The Manifestation of Shambhu's Pillar of Fire in the Battle

Verse 1 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.1)

ईश्वर उवाच । वत्सकाः स्वस्ति वः कच्चिद्वर्तते मम शासनात् । जगच्च देवतावंशः स्वस्वकर्मणि किं न वा

īśvara uvāca vatsakāḥ svastivaḥ kaccidvartate mama śāsanāt jagacca devatāvaṁśaḥ svasvakarmaṇi kiṁ navā

The Lord said: Children, is it well with you all? Does everything go rightly under my rule? And is this world, and the whole host of gods, engaged each in its own proper task, or not?

Verse 2 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.2)

प्रागेव विदितं युद्धं ब्रह्मविष्ण्वोर्मया सुराः । भवतामभितापेन पौनरुक्त्येन भाषितम्

prāgeva viditaṁ yuddhaṁ brahmaviṣṇvormayāsurāḥ bhavatāmabhitāpena paunaruktyena bhāṣitam

I already knew beforehand of this battle between Brahma and Vishnu, O sons; it is only because of your own distress that I have spoken of it again, in these very words.

Verse 3 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.3)

इति सस्मितया माध्व्या कुमार परिभाषया । समतोषयदम्बायाः स पतिस्तत्सुरव्रजम्

iti sasmitayā mādhvyā kumāraparibhāṣayā samatoṣayadaṁbāyāḥ sa patistatsuravrajam

Thus, with a gentle and gracious smile, speaking in a manner like that of Kumara, the Lord contented that whole host of gods before Ambika.

Verse 4 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.4)

अथ युद्धाङ्गणं गन्तुं हरिधात्रोरधीश्वरः । आज्ञापयद्गणेशानां शतं तत्रैव संसदि

atha yuddhāṁgaṇaṁ gaṁtuṁ haridhātroradhīśvaraḥ ājñāpayadgaṇeśānāṁ śataṁ tatraiva saṁsadi

Then that Lord of the earth borne by the Ganga gave command, then and there in that assembly, to his hundred lords of the Ganas, to set forth toward the field of battle.

Verse 5 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.5)

ततो वाद्यं बहुविधं प्रयाणाय परेशितुः । गणेश्वराश्च सन्नद्धा नानावाहनभूषणाः

tato vādyaṁ bahuvidhaṁ prayāṇāya pareśituḥ gaṇeśvarāśca saṁnaddhā nānāvāhanabhūṣaṇāḥ

Then, for the Supreme Lord's departure, instruments of every kind began to sound, and the lords of the Ganas, arrayed in various mounts and ornaments, made themselves ready.

Verse 6 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.6)

प्रणवाकारमाद्यन्तं पञ्चमण्डलमण्डितम् । आरुरोह रथं भद्रमम्बिकापतिरीश्वरः । ससूनुगणमिन्द्राद्याः सर्वेऽप्यनुययुः सुराः

praṇavākāramādyaṁtaṁ pañcamaṁḍalamaṁḍitam āruroha rathaṁ bhadramaṁbikāpatirīśvaraḥ sasūnugaṇamiṁdrādyāḥ sarvepyanuyayuḥ surāḥ

Onto that auspicious chariot — bearing the shape of the syllable Om at its beginning and end, adorned with five circles — the Lord, husband of Ambika, mounted; and with his sons and his Ganas, Indra and all the other gods followed after him.

Verse 7 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.7)

चित्रध्वजव्यजनचामरपुष्पवर्षसङ्गीतनृत्यनिवहैरपि वाद्यवर्गैः । सम्मानितः पशुपतिः परया च देव्या साकं तयोः समरभूमिमगात् ससैन्यः

citradhvajavyajanacāmarapuṣpavarṣasaṁgatinṛtyanivahairaipi vādyavargaiḥ saṁmānitaḥ paśupatiḥ parayā ca devyā sākaṁ tayoḥ samarabhūmimagātsasainyaḥ

Honored with brightly colored banners, fans, whisks, showers of flowers, throngs of dancers, and instruments of every kind, the Lord of creatures, together with the supreme Goddess and his whole army, set out toward that field of battle.

Verse 8 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.8)

समीक्ष्य तु तयोर्युद्धं निगूढोऽभ्रं समास्थितः । समाप्तवाद्यनिर्घोषः शान्तोरुगणनिःस्वनः

samīkṣyaṁ tu tayoryuddhaṁ nigūḍho 'bhraṁ samāsthitaḥ samāptavādyanirghoṣaḥ śāṁtorugaṇaniḥsvanaḥ

At the very sight of that battle between the two, he hid himself concealed within the clouds; the sound of his instruments fell silent, and the great roar of his host was likewise stilled.

Verse 9 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.9)

अथ ब्रह्माच्युतौ वीरौ हन्तुकामौ परस्परम् । माहेश्वरेण चास्त्रेण तथा पाशुपतेन च

atha brahmācyutau vīrau haṁtukāmau parasparam māheśvareṇa cā 'streṇa tathā pāśupatena ca

Meanwhile the heroic Brahma and Achyuta, each desiring to slay the other, still fought on with the Maheshvara weapon on one side and the Pashupata on the other;

Verse 10 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.10)

अस्त्रज्वालैरथो दग्धं ब्रह्मविष्ण्वोर्जगत्त्रयम् । ईशोऽपि तं निरीक्ष्याथ ह्यकालप्रलयं भृशम्

astrajvālairatho dagdhaṁ brahmaviṣṇvorjagattrayam īśopi taṁ nirīkṣyātha hyakālapralayaṁ bhṛśam

By the flames of those two weapons, the three worlds — Brahma's and Vishnu's own creation — caught fire. The Lord too, seeing this, was greatly moved at that terrible sight, like an untimely dissolution of the universe,

Verse 11 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.11)

महानलस्तम्भविभीषणाकृतिर्बभूव तन्मध्यतले स निष्कलः

mahānalastaṁbhavibhīṣaṇākṛtirbabhūva tanmadhyatale sa niṣkalaḥ

and there, in the very midst between the two, the formless Shiva manifested in the shape of a vast and towering pillar of fire, of an appearance most terrible to behold.

Verse 12 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.12)

ते अस्त्रे चापि सज्वाले लोकसंहरणक्षमे । निपेततुः क्षणेनैव ह्याविर्भूते महानले

te astre cāpi sajvāle lokasaṁharaṇakṣame nipatetuḥ kṣaṇe naiva hyāvirbhūte mahānale

Those two flaming weapons, capable of destroying the entire world, the very moment that great pillar of fire appeared, fell down in that instant, rendered powerless.

Verse 13 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.13)

दृष्ट्वा तदद्भुतं चित्रमस्त्रशान्तिकरं शुभम् । किमेतदद्भुताकारमित्यूचुश्च परस्परम्

dṛṣṭvā tadadbhutaṁ citramastraśāṁtikaraṁ śubham kimetadadbhutākāramityūcuśca parasparam

Seeing that wondrous and astonishing sight, so auspicious that it had calmed even those two weapons, the two of them, astonished, said to one another —

Verse 14 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.14)

अतीन्द्रियमिदं स्तम्भमग्निरूपं किमुत्थितम् । अस्योर्ध्वमपि चाधश्च आवयोर्लक्ष्यमेव हि

atīṁdriyamidaṁ staṁbhamagnirūpaṁ kimutthitam asyordhvamapi cādhaścāvayorlakṣyameva hi

"What manner of pillar is this, beyond the senses, in the very form of fire, that has arisen here? We two must surely search out its upper and its lower ends."

Verse 15 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.15)

इति व्यवस्थितौ वीरौ मिलितौ वीरमानिनौ । तत्परौ तत्परीक्षार्थं प्रतस्थातेऽथ सत्वरम्

iti vyavasitau vīrau militau vīramāninau tatparau tatparīkṣārthaṁ pratasthāte 'tha satvaram

Having resolved thus, those two heroes, each proud of his own valor, and eager to put it to the test, set out at once from that place.

Verse 16 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.16)

आवयोर्मिश्रयोस्तत्र कार्यमेकं न सम्भवेत् । इत्युक्त्वा सूकरतनुर्विष्णुस्तस्यादिमीयिवान्

āvayormiśrayostatra kāryamekaṁ na saṁbhavet ityuktvā sūkaratanurviṣṇustasyādimīyivān

"Even together, this one task cannot be accomplished by us both" — so saying, Vishnu took the form of a boar and set off toward its base,

Verse 17 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.17)

तथा ब्रह्मा हंसतनुस्तदन्तं वीक्षितुं ययौ । भित्त्वा पातालनिलयं गत्वा दूरतरं हरिः

tathā brahmāhaṁ satanustadaṁtaṁ vīkṣituṁ yayau bhittvā pātālanilayaṁ gatvā dūrataraṁ hariḥ

and likewise I too took the body of a swan and went to see its topmost end. Hari, boring down through the nether world, went very far indeed,

Verse 18 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.18)

नापश्यत्तस्य संस्थानं स्तम्भस्यानलवर्चसः । श्रान्तः स सूकरहरिः प्राप पूर्वं रणाङ्गणम्

nā 'pi śyāttasya saṁsthānaṁ staṁbhasyānalavarcasaḥ śrāṁtaḥ sa sūkaraharīḥ prāpa pūrvaṁ raṇāṁgaṇam

yet no end could be found to that fire-blazing pillar; then Hari, wearied like a boar and a lion both, returned to the former field of battle.

Verse 19 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.19)

अथ गच्छंस्तु व्योम्ना च विधिस्तात पिता तव । ददर्श केतकीपुष्पं किञ्चिद्विच्युतमद्भुतम्

atha gacchaṁstu vyomnā ca vidhistāta pitā tava dadarśa ketakī puṣpaṁ kiṁcidvicyutamadbhutam

And there, dear one, your father, the creator, going along through the sky, caught sight of a ketaki flower — a wondrous thing, adrift, having fallen from somewhere,

Verse 20 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.20)

अतिसौरभ्यमम्लानं बहुवर्षच्युतं तथा । अन्वीक्ष्य च तयोः कृत्यं भगवान् परमेश्वरः

atisaurabhyamamlānaṁ bahuvarṣacyutaṁ tathā anvīkṣya ca tayoḥ kṛtyaṁ bhagavānparameśvaraḥ

exceedingly fragrant, unwithered, and fallen there for many years past. The illustrious Supreme Lord, watching this effort of the two,

Verse 21 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.21)

परिहासं तु कृतवान्कम्पनाच्चलितं शिरः । तस्मात्तावनुगृह्णातुं च्युतं केतकमुत्तमम्

parihāsaṁ tu kṛtavānkaṁpanāccalitaṁ śiraḥ tasmāttāvanugṛhṇātuṁ cyutaṁ ketakamuttamam

shook his head and smiled in gentle jest; and for that very reason he resolved to show grace to that fallen, excellent ketaki flower.

Verse 22 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.22)

किं त्वं पतसि पुष्पेश पुष्पराट् केन वै धृतः । आदिमस्याप्रमेयस्य स्तम्भमध्याच्च्युतश्चिरम्

kiṁ tvaṁ patasi puṣpeśa puṣparāṭ kena vā dhṛtam ādimasyāprameyasya staṁbhamadhyāccyutaściram

"O king of flowers, why do you fall? O lord among blossoms, who has been holding you? For a very long time you have been falling, from the very midst of that immeasurable being who is the source of this pillar —

Verse 23 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.23)

न सम्पश्यामि तस्मात्त्वं जह्याशामन्तदर्शने । अस्यान्तस्य च सेवार्थं हंसमूर्तिरिहागतः

na saṁpaśyāmi tasmāttvaṁ jahyāśāmaṁtadarśane asyāṁ tasya ca sevārthaṁ haṁsamūrtirihāgataḥ

I nowhere see its end, so give up all hope in this matter of finding it. For this very purpose of service I have come here, taking the form of a swan —

Verse 24 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.24)

इतः परं सखे मेऽद्य त्वया कर्तव्यमीप्सितम् । मया सह त्वया वाच्यमेतद्विष्णोश्च सन्निधौ

itaḥ paraṁ sakhe me 'dya tvayā kartavyamīpsitam mayā saha tvayā vācyametadviṣṇośca sannidhau

now beyond this, dear friend, you must do for me this desired task — you must, in Vishnu's very presence, speak this on my behalf,

Verse 25 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.25)

स्तम्भान्तो वीक्षितो धात्रा तत्र साक्ष्यहमच्युत । इत्युक्त्वा केतकं तत्र प्रणनाम पुनः पुनः । असत्यमपि शस्तं स्यादापदीत्यनुशासनम्

staṁbhāṁto vīkṣito dhātrā tatra sākṣyahamacyuta ityuktvā ketakaṁ tatra praṇanāma punaḥ naḥ asatyamapi śastaṁ syādāpadītyanuśāsanam

that Brahma has seen the very end of the pillar, and that I was witness to it there" — so saying, he bowed once more to that ketaki flower. Even though false, such a word is held sanctioned by the scriptures when spoken in dire necessity.

Verse 26 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.26)

समीक्ष्य तत्राच्युतमायतश्रमं प्रनष्टहर्षं तु ननर्त हर्षात् । उवाच चैनं परमार्थमच्युतं षण्ढात्तवादः स विधिस्ततोऽच्युतम्

samīkṣya tatrā 'cyutamāyataśramaṁ pranaṣṭaharṣaṁ tu nanarta harṣāt uvāca cainaṁ paramārthamacyutaṁ ṣaṁḍhāttavādaḥ sa vidhistato 'cyutam

Seeing this, Achyuta, worn out with effort and stripped of all zest, danced for joy; and he said to him, who seemed to be speaking the truth, "O unfailing one!" And then the creator said this to Achyuta —

Verse 27 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.27)

स्तम्भाग्रमेतत् समुदीक्षितं हरे तत्रैव साक्षी ननु केतकं त्विदम् । ततोऽवदत्तत्र हि केतकं मृषा तथेति तद्धातृवचस्तदन्तिके

staṁbhāgrametatsamudīkṣitaṁ hare tatraiva sākṣī nanu ketakaṁ tvidam tato 'vadattatra hi ketakaṁ mṛṣā tatheti taddhātṛvacastadaṁtike

"O Hari, I have seen the very crown of the pillar, and here itself is my witness, this ketaki flower" — then the ketaki too said there, "Yes, it is so" — thus that false word was spoken there, close beside the creator.

Verse 28 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.28)

हरिश्च तत्सत्यमितीव चिन्तयंश्चकार तस्मै विधये नमः स्वयम् । षोडशैरुपचारैश्च पूजयामास तं विधिम्

hariśca tatsatyamitīva ciṁtayaṁścakāra tasmai vidhaye namaḥ svayam ṣoḍaśairupacāraiśca pūjayāmāsa taṁ vidhim

And Hari too, taking this for the truth, and reflecting upon that creator, himself bowed down to him, and worshipped that creator with the sixteen ritual offerings.

Verse 29 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.29)

विधिं प्रहर्तुं शठमग्नलिङ्गतः स ईश्वरस्तत्र बभूव साकृतिः । समुत्थितः स्वामिविलोकनात् पुनः प्रकम्पपाणिः परिगृह्य तत्पदम्

vidhiṁ prahartuṁ śaṭhamagniliṁgataḥ sa īśvarastatra babhūva sākṛtiḥ samutthitaḥ svāmi vilokanātpunaḥ prakaṁpapāṇiḥ parigṛhya tatpadam

To punish that wicked and deceitful creator, the Lord himself, from within that very Linga of fire, there rose up and took on a visible form; and Brahma, seeing the Lord thus, again with trembling hands took hold of his feet,

Verse 30 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.30)

आद्यन्तहीनवपुषि त्वयि मोहबुद्ध्या भूयान् विमर्श इह नावति कामनोत्थः । स त्वं प्रसीद करुणाकर कश्मलं नौ मृष्टं क्षमस्व विहितं भवतैव केल्या

ādyaṁtahīnavapuṣi tvayi mohabuddhyā bhūyādvimarśa iha nāvati kāmanotthaḥ sa tvaṁ prasīda karuṇākara kaśmalaṁ nau mṛṣṭaṁ kṣamasva vihitaṁ bhavataiva kelyā

"Let no protection be given to the desire-born thought conceived here, out of deluded understanding, about your body which has neither beginning nor end — O ocean of compassion, be pleased; forgive this fault of ours, holding it to be nothing but your own play, wrought by you yourself."

Verse 31 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.31)

ईश्वर उवाच । वत्स प्रसन्नोऽस्मि हरे यतस्त्वमीशत्वमिच्छन्नपि सत्यवाक्यम् । ब्रूयास्ततस्ते भविता जनेषु साम्यं मया सत्कृतिरप्यलप्सि

īśvara uvāca vatsaprasanno 'smi hare yatastvamīśatvamicchannapi satyavākyam brūyāstataste bhavitā janeṣu sāmyaṁ mayā satkṛtirapyalapthāḥ

The Lord said: Child Hari, I am pleased, for though you desired lordship, you spoke only the truth; therefore hereafter, among men, you shall have equality with me, and you too shall receive worship just as I do.

Verse 32 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.32)

इतः परं ते पृथगात्मनश्च क्षेत्रप्रतिष्ठोत्सवपूजनं च

itaḥ paraṁ te pṛthagātmanaśca kṣetrapratiṣṭhotsavapūjanaṁ ca

And beyond this, separate shrines, festivals, and worship shall be established for you as well.

Verse 33 (shiva.vidyeshvara.7.33)

इति देवः पुरा प्रीतः सत्येन हरये परम् । ददौ स्वसाम्यमत्यर्थं देवसङ्घे च पश्यति

iti devaḥ purā prītaḥ satyena haraye param dadau svasāmyamatyarthaṁ devasaṁghe ca paśyati

Thus, long ago, pleased by Hari's truthful word, the Lord, before the very eyes of the assembled gods, granted to him a very great equality with himself.