The Proclamation of the Boon to the Gods

Verse 1 (skanda.8.156.1)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । एवं स्तुतस्स भगवान् ब्रह्मणा युग्मलोचनः । उवाच देवांस्तान् सर्वान् ब्रह्मणा सहिताँस्तदा

sanatkumāra uvāca | evaṁ stutassa bhagavān brahmaṇā yugmalocanaḥ | uvāca devāṁstān sarvān brahmaṇā sahitā~stadā

Sanatkumara said: Thus praised by two-eyed Brahma, the blessed lord Shiva then spoke to all those gods, together with Brahma.

Verse 2 (skanda.8.156.2)

प्रीतोस्मि विबुधा यात नाशितो देवकण्टकः । किमन्यत् करवाण्यद्य प्रियं वो वरतानघाः

prītosmi vibudhā yāta nāśito devakaṇṭakaḥ | kimanyat karavāṇyadya priyaṁ vo varatānaghāḥ

'I am pleased, O gods; go now - the thorn in the side of the gods has been destroyed. O sinless ones, what else pleasing shall I do for you today? Ask a boon.'

Verse 3 (skanda.8.156.3)

इत्युक्ता देवदेवेन देवाः सर्वे बभाषिरे । स्तुवन्तः प्रह्वमूर्धानो देवेशं हृष्टमानसाः

ityuktā devadevena devāḥ sarve babhāṣire | stuvantaḥ prahvamūrdhāno deveśaṁ hṛṣṭamānasāḥ

Thus addressed by the God of gods, all the gods, their hearts gladdened, bowed their heads and spoke, praising him.

Verse 4 (skanda.8.156.4)

त्वमेव देव सर्वेषामस्माकं शरणं परम् । त्वं पिता सर्वलोकानां त्वयायं नाशितोन्धकः

tvameva deva sarveṣāmasmākaṁ śaraṇaṁ param | tvaṁ pitā sarvalokānāṁ tvayāyaṁ nāśitondhakaḥ

'You alone, O god, are the supreme refuge for all of us. You are the father of all the worlds. It is you who have destroyed this Andhaka.'

Verse 5 (skanda.8.156.5)

इत्युक्त्वा विबुधास्सर्वे प्रणिपत्य च शङ्करम् । ब्रह्मणा सहिता जग्मुर्यथास्थानं मुदा युताः

ityuktvā vibudhāssarve praṇipatya ca śaṅkaram | brahmaṇā sahitā jagmuryathāsthānaṁ mudā yutāḥ

Having said this, all the gods bowed to Shankara and, together with Brahma, returned joyfully to their own abodes.

Verse 6 (skanda.8.156.6)

ततो गणानपीशानो युद्धकृतश्रमान् । अर्चयित्वा यथावद्धि विससर्ज महामनाः

tato gaṇānapīśāno yuddhakṛtaśramān | arcayitvā yathāvaddhi visasarja mahāmanāḥ

Then the great-souled Ishana duly honoured the ganas, wearied by the toil of battle, and sent them on their way.

Verse 7 (skanda.8.156.7)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । एवं तमन्धकं जित्वा कृत्वा च गणनायकम् । विसृज्य च सुरान् देवो विजहार सुरार्तिहा

sanatkumāra uvāca | evaṁ tamandhakaṁ jitvā kṛtvā ca gaṇanāyakam | visṛjya ca surān devo vijahāra surārtihā

Sanatkumara said: Thus, having conquered Andhaka and made him a leader of the ganas, the god who ends the sorrow of the gods dismissed the gods and went about at his own pleasure.

Verse 8 (skanda.8.156.8)

इमं यो ह्यन्धकवधं पठेत द्विजसंसदि । ब्राह्मणो लभते यो रक्षां न संशयः

imaṁ yo hyandhakavadhaṁ paṭheta dvijasaṁsadi | brāhmaṇo labhate yo rakṣāṁ na saṁśayaḥ

Whoever recites this account of Andhaka's slaying in an assembly of brahmins, that brahmin attains an excellent reward - there is no doubt that he gains protection thereby. A portion in the middle of this verse is lost in the source.

Verse 9 (skanda.8.156.9)

शरीर योगं रूपं धर्म विन्दति । यच्च त्वा गाणपत्येन युज्यते देहपर्यये

śarīra yogaṁ rūpaṁ dharma vindati | yacca tvā gāṇapatyena yujyate dehaparyaye

This verse is very badly damaged in the source; only this much is clear - that through the discipline of the body he attains a certain form and dharma, and at the falling away of the body becomes united with the state of a ganapati.