Kṛshṇa’s Stotra to Śiva at Upamanyu’s Āśrama
This is the stotra in which Bhagavān Kṛshṇa praises Parameśvara Śiva as the supreme brahman, the cause of creation, keeping and dissolution (sṛshṭi, sthiti, pralaya), and the inner ruler (antaryāmin) of all. It is found in the Kūrma Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, chapter 25. Kṛshṇa sings it at the āśrama (hermitage) of the great yogi Upamanyu in the Himālaya, when Bhagavān Śiva appears in the sky with Pārvatī.
The setting
Kṛshṇa heard Jāmbāvatī speak of the desire for a son, and he resolved to perform tapas (austerity) to obtain a vara (a boon) from Parameśvara. As the avatāra of Nārāyaṇa he was himself the giver of all varas.
He came to the āśrama of Upamanyu. Upamanyu was a great Śiva-yogi who had himself received yoga-vidyā (the knowledge of yoga) from Bhagavān Śiva at that very place. Upamanyu received Kṛshṇa with honour. Kṛshṇa told him his purpose: to obtain the darśana (sight) of Bhagavān Śiva.
Upamanyu told him to practise tapas with devotion at the āśrama. He taught him pāśupata-yoga and all the niyamas (rules) needed. He assured Kṛshṇa that Vāsudeva was himself the greatest among the yogīśvaras (masters of yoga), and so fit for the sākshātkāra (direct vision) of Parameśvara.
Kṛshṇa covered himself in bhasma (sacred ash), put on bark-cloth and matted hair (jaṭā), and fixed his mind on Bhagavān Śiva alone. After a long time Bhagavān Śiva, wearing the crescent moon and accompanied by Pārvatī, appeared in the sky before him. (Kūrma Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, chapter 25)
The form of Śiva at the darśana
Kṛshṇa saw Parameśvara in full splendour. He wore a golden crown and carried the gadā (mace), a citrā-mālā (garland of many colours), the Pināka bow and the śūla (trident). He was dressed in tiger-skin. He is the deva of devas, eternal, of the nature of yoga (yoga-svarūpa), Īśvara, subtler than the atom, of endless śakti (power), the master of the prāṇas (life-breaths): Śambhu.
He is the three-eyed One with the axe (paraśu), with bhasma on a body clothed in a man-lion’s skin, sounding with Oṃkāra, with the radiance of a thousand suns, of great form: Ādi-Deva Rudra.
On Śiva’s left stood the unmanifest (avyakta) form of Nārāyaṇa himself, with the conch, the discus and the sword, the original first being. On the right stood Devendra with folded hands. In the sky sat Brahmā on his haṃsa (swan), praising Maheśvara.
Before Śiva stood the gaṇeśvaras (chiefs of the gaṇas) with the brilliance of a thousand suns, Nandīśvara and others, Kumārasvāmi and Gaṇeśa. The ṛshis from Marīci to Vasishṭha, and Svāyambhuva Manu, were seen in their places. (Kūrma Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, chapter 25)
The stotra
Kṛshṇa folded his hands, bowed before Parameśvara and Pārvatī, and praised the king of the devas with Vedic mantras. He said:
“O Śāśvata (the eternal)! O Sarva-yoga-svarūpa (of the nature of all yoga)! Brahmā and the ṛshis describe you as Sattva-Rajas-Tamo-guṇātmaka (made of the three guṇas: sattva, rajas and tamas), and as the whole universe itself. Namaskāra to you.
Rudra! You are Brahmā, you are Vishṇu, you are the creator, you are the destroyer. You stand in the solar maṇḍala (the sun’s disc). You are of the nature of prāṇa. To you, the advaita (one without a second), who are Agni, Indra and every form of bheda (difference), I take refuge.
The Sāṅkhyas meditate on you as free of the guṇas (guṇarahita), as the One Form (Ekākāra), as the one who stands in yoga (yogastha), always in the mind. The Vedas praise you as Rudra, the one to be praised (stutya). O Deva, O Īśa, I take refuge in you.
He who offers even one flower or one leaf at your foot is freed from the bondage of saṃsāra. I remember your two feet, served by siddhas and yogīs. Remove all my pāpa (sin) through your anugraha (grace).
You are not divided into many parts. You are spotless (nirmalā), living in the inner part of the heart, endless (anantā), without a second (advaita), unmoving (niścalā), of the nature of truth (satyasvarūpa), all-pervading, the best (śreshṭhā), the cause of all (kāraṇabhūtā), without beginning, middle or end (ādi-madhyānta-rahitā). All this arises from your pada (state). You are the one of true glory (satya-vibhava), the Viśveśvara. You alone I serve always.
Nīlakaṇṭha (the blue-throated), Trinetra (the three-eyed), the swift one, Mahādeva, Īśāna: Namovākam (a salutation) to you.
Vandana to the bearer of the Pināka. Vandana to the sannyāsī who carries the staff. Praṇāma to the bearer of the vajra, the one clothed in the directions (digambara), the one with matted hair (kapardī).
Praṇāma to the one of the terrible sound, the form of Time (kālarūpa), the one with fangs (dṛṃshṭras), who wears serpents as the sacred thread (yajñopavīta), the one whose seed is fire (agni-retas).
Namaskāra to Girīśa, the form of the cry svāhā (Svāhākārarūpa). Vandana to the one who laughs loudly (Aṭṭahāsa), the one of fearful form (Bhīmarūpa). Namovākam to the destroyer of the great mind (Manomahasamhārin), the conqueror of Yama (Yamajin), the one in a fearful dress (Bhayaṅkaravesha), Hara who carries the bow.
Vandana to the three-eyed One. Praṇāma to the wearer of skin as clothing. Namaskāra to Pārvatīpati and Paśupati.
Namaskāra to the one whose form is ākāśa (space), the ruler of ākāśa. Namaskāra to the one whose body is part woman and part man, the one who set going Sāṅkhya-yoga.
Namovākam to the master of the Bhairava gaṇas, the one in the form of the liṅga worshipped by the devas, the father of Kumāra, the deva of devas.
Praṇāma to the master of yajña, the brahmacārī, the one who took the form of a Kirāta hunter and struck down the deer (mṛga), the great chief of Brahmā.
Namaskāra to the one in the form of the haṃsa, the self of the universe (Viśvātmaka), Mohinī. Vandana to the Yogī, the one who is known through yoga, the one whose form is Yogamāyā.
Vandana to the protector of the prāṇas, the one who loves the sound of the bell (ghaṇṭānāda-priya), the bearer of the skull (kapāladhārī), the master of all jyotis (lights).
O Deva, namaskāra to you again and again. O Parameśvara, grant me all that I desire!” (Kūrma Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, chapter 25)
Śiva’s answer
After Kṛshṇa had offered the stotra and bowed to the ground, Bhagavān Śaṅkara raised him up. He spoke in a deep, sweet voice:
“O Kṛshṇa, why do you perform tapas? You yourself are the giver of all beings’ desires and of the fruit of karma (karma-phala). You are my own best form, named Nārāyaṇa, O Purushottama. Without you this world does not stand. Know yourself as Ananta, as Parameśvara. Know yourself as Mahādeva through your own yoga.”
Kṛshṇa then looked at Pārvatī and at Viśveśvara with a smile, and asked for a son equal to Śiva. Bhagavān Śiva, the great one, said “Tathaiva astu” (so be it) and embraced Vishṇu.
Pārvatī then also confirmed that Kṛshṇa is Nārāyaṇa. She gave him these varas: sarvajñatva (knowing all), aiśvarya (sovereignty), knowledge connected with Parameśvara (parameśvara-sambandhi jñāna), unshakable bhakti (niścalā bhakti) and supreme śakti. (Kūrma Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, chapter 25)
After the darśana
Straight after this darśana Bhagavān Śiva took Kṛshṇa by the hand and led him to Kailāsa. (Kūrma Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, chapters 25–26)
Sources
- Kūrma Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, chapters 25–26