Brahma Searches for the Summit of the Linga

Verse 1 (skanda.1.126.1)

नंदिकेश्वर उवाच । ततस्तेजोमयं स्तंभमनुसृत्य पितामहः । उत्पपातोन्मुखो वेगान्निरालंबे नभस्तले

naṁdikeśvara uvāca tatastejomayaṁ staṁbhamanusṛtya pitāmahaḥ utpapātonmukho vegānnirālaṁbe nabhastale

Nandikeshvara said: Then, following the pillar of light, the grandsire Brahma swiftly sped upward, his face turned skyward, into the unsupported vault of heaven.

Verse 2 (skanda.1.126.2)

द्रुतमुत्पततस्तस्य पक्षावेगेन वारिताः । व्यशीर्यत समुद्वर्ताः प्रणुन्ना इव वायुभिः

drutamutpatatastasya pakṣāvegena vāritāḥ vyaśīryata samudvartāḥ praṇunnā iva vāyubhiḥ

As he sped upward, the clouds, checked and driven back by the force of his wings, whirled and scattered as though blown apart by mighty winds.

Verse 3 (skanda.1.126.3)

स वेगादुत्पतन्दूरं नाक्ष्णोर्विषयतामगात् । केवलं दीर्घदीर्घैव रेखा व्योम्नि व्यभाव्यत

sa vegādutpatandūraṁ nākṣṇorviṣayatāmagāt kevalaṁ dīrghadīrghaiva rekhā vyomni vyabhāvyata

Speeding so far upward that he passed beyond the reach of sight, only a long, unbroken line remained visible in the sky.

Verse 4 (skanda.1.126.4)

मायामरालो ददृशे तेजःस्तंभस्यपार्श्वतः । संध्यापयोधराभ्यर्णचारीव रजनीकरः

māyāmarālo dadṛśe tejaḥstaṁbhasyapārśvataḥ saṁdhyāpayodharābhyarṇacārīva rajanīkaraḥ

That magical swan appeared beside the pillar of light, like the moon moving close to the evening clouds.

Verse 5 (skanda.1.126.5)

प्रागत्यगादुत्पततां ततोऽध्वानं पयोमुचाम् । विमानपदवीं पश्चात्तारावर्तं ततः परम्

prāgatyagādutpatatāṁ tato'dhvānaṁ payomucām vimānapadavīṁ paścāttārāvartaṁ tataḥ param

First he passed beyond the realm where flocks of birds fly, then beyond the path of the rain-clouds, then beyond the course of the celestial cars, and further still, beyond the wheeling of the stars.

Verse 6 (skanda.1.126.6)

तेजसां यानि धामानि ह्यत्युच्चान्यूर्ध्वचारिणाम् । अतिचक्राम वेगेन तान्यसौ कुहनाखगः

tejasāṁ yāni dhāmāni hyatyuccānyūrdhvacāriṇām aticakrāma vegena tānyasau kuhanākhagaḥ

That deceitful bird — Brahma in the form of a swan — swept with great speed past even the loftiest abodes of the radiant beings coursing through the upper heavens.

Verse 7 (skanda.1.126.7)

मरुतो मनसो वापि जवः सूक्ष्मतराकृतेः । सोऽभूदधःकृतस्तेन हंसेन गमनादिना

maruto manaso vāpi javaḥ sūkṣmatarākṛteḥ so'bhūdadhaḥkṛtastena haṁsena gamanādinā

Even the swiftness of the wind, even the speed of the mind, subtler though their nature be, was left behind and surpassed by the speed of that swan's flight.

Verse 8 (skanda.1.126.8)

यथायथा चोत्पपात सुदूरं श्रमितच्छदः । तथातथा च ददृशे तेजःस्तंभः समुन्नतः

yathāyathā cotpapāta sudūraṁ śramitacchadaḥ tathātathā ca dadṛśe tejaḥstaṁbhaḥ samunnataḥ

Yet the further he flew, his wings growing weary, the taller still that pillar of light appeared before him.

Verse 9 (skanda.1.126.9)

अतीत्य मरुतां स्कंधान्सप्त संप्राप्तविस्मयः । बिभेदांडकटाहं च ज्वलंतं तमुदैक्षत

atītya marutāṁ skaṁdhānsapta saṁprāptavismayaḥ bibhedāṁḍakaṭāhaṁ ca jvalaṁtaṁ tamudaikṣata

Having crossed the seven strata of the wind, filled with astonishment, he broke through even the shell of the cosmic egg, and there too beheld that blazing pillar still.

Verse 10 (skanda.1.126.10)

कथं वाऽदृष्टमूलस्य स्थातव्यं पुरतो हरेः । अविमोचयतः शौरेरसमासमशीर्षताम्

kathaṁ vā'dṛṣṭamūlasya sthātavyaṁ purato hareḥ avimocayataḥ śaurerasamāsamaśīrṣatām

How can I stand before Hari, its base still unseen — before Shauri, who will not yet abandon his boast that this pillar of fire has neither equal nor end?

Verse 11 (skanda.1.126.11)

अनिर्व्यूढप्रतिज्ञस्य दीर्घैः किं वा ममासुभिः । तदत्रौपयिकं किं स्यात्कार्यं का मा गतिर्मम

anirvyūḍhapratijñasya dīrghaiḥ kiṁ vā mamāsubhiḥ tadatraupayikaṁ kiṁ syātkāryaṁ kā mā gatirmama

What use is a long life to me, if my vow remains unfulfilled? What then is fitting to be done here? What refuge remains for me?

Verse 12 (skanda.1.126.12)

अतिसंधित्सतो विष्णुं कस्सहायो भविष्यति । आर्जवं नैव निर्जेतुं प्रतिवादिनमक्षमः

atisaṁdhitsato viṣṇuṁ kassahāyo bhaviṣyati ārjavaṁ naiva nirjetuṁ prativādinamakṣamaḥ

Who now will help me, eager as I am to outwit Vishnu — since honesty alone has no power to defeat so worthy an opponent?

Verse 13 (skanda.1.126.13)

छद्मना वा तिरस्कुर्यान्माना हि महतां धनम् । इति संचितयत्येव विरिंचौ व्याकुलात्मनि

chadmanā vā tiraskuryānmānā hi mahatāṁ dhanam iti saṁcitayatyeva viriṁcau vyākulātmani

'Or perhaps by some deceit I may overcome him — for honor alone is the true wealth of the great.' Thus did the troubled Brahma ponder within himself.

Verse 14 (skanda.1.126.14)

आकाशे ददृशे नातिदूरे किमपि निर्मलम् । ऐंदवी किमियं रेखा तस्याः कथमिहागमः

ākāśe dadṛśe nātidūre kimapi nirmalam aiṁdavī kimiyaṁ rekhā tasyāḥ kathamihāgamaḥ

In the sky, not far off, he saw something pure and bright. 'Is this a streak of moonlight?' he wondered. 'But how could moonlight have come here?'

Verse 15 (skanda.1.126.15)

यद्वा मृणालं तत्सिंधौ वियत्यस्यां कुतस्तु सः । इति तस्मिन्ससंदेहे नेदीयस्तं तदागतम्

yadvā mṛṇālaṁ tatsiṁdhau viyatyasyāṁ kutastu saḥ iti tasminsasaṁdehe nedīyastaṁ tadāgatam

'Or is it a lotus-fibre? But that belongs to the ocean — how could it be here in the sky?' As he wondered thus in doubt, that thing drifted nearer to him.

Verse 16 (skanda.1.126.16)

अबोधि केतकीबर्हमिति राजीवजन्मना । तत्पर्युषितमप्युद्यत्सौरभं वस्तुशक्तितः

abodhi ketakībarhamiti rājīvajanmanā tatparyuṣitamapyudyatsaurabhaṁ vastuśaktitaḥ

The lotus-born Brahma then recognized it as a ketaki petal — for though it had drifted long and grown stale, its fragrance still rose forth by its own natural power.

Verse 17 (skanda.1.126.17)

हिरण्यगर्भो विमलमगृह्णात्केतकच्छदम् । गृहीतमात्रं तेनैतत्सचैतन्यं किलाब्रवीत्

hiraṇyagarbho vimalamagṛhṇātketakacchadam gṛhītamātraṁ tenaitatsacaitanyaṁ kilābravīt

Brahma took hold of that pure ketaki petal; and no sooner had he grasped it than, being sentient, it spoke to him.

Verse 18 (skanda.1.126.18)

केतक उवाच । भो गृह्णासि किमर्थं त्वं मुंच मां विश्रमोद्यतम् । वर्षाणां शतसाहस्रमुत्पत्यैवं विहायसा

ketaka uvāca bho gṛhṇāsi kimarthaṁ tvaṁ muṁca māṁ viśramodyatam varṣāṇāṁ śatasāhasramutpatyaivaṁ vihāyasā

The ketaki said: 'Why do you seize me? Release me — I long for rest, for I have been flying through this sky, thus, for a hundred thousand years!'

Verse 19 (skanda.1.126.19)

नंदीश उवाच । तथा समेधमानं तं दृष्ट्वा श्रममखिद्यत । अचिंतयत्पद्मसूतिरत्यंतं विहताशयः

naṁdīśa uvāca tathā samedhamānaṁ taṁ dṛṣṭvā śramamakhidyata aciṁtayatpadmasūtiratyaṁtaṁ vihatāśayaḥ

Nandikeshvara said: Seeing it thus wearied, Brahma too, himself exhausted and utterly frustrated in his hope, began to think.

Verse 20 (skanda.1.126.20)

अनिर्व्यूढप्रतिज्ञावान्नीचतामपि संश्रितः । आक्रांतरोदोविवरः क्व राशिस्तेजसामसौ

anirvyūḍhapratijñāvānnīcatāmapi saṁśritaḥ ākrāṁtarodovivaraḥ kva rāśistejasāmasau

'Bound as I am by a vow I cannot fulfill, I have stooped even to this baseness. Yet where does this mass of light, which has swallowed the whole vault of the sky, actually end?'

Verse 21 (skanda.1.126.21)

अहमेतत्परीक्षायां क्व परिच्छिन्न पौरुषः । भज्येते इव मे पक्षौ दृशा चांधायते इव । प्रध्वंसंत इवांगानि पतामीवाहमप्यधः

ahametatparīkṣāyāṁ kva paricchinna pauruṣaḥ bhajyete iva me pakṣau dṛśā cāṁdhāyate iva pradhvaṁsaṁta ivāṁgāni patāmīvāhamapyadhaḥ

'In this trial my strength has proven so limited. My wings feel as though they are breaking, my eyes as though growing blind, my limbs as though crumbling apart — I feel as if I too am about to fall.'

Verse 22 (skanda.1.126.22)

किं वान्यद्बहुनोक्तेन सह निश्वासवायुभिः । मम प्राणाश्च नियतं निर्गच्छंतीव सांप्रतम्

kiṁ vānyadbahunoktena saha niśvāsavāyubhiḥ mama prāṇāśca niyataṁ nirgacchaṁtīva sāṁpratam

'What more is there to say? Even now my very breath seems to be leaving me, escaping with each gasping sigh.'

Verse 23 (skanda.1.126.23)

अहंकारमदग्रंथिरयं त्रुटतु चित्ततः । मुकुंदेन सह स्पर्धा सा च शीघ्ं प्रणश्यतु

ahaṁkāramadagraṁthirayaṁ truṭatu cittataḥ mukuṁdena saha spardhā sā ca śīghṁ praṇaśyatu

'Let this knot of pride and arrogance snap from my heart; let this rivalry with Mukunda perish quickly.'

Verse 24 (skanda.1.126.24)

यदेष रोदःकुहरपरिणाहाधिकोद्यमः । औन्नत्यमयतेऽद्यापि तेजस्तंभो यथा पुरा

yadeṣa rodaḥkuharapariṇāhādhikodyamaḥ aunnatyamayate'dyāpi tejastaṁbho yathā purā

'For this pillar of light, whose vast girth has already spanned the whole cavity of the worlds, still rises ever higher, exactly as it did at first.'

Verse 25 (skanda.1.126.25)

तदस्य तेजसां राशेर्नाहं नारायणोऽथवा । कारणं दूरतश्चान्ये महेंद्रप्रमुखाः सुराः

tadasya tejasāṁ rāśernāhaṁ nārāyaṇo'thavā kāraṇaṁ dūrataścānye maheṁdrapramukhāḥ surāḥ

'Therefore neither I nor Narayana am the cause of this mass of light — and far less could the other gods, headed by mighty Indra, be its cause.'

Verse 26 (skanda.1.126.26)

इतो नोत्पतितुं शक्तिरस्ति मे तन्निवर्त्तये । इति निश्चित्य मनसा विधाता जातविस्मयः

ito notpatituṁ śaktirasti me tannivarttaye iti niścitya manasā vidhātā jātavismayaḥ

'I have no more strength to fly further from here — I shall turn back.' Having resolved thus in his mind, the astonished Creator...

Verse 27 (skanda.1.126.27)

प्रत्यभाषत तं कस्त्वं कुतो वा प्राप्तवानिति । स च प्रत्यब्रवीदेनं वेधसं केतकच्छदः

pratyabhāṣata taṁ kastvaṁ kuto vā prāptavāniti sa ca pratyabravīdenaṁ vedhasaṁ ketakacchadaḥ

...then asked it: 'Who are you, and from where have you come?' And the ketaki petal answered Brahma thus.

Verse 28 (skanda.1.126.28)

केतकच्छद एवासं सचैतन्यः शिवाज्ञया । तेजस्तंभात्मनः शंभोरस्य मूर्ध्नि चिरं स्थितः

ketakacchada evāsaṁ sacaitanyaḥ śivājñayā tejastaṁbhātmanaḥ śaṁbhorasya mūrdhni ciraṁ sthitaḥ

'I am indeed a ketaki petal, made sentient by Shiva's own command. For long I rested upon the crown of this very Shambhu, who has taken the form of this pillar of light.'

Verse 29 (skanda.1.126.29)

भूलोक इच्छया वस्तुं ततः संप्राप्तवानहम्

bhūloka icchayā vastuṁ tataḥ saṁprāptavānaham

'From there, wishing to dwell upon the earth, I came down to this place.'

Verse 30 (skanda.1.126.30)

इत्थं श्रुत्वा केतकीबर्हवाचं लब्ध्वाश्वासं तं किलांभोजभूतिः । ब्रूहि त्वं मे तत्कियत्यंतरे वा तेजःस्तंभस्याग्रमित्यावभाषे

itthaṁ śrutvā ketakībarhavācaṁ labdhvāśvāsaṁ taṁ kilāṁbhojabhūtiḥ brūhi tvaṁ me tatkiyatyaṁtare vā tejaḥstaṁbhasyāgramityāvabhāṣe

Hearing these words of the ketaki petal, the lotus-born Brahma took heart, and said to it: 'Then tell me — at what distance further does the summit of this pillar of light lie?'