shall tell you the origin of weapons; listen, pure-smiling lady, to this righteous account. At the turn of an age, great goddess, there was a great sage named Kanva."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0321-0322.

Verse 20 (13.206.20)

स हि दिव्यां तपश्चर्यां कर्तुमेवोपचक्रमे । तथा तस्य तपो घोरं चरतः कालपर्ययात् । वल्मीकं पुनरुद्भूतं तस्यैव शिरसि प्रिये ॥

sa hi divyāṃ tapaścaryāṃ kartumevopacakrame | tathā tasya tapo ghoraṃ carataḥ kālaparyayāt | valmīkaṃ punarudbhūtaṃ tasyaiva śirasi priye

"He began to practise divine austerities. As he practised that dreadful austerity, with the passing of time an anthill rose again upon his very head, dear one."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0323-0325.

Verse 21 (13.206.21)

वेणुर्वल्मीकसंयोगान्मूर्ध्नि तस्य बभूव ह । धरमाणश्च तत्सर्वं तपश्चर्यां तथाऽकरोत् ॥

veṇurvalmīkasaṃyogānmūrdhni tasya babhūva ha | dharamāṇaśca tatsarvaṃ tapaścaryāṃ tathā'karot

"From the anthill a bamboo grew upon his head. Bearing all of that, he went on with his austerities."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0326-0327.

Verse 22 (13.206.22)

तस्मै ब्रह्मा वरं दातुं जगाम तपसार्चितः । दत्त्वा तस्मै वरं देवो वेणुं दृष्ट्वा त्वचिन्तयत् ॥

tasmai brahmā varaṃ dātuṃ jagāma tapasārcitaḥ | dattvā tasmai varaṃ devo veṇuṃ dṛṣṭvā tvacintayat

"Brahma, honoured by his austerity, came to grant him a boon. Having granted the boon, the god saw the bamboo and reflected."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0328-0329.

Verse 23 (13.206.23)

लोककार्यं समुद्दिश्य वेणुनाऽनेन भामिनि । चिन्तयित्वा तमादाय कार्मुकार्थे न्ययोजयत् ॥

lokakāryaṃ samuddiśya veṇunā'nena bhāmini | cintayitvā tamādāya kārmukārthe nyayojayat

"Having considered how this bamboo could serve the good of the world, fair lady, he took it and put it to use for making a bow."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0330-0331.

Verse 24 (13.206.24)

विष्णोर्मम च सामर्थ्यं ज्ञात्वा लोकपितामहः । धनुषी द्वे तदा प्रादाद्विष्णवे च ममैव च ॥

viṣṇormama ca sāmarthyaṃ jñātvā lokapitāmahaḥ | dhanuṣī dve tadā prādādviṣṇave ca mamaiva ca

"Knowing the strength of Vishnu and of me, the Grandfather of the worlds then gave two bows, one to Vishnu and one to me."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0332-0333.

Verse 25 (13.206.25)

पिनाकं नाम मे चापं शार्ङ्गं नाम हरेर्धनुः । तृतीयमवशेषेण गाण्डीवमभवद्धनुः ॥

pinākaṃ nāma me cāpaṃ śārṅgaṃ nāma harerdhanuḥ | tṛtīyamavaśeṣeṇa gāṇḍīvamabhavaddhanuḥ

"The bow named Pinaka is mine, and the bow named Sharnga is Hari's. From what remained, a third bow came into being, the Gandiva."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0334-0335.

Verse 26 (13.206.26)

तच्च सोमाय निर्दिश्य ब्रह्मा लोकं गतः पुनः । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं शस्त्रागममनिन्दिते ॥

tacca somāya nirdiśya brahmā lokaṃ gataḥ punaḥ | etatte sarvamākhyātaṃ śastrāgamamanindite

"Brahma assigned that one to Soma and went back to his own world. All this account of the origin of weapons has been told to you, blameless lady."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0336-0337.

Verse 27 (13.206.27)

भगवन्देवदेवेश पिनाकपरमप्रिय । वाहनेषु तथाऽन्येषु सत्सु भूतपते तव ॥

bhagavandevadeveśa pinākaparamapriya | vāhaneṣu tathā'nyeṣu satsu bhūtapate tava

"Lord, god of gods, you who hold the Pinaka so dear, lord of beings, though you have other mounts as well,"

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0338-0339.

Verse 28 (13.206.28)

अयं तु वृषभः कस्माद्वाहनं स यथाऽभवत् । एष मे संशयो देव तन्मे शंसितुमर्हसि ॥

ayaṃ tu vṛṣabhaḥ kasmādvāhanaṃ sa yathā'bhavat | eṣa me saṃśayo deva tanme śaṃsitumarhasi

"how is it that this bull became your mount? This is my doubt, god; you ought to tell it to me."

Note on the text: Corrected सशयो → संशयो (misprint in Wikisource; missing anusvara; Appendix I reads saṃśayo). Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0340-0341.

Verse 29 (13.206.29)

तदहं ते प्रवक्ष्यामि वाहनं स यथाऽभवत् ॥

tadahaṃ te pravakṣyāmi vāhanaṃ sa yathā'bhavat

"I shall tell you how he became my mount."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), line 0342.

Verse 30 (13.206.30)

आदिसर्गे पुरा गावः श्वेतवर्णाः शुचिस्मिते । बलसंहनना गावो दर्पयुक्ताश्चरन्ति ताः ॥

ādisarge purā gāvaḥ śvetavarṇāḥ śucismite | balasaṃhananā gāvo darpayuktāścaranti tāḥ

"In the first creation, long ago, the cows were white, pure-smiling lady. Strong of build and full of pride, they roamed about."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0343-0344.

Verse 31 (13.206.31)

अहं तु तप आतिष्ठं तस्मिन्काले शुभानने । एकपादश्चोर्ध्वबाहुर्लोकार्थं हिमवद्गिरौ ॥

ahaṃ tu tapa ātiṣṭhaṃ tasminkāle śubhānane | ekapādaścordhvabāhurlokārthaṃ himavadgirau

"At that time, fair-faced one, I was practising austerity on Mount Himavat for the sake of the world, standing on one foot with my arms raised."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0345-0346.

Verse 32 (13.206.32)

गावो मे पार्श्वमागम्य दर्पोत्सिक्ताः समन्ततः । स्थानभ्रंशं तदा देवि चक्रिरे बहुशस्तदा ॥

gāvo me pārśvamāgamya darpotsiktāḥ samantataḥ | sthānabhraṃśaṃ tadā devi cakrire bahuśastadā

"The cows, swollen with pride, came to my side from all around and, goddess, again and again drove me from my place."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0347-0348.

Verse 33 (13.206.33)

अपचारेण वै तासां मनःक्षोभोऽभवन्मम । तस्माद्दग्धा यदा गावो रोषाविष्टेन चेतसा ॥

apacāreṇa vai tāsāṃ manaḥkṣobho'bhavanmama | tasmāddagdhā yadā gāvo roṣāviṣṭena cetasā

"Their misconduct disturbed my mind, and in a mind filled with anger I burned the cows."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0349-0350.

Verse 34 (13.206.34)

तस्मिंस्तु व्यसने घोरे वर्तमाने पशून्प्रति । अनेन वृषभेणाहं शमितः सम्प्रसादनैः ॥

tasmiṃstu vyasane ghore vartamāne paśūnprati | anena vṛṣabheṇāhaṃ śamitaḥ samprasādanaiḥ

"In that dreadful calamity that had befallen the cattle, it was this very bull who calmed me, with soothing words."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0351-0352.

Verse 35 (13.206.35)

तदाप्रभृति शान्ताश्च वर्णभेदत्वमागताः । श्वेतोऽयं वृषभो देवि पूर्वसंस्कारसंयुतः । वाहनत्वे ध्वजत्वे मे तदाप्रभृति योजितः ॥

tadāprabhṛti śāntāśca varṇabhedatvamāgatāḥ | śveto'yaṃ vṛṣabho devi pūrvasaṃskārasaṃyutaḥ | vāhanatve dhvajatve me tadāprabhṛti yojitaḥ

"From then on they became calm and took on variety of colour. This white bull, goddess, who kept the nature he had before, was from that time made my mount and my banner."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0353-0355.

Verse 36 (13.206.36)

तस्मान्मे गोपतित्वं च देवैर्गोभिश्च कल्पितम् । प्रसन्नश्चाभवं देवि तदा गोपतितां गतः ॥

tasmānme gopatitvaṃ ca devairgobhiśca kalpitam | prasannaścābhavaṃ devi tadā gopatitāṃ gataḥ

"Therefore the gods and the cows themselves made me Gopati, the Lord of Cows; and I was pleased, goddess, and so came to be the Lord of Cows."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (vulgate recension); parallel text in Appendix I No. 15 (after 13.134.57d), lines 0356-0357.