The Completion of Daksha's Sacrifice

Verse 1 (shiva.rudra.63.1)

ब्रह्मोवाच । इति स्तुतो रमेशेन मया चैव सुरर्षिभिः । तथान्यैश्च महादेवः प्रसन्नः सम्बभूव ह

brahmovāca | iti stuto rameśena mayā caiva surarṣibhiḥ | tathānyaiśca mahādevaḥ prasannaḥ sambabhūva ha

Brahma said: "Thus praised by Rameshvara, and by me, and by the divine sages, and by the others as well, Mahadeva became truly pleased."

Verse 2 (shiva.rudra.63.2)

अथ शम्भुः कृपादृष्ट्या सर्वान् ऋषिसुरादिकान् । ब्रह्मविष्णू समाधाय दक्षमेतदुवाच ह

atha śambhuḥ kṛpādṛṣṭyā sarvān ṛṣisurādikān | brahmaviṣṇū samādhāya dakṣametaduvāca ha

"Then Shambhu, with a glance of grace, having comforted all the sages, gods, and the rest, together with Brahma and Vishnu, spoke thus to Daksha."

Verse 3 (shiva.rudra.63.3)

महादेव उवाच । शृणु दक्ष प्रवक्ष्यामि प्रसन्नोऽस्मि प्रजापते । भक्ताधीनः सदाहं वै स्वतन्त्रोऽप्यखिलेश्वरः

mahādeva uvāca | śṛṇu dakṣa pravakṣyāmi prasanno'smi prajāpate | bhaktādhīnaḥ sadāhaṁ vai svatantro'pyakhileśvaraḥ

Mahadeva said: "Listen, Daksha, I shall now speak — I am well pleased, O Prajapati. Though I am the independent Lord of all, I am always subject to my devotees."

Verse 4 (shiva.rudra.63.4)

चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिनः सदा । उत्तरोत्तरतः श्रेष्ठास्तेषां दक्ष प्रजापते

caturvidhā bhajante māṁ janāḥ sukṛtinaḥ sadā | uttarottarataḥ śreṣṭhāsteṣāṁ dakṣa prajāpate

"Four kinds of virtuous people always worship me, O Daksha, O Prajapati, each successive kind more excellent than the last."

Verse 5 (shiva.rudra.63.5)

आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी चैव चतुर्थकः । पूर्वे त्रयश्च सामान्याश्चतुर्थो हि विशिष्यते

ārto jijñāsurarthārthī jñānī caiva caturthakaḥ | pūrve trayaśca sāmānyāścaturtho hi viśiṣyate

"The distressed, the seeker of knowledge, the seeker of wealth, and the fourth, the man of wisdom — the first three are ordinary, but the fourth is exceptional."

Verse 6 (shiva.rudra.63.6)

तत्र ज्ञानी प्रियतरो मम रूपं च स स्मृतः । तस्मात्प्रियतरो नान्यः सत्यं सत्यं वदाम्यहम्

tatra jñānī priyataro mama rūpaṁ ca sa smṛtaḥ | tasmātpriyataro nānyaḥ satyaṁ satyaṁ vadāmyaham

"Among these, the man of wisdom is dearest to me, and he is remembered as being of my very form; there is none dearer than he — I speak the truth, the very truth."

Verse 7 (shiva.rudra.63.7)

ज्ञानगम्योऽहमात्मज्ञो वेदान्तश्रुतिपारगैः । विना ज्ञानेन मां प्राप्तुं यतन्ते चाल्पबुद्धयः

jñānagamyo'hamātmajño vedāntaśrutipāragaiḥ | vinā jñānena māṁ prāptuṁ yatante cālpabuddhayaḥ

"I am attainable through knowledge alone, known by the knowers of the Self who have mastered the Vedanta and the Shruti; those of little understanding strive to attain me without knowledge."

Verse 8 (shiva.rudra.63.8)

न वेदैश्च न यज्ञैश्च न दानैस्तपसा क्वचित् । न शक्नुवन्ति मां प्राप्तुं मूढाः कर्मवशा नराः

na vedaiśca na yajñaiśca na dānaistapasā kvacit | na śaknuvanti māṁ prāptuṁ mūḍhāḥ karmavaśā narāḥ

"Neither through the Vedas, nor through sacrifices, nor through gifts, nor through austerity alone, are foolish men, bound to mere ritual action, ever able to attain me."

Verse 9 (shiva.rudra.63.9)

केवलं कर्मणा त्वं स्म संसारं तर्तुमिच्छसि । अत एवाभवं रुष्टो यज्ञविध्वंसकारकः

kevalaṁ karmaṇā tvaṁ sma saṁsāraṁ tartumicchasi | ata evābhavaṁ ruṣṭo yajñavidhvaṁsakārakaḥ

"You yourself wished to cross beyond the cycle of rebirth through ritual action alone; for this very reason I became angry and became the destroyer of your sacrifice."

Verse 10 (shiva.rudra.63.10)

इतः प्रभृति भो दक्ष मत्वा मां परमेश्वरम् । बुद्ध्या ज्ञानपरो भूत्वा कुरु कर्म समाहितः

itaḥ prabhṛti bho dakṣa matvā māṁ parameśvaram | buddhyā jñānaparo bhūtvā kuru karma samāhitaḥ

"From now on, O Daksha, knowing me to be the Supreme Lord, and becoming devoted above all to knowledge in your understanding, perform your rites with a composed mind."

Verse 11 (shiva.rudra.63.11)

अन्यच्च शृणु सद्बुद्ध्या वचनं मे प्रजापते । वच्मि गुह्यं धर्महेतोः सगुणत्वेऽप्यहं तव

anyacca śṛṇu sadbuddhyā vacanaṁ me prajāpate | vacmi guhyaṁ dharmahetoḥ saguṇatve'pyahaṁ tava

"And hear, O Prajapati, with a pure understanding, this further word of mine; I shall tell you a secret, for the sake of dharma — though I appear possessed of qualities for your sake."

Verse 12 (shiva.rudra.63.12)

अहं ब्रह्मा च विष्णुश्च जगतः कारणं परम् । आत्मेश्वर उपद्रष्टा स्वयन्दृगविशेषणः

ahaṁ brahmā ca viṣṇuśca jagataḥ kāraṇaṁ param | ātmeśvara upadraṣṭā svayandṛgaviśeṣaṇaḥ

"I, Brahma, and Vishnu are the supreme cause of the universe; I am the Lord of the Self, the witness, self-luminous, without distinguishing marks."

Verse 13 (shiva.rudra.63.13)

आत्ममायां समाविश्य सोऽहं गुणमयीं मुने । सृजन् रक्षन्हरन्विश्वं दधे संज्ञाः क्रियोचिताः

ātmamāyāṁ samāviśya so'haṁ guṇamayīṁ mune | sṛjan rakṣanharanviśvaṁ dadhe saṁjñāḥ kriyocitāḥ

"Entering into my own maya, made of the gunas, O sage, I, in creating, sustaining, and destroying the universe, assume names fitting to each function."

Verse 14 (shiva.rudra.63.14)

अद्वितीये परे तस्मिन् ब्रह्मण्यात्मनि केवले । अज्ञः पश्यति भेदेन भूतानि ब्रह्म चेश्वरम्

advitīye pare tasmin brahmaṇyātmani kevale | ajñaḥ paśyati bhedena bhūtāni brahma ceśvaram

"In that Brahman, non-dual, supreme, the sole Self, it is only the ignorant man who sees difference — between beings, Brahman, and the Lord."

Verse 15 (shiva.rudra.63.15)

शिरःकरादिस्वाङ्गेषु कुरुते न यथा पुमान् । पारक्यशेमुषीं क्वापि भूतेष्वेवं हि मत्परः

śiraḥkarādisvāṅgeṣu kurute na yathā pumān | pārakyaśemuṣīṁ kvāpi bhūteṣvevaṁ hi matparaḥ

"Just as a man never regards his own head, hands, and other limbs as belonging to someone else, so too the one devoted to me never regards any being as truly other."

Verse 16 (shiva.rudra.63.16)

सर्वभूतात्मनामेकभावनां यो न पश्यति । त्रिसुराणां भिदां दक्ष स शान्तिमधिगच्छति

sarvabhūtātmanāmekabhāvanāṁ yo na paśyati | trisurāṇāṁ bhidāṁ dakṣa sa śāntimadhigacchati

"Whoever does not see distinction among the three gods, O Daksha, but rather the single nature underlying the selves of all beings, attains true peace."

Verse 17 (shiva.rudra.63.17)

यः करोति त्रिदेवेषु भेदबुद्धिं नराधमः । नरके स वसेन्नूनं यावदाचन्द्रतारकम्

yaḥ karoti trideveṣu bhedabuddhiṁ narādhamaḥ | narake sa vasennūnaṁ yāvadācandratārakam

"Whoever, basest of men, holds a notion of difference among the three gods, shall surely dwell in hell for as long as the moon and stars endure."

Verse 18 (shiva.rudra.63.18)

मत्परः पूजयेद्देवान् सर्वानपि विचक्षणः । स ज्ञानं लभते येन मुक्तिर्भवति शाश्वती

matparaḥ pūjayeddevān sarvānapi vicakṣaṇaḥ | sa jñānaṁ labhate yena muktirbhavati śāśvatī

"The wise one devoted to me should worship all the gods as well; by this he attains the knowledge through which eternal liberation comes."

Verse 19 (shiva.rudra.63.19)

विधिभक्तिं विना नैव भक्तिर्भवति वैष्णवी । विष्णुभक्तिं विना मे न भक्तिः क्वापि प्रजायते

vidhibhaktiṁ vinā naiva bhaktirbhavati vaiṣṇavī | viṣṇubhaktiṁ vinā me na bhaktiḥ kvāpi prajāyate

"Without devotion to Brahma, devotion to Vishnu can never truly come about; and without devotion to Vishnu, devotion to me can never arise at all."

Verse 20 (shiva.rudra.63.20)

इत्युक्त्वा शङ्करः स्वामी सर्वेषां परमेश्वरः । सर्वेषां शृण्वतां तत्रोवाच वाणीं कृपाकरः

ityuktvā śaṅkaraḥ svāmī sarveṣāṁ parameśvaraḥ | sarveṣāṁ śṛṇvatāṁ tatrovāca vāṇīṁ kṛpākaraḥ

Having said this, Shankara, the Lord and Supreme Master of all, spoke further, while all listened, that giver of grace, these words.

Verse 21 (shiva.rudra.63.21)

हरिभक्तो हि मां निन्देत्तथा शैवो भवेद्यदि । तयोः शापा भवेयुस्ते तत्त्वप्राप्तिर्भवेन्न हि

haribhakto hi māṁ nindettathā śaivo bhavedyadi | tayoḥ śāpā bhaveyuste tattvaprāptirbhavenna hi

"If a devotee of Hari should revile me, or likewise a devotee of Shiva should revile Vishnu, curses shall fall upon them both, and neither shall attain the true reality."

Verse 22 (shiva.rudra.63.22)

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्याकर्ण्य महेशस्य वचनं सुखकारकम् । जहर्षुः सकलास्तत्र सुरमुन्यादयो मुने

brahmovāca | ityākarṇya maheśasya vacanaṁ sukhakārakam | jaharṣuḥ sakalāstatra suramunyādayo mune

Brahma said: "Hearing these joy-giving words of Mahesha, all the gods, sages, and the others there rejoiced, O sage."

Verse 23 (shiva.rudra.63.23)

दक्षोऽभवन्महाप्रीत्या शिवभक्तिरतस्तदा । सकुटुम्बः सुराद्यास्ते शिवं मत्वाखिलेश्वरम्

dakṣo'bhavanmahāprītyā śivabhaktiratastadā | sakuṭumbaḥ surādyāste śivaṁ matvākhileśvaram

"Daksha, filled with great love, then became devoted to Shiva's worship, together with his household; and the gods and the rest, too, recognizing Shiva as the Lord of all —"

Verse 24 (shiva.rudra.63.24)

यथा येन कृता शम्भोः संस्तुतिः परमात्मनः । तथा तस्मै वरो दत्तः शम्भुना तुष्टचेतसा

yathā yena kṛtā śambhoḥ saṁstutiḥ paramātmanaḥ | tathā tasmai varo dattaḥ śambhunā tuṣṭacetasā

"— just as each of them had offered praise to Shambhu, the Supreme Self, so did Shambhu, his heart well pleased, grant to each of them a boon in kind."

Verse 25 (shiva.rudra.63.25)

ज्ञप्तः शिवेनाशु दक्षः शिवभक्तः प्रसन्नधीः । यज्ञं चकार सम्पूर्णं शिवानुग्रहतो मुने

jñaptaḥ śivenāśu dakṣaḥ śivabhaktaḥ prasannadhīḥ | yajñaṁ cakāra sampūrṇaṁ śivānugrahato mune

"Instructed at once by Shiva, Daksha, now a devotee of Shiva, his mind at peace, completed the sacrifice in full, by Shiva's own grace, O sage."

Verse 26 (shiva.rudra.63.26)

ददौ भागान्सुरेभ्यो हि पूर्णभागं शिवाय सः । दानं ददौ द्विजेभ्यश्च प्राप्तः शम्भोरनुग्रहः

dadau bhāgānsurebhyo hi pūrṇabhāgaṁ śivāya saḥ | dānaṁ dadau dvijebhyaśca prāptaḥ śambhoranugrahaḥ

"He gave their portions to the gods, and a full portion to Shiva; and he gave gifts to the Brahmins as well, having received Shambhu's grace."

Verse 27 (shiva.rudra.63.27)

अथ देवस्य सुमहत्तत्कर्म विधिपूर्वकम् । दक्षः समाप्य विधिवत्सहर्त्विग्भिः प्रजापतिः

atha devasya sumahattatkarma vidhipūrvakam | dakṣaḥ samāpya vidhivatsahartvigbhiḥ prajāpatiḥ

"Then that Prajapati Daksha, together with his officiating priests, duly completed that most great rite of the god, according to the prescribed ordinance."

Verse 28 (shiva.rudra.63.28)

एवं दक्षमखः पूर्णोऽभवत्तत्र मुनीश्वर । शङ्करस्य प्रसादेन परब्रह्मस्वरूपिणः

evaṁ dakṣamakhaḥ pūrṇo'bhavattatra munīśvara | śaṅkarasya prasādena parabrahmasvarūpiṇaḥ

"Thus, O lord of sages, Daksha's sacrifice was brought to completion there, by the grace of Shankara, who is himself the very form of the Supreme Brahman."

Verse 29 (shiva.rudra.63.29)

अथ देवर्षयः सर्वे शंसन्तः शाङ्करं यशः । स्वधामानि ययुस्तुष्टाः परेऽपि सुखतस्तदा

atha devarṣayaḥ sarve śaṁsantaḥ śāṅkaraṁ yaśaḥ | svadhāmāni yayustuṣṭāḥ pare'pi sukhatastadā

"Then all the divine sages, praising Shankara's glory, went to their own abodes, well pleased; and the others too departed then in happiness."

Verse 30 (shiva.rudra.63.30)

अहं विष्णुश्च सुप्रीतावपि स्वं स्वं परं मुदा । गायन्तौ सुयशः शम्भोः सर्वमङ्गलदं सदा

ahaṁ viṣṇuśca suprītāvapi svaṁ svaṁ paraṁ mudā | gāyantau suyaśaḥ śambhoḥ sarvamaṅgaladaṁ sadā

"I and Vishnu too, both greatly pleased, each singing with the greatest joy Shambhu's own auspicious glory, ever the giver of every blessing, went to our own abodes."

Verse 31 (shiva.rudra.63.31)

दक्षसम्मानितः प्रीत्या महादेवोऽपि सद्गतिः । कैलासं स ययौ शैलं सुप्रीतः सगणो निजम्

dakṣasammānitaḥ prītyā mahādevo'pi sadgatiḥ | kailāsaṁ sa yayau śailaṁ suprītaḥ sagaṇo nijam

"And Mahadeva too, honored with love by Daksha — he who is the true refuge — went, well pleased, together with his ganas, to his own mountain, Kailasa."

Verse 32 (shiva.rudra.63.32)

आगत्य स्वगिरिं शम्भुः सस्मार स्वप्रियां सतीम् । गणेभ्यः कथयामास प्रधानेभ्यश्च तत्कथाम्

āgatya svagiriṁ śambhuḥ sasmāra svapriyāṁ satīm | gaṇebhyaḥ kathayāmāsa pradhānebhyaśca tatkathām

"Having returned to his own mountain, Shambhu remembered his beloved Sati, and related her story to his ganas and to his chief attendants."

Verse 33 (shiva.rudra.63.33)

कालं निनाय विज्ञानी बहु तच्चरितं वदन् । लौकिकीं गतिमाश्रित्य दर्शयन् कामितां प्रभुः

kālaṁ nināya vijñānī bahu taccaritaṁ vadan | laukikīṁ gatimāśritya darśayan kāmitāṁ prabhuḥ

"That all-knowing Lord passed his time speaking often of her deeds, resorting to the ways of ordinary human life, and displaying, as it were, longing for her."

Verse 34 (shiva.rudra.63.34)

नानीतिकारकः स्वामी परब्रह्म सतां गतिः । तस्य मोहः क्व वा शोकः क्व विकारः परो मुने

nānītikārakaḥ svāmī parabrahma satāṁ gatiḥ | tasya mohaḥ kva vā śokaḥ kva vikāraḥ paro mune

"The Lord is never truly bound by such conduct — he is the Supreme Brahman, the very refuge of the virtuous; where indeed could delusion or grief or any real change touch him, O sage?"

Verse 35 (shiva.rudra.63.35)

अहं विष्णुश्च जानीवस्तद्भेदं न कदाचन । के परे मुनयो देवा मानुषाद्याश्च योगिनः

ahaṁ viṣṇuśca jānīvastadbhedaṁ na kadācana | ke pare munayo devā mānuṣādyāśca yoginaḥ

"Vishnu and I know that there is never truly any distinction in him; what then of other sages, gods, men, and yogis?"

Verse 36 (shiva.rudra.63.36)

महिमा शाङ्करोऽनन्तो दुर्विज्ञेयो मनीषिभिः । भक्तज्ञातश्च सद्भक्त्या तत्प्रसादाद्विना श्रमम्

mahimā śāṅkaro'nanto durvijñeyo manīṣibhiḥ | bhaktajñātaśca sadbhaktyā tatprasādādvinā śramam

"Shankara's glory is infinite, hard to comprehend even for the wise; it is known to his devotees through true devotion, and by his grace alone, without any effort."

Verse 37 (shiva.rudra.63.37)

एकोऽपि न विकारो हि शिवस्य परमात्मनः । सन्दर्शयति लोकेभ्यः कृत्वा तां तादृशीं गतिम्

eko'pi na vikāro hi śivasya paramātmanaḥ | sandarśayati lokebhyaḥ kṛtvā tāṁ tādṛśīṁ gatim

"Not a single true change ever touches Shiva, the Supreme Self; yet, adopting such conduct, he displays it to the world as a lesson."

Verse 38 (shiva.rudra.63.38)

यत्पठित्वा च संश्रुत्य सर्वलोकसुधीर्मुने । लभते सद्गतिं दिव्यामिहापि सुखमुत्तमम्

yatpaṭhitvā ca saṁśrutya sarvalokasudhīrmune | labhate sadgatiṁ divyāmihāpi sukhamuttamam

"Whoever, O sage, having recited and heard this, becomes wise in every way, attains the true divine state, and, even here in this life, the highest happiness."

Verse 39 (shiva.rudra.63.39)

इत्थं दाक्षायणी हित्वा निजदेहं सती पुनः । जज्ञे हिमवतः पत्न्यां मेनायामिति विश्रुतम्

itthaṁ dākṣāyaṇī hitvā nijadehaṁ satī punaḥ | jajñe himavataḥ patnyāṁ menāyāmiti viśrutam

"Thus Sati, the daughter of Daksha, having given up her own body, was born again, as is well known, to Mena, the wife of Himavat."

Verse 40 (shiva.rudra.63.40)

पुनः कृत्वा तपस्तत्र शिवं वव्रे पतिं च सा । गौरी भूत्वार्धवामाङ्गी लीलाश्चक्रेऽद्भुताः शिवा

punaḥ kṛtvā tapastatra śivaṁ vavre patiṁ ca sā | gaurī bhūtvārdhavāmāṅgī līlāścakre'dbhutāḥ śivā

"There, having performed austerity once more, she chose Shiva again as her husband; becoming Gauri, the left half of his own body, that auspicious goddess performed wondrous divine plays."

Verse 41 (shiva.rudra.63.41)

इत्थं सतीचरित्रं ते वर्णितं परमाद्भुतम् । भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं दिव्यं सर्वकामप्रदायकम्

itthaṁ satīcaritraṁ te varṇitaṁ paramādbhutam | bhuktimuktipradaṁ divyaṁ sarvakāmapradāyakam

"Thus has been related to you this most wondrous story of Sati, divine, bestowing both worldly enjoyment and liberation, granting every desire."

Verse 42 (shiva.rudra.63.42)

इदमाख्यानमनघं पवित्रं परपावनम् । स्वर्ग्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं पुत्रपौत्रफलप्रदम्

idamākhyānamanaghaṁ pavitraṁ parapāvanam | svargyaṁ yaśasyamāyuṣyaṁ putrapautraphalapradam

"This narrative is sinless, sacred, most purifying — it leads to heaven, brings fame, grants long life, and bestows the fruit of sons and grandsons."

Verse 43 (shiva.rudra.63.43)

य इदं शृणुयाद् भक्त्या श्रावयेद्भक्तिमान्नरान् । सर्वकर्मा लभेत्तात परत्र परमां गतिम्

ya idaṁ śṛṇuyād bhaktyā śrāvayedbhaktimānnarān | sarvakarmā labhettāta paratra paramāṁ gatim

"Whoever hears this with devotion, or, being devoted, recites it to others, O dear one, though engaged in all manner of worldly duties, attains the highest state in the world beyond."

Verse 44 (shiva.rudra.63.44)

यः पठेत्पाठयेद्वापि समाख्यानमिदं शुभम् । सोऽपि भुक्त्वाखिलान् भोगानन्ते मोक्षमवाप्नुयात्

yaḥ paṭhetpāṭhayedvāpi samākhyānamidaṁ śubham | so'pi bhuktvākhilān bhogānante mokṣamavāpnuyāt

"Whoever recites or causes this auspicious narrative to be recited, he too, having enjoyed every pleasure, attains liberation at the last."