The Hymn to the Cosmic Person, and the Temple Already Standing on Nilachala

Verse 1 (skanda.2.64.1)

जैमिनिरुवाच । आगत्य च जगन्नाथं चिरादुत्कंठमानसः । दंडवत्प्रणनामासौ घनरोमांचकंचुकः

jaiminiruvāca āgatya ca jagannāthaṁ cirādutkaṁṭhamānasaḥ daṁḍavatpraṇanāmāsau ghanaromāṁcakaṁcukaḥ

Jaimini said: Coming before Jagannatha, his heart long yearning, he prostrated himself flat as a rod, his body clothed in a thick armor of horripilation.

Verse 2 (skanda.2.64.2)

नमो ब्रह्मण्यदेवाय गोब्राह्मणहिताय च । प्रणतार्तिविनाशाय चतुर्वर्गैकहेतवे

namo brahmaṇyadevāya gobrāhmaṇahitāya ca praṇatārtivināśāya caturvargaikahetave

"Homage to the god devoted to Brahman, benefactor of cows and Brahmins, destroyer of the suffering of those who bow before him, sole cause of the four aims of life,

Verse 3 (skanda.2.64.3)

हिरण्यगर्भपुरुषप्रधानव्यक्तरूपिणे । ॐ नमो वासुदेवाय शुद्धज्ञानस्वरूपिणे

hiraṇyagarbhapuruṣapradhānavyaktarūpiṇe oṁ namo vāsudevāya śuddhajñānasvarūpiṇe

— whose manifest forms are Hiranyagarbha, Purusha, and Pradhana; Om, homage to Vasudeva, whose very nature is pure knowledge."

Verse 4 (skanda.2.64.4)

इत्युच्चरन्स्तुतिं भूपः सानंदाश्रुविलोचनः । प्रदक्षिणं पुनः कुर्वन्ननाम च पुनःपुनः

ityuccaranstutiṁ bhūpaḥ sānaṁdāśruvilocanaḥ pradakṣiṇaṁ punaḥ kurvannanāma ca punaḥpunaḥ

Uttering this hymn of praise, the king, his eyes brimming with tears of joy, circling him again, bowed down again and again.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.64.5)

ततोऽन्या देवता या वै तत्रागच्छन्मुदान्विताः । तुष्टुवुः प्रणता देवं कृतांजलिपुटा मुदा

tato'nyā devatā yā vai tatrāgacchanmudānvitāḥ tuṣṭuvuḥ praṇatā devaṁ kṛtāṁjalipuṭā mudā

Then the other gods who had gathered there, filled with joy, bowing low, joining their palms in delight, praised the Lord.

Verse 6 (skanda.2.64.6)

देवा ऊचुः । सहस्रशीर्षा पुरुषः सहस्राक्षः सहस्रपात् । स भूमिं सर्वतो व्याप्य अध्यतिष्ठद्दशांगुलम्

devā ūcuḥ sahasraśīrṣā puruṣaḥ sahasrākṣaḥ sahasrapāt sa bhūmiṁ sarvato vyāpya adhyatiṣṭhaddaśāṁgulam

The gods said: The Cosmic Person has a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet; pervading the earth on every side, he still stood beyond it by ten fingers' breadth.

Verse 7 (skanda.2.64.7)

यः पुमान्परमं ब्रह्म परमात्मेति गीयते । भूतं भव्यं भविष्यं च सर्वं पुरुष एव तत्

yaḥ pumānparamaṁ brahma paramātmeti gīyate bhūtaṁ bhavyaṁ bhaviṣyaṁ ca sarvaṁ puruṣa eva tat

That Person who is celebrated as the supreme Brahman, the supreme Self — whatever has been and whatever shall be, all that is this Person alone.

Verse 8 (skanda.2.64.8)

एतावानस्य महिमा ज्यायानेष पुमान्प्रभुः । पादोऽस्य विश्वा भूतानि त्रिपादस्यामृतं दिवि

etāvānasya mahimā jyāyāneṣa pumānprabhuḥ pādo'sya viśvā bhūtāni tripādasyāmṛtaṁ divi

Such is his greatness, yet this Person, the Lord, is greater still; all beings are but one quarter of him, three quarters are the immortal realm in heaven.

Verse 9 (skanda.2.64.9)

छन्दांसि जज्ञिरे त्वत्तस्त्वत्तो यज्ञपुमानपि । त्वत्तोऽश्वाश्च व्यजायंत गावो मेषादयस्तथा

chandāṁsi jajñire tvattastvatto yajñapumānapi tvatto'śvāśca vyajāyaṁta gāvo meṣādayastathā

From you were born the sacred metres, and from you the sacrificial Person too; from you came forth the horses, and the cattle, the sheep, and the rest.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.64.10)

ब्राह्मणा मुखतो जाता बाहुजाः क्षत्रियास्तव । विशस्तवोरुजा पद्भ्यां तथा शूद्राः समागताः

brāhmaṇā mukhato jātā bāhujāḥ kṣatriyāstava viśastavorujā padbhyāṁ tathā śūdrāḥ samāgatāḥ

Brahmins were born from your mouth, Kshatriyas from your arms; Vaishyas from your thighs, and from your feet the Shudras came into being.

Verse 11 (skanda.2.64.11)

मनसश्चंद्रमा जातश्चक्षुषस्ते दिवाकरः । कर्णाभ्यां श्वसनः प्राणैर्जिह्वाया हव्यवाडपि

manasaścaṁdramā jātaścakṣuṣaste divākaraḥ karṇābhyāṁ śvasanaḥ prāṇairjihvāyā havyavāḍapi

From your mind the moon was born, from your eye the sun; from your ears the wind, and from your tongue, together with the vital breaths, Agni, bearer of oblations.

Verse 12 (skanda.2.64.12)

नाभितो गगनं द्यौश्च मूर्ध्नस्ते समवर्त्तत । पादाभ्यां ते धरा जाता दिशश्चाष्टौ श्रुतेर्गताः

nābhito gaganaṁ dyauśca mūrdhnaste samavarttata pādābhyāṁ te dharā jātā diśaścāṣṭau śrutergatāḥ

From your navel came the atmosphere, and from your head the heaven; from your feet the earth was born, and from your hearing the eight directions.

Verse 13 (skanda.2.64.13)

सप्तासन्परिधयस्त्वत्त एकविंशत्समिच्च वै । चराचराः सर्वभावास्त्वत्त एव हि जज्ञिरे

saptāsanparidhayastvatta ekaviṁśatsamicca vai carācarāḥ sarvabhāvāstvatta eva hi jajñire

From you came the seven enclosing sticks, and the twenty-one sacrificial faggots as well; all things, moving and unmoving, were born from you alone.

Verse 14 (skanda.2.64.14)

त्वमेव जगतां नाथस्त्वमेव परिपालकः । उग्ररूपश्च संहर्ता त्वमेव परमेश्वर

tvameva jagatāṁ nāthastvameva paripālakaḥ ugrarūpaśca saṁhartā tvameva parameśvara

You alone are the lord of the worlds, you alone their protector; and, in your fierce form, the destroyer too — you alone, O supreme Lord.

Verse 15 (skanda.2.64.15)

त्वमेव यज्ञो यज्ञांशस्त्वं यज्ञेशः परात्परः । शब्दब्रह्मपरं त्वं हि शब्दब्रह्मासि विश्वराट्

tvameva yajño yajñāṁśastvaṁ yajñeśaḥ parātparaḥ śabdabrahmaparaṁ tvaṁ hi śabdabrahmāsi viśvarāṭ

You alone are the sacrifice, and the portion of the sacrifice; you are the lord of sacrifice, higher than the highest; you are that which transcends the Word-Brahman, and you are the Word-Brahman itself, sovereign of the universe.

Verse 16 (skanda.2.64.16)

स्वराट् सम्राड्जगन्नाथ विराडसि जगत्पते । अधश्चोर्ध्वं च तिर्यक्त्वं त्वया व्याप्तं जगन्मय

svarāṭ samrāḍjagannātha virāḍasi jagatpate adhaścordhvaṁ ca tiryaktvaṁ tvayā vyāptaṁ jaganmaya

You are Svarat and Samrat, O Jagannatha; you are Virat, O lord of the world; below, above, and across, this universe is pervaded by you alone, O all-pervading one.

Verse 17 (skanda.2.64.17)

प्राप्नुवंति परं स्थानं त्वां यजंतश्च याज्ञिकाः । भोज्यं भोक्ता हविर्होता हवनं त्वं फलप्रदः

prāpnuvaṁti paraṁ sthānaṁ tvāṁ yajaṁtaśca yājñikāḥ bhojyaṁ bhoktā havirhotā havanaṁ tvaṁ phalapradaḥ

The sacrificers who worship you attain the supreme abode; you are the food enjoyed and the enjoyer, the oblation and the one who offers it, the offering itself, and the giver of its fruit.

Verse 18 (skanda.2.64.18)

समस्तकर्मभोक्ता त्वं सर्वकर्मात्मकः प्रभो । सर्वकर्मोपकरणं सर्वकर्मफलप्रदः

samastakarmabhoktā tvaṁ sarvakarmātmakaḥ prabho sarvakarmopakaraṇaṁ sarvakarmaphalapradaḥ

You are the enjoyer of every deed, O Lord, the very essence of all action; you are the instrument of every deed and the bestower of the fruit of every deed.

Verse 19 (skanda.2.64.19)

कर्मप्रेरयिता त्वं हि धर्मकामार्थसिद्धिदः । त्वामृते मुक्तिदः कोऽन्यो हृषीकेश नमोऽस्तु ते

karmaprerayitā tvaṁ hi dharmakāmārthasiddhidaḥ tvāmṛte muktidaḥ ko'nyo hṛṣīkeśa namo'stu te

You alone impel every deed, the giver of the attainment of dharma, artha, and kama; apart from you, who else bestows liberation? Homage to you, O Hrishikesha!

Verse 20 (skanda.2.64.20)

नमोऽस्त्वनन्ताय सहस्रमूर्त्तये सहस्रपादाक्षिशिरोरुबाहवे । सहस्रनाम्ने पुरुषाय शाश्वते सहस्रकोटीयुगधारिणे नमः

namo'stvanantāya sahasramūrttaye sahasrapādākṣiśirorubāhave sahasranāmne puruṣāya śāśvate sahasrakoṭīyugadhāriṇe namaḥ

Homage to the Infinite One, of a thousand forms, with a thousand feet, eyes, heads, thighs, and arms; homage to the eternal Person of a thousand names, sustainer of a thousand million ages.

Verse 21 (skanda.2.64.21)

वयं च्युताधिकारास्त्वां प्रपन्नाः शरणं प्रभो । त्राहि नः पुंडरीकाक्ष अगतीनां गतिर्भव

vayaṁ cyutādhikārāstvāṁ prapannāḥ śaraṇaṁ prabho trāhi naḥ puṁḍarīkākṣa agatīnāṁ gatirbhava

We, fallen from our office, have taken refuge in you, O Lord; save us, O lotus-eyed one; be the refuge of those who have no refuge.

Verse 22 (skanda.2.64.22)

संसारपतितस्यैको जन्तोस्त्वं शरणं प्रभो । त्वत्सृष्टौ त्वादृशो नास्ति यो दीनपरिपालकः

saṁsārapatitasyaiko jantostvaṁ śaraṇaṁ prabho tvatsṛṣṭau tvādṛśo nāsti yo dīnaparipālakaḥ

You alone, O Lord, are the refuge of the creature fallen into the round of birth and death; in all your creation there is none like you who cares for the wretched.

Verse 23 (skanda.2.64.23)

दीनानाथैकशरणं पिता त्वं जगतः प्रभो । पाता पोष्टा त्वमेवेश सर्वापद्विनिवारकः

dīnānāthaikaśaraṇaṁ pitā tvaṁ jagataḥ prabho pātā poṣṭā tvameveśa sarvāpadvinivārakaḥ

You are the sole refuge of the poor and helpless, the father of the world, O Lord; you alone, O master, are the protector, the nourisher, the one who wards off every calamity.

Verse 24 (skanda.2.64.24)

त्राहि विष्णो जगन्नाथ त्राहि नः परमेश्वर । त्वामृते कमलाकांत कः शक्तः परिरक्षणे

trāhi viṣṇo jagannātha trāhi naḥ parameśvara tvāmṛte kamalākāṁta kaḥ śaktaḥ parirakṣaṇe

Save us, O Vishnu, O Jagannatha, save us, O supreme Lord; apart from you, O beloved of Kamala, who else has the power to protect us?

Verse 25 (skanda.2.64.25)

अन्तर्यामिन्नमस्तेऽस्तु सर्वतेजोनिधे नमः

antaryāminnamaste'stu sarvatejonidhe namaḥ

Homage to you, O indweller of all; homage to you, O treasury of all splendor."

Verse 26 (skanda.2.64.26)

इति स्तुवंतस्ते देवाः प्रणिपत्य पुनःपुनः । इंद्रद्युम्नेन सहिता बहिर्भूय द्विजोत्तमाः

iti stuvaṁtaste devāḥ praṇipatya punaḥpunaḥ iṁdradyumnena sahitā bahirbhūya dvijottamāḥ

Praising him thus, those gods, prostrating themselves again and again, together with Indradyumna, went outside, O best of the twice-born,

Verse 27 (skanda.2.64.27)

क्षेत्रं श्रीनरसिंहस्य गत्वा तं प्रणिपत्य च । नमस्कृत्य परां भक्तिं कृत्वाभ्यर्च्य नृकेसरिम्

kṣetraṁ śrīnarasiṁhasya gatvā taṁ praṇipatya ca namaskṛtya parāṁ bhaktiṁ kṛtvābhyarcya nṛkesarim

and, going to the field of glorious Narasimha, bowing before him, offering homage with the deepest devotion, worshipping that Man-lion,

Verse 28 (skanda.2.64.28)

नीलाचलाद्रेः शिखरं यत्र प्रासाद उत्तमः । ययुस्ते पद्मनिधिना सार्द्धं संभारकारणात्

nīlācalādreḥ śikharaṁ yatra prāsāda uttamaḥ yayuste padmanidhinā sārddhaṁ saṁbhārakāraṇāt

— they went, together with Padmanidhi, to gather the materials, to the peak of Mount Nilachala where the supreme temple was to stand.

Verse 29 (skanda.2.64.29)

ददृशुस्ते महाप्रांशुं व्याप्तं गगनमण्डले । उत्तिष्ठंतं विंध्यगिरिं रोद्धुं भानोर्गतिं किमु

dadṛśuste mahāprāṁśuṁ vyāptaṁ gaganamaṇḍale uttiṣṭhaṁtaṁ viṁdhyagiriṁ roddhuṁ bhānorgatiṁ kimu

They beheld it, immensely tall, filling the vault of the sky — was it the Vindhya mountain rising up as if to block the sun's course?

Verse 30 (skanda.2.64.30)

व्यश्नुवानं दिशः सर्वा विचित्रघटनोज्ज्वलम् । बहुकालव्यतिक्रांतस्वस्तिभंगिविचित्रकम्

vyaśnuvānaṁ diśaḥ sarvā vicitraghaṭanojjvalam bahukālavyatikrāṁtasvastibhaṁgivicitrakam

— spreading across every direction, radiant with wondrous workmanship, remarkable with arrangements built up over a very long span of time.

Verse 31 (skanda.2.64.31)

ततश्च चिंतयामास इन्द्रद्युम्नः स वैष्णवः । घटनार्थे मया यातः सत्यलोकमितः पुरा

tataśca ciṁtayāmāsa indradyumnaḥ sa vaiṣṇavaḥ ghaṭanārthe mayā yātaḥ satyalokamitaḥ purā

Then Indradyumna, that Vaishnava, reflected: "I went from here to Satyaloka before, for the sake of the building —

Verse 32 (skanda.2.64.32)

सुचिराद्दृष्टिपथगः पूर्णः प्रासाद उत्तमः । अनुग्रहाद्वै देवस्य नात्र मानुषपौरुषम्

sucirāddṛṣṭipathagaḥ pūrṇaḥ prāsāda uttamaḥ anugrahādvai devasya nātra mānuṣapauruṣam

— and only after so very long has this supreme temple come into view, complete. This is by the grace of the god alone; there is no human effort in it.

Verse 33 (skanda.2.64.33)

मन्वंतरसमाप्तिः क्व सूर्यचन्द्रेंद्ररोधिका । तथापि तिष्ठते चायं प्रासादो ह्येष दुर्लभः

manvaṁtarasamāptiḥ kva sūryacandreṁdrarodhikā tathāpi tiṣṭhate cāyaṁ prāsādo hyeṣa durlabhaḥ

How great a span is the completion of a Manvantara, which halts even sun, moon, and Indra — and yet this temple, so hard to attain, still stands!

Verse 34 (skanda.2.64.34)

वल्मीकसदृशा ह्येते प्रासादा मानुषैः कृताः । शीर्यंति रोहणैर्वृक्षैः स्वल्पकालगतायुषः

valmīkasadṛśā hyete prāsādā mānuṣaiḥ kṛtāḥ śīryaṁti rohaṇairvṛkṣaiḥ svalpakālagatāyuṣaḥ

Temples built by men are indeed like anthills; short-lived, they crumble away, broken apart by trees taking root in them.

Verse 35 (skanda.2.64.35)

मदनुक्रोशबुद्ध्या तु रक्षितं भवनं हरेः । ततस्तान्स सहायान्वै जगाद प्रश्रयं वचः

madanukrośabuddhyā tu rakṣitaṁ bhavanaṁ hareḥ tatastānsa sahāyānvai jagāda praśrayaṁ vacaḥ

But this abode of Hari has been preserved only by his own thought of compassion for me." Then he spoke humbly to his helpers:

Verse 36 (skanda.2.64.36)

जानीत जगदीशस्य प्रासादं कारितं मया । आविर्बभूव भगवान्दारुरूपवपुः स्वयम् । तदांतरिक्षगा वाणी मामुवाचाशरीरिणी

jānīta jagadīśasya prāsādaṁ kāritaṁ mayā āvirbabhūva bhagavāndārurūpavapuḥ svayam tadāṁtarikṣagā vāṇī māmuvācāśarīriṇī

"Know that I had this temple of the Lord of the world built; the Lord himself appeared in a form of wood, and then a disembodied voice from the sky spoke to me:

Verse 37 (skanda.2.64.37)

सहस्रपाणिसंमितं नीलाद्रेः शिखरोपरि । प्रासादं कारयस्वेति स्थितये जगदीशितुः

sahasrapāṇisaṁmitaṁ nīlādreḥ śikharopari prāsādaṁ kārayasveti sthitaye jagadīśituḥ

— 'Have a temple built, a thousand cubits in measure, atop the peak of Nilachala, for the abiding place of the Lord of the world.'

Verse 38 (skanda.2.64.38)

एतत्प्रतिष्ठानविधौ स्वयमत्रागमिष्यति । पद्मयोनिः स्वयं सार्द्धं सिद्धब्रह्मर्षिदैवतैः

etatpratiṣṭhānavidhau svayamatrāgamiṣyati padmayoniḥ svayaṁ sārddhaṁ siddhabrahmarṣidaivataiḥ

'For the rite of its consecration, the Lotus-born one himself will come here, together with the Siddhas, the Brahmarshis, and the gods.'

Verse 39 (skanda.2.64.39)

तदत्र क्रियते को वा संभारो ज्ञायते कथम् । इत्युक्तवंतं ते प्रोचुर्देवा भग्नाधिकारिणः

tadatra kriyate ko vā saṁbhāro jñāyate katham ityuktavaṁtaṁ te procurdevā bhagnādhikāriṇaḥ

'So who, then, is building this, and how is one to know what materials it requires?'" To him thus speaking, the gods, their office now ended, replied:

Verse 40 (skanda.2.64.40)

देवा ऊचुः । न जानीमो वयमपि तदस्माकं गुरुर्गुरुः । इदानीं न वशेऽस्माकं स हि स्वर्गपरो हितः

devā ūcuḥ na jānīmo vayamapi tadasmākaṁ gururguruḥ idānīṁ na vaśe'smākaṁ sa hi svargaparo hitaḥ

The gods said: "We too do not know; that lies with the teacher of our own teacher. He is no longer within our power, for his good now lies beyond heaven itself."

Verse 41 (skanda.2.64.41)

पद्मनिधिरुवाच । स्वामिन्विधेरनुज्ञानादागतोऽस्मि त्वया सह । कर्तव्यं किं मया चात्र किं वा वस्तु प्रतीक्ष्यते

padmanidhiruvāca svāminvidheranujñānādāgato'smi tvayā saha kartavyaṁ kiṁ mayā cātra kiṁ vā vastu pratīkṣyate

Padmanidhi said: "O master, by the sanction of Vidhi, I have come here together with you; what am I to do here, or what materials must be awaited?"

Verse 42 (skanda.2.64.42)

जैमिनिरुवाच । इति ह्यालप्यमानानां नारदः पुरतः स्थितः । ब्रह्मणा प्रेषितः पूर्वं सर्वशास्त्रविशारदः

jaiminiruvāca iti hyālapyamānānāṁ nāradaḥ purataḥ sthitaḥ brahmaṇā preṣitaḥ pūrvaṁ sarvaśāstraviśāradaḥ

Jaimini said: As they were thus conversing, Narada, learned in all the scriptures, who had earlier been sent by Brahma, appeared before them,

Verse 43 (skanda.2.64.43)

सर्वसंभारवस्तूनि यथाशास्त्रं मुने कुरु । संपादयिष्यति तव शासनात्पद्मको निधिः

sarvasaṁbhāravastūni yathāśāstraṁ mune kuru saṁpādayiṣyati tava śāsanātpadmako nidhiḥ

— and said: "O sage, gather all the materials according to scripture; at your command, Padmaka the treasure-lord will accomplish it."

Verse 44 (skanda.2.64.44)

तं दृष्ट्वा ते मुदा युक्ता उत्तस्थुर्ब्रह्मणः सुतम् । षडर्घ्यपूजया तस्य पूजां चक्रे नृपोत्तमः

taṁ dṛṣṭvā te mudā yuktā uttasthurbrahmaṇaḥ sutam ṣaḍarghyapūjayā tasya pūjāṁ cakre nṛpottamaḥ

Seeing him, they rose up in joy for the son of Brahma; and the best of kings honored him with the sixfold argha offering.

Verse 45 (skanda.2.64.45)

प्रणेमुस्तेऽपि तं देवा मनुष्याकारधारिणः । ऊचे तमिंद्रद्युम्नोऽपि प्रतिष्ठाविधिवस्तुनि

praṇemuste'pi taṁ devā manuṣyākāradhāriṇaḥ ūce tamiṁdradyumno'pi pratiṣṭhāvidhivastuni

The gods too, in their human forms, bowed to him; and Indradyumna as well spoke to him regarding the rite and materials of the consecration:

Verse 46 (skanda.2.64.46)

नाहं वेद्मि मुनिश्रेष्ठ चिरात्त्यक्तः पुरोधसा । आदेशय क्रमाद्ब्रह्मन्संपाद्यं यद्यदेव हि

nāhaṁ vedmi muniśreṣṭha cirāttyaktaḥ purodhasā ādeśaya kramādbrahmansaṁpādyaṁ yadyadeva hi

"I do not know, O best of sages; my own priest abandoned me long ago. Instruct me in order, O Brahmin, in whatever indeed is to be accomplished."