The Sadhu-Brahmin Incarnation: Testing Himalaya's Resolve

Verse 1 (shiva.shatarudra.35.1)

नन्दीश्वर उवाच । सनत्कुमार सर्वज्ञ शिवस्य परमात्मनः । अवतारं शृणु विभोः साधुवेषद्विजाह्वयम्

nandīśvara uvāca sanatkumāra sarvajña śivasya paramātmanaḥ avatāraṁ śṛṇu vibhoḥ sādhuveṣadvijāhvayam

Nandishvara said: "O all-knowing Sanatkumara, hear now the avatara of the Lord called Sadhu-Vesha-Dvija, the Brahmin in a Sadhu's Guise."

Verse 2 (shiva.shatarudra.35.2)

मेनाहिमालयोर्भक्तिं शिवे ज्ञात्वा महोत्तमाम् । चिन्तामापुः सुराः सर्वे मन्त्रयामासुरादरात्

menāhimālayorbhaktiṁ śive jñātvā mahottamām cintāmāpuḥ surāḥ sarve mantrayāmāsurādarāt

Learning of Mena and Himalaya's supreme devotion to Shiva, all the gods grew troubled, and respectfully took counsel among themselves.

Verse 3 (shiva.shatarudra.35.3)

एकान्तभक्त्या शैलश्चेत्कन्यां दास्यति शम्भवे । ध्रुवं निर्वाणतां सद्यः सम्प्राप्स्यति शिवस्य वै

ekāntabhaktyā śailaścetkanyāṁ dāsyati śambhave dhruvaṁ nirvāṇatāṁ sadyaḥ samprāpsyati śivasya vai

"If the Mountain, out of single-minded devotion, gives his daughter to Shambhu, he shall surely attain Shiva's own liberation at once."

Verse 4 (shiva.shatarudra.35.4)

अनन्तरत्नाधारोऽसौ चेत्प्रयास्यति मोक्षताम् । रत्नगर्भाभिधा भूमिर्मिथ्यैव भविता ध्रुवम्

anantaratnādhāro'sau cetprayāsyati mokṣatām ratnagarbhābhidhā bhūmirmithyaiva bhavitā dhruvam

"If this holder of boundless jewels attains liberation, then the earth's own name, Ratnagarbha, 'Jewel-Wombed,' will surely be proven false."

Verse 5 (shiva.shatarudra.35.5)

स्थावरत्वं परित्यज्य दिव्यरूपं विधाय सः । कन्यां शूलभृते दत्त्वा शिवलोकं गमिष्यति

sthāvaratvaṁ parityajya divyarūpaṁ vidhāya saḥ kanyāṁ śūlabhṛte dattvā śivalokaṁ gamiṣyati

"Giving up his fixed, unmoving nature and taking on a divine form, he will give his daughter to the wielder of the trident and go to Shiva's own world."

Verse 6 (shiva.shatarudra.35.6)

महादेवस्य सारूप्यं प्राप्य शम्भोरनुग्रहात् । तत्र भुक्त्वा महाभोगांस्ततो मोक्षमवाप्स्यति

mahādevasya sārūpyaṁ prāpya śambhoranugrahāt tatra bhuktvā mahābhogāṁstato mokṣamavāpsyati

"By Shambhu's grace attaining equal form with the Great God, and having enjoyed great pleasures there, he will afterward attain liberation."

Verse 7 (shiva.shatarudra.35.7)

इत्यालोच्य सुराः सर्वे जग्मुर्गुरुगृहं मुने । चक्रुर्निवेदनं गत्वा गुरवे स्वार्थसाधकाः

ityālocya surāḥ sarve jagmurgurugṛhaṁ mune cakrurnivedanaṁ gatvā gurave svārthasādhakāḥ

Having deliberated thus, O sage, all the gods went to the house of their Guru, and, seeking to secure their own purpose, laid their petition before him.

Verse 8 (shiva.shatarudra.35.8)

देवा ऊचुः । गुरो हिमालयगृहं गच्छास्मत्कार्यसिद्धये । कृत्वा निन्दां महेशस्य गिरिभक्तिं निवारय

devā ūcuḥ guro himālayagṛhaṁ gacchāsmatkāryasiddhaye kṛtvā nindāṁ maheśasya giribhaktiṁ nivāraya

The gods said: "O Guru, go to Himalaya's house for the accomplishment of our purpose; revile Mahesha, and thereby halt the Mountain's devotion."

Verse 9 (shiva.shatarudra.35.9)

स्वश्रद्धया सुतां दत्त्वा शिवाय स गिरिर्गुरो । लभेत मुक्तिमत्रैव धरण्यां स हि तिष्ठतु

svaśraddhayā sutāṁ dattvā śivāya sa girirguro labheta muktimatraiva dharaṇyāṁ sa hi tiṣṭhatu

"For if the Mountain, in his own faith, gives his daughter to Shiva, O Guru, he will win liberation on the spot — let him remain here upon the earth instead."

Verse 10 (shiva.shatarudra.35.10)

इति देववचः श्रुत्वा प्रोवाच च विचार्य तान्

iti devavacaḥ śrutvā provāca ca vicārya tān

Hearing these words of the gods, and reflecting on them, he spoke to them thus.

Verse 11 (shiva.shatarudra.35.11)

गुरुरुवाच । कश्चिन्मध्ये च युष्माकं गच्छेच्छैलान्तिकं सुराः । सम्पादयेत्स्वाभिमतमहं तत्कर्तुमक्षमः

gururuvāca kaścinmadhye ca yuṣmākaṁ gacchecchailāntikaṁ surāḥ sampādayetsvābhimatamahaṁ tatkartumakṣamaḥ

The Guru said: "Let one of you gods go to the Mountain's side and accomplish this as you wish — I am not able to do it."

Verse 12 (shiva.shatarudra.35.12)

अथवा गच्छत सुरा ब्रह्मलोकं सवासवाः । तस्मै वृत्तं कथय स्वं स वः कार्यं करिष्यति

athavā gacchata surā brahmalokaṁ savāsavāḥ tasmai vṛttaṁ kathaya svaṁ sa vaḥ kāryaṁ kariṣyati

"Or else, O gods, go together with Indra to Brahmaloka; tell him this whole matter, and he will accomplish your purpose."

Verse 13 (shiva.shatarudra.35.13)

नन्दीश्वर उवाच । तच्छ्रुत्वा ते समालोच्य जग्मुर्विधिसभां सुराः । सर्वं निवेदयामासुस्तद्वृत्तं पुरतो विधेः

nandīśvara uvāca tacchrutvā te samālocya jagmurvidhisabhāṁ surāḥ sarvaṁ nivedayāmāsustadvṛttaṁ purato vidheḥ

Nandishvara said: Hearing this, the gods took counsel among themselves, went to Brahma's assembly, and laid the whole account before Brahma.

Verse 14 (shiva.shatarudra.35.14)

अवोचत्तान्विधिः श्रुत्वा तद्वचः सुविचिन्त्य वै । नाहं करिष्ये तन्निन्दां दुःखदां कहरां सदा

avocattānvidhiḥ śrutvā tadvacaḥ suvicintya vai nāhaṁ kariṣye tannindāṁ duḥkhadāṁ kaharāṁ sadā

Hearing their words and carefully reflecting on them, Brahma said to them: "I will never perform that slander — a thing ever bringing sorrow and misery."

Verse 15 (shiva.shatarudra.35.15)

सुरा गच्छत कैलासं सन्तोषयत शङ्करम् । प्रस्थापयत तं देवं हिमालयगृहं प्रति

surā gacchata kailāsaṁ santoṣayata śaṅkaram prasthāpayata taṁ devaṁ himālayagṛhaṁ prati

"Go, O gods, to Kailasa and please Shankara; and prevail upon that god himself to go toward Himalaya's house."

Verse 16 (shiva.shatarudra.35.16)

स गच्छेदथ शैलेशमात्मनिन्दां करोतु वै । परनिन्दा विनाशाय स्वनिन्दा यशसे मता

sa gacchedatha śaileśamātmanindāṁ karotu vai paranindā vināśāya svanindā yaśase matā

"Let him go himself to the Lord of Mountains and revile himself — for while reviling another brings ruin, self-censure, it is held, brings good renown."

Verse 17 (shiva.shatarudra.35.17)

नन्दीश्वर उवाच । ततस्ते प्रययुः शीघ्रं कैलासं निखिलाः सुराः । सुप्रणम्य शिवं भक्त्या तद्वृत्तं निखिला जगुः

nandīśvara uvāca tataste prayayuḥ śīghraṁ kailāsaṁ nikhilāḥ surāḥ supraṇamya śivaṁ bhaktyā tadvṛttaṁ nikhilā jaguḥ

Nandishvara said: Then all the gods went swiftly to Kailasa; bowing to Shiva with devotion, they told him that whole account.

Verse 18 (shiva.shatarudra.35.18)

तच्छ्रुत्वा देववचनं स्वीचकार महेश्वरः । देवान्सुयापयामास तानाश्वास्य विहस्य सः

tacchrutvā devavacanaṁ svīcakāra maheśvaraḥ devānsuyāpayāmāsa tānāśvāsya vihasya saḥ

Hearing the gods' words, Maheshvara agreed; and, laughing, he reassured the gods and sent them off content.

Verse 19 (shiva.shatarudra.35.19)

ततः स भगवाञ्छम्भुर्महेशो भक्तवत्सलः । गन्तुमैच्छच्छैलमूलं मायेशो न विकारवान्

tataḥ sa bhagavāñchambhurmaheśo bhaktavatsalaḥ gantumaicchacchailamūlaṁ māyeśo na vikāravān

Then the Lord Shambhu, Mahesha, the cherisher of devotees, wished to go to the foot of the mountain — he, the master of maya, ever changeless.

Verse 20 (shiva.shatarudra.35.20)

दण्डी छत्री दिव्यवासा बिभ्रत्तिलकमुज्ज्वलम् । करे स्फटिकमालां च शालग्रामं गले दधत्

daṇḍī chatrī divyavāsā bibhrattilakamujjvalam kare sphaṭikamālāṁ ca śālagrāmaṁ gale dadhat

Bearing staff and umbrella, in divine raiment, wearing a bright tilaka mark, a crystal rosary in his hand, and a shalagrama stone at his neck —

Verse 21 (shiva.shatarudra.35.21)

जपन्नाम हरेर्भक्त्या साधुवेषधरो द्विजः । हिमाचलं जगामाशु बन्धुवर्गैः सर्मन्वितम्

japannāma harerbhaktyā sādhuveṣadharo dvijaḥ himācalaṁ jagāmāśu bandhuvargaiḥ sarmanvitam

— chanting the name of Hari with devotion, that brahmin in the guise of a sadhu swiftly went, together with his kinsmen, to Himachala.

Verse 22 (shiva.shatarudra.35.22)

तं च दृष्ट्वा समुत्तस्थौ सगणोऽपि हिमालयः । ननाम दण्डवद्भूमौ साष्टाङ्गं विधिपूर्वकम्

taṁ ca dṛṣṭvā samuttasthau sagaṇo'pi himālayaḥ nanāma daṇḍavadbhūmau sāṣṭāṅgaṁ vidhipūrvakam

Seeing him, Himalaya, together with his retinue, at once rose up, and bowed to the ground in full prostration, according to due rite.

Verse 23 (shiva.shatarudra.35.23)

ततः पप्रच्छ शैलेशस्तं द्विजं को भवानिति । उवाच शीघ्रं विप्रेन्द्रः स योग्यद्रिं महादरात्

tataḥ papraccha śaileśastaṁ dvijaṁ ko bhavāniti uvāca śīghraṁ viprendraḥ sa yogyadriṁ mahādarāt

Then the Lord of Mountains asked that brahmin, "Who are you?" And that foremost of brahmins swiftly answered the Mountain, so worthy of honor, with great reverence.

Verse 24 (shiva.shatarudra.35.24)

साधुद्विज उवाच । साधुद्विजाह्वः शैलाहं वैष्णवः परमार्थदृक् । परोपकारी सर्वज्ञः सर्वगामी गुरोर्बलात्

sādhudvija uvāca sādhudvijāhvaḥ śailāhaṁ vaiṣṇavaḥ paramārthadṛk paropakārī sarvajñaḥ sarvagāmī gurorbalāt

The Sadhu-brahmin said: "O Mountain, I am called Sadhu-Dvija, a Vaishnava, a seer of the highest truth — a benefactor of others, all-knowing, one who by his Guru's power moves everywhere."

Verse 25 (shiva.shatarudra.35.25)

मया ज्ञातं स्वविज्ञानात्स्वस्थाने शैलसत्तम । तच्छृणु प्रीतितो वच्मि हित्वा दम्भं तवान्तिकम्

mayā jñātaṁ svavijñānātsvasthāne śailasattama tacchṛṇu prītito vacmi hitvā dambhaṁ tavāntikam

"By my own knowledge, O best of mountains, I have come to know something concerning your own household. Hear it — near you now, and laying pretense aside, I tell it to you out of love."

Verse 26 (shiva.shatarudra.35.26)

शङ्कराय सुतां दातुं त्वमिच्छसि निजोद्भवाम् । इमां पद्मासमां रम्यामज्ञातकुलशीलिने

śaṅkarāya sutāṁ dātuṁ tvamicchasi nijodbhavām imāṁ padmāsamāṁ ramyāmajñātakulaśīline

"You wish to give this daughter born of you, lovely as a lotus, in marriage to Shankara — one of unknown family and unknown character."

Verse 27 (shiva.shatarudra.35.27)

इयं मतिस्ते शैलेन्द्र न युक्ता मङ्गलप्रदा । निबोध ज्ञानिनां श्रेष्ठ नारायणकुलोद्भव

iyaṁ matiste śailendra na yuktā maṅgalapradā nibodha jñānināṁ śreṣṭha nārāyaṇakulodbhava

"O Lord of mountains, this resolve of yours is neither fitting nor auspicious; understand this, O foremost of the wise, you who are born of Narayana's own lineage."

Verse 28 (shiva.shatarudra.35.28)

पश्य शैलाधिपत्वं च न तस्यैकोऽस्ति बान्धवः । बान्धवान्स्वान्प्रयत्नेन पृच्छ मेनां च स्वप्रियाम्

paśya śailādhipatvaṁ ca na tasyaiko'sti bāndhavaḥ bāndhavānsvānprayatnena pṛccha menāṁ ca svapriyām

"Consider — even as lord of the mountains he has not one single kinsman. Take the trouble to ask your own relatives, and your beloved Mena too."

Verse 29 (shiva.shatarudra.35.29)

सर्वान्सम्पृच्छ यत्नेन मेनादीन्पार्वतीं विना । रोगिणे नौषधं शैल कुपथ्यं रोचते सदा

sarvānsampṛccha yatnena menādīnpārvatīṁ vinā rogiṇe nauṣadhaṁ śaila kupathyaṁ rocate sadā

"Ask everyone diligently — Mena and the rest — except Parvati; for a sick man never favors his medicine, but always finds the harmful thing pleasing."

Verse 30 (shiva.shatarudra.35.30)

न ते पात्रानुरूपश्च पार्वतीदानकर्मणि । महाजनः स्मेरमुखः श्रुतिमात्राद्भविष्यति

na te pātrānurūpaśca pārvatīdānakarmaṇi mahājanaḥ smeramukhaḥ śrutimātrādbhaviṣyati

"He is no fit recipient for the gift of Parvati; the moment people of standing merely hear of it, their faces will break into a smile of mockery."

Verse 31 (shiva.shatarudra.35.31)

निराश्रयः सदासङ्गो विरूपो निर्गुणोऽव्ययः । स्मशानवासी विकटो व्यालग्राही दिगम्बरः

nirāśrayaḥ sadāsaṅgo virūpo nirguṇo'vyayaḥ smaśānavāsī vikaṭo vyālagrāhī digambaraḥ

"— without support, ever keeping strange company, ill-formed, devoid of virtues, though himself imperishable; a dweller of cremation grounds, fearsome, a handler of serpents, clad only in the directions —"

Verse 32 (shiva.shatarudra.35.32)

विभूतिभूषणो व्यालवरावेष्टितमस्तकः । सर्वाश्रमपरिभ्रष्टस्त्वविज्ञातगतिस्सदा

vibhūtibhūṣaṇo vyālavarāveṣṭitamastakaḥ sarvāśramaparibhraṣṭastvavijñātagatissadā

"— adorned with ashes, his head encircled by great serpents, an outcast from every stage of life, his true course forever unknown."

Verse 33 (shiva.shatarudra.35.33)

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्याद्युक्त्वा वचस्तथ्यं शिवनिन्दापरं स हि । जगाम स्वालयं शीघ्रं नानालीलाकरः शिवः

brahmovāca ityādyuktvā vacastathyaṁ śivanindāparaṁ sa hi jagāma svālayaṁ śīghraṁ nānālīlākaraḥ śivaḥ

Brahma said: Having spoken such words — words true in their intent yet wholly given over to reviling Shiva — Shiva, the worker of manifold divine sports, swiftly went to his own abode.

Verse 34 (shiva.shatarudra.35.34)

तच्छ्रुत्वा विप्रवचनमभूतां च तनू तयोः । विपरीतानर्थपरे किं करिष्यावहे ध्रुवम्

tacchrutvā vipravacanamabhūtāṁ ca tanū tayoḥ viparītānarthapare kiṁ kariṣyāvahe dhruvam

Hearing that brahmin's words, the bodies of the two of them grew faint with dismay: "What indeed are we now to do, caught in such an adverse and ruinous turn?"

Verse 35 (shiva.shatarudra.35.35)

ततो रुद्रो महोतिं च कृत्वा भक्तमुदावहाम् । विवाहयित्वा गिरिजां देवकार्यं चकार सः

tato rudro mahotiṁ ca kṛtvā bhaktamudāvahām vivāhayitvā girijāṁ devakāryaṁ cakāra saḥ

Then Rudra, having thus filled his devotee's heart with joy, married Girija, and accomplished the work of the gods.

Verse 36 (shiva.shatarudra.35.36)

इति प्रोक्तस्तु ते तात साधुवेषो द्विजाह्वयः । शिवावतारो हि मया देवकार्यकरः प्रभो

iti proktastu te tāta sādhuveṣo dvijāhvayaḥ śivāvatāro hi mayā devakāryakaraḥ prabho

"Thus, dear one, I have told you of this avatara of Shiva called the Brahmin in a Sadhu's guise, O Lord, by which the work of the gods was accomplished."

Verse 37 (shiva.shatarudra.35.37)

इदमाख्यानमनघं स्वर्ग्यमायुष्यमुत्तमम् । यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि स सुखी गतिमाप्नुयात्

idamākhyānamanaghaṁ svargyamāyuṣyamuttamam yaḥ paṭhecchṛṇuyādvāpi sa sukhī gatimāpnuyāt

"This sinless narrative bestows heaven and long life, and is supreme of its kind; whoever recites it, or merely hears it, shall become happy and attain the highest state."