Dashaka 89

रमाजाने जाने यदिह तव भक्तेषु विभवो
न सद्यस्सम्पद्यस्तदिह मदकृत्त्वादशमिनाम् ।
प्रशान्तिं कृत्वैव प्रदिशसि तत: काममखिलं
प्रशान्तेषु क्षिप्रं न खलु भवदीये च्युतिकथा ॥१॥

O Consort of Ramaa! (Laxmi) Thy devotees are not easily blessed in this world. I know it to be so because prosperity generates pride in the passionate people. After making them dispassionate Thou do fulfill all their desires. Those who are already dispassionate, to them Thy blessings come quickly. There is no question of Thy devotee's downfall.

सद्य: प्रसादरुषितान् विधिशङ्करादीन्
केचिद्विभो निजगुणानुगुणं भजन्त: ।
भ्रष्टा भवन्ति बत कष्टमदीर्घदृष्ट्या
स्पष्टं वृकासुर उदाहरणं किलास्मिन् ॥२॥

O Lord! Brahamaa, Shiva and others who are pleased and angered quickly, are worshipped by people in accordance with their own nature. Alas! They are led to disgrace by their shortsightedness. This is indeed clear by the example of Vrikaasura.

शकुनिज: स तु नारदमेकदा
त्वरिततोषमपृच्छदधीश्वरम् ।
स च दिदेश गिरीशमुपासितुं
न तु भवन्तमबन्धुमसाधुषु ॥३॥

Vrikaasura, the son of Shakuni once asked Naarada as to which Deity was the easiest to please. Naarada instructed him to worship Shiva and not Thee who are not supportive towards evil minded people.

तपस्तप्त्वा घोरं स खलु कुपित: सप्तमदिने
शिर: छित्वा सद्य: पुरहरमुपस्थाप्य पुरत: ।
अतिक्षुद्रं रौद्रं शिरसि करदानेन निधनं
जगन्नाथाद्वव्रे भवति विमुखानां क्व शुभधी: ॥४॥

He indeed practiced severe penance and on the seventh day greatly angered, threatened to cut off his head and thus made Shiva appear before him immediately. From the Lord of the universe, Shiva, he sought a very mean and cruel boon that on who-so-ever's head he placed his hand would die immediately. How can good sense prevail upon people who are indifferent to Thee?

मोक्तारं बन्धमुक्तो हरिणपतिरिव प्राद्रवत्सोऽथ रुद्रं
दैत्यात् भीत्या स्म देवो दिशि दिशि वलते पृष्ठतो दत्तदृष्टि: ।
तूष्णीके सर्वलोके तव पदमधिरोक्ष्यन्तमुद्वीक्ष्य शर्वं
दूरादेवाग्रतस्त्वं पटुवटुवपुषा तस्थिषे दानवाय ॥५॥

Like a lion who rushes towards the rescuer, Vrikaasura rushed towards Shiva. Lord Shiva ran about in all directions in panic of the Asura, and kept looking backwards. Everyone in the whole world kept quiet. Then from far Thou saw Shiva as he was about to reach Thy abode. Then, in the guise of a clever Brahmachaari Thou stood waiting for the Asura.

भद्रं ते शाकुनेय भ्रमसि किमधुना त्वं पिशाचस्य वाचा
सन्देहश्चेन्मदुक्तौ तव किमु न करोष्यङ्गुलीमङ्गमौलौ ।
इत्थं त्वद्वाक्यमूढ: शिरसि कृतकर: सोऽपतच्छिन्नपातं
भ्रंशो ह्येवं परोपासितुरपि च गति: शूलिनोऽपि त्वमेव ॥६॥

Hail to you O son of Shakuni! Why are you needlessly running about, placing your faith in this ghost? If you doubt my words, O dear One! Test for yourself by placing your fingers on your own head.' Befooled by these words of Thine, he placed his hand on his head and immediately fell down dead as an uprooted tree. Such is the fate of the people who worship other deities. What more, Thou are the ultimate refuge of even Shiva.

भृगुं किल सरस्वतीनिकटवासिनस्तापसा-
स्त्रिमूर्तिषु समादिशन्नधिकसत्त्वतां वेदितुम् ।
अयं पुनरनादरादुदितरुद्धरोषे विधौ
हरेऽपि च जिहिंसिषौ गिरिजया धृते त्वामगात् ॥७॥

Once the ascetics residing on the banks of the river Saraswati assigned sage Bhrigu to test who among the Trinity was more inclined towards Saatvic guna. Bhrigu went to Brahmaa who was enraged, but he controlled his anger, when Bhrigu showed his disrespect. Next he went to Shiva and behaved with him in the same manner. Shiva was eager to kill him but was restricted by Paarvati. Then Bhrigu went to Thee.

सुप्तं रमाङ्कभुवि पङ्कजलोचनं त्वां
विप्रे विनिघ्नति पदेन मुदोत्थितस्त्वम् ।
सर्वं क्षमस्व मुनिवर्य भवेत् सदा मे
त्वत्पादचिन्हमिह भूषणमित्यवादी: ॥८॥

When Bhrigu went to Thee, O Lotus eyed! Thou were sleeping on Laxmi's lap. He hit Thee on the chest with his foot. Thou got up in good humour and asked for pardon for everything and told him that the mark of his foot would always remain as a decoration on his chest.

निश्चित्य ते च सुदृढं त्वयि बद्धभावा:
सारस्वता मुनिवरा दधिरे विमोक्षम् ।
त्वामेवमच्युत पुनश्च्युतिदोषहीनं
सत्त्वोच्चयैकतनुमेव वयं भजाम: ॥९॥

The great ascetics residing near the Saraswati river decided that Thou were the most Saatvic of the Trinity. They firmly anchored their devotion into Thee and attained union with Thee. O Changeless One! Who are free from the shortcoming of decay, Thy exalted Saatvic form we worship.

जगत्सृष्ट्यादौ त्वां निगमनिवहैर्वन्दिभिरिव
स्तुतं विष्णो सच्चित्परमरसनिर्द्वैतवपुषम् ।
परात्मानं भूमन् पशुपवनिताभाग्यनिवहं
परितापश्रान्त्यै पवनपुरवासिन् परिभजे ॥१०॥

O Vishnu! In the beginning of the creation of the universe, Thy praises were sung by the Vedas just as the minstrels in the king's court.O Infinite One! Thou are the Pure Consciousness Highest Bliss undual embodiment. Thou are also the personification of all the merits of the cowherd women put together. O Resident of Guruvaayur! I intensely worship Thee for the removal of all my sorrows.