Brahma's Hymn of Praise to Shiva

Verse 1 (skanda.1.129.1)

नंदिकेश्वर उवाच । तेजःस्तंभं विनिर्भिद्य संध्याभ्रमिव चंद्रमाः । कैलासकूटधवलं वृषेन्द्रमधितस्थिवान्

naṁdikeśvara uvāca tejaḥstaṁbhaṁ vinirbhidya saṁdhyābhramiva caṁdramāḥ kailāsakūṭadhavalaṁ vṛṣendramadhitasthivān

Nandikeshvara said: Bursting forth from the pillar of light, as the moon emerges from the evening clouds, Shiva appeared, seated upon the great white bull, radiant as the peak of Kailasa.

Verse 2 (skanda.1.129.2)

जटाजूटवता बालचंद्रचूडेन मौलिना । कपालमालिकां वैधीं स्रजं चारग्वधी दधत्

jaṭājūṭavatā bālacaṁdracūḍena maulinā kapālamālikāṁ vaidhīṁ srajaṁ cāragvadhī dadhat

With his matted locks bound up, his crest adorned with the crescent moon, he wore a garland of skulls threaded by ritual rule, together with a garland of golden shower-blossoms.

Verse 3 (skanda.1.129.3)

नागकुंडलिभिः फालफलकोद्भासिलोचनैः । पंचभिर्वदनैर्दीप्तैः क्ष्वेडकल्माषकंधरैः

nāgakuṁḍalibhiḥ phālaphalakodbhāsilocanaiḥ paṁcabhirvadanairdīptaiḥ kṣveḍakalmāṣakaṁdharaiḥ

His five blazing faces shone with eyes lit upon their broad brows, serpents coiled as his earrings, his throat dark and mottled with the poison he had once swallowed.

Verse 4 (skanda.1.129.4)

शूलं कपालं डमरुं सारंगं परशुं धनुः । खट्वांगममलं खड्गं दोर्भिर्नागं च धारयन्

śūlaṁ kapālaṁ ḍamaruṁ sāraṁgaṁ paraśuṁ dhanuḥ khaṭvāṁgamamalaṁ khaḍgaṁ dorbhirnāgaṁ ca dhārayan

In his hands he bore the trident, the skull-bowl, the small drum, the deer, the axe, the bow, the pure skull-topped staff, the sword, and a serpent.

Verse 5 (skanda.1.129.5)

श्वसितोद्धूलिताकारो गजचर्मोत्तरीयवान् । सर्वालंकारसंपन्नः सर्वदेवैरभिष्टुतः

śvasitoddhūlitākāro gajacarmottarīyavān sarvālaṁkārasaṁpannaḥ sarvadevairabhiṣṭutaḥ

His form was dusted white as with his own breath, an elephant-hide draped over his shoulder as an upper garment; adorned with every ornament, he was praised by all the gods.

Verse 6 (skanda.1.129.6)

परिधानीकृतव्याघ्रचर्मा ताभ्यामदर्शि सः । रूपं दृष्ट्वा स आनंदं ननर्त्त नलिनेक्षणः

paridhānīkṛtavyāghracarmā tābhyāmadarśi saḥ rūpaṁ dṛṣṭvā sa ānaṁdaṁ nanartta nalinekṣaṇaḥ

A tiger-skin served him as his lower garment. Beholding this form, lotus-eyed Vishnu danced in sheer joy.

Verse 7 (skanda.1.129.7)

न किंचिदपि जानानो मुमोह च सरोजभूः

na kiṁcidapi jānāno mumoha ca sarojabhūḥ

But the lotus-born Brahma, understanding nothing at all, only fell into confusion.

Verse 8 (skanda.1.129.8)

दृशाभिनंद्य माधवं प्रसन्नया महेश्वरः । अथोदतिष्ठिपच्च तं सहुंक्रियश्चतुर्मुखम्

dṛśābhinaṁdya mādhavaṁ prasannayā maheśvaraḥ athodatiṣṭhipacca taṁ sahuṁkriyaścaturmukham

Maheshvara, with a gracious glance, welcomed Madhava; then, with a sharp cry, he raised up the bewildered four-faced Brahma as well.

Verse 9 (skanda.1.129.9)

जगाद चाधिकारितामदाद्युवां समुद्धतौ । न लज्जितव्यमत्र वामयं क्रमोऽधिकारिणाम्

jagāda cādhikāritāmadādyuvāṁ samuddhatau na lajjitavyamatra vāmayaṁ kramo'dhikāriṇām

He said: 'It was I who gave you both your high offices, and it is that very authority which has made you both so arrogant. Yet there is no cause for shame in this — for such indeed is the way of those who hold high office.'

Verse 10 (skanda.1.129.10)

परीक्ष्य वैभवं मम प्रबोधवानभूद्धरिः । अयं न जातुपद्मभूश्छलन्मनो दुरात्मवान्

parīkṣya vaibhavaṁ mama prabodhavānabhūddhariḥ ayaṁ na jātupadmabhūśchalanmano durātmavān

'Having tested my majesty, Hari has become truly awakened; but this lotus-born one, his mind given to deceit, has proven wicked of heart.'

Verse 11 (skanda.1.129.11)

अशासि पंचवक्त्रता यदोपहासितो ह्यहम् । पुनःस्वपुत्रिकारतिर्मयैष शिक्षितोऽभवत्

aśāsi paṁcavaktratā yadopahāsito hyaham punaḥsvaputrikāratirmayaiṣa śikṣito'bhavat

'When once before he mocked me, I punished him by taking on five faces; and again, when he lusted after his own daughter, I disciplined him for that too.'

Verse 12 (skanda.1.129.12)

तृतीय एष मंतुरप्यहो कथं नु सह्यते । तदस्य तु प्रतिष्ठया क्वचिन्न भूयतां विधेः

tṛtīya eṣa maṁturapyaho kathaṁ nu sahyate tadasya tu pratiṣṭhayā kvacinna bhūyatāṁ vidheḥ

'And now here is his third offense — ah, how can it possibly be borne? Therefore let this Creator never anywhere attain worship or a fixed seat of honor.'

Verse 13 (skanda.1.129.13)

अयं च केतकच्छदो यदाप कूटसाक्षिताम् । अतः परं न जातु तन्ममैतु मूर्ध्नि संस्थितिम्

ayaṁ ca ketakacchado yadāpa kūṭasākṣitām ataḥ paraṁ na jātu tanmamaitu mūrdhni saṁsthitim

'And as for this ketaki petal, since it consented to bear false witness, from this day forward let it never again find a place upon my head in worship.'

Verse 14 (skanda.1.129.14)

शप्त्वैवमेतौ गिरिशः प्रीत्या विष्णुमभाषत

śaptvaivametau giriśaḥ prītyā viṣṇumabhāṣata

Having thus cursed both of them, Girisha then turned with affection and spoke to Vishnu.

Verse 15 (skanda.1.129.15)

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच । वत्स मा भैः प्रसन्नोऽस्मि भवते भक्तिशालिने । ननु त्वमंगान्मे जातस्सात्त्विकोऽसि विशेषतः । माहेश्वराग्रगण्योऽसि जगत्यां हि यथा पुरा

śrīmaheśvara uvāca vatsa mā bhaiḥ prasanno'smi bhavate bhaktiśāline nanu tvamaṁgānme jātassāttviko'si viśeṣataḥ māheśvarāgragaṇyo'si jagatyāṁ hi yathā purā

Sri Maheshvara said: 'Child, fear not; I am well pleased with you, so full of devotion. Indeed you were born from my own body, and are pure sattva above all others. As before, so now, you remain foremost among my devotees in all the world.'

Verse 16 (skanda.1.129.16)

न तवातः परं जातु भक्तिहानिर्भवेन्मयि । प्रतिक्षणं वर्द्धमाना कल्पते च विमुक्तये

na tavātaḥ paraṁ jātu bhaktihānirbhavenmayi pratikṣaṇaṁ varddhamānā kalpate ca vimuktaye

'From this day forth, your devotion to me shall never diminish; rather, growing greater with every passing moment, it shall lead you at last to liberation.'

Verse 17 (skanda.1.129.17)

इत्यनुग्रहकृतं त्रिलोचनं भक्तिभाजि निरहंक्रिये हरौ । भीतिमानवनतः स्वयं विधिः स्तोतुमारभत क्लृप्तवंदनः

ityanugrahakṛtaṁ trilocanaṁ bhaktibhāji nirahaṁkriye harau bhītimānavanataḥ svayaṁ vidhiḥ stotumārabhata klṛptavaṁdanaḥ

Seeing the three-eyed Lord thus bestow his grace upon devoted, humbled Hari, Brahma himself, filled with fear, bowed low and, having composed a hymn of praise, began to extol him.