Brahma and the Gods' Journey to Kailasa and Vision of Shiva

Verse 1 (shiva.rudra.60.1)

नारद उवाच विधे विधे महाप्राज्ञ शैवतत्त्वप्रदर्शक । श्राविता रमणीप्राया शिवलीला महाद्भुता

nārada uvāca vidhe vidhe mahāprājña śaivatattvapradarśaka | śrāvitā ramaṇīprāyā śivalīlā mahādbhutā

Narada said: "O Vidhi, Vidhi, O supremely wise one, revealer of Shaiva truth! You have made me hear this most wondrous, enthralling play of Shiva."

Verse 2 (shiva.rudra.60.2)

वीरेण वीरभद्रेण दक्षयज्ञं विनाश्य वै । कैलासाद्रौ गते तात किमभूत्तद्वदाधुना

vīreṇa vīrabhadreṇa dakṣayajñaṁ vināśya vai | kailāsādrau gate tāta kimabhūttadvadādhunā

"After the hero Virabhadra had destroyed Daksha's sacrifice and gone to Mount Kailasa, O dear one, tell me now what happened next."

Verse 3 (shiva.rudra.60.3)

ब्रह्मोवाच । अथ देवगणाः सर्वे मुनयश्च पराजिताः । रुद्रानीकैर्विभिन्नाङ्गा मम लोकं ययुस्तदा

brahmovāca | atha devagaṇāḥ sarve munayaśca parājitāḥ | rudrānīkairvibhinnāṅgā mama lokaṁ yayustadā

Brahma said: "Then all the gods and the sages, defeated, their limbs torn by Rudra's hosts, came then to my world."

Verse 4 (shiva.rudra.60.4)

स्वयम्भुवे नमस्कृत्य मह्यं संस्तूय भूरिशः । तत्स्वक्लेशं विषेशेण कार्त्स्न्येनैव न्यवेदयन्

svayambhuve namaskṛtya mahyaṁ saṁstūya bhūriśaḥ | tatsvakleśaṁ viṣeśeṇa kārtsnyenaiva nyavedayan

"Having bowed to me, the self-born one, and praised me at length, they related their own suffering to me in full and complete detail."

Verse 5 (shiva.rudra.60.5)

तदाकर्ण्य ततोऽहं वै पुत्रशोकेन पीडितः । अचिन्तयमतिव्यग्रो दूयमानेन चेतसा

tadākarṇya tato'haṁ vai putraśokena pīḍitaḥ | acintayamativyagro dūyamānena cetasā

"Hearing that, I, afflicted with grief for my son, extremely agitated, pondered with a suffering heart."

Verse 6 (shiva.rudra.60.6)

किं कार्यं कार्यमद्याशु मया देवसुखावहम् । येन जीवतु दक्षोऽसौ मखः पूर्णो भवेत्सुरः

kiṁ kāryaṁ kāryamadyāśu mayā devasukhāvaham | yena jīvatu dakṣo'sau makhaḥ pūrṇo bhavetsuraḥ

"'What indeed must I do now, at once, that would bring happiness to the gods — by which this Daksha might live, and the sacrifice be completed?'"

Verse 7 (shiva.rudra.60.7)

एवं विचार्य बहुधा नालभं शमहं मुने । विष्णुं तदा स्मरन् भक्त्या ज्ञानमाप तदोचितम्

evaṁ vicārya bahudhā nālabhaṁ śamahaṁ mune | viṣṇuṁ tadā smaran bhaktyā jñānamāpa tadocitam

"Having thus pondered in many ways, O sage, I found no peace; then, remembering Vishnu with devotion, I obtained the knowledge fitting for that moment."

Verse 8 (shiva.rudra.60.8)

अथ देवैश्च मुनिभिर्विष्णोर्लोकमहं गतः । नत्वा नुत्वा च विविधैः स्तवैर्दुःखं न्यवदेयम्

atha devaiśca munibhirviṣṇorlokamahaṁ gataḥ | natvā nutvā ca vividhaiḥ stavairduḥkhaṁ nyavadeyam

"Then, together with the gods and sages, I went to Vishnu's abode; bowing and praising him with various hymns, I told him of our suffering."

Verse 9 (shiva.rudra.60.9)

यथाध्वरः प्रपूर्णः स्याद्देव यज्ञकरश्च सः । सुखिनः स्युः सुराः सर्वे मुनयश्च तथा कुरु

yathādhvaraḥ prapūrṇaḥ syāddeva yajñakaraśca saḥ | sukhinaḥ syuḥ surāḥ sarve munayaśca tathā kuru

"'O god, act in such a way that the sacrifice may be completed and its performer restored, and that all the gods and sages may be made happy.'"

Verse 10 (shiva.rudra.60.10)

देवदेव रमानाथ विष्णो देवसुखावह । वयं त्वच्छरणं प्राप्ताः सदेवमुनयो ध्रुवम्

devadeva ramānātha viṣṇo devasukhāvaha | vayaṁ tvaccharaṇaṁ prāptāḥ sadevamunayo dhruvam

"'O god of gods, O Lord of Rama, O Vishnu, bringer of happiness to the gods, we, together with the gods and sages, have surely come to take refuge in you.'"

Verse 11 (shiva.rudra.60.11)

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्याकर्ण्य वचो मे हि ब्रह्मणः स रमेश्वरः । प्रत्युवाच शिवं स्मृत्वा शिवात्मा दीनमानसः

brahmovāca | ityākarṇya vaco me hi brahmaṇaḥ sa rameśvaraḥ | pratyuvāca śivaṁ smṛtvā śivātmā dīnamānasaḥ

Brahma said: "Hearing these words of mine, that Lord of Rama, his very soul fixed on Shiva, remembering Shiva, replied to me with a heart full of humility."

Verse 12 (shiva.rudra.60.12)

विष्णुरुवाच । तेजीयसि न सा भूता कृतागसि बुभूषताम् । तत्र क्षेमाय बहुधा बुभूषा हि कृतागसाम्

viṣṇuruvāca | tejīyasi na sā bhūtā kṛtāgasi bubhūṣatām | tatra kṣemāya bahudhā bubhūṣā hi kṛtāgasām

Vishnu said: "For those who wish for their own well-being, once an offense has been committed against one of greater splendor, there is no safety; only through the offenders' own manifold striving toward well-being does safety come."

Verse 13 (shiva.rudra.60.13)

कृतपापाः सुराः सर्वे शिवे हि परमेश्वरे । पराददुर्यज्ञभागं तस्य शम्भोर्विधे यतः

kṛtapāpāḥ surāḥ sarve śive hi parameśvare | parādaduryajñabhāgaṁ tasya śambhorvidhe yataḥ

"All the gods have committed sin against Shiva, the Supreme Lord, since, O Vidhi, they withheld from that Shambhu his rightful share of the sacrifice."

Verse 14 (shiva.rudra.60.14)

प्रसादयध्वं सर्वे हि यूयं शुद्धेन चेतसा । अथापरप्रसादं तं गृहीताङ्घ्रियुगं शिवम्

prasādayadhvaṁ sarve hi yūyaṁ śuddhena cetasā | athāparaprasādaṁ taṁ gṛhītāṅghriyugaṁ śivam

"Therefore let all of you, with a pure heart, propitiate him; and, having clasped the two feet of Shiva, seek his further grace."

Verse 15 (shiva.rudra.60.15)

यस्मिन् प्रकुपिते देवे विनश्यत्यखिलं जगत् । सलोकपालयज्ञस्य शासनाज्जीवितं द्रुतम्

yasmin prakupite deve vinaśyatyakhilaṁ jagat | salokapālayajñasya śāsanājjīvitaṁ drutam

"When that god grows angry, the entire universe perishes; and by his command alone does life continue on, together with the world-guardians and the sacrifice."

Verse 16 (shiva.rudra.60.16)

तमाशु प्रियया देवं विहीनं च दुरुक्तिभिः । क्षमापयध्वं हृद्विद्धं दक्षेण सुदुरात्मना

tamāśu priyayā devaṁ vihīnaṁ ca duruktibhiḥ | kṣamāpayadhvaṁ hṛdviddhaṁ dakṣeṇa sudurātmanā

"Go at once and beg forgiveness of that god — dear to all — whose heart has been wounded by the harsh words of the utterly evil-minded Daksha."

Verse 17 (shiva.rudra.60.17)

अयमेव महोपायस्तच्छान्त्यै केवलं विधे । शम्भोः सन्तुष्टये मन्ये सत्यमेवोदितं मया

ayameva mahopāyastacchāntyai kevalaṁ vidhe | śambhoḥ santuṣṭaye manye satyamevoditaṁ mayā

"This alone, O Vidhi, is the great remedy, solely for his pacification; I hold that what I have spoken for Shambhu's satisfaction is the plain truth."

Verse 18 (shiva.rudra.60.18)

नाहं न त्वं सुराश्चान्ये मुनयोऽपि तनूभृतः । यस्य तत्त्वं प्रमाणं च न विदुर्बलवीर्ययोः

nāhaṁ na tvaṁ surāścānye munayo'pi tanūbhṛtaḥ | yasya tattvaṁ pramāṇaṁ ca na vidurbalavīryayoḥ

"Neither I, nor you, nor the other gods, nor even the embodied sages, know the true nature or the full measure of his strength and valor."

Verse 19 (shiva.rudra.60.19)

आत्मतन्त्रस्य तस्यापि परस्य परमात्मनः । क उपायं विधित्सेद्वै परं मूढं विरोधिनम्

ātmatantrasya tasyāpi parasya paramātmanaḥ | ka upāyaṁ vidhitsedvai paraṁ mūḍhaṁ virodhinam

"Who, indeed, but a supreme fool would wish to devise a stratagem against him — the self-dependent, transcendent, Supreme Soul — and set himself in opposition to him?"

Verse 20 (shiva.rudra.60.20)

चलिष्येऽहमपि ब्रह्मन् सर्वैः सार्धं शिवालयम् । क्षमापयामि गिरिशं कृतागश्च शिवे ध्रुवम्

caliṣye'hamapi brahman sarvaiḥ sārdhaṁ śivālayam | kṣamāpayāmi giriśaṁ kṛtāgaśca śive dhruvam

"I too, O Brahman, shall set out together with all of you to Shiva's abode; I shall beg forgiveness of Girisha, for I have surely committed an offense against Shiva."

Verse 21 (shiva.rudra.60.21)

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्थमादिश्य विष्णुर्मां ब्रह्माणं सामरादिकम् । सार्धं देवैर्मतिं चक्रे तद्गिरौ गमनाय सः

brahmovāca | itthamādiśya viṣṇurmāṁ brahmāṇaṁ sāmarādikam | sārdhaṁ devairmatiṁ cakre tadgirau gamanāya saḥ

Brahma said: "Having thus instructed me and the gods, Vishnu resolved, together with the gods, to go to that mountain."

Verse 22 (shiva.rudra.60.22)

ययौ स्वधिष्ण्यनिलयं शिवस्याद्रिवरं शुभम् । कैलासं सामरमुनिप्रजेशादिमयो हरिः

yayau svadhiṣṇyanilayaṁ śivasyādrivaraṁ śubham | kailāsaṁ sāmaramuniprajeśādimayo hariḥ

"Hari, together with the gods, the sages, the Prajapatis and the rest, set forth to Kailasa, the auspicious best of mountains, Shiva's own abode."

Verse 23 (shiva.rudra.60.23)

अतिप्रियं प्रभोर्नित्यं सुजुष्टं किन्नरादिभिः । नरेतरैरप्सरोभिर्योगसिद्धैर्महोन्नतम्

atipriyaṁ prabhornityaṁ sujuṣṭaṁ kinnarādibhiḥ | naretarairapsarobhiryogasiddhairmahonnatam

"That mountain, ever most dear to the Lord, well frequented by the Kinnaras and other non-human beings, by the Apsaras, and by the perfected yogis, towering high."

Verse 24 (shiva.rudra.60.24)

नानामणिमयैः शृङ्गैः शोभमानं समन्ततः । नानाधातुविचित्रं वै नानाद्रुमलताकुलम्

nānāmaṇimayaiḥ śṛṅgaiḥ śobhamānaṁ samantataḥ | nānādhātuvicitraṁ vai nānādrumalatākulam

"Resplendent on every side with peaks made of various gems, wondrously colored with various minerals, thick with various trees and creepers."

Verse 25 (shiva.rudra.60.25)

नानामृगगणाकीर्णं नानापक्षिसमन्वितम् । नानाजलप्रस्रवणैरमरैः सिद्धयोषिताम्

nānāmṛgagaṇākīrṇaṁ nānāpakṣisamanvitam | nānājalaprasravaṇairamaraiḥ siddhayoṣitām

"Teeming with various herds of deer, filled with various birds, with various springs of water, frequented by the immortals and the wives of the Siddhas."

Verse 26 (shiva.rudra.60.26)

रमणैर्विहरन्तीनां नानाकन्दरसानुभिः । द्रुमजातिभिरन्याभी राजितं राजतप्रभम्

ramaṇairviharantīnāṁ nānākandarasānubhiḥ | drumajātibhiranyābhī rājitaṁ rājataprabham

"Those women sporting there with their lovers among the many caves and ridges; adorned with yet other kinds of trees, gleaming with a silvery splendor."

Verse 27 (shiva.rudra.60.27)

व्याघ्रादिभिर्महासत्त्वैर्निर्घुष्टं क्रूरतोज्झितम् । सर्वशोभान्वितं दिव्यं महाविस्मयकारकम्

vyāghrādibhirmahāsattvairnirghuṣṭaṁ krūratojjhitam | sarvaśobhānvitaṁ divyaṁ mahāvismayakārakam

"Resounding with tigers and other mighty beasts, yet free of all cruelty; possessed of every splendor, divine, a source of the greatest wonder."

Verse 28 (shiva.rudra.60.28)

पर्यस्तं गङ्गया सत्या स्थानपुण्यतरोदया । सर्वपावनसङ्कर्त्र्या विष्णुपद्या सुनिर्मलम्

paryastaṁ gaṅgayā satyā sthānapuṇyatarodayā | sarvapāvanasaṅkartryā viṣṇupadyā sunirmalam

"Encircled by the true Ganga, whose very source made that place more sacred still — she who purifies all, sprung from Vishnu's foot, most pure."

Verse 29 (shiva.rudra.60.29)

एवंविधं गिरिं दृष्ट्वा कैलासाख्यं शिवप्रियम् । ययुस्ते विस्मयं देवा विष्ण्वाद्याः समुनीश्वराः

evaṁvidhaṁ giriṁ dṛṣṭvā kailāsākhyaṁ śivapriyam | yayuste vismayaṁ devā viṣṇvādyāḥ samunīśvarāḥ

"Beholding that mountain of such a kind, named Kailasa, dear to Shiva, the gods led by Vishnu, together with the lords of sages, were filled with wonder."

Verse 30 (shiva.rudra.60.30)

तत्समीपेऽलकां रम्यां ददृशुर्नाम ते पुरीम् । कुबेरस्य महादिव्यां रुद्रमित्रस्य निर्जराः

tatsamīpe'lakāṁ ramyāṁ dadṛśurnāma te purīm | kuberasya mahādivyāṁ rudramitrasya nirjarāḥ

"Near it, those immortals beheld the beautiful city named Alaka, the great and divine city of Kubera, the friend of Rudra."

Verse 31 (shiva.rudra.60.31)

वनं सौगन्धिकं चापि ददृशुस्तत्समीपतः । सर्वद्रुमान्वितं दिव्यं यत्र तन्नादमद्भुतम्

vanaṁ saugandhikaṁ cāpi dadṛśustatsamīpataḥ | sarvadrumānvitaṁ divyaṁ yatra tannādamadbhutam

"And near there they also beheld the Saugandhika forest, divine and full of every kind of tree, where a wondrous sound resounded."

Verse 32 (shiva.rudra.60.32)

तद्बाह्यतस्तस्य दिव्ये सरितावतिपावने । नन्दा चालकनन्दा च दर्शनात्पापहारिके

tadbāhyatastasya divye saritāvatipāvane | nandā cālakanandā ca darśanātpāpahārike

"Outside it flowed two divine and most sacred rivers, Nanda and Alakananda, whose very sight removes all sin."

Verse 33 (shiva.rudra.60.33)

पपुः सुरस्त्रियो नित्यमवगूह्य स्वलोकतः । विगाह्य पुम्भिस्तास्तत्र क्रीडन्ति रतिकर्शिताः

papuḥ surastriyo nityamavagūhya svalokataḥ | vigāhya pumbhistāstatra krīḍanti ratikarśitāḥ

"The women of the gods, come there always from their own worlds, drank of those waters, embracing their lovers; plunging in with their men, they sported there, wearied with love's delight."

Verse 34 (shiva.rudra.60.34)

हित्वा यक्षेश्वरपुरीं वनं सौगन्धिकं च यत् । गच्छन्तस्ते सुरा आराद्ददृशुः शाङ्करं वटम्

hitvā yakṣeśvarapurīṁ vanaṁ saugandhikaṁ ca yat | gacchantaste surā ārāddadṛśuḥ śāṅkaraṁ vaṭam

"Leaving behind the city of the lord of the Yakshas and that Saugandhika forest, those gods, as they went on, beheld from a distance Shankara's banyan tree."

Verse 35 (shiva.rudra.60.35)

पर्यक्कृताचलच्छायं पादोनविटपायतम् । शतयोजनकोत्सेधं निर्नीडं तापवर्जितम्

paryakkṛtācalacchāyaṁ pādonaviṭapāyatam | śatayojanakotsedhaṁ nirnīḍaṁ tāpavarjitam

"Its shade spread like a couch across the mountain, its branches extending down almost to its roots; a hundred yojanas in height, without a single nest, and utterly free of heat."

Verse 36 (shiva.rudra.60.36)

महापुण्यवतां दृश्यं सुरम्यं चातिपावनम् । शम्भुयोगस्थलं दिव्यं योगिसेव्यं महोत्तमम्

mahāpuṇyavatāṁ dṛśyaṁ suramyaṁ cātipāvanam | śambhuyogasthalaṁ divyaṁ yogisevyaṁ mahottamam

"Visible only to the greatly meritorious, most beautiful and most sacred — Shambhu's own divine seat of yoga, served by yogis, most exalted of all."

Verse 37 (shiva.rudra.60.37)

मुमुक्षुशरणे तस्मिन् महायोगमये वटे । आसीनं ददृशुः सर्वे शिवं विष्ण्वादयः सुराः

mumukṣuśaraṇe tasmin mahāyogamaye vaṭe | āsīnaṁ dadṛśuḥ sarve śivaṁ viṣṇvādayaḥ surāḥ

"There, beneath that banyan tree, filled with great yoga, the refuge of those who seek liberation, all the gods led by Vishnu beheld Shiva seated."

Verse 38 (shiva.rudra.60.38)

विधिपुत्रैर्महासिद्धैः शिवभक्तिरतैः सदा । उपास्यमानं समुदा शान्तैः संशान्तविग्रहैः

vidhiputrairmahāsiddhaiḥ śivabhaktirataiḥ sadā | upāsyamānaṁ samudā śāntaiḥ saṁśāntavigrahaiḥ

"Attended joyfully by the sons of Brahma, the great Siddhas, ever devoted to Shiva's worship, tranquil and with their forms wholly at peace."

Verse 39 (shiva.rudra.60.39)

तथा सख्या कुबेरेण भर्त्रा गुह्यकरक्षसाम् । सेव्यमानं विशेषेण स्वगणैर्ज्ञातिभिः सदा

tathā sakhyā kubereṇa bhartrā guhyakarakṣasām | sevyamānaṁ viśeṣeṇa svagaṇairjñātibhiḥ sadā

"And likewise served especially by his friend Kubera, lord of the Guhyakas and the Rakshasas, and always by his own ganas and kinsmen."

Verse 40 (shiva.rudra.60.40)

तापसाभीष्टसद्रूपं बिभ्रतं परमेश्वरम् । वात्सल्याद्विश्वसुहृदं भस्मादिसुविराजितम्

tāpasābhīṣṭasadrūpaṁ bibhrataṁ parameśvaram | vātsalyādviśvasuhṛdaṁ bhasmādisuvirājitam

"Bearing the very form desired by ascetics — the Supreme Lord, friend of the whole universe out of pure affection, resplendent with sacred ash and the like."

Verse 41 (shiva.rudra.60.41)

मुने तुभ्यं प्रवोचन्तं पृच्छते ज्ञानमुत्तमम् । कुशासने सूपविष्टं सर्वेषां शृण्वतां सताम्

mune tubhyaṁ pravocantaṁ pṛcchate jñānamuttamam | kuśāsane sūpaviṣṭaṁ sarveṣāṁ śṛṇvatāṁ satām

"O sage, there he was, declaring the supreme knowledge to one who asked of him, seated well upon a seat of kusha grass, while all the pious ones present listened."

Verse 42 (shiva.rudra.60.42)

कृत्वोरौ दक्षिणे सव्यं चरणं चैव जानुनि । बाहुप्रकोष्ठाक्षमालं स्थितं सत्तर्कमुद्रया

kṛtvorau dakṣiṇe savyaṁ caraṇaṁ caiva jānuni | bāhuprakoṣṭhākṣamālaṁ sthitaṁ sattarkamudrayā

"Having placed his left foot upon his right thigh and his arm upon his knee, a rosary about his forearm, he sat in the very posture of true dialectic."

Verse 43 (shiva.rudra.60.43)

एवंविधं शिवं दृष्ट्वा तदा विष्ण्वादयः सुराः । प्रणेमुस्त्वरितं सर्वे करौ बध्वा विनम्रकाः

evaṁvidhaṁ śivaṁ dṛṣṭvā tadā viṣṇvādayaḥ surāḥ | praṇemustvaritaṁ sarve karau badhvā vinamrakāḥ

"Seeing Shiva thus, the gods led by Vishnu all at once, folding their hands and bowing humbly, bowed down to him."

Verse 44 (shiva.rudra.60.44)

उपलभ्यागतं रुद्रो मया विष्णुं सतां गतिः । उत्थाय चक्रे शिरसाभिवन्दनमपि प्रभुः

upalabhyāgataṁ rudro mayā viṣṇuṁ satāṁ gatiḥ | utthāya cakre śirasābhivandanamapi prabhuḥ

"Perceiving that Vishnu, the refuge of the virtuous, had come there together with me, Rudra, that Lord, rose up and bowed his own head in greeting."

Verse 45 (shiva.rudra.60.45)

वन्दिताङ्घ्रिस्तदा सर्वैर्दिव्यैर्विष्ण्वादिभिः शिवः । ननामाथ यथा विष्णुः कश्यपं लोकसद्गतिः

vanditāṅghristadā sarvairdivyairviṣṇvādibhiḥ śivaḥ | nanāmātha yathā viṣṇuḥ kaśyapaṁ lokasadgatiḥ

"Then Shiva, whose feet had been honored by all those divine beings led by Vishnu, bowed in turn — just as Vishnu, the true refuge of the worlds, once bowed to Kashyapa."

Verse 46 (shiva.rudra.60.46)

सुरसिद्धगणाधीशमहर्षिसुनमस्कृतम् । समुवाच सुरैर्विष्णुं कृतसन्नतिमादरात्

surasiddhagaṇādhīśamaharṣisunamaskṛtam | samuvāca surairviṣṇuṁ kṛtasannatimādarāt

"And he — honored by the lords of the gods and Siddhas and by the great sages — then addressed Vishnu, who together with the gods had bowed to him, with due regard."