काश्मीरिकमहामाहेश्वराचार्यराजानकश्रीजयद्रथविरचितो हरचरितचिन्तामणिः।
“the jewel of śiva’s deeds”
— MAHĀMAHEŚVARĀĊĀRYA RĀJĀNAKA JAYADRATHAḤ
प्रथमः प्रकाशः - ज्वालालिङ्गावतारः ।
prathamaḥ prakāśaḥ - jvālāliṅgāvatāraḥ |
श्रीमृत्युजिते नमः ।
śrīmṛtyujite namaḥ |
Salutation to the Glorious Mrtyunjit.
नानाप्रकारसंसारप्रकाशनविशारदः ।
क्रीडन्विचित्रैराकारैर्जयत्येको महेश्वरः ॥ १॥
nānāprakārasaṃsāraprakāśanaviśāradaḥ |
krīḍanvicitrairākārairjayatyeko maheśvaraḥ || 1||
Victory to the one great Lord, master in revealing the countless modes of the world, who delights in play through wondrous and varied forms
एकाप्यनेकरूपैव वाच्यवाचकभङ्गिभिः ।
सर्वज्ञस्य परा शक्तिर्भासतां प्रतिभासताम् ॥ २॥
ekāpyanekarūpaiva vācyavācakabhaṅgibhiḥ |
sarvajñasya parā śaktirbhāsatāṃ pratibhāsatām || 2||
Though one, She takes on countless forms through the many modes of word and meaning; may the supreme power of the All-knowing Lord shine forth in radiant splendor and reveal itself.
श्रीमत्कल्याणवपुषः शम्भोर्भक्तिमुपास्महे ।
यदेकभाजनं कायो मोक्षादप्यतिरिच्यते ॥ ३॥
śrīmatkalyāṇavapuṣaḥ śambhorbhaktimupāsmahe |
yadekabhājanaṃ kāyo mokṣādapyatiricyate || 3||
We bow in devotion to Śambhu, whose form is blessed and auspicious—whose very body is the sole vessel cherished above even the gift of liberation
सद्गुरुप्राप्त्यभिज्ञानो यो राजानकहिग्गकः ।
शास्त्रविच्छिन्नमोहश्च यो राजानक आहलः ॥ ४॥
sadguruprāptyabhijñāno yo rājānakahiggakaḥ |
śāstravicchinnamohaśca yo rājānaka āhalaḥ || 4||
Rājānaka Higgaka, who gained true understanding through the guidance of a worthy Guru, and Rājānaka Āhala, whose ignorance was removed by the wisdom of the scriptures. (As next sloka says these two are the Gurus of Rājānaka Jayadratha)
देशे श्रीविजयेशस्य निवसन्प्रेरणात्तयोः ।
चरित्राणि त्रिनेत्रस्य शास्त्रदृष्टानि गुम्फये ॥ ५॥
deśe śrīvijayeśasya nivasanpreraṇāttayoḥ |
caritrāṇi trinetrasya śāstradṛṣṭāni gumphaye || 5||
Residing in the land of Śrīvijayeśa, and inspired by those two (teachers), I weave together the accounts of the Three-Eyed One as they are seen in the scriptures
चरितं क्व महेशस्य क्व चोद्योगो मितात्मनः ।
इति भक्त्यासवास्वादक्षीबे का स्याद्विचारणा ॥ ६॥
caritaṃ kva maheśasya kva codyogo mitātmanaḥ |
iti bhaktyāsavāsvādakṣībe kā syādvicāraṇā || 6||
What comparison is there between the mighty deeds of Maheshvara and the limited effort of one like me? Yet, in the sweetness of devotion and the joy of relishing them, what need is there for such deliberation?
व्युत्पत्तिमात्रनिःशङ्कविवर्धितविवेकिनाम् ।
इतरेषु मदीयेषु प्रवन्धेष्वधिकारिता ॥ ७॥
vyutpattimātraniḥśaṅkavivardhitavivekinām |
itareṣu madīyeṣu pravandheṣvadhikāritā || 7||
These writings are truly for the wise—those whose doubtless insight has grown through genuine learning—rather than for others.
इयं साधारणा वाणी शम्भुशक्तिमतः प्रति ।
समस्तलोकसुभगा शैथिल्येनैव शोभते ॥ ८॥
iyaṃ sādhāraṇā vāṇī śambhuśaktimataḥ prati |
samastalokasubhagā śaithilyenaiva śobhate || 8||
Yet these words, offered to the power of Śambhu, are open to all, pleasing to the whole world, their charm resting in a simple and natural grace.
अव्युत्पत्तिमिहालोक्य मन्तव्यं मयि नान्यथा ।
दारिद्र्यं न हि सम्भाव्यं शम्भोर्दासे विवाससि ॥ ९॥
avyutpattimihālokya mantavyaṃ mayi nānyathā |
dāridryaṃ na hi sambhāvyaṃ śambhordāse vivāsasi || 9||
If you see in me a lack of great learning, think no otherwise; for there can be no poverty in one who dwells as a servant of Śambhu.
इह श्रद्धां विधास्यन्ति शिवशासनभाविताः ।
दर्शनान्तरमग्नानामसतामस्त्वनादरः ॥ १०॥
iha śraddhāṃ vidhāsyanti śivaśāsanabhāvitāḥ |
darśanāntaramagnānāmasatāmastvanādaraḥ || 10||
In this work, faith will arise in those whose minds are shaped by Śiva’s teaching; as for the unworthy, absorbed in other doctrines, let them be simply disregarded.
तत्रोत्तमानां भगवच्चरिताकर्णनाद्भवेत् ।
स्वरूपलाभो निःशेषसंसारोन्मूलनक्षमः ॥ ११॥
tatrottamānāṃ bhagavaccaritākarṇanādbhavet |
svarūpalābho niḥśeṣasaṃsāronmūlanakṣamaḥ || 11||
There, for the highest type (of devotees), listening to the deeds of the Lord brings the attainment of their own true nature, capable of completely uprooting saṃsāra.
मध्यमानां शिवे भक्तिर्दृढत्वमवलम्बते ।
उत्पद्यते क्रमात्सैव कथ्यमाना शुभावहा ॥ १२॥
madhyamānāṃ śive bhaktirdṛḍhatvamavalambate |
utpadyate kramātsaiva kathyamānā śubhāvahā || 12||
For those of the middle type, devotion to Śiva gains firmness; and as these stories are told, that very devotion arises step by step, bringing auspiciousness.
अधमानामधर्मेभ्यो निवृत्तौ धर्मसेवनम् ।
उपादेया त्रयाणामप्येषा तस्माद्विभोः कथा ॥ १३॥
adhamānāmadharmebhyo nivṛttau dharmasevanam |
upādeyā trayāṇāmapyeṣā tasmādvibhoḥ kathā || 13||
For those of the lowest type, it turns them away from unrighteousness and leads them to the practice of dharma. Thus, this story of the Lord is to be embraced by all three classes (highest, middle, and lowest).
चिद्रूप एव भगवान्स्वेच्छया पञ्चकृत्यकृत् ।
देशकालाकृतीः पुष्णन्नैयत्यमवलम्बते ॥ १४॥
cidrūpa eva bhagavānsvecchayā pañcakṛtyakṛt |
deśakālākṛtīḥ puṣṇannaiyatyamavalambate || 14||
The Blessed Lord, whose very nature is consciousness, performs the five acts by His own will, sustaining all places, times, and forms, yet remaining ever unbound.
स एव चरते देवो रूपैः स्थावरजङ्गमैः ।
तदन्यो न च कोऽप्यस्ति शास्त्रेणानुभवेन वा ॥ १५॥
sa eva carate devo rūpaiḥ sthāvarajaṅgamaiḥ |
tadanyo na ca ko'pyasti śāstreṇānubhavena vā || 15||
That very Lord moves about in forms both immobile and mobile; and there is no other besides Him — so declare both the scriptures and direct experience
ज्वालालिङ्गस्वरूपेण येन विश्वात्मना कृतः ।
अनुग्रहः पुरा ब्रह्मविष्णोर्विवदमानयोः ॥ १६॥
jvālāliṅgasvarūpeṇa yena viśvātmanā kṛtaḥ |
anugrahaḥ purā brahmaviṣṇorvivadamānayoḥ || 16||
Through the Jvālālinga Linga-form, the self of the Universe once poured forth His grace upon Brahmā and Viṣṇu, when they were locked in contention.
जाग्रतं पाशहस्तं च निगिरन्तमिवान्तकम् ।
श्वेतानुकम्पी नेत्राग्निज्वालया सञ्जहार यः ॥ १७॥
jāgrataṃ pāśahastaṃ ca nigirantamivāntakam |
śvetānukampī netrāgnijvālayā sañjahāra yaḥ || 17||
He who, moved by his stainless compassion, consumed the ever-wakeful, noose-bearing Death — as though swallowing him — with the fiery beam from His eye.
यद्गन्धमात्रान्निःशेषा व्यघटन्त सुरासुराः ।
यस्यैव शोभते कण्ठे निगीर्णः स हलाहलः ॥ १८॥
yadgandhamātrānniḥśeṣā vyaghaṭanta surāsurāḥ |
yasyaiva śobhate kaṇṭhe nigīrṇaḥ sa halāhalaḥ || 18||
At the mere waft of whose fragrance the hosts of suras and asuras were thrown into disarray, and whose throat is adorned by the halāhala poison He swallowed.
यस्य माहात्म्यमाख्यातुं ब्रह्मणापि न शक्यते ।
स द्वारदासो यस्यैव नन्दिरुद्रो दिवानिशम् ॥ १९॥
yasya māhātmyamākhyātuṃ brahmaṇāpi na śakyate |
sa dvāradāso yasyaiva nandirudro divāniśam || 19||
Whose glory not even Brahmā can utter in full; at whose threshold Nandī, the Rudra, stands in service day and night.
बाधमानः समस्तानि भुवनान्यन्धकासुरः ।
येनैवालम्बितः शान्तिं सर्वेषु करुणावता ॥ २०॥
bādhamānaḥ samastāni bhuvanānyandhakāsuraḥ |
yenaivālambitaḥ śāntiṃ sarveṣu karuṇāvatā || 20||
When demon Andhaka cast his shadow upon all the worlds, it was He, the ocean of compassion, who upheld them, calming the storm with His gentle might.
देहार्धे गृह्णता देवीं भिन्नत्वेन स्थितामपि ।
शक्तिशक्तिमतोरैक्यं येनैकेनोपदिश्यते ॥ २१॥
dehārdhe gṛhṇatā devīṃ bhinnatvena sthitāmapi |
śaktiśaktimatoraikyaṃ yenaikenopadiśyate || 21||
Though She stood apart, He drew the Goddess into half His form, declaring through His very body the eternal oneness of Śakti and the Lord of Śakti.
यद्बलेनासुरान्विष्णुर्जघान बलवत्तरान् ।
तच्चक्रं ददता येन पूर्णा शक्तिः प्रकाशिता ॥ २२॥
yadbalenāsurānviṣṇurjaghāna balavattarān |
taccakraṃ dadatā yena pūrṇā śaktiḥ prakāśitā || 22||
By His strength did Viṣṇu lay low demons stronger than himself; and when He placed the discus in Viṣṇu’s hand, the fullness of divine power shone forth.
प्रमथ्य यज्ञं निःशेषं सह सर्वैः सुरासुरैः ।
फलेन योजितो दक्षो येनैवाद्भुतशक्तिना ॥ २३॥
pramathya yajñaṃ niḥśeṣaṃ saha sarvaiḥ surāsuraiḥ |
phalena yojito dakṣo yenaivādbhutaśaktinā || 23||
He who, by His wondrous power, destroyed Dakṣa’s sacrifice completely, along with all the gods and demons, and then restored Dakṣa with a fruit (grant of life).
अबाधत जगत्सर्वं सगर्वस्तारकासुरः ।
षड्वा(षत्वा)सरेणापि जितः स बलाद्यस्य सूनुना ॥ २४॥
abādhata jagatsarvaṃ sagarvastārakāsuraḥ |
ṣaḍvā(ṣatvā)sareṇāpi jitaḥ sa balādyasya sūnunā || 24||
The proud Tārakāsura, who tormented the whole world, was overpowered by sheer might — by His son, though only six days old.
येन श्रीविजयेशानमूर्तिमादाय भूरयः ।
मुनयोऽनुगृहीतास्ते क्रीडयैव तपोवने ॥ २५॥
yena śrīvijayeśānamūrtimādāya bhūrayaḥ |
munayo'nugṛhītāste krīḍayaiva tapovane || 25||
He who, taking the form of Śrī-Vijayeśāna, bestowed His grace upon many sages in the forest of austerities, doing so as if in mere play.
श्रीपिङ्गलेश्वरवपुर्य एव परमेश्वरः ।
अनुजग्राह दहनं विच्छायत्वमुपागतम् ॥ २६॥
śrīpiṅgaleśvaravapurya eva parameśvaraḥ |
anujagrāha dahanaṃ vicchāyatvamupāgatam || 26||
He who, as the Supreme Lord in the form of Śrī-Piṅgaleśvara, received into Himself the Fire-god Agni, who had come to a shadow-like, diminished state
शक्तिर्भगवतो यस्य वितस्ता रूपमाश्रिता ।
चराचरस्य जगतो मार्क्षि कल्मषकर्दमम् ॥ २७॥
śaktirbhagavato yasya vitastā rūpamāśritā |
carācarasya jagato mārkṣi kalmaṣakardamam || 27||
He whose divine Power, taking the form of the river Vitastā, washes away the mire of sin from the entire world, both moving and unmoving.
प्रज्वाल्य त्रिपुरं देवः सुराणां कल्पिताभयः ।
श्रीमत्स्वयम्भूनाथात्मा य उद्धरति भावितान् ॥ २८॥
prajvālya tripuraṃ devaḥ surāṇāṃ kalpitābhayaḥ |
śrīmatsvayambhūnāthātmā ya uddharati bhāvitān || 28||
He who, having set ablaze the triple cities, granted safety to the gods, and — being the glorious self-manifested Lord (Svayambhūnātha) — lifts up the devoted.
काष्ठरूपत्वमादाय येन विश्वानुकम्पिना ।
महर्षयो वसिष्ठाद्याः क्रीडयैव विमोहिताः ॥ २९॥
kāṣṭharūpatvamādāya yena viśvānukampinā |
maharṣayo vasiṣṭhādyāḥ krīḍayaiva vimohitāḥ || 29||
He who, in compassion to the world, assuming the form of a wooden log, merely in play, bewildered the great sages such as Vasiṣṭha.
येनेश्वरेण भक्तानां दधता चण्डरुद्र(द्ध)ताम् ।
स्वीयं पवित्रं निर्माल्यं भुक्तये परिकल्पितम् ॥ ३०॥
yeneśvareṇa bhaktānāṃ dadhatā caṇḍarudra(ddha)tām |
svīyaṃ pavitraṃ nirmālyaṃ bhuktaye parikalpitam || 30||
It is that Lord who, bestowing upon His devotees the fierce state of Rudra Himself, has made His own sacred nirmālya—the offerings used in His worship—pure and fit for them to partake of. (*Importance of Nirmālya)
तिथ्यादिसङ्घट्टनया समस्ता अपि देहिनः ।
प्रभोर्यस्यैव माहात्म्यात्प्राप्नुवन्त्युत्तमां गतिम् ॥ ३१॥
tithyādisaṅghaṭṭanayā samastā api dehinaḥ |
prabhoryasyaiva māhātmyātprāpnuvantyuttamāṃ gatim || 31||
Through the conjunction of sacred occasions—such as holy lunar days and festivals—all embodied beings attain the highest state, solely by the greatness of that Lord. (*Importance of special occasions such as Śivarātri, Pradosha etc)
TRANSLATING…
Translated by SUDHIR