Greatness of Shiva : Mahimnastava of Pushpadanta with commentary

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MAHIMNASTAVA. 9

Il

Though the Ten-headed One ! had with ease conquered the three worlds?

And destroyed all his enemies therein

His arms still itched for war

(And fresh worlds to conquer)

O Hara! this was done through unshaken devotion to Thee

And the offering of (nine of) his heads to Thy Lotus feet

As though they were themselves a row of Lotuses.

12

When Ravana put forth even against Thine own abode on Kailasa,*

The force of the forest of arms gained through worship of Thee

Thou did’st but slightly move the tip of Thy toe

(On which he fell and fell)

And stayed not falling even when he reached the nether worlds.*

So true it is that the wicked forget the benefits they have received.

1 The Daitya Ravana King of Langka who had ten heads and twenty arms and whom with other demonic beings Vishnu in his seventh incarnation as Rama son of Dasharatha King of Ayodhya came to destroy.

2 The upper, earthly and nether worlds.

3 Mount Kailasa the Himalayan abode and paradise of Shiva.

4 According to old traditions (Pura kila) Ravana used to go every day to Mount Kailasa to worship Shiva, He found this however troublesome and thought to save himself this trouble of a daily journey by carrying off the whole mountain to his abode in Langk& (Ceylon). He began thereupon to pull up the mountain which trembled as he assaulted it. Parvati, Shiva’s spouse became afraid and embraced Her Husband for safety. Shiva. upon this disturbance merely moved his toe and sent Ravana tumbling down through