The Gods' Praise of Shiva

Verse 1 (shiva.rudra.163.1)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । अथ ब्रह्मादयो देवा मुनयश्चाखिलास्तथा । तुष्टुवुर्देवदेवेशं वाग्भिरिष्टाभिरानताः

sanatkumāra uvāca atha brahmādayo devā munayaścākhilāstathā tuṣṭuvurdevadeveśaṁ vāgbhiriṣṭābhirānatāḥ

Sanatkumara said: "Then Brahma and the other gods, and all the sages as well, bowing low, praised the Lord of gods with cherished words."

Verse 2 (shiva.rudra.163.2)

देवा ऊचुः । देवदेव महादेव शरणागतवत्सल । साधुसौख्यप्रदस्त्वं हि सर्वदा भक्तदुःखहा

devā ūcuḥ devadeva mahādeva śaraṇāgatavatsala sādhusaukhyapradastvaṁ hi sarvadā bhaktaduḥkhahā

The gods said: "O God of gods, Mahadeva, affectionate toward those who seek refuge! You are ever the giver of happiness to the good, the remover of your devotees' sorrow."

Verse 3 (shiva.rudra.163.3)

त्वं महाद्भुतसल्लीलो भक्तिगम्यो दुरासदः । दुराराध्योऽसतां नाथ प्रसन्नः सर्वदा भव

tvaṁ mahādbhutasallīlo bhaktigamyo durāsadaḥ durārādhyo'satāṁ nātha prasannaḥ sarvadā bhava

"Your divine sport is most wondrous; you are approachable through devotion alone, otherwise hard to attain — hard to be worshipped by the wicked, O Lord. Be ever gracious to us."

Verse 4 (shiva.rudra.163.4)

वेदोऽपि महिमानं ते न जानाति हि तत्त्वतः । यथामति महात्मानः सर्वे गायन्ति सद्यशः

vedo'pi mahimānaṁ te na jānāti hi tattvataḥ yathāmati mahātmānaḥ sarve gāyanti sadyaśaḥ

"Even the Veda does not truly know your glory in its essence; all great souls sing your true fame only according to their own understanding."

Verse 5 (shiva.rudra.163.5)

माहात्म्यमतिगूढं ते सहस्रवदनादयः । सदा गायन्ति सुप्रीत्या पुनन्ति स्वगिरं हि ते

māhātmyamatigūḍhaṁ te sahasravadanādayaḥ sadā gāyanti suprītyā punanti svagiraṁ hi te

"Your greatness is exceedingly profound; the thousand-mouthed Shesha and others ever sing of it with deep love, thereby purifying their own speech."

Verse 6 (shiva.rudra.163.6)

कृपया तव देवेश ब्रह्मज्ञानी भवेज्जडः । भक्तिगम्यः सदा त्वं वा इति वेदा ब्रुवन्ति हि

kṛpayā tava deveśa brahmajñānī bhavejjaḍaḥ bhaktigamyaḥ sadā tvaṁ vā iti vedā bruvanti hi

"By your grace, O Lord of gods, even a dull-witted person becomes a knower of Brahman; the Vedas themselves declare that you are ever attainable through devotion alone."

Verse 7 (shiva.rudra.163.7)

त्वं वै दीनदयालुश्च सर्वत्र व्यापकः सदा । आविर्भवसि सद्भक्त्या निर्विकारःसतां गतिः

tvaṁ vai dīnadayāluśca sarvatra vyāpakaḥ sadā āvirbhavasi sadbhaktyā nirvikāraḥsatāṁ gatiḥ

"You are indeed compassionate to the lowly, ever pervading all things; you reveal yourself through true devotion — unchanging, the refuge of the virtuous."

Verse 8 (shiva.rudra.163.8)

भक्त्यैव ते महेशान बहवः सिद्धिमागताः । इह सर्वसुखं भुक्त्वा दुःखिता निर्विकारतः

bhaktyaiva te maheśāna bahavaḥ siddhimāgatāḥ iha sarvasukhaṁ bhuktvā duḥkhitā nirvikārataḥ

"O Mahesha, through devotion to you alone have many attained perfection; having enjoyed every happiness in this world, their sorrows ended, they reached the changeless state."

Verse 9 (shiva.rudra.163.9)

पुरा यदुपतिर्भक्तो दाशार्हः सिद्धिमागतः । कलावती च तत्पत्नी भक्त्यैव परमां प्रभो

purā yadupatirbhakto dāśārhaḥ siddhimāgataḥ kalāvatī ca tatpatnī bhaktyaiva paramāṁ prabho

"Long ago the devoted lord of the Yadus, Dasharha, attained perfection; and, O Lord, his wife Kalavati too attained the supreme state through devotion alone."

Verse 10 (shiva.rudra.163.10)

तथा मित्रसहो राजा मदयन्ती च तत्प्रिया । भक्त्यैव तव देवेश कैवल्यं परमं ययौ

tathā mitrasaho rājā madayantī ca tatpriyā bhaktyaiva tava deveśa kaivalyaṁ paramaṁ yayau

"Likewise King Mitrasaha and his beloved Madayanti, O Lord of gods, attained supreme liberation through devotion to you alone."

Verse 11 (shiva.rudra.163.11)

सौमिनी नाम तनया कैकेयाग्रभुवस्तथा । तव भक्त्या सुखं प्राप परं सद्योगिदुर्लभम्

sauminī nāma tanayā kaikeyāgrabhuvastathā tava bhaktyā sukhaṁ prāpa paraṁ sadyogidurlabham

"Likewise a daughter named Saumini, born in the line of Kaikeya's eldest, through devotion to you attained that supreme happiness which is hard to attain even for true yogis."

Verse 12 (shiva.rudra.163.12)

विमर्षणो नृपवरः सप्तजन्मावधि प्रभो । भुक्त्वा भोगांश्च विविधांस्त्वद्भक्त्या प्राप सद्गतिम्

vimarṣaṇo nṛpavaraḥ saptajanmāvadhi prabho bhuktvā bhogāṁśca vividhāṁstvadbhaktyā prāpa sadgatim

"O Lord, the excellent King Vimarshana, having enjoyed manifold pleasures across seven births, attained the good state through devotion to you."

Verse 13 (shiva.rudra.163.13)

चन्द्रसेनो नृपवरः त्वद्भक्त्या सर्वभोगभुक् । दुःखमुक्तः सुखं प्राप परमत्र परत्र च

candraseno nṛpavaraḥ tvadbhaktyā sarvabhogabhuk duḥkhamuktaḥ sukhaṁ prāpa paramatra paratra ca

"The excellent King Chandrasena, enjoying every pleasure through devotion to you, freed from sorrow, attained happiness both in this world and the next."

Verse 14 (shiva.rudra.163.14)

गोपीपुत्रः श्रीकरस्ते भक्त्या भुक्त्वेह सद्गतिम् । परं सुखं महावीरशिष्यः प्राप परत्र वै

gopīputraḥ śrīkaraste bhaktyā bhuktveha sadgatim paraṁ sukhaṁ mahāvīraśiṣyaḥ prāpa paratra vai

"Shrikara, the Gopi's son, your devotee, having here enjoyed through devotion, attained the good state; and the disciple of Mahavira attained supreme happiness in the world beyond."

Verse 15 (shiva.rudra.163.15)

त्वं सत्यरथभूजानेर्दुःखहर्ता गतिप्रदः । धर्मगुप्तं राजपुत्रमतार्षीःसुखिनं त्विह

tvaṁ satyarathabhūjānerduḥkhahartā gatipradaḥ dharmaguptaṁ rājaputramatārṣīḥsukhinaṁ tviha

"You are the remover of sorrow and the giver of the true destiny for Satyaratha's son; you made Prince Dharmagupta happy here as well."

Verse 16 (shiva.rudra.163.16)

तथा शुचिव्रतं विप्रमदरिद्रं महाप्रभो । त्वद्भक्तिवर्तिनं मात्रा ज्ञानिनं कृपयाऽकरोः

tathā śucivrataṁ vipramadaridraṁ mahāprabho tvadbhaktivartinaṁ mātrā jñāninaṁ kṛpayā'karoḥ

"Likewise, O great Lord, the poor Brahmin Shuchivrata, devoted to you, you made — by your grace — a person of great wisdom."

Verse 17 (shiva.rudra.163.17)

चित्रवर्मा नृपवरस्त्वद्भक्त्या प्राप सद्गतिम् । इह लोके सदा भुक्त्वा भोगानमरदुर्लभान्

citravarmā nṛpavarastvadbhaktyā prāpa sadgatim iha loke sadā bhuktvā bhogānamaradurlabhān

"The excellent King Chitravarma attained the good state through devotion to you, having ever enjoyed in this world pleasures rare even for the immortals."

Verse 18 (shiva.rudra.163.18)

चन्द्राङ्गदो राजपुत्रः सीमन्तिन्या स्त्रिया सह । विहाय सकलं दुःखं सुखी प्राप महागतिम्

candrāṅgado rājaputraḥ sīmantinyā striyā saha vihāya sakalaṁ duḥkhaṁ sukhī prāpa mahāgatim

"Prince Chandrangada, together with his wife Simantini, casting off all sorrow, happily attained the supreme destiny."

Verse 19 (shiva.rudra.163.19)

द्विजो मन्दरनामापि वेश्यागामी खलोऽधमः । त्वद्भक्तः शिव सम्पूज्य तया सह गतिं गतः

dvijo mandaranāmāpi veśyāgāmī khalo'dhamaḥ tvadbhaktaḥ śiva sampūjya tayā saha gatiṁ gataḥ

"O Shiva, the Brahmin named Mandara, though a base and wicked frequenter of a courtesan, being your devotee, worshipped you and attained the good destiny together with her."

Verse 20 (shiva.rudra.163.20)

भद्रायुस्ते नृपसुतः सुखमाप गतव्यथः । त्वद्भक्तिकृपया मात्रा गतिं च परमां प्रभो

bhadrāyuste nṛpasutaḥ sukhamāpa gatavyathaḥ tvadbhaktikṛpayā mātrā gatiṁ ca paramāṁ prabho

"O Lord, your devotee, the prince Bhadrayu, freed from affliction, attained happiness; and by the grace of devotion to you, his mother too attained the supreme destiny."

Verse 21 (shiva.rudra.163.21)

सर्वस्त्रीभोगनिरतो दुर्जनस्तव सेवया । विमुक्तोऽभूदपि सदाऽभक्ष्यभोजी महेश्वर

sarvastrībhoganirato durjanastava sevayā vimukto'bhūdapi sadā'bhakṣyabhojī maheśvara

"O Maheshvara, even a wicked man, given over to the enjoyment of every woman and to eating forbidden food, was liberated through service to you."

Verse 22 (shiva.rudra.163.22)

शम्बरः शङ्करे भक्तश्चिताभस्मधरः सदा । नियमाद्भस्मनः शम्भो स्वस्त्रिया ते पुरं गतः

śambaraḥ śaṅkare bhaktaścitābhasmadharaḥ sadā niyamādbhasmanaḥ śambho svastriyā te puraṁ gataḥ

"Shambara, a devotee of Shankara, ever wearing the ash of the cremation-ground — by the discipline of wearing ash, O Shambhu, he went, together with his wife, to your abode."

Verse 23 (shiva.rudra.163.23)

भद्रसेनस्य तनयस्तथा मन्त्रिसुतः प्रभो । सुधर्मशुभकर्माणो सदा रुद्राक्षधारिणौ

bhadrasenasya tanayastathā mantrisutaḥ prabho sudharmaśubhakarmāṇo sadā rudrākṣadhāriṇau

"Likewise, O Lord, the son of Bhadrasena and the minister's son — both righteous, of auspicious deeds, and ever wearing rudraksha beads —"

Verse 24 (shiva.rudra.163.24)

त्वत्कृपातश्च तौ मुक्तावास्तां भुक्त्वेह सत्सुखम् । पूर्वजन्मनि यौ कीशकुक्कुटौ रुद्रभूषणौ

tvatkṛpātaśca tau muktāvāstāṁ bhuktveha satsukham pūrvajanmani yau kīśakukkuṭau rudrabhūṣaṇau

"By your grace those two were liberated, having enjoyed true happiness here — they who, in a former birth, were a monkey and a cock adorned with Rudra's ornament, the rudraksha."

Verse 25 (shiva.rudra.163.25)

पिङ्गला च महानन्दा वेश्ये द्वे तव भक्तितः । सद्गतिं प्रापतुर्नाथ भक्तोद्धारपरायण

piṅgalā ca mahānandā veśye dve tava bhaktitaḥ sadgatiṁ prāpaturnātha bhaktoddhāraparāyaṇa

"O Lord ever devoted to the deliverance of your devotees, the two courtesans Pingala and Mahananda too attained the good destiny through devotion to you."

Verse 26 (shiva.rudra.163.26)

शारदा विप्रतनया बालवैधव्यमागता । तव भक्तेः प्रभावात्तु पुत्रसौभाग्यवत्यभूत्

śāradā vipratanayā bālavaidhavyamāgatā tava bhakteḥ prabhāvāttu putrasaubhāgyavatyabhūt

"Sharada, a Brahmin's daughter who fell into widowhood in her childhood, by the power of devotion to you became blessed with sons and good fortune."

Verse 27 (shiva.rudra.163.27)

बिन्दुगो द्विजमात्रो हि वेश्याभोगी च तत्प्रिया । वञ्चुका त्वद्यशः श्रुत्वा परमां गतिमाययौ

bindugo dvijamātro hi veśyābhogī ca tatpriyā vañcukā tvadyaśaḥ śrutvā paramāṁ gatimāyayau

"Binduga, a Brahmin in name only, given to a courtesan's company, and his deceitful beloved — both, upon hearing your fame, attained the supreme destiny."

Verse 28 (shiva.rudra.163.28)

इत्यादि बहवः सिद्धिं गता जीवास्तव प्रभो । भक्तिभावान्महेशान दीनबन्धो कृपालय

ityādi bahavaḥ siddhiṁ gatā jīvāstava prabho bhaktibhāvānmaheśāna dīnabandho kṛpālaya

"Thus, O Lord, O Mahesha, friend of the lowly, abode of compassion, many souls have attained perfection through devotion to you."

Verse 29 (shiva.rudra.163.29)

त्वं परः प्रकृतेर्ब्रह्म पुरुषात्परमेश्वर । निर्गुणस्त्रिगुणाधारो ब्रह्मविष्णुहरात्मकः

tvaṁ paraḥ prakṛterbrahma puruṣātparameśvara nirguṇastriguṇādhāro brahmaviṣṇuharātmakaḥ

"O Supreme Lord, you are the Brahman beyond Prakriti, beyond Purusha as well; though without qualities, you are the support of the three gunas, and you yourself are of the nature of Brahma, Vishnu, and Hara."

Verse 30 (shiva.rudra.163.30)

नानाकर्मकरो नित्यं निर्विकारोऽखिलेश्वरः । वयं ब्रह्मादयः सर्वे तव दासा महेश्वर

nānākarmakaro nityaṁ nirvikāro'khileśvaraḥ vayaṁ brahmādayaḥ sarve tava dāsā maheśvara

"Ever performing manifold acts, yet unchanging, the Lord of all — we, Brahma and the rest, are all your servants, O Maheshvara."

Verse 31 (shiva.rudra.163.31)

प्रसन्नो भव देवेश रक्षास्मान्सर्वदा शिव । त्वत्प्रजाश्च वयं नाथ सदा त्वच्छरणं गताः

prasanno bhava deveśa rakṣāsmānsarvadā śiva tvatprajāśca vayaṁ nātha sadā tvaccharaṇaṁ gatāḥ

"Be gracious, O Lord of gods; protect us always, O Shiva. We are your subjects, O Lord, and have ever taken refuge in you."

Verse 32 (shiva.rudra.163.32)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । इति स्तुत्वा च ते देवा ब्रह्माद्याः समुनीश्वराः । तूष्णीं बभूवुर्हि तदा शिवाङ्घ्रिद्वन्द्वचेतसः

sanatkumāra uvāca iti stutvā ca te devā brahmādyāḥ samunīśvarāḥ tūṣṇīṁ babhūvurhi tadā śivāṅghridvandvacetasaḥ

Sanatkumara said: "Having thus offered praise, the gods — Brahma and the rest — together with the great sages, fell silent, their minds absorbed in Shiva's pair of feet."

Verse 33 (shiva.rudra.163.33)

अथ शम्भुर्महेशानः श्रुत्वा देवस्तुतिं शुभाम् । दत्त्वा वरान् वरान् सद्यः तत्रैवान्तर्दधे प्रभुः

atha śambhurmaheśānaḥ śrutvā devastutiṁ śubhām dattvā varān varān sadyaḥ tatraivāntardadhe prabhuḥ

"Then Shambhu, the great Lord, having heard the gods' auspicious praise, at once granted them excellent boons, and the Lord vanished right there."

Verse 34 (shiva.rudra.163.34)

देवाःसर्वेऽपि मुदिता ब्रह्माद्या हतशत्रवः । स्वं स्वं धाम ययुः प्रीता गायन्तः शिवसद्यशः

devāḥsarve'pi muditā brahmādyā hataśatravaḥ svaṁ svaṁ dhāma yayuḥ prītā gāyantaḥ śivasadyaśaḥ

"All the gods, Brahma and the rest, rejoicing now that their enemy was slain, went joyfully each to his own abode, singing Shiva's true fame."

Verse 35 (shiva.rudra.163.35)

इदं परममाख्यानं जलन्धरविमर्दनम् । महेशचरितं पुण्यं महाघौघविनाशनम्

idaṁ paramamākhyānaṁ jalandharavimardanam maheśacaritaṁ puṇyaṁ mahāghaughavināśanam

"This supreme account of Jalandhara's destruction — this sacred deed of Mahesha — destroys the great mass of sins."

Verse 36 (shiva.rudra.163.36)

देवस्तुतिरियं पुण्या सर्वपापप्रणाशिनी । सर्वसौख्यप्रदा नित्यं महेशानन्ददायिनी

devastutiriyaṁ puṇyā sarvapāpapraṇāśinī sarvasaukhyapradā nityaṁ maheśānandadāyinī

"This sacred praise of the gods destroys every sin; it ever grants all happiness and bestows the bliss of Mahesha."

Verse 37 (shiva.rudra.163.37)

यः पठेत्पाठयेद्वापि समाख्यानमिदं द्वयम् । स भुक्त्वेह परं सौख्यं गाणपत्यमवाप्नुयात्

yaḥ paṭhetpāṭhayedvāpi samākhyānamidaṁ dvayam sa bhuktveha paraṁ saukhyaṁ gāṇapatyamavāpnuyāt

"Whoever reads, or causes to be read, this twofold account, having enjoyed supreme happiness in this world, attains the rank of a Ganapati."