The Birth of Bhauma and His Attainment of Planetary Status

Verse 1 (shiva.rudra.73.1)

नारद उवाच । विष्णुशिष्य महाभाग विधे शैववर प्रभो । शिवलीलामिमां व्यासात्प्रीत्या मे वक्तुमर्हसि

nārada uvāca viṣṇuśiṣya mahābhāga vidhe śaivavara prabho śivalīlāmimāṁ vyāsātprītyā me vaktumarhasi

Narada said: "O great and fortunate one, disciple of Vishnu, O Vidhi, foremost knower of Shiva, O Lord — please relate to me this play of Shiva at length and with affection."

Verse 2 (shiva.rudra.73.2)

सतीविरहयुक्शम्भुः किं चक्रे चरितं तथा । तपः कर्तुं कदायातो हिमवत्प्रस्थमुत्तमम्

satīvirahayukśambhuḥ kiṁ cakre caritaṁ tathā tapaḥ kartuṁ kadāyāto himavatprasthamuttamam

"What did Shambhu, afflicted by separation from Sati, do then? When did he come to the excellent tableland of Himavat to perform austerity?"

Verse 3 (shiva.rudra.73.3)

शिवाशिवविवादोऽभूत्कथं कामक्षयश्च मे । तपः कृत्वा कथं प्राप शिवं शम्भुं च पार्वती

śivāśivavivādo'bhūtkathaṁ kāmakṣayaśca me tapaḥ kṛtvā kathaṁ prāpa śivaṁ śambhuṁ ca pārvatī

"How did the debate between Shiva and Shiva (Parvati) come about, and how was Kama destroyed — tell me this. And how did Parvati, through her austerity, attain Shambhu as her lord?"

Verse 4 (shiva.rudra.73.4)

तत्सर्वमपरं चापि शिवसच्चरितं परम् । वक्तुमर्हसि मे ब्रह्मन्महानन्दकरं शुभम्

tatsarvamaparaṁ cāpi śivasaccaritaṁ param vaktumarhasi me brahmanmahānandakaraṁ śubham

"All that, and more besides — the supreme and true deeds of Shiva, that auspicious tale bringing great joy — you, O Brahman, should tell it to me."

Verse 5 (shiva.rudra.73.5)

सूत उवाच । इति श्रुत्वा नारदस्य प्रश्नं लोकाधिपोत्तमः । विधिः प्रोवाच सुप्रीत्या स्मृत्वा शिवपदाम्बुजम्

sūta uvāca iti śrutvā nāradasya praśnaṁ lokādhipottamaḥ vidhiḥ provāca suprītyā smṛtvā śivapadāmbujam

Suta said: "Hearing Narada's question thus, Vidhi, foremost among the lords of the worlds, calling to mind Shiva's lotus feet, spoke with great delight."

Verse 6 (shiva.rudra.73.6)

ब्रह्मोवाच । देवर्षे शैववर्याद्य तद्यशः शृणु चादरात् । पावनं मङ्गलकरं भक्तिवर्धनमुत्तमम्

brahmovāca devarṣe śaivavaryādya tadyaśaḥ śṛṇu cādarāt pāvanaṁ maṅgalakaraṁ bhaktivardhanamuttamam

Brahma said: "O celestial sage, foremost knower of Shiva, listen today with reverence to that glory — purifying, auspicious, supreme, and ever increasing devotion."

Verse 7 (shiva.rudra.73.7)

आगत्य स्वगिरिं शम्भुः प्रियाविरहकातरः । सस्मार स्वप्रियां देवीं सतीं प्राणाधिकां हृदा

āgatya svagiriṁ śambhuḥ priyāvirahakātaraḥ sasmāra svapriyāṁ devīṁ satīṁ prāṇādhikāṁ hṛdā

Having come to his own mountain, Shambhu, tormented by separation from his beloved, remembered in his heart the goddess Sati, dearer to him than life itself.

Verse 8 (shiva.rudra.73.8)

गणानाभाष्य शोचंस्तां तद्गुणान्प्रेमवर्धनान् । वर्णयामास सुप्रीत्या दर्शयँल्लौकिकीं गतिम्

gaṇānābhāṣya śocaṁstāṁ tadguṇānpremavardhanān varṇayāmāsa suprītyā darśaya~llaukikīṁ gatim

Addressing his attendants and grieving for her, he described with great love those qualities of hers that deepened his longing, thereby displaying the ways of the world.

Verse 9 (shiva.rudra.73.9)

दिगम्बरो बभूवाथ त्यक्त्वा गार्हस्थ्यसद्गतिम् । पुनर्बभ्राम लोकान्वै सर्वान् लीलाविशारदः

digambaro babhūvātha tyaktvā gārhasthyasadgatim punarbabhrāma lokānvai sarvān līlāviśāradaḥ

Thereafter, abandoning the good order of household life, he became sky-clad, and, ever skilled in divine play, wandered again through all the worlds.

Verse 10 (shiva.rudra.73.10)

न प्राप दर्शनं क्वापि सतीविरहदुःखितः । पुनश्च गिरिमायातः शङ्करो भक्तशङ्करः

na prāpa darśanaṁ kvāpi satīvirahaduḥkhitaḥ punaśca girimāyātaḥ śaṅkaro bhaktaśaṅkaraḥ

Grieving for Sati, he found her nowhere in sight; and Shankara, who brings joy to his devotees, again came to the mountain.

Verse 11 (shiva.rudra.73.11)

समाधाय मनो यत्नात्समाधिं दुःखनाशनम् । चकार च ददर्शासौ स्वरूपं निजमव्ययम्

samādhāya mano yatnātsamādhiṁ duḥkhanāśanam cakāra ca dadarśāsau svarūpaṁ nijamavyayam

Fixing his mind through effort, he entered a sorrow-destroying trance, and beheld his own imperishable true form.

Verse 12 (shiva.rudra.73.12)

इत्थं चिरतरं स्थाणुस्तस्थौ ध्वस्तगुणत्रयः । निर्विकारी परं ब्रह्म मायाधीशः स्वयं प्रभुः

itthaṁ cirataraṁ sthāṇustasthau dhvastaguṇatrayaḥ nirvikārī paraṁ brahma māyādhīśaḥ svayaṁ prabhuḥ

Thus, motionless as a pillar, he remained for a very long time — beyond the three gunas, the changeless supreme Brahman, the master of Maya, the Lord himself.

Verse 13 (shiva.rudra.73.13)

ततः समाधिं तत्याज व्यतीयुर्ह्यमिताः समाः । यदा तदा बभूवाशु चरितं तद्वदामि वः

tataḥ samādhiṁ tatyāja vyatīyurhyamitāḥ samāḥ yadā tadā babhūvāśu caritaṁ tadvadāmi vaḥ

Then, when countless years had passed, he emerged from that trance; and what happened then — that deed I now relate to you.

Verse 14 (shiva.rudra.73.14)

प्रभोर्ललाटदेशात्तु यत्पृषच्छ्रमसम्भवम् । पपात धरणौ तत्र स बभूव शिशुर्द्रुतम्

prabhorlalāṭadeśāttu yatpṛṣacchramasambhavam papāta dharaṇau tatra sa babhūva śiśurdrutam

From the Lord's brow there fell to the earth a drop born of his exertion, and it at once became an infant.

Verse 15 (shiva.rudra.73.15)

चतुर्भुजोऽरुणाकारो रमणीयाकृतिर्मुने । अलौकिकद्युतिः श्रीमाँस्तेजस्वी परदुस्सहः

caturbhujo'ruṇākāro ramaṇīyākṛtirmune alaukikadyutiḥ śrīmā~stejasvī paradussahaḥ

Four-armed, ruddy in hue, of beautiful form, O sage; possessed of unearthly splendor, glorious and radiant, his brilliance unbearable to others.

Verse 16 (shiva.rudra.73.16)

रुरोद स शिशुस्तस्य पुरो हि परमेशितुः । प्राकृतात्मजवत्तत्र भवाचाररतस्य हि

ruroda sa śiśustasya puro hi parameśituḥ prākṛtātmajavattatra bhavācāraratasya hi

That infant wept there before the Supreme Lord, just like an ordinary child, since he was engaged there in the ways of the world.

Verse 17 (shiva.rudra.73.17)

तदा विचार्य सुधिया धृत्वा सुस्त्रीतनुं क्षितिः । आविर्बभूव तत्रैव भयमानीय शङ्करात्

tadā vicārya sudhiyā dhṛtvā sustrītanuṁ kṣitiḥ āvirbabhūva tatraiva bhayamānīya śaṅkarāt

Then, thinking with good judgment, and fearful of Shankara, the Earth assumed the form of a beautiful woman and appeared there at once.

Verse 18 (shiva.rudra.73.18)

तं बलं द्रुतमुत्थाय क्रोडायां निदधे वरम् । स्तन्यं सापाययत्प्रीत्या दुग्धं चोपरिसम्भवम्

taṁ balaṁ drutamutthāya kroḍāyāṁ nidadhe varam stanyaṁ sāpāyayatprītyā dugdhaṁ coparisambhavam

Rising at once, she took that fine child onto her lap, and with love gave him her breast to drink, the milk welling up of itself.

Verse 19 (shiva.rudra.73.19)

चुचुम्ब तन्मुखं स्नेहात्स्मित्वा क्रीडयदात्मजम् । सत्यभावात्स्वयं माता परमेशहितावहा

cucumba tanmukhaṁ snehātsmitvā krīḍayadātmajam satyabhāvātsvayaṁ mātā parameśahitāvahā

With tenderness she kissed his face, smiling, and played with him as her own child, truly and sincerely a mother, thereby doing a kindness to the Supreme Lord himself.

Verse 20 (shiva.rudra.73.20)

तद् दृष्ट्वा चरितं शम्भुः कौतुकी सूतिकृत्कृती । अन्तर्यामी विहस्याथोवाच ज्ञात्वा रसां हरः

tad dṛṣṭvā caritaṁ śambhuḥ kautukī sūtikṛtkṛtī antaryāmī vihasyāthovāca jñātvā rasāṁ haraḥ

Seeing this scene, Shambhu — curious, the skilled creator, the indwelling witness — smiled, and, recognizing the earth (Rasa) for who she was, Hara spoke.

Verse 21 (shiva.rudra.73.21)

धन्या त्वं धरणि प्रीत्या पालयैतं सुतं मम । त्वय्युद्भूतं श्रमजलान्महातेजस्विनो वरम्

dhanyā tvaṁ dharaṇi prītyā pālayaitaṁ sutaṁ mama tvayyudbhūtaṁ śramajalānmahātejasvino varam

"Blessed are you, O Earth! Nurture with love this son of mine, this excellent, greatly radiant child, born in you from the drop of my exertion."

Verse 22 (shiva.rudra.73.22)

मम श्रमकभूर्बालो यद्यपि प्रियकृत्क्षिते । त्वन्नाम्ना स्याद्भवेत्ख्यातस्त्रितापरहितः सदा

mama śramakabhūrbālo yadyapi priyakṛtkṣite tvannāmnā syādbhavetkhyātastritāparahitaḥ sadā

"Though this child, born of my exertion, becomes dear to you, O Earth, let him become famed by your own name, and remain forever free of the threefold affliction."

Verse 23 (shiva.rudra.73.23)

असौ बालः कुदाता हि भविष्यति गुणी तव । ममापि सुखदाता हि गृहाणैनं यथारुचि

asau bālaḥ kudātā hi bhaviṣyati guṇī tava mamāpi sukhadātā hi gṛhāṇainaṁ yathāruci

"This virtuous boy shall become a giver of land, yours to keep, and shall bring joy to me as well. Take him as you wish."

Verse 24 (shiva.rudra.73.24)

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्युक्त्वा विररामाथ किञ्चिद्विरहमुक्तधीः । लोकाचारकरो रुद्रो निर्विकारी सतां प्रियः

brahmovāca ityuktvā virarāmātha kiñcidvirahamuktadhīḥ lokācārakaro rudro nirvikārī satāṁ priyaḥ

Brahma said: "Having spoken thus, Rudra — follower of worldly custom, changeless, beloved of the virtuous, his mind briefly freed from grief — fell silent."

Verse 25 (shiva.rudra.73.25)

अपि क्षितिर्जगामाशु शिवाज्ञामधिगम्य सा । स्वस्थानं ससुता प्राप सुखमात्यन्तिकं च वै

api kṣitirjagāmāśu śivājñāmadhigamya sā svasthānaṁ sasutā prāpa sukhamātyantikaṁ ca vai

And Earth, having received Shiva's command, went at once, and with her son reached her own abode, attaining supreme happiness.

Verse 26 (shiva.rudra.73.26)

स बालो भौम इत्याख्यां प्राप्य भूत्वा युवा द्रुतम् । तस्यां काश्यां चिरं कालं सिषेवे शङ्करं प्रभुम्

sa bālo bhauma ityākhyāṁ prāpya bhūtvā yuvā drutam tasyāṁ kāśyāṁ ciraṁ kālaṁ siṣeve śaṅkaraṁ prabhum

That boy, receiving the name Bhauma, quickly grew into a young man, and served the Lord Shankara for a long time there in Kashi.

Verse 27 (shiva.rudra.73.27)

विश्वेश्वरप्रसादेन ग्रहत्वं प्राप्य भूमिजः । दिव्यं लोकं जगामाशु शुक्रलोकात्परं वरम्

viśveśvaraprasādena grahatvaṁ prāpya bhūmijaḥ divyaṁ lokaṁ jagāmāśu śukralokātparaṁ varam

By the grace of Vishveshvara, that son of Earth attained the status of a planet, and swiftly reached a divine realm superior even to the world of Shukra.

Verse 28 (shiva.rudra.73.28)

इत्युक्तं शम्भुचरितं सतीविरहसंयुतम् । तपस्याचरणं शम्भोः शृणु चादरतो मुने

ityuktaṁ śambhucaritaṁ satīvirahasaṁyutam tapasyācaraṇaṁ śambhoḥ śṛṇu cādarato mune

Thus has been told Shambhu's deed, bound up with his separation from Sati. Now listen with reverence, O sage, to the account of Shambhu's practice of austerity.