The Account of the Vadava Fire

Verse 1 (shiva.rudra.83.1)

नारद उवाच । विधे नेत्रसमुद्भूतवह्निज्वाला हरस्य सा । गता कुत्र वद त्वं तच्चरितं शशिमौलिनः

nārada uvāca vidhe netrasamudbhūtavahnijvālā harasya sā gatā kutra vada tvaṁ taccaritaṁ śaśimaulinaḥ

Narada said: "O Brahma, tell me where that flame of fire, born from Hara's eye, went. Tell me this deed of Shashimauli (Shiva)."

Verse 2 (shiva.rudra.83.2)

ब्रह्मोवाच । यदा भस्म चकाराशु तृतीयनयनानलः । शम्भोः कामं प्रजज्वाल सर्वतो विफलस्तदा

brahmovāca yadā bhasma cakārāśu tṛtīyanayanānalaḥ śambhoḥ kāmaṁ prajajvāla sarvato viphalastadā

Brahma said: When the fire of the third eye had swiftly reduced Kama to ashes, Shambhu's wrath, though its purpose was spent, went on blazing in every direction.

Verse 3 (shiva.rudra.83.3)

हाहाकारो महानासीत् त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे । सर्वे देवर्षयस्तात शरणं मां ययुर्द्रुतम्

hāhākāro mahānāsīt trailokye sacarācare sarve devarṣayastāta śaraṇaṁ māṁ yayurdrutam

A great cry of distress rose through all three worlds, moving and unmoving alike; O dear one, all the gods and sages hastened swiftly to me for refuge.

Verse 4 (shiva.rudra.83.4)

सर्वे निवेदयामासुस्तद्दुःखं मह्यमाकुलाः । सुप्रणम्य सुसंस्तूय करौ बद्ध्वा नताननाः

sarve nivedayāmāsustadduḥkhaṁ mahyamākulāḥ supraṇamya susaṁstūya karau baddhvā natānanāḥ

All of them, distraught, having duly bowed and praised me, with joined palms and bowed heads, laid their distress before me.

Verse 5 (shiva.rudra.83.5)

तच्छ्रुत्वाहं शिवं स्मृत्वा तद्धेतुं सुविमृश्य च । गतस्तत्र विनीतात्मा त्रिलोकावनहेतवे

tacchrutvāhaṁ śivaṁ smṛtvā taddhetuṁ suvimṛśya ca gatastatra vinītātmā trilokāvanahetave

Hearing this, and calling Shiva to mind, and reflecting well upon the cause of that distress, I went there, my mind made humble, for the protection of the three worlds.

Verse 6 (shiva.rudra.83.6)

सन्दग्धुकामः स शुचिर्ज्वालामालातिदीपितः । स्तम्भितोऽरं मया शम्भुप्रसादाप्तसुतेजसा

sandagdhukāmaḥ sa śucirjvālāmālātidīpitaḥ stambhito'raṁ mayā śambhuprasādāptasutejasā

That pure fire, blazing bright with its garland of flames, was eager to consume everything; I restrained it at once, by the power granted to me through Shambhu's grace.

Verse 7 (shiva.rudra.83.7)

अथ क्रोधमयं वह्निं दग्धुकामं जगत्त्रयम् । वाडवं तमकर्षं च सौम्यज्वालामुखं मुने

atha krodhamayaṁ vahniṁ dagdhukāmaṁ jagattrayam vāḍavaṁ tamakarṣaṁ ca saumyajvālāmukhaṁ mune

O sage, then I drew forth that fire of wrath, which desired to burn the three worlds, and gave it the gentle-mouthed form of Vadava, the submarine fire.

Verse 8 (shiva.rudra.83.8)

तं वाडवतनुमहं समादाय शिवेच्छया । सागरं समगां लोकहिताय जगतां पतिः

taṁ vāḍavatanumahaṁ samādāya śivecchayā sāgaraṁ samagāṁ lokahitāya jagatāṁ patiḥ

By Shiva's own will, taking that fire in its Vadava form, I, lord of the worlds, went for the benefit of creation to the ocean.

Verse 9 (shiva.rudra.83.9)

आगतं मां समालोक्य सागरस्साञ्जलिर्मुने । धृत्वा च पौरुषं रूपमागतः सन्निधिं मम

āgataṁ māṁ samālokya sāgarassāñjalirmune dhṛtvā ca pauruṣaṁ rūpamāgataḥ sannidhiṁ mama

O sage, seeing me arrive, the ocean, with joined palms, assumed a human form and came before me.

Verse 10 (shiva.rudra.83.10)

सुप्रणम्याथ मां सिन्धुः संस्तूय च यथाविधि । स मामुवाच सुप्रीत्या सर्वलोकपितामहम्

supraṇamyātha māṁ sindhuḥ saṁstūya ca yathāvidhi sa māmuvāca suprītyā sarvalokapitāmaham

Then Sindhu (the ocean), having duly bowed to me and praised me according to rite, spoke to me, the grandfather of all worlds, with great affection.

Verse 11 (shiva.rudra.83.11)

सागर उवाच । किमर्थमागतोऽसि त्वं ब्रह्मन्नत्राखिलाधिप । तन्निदेशय सुप्रीत्या मत्वा मां च स्वसेवकम्

sāgara uvāca kimarthamāgato'si tvaṁ brahmannatrākhilādhipa tannideśaya suprītyā matvā māṁ ca svasevakam

The ocean said: "O Brahma, lord of all, for what purpose have you come here? Regarding me as your own servant, instruct me with affection."

Verse 12 (shiva.rudra.83.12)

अथाहं सागरवचः श्रुत्वा प्रीतिपुरस्सरम् । प्रावोचं शङ्करं स्मृत्वा लौकिकं हितमावहन्

athāhaṁ sāgaravacaḥ śrutvā prītipurassaram prāvocaṁ śaṅkaraṁ smṛtvā laukikaṁ hitamāvahan

Then, hearing the ocean's words, I spoke with affection, calling Shankara to mind, and bringing about the world's own benefit.

Verse 13 (shiva.rudra.83.13)

ब्रह्मोवाच । शृणु तात महाधीमन्सर्वलोकहितावह । वच्म्यहं प्रीतितःसिन्धो शिवेच्छाप्रेरितो हृदा

brahmovāca śṛṇu tāta mahādhīmansarvalokahitāvaha vacmyahaṁ prītitaḥsindho śivecchāprerito hṛdā

Brahma said: "Listen, O dear one, O most wise, O bringer of benefit to all the worlds. O ocean, moved by Shiva's own will, I speak to you from my heart, with affection."

Verse 14 (shiva.rudra.83.14)

अयं क्रोधो महेशस्य वाडवात्मा महाप्रभुः । दग्ध्वा कामं द्रुतं सर्वं दग्धुकामोऽभवत्ततः

ayaṁ krodho maheśasya vāḍavātmā mahāprabhuḥ dagdhvā kāmaṁ drutaṁ sarvaṁ dagdhukāmo'bhavattataḥ

"This wrath of Mahesha, in its great and mighty form of Vadava, having swiftly burned Kama entirely to ashes, then desired to consume everything else as well."

Verse 15 (shiva.rudra.83.15)

प्रार्थितोऽहं सुरैः शीघ्रं पीडितैः शङ्करेच्छया । तत्रागत्य द्रुतं तं वै तात स्तम्भितवान् शुचिम्

prārthito'haṁ suraiḥ śīghraṁ pīḍitaiḥ śaṅkarecchayā tatrāgatya drutaṁ taṁ vai tāta stambhitavān śucim

"Entreated swiftly by the gods, who were themselves distressed by Shankara's own will, O dear one, I went there and was able to restrain that pure fire at once."

Verse 16 (shiva.rudra.83.16)

वाडवं रूपमाधत्त तमादायागतोऽत्र ह । निर्दिशामि जलाधार त्वामहं करुणाकरः

vāḍavaṁ rūpamādhatta tamādāyāgato'tra ha nirdiśāmi jalādhāra tvāmahaṁ karuṇākaraḥ

"Having made it take the form of Vadava, I have brought it here; O receptacle of the waters, I, a fount of compassion, now instruct you."

Verse 17 (shiva.rudra.83.17)

अयं क्रोधी महेशस्य वाडवं रूपमाश्रितः । ज्वालामुखस्त्वया धार्यो यावदाभूतसम्प्लवम्

ayaṁ krodhī maheśasya vāḍavaṁ rūpamāśritaḥ jvālāmukhastvayā dhāryo yāvadābhūtasamplavam

"This wrath of Mahesha, taken refuge in the form of Vadava, is flame-mouthed; you must hold and contain it until the very dissolution of all beings."

Verse 18 (shiva.rudra.83.18)

यदात्राहं समागम्य वत्स्यामि सरितां पते । तदा त्वया परित्याज्यः क्रोधोऽयं शाङ्करोऽद्भुतः

yadātrāhaṁ samāgamya vatsyāmi saritāṁ pate tadā tvayā parityājyaḥ krodho'yaṁ śāṅkaro'dbhutaḥ

"When I come again, O lord of rivers, and dwell here once more, only then may this wondrous wrath of Shankara be released by you."

Verse 19 (shiva.rudra.83.19)

भोजनं तोयमेतस्य तव नित्यं भविष्यति । यत्नादेवावधार्योऽयं यथा नोपैति चान्तरम्

bhojanaṁ toyametasya tava nityaṁ bhaviṣyati yatnādevāvadhāryo'yaṁ yathā nopaiti cāntaram

"Water alone shall ever be its food -- your own waters; you must guard it with utmost care, so that it never breaks free."

Verse 20 (shiva.rudra.83.20)

इत्युक्तो हि मया सिन्धुरङ्गीचक्रे तदा ध्रुवम् । ग्रहीतुं वाडवं वह्निं रौद्रं चाशक्यमन्यतः

ityukto hi mayā sindhuraṅgīcakre tadā dhruvam grahītuṁ vāḍavaṁ vahniṁ raudraṁ cāśakyamanyataḥ

Thus addressed by me, the ocean firmly agreed to receive that fierce and unbearable Vadava fire, which no other could have contained.

Verse 21 (shiva.rudra.83.21)

ततः प्रविष्टो जलधौ स वाडवतनुः शुचिः । वार्यौघान्सुदहंस्तस्य ज्वालामालाभिदीपितः

tataḥ praviṣṭo jaladhau sa vāḍavatanuḥ śuciḥ vāryaughānsudahaṁstasya jvālāmālābhidīpitaḥ

Thereafter that pure, Vadava-bodied fire entered the ocean, and, blazing bright with its garlands of flame, began to burn the very floods of water.

Verse 22 (shiva.rudra.83.22)

ततःसन्तुष्टचेतस्कः स्वं धामाहं गतो मुने । अन्तर्धानमगात्सिन्धुर्दिव्यरूपः प्रणम्य माम्

tataḥsantuṣṭacetaskaḥ svaṁ dhāmāhaṁ gato mune antardhānamagātsindhurdivyarūpaḥ praṇamya mām

O sage, then, my mind well content, I returned to my own abode; and the ocean, assuming once more its divine form, bowed to me and vanished from sight.

Verse 23 (shiva.rudra.83.23)

स्वास्थ्यं प्राप जगत्सर्वं निर्मुक्तं तद्भवाद्भयात् । देवा बभूवुः सुखिनो मुनयश्च महामुने

svāsthyaṁ prāpa jagatsarvaṁ nirmuktaṁ tadbhavādbhayāt devā babhūvuḥ sukhino munayaśca mahāmune

The whole world, freed from that fear, found peace once more; and, O great sage, both the gods and the sages became happy again.