The Building of the Divine Chariot

Verse 1 (shiva.rudra.146.1)

व्यास उवाच । सनत्कुमार सर्वज्ञ शैवप्रवर सन्मते । अद्भुतेयं कथा तात श्राविता परमेशितुः

vyāsa uvāca sanatkumāra sarvajña śaivapravara sanmate adbhuteyaṁ kathā tāta śrāvitā parameśituḥ

Vyasa said: "O all-knowing Sanatkumara, foremost among Shaivas, of true wisdom! O child, wondrous is this tale of the supreme Lord that you have told."

Verse 2 (shiva.rudra.146.2)

इदानीं रथनिर्माणं ब्रूहि देवमयं परम् । शिवार्थं यत्कृतं दिव्यं धीमता विश्वकर्मणा

idānīṁ rathanirmāṇaṁ brūhi devamayaṁ param śivārthaṁ yatkṛtaṁ divyaṁ dhīmatā viśvakarmaṇā

"Now tell me of the making of that chariot, composed of all the gods, supreme and divine, which the wise Vishvakarma built for Shiva's sake."

Verse 3 (shiva.rudra.146.3)

सूत उवाच । इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य व्यासस्य स मुनीश्वरः । सनत्कुमारः प्रोवाच स्मृत्वा शिवपदाम्बुजम्

sūta uvāca ityākarṇya vacastasya vyāsasya sa munīśvaraḥ sanatkumāraḥ provāca smṛtvā śivapadāmbujam

Suta said: Hearing these words of Vyasa, that lord of sages, Sanatkumara, remembering the lotus feet of Shiva, spoke.

Verse 4 (shiva.rudra.146.4)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । शृणु व्यास महाप्राज्ञ रथादेर्निर्मितिं मुने । यथामति प्रवक्ष्येऽहं स्मृत्वा शिवपदाम्बुजम्

sanatkumāra uvāca śṛṇu vyāsa mahāprājña rathādernirmitiṁ mune yathāmati pravakṣye'haṁ smṛtvā śivapadāmbujam

Sanatkumara said: "Listen, O greatly wise Vyasa, O sage, to the making of the chariot and the rest; remembering the lotus feet of Shiva, I shall tell it according to my understanding."

Verse 5 (shiva.rudra.146.5)

अथ देवस्य रुद्रस्य निर्मितो विश्वकर्मणा । सर्वलोकमयो दिव्यो रथो यत्नेन सादरम्

atha devasya rudrasya nirmito viśvakarmaṇā sarvalokamayo divyo ratho yatnena sādaram

Then, for the god Rudra, a divine chariot, composed of all the worlds, was built by Vishvakarma with effort and reverence.

Verse 6 (shiva.rudra.146.6)

सर्वभूतमयश्चैव सौवर्णः सर्वसम्मतः । रथाङ्गं दक्षिणं सूर्यस्तद्वामं सोम एव च

sarvabhūtamayaścaiva sauvarṇaḥ sarvasammataḥ rathāṅgaṁ dakṣiṇaṁ sūryastadvāmaṁ soma eva ca

Composed of all beings, golden, esteemed by all — the sun was its right wheel, and the moon its left.

Verse 7 (shiva.rudra.146.7)

दक्षिणं द्वादशारं हि षोडशारं तथोत्तरम् । अरेषु तेषु विप्रेन्द्र आदित्या द्वादशैव तु

dakṣiṇaṁ dvādaśāraṁ hi ṣoḍaśāraṁ tathottaram areṣu teṣu viprendra ādityā dvādaśaiva tu

The right one had twelve spokes, and the other had sixteen; O foremost of brahmins, upon those spokes were the twelve Adityas themselves.

Verse 8 (shiva.rudra.146.8)

शशिनः षोडशारास्तु कला वामस्य सुव्रत । ऋक्षाणि तु तथा तस्य वामस्यैव विभूषणम्

śaśinaḥ ṣoḍaśārāstu kalā vāmasya suvrata ṛkṣāṇi tu tathā tasya vāmasyaiva vibhūṣaṇam

O virtuous one, the sixteen digits of the moon were the sixteen spokes of that left wheel; and the lunar mansions were the ornament of that same left wheel.

Verse 9 (shiva.rudra.146.9)

ऋतवो नेमयः षट् च तयोर्वै विप्रपुङ्गव । पुष्करं चान्तरिक्षं वै रथनीडश्च मन्दरः

ṛtavo nemayaḥ ṣaṭ ca tayorvai viprapuṅgava puṣkaraṁ cāntarikṣaṁ vai rathanīḍaśca mandaraḥ

O foremost of brahmins, the six seasons were the rims of those two wheels; the mid-air was the lotus-pond, and Mount Mandara was the chariot's nave-seat.

Verse 10 (shiva.rudra.146.10)

अस्ताद्रिरुदयाद्रिस्तु तावुभौ कूबरौ स्मृतौ । अधिष्ठानं महामेरुराश्रयाः केशराचलाः

astādrirudayādristu tāvubhau kūbarau smṛtau adhiṣṭhānaṁ mahāmerurāśrayāḥ keśarācalāḥ

The Mountain of Setting and the Mountain of Rising were declared to be its two side-poles; Mount Meru was its base, and the surrounding mountains were its supports.

Verse 11 (shiva.rudra.146.11)

वेगः संवत्सरास्तस्य अयने चक्रसङ्गमौ । मुहूर्ता बन्धुरास्तस्य शम्याश्चैव कलाः स्मृताः

vegaḥ saṁvatsarāstasya ayane cakrasaṅgamau muhūrtā bandhurāstasya śamyāścaiva kalāḥ smṛtāḥ

Its speed was the years; the two solstices were the two points where the wheels met; the muhurtas were its cross-bars, and the divisions of time were its pins.

Verse 12 (shiva.rudra.146.12)

तस्य काष्ठाः स्मृता घोणाश्चाक्षदण्डाः क्षणाश्च वै । निमेषाश्चानुकर्षाश्च ईषाश्चानुलवाः स्मृताः

tasya kāṣṭhāḥ smṛtā ghoṇāścākṣadaṇḍāḥ kṣaṇāśca vai nimeṣāścānukarṣāśca īṣāścānulavāḥ smṛtāḥ

The cardinal directions were declared its projecting ends; the moments were its axle-rods; the winks of an eye were its under-frame; and the small time-units were its pole.

Verse 13 (shiva.rudra.146.13)

द्यौर्वरूथं रथस्यास्य स्वर्गमोक्षावुभौ ध्वजौ । युगान्तकोटितौ तस्य भ्रमकामदुघौ स्मृतौ

dyaurvarūthaṁ rathasyāsya svargamokṣāvubhau dhvajau yugāntakoṭitau tasya bhramakāmadughau smṛtau

Heaven was this chariot's covering; heaven and liberation were its two banners; the ends of the ages were declared its two revolving wish-fulfilling ornaments.

Verse 14 (shiva.rudra.146.14)

ईषादण्डस्तथा व्यक्तं वृद्धिस्तस्यैव नड्वलः । कोणास्तस्याप्यहङ्कारो भूतानि च बलं स्मृतम्

īṣādaṇḍastathā vyaktaṁ vṛddhistasyaiva naḍvalaḥ koṇāstasyāpyahaṅkāro bhūtāni ca balaṁ smṛtam

The manifest principle was its pole-shaft; growth itself was its reed-bindings; Ahamkara was its corners; and the elements were declared its strength.

Verse 15 (shiva.rudra.146.15)

इन्द्रियाणि च तस्यैव भूषणानि समन्ततः । श्रद्धा च गतिरस्यैव रथस्य मुनिसत्तम

indriyāṇi ca tasyaiva bhūṣaṇāni samantataḥ śraddhā ca gatirasyaiva rathasya munisattama

The senses were its ornaments on every side; and faith, O best of sages, was the very motion of this chariot.

Verse 16 (shiva.rudra.146.16)

तदानीं भूषणान्येव षडङ्गान्युपभूषणम् । पुराणन्यायमीमांसाधर्मशास्त्राणि सुव्रताः

tadānīṁ bhūṣaṇānyeva ṣaḍaṅgānyupabhūṣaṇam purāṇanyāyamīmāṁsādharmaśāstrāṇi suvratāḥ

Then its further ornaments were the six Vedangas, and, O ones of good vows, the Puranas, Nyaya, Mimamsa, and the dharma-shastras were its subsidiary ornaments.

Verse 17 (shiva.rudra.146.17)

बलाशया वराश्चैव सर्वलक्षणसंयुताः । मन्त्रा घण्टाः स्मृतास्तेषां वर्णपादास्तदाश्रमाः

balāśayā varāścaiva sarvalakṣaṇasaṁyutāḥ mantrā ghaṇṭāḥ smṛtāsteṣāṁ varṇapādāstadāśramāḥ

Its strength was firm resolve, and it was excellent, endowed with every auspicious mark; the mantras were declared its bells; the varnas were its feet, and the ashramas their support.

Verse 18 (shiva.rudra.146.18)

अथो बन्धो ह्यनन्तस्तु सहस्रफणभूषितः । दिशः पादा रथस्यास्य तथा चोपदिशश्च ह

atho bandho hyanantastu sahasraphaṇabhūṣitaḥ diśaḥ pādā rathasyāsya tathā copadiśaśca ha

Ananta himself, adorned with a thousand hoods, was its binding strap; the cardinal directions were the feet of this chariot, and likewise the intermediate directions too.

Verse 19 (shiva.rudra.146.19)

पुष्कराद्याः पताकाश्च सौवर्णा रत्नभूषिताः । समुद्रास्तस्य चत्वारो रथकम्बलिनःस्मृताः

puṣkarādyāḥ patākāśca sauvarṇā ratnabhūṣitāḥ samudrāstasya catvāro rathakambalinaḥsmṛtāḥ

The clouds beginning with Pushkara were its golden banners, adorned with jewels; the four oceans were declared the chariot's covering-cloths.

Verse 20 (shiva.rudra.146.20)

गङ्गाद्याः सरितश्रेष्ठाः सर्वाभरणभूषिताः । चामरासक्तहस्ताग्राः सर्वाः स्त्रीरूपशोभिताः

gaṅgādyāḥ saritaśreṣṭhāḥ sarvābharaṇabhūṣitāḥ cāmarāsaktahastāgrāḥ sarvāḥ strīrūpaśobhitāḥ

The Ganga and the other foremost rivers, adorned with every ornament, the tips of their hands holding fly-whisks, all beautiful in the form of women —

Verse 21 (shiva.rudra.146.21)

तत्र तत्र कृतस्थानाः शोभयाञ्चक्रिरे रथम् । आवहाद्यास्तथा सप्त सोपानं हैममुत्तमम्

tatra tatra kṛtasthānāḥ śobhayāñcakrire ratham āvahādyāstathā sapta sopānaṁ haimamuttamam

— stationed here and there, adorned the chariot; and the seven winds beginning with Avaha formed its excellent golden staircase.

Verse 22 (shiva.rudra.146.22)

लोकालोकाचलस्तस्योपसोपानाः समन्ततः । विषयश्च तथा बाह्यो मानसादिस्तु शोभनः

lokālokācalastasyopasopānāḥ samantataḥ viṣayaśca tathā bāhyo mānasādistu śobhanaḥ

Mount Lokaloka formed its surrounding side-steps; the external sense-objects formed its outer region, and Lake Manasa and the rest adorned it further.

Verse 23 (shiva.rudra.146.23)

पाशाः समन्ततस्तस्य सर्वे वर्षाचलाः स्मृताः । तलास्तस्य रथस्याऽथ सर्वे तलनिवासिनः

pāśāḥ samantatastasya sarve varṣācalāḥ smṛtāḥ talāstasya rathasyā'tha sarve talanivāsinaḥ

All the boundary-mountains of the continents were declared to be its snares all around; and the floor of this chariot was formed by all the dwellers of the netherworlds.

Verse 24 (shiva.rudra.146.24)

सारथिर्भगवान्ब्रह्मा देवा रश्मिधराः स्मृताः । प्रतोदो ब्रह्मणस्तस्य प्रणवो ब्रह्मदैवतम्

sārathirbhagavānbrahmā devā raśmidharāḥ smṛtāḥ pratodo brahmaṇastasya praṇavo brahmadaivatam

The charioteer was the Lord Brahma himself; the gods were declared the holders of the reins; Brahma's goad was the Pranava, whose presiding deity was Brahman itself.

Verse 25 (shiva.rudra.146.25)

अकारश्च महच्छत्रं मन्दरः पार्श्वदण्डभाक् । शैलेन्द्रः कार्मुकं तस्य ज्या भुजङ्गाधिपः स्वयम्

akāraśca mahacchatraṁ mandaraḥ pārśvadaṇḍabhāk śailendraḥ kārmukaṁ tasya jyā bhujaṅgādhipaḥ svayam

The syllable 'A' was its great parasol; Mandara served as its side-pole; the lord of mountains was its bow, and the king of serpents himself was its bowstring.

Verse 26 (shiva.rudra.146.26)

घण्टा सरस्वती देवी धनुषः श्रुतिरूपिणी । इषुर्विष्णुर्महातेजास्त्वग्निः शल्यं प्रकीर्तितम्

ghaṇṭā sarasvatī devī dhanuṣaḥ śrutirūpiṇī iṣurviṣṇurmahātejāstvagniḥ śalyaṁ prakīrtitam

The goddess Sarasvati, of the form of the Shruti, was the bell of the bow; the greatly radiant Vishnu was its arrow, and Agni was proclaimed its arrowhead.

Verse 27 (shiva.rudra.146.27)

हयास्तस्य तथा प्रोक्ताश्चत्वारो निगमा मुने । ज्योतींषि भूषणं तेषामवशिष्टान्यतः परम्

hayāstasya tathā proktāścatvāro nigamā mune jyotīṁṣi bhūṣaṇaṁ teṣāmavaśiṣṭānyataḥ param

O sage, its horses were declared to be the four Vedas; the heavenly bodies were their ornaments, and beyond that, all the rest.

Verse 28 (shiva.rudra.146.28)

अनीकं विषसम्भूतं वायवो वादकाः स्मृताः । ऋषयो व्यासमुख्याश्च वाहवाहास्तथाभवन्

anīkaṁ viṣasambhūtaṁ vāyavo vādakāḥ smṛtāḥ ṛṣayo vyāsamukhyāśca vāhavāhāstathābhavan

Its army was formed of venomous, fierce beings; the winds were declared its musicians; and the sages headed by Vyasa became the drivers of its steeds.

Verse 29 (shiva.rudra.146.29)

स्वल्पाक्षरैः सम्ब्रवीमि किं बहूक्त्या मुनीश्वर । ब्रह्माण्डे चैव यत्किञ्चिद्वस्तुतद्वै रथे स्मृतम्

svalpākṣaraiḥ sambravīmi kiṁ bahūktyā munīśvara brahmāṇḍe caiva yatkiñcidvastutadvai rathe smṛtam

I tell it in few words — what need of much speech, O lord of sages? Whatever thing exists anywhere in the cosmic egg, that very thing was represented in the chariot.

Verse 30 (shiva.rudra.146.30)

एवं सम्यक्कृतस्तेन धीमता विश्वकर्मणा । सरथादिप्रकारो हि ब्रह्मविष्ण्वाज्ञया शुभः

evaṁ samyakkṛtastena dhīmatā viśvakarmaṇā sarathādiprakāro hi brahmaviṣṇvājñayā śubhaḥ

Thus was this auspicious equipment — the chariot and all the rest — perfectly fashioned by the wise Vishvakarma, at the command of Brahma and Vishnu.