Chapter 49 - The delusion of Brahmā

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Brahmā said:—

1. Then at my behest, the lord made the brahmins kindle the sacrificial fire and performed the homa, placing Pārvatī on the lap.

2. Śiva poured offerings into the fire with Mantras from Ṛk, Yajus and Sāma Vedas. Pārvatī’s brother Maināka offered handfuls of fried grains.^[1]

3. Then according to the worldly convention, Pārvatī and Śiva performed the circumambulation^[2] round the fire, O dear.

4. The husband of Pārvatī exhibited a wonderful feat. O celestial sage, listen to that. I shall mention it out of love for you.

5. On that occasion, deluded by Śiva’s power of illusion I stared at the feet of the goddess as well as the crescentshaped nails.

6. On seeing them, O celestial sage, I became overwhelmed by passion. My mind was greatly disturbed.

7. Deluded by the cupid I stared at her limbs frequently. Then, immediately after staring at them, my semen dropped on the ground.

8. I, the grandfather, was ashamed by the emission of my semen. O sage, I pressed the penis secretly with my feet.

9. O Nārada, on coming to know of it, the great God Śiva became furious. He wanted to kill me immediately because I was overwhelmed by lust.

10. O Nārada, there was great hue and cry everywhere. All the people trembled. Even Viṣṇu, the sustainer of the universe, was terrified.

11. O sage, then Viṣṇu and other gods eulogised Śiva who was blazing furiously and who attempted to kill me.

The gods said:—

12. O lord of gods, O pervader of the universe, O Sadāśiva, O lord of the universe, O lord of the world or the very world itself, be pleased.

13. You are the supreme soul, the supreme lord and the cause of all emotions. You are free from aberrations, devoid of wastage. You are eternal, free from suspicions and doubts. You are undying. You are the great god.

14. You are Truth, Brahman and Consciousness. You are imperishable, from whom have originated the beginning, the end and the middle of visible worlds, even I too. These visible things are not the true ones.

15. The sages, desirous of liberation, worship and meditate upon your lotus feet. They are steady in their resolve. They avoid attachment on either side.

16. You are the perfect Brahman, the nectar, free from grief, devoid of attributes and the great one. You are the sole bliss, free from excitement, aberrations and even static and insentient.

17. You are the cause of production, sustenance and dissolution of the universe Śiva, the lord of souls, is greater than the universe. He is free from the necessity of its aid. He is always pervasive.

18. You are the One, both Sat and Asat. You are non-dual. Gold whether as the basic metal or as the ready made ornament does not alter in its basic and intrinsic essence.

19. People have doubts in you by their ignorance. The remedy for illusion lies in thinking on your Nirguṇa aspect, not by itself.

20. O supreme lord, we are blessed by your very vision. O Śiva, you are the bestower of supreme bliss to the people who are steady in their devotion. Have mercy.

21. You are the primordial Being. You have no beginning. You are the Puruṣa beyond the Prakṛti. You are the lord of the universe. You are the lord of the world. You are free from aberrations. You are greater than the greatest.

22. Your Rājasika manifestation is Brahmā, the grandfather. O lord, thanks to your grace, Viṣṇu is Puruṣottama by your Sāttvika nature.

24. O great lord of universal form, the manifest, the great principle, the elements, the Tanmātras, and the sense-organs are presided over by you.

25. O supreme lord, O merciful Śiva, O lord of gods, be pleased, O best of Beings, be pleased.

26. The seven oceans^[3] are your clothes. The quarters are your long arms. The firmament is your head, O allpervasive. The sky is your navel. The wind is your nose.

27. O lord, the fire, the sun and the moon are your eyes. The clouds are your hair. The planets and the stars are your ornaments.

28. O lord of gods, how shall I eulogise you? O supreme lord, you are beyond description. O Śiva, you are incomprehensible to the mind.

29. Obeisance to Thee, the five-faced Rudra. Obeisance to thee, with fifty crores of forms. Obeisance to thee, the lord of three deities. Obeisance to the most excellent one. Obeisance to the principle of learning.

30. Obeisance, Obeisance to the inexpressible, the eternal, the lightning-flamed, the flame-coloured. Obeisance to lord Śiva.

31. Obeisance, obeisance to thee stationed in the world with the form resembling a crore of lightning streaks, consisting of eight corners and very lustrous.

Brahmā said:—

32. On hearing their words, lord Śiva was delighted. Favourably disposed to his devotees he offered me freedom from fear.

33. O dear, then Viṣṇu, the other gods and the sages began to smile and became merry.

34. O dear, my semen pressed very frequently, turned into several sparkling drops.

35. Thousands of sages called Vālakhilyas sprang up from the sparkling drops.

36. O sage, then the sages, gathered near me with great pleasure and said—“O father O father”.

37. They were then sternly told by you urged by Śiva’s wish. The Vālakhilyas were rebuked angrily by you.

Nārada said:—

38. All of you together go to the mountain Gandhamādana.^[4] You shall not stay here. No purpose shall be served by your staying here.

39. After performing great penance you will become great sages and disciples of the sun. This has been said by me at the behest of Śiva.

Brahmā said:—

40. Thus addressed, all the Vālakhilyas went immediately to the mountain Gandhamādana after bowing to Śiva.

41. O excellent sage, I was able to breathe fearlessly, thanks to Viṣṇu and others, the noble souls urged by lord Śiva.

42. After knowing that Śiva favourably disposed to His devotees can do everything and dispel the pride of the wicked, I eulogised Him, the lord of all.

43. O great God, O lord of gods, the ocean of mercy, you are the creator, the sustainer and the annihilator of everything.

44. It is at your will that the entire world including the mobile and immobile is kept checked as the bulls amongst a series of cows.

45. After saying so I bowed to Him with palms joined in reverence. Viṣṇu and others too eulogised lord Śiva.

46. On hearing the piteous eulogies made by me as well as by Viṣṇu and others lord Śiva became delighted.

47. He granted me the boon of fearlessness delightedly. All were happy, O sage, and I rejoiced much.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The brother of the bride pours out of his joined hands into her joined hands fried rice grains mixed with Śamī leaves. The bride sacrifices them with firmly joined hands standing, while the bridegroom recites the verses. For details see P.G.S. 1.6. 1-2.

[2]:

See Note 7o. P. 358.

[3]:

The seven mythical oceans are personified here. For details see S.M. Ali, Geography of the Purāṇas, Ch. II. on seven continents and oceans.

[4]:

See Note 309 P. 405