13.014
The story of Upamanyu.
Hymn of praise to Śiva.
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
O all-pervading one, declare to the lord of the grandsire the names of Śambhu, the tawny one, the wielder of universal illusion, and his great fortune in truth. (13-14-1)
Bhishma said.
O teacher of gods and asuras, O divine Viṣṇu, you are worthy to speak about Śiva, the universal form, regarding what Yudhiṣṭhira is asking me. (13-14-2)
The thousand names of the god, which were formerly composed by Taṇḍin, the one born from Brahmā, were declared in the world of Brahmā by Brahmā himself. (13-14-3)
May these sages, beginning with Dvaipāyana, whose wealth is austerity, who are of good vows and self-controlled, likewise listen to your words as spoken. (13-14-4)
O Lord, speak of the great fortune to the firm one, the joyful one, the sacrificer, the protector, the creator of the universe, to Agni, to the shaven-headed one, and to the matted-haired one. (13-14-5)
Vāsudeva said.
The true course of the Lord's actions cannot be known; even gods headed by Hiraṇyagarbha, with Indra, and the great sages who see the subtle, do not know His beginning or end. So how can the path of the virtuous be known by a mere man? (13-14-7)
I shall recount to you some of the qualities of the Lord, the destroyer of asuras, to the Lord of vows, just as they are. (13-14-8)
Vaiśampāyana said.
Having thus spoken, the venerable one, after purifying himself by touching water, began to narrate the qualities of that great-souled wise one. (13-14-9)
Vāsudeva said.
O best of Brāhmaṇas, you all should serve; and you too, dear Yudhiṣṭhira, listen to the names of the son of Āpagā, the lord of the world. (13-14-10)
That which I had previously obtained for the sake of Sāmba, which was very difficult; and as I had previously seen the Lord by concentration. (13-14-11)
After Śambara was previously slain by the wise son of Rukmiṇī, when twelve years had passed, Jāmbavatī spoke to me. (13-14-12)
Having seen the sons such as Pradyumna and Cārudeṣṇa born of Rukmiṇī, desiring a son, she approached me and spoke these words, O Yudhiṣṭhira. (13-14-13)
O Acyuta, give me my son, who is valiant, the best among the strong, lovely in form, sinless, and equal to myself, without delay. (13-14-14)
There is indeed nothing unattainable for you in these three worlds; O uplifter of the Yadu clan, if you desire, you could create other worlds. (13-14-15)
For twelve years, you, having become like air and dried up, worshipped the lord of creatures; by Rukmini, sons were born. (13-14-16)
Cārudeṣṇa, Sucāru, Cāruveṣa, Yaśodhara, Cāruśrava, Cāruyaśas, Pradyumna, and Śambhu are present here. (13-14-17)
Just as you have sons born of Rukmini, who are of beautiful prowess, in the same way, O powerful one, give me also a son. (13-14-18)
Thus addressed by the goddess, I spoke to the slender-waisted one: "Permit me, O queen, I will carry out your command." She then said to me: "Go for victory and for auspiciousness." (13-14-19)
Brahmā, Śiva, Kāśyapa, the rivers, the gods, the followers of the mind, the field-herbs, the carriers of sacrifice, the Vedic metres, the groups of sages, and the earth. (13-14-20)
Oceans, offerings, chants, constellations, ancestors, planets, wives of the gods, daughters of the gods, and mothers of the gods as well. (13-14-21)
Manvantaras, cows, the moon, Savitṛ, Hari, Sāvitrī, the knowledge of Brahman, seasons, years, and nights. (13-14-22)
May moments, instants, muhurtas, twinklings, and cycles of ages protect you wherever you go, O Yadava, bringing happiness. Go on a path free from danger, being vigilant, O sinless one. (13-14-23)
Thus, after she performed the auspicious rites, I permitted her—the daughter of the lord of monkeys—to approach the father of the best of men, as well as the mother, the king, and also Ahuka. (13-14-24)
Having informed me of that matter which she said, the greatly afflicted daughter of the king of the Vidyādharas, after permitting them, then being excessively distressed by disease in the same way, and Rāma, who was very strong. (13-14-25)
After receiving permission from the elders, I thought of Tārkṣya (Garuda). He carried me to the Himalayas, and after arriving there, I dismissed him. (13-14-26)
There, O best of mountains, I saw wondrous states; I also see the best field of austerities, an excellent hermitage. (13-14-27)
The divine (object) of Vaiyāghrapāda and the great-souled Upamanyu, worshipped by gods and gandharvas, endowed with the presence of Brahmī and Lakṣmī. (13-14-28)
With dhava, kubhaka, kadamba, coconut, kurabaka, ketaka, jambu, pāṭala, banyan, varuṇaka, vatsanābha, bilva, sarala, kapittha, priyāla, sāla, and tāla trees. (13-14-29)
There were jujube, jasmine, punnāga, ashoka, mango, ātimukta creepers, bhallātaka, madhūka, champaka, and jackfruit trees growing there. (13-14-30)
It was joined with many kinds of wild trees that gave fruit and flowers, scattered with flowering bushes and creepers, and adorned with clumps of banana. (13-14-31)
The forest was adorned with trees bearing fruits enjoyed by various birds, and was beautified with rows of trees properly arranged in their respective places. (13-14-32)
The place was teeming with antelopes, elephants, tigers, lions, and leopards; scattered with deer and peacocks; overrun by cats and serpents; and frequented by herds of various animals, buffaloes, and bears. (13-14-33)
The wind here, mixed with the pollen of various flowers and pervaded by the scent of elephant exudation, abundant with the songs of celestial women, blew pleasantly. (13-14-34)
O hero, the place resounded with the sounds of streams, the cries of birds, the auspicious trumpeting of elephants, the melodious songs of kinnaras, and the auspicious chants of the Sāmagas. (13-14-35)
It is inconceivable even to the mind of others, beautifully adorned with lakes, decorated with large fire-altars, and covered with kuśa grass. (13-14-36)
Adorned with holy and pure waters, and always cherished, O king, by the daughter of Jahnu. It is graced by great souls, the foremost among the upholders of dharma, and by great sages who are equal to Agni. (13-14-37)
Surrounded on all sides by the foremost Brāhmaṇas—those who subsist on air, water, smoke, hot food, or milk, those always engaged in muttering or meditation, and those who are ever pure ascetics—the place was adorned. (13-14-38)
There are cow-grazers, then stone-pounders, tooth-mortar-users likewise, pepper-eaters, foam-eaters, and similarly, deer-grazers. (13-14-39)
Bearing those very painful restraints endowed with great austerity, seeing with eyes wide open, he began to enter. (13-14-40)
O Bhārata, that hermitage region, always well-honored by groups of gods, great souls, Śiva and others, and those of virtuous deeds, shone like the solar orb in the sky, O king. (13-14-41)
Mongooses play with serpents, tigers with deer, all like friends, due to the power of blazing austerity and the quality of their close association. (13-14-42)
There, in that excellent āśrama, delightful to all beings, served by the foremost of the twice-born who have mastered the Vedas and Vedāṅgas. (13-14-43)
As I entered, I saw the lord, wearing matted hair and a bark garment, surrounded by sages renowned for various disciplines and by great souls. (13-14-44)
Radiant with brilliance and austerity, shining like fire, calm and youthful, the foremost among brāhmaṇas, seated among the disciples, Upamanyu bowed his head to me and spoke. (13-14-45)
Welcome, O lotus-eyed one! Our austerities have borne fruit, for you, the worshipful, honor us and wish to see us. (13-14-46)
With joined palms, I paid respects to him, and then enquired about the well-being of the beasts, birds, fires, dharma, and the group of disciples. (13-14-47)
Then the Lord said to me with the most gentle and sweet words: "O Kṛṣṇa, you will certainly have a son who will be equal to yourself." (13-14-48)
Undertaking very great austerity, please the Lord, the Supreme Lord. Here, the god Adhokṣaja plays together with his wife. (13-14-49)
Here itself, O Janardana, the best among the gods, along with the groups of sages, formerly, by austerity, celibacy, truth, and self-restraint, having pleased (the Lord), obtained auspicious desires. (13-14-50)
He, the Lord, who is the repository of energies and austerities, here sends forth and withdraws states endowed with good and evil, and remains together with the goddess. He is the inconceivable one whom you pray for, O destroyer of enemies. (13-14-51)
Hiraṇyakaśipu, who was a Dānava and the shaker of Mount Meru, obtained from Śarva (Śiva) all the sovereignty of the gods, along with ten crores. (13-14-52)
His own foremost son, named Mandara, became famous. By the boon of Mahadeva, he fought Indra for ten million years. (13-14-53)
O dear one, the discus of Viṣṇu and that terrible thunderbolt of Ākhaṇḍala (Indra) both became broken long ago in the limbs of the planet, O Keśava. (13-14-54)
While being oppressed by the very powerful planet, the gods fiercely attacked the lords of the asuras, who had received boons from Śiva. (13-14-55)
Being pleased, he granted even to Vidyutprabha the sovereignty over the three worlds; for a hundred thousand years he became the lord of all worlds. He also said, "You will always be my attendant." (13-14-56)
Thus, the lord Aja gave ten thousand sons and also gave the kingdom of Kusha-dvipa. (13-14-57)
Thus, the great asura named Śatamukha was created by the Creator. For over a hundred years, he offered his own flesh into the fire. Pleased with him, Lord Śaṅkara said, "What shall I do?" (13-14-58)
Śatamukha (Kārtikeya) said to him: "Let this union be wonderful for me. O best of the gods, also grant me eternal strength." (13-14-59)
Svāyambhuva Kratu, too, in former times, for the sake of a son, entered into himself by means of yoga and remained thus for three hundred years. (13-14-60)
The god gave him a thousand sons equal to sacrifices. O Kṛṣṇa, you know the lord of yoga and the divine song—there is no doubt about it. (13-14-61)
The Vālakhiḷya sages, having once been disregarded by Maghavat (Indra), became angry; by their austerity, the revered Rudra was indeed pleased. (13-14-62)
The lord of the world, pleased, said to them also, O best among the gods: "By austerity, you will produce Suparṇa, the Soma-stealer." (13-14-63)
Formerly, due to Mahadeva's anger, the waters were destroyed. Those waters, by the gods, were set in motion again through seven vessels. (13-14-64)
Atri's wife, though a speaker of Brahman, having abandoned her husband, said, "I will never again be under the control of that sage in any way." Having thus spoken, she indeed went to Mahadeva for refuge. (13-14-65)
She, out of fear of Atri, remained without food and lay only on pestles for three hundred years to win the favor of Bhava (Śiva). (13-14-66)
The god, smiling, said to her: "A son will indeed be born to you; in your own lineage, he will attain the fame you desire by your name." (13-14-67)
O Keśava, Śākalya, who was of firm resolve, worshipped Bhava by a mental sacrifice for even nine hundred years. (13-14-68)
The venerable, being pleased, said to him: "You will become the author; O child, your fame will indeed be imperishable in the three worlds. May your family also be imperishable and adorned by great sages." (13-14-69)
There was also a renowned sage named Sāvarṇi in the Kṛta age. Here, he performed austerities for six hundred years. (13-14-70)
Rudra, the venerable, said directly to him, "I am pleased with you, O sinless one. The creator of this book will become renowned in the world and will be free from old age and death." (13-14-71)
O Mādhava, as I too once saw the all-pervading god of gods, Paśupati himself, in former times, O dear one, hear that as well. (13-14-72)
Hear in detail also for what purpose the great god of great splendor was formerly worshipped by me with effort. (13-14-73)
O sinless one, today I shall tell you in full all that I had formerly obtained from Maheśvara, the god of gods. (13-14-74)
O father, long ago in the Kṛta Yuga, there was a renowned sage named Vyāghrapāda, who had mastered the Veda and Vedāṅgas. I was his son, and Dhaumya was also my younger brother. (13-14-75)
O Mādhava, at a certain time, I came to the hermitage of the sages whose minds are purified, together with Dhaumya, playing. (13-14-76)
There also, I saw the cow being milked; I observed that the milk was indeed sweet, like nectar. (13-14-77)
Then, O Mādhava, after mixing the ground substance with water, what is called 'the milk of us two' is brought for drinking. (13-14-78)
Then, O father, I once tasted cow's milk. After that, O father, the taste of ground grain did not give me pleasure. (13-14-79)
Then, from my childhood, I said to my mother, "Give me food combined with milk and rice." (13-14-80)
Then my mother, filled with pain and sorrow, said to me, embracing me out of affection for her son and smelling my head, O Mādhava. (13-14-81)
Child, from where would sages whose minds are purified, always dwelling in the forest and eating bulbs, roots, and fruits, obtain milk-rice? (13-14-82)
O child, without propitiating Virūpākṣa, the bestower of boons, the immovable and imperishable one, how can you obtain milk-rice, pleasures, and garments? (13-14-83)
O child, always approach Śaṅkara with all your heart; by his grace, O son, you will obtain the fruits of your desires. (13-14-84)
O destroyer of enemies, having heard those words from my mother, from that moment onwards, my unwavering devotion to Mahādeva arose. (13-14-85)
Then I undertook austerity and pleased Śaṅkara, standing on the tip of my big toe for a divine thousand years. (13-14-86)
For one hundred years, I subsisted on fruits alone. In the second hundred, I lived on dried leaves; in the third, on water. For seven hundred years, I lived by consuming only air. (13-14-87)
Then the pleased great god, lord of all worlds, the master, assumed the form of Śakra, and, surrounded by all the hosts of gods, became the thousand-eyed, wielder of the thunderbolt, of great fame. (13-14-88)
A great elephant, washed with nectar, with red eyes, erect ears, excessive intoxication, a trunk encircled (around), fierce, and four tusks. (13-14-89)
The revered one, well-established and shining with his own splendor, arrived—he, the crowned one, adorned with necklaces and armlets. (13-14-90)
A white umbrella was held over his head, as he was attended by apsarases and surrounded by the music of celestial gandharvas. (13-14-91)
Then Indra, pleased, said to me: "O best of twice-born, I am pleased with you. Choose a boon from me, whatever abides in your mind." (13-14-92)
But, O Kṛṣṇa, having heard the words of Śakra, I was not pleased; then I addressed these words to the king of the gods. (13-14-93)
I do not desire a boon from you, nor from any other deity; except from Mahādeva, gentle one, this is the truth I speak to you. (13-14-94)
By the command of Paśupati, I can instantly become a worm or even a tree with many branches. But for me, any prosperity, even the sovereignty of the three worlds, that does not arise from the boon of Paśupati's grace, is unwanted. (13-14-95)
I would rather become even an insect or a moth by Śaṅkara's command than desire even the three worlds given by you, O Indra. (13-14-96)
As long as my Lord Paśupati, who wears a pure fragment of the moon on his crest, is not pleased, I continue to bear the sufferings inflicted by the body through the countless blows of old age, death, and birth. (13-14-97)
Who in this world could obtain peace here without propitiating Rudra, who shines with the sun, moon, and fire, is the essence of the three worlds, boundless, primordial, one, ageless, and deathless? (13-14-98)
Indra said.
O Lord, cause of causes, who again is your cause? You do not desire favor from anyone except the god. (13-14-99)
Upamanyu said.
What is the use of other causes for you, O Lord, who is the cause of causes? We have not heard that the symbol of another is worshipped by the gods. (13-14-100)
Tell me, if you have heard from scripture, whether there is any liṅga of any other deity, except Maheshvara, that has been worshipped by all the gods or worshipped before. (13-14-101)
He, whose liṅga is always worshipped by Brahmā, Viṣṇu, you, and all the other deities, is indeed the most excellent. (13-14-102)
Therefore, I prefer death, O Kauśika, rather than this; go or stay, O Śakra, as you wish, O destroyer of strength. (13-14-103)
Let this boon or even a curse from Maheśvara be as I desire; I do not seek any other deity, nor even all the fruits of every desire. (13-14-104)
Having thus spoken to Indra, whose senses were agitated by sorrow, Rudra was not pleased with me, wondering, 'What is this?' Then, in a moment, I saw that very Airavata again. (13-14-105)
Resembling a goose, jasmine, and the moon, possessing the radiance of lotus-stalks and white water-lilies, bearing the form of a bull, he appeared directly like the milk-ocean itself, like the ocean. (13-14-106)
With a black tail, a great body, and honey-tawny eyes, adorned on all sides with a jambū-nada (gold) string, it was splendidly decorated. (13-14-107)
He had red eyes, a very large nose, beautiful ears, a well-shaped hip-region, beautiful sides, broad shoulders, a handsome form, and a charming appearance. (13-14-108)
His hump also shines, filling and spreading over his shoulder, like the peak of a snowy mountain, resembling the summit of a white cloud. (13-14-109)
Having approached him, the blessed god of gods, Mahādeva, together with Umā, shone like the lord of stars (the moon) on the night of the full moon. (13-14-110)
His fire, born of brilliance, with clouds and thunder, stands covering everything like a thousand suns. (13-14-111)
The lord, possessing immense brilliance, was like the fire of destruction at the end of an age, urged on as if desiring to burn all beings. (13-14-112)
But then, when everything was filled with a brilliance that was difficult to behold on all sides, I, with a troubled heart, again thought: 'What is this?' (13-14-113)
That radiance, having spread through all ten directions for but a moment, was instantly calmed by the māyā of the god of gods. (13-14-114)
Then I saw the steadfast and venerable great lord Maheshvara, standing with Saurabheya, gentle like a smokeless fire, together with Parvati of beautiful form, the supreme lord. (13-14-115)
The blue-throated, great-souled, unattached one, the treasure of energies, the eighteen-armed, the firm one, adorned with all ornaments. (13-14-116)
The divine being who wears white garments, is adorned with white garlands and ointments, has a white banner, is unassailable, and wears the white sacred thread. (13-14-117)
He was surrounded by divine attendants, equal to himself in valor, who were singing, dancing, and leaping here and there. (13-14-118)
Wearing a crest of the young moon, pale like the autumn moon just risen, and made radiant by three eyes as if illuminated by three rising suns. (13-14-119)
The garland of the god, shining on his radiant white body, was woven with golden lotuses and adorned with jewels. (13-14-120)
O Govinda, I have seen those weapons which have form and all are made of brilliance, belonging to you of immeasurable energy. (13-14-121)
The great-souled one's bow, resembling a thousand rainbows of Indra, is well-known as Pinaka; and indeed, it is a great serpent. (13-14-122)
He stood there, seven-headed, with a great body, sharp teeth, exuding poison, his great neck encircled by a bowstring, and having the form of a man. (13-14-123)
And the arrow, shining like the sun and blazing like the fire of destruction, that great and divine missile of Paśupati (Śiva), was extremely terrible. (13-14-124)
Unique, indescribable, causing fear to all beings, with sparks, of great size, emitting like fire. (13-14-125)
He was one-footed, with great tusks, a thousand heads and bellies, a thousand arms, tongues, and eyes, spewing forth like fire. (13-14-126)
O mighty-armed one, that which is distinguished as the destroyer of all weapons, even among those originating from Brahmā, Nārāyaṇa, Indra, Agni, and Varuṇa. (13-14-127)
O Govinda, it was Mahadeva who, playfully, with a single arrow, once burned down those three cities of Tripura and reduced them to ashes in an instant. (13-14-128)
There is no doubt that the weapon released from the arm of the great lord completely burned the entire universe, the three worlds with all that moves and does not move, in less than half a blink of an eye. (13-14-129)
O dear one, I have seen that supreme, wondrous marvel, of whom not even Brahmā, Viṣṇu, or the gods in this world can slay. (13-14-130)
The secret weapon, whether supreme or even one equal or greater, is known everywhere as the trident of the wielder of the trident. (13-14-131)
That which could rend the whole earth, or dry up the great ocean, or even destroy the entire world created by the wielder of the trident. (13-14-132)
Yauvanāśva, whom Māndhātā, the powerful king of old—universal emperor, of great splendor, conqueror of the three worlds—had slain. (13-14-133)
O Govinda, possessing great strength and great energy, and valor equal to Indra, with the weapon held in your hand, here is the demon Lavaṇa. (13-14-134)
That spear, with an extremely sharp point, was truly terrifying and made one's hair stand on end; it stood there, having formed three ridges on the brow, as if threatening. (13-14-135)
O Govinda, I have seen that weapon in the presence of Rudra, which was without smoke, flaming, black, risen like the sun of time; with a serpent in hand, indescribable, with a noose in hand, like Yama. (13-14-136)
The sharp-edged axe, which was given to Rāma long ago by the pleased Mahādeva and which brought destruction to the kṣatriyas, was the weapon by which Kārtavīrya, the universal monarch, was slain in the great battle. (13-14-137)
O Govinda, it was Rāma, the son of Jamadagni, whose actions are unwearied, by whom the earth was made devoid of kṣatriyas twenty-one times. (13-14-138)
Near the trident-holder appeared one with a shining stream, a face like the fierce gods, encircled at the tip of the neck by a serpent, resembling the blazing flame of fire. (13-14-139)
O sinless one, innumerable divine missiles of that wise one exist; but I have mentioned these to you by way of prominence. (13-14-140)
But in the left direction, Brahmā, the grandsire of the worlds, mounted his divine chariot yoked with swans, swift as the mind. (13-14-141)
Nārāyaṇa stood on the left side. Mounting Vainateya, he held the conch, discus, and mace. (13-14-142)
Skanda, mounting the peacock, stood near the goddess; with the spear on his neck, he appeared like a second Agni. (13-14-143)
In front of the god, I see Nandi standing, holding a trident, standing like a second Śaṅkara. (13-14-144)
All the Manus beginning with Svāyambhuva, the seers beginning with Bhṛgu, likewise the deities beginning with Śakra, indeed all of them approached together. (13-14-145)
Then the gods, having saluted and surrounded the great-souled Mahadeva on all sides, praised him with various hymns. (13-14-146)
Then Brahmā praised Śiva, uttering the Rathantara Sāman; Nārāyaṇa sang to the lord of the gods with the Jyeṣṭha Sāman; and Indra recited the supreme Brahman, the best Śatarudriya hymn. (13-14-147)
Brahmā, Nārāyaṇa, and the king of gods, Kauśika, those great souls, shone forth like three fires. (13-14-148)
In their midst, the god, the blessed Śiva, shone like the sun freed from autumn clouds and surrounded by radiance. Then I praised the god, the highly vowed one, with this hymn. (13-14-149)
Salutations to the god of gods, to the great god, indeed, salutations; to Śakra, to the one who has the form of Śakra, to the one who wears the guise of Śakra, and so on. (13-14-150)
Salutations to you, the wielder of the thunderbolt, the tawny and reddish one, and to the bearer of the Pināka bow, always to the one who holds the sword and trident. (13-14-151)
Salutations to you, O wearer of dark garments, with dark, curly hair, clad in a dark deerskin upper cloth, and devoted to the eighth lunar day. (13-14-152)
To the one of white complexion, the pure one, the wearer of white garments, and; to the one smeared with white ash, engaged in pure actions, and so on. (13-14-153)
You are Brahmā, the blue-red Rudra among all gods; you are the self of all beings, and in Sāṅkhya you are called the Puruṣa. (13-14-154)
You are the chief among the pure, among yogins you are the indivisible Shiva; among hermitages you are the householder; among lords you are the great Lord; among all yakṣas you are Kubera; among sacrifices you are called Viṣṇu. (13-14-155)
Among mountains, you are Mahāmeru; among stars, the Moon; among sages, you are Vasiṣṭha; and among planets, you are called the Sun. (13-14-156)
O Supreme Lord, among the animals of the forest you are the lion; among the domesticated ones, you are the bull, O blessed one, worshipped by the world. (13-14-157)
Among the Ādityas, you are Viṣṇu; among the Vasus, you are Pāvaka (Fire); among birds, you are Vainateya (Garuḍa); and among serpents, you are Ananta. (13-14-158)
You are the Sāma Veda among the Vedas, the Śatarudriya among the Yajur Veda, Sanatkumāra among Yogins, and Kapila among the Sāṅkhyas, indeed. (13-14-159)
You are Indra, O god of the Maruts; you are the king of dharma among the ancestors. You are called the Brahma-world, and the liberation among the paths of all worlds. (13-14-160)
You are the milky ocean among oceans, the Himalaya among mountains; among castes, you are the brāhmaṇa, and among sages, the initiated twice-born; you are the beginning of worlds, the destroyer, and indeed, time itself. (13-14-161)
Whatever else in the worlds is considered to be existence or greater brilliance, all that is indeed the Lord—thus is my determined thought. (13-14-162)
Salutations to you, O Lord, O divine one; salutations to you, O lover of devotees. O Lord of Yoga, salutations to you; may it be so. Salutations to you, O origin of the universe. (13-14-163)
O Eternal One, be gracious to me, your devotee, who is destitute and pitiable, and who is endowed with lack of lordship; be my refuge. (13-14-164)
O Supreme Lord, whatever offense my devotee has committed out of ignorance, O Lord of the gods, you are worthy to forgive all of that. (13-14-165)
O lord of the gods, I have been deluded by the confusion of forms; therefore, I did not offer you arghya or water for your feet, O lord of the gods. (13-14-166)
Thus, after praising the Lord, I, with devotion and hands joined in reverence, offered water for washing the feet, arghya, and all other offerings to him. (13-14-167)
Then, dear one, an auspicious shower of flowers, mixed with cold water and divine fragrance, fell upon my head. (13-14-168)
Then, the divine drum was struck by the attendants of the gods, and an auspicious, fragrant, and pleasant wind began to blow. (13-14-169)
Then, the pleased great god Mahadeva, accompanied by his consort and bearing the bull-banner, spoke to the gods there, as if delighting me at that time. (13-14-170)
O gods, all of you see the supreme and divine devotion established in me by the single-mindedness of the great-souled Upamanyu. (13-14-171)
After these words, O Kṛṣṇa, all the gods, having bowed with folded hands to Vṛṣadhvaja (Śiva, the one with the bull-banner), spoke to the trident-handed one. (13-14-172)
O Lord, Lord of lords, protector of the worlds, master of the universe, may the best of the twice-born receive from you the fruits of all desires. (13-14-173)
After thus being addressed, then Śarva (Śiva), by the gods and Brahmā and others, also spoke to me; the blessed Lord Śaṅkara, as if smiling, said. (13-14-174)
O child Upamanyu, I am pleased with you; behold me, O foremost of sages. You are steadfast in devotion, O best of Brāhmaṇas; you have indeed been tested by me. (13-14-175)
By this devotion of yours, I am exceedingly full of affection; therefore, today I grant all your desired wishes as you wish. (13-14-176)
O Lord, when Mahadeva thus spoke to me, tears of joy flowed and horripilation arose. (13-14-177)
Then, with a voice choked with joy, I spoke to the god; going down to the ground on my knees, I bowed again and again. (13-14-178)
O god, today I am truly born; today my austerity has borne fruit, for Mahadeva himself, gracious, stands directly before me. (13-14-179)
I have seen the god of immeasurable valor, whom even the gods, though worshipping, do not see; who else is more blessed than I? (13-14-180)
Thus, the wise meditate upon the supreme, eternal principle. The twenty-sixth, which is known as being higher than the supreme, is the imperishable. (13-14-181)
He is this glorious Lord, the god who is the origin of all principles and imperishable; he knows the arrangement of all principles and is the lord of both pradhāna and puruṣa. (13-14-182)
He who created Brahmā, the origin of the worlds, from his right limb, and likewise Viṣṇu from his left side for the protection of the worlds—the Lord, at the end of the age, indeed creates Rudra from his limb. (13-14-183)
He, Rudra, having assumed the form of Time, with great brilliance, destroyed the entire world, both immobile and mobile, like the fire of dissolution. (13-14-184)
This god, the great god, after creating the world of both the animate and inanimate, at the end of the kalpa, indeed remains after withdrawing the memory of all. (13-14-185)
He, who is all-pervading, the self of all beings, and the origin of all beings' existence, abides everywhere at all times, unseen by all the deities. (13-14-186)
If a boon is to be granted to me and my lord is pleased, may I always have eternal devotion to you, O Śaṅkara. (13-14-187)
O best of the gods, by your grace, my intellect is such that I may know the past, the future, and indeed the present, O mighty one. (13-14-188)
May I always eat inexhaustible milk-rice with my relatives; and may your supreme presence always be with me in the hermitage. (13-14-189)
Thus addressed, he—the venerable, worshipped by the worlds, the great lord of immense splendor, the teacher of all that moves and does not move, the master—spoke to me. (13-14-190)
Be ageless and immortal, free from suffering, endowed with good conduct and virtues, all-knowing, and pleasant to behold. (13-14-191)
May you have imperishable youth, and may your splendor be like fire; wherever you desire, O sage, may there be the milk ocean and the ocean. (13-14-192)
There, you will have, as you desire, the proximity of the ocean of milk; enjoy rice cooked in milk, endowed with nectar. (13-14-193)
Accompanied by your relatives, you will come to me for a long time. I will always grant my presence in the hermitage, O best of the twice-born. (13-14-194)
Remain here, dear child, as you wish; you should not feel longing. Whenever you remember, O brāhmaṇa, I will always grant you my audience. (13-14-195)
Having thus spoken, the blessed lord, whose radiance was equal to ten million suns, granted me a boon and then disappeared right there. (13-14-196)
Thus, by concentration, I saw Kṛṣṇa, the god of gods. I have also obtained all that was spoken by that wise one. (13-14-197)
O Krishna, see directly before you the perfected beings standing here, as well as sages, vidyādharas, yakṣas, gandharvas, and apsarases. (13-14-198)
Behold these charming trees, always bearing flowers and fruits, adorned with blossoms of every season, with glossy leaves and beautiful branches; all this, O mighty-armed one, is endowed with a divine nature. (13-14-199)
