Shiva's Grace upon Brahma

Verse 1 (shiva.vidyeshvara.8.1)

नन्दिकेश्वर उवाच । ससर्जाथ महादेवः पुरुषं कञ्चिदद्भुतम् । भैरवाख्यं भ्रुवोर्मध्याद् ब्रह्मदर्पजिघांसया

nandikeśvara uvāca sasarjātha mahādevaḥ puruṣaṁ kaṁcidadbhutam bhairavākhyaṁ bhruvormadhyādbrahmadarpajighāṁsayā

Nandikeshvara said: Then Mahadeva, desiring to punish Brahma's pride, created from between his own brows a wondrous being, named Bhairava.

Verse 2 (shiva.vidyeshvara.8.2)

स वै तदा तत्र पतिं प्रणम्य शिवमङ्गणे । किं कार्यं करवाण्यत्र शीघ्रमाज्ञापय प्रभो

sa vai tadā tatra patiṁ praṇamya śivamaṁgaṇe kiṁ kāryaṁ karavāṇyatra śīghramājñāpaya prabho

He, then and there in Shiva's assembly, bowed to his Lord and said: "O Lord, command me quickly — what task have I here to perform?"

Verse 3 (shiva.vidyeshvara.8.3)

शिव उवाच । वत्स योऽयं विधिः साक्षाज्जगतामाद्यदैवतम् । नूनमर्चय खड्गेन तिग्मेन जवसा परम्

śiva uvāca vatsayo 'yaṁ vidhiḥ sākṣājjagatāmādyadaivatam nūnamarcaya khaḍgaṁ svaṁ tigmena javasā param

Shiva said: This creator, though himself the very first god of the universe, has spoken falsehood; therefore you must indeed, with your sharp sword and with great speed, slay him.

Verse 4 (shiva.vidyeshvara.8.4)

स वै गृहीत्वैककरेण केशं तत्पञ्चमं दृप्तमसत्यभाषिणम् । छित्त्वा शिरो ह्यस्य निहन्तुमुद्यतः प्रकम्पयन् खड्गमतिस्फुटं करैः

sa vai gṛhītvaikakareṇa keśaṁ tatpañcamaṁ dṛptamasatyabhāṣaṇam chittvā śirāṁsyasya nihaṁtumudyataḥ prakaṁpayankhaḍgamatisphuṭaṁ karaiḥ

Then, grasping with a single hand the hair of the fifth head of that proud and lying one, he made ready to sever his heads and slay him, brandishing the sword vividly in his hands.

Verse 5 (shiva.vidyeshvara.8.5)

पिता तवोत्सृष्टविभूषणाम्बरस्रगुत्तरीयामलकेशसंहतिः । प्रवातरम्भेव लतेव चञ्चलः पपात वै भैरवपादपङ्कजे

pitā tavotsṛṣṭavibhūṣaṇāṁbarasraguttarīyāmalakeśasaṁhatiḥ pravātaraṁbheva lateva caṁcalaḥ papāta vai bhairavapādapaṁkaje

Dear one, your father's ornaments, garments, garland, upper cloth, and lovely hair all scattered loose; terrified and trembling, like a creeper swaying in the wind, he fell down at the lotus feet of Bhairava.

Verse 6 (shiva.vidyeshvara.8.6)

तावद्विधिं तात दिदृक्षुरच्युतः कृपालुरस्मत्पतिपादपल्लवम् । निषिच्य बाष्पैरवदत् कृताञ्जलिर्यथा शिशुः स्वं पितरं कलाक्षरम्

tāvadvidhiṁ tāta didṛkṣuracyutaḥ kṛpālurasmatpatipādapallavam niṣicya bāṣpairavadatkṛtāṁjaliryathā śiśuḥ svaṁ pitaraṁ kalākṣaram

At that moment Achyuta, moved by compassion, came there to see the creator in that plight, and, with joined palms, bathing him in his own tears, spoke as a child might speak to its father, in broken words.

Verse 7 (shiva.vidyeshvara.8.7)

अच्युत उवाच । त्वया प्रयत्नेन पुरा हि दत्तं यदस्य पञ्चाननमीश चिह्नम् । तस्मात् क्षमस्वाद्यमनुग्रहार्हं कुरु प्रसादं विधये ह्यमुष्मै

acyuta uvāca tvayā prayatnena purā hi dattaṁ yadasya pañcānanamīśacihnam tasmātkṣamasvādyamanugrahārhaṁ kuru prasādaṁ vidhaye hyamuṣmai

Achyuta said: O Lord, since it was you yourself who once, by your own effort, bestowed upon him that mark of five faces, therefore forgive him now; show grace, show mercy, upon this creator.

Verse 8 (shiva.vidyeshvara.8.8)

इत्यर्थितोऽच्युतेनेशस्तुष्टः सुरगणाङ्गणे । निवर्तयामास तदा भैरवं ब्रह्मदण्डतः

ityarthito 'cyuteneśastuṣṭaḥ suragaṇāṁgaṇe nivartayāmāsa tadā bhairavaṁ brahmadaṁḍataḥ

Thus entreated by Achyuta, the Lord, pleased there in the assembly of the gods, then held Bhairava back from the punishment due for the killing of a Brahman.

Verse 9 (shiva.vidyeshvara.8.9)

अथाह देवः कितवं विधिं विगतकन्धरम् । ब्रह्मंस्त्वमर्हणाकाङ्क्षी शठेशत्वं समास्थितः

athāha devaḥ kitavaṁ vidhiṁ vigatakaṁdharam brahmaṁstvamarhaṇākāṁkṣī śaṭhamīśatvamāsthitaḥ

Then the god spoke to that deceitful creator, now shorn of a head: "O Brahma, you, desiring worship for yourself, took on the deceit of assuming the very state of the Lord."

Verse 10 (shiva.vidyeshvara.8.10)

नातस्ते सत्कृतिर्लोके भूयात्स्थानोत्सवादिकम् । ब्रह्मोवाच स्वामिन् प्रसीदाद्य महाविभूते मन्ये वरं मे शिरसः प्रमोक्षम्

nātaste satkṛtirloke bhūyātsthānotsavādikam brahmovāca svāminprasīdādya mahāvibhūte manye varaṁ me śiraso pramokṣam

"Therefore in this world you shall receive no fitting honor — no shrine, no festival, nor the like." Brahma said: "O Lord, be pleased with me now, O one of great majesty; I ask of you this one boon alone — release from this burden upon my head.

Verse 11 (shiva.vidyeshvara.8.11)

नमस्तुभ्यं भगवते बन्धवे विश्वयोनये । सहिष्णवे च दोषाणां शम्भवे शैलधन्वने

namastubhyaṁ bhagavate baṁdhave viśvayonaye sahiṣṇave sarvadoṣāṇāṁ śaṁbhave śailadhanvane

Salutation to you, O illustrious one, O kinsman, O very womb of the universe; salutation to you, O Shambhu, who bears with every fault, O wielder of the mountain bow."

Verse 12 (shiva.vidyeshvara.8.12)

ईश्वर उवाच । अराजभयमेतद्वै जगत् सर्वं नशिष्यति । ततस्त्वं जहि दण्डार्हं वह लोकधुरं शिशो

īśvara uvāca arājabhayametadvai jagatsarvaṁ na śiṣyati tatastvaṁ jahi daṁḍārhaṁ vaha lokadhuraṁ śiśo

The Lord said: This entire world cannot endure without the fear of a king; therefore, from now on, you shall punish those who deserve punishment, and, O child, bear the burden of the world.

Verse 13 (shiva.vidyeshvara.8.13)

वरं ददामि ते तत्र गृहाण दुर्लभं परम् । वैतानिकेषु गृह्येषु यज्ञेषु च भवान् गुरुः

varaṁ dadāmi te tatra gṛhāṇa durlabhaṁ param vaitānikeṣu gṛhyeṣu yajñe ca bhavān guruḥ

I also grant you this rare boon — accept it: in the ritual and the domestic sacrifices, and indeed in sacrifice of every kind, you alone shall be its officiating teacher,

Verse 14 (shiva.vidyeshvara.8.14)

निष्फलस्त्वदृते यज्ञः साङ्गश्च सहदक्षिणः । अथाह देवः कितवं केतकं कूटसाक्षिणम्

niṣphalastvadṛte yajñaḥ sāṁgaśca sahadakṣiṇaḥ athāha devaḥ kitavaṁ ketakaṁ kūṭasākṣiṇam

and without you, sacrifice shall be fruitless, however complete with all its parts and offerings. Then the god, having thus dealt with that deceiver, addressed also the ketaki, who had stood as his false witness —

Verse 15 (shiva.vidyeshvara.8.15)

रे रे केतक दुष्टस्त्वं शठ दूरमितो व्रज । ममापि प्रेम ते पुष्पे माभूत्पूजास्वितः परम्

re re ketaka duṣṭastvaṁ śaṭha dūramito vraja mamāpi prema te puṣpe mā bhūtpūjāsvitaḥ param

"Away, away, wicked and deceitful ketaki! Go far from here; whatever love I once bore you as a flower shall from now on be denied you in anyone's worship."

Verse 16 (shiva.vidyeshvara.8.16)

इत्युक्ते तत्र देवेन केतकं देवजातयः । सर्वा निवारयामासुस्तत्पार्श्वादन्यतस्तदा

ityukte tatra devena ketakaṁ devajātayaḥ sarvāni vārayāmāsustatpārśvādanyatastadā

When the god had spoken thus, all the races of gods present there thrust that ketaki flower away from his side.

Verse 17 (shiva.vidyeshvara.8.17)

केतक उवाच । नमस्ते नाथ मे जन्म निष्फलं भवदाज्ञया । सफलं क्रियतां तात क्षम्यतां मम किल्बिषम्

ketaka uvāca namaste nātha me janmaniṣphalaṁ bhavadājñayā saphalaṁ kriyatāṁ tāta kṣamyatāṁ mama kilbiṣam

The ketaki said: O Lord, by your own command my very birth has become fruitless; dear one, make it fruitful now, and forgive this offense of mine.

Verse 18 (shiva.vidyeshvara.8.18)

ज्ञानाज्ञानकृतं पापं नाशयत्येव ते स्मृतिः । तादृशे त्वयि दृष्टे मे मिथ्यादोषः कुतो भवेत्

jñānājñānakṛtaṁ pāpaṁ nāśayatyeva te smṛtiḥ tādṛśe tvayi dṛṣṭe me mithyādoṣaḥ kuto bhavet

Sin committed knowingly or unknowingly is destroyed by the mere remembrance of you; how, then, having seen you as I have, can this fault of falsehood still remain upon me?

Verse 19 (shiva.vidyeshvara.8.19)

तथा स्तुतस्तु भगवान् केतकेन सभास्थले । न मे त्वद्धारणं योग्यं सत्यवागहमीश्वरः

tathā stutastu bhagavānketakena sabhātale na me tvaddhāraṇaṁ yogyaṁ satyavāgahamīśvaraḥ

Thus praised by the ketaki there in that assembly, the illustrious Lord said: "It is not fitting for me to wear you, for I am a Lord who speaks the truth.

Verse 20 (shiva.vidyeshvara.8.20)

मदीयास्त्वां धरिष्यन्ति जन्म ते सफलं ततः । त्वं वै वितानव्याजेन ममोपरि भविष्यसि

madīyāstvāṁ dhariṣyaṁi janma te saphalaṁ tataḥ tvaṁ vai vitānavyājena mamopari bhaviṣyasi

But my own devotees shall wear you, and then your birth shall be made fruitful; and in this way, under the guise of an offering-covering, you shall still rest even upon me."

Verse 21 (shiva.vidyeshvara.8.21)

इत्यनुगृह्य भगवान् केतकं विधिमाधवौ । विरराज सभामध्ये सर्वदेवैरभिष्टुतः

ityanugṛhya bhagavānketakaṁ vidhimādhavau virarāja sabhāmadhye sarvadevairabhiṣṭutaḥ

Thus, having shown grace to the ketaki, the illustrious Lord showed his grace likewise to both the creator and to Madhava; and, praised by all the gods, he shone there in the midst of that assembly with the highest splendor.