Shiva's Consolation to the Gods Terrified by Tarakasura

Verse 1 (shiva.rudra.79.1)

ब्रह्मोवाच । अथ ते निर्जराः सर्वे सुप्रणम्य प्रजेश्वरम् । तुष्टुवुः परया भक्त्या तारकेण प्रपीडिताः

brahmovāca atha te nirjarāḥ sarve supraṇamya prajeśvaram tuṣṭuvuḥ parayā bhaktyā tārakeṇa prapīḍitāḥ

Brahma said: "Then all those gods, tormented by Taraka, bowed low before me, the lord of creatures, and praised me with the deepest devotion."

Verse 2 (shiva.rudra.79.2)

अहं श्रुत्वामरनुतिं यथार्थां हृदयङ्गमाम् । सुप्रसन्नतरो भूत्वा प्रत्यवोचं दिवौकसः

ahaṁ śrutvāmaranutiṁ yathārthāṁ hṛdayaṅgamām suprasannataro bhūtvā pratyavocaṁ divaukasaḥ

Hearing the gods' praise — true and touching to the heart — I became greatly pleased and replied to those dwellers of heaven.

Verse 3 (shiva.rudra.79.3)

स्वागतं स्वाधिकारा वै निर्विघ्नाः सन्ति वः सुराः । किमर्थमागता यूयमत्र सर्वे वदन्तु मे

svāgataṁ svādhikārā vai nirvighnāḥ santi vaḥ surāḥ kimarthamāgatā yūyamatra sarve vadantu me

(I said:) "Welcome! O gods, are you secure and unhindered in your own domains? Tell me all of you — for what purpose have you come here?"

Verse 4 (shiva.rudra.79.4)

इति श्रुत्वा वचो मे ते नत्वा सर्वे दिवौकसः । मामूचुर्नतका दीनास्तारकेण प्रपीडिताः

iti śrutvā vaco me te natvā sarve divaukasaḥ māmūcurnatakā dīnāstārakeṇa prapīḍitāḥ

Hearing my words, all those heaven-dwellers, bowing their heads, wretched and afflicted by Taraka, addressed me.

Verse 5 (shiva.rudra.79.5)

देवा ऊचुः । लोकेश तारको दैत्यो वरेण तव दर्पितः । निरस्यास्मान्हठात्स्थानान्यग्रहीन्नो बलात् स्वयम्

devā ūcuḥ lokeśa tārako daityo vareṇa tava darpitaḥ nirasyāsmānhaṭhātsthānānyagrahīnno balāt svayam

The gods said: "O lord of the worlds, the demon Taraka, made proud by your boon, has forcibly cast us out of our places and has himself seized them by force."

Verse 6 (shiva.rudra.79.6)

भवतः किमु न ज्ञातं दुःखं यन्नः उपस्थितम् । तद्दुःखं नाशय क्षिप्रं वयं ते शरणं गताः

bhavataḥ kimu na jñātaṁ duḥkhaṁ yannaḥ upasthitam tadduḥkhaṁ nāśaya kṣipraṁ vayaṁ te śaraṇaṁ gatāḥ

"Is the suffering that has befallen us not known to you? Destroy that suffering swiftly — we have come to you for refuge."

Verse 7 (shiva.rudra.79.7)

अहर्निशं बाधतेऽस्मान् यत्र तत्रास्थितान्स वै । पलायमानाः पश्यामो यत्र तत्रापि तारकम्

aharniśaṁ bādhate'smān yatra tatrāsthitānsa vai palāyamānāḥ paśyāmo yatra tatrāpi tārakam

Day and night he torments us, wherever we take shelter; even as we flee, we find Taraka before us at every turn.

Verse 8 (shiva.rudra.79.8)

तारकान्नश्च यद्दुःखं सम्भूतं सकलेश्वर । तेन सर्वे वयं तात पीडिता विकला अति

tārakānnaśca yadduḥkhaṁ sambhūtaṁ sakaleśvara tena sarve vayaṁ tāta pīḍitā vikalā ati

"O lord of all, the suffering that has come upon us because of Taraka — by that, O father, all of us are exceedingly afflicted and distraught."

Verse 9 (shiva.rudra.79.9)

अग्निर्यमोऽथ वरुणो निरृतिर्वायुरेव च । अन्ये दिक्पतयश्चापि सर्वे यद्वशगामिनः

agniryamo'tha varuṇo nirṛtirvāyureva ca anye dikpatayaścāpi sarve yadvaśagāminaḥ

Agni, Yama, Varuna, Nirriti, and Vayu, and all the other guardians of the quarters as well — all have come under his sway.

Verse 10 (shiva.rudra.79.10)

सर्वे मनुष्यधर्माणःसर्वैः परिकरैर्युताः । सेवन्ते तं महादैत्यं न स्वतन्त्राः कदाचन

sarve manuṣyadharmāṇaḥsarvaiḥ parikarairyutāḥ sevante taṁ mahādaityaṁ na svatantrāḥ kadācana

All of us, bound now like ordinary mortals to servile duty, together with our whole retinues, serve that great demon; we are never free.

Verse 11 (shiva.rudra.79.11)

एवं तेनार्दिता देवा वशगास्तस्य सर्वदा । तदिच्छाकार्यनिरताः सर्वे तस्यानुजीविनः

evaṁ tenārditā devā vaśagāstasya sarvadā tadicchākāryaniratāḥ sarve tasyānujīvinaḥ

Thus tormented by him, we gods remain ever subject to his control, all of us intent on carrying out his desires, mere dependents living under him.

Verse 12 (shiva.rudra.79.12)

यावत्यो वनिताः सर्वा ये चाप्यप्सरसां गणाः । सर्वांस्तानग्रहीद्दैत्यस्तारकोऽसौ महाबली

yāvatyo vanitāḥ sarvā ye cāpyapsarasāṁ gaṇāḥ sarvāṁstānagrahīddaityastārako'sau mahābalī

All the women there are, and all the hosts of Apsarases besides — every one of them has that mighty demon Taraka seized for himself.

Verse 13 (shiva.rudra.79.13)

न यज्ञाःसम्प्रवर्तन्ते न तपस्यन्ति तापसाः । दानधर्मादिकं किञ्चिन्न लोकेषु प्रवर्त्तते

na yajñāḥsampravartante na tapasyanti tāpasāḥ dānadharmādikaṁ kiñcinna lokeṣu pravarttate

No sacrifices are performed any longer; ascetics no longer practice austerity; nothing of charity or dharma continues at all in the worlds.

Verse 14 (shiva.rudra.79.14)

तस्य सेनापतिः क्रौञ्चो महापाप्यस्ति दानवः । स पातालतलं गत्वा बाधते त्वनिशं प्रजाः

tasya senāpatiḥ krauñco mahāpāpyasti dānavaḥ sa pātālatalaṁ gatvā bādhate tvaniśaṁ prajāḥ

His general is Kraunca, a most sinful demon, who has gone down to the depths of Patala and there ceaselessly harasses the people.

Verse 15 (shiva.rudra.79.15)

तेन नस्तारकेणेदं सकलं भुवनत्रयम् । हृतं हठाज्जगद्धातः पापेनाकरुणात्मना

tena nastārakeṇedaṁ sakalaṁ bhuvanatrayam hṛtaṁ haṭhājjagaddhātaḥ pāpenākaruṇātmanā

O sustainer of the universe, by that sinful, merciless Taraka, this entire threefold world of ours has been seized by force.

Verse 16 (shiva.rudra.79.16)

वयं च तत्र यास्यामो यत्स्थानं त्वं विनिर्दिशेः । स्वस्थास्तद्वारितास्तेन लोकनाथ सुरारिणा

vayaṁ ca tatra yāsyāmo yatsthānaṁ tvaṁ vinirdiśeḥ svasthāstadvāritāstena lokanātha surāriṇā

We shall go wherever place you direct, O lord of worlds; for that enemy of the gods has barred us from our own secure abodes.

Verse 17 (shiva.rudra.79.17)

त्वं नो गतिश्च शास्ता च धाता त्राता त्वमेव हि । वयं सर्वे तारकाख्यवह्नौ दग्धाः सुविह्वलाः

tvaṁ no gatiśca śāstā ca dhātā trātā tvameva hi vayaṁ sarve tārakākhyavahnau dagdhāḥ suvihvalāḥ

You alone are our refuge, our ruler, our sustainer, and our protector; all of us have been scorched by the very fire that is Taraka, and are utterly overwhelmed.

Verse 18 (shiva.rudra.79.18)

तेन क्रूरा उपाय नः सर्वे हतबलाः कृताः । विकारे सान्निपाते वा वीर्यवन्त्यौषधानि च

tena krūrā upāya naḥ sarve hatabalāḥ kṛtāḥ vikāre sānnipāte vā vīryavantyauṣadhāni ca

By that cruel one, our strength has all been destroyed, just as potent medicines lose their power in a disorder where all three humors are deranged at once.

Verse 19 (shiva.rudra.79.19)

यत्रास्माकं जयाशा हि हरिचक्रे सुदर्शने । तत्कुण्ठितमभूत्तस्य कण्ठे पुष्पमिवार्पितम्

yatrāsmākaṁ jayāśā hi haricakre sudarśane tatkuṇṭhitamabhūttasya kaṇṭhe puṣpamivārpitam

Even Hari's own discus, Sudarshana, in which our hope of victory rested, has been blunted against him, as though it were nothing more than a garland placed round his neck.

Verse 20 (shiva.rudra.79.20)

ब्रह्मोवाच इत्येतद्वचनं श्रुत्वा निर्जराणामहं मुने । प्रत्यवोचं सुरान्सर्वांस्तत्कालसदृशं वचः

brahmovāca ityetadvacanaṁ śrutvā nirjarāṇāmahaṁ mune pratyavocaṁ surānsarvāṁstatkālasadṛśaṁ vacaḥ

Brahma said: "Hearing these words of the gods, O sage, I replied to all of them with words suited to that moment."

Verse 21 (shiva.rudra.79.21)

ब्रह्मोवाच ममैव वचसा दैत्यस्तारकाख्यः समेधितः । न मत्तस्तस्य हननं युज्यते हि दिवौकसः

brahmovāca mamaiva vacasā daityastārakākhyaḥ samedhitaḥ na mattastasya hananaṁ yujyate hi divaukasaḥ

Brahma said: "It is by my own word alone that the demon called Taraka has flourished; therefore, O dwellers of heaven, it is not fitting that his death come at my hand."

Verse 22 (shiva.rudra.79.22)

ततो नैव वधो योग्यो यतो वृद्धिमुपागतः । विषवृक्षोऽपि संवर्ध्य स्वयं छेत्तुमसाम्प्रतम्

tato naiva vadho yogyo yato vṛddhimupāgataḥ viṣavṛkṣo'pi saṁvardhya svayaṁ chettumasāmpratam

"Therefore his death at my hands is not fitting, for he has grown to this greatness through me; just as it is unbecoming for one who has nurtured a poison-tree to be the one who fells it."

Verse 23 (shiva.rudra.79.23)

युष्माकं चाखिलं कार्यं कर्तुं योग्यो हि शङ्करः । किन्तु स्वयं न शक्तो हि प्रतिकर्तुं प्रचोदितः

yuṣmākaṁ cākhilaṁ kāryaṁ kartuṁ yogyo hi śaṅkaraḥ kintu svayaṁ na śakto hi pratikartuṁ pracoditaḥ

"It is Shankara alone who is capable of accomplishing this whole task of yours; yet he himself is unable to act unless he is first moved to it."

Verse 24 (shiva.rudra.79.24)

तारकाख्यस्तु पापेन स्वयमेष्यति सङ्क्षयम् । यथा यूयं संविदध्वमुपदेशकरस्त्वहम्

tārakākhyastu pāpena svayameṣyati saṅkṣayam yathā yūyaṁ saṁvidadhvamupadeśakarastvaham

"That Taraka shall, through his own wrongdoing, bring about his own destruction. Do as I now instruct you — I am but the one who gives the counsel."

Verse 25 (shiva.rudra.79.25)

न मया तारको वध्यो हरिणापि हरेण च । नान्येनापि सुरैर्वापि मद्वरात्सत्यमुच्यते

na mayā tārako vadhyo hariṇāpi hareṇa ca nānyenāpi surairvāpi madvarātsatyamucyate

"Taraka cannot be slain by me, nor by Hari, nor by Hara; nor by any other, nor even by the gods — by my own boon, this is declared as truth."

Verse 26 (shiva.rudra.79.26)

शिववीर्यसमुत्पन्नो यदि स्यात्तनयः सुराः । स एव तारकाख्यस्य हन्ता दैत्यस्य नापरः

śivavīryasamutpanno yadi syāttanayaḥ surāḥ sa eva tārakākhyasya hantā daityasya nāparaḥ

"If a son, born of Shiva's own seed, should come into being, O gods, he alone shall be the slayer of the demon Taraka — and no one else."

Verse 27 (shiva.rudra.79.27)

यमुपायमहं वच्मि तं कुरुध्वं सुरोत्तमाः । महादेवप्रसादेन सिद्धिमेष्यति स ध्रुवम्

yamupāyamahaṁ vacmi taṁ kurudhvaṁ surottamāḥ mahādevaprasādena siddhimeṣyati sa dhruvam

"Carry out the plan that I now set forth, O best of gods; by Mahadeva's grace, it shall surely be accomplished."

Verse 28 (shiva.rudra.79.28)

सती दाक्षायणी पूर्वं त्यक्तदेहा तु याभवत् । सोत्पन्ना मेनकागर्भात्सा कथा विदिता हि वः

satī dākṣāyaṇī pūrvaṁ tyaktadehā tu yābhavat sotpannā menakāgarbhātsā kathā viditā hi vaḥ

Sati, daughter of Daksha, who once cast off her body — that same one has now been born of Menaka's womb; this story is already known to you.

Verse 29 (shiva.rudra.79.29)

तस्या अवश्यं गिरिशः करिष्यति करग्रहम् । तत्कुरुध्वमुपायं च तथापि त्रिदिवौकसः

tasyā avaśyaṁ giriśaḥ kariṣyati karagraham tatkurudhvamupāyaṁ ca tathāpi tridivaukasaḥ

Girisha shall certainly take her hand in marriage; even so, O dwellers of the highest heaven, you must devise the means to bring it about.

Verse 30 (shiva.rudra.79.30)

तथा विधध्वं सुतरां तस्यां तु परियत्नतः । पार्वत्यां मेनकाजायां रेतःप्रतिनिपातने

tathā vidhadhvaṁ sutarāṁ tasyāṁ tu pariyatnataḥ pārvatyāṁ menakājāyāṁ retaḥpratinipātane

So arrange, with utmost effort, that his seed may fall into her — Parvati, the daughter of Menaka.

Verse 31 (shiva.rudra.79.31)

तमूर्ध्वरेतसं शम्भुं सैव प्रच्युतरेतसम् । कर्तुं समर्था नान्यास्ति तथा काप्यबला बलात्

tamūrdhvaretasaṁ śambhuṁ saiva pracyutaretasam kartuṁ samarthā nānyāsti tathā kāpyabalā balāt

There is no woman other than her capable of making Shambhu — whose seed ever flows upward, never downward — release his seed; nor could any lesser woman accomplish it by force.

Verse 32 (shiva.rudra.79.32)

सा सुता गिरिराजस्य साम्प्रतं प्रौढयौवना । तपस्यन्तं हिमगिरौ नित्यं संसेवते हरम्

sā sutā girirājasya sāmprataṁ prauḍhayauvanā tapasyantaṁ himagirau nityaṁ saṁsevate haram

That daughter of the mountain-king, now come into the full bloom of youth, ever renders service to Hara, who is performing austerity upon the Himalaya.

Verse 33 (shiva.rudra.79.33)

वाक्याद्धिमवतः काली स्वपितुर्हठतश्शिवा । सखीभ्यां सेवते सार्धं ध्यानस्थं परमेश्वरम्

vākyāddhimavataḥ kālī svapiturhaṭhataśśivā sakhībhyāṁ sevate sārdhaṁ dhyānasthaṁ parameśvaram

At Himavat's word, and through her father's own insistence, Kali, the auspicious one, together with her two companions, serves the Supreme Lord, who remains established in meditation.

Verse 34 (shiva.rudra.79.34)

तामग्रतोऽर्चमानां वै त्रैलोक्ये वरवर्णिनीम् । ध्यानासक्तो महेशो हि मनसापि न हीयते

tāmagrato'rcamānāṁ vai trailokye varavarṇinīm dhyānāsakto maheśo hi manasāpi na hīyate

Even as she, the most beautiful woman in the three worlds, worships before him, Mahesha, absorbed in meditation, remains unmoved even in mind.

Verse 35 (shiva.rudra.79.35)

भार्यां समीहेत यथा स कालीं चन्द्रशेखरः । तथा विधध्वं त्रिदशा न चिरादेव यत्नतः

bhāryāṁ samīheta yathā sa kālīṁ candraśekharaḥ tathā vidhadhvaṁ tridaśā na cirādeva yatnataḥ

O gods, contrive without delay, through your own efforts, that Chandrashekhara come to desire Kali as his wife.

Verse 36 (shiva.rudra.79.36)

स्थानं गत्वाथ दैत्यस्य तमहं तारकं ततः । निवारयिष्ये कुहठात्स्वस्थानं गच्छतामराः

sthānaṁ gatvātha daityasya tamahaṁ tārakaṁ tataḥ nivārayiṣye kuhaṭhātsvasthānaṁ gacchatāmarāḥ

"Then I myself shall go to that demon's abode and restrain Taraka from his evil obstinacy — go now, O immortals, each to your own place."

Verse 37 (shiva.rudra.79.37)

इत्युक्त्वाहं सुरान् शीघ्रं तारकाख्यासुरस्य वै । उपसङ्गम्य सुप्रीत्या समाभाष्येदमब्रवम्

ityuktvāhaṁ surān śīghraṁ tārakākhyāsurasya vai upasaṅgamya suprītyā samābhāṣyedamabravam

Having said this to the gods, I went at once to the demon called Taraka, and, approaching him with great warmth, addressed him thus.

Verse 38 (shiva.rudra.79.38)

ब्रह्मोवाच तेजोःसारमिमं स्वर्गं राज्यं त्वं परिपासि नः । यदर्थं सुतपस्तप्तं वाञ्छसि त्वं ततोऽधिकम्

brahmovāca tejoḥsāramimaṁ svargaṁ rājyaṁ tvaṁ paripāsi naḥ yadarthaṁ sutapastaptaṁ vāñchasi tvaṁ tato'dhikam

Brahma said: "This radiant heavenly kingdom, which you now govern in our stead, was itself the goal for which you performed your excellent austerity; yet you desire even more than that."

Verse 39 (shiva.rudra.79.39)

वरश्चाप्यवरो दत्तो न मया स्वर्गराज्यता । तस्मात्स्वर्गं परित्यज्य क्षितौ राज्यं समाचर

varaścāpyavaro datto na mayā svargarājyatā tasmātsvargaṁ parityajya kṣitau rājyaṁ samācara

"Moreover, the boon I granted was never, in truth, sovereignty over heaven; therefore, giving up heaven, exercise your rule instead upon the earth."

Verse 40 (shiva.rudra.79.40)

देवयोग्यानि तत्रैव कार्याणि निखिलान्यपि । भविष्यन्त्यसुरश्रेष्ठ नात्र कार्या विचारणा

devayogyāni tatraiva kāryāṇi nikhilānyapi bhaviṣyantyasuraśreṣṭha nātra kāryā vicāraṇā

"All the tasks proper to the gods shall remain theirs there, in heaven, O best of demons; there is nothing further to deliberate here."

Verse 41 (shiva.rudra.79.41)

इत्युक्त्वाहं च सम्बोध्यासुरं तं सकलेश्वरः । स्मृत्वा शिवां च सशिवं तत्रान्तर्धानमागतः

ityuktvāhaṁ ca sambodhyāsuraṁ taṁ sakaleśvaraḥ smṛtvā śivāṁ ca saśivaṁ tatrāntardhānamāgataḥ

Having said this, and having thus counseled that demon, I, the lord of all, calling to mind Shiva together with Shiva (Parvati), vanished from that place.

Verse 42 (shiva.rudra.79.42)

तारकोऽपि परित्यज्य स्वर्गं क्षितिमथाभ्यगात् । शोणिताख्यपुरे स्थित्वा सर्वराज्यं चकार सः

tārako'pi parityajya svargaṁ kṣitimathābhyagāt śoṇitākhyapure sthitvā sarvarājyaṁ cakāra saḥ

Taraka too, giving up heaven, then descended to the earth, and, taking up residence in the city of Shonitapura, ruled over the whole kingdom.

Verse 43 (shiva.rudra.79.43)

देवाःसर्वेऽपि तच्छुत्वा मद्वाक्यं सुप्रणम्य माम् । शक्रस्थानं ययुः प्रीत्या शक्रेण सुसमाहिताः

devāḥsarve'pi tacchutvā madvākyaṁ supraṇamya mām śakrasthānaṁ yayuḥ prītyā śakreṇa susamāhitāḥ

All the gods, hearing my word, bowed low to me, and, in full accord with Shakra, went gladly together to Shakra's abode.

Verse 44 (shiva.rudra.79.44)

तत्र गत्वा मिलित्वा च विचार्य च परस्परम् । ते सर्वे मरुतः प्रीत्या मघवन्तं वचोऽब्रुवन्

tatra gatvā militvā ca vicārya ca parasparam te sarve marutaḥ prītyā maghavantaṁ vaco'bruvan

Going there, and gathering together, and deliberating among themselves, all those Maruts spoke these words with gladness to Maghavan, Indra.

Verse 45 (shiva.rudra.79.45)

देवा ऊचुः । शम्भोर्यथा शिवायां वै रुचिर्जायेत कामतः । मघवंस्ते प्रकर्तव्यं ब्रह्मोक्तं सर्वमेव तत्

devā ūcuḥ śambhoryathā śivāyāṁ vai rucirjāyeta kāmataḥ maghavaṁste prakartavyaṁ brahmoktaṁ sarvameva tat

The gods said: "O Maghavan, whatever Brahma has instructed — by whatever means Shambhu's desire for Shiva (Parvati) may be kindled — all of that should now be carried out by you."

Verse 46 (shiva.rudra.79.46)

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्येवं सर्ववृत्तान्तं विनिवेद्य सुरेश्वरम् । जग्मुस्ते सर्वतो देवाः स्वं स्वं स्थानं मुदान्विताः

brahmovāca ityevaṁ sarvavṛttāntaṁ vinivedya sureśvaram jagmuste sarvato devāḥ svaṁ svaṁ sthānaṁ mudānvitāḥ

Brahma said: "Having thus related the whole account to the lord of the gods, all those gods, from every quarter, went, filled with joy, each to his own abode."