The Brahma Purana

by G. P. Bhatt | 1955 | 243,464 words

This is the Brahma Purana in English (translation from Sanskrit), which is one of the eighteen Maha Puranas. The contents of this ancient Indian encyclopedic treatise include cosmology, genealogy (solar dynasty etc.), mythology, geology and Dharma (universal law of nature). The Brahma Purana is notable for its extenstive geological survey includin...

Chapter 38 - The Prayer by Dakṣa

1. O excellent brahmins, on seeing the virility of Śiva thus, Dakṣa joined his palms in reverence and bowed down. Then he began to eulogise.

2. Obeisance to you, O lord of the chiefs of Devas, Obeisance to you, O slayer of Bala, O lord of Devas, you are the most excellent one in strength, you are worshipped by Devas and Dānavas.

3-63. O thousand-eyed one, O one of deformed eyes, O three-eyed one, one fond of the overlord of Akṣas, you have hands and feet all round; you have eyes, heads and mouth all round; you have ears all round; you stand enveloping everything in the world, Śaṅkukarṇa (Pike-eared), Mahākarṇa (Long-eared), Kumbhakarṇa (Pot-eared), Arṇavālaya (ocean-dweller), Gajendrakarṇa (elephant-eared), Gokarṇa (cow-eared), Śatakarṇa (hundred-eared). Obeisance to you Śatodara (hundred-bellied), Śatāvarta (having hundred curly locks of hairs), Śatajihva (having hundred tongues), Sanātana (Eternal), One who is worshipped by the Gāyatrins, singing songs of praise, one who is worshipped by those who have stopped performing activities. Devadānavagoptā (Protector of Devas and Dānavas), Brahmā and Śatakratu (Indra). You are Mūrtimān, (Embodied), Mahāmūrti (having physical form), Samudra (Ocean), Sarasāṃ Nidhi (storehouse of lakes), in whom Devas abide as cows in the cowpen. I see in your body the moon, fire, lord of waters, sun, Viṣṇu, Brahmā and Bṛhaspati (Jupiter). You are the action, cause and effect, the maker and the instrument. You are Asat and Sadasat (existent as well as non existent). You are the source of origin and seat of Dissolution (Prabhava and Appaya). Obeisance to Bhava, Obeisance to Śarva. Obeisance to Rudra. Obeisance to the bestower of boons (Varada). Obeisance to Paśupati (Lord of Paśus) Obeisance to Andhakaghātin (one who hit Andhaka). Obeisance to Trijaṭa (having three locks of matted hair). Obeisance to Triśīrṣa (having three heads). Obeisance to Triśūlavaradhārin (one who holds excellent trident). Obeisance to Tryambaka (three-eyed). Obeisance to Trinetra (three-eyed). Obeisance to Tripuraghna (one who destroyed the three cities). Obeisance to Caṇḍa (the fierce). Obeisance to Muṇḍa (one with shaven head). Obeisance to Viśvacaṇḍadhara (One who holds the universe fiercely). Obeisance to Daṇḍin (One who holds a staff). Obeisance to Śaṅkukarṇa (One having pike-ears). Obeisance to Caṇḍīcaṇḍa (fierce lord of the fierce goddess). Obeisance to Ūrdhva Daṇḍikeśa (One who holds the staff pointed upwards and one who has hairs growing up). Obeisance to Śuṣka (Dry). Obeisance to Vikṛta (the deformed). Obeisance to Vilohita (one who is particularly red). Obeisance to Dhūmra (smoke-coloured). Obeisance to Nīlagrīva (the blue-necked). Obeisance to Apratirūpa (one who has no replica). Obeisance to Virūpa (the deformed). Obeisance to Śiva. Obeisance to Sūrya (identical with the sun). Obeisance to Sūryapati (the lord of the sun). Obeisance to Sūryadhvajapatākin (one having the sun as flagstaff and emblem). Obeisance to the lord of Pramathas. Obeisance to Vṛṣaskandha (bull-shouldered). Obeisance to Hiraṇyavarṇa (golden coloured). Obeisance to Hiraṇyavarcas (golden coat mail). Obeisance to Hiraṇyakṛtacūḍa (Obeisance to one with golden tufts). Obeisance to Hiraṇyapati (Lord of gold). Obeisance to Śatrughāta (One who kills enemies). Obeisance to Caṇḍa (the fierce one). Obeisance to Parṇasaṅghaśaya (one who lies amidst clusters of leaves). Obeisance to Stuta (the eulogised one). Obeisance to Stuti (the eulogy). Obeisance to Stūyamāna (one who is being eulogised). Obeisance to Sarva (identical with all). Obeisance to Sarvabhakṣa (one who eats every thing). Obeisance to Sarvabhūtāntarātman (the immanent soul in all living beings). Obeisance to Homa. Obeisance to Mantra. Obeisance to Śukladhvajapatākin (One whose flagstaff and banner are white). Obeisance to Anāmya (one who cannot be bent). Obeisance to Nāmya (one who should be bowed to). Obeisance to Kilakila (tumultuous noise). Obeisance to Śayamāna (lyingdown) Obeisance to Śāyita (one who has already lain down). Obeisance to Utthita (one who has got up). Obeisance to Sthita (one who stands). Obeisance to Dhavamāna (one who runs). Obeisance to Bhūta (one who has become). Obeisance to Kuṭila (the crooked). Obeisance to Nartanaśīla (one habituated to dance). Obeisance to Mukhavāditrakārin (one who plays with his mouth as with a musical instrument). Obeisance to Bādhāpaha (one who dispels obstacles). Obeisance to Lubdha (one who is greedy). Obeisance to Gītavāditrakārin (one who sings and plays on musical instruments). Obeisance to Jyeṣṭha (the eldest). Obeisance to Śreṣṭha (the most excellent). Obeisance to Balapramathana (one who suppresses Bala). Obeisance to Kalpana (conception). Obeisance to Kalpya (one who is to be conceived). Obeisance to Kṣama (the competent). Obeisance to Upakṣama (very nearly efficient). Obeisance to Ugra (the fierce one). Obeisance to Daśabāhu (ten-armed). Obeisance to Kapālahasta (having the skull in hand). Obeisance to Sitabhasmapriya (one fond of white ashes). Obeisance to Vibhīṣaṇa (the terrifying one). Obeisance to Bhīma (the terrible). Obeisance to Bhīmavratadhara (one who observes terrible holy rites). Obeisance to Nānāvikṛtavaktra (one who has many deformed faces). Obeisance to Khaḍgajihvogradaṃṣṭrin (one with sword-like tongue and fierce curved fangs). Obeisance to Pakṣamāṃsalavādya (one who has huge musical instruments at his sides). Obeisance to Tumbivīṇāpriya (one fond of Tumbivīṇā, a kind of lute).

Obeisance to Aghoraghorarūpa (one who has the form of Aghora, a terrible form). Obeisance to Ghoraghoratara (one who is more terrible than the most terrible). Obeisance to Śiva. Obeisance to Śānta (calm). Obeisance to Śāntatara (calmer). Obeisance to Buddha (enlightened). Obeisance to Śuddha (pure one). Obeisance to Saṃvibhāgapriya (one fond of classification). Obeisance to Prapañca (extensive universe). Obeisance to Ugra (fierce). Obeisance to Sāṃkhyapara (one devoted to Sāṃkhya philosophy). Obeisance to Caṇḍaikaghaṇṭa (one having a fierce bell). Obeisance to Ghaṇṭānāda (sound of the bell). Obeisance to Ghaṇṭin (one with a bell). Obeisance to Sahasraśataghaṇṭa (one who has thousands and thousands of bells). Obeisance to Ghaṇṭāmālāpriya (one fond of a garland of bells). Obeisance to Prāṇadaṇḍa (one awarding life sentence). Obeisance to Nitya (the permanent). Obeisance to you Lohita (Red in colour). Obeisance to Huṃhuṃkāra (one shouting Huṃhum). Obeisance to Rudra. Obeisance to Huṃhuṃkārapriya (one fond of the sound Huṃhum). Obeisance to Apāravān (Endless, limitless). Obeisance to Nityaṃgirivṛkṣapriya (one who is always fond of tree on the mountain). Obeisance to Mārga-Māṃsaśṛgāla (the jackal at the way-side with a price of meat). Obeisance to Tāraka (one who redeems). Obeisance to Tāra (one who crosses). Obeisance to Yajñādhipati (the over-lord). Obeisance to Kṛta (what is done). Obeisance to Prakṛta (what is perfectly done). Obeisance to Yajñavāha (one whose vehicle is Yajña). Obeisance to Dānta (one who has controlled sense-organs) Obeisance to Tathya (truth). Obeisance to Vitatha (untrue). Obeisance to Taṭa (shore); Obeisance to Taṭya (one favourable to the shore). Obeisance to Taṭinīpati (lord of rivers). Obeisance to Annada (bestower of cooked rice). Obeisance to Annapati (Lord of cooked rice). Obeisance to Annabhuja (one who eats cooked rice). Obeisance to Sanasraśīrṣa (the thousand-headed). Obeisance to Sahasrācaraṇa (having thousand feet). Obeisance to Sahasrodyataśūla (one who has lifted up a thousand tridents). Obeisance to Sahasranayana (thousand-eyed). Obeisance to Bālārkavarṇa (one having the colour of rising sun). Obeisance to Bālarūpadhara (one having the form of a boy). Obeisance to Bālārkarūpa (one having the form of the rising sun). Obeisance to Bālakrīḍanaka (one who plays like boys). Obeisance to Śuddha (the pure one). Obeisance to Buddha (enlightened). Obeisance to Kṣobhaṇa (one who causes agitation). Obeisance to Kṣaya (one who causes decline). Obeisance to Taraṅgāṅkitakeśa (one whose hair is marked with waves). Obeisance to Muktakeśa (one whose tresses are released). Obeisance to Śaṭkarmatuṣṭa (one who is pleased with six types of holy rites). Obeisance to Trikarmanirata (one is engaged in the three holy rites). Obeisance to Varṇāśramadharma-pravartaka (one who makes castes and stages of life function duly and severally). Obeisance to Śreṣṭha (the most excellent). Obeisance to jyeṣṭha (the eldest). Obeisance to Kalakala (indistinct but sweet sound). Obeisance to Śvetapiṅgalanetra (one who has white and tawny coloured eyes). Obeisance to Kṛṣṇaraktekṣaṇa (one who has black and red eyes). Obeisance to Dharmakāmārthamokṣa (virtue, love, wealth and salvation). Obeisance to Kratha (one who injures). Obeisance to Krathana (one who slaughters). Obeisance to Sāṃkhya. Obeisance to Sāṃkhyamukhya (Chief of the Sāṃkhya). Obeisance to Yogādhipati (overlord of Yogas). Obeisance to Rathyādhirathya (Charioteer on the street). Obeisance to Catuṣpathapatha (having the pathway in the four cross roads). Obeisance to Kṛṣṇājinottarīya (one having the hide of a black deer as the upper garment).

O Īśāna Rudrasaṅghāta (group of Rudras), Harikeśa (one having green hair). Obeisance to you. Obeisance to Tryambaka (three-eyed). O Ambikānātha (lord of Ambikā), O manifest and unmanifest. Obeisance to you O Kāla, O Kāmada (bestower of desires), O Kāmaghna (destroyer of desires), Duṣṭaduritanivāraṇa (destroyer of the wicked and the violators of good conduct), O Sarvagarhita (despised by everyone). O Sarvaghna (destroyer of everyone). O Sadyojāta, Obeisance to you. Unmādana (one who causes madness). Śatāvartagaṅgātoyārdramūrdhaja (one whose hair on the head is wet due to the waters of Gaṅgā that has hundreds of whirlpools). O Candrārdhasaṃyugāvarta (one who has war-like eddies by means of crescent moon?). O Meghāvarta (having eddies with clouds) Obeisance to you. You alone are Nānārthadānakartā (the bestower of different sorts of riches) and Arthada (bestower of riches), Annasraṣṭā (creator of cooked rice), Bhoktā (eater of cooked rice), Yajñabhuk (partaker of sacrifice), Anala (fire), the four types of creatures Jarāyuja etc. You alone, O lord of the chief of Devas, are the four types of creatures. You are the creator of the mobile and immobile beings. You are Pratikartā (one who withdraws i.e. annihilates). O lord of the universe, you alone are the Brahman. They speak of Brahman in the waters, you are the great womb of everything. You are Svadhā. You are the storehouse of luminaries. Expounders of Brahman call you Ṛk, Sāman and Oṃkāra. The excellent Devas and the expounders of Brahman who sing Sāman say frequently—“Hari Hari etc.” or “Hara Hara etc.” You are full of Yajur Mantras, Ṛk Mantras, Sāman and Atharva Mantras. You are served by those who know Brahman, and Kalpas and Upaniṣads. The Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, Śūdras and other castes and stages of life are identical with you. You are Āśramas. You are Vidyut Stanitam (lightning and thunder). You are the year, seasons, month, fortnight, and Kalā, Kāṣṭhā, Nimeṣas, stars and Yugas. You are Vṛṣaṇam Kakudam (the chief of bulls). You are the peak of mountains. You are the lion, the chief among animals. You are Takṣaka among Nāgas, You are milk ocean among seas. You are Yajus among Mantras. You are thunderbolt among weapons. You are truth among holy rites. You are the following attributes viz. wish, hatred, lust delusion, calmness, forbearance, industry, courage, greed, love, anger, victory and defeat. You are the wielder of arrow, bow, iron club (Khaṭvāṅga), banner and chariot. You cut, pierce, strike and lead. You are considered a thinker by us. You are the Dharma with its ten characteristics; you are Artha (Wealth) and Kāma (love). You are Indra, Samudra (ocean), Sarits (rivers), Palvalas (Puddles), Sarasi (lakes), Latāvallis (creepers and winding plants), Tṛṇauṣadhayaḥ (grasses and medicinal herbs), Puśus, (animal) and birds. You are the origin of Dravyas (objects), Karmans (actions) and Guṇas (attributes). You are Kālapuṣpaphalaprada (bestower of fruits into the flower of time). You are Ādi (origin), Anta (end) Madhya (middle). You are Gāyatri and Oṃkāra. You are Harita (green), Lohita (red), Kṛṣṇa (black), Nīla (blue), Pīta (yellow), Aruṇa (pink), Kadrū (tawny), Kapila (pale-brown), Babhrū (deep-brown), Kapota (dove-coloured), Mecaka (dark-coloured). You are well known as Suvarṇaretas (one having golden semen). You are considered Suvarṇa (gold in colour), Suvarṇanāman (golden named), Suvarṇapriya (fond of gold). You are Indu (moon), Yama, Varuṇa, Dhanada (bestower of wealth i.e. Kubera), Anala (fire), Utphulla-Citrabhānu (full-fledged sun), Svarbhānu (Rāhu), Bhānu(sun), Hotra (sacrifice), Hotā (sacrificer), Homya (paraphernalia of oblation), Hutam (oblation). O lord, you are the Trisauparṇa mantra and the Śatarudrīya Mantra of Yajurveda. You are the most sacred of all sacred things. You are the most auspicious of all auspicious things. You are the mountain that destroys sins. You are Vṛkṣa (a tree), Jīva (individual soul), Pralaya (Dissolution). You are Prāṇa (vital airs) and Rajoguṇa, Tamoguṇa, and Sattva. You are Prāṇa, Apāna, Samāna, Udāna and Vyāna. You are Unmeṣa (Opening of the eye), Nimeṣa (closing of the eye), Kāla (time), Kalpa, Lohitāṅga (Red-limbed), Daṃṣṭrin (having curved fangs), Mahāvaktra (having huge mouth), Mahodara (having large belly), Śuciroman (having pure hair), Haricchmaśru (having green moustache and beard), Ūrddhvakeśa (having hair standing up), Calācala (moving and unmoving), Gītavāditranṛtyaga (Interested in singing, playing on instruments and dancing), Gītavādanakapriya (Fond of singing and playing on instruments). You are Matsya (fish) Jāla (net), Jala (water), Ajayya (Unconquerable), Jalavyāla (water-python) Kuṭicarya (Porpoise), Vikala (having adverse time), Sukala (having good time), Duṣkala (having bad time), Kālanāśana (Destroyer of Kāla Time or god of Death), Mṛtyu (Death), Akṣaya (Everlasting), Anta (end), Kṣamāmāyākarotkara (? One who offers and carries out forbearance and deception).

64-73. Saṃvarta (Dissolution), Vartaka (one who causes whirling), Saṃvartaka and Balāhaka (the clouds at the time of dissolution), Ghaṇṭākin and Ghaṇṭakin and Ghaṇṭin (having bells of different types), Cuḍāla (having tufts), Lavaṇodadhi (the briny sea), Brahmā, Kālāgnivaktra (having black fire in the mouth), Daṇḍin (having staff), Muṇḍa (having shaven head, Tridaṇḍadhṛk (one holding three staffs), Cāturyuga (of four Yugas), Caturveda (of four Vedas), Caturhotra (set of four sacrifices), Catuṣpatha (set of four paths), Caturāśramyanetā (leader of the people of four stages of life), Cāturvarṇyakara (cause of division of four castes), Kṣarākṣara (perishable and imperishable), Priya (Beloved), Dhūrta (wicked), Gaṇaikagaṇya (worthy of being considered by the Gaṇas), Gaṇādhipa (the overlord of Gaṇas), Raktamālyāmbaradhara (one who wears red garments and garlands), Giriśa (Lord of the mountain), Girijāpriya (fond of the daughter of the mountain lord), Śilpīśa (chief of Artisans), Śilpiśreṣṭha (the most excellent among artisans), Sarvaśilpapravartaka (he who makes arts and crafts function), Bhaganetrāntaka (the destroyer of the eyes of Bhaga), Caṇḍa (fierce), Pūṣṇaḥ Dantavināśanaḥ (he who destroys the teeth of Pūṣan), Svāhā Svadhā Vaṣaṭkāra Namaskāra (Obeisance). (Obeisance be to you) Gūḍhavrata (one who performs holy rites in isolation), Gūḍha (well-hidden), Gūḍhavrataniṣevitā (one resorted to by those who perform holy rites in secret), Tīrṇṇa(One who crosses), Taraṇa (one who redeems), Sarvānusyūtacāraṇa (one who has his cāraṇas (spies) spread in every place), Dhātā (creator), Vidhātā (dispenser of destiny) Sandhātā (one who joins together), Nidhātā (one who deposits), Dharaṇidhara (sustainer of the earth), Tapas (penance), Brahman (the supreme Being), Satyam (truth), Brahmacaryam (the soul of living beings), Bhūtakṛt (the creator of living beings), Bhūta (one who has become Bhūta), Bhavya Bhavodbhava (the source of origin of every thing past, present and future), Bhūrbhuvaḥ svar (one who has gone to the worlds Bhuḥ, Bhuvaḥ and Svaḥ), Vṛta (Surrounded), Agni (fire), Maheśvara (great lord), Rekṣaṇa (having fiery vision), Dvīkṣaṇakānta (lover of one with two eyes), Dānta (one who has self control), Adāntavināśana (Destroyer of those who have not conquered their sense organs), Brahmāvarta (one who has turned out from Brahma?), Surāvarta (one who makes Devas revolve), Kāmāvarta (one who makes Kāma revolve), obeisance to you. Kāmabimbavinirhantā (one who destroys the idol of Kāma), Karṇikārasrajapriya (one fond of the garland of Karṇikāra flowers), Gonetā (leader of cow), Gopracara (one who makes rays spread, or one who makes cows graze), Govṛṣeśvaravāhana (one who has, as vehicle, a cow and a leading bull), Trailokyagoptā (the protector of three worlds), Govinda, Goptā (Protector), Gogarga.

74-80. Akhaṇḍacandrābhimukha (one who is face to face with the full moon), Sumukha (having good face), Durmukha (having bad face), Amukha (having no face), Caturmukha (four-faced), Bahumukha (many-faced), Raṇeṣvabhimukhaḥ sadā (Always face to face in battles), Hiraṇyagarbha, Śakuni, Dhanada (bestower of wealth), Annapati (Lord of cooked rice), Virāṭ (Immense being), Adharmahā (Destroyer of evil), Mahādakṣa (very efficient), Daṇḍadhārī (Holder of staff), Raṇapriya (fond of war), Tiṣṭhan (standing), Sthira (steady), Sthāṇu (stump), Niṣkampa (unmoving), Suniścala (very still), Durvāraṇa (one who cannot be checked), Durviṣaha (who cannot be borne), Durdarpa (having wisked arrogance), Duratikrama (one who cannot be made submissive), Nitya (Permanent), Durdama (one who cannot be suppressed), Vijaya (Victory), Jaya (conquerer), Śaśa (hare), Śaśāṅkanayana (having the moon as an eye), Śītoṣṇa (Bearing heat and chillness), Kṣut (Hunger), Tṛṣā (thirst), Jarā (Old age), Ādhis (agonies), Vyādhis (ailments), Vyādhihā (destroyer of ailments), Vyādhipa (the lord of sickness), Sahya (Bearable) Yajñamṛgavyādha, (Hunter of Yajña in the form of a deer), Vyādhīnām Ākara (mine of ailments), Akara (handless), Śikhaṇḍī (tufted), Puṇḍarīka (lotus), Puṇḍarīkāvalokana (one who looks at lotuses), Daṇḍadhṛk (holding staff), Cakradaṇḍa (holding wheel and staff), Raudrabhāgavināśana (Destroyer of terrible share), Viṣapā (one who drinks poison), Amṛtapā (drinker of nectar), Surāpā (drinker of wine), Kṣīrasomapā (drinker of milk and some juice), Madhupā (drinker of honey), Apapā (drinker of water, Sarvapā (drinker of everything), Balābala (strong and weak).

81-90. Vṛṣāṅgavāhya (one who is to be carried over the body of the bull), Vṛṣabha (Bull-leading deity), Vṛṣabhalocana (bull-eyed). You are well known as the leader of all worlds, Lokasaṃskṛta (consecrated in the world). The moon and the sun constitute your eyes, Brahmā is your heart, Agniṣṭoma sacrifice is your body and it is embellished by virtuous holy rite.

O Śiva, neither Brahmā nor Viṣṇu nor the ancient sages are competent to know your greatness precisely like a father protecting his son.

O Śiva, always protect one with the help of your physical subtle forms. Let them come into my vow.

O sinless one, protect me. I am worthy of being protected by you. Obeisance be to you. You are sympathetic to the devotees and I am always your devotee.

May he be my continuous protector, he who stands alone on the shore of the sea after encompassing the miserable state of many thousands of men.

Those who have conquered sleep, those who have mastered their breath, those who abide by the Sattva Guṇa, and those who have similarity of vision and those who perform Yoga, see that brilliance. Obeisance to that Yogic Atman.

When the close of Yugas is imminent he devours all living beings and he lies down in the middle of waters. I resort to him who lies down in the waters.

It is the fire of the Soma juice that enters the mouth of Rāhu and drinks the nectar of the moon at night. As Rāhu, it devours the sun.

Puruṣas (souls of individuals) of the size of thumbs are stationed in the bodies of embodied persons. Let them protect me always. Let them always nourish me.

91. Devas are procreated by Svāhās and Svadhās. To those who attain death Svāhās and Svadhās are offered. Svāhā, Svadhā and Ahar eulogise you.

92-96. Where the embodied persons ascend to and where the living beings descend from, those who delight but do not drag one—obeisance be to them, obeisance to them. Obeisance to those who are in the ocean, to those who are on mountains, to those who are in the impassable rivers, to those who are in caves, at the roots of trees, in cowpens, in dense forests, in the four cross-roads, in streets, in jungles, in assemblies, in chambers of elephants, horses and chariots, in old and dilapidated parks and temples. Obeisance to those who are in five elements, in quarters and intermediary junctions, to those who are in between Indra and the sun, to those who are in the rays of the moon and the Sun, to those who are present in the nether worlds and who have gone beyond that (I make obeisance always).

97. You are identical with all. You are the omnipresent lord, the lord of all living beings, and the immanent soul in all living beings. Hence you have not; been invited.

98. O lord, you alone are worshipped in sacrifices with various sorts of gifts. You alone are the doer of everything. Hence you have not been invited.

99. Or O lord, I have been deluded by your subtle Māyā. For that reason too, you have not been invited by me.

100. O lord of Devas, be pleased with me. You alone are my refuge. You are the goal and the foundation. It is my opinion that no one else is so.

Brahmā said:

101. After eulogising the great lord thus the highly intelligent Dakṣa stopped. The delighted lord spoke to Dakṣa once again.

The lord said:

102. O Dakṣa of good holy rites, I am delighted with this hymn of yours. Of what avail is much talk? You will come to my presence.

103. After uttering the words of consolation the omniscient lord of the three worlds spoke the following words succinctly put in good sentences.

Lord Śiva said:

104. O Dakṣa, you should not feel sad by this destruction of sacrifice. O sinless one, I am the destroyer of sacrifice and this has been seen by you formerly.

105. O one of Good holy rites, accept this boon from me. Wear a happy and pleasant face and listen to me attentively.

106. O Patriarch, by virtue of my favour, you will derive the fruit of a thousand horse and a hundred Vājapeya sacrifices.

107-110. The holy rite of Pāśupata has been prescribed by me. The Vedas and their six anciliaries are to be understood along with the schools of philosophy—Sāṃkhya, Yoga etc. A penance too difficult to be performed even by Devas and Dānavas should also be undertaken. Thus during the course of twelve years this holy rite has been prepared. It is subtle and no intelligent man shall censure it. In some respects it may conform to the disciplined life of four castes and four stages; in some respects it may not. But its aim is the liberation of individual soul from bondage. This holy rite of Pāśupata has been prescribed by me, O Dakṣa, for people of all stages of life. It releases one from all sins. If this holy rite is performed well, the benefit is splendid. O highly blessed one, may it befall you. May this mental ailment be eschewed.

Brahmā said:

111. After saying this to Dakṣa of unmeasured splendour the lord of Devas vanished along with his wife and attendants.

112. O sages who are conversant with holy rites, after acquiring his share as mentioned before, the lord classified (ailments, fever etc.) in to various divisions, in the company of Umā.

113. It is for peace among all living beings that he classified thus. O brahmins, listen. For Nāgas (elephants) it is the scorching of the tuft; for the mountains it is bitumen.

114. It is Nīlikā (for water). For the serpents it is slough (limping). For the cow it is Khoraka (limping), for Earth it is the barren soil.

115. O sages conversant with virtue! for dogs it is the obstruction of the vision; for horses it is the entanglement with the cavity. For peacocks it is the splitting of their tuft-like flower on the head.

116. Redness in the eye is the fever of cuckoo. Split is the fever among noble persons.

117. Hikkikā (coughing) is the fever of parrots. O brahmins, among lions fatigue is the fever.

118. O sages conversant with virtue, such are the fevers among living beings. It occurs at the time of birth, death and in the intervening period.

119. What is called fever is the refulgence of the great lord. It is very terrible. The supreme lord should be bowed to and honoured by all living beings.

120. He who reads this narrative about the origin of fever with great attention without any wretchedness of mind shall be liberated from ailments. He will be gay and joyous. He will get the benefit of his wishes.

121. He who repeats the hymn of Dakṣa or he who listens to it will never have any thing inauspicious. He will obtain a long life.

122. Just as Lord Śiva is the most excellent among Devas so also this hymn of Dakṣa is the most excellent among all hymns.

123. With great devotion this hymn should be repeated assiduously by those who seek fame, heavenly pleasures, divine riches, glory, victory, knowledge and other things of a similar nature.

124. He who is sick, he who is miserable, he who is in a wretched state, or employed in a dangerous task by the ruler—all these are liberated from danger and fear.

125. From the supreme lord he derives happiness and with this body itself he becomes the lord of Gaṇas.

126. In the house where the lord is eulogised, neither Yakṣas nor Piśācas nor Nāgas nor Vināyakas will create any obstacle.

127. A women who listens to this with devotion and is sanctified by the lord shall be honoured in her parental abode as well as in the abode of her husband.

128. The holy rites of that person who listens to this or narrates this frequently, shall fructify without any hindrance.

129. By repeating this hymn, whatever one desires mentally or utters orally shall be realized.

130-131. The devotee shall maintain holy observances with the complete control of his sense-organs. According to his capacity he shall offer oblations to the lord, to his consort Pārvatī and their son Kārttikeya and Nandīśvara. Thereafter, he shall repeat the manes in due order. The man will attain his desired objects. He shall enjoy his cherished pleasures.

132-137. After death he will go to heaven where he will be surrounded by thousands of beautiful women.

If a person is endowed with all desires or defiled by all sins, if he reads this hymn of Dakṣa he will be liberated from sins. On death he will attain identity with the Gaṇas. He will be honoured by Devas and Asuras. He enjoys a trip in an aerial chariot yoked to a bull. He will be a follower of Rudra and stay in the region of Śiva till the dissolution of the universe. This has been mentioned by lord Vyāsa the son of Parāśara. No one knows this nor should it be narrated to any one or every one. By listening to this secret, those who are of sinful origin viz. Vaiśyas, Śūdras and women will attain the world of Rudra.

There is no doubt that the brahmin who narrates this on Parvan days attains the world of Rudra.

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