The Manifestation of Shankara

Verse 1 (skanda.1.128.1)

नंदिकेश्वर उवाच । सोऽपि ब्रह्माणमुद्वीक्ष्य तावता द्विगुणं स्मयन् । नाग्रं दृष्टमनेनेति निश्चिकाय विवेकवान्

naṁdikeśvara uvāca so'pi brahmāṇamudvīkṣya tāvatā dviguṇaṁ smayan nāgraṁ dṛṣṭamaneneti niścikāya vivekavān

Nandikeshvara said: Vishnu, gazing at Brahma, though smiling twice as broadly as before, being discerning, resolved within himself: 'He has not truly seen the summit.'

Verse 2 (skanda.1.128.2)

अनुग्रहीतुं मां मुग्धं हंतुं चास्य विधेर्मदम् । देवदेवः स एवालं भूतभर्तेत्यमन्यत

anugrahītuṁ māṁ mugdhaṁ haṁtuṁ cāsya vidhermadam devadevaḥ sa evālaṁ bhūtabhartetyamanyata

'It is that god of gods alone, the sustainer of all beings, who is truly capable both of blessing foolish me and of destroying this pride of Brahma's,' Vishnu thought.

Verse 3 (skanda.1.128.3)

मूलसंदर्शनाशक्त्या तेजःस्तंम्भस्य मे मदः । व्यपेत एव मन्येऽद्य यद्भक्तिस्त्र्यंबकेऽजनि

mūlasaṁdarśanāśaktyā tejaḥstaṁmbhasya me madaḥ vyapeta eva manye'dya yadbhaktistryaṁbake'jani

'Since I was unable to see the root of this pillar of light, my own pride too, I believe, has now left me — for from that very failure has been born in me devotion to the three-eyed Lord.'

Verse 4 (skanda.1.128.4)

स्तूयते वीतगर्वत्वात्स इदानीं महेश्वरः । यस्य दक्षिणवामाभ्यामंगाभ्यां नौ समुद्भवौ

stūyate vītagarvatvātsa idānīṁ maheśvaraḥ yasya dakṣiṇavāmābhyāmaṁgābhyāṁ nau samudbhavau

'Now, freed of pride, I shall praise that Maheshvara, from whose right and left sides we two — Brahma and I — were both born.'

Verse 5 (skanda.1.128.5)

अद्याप्यवीतगर्वत्वाल्लब्ध्वासौ कूटसाक्षिणम् । हिरण्यगर्भो मामेवमतिसंधातुमिच्छति

adyāpyavītagarvatvāllabdhvāsau kūṭasākṣiṇam hiraṇyagarbho māmevamatisaṁdhātumicchati

'Yet Brahma, his pride still unabated even now, having procured a false witness, seeks in this way to deceive me.'

Verse 6 (skanda.1.128.6)

तदद्य सकलस्यापि दुःखस्यापनये क्षमः । स एव शरणत्वेन प्राप्तव्यः शंकरो मया

tadadya sakalasyāpi duḥkhasyāpanaye kṣamaḥ sa eva śaraṇatvena prāptavyaḥ śaṁkaro mayā

'Therefore this day I must take refuge in Shankara alone, who alone is capable of removing every sorrow.'

Verse 7 (skanda.1.128.7)

तथा कृतापराधस्य कृतघ्नस्य गुरुद्रुहः । तमृते रक्षिता कोऽन्यस्तमेव स्तौमि शंकरम्

tathā kṛtāparādhasya kṛtaghnasya gurudruhaḥ tamṛte rakṣitā ko'nyastameva staumi śaṁkaram

'For one who has offended, who is ungrateful, who has wronged even his own teacher — who besides him can be a protector? I shall praise Shankara alone.'

Verse 8 (skanda.1.128.8)

विष्णुरुवाच । जय पृध्वीमयाकार जय चापोमयाकृते । जय प्रभाकराकार जयामृतकराकृते

viṣṇuruvāca jaya pṛdhvīmayākāra jaya cāpomayākṛte jaya prabhākarākāra jayāmṛtakarākṛte

Vishnu said: 'Victory to you, whose form is earth! Victory to you, whose shape is water! Victory to you, of the form of the sun! Victory to you, of the form of the moon!'

Verse 9 (skanda.1.128.9)

जय वैश्वानराकार जय गन्धवहाकृते । जय होतृमयाकार जयाकाशमयाकृते

jaya vaiśvānarākāra jaya gandhavahākṛte jaya hotṛmayākāra jayākāśamayākṛte

'Victory to you, of the form of fire! Victory to you, of the form of wind! Victory to you, of the form of the sacrificer! Victory to you, of the form of space!'

Verse 10 (skanda.1.128.10)

रक्ष मां त्रिगुणातीत रक्ष मां कालविग्रह । रक्ष मामक्षयैश्वर्य रक्ष मां करुणाकर

rakṣa māṁ triguṇātīta rakṣa māṁ kālavigraha rakṣa māmakṣayaiśvarya rakṣa māṁ karuṇākara

'Protect me, O you who transcend the three gunas; protect me, O embodiment of time; protect me, O you of imperishable majesty; protect me, O fount of compassion.'

Verse 11 (skanda.1.128.11)

स्रष्टा त्वं सर्वजगतां रक्षिता सर्वदेहिनाम् । हर्ता च सर्वभूतानां त्वां विनैवास्ति कोऽपरः

sraṣṭā tvaṁ sarvajagatāṁ rakṣitā sarvadehinām hartā ca sarvabhūtānāṁ tvāṁ vinaivāsti ko'paraḥ

'You are the creator of all worlds, the protector of all embodied beings, and the destroyer of all creatures — without you, who else is there at all?'

Verse 12 (skanda.1.128.12)

अणूनामप्यणीयांस्त्वं महांस्त्वं महतामपि । अन्तर्बहिस्त्वमेवैतज्जगदाक्रम्य वर्तसे

aṇūnāmapyaṇīyāṁstvaṁ mahāṁstvaṁ mahatāmapi antarbahistvamevaitajjagadākramya vartase

'You are subtler than the subtlest, and vaster than the vastest; pervading this world both within and without, you alone exist.'

Verse 13 (skanda.1.128.13)

निगमास्तव निश्वासा विश्वं ते शिल्पवैभवम् । स त्वं त्वदीय एवासि ज्ञानमात्मा तव प्रभो

nigamāstava niśvāsā viśvaṁ te śilpavaibhavam sa tvaṁ tvadīya evāsi jñānamātmā tava prabho

'The Vedas are but your very breaths; this universe is the splendor of your craftsmanship. You alone are your own self, O Lord — you yourself are that knowledge, and you yourself its knower.'

Verse 14 (skanda.1.128.14)

अमरा दानवा दैत्याः सिद्धा विद्याधरा नराः । प्राणिनः पक्षिणः शैलाः शिखिनोऽपि त्वमेव हि

amarā dānavā daityāḥ siddhā vidyādharā narāḥ prāṇinaḥ pakṣiṇaḥ śailāḥ śikhino'pi tvameva hi

'Gods, danavas, daityas, siddhas, vidyadharas, men, all living creatures, birds, mountains, and even trees — all these are you alone.'

Verse 15 (skanda.1.128.15)

स्वर्गस्त्वमपवर्गस्त्वं त्वमोंकारस्त्वमध्वरः । त्वं योगस्त्वं परा संवित्किं त्वं न भवसीश्वर

svargastvamapavargastvaṁ tvamoṁkārastvamadhvaraḥ tvaṁ yogastvaṁ parā saṁvitkiṁ tvaṁ na bhavasīśvara

'You are heaven, you are liberation, you are the syllable Om, you are the sacrifice, you are yoga, you are the highest consciousness — O Lord, is there anything at all that you are not?'

Verse 16 (skanda.1.128.16)

त्वमादिर्मध्यमंतश्च तस्थुषां जग्मुषामपि । कालस्वरूपतां प्राप्य कलयस्यखिलं जगत्

tvamādirmadhyamaṁtaśca tasthuṣāṁ jagmuṣāmapi kālasvarūpatāṁ prāpya kalayasyakhilaṁ jagat

'You are the beginning, the middle, and the end of all that stands still and all that moves; assuming the very form of time, you draw the whole world onward.'

Verse 17 (skanda.1.128.17)

परेशः परतः शास्ता सर्वानुग्राहकः शिवः । स एष मे कथंकारं साक्षाद्भवति धूर्जटिः

pareśaḥ parataḥ śāstā sarvānugrāhakaḥ śivaḥ sa eṣa me kathaṁkāraṁ sākṣādbhavati dhūrjaṭiḥ

'The Supreme Lord, the ruler beyond all, the bestower of grace on all — that Shiva, that Dhurjati, how may he now become directly visible to me?'

Verse 18 (skanda.1.128.18)

यं दृष्ट्वा शरणं प्राप्तो निःश्रेयसमवाप्नुयात् । अथ वा स्तौमि तद्धाम जातमात्रं यथामिति

yaṁ dṛṣṭvā śaraṇaṁ prāpto niḥśreyasamavāpnuyāt atha vā staumi taddhāma jātamātraṁ yathāmiti

'Seeing whom, one who has taken refuge attains the highest good — even so, let me praise that radiant abode of his, in whatever form it has just now appeared.'

Verse 19 (skanda.1.128.19)

तच्छ्रुत्वैष कृपां कुर्यादवश्यं सर्वतः श्रुतिः । इति निश्चित्य वैकुंठः स्तोतुं समुपचक्रमे

tacchrutvaiṣa kṛpāṁ kuryādavaśyaṁ sarvataḥ śrutiḥ iti niścitya vaikuṁṭhaḥ stotuṁ samupacakrame

'Hearing this, he will surely show compassion, for he hears all things from every side.' Resolving thus, Vaikuntha began his hymn of praise.

Verse 20 (skanda.1.128.20)

तमेव तैजसं स्तंभं प्रणम्य परमेश्वरम् । आदिमध्यांतरहितं मत्वा तं जगदीश्वरम् । हठात्तेन विरंचेन वार्यमाणोपि सस्मितम्

tameva taijasaṁ staṁbhaṁ praṇamya parameśvaram ādimadhyāṁtarahitaṁ matvā taṁ jagadīśvaram haṭhāttena viraṁcena vāryamāṇopi sasmitam

Bowing to that very pillar of light as the Supreme Lord, and recognizing that ruler of the world as without beginning, middle, or end, Vishnu — though forcibly restrained by Brahma — began, still smiling...

Verse 21 (skanda.1.128.21)

श्रीविष्णुरुवाच । जय देव महादेव वामदेव वृषध्वज । कालांतक क्रतुध्वंसिन्नीलकंठेंदुशेखर

śrīviṣṇuruvāca jaya deva mahādeva vāmadeva vṛṣadhvaja kālāṁtaka kratudhvaṁsinnīlakaṁṭheṁduśekhara

Sri Vishnu said: '...Victory, O God, O Mahadeva, O Vamadeva, O bearer of the bull-banner! O ender of Death, O destroyer of the sacrifice, O blue-throated one crowned with the moon!'

Verse 22 (skanda.1.128.22)

जय शंभो शिवेशान शर्व त्र्यंबक धूर्जटे । स्मरवैरिन्पुराराते स्थाणो भव महेश्वर

jaya śaṁbho śiveśāna śarva tryaṁbaka dhūrjaṭe smaravairinpurārāte sthāṇo bhava maheśvara

'Victory, O Shambhu, O Shiva, O Ishana, O Sharva, O three-eyed one, O Dhurjati! O enemy of Kama, O destroyer of the triple city, O Sthanu, O Bhava, O Maheshvara!'

Verse 23 (skanda.1.128.23)

जयेश खंडपरशो शूलिन्पशुपते हर । सर्वज्ञ भर्ग भूतेश कपालिन्नीललोहित

jayeśa khaṁḍaparaśo śūlinpaśupate hara sarvajña bharga bhūteśa kapālinnīlalohita

'Victory, O Isha, O wielder of the broken axe, O trident-bearer, O lord of creatures, O Hara! O omniscient one, O Bharga, O lord of beings, O skull-bearer, O blue-and-red one!'

Verse 24 (skanda.1.128.24)

जय रुद्र मखाराते पिनाकिन्प्रमथाधिप । गंगाधर व्योमकेश गिरीश परमेश्वर

jaya rudra makhārāte pinākinpramathādhipa gaṁgādhara vyomakeśa girīśa parameśvara

'Victory, O Rudra, O foe of the sacrifice, O wielder of the Pinaka bow, O lord of the Pramathas! O bearer of the Ganga, O sky-haired one, O lord of the mountain, O Supreme Lord!'

Verse 25 (skanda.1.128.25)

जय भीम मृगव्याध कृत्तिवासः कृपानिधे । कृशानुरेतः कैलासे नित्यमेव हि वर्तसे

jaya bhīma mṛgavyādha kṛttivāsaḥ kṛpānidhe kṛśānuretaḥ kailāse nityameva hi vartase

'Victory, O terrible one, O hunter, O clad in an animal-hide, O treasury of compassion! Fire is your seed, and forever you dwell upon Kailasa.'

Verse 26 (skanda.1.128.26)

त्वदाज्ञया मरुद्राति फणी वहति भूभरम् । दीप्यतः सूर्यशशिनौ ब्रह्मांडं प्लवतेंऽबुधौ

tvadājñayā marudrāti phaṇī vahati bhūbharam dīpyataḥ sūryaśaśinau brahmāṁḍaṁ plavateṁ'budhau

'By your command the wind blows, the serpent-lord bears the weight of the earth, the sun and moon shine forth, and this cosmic egg floats upon the ocean.'

Verse 27 (skanda.1.128.27)

ज्योतींषि संचरंते खे सर्वं त्वच्छासनात्प्रभो । अहं ब्रह्मा च जगतां सर्गसंत्राणयोरलम्

jyotīṁṣi saṁcaraṁte khe sarvaṁ tvacchāsanātprabho ahaṁ brahmā ca jagatāṁ sargasaṁtrāṇayoralam

'The celestial lights move through the sky — all this, O Lord, is by your ordinance alone. I and Brahma are capable only of the creation and preservation of the worlds.'

Verse 28 (skanda.1.128.28)

विधाय कल्पसे पुष्ट्यै सूते सस्यानि मेदिनी । नाक्रामंत्यव्ययः सीमां यच्च त्वन्महिरेव सः

vidhāya kalpase puṣṭyai sūte sasyāni medinī nākrāmaṁtyavyayaḥ sīmāṁ yacca tvanmahireva saḥ

'You ordain that the earth bring forth crops for the nourishment of all; and whatever thing, imperishable, never transgresses its bound — that too is nothing but your own glory.'

Verse 29 (skanda.1.128.29)

अणिमादिमहासिद्धिनिःसाधारणवैभवः । कथं त्वाममरैरन्यैरुपेक्षे समभिष्टुतम्

aṇimādimahāsiddhiniḥsādhāraṇavaibhavaḥ kathaṁ tvāmamarairanyairupekṣe samabhiṣṭutam

'Endowed with the extraordinary glory of the great siddhis such as anima, how could I ever neglect you, who are praised alike by all the other immortals?'

Verse 30 (skanda.1.128.30)

विशुक्त्वे विस्मरामस्त्वां स्मरामः संकटेपि च । न रोषो जातु भक्तेषु प्रसादः सर्वदैव ते

viśuktve vismarāmastvāṁ smarāmaḥ saṁkaṭepi ca na roṣo jātu bhakteṣu prasādaḥ sarvadaiva te

'In times of ease we may forget you, yet in times of trouble we remember you still — for you never feel anger toward your devotees, and your grace is ever upon them.'

Verse 31 (skanda.1.128.31)

यदा विधित्सेर्भक्तिं त्वं यदा च प्रावृणोषि ताम् । मोहबोधौ तदा पुंसां कल्पेते बंधमोक्षयोः

yadā vidhitserbhaktiṁ tvaṁ yadā ca prāvṛṇoṣi tām mohabodhau tadā puṁsāṁ kalpete baṁdhamokṣayoḥ

'When you choose to grant devotion, and when you choose to withhold it, then, accordingly, delusion or true knowledge arises in men, leading them to bondage or to liberation.'

Verse 32 (skanda.1.128.32)

इति स्तुतस्सांजलिबद्धपाणिना पतिः पशूनामथ चक्रपाणिना । कृतापहासे च सरोजसंभवे मदोद्धते प्रादुरभूद्दयानिधिः

iti stutassāṁjalibaddhapāṇinā patiḥ paśūnāmatha cakrapāṇinā kṛtāpahāse ca sarojasaṁbhave madoddhate prādurabhūddayānidhiḥ

Thus praised, with joined palms, by the discus-bearer Vishnu, the Lord of all creatures — while the lotus-born Brahma, mad with pride, still stood there mocking — that ocean of compassion, Shiva, then manifested himself.