Somāshṭaka of Brahmā

The Somāshṭaka is the stotra that Brahmā sang to Parameśvara (Bhagavān Śiva) and Devī Pārvatī after his pride was broken. It is called an ashṭaka (a hymn of eight parts). Brahmā joined it with the Śatarudrīya, the great Vedic hymn to Rudra. It is found in the Kūrma Mahā Purāṇa, Uttarārdha, Chapter 31.

The stotra is Brahmā’s act of surrender. It shows that he knew again that Parameśvara is supreme. It came before Parameśvara gave Brahmā the Brahmeśvara-yoga.

The setting

Brahmā had called himself the supreme ruler of creation before the assembled ṛshis. He set aside the sovereignty of Bhagavān Vishṇu. He denied that Parameśvara is supreme, even after the four Vedas themselves spoke for Parameśvara. Then Kālabhairava appeared and cut off Brahmā’s proud fifth head. The skull stuck to Kālabhairava’s hand.

Brahmā came back to his senses through the grace of Parameśvara. He then saw a divine maṇḍala (circle) that had appeared in the sky. Mahādeva sat in it with Devī Pārvatī, in supreme splendour. The sight of Parameśvara with Umā washed away every trace of Brahmā’s mada (pride). The māheśvara smṛti, the memory of Parameśvara’s greatness, came back to him in a flood.

Brahmā fell flat on the earth like a daṇḍa (staff), chanting the Śatarudrīya. Then he sang the Somāshṭaka.

The Somāshṭaka

Brahmā sang this ashṭaka as he lay prostrate before Mahādeva and Mahādevī.

• Salutation to Mahādeva. Salutation to Mahādevī. Salutation to Śānta (the peaceful one), to Śiva. Salutation to Śiva.
• Salutation to you who are brahmasvarūpa (Brahman in form), to Sarasvatīrūpa. Salutation to Maheśa. Salutation to Mūlaprakṛti. Salutation to the vijñānadeha (the one whose body is knowledge), to the cintārūpa (the one who takes the form of thought).
• Salutation to Kālakāla, to Īśvara. Salutation to Rudra, to Rudrāṇī. Salutation to the kālarūpa (the form of time), to Māyā.
• Salutation to the one who governs all kāryas (works), to the one who causes kshobha (the stirring of creation). Salutation to Nārāyaṇa, to Prakṛti.
• Salutation to the one who gives yoga, to the Yogi-guru. Salutation to the nityānanda (the one of ever-lasting bliss), to the ānandamūrti (the form of bliss).
• Salutation to the kāryavihīna, to Viśvaprakṛti. Salutation to the Oṃkārasvarūpa (the form of Oṃkāra), to the one who abides in Oṃkāra.
• Salutation to the vyomasthita (the one who stands in the sky), to Vyomaśakti.

The Śatarudrīya

When he had finished the Somāshṭaka, Brahmā chanted the Śatarudrīya, the great Vedic hymn to Rudra. He lay flat on the earth like a daṇḍa before Parameśvara. This was the complete surrender of the Creator before the source of all creation.

Parameśvara’s answer

Parameśvara was moved by Brahmā’s complete surrender. He raised Brahmā with his own hands and said, “I am now prasanna (pleased) with you.”

Then he gave Brahmā the peerless Brahmeśvara-yoga, the yoga of Brahma-awareness in Īśvara. He also gave Kālabhairava his command. Kālabhairava was to bear the kapāla (skull) and wander through all the worlds as a living example of prāyaścitta (atonement). Then he was to go to Vārāṇasī for moksha.

Sources

• Kūrma Mahā Purāṇa, Uttarārdha, Chapter 31